Frederic Leighton (British, 1830–1896), David: "Oh, that I had wings like a Dove! For then would I fly away, and be at rest." Psalm 55:6, 1865
https://www.clevelandart.org/art/1986.74. (Wikimedia)
1. Change of Selection
I had planned to discuss Psalm 72 and to explore the theme of the Ideal Ruler in Psalms. I have decided to discuss a psalm with a broader connection to the topic of 'meditations on God and humanity.'
Selections from Psalm 72 on the theme of the Ideal Ruler follow:
O God, endow the king with Your judgments,
the king’s son with Your righteousness; (2) that he may judge Your people rightly,
Your lowly ones, justly.
and all nations serve him.
(12) For he saves the needy who cry out,
the lowly who have no helper. (13) He cares about the poor and the needy;
He brings the needy deliverance. (14) He redeems them from fraud and lawlessness;
the shedding of their blood weighs heavily upon him.-a
(15) So let him live, and receive gold of Sheba;
let prayers for him be said always,
blessings on him invoked at all times.
2. Opening Question
How do we move forward from really bad decisions?
3. Biblical Background to Psalm 51
David, Bathsheba, Uriah the Hittite, Nathan the Prophet
(1) At the turn of the year, the season when kings go out [to battle], David sent Joab with his officers and all Israel with him, and they devastated Ammon and besieged Rabbah; David remained in Jerusalem. (2) Late one afternoon, David rose from his couch and strolled on the roof of the royal palace; and from the roof he saw a woman bathing. The woman was very beautiful, (3) and the king sent someone to make inquiries about the woman. He reported, “She is Bathsheba daughter of Eliam [and] wife of Uriah the Hittite.” (4) David sent messengers to fetch her; she came to him and he lay with her—she had just purified herself after her period—and she went back home.
(14) In the morning, David wrote a letter to Joab, which he sent with Uriah. (15) He wrote in the letter as follows: “Place Uriah in the front line where the fighting is fiercest; then fall back so that he may be killed.”
(1) and the LORD sent Nathan to David. He came to him and said, “There were two men in the same city, one rich and one poor. (2) The rich man had very large flocks and herds, (3) but the poor man had only one little ewe lamb that he had bought. He tended it and it grew up together with him and his children: it used to share his morsel of bread, drink from his cup, and nestle in his bosom; it was like a daughter to him. (4) One day, a traveler came to the rich man, but he was loath to take anything from his own flocks or herds to prepare a meal for the guest who had come to him; so he took the poor man’s lamb and prepared it for the man who had come to him.”
(יג) וַיֹּ֤אמֶר דָּוִד֙ אֶל־נָתָ֔ן חָטָ֖אתִי לַה' {ס} וַיֹּ֨אמֶר נָתָ֜ן אֶל־דָּוִ֗ד גַּם־ה' הֶעֱבִ֥יר חַטָּאתְךָ֖ לֹ֥א תָמֽוּת׃ (יד) אֶ֗פֶס כִּֽי־נִאֵ֤ץ נִאַ֙צְתָּ֙ אֶת־אֹיְבֵ֣י ה' בַּדָּבָ֖ר הַזֶּ֑ה גַּ֗ם הַבֵּ֛ן הַיִּלּ֥וֹד לְךָ֖ מ֥וֹת יָמֽוּת׃
(13) David said to Nathan, “I stand guilty before the LORD!” And Nathan replied to David, “The LORD has remitted / he`evir your sin; you shall not die. (14) However, since you have spurned the enemies of-a the LORD by this deed, even the child about to be born to you shall die.”
4. Have Mercy (Psalm 51:3)
In Latin: Miserere
Gregorio Allegri, Miserere mei Deus (Have Mercy Upon Me, O God - Psalm 51:3), 1630
One of several settings of Psalm 51
Found at https://www.929.org.il/lang/en/page/618/post/83908
5. Our Text - Psalm 51
(3) Have mercy upon me, O God,
as befits Your faithfulness;
in keeping with Your abundant compassion,
blot out / m.ch.h my transgressions. (4) Wash me thoroughly of my iniquity,
and purify me of my sin; (5) for I recognize my transgressions,
and am ever conscious of my sin. (6) Against You alone have I sinned,
and done what is evil in Your sight;
so You are just in Your sentence,
and right in Your judgment. (7) Indeed I was born with iniquity;
with sin my mother conceived me. (8) Indeed You desire truth about that which is hidden;
teach me wisdom about secret things.-b
(9) Purge me with hyssop till I am pure;
wash me till I am whiter than snow. (10) Let me hear tidings of joy and gladness;
let the bones You have crushed exult. (11) Hide Your face from my sins;
blot / m.ch.h out all my iniquities.
(יב) לֵ֣ב טָ֭הוֹר בְּרָא־לִ֣י אֱלֹקִ֑ים וְר֥וּחַ נָ֝כ֗וֹן חַדֵּ֥שׁ בְּקִרְבִּֽי׃ (יג) אַל־תַּשְׁלִיכֵ֥נִי מִלְּפָנֶ֑יךָ וְר֥וּחַ קׇ֝דְשְׁךָ֗ אַל־תִּקַּ֥ח מִמֶּֽנִּי׃ (יד) הָשִׁ֣יבָה לִּ֭י שְׂשׂ֣וֹן יִשְׁעֶ֑ךָ וְר֖וּחַ נְדִיבָ֣ה תִסְמְכֵֽנִי׃ (טו) אֲלַמְּדָ֣ה פֹשְׁעִ֣ים דְּרָכֶ֑יךָ וְ֝חַטָּאִ֗ים אֵלֶ֥יךָ יָשֽׁוּבוּ׃ (טז) הַצִּ֘ילֵ֤נִי מִדָּמִ֨ים ׀ אֱֽלֹקִ֗ים אֱלֹקֵ֥י תְּשׁוּעָתִ֑י תְּרַנֵּ֥ן לְ֝שׁוֹנִ֗י צִדְקָתֶֽךָ׃
(יז) אדושם [א-דוני] שְׂפָתַ֣י תִּפְתָּ֑ח וּ֝פִ֗י יַגִּ֥יד תְּהִלָּתֶֽךָ׃ (יח) כִּ֤י ׀ לֹא־תַחְפֹּ֣ץ זֶ֣בַח וְאֶתֵּ֑נָה ע֝וֹלָ֗ה לֹ֣א תִרְצֶֽה׃ (יט) זִ֥בְחֵ֣י אֱלֹקִים֮ ר֤וּחַ נִשְׁבָּ֫רָ֥ה לֵב־נִשְׁבָּ֥ר וְנִדְכֶּ֑ה אֱ֝לֹקִ֗ים לֹ֣א תִבְזֶֽה׃
(12) Fashion a pure heart for me, O God;
create in me a steadfast spirit. (13) Do not cast me out of Your presence,
or take Your holy spirit away from me. (14) Let me again rejoice in Your help;
let a vigorous spirit sustain me. (15) I will teach transgressors Your ways,
that sinners may return to You.
(16) Save me from bloodguilt,
O God, God, my deliverer,
that I may sing forth Your beneficence.
(17) O Lord, open my lips,
and let my mouth declare Your praise. (18) You do not want me to bring sacrifices;
You do not desire burnt offerings; (19) True sacrifice to God is a contrite spirit;
God, You will not despise
a contrite and crushed heart.
(20) May it please You to make Zion prosper;
rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. (21) Then You will want sacrifices offered in righteousness,
burnt and whole offerings;
then bulls will be offered on Your altar.
Where do we find Psalm 51 in the Siddur?
- Verse 17 - The Amidah
- Verse 13 - Selichot ("Shema Koleinu")
- Verse 20 - The Torah Service
(ב) אדושם שְׂפָתַי תִּפְתָּח וּפִי יַגִּיד תְּהִלָּתֶֽךָ:
(ג) בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה' אֱלֹקֵֽינוּ וֵאלֹקֵי אֲבוֹתֵֽינוּ אֱלֹקֵי אַבְרָהָם אֱלֹקֵי יִצְחָק וֵאלֹקֵי יַעֲקֹב הָאֵל הַגָּדוֹל הַגִּבּוֹר וְהַנּוֹרָא אֵל עֶלְיוֹן גּוֹמֵל חֲסָדִים טוֹבִים וְקוֹנֵה הַכֹּל וְזוֹכֵר חַסְדֵי אָבוֹת וּמֵבִיא גוֹאֵל לִבְנֵי בְנֵיהֶם לְמַֽעַן שְׁמוֹ בְּאַהֲבָה:
(2) My Master / Adonai, open my lips, and my mouth will declare Your praise. (Psalm 51:17)
(3) Blessed are You, Adonai, our God, and God of our fathers, God of Abraham, God of Isaac, and God of Jacob, the Almighty, the Great, the Powerful, the Awesome, most high Almighty, Who bestows beneficent kindness, Who possesses everything, Who remembers the piety of the Patriarchs, and Who brings a redeemer to their children’s children, for the sake of His Name, with love.
(לג) שְׁמַע קוֹלֵנוּ ה' אֱלֹקֵינוּ חוּס וְרַחֵם עָלֵינוּ וְקַבֵּל בְּרַחֲמִים וּבְרָצוֹן אֶת תְּפִלָּתֵנוּ: ...
אַל תַּשְׁלִיכֵנוּ מִלְּפָנֶיךָ וְרוּחַ קָדְשְׁךָ אַל תִּקַּח מִמֶּנּוּ: :...
(This passage, "Shema Koleinu," is recited during Selichot/Penitential prayers during the period leading up to Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur and on most Fast Days)
Listen to our voice, Lord our God. Spare us and have compassion on us, and in compassion and favor accept our prayer. (Lamentations 1)
...
Do not cast us away from You, and do not take Your holy spirit from us. (Compare Psalm 51:13)
(ב) אַב הָרַחֲמִים. הֵיטִיבָה בִרְצונְךָ אֶת צִיּון. תִּבְנֶה חומות יְרוּשָׁלָיִם: כִּי בְךָ לְבַד בָּטָחְנוּ. מֶלֶךְ אֵל רָם וְנִשּא אֲדון עולָמִים:
(2) Father of compassion, do well with Your will upon Zion. Build the walls of Jerusalem, (Psalm 51:20) for in You alone we have trusted, King, uplifted and exalted Divinity, master of infinitudes.
7 What becomes of one's Sins?
In Tanach and in Midrash
- It can be 'lifted up'
- It can be 'covered over' or 'atoned for' - covered over?
- It can be 'passed over'
- Punishment can be 'removed' from one thing to another
- It can be 'erased'
וַיֵּ֤רֶד ה' בֶּֽעָנָ֔ן וַיִּתְיַצֵּ֥ב עִמּ֖וֹ שָׁ֑ם וַיִּקְרָ֥א בְשֵׁ֖ם ה'׃
וַיַּעֲבֹ֨ר ה' ׀ עַל־פָּנָיו֮ וַיִּקְרָא֒ ה' ׀ ה' אֵ֥ל רַח֖וּם וְחַנּ֑וּן אֶ֥רֶךְ אַפַּ֖יִם וְרַב־חֶ֥סֶד וֶאֱמֶֽת׃ נֹצֵ֥ר חֶ֙סֶד֙ לָאֲלָפִ֔ים נֹשֵׂ֥א עָוֺ֛ן וָפֶ֖שַׁע וְחַטָּאָ֑ה וְנַקֵּה֙ לֹ֣א יְנַקֶּ֔ה פֹּקֵ֣ד ׀ עֲוֺ֣ן אָב֗וֹת עַל־בָּנִים֙ וְעַל־בְּנֵ֣י בָנִ֔ים עַל־שִׁלֵּשִׁ֖ים וְעַל־רִבֵּעִֽים׃
The LORD came down in a cloud; He stood with him there, and proclaimed the name LORD. The LORD passed before him and proclaimed:
“The LORD! the LORD!-a a God compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in kindness and faithfulness, extending kindness to the thousandth generation, forgiving iniquity/nosei' `avon, transgression, and sin; yet He does not remit all punishment, but visits the iniquity of parents upon children and children’s children, upon the third and fourth generations.”
(30) For on this day atonement shall be made/ yekhapper (as in "Yom Kippur") for you to purify you of all your sins; you shall be pure before ה'.
(יח) מִי־אֵ֣ל כָּמ֗וֹךָ נֹשֵׂ֤א עָוֺן֙ וְעֹבֵ֣ר עַל־פֶּ֔שַׁע לִשְׁאֵרִ֖ית נַחֲלָת֑וֹ לֹֽא־הֶחֱזִ֤יק לָעַד֙ אַפּ֔וֹ כִּֽי־חָפֵ֥ץ חֶ֖סֶד הֽוּא׃
(18) Who is a God like You,
Forgiving iniquity/ nosei' `avon
And remitting transgression / `oveir `al pesha`;
Who has not maintained His wrath forever
Against the remnant of His own people,
Because He loves graciousness!
(25) It is I, I who—for My own sake—
Wipe your transgressions away / mocheh fe-sha-`ehkha
And remember your sins no more.
[ז] טוב וישר י"י על כן יורה חטאים בדרך וג' (תהלים כה:ח).
שאלו לחכמה החוטא מהו עונשו, אמרה להם וחטאים תרדף רעה (משלי יג:כא).
שאלו לנבואה החוטא מהו עונשו, אמרה להם הנפש החוטאת היא תמות (יחזקאל יח:ד).
שאלו לתורה חוטא מה עונשו, אמרה להם יביא אשם ויתכפר לו.
שאלו להקב"ה החוטא מהו עונשו, א' להם יעשה תשובה ויתכפר לו, הדא היא דכת' טוב וישר י"י וגו' (תהלים כה:ח).
א"ר פינחס למה הוא טוב שהוא ישר, למה הוא ישר שהוא טוב. על כן יורה חטאים בדרך (שם), שהוא מורה לחטאים דרך שיעשו תשובה. לפיכך הושע מזהיר את ישראל ואו' להם שובה ישראל (הושע שם).
Pesikta d’Rav Kahana (“Sections of Rav Kahana”) is a volume of midrash arranged according to the Torah portions and haftarot read on holidays and special Shabbatot
From the fifth or sixth century in Israel.
"Good and upright is Ad-nai; therefore He shows sinners the way." (Ps. 25:8)
They asked Wisdom: What should the punishment for the sinner be? She replied: "Evil pursues sinners" (Prov. 13:21).
They asked Prophecy: What should the punishment for the sinner be? She replied: "The soul that sins shall die" (Ezekiel 18:4).
They asked Torah: What should the punishment for the sinner be? She replied: S/he shall bring a Guilt-Offering (Asham) and it will be atoned.
They asked the Holy One of Blessing: What should the punishment for the sinner be? God replied: Let the person do teshuvah and it will be atoned. That's why it's written: "Good and upright is Ad-nai etc."
Rabbi Pinchas said: Why is God good? Because God is upright. Why is God upright? Because God is good - "therefore God shows sinners the way", that God teaches to the sinners the way of doing teshuvah, and that's why Hosea warned Israel, and said: "Return, Israel [up to God, because you stumbled in your sin]" (Hosea 14:2)
8 Are human beings completely rotten?
with sin my mother conceived me.
(כא) וַיָּ֣רַח ה' אֶת־רֵ֣יחַ הַנִּיחֹ֒חַ֒ וַיֹּ֨אמֶר ה' אֶל־לִבּ֗וֹ לֹֽא־אֹ֠סִ֠ף לְקַלֵּ֨ל ע֤וֹד אֶת־הָֽאֲדָמָה֙ בַּעֲב֣וּר הָֽאָדָ֔ם כִּ֠י יֵ֣צֶר לֵ֧ב הָאָדָ֛ם רַ֖ע מִנְּעֻרָ֑יו וְלֹֽא־אֹסִ֥ף ע֛וֹד לְהַכּ֥וֹת אֶת־כׇּל־חַ֖י כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֥ר עָשִֽׂיתִי׃
(21) ה' smelled the pleasing odor, and ה' resolved: “Never again will I doom the earth because of humankind, since the devisings / yetzer of the human mind are evil from youth; nor will I ever again destroy every living being, as I have done.
(ד) וּמַה־יִּצְדַּ֣ק אֱנ֣וֹשׁ עִם־אֵ֑-ל וּמַה־יִּ֝זְכֶּ֗ה יְל֣וּד אִשָּֽׁה׃
How can one born of woman be cleared of guilt?
(ב) ומלת יחמתני – ... ויש אומרים: כי זה רמז לחוה שלא ילדה רק אחר שחטאה.
(1089-1167, Spain, France, England)
[with sin my mother] conceived me:
Some explain that this is an allusion to the fact that Eve only gave birth after she had sinned.
[DR: Note that rabbinic commentators differ on this point!]
הן בעון חוללתי.
ולדעתי פירוש כל ימי מיום הוולדי לא עשיתי רק רע מעת הבריאה והעיבור ואמר זה דרך הפלגה כענין ״וּפֹשֵׁ֥עַ מִבֶּ֖טֶן קֹ֥רָא לָֽךְ״ (ישעיה מח:ח)
The Meiri (Rabbi Menachem Meiri, Provence 1249-1315),
Commentary to Psalms, comment to 51:7
"I was born with iniquity:"
In my opinion, this means, 'all my days, from the day of my birth, I have done only evil, from the time of my creation and gestation.' He was exaggerating in the same manner as the verse, "you were called a rebel from birth" (Isaiah 48:8).
9a The Opening (Verses 1-2)
Richard J. Clifford, The New Oxford Annotated Bible, Commentary to Psalm 51
Superscription [in Hebrew bibles, verses 1-2]: Attributed to David after the prophet Nathan rebuked him for adultery and murder (2 Samuel 12), a reminder that all humans, even the most revered, must ask God for forgiveness. Like other psalm superscriptions, this is likely secondary: the psalm itself never refers explicitly to David's actions.
9b The Closing (Verses 20 and 21)
May it please You [to make Zion prosper]:
One of the Spanish scholars stated that these two verses (20 and 21) were added by one of the pious in Babylon, who would prostrate himself before God and recite this psalm in prayer.
[The scholar] was forced to this interpretation because it only became known that Zion was the Chosen Place during David's old age. [DR: In other words, David could not have declared these verses in the aftermath of the Bathsheba episode.]
It is correct to say that these verses were said with divine inspiration (Ruach HaKodesh).
[10 Seeking a transformation]
(9) Purge me with hyssop till I am pure;
wash me till I am whiter than snow.
(18) “Come, let us reach an understanding,-e
—says the LORD.
Be your sins like crimson,
They can turn snow-white;
Be they red as dyed wool,
They can become like fleece.”
(12) Fashion a pure heart for me, O God;
create in me a steadfast spirit.
(26) And I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit into you: I will remove the heart of stone from your body and give you a heart of flesh;
11. The Offering of One's Soul - In My Heart I shall build a Tabernacle
and let my mouth declare Your praise.
(19) True sacrifice to God is a contrite spirit;
God, You will not despise
a contrite and crushed heart.
Adele Berlin & Marc Zvi Brettler, Jewish Study Bible, Commentary to Psalms 51:17-19
Prayer is more effective than sacrifices; this stands in stark contrast to the Priestly tradition, which emphasizes the efficacy of sacrifices, largely ignoring prayer...
The content of v. 17 has made it appropriate for the introduction to the standard statutory prayer (the "`Amidah").
Yonina, "Bilvavi"
www.yoninamusic.com
לרעיון זה של בנין המשכן בלב האדם מוקדש השיר "בלבבי משכן אבנה" אותו ערך הרב יצחק הוטנר זצ"ל בעל "פחד יצחק", ואלו מלות השיר:
"בלבבי משכן אבנה להדר כבודו, ובמשכן מזבח אשים לקרני הודו. ולנר תמיד אקח לי את אש העקדה, ולקרבן אקריב לו את נפשי - את נפשי היחידה".
מקורו של השיר ב"ספר חרדים" של רבי אליעזר אזכרי, המקובל והפייטן שחי בצפת לפני קרוב לחמש מאות שנה. שם בפרק ז ישנו שיר הנקרא "שיר ידידות" המסודר על סדר "אלפא ביתא", ובאותיות ב' ו־ה' נאמר שם: "בתוך לבבי משכן אבנה לזיוו, קרבן אקריב לו - נפשי היחידה. החלב והדם שלי אקריבה - על מזבחו ועבוד עבודה". (ראה "מעט מן האור" של הרב חנן פורת, ספר שמות עמ' 299)
In this commentary, Asher Wassertheil, (Jerusalem, late 20th c.) refers to a poem by Rabbbi Yitzchak Hutner (1906-1980, Poland and U.S.)
The late revered Rabbi Yitzchak Hutner...composed a poem about building a tabernacle in the human heart. This is the text of the poem:
"In my heart I will build a tabernacle / for the glory of His presence.
In that tabernacle I shall place an altar / for His radiant splendor.
For an eternal light I will take / the fire of the Binding [of Isaac].
As an offering I will present my soul, my only soul.
The inspiration for this poem is an alphabetical love song (shir yedidut) in the Book of the Trembling Ones (Sefer Haredim) of Rabbi Elazar Azikri (Safed, 1533-1600)...