Understanding for Eitan the Citizen. The mercies of the Lord I will sing forever; to generation and generation I will make known Your faithfulness with my mouth. This is what the Scripture says (Jeremiah 9:23-24), "Thus says the Lord, 'Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast of his might, let not a rich man boast of his riches; but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord who exercises lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things,' declares the Lord."
Eitan the Citizen said, "I have gained understanding, and so I will sing of Your mercies forever." The Lord said to him, "You have gained understanding, for in these things I delight. Whoever praises Me, let him praise Me in these things alone. As it is said (Hosea 6:6), 'For I delight in loyalty rather than sacrifice, and in the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.'"
David said, "You desire mercy, and so I will praise You for Your mercy." Therefore it is said (Psalm 62:13), "But to You, O Lord, belongs mercy." And it is not just one mercy, but many mercies. Isaiah also says (Isaiah 63:7), "I shall make mention of the lovingkindnesses of the Lord."
Therefore it says, "those mercies of the Lord." They asked Eitan, "On what does the world stand?" He said to them, "I have said, 'The world will be built on mercy; the heavens will be established through mercy.'" And not just the heavens, but even the throne itself does not stand except through mercy, as it says (Psalm 89:15), "Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne; lovingkindness and truth go before You."
It is like a throne that has four legs, and one of them was collapsing, so they took a bundle and leaned it against it. Likewise, the heavenly throne was collapsing until the Lord supported it, and with what did He support it? With mercy. "The world will be built on mercy."
David also says (Psalm 136:5), "To Him who made the heavens with skill, for His mercy endures forever." And by whose means do they stand through mercy? As it says (Psalm 100:5), "For the Lord is good; His mercy is everlasting, and His faithfulness endures to all generations." And so with every psalm.
And afterwards it says (Psalms 145:15), "He provides food for all flesh," to teach you that the difficulties of a person's sustenance are equivalent to all the acts of creation. Rabbi Elazar says, "Why is sustenance compared to redemption? Just as redemption is miraculous, so too sustenance is miraculous. Just as sustenance is provided every day, so too redemption is provided every day."
Rabbi Samuel bar Nahmani says, "Sustenance is greater than redemption." I have said, "The world is built on kindness." A parable to what is the world similar? (And the glory of the Holy One, blessed be He,) It is similar to a king who had treasure houses filled with all kinds of goodness, and he said, "Upon what are these treasures lying? I shall take servants and feed them and give them drink, and they shall praise me."
Thus, the world was void and without form, and He created the world and created man and granted him dominion over all goodness in order to praise Him. And it is written (Psalms 150:6), "Let everything that has breath praise the Lord." And it says (Psalms 41:14), "Blessed be the Lord God of Israel from everlasting to everlasting. Amen and Amen."
Rabbi Elazar said in the name of Rabbi Yose ben Zimra, "Amen, Amen." Amen to an oath, amen to acceptance. Amen, Amen, as it is said (Genesis 45:26), "And they believed him." Amen to an oath, as it is said (Numbers 5:22), "And the woman shall say, 'Amen.'"
Amen to acceptance, as it is said (Nehemiah 8:6), "And all the people answered, 'Amen, Amen,' with lifted hands." Amen in this world and amen in the world to come.