Midrash Tehillim, a collection of rabbinic interpretations of the Book of Psalms, explores this idea in a truly fascinating way.
Rabbi Abbahu offers a parable: Imagine a king conquering a new province. To ensure stability, the province leader presents him with a cornerstone, solid and immovable. It's a beautiful image!
Similarly, the Midrash tells us, when God created the world, the earth itself trembled, crying out, “I am not stable!” So, what did God do? He promised a cornerstone. As it says in Psalms 104:5, "He founded the earth upon its bases; it shall not falter forever and ever."
But here’s where it gets really interesting. The verse “True is Your throne from the beginning” (Psalms 93:5) leads the Midrash to a profound idea: some things existed before creation itself. Seven things, to be exact. Think about that for a moment. What could possibly predate the entire universe?
The Midrash lists them: the Throne of Glory, the very seat of God’s authority; the name of the King Messiah – yes, Messiah’s name was already present, as it says, "Before the sun, his name is Yinnon" (Psalms 72:17). And why "Yinnon"? Because, the Midrash explains, he will "ennoble those who are downtrodden."
Then there's the Torah, God's divine instruction, described in Proverbs 8:22 as, "The Lord acquired me as the beginning of His way." And Israel, God's chosen people, as it says in Psalms 74:2, "Remember Your congregation which You acquired long ago." The Temple, the sacred space, is also pre-existent: "A throne of glory, exalted from the beginning, is the place of our sanctuary" (Jeremiah 17:12).
And here’s a surprising one: teshuvah (repentance). Even before the world existed, the possibility of returning to God was already present. As Psalm 90:2 says, "Before the mountains were born… from eternity to eternity You are God." And finally, Gehenna (hell), prepared "from yesterday" (Isaiah 30:33). A sobering thought.
These seven pre-existing things offer a glimpse into God’s plan, a cosmic blueprint if you will. They suggest that creation wasn’t a random act, but a deliberate unfolding of a divine purpose.
The Midrash then shifts gears a bit, bringing in a story about the Ark of the Covenant. Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish recounts how, when the Philistines returned the Ark after suffering plagues, they boasted that they had defeated not only the Ark itself but also its "Master."
This brings us back to Psalm 93, specifically verse 3: "The rivers raise, O Lord." According to the Midrash, these "rivers" represent the Philistines, drawing on 1 Samuel 5:6, which mentions "the river" in connection with the land of the Philistines. The Philistines, in their arrogance, are like overflowing rivers, threatening to overwhelm everything.
But God, of course, will not be mocked. The Midrash says that God declares, "The rivers will raise themselves with haughtiness, but I will break them with hard afflictions." Rabbi Samuel bar Nachmani interprets "with haughtiness" to mean that their internal affairs are corrupt, while Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish says that God will break their external affairs. The repetition of "The rivers will raise, O Lord" emphasizes the ongoing struggle between divine power and human arrogance.
So, what does all this mean for us? Perhaps it's a reminder that even when the world feels unstable, there are foundational truths that endure. The possibility of repentance, the promise of a Messiah, the wisdom of the Torah – these are cornerstones we can cling to, even when the rivers of chaos threaten to overwhelm us. The world might shake, but our faith can remain firm.