תהלים, פרק ע״ו, פסוק א׳

A monumental victory over a seemingly unstoppable empire serves as the backdrop for this psalm. It celebrates the miraculous downfall of Sennacherib, the King of Assyria, who had swept through the Land of Israel and reached the very gates of Jerusalem. Filled with arrogance, the Assyrian king mocked God and His people, only to face a sudden and devastating defeat when God struck down one hundred and eighty thousand of his soldiers.

The exact origins of this song of praise are a matter of discussion. One perspective is that Asaph composed the psalm during the reign of King Hezekiah, writing it as a direct response to the miracle right after it happened [מלבי״ם]. Alternatively, others suggest that King David authored the song long before the event. In this view, David spoke through prophecy, looking into the future and praising God for the victory as though the battle had already been won [מאירי].

The musical direction for performing the psalm suggests a rich auditory experience. It was meant to be accompanied by a variety of musical instruments. Another possibility is that the performance adopted the familiar melody of a well-known poem, using its opening word to set the tune for this celebration of God's triumph [אבן עזרא].