After a 50+ day hiatus to prepare for Elul and the high holiday season, we are now back to Pesukim of Bitachon from Tehilim. Today we will study chapter 57 pasuk ב,
This chapter was written, as it says,
בְּבׇרְחוֹ מִפְּנֵי־שָׁאוּל בַּמְּעָרָה
as David fled from Shaul, into a cave.
He says,
חׇנֵּנִי אֱלֹקים ׀ חׇנֵּנִי כִּי בְךָ חָסָיָה נַפְשִׁי וּבְצֵל־כְּנָפֶיךָ אֶחְסֶה עַד יַעֲבֹר הַוּוֹת
Favor me, Hashem, favor me,For in You has my soul has taken refuge
And in the shelter of Your wings, I shall take refuge, until the devastation shall pass.
The obvious question about this pasuk is that it seems superfluous. Why does it say “favor me” twice? And then it says, “my soul takes refuge,” and then again, “in the shelter of your wings I shall take refuge, “
What exactly does this double terminology mean?
The Malbim, based on the Midrash, says that David HaMelech was in a situation where he has the opportunity to kill Shaul. He had two requests: one was that he should not fall into the hands of Shaul, and the other was that his Yetzer Hara should not seduce him to kill Shaul.
David had good reason to think that Shaul was out to get him, thus giving him the right to kill him. But instead, he asked Hashem to protect his soul. That is the reason for the double terminology .
Favor me, favor me- the Malbim explains that one of these refers to David HaMelech’s spiritual side- which he didn’t want to get tainted or ruined by his killing Shaul. The other refers to protection from Shaul killing him.
Furthermore, the Sefer Meir Tehilot tells us that David was saying, “Even though I’m hiding in a cave, I am not relying on the cave. I relying on You, Hashem.”
He knew that he had to do hishtadlut, but he wanted to find favor in Hashem. He knew that the cave would not help him without that.
The Alshech asks why the term, “Honeni Elokim” is used
The name Elokim usually refers to justice or punishment. Why was David appealing to Elokim? He should have said Honeni Hashem…
The Alshech answers with a very important point: David HaMelech knew that he had sinned, and knew that it was the Middat HaDin that caused him to run. But he also knew that he was seeking refuge, which meant that Hashem was cleansing him. David said he would, “Hide in Your wings until the devastation passes.”
He knew that the difficult situation that he was in was only temporary, that it wouldn’t last forever. Just like the wash cycle on a washing machine, the cleansing would end. He knew that even though it was Elokim, he wanted to find favor in Hashem.
He would run,-as the Rambam says, “Away from You, towards You,” and seek refuge in Hashem in his time of judgement.
It’s interesting that this is our first Bitachon pasuk after Succot. I didn’t plan when this when we did our last pasuk of Tehilim back on Erev Rosh Hodesh Elul; Hashem works everything out.
The commentaries point out that the term for “shadow of your wings/ צֵל־כְּנָפֶיךָ
is the same term we use when we go into the Succah
צלא דמהימונתא- The shadow of God’s emunah.
God’s wings, God’s clouds, and God’s protection, are all what we seek refuge in, until the devastation passes.
This isn’t only on the holiday of Succot. The holiday of Succot is when we commemorate this, but God’s clouds of glory are there, watching over us and protecting us at all times.
As David HaMelech says,
וּבְצֵל־כְּנָפֶיךָ אחסה
I will seek refuge in the shadow of Your wings.
God is our Shadow at all times. David HaMelech realized that.
During the difficult times, look to hide in God’s shadow.
Such beautiful lessons from this pasuk, chapter 57 Pasuk ב.