Rabbi Roodyn

לְמַעַן צוֹרְרֶיךָ לְהַשְׁבִּית אוֹיֵב וּמִתְנַקֵּם

because of Your adversaries, in order to put an end to enemy and avenger.

The pasuk continues למען צוררך, because of Your adversaries.

The Malbim explains that these adversaries are the apikorsim who still deny the existence of Hashem because they have failed to recognise the existence of G-d from the world that He created. Such individuals will come face to face with the truth and will be forced to admit that the universe has a Creator when they look deeply into the greatness of the human body and the myriad of wonders contained within it. This in and of itself will have the effect of לְהַשְׁבִּית אוֹיֵב וּמִתְנַקֵּם, putting an end to the enemy and the avenger.

Rav Hirsch has a different take on the end of this pasuk and says that the proclamation of G-d’s name, or the refusal to proclaim it, is not merely a matter of rendering to G-d His due (i.e. serving Him) or refusing to do so. The Name of G-d stands in the way of those who wish to banish the concept of the Divine from the men or at least to limit it. This is because the presence of G-d will not tolerate the אויב, one who hates others or the מתנקם, one who takes vengeance on others.

Rav Hirsh goes on to explain that if man and society were left to their own devices without any concept of G-d as both the Creator and Lawgiver, then each individual would recognise his own right to existence, because they would only see their own claims to happiness. Thus, of necessity and with some justification he would see himself forced to take up the struggle for such existence.

Self-preservation and happiness would become the goal for each individual whilst all the others would become merely fellow competitors who would interest him only insofar as they would make some contribution to his own existence and welfare, or in as much as he hopes to use them for his own ends whether through stratagem or by force. He would sacrifice the well-being of anyone else if it should obstruct his own path to success. And if another shall actually have had an adverse effect upon his existence and welfare, then the ingenious or violent destruction of that stumbling block would be  great act of vengeance worthy of praise.

I will PG try to elaborate on this idea tomorrow and suggest its relevance to our lives.