תהלים, פרק ל״ה, פסוק כ״א

The suffering of an individual often brings out the true nature of their opponents. Instead of showing basic human decency, adversaries sometimes use another person's moment of weakness as an opportunity for cruel celebration. At the height of the sufferer's troubles, exile, and wandering, the enemies' joy over his downfall reaches a highly visible peak. They do not hide their feelings, but rather express them with loud, public mockery. This reaction is characterized by unconstrained laughter, symbolizing deep arrogance and harshness. Rather than keeping their satisfaction quiet, they announce it openly and rudely.

Their repeated shouts of triumph express intense elation, similar to cheering in victory. The primary approach among commentators is that the repetition of their joyful cries emphasizes the sheer intensity and abundance of their happiness. However, [אבן עזרא] views this exclamation slightly differently, understanding it as a specific expression of revenge.

Building on the repeated cries, [אלשיך] suggests that the adversaries experience a double layer of joy. First, they are thrilled to have found a flaw in the sufferer. Second, they are delighted that his downfall has unfolded right in front of them. Yet, there is a profound spiritual danger in this cruel celebration. When a person rejoices in the ruin of an enemy, God may see this malicious joy and decide to shift His anger away from the fallen individual, directing it instead toward those who are celebrating.

Ultimately, the adversaries reach a state of complete, smug satisfaction. They feel that they have finally witnessed exactly what they had hoped, imagined, and deeply desired in their hearts: the total collapse of their target.