Midrash Tehillim, a collection of rabbinic interpretations on the Book of Psalms, offers a fascinating glimpse into this very question, and it all starts with a single verse: “For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol; you will not allow your pious one to see the Pit” (Psalms 16:10).

The Midrash immediately latches onto the phrase “pious one.” Who is this hasid? It suggests that the Holy One, blessed be He, can be considered the "pious one," referencing Jeremiah 3:12, "For I am pious, says the Lord." But it doesn’t stop there. David himself also used this term, as we see in Psalms 86:2, "Guard my soul, for I am pious."

But Rabbi Alexandri takes it in a truly human direction. He says that anyone who hears themselves being disgraced and remains silent is called a pious one. It's not about being perfect or performing great feats, but about the strength to hold your tongue in the face of personal attack. The Midrash points out that David heard his disgrace and remained silent, therefore he is called a pious one. Humility, it seems, is a key ingredient.

The Midrash then pivots to the next verse: "Teach me the way of life." What is the way of life? How do we find it? David, according to this Midrash, asks God this very question. And the answers, as you might expect, are multifaceted.

Rabbi Yudan suggests that God's response is, "You desire life? Look to the fear of the Lord, for fear of the Lord adds days." Fear of the Lord, in this context, isn’t about being scared, but about a deep reverence and awareness of God's presence.

Rabbi Azariah offers another perspective. He suggests that God tells David, “You desire life? Look to the Torah, for it is a tree of life to those who hold fast to it." (Proverbs 3:18) The Torah, then, becomes a pathway to a long and meaningful life.

Rava adds another layer. According to him, God's answer is, "You desire life? Do good and eat well, for pleasantness is in your right hand, and victory." This connects a life of goodness with tangible blessings.

And then we have two Amoraim – rabbinic scholars from the Talmudic period – offering different explanations. One says "the way of life" refers to those who come to study Torah, referencing Deuteronomy 33:2: "From His right hand came a fiery law for them." The other says it refers to scribes and teachers of children, who are destined to dwell in the shadow of the Holy One, blessed be He, echoing the sentiment of Psalms 16:8, "I have set the Lord always before me."

Rabbi Avin offers yet another interpretation, connecting "the way of life" to the proper reading of the Torah on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, and the seven species of the Land of Israel. It's a reminder that ritual and connection to the land are also pathways to life.

The Midrash concludes by exploring the phrase "Satiated with joy from Your countenance." But here's a twist: Rabbi Avin tells us, "do not read 'satiated', but rather 'satiated sevenfold.'" These are the seven classes of righteous individuals who will see the face of the Divine Presence in the World to Come, and the verse should read not “fullness” of joys, but “sevenfold”. It also alludes to the verse in Judges 5:31, "And those who love Him are like the sun when it goes forth in its might."

So, what does it all mean? This short passage from Midrash Tehillim offers a rich tapestry of ideas about piety, life, and connection to the Divine. It suggests that the "way of life" isn't a single path, but a confluence of humility, reverence, Torah study, good deeds, ritual, and a deep connection to community and tradition. And perhaps, most importantly, it reminds us that even in moments of disgrace, we have the opportunity to choose silence, and in doing so, become a little more hasid, a little more pious.