After the Shiv'a - The Seven Days of Mourning

TWO PSALMS

PSALM XV

1. A Psalm of David.
LORD, who shall sojourn in Thy tabernacle?
Who shall dwell upon Thy holy mountain?

2. He that walks uprightly, and works
righteousness,
And speaks truth in his heart;

3. That has no slander upon his tongue,
Nor does evil to his fellow,
Nor takes up a reproach against his neighbor;

4. In whose eyes a vile person is despised,
But he honors them that fear the LORD;
He that swears to his own hurt, and changes not;

5. He that puts not out his money on interest,
Nor takes a bribe against the innocent.
He that does these things shall never be moved.

NOTES FROM THE SONCINO BIBLE:

Next to XXIII, this is the most popular chapter of the Psalter. It is commonly known as "God's Gentleman" and is descriptive of the Hebraic ideal of human character. 'The poetic questions convey the notion which we to-day should breifly designate "the idealism of life." Holiness and the image of the "mountain of the Lord" imply man's elevation above the low places of life, the upward soaring of the soul from the vulgar and commonplace to the nobility and purity of moral views and conduct' [M. Lazarus]. The qualifications for entry into the Divine Presence are purely ethical and within the compass of all human beings. The Talmud remarked that the 613 commandments of the Pentateuch are summarized in this Psalm, meaning that their moral purpose is here crystallized.

PSALM XC

[extracts]

5. Thou carriest them away as with a flood;
they are as a sleep;
In the morning they are like grass which
groweth up.

6. In the morning does it flourish and grow up;
In the evening is it cut down and does it wither.

12. So teach us to number our days,
That we may get us a heart of wisdom.

16. Let Thy work appear unto Thy servants,
And Thy glory upon their chidlren.

17. And let the graciousness of the Lord our God
be upon us;
Establish Thou also upon us the work of our
hands;
Yea, the work our hands establish Thou it.

NOTES FROM THE SONCINO BIBLE:

... In sublime language [this Psalm] dwells upon the transitory character of man's existence, but in no pessimistic mood. If life is brief, its moments are precious and must not be wasted in vain pursuits.
The swift passing of his stay on earth would render it meaningless and purposeless, were it not that God is everlasting and in Him is man's abiding dwelling-place.
... the similarity of its thought and language to Deut.xxxiii is noticeable. [...]