Then R. Abba discoursed on the text, “A psalm of David when he was in the wilderness of Judah” (Ps. 63, 1). ‘Why’, he said, ‘is this psalm different from all others in that it alone mentions the place in which it was composed? However, this is not the only psalm where a particular motive for its composition is given. The superscription of one psalm runs: “Where he changed his behaviour before Abimelech” (Ps. 34); and another (54) has: “When the Ziphim came and said to Saul, Doth not David hide himself with us?” The purpose of these headings is to proclaim the merit of David, showing that even when he was in distress and fleeing from his enemies he sang praises to the Holy One, blessed be He.
True, it was the Holy Spirit that spoke through him, but had not David yearned continually for the Holy Spirit, it would not have rested upon him. It is always thus: the Holy Spirit will not descend upon a man unless he, from below, moves it to come. And David, as we have seen, in the greatest tribulation did not cease to sing hymns and to praise his Lord for all things.
If I should be reminded of the difference between “A psalm of David” and “Of David a psalm”, the former, as in the passage just discussed, signifying that the Holy Spirit gave the initiative, then I would say, be that as it may, if David had not prepared himself for the reception of the Holy Spirit, it would not have come upon him.
“A psalm”: this means the Holy Spirit. Why is it called so? Because it continually praises the Supernal King without ceasing. When David came, the Holy Spirit found a “body” properly prepared, and so was able to sing through him in this world praises to the King, so that this world might be perfected to harmonize with the world above.
“Of David”- David, a complete, perfected, worthy man who never changed. “When he was in the wilderness of Judah”: as we have said, although he was in great trouble, he sang praises.
And what was the burden of his song? “O God, thou art my God: I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is, to see thy power and thy glory, so as I have seen thee in the sanctuary.” “God” in a general sense; “My God” expresses David’s individual grade of experience. In fact, there are three grades here: “God”, “My God”, “Thou”. Yet, even though there are three designations, there is really only one grade, as all allude to the mystery of the Living God: “God” is the supernal One, the Living One; “My God” denotes His omnipotence “from one end of the heaven to the other end”; and “Thou” expresses the personal grade of David’s awareness of this Presence. But, although all are one and are designated by one name, yet
ashahreka (lit. I will seek Thee), may also be rendered (with allusion to shahar, black), “I will strengthen the light which shines darkly (the Shekinah),” for this does not shine until it is strengthened from below. And he who thus strengthens it becomes worthy of the white light, the light of the “refulgent mirror”, and of the world to come.
This mystery is expressed in the words: “And those that seek me (meshahrai) shall find me” (Prov. 8, 17), namely those who, out of the blackness of the dawn, prepare a light. The double n in yimzaunni (“they shall find me”) signifies that they will merit the two lights: the dim, blackish light of dawn and the white light of day: or, the mirror that is not refulgent and the mirror that is. Hence David said in effect: “I will prepare a light from the blackish dawn in order that the white light of day may shine on it’”
“My soul thirsteth for Thee, my flesh longeth for Thee”: as a starving man longs for food and drink. “In a dry and thirsty land, where no water is”: in the desert, a place where holiness cannot dwell. And we, Master, hunger and thirst for thee in this place; and as David longed to “behold God in holiness”, so we long to drink in the words of the Master in his sanctuary (house of study).’ Said R. Simeon to R. Abba: ‘Let him who began continue.’
רִבִּי אַבָּא פָּתַח קְרָא וְאָמַר, (תהילים ס״ג:א׳) מִזְמוֹר לְדָוִד בִּהְיוֹתוֹ בְּמִדְבַּר יְהוּדָה. מַאי שְׁנָא מִכָּל שְׁאָר תּוּשְׁבְּחָן, דְּלָא קָאָמַר בְּאָן אֲתָר שַׁבַּח לוֹן דָּוִד מַלְכָּא, וּמַאי שְׁנָא הָכָא דְּקָאָמַר בִּהְיוֹתוֹ בְּמִדְבַּר יְהוּדָה. אֶלָּא לָא דָּא בִּלְחוֹדוֹי, דְּהָא אוּף הָכִי נַמֵּי, (תהלים לה) בְּשַׁנּוֹתוֹ אֶת טַעְמוֹ לִפְנִי אֲבִימֶלֶךְ. (תהילים נ״ד:ב׳) בְּבֹא הַזִּיפִים. וְכֵן כֻּלְּהוּ. לְאַחֲזָאָה לְכָל בְּנֵי עָלְמָא, שְׁבָחֵיהּ דְּדָוִד, דְּאַף עַל גַּב דִּבְצַעֲרָא הֲוָה, וַהֲווּ רַדְפֵי אֲבַתְרֵיהּ, הֲוָה מִשְׁתָּדַּל לוֹמַר שִׁירִין וְתוּשְׁבְּחָן לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא.
Then R. Abba discoursed on the text, “A psalm of David when he was in the wilderness of Judah” (Ps. 63, 1). ‘Why’, he said, ‘is this psalm different from all others in that it alone mentions the place in which it was composed? However, this is not the only psalm where a particular motive for its composition is given. The superscription of one psalm runs: “Where he changed his behaviour before Abimelech” (Ps. 34); and another (54) has: “When the Ziphim came and said to Saul, Doth not David hide himself with us?” The purpose of these headings is to proclaim the merit of David, showing that even when he was in distress and fleeing from his enemies he sang praises to the Holy One, blessed be He.
וְאַף עַל גַּב דִּבְרוּחַ קֻדְשָׁא הֲוָה אָמַר, רוּחַ קֻדְשָׁא לָא הֲוֵי שָׁארֵי עֲלוֹי, עַד דְּאִיהוּ אִשְׁתָּדַּל לְמִשְׁרֵי עֲלוֹי. וְכֵן בְּכָל אֲתָר, לָא שַׁרְיָא רוּחַ קֻדְשָׁא דִּלְעֵילָּא, עַד דְּיִתְּעַר עָלֵיהּ בַּר נָשׁ מִתַתָּא. וְדָוִד אַף עַל גַּב דְּקָא רַדְפֵי אֲבַתְרֵיהּ, וַהֲוָה בְּצַעֲרֵיהּ, לָא הֲוָה שָׁבִיק שִׁירִין וְתוּשְׁבְּחָן מִפּוּמֵיהּ, וּלְשַׁבְּחָא לְמָארֵיהּ עַל כֹּלָּא.
True, it was the Holy Spirit that spoke through him, but had not David yearned continually for the Holy Spirit, it would not have rested upon him. It is always thus: the Holy Spirit will not descend upon a man unless he, from below, moves it to come. And David, as we have seen, in the greatest tribulation did not cease to sing hymns and to praise his Lord for all things.
וְאִי תֵּימָא, הָא דְּתָנֵינָן, (בראשית ל"ט ע"ב, ס"ה ע"א) מִזְמוֹר לְדָוִד, אוֹ לְדָוִד מִזְמוֹר, וְהָכָא שָרַת עָלֵיהּ רוּחַ קֻדְשָׁא בְּקַדְמִיתָא, בְּגִין דְּאָמַר מִזְמוֹר לְדָוִד. אֶלָּא, אִי אִיהוּ לָא הֲוָה מְכַוֵּין גַּרְמֵיהּ בְּקַדְמִיתָא, לָא שָרַת עָלֵיהּ רוּחַ קֻדְשָׁא.
If I should be reminded of the difference between “A psalm of David” and “Of David a psalm”, the former, as in the passage just discussed, signifying that the Holy Spirit gave the initiative, then I would say, be that as it may, if David had not prepared himself for the reception of the Holy Spirit, it would not have come upon him.
(נ' ע"א, רל"ח ע"ב) מִזְמוֹר דָּא רוּחַ קֻדְשָׁא. אֲמַאי אִקְרֵי הָכִי. בְּגִין דְּאִיהִי, מְשַׁבַּחַת תָּדִיר לְמַלְכָּא עִלָּאָה (ס"א דכל זמנא איהו קא משבח ומזמר ולא שכיך) דְּכָל זִמְנָא הֲוָה קָא מְשַׁבְּחָת וּמְזַמְּרָת, וְלָא שָׁכִיךְ. כֵּיוָן דְּאָתָא דָּוִד אַשְׁכַּח (ק"ג ע"ב) גּוּפָא מְתַּתְקְנָא כַּדְקָא יֵאוֹת, וְשָׁרַת עָלֵיהּ, וַהֲווּ מְגַלֵּי בְּהַאי עָלְמָא, לְשַׁבְּחָא וּלְזַמְּרָא לְמַלְכָּא, וְכֹלָּא, בְּגִין דְּיִתְתְּקַן הַאי עָלְמָא, כְּגַוְונָא דִּלְעֵילָּא.
“A psalm”: this means the Holy Spirit. Why is it called so? Because it continually praises the Supernal King without ceasing. When David came, the Holy Spirit found a “body” properly prepared, and so was able to sing through him in this world praises to the King, so that this world might be perfected to harmonize with the world above.
לְדָוִד. גְּבָר שְׁלִים בְּתִקּוּנוֹי, גְּבָר מְתָקָּנָא, גְּבָר זַכָּאָה. דָּוִד וַדַּאי דְּלָא אִשְׁתָּנֵי לְעָלְמִין. בִּהְיוֹתוֹ בְּמִדְבַּר יְהוּדָה, דָּא שְׁבָחָא דְּדָוִד, אַף עַל גַּב דִּבְצַעֲרֵיהּ הֲוָה, אַף עַל גַּב דַּהֲווֹ רַדְפֵי אֲבַתְרֵיהּ. וּמַאי תּוּשְׁבַּחְתָּא קָאָמַר. תּוּשְׁבַּחְתָּא דְּאִיהוּ רַב וְיַקִּירָא.
“Of David”- David, a complete, perfected, worthy man who never changed. “When he was in the wilderness of Judah”: as we have said, although he was in great trouble, he sang praises.
וּשְׁבָחָא דִּילֵיהּ מַאי אִיהִי. (תהילים ס״ג:ב׳) אֱלהִים אֵלִי אַתָּה אֲשַׁחֲרֶךָּ. אֱלֹהִים סְתָם. כֵּיוָן דְּאָמַר אֱלֹהִים, אֲמַאי אֵלִי. אֶלָּא הַהוּא דַּרְגָּא דִּילֵיהּ. תְּלַת דַּרְגִּין הָכָא: אֱלהִים. אֵלִי. אַתָּה. וְאַף עַל גַּב דְּאִינּוּן תְּלַת שְׁמָהָן, חַד דַּרְגָּא אִיהוּ, בְּרָזָא דֶּאֱלהִים חַיִּים. אֱלהִים: לְעֵילָּא, אֱלהִים חַיִּים. אֵלִי: קְצֵה (בראשית א' ע"ב) הַשָּׁמַיִם עַד קְצֵה הַשָּׁמַיִם. (קל"ח ע"ב) אַתָּה: דַּרְגָּא דִּילֵיהּ. וְאַף עַל גַּב דְּכֹלָּא חַד, וּבִשְׁמָא חַד סָלִיק.
And what was the burden of his song? “O God, thou art my God: I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is, to see thy power and thy glory, so as I have seen thee in the sanctuary.” “God” in a general sense; “My God” expresses David’s individual grade of experience. In fact, there are three grades here: “God”, “My God”, “Thou”. Yet, even though there are three designations, there is really only one grade, as all allude to the mystery of the Living God: “God” is the supernal One, the Living One; “My God” denotes His omnipotence “from one end of the heaven to the other end”; and “Thou” expresses the personal grade of David’s awareness of this Presence. But, although all are one and are designated by one name, yet
אֲשַׁחֲרֶךָּ, אִי כְּמַשְׁמָעוֹ דִּילֵיהּ, שַׁפִּיר. אֲבָל אֲשַׁחֲרֶךָּ, אַתְקִין נְהוֹרָא דְּנָהִיר בְּשַׁחְרוּתָא. דְּהָא נְהוֹרָא דְּקַיְּימָא בְּשַׁחְרוּתָא, לָא נָהִיר עַד דְּיִתְתַּקְנוּן לֵיהּ לְתַתָּא. וּמַאן דְּאַתְקִין נְהוֹרָא שַׁחֲרָא דָּא, אַף עַל גַּב דְּאִיהִי אוּכָמָא, זָכֵי (בראשית נ"א ע"ב) לִנְהוֹרָא חִוָּורָא דְּנָהִיר, וְדָא אִיהִי נְהוֹרָא אַסְפָּקָלַרְיָא דְּנָהֲרָא, וְדָא אִיהוּ בַּר נָשׁ דְּזָכֵי לְעָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי.
ashahreka (lit. I will seek Thee), may also be rendered (with allusion to shahar, black), “I will strengthen the light which shines darkly (the Shekinah),” for this does not shine until it is strengthened from below. And he who thus strengthens it becomes worthy of the white light, the light of the “refulgent mirror”, and of the world to come.
וְרָזָא דָּא (משלי ח׳:י״ז) וּמְשַׁחֲרַי יִמְצָאֻנְנִי, וּמְשַׁחֲרַי: דִּמְתַקְּנִין נְהוֹרָא מְשַׁחֲרַי אוּכָמָא. יִמְצָאֻנְנִי, יִמְצָאוּנִי לָא כְּתִיב, אֶלָּא יִמְצָאֻנְנִי, דְּזָכֵי לִתְרֵין נְהוֹרִין. לִנְהוֹרָא דְּשַׁחֲרָא אוּכָמָא, וְלִנְהוֹרָא חִוָּורָא דְּנָהֲרָא. וְזָכֵי לְאַסְפָּקָלַרְיָאה דְּלָא נָהִיר, וּלְאַסְפָּקָלַרְיָאה דְּנָהִיר. וְדָא אִיהוּ יִמְצָאֻנְנִי. וְעַל דָּא אָמַר דָּוִד אֲשַׁחֲרֶךָּ, אַתְקִין נְהוֹרָא דְּשַׁחֲרָא אוּכָמָא, לְנַהֲרָא עָלֵיהּ נְהוֹרָא חִוָּורָא דְּנָהֲרָא.
This mystery is expressed in the words: “And those that seek me (meshahrai) shall find me” (Prov. 8, 17), namely those who, out of the blackness of the dawn, prepare a light. The double n in yimzaunni (“they shall find me”) signifies that they will merit the two lights: the dim, blackish light of dawn and the white light of day: or, the mirror that is not refulgent and the mirror that is. Hence David said in effect: “I will prepare a light from the blackish dawn in order that the white light of day may shine on it’”
(תהילים ס״ג:ב׳) צָמְאָה לְךָ נַפְשִׁי כָּמַהּ לְךָ בְשָׂרִי, כְּמַאן דְּכָפִין לְמֵיכַל וְצָחֵי לְמִשְׁתֵּי. בְּאֶרֶץ צִיָּה וְעָיֵף בְּלִי מָיִם, בְּגִין דְּאִיהוּ מִדְבַּר, וְלָאו אִיהוּ אֲתָר דְּיִשּׁוּבָא, וְלָאו אִיהוּ אֲתָר דְּקֻדְשָׁא. וּבְגִין כַּךְ אִיהוּ אֲתָר בְּלִי מַיִם. וּכְמָה דְּאֲנָן כַּפִין וְצָחָאן לְגַבָּךְ בַּאֲתָר דָּא, כֵּן בַּקֹּדֶשׁ חֲזִיתִיךָ וְגוֹ'. וַאֲנָן כְּמָה דְּאֲנָן צָחָאן לְגַבֵּי דְּמַר, לְמִשְׁתֵּי בְּצָחוּתָא מִלּוֹי בַּאֲתָר דָּא, אוּף הָכִי צָחֵינָן לְמִשְׁתֵּי בְּצָחוּתָא מִלּוֹי, בְּבֵי מַקְדְּשָׁא, אֲתָר דְּאִקְרֵי קֹדֶשׁ. אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן לְרַ' אַבָּא, מַאן דְּשָׁארִי מִלָּה הַשְׁתָּא יֵימָא.
“My soul thirsteth for Thee, my flesh longeth for Thee”: as a starving man longs for food and drink. “In a dry and thirsty land, where no water is”: in the desert, a place where holiness cannot dwell. And we, Master, hunger and thirst for thee in this place; and as David longed to “behold God in holiness”, so we long to drink in the words of the Master in his sanctuary (house of study).’ Said R. Simeon to R. Abba: ‘Let him who began continue.’