Tehilim Perek 31B

Welcome to NachDaily, covering the entire TANACH one perek at a time. I’m Rabbi Shaya Sussman, and today we’ll continue discussing Tehilim, chapter 31. Due to its length, this is the second shiur on the perek.

This chapter corresponds to Shmuel Aleph, chapters 23 and 24. For more information, check out the NachDaily archives found at the bottom of the email.

To recap, Dovid said this chapter when God miraculously saved him from Shaul at a time when Dovid felt isolated and had no one to turn to other than the Master of the world.

In this shiur I want to highlight two pessukim.

Dovid says an amazing thing in verse 8.

אָגִ֥ילָה וְאֶשְׂמְחָ֗ה בְּחַ֫סְדֶּ֥ךָ אֲשֶׁ֣ר רָ֭אִיתָ אֶת־עָנְיִ֑י יָ֝דַ֗עְתָּ בְּצָר֥וֹת נַפְשִֽׁי׃

I will delight and rejoice in Your lovingkindness – for You have seen my affliction; You knew the troubles of my soul.

The Meforshim explain the simple meaning to be that Dovid was happy and celebrated Hashem because he was saved from Shaul as well as others were trying to kill him.

However, Rav Shamshon Rafael Hirsch and others explain that it’s not the deliverance and salvation in themselves that made him happy. Recognizing that his misery came from Hashem made him rejoice.

Dovid was telling Hashem that the mere fact that he knew that He was watching and looking out for him is what enabled him to be happy. Although his circumstances were dire, he was happy because he knew that God had his best interests in mind!

This is a valuable lesson in emunah for each of us. One of the major reasons why we experience suffering is because we don’t fully internalize that there is a purpose for it. As God is invisible, we don’t usually recognize Him in our lives.

If we only believed that every single iota of pain that came our way has a purpose, we would celebrate our difficulties. Our feelings of suffering and misery would be transformed into happiness.

I once heard a metaphor that illustrates this idea:

Professional athletes must maintain strict and rigid programs in order to stay in shape. They need to be very careful of their body weight and mass, how much they work out, and how often they practice. At times it can be very difficult for them, but do you think that every time they show up to practice or to do their work-out routines they complain? Even though it can be extremely strenuous work?

O course not! They are rewarded handsomely for what they do! Every time they go to the gym, watch their food intake, or whatever other sacrifices they need to make, they don’t necessarily consider it self-sacrifice or suffering. In fact, they are often happy to do it. The rewards are worth it to them.

The same is true for you. For every iota of pain, sadness, stress, emotional anguish or anxiety you go through, you’re racking up the equivalent of millions of dollars in Shamayim- Heaven, because Hashem is giving you a personal work-out!

You have to know that you’re constantly gaining reward, and that there is a purpose to your suffering. The knowledge that God has a custom-made plan for every single one of us would mitigate your suffering and it would be transformed into happiness. Dovid was happy despite his pain because he knew that Hashem cared about what was happening to him.

Amazingly, nothing in your circumstances needs to change in order for you to feel happy. You can feel happy now, at this very moment! You don’t need to spend your life trying to change your circumstances. Nothing or no one needs to do something better in order for you to feel happy. Your circumstances are exactly the way they are supposed to be!

God not only cares about you, but is creating a storehouse of treasures for you in the World to Come. About this, Dovid says in verse 20:

מָ֤ה רַֽב־טוּבְךָ֮ אֲשֶׁר־צָפַ֪נְתָּ לִּֽירֵ֫אֶ֥יךָ

How abundant is the good that You have in store for those who fear You.

The goodness that Hashem has hidden away for us refers to our eventual reward Although it can’t be seen now, we need to have deep Emunah that it is awaiting us.

May we merit understanding that we’re ultimately gaining from any physical or emotional distress from which we’re suffering. With this understanding, may our suffering be flipped into happiness.

Thank you for listening and have a wonderful day.