Psalm 68 is a psalm of song and thanksgiving, and its verses are difficult and profound. Following the call, "Sing to God, praise His Name, pave the way for Him Who rides in the highest heavens," comes the answer to the question: What exactly are we to sing and praise? In the passage before us, we will follow the order of the verses and see how Rashi, Ibn Ezra, Radak, the holy Alshich, and Malbim explain them, each according to his approach: Radak sets the psalm in the days of Chizkiyahu and the war against Sancheirev, while Malbim sets it in the context of David's wars in the desert.
אֲבִי יְתוֹמִים וְדַיַּן אַלְמָנוֹת אֱלֹהִים בִּמְעוֹן קׇדְשׁוֹ׃ - Father of orphans and judge of widows, is God in His holy dwelling.
Rashi explains: We said, "Sing to God, praise His Name" - and what should you sing? This is the praise: "Father of orphans and judge of widows." The Holy One, blessed be He, becomes a father to Israel who are orphans, as we say, "We have become orphans without a father" - and who is our Father? The Holy One, blessed be He. And "judge of widows" - who was like a widow? Jerusalem. Hashem will execute judgment for Jerusalem, who was left like a widow, and exact retribution from her enemies, those who rendered her a widow. According to Rashi, the entire psalm through to its end is essentially the elaboration of this very song.
Ibn Ezra asks: How does "Father of orphans and judge of widows" connect to "Sing to God, praise His Name"? His explanation is also the approach taken by Radak and Malbim: There is a duality here that does not exist among human beings, yet is found with the Holy One, blessed be He. Even though Hashem is "Rider in the highest heavens" - exalted and elevated above all - nevertheless, He is the Father of orphans and the Judge of widows. Among mortals, someone high and mighty does not occupy himself with trivialities and small matters, as discussed in earlier psalms. With the Holy One, blessed be He, there is no large or small, and He attends to everything. Therefore, precisely because He rides in the highest heavens - "For high is Hashem, yet He regards the lowly": He is high, and yet He sees the lowly, the orphan who has no helper. Similarly in another verse: "God of gods" - and what concerns Him in this world? "He executes the judgment of the orphan and the widow." And this is the meaning of "God in His holy dwelling": though He is in His holy dwelling in the highest heights, and the orphans and widows are in the lowest realms of the earth, at the margins of society - from His holy dwelling He watches over those down below and cares for them.
Radak follows a similar line: Since the psalmist mentions "Rider in the highest heavens," high above all heights, he comes to tell you - see that the Holy One, blessed be He, is the Father of orphans and widows, and though He is in His holy dwelling in heaven, His eyes are directed toward the earth. In his view, the psalm speaks of the war against Sancheirev, king of Assyria. When "the great king" marched against them - and he was counted among the greatest of kings - Israel was few and downtrodden. Ravshakeh said to Chizkiyahu: "I will give you two thousand horses" - can you even provide riders for them? In modern terms: I could supply you with fighter jets and tanks, but do you even have tank crews to operate them? In other words: See how downtrodden you are, so what boldness do you have to fight against me? Surrender, and that will be the end of it. Yet Chizkiyahu did not listen to him. And this precisely demonstrates that He is the "Father of orphans and judge of widows" - those who appear downtrodden right now, saying "We have become orphans without a father," have Hashem as their Father. You come with immense pride, king of Assyria, but come and see that the Holy One, blessed be He, is our Father, and you have no power to stand against the Creator, blessed be He.
Malbim offers an intriguing interpretation here. We simply understand that Hashem becomes a father to orphans who have no father, and judges the cause of widows who have no one to champion their cause. Malbim explains otherwise: "Father of orphans" - Hashem comes to champion the cause of the orphans' father. How did these children become orphans? Because you, the nations, struck them down and killed their father. Hashem comes to avenge the father and fight the battle of one who is no longer here. Likewise, "judge of widows" - Hashem avenges the cause of the widows' husbands. How did they become widows? Because you killed their husbands. In doing so, He delivers the widows from their distress and avenges the dead for the injustice committed against them.
אֱלֹהִים מוֹשִׁיב יְחִידִים בַּיְתָה מוֹצִיא אֲסִירִים בַּכּוֹשָׁרוֹת אַךְ סוֹרְרִים שָׁכְנוּ צְחִיחָה׃ - God settles the solitary in a home; He brings out prisoners into prosperity; but the rebellious dwell in a parched land.
Rashi explains: Israel, who had been scattered, He gathered together, each person from his place of dispersal, and settled them as an entire household and a complete assembly. Rashi is cryptic as to which era this refers to, but in the Metzudot the matter is clearer: When you were in Egypt, you were isolated individuals scattered throughout the entire land, one here and one there, and when the redemption arrived, Hashem gathered you in a single moment to Ra'amses and settled you in one home - not literally a single building, but a unified gathering. "God settles the solitary in a home": In a single moment, He assembled the entire people of Israel at the focal point from which they were to depart Egypt.
"He brings out prisoners into prosperity" - and then Hashem brought Israel out of Egypt. When? Rashi notes, based on the homiletic teaching of Chazal: In a month that is fitting (kasher) for wayfarers. He brought us out in Nisan. Had He taken us out in July or August, it would have been unpleasantly hot; in the winter months, rainy. He brought us out in a fitting, comfortable month, during the temperate days of Nisan, when one does not even need air conditioning.
One might ask: What difference does it make? After all, they were in the wilderness for forty years anyway, passing through both winter and summer! The answer is simple: those forty years were not part of the original plan; you brought them upon yourselves. Hashem said: My intention was to bring you immediately into the Land, but you caused problems, and so you were forced to remain there through summer and winter.
If so, "He brings out the prisoners in a suitable time (bakkosharot)" - at a fitting time, a good season to set out. "Only the rebellious dwell in a parched land" - according to this, the rebellious ones are the Egyptians, whose land was left barren and desolate. This fits beautifully with what is written: "Do you not yet know that Egypt is lost?" Their land was utterly ruined and became an arid wasteland. The rebellious ones are the rebellious sons - these are the Egyptians, and they dwelt in a parched land. Thus, the entire verse is speaking about the time of the Exodus from Egypt.
The Radak, consistent with his approach that the psalm deals with the era of Sancheiriv, explains: "God settles the solitary in a home" - those individuals, a husband and wife who had no children, Hashem settles them in a home, builds them up, and grants them sons and daughters, as it is written, "and He made them houses," which means sons and daughters. He also brings another interpretation: not that He gave them sons and daughters, but that He hid them and shielded them, in the sense of "He settles the barren woman of the house as a joyful mother of children." Israel, who were like solitary individuals - Hashem saved them from the enemy, blessed them, and multiplied them. When? When the enemy came to strike them, He shielded them and hid them as if inside a house, and rescued them. Solitary individuals always have less strength to defend themselves; a large group has strength, an army has strength - but here they did not march out as an army to wage war against Sancheiriv; rather, they were solitary, and Hashem settled these solitary ones in a home, shielded them, granted them sons and daughters, and multiplied them - the very opposite of what Sancheiriv wanted, which was to slaughter them and wipe them out.
"He brings out prisoners in chains (bakkosharot)" - those who were bound in iron chains, Hashem brought them out "bakkosharot," as if it were written "mikkosharot" (from their bonds). And what does kosharot mean? The Radak explains that the letters kaf and kuf are interchangeable, just as in Yeshayahu "they shall pass over in chains (zeqim)" refers to bonds (aziqim); and here the meaning is from the binding (kishur) by which they were tied, for they were under siege, and Hashem brings out the prisoners from the place where they were bound. Do not be surprised by the interchange of kaf and kuf - it is like metaqqen with a kuf and tikken with a kaf - the meaning is the same. "Only the rebellious dwell in a parched land": the prisoners go out to relief and salvation, whereas the rebellious ones, the king of Assyria and his armies, dwelt in a parched land - as in a place of thirst, dying of thirst. What does this tell you? That they died without sword or spear. There are several opinions regarding the manner in which Hashem put them to death, but it was certainly not by sword or spear. Sancheiriv and his troops, the rebellious ones, died not in the manner of war, but like those dying of thirst, without anyone laying a hand on them.
The holy Alshich explains the verse according to the words of Chazal. A certain Roman matron asked Rabbi Yosei: In how many days did the Holy One, blessed be He, create His world? He replied: In six days. She asked: And since then, what has He been doing? In our phrasing: doesn't He get bored? This is the question of a gentile woman, who limited the Holy One, blessed be He, within the framework of time. He told her: He arranges marriages, pairing so-and-so's daughter with so-and-so. Incidentally, the Kabbalists say that this does not refer to marriages in the literal sense, but to the union of supernal attributes, but we will study it according to the peshat. And from where do we know this? As it is said, "God settles the solitary in a home" - people who were solitary individuals, He settles together in one home. The Gemara asks: What is meant by "bakkosharot"? Bekhi (weeping) and shirot (songs) - if they are worthy, they sing; if they are not worthy, they weep. That is, if they have refined themselves, husband and wife sing in their home; and if not, may Hashem have mercy. We have already explained several times that "worthy" (zachu) stems from refinement (zikkuch) - they have refined their conduct and rectified their deeds.
Another answer he gave her: He makes ladders, impoverishing one and enriching another, as it is said, "Hashem impoverishes and makes rich." That is, wealth rises for one and descends for another; whoever was on top goes down, and whoever was at the bottom rises up - this is "making ladders." The holy Alshich says that both explanations may be true, and this is the plain meaning of "bakkosharot," without dividing the word into two. It all follows what we explained: even though "God is in His holy abode," exalted and high, and one might think He has no involvement with the lower realms and takes no interest in us - come and see what He does continuously: He pairs couples, settling the solitary in a home. Even those who are not pairs, but solitary and detached individuals, the Holy One, blessed be He, brings together.
This is like the incident the Gemara relates there concerning that same matron, who matched a thousand male slaves with a thousand female slaves. She said: What is so difficult about making matches? Does one really need the Holy One, blessed be He, for this? I can do it myself! Morning came, and behold, her slaves were battered, one striking the other and vice versa. In short, battered men and battered women; it was not a pleasant match at all, even though she was a noblewoman and these were merely a thousand slaves under her absolute authority - yet it did not help. Someone once remarked that his wife hits him, and he was told that he is just like Adam HaRishon. What is the connection? "She gave me of the tree, and I ate" - and Chazal explain: she gave him from the wood, meaning she struck him with a piece of wood.
And corresponding to the second matter, that Hashem impoverishes and enriches, it says: "He brings out the prisoners in chains (bakkosharot)." Kosharot means chains, where creditors bound the debtor and threw him into prison in chains for failing to pay, or took him captive - which is the greatest poverty of all, for indeed nothing is worse than captivity, as a captive is vulnerable to every manner of suffering. And the Holy One, blessed be He, brings out those imprisoned and bound with chains on their feet: whoever was poor, He enriches, and whoever was pursued by creditors, He elevates. "Only the rebellious dwell in a parched land" - the Alshich explains that these are people who were previously prosperous and thriving, enjoying every bounty, but they were rebellious and defied the word of Hashem; and Hashem, who impoverishes and enriches, makes them poor until they dwell in a parched land - a dry place devoid of any goodness, so that in the depth of their poverty they are like someone living in an arid wasteland. As we find in the Book of Shemuel: "Hashem impoverishes and makes rich; He brings low and also lifts up." And it says "Only" (akh), because He does not do so to all the rebellious, but only to some of the rebellious - those He impoverishes and strips of their wealth.
The Malbim explains according to his approach, that the psalm addresses the years of famine and the enemy that arrived at the border of Transjordan. Those solitary individuals who lived in open settlements and unfortified towns fled out of fear of the enemies, as the Malbim explained above, that at that time enemies came to conquer the land; and now, "God settles the solitary in a home" - He returns those solitary ones who were scattered among the villages back to their homes. "He brings out the prisoners in chains" - those who fell captive to the enemy and were bound in fetters, the Holy One, blessed be He, brings them out. See how Hashem overturned everything for good: those who were imprisoned, He frees, and those who were forced to abandon their homes and flee, He restores. "Only the rebellious dwell in a parched land" - the Children of Israel do not sit in parched deserts hiding from enemies, but rather dwell peacefully in their homes; only the rebellious, namely the enemies, are punished by Hashem to dwell in a parched place, an arid desert wasteland - but not the Jewish people.
And what is "bakosharot"? The Malbim explains that it derives from "She stretches out her hands to the distaff [kishor], and her palms hold the spindle" - a kishor is a wooden rod used in weaving. Accordingly, this refers to the thick wooden stocks to which prisoners were bound, and Hashem releases those tied to these timbers from their prison. Another possibility: "kosharot" is like kashurot (with a kuf, bound), meaning that those who were imprisoned and tied with ropes - Hashem brings them out from there.
אֱלֹהִים בְּצֵאתְךָ לִפְנֵי עַמֶּךָ בְּצַעְדְּךָ בִישִׁימוֹן סֶלָה׃ - O God, when You went forth before Your people, when You marched through the wilderness, Selah.
"When You went forth before Your people" - the Radak notes that this is like the verse in Shoftim, "Has not Hashem gone out before you?" When they triumphed over the enemy, Hashem, as it were, went before them and paved the path for them to prevail in battle, and the Ark of the Covenant of Hashem went before them. Here it recalls the victories in the battles fought in the wilderness: the defeat of Sichon king of the Amorites and Og king of Bashan. Then, "the earth trembled" - a metaphor for the dread that seized the Gentile kings when they saw how we defeated Sichon and Og, and fear and dread fell upon them. And just as You did then, so may You do for us today: rescue us from our enemies and fight our battles. "When You marched through the wilderness [yeshimon]" - yeshimon denotes desolation, for the desert is a desolate wasteland, as it is written, "Who led you through that great and terrible wilderness." Just as You marched before them, straightened their way, and fought their battles, so may You do for us.
The Malbim notes that the word "Selah" appears here at the end of the verse, and according to his consistent approach, "Selah" indicates that a subject has concluded. What has concluded here? The era in which "His enemies are scattered" and Hashem "settles the solitary in a home" was "when You went forth before Your people" - when David's legions went out to battle; "when You marched through the wilderness" - for there, in the desolate wilderness, the battle was waged. When You marched there, the enemies were scattered and Israel triumphed over their foes. "Selah" - with this, the topic discussed up to this point comes to an end, and from here begins the second part of the psalm.
אֶרֶץ רָעָשָׁה אַף שָׁמַיִם נָטְפוּ מִפְּנֵי אֱלֹהִים זֶה סִינַי מִפְּנֵי אֱלֹהִים אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל׃ - The earth trembled, the heavens also dripped before God, this Sinai, before God, the God of Israel.
"The earth trembled" - the Radak explains that this does not mean the physical earth quaked, but rather the inhabitants of the earth trembled; the nations were terrified of the Jewish people. "The heavens also dripped" is a metaphor: the heavens grew dark. During rainfall, clouds gather and turn the day dark, which signifies that darkness befell the nations, that the clouds brought gloom upon the enemies. Similarly, David said in his song, "a gathering of waters, thick clouds of the skies," symbolizing the calamities that overtook the adversaries. And how does Sinai relate here? Just as Sinai trembled when the Holy One, blessed be He, descended upon it - the mountain quaked and was entirely covered in smoke - so too did the earth tremble, the "earth" here referring to the nations. And when did the mountain quake? At the Giving of the Torah: "and all the people in the camp trembled," "and the entire mountain trembled violently." According to the Radak, this refers to the era when Sennacherib king of Assyria besieged Jerusalem, and Hashem, as it were, terrified and shook the nations. The Radak also cites commentators who interpret the entire verse as referring solely to the Giving of the Torah: "this Sinai" - meaning that back then, at the Revelation at Mount Sinai, there was a light rain and a cloud hung over the mountain.
The Malbim explains that Scripture is now recounting the specific details of the battle, and in his view, this refers to the era of David rather than the era of Chizkiyahu and Sennacherib as the Radak maintains. When Hashem went forth against the enemies to fight them, the earth trembled and the heavens dripped "before God, this Sinai." And what is the meaning of "this Sinai"? God has been recognized in the wilderness ever since He descended upon Mount Sinai - from when was God recognized? "This Sinai," from the time He revealed Himself at Mount Sinai. Therefore, now once again heaven and earth trembled before God, the God of Israel, for in that very wilderness where David battled his enemies, Hashem revealed His Divinity as the God of Israel.
We have already explained that the Malbim consistently distinguishes between "Elohim" (God) and "Elohei Yisrael" (the God of Israel): "Elohim" reflects the mighty power of the Holy One, blessed be He, in a universal sense, whereas "Elohei Yisrael" denotes His individual Divine Providence (hashgachah pratit) over us - that Hashem delivers us from enemies and performs miracles and wonders for us, just as He did for us in the wilderness. It is as if to say: that same God Who revealed Himself at Sinai and performed miracles and wonders for the people of Israel is revealed once again, performing wonders for David in his war against the enemies.
Incidentally, it is worthwhile to note a halachah in the Shulchan Aruch here: in siman 5, the Shulchan Aruch outlines the intentions required when pronouncing the Divine Names - "Hashem" means Master of all, Who was, is, and will be; and "Elohim" means mighty, omnipotent, and Master of all powers. This is the Shulchan Aruch, an actual halachic directive and not some lofty, unattainable ideal: every time you say "Elohim," you must intend that He is mighty, omnipotent, and Master of all powers.
גֶּשֶׁם נְדָבוֹת תָּנִיף אֱלֹהִים נַחֲלָתְךָ וְנִלְאָה אַתָּה כוֹנַנְתָּהּ׃ - A generous rain You poured down, O God; Your inheritance, when it languished, You established it.
The harder a verse is to understand, the more effort is required to explain it. Rashi explains that this refers to the kindness that Hashem performed with us: whenever we needed rain, You always poured down and bestowed upon us generous rains. "Your inheritance, when it languished, You established it" - when Your inheritance was languished, meaning weary and parched for rain, You established it; "established" in the sense of setting it firmly on its base, bringing down rain upon it properly so that it would yield its crops properly.
Radak explains that since the verse earlier mentioned "the heavens dripped," which hinted at the troubles that befell the nations and the dark clouds that shrouded them, the verse now contrasts this and says: for the people of Israel, "A generous rain You poured down, O God." Upon the enemies fell drops of wrath, while upon the people of Israel fell drops of benevolence - a rain of generosity. For rain can fall in two ways: in a destructive manner, or in a beneficial and life-giving manner, as we saw in the days of Choni HaMe'agel and elsewhere. "Your inheritance" is like "Your people and Your inheritance"; the people of Israel are Your inheritance, and them You established even when they were weary.
The Malbim explains according to his consistent approach: when David's camp was in the wilderness in his battle against the enemies, they reached a point where they were parched and exhausted from thirst, and then Hashem brought down rain for them - like cold water to a weary soul. They also had no food, and the Holy One, blessed be He, provided them with the livestock of the enemies who were grazing their herds there, and they had food to eat from the spoils. Over this King David sings and praises: You poured down a generous rain.
And why is it called "a generous rain" (geshem nedavot)? Here the Malbim explains wonderfully. Normally, when the Holy One, blessed be He, gives rain, it is not considered pure charity or a gift (nedavah), but rather an obligation, for if Hashem created man, He must sustain him; it is inconceivable that He would create man and not sustain him. But is Hashem obligated to give rain in the wilderness? No. The Holy One, blessed be He, did not tell you to go into the wilderness; He created His world and placed man in inhabited regions. When a person ventures into the wilderness, Hashem is under no obligation to grant him rain there. And if one were to say, "I will go up to the moon," is He obligated there too? I did not place you on the moon! In an inhabited, suitable place, Hashem is, as it were, obligated to provide for man's livelihood.
And this connects to what we explained previously: why do we say in Birkat HaMazon, "Let us bless our God (Elokeinu), of Whose bounty we have eaten"? Because the sustenance we receive comes to us by right (din), as Hashem is, as it were, obligated to give us food - having created man, He must feed him. And the name "Elohim" denotes the attribute of strict justice (middat hadin); therefore we say "our God of Whose bounty we have eaten," for what He gave us is on account of the attribute of justice, since a person is entitled to food - otherwise, why would He create man and not give him food to eat? But in the wilderness Hashem is not obligated, neither in food nor in water. Therefore, if He brought down rain there, this is "A generous rain You poured down, O God" - rain that is not obligatory by virtue of the creation of man. "Your inheritance, when it languished, You established it" - this rain You poured down upon Your inheritance, and thereby established the weary: those who were exhausted You restored to their feet, giving us life and giving us vitality.
חַיָּתְךָ יָשְׁבוּ בָהּ תָּכִין בְּטוֹבָתְךָ לֶעָנִי אֱלֹהִים׃ - Your host dwelt in it; in Your goodness You prepared for the poor, O God.
"Chayatecha" means your congregation, as in the verse, "And the Philistines gathered together into a troop (lechayah)." By the way, a textual error crept into Rashi here: in all standard printed versions it reads, "And the Philistines gathered their camp into a troop," but the verse itself does not say "their camp," but rather simply "And the Philistines gathered together into a troop." It is very likely that whoever added "their camp" intended it as an explanatory gloss in parentheses, yet that is not the actual biblical text. In any event, "chayah" means a camp or troop, and "chayatecha yashvu vah" means: Your camp, Your congregation dwelt in it. Rashi also brings an additional explanation: "chayatecha" indicates that the Assembly of Israel is called the flock and creature of the Holy One, blessed be He; we are His "creatures," as it were.
"In Your goodness You prepared for the poor, O God" - Rashi explains: when Israel left Egypt, You led them around the wilderness for forty years, because the Canaanites had arisen and cut down the trees, and during the time Israel was delayed in the wilderness, the Canaanites arose and repaired everything. A wondrous kindness Hashem did with us! When we left Egypt, the Canaanites immediately received word that the people of Israel had gone out of Egypt, and they issued orders to destroy everything - all the trees, all the vineyards, everything they had built and invested in. They said: "What, will the people of Israel come and receive this for free? Absolutely not!" They went and destroyed everything. What did the Holy One, blessed be He, do? He led them around for forty years in the wilderness. The Canaanites waited for Israel one year, two years, three years - they relaxed and began replanting everything anew. And after forty years we arrived in a land built, established, and settled! This is the meaning of "In Your goodness You prepared for the poor, O God": You led them around for forty years in the wilderness, and this was out of Your goodness for an impoverished nation, so that they would have vineyards, fruits, fields, and olive groves - as the Torah promises, "good houses which you did not build, and vineyards which you did not plant." In order for this promise to be fulfilled, the Holy One, blessed be He, led them around in the wilderness. Of course, this does not contradict the core matter of the sin of the spies and the decree that "in this wilderness your corpses shall fall for forty years" - we have already explained that there are multiple Midrashim, and they all complement each other, as they are all reasons for the very same event.
Radak explains "chayatecha" as Your congregation, just as Rashi explained, and as in "the troop (chayat) of the Philistines" and "the beast (chayat) of the reeds." "Dwelt in it" refers to Jerusalem. And according to his approach that this chapter refers to the era of Chizkiyahu: "In Your goodness You prepared for the poor, O God" refers to the people of Israel who remained destitute and poor. Why are they called poor? Because in the era of Chizkiyahu the Ten Tribes had already been exiled, and from Judah and Benjamin many had been taken captive in the cities conquered by the king of Assyria, leaving him with nothing but Jerusalem; and even those already conquered were no longer there. You will prepare in Your goodness for that remaining people, who are an impoverished nation - the remnant of the multitude that once lived here and were already exiled.
The Malbim, consistent with his view that the verse speaks of David's period in the wilderness, explains: "Your host (chayatecha) dwelt in it" refers to the animals and beasts that dwelt in this wilderness, the livestock grazing there. "In Your goodness You prepared for the poor, O God" - in Your goodness You prepared them for the poor. For David had ventured into the wilderness to battle against the enemies and had neither food nor water; the water we already saw in the previous verse, "A generous rain You poured down," and the food was the flocks and cattle of the enemies, which David took as spoil and from which he had what to eat. This is "Your host dwelt in it": the animals that dwelt there in the wilderness, You prepared them in Your goodness for one who was poor, for one who came to fight in the wilderness with nothing to eat, who is like an impoverished man - meaning David and his men, afflicted without sustenance and livelihood - and this You prepared for us there in the wilderness. The Malbim adds that this also parallels what occurred in history, for to the people of Israel who left Egypt, Hashem also provided water and meat: water from the Well of Miriam, and meat from the quail that they received all their days in the wilderness. Thus Hashem now did for David as in days of old, bringing down rain for him and providing him with livestock.
In these verses, King David unfolds the theme of the song: the Holy One, blessed be He, rides upon Aravot and dwells in His holy abode, yet despite all this, He is the Father of orphans and Judge of widows - exalted, yet He sees the lowly, and before Him there is no distinction between great and small. He settles the solitary into a home and brings out prisoners into prosperity: whether at the Exodus from Egypt, the deliverance from Sancheriv, in marital matches and the turning wheel of wealth and poverty, or in returning refugees to their homes and freeing captives in David's wars; while the rebellious dwell in an arid wasteland. And just as He went out before His people in the wilderness and shook earth and heaven as in the days of Sinai, so He poured down generous rain where there was no obligation to do so, and in His goodness prepared sustenance for the poor - to teach us that the providence of the God of Israel, the Mighty, Omnipotent, and Master of all powers, accompanies His people in every place and throughout every generation.