David Praises the Holy One With Every Limb of His Body

Pesikta Rabbati 9:1

Curated by Arthur·Told by Maggid·

"To the chief musician, upon the stringed instruments, of David: Hear, O God, my cry; from the end of the earth I call to You, when my heart is faint" (Psalms 61:1-3). Let our master teach us: a person of Israel, is he permitted to bless over the cup when it has not been rinsed? Rabbi Acha said in the name of Rabbi Yochanan: the cup of blessing, its requirement is that it be rinsed, crowned, and full. From where? "And to Naphtali he said, satisfied with favor and full of the blessing of the LORD" (Deuteronomy 33:23) — these three blessings the cup of blessing must have. They said in the name of Rabbi Yochanan: he must keep his eyes on the cup, hold it in his right hand, raise it a handbreadth above the table, and bless with awe and not with levity. There was no one so careful in the commandments and God-fearing as David, for he says, "I am a companion to all who fear You" (Psalms 119:64). "To the chief musician, upon the stringed instruments" — Rabbi Tanchuma opened: "My lips shall ring out when I sing to You, and my soul, which You have redeemed" (Psalms 71:23). You find there is no limb in a person with which David did not praise the Holy One, blessed be He. He praised Him with his head: "You anoint my head with oil" (Psalms 23:5). With his eyes: "My eyes are ever toward the LORD" (Psalms 25:15). With his mouth: "My mouth shall speak the praise of the LORD" (Psalms 145:21). With his tongue, his lips, his throat, his heart, his innards, his hands, his feet — until at last, "All my bones shall say, O LORD, who is like You?" (Psalms 35:10). David said: even though I have praised Him with all these, I still do not know how to praise Him as I ought. The Holy One, blessed be He, said: "David, ten men composed the Book of Psalms, yet the true praise is said only by you." David said: since the praise is fitting, I will praise You — "To the chief musician (lamnatzeach), upon stringed instruments." What is lamnatzeach? It is for the One who gives victory (netzach). Another explanation: for the One who wishes, as it were, to be defeated, for the Holy One, blessed be He, said: when I conquer I lose, and when I am defeated I gain. I conquered the generation of the Flood — did I not lose, for I destroyed My world? But in the days of Moses, when I was "defeated," I made a profit, for I did not destroy Israel. David said: Master of the universe, when Your children were in the Temple they would call to You and You answered them; now that we are scattered in exile, "from the end of the earth I call to You." Master of the universe, build Your house and let us dwell in it, for the verse continues, "Let me dwell in Your tent forever" (Psalms 61:5).

Themes

DavidPrayerMusic

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