Tehilim Perek 55A

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 55. This is the first of two classes on the chapter

This perek corresponds to the events in Shmuel Beis, chapter 15. Check out the NachDaily archives for further info.

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The background is as follows;

When Dovid’s son, Avshalom, attempted to usurp the monarchy, his father was forced to leave Yerushalayim and flee for his life. Dovid quickly set up a group of covert spies, Tzaddok, Avyasar, Achimats, Yehonason, and Chushai Ha’arki, to infiltrate Avshalom’s inner circle.

Dovid learned that Achitophel, his closest confidant and adviser, had betrayed him, and was now Avshalom’s chief adviser. Dovid was devastated and wrote this chapter.

It is noteworthy to mention that in Shmuel Beis, where this story takes place, we see only a passuk or two about Dovid’s prayer, but here we have it in its entirety.

To summarize:

This is another chapter wherein Dovid is pleading with God to draw him close. Dovid bemoans the fact that Doeg and Achitophel are spreading slander about him. In his fear and anxiety, Dovid begs Hashem to listen to his prayers..

In verse 7, Dovid expresses his desire to rise above everything that is happening to him.

He asks God to put an end to the dissension in his kingdom. Dovid rues the fact that Achitophel defected to Avshalom in his rebellion.

Dovid praises God, asking Him to put bad advice in Achitophel’s mind, ultimately causing his former friend to be punished for treason.

In verse 17, Dovid again takes up his weapon of tefilah and emphatically states that he will be saved by his emunah. He reflects upon the ways that God has saved him in the past, and is confident that He will save him now.

In verse 21, Dovid continues to acknowledge the power of Achitophel’s advice. His words are slick as oil and penetrating as swords.

Dovid ends the chapter by assuring us that when we throw ourselves onto God, He won’t let us fall, in contrast to Achitophel, who will ultimately meet his demise due to his lack of faith.

Now for the highlight passuk; In verse 7 is says;

וָאֹמַ֗ר מִֽי־יִתֶּן־לִּ֣י אֵ֭בֶר כַּיּוֹנָ֗ה אָע֥וּפָה וְאֶשְׁכֹּֽנָה׃

I say, “that I only had the wings of a dove! I would fly away and find rest.”

What is the comparison between Dovid and a dove?

There’s a really beautiful Radak that explains, based on the Medrash, that all birds except for the dove stop on a rock or a tree to rest. This allows them to be caught because they are stationary. A dove, however, when in need of a break, merely folds down one of its wings while the other one remains flying. Thus the dove rarely gets caught.

Dovid was pleading to escape his enemies. He asked to feel rested and able to recharge his energies even when on the move.

Alternatively, I once saw an explanation by Rav Yaakov Meir Shechter onthe Mishna in Avos which says that a person needs to be “oz k’nemer and kal k’nesher, strong like a panther and as light as a bird.

Sometimes we need to act in a very strong way, like a panther, but at other times we need to rise above the situation like a bird, to fly higher and be on a completely different level of consciousness.

Dovid was saying, God let me rise above this situation; take me to a higher place.

May we merit learning how to fly like a dove above all our difficult situations in life, to have the confidence to rest while we’re feeling pressured.

Thank you for listening, and have a wonderful day.