Chapter 4 of Tehillim opens with the heading "Lamnatzei'ach binginot" (To the Conductor, with stringed instruments). Before approaching the body of the psalm, let us introduce a preliminary explanation that will accompany us in upcoming chapters as well, where we will repeatedly encounter the expression "lamnatzei'ach" alongside the names of musical instruments and melodies. We will examine the explanations of Rashi, Radak, and Ibn Ezra on this matter, and then proceed to the plain meaning of the verses following the approach of the Malbim.
לַמְנַצֵּחַ בִּנְגִינוֹת מִזְמוֹר לְדָוִד׃ - For the conductor, with stringed instruments; a psalm of David.
Rashi explains: David composed this psalm so that the Levites would recite it, as they conducted (menatzchim) the musical accompaniment of the song upon the platform (duchan). The term nitzu'ach refers to those who apply themselves vigorously to their service, as in: "the Levites, from twenty years old and upward, were appointed to oversee (lenatzei'ach) the work of the House of Hashem" (Ezra 3:8). According to Rashi, those who put great effort into song are called menatzchim, and similarly anyone who applies himself vigorously to any task. This is naturally connected to the term "to triumph" (lenatzei'ach) in battle: one who overcomes and strengthens himself in the matter at hand is called a menatzei'ach.
Ibn Ezra cites the Gaon (Rav Saadia Gaon) that the psalm belongs to David: David composed it and gave it to one of the singers to play perpetually - and this is the meaning of "lanetzach" (eternally), to play it continually. However, Ibn Ezra cites another interpretation about which he states, "and this is correct," which is the explanation familiar to us today: the menatzei'ach is the supervisor in charge of the musicians, appointed over them. And if you ask why it is written "lamnatzei'ach" with a patach under the lamed rather than "le-mnatzei'ach" with a sheva - this is because the patach serves as the definite article: to the known conductor. Had the text meant any generic conductor, it would have written "le-mnatzei'ach".
Radak likewise explains: "The menatzei'ach is the one who was appointed over the singers." He adds an insightful observation: notice that there were instrumentalists playing instruments and singers singing vocally, yet you will never find a psalm opening with "To the singer" or "To the player" - it is always "To the conductor" (lamnatzei'ach). So too in the prayer of Chavakkuk: "To the conductor, with my stringed instruments" (Chavakkuk 3:19), as well as "to oversee the work of the House of Hashem" and "with harps on the sheminit to oversee" (I Chronicles 15:21). There were also conductors assigned to a specific instrument, and here the verse specifies that instrument.
Ibn Ezra suggests: "Neginot" is in the plural form because it encompasses two types of melodies; others say it is the name of a musical instrument called "neginot", just as we refer to instruments as a piano, organ, or guitar. In his own view, there were in Israel various neginot - that is, tunes and songs set to many distinct melodies. The reason it says "binginot" is that this was the opening of the song, the melody with which the psalm commenced. This is why we find such headings at the beginning of psalms: "lema'alot", "hama'alot", "al alamot", "al ayelet hashachar", "lamnatzei'ach al yonat elem", "al machalat" - all of these are types of melodies, and each psalm had its own unique tune. Incidentally, "alamot" and "ma'alot" consist of the exact same Hebrew letters.
Radak explains that neginot and similar terms are the names of instruments: one supervisor conducted with an instrument called "neginot", while another conducted with an instrument called "sheminit" - hence "To the conductor on the sheminit". Although Chazal offer homiletical interpretations (derashot) regarding the "sheminit" - connecting it to circumcision given on the eighth day - we are concerned here with the plain meaning (peshat), and according to the peshat, these are the names of instruments and types of melodies. Accompanied by the playing of the instruments, they would recite the songs and praises, with each psalm set to a specific melody suited to it.
Radak writes: "For it was a great wisdom, and it awakens the wise soul." It is well known that the power of music possesses immense capacity to arouse the soul. Therefore, it is recounted that when someone came to the Beit HaMikdash needing to confess, and the Kohen saw that he lacked the proper inner arousal, he would tell the Levites to burst into song; the Levites would then sing a special melody that broke his heart, at which point he would begin to confess and return in complete repentance. The intellectual soul is awakened through songs and melodies, and this discipline was counted among the classical fields of knowledge - the seven traditional disciplines of wisdom, such as geometry, astronomy, and others, among which was the art of music.
The instruments used for praise in the Beis HaMikdash were harps, lyres, cymbals, trumpets, and the shofar. The instruments were categorized according to musical melodies known in their day - certain instruments were customarily played for specific melodies, and other instruments for other melodies; each instrument had a unique role for a particular tune. Among the musical modes and tunes: some were called "Alamos" ("Al alamos shir"), some "Neginos" - melodies, as in our usage - and there are "Maskil," "Michtam," "Shiggayon," "Nechilos," "Shigyonos," and "Gittis." All these were types of melodies to which the psalms were sung. And among the instruments: "asor" ("benevel asor azamerah lach" - a ten-stringed harp), "ugav" (pipe or organ), and other types, each distinct in its musical sound, as is known to the masters of musical wisdom.
It is written in Divrei HaYamim I 23:5: "And four thousand praised Hashem with the instruments which I made for praising." The Radak notes that we do not know for certain whether the instruments were in their hands and they themselves recited the psalm with their mouths, or whether there were those who recited the psalm vocally while others played the instruments alongside them. Regarding wind instruments, it is very likely that there were two separate groups - for how could one blow a trumpet or flute and sing at the same time? But with an instrument like the ugav, just as a guitarist can play and sing simultaneously, it is possible that the musicians were also the singers.
And from the verses: "And the Levi'im were with the musical instruments of Hashem, which King David had made to give thanks to Hashem, 'for His kindness endures forever,' when David praised through their hand, and the Kohanim sounded the trumpets opposite them," and likewise, "and the trumpeters sounded trumpets." From this we see that the trumpets alone were held by the Kohanim, while all other instruments were played by the Levi'im - and the Levi'im were also the singers; they were the group designated for the song, and they were also the instrumentalists. So too: "And the Levi'im stood with the instruments of David, and the Kohanim with the trumpets."
As we continue through Sefer Tehillim, we will encounter many psalms where opinions differ regarding the historical situation in which they were composed: what was taking place at the moment David said the psalm. There is the Radak, Rashi, and other commentators. But we will not follow multiple approaches simultaneously, as that only confuses matters: if we explain that a psalm speaks of David fleeing from Avshalom, the entire psalm must be understood along that line; whereas if we say it speaks of Shaul pursuing David, the rest of the psalm must be understood in a completely different context. Since our goal is not to study the chapter four or five different times, and our method of study follows the Malbim's line of interpretation, we will focus primarily on his commentary. Even if we mention that others explain differently, we will not analyze the whole chapter according to alternative commentaries, but rather adopt one cohesive approach and proceed with it.
The Malbim explains that David composed this psalm during the famine that struck in his days - a three-year famine. The scoffers of that generation claimed that the famine had come on account of David's sin: the king had sinned, so it was no wonder that the people were starving. David inquired of Hashem, and the Holy One, blessed be He, answered him that the famine was "for Shaul and for his blood-stained house, because he put the Giv'onim to death" - for two reasons: because Shaul had not been eulogized properly, and because he had killed the Giv'onim when he pursued David and suspected that Nov, the city of Kohanim, had sheltered him, subsequently destroying Nov and the Giv'onim. We discussed this entire episode in our study of Sefer Shmuel, so we will not delve into it here.
What we wish to focus on here is how David offers thanks to Hashem over this. For after his prayer, and after he fulfilled what was required - appeasing the Giv'onim by handing over descendants of Shaul who were hanged before the sun, followed by the proper eulogy for Shaul - the rain fell. David thanks Hashem for this, because this made it clear that the accusations leveled against him were completely false: the guilt was not his at all, but stemmed from the matter of Shaul's eulogy and the Giv'onim. Therefore, David offers "sacrifices of righteousness" (zivchei tzedek), thanksgiving offerings, because his righteousness and innocence were vindicated and his accusers were shown to be wrong in their claims.
The psalm is divided into three parts, in accordance with the Malbim's regular approach of interpreting the word selah as marking the conclusion of a theme - and here selah appears three times, delineating three sections. (According to the Radak, this psalm is a continuation of the preceding one, which was also recited when David fled from Avshalom; but we follow the approach of the Malbim.)
בְּקָרְאִי עֲנֵנִי אֱלֹהֵי צִדְקִי בַּצָּר הִרְחַבְתָּ לִּי חָנֵּנִי וּשְׁמַע תְּפִלָּתִי׃ - When I call, answer me, God of my righteousness; in distress You relieved me; be gracious to me and hear my prayer.
David pleads: Master of the World, when I call out to You, answer me - and he presents three reasons. First, "God of my righteousness" - the God Who knows my righteousness, my righteous deeds, and my good actions. Second, on the basis of mercy: "in distress You relieved me" - for until this day, in every time of distress, You have had mercy on me and granted me relief; have mercy on me now as well. Third, on the basis of an unearned gift, as it says, "and I will show favor to whom I will show favor" - for even to one who is neither worthy nor fitting, Hashem grants an unearned gift. Therefore, "be gracious to me and hear my prayer": Hashem, please, as an unearned gift, hear my prayer, even if I am not righteous, worthy, or deserving that You accept my prayer.
בְּנֵי אִישׁ עַד־מֶה כְבוֹדִי לִכְלִמָּה תֶּאֱהָבוּן רִיק תְּבַקְשׁוּ כָזָב סֶלָה׃ - Sons of men, how long will my honor be put to shame, will you love vanity and seek falsehood? Selah.
After this introduction, David turns to the scoffers of the generation, those who blamed him for the famine. "Sons of men" - an expression meant to say that you are the opposite of the children of God, a phrase that lowers their standing. See how contrary your way is to the way of Hashem: "how long will my honor be put to shame" - how much effort you invest in humiliating my honor and shaming me. "You love vanity, you seek falsehood" - either you love to humiliate me over vanity, something with no substance. Such is the way of accusers: they prefer that there be some small detail, because a small detail can be inflated - there was a loan, he took a bribe, and the like; yet in truth there was nothing at all, or if there was, it was entirely different from what was alleged against him. This is "you love vanity": you seize upon matters that have no substance, and from that emptiness you construct an enormous scandal to publicize my disgrace. And if you cannot find even empty vanity, you fabricate falsehood: "you seek falsehood", concocting and inventing stories that never even existed as parables, completely imaginary tales, all to spread false accusations against me.
Rashi explains "sons of men" (bnei ish) as the sons of Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yaakov, who were each referred to as "ish" (man): regarding Avraham, "return the man's wife"; regarding Yitzchak, "who is this man"; regarding Yaakov, "a wholesome man". And what was the humiliation with which they shamed him? As explained in the Book of Shmuel, they would not even mention him by name, and failing to refer to a person by name is a tremendous indignity, as though he is entirely unworthy of having his name spoken: "I have seen the son of Yishai", "Who is David and who is the son of Yishai?", "The sons of the people have rebelled with the son of Yishai", "You have chosen the son of Yishai". He has no name - meaning he is not a person of standing at all, merely "so-and-so's son." And regarding this he asks: How long will you continue to degrade me and seek out lies against me, like the Ziphites who informed on David and the other slanderers in the days of Shaul - "Is not David hiding with us in the hill of Chachilah?" - pursuing me without cause and without reason?
וּדְעוּ כִּי־הִפְלָה יְהֹוָה חָסִיד לוֹ יְהֹוָה יִשְׁמַע בְּקָרְאִי אֵלָיו׃ - Know that Hashem has set apart the pious one for Himself; Hashem hears when I call to Him.
Know that Hashem answered me when I prayed to Him, and for two reasons. First, "Hashem has set apart the pious one for Himself" - "hiflah" (set apart) is related to distinction and separation: Hashem separates the pious from the rest, and the separation here is individual divine providence (hashgachah pratit) over him. The chassid and the tzaddik merit what we today would call special preference - a unique distinction from Hashem, Who singles him out from the rest and watches over him with individual providence. And the second reason: "Hashem hears when I call to Him" - Hashem always hears when I pray to Him.
רִגְזוּ וְאַל־תֶּחֱטָאוּ אִמְרוּ בִלְבַבְכֶם עַל־מִשְׁכַּבְכֶם וְדֹמּוּ סֶלָה׃ - Tremble and do not sin; speak in your hearts upon your beds, and be still. Selah.
"Tremble and do not sin" - you will experience dread from Hashem; Hashem will deter and terrify you, so do not sin with the sin of slander, fabricating false allegations against me. And if you say: But you sinned and stumbled with Batsheva! To this he tells them, "speak in your hearts upon your beds." The Malbim explains that "al" here is in the sense of "evel" (iniquity), as in "and twisted what was right." That is: remember in your hearts what wrongdoing lies within yourselves regarding your beds - for you yourselves have sinned in matters of intimacy, "bed" being a term for relations, as in "carnal bed" or "the lying of a woman." Reflect in your hearts upon the forbidden relationships in which you stumbled, and then "and be still" - remain silent, and do not pin the blame on me by claiming the famine came because of the sin with Batsheva. Remember your own sins, and do not slander me. "Selah" - here ends the second part of the psalm. Nor should we forget the other interpretation of "Selah," which is the view of most commentators - an expression of eternity and constancy: "and be still, Selah" - remain silent forever.
זִבְחוּ זִבְחֵי־צֶדֶק וּבִטְחוּ אֶל־יְהֹוָה׃ - Offer sacrifices of righteousness, and put your trust in Hashem.
David now turns to the Kohanim offering the sacrifices and tells them: I have brought sacrifices for you to offer, so offer them - for they are "sacrifices of righteousness" (zivchei tzedek). And what are "sacrifices of righteousness"? The Malbim explains that a sacrifice derives its name from the purpose for which it is brought: one who wishes to give thanks to Hashem brings an offering called a zevach todah (thanksgiving offering); one who brings an offering for a sin brings a chatat (sin offering). Here, David is offering sacrifices because Hashem demonstrated his righteousness, showing that the famine truly did not come on his account - therefore, the sacrifices are called zivchei tzedek, sacrifices brought to thank Hashem for vindicating his righteousness. He adds: "And trust in Hashem" - trust that Hashem will grant rain upon the earth, since the wrongs were rectified through what David did regarding Shaul and everything that needed to be done; consequently, trust in Hashem that He will bring down rain properly and the famine will cease.
רַבִּים אֹמְרִים מִי־יַרְאֵנוּ טוֹב נְסָה־עָלֵינוּ אוֹר פָּנֶיךָ יְהֹוָה׃ - Many say, "Who will show us good? Raise upon us the light of Your countenance, Hashem!"
During the famine, people longed for food and water, saying, "Who will show us good?" - who will show us good by sending down rain? "Raise upon us the light of Your countenance, Hashem" - they pray that Hashem will raise over them the light of His providence, for famine is a form of concealment of the Divine face (hester panim), and they ask that the light of His providence shine prominently over them. According to this, nesah is related to lehitnoses (to be hoisted or displayed like a banner). Rashi brings another interpretation: nesah aleinu means "raise over us like a banner (nes) the light of Your countenance," as in "raise a banner toward Zion" (harimu nes tziyonah), "I will raise My banner" (arim nisi) - a nes is the pole upon which a banner hangs, something lifted high. The Radak offers a third interpretation: nesah is equivalent to nesa (lift up upon us), where the samech is interchanged with a shin and the heh with an aleph, meaning: bear, lift up, and place upon us the light of Your countenance.
נָתַתָּה שִׂמְחָה בְלִבִּי מֵעֵת דְּגָנָם וְתִירוֹשָׁם רָבּוּ׃ - You have put gladness in my heart, from the time their grain and their wine increased.
David says: Now You have placed joy in my heart, as You have begun to multiply their grain and their wine and the famine has ceased. Through this, it became clear and evident to all that the sin was not David's sin, but rather, as Hashem revealed to him, the matter of Shaul.
Rashi explains these two verses in a different way. "Many say, 'Who will show us good?'" - many, seeing the wicked in their serenity, their wealth, and the fulfillment of their desires, say: If only we had such good! Look, money is in their hands, they indulge every desire as they wish, and no harm touches them. This is the question that many of the ancients grappled with - the righteous who suffers and the wicked who prospers (tzaddik ve-ra lo, rasha ve-tov lo). But David says: I do not envy them. "Raise upon us the light of Your countenance" - I seek the light of Your countenance, Hashem. And when is it that "You have placed joy in my heart"? "From the time their grain and their wine increased" - precisely when I see that the grain and wine of the wicked multiply, that brings me joy. To others this is saddening - "Look how good the wicked have it; perhaps we too should become like them"; but to David, on the contrary, it brings joy. And how so?
Midrash Tehillim (Shocher Tov), and likewise the Yalkut, cites: "'You have placed joy in my heart from the time their grain and wine increased' - Israel said: If for the nations of the world, because they observed seven mitzvot, You have sated them with good things in this world as their reward - for they observed only seven mitzvot, and even those they did not observe properly, yet for this small amount You gave them great reward - we, who were commanded 613 mitzvot, all the more so will You bestow good upon us in the World to Come! Therefore, when we see the tranquility of the nations, we rejoice, and that is 'You have placed joy in my heart from the time their grain and wine increased' - that is, the grain and wine of the nations. When I see that their grain and wine multiply, I rejoice, because if it is so for them, all the more so for me, who serves Hashem, that He will not withhold my reward, and in the time to come I will receive far, far beyond this."
Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi offers a well-known parable regarding this: It is comparable to a king who made a feast, brought in the guests, and seated them at the entrance of his palace - they were invited to the king's celebration, but had not yet been granted permission to enter, and he left them outside. Meanwhile, they see the dogs coming out with pheasants, fattened fowl heads, and calf heads in their mouths. They began to say: If it is like this for the dogs, how much more so the feast itself! Look at what prime meat was thrown to the dogs; imagine what a feast awaits us! And the Midrash says: The dogs represent those concerning whom it is said, "and the dogs are brazen of spirit," who enjoy tranquility in this world; will it not be all the more so for Israel in the Future to Come? That is why it says, "You have placed joy in my heart."
In truth, one should examine the text before us carefully, where it says, "and the wicked of Israel are compared to dogs." It is very likely that this is an emendation made by the censors. For earlier, the Midrash spoke of the nations of the world - "If for the nations of the world, because they observed seven mitzvot, You sated them with every good, when we see the tranquility of the nations of the world, all the more so for us" - so how does it suddenly shift to speaking about the wicked of Israel? Earlier, there was no disparagement of the nations, but here it says they are compared to dogs, which is disparaging - hence it is likely that it was censored and emended. Furthermore, the conclusion is exact according to this: "is it not all the more so for Israel in the Future to Come?" If the parable were about the wicked of Israel, it should have said, "all the more so for the righteous in the Future to Come," since the wicked are also part of Israel. Therefore, it seems that originally the text read: the nations are compared to dogs, as it is stated, "and the dogs are brazen of spirit," and they enjoy tranquility in this world; all the more so for Israel in the Future to Come - and regarding this it is said, "You have placed joy in my heart."
Thus King David says: I am not overawed by the tranquility of the wicked; when I see their tranquility, I deduce that far more is in store for me. Just as Rabbi Yose said: If it is so for those who transgress His will, how much more so for those who perform His will! This is a self-evident conclusion.
בְּשָׁלוֹם יַחְדָּו אֶשְׁכְּבָה וְאִישָׁן כִּי־אַתָּה יְהֹוָה לְבָדָד לָבֶטַח תּוֹשִׁיבֵנִי׃ - In peace together I will lie down and sleep, for You, Hashem, make me dwell safely in solitude.
The Malbim explains that David describes himself, as it were, lying down together with peace - peace clings to him: "In peace together I will lie down and sleep," meaning I lie down together with peace and it adheres to me. And why did he use the phrase "safely in solitude" (levadad lavetach)? It is based on the verse, "And Israel dwelt safely, alone." See what is said there in continuation: "And Israel dwelt safely, alone, the fountain of Yaakov, upon a land of grain and wine; also its heavens shall drop dew" - and this is precisely what David was longing for, that the rain should fall, after three years of famine. Now, when the rain has begun to fall and there is dew, grain, and wine, David says: "You make me dwell safely in solitude" - Israel shall dwell safely alone; there is no need to import grain from the nations, for we can remain solitary and self-reliant, since from our own produce and crops there is plenty to sustain us. And for this, David thanks, praises, and glorifies Hashem.
The Radak explains according to his approach: "In peace together I will lie down and sleep" - I yearned for their welfare, which is what was said earlier, "You placed gladness in my heart from the time their grain and wine increased." For David always says that when his enemies were ill, he wore sackcloth and prayed for their healing - "Yet as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth"; and when things were good for his enemies, he did not pray that Hashem bring distress upon them, but rather, "You placed gladness in my heart from the time their grain and wine increased" - referring to his enemies. Even though they mistreated him, "in peace together I will lie down and sleep" - I long for peace between us, and then I will lie down and sleep. For a person who feels threatened cannot simply lie down to sleep: at first he cannot fall asleep, and if he does, he is gripped by fear over who might surprise him in his slumber. But from the moment my enemies make peace with me - and this is what I pray for - I will be able to go to sleep without any anxiety and without an enemy. "For You, Hashem, make me dwell safely in solitude" - I am confident that You will fulfill my desire and settle me securely among them; I will have no fear, they will not harm me, and I will be secure even as I dwell among them; this is my hope and aspiration. And what does "in solitude" (levadad) mean? The Radak explains that it refers back to the Holy One, Blessed be He: "For You, Hashem, alone" - in You alone do I place my trust, only You can bring this about and no one else, and only from Him, blessed be He, will I merit that "You make me dwell in safety."
Psalm 4 was spoken, according to the Malbim, during the famine in the days of David, when the scoffers of the generation pinned the blame on him. David opens with a plea based on three grounds - his personal righteousness, Hashem's mercy that has benefited him in every distress, and an unearned gift of grace. Afterward, he addresses his accusers: you love vanity and seek falsehood, and instead of persecuting me, remember your own sins and be silent. In the third section, he calls upon them to offer sacrifices of righteousness - offerings over the vindication of his righteousness - and to trust in Hashem to grant rain. When grain and wine multiplied, his heart was filled with joy, and from the Midrash we learned that one must rejoice even in the prosperity of the nations: if it is so for those who transgress His will, how much more so for those who fulfill His will! And in the conclusion: "In peace together I will lie down and sleep" - peace clings to me, and in You alone do I trust to make me dwell in safety.