Tehillim 25–26

Tehillim 25 – Tachanun (Edot Hamizrach)

David prays that God will help him walk in His ways. The prayer includes a plea for salvation from enemies ("See how many enemies I have"(25:19)), a request for forgiveness ("Do not remember the sins of my youth or my offenses"(25:7)), and a plea for guidance on how to follow God’s path ("Show me Your ways, Lord"(25:4)). Despite the poet’s state, after sin, and while enemies rise against him, the psalm is written with optimism and strong faith in God’s goodness, that He will forgive and help him return to the right path. Rav Benny Lau, in his book 'Tehillah' (p. 87), notes the difference between the 'Nefilat Apayim' psalm in Ashkenazi prayer, which expresses supplication and fear of sin, and the version in Edot Hamizrach prayer, which expresses confidence in God’s kindness, that He will bring the sinner back and show him the way. This difference is also reflected in how the psalm is recited: Ashkenazim fall on their faces, while those from Edot Hamizrach recite it seated.

The psalm is written in the order of the Hebrew alphabet, with a few exceptions, which usually indicates careful and structured composition. Regarding Megillat Eikha, which is also written in alphabetical order, the Midrash offers two reasons, and both of which apply here as well: "Why were the laminations written in alphabetical order? So they would be easily recited by the mourners. Another reason: Why did Israel punished in alphabetical order? Because they sinned from Alef to Tav, therefore they were punished from Alef to Tav" (Pesikta Zutarta on Eikha 1:1). The Midrash suggests a very practical reason: structure aids memorization — the psalm was intended from the outset to serve as a prayer, so it was composed in a way that would help it be embraced by the public. But the Midrash also offers a deeper explanation – the alphabet reflects the entirety of language, and thus also everything that can be said. The poet in our psalm cannot fully express in words his request for forgiveness, his trust, and his faith in God, so he writes the letters of the alphabet and leaves it to God to take those letters and make crowns from them.

Tehillim 26 – "Test me, Lord; Try me"

The poet expresses remarkable self-confidence: "Judge me, Lord, for I have walked blamelessly; I placed my trust in the Lord; I do not waver. Test me, Lord; try me; probe my heart and mind." (26:1-2) He asks God to judge him, to test him, and to see his spiritual and religious strength. Already in the time of the Chazal, this psalm’s verses were interpreted critically. They described how, in response to David’s request, God tested him with the sin involving Batsheva (Sanhedrin 107a), a test in which David did not prevail and whose consequences he suffered until the end of his life. Following the Chazal, and even more so the influence of the 'Mussar' movement, it is difficult for us to accept such religious self-assurance. People we regard as righteous, like 'Roshei Yeshiva', weep during the 'Vidui' of Yom Kippur, and we trust Kohelet’s words: “There is no one in this world so righteous that he only does good and never sins” (Kohelet 7:20). Still, I would like to offer two reflections that we can draw from this psalm:

The sentence: The Book of Tehillim, and this psalm among them, is full of appeals for just judgment. The poet doesn’t ask for judgment simply out of curiosity or self-interest, but because when God’s judgment is absent, he is left to the judgment of his enemies. The call to God is a plea for divine intervention in reality, to punish the wicked and vindicate the righteous. When we stand in judgment on Rosh Hashana, we must remember that it is not only we who are judged, but the entire world. This is our hope, that God will once again act openly and judge between His people and their enemies.

Relationship: In a healthy relationship, whether between lovers or between a father and son, there is no place for constant fear. At the beginning of a relationship, one might worry about not being good enough, but as the relationship deepens, there must also be calm and joy. There is always room for growth and for becoming a better spouse or parent, but the overall feeling should be one of closeness and confidence. That is what this psalm reflects — self-assurance that stems from trust in the relationship with God. We must engage in self-reflection, but it cannot lead us into obsessive guilt or excessive self-abasement.