Rabbi Berekhya said in the name of Rabbi Levi: That is what is written: “You, Lord, are forever exalted” (Psalms 92:9). Your hand is always uppermost. The way of the world is that a flesh and blood king sits in judgment; when he issues a positive ruling, the entire people lauds him. When he issues a death sentence, there is no creature that lauds him because they know that there is impulsiveness in his ruling.
But the Holy One blessed be He is not so; rather, whether with an attribute of goodness or with an attribute of punishment, “You, Lord, are forever exalted,” Your hand is always uppermost. Rav Huna said in the name of Rav Aḥa: It is written: “A psalm of David. I sing kindness and justice; to You, Lord, I sing praises” (Psalms 101:1). David said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘Master of the universe, if You perform kindness with me, I sing; in any case I sing praises.’
Rabbi Tanḥum ben Rabbi Yudan said: It is written: “I praise the word of God; I praise the word of the Lord” (Psalms 56:11); whatever the case, I praise His word.1Whether He acts with the attribute of justice, represented by the name God (Elohim), or the attribute of mercy, represented by the name Lord, the Tetragrammaton. The Rabbis say: It is written: “I will encounter distress and sorrow and I will call in the name of the Lord” (Psalms 116:3–4).
“I will raise a cup of salvation, and I will call in the name of the Lord” (Psalms 116:13). I any case, I will call in the name of the Lord. Rabbi Yudan ben Rabbi Pilya said: That is what Job said: “The Lord has given, the Lord has taken, may the name of the Lord be blessed” (Job 1:21). When He gives, He gives with mercy; when He takes, He takes with mercy.
Moreover, when He gave, He did not consult anyone, but when He took, He consulted with His heavenly court. Rabbi Elazar said: Everywhere that you find “and the Lord,” it is He and His court.2The word “and” implies God and his court. The paradigm of them all: “And the Lord spoke ill of you” (I Kings 22:23). Rabbi Yudan said: “You [Lord] are [forever] exalted.”
You practice exaltedness in Your world. You granted priesthood to Aaron forever: “It is an [everlasting] covenant of salt” (Numbers 18:19). You granted kingdom to David forever, as it is stated: “Do you not know that the Lord, God of Israel, gave kingship [over Israel to David forever]” (II Chronicles 13:5). You granted holiness to Israel forever, as it is stated: “You shall be holy” (Leviticus 19:2).