Psalm 3:6 Faith that brings serenity

Posted by on

“אֲנִי שָׁכַבְתִּי וָאִישָׁנָה הֱקִיצוֹתִי כִּי יְהֹוָה יִסְמְכֵנִי”

“I lay down and slept; I awoke, for the Lord will support me.”

Do you know the feeling of being so troubled / worried, you cannot fall asleep.

If you suffer from this, imagine now you lost all of your properties, dignity, you’re being chased after and the odds are that you will die tomorrow in the battle by your son.. sweet dreams?

Despite the above, David’s faith and confidence in HaShem brings him to such a serenity, he’s able to lie down and sleep peacefully.

Absalom had two choices, each presented by one of two advisers. Achitofel’s suggestion was not to lose a single moment, chase David right away while still exhausted and not ready for battle, unable to defend himself.
Chushai, who was in fact in favor of David, tried to persuade Absalom to wait a day before attacking David, since it won’t be wise to get into battle with ‘a wounded animal’, cornered in a way he’s got nothing to lose.

Absalom listened to Chushai’s advise. David was able to utilize these precious hours to sleep and to become stronger.

Psalm 3:3-6 From G-d is my glory at all times

Posted by on

“רַבִּים אֹמְרִים לְנַפְשִׁי אֵין יְשׁוּעָתָה לּוֹ בֵאלֹהִים סֶלָה”

“Great men say concerning my soul, “He has no salvation in God to eternity.””

They are not chasing only my body, but also my soul.
Blaming me while saying there is no way back, no possibility for repentance from this unfortunate event of Bat Sheva in which I have sinned.

But I know that:

“וְאַתָּה יְהֹוָה מָגֵן בַּעֲדִי כְּבוֹדִי וּמֵרִים רֹאשִׁי”

“But You, O Lord, are a shield about me, my glory and He Who raises up my head.”

I know that you are my protector, you and from you I get my glory.  From you I restore my dignity, that is trampled and disparaged by my rivals,  calling me in derogatory names and blaming me in public.

“קוֹלִי אֶל יְהֹוָה אֶקְרָא וַיַּעֲנֵנִי מֵהַר קָדְשׁוֹ סֶלָה”

“With my voice, I call to the Lord, and He answered me from His holy mount to eternity.”

I pray to HaShem, certain He will respond me favorably, from His holy mount Sela, always.

Psalm 3:2 When a giant falls, the land shakes

Posted by on

” יְהֹוָה מָה רַבּוּ צָרָי רַבִּים קָמִים עָלָי”

“O Lord, how many have my adversaries become! Great men rise up against me.”

It is not easy to withstand when many people are opposing you, it is much harder, when not only the ‘stupid mob’ is against you, but among them there are also ‘great men’.

King David was opposed by great people of figure as well as sages in wisdom: Sons of Raffa, king Saul, Doeg the Edomi and others.

Even great people can be wrong and make mistakes, when that is the case, the fall is much harder. Whether because they are people with lots of might and can cause bigger harm, sometimes the fact of being denied and accused by great people, breaks one’s confidence, mixes one’s thoughts about what is right and what is wrong.

The major unfortunate event King David had, thus blamed after: “Begone, begone, you man of blood, and you wicked man.” (Shmuel 2, 16),  was after his sin of sending Urya to die in the war in order to have Bat Sheva.
In the next verses, we will see David’s way of praying in such occasion.

Psalm 3:1 King David sings even when oppressed

Posted by on

King David’s life was full of oppression. As a young boy by his brothers, afterwards by King Saul… but the worst of all, was the one by his own son Absalom , who wanted to rule over Israel in place of his father David.
This oppression is the story behind Psalm 3, as indicated in the first verse:

“מִזְמוֹר לְדָוִד בְּבָרְחוֹ מִפְּנֵי אַבְשָׁלוֹם בְּנוֹ”

“A song of David, when he fled from Absalom his son.”

Humiliated and painful, King David is forced to flee from his house, being chased by his own son and most of the people of Israel whom used to follow him, now following Absalom.
From the highest position in the world, to the lower point possible. From ruling everyone, to being chased by your own.

After this, we would expect a lamentation, not a ‘song’. “A lamentation of David”.
Despite the difficult and painful situation, King David has a strong personality, indeed leans on a firm cane. – Mentally wholeness, acceptance of the Lord’s righteously. As King David himself admits in the last verse of Psalm chapter 2 “..the praises of all who take refuge in Him.”

“A song of David”

Psalm 2:12 Bliss, stability to who take refuge in Him

Posted by on

“נַשְּׁקוּ בַר פֶּן יֶאֱנַף | וְתֹאבְדוּ דֶרֶךְ כִּי יִבְעַר כִּמְעַט אַפּוֹ אַשְׁרֵי כָּל חוֹסֵי בוֹ”

“Arm yourselves with purity lest He become angry and you perish in the way, for in a moment His wrath will be kindled; the praises (bliss) of all who take refuge in Him.”

A Psalm that starts with the word ‘Ashrei’, Bliss and ends with it, is a Psalm King Davis fonded more than the others.

Jewish sages told us that Psalm 1 and Psalm 2, are actually one. The difference between them is that while the first is aimed for the individual, the second talks about Israel and the nations.
So the first Psalm in ‘the book of Psalms’, actually starts with אשרי האיש, Happy is the man that…(or the question: Who is happy?..) and ends with our verse אשרי כל חוסה בו The bliss belong to those who take refuge in Him.

Who is blesses with bliss? those who take refuge in Him.
If stability is a cane to lain on, the Lord is the real and only cane, His ways are the only safe and righteous paths.

 

Psalm 2:11

Posted by on

“עִבְדוּ אֶת יְהֹוָה בְּיִרְאָה וְגִילוּ בִּרְעָדָה”

“Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with quaking.”

I am postponing my interpretation for this verse, because of two reasons:

There are so many beautiful commentaries for this verse among the Jewish sages writings, it will take me longer time to research it,

2) I am still not sure about the connection of this verse to the chapter.

Psalm 2:8-10 Asking G-d, being connected to Him

Posted by on

“שְׁאַל מִמֶּנִּי וְאֶתְּנָה גוֹיִם נַחֲלָתֶךָ וַאֲחֻזָּתְךָ אַפְסֵי אָרֶץ”
“Request of Me, and I will make nations your inheritance, and the ends of the earth your possession.”

“תְּרֹעֵם בְּשֵׁבֶט בַּרְזֶל כִּכְלִי יוֹצֵר תְּנַפְּצֵם”
“You shall break them with an iron rod; like a potter’s vessel you shall shatter them.”

“וְעַתָּה מְלָכִים הַשְׂכִּילוּ הִוָּסְרוּ שֹׁפְטֵי אָרֶץ”
“And now, kings, be wise; be admonished, judges of the earth.”

The king tells his son, HaShem tells the children of Israel: You are my son, no doubt. will keep you and protect you un-conditionally (see Psalm 1:7) .   Do you want to be my ambassador? Do you want to fulfill your destiny on earth?- For this you need to perform your role.
Where does it start?
“Request from Me“, the Lord promises it’s nation, just ask, be attached and to ‘do what you’re in this world for’, to carry my name on earth.
When you will feel/know this, Israel will be ‘worthy’ enough to get the one Place feasible to perform this – The land of Israel. Will you have any enemies, they will be easily wrecked .. then listen and follow the Lord: “And now, kings, be wise; be admonished, judges of the earth.”.

Back to where it starts, Israel should be linked to G-d, ‘request from Me’, get to thy land of Israel, and fulfill your destiny.

Psalm 2:7 An educational answer: ‘My firstborn Israel’.

Posted by on

“אֲסַפְּרָה אֶל חֹק יְהֹוָה אָמַר אֵלַי בְּנִי אַתָּה אֲנִי הַיּוֹם יְלִדְתִּיךָ”

“I will tell of the decree; The Lord said to me, “You are My son; this day have I begotten you.”

Did anyone asked a prince: ‘Do you want to be one?’, is it up to him to accept the responsibilities this role brings along with it?
It seems that ‘free will’, is not exactly whatever you want to do or to be. Why are the Israelites are those who carry the Lord’s word on earth – because He said so, a decree!
King David sends us back to the Bible, the first time it appears is in the book of Exodus (4:22): “So said the Lord, “My firstborn son is Israel.”.

This verse, that comes in the middle of the chapter, is sort of an absolute-educational answer.
The big question the Psalmist asks is: ‘Why do the wicked have good lives, while many other righteous suffer?’
There are more than few answers to this question within the Pslams book, including what David stated already, that real happiness, stability, is achieved only to the righteous (we discussed it previously).

– Nevertheless, King David pauses and tells us: Some things are not a matter of ‘do I understand it or not’. Every question is a good question, everything is questionable, but, the reason will always stay beyond the answer. Why…Because He decided so.

Question: on other places in the Bible, we refer to the Lord in other ways: Husband, judge, master, even lover. Is there a meaning to it now, that we refer to Him as our father?

Answer: Yes, that is exactly the point. There are two main significant s in a Father-son relations than all the others.
1) As we mentioned, a son is not out of choice. Why Israel is privileged and obligated at the same time? Because they are ‘born’ that way.
2) This is an un-breakable relations. In marriage, the possibility of divorce always exist. A judge can be replaced. Slave can buy his freedom and a lover can even be turned to an enemy. A son is a son – will never change nor replaced.

Psalm 2:3-6 The Lord is beyond this world and stand at the side of Israel

Posted by on

“נְנַתְּקָה אֶת מוֹסְרוֹתֵימוֹ וְנַשְׁלִיכָה מִמֶּנּוּ עֲבֹתֵימוֹ”
“Let us break their bands and cast off their cords from us.”

“יוֹשֵׁב בַּשָּׁמַיִם יִשְׂחָק אֲדֹנָי יִלְעַג לָמוֹ”
“He Who dwells in Heaven laughs; the Lord mocks them.”

“אָז יְדַבֵּר אֵלֵימוֹ בְאַפּוֹ וּבַחֲרוֹנוֹ יְבַהֲלֵמוֹ”
“Then He speaks to them in His wrath; and He frightens them with His sore displeasure.”

In the name of ‘freedom’, the nations want to take off whatever ties and limits them – Morally, ethically and the direct commandments presented in the Torah (613 for Jews and 7 for Non-Jews), cords of obligations.

‘He Who dwells in heaven..’ this place description means, He, that is ‘beyond’ all this excitement and circumstances on earth, is not bothered by any rebellion.

This understanding, that the Lord beyond this world stands in Israel’s side, is a calming thought. Actually, this is a key knowledge to withstand against frights or demands Israel are facing. Every Saturday we pray that the leaders of the Israeli nation bear this (practical) knowledge, when confronting world wide dilemmas,  count on The Ally.

“..He frightens them with His sore displeasure”, this we saw In the life of King David himself. Also now we witness some of this ‘Roman peace’.

Psalm 2:2 The battle against Lord’s morals and those who carry it out

Posted by on

“יִתְיַצְּבוּ מַלְכֵי אֶרֶץ וְרוֹזְנִים נוֹסְדוּ יָחַד עַל יְהֹוָה וְעַל מְשִׁיחוֹ”

“Kings of a land stand up, and nobles take counsel together against the Lord and against His anointed?”

What is it in the Lord, that these kings and nobles are avoiding? Why are they rebelling against HaShem?

It is a struggle against G-d’s morality in the world.
Unlike Pagan worshiping, that includes a release of urges, therefor many time includes with alcohol, drags and wild sex activities,  The Lord demands Jewish Morals and Ethics, self control and restraint.  

Question: The western world is ‘cleaning itself’ from Idolatry, so is this lesson ‘not necessary’ any longer?

Answer: First, thank goodness the Torah’s ethics are spreading and affecting the world. Still, It is not only the regular form of idol worshiping that the Psalmist is talking about, it is also the consequence of it.
To elucidate: We say that the idolatry’s purpose it to allow unrestrained sex activities, the example we mentioned was of the ‘orgy’ that originally was created and performed as a way of worship in the Hellenic culture.
Two weeks ago I had an appointment with a congregant that have domestic problems, this also includes with marital relations issues. I couldn’t be more amazed about the treatment he got from his Psychologist (also a known sexologist in the area). Among other things, he suggested also ‘orgy treatment’.
I suspect, that some of today’s psychology, discourages any sort of urge’s restraint. Instead, to execute every drive and urge. – Is it a renewal of the same fake moral, just in a modern dress??

Back to the verse itself..  

Who is the ‘Anointed’ in the verse and why the wicked fight against him? Why fight him?

Well, it is a bit hard to fight the Lord, so you aim at the ambassador.

The Israelite s, as a nation are to carry the Lord’s word on earth. That is the real reason for the Judo-phobia and Antisemitism.
There always exist a reason for the hatred of G-d’s nation, but it is always a cover from the real issue, which is a struggle against the spiritual moral carried out by the Israeli nation. Moral that should be taught by the Israelites, though demands also the Morality of the entire world.