Introduction
We continue in Psalm 60. King David, through his holy spirit (Ruach HaKodesh), foresaw the afflictions that Edom would inflict upon Israel throughout the generations, and he pleads for mercy regarding the future. In the verses before us, he describes the hardships and troubles that the Jewish people endure and clarifies their ultimate purpose: the trials through which the Jewish people are refined, the banner around which they rally for battle, and the prayer for a complete salvation to be revealed before the eyes of all.
"You Have Given a Banner to Those Who Fear You" - Trials that Adorn the Creator's Attributes
נָתַתָּה לִּירֵאֶיךָ נֵּס לְהִתְנוֹסֵס מִפְּנֵי קֹשֶׁט סֶלָה׃ - You have given to those who fear You a banner to be raised, on account of truth, Selah.
Rashi explains that "nes" here is related to trials (nisyonot): many troubles - that is the "nes." You tested them with many trials, "lehitnoses" - to be tested through these trials, examining whether they will remain cleaving to Hashem or not. And what is "mipnei koshet"? Koshet is related to adornment (kishut), adorning Your attributes in the world. The meaning is that through this, it is impossible for anyone to come and claim, as it were, that the Creator's conduct is unjust. His attributes are adorned, His conduct is adorned, and the nations will not question Hashem's ways. They cannot say: Why does Hashem show favoritism to the Jewish people? Why did He say, "And Esau I hated"? Why is the Holy One, Blessed be He, so good to them? The answer is: Did you withstand trials as they did? You gave Your reverent ones difficult trials, and through this Your attributes are adorned before the nations, for they understand that the Jewish people did not acquire their stature without cause - see how many trials they endured, how many hardships, how many persecutions, and that is how they earned their distinction. "Koshet selah" - this truth will stand forever, and the nations will not question Hashem.
This is also the reason the Ramban brings regarding the trials of Avraham Avinu. Does Hashem not know the spiritual standing of Avraham? Why must He test him? Rather, it is so that the nations cannot say: By what merit did Avraham earn that the Holy One, Blessed be He, chose him, separated him from all the nations, and brought forth a people from him - "You are children to Hashem your God," while regarding the rest of the world, "Behold, the nations are like a drop from a bucket, and are counted as dust on the scales"? Why this favoritism? To this comes the answer: Come and see what Avraham endured. The trials are primarily meant to display Avraham's greatness to the nations, so they do not question how he earned this. The Holy One, Blessed be He, already knows Avraham's true essence and does not need trials for that, but in order to demonstrate to all why Avraham was chosen - for this, the trials were necessary.
There is another explanation for this: a person does not receive reward for potential alone (be-ko'ach), but for what he actually carries out into action (be-fo'al). The Holy One, Blessed be He, does not reward Avraham merely because He knows he is capable of binding his son on the altar, but because he bound his son in actual deed. Reward is always given for actual deed, not for potential.
The Banner - The Radak's Explanation
The Radak explains that "natata" (You have given) here is like "titen" (may You give) - this is a plea and a prayer: May You give those who fear You a banner to be raised aloft. And what is a nes? A pole upon which a flag is mounted. "Grant us to raise our banner." As is well known, when one nation conquers another, the first thing they do is plant a flag: this place has been conquered by us, this is our territory. Similarly, when hackers breach a website, the first thing they place is their banner: breached by us, this is ours. Thus, "You have given a banner to those who fear You to be raised aloft" - You have given us the flag of those who overcome their enemies, or as a prayer: grant this to those who fear You.
And why should You grant this? "Mipnei koshet selah" - kushta means truth; through this, Your truth will be revealed, meaning You will fulfill Your promise. For You promised to settle Israel in their land without being troubled any longer. Indeed, grant those who fear You a banner to be raised aloft - to triumph in battle, raise the banner, and display victory over their enemies, as You promised to settle Your people in their land forever.
The Malbim: The Banner as a Signal to Gather for War
הִרְאִיתָ עַמְּךָ קָשָׁה הִשְׁקִיתָנוּ יַיִן תַּרְעֵלָה׃ - You have shown Your people hardship; You have made us drink wine of bewilderment.
The Malbim connects the two verses and explains them together: the fact that You showed Your people harsh things - the troubles and hardships that the Jewish people endured - is the reason that thereby "You gave those who fear You a banner to be raised." The Malbim explains that the banner (nes) was a rallying signal for war. The pole bearing the flag served to assemble the army: whenever they wished to gather the warriors, they would raise the flag, and everyone knew where the commander was and in which direction to head. This is why armies would always march out to war with high flags on long poles. Today we know this mainly from guided tour groups, where the guide walks with a flag so everyone knows where to go and does not get lost in the market - like the tourist groups seen in Jerusalem. But in their day, it was a signal to march into battle: wherever the flag was seen, there the commander stood, and they followed after him.
Thus, in showing Your people harsh things - the troubles and afflictions - You thereby gave those who fear You a banner to be raised, to rally for battle, "in order to show the truth of koshet," to display the truth inherent in Hashem's providence. And "Selah" - according to the Malbim's regular approach, does not mean forever, but rather indicates that the matter has concluded here. There is an expression of gratitude to Hashem here, affirming that everything You did was solely for our good.
"So That Your Beloved Ones May Be Delivered" - Save with Your Right Hand
לְמַעַן יֵחָלְצוּן יְדִידֶיךָ הוֹשִׁיעָה יְמִינְךָ וַעֲנֵנִי׃ - That Your beloved ones may be delivered, save with Your right hand and answer me.
Rashi explains yechaletzun as meaning that they should be rescued from evil, to extricate them from distress and adversity. "Save with Your right hand" refers to that same right hand which You drew back. When the Holy One, blessed be He, seemingly permits the enemies to come upon us, this reflects the concept of "He withdrew His right hand": the right hand with which He is meant to take retribution from the nations is held back behind Him, as it were, not engaging in battle, which expresses Hashem allowing the nations to do as they wish with us. Therefore, he now pleads: that same right hand which You drew back - bring it forward, deliver with it, and help me prevail over the enemies. And when You answer me, automatically "Your beloved ones will be delivered," for David fought the wars of Israel on behalf of Your beloved, the people of Israel.
The Radak explains differently: the enemies think that Your right hand is weak, that Hashem lacks the power to save us from their hand. As it were, the right hand of the Holy One, blessed be He, shares in our distress, weakened and lacking the strength to save His people. Therefore, he asks, "Save with Your right hand" - bring salvation to that right hand itself, and through this, "Your beloved ones will be delivered."
To explain the inner meaning of these matters: often the approach of prayer is not for our own sake or in our own merit, for we may lack merit, but rather we plead for the sake of the honor of Hashem. When the nations overpower the people of Israel, His Name is desecrated among the nations; they say, behold, the God of Israel does not even have the power to save His people. As Moshe Rabbeinu said, "Why should the nations say" - that because Hashem lacked the ability to bring them into the Land of Israel, He slew them in the wilderness. Whenever the Jewish people are stricken by the nations, a desecration of Hashem's Name ensues, as though He were a power unable to rescue His people. The nations do not understand that this is divine punishment for defying His word; in their eyes, it is a sign of weakness, for among the nations it is accepted that if one nation conquers another, the god of the victor is strong and the god of the vanquished is weak. Therefore, we come and plead: even if we are unworthy, Master of the Universe, Your right hand is seemingly diminished now, the Name of Heaven is being desecrated, and when the nations overcome Israel, they claim they have overcome Hashem as well, and His right hand is, as it were, held captive. Therefore, "Save with Your right hand" - act for the sake of Your Name desecrated among the nations. And how is "And I will manifest My greatness and My holiness in the eyes of many nations" fulfilled? Through Hashem saving us. When salvation comes to Israel, His Name is once again magnified, and His greatness is revealed as He saves His people. Then, automatically, "Your beloved ones will be delivered," and "answer me" - respond to me in this prayer and fulfill my request.
The Malbim: Vanguard Troops and the Supernatural Salvation of the Right Hand
The Malbim, following his opening premise, explains differently from the other commentators: yechaletzun is not derived from rescue from trouble, but from the concept of vanguard troops (chalutzei tzava). That is to say, so that Israel, who are Your beloved, may serve as vanguard troops to fight against the enemy - "save with Your right hand," deliver them in a miraculous manner. The Malbim notes in several places that the left hand represents the natural order, whereas the conduct of the right hand represents the supernatural order, the wondrous path: "The right hand of Hashem does valiantly," "The right hand of Hashem is exalted." Therefore, the plea is: Master of the Universe, by virtue of the troubles we have endured, Israel will be aroused to battle the enemies, and You will stand at our right hand and save us in a supernatural way. And how will they gather? By virtue of "You gave those who fear You a banner to be raised" - the banner upon which the standard is hoisted, rallying them for battle - by its power, all of Israel will gather to fight against the enemies, "Your beloved ones will arm as a vanguard," and You will save them in a supernatural, miraculous way.
The Tzaddik's Inward Joy and the Joy of Revealed Salvation
The author of Tehillot Maharith Dushinsky explains: it is the way of the righteous that when distress befalls them, they do not despair of redemption. They stand in prayer, pray before Hashem, and trust in His salvation. This bitachon grants them serenity and composure - from their perspective, they are already saved, for they have no doubt that Hashem will deliver them, and this fills them with joy. However, they cannot display this joy outwardly, since everyone sees that he is in distress, and someone smiling would be perceived as irrational or as failing to grasp the severity of the crisis. Therefore, the joy remains in the heart alone, while outwardly he appears concerned along with everyone else. But when the salvation arrives and everyone sees what the tzaddik foresaw from the beginning, then the tzaddik rejoices outwardly as well, and then "among the multitude they will praise" and bless His Name.
And this is what King David says: "As for me, I have trusted in Your lovingkindness" - when it was still only a matter of trust, and salvation had not yet materialized in practice; "my heart shall rejoice in Your salvation" - the rejoicing was confined to my heart alone, since it had not yet arrived in actuality, stemming purely from trust; "I will sing to Hashem because He has dealt bountifully with me" - once He dealt bountifully with me and everyone sees the salvation revealed before all eyes, it is finally possible to sing openly, without being perceived as a dreamer who fails to understand that we are in distress.
Based on this principle, he explains the verses before us. Rashi notes that when Edom fell into David's hands, David foresaw that Edom would one day rule over Israel and bring troubles upon us throughout the generations, culminating even in the Holocaust of European Jewry, and he prayed for mercy over those future tribulations. Thus was his prayer: "O God, You have rejected us, You have breached us... You have shown Your people harshness, You have made us drink the wine of bewilderment" - and even though it is clear to us that everything is for our ultimate good, for even in times of trouble the wholehearted person knows that the end result is for his benefit, and "You have given those who fear You a banner to be displayed" - meaning that troubles are merely trials to see whether we cling to faith in You, "because of the truth, Selah," to adorn the attributes of the Holy One, blessed be He, in the world, so that when He does good to us, everyone will understand that this came as a result of the trials we endured - nevertheless, while we are in exile and anguish, we cannot dance and rejoice, praise His Name, and declare His goodness in the world, as it would appear as though we do not grasp the gravity of the situation. Yet in our hearts we rejoice, knowing that everything is done for the best.
Therefore he says, "So that Your beloved ones may be delivered (yechaletzun)" - yechaletzun denotes revelation and public disclosure, like something drawn out (nechlatz) from a place where it was hidden: so that Your beloved ones and the people may publicize the mighty deeds and reveal Hashem's righteousness under the heavens. And what do I ask? "Save with Your right hand and answer me" - send the complete salvation already, for when there is complete salvation, one can finally dance and sing. Right now we are joyful, but that joy is kept within the heart, since we are still, as it were, in the midst of trouble; send the complete salvation, and then all will understand that everything that occurred here was purely for good, and we will be able to sing and give praise aloud.
"God Spoke in His Holiness" - The Promise of Monarchy
אֱלֹהִים דִּבֶּר בְּקׇדְשׁוֹ אֶעְלֹזָה אֲחַלְּקָה שְׁכֶם וְעֵמֶק סֻכּוֹת אֲמַדֵּד׃ - God spoke in His holiness: I will exult, I will divide Shechem, and measure out the valley of Succoth.
Rashi explains that Hashem spoke, declaring that He will gather the exiles and that David's descendants will rule over them. In an additional explanation: "God spoke in His holiness" that I would be king over them - meaning, this was declared by the mouth of Hashem. "I will exult" - I will rejoice in the salvation with which the Holy One, blessed be He, will deliver us. In another interpretation, Rashi notes that "God spoke in His holiness" to help me, as Hashem promised to assist him, as it is written in II Samuel: "For by the hand of My servant David I will save My people Israel" - the salvation will come through David. "I will divide Shechem" - related to the word chelek (portion), as in "I have given you one portion (shechem) above your brothers," meaning I will apportion to them their share of the inheritance.
And what is "and measure out the valley of Succoth"? Here Rashi himself says: I do not know which nation Succoth belonged to, nor do I know where the Succoth was that Israel reached when journeying from Rameses - "and encamped at Succoth." He brings other interpretations stating that "I will divide Shechem" means I will restore to them the inheritance of Yaakov our forefather, and "measure out the valley of Succoth" means that I will divide Shechem and Succoth among Israel, which are the places that will be conquered. Rashi brings that he saw a commentary explaining that these places are at the edge of the land of Canaan, just as we find that Yaakov arrived at the "city of Shechem" when entering the Land via Succoth and Shechem. Thus, Shechem and Succoth are the places that Yaakov our forefather reached, and now they were conquered, and the Holy One, blessed be He, says: I will divide them and restore them to them.
Radak: Avner, Ish-boshes, and the Territory of Ephraim
Radak explains: "God spoke in His holiness" - He spoke of the kingdom belonging to me, just as He promised David. "And I will exult" - I will rejoice in the kingdom, and then "I will divide Shechem, and measure out the valley of Succoth." These areas were within the territory of Ephraim. Why did he mention them specifically? Because Avner had made Ish-boshes son of Shaul king. For when David arose to reign, Avner argued: Why should David receive the kingship, seeing that Shaul has a successor, even though Shaul himself was killed? And what was Avner's personal motive? He knew he would not find favor with David, as he had been among Shaul's inner circle. Not only that, but when David cut off the corner of Shaul's cloak and showed it, and when he showed the cruse of water, Avner dismissed them as meaningless: he claimed the corner of the cloak had been torn by thorns and brambles and David had merely picked it up, and as for the cruse of water, the attendants had forgotten it when they went to draw water. In short, he made excuses against David to avoid acknowledging David's righteousness, and from this he realized he had become odious in David's eyes. Therefore, he decided to support Shaul's son taking the kingship, especially since Ish-boshes was lame, so by backing him, Ish-boshes would be something of a puppet - he would be the king's son, while the actual ruler would be Avner. This was why Avner crowned him.
Avner made Ish-boshes king over Gilead and Ephraim, and therefore King David says: "God spoke in His holiness" that I will reign over Ephraim as well, and the entire kingdom of Israel will be mine. Shechem and the valley of Succoth - all these places are in Mount Ephraim, and they will belong to me. "I will divide" and "I will measure out" - for people would measure land when acquiring it; I will take everything as my portion and measure it, so that all of it will be under my authority.
The Malbim: Hashem's Answer to the Plea "And Answer Me"
The Malbim notes precisely: David asked, "and answer me," that the Holy One, blessed be He, should answer him - and here Hashem answers him. And what is Hashem's answer? "God spoke in His holiness": the Holy One, blessed be He, told me - at the time when they divide the city of Shechem and measure out the valley of Succoth, meaning when the enemies conquered Shechem, divided the spoils, and measured out the valley of Succoth to take possession of it - in this you shall rejoice, "I will exult." That is to say: that which was conquered from me and taken from me is itself a reason to rejoice. And why?
"Gilead Is Mine, and Menasheh Is Mine" - The Enemy That United the Tribes
לִי גִלְעָד וְלִי מְנַשֶּׁה וְאֶפְרַיִם מָעוֹז רֹאשִׁי יְהוּדָה מְחֹקְקִי׃ - Mine is Gilead, and Mine is Manasseh, and Ephraim is the stronghold of My head; Judah is My lawgiver.
Until now, Gilead, Manasseh, and Ephraim felt distant, as they had been loyal to Shaul; they did not feel connected to David and saw no need to assist in his wars against Edom and Aram. But the moment the enemies conquered their territory, they had no choice but to take up arms, muster their strength, and fight. This is what he is saying: because the enemies came and seized the valley of Succoth and Shechem, which are the territories of Ephraim, Manasseh, and Gilead, they now come forth to assist and support me. Consequently, "Mine is Gilead, and Mine is Manasseh," and "Ephraim is the stronghold of my head" - it will be the stronghold and the strength standing at my forefront to assist me in battling the enemies. "Judah is my lawgiver" - princes who establish the laws and statutes, as in "and a lawgiver from between his feet." All unite around David, coming to aid and assist him.
The Ingathering of the Exiles in the Merit of the Kindness of the Men of Yavesh-Gilead
The Radak cites Pirkei De-Rabbi Eliezer (chapter 17): When the Holy One, blessed be He, gathers the exiles in the future, He will first gather Gilead, because the men of Yavesh-Gilead performed an act of kindness with Shaul and his sons. The Holy One, blessed be He, said: I will grant their reward in the future; first I will gather Gilead, as it is stated, "Mine is Gilead." The Midrash also expounds "Mine is Gilead and Mine is Manasseh" prophetically regarding the future to come, teaching that the first to be redeemed will be the people of Gilead, in the merit of the kindness they performed for Shaul and his sons when they rescued his body, which had been hung on the wall of Beit She'an following the battle with the Philistines.
Metzudat David: In My Reign There Is No Division
The Metzudat David explains that there is a prophecy here for the future: King David saw through Ruach HaKodesh that in the days of Rehoboam, the kingdom would be divided between Rehoboam and Jeroboam. David says: that will only happen in the future, but in my reign there is no such division - "Mine is Gilead and Mine is Manasseh, and Ephraim is the stronghold of my head"; I have everything, the Holy One, blessed be He, gave me everything. Under my son, Ephraim will no longer be there; Rehoboam will not retain Ephraim; ten tribes defected to Jeroboam son of Nebat, and Rehoboam was left only with the tribes of Judah and Benjamin. David says: I have not reached that point; for me, thank Hashem, "Mine is Gilead and Mine is Manasseh, and Ephraim is the stronghold of my head, Judah is my lawgiver" - all are dedicated into my hand, I reign over all of them, Hashem has delivered all of them to me.
The Gemara's Derashah in Sanhedrin: They All Enter the World to Come
מוֹאָב סִיר רַחְצִי עַל־אֱדוֹם אַשְׁלִיךְ נַעֲלִי עָלַי פְּלֶשֶׁת הִתְרוֹעָעִי׃ - Moab is my washbasin; upon Edom I will cast my shoe; over me, Philistia, shout in triumph!
The Gemara in Sanhedrin (104b), in the teachings of Ein Yaakov concerning the kings and commoners who have no share in the World to Come, cites that the Dorshei Reshumot (allegorical expositors) would say: all of them will enter the World to Come. Ultimately, all of them will enter the World to Come - how many fiery furnaces they will have to endure and how much purging and purification they will undergo, only Hashem knows, but in the end, all will merit it. And from where does the Gemara derive this? From our verses.
"Mine is Gilead" - this refers to Ahab, who fell in Ramoth-Gilead. "And Mine is Manasseh" - taken literally, King Manasseh, who was wicked, and although he repented, as explained earlier, it was not a complete teshuvah. "And Ephraim is the stronghold of my head" - this refers to Jeroboam, who came from Ephraim. "Judah is my lawgiver" - this refers to Ahithophel, who came from the tribe of Judah. "Moab is my washbasin" - this refers to Gehazi, who was stricken over matters of washing, when Elisha told Naaman to immerse in the Jordan, and Gehazi went and solicited the money even though Elisha had refused to take anything from him, telling him that Elisha had sent him to take the money he had offered; consequently, Elisha decreed that Naaman's leprosy would cling to him until his dying day. "Upon Edom I will cast my shoe" - this refers to Doeg the Edomite, who hailed from the land of Edom. "Over me, Philistia, shout in triumph (hitro'a'i)" - the ministering angels said before the Holy One, blessed be He: Master of the Universe, if David comes, who slew the Philistine and gave Gath as an inheritance to Your children, what will You do for him? That is: You are granting a portion in the World to Come even to Ahithophel, and David will have a grievance over this - shall this wicked man who pursued me enter the World to Come? "Over me, Philistia" - this is David, who dispossessed Goliath the Philistine; "hitro'a'i" - Hashem said: it is upon Me to make them companions (re'im) to one another, to make peace between them. The Holy One, blessed be He, says: I will establish peace between them.
In Summary:
In these verses, King David teaches us the meaning of troubles and their purpose: "You have given to those who fear You a banner (nes) to be displayed (lehitnoses)" - the trials (nisyonot) are what clarify Israel's devotion to Hashem, and they adorn the Creator's attributes in the eyes of the nations, so they will not ask why the Jewish people were worthy. A nes is also a banner: both to raise our banner in victory by virtue of Hashem's promise, and to rally Israel for war as the vanguard of the army. From here stems the plea, "Save with Your right hand" - bring forth the "right hand" of supernatural providence, and act for the sake of Your Name desecrated among the nations, so that salvation may be revealed before all eyes and we may sing aloud what until now we rejoiced in only in our hearts. And Hashem's answer is that precisely because the enemies conquered Shechem and the valley of Succoth, Gilead, Manasseh, Ephraim, and Judah will unite around David, and the entire kingdom of Israel will be complete in his hand - and ultimately, as Chazal expound in Sanhedrin, the Holy One, blessed be He, establishes peace among them all and brings them all into the World to Come.