תהלים, פרק נ״ה, פסוק ה׳

A profound, paralyzing fear can overtake a person when faced with a sudden, severe threat. King David experiences a deep, physical terror as his enemies close in around him. The primary approach among commentators is that this reaction goes beyond regular worry, manifesting as an intense, gripping anxiety [רש״י, ביאור שטיינזלץ, מצודת דוד]. It is a visceral response, compared to the violent trembling and sharp pain of a woman in labor [רד״ק, מצודת ציון, מאירי]. This instinctive panic strikes the soul immediately upon hearing the enemy approach, much like the sheer terror that freezes someone who suddenly hears a lion roar [אבן עזרא].

The experience of this terror unfolds in two distinct stages. It begins with an initial internal shock—a sudden quaking of the heart triggered by the immediate arrival of bad news. As the reality of the situation sets in, this initial panic solidifies into a very real, paralyzing dread of death and murder [מלבי״ם].

This dread is not an abstract fear of the unknown, but a reaction to a concrete threat against the king's life. It is directly tied to the rebellion of his son Absalom and the specific advice given by Ahithophel to hunt down and strike the king while he is vulnerable and alone [רד״ק, מאירי]. Beyond the immediate physical danger, there is a heavy moral and spiritual weight to this fear. The anxiety is deeply rooted in the recognition of past sins, specifically the death of Uriah. There is a haunting realization that the fatal punishments previously promised to him are now becoming a reality. This creates a painful double dilemma: the agonizing fear that he might be forced to kill others to survive, coupled with the terrifying prospect that he himself might be killed [אלשיך].