Commentaries

Mizmor 009, Verse 004

אֶשְׂמְחָ֣ה וְאֶעֶלְצָ֣ה בָ֑ךְ אֲזַמְּרָ֖ה שִׁמְךָ֣ עֶלְיֽוֹן

ʾesmecho veʾeʿeltzo voch ʾazammero shimcho ʿelyon

When mine enemies are turned back, they stumble and perish at Your presence;

MIDRASH TEHILLIM

1.....(9.6)
When mine enemies are turned back...
According to Rabbi Phinehas, these words mean - When my enemies are made to turn back, by the means described in the verse: "And a messenger came to Saul, saying, "Make haste and turn back, for the Philistines have spread out over the land!"" (Shmuel I - I Samuel 23:27), that is, the messanger came from above, his coming being refered by David in the verse: "He sent from on high [and] He took me;" (Shmuel II - II Samuel 22:17)
2.....(9.6)
...they stumble and perish at Your presence;
Means that Israel said to God: "Master of the Universe! Even if my enemies have no sin other than that of going into Your house and speaking brazenly in Your presence, they will fall and perish."

RADAK

1.
When mine enemies are turned back;
For all the Philistine armies fled and turned back, as it is written (Shmuel I - I Samuel 17:51): "And when the Philistines saw that their champion was dead they fled."

Rabbi HIRSCH

1.
When mine enemies are turned back;
“I see Your hand not only in those events in nature that are quite obviously miraculous, but also in the quiet course of history that I have experienced in the past and which I still see today. When I look back in retrospect upon the fate that has befallen the nations that were hostile to me and to my way of life, when I see how, once they reached the zenith of power, they disappeared as suddenly as they had risen, then I realize that it is before Your presence and Your countenance; i.e., before Your Sovereignty and Your ultimate ends, that they stumble and perish.”

WORDS