Pensée juive sur Les Psaumes 71:14

It is in this connection that King David, may peace be upon him, wrote (Psalms 71:14): "But as for me, I will always hope and I will add to all Your praises." The idea here is that there are some people who hope to the Blessed One only when they are being afflicted and praise Him only while He is favoring them with some good, only to forget about Him afterwards. An analogous situation would be that of the sick man, who, in the throes of his illness, consumes himself in hoping to his G-d, who, upon arising and walking on his cane, thanks the Almighty for His mercies to him and expansively recites the benediction "Who bestows good upon the guilty," and who, upon being restored to his health, can find in his heart neither the knowledge nor the understanding to bless the L-rd and praise His name, his earlier afflictions having been forgotten and having vanished form his sight. David therefore says: This is not my way, but I always hope to the L-rd — not in times of suffering alone, but even in times of tranquility. And though I may have occasion to praise Him in the midst of a multitude for having saved me in the time of my affliction, I will not diminish my praising and blessing of His name afterwards, but I will even add to His praises.

Chapter forty-nine raises a question in connection with hope on the ground that it is contrary to human nature, for it confuses the soul and renders it dull and foolish. The question is answered by the statement that hope in God is better than any praise that one can give Him. Psalms 71, 14 and 65, 2 are explained in this sense. It is also pointed out that hope is the cause of hope and Psalm 37, 34 is explained in this sense.