The mystics certainly did. to a fascinating passage from Midrash Tehillim (a collection of homiletic interpretations of the Book of Psalms) that explores just that, focusing on Psalm 91, a powerful declaration of faith and divine protection.
The verse "Sitting in the highest secrecy..." – what does it really mean? The Midrash tells us it's referring to God. After all, as it says in 1 Kings 8:27, "Behold, will God dwell on earth? The heavens and the heavens of heavens cannot contain You." God is beyond our comprehension, beyond our ability to contain or define.
But here's where it gets interesting. Rabbi Huna, in the name of Rabbi Idi, connects this idea to Psalm 92:11, "And You have exalted my horn like that of a wild ox." According to this interpretation, when David was a shepherd and encountered a sleeping wild ox, he was inspired to compose this very psalm.
And this psalm, in turn, is understood to be about the Temple that Solomon built. But wait, there's a twist! Moses originally spoke of the Holy of Holies – the innermost sanctum of the Tabernacle – as being twenty cubits by twenty cubits. Yet, the one Solomon built was only ten cubits by ten cubits. So, what's going on?
The Midrash explains that this discrepancy was addressed when Moses saw the completed work on the Tabernacle. Exodus 39:43 tells us, "And Moses saw all the work, and behold, they had done it as the Lord had commanded, so had they done it; and Moses blessed them." What was this blessing? It was a prayer that the Divine Presence would rest on their work. And they, in turn, responded with Psalm 90:17, "And may the graciousness of the Lord our God be upon us, and the work of our hands may He establish upon us; yea, the work of our hands, may He establish it."
Even if it isn't explicit in the Torah, the Midrash points out, it's alluded to in the Writings, in Psalms 90:16: "Let Your work appear to Your servants, and Your majesty upon their children." Moses begins by saying, "Sitting in the highest secrecy, in the shadow of the Almighty, he shall lodge."
Now, Rabbi Judah, son of Rabbi Simon, adds another layer. He says that Moses was stunned by three things he learned directly from God.
First, when God commanded him to take a census of the Israelites (Exodus 30:12), Moses was shocked. He questioned, referencing Proverbs 13:8, "A man's ransom is his life." Who can deny their own soul? Rabbi Meir elaborates, saying that God showed Moses a fiery, coin-like object, instructing him that this should be given as an offering (Exodus 30:13).
Second, when God instructed Moses (Numbers 28:2) to command the Israelites to offer bread, Moses wondered how they could possibly provide enough sheep and offerings. God's reply? "I do not seek as much as you think. Just offer one lamb each morning."
Finally, and perhaps most relevant to our original question, when God commanded Moses (Exodus 25:8) to build a sanctuary, Moses questioned how anyone could construct a sanctuary capable of housing the Divine Presence. God responded, echoing 1 Kings 8:27, that even the heavens and the highest heavens could not contain Him. God then explained that while asking for the whole world doesn't truly honor Him, asking for just a little does. God wasn't asking for much from Moses – just ten cubits to the north, south, and west.
The Midrash concludes with a powerful image: God is the Supreme Being who sees without being seen. But even in the shade that Bezalel, the artisan of the Tabernacle, created, the Divine complained. Moses, witnessing this, would then sing the song of distress, "Sitting in the highest secret place."
So, what does it all mean? Perhaps it's about the paradox of faith. God is immense, beyond comprehension, yet also present in the smallest details of our lives. The "highest secrecy" isn't about a physical place, but a state of being – a recognition of God's presence, even in the midst of our own limitations and anxieties. And maybe, just maybe, that's where we find true protection and solace.