You have made the earth tremble; You have broken it. Heal its breaches, for it is shaking. (Psalm 60:2) Rabbinical commentators recommend that, with these words, David is referring to much more than just events that occurred in his day. They believe that David was...

O God, You have cast us off; You have broken us down; You have been displeased. Oh, restore us again! (Psalm 60:1) The tradition connected to this psalm says that David's lament at the outset was in response to a military incursion launched by Hadadezer of Syria into...

To the Chief Musician. Set to “Lily of the Testimony.” A Michtam of David. For teaching. When he fought against Mesopotamia and Syria of Zobah, and Joab returned and killed twelve thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt. (Psalm 60) When is it appropriate to make war...

To the Chief Musician. Set to “Lily of the Testimony.” A Michtam of David. For teaching. When he fought against Mesopotamia and Syria of Zobah, and Joab returned and killed twelve thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt. (Psalm 60) As the opening says, this psalm was...

I will wait for You, O You his Strength; for God is my defense. My God of mercy shall come to meet me. (Psalm 59:9-10) Waiting on God -- it's not always very easy to do. For us, time is always staring at us in the face, prompting consternation which, in turn, can...

Awake to help me, and behold! You therefore, O Lord God of hosts, the God of Israel, awake to punish all the nations. (Psalm 59:5) There is an interesting midrash (commentary) connected to this verse that looks to the future. However, it begins with this thought: when...

Deliver me from my enemies, O my God; defend me from those who rise up against me. Deliver me from the workers of iniquity, and save me from bloodthirsty men. (Psalm 59:1) Throughout the Bible we see that when wicked men feel threatened by God's people, they begin to...

To the Chief Musician. Set to “Do Not Destroy.” A Michtam of David when Saul sent men, and they watched the house in order to kill him. (Psalm 59) This the third in the al tashchet “Do Not Destroy” trilogy and, as is indicated in the introduction, it was inspired by...

The righteous shall rejoice when he sees the vengeance; he shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked, so that men will say, “Surely there is a reward for the righteous; surely He is God who judges in the earth.” (Psalm 58:10-11) There is a belief revealed within...

The wicked are estranged from the womb; they go astray as soon as they are born, speaking lies. Their poison is like the poison of a serpent; they are like the deaf cobra that stops its ear, which will not heed the voice of charmers, charming ever so skillfully....

Do you indeed speak righteousness, you silent ones? Do you judge uprightly, you sons of men? (Psalm 58:1) On the second occasion when David was presented with the opportunity to slay Saul, instead of taking his life, he took his spear and a water jug that was sitting...

To the Chief Musician. Set to “Do Not Destroy.” A Michtam of David. (Psalm 58) This is the second of the al tashchet, “Do Not Destroy,” trilogy and is believed to be inspired by the events that occurred after David spared Saul in the cave. For a brief moment, the king...