TEHILLIM LIGHT

Commentaries

Mizmor 005, Verse 001

לַמְנַצֵּ֥חַ אֶֽל־הַנְּחִיל֗וֹת מִזְמ֥וֹר לְדָוִֽד

lamnatzeyach ʾel–hannechiylos mizmor ledovid

For the leader; on neḥiloth. A psalm of David.

MIDRASH TEHILLIM

1.....(5.1)
For the leader; on neḥiloth (possessions).
This verse is to be considered in the light of what is said: "From the wilderness to Mattanah, and from Mattanah to Nahaliel, and from Nahaliel to Bamoth, and from Bamoth to the valley that is in the country of Moab" (Bamidbar - Numbers 21:18-20)
The rabbis took from the wilderness to Mattanah to mean that, by virtue of the kind of place a wilderness is, the children of Israel where there deemed worthy of having the Torah given (Mattanah) to them, but from Mattanah to Nahaliel the rabbis took to mean that there the children of Israel took possession of the Holy One blessed be He, as their God and God took possession of them in His people.
Hence, David said, I will compose a Psalm about both acts of possession, for the leader, upon the Nehiloth (Possessions).
[[+++]
Nehiloth:
A. From [נְחִילָה] NECHILAH - a flute
B. From [נָחַל] NAHAL - to get as a possession, acquire, inherit, possess
++++++++++++++
Mattanah:
A. a place East of the Jordan
B. a gift
++++++++++++++
Nachaliel:
A. "valley of God," a place East of the Dead Sea
B. From [נַחַל] NAKHAL - brook, flood, river, stream, valley
++++++++++++++
Bamoth:
A. a place in Moab
B. From [בָּמָה] BAMAH - a high place
[---]]
2.....(5.1)
...on neḥiloth (possessions).
When Moshe said to the children of Israel: "For you have not yet come to the resting place or to the inheritance, which the Lord, your God, is giving you." (Devarim - Deuteronomy 12:9)
By rest He meant the Land of Israel, and by inheritance he meant the Tabernacle of Yakov.

RASHI

1.
...on neḥiloth...
Menachem interpreted all of them: nehiloth, alamoth, gittith, jeduthun, that they are all names of musical instruments, and the melody of the psalm was according to the melody fit for that instrument.
In Midrash Aggadah some explain “nehiloth” as an expression of heritage, but that is not the meaning of the word; moreover, the contents of the psalm do not deal with heritage.
It is, however, possible to interpret נחלות as troops, like “a swarm (נחיל) of bees,” (Bava Kamma 114a, 81b), and like (II Sam. 22:5), “Bands (נחלי) of scoundrels would affright me,” which Jonathan renders: Bands (סיען) of sinners. [This is] a prayer concerning the bands of the enemies that come upon Israel, and the Psalmist recited this psalm on behalf of all Israel.

RADAK

1.
Our teacher Hai, of blessed memory, explained the word (nehiloth) from the expression nehil (נהיל), (meaning) "a swarm" of bees, in the words of our sages of blessed memory (Mishnah, Baba Kamma 10:2). He means that its music was like the buzzing of bees.
This Psalm is also likewise directed against David's enemies, those in Israel who were ill-disposed to him. Our rabbis of blessed memory have said (Midrash, Shoher Tob, ad loc.) that he uttered it against his adversaries Doeg and Ahithophel.

Rabbi HIRSCH

1.
To Him Who grants victory for life's currents and goals;
ʾel–hannechiylos (on neḥiloth)
NACHAL - denotes not only the receipt of an inheritance, or the permanent acquisition of landed property, but also the maintenance of spiritual values that are to be preserved forever...
It is often used with reference to the fate, good or bad, which God assigns to the righteous and to the wicked as the inheritance which they earned, deriving from the way of life each has followed.
nechiylos denotes the final achievements attained by man on earth through his loyalty—or his disloyalty—to his duties.
lamnatzeyach ʾel–hannechiylos refers to God, Who helps us attain spiritual, inner victory with regard to that destiny awaiting us, here, on earth, in accordance with the direction our lives have taken. “To Him Who helps us attain victory in our achievements in life”

WORDS