(א) לַמְנַצֵּחַ מִזְמוֹר לְדָוִד: (ב) עַד אָנָה ה’ תִּשְׁכָּחֵנִי נֶצַח עַד אָנָה תַּסְתִּיר אֶת פָּנֶיךָ מִמֶּנִּי:
(1) For the musician, a mizmor by David. (2) “Hashem, how long, will You forget me permanently? How long will You conceal Your presence from me?
NOTE: For a PDF of this mizmor, please click here. This will enable you to print out the entire text of the article. [Rev. 7]
Key Concepts of Mizmor 013 – How Long Must I Wait?
In this moving mizmor David visualizes himself speaking for his nation in a future time when the Jewish people are suffering in Exile. He begins by plaintively asking how long the nation must continue to wait before Hashem again returns us to His presence. He then pleads for Hashem to save us from the precarious state we now occupy. He asks Hashem to enlighten us so that we can contribute to our own yeshuah by doing what is right. Finally, he looks forward in joyful anticipation to the gratitude we will feel when we are delivered.
Navigating the Mizmor. This is the first occurrence of a mizmor in which David visualizes the nation in Exile, desperately waiting for the Geulah. This concept appears a number of times in Tehillim, especially in Mizmor 022 (Morning Star), which is probably the most bitter and the most heart-rending.
Exploring the Mizmor
PART 1. HOW LONG? David calls out to Hashem and asks how much longer we must remain in this bitter Exile.
(א) לַמְנַצֵּחַ מִזְמוֹר לְדָוִד: (ב) עַד אָנָה ה’ תִּשְׁכָּחֵנִי נֶצַח עַד אָנָה תַּסְתִּיר אֶת פָּנֶיךָ מִמֶּנִּי: (ג) עַד אָנָה אָשִׁית עֵצוֹת בְּנַפְשִׁי יָגוֹן בִּלְבָבִי יוֹמָם עַד אָנָה יָרוּם אֹיְבִי עָלָי:
(1) For the musician, a mizmor by David. (2) “Hashem, how long, will You forget me permanently? How long will You conceal Your presence from me? (3) How long must I devise strategies for the anguish in my heart throughout the day? How long will my enemy triumph over me?”
PART 2. SAVE ME. David pleads with Hashem to show us how to bring the Exile to an immediate end.
(ד) הַבִּיטָה עֲנֵנִי ה’ אֱלֹקָי הָאִירָה עֵינַי פֶּן אִישַׁן הַמָּוֶת: (ה) פֶּן יֹאמַר אֹיְבִי יְכָלְתִּיו צָרַי יָגִילוּ כִּי אֶמּוֹט:
(4) “Look and answer me, Hashem, my G-d! Enlighten my eyes lest I sleep [the sleep of] death, (5) lest my enemy claim ‘I have prevailed over Him!’ [Lest] my tormentors rejoice when I falter.”
PART 3. JOYFUL ANTICIPATION. David sings to Hashem in gratitude for the deliverance that he is sure will come.
(ו) וַאֲנִי בְּחַסְדְּךָ בָטַחְתִּי יָגֵל לִבִּי בִּישׁוּעָתֶךָ אָשִׁירָה לַה’ כִּי גָמַל עָלָי:
(6) “But as for me, I trust in Your kindness. My heart will rejoice in Your deliverance. I will sing to Hashem for He has been good to me.”
Learning the Mizmor
PART 1. HOW LONG?
(א) לַמְנַצֵּחַ מִזְמוֹר לְדָוִד:
This song has been prepared for the musician — לַמְנַצֵּחַ , who will perform it. It is a mizmor composed by David — מִזְמוֹר לְדָוִד .
(ב) עַד אָנָה ה’ תִּשְׁכָּחֵנִי נֶצַח
עַד אָנָה תַּסְתִּיר אֶת פָּנֶיךָ מִמֶּנִּי:
עַד אָנָה תַּסְתִּיר אֶת פָּנֶיךָ מִמֶּנִּי:
Hashem, how long — עַד אָנָה ה’ , will I have to remain in exile? How long will You allow the nations to think You have permanently forgotten me — תִּשְׁכָּחֵנִי נֶצַח ? And how long — עַד אָנָה – will You conceal Your presence from me — תַּסְתִּיר אֶת פָּנֶיךָ מִמֶּנִּי ?
(ג) עַד אָנָה אָשִׁית עֵצוֹת בְּנַפְשִׁי
יָגוֹן בִּלְבָבִי יוֹמָם
יָגוֹן בִּלְבָבִי יוֹמָם
How long — עַד אָנָה – must I devise strategies — אָשִׁית עֵצוֹת בְּנַפְשִׁי – to escape the anguish — יָגוֹן – that is in my heart throughout the day — בִּלְבָבִי יוֹמָם – even when I am busy with my affairs?
עַד אָנָה יָרוּם אֹיְבִי עָלָי:
How long — עַד אָנָה – will I have to fear that my enemy will triumph over me — יָרוּם אֹיְבִי עָלָי ?
PART 2. SAVE ME!
(ד) הַבִּיטָה עֲנֵנִי ה’ אֱלֹקָי
Don’t forget me! Don’t conceal Your face from me! Instead, look — הַבִּיטָה – at my suffering and answer me, Hashem, my G-d — עֲנֵנִי ה’ אֱלֹקָי !
הָאִירָה עֵינַי פֶּן אִישַׁן הַמָּוֶת:
Enlighten my eyes — הָאִירָה עֵינַי – to discover truly effective measures with which I can actually escape my enemies, lest I succumb to them and sleep the sleep of death — פֶּן אִישַׁן הַמָּוֶת – in the long night of Exile.
(ה) פֶּן יֹאמַר אֹיְבִי יְכָלְתִּיו
Hashem, if not for my sake, save me for Your honor, lest my enemy claim — פֶּן יֹאמַר אֹיְבִי – “I have prevailed over Him — יְכָלְתִּיו !” Do it lest the resha’im (wicked) conclude that my devotion to You serves no purpose.
צָרַי יָגִילוּ כִּי אֶמּוֹט:
Save me lest my tormentors rejoice — צָרַי יָגִילוּ – and be encouraged to persist in their evil ways when they see that I falter — כִּי אֶמּוֹט – and tumble to the ground.
PART 3. JOYFUL ANTICIPATION
(ו) וַאֲנִי בְּחַסְדְּךָ בָטַחְתִּי
יָגֵל לִבִּי בִּישׁוּעָתֶךָ
אָשִׁירָה לַה’ כִּי גָמַל עָלָי:
יָגֵל לִבִּי בִּישׁוּעָתֶךָ
אָשִׁירָה לַה’ כִּי גָמַל עָלָי:
My enemies think no one will save me. But as for me — וַאֲנִי , I trust in Your kindness — בְּחַסְדְּךָ בָטַחְתִּי – and so I am sure You will come to my aid. Then in place of my tormentors rejoicing when I falter, my heart will rejoice in Your yeshuah (salvation) — יָגֵל לִבִּי בִּישׁוּעָתֶךָ . Then I will sing in gratitude to Hashem — אָשִׁירָה לַה’ , for He has been good to me — כִּי גָמַל עָלָי .
Living the Mizmor
Listed below are some of the thoughts that you might have in mind when you say the words of the mizmor as a tefillah asking for relief from your troubles and expressing your devotion to Hashem.
Tefillos for Life – Your Relationship with Hashem.
[13:2] HIS CONCEALMENT. – עַד אָנָה תַּסְתִּיר אֶת פָּנֶיךָ מִמֶּנִּי – “How long will You conceal Your presence from me?” Plead with Hashem to end this period of His concealment and bring the long-awaited Ge’ulah (Redemption) for all of Klal Yisrael.
[13:6] BITACHON. – וַאֲנִי בְּחַסְדְּךָ בָטַחְתִּי – “But as for me, I trust in Your kindness.” Declare with total sincerity your trust and confidence in Hashem’s kindness. Because of it He will surely bring the Ge’ulah.”
Tefillos for Life – Anguish.
[13:3] HOW LONG. – עַד אָנָה אָשִׁית עֵצוֹת בְּנַפְשִׁי יָגוֹן בִּלְבָבִי יוֹמָם – “How long must I devise strategies for the anguish in my heart throughout the day?” Plead with Hashem to end this period of anguish which overwhelms you so that it never leaves your mind, even when you are busy with your affairs.”
[13:6] ANTICIPATED JOY. – יָגֵל לִבִּי בִּישׁוּעָתֶךָ – “My heart will rejoice in Your deliverance.” Anticipate the joy and the gratitude you will feel when Hashem grants you a yeshuah from your troubles.”
Tefillos for Life – Your Berachah.
[13:4] LIFE. – הַבִּיטָה עֲנֵנִי ה’ אֱלֹקָי הָאִירָה עֵינַי פֶּן אִישַׁן הַמָּוֶת – “Enlighten my eyes lest I sleep [the sleep of] death.” Plead with Hashem not to bring your life to an end for there is much you need to do to fulfill your mission in His service.
Sources
The primary sources for the interpretation of the verses of this mizmor are listed below.
א – רד”ק
ב – אבן עזרא, רד”ק, מצודות
ג – אבן עזרא, רד”ק, מצודות
ד – רש”י, רד”ק, מצודות, מלבי”ם
ה – מצודות, נר לרגלי
ו – רד”ק