Rabbi Roodyn

In these posts I will try  בעזרת ה’ to translate and explain different commentaries on the various pesukim. One of the advantages of this is that when we daven we can have different explanations in mind at different times. This leads to a sense of variety and freshness in our tefilla and makes it all the more interesting.

The Radak has a slightly different take on the first three pesukim. He says that  לכו נרננה will be said by the Jewish people at the time of the ultimate redemption. Each Jew will say to his fellow, ‘come let us sing to Hashem who has saved us from the exile.’ The word לכו is an expression of encouragement, with each person encouraging the other to praise Hashem, rather than actually ‘going’ somewhere, as it does normally. The Ibn Ezra on the other hand says it actually refers to physical movement, saying ‘come to me’ and let us praise Hashem as one.

נקדמה פניו בתודה is an expression of readiness, being prepared to thank Him with our mouths. Our words are an expression of heartfelt gratitude for all that Hashem has done for us.

כי א-ל גדול is an expression of Hashem’s greatness that is uttered at a time of great clarity. In this world in its present state the majority of people deny or have no awareness of the G-d of Israel, in the future when all will be made clear no one will deny Hashem’s existence and his hashgacha over the world., Therefore in the time of Moshiach all will be aware that He is indeed a great G-d and King over all other powers. The Radak says that these other powers refer to the heavenly hosts, the sun the moon and stars that have a sense of power over the world. At the end of days, all of mankind will come to the realisation that all of nature exists to do Hashem’s bidding and has always done so.