תהלים, פרק צ׳, פסוק ז׳

Human life is naturally short and fragile, passing like a fleeting breath even during times of peace and comfort. Yet, this sense of impermanence and suffering is heavily magnified during times of distress. The hardship becomes immensely greater when people must face the anger of God and the painful trials of exile [רד״ק, מצודת דוד, מאירי]. Because life is so brief, people are often prevented from having enough time to fully complete their purpose and destiny in this world [מלבי״ם].

The rapid loss of our days is understood as a direct result of our own sins, which awaken God's anger and cause us to perish [רד״ק, אבן עזרא, מצודת דוד, מאירי]. In contrast to the righteous, who are granted the privilege of departing this world in peace and joy, those facing this divine anger experience a harsh end brought about by destructive forces [אלשיך]. Consequently, they are left in a state of severe distress, anxiety, and terrible panic [אבן עזרא, שטיינזלץ].

Scholars offer different perspectives on how to understand the dual expressions of God's anger and the resulting fear. One approach suggests that the ideas of perishing from anger and being terrified by wrath are simply two ways of expressing the exact same concept, repeated to emphasize the severity of the situation [רד״ק, מצודת דוד]. However, others draw a sharp distinction between the two forms of divine anger. One perspective notes that the initial anger refers to open, visible wrath that comes as a direct punishment for known sins. The subsequent wrath, which causes the deep panic, symbolizes a hidden, internal anger—perhaps provoked by the forgotten sins of a person's youth [מלבי״ם]. Another interpretation views this second expression of wrath as an even harsher, more severe level of anger than the first, which is ultimately what causes a person to end their life in absolute terror and fear [אלשיך].