(א) לַמְנַצֵּחַ לִבְנֵי קֹרַח מִזְמוֹר:
(ב) רָצִיתָ ה’ אַרְצֶךָ שַׁבְתָּ שְׁבִית יַעֲקֹב:
(ב) רָצִיתָ ה’ אַרְצֶךָ שַׁבְתָּ שְׁבִית יַעֲקֹב:
(1) For the musician, a mizmor by the sons of Korach. (2) Hashem, You restored [Your] favor to Your land. You returned the captivity of Yaakov.
NOTE: For a PDF of this mizmor, please click here. This will enable you to print out the entire text of the article. [Rev. 0]
Key Concepts of Mizmor 085 – Revive Us
This mizmor by the sons of Korach continues the theme of the previous mizmor composed by the prophet Asaph. Thus, the singer express the yearnings and tefillos of the Jewish nation for the end of Galus (Exile). Most commentators interpret it as applying specifically to our present Galus, which seems endless in comparison with previous Galus.
Through the power of prophecy the singer is able to visualize a time such as the present when the people have been mourning the loss of the Second Beis Hamikdash (Temple). The people look back at the Galus of Bavel which began with the destruction of the first Beis Hamikdash and lasted 70 years. They fondly remember the great joy that they experienced when Hashem restored His favor after 70 years of being rejected by their Creator. They now appeal to Him to recreate that good feeling and restore His favor as it was then. Despite the much greater duration of the present Galus, the people have not given up hope. In fact they express confidence that the Geulah (Redemption) is surely at hand.
Exploring the Mizmor
The mizmor consists of three parts, corresponding to the singer’s thoughts of the past, the present, and the future. The past that the singer recalls is the period of Hashem’s favor that saw the construction of the Second Bais HaMikdash. In Part 2 the singer turns to the present. Our Galus has lasted so long that it seems if we are dead and forgotten. Thus, he pleads with Hashem to bring us back to life again as He did so long ago.
In Part 3 the singer visualizes the close relationship between Hashem and His people that the future will surely bring. He acknowledges that in a way, it is all up to us (verse 12). “Truth sprouts from earth,” that is, from the efforts of mankind, and “righteousness gazes down from heaven,” as it awaits the time it can enter into earthly affairs. When that happens, “righteousness and peace will have kissed.” (Verse 11).
PART 1. GRATITUDE FOR THE PAST. The singer begins by expressing his fond gratitude to Hashem for showing Yisrael His favor at the end of 70 years of exile in Bavel.
(א) לַמְנַצֵּחַ לִבְנֵי קֹרַח מִזְמוֹר: (ב) רָצִיתָ ה’ אַרְצֶךָ שַׁבְתָּ שבות שְׁבִית יַעֲקֹב: (ג) נָשָׂאתָ עֲוֹן עַמֶּךָ כִּסִּיתָ כָל חַטָּאתָם סֶלָה: (ד) אָסַפְתָּ כָל עֶבְרָתֶךָ הֱשִׁיבוֹתָ מֵחֲרוֹן אַפֶּךָ:
(1) For the musician, a mizmor by the sons of Korach. (2) Hashem, You restored [Your] favor to Your land. You returned the captivity of Yaakov. (3) You forgave the iniquity of Your people. You covered over all their sin, Selah. (4) You withheld Your entire fury. You drew back from the fierceness of Your anger.
PART 2. PLEA FOR THE PRESENT. The singer now moves directly to a plea for Hashem to once again grant His forgiveness to the people. He asks Hashem to revive us again from this long exile, which is like death, and grant us yeshuah (salvation).
(ה) שׁוּבֵנוּ אֱלֹקֵי יִשְׁעֵנוּ וְהָפֵר כַּעַסְךָ עִמָּנוּ: (ו) הַלְעוֹלָם תֶּאֱנַף בָּנוּ תִּמְשֹׁךְ אַפְּךָ לְדֹר וָדֹר: (ז) הֲלֹא אַתָּה תָּשׁוּב תְּחַיֵּנוּ וְעַמְּךָ יִשְׂמְחוּ בָךְ: (ח) הַרְאֵנוּ ה’ חַסְדֶּךָ וְיֶשְׁעֲךָ תִּתֶּן לָנוּ:
(5) Return to us [once more and] bring us back, O G-d of our yeshuah. Cease Your anger with us. (6) Will You be angry with us forever? [Will You] prolong Your wrath for all generations? (7) Surely You will revive us again so that Your people may rejoice in You! (8) Show us Your kindness, Hashem and grant us Your yeshuah.
PART 3. VISION OF THE FUTURE. The singer calls upon Hashem to help him visualize a future of peace for the nation based on the merging of truth and righteousness. The yeshuah will come when man acknowledges the truth of his existence and adopts the ways of righteousness, whereby he lives as his Creator wants him to. Then, just as lush crops grow through the efforts of the hard-working farmer, the spiritual labors of earthly man will elicit the flow of kindness from Heaven.
(ט) אֶשְׁמְעָה מַה יְדַבֵּר הָאֵל ה’ כִּי יְדַבֵּר שָׁלוֹם אֶל עַמּוֹ וְאֶל חֲסִידָיו וְאַל יָשׁוּבוּ לְכִסְלָה: (י) אַךְ קָרוֹב לִירֵאָיו יִשְׁעוֹ לִשְׁכֹּן כָּבוֹד בְּאַרְצֵנוּ: (יא) חֶסֶד וֶאֱמֶת נִפְגָּשׁוּ צֶדֶק וְשָׁלוֹם נָשָׁקוּ: (יב) אֱמֶת מֵאֶרֶץ תִּצְמָח וְצֶדֶק מִשָּׁמַיִם נִשְׁקָף: (יג) גַּם ה’ יִתֵּן הַטּוֹב וְאַרְצֵנוּ תִּתֵּן יְבוּלָהּ: (יד) צֶדֶק לְפָנָיו יְהַלֵּךְ וְיָשֵׂם לְדֶרֶךְ פְּעָמָיו:
(9) Grant me the ability to hear what the Almighty, Hashem, says when He proclaims peace for His people and His devout ones so that they will not revert to folly. (10) Surely His yeshuah is near for those who fear Him so that His glory will [once more] dwell in our land (11) Kindness and truth have met; righteousness and peace have kissed. (12) Truth sprouts from earth and righteousness gazes down from heaven. (13) Hashem, too, will provide the goodness and our land will yield its produce. (14) The righteousness [of man] must go before him and he must set his footsteps on its way.
Learning the Mizmor
PART 1. THE RESTORATION OF FAVOR.
(א) לַמְנַצֵּחַ לִבְנֵי קֹרַח מִזְמוֹר:
This song was prepared for the musician — לַמְנַצֵּחַ .–It is a mizmor composed by the sons of Korach — לִבְנֵי קֹרַח מִזְמוֹר ..
(ב) רָצִיתָ ה‘ אַרְצֶךָ
שַׁבְתָּ שְׁבִית יַעֲקֹב:
שַׁבְתָּ שְׁבִית יַעֲקֹב:
Hashem, You restored Your favor to Your land — רָצִיתָ ה’ אַרְצֶךָ when You returned the captivity of Yaakov from Bavel — שַׁבְתָּ שְׁבִית יַעֲקֹב and forgave that generation their sins. You demonstrated that even though Yisrael had some failings (as hinted by the name Yaakov, which does not contain the Name of G-d as does Yisrael) their spiritual state was sufficient to make them the only nation worthy of settling that Land and harvesting its crops. And You will have restored Your favor to Your Land once more when you forgive this generation our sins.
(ג) נָשָׂאתָ עֲוֹן עַמֶּךָ
כִּסִּיתָ כָל חַטָּאתָם סֶלָה:
כִּסִּיתָ כָל חַטָּאתָם סֶלָה:
You forgave the iniquity of Your people — נָשָׂאתָ עֲוֹן עַמֶּךָ , which been instrumental in their having to go into Exile. You covered over all their sin– and treated it as though it was committed by accident, Selah — כִּסִּיתָ כָל חַטָּאתָם סֶלָה .
(ד) אָסַפְתָּ כָל עֶבְרָתֶךָ
הֱשִׁיבוֹתָ מֵחֲרוֹן אַפֶּךָ:
הֱשִׁיבוֹתָ מֵחֲרוֹן אַפֶּךָ:
You withheld Your entire fury — אָסַפְתָּ כָל עֶבְרָתֶךָ . You drew back from the fierceness of Your anger — הֱשִׁיבוֹתָ מֵחֲרוֹן אַפֶּךָ .
PART 2. PLEA FOR THE PRESENT.
(ה) שׁוּבֵנוּ אֱלֹקֵי יִשְׁעֵנוּ
וְהָפֵר כַּעַסְךָ עִמָּנוּ:
וְהָפֵר כַּעַסְךָ עִמָּנוּ:
Just as You did in ending the Exile in Bavel, return to us once more and bring us back from this long Galus, O G-d of our yeshuah — וּבֵנוּ אֱלֹקֵי יִשְׁעֵנוּ . We refer to You as G-d of our yeshuah because our yeshuah is dependent on You and no other. Although we have sinned, we look to Your help in overcoming our sinful habits. Then You will be able cease Your anger with us — וְהָפֵר כַּעַסְךָ עִמָּנוּ as You did before.
(ו) הַלְעוֹלָם תֶּאֱנַף בָּנוּ
תִּמְשֹׁךְ אַפְּךָ לְדֹר וָדֹר:
תִּמְשֹׁךְ אַפְּךָ לְדֹר וָדֹר:
The Exile to Bavel lasted 70 years, but this Exile seems to have no end. Will You be angry with us forever — הַלְעוֹלָם תֶּאֱנַף בָּנוּ ? Will You prolong Your wrath for all generations — תִּמְשֹׁךְ אַפְּךָ לְדֹר וָדֹר , who have never seen and experienced the closeness to You that existed in times of old ? Will you deny us forever?
(ז) הֲלֹא אַתָּה תָּשׁוּב
תְּחַיֵּנוּ וְעַמְּךָ יִשְׂמְחוּ בָךְ:
תְּחַיֵּנוּ וְעַמְּךָ יִשְׂמְחוּ בָךְ:
While in Exile we are like the dead. No one can bring us back to life other than You. Surely You will revive us again — הֲלֹא אַתָּה תָּשׁוּב as Your prophets promised, so that Your people may rejoice in You — תְּחַיֵּנוּ וְעַמְּךָ יִשְׂמְחוּ בָךְ ! For there is no other true happiness than that which comes from the knowledge of Your having forgiven us.
(ח) הַרְאֵנוּ ה‘ חַסְדֶּךָ
וְיֶשְׁעֲךָ תִּתֶּן לָנוּ:
וְיֶשְׁעֲךָ תִּתֶּן לָנוּ:
Because Your nature is kindness, we know that You will eventually have pity on us, so let it be soon. Show us Your kindness, Hashem — הַרְאֵנוּ ה’ חַסְדֶּךָ , and grant us Your yeshuah in our lifetime — וְיֶשְׁעֲךָ תִּתֶּן לָנוּ . Grant it as a gift of kindness even if we are not worthy of it.
PART 3. VISION OF THE FUTURE.
(ט) אֶשְׁמְעָה מַה יְדַבֵּר הָאֵ־ל ה‘
כִּי יְדַבֵּר שָׁלוֹם אֶל עַמּוֹ וְאֶל חֲסִידָיו
וְאַל יָשׁוּבוּ לְכִסְלָה:
כִּי יְדַבֵּר שָׁלוֹם אֶל עַמּוֹ וְאֶל חֲסִידָיו
וְאַל יָשׁוּבוּ לְכִסְלָה:
Grant me the ability to hear what the Almighty, Hashem, says — אֶשְׁמְעָה מַה יְדַבֵּר הָאֵ־ל ה’ ; when He proclaims peace for His people and especially His devout ones — כִּי יְדַבֵּר שָׁלוֹם אֶל עַמּוֹ וְאֶל חֲסִידָיו . He will rule over them using an optimal balance of firmness and merciful kindness so that they will no longer revert to the folly of sin — וְאַל יָשׁוּבוּ לְכִסְלָה .
(י) אַךְ קָרוֹב לִירֵאָיו יִשְׁעוֹ
לִשְׁכֹּן כָּבוֹד בְּאַרְצֵנוּ:
לִשְׁכֹּן כָּבוֹד בְּאַרְצֵנוּ:
Surely His yeshuah is near for those who fear Him — אַךְ קָרוֹב לִירֵאָיו יִשְׁעוֹ and repent their sins, for the yeshuah must be earned. People should not expect to be saved through His kindness alone. But if they show an appropriate degree of sincere devotion His kindness will again become dominant, so that His glory will once more dwell in our land — לִשְׁכֹּן כָּבוֹד בְּאַרְצֵנוּ .
(יא) חֶסֶד וֶאֱמֶת נִפְגָּשׁוּ
צֶדֶק וְשָׁלוֹם נָשָׁקוּ:
צֶדֶק וְשָׁלוֹם נָשָׁקוּ:
The yeshuah will come when kindness and truth have met — חֶסֶד וֶאֱמֶת נִפְגָּשׁוּ . This will be when people appreciate not only easy-going kindness, but truth as well, even when the truth is hard to take. Then righteousness (living according to the will of the Creator) and peace (expressed as human happiness) will have kissed — צֶדֶק וְשָׁלוֹם נָשָׁקוּ .
(יב) אֱמֶת מֵאֶרֶץ תִּצְמָח
וְצֶדֶק מִשָּׁמַיִם נִשְׁקָף:
וְצֶדֶק מִשָּׁמַיִם נִשְׁקָף:
The yeshuah will come when man here on earth acknowledges the truth of his existence. Then, just as lush crops grow through the efforts of the hard-working farmer, the spiritual labors of earthly man will elicit the flow of kindness from Heaven. The process is initiated when truth sprouts from earth — אֱמֶת מֵאֶרֶץ תִּצְמָח . Until that happens, righteousness gazes down from heaven — וְצֶדֶק מִשָּׁמַיִם נִשְׁקָף , and awaits the time it can enter into earthly affairs.
(יג) גַּם ה‘ יִתֵּן הַטּוֹב
וְאַרְצֵנוּ תִּתֵּן יְבוּלָהּ:
וְאַרְצֵנוּ תִּתֵּן יְבוּלָהּ:
When men make them selves worthy of yeshuah, Hashem, too, will provide the blessed rain, symbolizing the flow of goodness — גַּם ה’ יִתֵּן הַטּוֹב , and our land will yield its produce — וְאַרְצֵנוּ תִּתֵּן יְבוּלָהּ .
(יד) צֶדֶק לְפָנָיו יְהַלֵּךְ
וְיָשֵׂם לְדֶרֶךְ פְּעָמָיו:
וְיָשֵׂם לְדֶרֶךְ פְּעָמָיו:
But the righteousness of man must go before him — צֶדֶק לְפָנָיו יְהַלֵּךְ . The goal of doing right must always be in front of his eyes and he must set his footsteps on its way — וְיָשֵׂם לְדֶרֶךְ פְּעָמָיו .
Sources
The primary sources used in the interpretation of the verses in this mizmor are listed below.
א – אבן עזרא, רד”ק, המאירי, ספורנו, אבן יחייא
ב – רש”י, אבן עזרא, רד”ק, מצודות, המאירי ,נר לרגלי
ג – אבן עזרא, רד”ק
ד- רד”ק, מצודות
ה – רש”י, אבן עזרא, רד”ק, בן רמוך, אלשיך, רשר”ה, נר לרגלי
ו – אבן עזרא, מצודות, נר לרגלי
ז – רש”י, אבן עזרא, נר לרגלי
ח – מלבי”ם, ספורנו, נר לרגלי, בן רמוך, רשר”ה,
ט – רש”י, רד”ק, מלבי”ם, המאירי, רשר”ה, נר לרגלי,
י – רד”ק, מלבי”ם, אבן יחייא
יא – מצודות, מלבי”ם, רשר”ה
יב – רד”ק, מלבי”ם, רשר”ה
יג – רש”י, רד”ק, מלבי”ם, רשר”ה
יד – רש”י, רד”ק, מצודות, נר לרגלי