Escaping persecution brings a profound sense of relief, but true divine rescue elevates that relief into an overwhelming state of spiritual and physical joy. When a hunted individual is finally saved, their immediate response is a powerful cry of gratitude, directing every emotion upward toward God. This response involves the totality of a person's inner forces [ביאור שטיינזלץ], specifically activating the higher soul that is deeply tied to the physical life force [אבן עזרא]. The experience of such joy operates on two distinct levels. First, there is a quiet, hidden happiness that resides deep within the heart, directed intimately toward God. Second, this internal emotion overflows into visible, outward expressions of celebration that naturally follow the rescue [מלבי"ם]. Ultimately, every aspect of this joy is made possible only through God's direct help [מצודת דוד].
The primary approach among commentators is that this celebration erupts directly from the harsh reality of struggle and survival. The soul rejoices upon witnessing the downfall of those who sought its ruin, offering thanks for God's justice and for protection against enemies who plotted to take the person's life [רש"י, רד"ק]. Profoundly changed by this deliverance, the rescued individual takes on a new commitment, deciding that from this point forward, all their actions and pursuits will be dedicated entirely to serving God [מאירי].
However, a deeper conceptual approach presents a completely different reason for this happiness. In this view, the joy does not stem from the demise of the enemies, but rather from the fact that the victim did not have to deliver the punishment with their own hands. Because causing another person's punishment creates a spiritual distance from God, the survivor rejoices that their soul remains pure and close to Him, avoiding any negative spiritual consequences. Furthermore, the salvation itself is understood as God's own rescue. When enemies fall into the very traps they set and are guided toward repentance rather than death, God is spared from the deep sorrow He experiences whenever His creations suffer or perish. Therefore, the joy is twofold: it celebrates the preservation of the survivor's spiritual purity, while also rejoicing that God is spared from grief [אלשיך].