Ibn Ezra on Psalms

"Praise be to God"- [These are] the words of the poet to Israel, and afterwards he says it to himself.

"I shall praise, I shall sing"- with the tongue, for once a man dies, he is no more, and this [psalm] is the hymn and song for rebuking human beings.

"Do not" - There are those who say [that the psalmist is speaking] about a human being [in the sense that he is one] who does not have a true salvation [by which] to save you. What seems right in my eyes is [that the psalmist is speaking] about a human being [in the sense that] he is unable to save himself.

"[His spirit] shall leave]" - That [spirit] which dwells in his heart. "He shall return to his earth" - For the bones are, in their structure, of earth, and they are the foundations of the body. The meaning of the word "עשתונותיו" is "his thoughts", like [it says in Yonah 1:6]: "Perhaps God will think (יתעשת) [of us and we will not be lost]." [this being] like saying "God will think, will think of me."

"Fortunate" - The meaning is that [fortunate is one] that leans on none but God, and does not request help from man. And the meaning of "...the God of Ya'akov as his aid" is [based on that which] he(Ya'akov) said [in Bereshit 28:21]: "and Hashem will be as God for me," as I explained [that verse] in its place.

"He who makes" - the meaning is that God can do all He desires, for He is the Maker of Heaven and Earth, the Seas and All that is in Them. "Heavens" - these are the angels, and the great host are the attendants [of God], and on the earth [there are] the birds, animals, and humans, and in the sea [there are] great creatures. "He who keeps truth for all time" - These are the categories of all species that are on the earth and in the sea, only [that] in the heavens all those in them in their specificity are kept for all eternity [without God keeping them], therefore you(flying creatures) do not fear man that he might oppress you, and he slaughters for you your apportioned sustenance (i.e. man kills and buzzards feed on the carcasses), and he will release your bonds.

"God" - See here that the meaning is [that] it is not appropriate that a man lean on another man and if a man is to be strengthened from him, [it should be that] he leans on him in his prayer to God(i.e. the man is a conduit for salvation which is requested in prayer to God), and so too if he is hungry or he is imprisoned [he will be saved], and so too if he gets an affliction of the eyes, or he was continually forced to stay in bed [because of sickness], he should not lean on a doctor. And the meaning of "God loves the righteous" is that he will guard them and they will not be oppressed or hungry or bound or blind or coerced.

"God guards converts" - Who have no aid as they are from another nation. And the word "יעודד" - I have explained it [already]. And the meaning of "He will twist" is that he will switch causes. He will prepare outcomes to twist their way, that their request not be fulfilled and their desires will not be.

"May he reign" - If God is so, he is fitting to be king and only for Him is the indulgence of kingship, and the poet concludes as he began [with הללויה].