Hodu La'Hashem Ki Tob ! for iPhone users https://apps.apple.com/us/app/ itorah-watch-listen-stream/ id6472929090 for Android users https://play.google.com/store/ apps/details?id=com.itorah.app We are now discussing Pasuk in Tehilim 86,2, where David Hamelech is asking Hashem, שׇׁ ֥מְרָ֣ה נַפְשִׁי֮ כִּֽי־חָסִ֢יד אָ֥֫נִי הוֹשַׁ֣ע עַ֭בְדְּךָ אַתָּ֣ה אֱלֹהַ֑י הַבּוֹטֵ֥חַ אֵלֶֽיךָ׃ Protect my soul. I'm a pious man. Save your servant. You are my God, that I rely on You. The obvious question is, David Hamelech would not be arrogant enough to tell God, “ Protect me because I'm pious!” Who can say they're pious? Rashi, quoting a Midrash Tehilim, says that in this case, pious doesn't necessarily mean that he did any extra Mitzvot, but rather that ‘ I heard my insults. I was able to seek vengeance and I was quiet.’ The Midrash Tehilim says in the name of Rabbi Alexandri, that ‘Whoever hears his curses and is quiet (it doesn't talk about seeking vengeance, just the fact that someone curses you and you're quiet) is called the Hasid .’ The Midrash Tehilim in chapter 86 adds that, ‘ Whoever hears his curses and has the ability to respond or do something and doesn't, is a partner with God. Because God is constantly being disgraced and cursed by the nations of the world. He could destroy them in a second and doesn't.’ That's the hasidut that David Hamelech had. He was asking Hashem to protect him due to that hasidut . This is probably the source for a concept that many are familiar with- that if someone gets insulted or shamed, it's a good time to pray. It's a good time to reach out to Hashem. That's the first half of the pasuk-that David Hamelech is saying, ‘ Protect me because I'm pious. Protect me because of this Middah that people curse me and insult me, and I don't respond.’ But David Hamelech ends the pasuk talking about bitachon. How does that fit in? There are two ways to explain it: One explanation is that David Hamelech is saying, “ Now that I was quiet and now that I'm pious, I'm relying on You to help me and take care of me.” It's not enough that I'm quiet. I have to turn to You and rely on You. But because I was quiet, I have that extra power, and I can now super-charge my bitachon and rely on You. The other explanation is that what gives the person the ability to be insulted and not respond is their bitachon , because they realize that Hashem is watching over them and taking care of them. He will be the one to demand the vengeance. They don't need to get involved. Like the famous story of the sun and the moon. It says that the sun and moon were equal, but the moon complained so Hashem diminished the moon. Where was the sun in the discussion? The rabbis tell us the sun was quiet. The sun said, “ I'll leave it to God.” That's why it says in Masechet Shabbat 88B that if somebody hears their insults and doesn't respond, they're like the shining sun . What do they have to do with the shining sun? The commentaries ( Da’at Zekenim on Bereshit 116, Perush Harosh and others) say that it’s because the sun was quiet, and those who love Hashem, which means they hear their insults and don't respond, are like the shining sun. So what gives this man the power, just like the sun, is that, ‘ When I know Hashem is in charge, I don't have to respond, because Hashem will take care of it ,’ and in the end he will shine. That bitachon gives the person the ability to hold back. Up until now we're going with the explanation that David Hamelech is a Hasid because he is able to hear his insults and not respond, and we connect that to bitachon. Additionally, Haamek Davar in Bamidbar 33, 9 says that his hasidut was in his “ Temimut Hanifla’ah/ wondrous perfection to praise Hashem, in all of His just decisions, even though it might look bad. That ability came from David Hamelech’s tremendous bitachon in Hashem's trait of kindness. David Hamelch is saying, הוֹשַׁ֣ע עַ֭בְדְּךָ אַתָּ֣ה אֱלֹהַ֑י הַבּוֹטֵ֥חַ אֵלֶֽיךָ the very fact that I have this level of bitach