The Tanakh Podcast

A beautiful alphabetical song of praise. The first half deals with God's creation - his universal covenant with mankind; the second half praises God for his particular covenant with Israel and the laws of the Torah.

This is a chapter spoken in God's name, seating an unnamed king on a chair at his right-hand side and promising victory over his enemies, priesthood to the nations, and the role of dispensing justice to the world. Who is the king? Abraham? King David? Mashiach? We speak about the Radak's interpretation, refuting the Christian reading of the chapter which identified the king as Jesus, and we ask why Radak needed to expend such extensive efforts if his audience was a Jewish one.

Today we address two themes: 1. VeAni Tefilla - the whole person meeting God in the prayerful moment. 2. David's curses. David issues a litany of curses that no one would ever want poured on his head. What do we make of this diatribe? Is it befitting of David?

Psalm 108 is a fusion of segments from Psalm 57 and 60! What do we make of old texts being "recycled" to make new mizmorim?

Four situations necessitate thanksgiving to God. This is a chapter that speaks of God's responsiveness to human distress, and the human thanks of God's salvation. The heading - "Let the redeemed of God" - indicates that this distress, salvation and thanks are happening under the rubric of Redemption. This is a chapter that we recite on the night of Yom Haatzmaut.

This historical Psalm is written from a position of Exile. It speaks of Israel's constant waywardness and rebellion against God, from the days of the Wilderness, until the Land of Israel, frequently disloyal, and ungrateful to God's manifold gifts and wonders. Why then is this a chapter of praise? Why is this chpater animated by an upbeat mood?

At first glance this is a chapter celebrating the Exodus. At second glance this is all about God's loyalty to the covenant made with the Patriarchs and the way that God guided history to fulfill that promise.

This is a beautiful hymn to the magnificence of our world. We recite "Borchi Nafshi" on Rosh Hodesh, possibly because it mentions the moon, possibly because it speaks of renewal - ותְחַדֵּ֗שׁ פְּנֵ֣י אֲדָמָֽה - and Rosh Hodesh is about the renewal of the moon.

This chapter celebrates God's capacity and proclivity to forgive his people. Academics have studied the language of this chapter and identify it as a Second Temple Psalm. This gives extra meaning to this celebratory Mizmor as a song of thanks for God having renewed Israel, forgiving us, and giving us a new lease on life - a fresh start.

This Mizmor starts with a desperate call for help. What is the problem? What's wrong? Soon we can deduce that the poet is in exile, and yearns for the land, even the stones and dust of the Land of Israel. This Psalm is about religious yearnings even in the depths of Exile.