תהלים, פרק ז׳, פסוק ג׳

A cry of deep existential dread arises in the face of a powerful, unstoppable threat. The sudden, violent danger is likened to a lion attacking its prey. Without Divine intervention, the victim is entirely helpless against such a predator.

Commentators offer different perspectives on the identity of this menacing lion. Some view it as a direct reference to King Saul. Just as the lion is the king of the beasts, Saul is the king of Israel [רד״ק]. Others suggest the image represents any one of the many enemies seeking to cause harm [אבן עזרא]. Beyond a physical threat, the lion also serves as a spiritual and psychological metaphor for the evil inclination. In this light, the fear is an internal one. There is a deep worry of giving in to sudden anger and striking Saul, God's anointed. Giving in to such an urge would destroy the soul, and no one would be able to save a person from their own destructive impulses [אלשיך].

The fear exists on multiple levels. There is the constant worry of a sudden outburst of rage from Saul, even during moments when peace seems restored, because no one dares to stand in the way of a king's anger [אלשיך]. Furthermore, this anxiety is twofold, much like the fear once experienced by the patriarch Jacob. There is terror over losing one's own physical life, combined with the agonizing dread of being forced to kill Saul and his men in self-defense [אלשיך]. Facing a world that has turned against him, the realization sets in that if God does not bring salvation, the enemy will triumph, and no human help will arrive [מצודת דוד, אבן עזרא].

The nature of this attack involves severe violence and destruction. The primary approach among commentators is that the threat involves the crushing and shattering of limbs. This brutal action takes place immediately after the initial catch, as the predator breaks the bones and tears them apart [מלבי״ם, מאירי, שטיינזלץ, מצודת ציון]. A more specific view ties this to the natural behavior of a lion, which snaps the neck of its prey [אבן עזרא]. The concept also carries the meaning of removing or stripping away, similar to throwing off a heavy burden or removing jewelry [רש״י, רד״ק]. Faced with such overwhelming force, the inevitable result is that there is absolutely no rescuer to pull the victim from the predator's teeth [רד״ק].