Tehilim Perek 69

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 69.

Dovid wrote this chapter about both the national and individual sufferings of the Jewish nation throughout our exile. Although written in the first person, it refers to Am Yisrael.

It opens with the words, For the conductor of Shoshanim. Shoshanim has a double meaning. It is the name of a musical instrument, but also means a rosebush. This alludes to the fact that Am Yisrael has been pricked by the thorns of anti-Semitic actions throughout all of the countries in which we’ve found ourselves.

Dovid describes being engulfed by waters trying to overtake Am Yisrael. His throat is worn out from calling out to God. He describes his enemies as “numerous as the hairs on my head,” and prays for the nation not to be discouraged and not to lose hope in God’s kindness.

Dovid emphasizes our degradation by the nations of the world. Am Yisrael is in a constant state of anxiety and worry because of the ridicule we’ve experienced. Hostile nations have tried to exacerbate the pain inflicted upon us.

He begs Hashem to answer his prayers, to draw his soul close to Him, and for God to reveal his loving-kindness to save Am Yisrael. Dovid explains time and time again that he feels as if his hopes have been crushed because of the constant disappointment.

Dovid then asks God for the downfall of those nations that are hostile to the Jewish people, beseeching God to pour His wrath and fury upon them. Those who disgrace the Jews are ultimately disgracing God, as every moment that Am Yisrael is in exile is considered a chillul Hashem, lowering of God’s name.

Dovid ends the psalm with a prayer for redemption, for God to save the cities in Judah and for Am Yisrael to rebuild the ruins of old. He asks for the Jewish nation to retake possession of Eretz Yisrael and repopulate it, and for those who love God to live there.

It is amazing that with Hashem’s help we have begun to merit these times. The Jewish nation has begun to rebuild and repopulate Eretz Yisrael, something for which Dovid clearly davened. Hashem in His great kindness has shown compassion to His nation by placing Eretz Yisrael back in the hands of the Jews, allowing us to be a sovereign nation, and with His help protecting ourselves from the hostile nations who constantly plan on wiping us out.

Interestingly, we also see the great vision of Dovid Hamelech, who thousands of years ago prayed for Am Yisrael for all time, including our generation, when we can see his prayers being partially fulfilled. It is the role of true Tzaddikim to pray on behalf of the Jewish nation with a vision beyond their own times.

May we soon merit the full redemption, when God will fully remove His disgrace and the shame of His people with the revelation of Mashiach Ben Dovid.

Thank you for listening and have a wonderful day.