Midrash Tehillim Reader

Another interpretation of "Bikrei Anani" (a phrase from the beginning of Psalm 18): There were three things that troubled David, but God comforted him. The first was the destruction of the Temple. As it says (Psalm 132:1), "Remember, O Lord, for David all his hardships." And God comforted him by revealing to him the place where the Temple would be built, as it says (1 Chronicles 22:1), "Then David said, 'This is the house of the Lord God.'"

The second thing that troubled David was the sin with Bathsheba. The people of Israel were saying that David deserved to die for what he had done. But God comforted him by saying (2 Samuel 12:13), "The Lord has taken away your sin. You will not die."

The third thing that troubled David was the question of who would succeed him as king. God comforted him by promising that his son Solomon would be his successor, as it says (1 Chronicles 22:9-10), "Behold, a son will be born to you...and his name shall be Solomon...I will establish his kingdom forever." And when David asked, "Who will be born to me?" God replied, "Through whom will you be healed of your sins?

Through the son of the woman with whom you sinned." This was revealed to David by the prophet Nathan, as it says (2 Samuel 12:25), "And he sent word through Nathan the prophet, and he named him Jedidiah."

Another interpretation in the clouds. It says in the scripture (Deuteronomy 4:7), "For what great nation is there that has God close to it, as the Lord our God is whenever we call upon Him?" Rabbi Yudan said in the name of Rabbi Yitzhak, "He has a patron in the flesh." They said to him, "Your son has been caught."

He said to them, "I am responsible for him." They said to him, "But he is sentenced to death. Where is he, and where is his patron?" However, the Holy One, blessed be He, saved Moses from Pharaoh's sword, as it says (Exodus 18:4), "For the God of my father was my help."

Rabbi Yannai said, "It is written (Exodus 2:15), 'And Moses fled from Pharaoh.' Can a person escape from a monarchy? But at the moment when Pharaoh's men caught him and were about to decapitate him with a sword, the hilt of the sword broke above the neck of Moses, as it says (Song of Songs 7:6), 'Your neck is like the tower of David.' This refers to the neck of Moses."

Rabbi Avitar said, "Not only that, but the sword fell on the neck of the executioner, and Moses killed him, as it says (Exodus 18:4), 'And He saved me from Pharaoh's sword.' He saved me, but not the executioner." Rabbi Berachya called upon it (Proverbs 21:18), "The wicked are a ransom for the righteous." Rabbi Avin called upon it (ibid. 11:8), "The righteous one is saved from distress."

Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said, "At the moment when Moses fled, all the inhabitants of Pharaoh's palace became dumb, deaf, and blind. To the dumb, he said, 'Where did Moses flee?' but they did not speak. To the deaf, he said, 'What is happening?' but they did not hear. To the blind, he said, 'What does Moses look like?' but they did not see.

This is what the Holy One, blessed be He, said (Exodus 4:11), 'Who gives a person speech?' There, you have the answer, but here I have none." Therefore, it is written (Deuteronomy 4:7), "For the Lord our God is close to us whenever we call upon Him." Rabbi Yudan said another interpretation: "He has a patron in the flesh."

They said to him, "Your son has been caught." He said to them, "I am responsible for him." They said to him, "But he is sentenced to death." "And the Holy One, blessed be He, did not save Jonah from the belly of the fish, as it is said (Jonah 2:11), 'And the Lord spoke to the fish.'

Rabbi Yudan said in his name, 'Flesh and blood have an advocate. When a time of trouble comes upon him suddenly, he does not immediately enter before him (God), but he comes and stands at the door of his advocate and calls to his servant and says, "So-and-so is at the door." But the Holy One, blessed be He, is not so. When a time of trouble comes upon Israel, he should not call upon Gabriel or Michael, but call upon him (God), and he will answer him.

This is what is written (Joel 2:32), "And it shall come to pass that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be delivered." Rabbi Alexandri related a story about a certain judge who used to deride others. He said to him, 'What is your name?' He replied, 'Alexander,' and he (the judge) turned away in contempt.

The judge then asked him, 'What is the name of your advocate?' He replied, 'Alexander,' and the judge immediately rose to his feet and kissed him on his forehead, saying, 'My master, my master.' If one who is called by the name of flesh and blood can be saved from danger, how much more so one who is called by the name of the Holy One, blessed be He?' Rabbi Pinchas said two things in the name of Rabbi Zeira and one in the name of Rabbi Tanhum.

Flesh and blood have an advocate. If one has burdened him excessively, he (the advocate) says, 'I have forgotten so-and-so who has burdened me too much.' But the Holy One, blessed be He, accepts whatever burdens Israel places upon Him, as it is said (Psalms 55:23), "Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee." Flesh and blood have an advocate.

If one's enemies seize him at the door of his home and he cries out to him (the advocate), the sword may fall upon his neck and kill him before he is rescued. But the Holy One, blessed be He, is not so. He saved Jehoshaphat from the sword of Aram, as it is said (Chronicles II 18:31), "And Jehoshaphat cried out and the Lord helped him; and God moved them to depart from him." This teaches that he only lacked humility.

Rabbi Shimon said, flesh and blood have a relative; if he is rich, he acknowledges him, but if he is poor, he does not acknowledge him. But the Holy One, blessed be He, is not so. When Israel is in distress, he calls them "brothers" and "friends," as it is said (Psalms 122:8), "For my brethren and companions' sakes," and it is written (Exodus 33:11), "And the Lord spoke unto Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend."

Rabbi Zeira said, a person has a son who is seen once in seventy years, and yet he kisses him on the forehead; but the Holy One, blessed be He, waits for the repentance of the wicked every day, as it is said (Ezekiel 33:11), "As I live, says the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live." Above the firmament are the Chayot (heavenly beings).

Rabbi Chelbo said that even the Chayot move in a cycle of 490 years. The legs of the Chayot correspond to all the animals, and the Throne of Glory corresponds to everything above. When a person enters the synagogue and stands behind the pillar to whisper their prayer, the Lord listens. This is what is written, "For what great nation is there that has God so near to it, as the Lord our God whenever we call upon Him?" (Deuteronomy 4:7) Rabbi Chanina asked Rabbi Samuel, "What does it mean when it says in Lamentations 3:44, 'You covered yourself with a cloud so that no prayer can get through?'"

He replied that the gates of prayer are sometimes open and sometimes closed, but the gates of tears are never closed. Why is this? Because the Lord our God is close to us. Rabbi Hoshea asked, "Which nation delays God like this one?"

How is it that when elders sit and recall the past year, the Lord agrees with them? Concerning them, David said, "I will call upon the Most High God, who completes for me" (Psalm 57:3). Blessed be the name of the Lord our God who completes and finishes with Israel what they do. A mortal king decrees a decree, and even if people seek to annul it, they cannot do so, whether willingly or unwillingly, because they must fulfill his decree.

However, if the king himself seeks to annul it, he can do so. But the Holy One, blessed be He, is not like that; rather, He upholds whatever the Sanhedrin decrees. When is this? On Rosh Hashanah, when the Sanhedrin sits and says, "Let Rosh Hashanah be on the second day of Shabbat or on the third day of Shabbat," immediately the Holy One, blessed be He, seats a Sanhedrin of angels and says to them, "Go and see if the lower court decreed and finalized it."

They reply, "Master of the Universe, so they decreed." He then sits on that same day to judge His world, as it is stated (Psalms 47:6), "God has ascended amid shouts, the Lord amid the sounding of trumpets." The thrones are brought out, the books are opened, and the Sanhedrin of angels sits before Him, as it is stated (Daniel 7:9), "I looked until thrones were set up and the Ancient of Days took His seat."

Some teach merit, while others teach obligation. Why? As it is stated (Psalms 81:5), "For it is a statute for Israel, an ordinance of the God of Jacob." Israel decreed that day as Rosh Hashanah, and it is also an ordinance of the God of Jacob, for He upholds His decrees and agrees with them.

As it is stated (Psalms 50:15), "Call upon Me on the day of distress; I will deliver you, and you will honor Me." He agrees with Israel's opinion. Know that this is so because it is written (Numbers 29:1), "There shall be a day of blowing the horn for you," and it is only said "for you" and not for Me. Similarly, it is stated (Leviticus 23:2), "These are My appointed festivals, the appointed festivals of the Lord, which you shall proclaim as sacred assemblies."

You shall proclaim them, whether in their proper time or not, for I have no appointed festivals except for these. As it is stated (Deuteronomy 4:7), "For what great nation is there that has God so near to them as the Lord our God is whenever we call upon Him?" And we call upon Him only for the sanctification of the festivals, as it is stated (Leviticus 23:4), "These are the appointed festivals of the Lord, the sacred occasions, which you shall celebrate at their appointed time."

Rabbi Avin said in the name of Rabbi Aḥa: If a mortal king has a relative who is taken captive, he is ashamed to say that And the Lord brought out the captive and insane Israelites and called them His close people, as it is said (Psalms 148:14), "He has raised up a horn for His people, the praise of all His faithful servants, of Israel, the people close to His heart." King David said, "Master of the Universe, even if a wicked person from among the Israelites comes and calls out to You, You answer them immediately, so that the nations of the world will not say that all faces are equal and that You answer me too."

The Lord said to him, "I smile until you call Me, then I will answer you," as it is said (Psalms 50:15), "Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me." And it is said (Psalms 91:15), "When he calls on Me, I will answer him." And it is said (Isaiah 65:24), "And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer." Nevertheless, his call must be sincere, as it is said (Psalms 145:18), "The Lord is near to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him in truth."

Anyone who calls upon Him in truth can say, "God is good to Israel," (Psalms 73:1), "But as for me, God's nearness is my good," (Psalms 73:28), "The Lord is good to those who wait for Him," (Lamentations 3:25), "Good is the Lord to the one who seeks refuge in Him," (Psalms 34:9), and "The Lord is good to the upright in heart."

"To the conductor with musical instruments. This psalm is said in three types of praise with leadership, in melody, in song, with music that is of prophecy, as it is said (2 Kings 3:15), 'And it came to pass, when the minstrel played, that the hand of the Lord came upon him.' To the conductor, for the one who is fitting to lead, for the one whose leadership is victorious forever. Another interpretation is for the conductor of the one who is conquered by his own sins. A mortal king is conquered with anger, but the Holy One, blessed be He, conquers with joy, as it is said (Psalms 106:23), 'Therefore He said that He would destroy them, had not Moses His chosen stood before Him in the breach.'"...

"My God of righteousness." Rabbi Acha said: "David said before the Holy One, blessed be He, 'My God, You are righteous, and upon You it is incumbent to make me righteous.'" And the Rabbis said: "Israel said before the Lord, our God, 'We have a merit - if You act with us, and if not, act with us through charity.'"

Sons of men. These are Doeg and Ahithophel. Sons of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, who were called men. Abraham, as it is said, "Now therefore restore the man his wife" (Genesis 20:7). Isaac was called a man as it is said, "Who is this man that came?" (Genesis 24:65). Jacob was called a man as it is said, "And Jacob was a simple man, dwelling in tents" (Genesis 25:27). ["(Yoshev)" means "dwelling" or "sitting." It is used in this context to describe Jacob as "Yoshev tam," meaning "a simple man, dwelling in tents," in Genesis 25:27.]

How long will my honor be disgraced? How long will you shame me and call me the son of Jesse? (1 Samuel 22:7) "May the son of Jesse give you all a portion." (1 Samuel 23:17) "For you have chosen the son of Jesse." (1 Samuel 24:21) "For as long as the son of Jesse lives on the earth, you shall not be established, nor your kingdom." And I have no name.

"Do you love emptiness? Until when will you pursue things of emptiness? They say, 'God has abandoned [us], God has forgotten [us],' [that] His Presence has departed from him and that the kingdom will not return to him forever. You seek lies. What do you think? Do you believe that by my departing for a moment, the kingdom.

"And know that the Lord has set apart the godly for Himself; the Lord hears when I call to Him." (Psalms 4:3) "And you shall know that I am the Lord, when I bring you into the land of Israel, the country which I lifted up My hand in an oath to give to your fathers." (Ezekiel 20:42) "Comfort, comfort My people, says your God." (Isaiah 40:1) "And it shall come to pass at that time that I will hear," says the Lord; "I will hear the heavens, and they shall hear the earth." (Hosea 2:23)

"Be angry and do not sin; ponder in your own hearts on your beds, and be silent. Selah. Offer right sacrifices, and put your trust in the Lord. There are many who say, 'Who will show us some good? Lift up the light of your face upon us, O Lord!' You have put more joy in my heart than they have when their grain and wine abound. In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety." (Psalm 4:4-9, ESV)

"Be angry, but do not sin." Rabbi Acha said, "Let your inclination anger you, but do not let it cause you to sin." And Rav said, "Deny your inclination and do not let it cause you to sin, so that you will not come to sin." It was taught in the name of Rabbi Acha bar Yaakov, "The mikveh of Israel is the Lord.

Just as this mikveh purifies the impure, so too does the Holy One, blessed be He, purify Israel." And who should go to whom? It can be said that the impure should go to the mikveh and immerse themselves in it. Similarly, the Holy One, blessed be He, said, "When you pray, pray in the synagogue in your city.

And if you cannot go to the synagogue in your city, pray in your own house. And if you cannot speak, think in your heart." This is what is written, "Say in your hearts upon your beds, and be still, Selah." Rabbi Yudan said, "As long as you remain silent about the sin that you have committed, you are forgiven.

And if you do so, see what is written afterwards, 'Sacrifice sacrifices of righteousness.'" I consider it as if you have built an altar and offered many sacrifices on it. The word "sacrifice" is not written, but "sacrifices." It was taught that one who recites the Shema in the synagogue during the morning service has fulfilled his obligation, but in the evening service he should not leave until he returns home and lies down on his bed.

What is the reason? To avoid harmful spirits. And one should not say other things that are not true and reliable. These are truly reliable matters concerning the morning service, as Rabbi Zeira bar Abba said, "There are three smacks: one for leaning [on the animal to be sacrificed], one for slaughter, as it says, 'And he shall lean and slaughter' [Leviticus 1:5], one for washing [the hands], a blessing, and one for redemption, a prayer."

"Offer sacrifices of righteousness, and trust in the Lord." (Psalms 4:6) Rabbi Chiya taught: "You shall guard my observances; you shall guard them." (Leviticus 18:30) What does it mean "I am the Lord your God"? It means that I am prepared to give you your reward. Rabbi Natan said in the name of Rabbi Abba: "It is not a full quotation: 'Offer sacrifices of righteousness' (Psalms 4:6). The Lord said: 'Put forth your hands to the mitzvot (commandments) and rely on Me, for I will reward you.'"

Many say to my soul: These are the nations of the world who say to Israel, "Who will allow us to partake with Israel in the goodness of the World to Come?" And Israel replies to them, "With how much suffering, servitude, and martyrdoms have we given ourselves up for the sanctification of God's name, and yet you come to diminish it. May the light of Your countenance shine upon us, O Lord!" Rabbi Huna said in the name of Rabbi Acha: "We are waiting for that which is said, 'Behold, I will lift up My hand to the nations, and raise up My banner to the peoples' (Isaiah 49:22)." Rabbi Yochanan said: "Israel says before the Holy One, Blessed be He: 'We have nothing but the light of Your countenance,' as it is said, 'O God of hosts, cause Your face to shine, and we shall be saved' (Psalms 80:20)."

You have given joy to my heart. The people of Israel say that the nations of the world who have observed the seven Noahide laws receive peace in this world and will be rewarded in the world to come. We, who have been commanded with 613 mitzvot, can only imagine the greater reward that awaits us in the next world. Therefore, when we see the peace of the nations of the world, we rejoice and say, "You have given joy to my heart."

Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi gave a parable about a king who hosted a feast and seated his guests at the entrance of a kennel. The guests saw dogs coming out with muzzles, hooves, and the heads of calves. The guests wondered, "What kind of feast do these dogs have that they are treated better than us?" The nations of the world are compared to these dogs, as it says in Isaiah 56:11, "And the dogs are greedy."

If the nations of the world are at peace in this world, how much more so will Israel be at peace in the future world. Therefore, we say, "You have given joy to my heart."

"In peace together." Israel said, "All the prophets are united in my peace." Rabbi said, "All the prophets open with rebukes and end with consolations." Rabbi Eliezer said, "All the prophets open with rebukes and end with consolations, except for Jeremiah, who ended with rebukes."

As it is written, "Thus you shall sink into Babylon, and there you shall remain" (Jeremiah 51:64). Rabbi Yochanan said to him, "Jeremiah also ended with consolations, for he saw the destruction of the Temple and prophesied about it. He ended with, 'Thus far are the words of Jeremiah'" (Jeremiah 51:64). He did not end with rebukes about the destruction of the Temple.

And it is written, "And they shall be an abhorring to all flesh" (Isaiah 66:24). This refers to the gentiles. And it is written, "For you have rejected us and have become angry with us" (Lamentations 5:22). "Bring us back to You, O Lord, and we shall return; renew our days as of old" (Lamentations 5:21). At that time, You will lead me securely.

Another thing to conquer in music. As it says in the scripture (Proverbs 11:10), "When the righteous thrive, the city rejoices." What is written above this verse (Psalms 3:8)? "Rise up, O Lord; deliver me."

And now, I play for the Lord when the wicked perish. Similarly, we find (Exodus 14:31) "And Israel saw the great power." Immediately after (Exodus 15:1), "Then sang Moses." And they said (Judges 5:1), "Then sang Deborah."

And so it says (Psalms 3:8), "Rise up, O Lord; save me, O my God." And afterwards (Psalms 3:7), "For you have smitten all my enemies on the cheekbone; you have broken the teeth of the wicked." For when You struck them on the cheek, they had no embers, nor wounds. You broke the teeth of the wicked.

A parable to what is this matter similar? To two people who walked on the same road, one righteous and the other wicked. They found a tavern and said to each other, "Let us enter this tavern and eat." They both entered together, and the wicked one saw many blessings of fish, cattle, sheep, and birds.

He said to the righteous one, "Why don't we give money and partake?" The righteous man said to the wicked one, "Is today the day that this inn is reopening for us? If today is the first day it opened, we used to inspect it. In the end, they both entered the inn and sat separately.

The wicked man would say to the innkeeper, "Bring me one portion of peas, bring me a cake, bring me whatever you have." Then the righteous man said to the innkeeper, "Bring me one glass of beer and bring me one bowl of lentils." They sat and played against each other. The wicked man said about the righteous man, "See how foolish he is?

All these blessings are before him, and he eats lentils." The righteous man saw how the wicked man was mocking him and said, "See how foolish he is? He eats and breaks his teeth." The righteous man then asked for two cups of wine to bless them, paid for the little he ate, and left in peace.

The wicked man stood up to leave and said, "Let's settle the bill." The righteous man asked, "How much did you eat of the lentils?" The wicked man replied, "Only one portion." The righteous man said, "No, it was two."

This led to an argument between them, and the innkeeper started breaking his teeth again. This is why it is said, "The teeth of the wicked shall be broken" (Psalms 3:8). The wicked say, "How can God know?" (Psalms 73:11), and the righteous say, "For there is no word on my tongue, but You, O Lord, know it all" (Psalms 139:4).

To the choirmaster. This refers to the verse (Numbers 21:19), "From Mattanah to Nahaliel." Rabbi Yehuda says that from the wilderness they merited to receive the Torah through Moses, as it says (Exodus 31:18), "And He gave to Moses." From Nahaliel they inherited idolatry, and they said to the calf (Exodus 32:4), "This is your God, O Israel."

From the deaths in Mattanah they received the angel of death upon them, as it says (Numbers 14:35), "In this wilderness they shall die." From the deaths in the valley that they caused, the righteous one buried in the valley was affected. Jeremiah said to them (Jeremiah 2:23), "See your way in the valley." The Sages say that from Nahaliel they inherited to God as a deity and He inherited them as a nation.

From the wilderness they received the Torah. David said, "Since this is the case, I will sing of both to the choirmaster, to the inheritance." Another explanation is that instead of saying "from Nahaliel," one should say "from my inheritance, to God." Because of the well that God gave them, they would sing a song and they had the water [like a river] so that any woman who wanted to go from her father's house to her husband's house would go by boat.

And so David said (Psalm 107: 31-32) "Let them give thanks to the Lord for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man! Let them extol him in the congregation of the people, and praise him in the assembly of the elders." The Assembly of Israel said: "Because the well was given to me as a gift, I inherited it." And thus it says (Lamentations 3: 24) "My portion is the Lord, says my soul."

God said to them, "I am your portion and you are my portion," as it says (Deuteronomy 32: 9) "For the Lord's portion is his people." David said, "Since this is the case, I will sing about my inheritance." Regarding inheritance, we only say "the inheritances" about the inheritance that you gave me and the inheritance that I gave you. And from where did we learn that they were given an inheritance from the well?

Before they drank from the well, what did they say? (Exodus 17: 7) "Is the Lord among us or not?" After they drank, they said (Exodus 24: 7) "All that the Lord has spoken we will do, and we will be obedient." We inherited you in two inheritances, and we inherited the Torah. And so David said (Psalm 119: 111) "Your testimonies are my heritage forever."

"And the land of beauty, My inheritance, as it is said (Jeremiah 3:19): 'And I gave you a beautiful land, the inheritance of the glorious hosts of nations.' What are the hosts which everything is hidden in them? It is similar to a king who sat at his table and had many sons, and he loved the youngest and gave him gifts, and they had one field and everything was hidden in it. He said to them, 'This is mine.'

Similarly, it says (Deuteronomy 32:8): 'When the Most High gave nations their inheritance.' To whom did He give His portion? To His small child. So too Jacob inherited his portion.

And it is written (Amos 7:2): 'Who will rise up for Jacob, for he is small?' Even the Temple is an inheritance, and so it says (Numbers 24:5): 'How good are your tents, Jacob, your dwelling places, Israel.' And how beautiful are they, like streams that branch out. Just as a person descends into a stream impure and emerges pure, so too the Temple is entered with sins and exited without them.

And so Moses says (Deuteronomy 12:9): 'For you have not yet come to the resting place and the inheritance.' The resting place is the land, and the inheritance is the Temple. David said, 'All that You have given us is good and pleasant,' as it says (Psalm 16:6): 'The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places.' And so it says (Micah 7:8), "Do not rejoice over me, my enemy, for I have fallen but I will rise again.

If I sit in darkness, the Lord is my light." The Holy One, blessed be He, said to them, "You have justified yourselves in the judgment, and I will call you (Isaiah 61:3), 'Eliezer, the righteousness of the plantings of the Lord, to glorify.'"

Another explanation of the inheritance: That which the verse says (Proverbs 8:21), "To cause those who love me to inherit substance." Rabbi Chanina said, "The Torah says (Proverbs 3:16), 'In her left hand, riches and honor, and in her right hand, length of days.' And for the poor." And the Holy Spirit responds and says, "To cause those who love me to inherit substance." Why are they poor in this world? So that they should not occupy themselves with frivolous matters and forget the Torah. And so it says (Proverbs 8:22), "The Lord acquired me as the beginning of His way."

A Psalm of David. This is what the verse (Psalm 116:12) says: "What shall I render to the Lord for all His benefits toward me?" Rabbi Samuel said: Four Psalms that Adam, the first man, should have said were said by David, and they are: (Psalm 24:1) "The earth is the Lord's, and everything in it," and why did he need to say it? Because of Adam, the world was created in its fullness. (Psalm 19:2) "The heavens declare the glory of God," and why did he need to say it? Because he saw them first. (Psalm 92:1) "A Psalm, a song for the Sabbath day," and why did he need to say it? Because the Sabbath exempted him from judgment. And (Psalm 16:5) "A Psalm of David. Preserve me, O God, for in You I put my trust," and why did he need to say it? Because he inherited the world in the beginning....

"To the conductor, to the rivers. Rabbi Samuel bar Nahmani said about two rivers, which David inherited the kingship in this world and in the world to come. David said about both of them, "I sing to the rivers." Rabbi Joshua ben Levi said that the rivers are an acronym for the five books of the Torah.

Fifty corresponds to the fifty days between Passover and Shavuot. Eight corresponds to the eight days of circumcision. Ten corresponds to the Ten Commandments. Thirty corresponds to the thirty righteous people whom the world cannot do without, like Abraham, as it is written, "Abraham will surely become a great and mighty nation" (Genesis 18:18).

In the numerology, "great and mighty nation" adds up to thirty. When Israel merits eighteen in the Land and twelve outside the Land, it is a good sign for Israel when the Land has twelve righteous people. Rabbi Zeira said, "The conversation of Israel is Torah. Let it be a sister to seven and a mother to eight."

Rabbi Joshua ben Levi said that this refers to Abraham, who was a father to Isaac, Ishmael, and the sons of Keturah. Rabbi Samuel said that this refers to Jesse, who was a father to eight. And "a sister to seven" refers to David, who was a brother to seven, as it is written, "Incline Your ear to me and answer me" (Psalms 86:1). This refers to David's tribe, which was given the attribute of hearing, as it is written, "Hear, O Lord, the voice of Judah" (Deuteronomy 33:7).

"For I am poor and needy" (Psalms 86:1). Rabbi Yochanan said that wherever it says "poor and needy" in Israel, the verse is speaking about the poor and needy, as it is written, "the poor and needy" (Isaiah 41:17)." David said before the Lord, the Master of the Universe: "When I have the strength to stand before You in prayer and utter my words, listen to me. But when I lack the strength, let me reflect on my thoughts and meditate.

Another verse says, 'For I am poor and needy' (Psalm 86:1). Was David poor? The verse in Chronicles (1 Chronicles 22:14) says, 'In my distress, I prepared for the house of God.' What does 'my distress' mean?

It refers to the suffering that I endured. Rabbi Yehuda interpreted this in four kingdoms. 'Utter my words' refers to Babylon, 'meditate' refers to Media, 'listen to my voice' refers to Greece, and 'heed my plea' refers to Edom. Why does it say 'my kings and my God' in Edom?

Israel said before the Lord, 'See how many decrees and laws she imposes on me to nullify Your divinity and kingship, but I will not abandon them.' Every day we enter synagogues and acknowledge You as King twice, saying, 'Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is One,' and we declare that we serve You. As it says, 'My beloved is mine, and I am his' (Song of Songs 2:16)."

"For You are not a God who desires wickedness; evil cannot dwell with You. You do not delight in wrongdoing; You cannot tolerate evil. [As it is said in Ezekiel 33:11], 'As I live, says the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from their ways and live.' No harm befalls the righteous, but the wicked are filled with trouble. [As Rabbi Berachiah said in the name of Rabbi Levi], the angel in charge of anger is far from God, as it is said in Isaiah 13:5, 'They are coming from a far country, from the end of heaven, even the Lord and the instruments of His indignation.'

This can be compared to a king who had two fierce armies. In Psalm 3, a prayer of David, it is written that three armies walk before the Lord: [as it says in verse 6], 'I will not fear the myriads of troops arrayed against me on every side.' [And in Psalm 97:3], 'Fire goes before Him and consumes His foes on every side.' [And in Habakkuk 3:5], 'Before Him goes pestilence, and plague comes after Him.'

And which is the innermost of them all? Righteousness, as it is said in Deuteronomy 24:13, 'You shall surely give him, and your heart shall not be grieved when you give to him; because that for this thing the Lord your God will bless you in all your work, and in all that you put your hand unto.' Rabbi Yudan said, 'I will let you know how powerful righteousness is and how far the reward of those who do righteousness extends.' Therefore it is said, 'No harm befalls you.'"

Fools will not stand before your eyes. Their hearts are full of folly. Another thing, fools are those who bring lamentation to the world. Another thing, fools are those who cause confusion.

As it is said (Ecclesiastes 2:2), "I said of laughter, 'It is mad.'" Rabbi Yissachar said, a person can amass piles of sins, and God says, "Let him repent," and he is considered as if he had never sinned, as it is written (Job 11:11), "For He knows men of falsehood; He sees iniquity without investigating it." Rabbi Simon interpreted the verse concerning Ishmael (Genesis 21:19), "Then God opened her eyes," to mean that God reveals the truth to those who are willing to see it.

The ministering angels said to God, "Master of the Universe, if a person is destined to kill Your children out of thirst, why do You give him a well?" As it is said (Isaiah 21:13), "A burden upon Arabia." God asked them, "Is this person righteous or wicked?" They replied, "Righteous."

God said, "I judge a person based on his actions at that moment, as it is said (Genesis 21:17), 'For God has heard the cry of the lad where he is.'" Rabbi Chanina bar Papa interpreted the verse concerning Jeroboam (1 Kings 11:29), "And they two alone in the field," to mean that the measure of his sin was equal to that of his contemporary, the Shilonite. They both sat to study the work of the Divine Chariot.

The ministering angels said to God, "If a person is destined to set up two calves for worship, why do You show him the order of the Divine Chariot?" God asked them, "And now, what is he?" They replied, "Righteous." God said, "I judge a person based on his actions at that moment."

"I hate all workers of iniquity. This includes Doeg and Ahithophel, whose actions were true but they did them for falsehood. May the speakers of lies perish, for they are neither alive nor stand in judgment. As it is taught (Sanhedrin 90a), three kings and four commoners have no share in the World to Come, and these are: Balaam, Doeg, Ahithophel, and Gehazi."

Blame God. This is spoken about the wicked Nebuchadnezzar, who destroyed the Temple and later suffered, as it is said (Daniel 4:29-30) "and from mankind you will be driven away." Rabbi Berachiah and Rabbi Chalbo in the name of Rabbi Samuel said that everything that David specified in the Book of Psalms, the wicked Nebuchadnezzar is included in one verse (Psalm 37:35) "I have seen a wicked, ruthless man flourishing like a luxuriant native tree." And David said about praising Jerusalem and God (Psalm 147:12) "Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem; praise your God, O Zion!" and he said about God (Psalm 11:7) "For the Lord is righteous, he loves justice; upright men will see his face." But that wicked man said (Daniel 4:34) "All his acts are just and his ways are right." And similarly, you find in the words of our master Moses, peace be upon him, at the end of his song (Deuteronomy 32:4) "The Rock, his work is perfect, for all his ways are justice." So that all the people of the world should not say that the attribute of justice did not apply to him and that he did not enter the land of Israel, heaven forbid, without punishment. But "The Rock, his work is perfect" applies to him. And why was that wicked man considered righteous? Because "All his acts are just." And Hannah also said (1 Samuel 2:6-7) "The Lord brings death and makes alive; he brings down to the grave and raises up. The Lord sends poverty and wealth; he humbles and he exalts." But that wicked man said (Daniel 4:37) "And those who walk in pride he is able to humble." God said to him, "Yesterday you said (Daniel 3:15) 'And who is the god who will deliver you from my hands?' And now you say, 'I do not want you or your punishment.' And who will make me contemptible among the people of Israel? As it is said (Isaiah 43:21) "the people I formed for myself that they may proclaim my praise."

"Due to their many sins, they were exiled. Rabbi Alexandri said, 'Why does Jerusalem matter to her [the Roman Empire]? Only because she rebelled against you [God].'."

"And all those who take refuge in you shall rejoice. R' Zevadi ben Levi, R' Yossi bar Pinchas, and R' Yehoshua ben Levi recited these three verses at the time of their departure from the world. One of them said, 'And all those who take refuge in you shall rejoice.' And another said (Psalms 32:6), 'Therefore, let every pious person pray to you.' And the other said (Psalms 84:11), 'For a day in your courts is better than a thousand [elsewhere].' And there is one who said (Psalms 31:20), 'How great is the good that you have reserved for those who fear you!'"

"For you will bless the righteous." In the way of the world, when a person gives a liter of gold to his fellow, robbers come and steal it from him, and he loses his gift. But the Holy One, blessed be He, is not like this, rather, "For you will bless the righteous." And not only that, but He also makes a shield for him, as it is said, "The Lord crowns him with favor." It is taught there (Shabbat 63a), "A person shall not go out with a sword or a bow."

"To the conductor on the eighth. This is what is stated (Psalms 119:164): Seven times a day I praise You. Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said these are the seven commandments mentioned in the recitation of Shema. [They are]: creation, love, [recitation of] Shema, speaking truth, [affirmation of God as] Redeemer, and [the commandments] concerning tzitzit and adding on to the sukkah of peace. Rabbi Avin in the name of Rabbi Nechemia said [these are] the seven commandments that a person does every day: [recitation of] Shema twice a day, praying three times a day, eating and blessing [before and after], and Rabbi Meir used to say: "Beloved is circumcision, for the Holy One, blessed be He, swore to Abraham that anyone who is circumcised will not descend to Gehenna, as it is said (Genesis 17:14), 'But the uncircumcised male whose foreskin has not been circumcised, that person shall be cut off from his people; he has broken My covenant.' And who goes down there? What is written after that? (Genesis 15:19-21) 'The Kenite, the Kenizzite, and the Kadmonite.'" And so Ezekiel says (Ezekiel 32:19), "Go down and lie with the uncircumcised," and Isaiah says (Isaiah 5:14), "Therefore, Sheol has enlarged its appetite and opened its mouth beyond measure." This is for those who do not have the covenant of circumcision. And where is the term "chok" (statute) mentioned? As it says (Psalms 105:10), "He established it for Jacob as a statute." But for the heretics and sinners of Israel who deny God, they are afflicted with uncircumcision and fall into Gehenna, as it says (Isaiah 9:20), "He has stretched out His hand against them and smitten them." This is because all the commandments that we have are not meant to be scrutinized meticulously, except for the commandment of circumcision and the empty words of the mouths of schoolchildren that have no sin, as it says (Jeremiah 33:25), "If not for My covenant, I would not have appointed the statutes of heaven and earth." For when a person enters the synagogue, he wraps himself in tzitzit and puts on tefillin on his head and arm, and four tzitzit surround him and guard his four corners. And when he enters the bathhouse, he looks at himself and says, "I am now naked of mitzvot (commandments)." And when he looks at the circumcision, which is equivalent to all the commandments, his mind is calmed. When David saw this, he composed a psalm on it, saying, "For the leader, on the eighth [day], a psalm, a song for the dedication of the Temple, of David. (This passage appears to be an addition from some copyist, as it is not the language of the Midrashim, as is known).

Another interpretation of the eighth [day of Passover] is in regards to the four kingdoms that are eight, and Edom is the eighth. This is what is written (Daniel 2:32-33): "Its head was of fine gold, its breast and arms of silver, its belly and thighs of bronze, its legs of iron, its feet part iron and part clay." There are thus eight, which are four: Babylon & Chaldea, Media & Persia, Greece & Macedonia, and Edom & Yishmael.

There are thus eight kingdoms, which is why [the eighth day] is mentioned. Rabbi Ibu said: The Assembly of Israel said before the Holy One, blessed be He, "Master of the Universe, we praise You at the time when You save us from the eight kingdoms, as it is said (Isaiah 11:11), 'And it shall come to pass on that day that the Lord shall set His hand again the second time to acquire the remnant of His people.'”

This is why [the eighth day] is mentioned. Rabbi Yudan said in the name of Rabbi Ami: The Assembly of Israel said before the Holy One, blessed be He, "Even though it is written about me (Proverbs 3:12), 'For whom the Lord loves He reproves, even as a father the son in whom he delights,' still, 'Do not discipline me in Your anger' (Psalm 38:2). Even though it is said (Psalm 94:12), 'Happy is the man whom You chasten, O Lord,' 'Do not discipline me in Your wrath.'”

Rabbi Yochanan gave a parable: It is like a king who had two evil advisors, and whenever any province rebelled against him, he would send them to suppress it. Once his own province rebelled against him, and he wanted to send those advisors to suppress it. They began to beg him, "Our master the king, in everything that you want, we will do, except for this." So too did Israel say to the Holy One, blessed be He, "Do not discipline me in Your anger, and do not chasten me in Your wrath."

He said to them, "If so, why do I need anger and wrath?" They said to him, "You have to whom to send [Your anger and wrath]." As it is written (Micah 5:14), "I will execute vengeance in anger and wrath upon the nations." But regarding Israel, what is written? (Hosea 11:9) "I will not execute the fierceness of My anger."

Rabbi Elazar said a parable about a king who was angry with his son, and he had a drawn sword in his hand and swore that he would kill him for making him angry. The king said, "If I kill my son, then he will have no one to inherit my kingdom after me, and also, I cannot revoke my decree." What did the king do? He put the sword in its sheath and passed it over his own head.

In this way, he did not harm his son, and also, he did not revoke his decree. Rabbi Chanina said a parable about a king who was angry with his son, and there was a large stone before him, and he swore that he would throw it at him. The king said, "If I throw the stone at him, he will be killed." What did the king do?

He broke the stone into small pieces and threw them one by one. In this way, he did not harm his son, and also, he did not revoke his decree. The sages said a parable about a king who was angry with his son, and he swore that he would strike him with a hundred lashes. The king said, "If I strike him, he will be killed."

What did the king do? He took the rope and put it around his own neck. Therefore, it says, "In your anger, you chastised me." (Psalms 38:2)

"Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I am weak." This is compared to a person who was caught by robbers, and each one of them was beating him, some with sticks and some with fists. When they released him, he went home, lay down and said to himself, "I am just bones." So too, Israel, the nations of the world subjugate them in every kingdom and every type of slavery. And when the rebuilding of the Holy Temple will come speedily in our days, Israel will say before the Almighty, "Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I am weak."...

"And my soul is greatly troubled (and you incline your ear), and you, Lord, until when? And you, Lord, who promised me (Psalms 31:15), I am with him in distress. And what does 'until when' mean? Rav Kahana said, it is similar to a patient who was being treated by a doctor, and the patient was waiting for the doctor to come in four hours, or five hours, or eight hours, and he is feeling the heat of the sun, and he comes. The patient said to him, if you had delayed a little longer, my soul would have departed. Similarly, David said, 'And my soul is greatly troubled, and you, Lord, who are the doctor, I yearn for you to come to me.'"

"They shall be ashamed and dismayed." The sages say that in the future, God will take the righteous and show them Gehenna (Hell) and the empty places within it, and say to them, "These places are empty for you. You have merited them by doing good deeds, and you will inherit Gan Eden (Paradise)." Similarly, the wicked will be taken and shown Gan Eden with empty places within it, and God will say to them, "These places are empty for you and your friends, but you have obligated yourselves with evil deeds, and you will inherit Gehenna."

Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said that God does not curse the wicked except with shame. Furthermore, He multiplies their curse, as it is written, "They shall be ashamed and dismayed exceedingly." And when God blesses the righteous, He multiplies their blessings, as it says "No shame, no humiliation, ever again for those who keep my commands" (Isaiah 45:17), and "You shall eat abundantly and be satisfied, and you shall praise the name of the Lord your God, who has dealt wondrously with you" (Joel 2:26).

Another interpretation, for the conductor on the sheminith: The verse (Proverbs 23:13) "Do not withhold discipline from a child" means that when you strike him, do so with a rod that will not cause his death. Likewise, it is said (Psalms 39:11), "You rebuke with punishment for sin; like a moth, You consume what is dear to him." Rebellion is good, but anger is not. As it is said (Jeremiah 10:24), "Correct me, O Lord, but in due measure; not in Your anger, lest You bring me to nothing."

Anger and wrath are two harbingers of death. And Solomon said (Proverbs 16:14), "The fury of a king is as messengers of death." Similarly, Moses said (Deuteronomy 9:19), "For I was afraid of the anger and wrath." Therefore, it is said, "Rebuke me not in Your anger." Suffering is good, but I lack the strength to withstand it, neither in anger nor in wrath.

"I am wearied with my sighing. This is Rabbi Zechariah ben HaKatzav who said to the sages: 'This sanctuary has not moved its hand from my hand since the time when the Gentiles entered the sanctuary until they left.' They said to him, 'A person cannot testify about himself.' He began to weep and wiped away tears from his bed, where his wife slept. He knew that his wife was pure for him, but she was not recognized by the decree of the sages. He recited the verse, 'I am wearied with my sighing, and I find no rest.'"

"Listen, O Lord, to my plea; give ear to my prayer, as I speak sincerely. David said before the Lord, Master of the universe, kings of flesh and blood accept bribes that are presented to them. But I ask only for my own pleas, O Lord, take my prayer."

A shigayyon of David. (Psalm 7:1) — This is what the verse (Ecclesiastes 10:20) says: Even among those you know, do not curse the king... Don't curse a king in your generation, and don't curse a wealthy man in your generation....for the bird of heaven will bring the voice... Said Rabbi Yirmiyah: "This is the raven and the knowledge of augury."...and the winged one will tell the matter. on account of that the walls have ears. The Holy Blessed One said to David, "Why are you cursing My annointed one?" All my enemies will be ashamed and terrified (Psalm 6:11). Who are your enemies? Is it not Saul? As you said on the day the LORD saved him from the hand of... Saul (Psalm 18:1)" He said before him, "Master of the universe, do not hold mistakes [shegagot] against me like brazen deeds! (Psalm 19:13) "Mistakes [shegiy'ot] who can understand? [edit: An error of David. This is what the scripture says (Ecclesiastes 10:20): "Do not revile the king, even in your thoughts, or curse the rich in your bedroom, because a bird in the sky may carry your words, and a bird on the wing may report what you say." Rabbi Yirmiyah said that this refers to the raven and the wisdom of the Tayareen. "And the bird on the wing" refers to the angels who report to God. God said to David, "Why are you cursing my anointed one? Let your enemies be put to shame and be confounded. Who are they, your enemies? Not Saul, whom you said, 'On the day when the Lord saved him from the hand of Saul' (Psalm 18:1)." David said before God, "Master of the Universe, do not punish me for my unintentional sins, as it is written (Psalm 19:13), 'Who can discern his own errors?'"]

Thoughts on David. Rabbi Yehuda said in the name of Rabbi Levi that three things came out of David's mouth regarding Saul, and all three were fulfilled. As it is said (1 Samuel 26:10), "As the Lord lives, the Lord shall strike him." And so it was.

Either his day will come and he will die, and so it was. Or he will go down in battle and perish, and so it was, as it is said (1 Samuel 31:6), "So Saul died, and his three sons." Rabbi Elazar said, "By the life of the Lord, I swear to the evil inclination that I will not do this thing." Rabbi Shmuel bar Nachmani said to Avishai ben Tzeruya, "By the life of the Lord, if you touch the blood of the righteous, I will mix your blood with his."

And Saul had a concubine, as it is written (2 Samuel 3:7), "And David took more concubines and wives out of Jerusalem." And you compare yourself to Saul. Saul's feet were as swift as eagles; Rabbi Levi said he could travel sixty miles in one day. Rabbi Simon said "One hundred and twenty," and the rabbis say "One hundred and eighty."

And when was this? When the Ark was captured. This is as it is written (1 Samuel 4:10-11), "And a man of Benjamin ran from the battle line and came to Shiloh the same day, with his clothes torn and with dirt on his head. When he arrived, there was Eli sitting on his chair by the side of the road, watching, because his heart feared for the ark of God.

When the man entered the city and told what had happened, the whole city sent up a cry." Just as Saul was compared to the man of Benjamin who ran to Shiloh, so too, a person who goes to a party should not bring his children with him because of appearances. But Saul went to war, and he knew that the judgment of the law would fall upon him, and he brought his children with him. And you say (2 Samuel 21:17), "You shall go out no more with us to battle."

Saul ate non-sacred food in purity, as it is stated (1 Samuel 9:23-24), "The cook took up the thigh and what was attached to it, and set it before Saul. And Samuel said, 'This is what has been kept for you. Eat, because it was set aside for you for this occasion, from the time I said, "I have invited guests."' And Saul ate with Samuel that day."

Rabbi Yochanan says the thigh and the tail. Rabbi says the thigh and the breast. He ate non-sacred food in purity, and you compare yourself to Saul. This is what the Scripture says (Job 12:16), "With Him is strength and wisdom; the deceived and the deceiver are His."

Strength refers to Torah, as it is stated (Psalms 29:11), "The Lord will give strength to His people." Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said, "Why is it called wisdom? Because it gives strength to the body and the eyes." [Alternative: Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: Why is it called "Toshiyah" (wisdom or Torah)? Because it weakens (wears down) the strength, the body, and the eyes.]

What is meant by (Job 12:16), "The deceived and the deceiver are His"? Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish said, "Prophets and prophetesses." Rabbi Shimon said "Shetia" and the Rabbis said "Sega". If a person makes a mistake in Torah study, the words of Torah correct him.

This is what the verse means when it says, "Even though I have erred, the teaching has not strayed from me" (Job 6:10). It is not enough that the Torah waits for a person during his lifetime, it also waits for him at the moment of his death. David requested "Let my soul be redeemed from distress" (Psalms 25:17). Regarding the words of Kush the Benjamite, Rabbi Chanina bar Papa said, "Just as Joseph's mistress summoned him, as it says, 'Lie with me' (Genesis 39:7), so too did the Holy One, blessed be He, summon him, as it says, 'Come to me, the Hebrew slave' (Genesis 39:17).

Similarly, Saul said, 'My sons have stirred up my servants against me to ambush me' (1 Samuel 22:8). Rabbi Acha said, "But isn't it true that someone who commits an abomination is not punished? So why did David say this about Saul?" It is because he sang a song to God, as it is written, "In the falling of your enemy, do not rejoice" (Proverbs 24:17).

"I have trusted in the Lord my God." Rabbi Yochanan said about the phrase "in you, with your Torah, I have trusted," that it has 22 letters, the Aleph and Bet.

"Lest he tear my soul like a lion. What if this lion sits on its prey and misses it, so too do Doyeg and Ahithophel sit on me to make me miss. He tears and there is no savior, there is not one among all the people of Saul who can teach me righteousness." (Translation is based on context, as some words appear to be misspelled or missing in the original text.)

"O Lord my God, if I have done this, if there is guilt on my hands, if I have repaid my ally with evil or without cause have robbed my foe, then let my enemy pursue and overtake me; let him trample my life to the ground and make me sleep in the dust. (Psalm 7:3-5) And he cut off a corner of Saul's robe. What is written (1 Samuel 24:6)? "And David's heart smote him." Rabbi Judah says, David said, "What is the difference between the cutting off of the corner of a garment and the cutting off of the top of it?"

Rabbi Nehemiah says, they annulled the commandment of fringes for one hour. When the fringes were cut off, he did not know what to do, and he sought them but did not find them. He said to Abner, "Where is the corner of my robe?" He replied, "In your ships you passed over and they were cut off."

When David heard this, he said to him (1 Samuel 24:11), "My father, see." From this we learn that a man must show the same respect to his father-in-law as he does to his own father. Rabbi Judah said, David's father told Saul, "He has also seen." He said to Abner, "Did a lion come across the way?

Did a bear meet you?" (1 Samuel 17:34). The Rabbis say, he said both to Abner, "My father, see.", for Abner was a lion in learning. When he came to the circle, he said to him (2 Samuel 2:14), "Will you not answer, Abner?" He said, "Who are you who calls to the king?"

He replied, "You are a man, are you not? And Israel has chosen you to be their prince." And he said, "I am listening." Then David said to him, "I am innocent of wrongdoing; and as for you, you have hunted me down today.

May the Lord judge between you and me. And may the Lord avenge the wrongs you have done to me, but my hand will not touch you." (1 Samuel 24:12-13) And he said, "The Lord forbid that I should lay a hand on the Lord's anointed." (1 Samuel 24:10) And I will save the empty-handed who has been snatched from the hand of the oppressor. (Job 29:12) And he measured out two lengths of cord to put to death.

Rabbi Joshua ben Levi says, because he killed his father and mother (and his eyesight was dim). Rabbi Judah says, he killed his father, mother, and brother (and made himself blind). "My honor lies in the dust; my body will dwell in safety." (Psalm 7:6) This refers to God's kingdom.

"Fifth level in the palace. Rabbi Shmuel bar Nachmani said that when Moses ascended to heaven and the Israelites sinned, five destructive angels appeared before him. These are: Af (Anger), Chima (Wrath), Ketzef (Fury), Hashmed (Destruction), and Mashchit (Corruption). Mashchit is the angel of destruction, Ketzef is the angel of fury, Hashmed is the angel of destruction, Chima is the angel of wrath, and Af is the angel of anger.

Moses saw them and asked God what to do, and he said before him, "Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, your servants" (Exodus 32:13). At that moment, God was filled with mercy, as it says, "And the Lord was sorry for the evil" (Exodus 32:14), and three of the destructive angels disappeared, leaving only Af and Chima. Moses was still afraid of them, as it says, "And he said to destroy them, if not for Moses, his chosen one" (Psalms 106:23).

He said to God, "I cannot defeat them alone, rise up in your anger" (Psalms 7:7), which is what is written, "Rise up, O Lord, in your anger" (Psalms 7:7). How do we know that Moses was angry? As it says, "And he said to destroy them, if not for Moses, his chosen one" (Psalms 106:23), and it says, "I have no anger" (Isaiah 27:4). And at that hour, he said, "I praise the dead" (Ecclesiastes 4:2).

Samuel explained a verse about David, that when Solomon was building the Temple, he asked for fire to come down from heaven, but it did not come down until Solomon prayed and said, "Remember the kindness of David, your servant" (2 Chronicles 6:42). Immediately, the fire came down, as it says, "And when Solomon finished praying, the fire came down from heaven" (2 Chronicles 7:1)."

"The One who lifts me up from my transgressions, You command judgment against my oppressors. Where did You command? (1 Samuel 20:16) And the Lord sought from David's enemies. And where did You command? (Exodus 23:22) And I will be an enemy to your enemies. And where did You command? (Psalms 35:1) Plead my cause, O Lord, with those who strive with me."

"The assembly of nations will surround you. But at the time their wicked assembly surrounds you, your position will be secured in the heavens. Rabbi Elazar said in the name of Rabbi Yehuda bar Elai, "Three things were commanded to the Israelites upon their entry into the land, but they only fulfilled two. They did not build the Temple because of the dilatoriness in them." This is what is written (Haggai 1:5), "My soul is among those who ascend." This refers to Avner and Amasa, who were among those who ascended through Torah study. (Ibid. 1:8) "I lay with burning ones." This refers to Doeg and Ahithophel, who burned with the flame of evil speech. "Men whose teeth are spears and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword." This refers to the people of Keilah, as it is said (1 Samuel 23:11), "Will the men of Keilah deliver me into his hand?" Their tongue was like a sharp sword. "The slanderers." This refers to the spies, as it is said (Psalms 94:4), "They pour out words, they speak arrogantly, all the evildoers boast." Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said in the name of Rabbi Yosei, "In the days of Saul and Samuel, infants who had not yet grown two hairs would learn Torah, and they were able to distinguish between pure and impure faces. And David would pray for them, as it is said (Psalms 12:8), 'You, O Lord, will keep them, You will guard them from this generation forever.' 'From the generation.' This refers to a generation that requires annihilation. After all this praise, they would go out to war and fall because of the dilatoriness in them. David our master said, "O Lord, remove Your presence from them." What does Your presence do on earth? As it is said (Haggai 1:12), "The heavens are elevated over God." But in the time of Ahab, although they all worshipped idols, and there was no dilatoriness in them, they went out to battle and were victorious, and not one of them was killed. This is what Obadiah said to Elijah (1 Kings 18:13), "Has it not been told to my lord what I did?" What is the meaning of 'bread and water?' This teaches that the water was as hard as bread. Elijah stood on Mount Carmel and said (Ibid. 22), "I am the only prophet of the Lord." And all the people knew but did not publicize it to the king. Because of evil speech, the Divine Presence departs. As it is said (Haggai 1:5), "The assembly of nations will surround you."

"May the wickedness of the wicked come to an end from the world, and may You establish righteousness. Your kingdom is a righteous kingdom, and we know that You are a righteous God who examines hearts and minds. No one is called righteous unless they are good. Rabbi Tavyomi said, 'A righteous person is like a golden bell and its clapper, while a wicked person who sins is like a woman with a nose ring that brings attention to her pimple.' The righteous and the wicked, the good and the bad, both are equal."

God judges the righteous. There we learn that Rabbi Shimon ben Gamliel said, "Since the destruction of the Temple, there is no day without a sign of curse, and there is no dew that falls for a blessing, and the taste of fruits has been taken away." Rabbi Yehuda says that the oil of fruits has been taken away. Rabbi Shimon ben Elazar says that even purity has been taken away, as well as the fragrance and tithes. And the oil and grain have been taken away. The sages say that the prostitutes and sorcerers took all of these away since the destruction of the Temple, as it is said, "And [God] is angry every day." Rabbi Zeira said, "Each and every [generation] has [its own] difficulties." Rabbi Acha said, "By what merit do we stand? By the merit of the Priestly Blessing."

"And He prepared a vessel for him of death, for himself. What is half of it to the fuel? Rabbi Ibu said, these are the wicked whose heart burns with sin during their lifetime. Rabbi Yosei said, these are those who kindled the fire in the Temple. The Sages say, these are the haters of Israel, as it is said (Lamentations 4:19), 'They hunted our steps, that we could not go in our streets; our end is near, our days are fulfilled; for our end has come.'"

"Behold, wickedness travails and conceives mischief, and brings forth falsehood." Rabbi Levi said that when God told Noah to bring two of every kind into the ark, they all came in as pairs: "Two by two they came to Noah, into the ark, male and female of every living thing" (Genesis 7:8-9). One creature, the chameleon, came alone. It went to Noah and asked to be paired with another chameleon. Noah said, "I cannot help you unless you have a mate." The chameleon went away and brought back a mate. It then approached the ark, but was stopped by a cat which asked, "Where are you going?" The chameleon replied, "I am going into the ark." The cat said, "I will come with you." The chameleon replied, "You cannot come, for you are not one of my kind." The cat said, "I will become like you." So the chameleon said, "If you become like me, then you may come with me." The cat then went away and returned with a striped coat. When they reached the ark, the cat went to Noah and said, "I am a chameleon and I want to come into the ark." Noah replied, "You are not a chameleon." The cat said, "I will prove it to you," and changed its colors. Noah let it into the ark, but the cat caused trouble with the other animals. From this we learn that whoever lies will bring trouble, and whoever speaks the truth will be saved.

"A pit is dug and is excavated. All those who dig it for themselves, the wicked dig it. And in the end, it will fall into the pit they dug. Their toil will return upon their own heads. This refers to Haman, for everything he planned against Mordecai was turned against him."

I will praise the Lord according to His righteousness. He is the Most High in heaven. Rabbi Levi said, when God makes us superior to others in the world, it is above all, as it is said (Deuteronomy 28:1) "And the Lord your God will make you supreme." What is the reason for saying "I will praise the Lord according to His righteousness"? Rabbi Joshua ben Levi said, wherever you find the downfall of the wicked, there is acknowledgment from above and acknowledgment from below, as it is said, "I will praise the Lord according to His righteousness." What is written at the end of the psalm? "To the chief Musician upon Gittith, A Psalm of David." This refers to Edom. What is written after the psalm (Psalm 9:1)? "To the chief Musician upon Muthlabben, A Psalm of David." This refers to the future. And what is written at the end? "I will praise the Lord with my whole heart." There is acknowledgment from above and acknowledgment from below.

Another explanation: A meditation of David. Rabbi Tarfon says: David praised the Holy One, blessed be He, greatly for the miracles that He had performed for him. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to David: David, you sing before Me about the downfall of Saul; if you had been Saul and he had been David, I would have lost many Davids before him. And this is the meaning of "a meditation of David".

He said before Him: Master of the Universe, did the Children of Israel not sing before You when You saved them from the sea? And even though Saul was pursuing me, I did not cease singing praises to You from my mouth. Why do I call upon You when he changes upon me at every moment and pursues me? Rabbi Yitzhak said: Just as David prayed that Saul would not fall into his hand, so did he pray that he himself would not fall into Saul's hand.

As it says (Psalms 144:10), "Who gives salvation to kings; Who rescued David His servant from the deadly sword." This refers to David and Saul. And afterward, he spread out his servant David's fame, for he did not lay his hand on Saul. David said: I had many enemies, and all of them were great, but none stood before me except Saul.

Therefore, it says (1 Samuel 22:18), "And on that day the Lord saved him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul." For he was equal to all his enemies.

Speak differently about the words of Cush. It is in opposition to Israel. When Israel sins, the Holy One, blessed be He, calls them Cushites, as it is said, "Are you not like the children of Cush to Me, O Israel?" (Amos 9:7). Speak differently about the words of Cush.

Miriam spoke not against her own husband, but against the Cushite woman, as it is said, "Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Cushite woman he had married." (Numbers 12:1). And was she really a Cushite? Rather, just as a Cushite is distinguished by her skin color, so was Tzipora distinguished by her deeds. Similarly, Saul was distinguished and taller than all the people.

And if you want to know his beauty, see what is written, "As they were going up the ascent to the city, they met young women coming out to draw water and said to them, 'Is the seer here?' They answered them and said, 'He is; behold, he is before you. Make haste now, for he came to the city today.'" (1 Samuel 9:11-12). See how many things they said to him and why they diverted him so that he could look at his beauty. And for this reason, they kept him occupied until Samuel arrived. Therefore, he is called Cushite.

Another analogy is of someone who was walking on the road and someone was chasing him with a weapon. The pursued person escaped and was saved from his hand. Another person tried to catch him before he could get away, but he also escaped. However, before he could completely get away, a third person came to catch him and started shouting, "Save me from his hand!"

This is what happened to David when Saul was chasing him. God performed a miracle and saved him from Saul's hand, as it is written (1 Samuel 19:18-20), "And David fled and escaped... And when Saul sent messengers to take him, he said, 'He is sick.'... And Saul sent messengers to see David, saying, 'Bring him up to me in the bed, that I may slay him.'

And when the messengers were come in, behold, there was an image in the bed, with a pillow of goats' hair for his bolster." As soon as David escaped, he was worried and said to Saul (1 Samuel 22:9-10), "I have seen the son of Jesse coming to Nob... and Ahimelech gave him provisions." God said to him, "Perhaps he gave him from your provisions? Didn't he give him the bread of the Presence which belongs to me?"

David replied, "And didn't he give him Goliath's sword?" God said to him, "And didn't I provide for him?" Immediately, God shut his mouth, and concerning him it is said (Psalm 31:19), "Let the lying lips be put to silence." Thus, he was saved from worry, but then Ahithophel came.

He began to cry out (2 Samuel 15:31), "O Lord, I pray thee, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness." When they were saved from all three, he began to sing, as it is written (2 Samuel 22:1), "David spoke to the Lord the words of this song."

Another thing is confession. For the mistakes I made, forgive me. As it is said (Psalm 19:13), "Who can discern his errors?" You know that I did no harm to any person, and I did not retaliate against those who did harm to me. As it is said, "If I have repaid my friend with evil" (Job 31:29), "Let my enemy pursue my soul." God said to him, "Where did your enemy catch up to you?" David replied, "He did not catch me in the cave." God said to him, "And did I not open up a way out for you in the midst of it and save you from his hand?" David replied, "That is why I said to you a song that I sang to you."