Commentaries

Mizmor 002, Verse 012

נַשְּׁקוּ־בַ֡ר פֶּן־יֶאֱנַ֤ף ׀ וְתֹ֬אבְדוּ דֶ֗רֶךְ כִּֽי־יִבְעַ֣ר כִּמְעַ֣ט אַפּ֑וֹ אַ֝שְׁרֵ֗י כָּל־ח֥וֹסֵי בֽוֹ׃

nashekuvar pen–yeʾenaf vesovedu derech kiyyivʿar kimʿat ʾappo ʾashrey kol–chosey vo

Gird yorselves with purity, lest He be angered, and your way be doomed in the mere flash of His anger. Happy are all who take refuge in Him.

MIDRASH TEHILLIM

1.....(2.12)
Kiss in purity..."
[nasheku-var] can be read as Kiss in purity.
Mercy and truth are met together, righteousness and peace have kissed each other (Tehillim 85:11).
Righteousness alludes to Moses, of whom it is said, " ...he did what is righteous for the Lord, ..." (Devarim 33:21),
Peace alludes to Aharon, of whom it is said, "In peace and equity he went with Me" (Malachi 2:6)
Kissed each other alludes to both of them, as is said, "So he went and met him on the mount of God, and he kissed him." (Shemot 4:27)
2.....(2.13)
Kiss the grain..."
[nasheku-var] can be read as Kiss the grain.
A.
By grain is meant Israel, as it is said to Israel, "Your belly is like a heap of wheat..." (Shir Hashirim - Song of Songs 7:3)
B.
Rabbi Simeon son of Lakish said, like wheat which is counted measure by measure when it is taken to be sown, and which is counted measure by measure when the harvest is brought in, so it was with the children of Israel, when they went down into Egypt, they went down only after they were counted, for it is said, "With seventy souls, Your forefathers descended to Egypt" (Devarim 10:22). and when they came out of Egypt, they came out only after they were counted, for it is said, "The children of Israel journeyed from Rameses to Succoth, about six hundred thousand on foot" (Shemot 12:37).

RASHI

1.
Arm yourselves with purity...
Arm yourselves with purity of the heart.
2.
...and you perish in the way...
As it is stated - “but the way of the wicked shall perish.” (Tehillim 1:6)
3.
...in the mere flash of His anger...
For in a short moment His wrath will suddenly be kindled against them, and at that time, the praises of all those who take refuge in Him will be discerned, the praises of all who take refuge in Him.

RADAK

1.
Kiss the son...
As (in the verse) "and he kissed all his brethren" (Genesis 45:15). And (the word) בר is the same as בן; and so "What, my son (בני)? "; and "what, O son (בר) of my womb?" (Mishlei - Proverbs 31 2). Or it may be interpreted by "the pure (ברי) of heart" (Tehillim 73:1).
A.
If its meaning is "son," this will be its interpretation: Kiss this son whom God has called "son," as He says: "Thou art My son". And the command is Kiss, because it is the custom for a servant to kiss the hand of the master.
B.
If its meaning is "pure," its interpretation is, "What have I to do with you, for I am pure in heart and there is no wickedness in me that ye should come and fight against me? Your duty is to kiss me and to confess that I am king by the command of God."
C.
And בר may also be fittingly interpreted from (the verse) "Choose (ברו) you a man for you" (1 Sam. 17:8), upon the analogy of "Saul the chosen of the Lord" (2 Sam. 21:6). 2.
...lest He be angry...
If ye turn not speedily from your evil ways God will be angry with you.

Rabbi HIRSCH

1.
Gird yorselves with purity...
A.
[נָשַׁק] (nashaq)
Is "to gird" oneself
B.
[בַּר] (pure, clean)
Derived from [בָּרַר] (barar) - "that which is pure"

WORDS

nashaq

נָשַׁק

idea of fastening up
kiss, literally touch
attachment of weapons -- armed (men)
rule

bar

בַּר

A.
son
B.
pure, clean
C.
[בָּר]
FROM-[בָּרַר] BARAR
grain, corn, open field