תהלים, פרק כ״א, פסוק י״ג

The ultimate defeat of an enemy involves more than just the final blow; it includes the precise way God positions and prepares them for their downfall. The primary approach among commentators is that God gathers the enemies and isolates them into a single, concentrated group. By placing them all in one area, they become a clear and easy target for His strike [רד״ק, אבן עזרא, מצודת דוד, מאירי]. Others view this preparation as a division of spoils, where God turns the enemies into wealth that the people of Israel will distribute among themselves [רש״י]. Another perspective suggests a physical retreat, where God terrifies the enemies, forcing them to flee and turn their backs to Him [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Alternatively, this gathering relates to a historical division between life and death, mirroring the way King David once separated the people of Moab into distinct groups for judgment [מלבי״ם].

Following this preparation, the scene shifts to the battlefield. The primary approach among commentators paints a vivid picture of God drawing His bow. He prepares His arrows on the bowstrings, aiming them directly at the faces of the enemies to strike them down [רש״י, רד״ק, אבן עזרא, מצודת דוד, מאירי, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. However, some connect these strings not to a weapon, but to measuring lines. God stretches these lines over the enemies to determine their exact fate, continuing that same historical process of judgment [מלבי״ם].

A completely different approach frames this defeat as a psychological and spiritual punishment rather than an immediate physical strike. God does not destroy the enemies right away. Instead, He keeps them alive to witness the rise of the righteous and the Messianic king. The righteous themselves act as the "strings" that hold God's arrows. God elevates and establishes the righteous right in front of the wicked, forcing the enemies to suffer the agony of watching Israel's success before finally receiving their own punishment [אלשיך].