שִׁפְטוּ־דַ֥ל וְיָת֑וֹם עָנִ֖י וָרָ֣שׁ הַצְדִּֽיקוּ׃
Brońcie ubogiego i sieroty; biednemu i podupadłemu wymierzajcie sprawiedliwość.
Malbim
Eliphaz is of the opinion that the prosperity of the wicked is illusory: it is not true prosperity. Though, at first sight, the wicked person may appear successful, acquiring wealth, strength and possessions, his heart is ever full of fear. He feels at all times as if pursued by the sword (Leviticus 26:37), as though hard times were coming; as if destitution and poverty (Psalms 82:3) were about to overtaken him. So much so, that despite his wealth he has no pleasure from it nor has any peace of mind. And this is one of God’s punishments for doing wrong in His eyes and provoking Him to anger (Deuteronomy 4:25). He [God] confuses the wicked person's mind, his thoughts and his imagination with fear and trembling. For the essence of prosperity is peace of mind, an unworried spirit and a joyful heart; better a dry crust and tranquility with it (Proverbs 17:1).
Rav Hirsch
In vollstem Gegensatz zu dieser ursprünglichen Bestimmung des jüdischen Königs stehen die Motive, aus welchen, und die Zwecke, für welche die erste Königswahl unter Samuel (Sam. 1, 8) geschah. Der Vorwurf in Samuels Rede ans Volk (daselbst 12,12): ותראו כי נחש מלך בני עמון בא עליכם ותאמרו לי לא כי מלך ימלך עלינו וד׳ אלדיכם מלככם lässt keinen Zweifel darüber zu, daß die Verteidigung gegen äußere Feinde, mit völliger Verkennung des nun in Gott ruhenden und von Gott zu erwartenden Landesschutzes, Motiv und Zweck dieser Königswahl gewesen. Sie wollten einen König nicht nur nach der Form, sondern im Sinne aller Völker, wie sich dies ja auch in der Forderung des Volkes (daselbst 8, 20) unzweideutig ausspricht: ויאמרו לא כי אם מלך יהיה עלינו וחיינו גם אנחנו ככל הגוים ושפטנו מלכנו ויצא לפנינו ונלחם את מלחמתנו, wo das durch das folgende ׳ויצא לפנינו וגו erklärte ושפטנו מלכנו entschieden nicht im Sinne der inneren Rechtshandhabung, sondern der Rechtsvertretung, der Verteidigung nach außen gemeint ist, in welchem Sinne ja alle die zur Verteidigung der Unabhängigkeit des jüdischen Landes und Volkes aufgestandenen Männer: שופטים genannt werden, und — שפט את ja überwiegend: jemandem zu seinem Recht verhelfen heißt, so: שפטו דל ויתום (Ps. 82, 3), שפטני ד׳ כצדקי (daselbst 7, 9), יתום לא ישפטו (Jes.1, 23 ). כי שפטו ד׳ מכל אויביו (Sam. II. 18, 18 u. 31) und sonst häufig. Das שימה לנו מלך לשפטנו בכל הגוים im Munde der זקני ישראל (Sam. I. 8, 5) ist daher wohl auch nur in diesem Sinne zu verstehen, oder es, haben die Ältesten der Nation in der Tat die Handhabung der inneren gesetzlichen Ordnung im Sinne gehabt, das Volk aber wollte entschieden einen König nur zur kriegerischen Verteidigungsmacht nach außen, wie dies (Sanhedrin 20b) aufgefasst wird: זקנים שבדור כהוגן שאלו שנאמר תנה לנו מלך לשפטנו אבל עמי הארץ שבהן קלקלו שנאמר והיינו גם אנחנו בכל הגוים ושפטנו מלכנו .ויצא לפנינו
Rabbeinu Bahya
ונסך רביעית ההין יין לכבש האחד, “and a drink-offering of one quarter hin wine for the one sheep.” Rabbeinu Chananel writes that as soon as the priest had bowed down in order to offer the libation the deputy High Priest would wave the flag-like cloth to signal to the Levites to begin to chant their hymns. A the time of the Mishnah, a certain ben Arza would then strike the cymbal as a further signal and the Levites would commence reciting their hymns. All the assembled people would bow down and after every section the tekiah blast of the shofar would be blown and the trumpets would be blown until the end of the offering of the burnt-offering. At the end of that procedure the King and all those present with him would prostrate themselves (Chronicles II 29,28-40; compare also Tamid 7,3). The Levites would follow this procedure every day, varying the hymn they would sing.
On Sundays they would recite Psalm 24,1 as that psalm dealt with aspects of the creation of the universe, recalling that everything had been void and empty before. The psalm concludes with the words ויבא מלך הכבוד to commemorate the directive “let there be light.” The attribute כבוד also known as Shechinah is a great light. On Mondays the Levites chanted psalm 48. In verse 4 of that psalm the separation between different levels of holiness is alluded to. In the Holy Temple there were different levels of sanctity such as the Azarah, the Sanctuary, and the Holy of Holies. On the second day of creation the Torah speaks of separation between upper and lower waters (Genesis 1,6). These various levels of sanctity are referred to in verse 4 of our psalm by the word ארמנותיה, “its various citadels, palaces.” On Tuesdays the Levites would chant psalm 82 which features a verse (3) speaking about judging the poor etc. This corresponds to the directive that all the waters in the terrestrial world were to concentrate in one area so that the dry land could become visible (Genesis 1,9). This was an allusion for the judges to congregate when they sat in judgment and to pronounce judgment for each individual supplicant. On that day the Torah (G’d) also directed that the earth should produce trees, etc., each according to its own kind (Genesis 1,12), an allusion to the individuality which is to be preserved on earth. When we read in that psalm that alas, man had to die, unlike the angels, the reference is to the sin committed in that garden in which all these beautiful trees had grown. This is why the psalm recited by the Levites on the fourth day i.e. psalm 94, which commences with the reminder that G’d does take revenge on those who hate Him, is appropriate for Wednesday, the day the sun and moon were placed in orbit. The psalmist refers to the people worshipping sun and moon. On Thursdays the Levites used to chant psalm 81 which amongst other matters deals with the Exodus from Egypt. Pharaoh was compared to a sea-monster, תנין, and on that day the great sea-monsters had been created (Genesis 1,21). On Fridays the Levites chanted psalm 93 describing how even G’d robed Himself in splendor. It was the day that man, the most perfect of the creatures was created, a creature combining within himself some divine attributes (created in the image of G’d). He had been assigned dominion over the animals and even nature, i.e. was liable to similarly regard himself as sovereign in his domain on earth. Chanting that psalm then was in keeping with the significance of the day. On the Sabbath the Levites chanted psalm 92, a hymn in which the righteous are described as firmly planted in the House of the Lord, a reference to the Holy Temple. It is entirely possible that there are still more allusions in these various psalms chanted by the Levites on the different days of the week. Thus far Rabbeinu Chananel.
On Sundays they would recite Psalm 24,1 as that psalm dealt with aspects of the creation of the universe, recalling that everything had been void and empty before. The psalm concludes with the words ויבא מלך הכבוד to commemorate the directive “let there be light.” The attribute כבוד also known as Shechinah is a great light. On Mondays the Levites chanted psalm 48. In verse 4 of that psalm the separation between different levels of holiness is alluded to. In the Holy Temple there were different levels of sanctity such as the Azarah, the Sanctuary, and the Holy of Holies. On the second day of creation the Torah speaks of separation between upper and lower waters (Genesis 1,6). These various levels of sanctity are referred to in verse 4 of our psalm by the word ארמנותיה, “its various citadels, palaces.” On Tuesdays the Levites would chant psalm 82 which features a verse (3) speaking about judging the poor etc. This corresponds to the directive that all the waters in the terrestrial world were to concentrate in one area so that the dry land could become visible (Genesis 1,9). This was an allusion for the judges to congregate when they sat in judgment and to pronounce judgment for each individual supplicant. On that day the Torah (G’d) also directed that the earth should produce trees, etc., each according to its own kind (Genesis 1,12), an allusion to the individuality which is to be preserved on earth. When we read in that psalm that alas, man had to die, unlike the angels, the reference is to the sin committed in that garden in which all these beautiful trees had grown. This is why the psalm recited by the Levites on the fourth day i.e. psalm 94, which commences with the reminder that G’d does take revenge on those who hate Him, is appropriate for Wednesday, the day the sun and moon were placed in orbit. The psalmist refers to the people worshipping sun and moon. On Thursdays the Levites used to chant psalm 81 which amongst other matters deals with the Exodus from Egypt. Pharaoh was compared to a sea-monster, תנין, and on that day the great sea-monsters had been created (Genesis 1,21). On Fridays the Levites chanted psalm 93 describing how even G’d robed Himself in splendor. It was the day that man, the most perfect of the creatures was created, a creature combining within himself some divine attributes (created in the image of G’d). He had been assigned dominion over the animals and even nature, i.e. was liable to similarly regard himself as sovereign in his domain on earth. Chanting that psalm then was in keeping with the significance of the day. On the Sabbath the Levites chanted psalm 92, a hymn in which the righteous are described as firmly planted in the House of the Lord, a reference to the Holy Temple. It is entirely possible that there are still more allusions in these various psalms chanted by the Levites on the different days of the week. Thus far Rabbeinu Chananel.