Tehilim Perek 17B

Welcome to NachDaily, covering the entire TANACH one perek at a time. I’m Rabbi Shaya Sussman, and today we’ll be continuing Tehilim perek yud zayin.

The previous shiur discussed pessukim aleph through hey. Now we’ll begin from passuk vav and finish the perek.

Most Meforshim explain that this perek was said about the sin of Dovid with Bas Sheva. We ended in seeing how Dovid apologized for asking to be tested.

Dovid defends himself to God, not by making excuses for himself, but by doing Teshuva and asking Hashem to shine His Divine light upon him.

Teshuva doesn’t mean that you put yourself down and berate yourself by becoming more critical and self-judgmental.

One type of Teshuva is intensely focusing on every detail of what you’ve done wrong in your life. While that’s certainly a level, it’s considered a low one.

A higher level is when you turn towards God and say, “Shine Your light upon me. Let me feel close to You. Please let me see You in all aspects of my life.”

This is comparable to turning on an LED light in a dark room, illuminating every crack and crevice. When you face God and ask Him to shine His light on you, you’re turning on the big LED light which immediately dispels all the darkness.

In this perek we see Dovid doing Teshuva by plugging into the Source of life itself, God.

אֲנִֽי־קְרָאתִ֣יךָ כִֽי־תַעֲנֵ֣נִי אֵ֑ל הַֽט־אָזְנְךָ֥ לִ֝֗י שְׁמַ֣ע אִמְרָתִֽי׃ הַפְלֵ֣ה חֲ֭סָדֶיךָ מוֹשִׁ֣יעַ חוֹסִ֑ים מִ֝מִּתְקוֹמְמִ֗ים בִּֽימִינֶֽךָ׃

I call on You; You will answer me, God; turn Your ear to me, hear what I say. Display Your faithfulness in wondrous deeds, You who deliver with Your right hand those who seek refuge from assailants.

The Malbim says that Dovid was telling God that it’s not enough that You hear my prayer. I want You to answer me as well!

שָׁ֭מְרֵנִי כְּאִישׁ֣וֹן בַּת־עָ֑יִן בְּצֵ֥ל כְּ֝נָפֶ֗יךָ תַּסְתִּירֵֽנִי׃

Guard me like the pupil of Your eye; hide me in the shadow of Your wings.

The simple meaning of the words, Eshon Bas Ayin, say the Meforshim, is the black of the eye, the pupil of one’s eye.

The Ramad Walli explains the kabalistic meaning of the black or pupil of Hashem’s eyes to refer to the innermost, deepest point of His Malchus, Kingship. This is called “Eshon Bas Ayin – the pupil of the eye.” Just as the pupil is the focal point of one’s eye, so too, the pupil is the focal point of God’s eyes that protect this world. Obviously, none of this is meant to be taken literally. Dovid prayed that God should guard him like His innermost focal point, this place called the Eshon Bas Ayin – the black of His eye.

מִפְּנֵ֣י רְ֭שָׁעִים ז֣וּ שַׁדּ֑וּנִי אֹיְבַ֥י בְּ֝נֶ֗פֶשׁ יַקִּ֥יפוּ עָלָֽי׃ חֶלְבָּ֥מוֹ סָּגְר֑וּ פִּ֝֗ימוֹ דִּבְּר֥וּ בְגֵאֽוּת׃ אַ֭שֻּׁרֵינוּ עַתָּ֣ה סבבוני [סְבָב֑וּנוּ] עֵינֵיהֶ֥ם יָ֝שִׁ֗יתוּ לִנְט֥וֹת בָּאָֽרֶץ׃

from the wicked who despoil me, my mortal enemies who encircle me. Their hearts are closed to pity; they mouth arrogance; now they hem in our feet on every side; they set their eyes roaming over the land.

Rashi explains that this was said after his story with Bas Sheva had been publicized to the whole world. He prayed to be saved from the nations of the world who belittled him.

דִּמְיֹנ֗וֹ כְּ֭אַרְיֵה יִכְס֣וֹף לִטְר֑וֹף וְ֝כִכְפִ֗יר יֹשֵׁ֥ב בְּמִסְתָּרִֽים׃

He is like a lion eager for prey, a king of beasts lying in wait.

The nations of the world wanted to take Dovid down as a lion takes its prey

Dovid again pleads for Hashem to save him.

קוּמָ֤ה יְהוָ֗ה קַדְּמָ֣ה פָ֭נָיו הַכְרִיעֵ֑הוּ פַּלְּטָ֥ה נַ֝פְשִׁ֗י מֵרָשָׁ֥ע חַרְבֶּֽךָ׃

Rise, O LORD! Go forth to meet him. Bring him down; rescue me from the wicked with Your sword,

מִֽמְתִ֥ים יָדְךָ֨ ׀ יְהוָ֡ה מִֽמְתִ֬ים מֵחֶ֗לֶד חֶלְקָ֥ם בַּֽחַיִּים֮ וצפינך [וּֽצְפוּנְךָ֮] תְּמַלֵּ֪א בִ֫טְנָ֥ם יִשְׂבְּע֥וּ בָנִ֑ים וְהִנִּ֥יחוּ יִ֝תְרָ֗ם לְעוֹלְלֵיהֶֽם׃

from men, O LORD, with Your hand, from men whose share in life is fleeting. But as to Your treasured ones, fill their bellies. Their sons too shall be satisfied, and have something to leave over for their young.

אֲנִ֗י בְּ֭צֶדֶק אֶחֱזֶ֣ה פָנֶ֑יךָ אֶשְׂבְּעָ֥ה בְ֝הָקִ֗יץ תְּמוּנָתֶֽךָ׃

Then I, justified, will behold Your face; awake, I am filled with the vision of You.

The Radak explains that Dovid ends this perek by saying that the reshaim have no lot in the world to come. He however, does, because he turns to God in prayer and desires to come close to Him.

Thank you for listening and have a wonderful day.