Komentaryo sa Mga Awit 3:8: Rashi, Radak & Ibn Ezra

for You have struck all my enemies on the cheek This is a disgraceful blow, as you say (Lam. 3: 30): “Let him offer his cheek to the smiter”; (Micah 4:14), “with a rod they strike...on the cheek.” According to the Midrash Aggadah (Mid. Ps. 3:7), this is a sickness of the mouth, [choking, croup] as you say (II Sam. 17:23): “And he [Ahithophel] gave charge to his household and he strangled himself.

Rise, O Lord; save me, O my God: – קומה (Rise) has the accent milra', and so on every occasion where the word occurs in this book, with the exception of “and stand up (וקומה) for mine help” (Ps. 35:2), where it is milel.

Arise (קוּמָה - kumah): Know that the verbal noun [concept, the essence of the action] is [implicit] in every past or future verb, even though it [the infinitive itself] is not [explicitly written]. Sometimes it is written [in a way that implies the completed action or state], like: "And He blessed (u-varekh), and I cannot reverse it" (Numbers 23:20). And the meaning of u-varekh is '[He bestowed a] blessing (berakhah)'. And similarly, "In the multitude of counselors, counsel (etzah) is established (takum)" (cf. Proverbs 15:22). And similarly [here]: For You struck all my enemies [implies] a blow (makkat) on the jaw (לֶחִי - lechi). Or, the letter Bet [prefix, meaning 'on'] is missing [before lechi, meaning You struck them on the jaw], similar to [the implied 'in' in phrases like] 'found [in] the house of Ad-nai,' [or] 'For [in] six days He made...' (Exodus 20:11). (And [the word] panah - turn/face - is related to lechi - jaw/cheek).

the teeth of the wicked Their might.