Mizmor 052 – Tragic Talk

(א) לַמְנַצֵּחַ מַשְׂכִּיל לְדָוִד: (ב) בְּבוֹא דּוֹאֵג הָאֲדֹמִי וַיַּגֵּד לְשָׁאוּל וַיֹּאמֶר לוֹ בָּא דָוִד אֶל בֵּית אֲחִימֶלֶךְ:

(1) For the musician, a song of enlightenment by David. (2) When Doeg the Edomi came and informed Shaul, telling him, “David has come to the house of Achimelech.”

NOTE: For a PDF of this mizmor, please click here. This will enable you to print out the entire text of the article. [Rev 3]

Key Concepts of Mizmor 052 – Tragic Talk

Mizmor 052 is a song of enlightenment that was composed by King David after the tragic destruction of the town of Nov and its population of Kohanim. This destruction came about as a direct result of the slander that was perpetrated against him by a powerful supporter of King Shaul named Doeg the Edomi. Thus, the song is designed to make people aware that slander is not just a great sin, but that it can lead to tragedy.

The town of Nov was destroyed under orders of King Shaul, thinking that it was a hotbed of treason against him and his kingdom. But he did this only after he had been incited into uncontrollable rage by a slanderous report given to him by Doeg. Doeg’s target in making this twisted report was actually David, whom Doeg hated. But the tragedy ended up felling innocent bystanders, the people of Nov.

Historical Background

OVERVIEW. While fleeing the ill will of Shaul HaMelech, David had taken refuge in Nov, a town completely inhabited by Kohanim. At that point David’s status as a fugitive from the wrath of Shaul was not generally known, so he was able to appeal for help to Achimelech, the Kohen Gadol, without implicating him in the crime of aiding a fugitive. And so when Achimelech helped David by providing him with food and a weapon, he thought he was performing a simple act of charity.

But Doeg, who had lingered in the Sanctuary and was able to observe what happened between David and Achimelech revealed what happened to Shaul, presenting the facts in a twisted way. As a result, Shaul got the impression that Achimelech was consciously helping David commit an act of treason. And so Shaul was filled with rage and ordered the entire town destroyed. (See Shmuel I 21-22.)

A STORY OF SLANDER. Doeg made it seem that David had private business to discuss with Achimelech, suggesting that it involved a conspiracy against Shaul.

Doeg also described to Shaul how Achimelech had given David bread and a sword. These were innocent actions, but Doeg made them seem as though Achimelech was assisting David in a plot to overthrow Shaul. In fact Achimelech had not volunteered to give David anything. In response to David’s request for help Achimelech said that he had no bread or weapon to give him. When David persisted, Achimelech made available to him the bread of the Lechem HaPanim (Show Bread) from the Sanctuary and the sword of Golias.

Furthermore Doeg informed Shaul that Achimelech had inquired of the Urim v’Tumim (an instrument of spiritual communication) on David’s behalf. This was an act which was typically permitted only for a king, not an ordinary citizen. Thus, it implied a treasonous intent on Achimelech’s part to support David as a usurper of the throne. (Achimelech innocently thought that David was acting as an agent of Shaul and that he was authorized to make such an inquiry.)

Doeg managed to catch Shaul at a time of day when he was most likely to burst into uncontrollable rage. As a result Shaul went wild and ordered the execution of all the Kohanim of Nov. And when none of Shaul’s servants could bring himself to carry out such a harsh order, Shaul induced Doeg to do it himself.

Exploring the Mizmor

PART 1. INTRODUCTION. The circumstances surrounding the composition of this mizmor are introduced in the first two verses.

(1) For the musician, a song of enlightenment by David. (2) When Doeg the Edomi came and informed Shaul, telling him, “David has come to the house of Achimelech.”

PART 2. REBUKING DOEG. David bitterly rebukes Doeg for misleading Shaul with lies and for purposefully misinterpreting what he saw in Nov.

(ג) מַה תִּתְהַלֵּל בְּרָעָה הַגִּבּוֹר חֶסֶד אֵ־ל כָּל הַיּוֹם: (ד) הַוּוֹת תַּחְשֹׁב לְשׁוֹנֶךָ כְּתַעַר מְלֻטָּשׁ עֹשֵׂה רְמִיָּה: (ה) אָהַבְתָּ רָּע מִטּוֹב שֶׁקֶר מִדַּבֵּר צֶדֶק סֶלָה: (ו) אָהַבְתָּ כָל דִּבְרֵי בָלַע לְשׁוֹן מִרְמָה: (ז) גַּם אֵ־ל יִתָּצְךָ לָנֶצַח יַחְתְּךָ וְיִסָּחֲךָ מֵאֹהֶל וְשֵׁרֶשְׁךָ מֵאֶרֶץ חַיִּים סֶלָה:

(3) Why do you pride yourself in evil, you mighty warrior? The kindness of G-d is all day long. (4) Your tongue plans treachery like a sharpened razor that acts deceitfully. (5) You love evil more than good, falsehood than speaking right, Selah. (6) You love all devouring words, a tongue of deceit. (7) Likewise, G-d will smash you for eternity. He will pluck you out and tear you away from the tent. He will uproot you from the land of life, Selah.

PART 3. THE REACTION TO DOEG’S FATE. David describes the great moral lesson that people will draw from these tragic events and from Doeg’s bitter fate.

(ח) וְיִרְאוּ צַדִּיקִים וְיִירָאוּ וְעָלָיו יִשְׂחָקוּ: (ט) הִנֵּה הַגֶּבֶר לֹא יָשִׂים אֱלֹקִים מָעוּזּוֹ וַיִּבְטַח בְּרֹב עָשְׁרוֹ יָעֹז בְּהַוָּתוֹ:

(8) The tzadikim will see and fear. And they will joke about him. (9) “Look the man who did not make G-d the source of his strength; but he trusted in his abundance of wealth. Let him be strong with his treachery!”

PART 4. A DECLARATION OF BITACHON. In contrast to Doeg’s bitter end, David looks forward to a bright future, continually energized by his bitachon in Hashem.

(י) וַאֲנִי כְּזַיִת רַעֲנָן בְּבֵית אֱלֹקִים בָּטַחְתִּי בְחֶסֶד אֱלֹקִים עוֹלָם וָעֶד: (יא) אוֹדְךָ לְעוֹלָם כִּי עָשִׂיתָ וַאֲקַוֶּה שִׁמְךָ כִי טוֹב נֶגֶד חֲסִידֶיךָ:

(10) But I am like an ever-fresh olive tree in the House of G-d. I trust in the kindness of G-d forever and ever. (11) I will forever thank You for [what] You have done. I will hope in Your Name, for it is good — before Your devout ones.

Despite the fact that the olive tree bears bitter fruit, the olives bring light to mankind (the oil of the menorah). David has faced many afflictions and difficulties, but his character has become enriched by his experiences. The leaves of the olive tree are green in both summer and winter. Correspondingly, David does not worry during “good” times or “bad” times that his bitachon will waver.

Learning the Mizmor

PART 1: INTRODUCTION.

(א) לַמְנַצֵּחַ מַשְׂכִּיל לְדָוִד:

For the musician — לַמְנַצֵּחַ – who will perform it, this mizmor is a maskil (song of enlightenment) composed by David — מַשְׂכִּיל לְדָוִד . It is designed to make people aware that slander is not just a great sin, but that it leads to tragedy.

(ב) בְּבוֹא דּוֹאֵג הָאֲדֹמִי
וַיַּגֵּד לְשָׁאוּל וַיֹּאמֶר לוֹ
בָּא דָוִד אֶל בֵּית אֲחִימֶלֶךְ:

The mizmor reflects what happened when Doeg the Edomi came — בְּבוֹא דּוֹאֵג הָאֲדֹמִי – and informed Shaul — וַיַּגֵּד לְשָׁאוּל – about David’s visit to Nov, telling him — וַיֹּאמֶר לוֹ – more than what actually happened. Doeg said that David has come to the house of Achimelech — בָּא דָוִד אֶל בֵּית אֲחִימֶלֶךְ , but actually David met Achimelech in a public place, the Sanctuary.

PART 2: REBUKING DOEG.

(ג) מַה תִּתְהַלֵּל בְּרָעָה הַגִּבּוֹר

Why do you pride yourself — מַה תִּתְהַלֵּל – in giving out lying reports that are evil — בְּרָעָה , ingratiating yourself with Shaul, you mighty warrior — הַגִּבּוֹר – of the Torah? Did you hope to boast about doing evil? Do you think you are a hero, returning victoriously from the field of battle after destroying Nov and its Kohanim? If a person takes pride in his power, it should be a pride in his ability to help others, rather than to cause harm and suffering. Do you think that the people will have been intimidated by what you have done and will now be afraid to help me?

חֶסֶד אֵ־ל כָּל הַיּוֹם:

You will not achieve your wicked purpose, for the kindness of G-d is all day long — חֶסֶד אֵ־ל כָּל הַיּוֹם – to protect those whom you seek to victimize.

(ד) הַוּוֹת תַּחְשֹׁב לְשׁוֹנֶךָ
כְּתַעַר מְלֻטָּשׁ עֹשֵׂה רְמִיָּה:

Your tongue is the instrument of your heart which plans treachery — הַוּוֹת תַּחְשֹׁב לְשׁוֹנֶךָ , instead of being used to teach Torah. It is like a sharpened razor that acts deceitfully — כְּתַעַר מְלֻטָּשׁ עֹשֵׂה רְמִיָּה , cutting into the flesh when the user intended only to shave the hair.

What started out as a slight stretching of the truth ended up being the cause of a terrible tragedy. What appeared on the surface as an effort to take Achimelech to task for misuse of the Urim v’Tumim was intended to incite Shaul’s wrath against David, a man that Doeg hated.

(ה) אָהַבְתָּ רָּע מִטּוֹב

In your position as a respected man of learning who was present when Achimelech met with me, you had the opportunity to do good but you love evil [putting Achimelech’s actions in a bad light], more than good — אָהַבְתָּ רָּע מִטּוֹב – [such as offering a plausible explanation for Achimelech’s actions to keep peace with Shaul].

שֶׁקֶר מִדַּבֵּר צֶדֶק סֶלָה:

You also loved falsehood — שֶׁקֶר – for its own sake, more than speaking what is right and true — מִדַּבֵּר צֶדֶק – and so you were pleased to falsely claim that Achimelech knew I was a fugitive. You always [Selah] — סֶלָה – preferred speaking evil which is harmful even when true (lashan hara) and you especially prefer to speak evil when it is untrue. I know that this is your attitude, because your thoughts are revealed by your actions. For example, if you truly loved good you would have been permitted to alter the truth for the sake of peace. But you did the reverse.

(ו) אָהַבְתָּ כָל דִּבְרֵי בָלַע
לְשׁוֹן מִרְמָה:

You love all devouring words — אָהַבְתָּ כָל דִּבְרֵי בָלַע , such as the destructive words that consumed the lives of Achimelech and his family. You have loved to use a tongue of deceit — לְשׁוֹן מִרְמָה , for you pretended to be acting as a loyal supporter of Shaul and his right to the kingship. But your true motive was jealousy of me. You resented that I, a relatively young man, might be the next king, whereas a learned person such as yourself was being sidelined.

When you saw me with Achimelech, you were in position to warn him that the assistance he was providing me would be considered treasonous by Shaul. You could easily have saved him, but you refrained from doing this because you wanted to destroy me. When you spoke to Shaul, the tongue you used was complicit in the crime you described. You chose your words to him carefully and deceitfully so that the truth would be hidden.

(ז) גַּם אֵ־ל יִתָּצְךָ לָנֶצַח
יַחְתְּךָ וְיִסָּחֲךָ מֵאֹהֶל
וְשֵׁרֶשְׁךָ מֵאֶרֶץ חַיִּים סֶלָה:

Likewise — גַּם , your fate will correspond to what you have done. You destroyed the town of Nov and G-d will smash you for eternity — אֵ־ל יִתָּצְךָ לָנֶצַח . Thus, you will not achieve the honor for which you yearned. Your crime began when you lingered in the Sanctuary in Nov (Shmuel I 21:8) to overhear private conversations. Accordingly, He will pluck you out and tear you away from the tent — יַחְתְּךָ וְיִסָּחֲךָ מֵאֹהֶל – of the honored chachamim of the Sanhedrin. As you uprooted the family of Achimelech, so will G-d uproot you from the land of life in the World to Come, Selah — וְשֵׁרֶשְׁךָ מֵאֶרֶץ חַיִּים סֶלָה .

PART 3: THE REACTION TO DOEG’S FATE

(ח) וְיִרְאוּ צַדִּיקִים וְיִירָאוּ
וְעָלָיו יִשְׂחָקוּ:

I will not feel sorry for Doeg, for if he were to get away without penalty, it would have a demoralizing effect upon all the tzadikim (righteous people). But now the tzadikim will see Doeg’s fate and fear the thought of sinning — וְיִרְאוּ צַדִּיקִים וְיִירָאוּ – even more than ever before. And as for Doeg, they will joke about him — וְעָלָיו יִשְׂחָקוּ , saying:

(ט) הִנֵּה הַגֶּבֶר לֹא יָשִׂים אֱלֹקִים מָעוּזּוֹ
וַיִּבְטַח בְּרֹב עָשְׁרוֹ יָעֹז בְּהַוָּתוֹ:

Look, the mighty man who did not make G-d the source of his strength — הִנֵּה הַגֶּבֶר לֹא יָשִׂים אֱלֹקִים מָעוּזּוֹ ; but he trusted in his abundance of wealth — וַיִּבְטַח בְּרֹב עָשְׁרוֹ – that he acquired from Shaul in return for his treachery. Now let him be strong with his treachery — יָעֹז בְּהַוָּתוֹ !

PART 4: A DECLARATION OF BITACHON.

(י) וַאֲנִי כְּזַיִת רַעֲנָן בְּבֵית אֱלֹקִים
בָּטַחְתִּי בְחֶסֶד אֱלֹקִים עוֹלָם וָעֶד:

Doeg wanted to linger in the House of G-d, but he will be uprooted from there because he placed his trust in his own schemes. But I shall be like an ever-fresh olive tree in the House of G-d — וַאֲנִי כְּזַיִת רַעֲנָן בְּבֵית אֱלֹקִים . And this is because I trust in the kindness of G-d forever and ever — בָּטַחְתִּי בְחֶסֶד אֱלֹקִים עוֹלָם וָעֶד . My bitachon in Hashem is stronger than Doeg’s bitachon in himself. Since I know that the kindness of Hashem is forever, I will not let myself by sidetracked by temporary benefits which lead away from what is true and right.

David is like an olive tree planted firmly in the House of G-d. In comparison, Doeg may have lingered in the House of G-d, but his roots were planted outside of it, in a contaminated place.

(יא) אוֹדְךָ לְעוֹלָם כִּי עָשִׂיתָ
וַאֲקַוֶּה שִׁמְךָ כִי טוֹב
נֶגֶד חֲסִידֶיךָ:

Hashem, I am confident that You will save me and execute stern judgment against Doeg. I trust that You will continue to show me Your mercy and so I will forever thank You publicly for what You have done — אוֹדְךָ לְעוֹלָם כִּי עָשִׂיתָ . And so I will continue to put my hope in Your Name, for it is good — וַאֲקַוֶּה שִׁמְךָ כִי טוֹב – and I have bitachon that You will do good for me and my people. I will serve You openly before Your devout ones — נֶגֶד חֲסִידֶיךָ – for they are my model of good deeds and good middos.

Living the Mizmor

Listed below are some of the lessons that you can draw from this mizmor, as well as some of the thoughts you might have in mind when you say the words of the mizmor as a tefillah, expressing your devotion to Hashem.

Tehillos for Life – Contemplation of Hashem.

[52:3] KINDNESS. – חֶסֶד אֵ־ל כָּל הַיּוֹם – “The kindness of G-d is all day long.” Hashem’s kindness is always accessible to protect the victims of persecution.

[52:7] JUDGMENT. – אֵ־ל יִתָּצְךָ לָנֶצַח יַחְתְּךָ וְיִסָּחֲךָ מֵאֹהֶל וְשֵׁרֶשְׁךָ מֵאֶרֶץ חַיִּים – “Likewise, G-d will smash you for eternity. He will pluck you out and tear you away from the tent. He will uproot you from the land of life.” When Hashem’s wrath is invoked by evil behavior, He executes a harsh judgment.

Lessons for Life – Your Behavior.

[52:4] DECEITFUL TONGUE. – הַוּוֹת תַּחְשֹׁב לְשׁוֹנֶךָ כְּתַעַר מְלֻטָּשׁ עֹשֵׂה רְמִיָּה – “Your tongue plans treachery like a sharpened razor that acts deceitfully.” Evil talk is like a sharpened razor that cuts into the flesh when the user intended only to shave off the hair. You may fool yourself into thinking that evil talk is harmless, nothing more than words. But it can cut deep and is a great sin.

Lessons for Life – Your Attitude.

[52:5] LOVING EVIL. – אָהַבְתָּ רָּע מִטּוֹב שֶׁקֶר מִדַּבֵּר צֶדֶק – “You love evil more than good, falsehood than speaking right.” Sinful behavior does not just happen. It begans with a sinful frame of mind which tolerates evil and is ultimately attracted to it.

[52:6] – אָהַבְתָּ כָל דִּבְרֵי בָלַע לְשׁוֹן מִרְמָה – “You love all devouring words, a tongue of deceit.”

[52:8] FEAR OF SIN. – וְיִרְאוּ צַדִּיקִים וְיִירָאוּ – “The tzadikim will see and fear.” No one is immune from sin. Even a tzadik should think about the lessons to be learned from the downfall of an evil man.

[52:9] MOTIVE OF SIN. – הִנֵּה הַגֶּבֶר לֹא יָשִׂים אֱלֹקִים מָעוּזּוֹ וַיִּבְטַח בְּרֹב עָשְׁרוֹ – “Look the man who did not make G-d the source of his strength; but he trusted in his abundance of wealth.” A person who relies on his own wealth instead of the good will of Hashem, will be motivated to act unethically to achieve his objectives.

[52:10] MOTIVE OF GOODNESS. – וַאֲנִי כְּזַיִת רַעֲנָן בְּבֵית אֱלֹקִים בָּטַחְתִּי בְחֶסֶד אֱלֹקִים עוֹלָם וָעֶד – “But I am like an ever-fresh olive tree in the House of G-d. I trust in the kindness of G-d forever and ever.” Plant your roots in the place where the Torah is studied, for that will inspire you to good deeds.

Tefillos for Life – Your Gratitude.

[52:11] HOPE. – אוֹדְךָ לְעוֹלָם כִּי עָשִׂיתָ וַאֲקַוֶּה שִׁמְךָ כִי טוֹב – “I will forever thank You for [what] You have done. I will hope in Your Name, for it is good.” Express your intention to continue to thank Hashem for all He has done. By showing your appreciation you will be deserving of hope in the future.

Sources

The primary sources used in the interpretation of the verses of this mizmor are listed below.

א – אבן עזרא

ב – מלבי”ם, נר לרגלי

ג – המאירי, בן־רמוך, אבן יחייא, אלשיך, מאיר טוב

ד – אבן עזרא, רד”ק, אלשיך, נר לרגלי

ה – אבן עזרא, המאירי, בן־רמוך, אלשיך, רשר”ה

ו – רד”ק, בן־רמוך, מאיר טוב

ז – אבן עזרא, ספורנו, נר לרגלי

ח – רש”י, אבן עזרא, בן־רמוך, אלשיך,

ט – רד”ק, בן־רמוך, ספורנו, אבן יחייא

י – רש”י, רד”ק, המאירי, אלשיך, מלבי”ם, נר לרגלי

יא – רש”י, רד”ק, בן־רמוך, מלבי”ם