Psalmów 118:8 Kabała: Zohar & Sha'arei Orah

How many people misunderstand this verse! They repeat the words, but the sense escapes them. Is the Holy One, blessed be He, the “King of the nations”? Is He not rather the King of Israel? Is it not written: “When the Most High divided to the nations their inheritance, when he separated the sons of men, he set the bounds of the peoples according to the number of the children of Israel. For the Lord’s portion is his people” (Deut. 32, 8, 9), wherefore He is called the “King of Israel”? If the prophet here called God “King of the nations”, he would be praising them more than they praise themselves, for they only claim to be in the charge of His ministers and servitors.

About them King David, peace be upon him, said the Psalm,²⁰⁴Psalms 118:5-6 “From the straits I called Ya”h-י״ה, with expanse Ya”h-י״ה answered me. HaShem-יהו״ה is with me, I have no fear; what can man do to me?” Now, how can HaShem’s-יהו״ה greatness be compared to man, a lowly creature who is but maggots and worms?! What praise is it to HaShem-יהו״ה, blessed is He, to say,²⁰⁵Psalms 118:8 “It is better to take refuge in HaShem-יהו״ה than to rely on man”?! Is it appropriate to say such a thing?! Does not even the greatest imbecile understand this?! What kind of praise is this for the Ever-Present One, HaShem-יהו״ה, blessed is He?

We thus find that the verse states,²¹⁴Psalms 118:8 “It is better to take refuge in HaShem-יהו״ה than to rely on man.” That is, no one should ever trust that his salvation will come from the ministering angels included in the name “man-Adam-אדם.” For, no being in the world, not an upper supernal being nor a lower being, has any influence or beneficence whatsoever, in and of itself, except what is granted to it by HaShem-יהו״ה, the Great King, blessed is He. The verse therefore states, “It is better to take refuge in HaShem-יהו״ה than to rely on man-Adam-אדם,” referring to the known stature of man-Adam-אדם which includes the totality of the Supernal Chariot-Merkavah-מרכבה.