1 I will love thee, O Lord, my strength.
2 The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.
3 I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies.
4 The sorrows of death compassed me, and the floods of ungodly men made me afraid.
5 The sorrows of hell compassed me about: the snares of death prevented me.
6 In my distress I called upon the Lord, and cried unto my God: he heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came before him, even into his ears.
7 Then the earth shook and trembled; the foundations also of the hills moved and were shaken, because he was wroth.
8 There went up a smoke out of his nostrils, and fire out of his mouth devoured: coals were kindled by it.
9 He bowed the heavens also, and came down: and darkness was under his feet.
10 And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly: yea, he did fly upon the wings of the wind.
11 He made darkness his secret place; his pavilion round about him were dark waters and thick clouds of the skies.
12 At the brightness that was before him his thick clouds passed, hail stones and coals of fire.
13 The Lord also thundered in the heavens, and the Highest gave his voice; hail stones and coals of fire.
14 Yea, he sent out his arrows, and scattered them; and he shot out lightnings, and discomfited them.
15 Then the channels of waters were seen, and the foundations of the world were discovered at thy rebuke, O Lord, at the blast of the breath of thy nostrils.
16 He sent from above, he took me, he drew me out of many waters.
17 He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from them which hated me: for they were too strong for me.
18 They prevented me in the day of my calamity: but the Lord was my stay.
19 He brought me forth also into a large place; he delivered me, because he delighted in me.
20 The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me.
21 For I have kept the ways of the Lord, and have not wickedly departed from my God.
22 For all his judgments were before me, and I did not put away his statutes from me.
23 I was also upright before him, and I kept myself from mine iniquity.
24 Therefore hath the Lord recompensed me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in his eyesight.
25 With the merciful thou wilt shew thyself merciful; with an upright man thou wilt shew thyself upright;
26 With the pure thou wilt shew thyself pure; and with the froward thou wilt shew thyself froward.
27 For thou wilt save the afflicted people; but wilt bring down high looks.
28 For thou wilt light my candle: the Lord my God will enlighten my darkness.
29 For by thee I have run through a troop; and by my God have I leaped over a wall.
30 As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the Lord is tried: he is a buckler to all those that trust in him.
31 For who is God save the Lord? or who is a rock save our God?
32 It is God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect.
33 He maketh my feet like hinds' feet, and setteth me upon my high places.
34 He teacheth my hands to war, so that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms.
35 Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and thy right hand hath holden me up, and thy gentleness hath made me great.
36 Thou hast enlarged my steps under me, that my feet did not slip.
37 I have pursued mine enemies, and overtaken them: neither did I turn again till they were consumed.
38 I have wounded them that they were not able to rise: they are fallen under my feet.
39 For thou hast girded me with strength unto the battle: thou hast subdued under me those that rose up against me.
40 Thou hast also given me the necks of mine enemies; that I might destroy them that hate me.
41 They cried, but there was none to save them: even unto the Lord, but he answered them not.
42 Then did I beat them small as the dust before the wind: I did cast them out as the dirt in the streets.
43 Thou hast delivered me from the strivings of the people; and thou hast made me the head of the heathen: a people whom I have not known shall serve me.
44 As soon as they hear of me, they shall obey me: the strangers shall submit themselves unto me.
45 The strangers shall fade away, and be afraid out of their close places.
46 The Lord liveth; and blessed be my rock; and let the God of my salvation be exalted.
47 It is God that avengeth me, and subdueth the people under me.
48 He delivereth me from mine enemies: yea, thou liftest me up above those that rise up against me: thou hast delivered me from the violent man.
49 Therefore will I give thanks unto thee, O Lord, among the heathen, and sing praises unto thy name.
50 Great deliverance giveth he to his king; and sheweth mercy to his anointed, to David, and to his seed for evermore.
<html><b>on the day the Lord saved him etc.</b> When he became old and all his troubles had already passed over him and he was saved from them. <b>and from the hand of Saul</b> Was not Saul included? But [he is mentioned specifically] because he was the harshest to him and pursued him more than all of them. Similarly, you say (in Josh. 2:1): “see the land and Jericho.”</html>
<html><b>I love You</b> Heb. ארחמך, I love You, as the Targum renders (Lev. 19:18): “and you shall love your neighbor,” ותרחם.</html>
<html><b>my rock</b> For You saved me at the Rock of the Divisions (I Sam. 23:28), when I was trapped between Saul and his men, to be caught, as it is stated (in I Sam. 23:26): “but Saul and his men were encircling to David and his men etc.” <b>and my fortress</b> Heb. ומצודתי, an expression of a fortress. <b>my rock</b> Heb. צורי, an expression of a rock. <b>I will take refuge</b> Abrier in French (to protect, cover; cf. Rashi to Isa. 30:2, Joel 4:16). <b>I will take refuge in Him</b> I will take shelter in His shade, as the matter is stated (in Job 24:8): “and without shelter (מחסה) they embrace the rocks,” because the rocks are a shelter and a shield for the travelers from the winds and from the downpour of rains.</html>
<html><b>With praise I call to the lord</b> With praises I call Him and pray before Him constantly, i.e., even before the salvation I praise Him, because I am confident that I will be saved from my enemies.</html>
<html><b>Bands of death have encompassed me</b> On many occasions wicked men have surrounded me. אפפוני is like סבבוני. Similarly (below 40:13), “For countless evils…have encompassed (אפפו) me.” <b>Bands of death</b> Heb. חבלי, camps of enemies, as (in I Sam. 10:5): “a band (חבל) of prophets.” But Jonathan renders: as a woman who sits on a birthstool, an expression of the pangs (חבלי) of a woman in confinement. <b>and streams of scoundrels</b> That too is an expression of troops that flood like a stream.</html>
<html><b>Bands of the nether world</b> Like “bands of death,” camps of wicked men, and I - what did I do?</html>
<html><b>When I am in distress, I call</b> I would always call upon the Lord.</html>
<html><b>The earth shook and quaked</b> This is not connected to the preceding verse, but its beginning is connected to its end; i.e., when He was angered, the earth shook and quaked. [The word] כי is used as an expression of “when.” When He was angered and came to wreak the vengeance of His people, His servants, on Pharaoh and his people, the earth shook and quaked.</html>
<html><b>Smoke went up in His nostrils</b> (En ses nariles in Old French, in his nostrils.) So is the custom of every anger, to cause smoke to ascend from his nostrils.</html>
<html><b>And He bent the heavens, and He came down</b> to pass through the land of Egypt. “He came down” is to be understood in its simple meaning. Another explanation is “i atonvit” in Old French, to flatten, as (in Exod. 39:3), and the radical is רדד.</html>
<html><b>He swooped</b> Heb. וידא, He flew, as (in Deut. 28:49), “as the eagle swoops (ידאה).”</html>
<html><b>the darkness of waters</b> that are in the thick clouds of the skies are the darkness that is about Him. Lest you say that within the darkness there is no light, Scripture tells us: From the brightness before Him, and from within His partition, His thick clouds that are about Him are split, and hail and coals of fire pass through them.</html>
<html><b>passed</b> Heb. עברו, trepasant in Old French, passed. The hail split and passes through onto the Egyptians at the Sea of Reeds.</html>
<html><b>And the depths of the water appeared</b> when the sea split. <b>the foundations of the world were laid bare</b> for all the waters in the world split. <b>by the blast</b> from the blowing.</html>
<html><b>He sent forth from on high</b> His angels to save Israel from the sea and from the Egyptians. <b>He drew me out</b> Heb. ימשני, an expression of drawing out, as (in Exod. 2:10), “I drew him out (משיתהו) of the water.”</html>
<html><b>They confronted me</b> My enemies would hasten and attack me early on the day of my calamity, but the Lord was, etc.</html>
<html><b>according to my righteousness</b> According to the righteousness of my following Him in the desert. <b>according to the cleanness</b> Heb. כבד, an expression of cleanness, as (below 24:4), “and pure of heart.” Another explanation: He sent forth from on high [and] He took me. [David] said this about himself, concerning the angel who came to the Rock of the Divisions (I Sam. 23:27) to turn Saul away from him, as it is stated: “And an angel came to Saul, etc.” <b>according to my righteousness</b> that I did not slay him when I sliced off the skirt of his coat. [Obviously, Rashi explains verses 8-17 as referring to Israel’s departure from Egypt. Only in verse 17 does he suggest the explanation that David refers to his own experiences.]</html>
<html><b>For all His ordinances were before me</b> I always placed them before my eyes.</html>
<html><b>With a kind one, You show Yourself kind</b> Because so are His ways, to pay a measure for a measure. Kind…sincere…pure, corresponding to the three patriarchs.</html>
<html><b>With a pure one</b> a faithful one. <b>but with a crooked one</b> alluding to Pharaoh.</html>
<html><b>For You light my lamp</b> when he fought at night with the Amalekite troop that attacked Ziklag, as it is stated (in I Sam. 30:17): “And David smote them from evening until evening to their morrow.”</html>
<html><b>For by You</b> By Your assurance. <b>and by my God I scale a wall</b> When he came to wage war against Jebus, and he said (in I Chron. 11:6): “Whoever smites the Jebusites, etc. shall be a leader and a prince.” Joab brought a green juniper tree, bent it over, suspended himself on it, and scaled the wall. Said David (in Ps. 141:5): “May a righteous man smite me with loving-kindness,” and the Holy one, blessed be He, lowered the wall, and he scaled it (Mid. Ps. 18:24).</html>
<html><b>refined</b> Pure. He promises and He does.</html>
<html><b>and He makes my way perfect</b> He removed all obstacles from my way until it became perfect and paved.</html>
<html><b>He makes my feet like hinds</b> The feet of the females stand straighter than those of the males.</html>
<html><b>so that a copper bow is bent by my arms</b> Heb. ונחתה, an expression of treading the bow, as (below 38:3): “Your arrows were driven (נחתו) into me.” Its radical [or its active voice] is נחת. When it is used in the passive voice, a dagesh comes and causes the “nun” to drop out. Hence נחתה is derived from ננחתה as (below 69:4): “My throat is dried (נחר),” derived from ננחר as (in Jer. 6:29): “The bellows is heated (נחר)”; נדף, rattling (in Lev. 26:36) is derived from ננדף ; “My eyes stream (נגרה)” (in Lam. 3:49), is like ננגרה ; “was given (נתנה)” (Gen. 38:14) is like ננתנה ; “they were smitten (נגף)” (II Sam. 10:15) is derived from ננגף. We cannot interpret it as being of the radical חתת, for then it would say נחתתה, as [it says] נעשתה, was done, from עשה ; נענתה, was answered, from ענה. Another explanation: and a copper bow is bent by my arms: חית is an expression of treading a bow, as (below 38:3): “Your arrows were driven (נחתו).” The “nun” is not of the radical but it is like נחלו “gave for inheritance” (in Jos. 14:1), and the copper bow was bent by my arms. Copper bows were hanging in David’s house. The kings of the nations would see them and say to each other, “Do you think that David has the strength to bend them? This is only to frighten us.” But he would hear [them] and bend the bows before them.</html>
<html><b>and You have treated me with great humility</b> You have dealt with me with great humility.</html>
<html><b>You have enlarged my step[s] beneath me</b> One who widens his steps does not fall easily. Similarly, Scripture states (in Prov. 4:12): “When you walk, your steps will not be hampered (יצר) .” <b>slipped</b> Heb. מעדו aluverjert in Old French, to slip. <b>my ankles</b> Heb. קרסלי. They are the feet from the ankle which is called keville (cheville) in Old Frenchand below [to the heel].</html>
<html><b>You have given me the back of their necks</b> They would turn the back of their necks to me and flee.</html>
<html><b>They pray</b> to their idols. <b>but no one saves them</b> Because it [their prayer] has no power, and they return and call upon the Lord, but He does not answer them.</html>
<html><b>Then I ground them</b> Heb. ואשחקם, an expression of crushing. <b>I did pour them</b> like loose mud, which is not thick, as (in Gen. 42:35): “when they emptied (מריקים) their sacks”; (in Jer. 48:11), “has not been poured (הורק) from one vessel to another vessel.”</html>
<html><b>You allowed me to escape from the contenders of the people</b> so that I should not be punished according to Jewish law, for perverting justice or for subjugating an Israelite more than is permitted. <b>You shall make me the head over nations</b> for whom there is no punishment.</html>
<html><b>As soon as they hear</b> Even in my absence, as long as they hear my message. <b>they shall obey me</b> They shall give heed to my bidding and obey my orders. <b>shall lie to me</b> out of fright.</html>
<html><b>shall wither</b> Heb. יבלו. They shall become weary, as (in Exod. 18:18): “you shall surely wither (נבל תבל),” which the Targum renders: you shall surely weary. Menachem (Machbereth p. 45) explains it as (in Gen. 18:12): “after I have become old (בלתי),” and he explained נבל תבל in the same manner. <b>and they shall fear</b> Heb. ויחרגו, an expression of fear; (in Deut. 32:25) “and terror from within,” the Targum renders: חרגת, fear of death. <b>their imprisonments</b> Because of the tortures of the imprisonments in the dungeon where I imprison them and where they torture them. Menachem (p. 94) interprets it as an expression of loosening the girdle, and so he explains it: and they will be loosened of their girdles [meaning they will be frightened or weakened]. Dunash interprets ויחגרו ממסגרותיהם, and they will be lamed from their shackles, which are placed on their feet. The meaning of ויחגרו is: they will become lame, as the Aramaic for a lame person is חגר.</html>
<html><b>The Lord lives</b> He Who does all this for me.</html>
<html><b>Who grants me vengeance</b> Who gives me strength to avenge myself upon my enemies. <b>and destroys</b> Heb. וידבר, and He slew, an expression of דבר, pestilence. Another explanation: as (in Exod. 3:1): “and he led (וינהג),” which is translated into Aramaic as וּדְבַר. Menachem (p. 61) too associated it in this manner. Likewise, he associated (below 47:4), “He leads (יַדְבֵּר) peoples under us.” <b>instead of me</b> Heb. תחתי, in my place and in my stead, as the matter is stated (in Isa. 43:4): “and I give men in your stead (תחתיך), (verse 3), “I have given Egypt as your ransom. [Cush and Seba in your stead (תחתיך)].”</html>