Sons of a Man and the Glory Held Up to Shame

"O afflicted one, storm-tossed." "Sons of man, how long will my glory be turned to shame?" (Psalms 4:3). "Sons of man"—these are Doeg and Ahitophel. And why does he call them sons of man? Because they are sons of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and "man" means none other than our father Abraham, as it is said, "Now therefore restore the man's wife, for he is a prophet" (Genesis 20:7); and "man" means none other than our father Isaac, as it is said, "Who is this man that walks [in the field]?" (Genesis 24:65); and "man" means none other than our father Jacob, as it is said, "And Jacob was a plain man" (Genesis 25:27). "How long will my glory be turned to shame?" (Psalms 4:3)—David said: How long will you shame my honor and call me son of Jesse: "Why has the son of Jesse not come?" (1 Samuel 20:27), "I have seen a son to Jesse" (1 Samuel 16:18), "will the son of Jesse give to you all?" (1 Samuel 22:7)—have I no name? "You love vanity" (Psalms 4:3)—you pursue empty things; let it go, forget it, the kingship will not return to him from now on; "and seek after falsehood, selah" (Psalms 4:3)—do you suppose that because My kingship is taken from Me for an hour it is gone forever? "But know that the LORD has set apart the pious for Himself" (Psalms 4:4)—He has already announced to me through Nathan the prophet and said to me, "The LORD also has put away your sin; you shall not die" (2 Samuel 12:13). Another interpretation of "sons of man" (Psalms 4:3)—these are the nations of the world. And why does He call them sons of man? Because they come from the children of Noah, and "man" means none other than Noah, as it is said, "And Noah was a righteous man" (Genesis 6:9). "How long will my glory be turned to shame?"—this is the Temple. The Holy One said: How long will you shame the glory of My house, spitting in it, defiling it, committing your transgressions in it? "You love vanity"—you pursue empty things; let it go, forget it, the Divine Presence will not return to it from now on; "and seek after falsehood, selah"—do you suppose that because I have removed My Presence from it for an hour it is gone forever? "But know that the LORD has set apart the pious for Himself"—I have already announced through Isaiah the prophet and said, "O afflicted one, storm-tossed, not comforted" (Isaiah 54:11).