תהלים, פרק ע״ד, פסוק כ׳

A desperate plea rises from the depths of suffering, calling on God to remember His ancient promises amidst the harsh reality of exile and oppression. The cry to look upon the covenant does not refer to a general or new agreement, but rather to the specific, well-known historical bond God established with the forefathers to redeem their children [רד״ק, אבן עזרא, מצודת דוד]. This appeal is deeply rooted in the Torah's promise that even when the Israelites endure terrible troubles and their land lies abandoned, God will remember this ancestral bond and the covenant of the land [מלבי״ם]. Historically, this request takes on profound urgency during periods of foreign domination. During the Greek exile, oppressors attempted to completely abolish this covenant, and in the subsequent fourth exile, the Israelites were left utterly poor and destitute [אלשיך].

The urgency of this cry stems from the deep darkness that covers the earth. While some interpret these dark regions literally as hidden, concealed locations [אבן עזרא], others argue they represent the large, central hubs of society [מאירי]. However, the primary approach among commentators is that this darkness serves as a metaphor for the exile itself. For the people of Israel, these locations represent the gloom of destruction, serving as places of profound trouble and despair.

Within these dark places of exile, the land has become completely overrun by dwellings of violence. These are established habitations [רש״י, אבן עזרא, מצודת ציון] filled with cruelty, robbery, and bandits, much like the Babylonians who violently plundered Israel [רד״ק, מאירי]. Ultimately, the petition directed at God is twofold: it is a request for Him to look upon the sacred covenant He made with His people, while simultaneously looking at the dark, violence-filled corners of the world, so that He might finally bring about redemption [אבן עזרא].