תהלים, פרק ע״ז, פסוק י״א

During the dark period of exile, a profound moment of soul-searching arises from the pain of continuous suffering and the feeling that God has hidden His face. The speaker struggles to make sense of this enduring hardship. The primary approach among commentators connects this struggle to a deep sense of fear, sickness, and trembling [רש״י, מצודת ציון, מלבי״ם, אבן עזרא, מצודת דוד]. This intense anxiety is not without purpose; it is meant to awaken a desire to repent and return to God [רש״י, מצודת דוד]. Another perspective suggests that the speaker realizes his own sins and spiritual sickness are exactly what blocked God's goodness from reaching him [אלשיך].

This overwhelming grief stems from recognizing a dramatic shift in how God interacts with the world. In the past, God's right hand was a symbol of strength that crushed enemies. Now, in exile, that same hand seems to have changed and pulled away [רש״י, אבן עזרא, מצודת דוד]. Some even suggest that the blessings originally intended for Israel have been handed over to their enemies [אלשיך]. The mere thought of this drastic change in God's right hand is enough to make the speaker sick with sorrow [אבן עזרא].

While many focus on illness and change, another perspective frames the experience as a sharp swing between deep despair and renewed hope. In this view, the speaker feels entirely surrounded by death, convinced that his fate is to die in exile without ever seeing freedom [רד״ק, מאירי]. Yet, in the midst of this complete despair, he finds a source of comfort. By shifting his focus to the past, he chooses to remember the years when God used His right hand to bring the Israelites out of Egypt. Remembering these historical moments of salvation gives him hope that God will once again rescue them from their current exile [רד״ק, מאירי].

Finally, a different viewpoint removes the elements of illness and death entirely, interpreting the speaker's thoughts as a pure prayer. According to this understanding, there is no despair. Instead, the speaker is simply making a request to pause and deeply reflect on those past years when God's right hand actively brought kindness and grace to His people [ביאור שטיינזלץ, אבן עזרא בשם פרשנים אחרים].