Psalm 92, sung every Shabbat by the Levites in the Holy Temple, speaks of the World to Come and comforts the hearts of those crushed by suffering. Shabbat is the day when peace of mind reigns and Jews can absorb the truths of the Torah. The Torah was given in the third month of Sivan. The Unity of HaShem and the diversity of Creation can find a bridge through the giving of the Torah. The Torah is the gift that G-d gave to the Jews and makes everything possible. Thanks to the Torah, Jews can transform darkness into light. The Shabbat candles, which symbolize Shabbat, also bring peace to the home and add light and warmth to a world that sometimes feels dark and cold. Proverbs 6:23 says, “For a mitzvah is a lamp, and the Torah is light.” Jewish scholars report that through the mitzvah of lighting the candle, the light of the Torah shines.
- Text Psalm 92
- Hebrew text of Psalm 92 – תהילים צב
- Listen to Psalm 92
- Explanation of Psalm 92 by Rabbi Yitzchok Rubin
- Commentary by Rashi on Psalm 92
- Further explanation of the above Jewish commentary by Rabbi Rubin
- Psalm 1 to 92
Text Psalm 92
A song with musical accompaniment for the Sabbath day. It is good to give thanks to the Lord and to sing to Your name, O Most High. To proclaim Your kindness in the morning and Your faith at night. On a ten-string harp and on a thirteen-string harp, with speech on a harp.
….The righteous flourishes like the palm tree; it grows like a cedar in Lebanon. Planted in the house of the Lord, in the courts of our G-d they will flourish. They will grow older still; they will be thick and fresh. To declare that the Lord is upright, my rock in whom there is no iniquity.
Hebrew text of Psalm 92 – תהילים צב
{a} A psalm, a song for the Sabbath day:
{b} It is good to give thanks to the Lord and to sing to your most high name: {c} to say in the morning your mercy and your faith at night: {d} Ali Ashur and On the lyre, on the harp, on the violin: for you have made me happy, O Lord, in your work, in the works of your hands, I will beg you:
{f} How great are your works, O Lord, very deep are your thoughts: {7} No one in the city knows and no one will understand this: {8} In the flower the wicked are like grass and they peep out every mouth I will put blood on my shoulders forever and ever:
{9} And you are exalted forever, Jehovah: {y } For behold, your enemies, O Lord, for behold, your enemies will perish, and all the works of Oen will be separated: {11} And lift up my horns that I will bathe in the oil of Reanan: {12} And let my eyes look upon my sheep When I rise above pastures, my ear will hear:
{13} The righteous like a date tree will blossom like a cedar in Lebanon will prosper: {Yid} Planted in the house of Jehovah in the courts of our God they will flourish: {10} Another wise man in his return will be fat and fresh: {16} to say that Jehovah is a garden and no (plant) has grown in him :
Listen to Psalm 92
Listen to Psalm 92 in Hebrew.
Explanation of Psalm 92 by Rabbi Yitzchok Rubin
According to Rabbi Rubin, it is a fact of history that the Jewish people have remained faithful to their Creator, regardless of the vicious chaos that has marked their lives. Where does this come from? And how do the Jews relate to it in their lives today?
According to Rubin, Psalm 92 provides some insight into the above questions. In the first verse, the morning symbolizes the times when things can be explained clearly. Then the kindness of HaShem is spoken of. However, at night the world is dark and people feel the pain, they have to live based on their faith. What matters is that G-d believes in the Jews and gives them life. According to Rubin, this gives enormous emotional power. To believe in G-d, Jews must first have faith in themselves. This is possible because G-d has confidence in the Jews. This is how darkness is transformed into light. This allows Jews to continue living. The secret is to see the greatness of HaShem beyond what seems apparent at any given moment. This can be done through Torah study together with the Torah. Then it becomes clear that the wicked don’t stand a chance and that their ‘success’ will be destroyed.
This Psalm is sung on Shabbat. This is the day when peace of mind reigns and Jews can absorb the truths of the Torah. Through the Torah the Jews will flourish and become great.
Commentary by Rashi on Psalm 92
Per verse the commentary of Rashi, the Jewish Bible commentator who lived from 1040-1105. Rashi is considered the teacher of teachers. All traditional Jews regard Rashi as an authority on the Jewish Bible and Talmud. Hence it is important to record his commentary on the Psalms. Rashi uses new Hebrew supplemented with Old French words. His language is sometimes somewhat oracularly short. For further explanation it is wise to consult an orthodox Jewish rabbi.
Verse 1
A song with musical accompaniment for the Sabbath day.
A song with musical accompaniment : from the Levites.
for the Sabbath day : that they would recite on Sabbaths, and it is about the world to come, which is completely Sabbath.
Verse 3
To proclaim Your kindness in the morning and Your faith at night.
To declare Your kindness in the morning : At the time of redemption.
and Your faith at night : And in the distress of the exile, to believe in You that You will fulfill Your promise, all this is wonderful and good.
Verse 4
On a ten-stringed harp and on a thirteen-stringed harp, with speech on a harp.
On a ten-string harp and on a thirteen-string harp : Hebrew עשור, a harp of ten strings.
Verse 7
A clumsy man does not know; nor does a fool understand this.
A clumsy man does not know : What is stated below.
Verse 8
When the wicked flourish like grass and all the violent workers flourish, only to be destroyed forever.
When the wicked blossom like grass : they do not know that their blossoming is only to destroy them for eternity, for He repays His enemies before them to destroy them.
Verse 9
But You will remain high forever, O Lord.
But You remain high : In all Your judgments You have the upper hand, for all justify Your judgments.
Verse 11
But You have lifted up my horn like the horn of a wild ox; to soak me with fresh oil.
to soak me with fresh oil : Hebrew בלתי. To be drenched in the oil of dominion. בַלֹתִי is as (Numbers 15:9): “mixed (בלולה) with oil.”
Verse 12
My eye has looked at those who look at me [with envy]; when evildoers rise up against me, my ears hear [them].
to those who stare at me : Hebrew בשורי, to those who stare at me, as (5:9): ,those who lie in wait before me (בשוררי).,
when evildoers rise against me : Of the wicked who rise against me, my ears heard from behind the ‘veil’ that they will not succeed in destroying us [perhaps, David and his men]. So I heard it.
Verse 13
The righteous flourishes like a palm tree; like cedar it grows in Lebanon.
The righteous flourishes like the palm, etc. : Like the palm that produces fruit, and like the cedar inasmuch as its trunk renews itself.
Verse 14
Planted in the house of the Lord, in the courts of our G-d they will flourish.
Planted : The righteous will be [planted] in the house of the Lord.
Verse 15
They will grow older; they will be thick and fresh.
will grow older : Hebrew ישגה, will grow.
fat : Hebrew דשנים, They will be fat and fresh, and then they will declare that the Lord is upright.
Further explanation of the above Jewish commentary by Rabbi Rubin
As Rabbi Rubin makes clear, it is about turning darkness into light. This is an important concept within the Jewish faith. Through Torah observance, Jews can transform darkness into light. The truths of the Torah can be absorbed especially during Shabbat. Proverbs 6:23 says: For a mitzvah is a lamp, and the Torah is light., The Jewish scholars interpreted this to mean that through the mitzvah of lighting the candle the light of the Torah would come
. Shabbat candles are not explicitly mentioned in the Torah. It was established by the Rabbis during the Talmud. Shabbat is a day that Jews should honor and enjoy. But how do they do this? In Talmo ed, Shabbat 113a and 118b; Mishneh Torah, Hil. Shabbat 30:1; Tur and Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim 242 and 262 it states that Jews must honor the Shabbat with clean clothes, good food and drinks. This includes Shabbat candles because it is not pleasant to eat and to drink in the dark. The candles are lit before the beginning of the Shabbat because no fire is allowed during the Shabbat. Because the Jewish woman is generally responsible for the household, she lights the candles.
Although lighting the candles is not explicitly mentioned in the Torah, the first Jews already lit candles according to Jewish tradition. Abraham and Sarah were the first Jews to fully observe the Torah. Sarah is therefore considered the first Jewess to light candles during Shabbat.
According to Rabbi Steinsaltz, the use of Shabbat candles can therefore be explained practically: there must be light at supper in order to eat. But the candlelight means much more. The Code of Jewish Law (the Shulchan Aruch) states that it must be a beautiful candle. In fact, the candle is so important that if a choice had to be made between a candle and the wine for the blessing due to lack of money, the candle takes precedence. And if one cannot even eat anything because of poverty, one has to ask for alms to buy oil for the candle. The candle symbolizes Shabbat. The Havdalah candle is a way of saying goodbye to Shabbat.
Why is light so important? Light symbolizes everything that is positive, reports Rabbi Steinsaltz. Ecclesiastes 2:13 says, “Wisdom excels foolishness inasmuch as light excels darkness.” The revelation of Biblical terms such as salvation, truth, righteousness, peace and life are expressed through light. Divine revelation is also expressed through light, such as the Shechinah (the manifestation of the Divine presence in this world; Gd’s feminine manifestation) and Gd himself (Psalm 27:1).
Light is also personified in Proverbs 13:8: “The light of the righteous rejoices.” And in Ecclesiastes 11:7, light is described emotionally: “The light is truly sweet and pleasant to the eyes.”
Psalm 1 to 92
Would you like to read more Psalms with a Jewish interpretation? Go to: Psalms 1 through 92.