אַ֣ךְ לֵ֭אלֹהִים דּ֣וֹמִּי נַפְשִׁ֑י כִּי־מִ֝מֶּ֗נּוּ תִּקְוָתִֽי׃
Hanya kepada Allah, hai jiwaku, nantikanlah dalam diam, sebab dari-Nyalah harapanku.
Rabbeinu Bahya
In this verse King Solomon warns regarding the importance of displaying faith in the Lord. The reason Solomon does so is because faith in the Lord is such a central pillar of Torah and the observance of G’d’s commandments. Solomon means that if a person has been endowed by G’d with intelligence, wealth, physical strength and all the other attributes which are observed amongst successful people, he should not put his trust in any of these attributes. He should put his trust exclusively in G’d. This is what the prophet taught us in Isaiah 44,25 when he said: משיב חכמים אחור ודעתם יסכל, “who turns sages back, and makes nonsense of their knowledge.” All of man’s machinations, his planning, even his deeds amount to nothing unless G’d decrees that they should succeed. If man amassed a great deal of wealth he has no reason to be smug about it and to attribute it to his sagacity. This is precisely what Solomon said in Kohelet 9,11: “the race is not won by the swift, nor the battle by the strong, nor does bread come to the wise, riches to the intelligent, nor favour to the learned; but time and death will happen to them all.” He also said in Proverbs 16,1: “A man may plan with his heart; but the answer of the tongue comes from the Lord.” If even his speech is not (entirely) under his control, how much less can he be in control of matters involving external factors? He therefore has no reason to place his trust in his own insights and other attributes. He must not rely on the efficacy of his diligence, etc., but only on G’d. This is what David meant when he said in Psalms 62,6: “Truly my soul waits quietly for G’d; my deliverance comes from Him.” David contrasted G’d’s input in whatever success he experienced with that of his own effort.
Ibn Ezra
נדמיתי I am undone. I am cut off from the company of the holy ones; comp. ודמיתי And I will destroy (Hos. 4:5). Some compare it with דׂמִּי Be silent (Ps. 62:6). This view also may be correct.
Ramban
NORA TH’HILOTH’ (FEARFUL IN PRAISES). “He is feared by those who recount His praises lest they enumerate fewer than there really are, [and thus fail to praise Him adequately], just as it is written, To thee silence is praise.”193Ibid., 65:2. Thus Rashi’s language. Rabbi Abraham ibn Ezra also explained “that all who praise Him are fearful when praising His Name, for Who can make all His praise to be heard?194Ibid., 106:2. And they are duty-bound to praise His Name, for He alone does wonders.”
In my opinion, nora th’hiloth means: “fearful with praises, for He does fearful things and He is praised for them, as when He wreaks vengeance on those who transgress His will and thereby helps those who serve Him. Thus He is [both] feared and highly praised.” And because earthly kings are feared because of their oppression and perverseness,195Isaiah 30:12. Moses said that G-d is feared through the very things for which He is praised. Similarly, To Thee ‘dumiyah’ is praise193Ibid., 65:2. means, by way of the plain meaning of Scripture, “that hoping to Thee is praise, for all who hope to Thee obtain their wish, and they praise Thy Name in Zion and there they perform their vows196See Psalms 65:2. which they have vowed in the time of their trouble.” The usage [of the word dumiyah as “hope”] is similar to that found in these verses: Only to G-d ‘dumi’ (wait) thou, my soul, for from Him cometh my hope;197Ibid., 62:6. One who hopes waits in expectation of something to happen. ‘vayidom hashemesh’ and the moon stayed.198Joshua 10:13. It is generally translated: And the sun stood still. Ramban obviously takes it to mean: “and the sun ‘waited,’” a term akin to hoping, for he who hopes waits. Similarly, Only to G-d ‘dumiyah’ my soul199Psalms 62:2. means: “only to G-d doth my soul hope.” Thus it appears to me.
In the name of other scholars,200Mentioned by R’dak in his Sefer Hashorashim, under the root of damah, in the name of “some commentators.” I have heard that it means: “to Thee, praise becomes silent, for no amount of praise can fathom Thy great and fearful deeds.” The usage is similar to the verse: And at night there is no ‘dumiyah’ (respite) for me.201Psalms 22:3. Accordingly, the meaning of the expression, O G-d, in Zion202Ibid., 65:2. The verse reads: To Thee ‘dumiyah’ praise, O G-d in Zion, and unto Thee the vow is performed. Now Ramban had first presented his own interpretation that the word dumiyah means hope, and the purport of the verse is that hoping to G-d is praise, for all who hope to G-d obtain their favor from Him and then they praise His name in Zion where they come to perform their vows. But according to the explanation of the other scholars, i.e., that dumiyah expresses a sense of silence, the verse means: “praise unto Thee becomes silent, O G-d Who dwells in Zion, for no amount of praise can fathom Thy deeds, and unto Thee the vow is performed.” is “the G-d Who is in Zion.” That is to say, the One Who dwells there. The correct interpretation is as we have said, [i.e., that dumiyah signifies “hope”].
In my opinion, nora th’hiloth means: “fearful with praises, for He does fearful things and He is praised for them, as when He wreaks vengeance on those who transgress His will and thereby helps those who serve Him. Thus He is [both] feared and highly praised.” And because earthly kings are feared because of their oppression and perverseness,195Isaiah 30:12. Moses said that G-d is feared through the very things for which He is praised. Similarly, To Thee ‘dumiyah’ is praise193Ibid., 65:2. means, by way of the plain meaning of Scripture, “that hoping to Thee is praise, for all who hope to Thee obtain their wish, and they praise Thy Name in Zion and there they perform their vows196See Psalms 65:2. which they have vowed in the time of their trouble.” The usage [of the word dumiyah as “hope”] is similar to that found in these verses: Only to G-d ‘dumi’ (wait) thou, my soul, for from Him cometh my hope;197Ibid., 62:6. One who hopes waits in expectation of something to happen. ‘vayidom hashemesh’ and the moon stayed.198Joshua 10:13. It is generally translated: And the sun stood still. Ramban obviously takes it to mean: “and the sun ‘waited,’” a term akin to hoping, for he who hopes waits. Similarly, Only to G-d ‘dumiyah’ my soul199Psalms 62:2. means: “only to G-d doth my soul hope.” Thus it appears to me.
In the name of other scholars,200Mentioned by R’dak in his Sefer Hashorashim, under the root of damah, in the name of “some commentators.” I have heard that it means: “to Thee, praise becomes silent, for no amount of praise can fathom Thy great and fearful deeds.” The usage is similar to the verse: And at night there is no ‘dumiyah’ (respite) for me.201Psalms 22:3. Accordingly, the meaning of the expression, O G-d, in Zion202Ibid., 65:2. The verse reads: To Thee ‘dumiyah’ praise, O G-d in Zion, and unto Thee the vow is performed. Now Ramban had first presented his own interpretation that the word dumiyah means hope, and the purport of the verse is that hoping to G-d is praise, for all who hope to G-d obtain their favor from Him and then they praise His name in Zion where they come to perform their vows. But according to the explanation of the other scholars, i.e., that dumiyah expresses a sense of silence, the verse means: “praise unto Thee becomes silent, O G-d Who dwells in Zion, for no amount of praise can fathom Thy deeds, and unto Thee the vow is performed.” is “the G-d Who is in Zion.” That is to say, the One Who dwells there. The correct interpretation is as we have said, [i.e., that dumiyah signifies “hope”].