Rashi on the Prophets and Writings

al tashcheth He called the psalm by this name because he was close to dying and to being destroyed, and he begged for mercy in the matter. and they guarded the house when Michal told them that he was ill (I Sam. 19:14) and she allowed him to flee at night.

[they] lodge against me to enter my house, to guard me.

Without iniquity I did not sin against them. and prepare themselves Ready to kill.

arise to visit upon all the nations And judge these wicked men according to the statutes of the nations. Do not be gracious to them.

They return in the evening, etc... Behold, they spew forth with their mouth The interpretation of these two verses connects one to the other. They return in the evening What they did by day does not suffice them; in the evening they repeat their evil: guarding me that I do not escape and leave the city Now what did they do by day? Behold, all day they spew forth with their mouth, to spy on me to Saul.

swords in their lips and they think to themselves, “Who hears?”

But You, O Lord Who will scoff at all the nations, will mock these wicked men as well.

[Because of] his strength The strength and might of my enemy, who is stronger than I. I hope for You and I wait [for You] to rescue me from him.

will precede He will give me His help before the hand of my enemy overwhelms me. will allow me to see in those who watch me what I long to see.

Do not kill them because this is not recognizable [as] revenge. lest my people forget because all the dead are forgotten. Instead, deprive them of their possessions, so that they are impoverished. That is the revenge that will be long remembered.

The sin of their mouth is the word of their lips, and the poor who are pursued by them because of the curse and the lies that they tell, are seized through their haughtiness.

Destroy [them] with wrath Destroy them with Your wrath, O King Who judges, and let them know that You rule over Jacob.

And they will return in the evening This is attached to the preceding verse. The sin of their mouth they speak by day, and in the evening, they return to ambush those whom they slandered.

They will roam about to eat as the dogs do all night if they are not sated, so that they can lodge out of satiety, and sleep.

And I when I escape them, I will sing of Your power in the morning.

My strength! To You To You, Who are my strength and my stronghold, to You I will sing.