We continue with Tehilim chapter 142, where it says, (pasuk ג)
אֶשְׁפֹּךְ לְפָנָיו שִׂיחִי
I spill out my light talk (or chatter) in front of God.
The Hebrew word for light talk here is שיחי, which comes from a root word related to tree, to wild growth.
צָרָתִי לְפָנָיו אַגִּיד
I say my problems in front of Him.
The Chida, in his sefer Yosef Tehilot explains a very important fundamental here.
Why is David HaMelech discussing all the details of his problems?
Why not just ask Hashem to save him from his challenge?
Why go through all the details? Doesn’t God know all the details already?
The Hiddush of the Chida says is that it’s because by going through all the details of the problem, one will become more humbled.
If a person has a business challenge, as he goes through all of the details of his problem, he gets more and more humble. Eventually, he arrives at the realization that he can’t do anything. He’s helpless. The same is true for a medical problem, or a problem with a child, or any problem, lo alenu, that a person may have.
Once you start going through all of the details of the problem, you start to realize you have no control over the situation, and you become more humbled. And humility brings kapara. Realizing that you’re not in charge brings humility, which brings atonement. And then God will have mercy on you. What a beautiful process the Chida is telling us about, hidden in this pasuk in Tehilim.
אֶשְׁפֹּךְ לְפָנָיו שִׂיחִי
I will pour my heart out,
Pour out the light talk, go through all of the details
צָרָתִי לְפָנָיו אַגִּיד
and say my problems in front of Him
The purpose of this is firstly to become humbled, which then causes God to forgive one’s sins.
And once our sins are forgiven, God will have mercy, and will take us out of our problems.
What a wondrous process and technique that the Chida shares with us, on the need to be overly specific and detailed in our descriptions of our problems to God.
The Malbim adds that this prayer and plea is taking place, as we said yesterday, in a cave. David HaMelech was hiding in a cave alone, with no one to share his problems with, with no one there to help him.
So he poured out his problems to God.
This is another important point. As alone as a person may be, he is always able to pour out his problems in front of God.
דאגה בלבו ישחנה
If a person has a problem in his heart, a worry, he should share all of the details…
Simply, this is interpreted as sharing all the details with a friend. But the rabbis tell us that it also means that if there is no friend to talk to, דאגה בלבו ישחנה
means share your problems with God, in your prayers.
God is the best therapist.
I recently heard a joke from a therapist- that they only need to know two words:
mm hmm and uh huh.
Therapists don’t talk, they just listen. But knowing that someone is listening is therapeutic.
Sometimes you really do need a therapist, but for this purpose, Hashem can be your therapist. He is listening. Pour out your heart to Him. Give Him all the details of your problems.
Even though no one is around, He will listen and He will help you. And there is no charge.
Have a wonderful day.