Tehilim Perek 6

Welcome to NachDaily, covering the entire TANACH one Perek at a time. I’m Rabbi Shaya Sussman, and today we’ll be discussing Tehilim Perek Vav.

One of the things that I’ve been thinking about as I’ve been preparing these shiurim on Tehilim is that the words themselves are just so beautiful to read. In a certain way I feel that there is nothing that I can really add. Even for those of us who regularly say Tehilim. we ever read the words in English just to really see what they mean. The words themselves are so powerful.

A woman recently told me that she’s been saying the daily Tehilim for years and finishing it every month.

Just recently she started to read it in English without the Hebrew. She said that at first she felt ambivalent about the idea, but now she feels more connected to what she’s been saying all these years. What a wonderful thing! Of course, it is preferable to read it in Hebrew, following along with the English.

Let’s Begin,

For the Conductor, with musical accompaniment on the sheminith. A psalm of David.

Rashi explains that the word “HaShminis” was the name of an eight-stringed instrument.

The Gemorah in Menachos 43B explains on this Kapital that Am Yisrael is considered precious to Hashem because He surrounded us with Mitzvos.

The Gemora continues: Dovid was once undressed in the bathhouse and noticed that in this state he wasn’t surrounded by Mitzvos. At first he became sad, until it dawned upon him that he still had the Bris Milah which was given to him on the eighth day of his life. After realizing this, he became happy and sang this Kaptial.

All the Meforshim ask why he became sad, and why did his bris cheer him up?

The explanation is that all Mitzvos can be performed for ulterior motives. In other words, a person can find flaws in his Mitzvos. Perhaps they weren’t done perfectly, or he didn’t have perfect Kavana, or he just did the Mitzva because he were raised that way. And the list can go on…

But there is one Mitzva that a man has that is totally pure. The Mitzva of Milah, because he didn’t do it! Hashem caused him to be born a Yid! It had nothing to do with you!

Now we can understand the Gemerah. Dovid ,in the bath house, felt that he was naked of Mitzvos and felt sad because he saw that none of the Mitzvos that he had done were pure.

Then he remembered his Bris, the fact Hashem created him a Jew, and felt happy. Being Jewish is the ultimate Nekudah Tova, which we all contain.

How fortunate are we to be Yidden!

O LORD, do not punish me in anger, do not chastise me in fury.

The Malbim explains that the word “b’chamascha” is referring to a deep inner anger. Dovid was pleading, “ Even if You get angry at me, please don’t be internally scathing at me!”

Have mercy on me, O God, for I am feeble. God, Heal me. For my bones shake with terror. My whole being is stricken with terror, while You, LORD—O, how long! O LORD, turn! Rescue me! Deliver me as befits Your faithfulness.

The Malbim adds on the words ‘L’ma’an Chasdecha,” even if I’m not deserving to be saved, save me. For there is no remembrance of You among the dead; in Sheol, who can acclaim You?

Rashi and the Radak explain that after a person dies he can no longer give Ho’dah to Hashem. he body becomes like an unfeeling rock.

I am weary with groaning; every night I drench my bed, I melt my couch in tears.

How much do we need to work on tefilah? Not once but many times. To speak with Hashem every night, pour out our hearts and souls before Him. Dovid would completely soak his bed in tears. Powerful stuff.

My eyes are dimmed by suffering, worn out because of all my tormentors. Get away from me, all you evildoers, God hears the sound of my crying. God hears my plea, God accepts my prayer.

There’s an awesome Ramad Walli on this. On the previous two pessukim it first says that the person cries, and then that Hashem hears and accepts the prayer. When a person cries during while davening, there is no doubt that his or her tefilah was answered. The crying combines with the tefilah and creates a certain energy that bypasses the negative forces that want to stop it from reaching the Heavens.

All my enemies will be frustrated and stricken with terror; they will turn back in an instant, frustrated.

Thank you for listening and have a wonderful day.