Tehilim Perek 140
Hello everybody. Today’s NachDaily will discuss Tehilim chapter 140.
Dovid said this chapter while hiding from Shaul in the town of Ziph. It specifically refers to Doeg Hadomi, who slandered Dovid to Shaul. The perek expresses Dovid’s loneliness as a fugitive.
The situation would have been difficult on its own. The fact Dovid was already the king anointed by Shmuel Hanavi certainly made it much more so. For more information, check out Shmuel Aleph, perakim 22 and 23. All NachDaily archives can be found at the bottom of the email, or you can go to soundcloud.com and search for NachDaily on the podcast.
In this chapter, Dovid asks Hashem to save him from Doeg Hadomi who wanted to see him dead. Doeg was constantly encouraging Shaul to harm Dovid. His tongue was as sharp as arrows. Dovid begs God to protect and rescue him from the hands of the evil ones so that they won’t prevail. He ends by affirming his Emunah: despite the way it may seem on the outside, ultimately God will allow the righteous people to dwell in His presence.
The perek opens with the words:
לַמְנַצֵּ֗חַ מִזְמ֥וֹר לְדָוִֽד׃ חַלְּצֵ֣נִי יְ֭הוָה מֵאָדָ֣ם רָ֑ע מֵאִ֖ישׁ חֲמָסִ֣ים תִּנְצְרֵֽנִי׃
For the leader. A psalm of David. Rescue me, God, from the evil man; protect me from the man of violence.
Although this was said about Doeg Hadami, it can also be understood as our struggle with the Yetzer Hara, whose goal is to prevent us from coming close to God. It tries to make us self-absorbed, to act selfishly. We ask Hashem to free us, to rescue us from the Yetzer Hara, the “evil man.”
Although it may seem like a hard task to always battle him, it is our mandate to make this world a “dira betachtonim, a dwelling place for God in the lower worlds,” to draw His light into the darkest places.
The perek starts with the word, “mizmor, a song,” because the first ingredient needed to go to battle with the “evil man” is joy, simcha, and happiness. When we’re happy in our hearts, life becomes easier to deal with.
May we merit never giving up, to stay strong in this fight. It’s not about who wins each battle, but who wins the war.
Thank you for listening, and have a wonderful day.
