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Nach YomiII Samuel ยท ืฉืžื•ืืœ ื‘ืณChapter 22

II Samuel 22

ืฉืžื•ืืœ ื‘ืณ ืคืจืง ื›ืดื‘

Section: ื ื‘ื™ืื™ื ยท ื ื‘ื™ืื™ื ืจืืฉื•ื ื™ื | Book: II Samuel | Chapter: 22 of 24 | Day: 98 of 742

Date: May 20, 2026

ืงืœืื•ื“ ืขืœ ื”ื ืดืš

Dovidโ€™s Song of Deliverance, sung โ€œin the day that Hashem delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Shaโ€™ulโ€ (verse 1), stands at the structural and emotional center of the four-chapter Appendix that closes Sefer Shmuel. The bookโ€™s narrative has carried Dovid through Shaโ€™ulโ€™s pursuit, civil war, conquest, the trauma of Bat-Sheva and Natanโ€™s rebuke, the rebellion of Avshalom, and the famine of chapter 21; now the prose pauses, and the warrior-king turns poet. The shir is presented as a complete retrospective โ€” a lyric summation of the deliverances the narrative has spent twenty-one chapters recounting. The strange word order of the superscription, in which Shaโ€™ul is named last and singled out from โ€œall his enemies,โ€ already signals that Shaโ€™ul holds a unique place in Dovidโ€™s memory of rescue. This song is also famously preserved in the Tehillim corpus as Mizmor 18, with numerous small textual variants between the two recensions; Radak in particular makes this comparison a recurring concern, often noting where the Shmuel version preserves an older or fuller reading and where Tehillimโ€™s wording seems sharper. The presence of the song in two canonical books โ€” once in narrative, once in liturgy โ€” is itself a statement that Dovidโ€™s voice belongs both to history and to the praying community of Israel forever.

The poem opens in verses 2-4 with a remarkable cascade of names for God, almost all defensive or protective in character: sela (ืกืœืข), metzuda (ืžืฆื•ื“ื”), mefalti (ืžืคืœื˜ื™), tzur (ืฆื•ืจ), magen (ืžื’ืŸ), keren yishโ€™i (ืงืจืŸ ื™ืฉืขื™), misgav (ืžืฉื’ื‘), manos (ืžื ื•ืก), moshiโ€™a (ืžื•ืฉื™ืข). The piling of metaphors is not redundant but cumulative โ€” each name corresponds, the classical commentators suggest, to a different mode of rescue Dovid had experienced. From this stacked invocation the poem plunges in verses 5-7 into the depths: โ€œmishberei mavet,โ€ โ€œnachalei beliโ€™al,โ€ โ€œchevlei sheโ€™ol,โ€ โ€œmokshei mavetโ€ โ€” breakers of death, torrents of Beliโ€™al, cords of Sheโ€™ol, snares of death. The imagery is of drowning and entrapment, of a man pulled under by chaotic waters, and in his โ€œtzarโ€ (distress) he calls out and is heard โ€œme-heichaloโ€ โ€” from Godโ€™s heavenly palace. The structural movement is classic: invocation, then crisis, and then in verses 8-16 the breathtaking response.

The theophany in verses 8-16 is one of the most spectacular in all of Tanakh. The earth quakes, the foundations of the heavens tremble, smoke rises from Godโ€™s nostrils and consuming fire from His mouth. He bends the heavens and descends with thick darkness under His feet; He rides on a keruv and flies on the wings of the wind (verse 11). Hailstones and coals of fire, the thundering of Hashem from heaven, the channels of the sea exposed and the foundations of the world laid bare at His rebuke โ€” this is the language of Sinai, of Devorahโ€™s song, of the visions of Yechezkel, condensed into a single onrushing passage. What is astonishing is that this cosmic upheaval is summoned, in the logic of the poem, on behalf of a single embattled man. Verses 17-20 then collapse the cosmic into the personal with startling intimacy: โ€œyishlach mi-marom yikacheni, yamsheni mi-mayim rabimโ€ โ€” He sent from on high and took me, He drew me out of many waters. The verb โ€œyikacheniโ€ carries the gentleness of a parent lifting a child, and โ€œvayotziโ€™eni la-merchav, yechaltzeni ki chafetz biโ€ โ€” He brought me out into a wide place; He delivered me because He delighted in me โ€” turns the whole theophany into an act of personal love.

Verses 21-30 are theologically the most demanding section of the song. Dovid claims that Hashem rewarded him โ€œke-tzidkati, ke-vor yadaiโ€ โ€” according to his righteousness, the cleanness of his hands โ€” and asserts, โ€œki shamarti darkhei Hashem ve-lo rashati me-Elokai.โ€ How can the king who arranged the death of Uriah and took Bat-Sheva sing such verses? The Rishonim address the difficulty directly. A widely cited approach, reflected in classical commentators including Radak, is that the song belongs to an earlier period of Dovidโ€™s life and refers specifically to his innocence vis-a-vis Shaโ€™ul โ€” Shaโ€™ul accused Dovid of plotting against the throne, and on that charge Dovidโ€™s hands were genuinely clean. Others emphasize that Dovid had wholly repented, and a baal teshuva is restored to standing before God. The principle Dovid articulates in verses 26-27 โ€” โ€œim chasid titchasad, im gibor tamim titamam, im navar titavar, ve-im ikesh titapal,โ€ that God meets each person according to his own character โ€” is itself a foundational mussar teaching, drawn out at length by Chazal: God is, as it were, mirrored back to a person in the measure that the person turns toward Him. The triumphant verse 30, โ€œki vekha aruz gedud, beElohai adaleg shurโ€ โ€” by my God I leap over a wall โ€” has become a beloved expression of the soulโ€™s capacity to surmount what looks insurmountable when bound to God.

From verse 31 the song shifts into a martial register: โ€œHaEl tamim darko, imrat Hashem tzerufa.โ€ God is the trainer of Dovidโ€™s hands for war, the one who girds him with strength, makes his feet like the deerโ€™s, sets him on high places, and bends a bow of bronze with his arms (verses 33-35). The catalog of conquest in verses 38-46 reads as a poetic compression of all the wars of II Shmuel โ€” enemies pursued and consumed, foreign peoples submitting, โ€œbenei nechar yitkachashu liโ€ โ€” the sons of strangers come cringing. The closing doxology in verses 47-51 returns to the language of the opening: โ€œChai Hashem u-varuch tzuri, vayarum Elohei tzur yishโ€™i.โ€ And then, in the songโ€™s final breath, comes the line that ties this entire epilogue back to the covenantal heart of the book: โ€œMigdol yeshuโ€™ot malko, ve-oseh chesed limshicho, le-Dovid u-le-zarโ€™o ad olam.โ€ A tower of salvations to His king, and one who does chesed to His anointed โ€” to Dovid and to his seed forever. The songโ€™s last word is โ€œolam,โ€ and with that word the poet-king binds his personal rescues to Natanโ€™s prophecy in chapter 7, declaring that the chesed which lifted him from many waters is the same chesed that will sustain his house until the end of days. The Appendix has reached its lyric summit, and the voice we have followed through war and grief turns out, in the end, to be the voice of a man who knows himself held.

ืคืจืง ื›ืดื‘ ยท Chapter 22

ืคืกื•ืง ืืณ ยท Verse 1

Hebrew:

ื•ึทื™ึฐื“ึทื‘ึผึตึคืจ ื“ึผึธื•ึดื“ึ™ ืœึทื™ื”ึนื•ึธึ”ื” ืึถืชึพื“ึผึดื‘ึฐืจึตึ–ื™ ื”ึทืฉืึผึดื™ืจึธึฃื” ื”ึทื–ึผึนึ‘ืืชย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ื‘ึผึฐื™ื•ึนืึฉ ื”ึดืฆึผึดึจื™ืœ ื™ึฐื”ึนื•ึธึฅื” ืึนืชึ›ื•ึน ืžึดื›ึผึทึฅืฃ ื›ึผื‡ืœึพืึนื™ึฐื‘ึธึ–ื™ื• ื•ึผืžึดื›ึผึทึฅืฃ ืฉืึธืึฝื•ึผืœืƒย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย 

English:

aThis poem occurs again as Ps. 18, with a number of variations, some of which are cited in the following notes. David addressed the words of this song to GOD, after GOD had saved him from the hands of all his enemies and from the hands of Saul.

The superscription frames the entire song as a retrospective lyric covering Dovid's lifetime of rescues, with Sha'ul singled out separately from 'all his enemies' as the apex pursuer whose threat dominated Dovid's wilderness years. The verse is nearly identical to the heading of Tehillim 18, marking this song as one of the most prominent poetic compositions in Tanakh.
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื‘ึฐึผื™ื•ึนื ื”ึดืฆึดึผื™ืœ ื”ืณ ืื•ึนืชื•ึน. ืœึฐืขึตืช ื–ึดืงึฐื ึธืชื•ึน, ืœึฐืึทื—ึทืจ ืฉึถืืขึธื‘ึฐืจื•ึผ ืขึธืœึธื™ื• ื›ึธึผืœ ืฆึธืจื•ึนืชึธื™ื• ื•ึฐื ึดืฆึผื•ึนืœ ืžึดื›ึปึผืœึธึผื: ื•ึผืžึดื›ึทึผืฃ ืฉึธืืื•ึผืœ. ื•ึทื”ึฒืœึนื ืฉึธืืื•ึผืœ ื‘ึทึผื›ึฐึผืœึธืœ ื”ึธื™ึธื”, ืึถืœึธึผื ืฉึถืื”ึธื™ึธื” ืื•ึนื™ึฐื‘ื•ึน ื•ึฐืจื•ึนื“ึฐืคื•ึน ืžึดื›ึปึผืœึธึผื, ื›ึทึผื™ึผื•ึนืฆึตื ื‘ึผื•ึน (ืฉืžื•ืืœ ื‘ ื‘:ืœ): ืดืชึดึผืฉึฐืืขึธื” ืขึธืฉึธื‚ืจ ืึดื™ืฉื ื•ึทืขึฒืฉึธื‚ื”ืึตืœืด, ื›ึทึผื™ึผื•ึนืฆึตื ื‘ึผื•ึน (ื™ื”ื•ืฉืข ื‘:ื): ืดืœึฐื›ื•ึผ ืจึฐืื•ึผ ืึถืช ื”ึธืึธืจึถืฅ ื•ึฐืึถืช ื™ึฐืจึดื™ื—ื•ึนืด ื•ึฐื›ึทื™ึผื•ึนืฆึตื ื‘ึผื•ึน (ืžืœื›ื™ื ื ื™ื:ื): ืดื•ึฐื”ึทืžึถึผืœึถืšึฐ ืฉึฐืืœึนืžึนื” ืึธื”ึทื‘ ื ึธืฉึดืื™ื ื ึธื›ึฐืจึดื™ึผื•ึนืช ื•ึฐืึถืช ื‘ึทึผืช ืคึทึผืจึฐืขึนื”ืด:
On the day Adonoy saved him. In his old age after all his troubles had passed and he had survived all of them. And from the hands of Shaul. Shaul was part of the general grouping [of "his enemies"]?1I.e. Why is he being singled out? but he was his greatest enemy and pursuer. Similarly [we find], "Nineteen men and Asohel2Earlier in 2:30. where Asohel is singled out because he was equal to all of them as Rashi points out there. Similarly, "Go spy out the land and Yericho."3Yehoshua 2:1. And similarly, "King Shlomo loved [many] foreign women and [he loved] the daughter of Pharoah."4Melochim I, 11:1.

ืคืกื•ืง ื‘ืณ ยท Verse 2

Hebrew:

ื•ึทื™ึผึนืืžึทึ‘ืจ ื™ึฐื”ึนื•ึธึ›ื” ืกึทึฝืœึฐืขึดึฅื™ ื•ึผืžึฐืฆึปื“ึธืชึดึ–ื™ ื•ึผืžึฐืคึทืœึฐื˜ึดื™ึพืœึดึฝื™ืƒ

English:

He said:O ETERNAL One, my crag, my fortress, my deliverer!

Dovid opens with a triplet of protective metaphors -- sela (boulder/cliff face), metzuda (fortress/stronghold), and mefalet (rescuer) -- stacking image upon image to express Hashem's protective role. Radak notes that each metaphor draws on Dovid's wilderness years, when literal cliffs and fortresses sheltered him from Sha'ul.
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ืกึทืœึฐืขึดื™ ื•ึผืžึฐืฆื•ึผื“ึธืชึดื™. ืœึฐืฉืื•ึนืŸ ื—ื•ึนื–ึถืง ื”ึตื, ืณืกึถืœึทืขืณ ื›ึฐึผืžึทืฉึฐืืžึธืขื•ึน, ืณืžึฐืฆื•ึผื“ึธื”ืณ ื”ึดื™ื ืžึฐืฆื•ึผื“ึทืช ื™ึฐืขึธืจึดื™ื, ืฉึถืืงึผื•ึนืจึดื™ืŸ ืคืœื™ื™ืฉืื™ืดืŸ ื‘ืœืขืดื–, ื•ึฐืขึทืœ ืฉึตืื ื”ึทื ึตึผืก ืฉึถืื ึทึผืขึฒืฉึธื‚ื” ืœื•ึน ื‘ึฐึผืกึถืœึทืข ื”ึทืžึทึผื—ึฐืœื•ึนืงึถืช (ืฉืžื•ืืœ ื ื›ื’:ื›ื—), ื•ึฐื”ึทืžึฐึผืฆื•ึผื“ื•ึนืช ื‘ึทึผื—ื•ึนืจึฐืฉึธืื”: ื•ึผืžึฐืคึทืœึฐึผื˜ึดื™ ืœึดื™. ืžึฐืคึทืœึฐึผื˜ึดื™ ืขึดื ืฆึฐื‘ึธื ื™ึดืฉึฐื‚ืจึธืึตืœ ื‘ึทึผืžึดึผืœึฐื—ึธืžึธื”, ื•ึผืคึฐืขึธืžึดื™ื ืฉึถืื”ื•ึผื ืžึฐืคึทืœึตึผื˜ ืœึดื™ ื›ึฐึผืฉึถืืึฒื ึดื™ ืœึฐื‘ึทื“ึดึผื™, ื›ึฐึผื’ื•ึนืŸ ืžึดืŸ ื™ึดืฉึฐืื‘ึดึผื™ ื‘ึฐึผื ื•ึนื‘ (ืฉืžื•ืืœ ื‘ ื›ื:ื˜ื–):
My Rock, my Fortress. They are words denoting strength. Rock is obvious in its connotation [of strengh]. Fortress is [a reference to] a fortress amongst the forests that is called flassant in O.F. It is [also] a reference to the miracle that occurred by the rock at the crossroads5Shmuel I, 23:28. and the fortresses of the forest.6Ibid, 23:19. Dovid's location was betrayed to Shaul but eventually when Shaul reached the crossroads, he chose not to chase after Dovid. My Rescuer. He saved me when I was with Yisroel's army at war and other times He saved me when I was alone7Rashi is explaining why Dovid in effect, says "me" twice. ืžึฐืคึทืœึฐื˜ื™ means "My Rescuer" and ืœื™ means "me". for example [He saved me] from (the inhabitants of Nov)["Yishbi-Benov"].

ืคืกื•ืง ื’ืณ ยท Verse 3

Hebrew:

ืึฑืœึนื”ึตึฅื™ ืฆื•ึผืจึดึ–ื™ ืึถื—ึฑืกึถื”ึพื‘ึผึ‘ื•ึนย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ืžึธื’ึดื ึผึดึžื™ ื•ึฐืงึถึฃืจึถืŸ ื™ึดืฉืึฐืขึดึ—ื™ ืžึดืฉื‚ึฐื’ึผึทื‘ึผึดื™ึ™ ื•ึผืžึฐื ื•ึผืกึดึ”ื™ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ืžึนืฉืึดืขึดึ•ื™ ืžึตื—ึธืžึธึ–ืก ืชึผึนืฉืึดืขึตึฝื ึดื™ืƒ

English:

O God, the rockbGod, the rock Lit. โ€œthe God of my rockโ€; Ps. 18.3 โ€œmy God, my rock.โ€ in which I take shelter:My shield, my mighty champion,cmighty champion Lit. โ€œhorn of rescue.โ€ my haven and refuge!My savior, You who rescue me from violence!

Five additional metaphors cascade -- tzur (stone), magen (shield), keren yish'i (horn of my salvation), misgav (high place), and manos (refuge) -- saturating the verse with images of divine protection. The 'horn of salvation' evokes the strength of a goring animal and echoes Channa's song (I Shmuel 2:1, 'ramah karni'), forming a literary frame around the entire book of Shmuel.
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ืฆื•ึผืจึดื™. ืœึฐืฉืื•ึนืŸ ืกึถืœึทืข, ืฉึถืื”ึทืกึถึผืœึทืข ืžึทื—ึฒืกึถื” ืœึฐืขื•ึนื‘ึฐืจึตื™ ื“ึถืจึถืšึฐ, ืžึดืŸ ื”ึทืžึธึผื˜ึธืจ ื•ึฐื”ึธืจื•ึผื—ื•ึนืช, ืื‘ืจื™ืืžืดืฉ ื‘ืœืขืดื–: ืึถื—ึฑืกึถื”. ืœึฐืฉืื•ึนืŸ ื›ึดึผืกึผื•ึผื™, ืฉึถืื”ึธื™ึดื™ืชึดื™ ืžึดืชึฐื›ึทึผืกึถึผื” ืœึฐืขึถื–ึฐืจึธื”: ืžึดืฉึฐื‚ื’ึทึผื‘ึดึผื™. ืกื•ึนืžึฐื›ึตื ึดื™: ื•ึผืžึฐื ื•ึผืกึดื™. ืฉึถืื”ึธื™ึดื™ืชึดื™ ื ึธืก ืึตืœึธื™ื• ืœึฐืขึถื–ึฐืจึธื”:
My Rock. Language denoting a rock because a rock protects passerby from the rain and from the winds. Abriments in O.F. I take refuge. Language denoting a covering that I was able to be protectively covered. My Stronghold. He supported me. My Refuge. I would run to him for protection.

ืคืกื•ืง ื“ืณ ยท Verse 4

Hebrew:

ืžึฐื”ึปืœึผึธึ–ืœ ืึถืงึฐืจึธึฃื ื™ึฐื”ึนื•ึธึ‘ื”ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ื•ึผืžึตืึนื™ึฐื‘ึทึ–ื™ ืึดื•ึผึธืฉืึตึฝืขึทืƒ

English:

All praise! I called on GOD dAll praise! I called on GOD Construction of Heb. uncertain. And was delivered from my enemies.

The verse compresses Dovid's lifetime pattern into a single line -- call out, get saved. The participle 'mehulal' (praised) functions almost as a divine title, suggesting that praise is an essential attribute of the God who answers prayers.
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ืžึฐื”ึปืœึธึผืœ ืึถืงึฐืจึธื ื”ืณ. ื›ึฐึผืชึทืจึฐื’ึผื•ึผืžื•ึน; ื‘ึฐึผืงึธืจึฐืึดื™ ืœื•ึน ืึฒื”ื•ึนื“ึถื ึผื•ึผ, ืœึฐืคึดื™ ื›ึดึผื™ ืžึตืื•ึนื™ึฐื‘ึทื™ ืึฒื ึดื™ ื‘ึผื•ึนื˜ึตื—ึท ืฉึถืืึดื•ึธึผืฉึทืืข. ื•ึฐื™ึดืชึธึผื›ึตืŸ ืœึดืคึฐืชึผื•ึนืจ ืึถืงึฐืจึธื ื•ึฐืึดื•ึธึผืฉึทืืข, ืœึฐืฉืื•ึนืŸ ืณื”ื•ึนื•ึถื”ืณ:
I call to Adonoy in praise. As it is translated, when I called Him, I praised Him (with my mouth) because I trusted that I would be saved from my enemies. And it is possible to interpret the words ืึถืงึฐืจึธื and ืึด๏ฌตื‡๏ฌชึตืขึท as being used in the present tense.

ืคืกื•ืง ื”ืณ ยท Verse 5

Hebrew:

ื›ึผึดึฅื™ ืึฒืคึธืคึปึ–ื ึดื™ ืžึดืฉืึฐื‘ึผึฐืจึตื™ึพืžึธึ‘ื•ึถืชย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ื ึทื—ึฒืœึตึฅื™ ื‘ึฐืœึดื™ึผึทึ–ืขึทืœ ื™ึฐื‘ึทืขึฒืชึปึฝื ึดื™ืƒ

English:

For the breakers of Death encompassed me,The torrents of BelialeBelial I.e., the netherworld, like โ€œDeathโ€ and โ€œSheol.โ€ terrified me;

The poem dives suddenly into the depths, with 'breakers of death' and 'torrents of Beli'al' personified as cosmic floodwaters threatening to drown the singer. The variant 'mishberei mavet' here, where Tehillim 18:5 reads 'chevlei mavet' (cords of death), captures complementary aspects of mortal danger -- drowning waves versus binding cords.
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ืึฒืคึธืคื•ึผื ึดื™. ื”ึดืงึดึผื™ืคื•ึผื ึดื™: ืžึดืฉึฐืื‘ึฐึผืจึตื™ ืžึธื•ึถืช. ื›ึฐึผืชึทืจึฐื’ึผื•ึผืžื•ึน: ืดื›ึฐึผืึดืชึธึผื ื“ึฐึผื™ึธืชึฐื‘ึธื ืขึทืœ ืžึทืชึฐื‘ึฐึผืจึธืืด, ื›ึตึผืŸ ืฉึตืื ืžื•ึนืฉึทืื‘ ื”ึธืึฒื‘ึธื ึดื™ื ืฉึถืื”ึธืึดืฉึธึผืื” ื™ื•ึนืœึถื“ึถืช ืฉึธืื: ื ึทื—ึฒืœึตื™. ื’ึฐึผื™ึธืกื•ึนืช ืฉืื•ึนื˜ึฐืคื•ึนืช ื›ึฐึผื ึทื—ึทืœ:
Surrounded me. Surrounded me. Death's destruction. As [Yonoson] translates, "Like a woman sitting on the birthing chair," that is the name of the stone seat where women give birth.8It's name in hebrew is ืžึท๏ฌชึฐ๏ฌฑึตืจ. The deluge. Soldiers pouring forth like a stream.

ืคืกื•ืง ื•ืณ ยท Verse 6

Hebrew:

ื—ึถื‘ึฐืœึตึฅื™ ืฉืึฐืึ–ื•ึนืœ ืกึทื‘ึผึปึ‘ื ึดื™ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ืงึดื“ึผึฐืžึปึ–ื ึดื™ ืžึนึฅืงึฐืฉืึตื™ ืžึธึฝื•ึถืชืƒ

English:

The ropes of Sheol encircled me,The snares of Death engulfed me.

The metaphor shifts from drowning to entrapment, with cords of She'ol surrounding the speaker and snares of death confronting him. Metzudat David explains She'ol as the grave personified as a hunter setting traps for the living -- and Dovid had repeatedly stepped into those traps and been pulled back.
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื—ึถื‘ึฐืœึตื™. ื›ึฐึผืชึทืจึฐื’ึผื•ึผืžื•ึน: ืดืžึทืฉึฐืืจึดื™ืชืด, ื›ึฐึผืžื•ึน (ืฉืžื•ืืœ ื ื™:ื”): ืดื—ึถื‘ึถืœ ื ึฐื‘ึดื™ืึดื™ืืด: ืงึดื“ึฐึผืžื•ึผื ึดื™. ื‘ึธึผืื•ึผ ืœึฐืคึธื ึทื™:
The agony. As [Yonoson] translates, "Groups," as [we find], "Group of prophets."9Shmuel I, 10:5. Were before me. Came before me.

ืคืกื•ืง ื–ืณ ยท Verse 7

Hebrew:

ื‘ึผึทืฆึผึทืจึพืœึดื™ึ™ ืึถืงึฐืจึธึฃื ื™ึฐื”ึนื•ึธึ”ื” ื•ึฐืึถืœึพืึฑืœึนื”ึทึ–ื™ ืึถืงึฐืจึธึ‘ืย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ื•ึทื™ึผึดืฉืึฐืžึทึคืข ืžึตื”ึตึฝื™ื›ึธืœื•ึนึ™ ืงื•ึนืœึดึ”ื™ ื•ึฐืฉืึทื•ึฐืขึธืชึดึ–ื™ ื‘ึผึฐืื‡ื–ึฐื ึธึฝื™ื•ืƒ

English:

In my anguish I called on the ETERNAL,Cried out to my God,Who from a heavenly abodefa heavenly abode Lit. โ€œHis templeโ€; cf. v. 10. heard my voice,Whose ears received my cry.

The verse turns the corner from despair to rescue: in his distress Dovid calls out, and Hashem hears his voice 'from His Temple.' Since the Beit HaMikdash had not yet been built, classical commentators understand 'me-heichalo' as referring to the heavenly Heichal -- the celestial Sanctuary from which Hashem hears the prayers of His servants.
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื‘ึทึผืฆึทึผืจ ืœึดื™ ืึถืงึฐืจึธื ื”ืณ ื•ึทื™ึดึผืฉึฐืืžึทืข ื•ึฐื’ื•ึนืณ. ื›ึธึผืšึฐ ื“ึถึผืจึถืšึฐ ืœึฐืฉืื•ึนืŸ ื”ื•ึนื•ึถื”, ืžึฐื“ึทื‘ึตึผืจ ืœึฐืฉืื•ึนืŸ ืขึธื‘ึธืจ ื•ึผืœึฐืฉืื•ึนืŸ ืขึธืชึดื™ื“ ื‘ึฐึผืคึทืขึทื ืึทื—ึทืช:
In my distress I called to Godโ€ฆ He hears. This is typical of the present tense it uses both past and future at the same time.10ืึถืงึฐืจึธื is in past tense and ื•ึทื™ึด๏ฌชึฐืžึทืข is in future tense.

ืคืกื•ืง ื—ืณ ยท Verse 8

Hebrew:

(ื•ืชื’ืขืฉ) [ื•ึทื™ึผึดืชึฐื’ึผึธืขึทึคืฉื] ื•ึทืชึผึดืจึฐืขึทืฉืึ™ ื”ึธืึธึ”ืจึถืฅย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ืžื•ึนืกึฐื“ึฅื•ึนืช ื”ึทืฉืึผึธืžึทึ–ื™ึดื ื™ึดืจึฐื’ึผึธึ‘ื–ื•ึผ ื•ึทื™ึผึดึฝืชึฐื’ึผึธืขึฒืฉืึ–ื•ึผ ื›ึผึดื™ึพื—ึธึฅืจึธื” ืœึฝื•ึนืƒ

English:

Then the earth rocked and quaked,The foundations of heavengheaven Cf. Ps. 18.8 โ€œmountains.โ€ shookโ€”Rocked by divine indignation.

The theophany begins with cosmic upheaval -- the earth quakes and the foundations of the heavens tremble in response to Hashem's anger. Radak observes that this is poetic hyperbole portraying the cosmic scale of Hashem's response to one man's cry: heaven and earth themselves shake at the rescue of His servant.
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื•ึทื™ึดึผืชึฐื’ึธึผืขึทืฉื ื•ึทืชึดึผืจึฐืขึทืฉื. ืœึนื ืขึทืœ ื ึดืกึดึผื™ื ืฉึถืืึตืจึฐืขื•ึผื”ื•ึผ ื ึถืึฑืžึทืจ, ืึถืœึธึผื ืขึทืœ ื ึดืกึดึผื™ื ืฉึถืื ึทึผืขึฒืฉื‚ื•ึผ ืœึฐื™ึดืฉึฐื‚ืจึธืึตืœ, ื•ึฐืจึนืืฉื ื”ึทืžึดึผืงึฐืจึธื ืžึฐื—ึปื‘ึธึผืจ ืขึทืœ ืกื•ึนืคื•ึน: ื›ึดึผื™ ื—ึธืจึธื” ืœื•ึน. ืณื›ึดึผื™ืณ ืžึฐืฉึทืืžึตึผืฉื ื›ึธึผืืŸ ื‘ึดึผืœึฐืฉืื•ึนืŸ ืณื›ึทึผืึฒืฉึถืืจืณ, ื•ึฐื›ึตืŸ ืคึดึผืชึฐืจื•ึนื ื•ึน, ื•ึผื›ึฐืฉึถืื—ึธืจึธื” ืœื•ึน ืžึดืคึฐึผื ึตื™ ืžึทื›ึฐืขึดื™ืกึธื™ื•, ื ึดืชึฐื’ึทึผืขึฒืฉึธืื” ื•ึฐื ึดืชึฐืจึทืขึฒืฉึธืื” ื”ึธืึธืจึถืฅ, ื•ึผืžื•ึนืกึฐื“ื•ึนืช ื”ึทืฉึธึผืืžึทื™ึดื ืจึธื’ึฐื–ื•ึผ ื•ึฐืจึธืขึฒืฉืื•ึผ:
Shook and shuddered. This is not referring to the miracles that happened to him but to the miracles that happened to Yisroel and the beginning of the verse is connected to the end. When God became angry. The word ื›ื™ is being used here to mean "when," and this is its interpretation, when God became angry on account of his antagonists the world shook and shuddered and the pillars of heaven trembled and shook.

ืคืกื•ืง ื˜ืณ ยท Verse 9

Hebrew:

ืขึธืœึธึคื” ืขึธืฉืึธืŸึ™ ื‘ึผึฐืึทืคึผึ”ื•ึน ื•ึฐืึตึฅืฉื ืžึดืคึผึดึ–ื™ื• ืชึผึนืื›ึตึ‘ืœย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ื’ึผึถื—ึธืœึดึ–ื™ื ื‘ึผึธืขึฒืจึฅื•ึผ ืžึดืžึผึถึฝื ึผื•ึผืƒ

English:

Smoke went up from Godโ€™s nostrilsโ€”Devouring fire from Godโ€™s mouth;Live coals blazing forth.

Hashem appears in the imagery of a divine warrior whose breath is fire -- smoke rising from His nostrils, fire devouring from His mouth, coals burning from Him. The image deliberately echoes the smoke and fire of Sinai (Shemot 19:18), inscribing Dovid's rescue into the larger story of divine self-revelation.
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ืขึธืœึธื” ืขึธืฉึธืืŸ ื‘ึฐึผืึทืคึผื•ึน. ื›ึตึผืŸ ื“ึถึผืจึถืšึฐ ื”ึทื›ึผื•ึนืขึตืก, ื™ื•ึนืฆึตื ืขึธืฉึธืืŸ ืžึดื ึฐึผื—ึดื™ืจึธื™ื•, ื•ึฐื›ึตืŸ (ืชื”ืœื™ื ื™ื—:ื˜): ืดืขึธืœึธื” ืขึธืฉึธืืŸ ื‘ึฐึผืึทืคึผื•ึนืด. ื•ึฐื–ึถื”ื•ึผ ื›ึธึผืœ ืœึฐืฉืื•ึนืŸ ื—ึฒืจื•ึนืŸ ืึทืฃ, ืฉึถืื”ึธืึทืฃ ื ื•ึนื—ึตืจ ื•ึผืžึทืขึฒืœึถื” ื”ึถื‘ึถืœ: ื•ึฐืึตืฉื ืžึดืคึดึผื™ื• ืชึนึผืื›ึตืœ. ืžึดื’ึดึผื–ึฐืจึทืช ื“ึฐึผื‘ึทืจ ืคึดึผื™ื•, ืชึนึผืื›ึทืœ ืึตืฉื ื‘ึธึผืจึฐืฉึธืืขึดื™ื:
Smoke rose from His Nostrils. Such is the manner of an angry person, smoke comes out of his nostrils and so [we find], "Smoke has risen from My nostrils."11Yeshayohu 65:5. This is always the meaning of the words "Anger of the nose," the nose flares and lets out air. Fire from His Mouth consumed [the wicked]. Through the decree utterred from His Mouth fire [came forth] and consumed the wicked.

ืคืกื•ืง ื™ืด ยท Verse 10

Hebrew:

ื•ึทื™ึผึตึฅื˜ ืฉืึธืžึทึ–ื™ึดื ื•ึทื™ึผึตืจึทึ‘ื“ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ื•ึทืขึฒืจึธืคึถึ–ืœ ืชึผึทึฅื—ึทืช ืจึทื’ึฐืœึธึฝื™ื•ืƒ

English:

[God] bent the sky and came down,Thick cloud beneath divine feet.

The God who normally dwells above bows the heavens and descends, thick darkness beneath His feet. The image of stooping the heavens like a curtain captures the asymmetry of infinite power bending toward a single sufferer -- the cosmic Creator stoops to rescue one man.
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื•ึทื™ึตึผื˜ ืฉึธืืžึทื™ึดื. ืœึฐื”ึดื ึธึผืงึตื ืžึตืื•ึนื™ึฐื‘ึธื™ื•, ืžึดืžึดึผืฆึฐืจึทื™ึดื ื•ึผืžึดืคึทึผืจึฐืขึนื”:
He bent heaven. To take revenge from His enemies, from Mitzrayim and from Pharoah.

ืคืกื•ืง ื™ืดื ยท Verse 11

Hebrew:

ื•ึทื™ึผึดืจึฐื›ึผึทึฅื‘ ืขึทืœึพื›ึผึฐืจึ–ื•ึผื‘ ื•ึทื™ึผึธืขึนึ‘ืฃย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ื•ึทื™ึผึตืจึธึ–ื ืขึทืœึพื›ึผึทื ึฐืคึตื™ึพืจึฝื•ึผื—ึทืƒ

English:

[God] mounted a cherub and flew,And was seenhAnd was seen Cf. Ps. 18.11 โ€œgliding.โ€ on the wings of the wind.

Hashem rides upon a keruv and flies, seen upon the wings of the wind, evoking the cherubim above the Aron and Yechezkel's chariot vision. Where Tehillim 18:11 reads 'vayede' (He soared), this verse reads 'vayera' (He was seen) -- Radak addresses such textual variants between the two versions throughout the chapter.

ืคืกื•ืง ื™ืดื‘ ยท Verse 12

Hebrew:

ื•ึทื™ึผึธึฅืฉืึถืช ื—ึนึ›ืฉืึถืšึฐ ืกึฐื‘ึดื™ื‘ึนืชึธึ–ื™ื• ืกึปื›ึผึ‘ื•ึนืชย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ื—ึทึฝืฉืึฐืจึทืชึพืžึทึ–ื™ึดื ืขึธื‘ึตึฅื™ ืฉืึฐื—ึธืงึดึฝื™ืืƒ

English:

Pavilions of darkness all around,Dripping clouds, huge thunderheads;

Hashem sets darkness around Him as canopies -- gathered waters and thick clouds. The God who descends conceals Himself in cloud, the same cloud-pillar of the Exodus and the cloud that filled the Mishkan, teaching that concealment is itself a mode of divine presence.
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื•ึทื™ึธึผืฉึถืืช ื—ึนืฉึถืืšึฐ ืกึฐื‘ึดื™ื‘ื•ึนืชึธื™ื•. ืœึฐืกึปื›ึธึผื”, ื›ึธึผืขึดื ึฐื™ึธืŸ ืฉึถืื ึถึผืึฑืžึทืจ (ืฉืžื•ืช ื™ื“:ื›): ืดื•ึทื™ึฐื”ึดื™ ื”ึถืขึธื ึธืŸ ื•ึฐื”ึทื—ึนืฉึถืืšึฐืด, ืžึทืคึฐืกึดื™ืง ื‘ึตึผื™ืŸ ืžึดืฆึฐืจึทื™ึดื ืœึฐื™ึดืฉึฐื‚ืจึธืึตืœ: ื—ึทืฉึฐืืจึทืช ืžึทื™ึดื ืขึธื‘ึตื™ ืฉึฐืื—ึธืงึดื™ื. ืžึตืึทื™ึดืŸ ื”ึธื™ึธื” ื”ึทื—ึนืฉึถืืšึฐ, ืขึธื‘ึตื™ ืฉึฐืื—ึธืงึดื™ื ื”ึธื™ื•ึผ, ืฉึถืื”ึตืŸ ื—ื•ึนืฉึฐืืจึดื™ืŸ ืžึทื™ึดื ืขึทืœ ื”ึธืึธืจึถืฅ: ื—ึทืฉึฐืืจึทืช. ืœึฐืฉืื•ึนืŸ ื›ึฐึผื‘ึธืจึธื” ื”ื•ึผื, ืฉึถืื”ื•ึผื ื ื•ึนืคึตืœ ืขึทืœ ื”ึธืึธืจึถืฅ ื“ึทึผืง ื“ึทึผืง (ืชืขื ื™ืช ื˜ ื‘), ื•ึฐื›ึตืŸ ื”ื•ึผื ืื•ึนืžึตืจ ื‘ึฐึผืึทื’ึธึผื“ื•ึนืช ื”ึทืจึฐื‘ึตึผื”: ื—ื•ึนืฉึฐืืจึดื™ืŸ ืื•ึนืชื•ึน ื‘ึดึผื›ึฐื‘ึธืจึธื”. ื•ึฐื™ึตืฉื ืœึดืคึฐืชึผื•ึนืจ ืณื—ึทืฉึฐืืจึทืชืณ, ืœึฐืฉืื•ึนืŸ ืณืงึถืฉึถืืจืณ, ืฉึถืืžึดึผืชึฐืงึทืฉึฐึผืืจึดื™ืŸ ื”ึทืฉึธึผืืžึทื™ึดื ื‘ึฐึผืขึธื‘ึดื™ื ืขึทืœ ื™ึฐื“ึตื™ ื”ึทืžึทึผื™ึดื, ื›ึฐึผืžื•ึน ืณื•ึฐื—ึดืฉึผืื•ึผืจึตื™ื”ึถืืณ ื”ึธืึธืžื•ึผืจ ื‘ึฐึผืื•ึนืคึทื ึตึผื™ ื”ึทืžึฐึผื›ื•ึนื ึธื” (ืžืœื›ื™ื ื ื–:ืœื’), ืฉึถืื”ึตื ื–ึฐืจื•ึนืขื•ึนืช ื”ึธืขึตืฅ ื”ึทืžึฐื”ึทื“ึฐึผืงึดื™ืŸ ื•ึฐืงื•ึนืฉึฐืืจึดื™ืŸ ืขึดื’ึผื•ึผืœึถื™ื”ึธ ื™ึทื—ึทื“:
He put [a protective] darkness around. For [protective] cover as it says, "The pillar of cloud and the darkness separated between Mitzrayim and Yisroel."12See Shemos 14:20. Abundant waters, thick clouds of the sky. From where did the darkness come? They came from thick clouds that sprinkle water on the earth. Sprinkled. [This is] language that denotes a sieve, [the water] falls to the earth in small droplets. This [same language] is used in many places in Aggadah, "They dice it in a sieve," Some interpret ื—ึท๏ฌชึฐืจึทืช as denoting a binding, that the skies became bound up with clouds because of the water [in them] as [the word] "the spokes"13Melochim I, 7:33. used [in connection with] the wheels of a wagon. They are wooden spokes that bond and bind the wheel's perimeter together.

ืคืกื•ืง ื™ืดื’ ยท Verse 13

Hebrew:

ืžึดื ึผึนึ–ื’ึทื”ึผ ื ึถื’ึฐื“ึผึ‘ื•ึน ื‘ึผึธืขึฒืจึ–ื•ึผ ื’ึผึทื—ึฒืœึตื™ึพืึตึฝืฉืืƒย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย 

English:

In the divine brillianceBlazed fiery coals.

Through the darkness of the canopy, fire breaks out from the brightness before Him. The paradox of fire amid cloud -- light piercing concealment -- is the signature of every biblical theophany, from Sinai to Yechezkel's vision.
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ืžึดื ึนึผื’ึทื”ึผ ื ึถื’ึฐื“ึผื•ึน. ืฉึถืืœึนึผื ืชึนืืžึทืจ ื‘ึทึผื—ึนืฉึถืืšึฐ ื”ื•ึผื ืฉึธืืจื•ึผื™, ืึถืœึธึผื ื”ึทื ึนึผื’ึทื”ึผ ืœึดืคึฐื ึดื™ื ืžึดืŸ ื”ึทืžึฐึผื—ึดื™ืฆึธื”, ื•ึผืžึตืื•ึนืชื•ึน ื ึนื’ึทื”ึผ ืึฒืฉึถืืจ ืœึฐืคึธื ึธื™ื•, ื‘ึธึผืขึฒืจื•ึผ ื’ึทึผื—ึฒืœึตื™ ืึตืฉื, ืฉึถืื ึดึผืฉึฐืืชึทึผืœึฐึผื—ื•ึผ ื—ึดืฆึดึผื™ื ืขึทืœ ืžึดืฆึฐืจึทื™ึดื:
From the brightness before Him. You should not conclude that He dwells in darkness14I.e., because the previous verse mentioned darkness in connection with God. Furthermore, the verse here is describing punishment meted out to Yisroel's enemies. The verse is telling us that the punishment's source is light. but rather it is light that is within the boundary and it is from that light that is before Him that the burning coals of fire [came forth]. [It is from there] that the arrows were shot at Mitzrayim.

ืคืกื•ืง ื™ืดื“ ยท Verse 14

Hebrew:

ื™ึทืจึฐืขึตึฅื ืžึดืŸึพืฉืึธืžึทึ–ื™ึดื ื™ึฐื”ึนื•ึธึ‘ื” ื•ึฐืขึถืœึฐื™ึ–ื•ึนืŸ ื™ึดืชึผึตึฅืŸ ืงื•ึนืœึฝื•ึนืƒย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย 

English:

GOD thundered from heaven,The Most High gave forth voiceโ€”

Hashem thunders from the heavens, and the Most High gives forth His voice. Classical commentators read this both as literal storm imagery and as a description of the audible terror with which the cosmic Warrior intervenes on behalf of His servant.

ืคืกื•ืง ื˜ืดื• ยท Verse 15

Hebrew:

ื•ึทื™ึผึดืฉืึฐืœึทึฅื— ื—ึดืฆึผึดึ–ื™ื ื•ึทื™ึฐืคึดื™ืฆึตึ‘ื ื‘ึผึธืจึธึ–ืง (ื•ื™ื”ืžื) [ื•ึทื™ึผึธื”ึนึฝื]ืƒ

English:

Letting shafts fly, and scattering them;ithem I.e., the enemies in v. 4. Lightning, and routing them.

Hashem sends forth arrows that scatter the enemy and lightning that throws them into confusion -- the 'arrows' being the lightning bolts themselves, the weapons of the divine Warrior. The cosmic battle imagery, common in ancient hymns, is here harnessed entirely to the rescue of one beleaguered servant.

ืคืกื•ืง ื˜ืดื– ยท Verse 16

Hebrew:

ื•ึทื™ึผึตึฝืจึธืื•ึผึ™ ืึฒืคึดึฃืงึตื™ ื™ึธึ”ื ื™ึดื’ึผึธืœึ–ื•ึผ ืžึนืกึฐื“ึฃื•ึนืช ืชึผึตื‘ึตึ‘ืœย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ื‘ึผึฐื’ึทืขึฒืจึทึฃืช ื™ึฐื”ึนื•ึธึ”ื” ืžึดื ึผึดืฉืึฐืžึทึ–ืช ืจึฅื•ึผื—ึท ืึทืคึผึฝื•ึนืƒ

English:

The bed of the sea was exposed,The foundations of the world were laid bareBy the ETERNALโ€™s mighty roaring,At the blast of Godโ€™s breath.jGodโ€™s breath Lit. โ€œthe breath of His nostrils.โ€

The channels of the sea are exposed and the foundations of the world laid bare at the rebuke of Hashem, evoking the splitting of the Yam Suf (Shemot 14-15) -- the cosmic forces of chaos parted to reveal solid ground beneath. Dovid's deliverance is figured as a personal Exodus, his rescue inscribed into the founding redemption of the nation.
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื™ึดื’ึธึผืœื•ึผ ืžื•ึนืกึฐื“ื•ึนืช ืชึตึผื‘ึตืœ. ืฉึถืื ึดึผื‘ึฐืงึทืข ื”ึทืชึฐึผื”ื•ึนื, ื›ึฐึผืฉึถืื ึดึผื‘ึฐืงึทืข ื™ึทื ืกื•ึผืฃ ื ึดื‘ึฐืงึฐืขื•ึผ ื›ึธึผืœ ืžึตื™ืžื•ึนืช ืฉึถืื‘ึธึผืขื•ึนืœึธื (ื™ืœืงื•ื˜ ืฉืžืขื•ื ื™ ืจืžื– ืงืกื): ืžึดื ึดึผืฉึฐืืžึทืช. ืžึดื›ึนึผื—ึท ื ึฐืฉึดืื™ื‘ึทืช ืจื•ึผื—ึท ืึทืคึผื•ึน:
The foundations of the earth were revealed. The deep seas split open. When the Reed Sea split all the world's waters split [as well]. By the wind. From the force of wind blowing from His Nostrils.

ืคืกื•ืง ื™ืดื– ยท Verse 17

Hebrew:

ื™ึดืฉืึฐืœึทึฅื— ืžึดืžึผึธืจึ–ื•ึนื ื™ึดืงึผึธื—ึตึ‘ื ึดื™ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ื™ึทึฝืžึฐืฉืึตึ–ื ึดื™ ืžึดืžึผึทึฅื™ึดื ืจึทื‘ึผึดึฝื™ืืƒ

English:

Reaching down from on high, [God] took me,Drawing me out of the mighty waterskmighty waters Cf. v. 5.โ€”

The cosmic theophany now collapses into a profoundly personal rescue: Hashem reaches down from on high, takes Dovid, and draws him from many waters. Rashi connects 'yamsheni' (He drew me out) to the same root as Moshe's name -- drawn out from the water -- making Dovid's rescue an intentional echo of Moshe's own beginning.

ืคืกื•ืง ื™ืดื— ยท Verse 18

Hebrew:

ื™ึทืฆึผึดื™ืœึตึ•ื ึดื™ ืžึตืึนื™ึฐื‘ึดึ–ื™ ืขึธึ‘ื–ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ืžึดืฉื‚ึผึนึฃื ึฐืึทึ”ื™ ื›ึผึดึฅื™ ืึธืžึฐืฆึ–ื•ึผ ืžึดืžึผึถึฝื ึผึดื™ืƒ

English:

Rescuing me from my fierce enemy,From foes too strong for me.

Dovid acknowledges that Hashem rescued him from enemies who were genuinely stronger than he was -- the candid admission 'ki amtzu mimeni' refuses any heroic self-mythologization and ascribes survival entirely to divine intervention. The verse names the rescue while simultaneously naming Dovid's own insufficiency, setting the theological stakes for the chapter.
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื›ึดึผื™ ืึธืžึฐืฆื•ึผ. ื›ึทึผืึฒืฉึถืืจ ืึธืžึฐืฆื•ึผ:
They were too powerful. When they were overpowering.

ืคืกื•ืง ื™ืดื˜ ยท Verse 19

Hebrew:

ื™ึฐืงึทื“ึผึฐืžึปึ–ื ึดื™ ื‘ึผึฐื™ึฃื•ึนื ืึตื™ื“ึดึ‘ื™ ื•ึทื™ึฐื”ึดึงื™ ื™ึฐื”ึนื•ึธึ›ื” ืžึดืฉืึฐืขึธึ–ืŸ ืœึดึฝื™ืƒย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย 

English:

They attacked me on my day of calamity,But GOD was my support.

The enemies confronted Dovid 'on the day of his calamity,' a singular climactic trial-day that Radak identifies as the peak moment of the persecution; against that compressed crisis the verse sets a single steady counterweight -- 'Hashem was my support.' The whole arc of years of flight is folded into one sharp before-and-after contrast.

ืคืกื•ืง ื›ืณ ยท Verse 20

Hebrew:

ื•ึทื™ึผึนืฆึตึฅื ืœึทืžึผึถืจึฐื—ึธึ–ื‘ ืึนืชึดึ‘ื™ ื™ึฐื—ึทืœึผึฐืฆึตึ–ื ึดื™ ื›ึผึดื™ึพื—ึธึฅืคึตึฝืฅ ื‘ึผึดึฝื™ืƒย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย 

English:

Bringing me out to freedom,Pleased with me enough to rescue me.

Hashem brought Dovid out into 'merchav,' the wide place that is the precise antonym of the 'tzar' (narrow distress) of earlier verses, figuring deliverance as movement from constriction to expanse. The closing phrase 'ki chafetz bi' -- 'because He delighted in me' -- becomes the foundation for everything that follows: divine favor, not chance, is the ground of rescue.

ืคืกื•ืง ื›ืดื ยท Verse 21

Hebrew:

ื™ึดื’ึฐืžึฐืœึตึฅื ึดื™ ื™ึฐื”ึนื•ึธึ–ื” ื›ึผึฐืฆึดื“ึฐืงึธืชึดึ‘ื™ ื›ึผึฐื‘ึนึฅืจ ื™ึธื“ึทึ–ื™ ื™ึธืฉืึดึฅื™ื‘ ืœึดึฝื™ืƒย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย 

English:

GOD rewarded me according to my merit,Requiting the cleanness of my handsโ€”

The controversial righteousness section opens with Dovid claiming reward 'according to my righteousness' and 'the cleanness of my hands.' Chazal and Rishonim explain that Dovid sings here specifically of his innocence vis-a-vis Sha'ul -- the persecutor accused him of plotting and Dovid affirms he never raised a hand against Hashem's anointed.
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื›ึฐึผืฆึดื“ึฐืงึธืชึดื™. ื›ึฐึผืฉึถืื™ึธึผืฆึฐืื•ึผ ืึทื—ึฒืจึธื™ื• ืœึทืžึดึผื“ึฐื‘ึธึผืจ ื•ึฐืกึธืžึฐื›ื•ึผ ืขึทืœ ื”ึทื‘ึฐื˜ึธื—ึธืชื•ึน:
For my rightesnous. When they [the people of Yisroel] followed God into the desert and had faith in His promise.

ืคืกื•ืง ื›ืดื‘ ยท Verse 22

Hebrew:

ื›ึผึดึฅื™ ืฉืึธืžึทึ–ืจึฐืชึผึดื™ ื“ึผึทืจึฐื›ึตึฃื™ ื™ึฐื”ึนื•ึธึ‘ื” ื•ึฐืœึนึฅื ืจึธืฉืึทึ–ืขึฐืชึผึดื™ ืžึตืึฑืœึนื”ึธึฝื™ืƒย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย 

English:

For I have kept to the ways of GOD And have not been guilty before my God;

'For I have kept the ways of Hashem and have not wickedly departed from my God.' Radak addresses how Dovid can say this after Bat-Sheva by noting that the song frames the deliverance from Sha'ul, where Dovid's innocence was unblemished -- particularly in his repeated refusal to take Sha'ul's life when given the chance.

ืคืกื•ืง ื›ืดื’ ยท Verse 23

Hebrew:

ื›ึผึดึฅื™ ื›ื‡ืœึพืžึดืฉืึฐืคึผึธื˜ึธึ–ื• ืœึฐื ึถื’ึฐื“ึผึดึ‘ื™ ื•ึฐื—ึปืงึผึนืชึธึ–ื™ื• ืœึนืึพืึธืกึฅื•ึผืจ ืžึดืžึผึถึฝื ึผึธื”ืƒ

English:

For I am mindful of all Godโ€™s rulesAnd have not departed from Godโ€™s laws.

Dovid declares that all of Hashem's judgments are before him and that he will not depart from His statutes -- the poem casts the king as one who internalized Torah rather than merely observing it. Continuous study paired with continuous practice is the posture being described.

ืคืกื•ืง ื›ืดื“ ยท Verse 24

Hebrew:

ื•ึธืึถื”ึฐื™ึถึฅื” ืชึธืžึดึ–ื™ื ืœึ‘ื•ึนย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ื•ึธืึถืฉืึฐืชึผึทืžึผึฐืจึธึ–ื” ืžึตืขึฒื•ึบื ึดึฝื™ืƒ

English:

I have been blameless before [God],And have guarded myself against sinningโ€”

ืคืกื•ืง ื›ืดื” ยท Verse 25

Hebrew:

ื•ึทื™ึผึธึงืฉืึถื‘ ื™ึฐื”ึนื•ึธึ›ื” ืœึดึ–ื™ ื›ึผึฐืฆึดื“ึฐืงึธืชึดึ‘ื™ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ื›ึผึฐื‘ึนืจึดึ–ื™ ืœึฐื ึถึฅื’ึถื“ ืขึตื™ื ึธึฝื™ื•ืƒ

English:

And GOD has requited my meritAccording to my evident cleanness.

The verse repeats the opening claim of v. 21 almost verbatim, forming a literary inclusio that frames the entire righteousness unit. The repetition signals that the section is closed and that Dovid is ready to move from his own character to a more universal principle.

ืคืกื•ืง ื›ืดื• ยท Verse 26

Hebrew:

ืขึดืึพื—ึธืกึดึ–ื™ื“ ืชึผึดืชึฐื—ึทืกึผึธึ‘ื“ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ืขึดืึพื’ึผึดื‘ึผึฅื•ึนืจ ืชึผึธืžึดึ–ื™ื ืชึผึดืชึผึทืžึผึธึฝืืƒ

English:

With the loyal, You deal loyally;With the blameless hero,lhero Cf. Ps. 18.26 โ€œman.โ€ blamelessly.

'With the kind You show kindness; with the wholehearted warrior You show wholeheartedness.' One of the most-quoted verses of the song -- Hashem reflects each person's own character back to them, and Chazal (Megillah 28a) draw far-reaching halachic and ethical conclusions from this principle.
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ืขึดื ื—ึธืกึดื™ื“ ืชึธึผืžึดื™ื ื ึฐื‘ึธืจ. ื›ึฐึผื ึถื’ึถื“ ืฉึฐืืœึนืฉึธืื” ืึธื‘ื•ึนืช, ืฉึถืืฉึดึผืืœึตึผื ื”ึทืงึธึผื“ื•ึนืฉื ื‘ึธึผืจื•ึผืšึฐ ื”ื•ึผื ื’ึฐึผืžื•ึผืœ ืฆึดื“ึฐืงึธืชึธื ืœึดื‘ึฐื ึตื™ื”ึถื:
To the Kind, Sincere, Pure. [These three nouns] represent the three Patriarchs. God paid the reward of their righteousness to their children.15Kind refers to Avrohom, sincere refers to Yitchok and pure refers to Yakov.

ืคืกื•ืง ื›ืดื– ยท Verse 27

Hebrew:

ืขึดืึพื ึธื‘ึธึ–ืจ ืชึผึดืชึผึธื‘ึธึ‘ืจย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ื•ึฐืขึดืึพืขึดืงึผึตึ–ืฉื ืชึผึดืชึผึทืคึผึธึฝืœืƒ

English:

With the pure, You act in purity,And with the perverse, You are wily.

The principle extends into negative territory: with the pure Hashem appears pure, but to the morally crooked He appears 'titapal' (twisted, inscrutable), corresponding to their own distortion. Rashi explains the verse as middah keneged middah taken to its theological limit -- the world a person inhabits mirrors the soul they bring to it.
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื•ึฐืขึดื ืขึดืงึตึผืฉื. ืคึทึผืจึฐืขึนื”: ืชึดึผืชึฐืคึทึผืœ. ืœึฐืฉืื•ึนืŸ ื ึดืคึฐืชึธึผืœ ื•ึฐืขึดืงึตึผืฉื, ื•ึผื‘ึฐืกึตืคึถืจ ืชึฐึผื”ึดืœึดึผื™ื (ืชื”ืœื™ื ื™ื—:ื›ื–) ื›ึธึผืชื•ึผื‘: ืดืชึดึผืชึฐืคึทึผืชึธึผืœืด. ื“ึธึผื‘ึธืจ ืึทื—ึตืจ: ื™ึดืฉึฐืืœึทื— ืžึดืžึธึผืจื•ึนื ื™ึดืงึธึผื—ึตื ึดื™. ืขึทืœ ืขึทืฆึฐืžื•ึน ืึธืžึทืจ, ื›ึฐึผืฉึถืื”ึธื™ึธื” ื ึถื—ึฐืคึธึผื– ืœึธืœึถื›ึถืช ืžึดืคึฐึผื ึตื™ ืฉึธืืื•ึผืœ ื‘ึฐึผืกึถืœึทืข ื”ึทืžึทึผื—ึฐืœึฐืงื•ึนืช ื•ึฐื”ึธื™ึธื” ืงึธืจื•ึนื‘ ืœึฐื”ึดืชึธึผืคึตืฉื‚, ื•ึผืžึทืœึฐืึธืšึฐ ื‘ึธึผื ืึถืœ ืฉึธืืื•ึผืœ ืœึตืืžึนืจ: ืžึทื”ึฒืจึธื” ื•ึฐืœึตื›ึธื” ื›ึดึผื™ ืคึธืฉึฐืื˜ื•ึผ ืคึฐืœึดืฉึฐืืชึดึผื™ื: ื•ึทื™ึธึผืฉึถืื‘ ื•ึฐื’ื•ึนืณ ื›ึฐึผืฆึดื“ึฐืงึธืชึดื™. ืฉึถืืœึนึผื ื”ึฒืจึทื’ึฐืชึดึผื™ื• ื‘ึฐึผื›ึธืจึฐืชึดื™ ื›ึฐึผื ึทืฃ ืžึฐืขึดื™ืœื•ึน:
And to those who are crooked. [This refers to] Paroh You act perversely. [This is] language denoting jagged and crooked. In the book of Tehilim16Tehilim 18:27. Chapter 18 of Tehilim is a repetition of this song of Dovid almost verbatim. it is written, ๏ญŠึดืชึฐ๏ญ„ึท๏ญŠึธืœ.17Rashi is proving that the root of this word is ืคืชืœ. An alternative explanation,18Of the previous verses starting from verse 17. [when writing] "He delivers [salvation] from on high,"19Earlier in our chapter, verse 17. [Dovid] was refering to himself.20Not to the people of Yisroel in general. When he was rushing to escape Shaul [and had reached] the rock at the crossroads,21In Shmuel I, 23:26. and was close to being captured an angel came to Shaul saying, "Go quickly because the Pelishtim have spread out [in battle formation over the terrain.]"22Ibid 23:27. "He rewarded meโ€ฆaccording to my righteousness."23Earlier in our chapter, verse 25. [Refering to the fact] that I did not kill him [Shaul] when I [instead just] cut off the corner of his coat.

ืคืกื•ืง ื›ืดื— ยท Verse 28

Hebrew:

ื•ึฐืึถืชึพืขึทึฅื ืขึธื ึดึ–ื™ ืชึผื•ึนืฉืึดึ‘ื™ืขึทย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ื•ึฐืขึตื™ื ึถึฅื™ืšึธ ืขึทืœึพืจึธืžึดึ–ื™ื ืชึผึทืฉืึฐืคึผึดึฝื™ืœืƒ

English:

To lowly folk You give victory,And You look with scorn on the haughty.mAnd You look with scorn on the haughty Lit. โ€œAnd lower Your eyes on the haughtyโ€; Ps. 18.28 โ€œBut haughty eyes You humble.โ€

The poem shifts from interpersonal middot to social ones: Hashem saves the 'am ani' (afflicted people) and brings the proud low. The pairing makes social justice an attribute of the same God who reflects character back to each individual -- divine reflection has communal teeth.

ืคืกื•ืง ื›ืดื˜ ยท Verse 29

Hebrew:

ื›ึผึดึฝื™ึพืึทืชึผึธึฅื” ื ึตื™ืจึดึ–ื™ ื™ึฐื”ึนื•ึธึ‘ื”ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ื•ึทื™ื”ึนื•ึธึ–ื” ื™ึทื’ึผึดึฅื™ื”ึผึท ื—ื‡ืฉืึฐื›ึผึดึฝื™ืƒ

English:

You, O ETERNAL One, are my lamp; GOD lights up my darkness.

'For You are my lamp, Hashem; Hashem lights up my darkness.' The lamp imagery recalls 'ner Yisrael' from 21:17, where the same metaphor was applied to Dovid himself; here it is flipped, with Hashem cast as Dovid's own lamp -- the king who lights Israel is himself lit by God.

ืคืกื•ืง ืœืณ ยท Verse 30

Hebrew:

ื›ึผึดึฅื™ ื‘ึฐื›ึธึ–ื” ืึธืจึฃื•ึผืฅ ื’ึผึฐื“ึ‘ื•ึผื“ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ื‘ึผึตืืœึนื”ึทึ–ื™ ืึฒื“ึทืœึผึถื’ึพืฉืึฝื•ึผืจืƒ

English:

With You, I can rush a barrier;nbarrier Cf. postbiblical gedudiyyoth โ€œwalls,โ€ Aramaic gudda, โ€œwall.โ€ With my God, I can scale a wall.

'With You I run upon a troop; with my God I leap over a wall.' The military imagery makes deliverance kinetic -- Dovid is no passive object of rescue but an empowered fighter, charging through enemy ranks and vaulting fortifications because of divine partnership.

ืคืกื•ืง ืœืดื ยท Verse 31

Hebrew:

ื”ึธืึตึ–ืœ ืชึผึธืžึดึฃื™ื ื“ึผึทืจึฐื›ึผึ‘ื•ึน ืึดืžึฐืจึทึคืช ื™ึฐื”ึนื•ึธื”ึ™ ืฆึฐืจื•ึผืคึธึ”ื”ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ืžึธื’ึตึฃืŸ ื”ึ”ื•ึผื ืœึฐื›ึนึ–ืœ ื”ึทื—ึนืกึดึฅื™ื ื‘ึผึฝื•ึนืƒ

English:

The way of God is perfect,The word of the ETERNAL is pure.[God] shields all who seek refuge.

The verse functions as a hinge: 'His way is wholehearted; the word of Hashem is refined; He is a shield to all who take refuge in Him.' The focus moves from Dovid's own character to Hashem's reliability as protector of all who trust in Him -- the personal testimony broadens into a universal claim.
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ืึดืžึฐืจึทืช ื”ืณ ืฆึฐืจื•ึผืคึธื”. ื‘ึฐึผืจื•ึผืจึธื”, ืžึทื‘ึฐื˜ึดื™ื—ึท ื•ึฐืขื•ึนืฉึถื‚ื”:
The word of Adonoy is clear. It is clear, He makes promises and keeps them.

ืคืกื•ืง ืœืดื‘ ยท Verse 32

Hebrew:

ื›ึผึดึฅื™ ืžึดื™ึพืึตึ–ืœ ืžึดื‘ึผึทืœึฐืขึฒื“ึตึฃื™ ื™ึฐื”ึนื•ึธึ‘ื”ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ื•ึผืžึดึฅื™ ืฆึ–ื•ึผืจ ืžึดึฝื‘ึผึทืœึฐืขึฒื“ึตึฅื™ ืึฑืœึนื”ึตึฝื™ื ื•ึผืƒ

English:

Truly, who is a god except the ETERNAL,Who is a rock except our God?โ€”

Two rhetorical questions affirm exclusive monotheism: 'Who is God besides Hashem? Who is a Rock besides our God?' The form echoes Channa's hymn at the start of I Shmuel (2:2), creating a literary frame around the entire book -- it opens with Channa's praise and approaches its close with Dovid's.

ืคืกื•ืง ืœืดื’ ยท Verse 33

Hebrew:

ื”ึธืึตึฅืœ ืžึธืขื•ึผื–ึผึดึ–ื™ ื—ึธึ‘ื™ึดืœย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ื•ึทื™ึผึทืชึผึตึฅืจ ืชึผึธืžึดึ–ื™ื (ื“ืจื›ื•) [ื“ึผึทืจึฐื›ึผึดึฝื™]ืƒ

English:

The God, my mighty stronghold,omy mighty stronghold Cf. Ps. 18.33 โ€œwho girded me with might.โ€ Who keptpkept Meaning of Heb. uncertain; Ps. 18.33 โ€œmade.โ€ my path secure;

'God is my strong fortress, and He sets the wholehearted on His way.' The parallel verse in Tehillim 18:33 reads slightly differently -- 'ha-mei'azreni chayil' (who girds me with strength) -- and Radak addresses such variants throughout the chapter, attributing them to the lifelong refinement of the song.
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื•ึทื™ึทึผืชึตึผืจ ืชึธึผืžึดื™ื ื“ึทึผืจึฐื›ึดึผื™. ืžึดื›ึธึผืœ ืžึดื›ึฐืฉืื•ึนืœ, ื•ึผืžึดื›ึธึผืœ ื—ึตื˜ึฐื, ื•ึผืžึดื›ึธึผืœ ืžึฐืกึปื›ึธึผืŸ, ืขึทื“ ื›ึดึผื™ ื”ึธื™ึธื” ืฉึธืืœึตื ื•ึฐื›ึธื‘ื•ึผืฉื:
He cleared my path to perfection. From any obstacle, from any sin and from any danger until there was peace and [the land was] conquered.

ืคืกื•ืง ืœืดื“ ยท Verse 34

Hebrew:

ืžึฐืฉืึทื•ึผึถึฅื” (ืจื’ืœื™ื•) [ืจึทื’ึฐืœึทึ–ื™] ื›ึผึธืึทื™ึผึธืœึ‘ื•ึนืชย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ื•ึฐืขึทึฅืœ ื‘ึผึธืžึนืชึทึ–ื™ ื™ึทืขึฒืžึดื“ึตึฝื ึดื™ืƒ

English:

Who made my legs like a deerโ€™s,And set me firmly on theqthe Taking bamothai as a poetic form of bamoth; cf. Hab. 3.19; in contrast to others โ€œmy.โ€ heights;

The deer-feet image captures both speed and sure-footedness on rough terrain -- a fugitive's two indispensable gifts. Dovid's wilderness years turned these survival skills into something resembling a divine endowment, and 'bamotai' (my high places) signals that he now stands secure on the very heights where he once fled.

ืคืกื•ืง ืœืดื” ยท Verse 35

Hebrew:

ืžึฐืœึทืžึผึตึฅื“ ื™ึธื“ึทึ–ื™ ืœึทืžึผึดืœึฐื—ึธืžึธึ‘ื”ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ื•ึฐื ึดื—ึทึฅืช ืงึถืฉืึถืชึพื ึฐื—ื•ึผืฉืึธึ–ื” ื–ึฐืจึนืขึนืชึธึฝื™ืƒ

English:

Who trained my hands for battleโ€”My arms can bend a bow of bronze!

'He trains my hands for battle; my arms can bend a bronze bow.' Hashem is figured as the master arms-instructor, with Dovid's military prowess itself recast as a divine gift; the bronze bow -- impossibly heavy for ordinary men -- yields under arms that have been trained by God.
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื•ึฐื ึดื—ึทืช ืงึถืฉึถืืช ื ึฐื—ื•ึผืฉึธืื” ื–ึฐืจึนืขึนืชึธื™. ื•ึฐื ึดื“ึฐืจึฐื›ึธื” ืงึถืฉึถืืช ื ึฐื—ื•ึผืฉึธืื” ืขึทืœ ื–ึฐืจื•ึนืขึดื™, ืฉึถืื™ึตึผืฉื ื‘ึดึผื™ ื›ึนึผื—ึท ืœึฐื“ึธืจึฐื›ึธื”ึผ. ืงึฐืฉึธืืชื•ึนืช ื”ึธื™ื•ึผ ืชึฐึผืœื•ึผื™ึดื ืœึฐื“ึธื•ึดื“ ื‘ึฐึผื‘ึตื™ืชื•ึน, ื•ึฐื”ึธื™ื•ึผ ืžึทืœึฐื›ึตื™ ื”ึธืึปืžึผื•ึนืช ื‘ึธึผืึดื™ืŸ ื•ึฐืจื•ึนืึดื™ืŸ ืื•ึนืชึธืŸ, ื•ึฐืื•ึนืžึฐืจึดื™ื ื–ึถื” ืœึธื–ึถื”: ืึทืชึธึผื” ืกึธื‘ื•ึผืจ ืฉึถืื”ื•ึผื ื™ึธื›ื•ึนืœ ืœึฐื“ึธืจึฐื›ึธืŸ, ืึตื™ืŸ ื–ึถื” ืึถืœึธึผื ืœึฐื™ึธืจึฐืึตื ื•ึผ, ื•ึฐื“ึธื•ึดื“ ืฉืื•ึนืžึตืขึท ื•ึฐื ื•ึนื˜ึฐืœึธืŸ ื•ึผืžึฐื›ึทืชึฐึผืชึธืŸ ืœึดืคึฐื ึตื™ื”ึถื. ื•ึผื“ึฐืจึดื™ื›ึทืช ืงึถืฉึถืืช ืœึฐืฉืื•ึนืŸ ื—ึทื™ึผึดืช ื”ึดื™ื, ื•ึฐื›ึตืŸ ืดืชึฐึผื”ึดืœึดึผื™ื ื—ึดืฆึถึผื™ืšึธ ื ึดื—ึฐืชึผื•ึผ ื‘ึดื™ืด:
My arms to bend a copper bow. So that a copper bow can be bent by my arms because I have the strength to bend them. Dovid had bows hanging in his palace, and kings of other nations would come and see them and ask each other, Do you think that he can bend them? This is only to scare us. Dovid would hear them and would take them [the bows] and bend them in front of them [the kings]. The binding of a bow is denoted by the word ื—ึด๏ญŠึทืช24In our verse it says ื•ื ื—ืช, ื—ืชืช is it's root. and so [we find], "Your arrows have been shot into me".25Tehilim 38:3.

ืคืกื•ืง ืœืดื• ยท Verse 36

Hebrew:

ื•ึทืชึผึดืชึผึถืŸึพืœึดึ–ื™ ืžึธื’ึตึฃืŸ ื™ึดืฉืึฐืขึถึ‘ืšึธ ื•ึทืขึฒื ึนืชึฐืšึธึ– ืชึผึทืจึฐื‘ึผึตึฝื ึดื™ืƒย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย 

English:

You have granted me the shield of Your protectionAnd Your providence has made me great.rAnd Your providence has made me great Meaning of Heb. uncertain.

'You gave me the shield of Your salvation, and Your humility made me great.' Tehillim 18:36 reads 'ya-min'cha' (Your right hand) where this verse reads 'va-anatkha,' and the latter has generated rich commentary on the paradox of divine 'humility' that elevates the king -- Hashem's willingness to descend to His servants is what enables their greatness.
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื•ึฐืขึทื ึฐื•ึธืชึฐืšึธ ืชึทึผืจึฐื‘ึตึผื ึดื™. ื”ึดื’ึฐื“ึทึผืœึฐืชึธึผ ืœึดื™ ืžึดื“ึทึผืช ืขึทื ึฐื•ึฐืชึธื ื•ึผืชึฐืšึธ:
You have been abundant for my sake with Your humility. You have been abundant for my sake, with Your humility.

ืคืกื•ืง ืœืดื– ยท Verse 37

Hebrew:

ืชึผึทืจึฐื—ึดึฅื™ื‘ ืฆึทืขึฒื“ึดึ–ื™ ืชึผึทื—ึฐืชึผึตึ‘ื ึดื™ ื•ึฐืœึนึฅื ืžึธืขึฒื“ึ–ื•ึผ ืงึทืจึฐืกึปืœึผึธึฝื™ืƒ

English:

You have let me stride on freely;My feet have not slipped.

'You enlarged my stride beneath me, and my ankles did not slip.' The image is of confident motion on stable ground, the opposite of the slippery, crooked paths of Dovid's enemies -- wide stride and secure ankle, the gait of a king whose footing is divinely guaranteed.
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ืชึทึผืจึฐื—ึดื™ื‘ ืฆึทืขึฒื“ึดื™. ื›ึฐึผืฉึถืืึธื“ึธื ืžึฐื“ึทื‘ึตึผืง ืจึทื’ึฐืœึธื™ื• ื–ื•ึน ื‘ึธึผื–ื•ึน, ื”ื•ึผื ื ื•ึนื—ึท ืœึดืคึผื•ึนืœ, ื•ึฐื›ึตืŸ ื”ื•ึผื ืื•ึนืžึตืจ (ืžืฉืœื™ ื“:ื™ื‘): ืดื‘ึฐึผืœึถื›ึฐืชึฐึผืšึธ ืœึนื ื™ึตืฆึทืจ ืฆึทืขึฒื“ึถืšึธืด: ืงึทืจึฐืกึปืœึธึผื™. ืขึฒืงึตื‘ึทื™:
You have expanded my stride. When a man keeps his legs together, it is easier for him to fall, and so it says, "When you travel, do not narrow your stride."26Mishlei 4:12. My ankles. My ankles.

ืคืกื•ืง ืœืดื— ยท Verse 38

Hebrew:

ืึถืจึฐื“ึผึฐืคึธึฅื” ืึนื™ึฐื‘ึทึ–ื™ ื•ึธืึทืฉืึฐืžึดื™ื“ึตึ‘ืย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ื•ึฐืœึนึฅื ืึธืฉืึ–ื•ึผื‘ ืขึทื“ึพื›ึผึทืœึผื•ึนืชึธึฝืืƒ

English:

I pursued my enemies and wiped them out,I did not turn back till I destroyed them.

ืคืกื•ืง ืœืดื˜ ยท Verse 39

Hebrew:

ื•ึธืึฒื›ึทืœึผึตึฅื ื•ึธืึถืžึฐื—ึธืฆึตึ–ื ื•ึฐืœึนึฃื ื™ึฐืงื•ึผืžึ‘ื•ึผืŸย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ื•ึทึฝื™ึผึดืคึผึฐืœึ–ื•ึผ ืชึผึทึฅื—ึทืช ืจึทื’ึฐืœึธึฝื™ืƒ

English:

I destroyed them, I struck them down;They rose no more, they lay at my feet.

ืคืกื•ืง ืžืณ ยท Verse 40

Hebrew:

ื•ึทืชึผึทื–ึฐืจึตึฅื ึดื™ ื—ึทึ–ื™ึดืœ ืœึทืžึผึดืœึฐื—ึธืžึธึ‘ื”ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ืชึผึทื›ึฐืจึดึฅื™ืขึท ืงึธืžึทึ–ื™ ืชึผึทื—ึฐืชึผึตึฝื ึดื™ืƒ

English:

You have girded me with strength for battle,Brought low my adversaries before me,

'Tazreni chayil' -- You girded me with strength -- evokes the gibbor's belt, with Hashem Himself dressing the king for war. The repeated 'tachtai' (beneath me) running through the section marks the divine subjection of enemies as the song's central battlefield motif.

ืคืกื•ืง ืžืดื ยท Verse 41

Hebrew:

ื•ึฐืึนึฃื™ึฐื‘ึทึ”ื™ ืชึผึทึฅืชึผึธื” ืœึผึดึ–ื™ ืขึนึ‘ืจึถืฃ ืžึฐืฉื‚ึทื ึฐืึทึ–ื™ ื•ึธืึทืฆึฐืžึดื™ืชึตึฝืืƒย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย 

English:

Made my enemies turn tail before me,My foesโ€”and I wiped them out.

'Oref' -- the back of the neck -- is the posture of the fleeing enemy, and the verse credits Hashem with turning the rout. Rashi and Radak read 'titah' (You gave) as making God Himself the agent of the enemy's flight: Dovid does not chase a routed army; Hashem routs them and hands their necks to him.

ืคืกื•ืง ืžืดื‘ ยท Verse 42

Hebrew:

ื™ึดืฉืึฐืขึ–ื•ึผ ื•ึฐืึตึฃื™ืŸ ืžึนืฉืึดึ‘ื™ืขึท ืึถืœึพื™ึฐื”ึนื•ึธึ–ื” ื•ึฐืœึนึฅื ืขึธื ึธึฝืืƒ

English:

They looked,slooked Cf. Ps. 18.42 โ€œcried out.โ€ but there was none to deliver;To GOD, who did not answer them.

The chilling counterpoint to verse 7: when Dovid cried out, Hashem heard, but when his enemies cry there is no answer and no savior. Metzudat David draws the contrast sharply -- the rejected prayer of the wicked set against the answered prayer of the chosen.
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื™ึดืฉึฐืืขื•ึผ ื•ึฐืึตื™ืŸ ืžื•ึนืฉึดืื™ืขึท ื•ึฐื’ื•ึนืณ. ื”ึฒืจึตื™ ื–ึถื” ืžึดืงึฐืจึธื ืžึฐืกึนืจึธืก, ื™ึดืฉึฐืืขื•ึผ ืึถืœ ื”ืณ ื•ึฐืœึนื ืขึธื ึธื, ื•ึฐืึตื™ืŸ ืžื•ึนืฉึดืื™ืขึท, ื›ึฐึผืžื•ึน (ื™ืฉืขื™ื”ื• ื™ื–:ื–): ืดื™ึดืฉึฐืืขึถื” ื”ึธืึธื“ึธื ืึถืœ ืขึนืฉึตื‚ื”ื•ึผืด, ื›ึฐึผืžื•ึน ื™ึดืคึฐื ึถื”. ื•ึผืžึฐื ึทื—ึตื ื—ึดื‘ึฐึผืจื•ึน ืขึดื (ื‘ืจืืฉื™ืช ื“:ื“): ืดื•ึทื™ึดึผืฉึทืืข ื”ืณ ืึถืœ ื”ึถื‘ึถืœืด, ื•ึผืคึธืชึทืจ ื‘ึผื•ึน ืœึฐืฉืื•ึนืŸ ืขึฒืชึดื™ืจึธื”, ื•ึฐื ื•ึนืคึตืœ ื”ึทืœึธึผืฉืื•ึนืŸ ืขึทืœ ื”ึทืžึทึผืขึฐืชึดึผื™ืจ ื•ึฐืขึทืœ ื”ึทื ึถึผืขึฐืชึธึผืจ, ื›ึฐึผืžื•ึน (ื‘ืจืืฉื™ืช ื›ื”:ื›ื): ืดื•ึทื™ึถึผืขึฐืชึทึผืจ ื™ึดืฆึฐื—ึธืง ืœึทื”ืณืด, ืดื•ึทื™ึตึผืขึธืชึถืจ ืœื•ึน ื”ืณืด, ืึทืฃ ื›ึธึผืืŸ ืดื™ึดืฉึฐืืขื•ึผ ื•ึฐืึตื™ืŸ ืžื•ึนืฉึดืื™ืขึทืด ื ื•ึนืคึตืœ ืขึทืœ ื”ึทืžึดึผืชึฐืคึทึผืœึตึผืœ, ื•ึทื™ึดึผืฉึทืืข ื”ืณ ื ื•ึนืคึตืœ ืขึทืœ ื”ึทืœึธึผืฉืื•ึนืŸ, ืขึทืœ ืžึดื™ ืฉึถืืžึดึผืชึฐืคึทึผืœึฐึผืœึดื™ืŸ ืœึฐืคึธื ึธื™ื•:
They cried out there was no one to deliver them. The words of verse are not written in order [the proper order should be] "They will cry out to Adonoy but He will not answer them and no one will deliver them"27The two words ื•ืื™ืŸ ืžื•ืฉื™ืข need to be removed from their position at the beginning of the verse and placed instead at the end of the verse as its last two words. as [we find], "Man will turn to his Maker",28Yeshayohu 17:7. as if to say "turn".29i.e., ื™ืฉืขื” means "turn to." Menachem connected [the word ื™ึด๏ฌชึฐืขึถื”] with [the verse,] "Adonoy listened to Hevel",30Bereishis 4:4. and he [Menachem] interpreted it as "listening." This word can be used to denote both the listener and the listened to as [we find], "Yitzchok implored Adonoyโ€ฆ and Adonoy listened to him."31Bereishis 25:21. So too here "They will implore [God] and they will not be saved"32In our verse. is a case where the word ื™ึด๏ฌชึฐืข๏ฌต is refering to the one praying and "Adonoy listenedโ€ฆ"33By Hevel's offering. is a case where the word is refering to the [Holy] One being prayed to.

ืคืกื•ืง ืžืดื’ ยท Verse 43

Hebrew:

ื•ึฐืึถืฉืึฐื—ึธืงึตึ–ื ื›ึผึทืขึฒืคึทืจึพืึธึ‘ืจึถืฅย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ื›ึผึฐื˜ึดื™ื˜ึพื—ื•ึผืฆึฅื•ึนืช ืึฒื“ึดืงึผึตึ–ื ืึถืจึฐืงึธืขึตึฝืืƒ

English:

I pounded them like dust of the earth,Stamped, crushed them like dirt of the streets.

The hyperbolic metaphors -- dust of the earth, mire of the streets -- capture annihilation through degradation. What was once feared becomes what is trodden underfoot, the same reversal that runs through the prophetic vision of the nations.
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ืึถืจึฐืงึธืขึตื. ืึถืจึฐืžึฐืกึตื, ื•ึฐื”ึทืจึฐื‘ึตึผื” ื™ึตืฉื ื‘ึฐึผืกึตืคึถืจ ื™ึฐื—ึถื–ึฐืงึตืืœ: (ื•:ื™ื): ืดื•ึผืจึฐืงึทืข ื‘ึฐึผืจึทื’ึฐืœึฐืšึธืด (ื›ื”:ื•): ืดื•ึฐืจึทืงึฐืขึฒืšึธ ื‘ึฐึผืจึธื’ึถืœืด:
I will trample them. I will trample them. There are many cases like this in the book of Yechezkiel, [such as] "You will trample with your feet"34Yechezkiel 6:11. [and] "You trampled with [your] foot."35Ibid, 25:6.

ืคืกื•ืง ืžืดื“ ยท Verse 44

Hebrew:

ื•ึทึฝืชึผึฐืคึทืœึผึฐื˜ึตึ”ื ึดื™ ืžึตืจึดื™ื‘ึตึ–ื™ ืขึทืžึผึดึ‘ื™ ืชึผึดืฉืึฐืžึฐืจึตึ™ื ึดื™ึ™ ืœึฐืจึนึฃืืฉื ื’ึผื•ึนื™ึดึ”ืย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ืขึทึฅื ืœึนืึพื™ึธื“ึทึ–ืขึฐืชึผึดื™ ื™ึทืขึทื‘ึฐื“ึปึฝื ึดื™ืƒ

English:

You have rescued me from the strife of peoples,tpeoples So some mss. and the Septuagint; Tiberian Masoretic mss. and the printed editions โ€œmy people.โ€ Kept me to beuKept me to be Cf. Ps. 18.44 โ€œset me.โ€ at the head of nations;Peoples I knew not must serve me.

'Merivei ami' -- the strivings of my people -- recalls the internal rebellions of Avshalom and Sheva ben Bichri; Hashem rescued Dovid from his own nation, not just from foreign foes. 'Am lo yadati' then names the foreign nations -- Aram, Moav, Edom -- who came under his rule despite no prior connection.
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ืžึตืจึดื™ื‘ึตื™. ืžึดื“ึผื•ึนืึตื’, ืžึตืึฒื—ึดื™ืชึนืคึถืœ, ื•ึฐืฉึธืืื•ึผืœ, ื•ึฐื”ึทื–ึดึผื™ืคึดื™ื: ืชึดึผืฉึฐืืžึฐืจึตื ึดื™ ืœึฐืจึนืืฉื ื’ึผื•ึนื™ึดื. ืฆึฐืคึทื ึฐืชึทึผื ึดื™ ืœึฐื›ึธืšึฐ. ื•ึผืžึดื“ึฐืจึทืฉื ืึทื’ึธึผื“ึธื”; ืึธืžึทืจ ื“ึธึผื•ึดื“: ืจึดื‘ึผื•ึนื ื•ึน ืฉึถืืœ ืขื•ึนืœึธื, ื”ึทืฆึดึผื™ืœึตื ึดื™ ืžึดื“ึดึผื™ื ื•ึน ืฉึถืืœ ื™ึดืฉึฐื‚ืจึธืึตืœ, ืฉึถืืึดื ืึทื˜ึฐื”ื•ึผ ืื•ึน ืึถืจึฐื“ึถึผื” ืึถืช ื™ึดืฉึฐื‚ืจึธืึตืœ ื‘ึทึผืขึฒื‘ื•ึนื“ึธืชื•ึน, ืึฒื ึดื™ ื ึถืขึฑื ึธืฉื, ืึถืœึธึผื ืœึฐืจึนืืฉื ื”ึทืคึฐึผืœึดืฉึฐืืชึดึผื™ื ืชึฐึผืฉึดื‚ื™ืžึตื ึดื™, ื•ึฐื”ึตื ื™ึทืขึทื‘ึฐื“ื•ึผื ึดื™, ื•ึทืขึฒืœึตื™ื”ึถื ืœึนื ืึถืขึฑื ึธืฉื:
Antagonists. From Doeg, Achitophel, Shaul and the Ziffites. You preserved me to be a leader of nations. He kept me hidden for this purpose. The Midrash Aggadah [interprets our verse], "Dovid said, "Master of the universe, spare me from [potential] judgement concerning [the people of] Yisroel for if I shall cause [Yisroel] to turn away [from You] or I rule them harshly during the course of my service I will be punished [by You]. Rather, make me the leader of the Pelishtim and let them serve me [because] I will not be punished on their account.

ืคืกื•ืง ืžืดื” ยท Verse 45

Hebrew:

ื‘ึผึฐื ึตึฅื™ ื ึตื›ึธึ–ืจ ื™ึดืชึฐื›ึผึทื—ึฒืฉืื•ึผึพืœึดึ‘ื™ ืœึดืฉืึฐืžึฅื•ึนืขึท ืึนึ–ื–ึถืŸ ื™ึดืฉืึผึธึฅืžึฐืขื•ึผ ืœึดึฝื™ืƒย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย 

English:

Foreign peoples cringe before me,Are submissive at the mere report of me.

'Yitkachashu' carries the sense of feigned submission -- the cringing of subject peoples whose loyalty is political rather than wholehearted. Radak notes that even this outward submission counts as conquest in the language of the song: the ear obeys before the heart, and that is enough.
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื™ึดืชึฐื›ึทึผื—ึฒืฉืื•ึผ ืœึดื™. ืžึตื—ึฒืžึทืช ื™ึดืจึฐืึธื”, ื™ึนืืžึฐืจื•ึผ ืœึดื™ ื›ึฐึผื–ึธื‘ึดื™ื: ืœึดืฉึฐืืžื•ึนืขึท ืึนื–ึถืŸ ื™ึดืฉึธึผืืžึฐืขื•ึผ ืœึดื™. ืึฒืคึดืœึผื•ึผ ืฉึถืืœึนึผื ื‘ึฐึผืคึธื ึทื™, ื™ึธื’ื•ึผืจื•ึผ ืžึดืคึธึผื ึทื™, ืœึฐืžึดืฉึฐืืžึทืข ืึธื–ึฐื ึตื™ื”ึถื ืœึธืกื•ึผืจ ืึถืœ ืžึดืฉึฐืืžึทืขึฐืชึดึผื™:
Lied to me. Out of fear they told me lies. [As soon] as their ears hear [my wish] they listen to [and obey] me. Even when they are not in my presence they are fearful of me [to the point that as soon] as their ears hear [my wish], they move [to obey] my command.

ืคืกื•ืง ืžืดื• ยท Verse 46

Hebrew:

ื‘ึผึฐื ึตึฅื™ ื ึตื›ึธึ–ืจ ื™ึดื‘ึผึนึ‘ืœื•ึผ ื•ึฐื™ึทื—ึฐื’ึผึฐืจึ–ื•ึผ ืžึดืžึผึดืกึฐื’ึผึฐืจื•ึนืชึธึฝืืƒ

English:

Foreign peoples lose courageAnd come trembling out of their strongholds.vAnd come trembling out of their strongholds Meaning of Heb. uncertain.

The image is of conquered peoples emerging from their walled fortresses to swear loyalty, withering as they come. It is the inverse of Dovid's own earlier years -- where he hid in caves and strongholds, now it is his enemies who emerge trembling from theirs.
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื‘ึฐึผื ึตื™ ื ึตื›ึธืจ ื™ึดื‘ึนึผืœื•ึผ. ื™ึดืœึฐืื•ึผ, ืœึฐืฉืื•ึนืŸ (ื™ืจืžื™ื”ื• ื—:ื™ื’): ืดื•ึฐื”ึถืขึธืœึถื” ื ึธื‘ึตืœืด ืคืœื™ืฉื˜ื™ืจื•ื ืดื˜ ื‘ืœืขืดื–: ื•ึฐื™ึทื—ึฐื’ึฐึผืจื•ึผ. ืœึฐืฉืื•ึนืŸ ืคึฐึผืกึธื—ึดื™ื: ืžึดืžึดึผืกึฐื’ึฐึผืจื•ึนืชึธื. ืžึดืงึผึนืฉึดืื™ ื™ึดืกึผื•ึผืจึตื™ ืžึทืกึฐื’ึตึผืจ ืฉึถืืึฒื ึดื™ ืžึฐื™ึทืกึฐึผืจึธืŸ ื‘ึธึผื”ึถื:
Foreign people will wither. Will wither [Similar to] the language of "I will become withered".36Yirmiyahu 8:11. Pagisterant in O.F. They will become lame. Lame people. From [the agony of] their imprisonment. From the tortures of imprisonment that I will inflict upon them.

ืคืกื•ืง ืžืดื– ยท Verse 47

Hebrew:

ื—ึทื™ึพื™ึฐื”ึนื•ึธึ–ื” ื•ึผื‘ึธืจึฃื•ึผืšึฐ ืฆื•ึผืจึดึ‘ื™ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ื•ึฐื™ึธืจึปึ•ื ืึฑืœึนื”ึตึ–ื™ ืฆึฅื•ึผืจ ื™ึดืฉืึฐืขึดึฝื™ืƒ

English:

The ETERNAL lives! Blessed is my rock!Exalted be God, the rockWho gives me victory;

The doxology breaks out in three rising acclamations -- 'Hashem lives,' 'Blessed is my Rock,' 'Exalted is the God of the Rock of my salvation.' The repeated 'tzur' (rock) deliberately echoes the song's opening verses, forming an inclusio that frames the entire poem in the language of divine refuge.
ืจืฉืดื™Rashi
ื—ึทื™ ื”ืณ. ื”ึธืขื•ึนืฉึถื‚ื” ืœึดื™ ืึตืœึถึผื”:
Adonoy lives. Who does all of this for me.

ืคืกื•ืง ืžืดื— ยท Verse 48

Hebrew:

ื”ึธืึตึ•ืœ ื”ึทื ึผึนืชึตึฅืŸ ื ึฐืงึธืžึนึ–ืช ืœึดึ‘ื™ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ื•ึผืžึนืจึดึฅื™ื“ ืขึทืžึผึดึ–ื™ื ืชึผึทื—ึฐืชึผึตึฝื ึดื™ืƒ

English:

The God who has vindicated meAnd made peoples subject to me,

The vengeance language is folded into the praise itself -- divine retribution against Dovid's enemies is not separate from the doxology but part of it. 'Morid amim tachtai' (bringing peoples down beneath me) restates the song's recurring posture: the king elevated, the nations subdued, both by the hand of God.

ืคืกื•ืง ืžืดื˜ ยท Verse 49

Hebrew:

ื•ึผืžื•ึนืฆึดื™ืึดึ–ื™ ืžึตืึนึฝื™ึฐื‘ึธึ‘ื™ ื•ึผืžึดืงึผึธืžึทื™ึ™ ืชึผึฐืจึฃื•ึนืžึฐืžึตึ”ื ึดื™ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ืžึตืึดึฅื™ืฉื ื—ึฒืžึธืกึดึ–ื™ื ืชึผึทืฆึผึดื™ืœึตึฝื ึดื™ืƒ

English:

Who rescued me from my enemies,Who raised me clear of my adversaries,Saved me from the lawless opposition!

Three deliverances stacked in parallel -- bringing out, lifting above, rescuing from. 'Ish chamasim' (the man of violence) is read by some commentators as a pointed reference to Sha'ul, the violent pursuer who defined Dovid's wilderness years and from whom Hashem repeatedly delivered him.

ืคืกื•ืง ื ืณ ยท Verse 50

Hebrew:

ืขึทืœึพื›ึผึตึ›ืŸ ืื•ึนื“ึฐืšึธึฅ ื™ึฐื”ึนื•ึธึ–ื” ื‘ึผึทื’ึผื•ึนื™ึดึ‘ืย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ื•ึผืœึฐืฉืึดืžึฐืšึธึ– ืึฒื–ึทืžึผึตึฝืจืƒ

English:

For this I sing Your praise, ETERNAL One, among the nationsAnd hymn Your name:

Dovid vows public praise that crosses borders -- 'ba-goyim,' among the nations. The deliverance was not for private gratitude alone but for universal proclamation, a vow that the rabbis read as foreshadowing the day when Hashem's name will be sung by all peoples.

ืคืกื•ืง ื ืดื ยท Verse 51

Hebrew:

(ืžื’ื“ื™ืœ) [ืžึดื’ึฐื“ึผึ–ื•ึนืœ] ื™ึฐืฉืื•ึผืขึฃื•ึนืช ืžึทืœึฐื›ึผึ‘ื•ึน ื•ึฐืขึนึฝืฉื‚ึถื”ึพื—ึถึงืกึถื“ ืœึดืžึฐืฉืึดื™ื—ึ›ื•ึนย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ืœึฐื“ึธื•ึดึฅื“ ื•ึผืœึฐื–ึทืจึฐืขึ–ื•ึน ืขึทื“ึพืขื•ึนืœึธึฝืืƒย {ืค}

English:

Tower of victorywTower of victory Kethib and Ps. 18.51 read โ€œHe accords wondrous victories.โ€ to YourxYour Heb. 3rd person. king,Keeping faith with YouryYour See preceding note. anointed,With David and his offspring evermore.

The poem's final word 'olam' (forever) anchors the entire song in the covenant of II Samuel 7. What began as one man's personal song of rescue closes by extending Hashem's chesed beyond Dovid to his seed -- the dynasty culminating in Mashiach ben Dovid -- and the inclusio of king, anointed, and eternal covenant seals the song shut.
ืžืฆื•ื“ืช ื“ื•ื“Metzudat David
ืžื’ื“ื•ืœ. ืจืฆื” ืœื•ืžืจ: ื•ื›ืŸ ืื•ื“ืš, ื›ื™ ืืกืคืจ ืœื•ืžืจ: ื“ืขื• ืืฉืจ ื”ืณ ืžื’ื“ื•ืœ ื•ื’ื•ืณ, ืจืฆื” ืœื•ืžืจ: ืขื•ืฉื” ื™ืฉื•ืขื•ืช ื’ื“ื•ืœื•ืช ืœืžืœื›ื•, ื•ืœื ื‘ืขื‘ื•ืจ ืชืฉืœื•ื ื’ืžื•ืœ, ื›ื™ ืื ื‘ื—ืกื“: ื•ืœื–ืจืขื•. ื›ืžื• ืฉืขืฉื” ืœื“ื•ื“, ื›ืŸ ื™ืขืฉื” ืœื–ืจืขื• ืขื“ ืขื•ืœื ื•ืืฃ ืฉื“ื•ื“ ืขืฆืžื• ืืžืจื•, ืืžืจ ืœื“ื•ื“ ื•ืœื–ืจืขื•, ื•ืœื ืืžืจ ืœื™ ื•ืœื–ืจืขื™, ื›ื™ ื›ืŸ ื“ืจืš ื”ืžืงืจื ื•ื›ืŸ (ืฉืžื•ืืœ ื ื™ื‘ ื™ื): ื•ื™ืฉืœื— ื”ืณ ื•ื’ื•ืณ ื•ืืช ืฉืžื•ืืœ, ื•ืขื ื›ื™ ืฉืžื•ืืœ ืขืฆืžื• ืืžืจื•, ืœื ืืžืจ ื•ืื•ืชื™:
"A tower." [David] wanted to say: And thusly, I will praise You, for I will recount, saying, "Know that the Lord is a tower [of salvations], etc.." [He] wanted to say: "[God] performs great salvations for [God]'s king, and not for the sake of the payment of a reward but out of lovingkindness.
ืจื“ืดืงRadak
ืžื’ื“ื•ืœ. ืžื’ื“ื™ืœ ื›ืชื™ื‘ ื‘ื™ื•"ื“ ื•ืงืจื™ ื‘ื•ื™"ื• ื›ืžื• ืฉื”ื•ื ื‘ืกืคืจ ืชื”ืœื™ื ื‘ืงืจื™ื' ื’ื ื›ืŸ ื”ืงืจื™ ืžื’ื“ื•ืœ ื‘ื—ื•ืœื ื•ื”ื•ื ืชื•ืืจ ื•ื”ืขื ื™ืŸ ืื—ื“: ืžืœื›ื• ื•ืžืฉื™ื—ื•. ืขืœ ืขืฆืžื• ื”ื•ื ืื•ืžืจ ื›ืžื• ืฉื”ื’ื“ื™ืœ ื™ืฉื•ืขืชื™ ื•ืขืฉื” ืœื™ ื—ืกื“ื™ื ื›ืŸ ื™ืขืฉื” ืœื™ ื•ืœื–ืจืขื™ ืขื“ ืขื•ืœื:
Migdol. Magdil is the ketiv ("written" tradition of the Masoretic Text), and the keri ("recited" tradition of the Masoretic Text) is with a vav, like in Psalms [18:51] in the keri! So too, the keri is migdol with a cholam [i.e., a vowel creating an 'o' sound like in the name "Jo"], and it is a descriptor, and the idea is [all] one.

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