Midrash su Salmi 31:20

(Deut. 7:12:) “And it shall come to pass if (literally, in the heel of).” This text is related (to Ps. 49:6), “Why should I fear in the evil days, when the iniquity of my heels encompass me?” May the name of the Holy One, blessed be He, be blessed because He has given a Torah to Israel in which there are six hundred and thirteen commandments, some of which are light and some weighty. But because some of the commandments are light, people pay no attention to them. Instead they cast them under their heels [while] saying they are light. For that reason David was afraid of the Day of Judgment and said, “Master of the world, I am not afraid of the weighty commandments which are in the Torah, because they are weighty. Of what am I afraid? Of the light commandments, lest I have transgressed one of them, [not knowing] whether I have fulfilled it or not fulfilled it, because it is light; for you have said, ‘Be as mindful of the light commandments as of the weighty commandments.’”¹Avot 2:1. It therefore says (in Ps. 49:6), “Why should I fear in the evil days?” (Deut. 7:12:) “And it shall come to pass if (ekev) you heed [these statutes].” This text is related (to Ps. 19:11-12), “More delightful are they than gold, than much fine gold; [sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the comb]. Also by them is Your servant warned; [in keeping them there is great reward (ekev)]. Come and see how David glorified the words of Torah, where it is stated (ibid.), “More delightful are they than gold, than much fine gold.” And not only that, but among all the kinds of grains, none is more precious than pure semolina, which floats upon the [sieve] (zafah benapah); but the words of Torah are more precious than that, as stated (ibid., vs. 11), “sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the comb (nofet zufim).” R. Hanina said, “If you say that among all the beverages none is sweeter than honey, the words of Torah are [even] sweeter than honey.” David said to the Holy One, blessed be He, “Master of the universe, if You say that they (the commandments) of the Torah are sweet, Heaven forbid that I should have missed them. Rather (according to vs. 12), ‘Also by them is Your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward,’” [meaning] the light commandments. Therefore it is written (in Ps. 31:20), “How abundant is the good which You have laid up [for those who fear You]….” This is the reward for the light commandments.

(Deut. 3:26:) BUT THE LORD WAS WRATHFUL WITH ME. What is the meaning of WAS WRATHFUL (rt.: 'BR)? R. Judah and R. Nehemiah disagreed. One said: He was full of wrath (rt.: 'BR), while the other said: He made him like a pregnant (rt.: 'RB) woman who cannot sit because of her fetus. The Holy One said to Moses: You are an example⁵Gk.: deigma. for judges, and they pervert justice. Therefore (in Deut. 3:26): ENOUGH FROM YOU! You have a lot <of merit stored> with me for the world to come, where I am repaying you. It is also stated about this (in Ps. 31:20 [19]): HOW ABUNDANT IS THE GOOD WHICH YOU HAVE LAID UP FOR THOSE WHO FEAR YOU.

Rabbi Hunna in the name of Bar Kafra opened with (Psalms 31:19): "Let the lying lips be dumb, that speak against the righteous arrogantly with pride and contempt." Let them be bound, made dumb, and silenced. "Let them be bound and made dumb"--as it says (Exodus 4:11): "Or who made one mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Was it not I, God?" and it says (Genesis 37:7): "We were binding sheaves in the field, and my sheaf rose." (The word for 'sheaf' is similar to 'mute'.) "Let them be silenced"--as it sounds. "Which speak against the righteous"--the life of all worlds (God). "Arrogantly"--[on matters] he has hidden from his creatures (The word for 'arrogant' is similar to 'hidden'). "In pride"--to boast and say: "I can explain creation." "And contempt"--to hold My glory in contempt. As Rabbi Yossi Bar Chanina said: One who honor's oneself at the expense of one's friend has no share in the World to Come. How much more so with the honor of God! And it says afterward (Psalms 31:20): "How abundant is Your goodness that you have laid up for those who fear You." Those who fear You and not for those who hold Your awe in contempt. When a king builds a palace in a place of sewers, dunghills, and garbage, everyone who says: "This palace is built on sewers, dunghills, and garbage" discredits it. So too, everyone who says the universe was created from nothingness discredits it. Rabbi Hunna in the name of Bar Kafra said: If it were not written, it would be impossible to say it. "In the beginning God created" from what? "And the earth was empty."