תהלים, פרק קי״ו, פסוק ט״ז

Standing before God with a sense of total belonging can bring about the ultimate freedom. A profound submission, combined with gratitude for being rescued from distress, reveals that true servitude to God is the very key to liberation.

The initial cry directed toward God is understood in two distinct ways. The primary approach among commentators [רד״ק, אבן עזרא, מצודת ציון, מצודת דוד] views it as an expression of deep thanks and gratitude for His kindness, granted because of the individual's submissive devotion. Conversely, others [שטיינזלץ, מלבי״ם, אלשיך] read it as an earnest plea and request for God's continued help and salvation.

This devotion is rooted in a declaration of complete submission, comparing oneself to a servant born to a maidservant. Commentators note a fundamental difference between a servant purchased in the marketplace and one born and raised in the master's own home. A homeborn servant possesses a unique level of humility, deep loyalty, and an unbreakable bond with the master that is ingrained from the womb [רש״י, מאירי, מצודת דוד, מלבי״ם, שטיינזלץ]. Taking a Midrashic approach that connects this concept to King David, this maternal reference points specifically to his descent from Ruth the Moabite. Her merit is invoked so that he might be granted a long life and the privilege of building the Temple [אלשיך].

As a direct result of this deep loyalty, salvation arrives in the form of untied bonds. These bonds represent prison straps and heavy yokes that have been completely loosened [מצודת ציון, רש״י]. Most commentators view this as a metaphor for God freeing the individual from the chains of intense suffering and hardship that had trapped him like a prison [מאירי, שטיינזלץ]. Some identify these troubles with specific historical events in King David's life, such as the relentless persecution he faced from Saul and his enemies in the wilderness [רד״ק, אלשיך], while others see them as national threats, like the looming danger of the King of Assyria [מלבי״ם].

A deeper layer of meaning suggests that the loosened chains are actually the complex and problematic ancestral ties of King David. In this view, he thanks God for untangling these legal barriers, specifically by permitting the descendants of Ruth the Moabite and Naamah the Ammonite to enter the congregation. By doing so, God cleared the path for the establishment of the royal dynasty [תורה תמימה].