1 Hear my voice, O God, in my prayer: preserve my life from fear of the enemy.
2 Hide me from the secret counsel of the wicked; from the insurrection of the workers of iniquity:
3 Who whet their tongue like a sword, and bend their bows to shoot their arrows, even bitter words:
4 That they may shoot in secret at the perfect: suddenly do they shoot at him, and fear not.
5 They encourage themselves in an evil matter: they commune of laying snares privily; they say, Who shall see them?
6 They search out iniquities; they accomplish a diligent search: both the inward thought of every one of them, and the heart, is deep.
7 But God shall shoot at them with an arrow; suddenly shall they be wounded.
8 So they shall make their own tongue to fall upon themselves: all that see them shall flee away.
9 And all men shall fear, and shall declare the work of God; for they shall wisely consider of his doing.
10 The righteous shall be glad in the Lord, and shall trust in him; and all the upright in heart shall glory.
<html><b>Hear, O God, my voice in my prayer</b> The authors of Aggadoth Tehllim (Mid. Ps.) interpreted this psalm as referring to Daniel, who was cast into the lions’ den. The language of the psalm fits the Aggadah very well. David foresaw with the holy spirit all that would happen to him [Daniel], and prayed for him, because Daniel was his descendant. As was said to Hezekiah (Isa. 39:7): “And they shall take [some] of your sons, etc., whom you shall beget, and they shall be officers in the palace of the king of Babylon.” These are Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. <b>from fear of the enemy</b> These are the satraps, who plotted against him, as it is stated (Dan. 6:5): “Then the viziers and the satraps sought to find a pretext against Daniel.”</html>
<html><b>from the gathering of workers of iniquity</b> For they gather seeking against him a pretext of death, as it is written (Dan. 6:7): “…assembled about the king, etc.”</html>
<html><b>who aimed…their arrow</b> That is their slander.</html>
<html><b>To shoot at the innocent in secret places</b> They will shoot him with their arrows.</html>
<html><b>they tell to hide snares</b> They speak cunningly to the king secret words, for even the king did not know why they were doing this. But they intended to hide snares to entrap Daniel, for they said to Darius, “All the viziers of the kingdom, etc., have conferred to establish the king’s law, etc.” [stating] that no one should offer up prayer to any god except you until thirty days [have passed].</html>
<html><b>They seek pretexts</b> Heb. עולות. They seek pretexts (עלילות), as it is stated (Dan. 6:5): “sought to find a pretext against Daniel.” <b>they hid</b> Heb. טמנו. They hid their thoughts in their heart and did not reveal the search for a pretext, which was searched out through them, and the midst of their thoughts and the depth of their heart. <b>hidden within man</b> Each man of them. Each one concealed his thought.</html>
<html><b>And God cast them down</b> He cast them into the lions’ den, as it is written (Dan. 6:25): “And the king commanded, and they brought these men who had slandered Daniel, and they cast them into the lions’ den, etc.”</html>
<html><b>That which they hoped would make him stumble, their tongue brought upon them</b> The stumbling they planned to inflict on him, their tongue turned over upon them. <b>will shake their heads</b> Heb. יתנודדו, will shake their head; all who see them should nod their head and laugh about them.</html>
<html><b>The righteous will rejoice</b> This is Daniel. <b>and all upright of heart will boast</b> They will boast about the uprightness of their heart, and they will praise themselves because they are confident that the Holy One, blessed be He, will help them.</html>