Tehilim Perek 57

Welcome to NachDaily, covering the entire TANACH one perek at a time. I’m Rabbi Shaya Sussman, and today we’ll be discussing Tehilim, Chapter 57.

This is a good perek to say when we need God to save us from our enemies, and corresponds to Shmuel Aleph, perek 24. Check out the NachDaily archives for further information.

The background:

While chased by Shaul, Dovid was forced to hide in a cave in Ein Gedi. Shaul had entered that same cave to relieve himself, and Dovid ran deeper inside for his life.

During the night, while Shaul and his men were sleeping, Dovid stole into where Shaul was hiding. Instead of killing Shaul, Dovid cut off a corner of his clothing to show that he could have killed him. When Shaul woke up, he recognized what had happened. From a distance, Dovid called out to Shaul and showed the piece of cut cloth. At that moment Shaul realized, for the time being, that Dovid had spared his life.

This is amazing, as we again see Dovid’s greatness. Shaul had been trying to kill Dovid, who was mistreated and running for his life, for years. Dovid had every right to kill Shaul, but didn’t harm him.

I am not sure how many people would have done the same. Imagine, after years of struggling with someone, you have the halachically permissible opportunity to put an end to all the nonsense. Instead, you choose to be the better person.

Dovid wasn’t just pretending to be nice while being inwardly resentful. Dovid was at peace with what was happening to him, so his behavior was natural. He sincerely didn’t want to harm Shaul.

The perek opens with words “al teshachet – do not destroy,” which encapsulates the main theme of the chapter. This was another close encounter that Dovid had with death.

Dovid prays once again for salvation, emphasizing the need for Hashem’s immediate help. “My soul is caught among lions.”

From verse 8 until the end, Dovid expresses firm resolve in God’s greatness and his deep emunah in Hashem’s help. He reflects on God’s omnipotence, recalling that God is the most Supreme and exalted on high.

Highlighting passukim 8 and 9:

נָ֘כ֤וֹן לִבִּ֣י אֱ֭לֹהִים נָכ֣וֹן לִבִּ֑י אָ֝שִׁ֗ירָה וַאֲזַמֵּֽרָה׃ ע֤וּרָה כְבוֹדִ֗י ע֭וּרָֽה הַנֵּ֥בֶל וְכִנּ֗וֹר אָעִ֥ירָה שָּֽׁחַר׃

My heart is firm, O God; my heart is firm; I will sing, I will sing and make music. Awake, O my soul! Awake, O harp and lyre! I will wake the dawn.

The classical Meforshim bring the Yerushalmi in Brachos: Dovid had a kinur, harp, hanging above his bed. A northern wind would come every night and wake him before alos hashachar with the kinur’s music.

Most kings are awoken by the shachar star, but Dovid would get so up so early that he would wake up the shachar! He was accustomed to rising at chatzos layla – the darkest point of the night, and singing in prayer. Chatzos is considered the most optimal time to pour your heart out to God.

Dovid says, “Ani meorer es hashachar v’ain hashachar meorerreni – I wake up the schachar , my good points through hesbodedus and personal prayer, and the schachar doesn’t awaken me – instead of becoming depressed about the shachar – blackness in his life, he wakes up early in personal prayer to search for his good points to rise above his troubles.

May we merit imitating Dovid Hamelech by searching for our good points in personal prayer every day of our lives.