Commentaries

Mizmor 017, Verse 003

בָּ֘חַ֤נְתָּ לִבִּ֨י ׀ פָּ֘קַ֤דְתָּ לַּ֗יְלָה צְרַפְתַּ֥נִי בַל־תִּמְצָ֑א זַ֝מֹּתִ֗י בַּל־יַעֲבׇר־פִּֽי

bochanto libbiy pokadto llaylo tzeraftaniy val–ttimtzoʾ zammosiy bal–yaʿavor–ppiy

You have tried my heart; You have visited [me] at night. You have refined me and found nothing; I determined, [that] should not pass my mouth.

RASHI

1.
You have visited [me] at night.
at evening time for the iniquity of Bathsheba, concerning which it is stated (Shmuel II - II Samuel 11:2) “And it came to pass at the time of evening, that David arose, ...”
2.
You have refined me...
You have tested me.
[NOTE:
(צָרַף) (tsaraph) - to smelt, refine, test
Smelting a metal (ex. gold, silver) separates impurities. So this line can be interpreted with a positive connotation (found no impuriities), OR with a negative connotation (the refining process did not produce a fully clean outcome). Multiple translations exist with different interpretations. ]
...and found nothing;
You have not found in me Your desire.
I determined, [that] should not pass my mouth.
If it enters my thoughts again to be tried before You, let it not pass my mouth to say again, “Try me, O Lord, and test me,” as I have already said, as is written (26: 2) “ Try me, O Lord, and test me,” for David asked the Holy One, blessed be He, “Why do they say, ‘the God of Abraham,’ yet they do not say, ‘the God of David’?” He replied, “I tested him with ten tests, and he was found perfect.” He [David] said, “Try me and test me,” as appears in tractate Shabbath (?).

WORDS