Radak (David Kimhi) on Psalms

“Happy the man! – The word אשׁרי is always used in the plural, the reason being that man is not pronounced “happy” for one good which is found in him, or for one piece of good fortune which befalls him, but for many good things which are found in him men say of him אשׁריו, “Happy is he!” And David includes in this Psalm the law of man and (a description of) what it is proper for him to do in this world, with a reference also to the good reward there is for the righteous and the punishment for the wicked. It is an exceedingly important Psalm, and therefore he opens his book with it and says: Who doth not walk in the counsel of the wicked: – He first recounts the evil way, as he also says likewise elsewhere (Ps. 34:15): “Depart from evil and do good,” because man first learns, from his youth up, the way of the desires of this world, to eat and to drink and to be merry, and in them grows up, as it says (Gen. 8:21): “for the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth.” So and (then) when man arrives at years of discretion and begins to distinguish good and evil, he warns him to depart from the way of the wicked and not to follow their advice. Now the wicked are those who are feverishly anxious to amass wealth and the desires of whose heart are in this world, who do not distinguish between right and wrong, but for money's sake steal and plunder and murder because of the exceeding restlessness of their heart. For the root meaning of רשׁע (wickedness) is “restlessness,” as “When He giveth quietness who then can disturb?” (ירשׁיע disquiet) (Job 34:29); “and whithersoever he turned himself he vexed (ירשׁיע disquieted) them” (I Sam. 14:47); “neither shall violence (רשׁע) deliver its masters” (Koheleth 8:8); “Be not overmuch engaged (תרשע) in worldly matters” (ibid. 7:17). It is on this account that he conjoins walk with wicked; and with these he joins counsel, for they counsel the children of men to listen to them and they shew them specious counsel (to the effect) that it is a fine thing to gather riches and to be merry. And man is largely deceived in this, for the good which is visible to his eyes appears best to him and he does not look to its end. And he (the Psalmist) Says: Nor stand in the way of sinners: – for man commits sin while he is in his place at rest, in deed and in word and in thought. And the interpretation of and in the way is not the way of walking, but the habit and occupation of the man and his work, as “and shalt shew them the way wherein they must walk” (Exod. 18:20); and “Yet shall the righteous hold on his way” (Job 17:9); “not doing thine own ways” (Isa. 58:13); “I declared my ways” (Ps. 119:26), and passages like these. So the interpretation of nor stand (is): he does not linger with, nor does he devote himself to them, neither does he remain in their company, lest he should learn of their works. Nor sit in the seat of the scornful: – The scornful are those who are crafty in the knowledge of evil, who boast, and speak evil of the children of men, and slander and blame them, and who reveal secrets one to another. And this expression refers to “idlers who sit at the street-corners,” and for this reason he says: nor sit in the seat of the scornful. Notice that in these three are comprised all man's position, either he walks or stands or sits. And lying down is included in sitting; and further (such) lying-down is chiefly to sleep, and while a man is asleep he does neither good nor ill. When he says, Happy the man! etc., behold, it is as if he warns him against doing according to their works, for he declares the man happy who withdraws from their way and separates himself from their works. And the interpretation our teachers of blessed memory have placed upon it is (represented) by what they have said (Babli, Abodah Zarah 18b): “Inasmuch as he has not walked how has he stood? And inasmuch as he has not stood how has he sat? And inasmuch as he has not sat how has he scorned? it is simply to tell you that if he has walked he will finally stand, and if he has stood he will finally sit, and if he has sat he will finally scorn, and if he has scorned, of him the Scripture says (Prov. 9:12): ‘And if thou scornest thou alone shalt bear it.’””

“But his delight is in the law of the Lord: – He says: if he has departed from the evil way and yet has not done good, behold, he has not performed his work completely and it is not said of him, “Happy is he!” And so it says: “Depart from evil and do good” (Ps. 34:15). And although our teachers of blessed memory have said (Midrash, Shoher Tob, adloc.), “If a man sits and has not committed sin, he is rewarded as one who performs a mitzvah,” they have also interpreted (ibid.) [Depart from evil and do good] applying it to the case of him to whom transgression has come and who has been delivered from it, as it is said “Depart from evil and do good,” i.e. Depart from evil for the sake of doing good. And so it says (Ps. 119:3), “Yea, they do no unrighteousness; they walk in His ways.” And they hold that he who has conquered his inclination in regard to an action is as one who has performed a mitzvah, when the temptation has befallen him, and so it is as is said, “Yea, they do no unrighteousness,” etc.; although they have done no unrighteousness, still it is necessary that they should walk in His ways and do a good work. And so he says, Happy is the man that walketh not. But what does he do? His delight is in the law of the Lord. And included in delight is both learning and doing, as (in the text) “from doing thy delight” (Is. 58:13); and doing apart from learning is not sufficient. And in His law: – He repeats in His law as “Noah, Noah” three times in one verse (Gen. 6:9) and “Israel” five times in one verse (Num. 8:19) and other instances besides, for such is the usage of the Hebrew language. And they say (i.e. the Grammarians and Commentators, in innumerable places) that it is by way of elegance (in diction). And our teachers of blessed memory comment (Babli, Abodah Zarah 19a): first it is called “the law of the Lord,” and lastly, when one is firmly established in it by study, it is made “His law” and is called by His name. The interpretation of doth he meditate – (is) “in his heart,” as, “the meditation of my heart in Thy sight” (Ps. 19:15); for he has already spoken of learning and doing, and now he speaks of the intention and purpose of the heart, that day and night his purpose should be (fixed) upon the Law and the Commandments. And therefore an injunction is given concerning them in every action which he shall perform, as they say (Aboth, chap. i. para. 3), “And let all thy actions be to the name (for the sake) of Heaven.” And (as a matter of fact) in His law doth he meditate day and night because he occupies himself in study. In the Haggadic interpretation (Midrash, Shoher Tob, ad loc.) they say: “And how is it possible to meditate day and night? His work and his trade – how and when should he accomplish these? (Answer) But everyone who fulfils the commandment of the phylacteries, the Scripture gives him credit as if he had studied day and night.” And some say (ibid.): “Everyone who recites the Shema morning and night.” But we say, following the literal sense, if we explain doth meditate of learning by rote, then the interpretation of day and night – will be: every time that he shall be free from his business occupations, whether of the day or the night.”

“And he shall be like a tree: – He compares the good man to a tree planted over the streams of water: and says that the man who departs from evil and does good, lo! he is as a tree planted upon streams of water which is continually satisfied; so he rejoices continually in his portion whether he have little to eat or much. And the interpretation of streams of water (is) that there is a stream of water on this side and a stream of water on that side, and they will be passing under it and it will be always over them. That bringeth forth its fruit in its season: – for the tree that is in a thirsty spot and that longs for rain does not bring forth its fruit in its season so long as the necessary rain does not descend, but is late and backward in putting forth its fruit because of its parched condition; but the tree that is planted upon the streams of water brings forth its fruit in its season. His leaf also shall not wither: – for the leaf withers from dryness, but in the case of this (that is planted) over the streams of water – its leaf does not wither. And (the phrase) in its season, which he has mentioned already, is to be supplied here, as if he said: its leaf shall not wither in its season; and this is the hot season when the children of men need its shade. Notice that the children of men who are crossing backwards and forwards find in it (a source of) refreshment, and rest beneath it for the shade of its leaves, and drink from the water under it, and eat of its fruit, for in the rainy season the leaves fall from most of the trees. Or it may be (taken) hyperbolically; for even in the rainy season its leaf does not fall, as is the case with some trees, from the nature of the large amount of sap in them. And as it says, “its leaf shall not wither nor fail” (Ezek. 47:12); it says also, “And the fruit thereof shall be for meat, and the leaf thereof for healing” (ibid.), so from the good man the children of men get his fruit and his instruction, and it is from him they learn his Law (religion) and his good works. Whose leaf also shall not wither, for they will take refuge in the shadow of his good ways. Our teachers have expounded (Babli, Abodah Zarah 19b) bringeth forth in its season (as meaning) that he teaches when he has attained the right to teach and not before his time; but when he has attained his time he does not hold back from the office. And the interpretation of in its season (is) in the time for learning, learning, and in the time for work, work. And further our teachers of blessed memory have interpreted (ibid. with a slight change) whose leaf also shall not wither (as meaning) that even the conversation of the wise must be studied, as though to say that even from their ordinary conversation a man can learn instruction (in the affairs of) the world and (proper) human conduct (in intercourse) one with another. And whatsoever he produceth shall propser: – If a cutting is taken from this tree it flourishes and become like it; so also in the case of the good man, his children and his descendants shall be like him. And our teachers (ibid.) have interpreted thus: and whatsoever he produceth (doeth) shall propser – if he “busies himself with Torah (study) his worldly affairs shall prosper.” It is possible also to interpret this verse by way of blessing and peace and good reward; for if he departs from the evil way and does good his recompense will be that he shall be like a tree planted upon the streams of water. The learned Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra of blessed memory has interpreted (thus): his fruit is the wise soul which shall be full of Torah and divine wisdom, so as to recognise her Creator and His works which abide forever; and will cleave to the world above on her separation from the body, like the fruit which when it ripens on the tree separates itself from and has no further need of it; for the tree exists for the sake of the fruit. Whose leaf also shall not wither – i.e. his good memorial, in accordance with (the text) “the memory of the just is blessed” (Prov. 10:7). And whatsoever he getteth shall prosper – i.e. wealth, children, and honour.”

“Not so the wicked! But they are like the chaff which the wind driveth away. – He says that the wicked, and in these the sinners and the scornful are included, are not so, for the children of men are not profited by them and by their good (fortune), but they (only) do them harm. Their impulse also for evil is like the chaff – that is, the light stubble in the straw, which is no use to the sons of men, which the wind driveth away very quickly, and which does harm in its movement, for it strikes passers – by in the face and eyes; or the wind driveth it into houses or gardens, and it does harm (there). And according to the latter interpretation which we have adopted of the previous verse – of requital and good reward – the interpretation of this verse will be, that the wicked will perish very quickly like the chaff which the wind driveth away.”

“Therefore wicked men shall not rise up: – Therefore, since the wicked walk in an evil way in this world, they shall not rise up in the Judgment: He means to say, in the Day of Judgment, and that is the day of death, they shall have no rising again. Nor sinners – likewise; and it is the judgment on the scornful – they shall have no rising again. in the congregation of righteous men: for the righteous, when they die shall have a rising again; but as for the wicked, for them there is none, but their soul shall perish with their body in the day of death. And he says in the congregation, for when the righteous dies his soul is with the souls of the righteous rejoicing in the glory of the Most High.”

“For the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous: – This verse is an explanation of the preceding; for he says in the congregation of righteous men without explaining in what sense the congregation of the righteous after death is (to be understood); therefore he interprets and says that (the Lord) knoweth; and the meaning of knoweth is “looks upon and considers with a view to doing them good.” And so (in the passage) “What is man that Thou takest knowledge of him?” (Ps. 144:3); “Whom the Lord knew” (Deut. 34:10); “for I know his sorrows” (Exod. 3:7); “Thou hast known my soul in adversities” (Ps. 31:8); “I did know thee” (Hos. 13:5). In this way too (we understand) “there is no man that will recognise me” (Ps. 142:5); “blessed be he that did recognise thee” (Ruth. 2:19). He says that God who is exalted gathers the souls of the righteous to Himself, and knows them, and recognises them to do them good and satisfy them with His goodness and knowledge and care; for this is the greatest good and the best recompense, as it is said: “and the soul of my Lord shall be bound in the bundle of life with the soul of the Lord thy God” (1 Sam, 25:29) But the way of the wicked shall perish: – for at their death they have no raising again, as he has said they shall not rise up; but their souls shall perish and go to perdition, as it is said (ibid.): “and the souls of thine enemies, them shall he sling out, as from the hollow of a sling.””

“Why do the nations rage: – The Psalm is the second; and so we find it in all the more accurate books, that (these words) are the beginning of a Psalm. And in enumeration they inscribe it as the second. But some of our teachers have said (Babli, Berakhoth 9b) that Happy is and why do the nations rage form a single Psalm. And they have said (ibid. 10a) “Every section which was (specially) dear to David, he opened and closed with ‘Happy is (are).’ And this section he opened with ‘Happy is the man,’ and closed with ‘Happy are all they that put their trust in Him.’” The reason why this Psalm follows immediately the other is not known to us; nor why he arranged them in the order in which they are connected, for they are not arranged in historical order. For instance, the third Psalm is concerned with the affair of Absalom, and after it occur many Psalms whose subject-matter is earlier by a considerable period than the incident of Absalom. Notice also, at the end of the book, Psalm cxlii., “When he was in the cave; a Prayer,” (has reference to events) in the days of Saul. Therefore we cannot explain the arrangement of the Psalms according to the historical order.David composed and recited this Psalm in the opening of his reign, when the nations were gathered against him, as it is said (2 Sam. 5:17) “and when the Philistines heard that they had anointed David king over Israel all the Philistines went up to seek David.” And this is his meaning in saying Why do they tumultuously assemble (רגשׁו)? because all the Philistines had come up. And רגשה has the sense of gathering and great multitude, as (Ps. 64:3), “from the throng (רגשתי) of the workers of iniquity;” and the Targum of the passage (Ez. 30:10) “I will also make the multitude (המון) of Egypt cease,” is, “and I will make of no avail the raging (איהרגושת) of Egypt.” And the peoples imagine a vain thing? – for when they came to make war they were saying proud things, because they had conquered Israel in the wars of Saul, and Saul and his sons were dead, and the people had been severely smitten. And from Saul's death until now there had not been another king for Israel. And he says, a vain thing is (the sum of) all their words.”

“The kings of the land take their stand: – for all the satraps of the Philistines had taken their stand with one consent and in agreement to come to fight with David. And he calls them “kings” and “rulers,” although we have not seen any other passage where he describes them otherwise than as “satraps” of the Philistines, who in their pride were imagining themselves kings, though they were not so. Possibly also there were assembled with them other kings from the nations. And rulers take counsel (יַוסדו) together: – They had all consulted together as one. Counsel also is expressed in the word יסוד (foundation), for counsel is to actual performance as the foundation to a building. Against the Lord and against His anointed: – for they knew that David was king by the appointment of the Lord, and Samuel the prophet of the Lord had anointed him king.”

“Let us break their bands asunder: – They were saying: “Let us break the bands of Israel and their league (lit. binding) in which they have bound themselves and agreed to make David king.” For there had elapsed seven years in which Israel as a whole had not agreed about him to make him king, and now when they had all agreed about him the Philistines said “let us break their bands asunder.” And cast away their cords from us: – He repeats himself in different words, while the meaning is the same for such is the idiom of the language. And the “bands” and “cords” denote the strongest ropes, and are a figure for counsel and firm agreement.”

“He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh; The Lord shall have them in derision. – As he has said that they have taken counsel together against the Lord, to nullify His word, (so now) he says that He sits in heaven, and hears their words, and laughs at and derides them. And when he says of God – Blessed be He! – He shall laugh at and deride (them), it is metaphorical, an accommodation to human language; for a man laughs at and mocks one whom he despises and esteems as nothing at all. And so: “And Thou, Lord, shalt laugh at them, Thou shalt mock at all the nations” (Ps. 59:9); “The Lord shall laugh at him, for He sees that his day is coming” (Ps. 37:13). And when he says: He that sitteth in the heavens, the meaning of “sitting” is abiding (enduring), as “and Thou, Lord, remainest (lit. sittest) for ever” (Ps. 102:13). And so every expression of sitting, when it is used of God – Blessed be He! – as, “O Thou that sittest in the Heavens” (Ps. 123:1); “That hath His seat on high” (Ps. 113:5). And when he says in the heavens, it is because they are stable and endure for ever, and their individualities do not come to an end like those of the earth.”

“Then shall He speak unto them in His wrath: – Then, when He shall hear their words and their pride, He shall speak unto them in His wrath. And vex them in His sore displeasure: – And His words with them are His anger and sore displeasure which He shall hurl at them. Some interpret ידבר (speak) in the sense of דבֶר (plague) [in the passage] “a plague (דבר) grievously heavy” (Exod. 9:3). And so (also) “and she destroyed (ותדבר) all the seed royal” (2 Chron. 22:10); and they interpret אלימו (to them) as in the verse “the אילי (chief men) of the land” (2 Kings 24:15), of which the meaning is the powerful ones of the land. But the former is nearer (to the right meaning).”

“Yet I have set My king: – He says: They, forsooth, are purposing to root out the kingdom from the house of David, though I have made him king and set him up! And the word נסכתי connotes chieftainship and greatness, as (in the verse) “the princes (נסיכי) of Sihon” (Josh. 13:21); and also “their gods with their princes” (נסכיהס) (Dan. 11:8). My king – he means to say, The king that is Mine in that I have made him king; just as it is said (1 Sam. 16:1) “For I have provided among his sons a king for Myself.” He means by for Myself, for My worship, and so he says My king. And conversely it is said (Ps. 74:12): “And God is my King from of old,” where the meaning is, who rules over me. Thus is the usage of the pronominal suffixes. And so (in the verse) “Remove Thy stroke from me” (Ps. 39:11); “Aloof from My plague do they stand” (Ps. 38:12); “and I will make them joyful in My house of prayer” (Is. 56:7); “I have heard thy prayer” (1 Kings 9:3; 2 Kings 20:5; Is. 38:5; 2 Chron. 7:12), and other similar (examples), as we have explained in the book Miklol in the grammatical section of it. And he says: Upon My holy hill of Sion: – Because the stronghold of Sion was not conquered until David came to subdue it, therefore Sion with Jerusalem is called the City of David. And after he had subdued it the Philistines gathered together to fight against him.”

“Let me declare it for a decree: – This is the utterance of David, who says, I will make this declaration a decree and rule. And what is the declaration? That The Lord said unto me, Thou art My son: – and the kingdom has come to me from Him, and therefore let no man stir up strife against it, for the Lord hath chosen me for a son, as He said to Samuel (1 Sam. 16:1): “For I have provided among his sons a king for Myself.” It is as though to say, “This king is Mine and he is My son and servant and obeys Me” – for everyone who is obedient in the service of God He calls His son, just as a son obeys his father and is ready for his service. And so (in the verse) “ye are sons of the Lord your God” (Deut. 14:1), and “I will be his Father and he shall be My son” (2 Sam. 7:14); and it says (Hos. 2:1), “the sons of the living God.” This day have I begotten thee: – The day when he was anointed was the day God took him to Himself for a son, as it says (1 Sam. 16:1), “to Me a king.” And he says, This day have I begotten thee, for on that day there was born in him the spirit of God, as is written (1 Sam. 16:13), “And the spirit of the Lord came mightily upon David from that day and onward.” And from that day onward he gave expression to songs and psalms by the Holy Spirit, which was born in him and imparted to him by God. Moreover, the spirit of might was added to him from that day onward; and so it says (Deut. 32:18), “Of the rock that begat thee thou art unmindful” which made thee great and put wisdom in thine heart and intelligence, in the day of the station at Mount Sinai. And so it says (ibid. 6), “Is not He thy Father that hath bought thee?” For if he had said begotten thee, bought thee in reference to (the act of) creation, this would have been no more true of Israel than the rest of men. Do you not see what he says, “Do ye thus requite the Lord?” (ibid.), meaning, “This is the requital you make Him for all the good He has done to you! Surely He is thy Father who bought thee!” And he says, “Of the rock that begat thee thou art unmindful and hast forgotten the God that gave thee birth” (ibid. 18), just as he says thy Father, for He is to you as a father, and the one that gave thee birth – that is, the mother.”

“Ask of Me: – And He says to me, Ask of Me. and I will give thee the nations for thine inheritance: – as He said to him, “And I have cut off all thine enemies from before thee; and I will make thee a great name like unto the name of the great ones that are in the earth” (2 Sam. 7:9); and it says (ibid. 8:14), “And all the Edomites became servants to David”; and it says (ibid. 8:6), “And the Syrians became servants to David”; and it says (1 Chron. 19:17), “and the fame of David went out into all the lands, and the Lord brought the fear of him upon all the nations.” And this is what he means when he says, “I will give thee the nations for thine inheritance.” And the uttermost parts (אפסי) of the earth for thy possession: – They are the ends (קצות) of the earth, and (the Hebrew words) אפס and קץ are approximate in meaning.”

“Thou shalt break (הרעם) them with a rod of iron: – And so He says to me of all the nations that shall rise up against me, Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron. Thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel: – The word תרעם has the same meaning as תשברם (Thou shalt break them). And so, “Can one break (ירע) iron?” (Jer. 15:12); “He breaketh in pieces (ירע) mighty men” (Job 34:24); so also תנפצם (Thou shalt dash them in pieces) has the meaning of “break,” but with (the added idea of) “scattering,” for when one breaks an earthenware vessel its broken pieces are scattered. And so (in the verse) “and dashed in pieces the pitchers” (Judges 7:19); and the maker of an earthenware vessel is called a potter.”

“Now therefore, O ye kings: – David said to them, to the kings who came to fight him, “O kings!” be wise: – and know that you have no power to nullify God's work, since He it is who commissioned me to be king. And how have ye dared to meet together against the Lord? Be wise and give heed, for ye are not able to nullify the Lord's work. Be instructed, ye judges of the earth: – If hitherto ye have been foolish and ill-advised, now be wise and receive instruction, and be not haughty.”

“Serve the Lord: – Take pleasure in what He takes pleasure in, and serve Him with fear: – because ye should be in awe of Him, and know that power and might are His, and not with you who have come up with much people; And exult: – Be not angry at (the fact of) my kingdom, but be glad and exult, because it is the good pleasure of God; with trembling: – and tremble because of Him.”

“Kiss the son: – as (in the verse) “and he kissed all his brethren” (Gen. 45:15). And (the word) בר is the same as בן; and so “What, my son (בני)? ”; and “what, O son (בר) of my womb?” (Prov. 31:2). Or it may be interpreted by “the pure (ברי) of heart” (Ps. 73:1). If its meaning is “son,” this will be its interpretation: Kiss this son whom God has called “son,” as He says (above): Thou art My son. And the command is Kiss, because it is the custom for a servant to kiss the hand of the master. And if its meaning is “pure,” its interpretation is, “What have I to do with you, for I am pure in heart and there is no wickedness in me that ye should come and fight against me? Your duty is to kiss me and to confess that I am king by the command of God.” And בר may also be fittingly interpreted from (the verse) “Choose (ברו) you a man for you” (1 Sam. 17:8), upon the analogy of “Saul the chosen of the Lord” (2 Sam. 21:6). lest He be angry: – If ye turn not speedily from your evil ways God will be angry with you. and ye perish in the way, For His wrath will soon be kindled: – Soon, because ye continue in your wickedness, His anger will burn upon you, as if to say, If ye do not quickly repent. And the interpretation of and ye perish in the way is as (in the verse) “and the way of the wicked shall perish” (Ps. 1:6). And behold the way perishes and they are perishing because of their way which is perishing, as “an oak fading as to its leaves” (Is. 1:30). Because the leaves are fading the oak is called a fading one. And so, “the torn of clothes” (2 Sam. 13:31(2)), and elsewhere, for the clothes are torn and not they (i.e. the wearers), and they are called torn because of their clothes which are torn. And so (Jer. 41:5), “Shaven as to their beards and rent of clothes” and other similar instances. And he says: Happy are all they that put their trust in Him: – as I am this day, because I have put my trust in Him, and am saved by Him while ye perish; but if ye trust in Him they shall likewise say of you, “Happy are ye!” And there are some who interpret this Psalm of Gog and Magog, and the anointed one is King Messiah: and so our teachers of blessed memory have interpreted (Babli, Berakhoth 7b). And the Psalm can be explained in this way, but the better is that David uttered it concerning himself, as we have interpreted. And the Nazarenes interpret it of Jesus; and the verse they adduce by way of proof and make a support of their error is really their stumbling-block: it is The Lord said unto me, Thou art My son. For if they should say to you that he was the Son of God, answer that it is not proper to say “Son of God” in the manner of flesh and blood; for a son is of the species of his father. Thus it would not be proper to say, “This horse is the son of Reuben.” If this be so, he to whom the Lord said, Thou art My son, must necessarily be of His species, and be God like Him. And further, He says, I have this day begotten thee; and the begotten is of the same species as the begetter. Say (also) to them that of the Godhead it is unfitting (to speak of) father and son; because the Godhead cannot be divided, for it is not a body that it should be divided; but God is one in every aspect of unity; He cannot be increased, decreased, or split up. And further say to them that a father is prior to a son in time, and the son issues from the father's vigour; and although it is not proper to use one term without the other as regards nomenclature, for one is not called father until he have a son, and a son is not so called unless he have a father, nevertheless he who is called father when he has a son is prior in time without any doubt. And if this be so, the God whom you speak of and call “Father, Son, and Holy Spirit” the portion you call Father existed before the other portion you call Son. For if they had been always together they should have been called twin brothers, and you would not call them Father and Son, nor begetter and begotten. For the begetter is prior to the begotten without doubt. And if they say that it is not fitting to say “Son of God” of anything which is not of the divine species, say to them that we are unable to speak of God Blessed be He! except in metaphorical language, as it is said of Him “mouth of the Lord,” “eyes of the Lord,” “ears of the Lord,” and such like, and it is understood that such (language) is metaphorical only. And so it is by way of metaphor when it says “son of God” or “sons of God”; for he who does His commands and commission is called “son,” as the son does the father's commands. So He calls the stars sons of God, as (in the verse) “and all the sons of God shouted for joy” (Job 38:7). So man, by reason of the higher spirit which is in him, when he does the commandments of God because of the wise soul which teaches him, He calls “son”; and therefore He says, “Thou art My son, this day have I begotten thee.” He says also “Israel is My son, My first-born” (Exod. 4:22); it says also “Ye are sons of the Lord your God” (Deut. 14:1); and it says (ibid, 32:6) “Is not He thy Father which hath bought thee?” and “I will be to him a Father and he shall be to Me a son” (2 Sam. 7:14). And further say to them, Has the God whom you describe as “the Father” said to His Son, Ask of Me and I will give the nations for thine inheritance? How should the Son ask from the Father? Is he not God like Him? And has he not power over the nations and the ends of the earth even as He? And further, before this request, were not the nations already his possession? If so, was God less powerful at the beginning and afterwards of greater power? This cannot be said of God. And if they say to you that it is spoken in regard to the flesh, after the Godhead had taken flesh, and to (the Son in) the flesh He says that he should ask from Him and He would give the nations for his inheritance this is not the case, for (Jesus in) the flesh had no kingdom nor any authority over any nation of the nations. And if they say to you that it is about the (spread of the) faith (religion) he speaks which should be accepted, behold the great number of nations, Jews and Mohammedans, who have not accepted his faith. Behold I have taught you what to reply to them in this Psalm, and you can add of your own after the tenor of these words. And if they ask you its meaning, then interpret it in one of these two ways as you choose, either of David or King Messiah, as I have interpreted it for you.”

“A Psalm of David when he fled from before Absalom his son: – Our teachers of blessed memory have explained (Midrash, Shoher Toh, ad loc.; Babli, Berakhoth 7b) that David gave utterance to this Psalm as he ascended the Mount of Olives, as it is said (2 Sam. 15:30), “And David went up by the ascent of the (Mount of) Olives and wept as he went up.” If weeping, why singing, and if singing, why weeping? (Nay) but as soon as the prophet said to him (ibid. 12:11): “Behold, I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house” he said, “Perhaps it is a slave [or a nathin] or a bastard, one of the members of the household, who has no pity on me?” As soon as he saw that it was his son he thought that he certainly would have pity upon him, and he said: A Psalm. Further they say (Midrash, Shoher Tob, ad loc.): “[Thus] David said: Jacob our father fled (Gen. 27:43); as it is said (Hos. 12:13): ‘And Jacob fled into the field of Aram.’ Moses fled, as it is said (Exod. 2:15) ‘and Moses fled;’ and I am a fugitive as they were. I thought that I was condemned to death, and now that I am going into exile, exile atoneth for iniquity” (Babli, Berakhoth 56a; Sanhedrin 37b). He says: “I have remembered Thy judgments of old, O Lord, and have comforted myself” (Ps. 119:52). I remember the men of old time – and Thou hast borne with ine as Thou didst with them – and am comforted, knowing that through my flight the iniquity has been pardoned me. He begins and says A Psalm of David, (to be taken) according to the literal sense. For the Psalms were not so named (called) at the time of (the actual) event, but because they were sung in the Sanctuary. So, “When Doeg the Edomite came and told Saul” (Ps. 52:2); and “When the Ziphites came” (Ps. 54:2); and “And they watched the house to kill him” (Ps. 59:1). Similarly, those which have reference to the Exile and the Destruction of Jerusalem, as, “A Psalm of Asaph. O God, the heathen are come into Thine inheritance” (Ps. 79:1). So all those which were uttered with reference to David, on an historical occasion when David was in danger, but after he had been delivered from them all they became Psalms and praise and confession to God – Blessed be He! – while those which were uttered concerning the Exile became Psalms on the Return of the Exiles. Now it is possible that this Psalm is connected with the preceding because the Philistines had come against David to contest his right to the kingdom and fight with him; and so Absalom his son proposed to take the kingdom from his father and kill him, but [David] conquered all and was left in possession of the kingdom. Our rabbis of blessed memory who have interpreted the Second Psalm of Gog and Magog have said (Babli, Berakhoth 1o a), “Why is the passage about Absalom (Ps. iii) connected with the passage of Gog and Magog? For this reason. If a man should say to thee, Is it possible that a servant would rebel against his master? say to him, Is it possible a son would rebel against his father? But so it was – it really was so.””

“Lord, how are mine adversaries increased! – For even his son had turned against him for an enemy, and Amasa, his sister's son, was with Absalom, and the greater part of Israel, whose heart inclined after Absalom; and this is reason for the repetition. Many they are that are rising up against me: – All were rising up against him and were taking counsel to fight against him; and Shimei ben Gera even, who dared to reproach him and to pelt him with stones.”