מַשְׂכִּיל לְאָסָף

A contemplation by Asaf. As with other psalms containing the heading maskil, “contemplation,” such as 32, 42, and 44, the focus of this psalm is contemplative and instructive rather than prayerful. It describes historical events with a poetic flair, and for this reason, some of the historical details and order of events differ from the way in which they appear in the Torah. First, however, the lengthy psalm begins with several statements of moral instruction: Listen, my people, to my teaching. Incline your ears to the words of my mouth.

הַאֲזִינָה עַמִּי תּוֹרָתִי; הַטּוּ אָזְנְכֶם לְאִמְרֵי פִי אֶפְתְּחָה בְמָשָׁל פִּי; אַבִּיעָה חִידוֹת מִנִּי קֶדֶם

My mouth will open with a tale. The word mashal, which in modern Hebrew pertains to a parable, refers here to a historical story told in poetic fashion. I will recount stories from ancient times. Here too the word ḥidot should not be understood in its modern sense of “riddles” or “challenging questions”; rather, it refers to artistically worded narratives (see also 49:5),

אֲשֶׁר שָׁמַעְנוּ וַנֵּדָעֵם וַאֲבוֹתֵינוּ סִפְּרוּ לָנוּ

those that we heard and knew from tradition, for our fathers told us.

לֹא נְכַחֵד מִבְּנֵיהֶם לְדוֹר אַחֲרוֹן מְסַפְּרִים תְּהִלּוֹת ה' וֶעֱזוּזוֹ וְנִפְלְאֹתָיו אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה

The psalmist continues by describing the tradition referred to in the previous verse: We will not conceal it from their children, but will tell a later generation of the praises of the Lord and His might and the wonders He has done.

וַיָּקֶם עֵדוּת בְּיַעֲקֹב וְתוֹרָה שָׂם בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל אֲשֶׁר צִוָּה אֶת אֲבוֹתֵינוּ לְהוֹדִיעָם לִבְנֵיהֶם

He set a precept in Jacob and imparted a teaching in Israel, referring to the Torah in its entirety, among which are precepts commemorating certain historical events, which He commanded our fathers to make known to their children,

לְמַעַן יֵדְעוּ דּוֹר אַחֲרוֹן בָנִים יִוָּלֵדוּ יָקֻמוּ וִיסַפְּרוּ לִבְנֵיהֶם

so that the generation to come, children not yet born, may know about these events that their fathers witnessed, and they in turn will arise and tell their own children.

וְיָשִׂימוּ בֵאלֹהִים כִּסְלָם וְלֹא יִשְׁכְּחוּ מַעַלְלֵי אֵל וּמִצְוֹתָיו יִנְצֹרוּ

Above and beyond historical interest, the lessons have a moral benefit: So that they, the new generations, will place their trust in God, and not forget the Almighty’s deeds, and keep His commandments,

וְלֹא יִהְיוּ כַּאֲבוֹתָם דּוֹר סוֹרֵר וּמֹרֶה דּוֹר לֹא הֵכִין לִבּוֹ וְלֹא נֶאֶמְנָה אֶת אֵל רוּחוֹ

and they will not be like many of their forefathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation that was not steadfast and whose spirit was not faithful to God, as the psalmist now goes on to elaborate.

בְּנֵי אֶפְרַיִם נוֹשְׁקֵי רוֹמֵי קָשֶׁת הָפְכוּ בְּיוֹם קְרָב

The sons of Ephraim were archers equipped with bows, yet they turned back and fled on the day of battle. It is not completely clear which historical event this verse is referring to. Some midrashim speak of an early attempt by the sons of Ephraim to leave Egypt before the time of the exodus. The verse can also be understood as a reference to the kingdom of Ephraim, as the northern Kingdom of Israel is sometimes known, which abandoned the laws of the Torah.

לֹא שָׁמְרוּ בְּרִית אֱלֹהִים וּבְתוֹרָתוֹ מֵאֲנוּ לָלֶכֶת

They did not keep the covenant of God, and they refused to walk in His law.

וַיִּשְׁכְּחוּ עֲלִילוֹתָיו וְנִפְלְאוֹתָיו אֲשֶׁר הֶרְאָם

They forgot His deeds and the marvels He had shown them.

נֶגֶד אֲבוֹתָם עָשָׂה פֶלֶא בְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם שְׂדֵה צֹעַן

He had wrought wonders before their fathers in the land of Egypt, in the field of Tzo’an, a poetic term for Egypt, as Tzo’an was a prominent Egyptian city that once served as its capital.

בָּקַע יָם וַיַּעֲבִירֵם וַיַּצֶּב מַיִם כְּמוֹ נֵד

The psalmist enumerates the most noteworthy of the wonders wrought in Egypt: He split the Red Sea and led them, the children of Israel, through it; He stood the waters of the Red Sea in a heap, with walls of water forming on either side of the passing Israelites.

וַיַּנְחֵם בֶּעָנָן יוֹמָם וְכָל הַלַּיְלָה בְּאוֹר אֵשׁ

Then He led them through the wilderness with a cloud by day, and throughout the night with the light of fire.

יְבַקַּע צֻרִים בַּמִּדְבָּר וַיַּשְׁקְ כִּתְהֹמוֹת רַבָּה

He split boulders in the desert and gave them drink, with water gushing forth from the rocks as plentiful as water that springs from the abundant depths.

וַיּוֹצִא נוֹזְלִים מִסָּלַע וַיּוֹרֶד כַּנְּהָרוֹת מָיִם

And He brought forth streams from the rock, making the water come down like rivers in the middle of the desert.

וַיּוֹסִיפוּ עוֹד לַחֲטֹא לוֹ לַמְרוֹת עֶלְיוֹן בַּצִּיָּה

The psalm goes on to recount the Israelites’ response to these miracles: Yet they continued to sin against Him, to rebel against the Most High in the parched land.

וַיְנַסּוּ אֵל בִּלְבָבָם לִשְׁאָל אֹכֶל לְנַפְשָׁם

In their hearts they tested the Almighty, asking for food for themselves, as described in the Torah.

וַיְדַבְּרוּ בֵּאלֹהִים אָמְרוּ הֲיוּכַל אֵל לַעֲרֹךְ שֻׁלְחָן בַּמִּדְבָּר

And they spoke against God, putting Him to the test, saying: Can the Almighty prepare a table in the wilderness?

הֵן הִכָּה צוּר וַיָּזוּבוּ מַיִם וּנְחָלִים יִשְׁטֹפוּ הֲגַם לֶחֶם יוּכַל תֵּת אִם יָכִין שְׁאֵר לְעַמּוֹ

Behold, He struck the rock so that waters gushed out and streams were flowing. Can He provide bread as well? Will He provide meat for His people?

לָכֵן שָׁמַע ה' וַיִּתְעַבָּר וְאֵשׁ נִשְֹּקָה בְיַעֲקֹב וְגַם אַף עָלָה בְיִשְׂרָאֵל

Thus the Lord was enraged when He heard this, and fire flared against Jacob, and wrath arose against Israel,

כִּי לֹא הֶאֱמִינוּ בֵּאלֹהִים וְלֹא בָטְחוּ בִּישׁוּעָתוֹ

for they did not believe in God and did not trust in His deliverance. The children of Israel were tested by these experiences in the wilderness, and they were found wanting.

וַיְצַו שְׁחָקִים מִמָּעַל וְדַלְתֵי שָׁמַיִם פָּתָח

Nevertheless, in response to their demands, He commanded the skies above and opened the doors of heaven,

וַיַּמְטֵר עֲלֵיהֶם מָן לֶאֱכֹל וּדְגַן שָׁמַיִם נָתַן לָמוֹ

and He rained down manna for them to eat; grain from heaven, again referring to the manna, He gave them.

לֶחֶם אַבִּירִים אָכַל אִישׁ צֵידָה שָׁלַח לָהֶם לָשׂבַע

Men ate the bread of angels; He sent them provisions to satiation.

יַסַּע קָדִים בַּשָּׁמָיִם וַיְנַהֵג בְּעֻזּוֹ תֵימָן

Having supplied the people with abundant food in the form of manna, He addressed their desire for meat: He stirred the east wind in the heavens; He drove the south wind with His might,

וַיַּמְטֵר עֲלֵיהֶם כֶּעָפָר שְׁאֵר וכְחוֹל יַמִּים עוֹף כָּנָף

and He rained down meat upon them like dust, winged fowl like sand of the seas. Both “meat” and “winged fowl” refer to the quail that God sent to the people to eat.

וַיַּפֵּל בְּקֶרֶב מַחֲנֵהוּ סָבִיב לְמִשְׁכְּנֹתָיו

He let it fall in the midst of their camp, encircling their dwellings,

וַיֹּאכְלוּ וַיִּשְׂבְּעוּ מְאֹד וְתַאֲוָתָם יָבִא לָהֶם

so they ate and were exceedingly sated; He brought them their desire that they had requested.

לֹא זָרוּ מִתַּאֲוָתָם עוֹד אָכְלָם בְּפִיהֶם

The psalmist recounts what happened next, reviewing the events as recorded in the Torah: They had not yet taken leave of their desire. Their food was still in their mouths

וְאַף אֱלֹהִים עָלָה בָהֶם וַיַּהֲרֹג בְּמִשְׁמַנֵּיהֶם וּבַחוּרֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל הִכְרִיעַ

when the anger of God rose against them. He slew the best among them; He struck down young warriors of Israel.

בְּכָל זֹאת חָטְאוּ עוֹד וְלֹא הֶאֱמִינוּ בְּנִפְלְאוֹתָיו

Nonetheless, they continued to sin and did not believe in His wonders. Even after the episode of the quail and the plague that came in its wake, they continued to complain and to make various demands.

וַיְכַל בַּהֶבֶל יְמֵיהֶם וּשְׁנוֹתָם בַּבֶּהָלָה

He ended their days in futility, and their years in terror. This is an allusion to the Israelites’ punishment of wandering in the wilderness instead of being able to enter the Land of Israel.

אִם הֲרָגָם וּדְרָשׁוּהוּ וְשָׁבוּ וְשִׁחֲרוּ אֵל

All of their years of wandering were characterized by a recurring pattern of behavior: When He slew them, then they sought Him out; they returned and searched for the Almighty.

וַיִּזְכְּרוּ כִּי אֱלֹהִים צוּרָם וְאֵל עֶלְיוֹן גֹּאֲלָם

They remembered in times of distress that God was their rock, the Almighty Most High, their Redeemer.

וַיְפַתּוּהוּ בְּפִיהֶם וּבִלְשׁוֹנָם יְכַזְּבוּ לוֹ

Their turning to God, however, was perfunctory rather than wholehearted: But they beguiled Him with their mouth and lied to Him with their tongue. They spoke as if they were faithful to Him, but in fact they were not.

וְלִבָּם לֹא נָכוֹן עִמּוֹ וְלֹא נֶאֶמְנוּ בִּבְרִיתוֹ

Their heart was not steadfast toward Him, nor were they faithful to His covenant.

וְהוּא רַחוּם יְכַפֵּר עָוֹן וְלֹא יַשְׁחִית וְהִרְבָּה לְהָשִׁיב אַפּוֹ וְלֹא יָעִיר כָּל חֲמָתוֹ

Yet, although God was aware of their insincerity, He, being merciful, forgave iniquity and did not destroy them for their sins. He repeatedly restrained His anger and did not kindle all of His wrath.

וַיִּזְכֹּר כִּי בָשָׂר הֵמָּה רוּחַ הוֹלֵךְ וְלֹא יָשׁוּב

He remembered that they were but flesh, imperfect human beings, a passing breeze that does not return. God realizes that, given the frailties of human nature and the shortness of people’s lives, one cannot make excessive demands on them.

כַּמָּה יַמְרוּהוּ בַמִּדְבָּר יַעֲצִיבוּהוּ בִּישִׁימוֹן

How often did they defy Him in the wilderness and distress Him in the desolate land!

וַיָּשׁוּבוּ וַיְנַסּוּ אֵל וקְדוֹשׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל הִתְווּ

They continually tested the Almighty; they marked the Holy One of Israel, as if to make Him a target for additional provocations.

לֹא זָכְרוּ אֶת יָדוֹ יוֹם אֲשֶׁר פָּדָם מִנִּי צָר

They did not remember the strength of His hand on the day He redeemed them from their foes,

אֲשֶׁר שָׂם בְּמִצְרַיִם אֹתוֹתָיו וּמוֹפְתָיו בִּשְׂדֵה צֹעַן

when He performed His signs in Egypt and His marvels in the field of Tzo’an. The psalmist now turns to the story of the ten plagues and the exodus from Egypt:

וַיַּהֲפֹךְ לְדָם יְאֹרֵיהֶם וְנֹזְלֵיהֶם בַּל יִשְׁתָּיוּן

He turned their rivers to blood; their waters were unfit to drink.

יְשַׁלַּח בָּהֶם עָרֹב וַיֹּאכְלֵם וּצְפַרְדֵּעַ וַתַּשְׁחִיתֵם

He sent wild beasts among them, which devoured them, and frogs, which destroyed them,

וַיִּתֵּן לֶחָסִיל יְבוּלָם ויגִיעָם לָאַרְבֶּה

and He gave their crops to grasshoppers, and the product of their labors to locusts. The word ḥasil, translated here as “grasshoppers,” is a synonym for locust. Alternatively, it may refer to a specific kind of locust.

יַהֲרֹג בַּבָּרָד גַּפְנָם וְשִׁקְמוֹתָם בַּחֲנָמַל

He destroyed their vines with hail and their sycamores with worms,

וַיַּסְגֵּר לַבָּרָד בְּעִירָם וּמִקְנֵיהֶם לָרְשָׁפִים

and He handed over their livestock to hail, their cattle to bolts of lightning.

יְשַׁלַּח בָּם חֲרוֹן אַפּוֹ עֶבְרָה וָזַעַם וְצָרָה מִשְׁלַחַת מַלְאֲכֵי רָעִים

He sent them His burning anger, fury, indignation, and trouble, a band of destroying angels. This verse refers to the pestilence that killed all the remaining livestock, which was delivered by angels of destruction.

יְפַלֵּס נָתִיב לְאַפּוֹ לֹא חָשַׂךְ מִמָּוֶת נַפְשָׁם וְחַיָּתָם לַדֶּבֶר הִסְגִּיר

He cleared a path, as it were, for His anger to reach Egypt; He did not spare them from death; He delivered their animals to pestilence.

וַיַּךְ כָּל בְּכוֹר בְּמִצְרָיִם רֵאשִׁית אוֹנִים בְּאָהֳלֵי חָם

He smote all the firstborn in Egypt, the first fruits of their vigor, another term for the firstborn, in the tents of Ham, referring to the Egyptians by the name of their forebear Ham.

וַיַּסַּע כַּצֹּאן עַמּוֹ וַיְנַהֲגֵם כַּעֵדֶר בַּמִּדְבָּר

The aforementioned plagues led to the Israelites’ exodus from Egypt: Then He led forth His people like sheep, which are led along a designated path by their caring shepherd, and guided them in the wilderness like a flock.

וַיַּנְחֵם לָבֶטַח וְלֹא פָחָדוּ וְאֶת אוֹיְבֵיהֶם כִּסָּה הַיָּם

He guided them safely and they did not fear; the sea engulfed their enemies.

וַיְבִיאֵם אֶל גְּבוּל קָדְשׁוֹ הַר זֶה קָנְתָה יְמִינוֹ

In the following verses, the psalmist turns from describing the events of the exodus to the conquest of the land: He brought them to the boundary of His holiness, the Land of Israel, to the mountain owned by His right hand, the mountain that is God’s prized possession, Mount Zion, the choicest portion of the land.

וַיְגָרֶשׁ מִפְּנֵיהֶם גּוֹיִם וַיַּפִּילֵם בְּחֶבֶל נַחֲלָה וַיַּשְׁכֵּן בְּאָהֳלֵיהֶם שִׁבְטֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל

He drove out the nations of Canaan before them, dividing up their allotments of land among the members of each of the twelve tribes. He settled the tribes of Israel in their tents.

וַיְנַסּוּ וַיַּמְרוּ אֶת אֱלֹהִים עֶלְיוֹן וְעֵדוֹתָיו לֹא שָׁמָרוּ

Yet even after they were settled in the Land of Israel, the people continued to sin; they tested and rebelled against God Most High, and they did not keep His precepts.

וַיִּסֹּגוּ וַיִּבְגְּדוּ כַּאֲבוֹתָם נֶהְפְּכוּ כְּקֶשֶׁת רְמִיָּה

They turned back from the path of propriety and acted treacherously, as did their fathers in the wilderness; they became unfaithful like a crooked bow, whose arrows fly off in all directions, far from the desired destination.

וַיַּכְעִיסוּהוּ בְּבָמוֹתָם וּבִפְסִילֵיהֶם יַקְנִיאוּהוּ

They provoked Him with their altars in high places dedicated to false gods, and aroused His jealousy with their graven images.

שָׁמַע אֱלֹהִים וַיִּתְעַבָּר וַיִּמְאַס מְאֹד בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל

God heard of these depraved deeds and grew angry; He utterly rejected Israel.

וַיִּטֹּשׁ מִשְׁכַּן שִׁלוֹ אֹהֶל שִׁכֵּן בָּאָדָם

He abandoned the Sanctuary at Shilo, which was apparently destroyed by the Philistines; He pitched a tent among men. After the destruction of Shilo, God did not designate a specific alternative location as His dwelling place but instead dwelled among the people,

וַיִּתֵּן לַשְּׁבִי עֻזּוֹ וְתִפְאַרְתּוֹ בְיַד צָר

and He sent His strength into captivity, His glory into the hand of the foe. “His strength” and “His glory” refer to the powerful fortresses and cities that were overtaken by the enemy.

וַיַּסְגֵּר לַחֶרֶב עַמּוֹ וּבְנַחֲלָתוֹ הִתְעַבָּר

He delivered His people to the sword; He was filled with anger toward His portion, Israel.

בַּחוּרָיו אָכְלָה אֵשׁ ובְתוּלֹתָיו לֹא הוּלָּלוּ

Fire devoured His young men, and as a result of the men’s deaths, His virgins were not celebrated with wedding songs, as they were left with no potential marriage partners.

כֹּהֲנָיו בַּחֶרֶב נָפָלוּ וְאַלְמְנֹתָיו לֹא תִבְכֶּינָה

His priests fell by the sword, and His widows could not weep for their husbands because they themselves were pursued and killed.

וַיִּקַץ כְּיָשֵׁן אֲדֹנָי כְּגִבּוֹר מִתְרוֹנֵן מִיָּיִן

But after all the defeat and subjugation, there came a time for redemption: Then the Lord awoke as if from sleep, after seeming to be indifferent to Israel’s suffering for so long, like a warrior rising stridently from his wine, after a refreshing reprieve from the battlefield.

וַיַּךְ צָרָיו אָחוֹר חֶרְפַּת עוֹלָם נָתַן לָמוֹ

He drove His foes into retreat, put them to everlasting shame.

וַיִּמְאַס בְּאֹהֶל יוֹסֵף וּבְשֵׁבֶט אֶפְרַיִם לֹא בָחָר

And He rejected the tent of Joseph and did not choose the tribe of Ephraim. The tribe of Joseph and its branch Ephraim had been in power mostly during the period of the judges, and God now rejected their leadership.

וַיִּבְחַר אֶת שֵׁבֶט יְהוּדָה אֶת הַר צִיּוֹן אֲשֶׁר אָהֵב

Instead, He chose the tribe of Judah, and Mount Zion in Judah’s territory, which He loved and selected as the site of His Temple,

וַיִּבֶן כְּמוֹ רָמִים מִקְדָּשׁוֹ כְאֶרֶץ יְסָדָהּ לְעוֹלָם

and He built His holy place in the heights, establishing it, like the earth, for eternity.

וַיִּבְחַר בְּדָוִד עַבְדּוֹ וַיִּקָּחֵהוּ מִמִּכְלְאֹת צֹאן

And He chose David, His servant, from the tribe of Judah, and took him from the sheepfolds, where he had worked as a shepherd, to be king of Israel.

מֵאַחַר עָלוֹת הֱבִיאוֹ לִרְעוֹת בְּיַעֲקֹב עַמּוֹ וּבְיִשְׂרָאֵל נַחֲלָתוֹ

He brought him away from the suckling lambs to be a shepherd among Jacob, His people, and Israel, His portion. The verse notes the apt transition from shepherd of flocks to shepherd of Israel.

וַיִּרְעֵם כְּתֹם לְבָבוֹ וּבִתְבוּנוֹת כַּפָּיו יַנְחֵם

And He shepherded them with a pure heart and led them with skillful hands.