시편 7:1 미드라쉬: Ein Yaakov (Glick Edition) & Midrash Tehillim

R. Zutra b. Tubiah was once arranging Biblical passages before R. Juda. When he came upon the passage (Sam. 13, 1) And these are the last words of David, he said to him: "If these were the last, what were the first words of David?" R. Juda remained silent. But when Mar Zutra repeated the question, R. Juda said: "Art thou of the opinion that if one cannot explain this he is not a great man?" Mar Zutra understood that R. Juda was angry, and he rebuked himself for one day. But the question remains still unanswered. If these are the last then there must be the first. What are the first? They are (Ib. 22, 1) And David spoke unto the Lord the words of this song, on the day that the Lord had delivered him out of the hand of all his enemies, and out of the hand of Saul. This means that the Holy One, praised be He! said unto David: "David, thou singest songs over the downfall of Saul; as thou livest if thou wert Saul and he were David, I would annihilate many a David for his sake." And therefore says the passages (Ps. 7, 1) A Shiggayon (an error) of David which he sang unto the Lord, concerning the affairs of Kush (the Ethiopian) the Benjamite. Was then his mane Kush? Behold it was Saul! But as an Ethiopian is distinguished from others by the color of his skin, so was also Saul distinguished from others by his good deeds. In a similar manner we may explain the following (Num. 12, 1) On account of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married. Was then her name Ethiopian? Behold her name was Ziporah! This is to teach you that as an Ethiopian is distinguished by the color of his skin, so also was she distinguished by her kind deeds. Similarly we explain the following (Jer. 38, 7) And now when the slave of the king, the Ethiopian, heard it. Was then his name Ethiopian? Indeed his name was Zedekiah? But this is to teach you that as an Ethiopian is distinguished by the color of his skin, etc. In a like manner we may explain the following (Amos 9, 7) Are ye not like the children of the Ethiopians, O children of Israel? Was then their name Ethiopians? Behold Israel is their name! This teaches you that just as the Ethiopians differ from others in the color of their skin, so does Israel differ from all idolaters with their good deeds.

A shigayyon of David. (Psalm 7:1) — This is what the verse (Ecclesiastes 10:20) says: Even among those you know, do not curse the king... Don't curse a king in your generation, and don't curse a wealthy man in your generation. ...for the bird of heaven will bring the voice... Said Rabbi Yirmiyah: "This is the raven and the knowledge of augury." ...and the winged one will tell the matter. on account of that the walls have ears. The Holy Blessed One said to David, "Why are you cursing My annointed one?" All my enemies will be ashamed and terrified (Psalm 6:11). Who are your enemies? Is it not Saul? As you said on the day the LORD saved him from the hand of... Saul (Psalm 18:1)" He said before him, "Master of the universe, do not hold mistakes [shegagot] against me like brazen deeds! (Psalm 19:13) "Mistakes [shegiy'ot] who can understand? [edit: An error of David. This is what the scripture says (Ecclesiastes 10:20): "Do not revile the king, even in your thoughts, or curse the rich in your bedroom, because a bird in the sky may carry your words, and a bird on the wing may report what you say." Rabbi Yirmiyah said that this refers to the raven and the wisdom of the Tayareen. "And the bird on the wing" refers to the angels who report to God. God said to David, "Why are you cursing my anointed one? Let your enemies be put to shame and be confounded. Who are they, your enemies? Not Saul, whom you said, 'On the day when the Lord saved him from the hand of Saul' (Psalm 18:1)." David said before God, "Master of the Universe, do not punish me for my unintentional sins, as it is written (Psalm 19:13), 'Who can discern his own errors?'"]

Thoughts on David. Rabbi Yehuda said in the name of Rabbi Levi that three things came out of David's mouth regarding Saul, and all three were fulfilled. As it is said (1 Samuel 26:10), "As the Lord lives, the Lord shall strike him." And so it was. Either his day will come and he will die, and so it was. Or he will go down in battle and perish, and so it was, as it is said (1 Samuel 31:6), "So Saul died, and his three sons." Rabbi Elazar said, "By the life of the Lord, I swear to the evil inclination that I will not do this thing." Rabbi Shmuel bar Nachmani said to Avishai ben Tzeruya, "By the life of the Lord, if you touch the blood of the righteous, I will mix your blood with his." And Saul had a concubine, as it is written (2 Samuel 3:7), "And David took more concubines and wives out of Jerusalem." And you compare yourself to Saul. Saul's feet were as swift as eagles; Rabbi Levi said he could travel sixty miles in one day. Rabbi Simon said "One hundred and twenty," and the rabbis say "One hundred and eighty." And when was this? When the Ark was captured. This is as it is written (1 Samuel 4:10-11), "And a man of Benjamin ran from the battle line and came to Shiloh the same day, with his clothes torn and with dirt on his head. When he arrived, there was Eli sitting on his chair by the side of the road, watching, because his heart feared for the ark of God. When the man entered the city and told what had happened, the whole city sent up a cry." Just as Saul was compared to the man of Benjamin who ran to Shiloh, so too, a person who goes to a party should not bring his children with him because of appearances. But Saul went to war, and he knew that the judgment of the law would fall upon him, and he brought his children with him. And you say (2 Samuel 21:17), "You shall go out no more with us to battle." Saul ate non-sacred food in purity, as it is stated (1 Samuel 9:23-24), "The cook took up the thigh and what was attached to it, and set it before Saul. And Samuel said, 'This is what has been kept for you. Eat, because it was set aside for you for this occasion, from the time I said, "I have invited guests."' And Saul ate with Samuel that day." Rabbi Yochanan says the thigh and the tail. Rabbi says the thigh and the breast. He ate non-sacred food in purity, and you compare yourself to Saul. This is what the Scripture says (Job 12:16), "With Him is strength and wisdom; the deceived and the deceiver are His." Strength refers to Torah, as it is stated (Psalms 29:11), "The Lord will give strength to His people." Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said, "Why is it called wisdom? Because it gives strength to the body and the eyes." [Alternative: Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: Why is it called "Toshiyah" (wisdom or Torah)? Because it weakens (wears down) the strength, the body, and the eyes.] What is meant by (Job 12:16), "The deceived and the deceiver are His"? Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish said, "Prophets and prophetesses." Rabbi Shimon said "Shetia" and the Rabbis said "Sega". If a person makes a mistake in Torah study, the words of Torah correct him. This is what the verse means when it says, "Even though I have erred, the teaching has not strayed from me" (Job 6:10). It is not enough that the Torah waits for a person during his lifetime, it also waits for him at the moment of his death. David requested "Let my soul be redeemed from distress" (Psalms 25:17). Regarding the words of Kush the Benjamite, Rabbi Chanina bar Papa said, "Just as Joseph's mistress summoned him, as it says, 'Lie with me' (Genesis 39:7), so too did the Holy One, blessed be He, summon him, as it says, 'Come to me, the Hebrew slave' (Genesis 39:17). Similarly, Saul said, 'My sons have stirred up my servants against me to ambush me' (1 Samuel 22:8). Rabbi Acha said, "But isn't it true that someone who commits an abomination is not punished? So why did David say this about Saul?" It is because he sang a song to God, as it is written, "In the falling of your enemy, do not rejoice" (Proverbs 24:17).