How David HaMelech Asked G-d Five Times to Come to His Aid

How David HaMelech Asked G-d Five Times to Come to His Aid

Rabbi Pinchas said in the name of Rabbi Reuven: Five times David HaMelech calls upon the Holy One, blessed be He, to arise in the first Book of Tehillim: - “Kumah Ad-nai, kadmah fanav, hahri'ehu; paletah nafshi merasha, harbehah” - (Arise, O L-rd, go before them, subdue them, save my soul with Your sword from the wicked one); (Tehillim 17:13) - “Kumah Ad-nai, hoshieini Elohai, ki hikita et kol oyvai lechi, shinei resha'im shibarta” - (Arise, O L-rd, save me, my G-d; You will strike all my enemies on the cheek, You will break the teeth of the wicked); (Tehillim 3:8) – “Kumah Ad-nai be'apekha, hinaseh be'avrot tzorerai, ve'urah elai mishpat tzivita” - (Arise, O L-rd, in Your anger; unleash Your fury against my enemies, awaken justice for me, as You have commanded); (Tehillim 7:7) - “Kumah Ad-nai, El nasa yadekha, al tishkach anavim” - (Arise, O L-rd, raise Your hand; do not forget the poor); (Tehillim 10:12); - “Kumah Ad-nai, al ya'oz enosh, yishafetu goyim al paneikha” - (Arise, O L-rd, let man not prevail; judge the nations before You); (Tehillim 9:20) The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: “David, My son, even if you try to rouse Me a thousand times, I will not arise. When will I arise? When I see that the poor have been robbed and the needy are groaning! Of this it is written: ‘Because the oppressed are plundered and the needy groan, now I will arise; I will grant them salvation and support them.’ (Tehillim 12:6) Rabbi Shimon, son of Rabbi Yona, said: “Now I will arise” — all the while [Jerusalem] is covered in dust, as though [G-d Himself were in the dust]. But when that day comes of which it is written: “Shake yourself free of the dust (hitna'ari), arise, sit down, O Jerusalem.” (Yeshayahu 52:2) At that moment: “Be silent, all flesh, before the L-rd.” (Zechariah 2:17) Why? “For He has roused Himself (ne'or) in His holy dwelling place.” (Zechariah 2:17) “Arise, O L-rd, go forth to meet him...” — go forth to meet the wicked one, so that he does not overtake You. “Bring him to his knees (hachri'ehu)” — overturn his guilty verdict and break it, as it is said: “They have been struck down and fallen, but we have risen and stood firm.” (Tehillim 20:9) (Midrash Rabbah 75:1)