Les Psaumes 125:4 Midrash : Eikhah Rabbah, Midrash Tehillim, Midrash Tanchuma Buber & Sifra

“The Lord is good to those who trust in Him, to the soul that seeks Him” (Lamentations 3:25).
“The Lord is good to those who trust in Him” – is it, perhaps, to everyone?⁵⁵One might think that the Lord is good to everyone who trusts in Him. The verse states: “To the soul that seeks Him.”⁵⁶This is taken to mean that God is good only to those who seek Him alone and do not place their trust in anything else (Etz Yosef). Similarly, “Truly, God is good to Israel” (Psalms 73:1) – is it, perhaps, to everyone? The verse states: “To those pure of heart” (Psalms 73:1), to those whose heart is pure, who have no iniquity. Similarly, “Happy is the man whose strength is in You” (Psalms 84:6) – is it, perhaps, for everyone? The verse states: “Whose heart follows Your path” (Psalms 84:6), those in whose hearts the path of the Torah is paved. Similarly, “Be good, Lord, to those who are good” (Psalms 125:4) – is it, perhaps, for everyone? The verse states: “And to the upright of heart” (Psalms 125:4). Similarly, “The Lord is close to all who call Him” (Psalms 145:18) – is it, perhaps, for everyone? The verse states: “To all who call Him in truth” (Psalms 145:18). Similarly, “Who is God like You, bearing iniquity and overlooking transgression?” (Micah 7:18) – is it, perhaps, for everyone? The verse states: “For the remnant of His inheritance” (Micah 7:18).
“It is good to wait silently for the salvation of the Lord” (Lamentations 3:26).
“It is good to wait silently for the salvation of the Lord” – Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish said: After the Holy One blessed be He despairs of the righteous in this world, He then has mercy on them. That is what is written: “It is good to wait silently for the salvation of the Lord.”
“It is good for a man that he bear a yoke in his youth” (Lamentations 3:27).
“It is good for a man that he bear a yoke in his youth” – the yoke of Torah, the yoke of a wife, the yoke of labor.

Another interpretation in the clouds. It says in the scripture (Deuteronomy 4:7), "For what great nation is there that has God close to it, as the Lord our God is whenever we call upon Him?" Rabbi Yudan said in the name of Rabbi Yitzhak, "He has a patron in the flesh." They said to him, "Your son has been caught." He said to them, "I am responsible for him." They said to him, "But he is sentenced to death. Where is he, and where is his patron?" However, the Holy One, blessed be He, saved Moses from Pharaoh's sword, as it says (Exodus 18:4), "For the God of my father was my help." Rabbi Yannai said, "It is written (Exodus 2:15), 'And Moses fled from Pharaoh.' Can a person escape from a monarchy? But at the moment when Pharaoh's men caught him and were about to decapitate him with a sword, the hilt of the sword broke above the neck of Moses, as it says (Song of Songs 7:6), 'Your neck is like the tower of David.' This refers to the neck of Moses." Rabbi Avitar said, "Not only that, but the sword fell on the neck of the executioner, and Moses killed him, as it says (Exodus 18:4), 'And He saved me from Pharaoh's sword.' He saved me, but not the executioner." Rabbi Berachya called upon it (Proverbs 21:18), "The wicked are a ransom for the righteous." Rabbi Avin called upon it (ibid. 11:8), "The righteous one is saved from distress." Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said, "At the moment when Moses fled, all the inhabitants of Pharaoh's palace became dumb, deaf, and blind. To the dumb, he said, 'Where did Moses flee?' but they did not speak. To the deaf, he said, 'What is happening?' but they did not hear. To the blind, he said, 'What does Moses look like?' but they did not see. This is what the Holy One, blessed be He, said (Exodus 4:11), 'Who gives a person speech?' There, you have the answer, but here I have none." Therefore, it is written (Deuteronomy 4:7), "For the Lord our God is close to us whenever we call upon Him." Rabbi Yudan said another interpretation: "He has a patron in the flesh." They said to him, "Your son has been caught." He said to them, "I am responsible for him." They said to him, "But he is sentenced to death." "And the Holy One, blessed be He, did not save Jonah from the belly of the fish, as it is said (Jonah 2:11), 'And the Lord spoke to the fish.' Rabbi Yudan said in his name, 'Flesh and blood have an advocate. When a time of trouble comes upon him suddenly, he does not immediately enter before him (God), but he comes and stands at the door of his advocate and calls to his servant and says, "So-and-so is at the door." But the Holy One, blessed be He, is not so. When a time of trouble comes upon Israel, he should not call upon Gabriel or Michael, but call upon him (God), and he will answer him. This is what is written (Joel 2:32), "And it shall come to pass that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be delivered." Rabbi Alexandri related a story about a certain judge who used to deride others. He said to him, 'What is your name?' He replied, 'Alexander,' and he (the judge) turned away in contempt. The judge then asked him, 'What is the name of your advocate?' He replied, 'Alexander,' and the judge immediately rose to his feet and kissed him on his forehead, saying, 'My master, my master.' If one who is called by the name of flesh and blood can be saved from danger, how much more so one who is called by the name of the Holy One, blessed be He?' Rabbi Pinchas said two things in the name of Rabbi Zeira and one in the name of Rabbi Tanhum. Flesh and blood have an advocate. If one has burdened him excessively, he (the advocate) says, 'I have forgotten so-and-so who has burdened me too much.' But the Holy One, blessed be He, accepts whatever burdens Israel places upon Him, as it is said (Psalms 55:23), "Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee." Flesh and blood have an advocate. If one's enemies seize him at the door of his home and he cries out to him (the advocate), the sword may fall upon his neck and kill him before he is rescued. But the Holy One, blessed be He, is not so. He saved Jehoshaphat from the sword of Aram, as it is said (Chronicles II 18:31), "And Jehoshaphat cried out and the Lord helped him; and God moved them to depart from him." This teaches that he only lacked humility. Rabbi Shimon said, flesh and blood have a relative; if he is rich, he acknowledges him, but if he is poor, he does not acknowledge him. But the Holy One, blessed be He, is not so. When Israel is in distress, he calls them "brothers" and "friends," as it is said (Psalms 122:8), "For my brethren and companions' sakes," and it is written (Exodus 33:11), "And the Lord spoke unto Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend." Rabbi Zeira said, a person has a son who is seen once in seventy years, and yet he kisses him on the forehead; but the Holy One, blessed be He, waits for the repentance of the wicked every day, as it is said (Ezekiel 33:11), "As I live, says the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live." Above the firmament are the Chayot (heavenly beings). Rabbi Chelbo said that even the Chayot move in a cycle of 490 years. The legs of the Chayot correspond to all the animals, and the Throne of Glory corresponds to everything above. When a person enters the synagogue and stands behind the pillar to whisper their prayer, the Lord listens. This is what is written, "For what great nation is there that has God so near to it, as the Lord our God whenever we call upon Him?" (Deuteronomy 4:7) Rabbi Chanina asked Rabbi Samuel, "What does it mean when it says in Lamentations 3:44, 'You covered yourself with a cloud so that no prayer can get through?'" He replied that the gates of prayer are sometimes open and sometimes closed, but the gates of tears are never closed. Why is this? Because the Lord our God is close to us. Rabbi Hoshea asked, "Which nation delays God like this one?" How is it that when elders sit and recall the past year, the Lord agrees with them? Concerning them, David said, "I will call upon the Most High God, who completes for me" (Psalm 57:3). Blessed be the name of the Lord our God who completes and finishes with Israel what they do. A mortal king decrees a decree, and even if people seek to annul it, they cannot do so, whether willingly or unwillingly, because they must fulfill his decree. However, if the king himself seeks to annul it, he can do so. But the Holy One, blessed be He, is not like that; rather, He upholds whatever the Sanhedrin decrees. When is this? On Rosh Hashanah, when the Sanhedrin sits and says, "Let Rosh Hashanah be on the second day of Shabbat or on the third day of Shabbat," immediately the Holy One, blessed be He, seats a Sanhedrin of angels and says to them, "Go and see if the lower court decreed and finalized it." They reply, "Master of the Universe, so they decreed." He then sits on that same day to judge His world, as it is stated (Psalms 47:6), "God has ascended amid shouts, the Lord amid the sounding of trumpets." The thrones are brought out, the books are opened, and the Sanhedrin of angels sits before Him, as it is stated (Daniel 7:9), "I looked until thrones were set up and the Ancient of Days took His seat." Some teach merit, while others teach obligation. Why? As it is stated (Psalms 81:5), "For it is a statute for Israel, an ordinance of the God of Jacob." Israel decreed that day as Rosh Hashanah, and it is also an ordinance of the God of Jacob, for He upholds His decrees and agrees with them. As it is stated (Psalms 50:15), "Call upon Me on the day of distress; I will deliver you, and you will honor Me." He agrees with Israel's opinion. Know that this is so because it is written (Numbers 29:1), "There shall be a day of blowing the horn for you," and it is only said "for you" and not for Me. Similarly, it is stated (Leviticus 23:2), "These are My appointed festivals, the appointed festivals of the Lord, which you shall proclaim as sacred assemblies." You shall proclaim them, whether in their proper time or not, for I have no appointed festivals except for these. As it is stated (Deuteronomy 4:7), "For what great nation is there that has God so near to them as the Lord our God is whenever we call upon Him?" And we call upon Him only for the sanctification of the festivals, as it is stated (Leviticus 23:4), "These are the appointed festivals of the Lord, the sacred occasions, which you shall celebrate at their appointed time." Rabbi Avin said in the name of Rabbi Aḥa: If a mortal king has a relative who is taken captive, he is ashamed to say that And the Lord brought out the captive and insane Israelites and called them His close people, as it is said (Psalms 148:14), "He has raised up a horn for His people, the praise of all His faithful servants, of Israel, the people close to His heart." King David said, "Master of the Universe, even if a wicked person from among the Israelites comes and calls out to You, You answer them immediately, so that the nations of the world will not say that all faces are equal and that You answer me too." The Lord said to him, "I smile until you call Me, then I will answer you," as it is said (Psalms 50:15), "Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me." And it is said (Psalms 91:15), "When he calls on Me, I will answer him." And it is said (Isaiah 65:24), "And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer." Nevertheless, his call must be sincere, as it is said (Psalms 145:18), "The Lord is near to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him in truth." Anyone who calls upon Him in truth can say, "God is good to Israel," (Psalms 73:1), "But as for me, God's nearness is my good," (Psalms 73:28), "The Lord is good to those who wait for Him," (Lamentations 3:25), "Good is the Lord to the one who seeks refuge in Him," (Psalms 34:9), and "The Lord is good to the upright in heart."

(Lev. 14:34:) WHEN YOU COME INTO THE LAND < OF CANAAN…, AND WHEN I PUT A PLAGUE OF LEPROSY IN A HOUSE OF THE LAND YOU POSSESS >. This text is related (to Ps. 73:1): BUT (akh) [GOD] IS GOOD TO ISRAEL. Could it < mean > to all < Israel >? The text reads (ibid., cont.): TO THE PURE IN HEART.⁴¹Lev. R. 17:1; Lam. R. 3:25 (9): M. Pss. 4:5. [Similarly you say on the matter (in Lam. 3:25): THE LORD IS GOOD TO THOSE WHO TRUST IN HIM. Could it < mean > to all? The text reads (ibid., cont.:) TO THE SOUL THAT SEEKS HIM. Similarly you say on the matter (in Nahum 1:7): THE LORD IS GOOD, A SHELTER IN THE DAY OF TROUBLE. Could it < mean > to all? The text reads (ibid., cont.): AND HE KNOWS THOSE WHO SEEK REFUGE IN HIM. Similarly you say on the subject (in Ps. 145:9): THE LORD IS GOOD TO ALL. Could it < mean > to all? The text reads (ibid., cont.): AND HIS MERCY IS UPON ALL HIS WORKS. Similarly you say on the matter (in Ps. 84:6 [5]): BLESSED IS THE ONE WHOSE STRENGTH IS IN YOU. Could it < mean > to all? The text reads (ibid., cont.): IN WHOSE HEART ARE THE HIGHWAYS. These are the ones in whose hearts < lie > the pathways of the Law. Similarly on < the matter > (there is Ps. 125:4): DO GOOD, O LORD, TO THE GOOD. Could it < mean > to all? The text reads (ibid., cont.): AND FOR THOSE WHO ARE UPRIGHT IN THEIR HEARTS. Similarly on < the matter > (there is Ps. 145:18): THE LORD IS NEAR TO ALL WHO CALL TO HIM. Could it < mean > to all? The text reads (ibid., cont.): TO ALL WHO CALL TO HIM IN TRUTH. Similarly you say on the matter (in Micah 7:18): WHO IS A GOD LIKE YOU THAT FORGIVES INIQUITY, AND PASSES OVER THE TRANSGRESSION. Could it < mean > for all? The text reads (ibid., cont.): FOR THE REMNANT OF HIS HERITAGE. Therefore (in Ps. 73:1): GOD IS TRULY GOOD TO ISRAEL, TO THE PURE IN HEART. It does not say: "God is good to Israel"; instead < it reads >: BUT (akh) < GOD > IS GOOD < TO ISRAEL >. BUT (akh) < implies > a limitation.⁴²See above, Tanh. (Buber), Gen. 1:8, and the parallels listed there. The afflictions which he brought upon them are good. < Good > for what? FOR THE PURE IN HEART, to purify < their heart > today for the world to come. It is therefore stated (in Ps. 73:1): BUT (akh) < GOD > IS GOOD < TO ISRAEL >, TO THE PURE IN HEART. (Ibid., vs. 3:) FOR I WAS ENVIOUS OF THOSE WHO RAGE (holelim) < WHEN > I SAW THE PROSPERITY OF THE WICKED. I saw their well-being, and I was envious. < I.e., I was envious > of those who commit profane acts continuously (halalim halalim),⁴³The midrash interprets holelim in Ps. 73:3, as coming from the same root as halalim by changing the h from the he in the Psalm to a het. as stated (in Job 15:20): A WICKED PERSON ACTS PROFANELY (metholel)⁴⁴Again the midrash interprets the Psalmist’s he as equivalent to the het used here in Job and in addition interprets the whole word as coming from the root HLL. In the biblical text of Job 15:20, metholel comes from the root HYL and means “writhe in torment.” ALL HIS DAYS. (Ps. 73:3:) THE PROSPERITY (shalom) OF THE WICKED: they dwell in quiet and tranquility. (Job 21:9:) THEIR HOUSES ARE SECURE (shalom), WITHOUT FEAR, NOR IS THE ROD OF GOD UPON THEM. (Ps. 73:4:) FOR THERE ARE NO PANGS AT THEIR DEATH, AND THEIR BODY ('WLM) IS SOUND. What pangs? You were not brought down to nothing,⁴⁵Cf. the parallel in Yalqut Shim‘oni, Pss., 808, which has a slightly different verb and can be translated: “You were anxious for nothing.” nor were you chained to suffering. (Ibid.:) AND THEIR BODY ('WLM) IS HEALTHY; therefore, they are as sound as the vestibule ('WLM) (of the Temple).