תהלים, פרק ס״ט, פסוק י׳

Spoken through divine inspiration, a profound and complex pain emerges during the period of exile, as the Israelites face the destruction of the Temple and the ongoing mockery of the surrounding nations [אבן עזרא, אלשיך]. This suffering stems from a deep, consuming intensity that can be understood in two distinct ways. On one hand, it reflects the bitter jealousy of the enemies. These nations are envious of the Temple's former glory and the special love God showed the Israelites when the sanctuary stood, and this envy drives them to harm and destroy the nation [רש״י, מצודת דוד]. On the other hand, this consuming intensity represents the internal anguish of the Israelites themselves. The agonizing reality that the Temple lies in ruins and remains under the control of strangers burns within them like a physical fire [רד״ק, אלשיך, מאירי]. Driven by deep devotion, the believer aligns completely with God and His divine purposes [ביאור שטיינזלץ], feeling the pain acutely as enemies continue to defile the very place where the Ark of the Covenant once rested [אבן עזרא].

Because of this absolute identification with God, the burden of the enemies' hatred settles heavily upon the believer [מצודת ציון]. By clinging to their faith and the Torah, the Israelites naturally become the primary target. Whenever the enemies seek to oppose and insult God, their curses and abuse fall directly upon the faithful who represent Him on earth [מאירי, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. This abuse takes a specific form during the exile. The nations cruelly mock the divine promise of redemption, taunting the Israelites by claiming that they have lost all hope and will never escape their exiled state [רד״ק]. In this way, the same wicked forces that disgraced God by destroying His Temple now channel their hostility directly at His exiled people [אלשיך].