The Malchuyos section of the Rosh Hashanah Musaf contains ten verses relating to HaShem’s royalty: three from the Chumash, three from the Ketuvim (Writings), three from the Neviim (Prophets), and a final one from the Chumash. The fifth of those verses is the opening of the 93rd Chapter of Tehillim. G-d as the King is the theme of that entire chapter.
The commentary of Harav Ovadiah Sforno, ל "זצ (1475-1550, Italy), makes every word and expression of that chapter come alive. In this source guide we’ll follow the Sforno’s commentary verse-by-verse, enriching our understanding of Malchuyot through understanding this perek of Tehillim. It also serves as the Shir Shel Yom (chapter of Tehillim said daily in the Beit Hamikdash by the Leviim) of the sixth day of the week and is included both in Kabbalas Shabbos and the Shabbos morning Pesukei Dezimra.
[The comments below are based on the Sforno’s commentary.] We begin with his introduction to the chapter:
The Sforno’s Introduction to Tehillim 93
This psalm is a prayer to G-d about the future redemption.
ספורנו על תהילים צג - הקדמה
זה המזמור ה ו א תפילה לקל ע ל הגאולה העתידה.
Verse 1 – The Splitting of the Sea
Even though the psalm is about the future redemption, it begins in the past tense:
Tehillim 93:1
HaShem ruled. He was clothed in loftiness. HaShem was clothed in the strength with which He girded Himself. You will even establish the world so it should not fall.
תהילים צג:א
ה' מָ לָ � , גֵּאוּת לָ בֵ שׁ:
לָ בֵ שׁ ה' ,עֹ ז הִ תְ אַ זּ ָ ר ; אַ ף -תִּוֹכּ ן
תֵּ בֵ ל ,בַּ ל- טוֹ מּ ִתּ.
Israel’s first great experience of G-d as the King was at ס ו ף ים קריעת, the splitting of the Sea. The crescendo of י ש י ר א ז , the Song of the Sea, was when Moshe and the People of Israel cried out, ימלוך 'ה""ועד לעולם, “HaShem will rule for ever and ever” (Shmos 15:18 – the opening verse of Malchuyos). At that point, as He vanquished the powerful Egyptian army, He was clothed in loftiness. We sang, כ י 'לה אשירה" "גאה גאה – “I sing out to HaShem for He is exceedingly lofty” (Shmos 15:1). In the future HaShem will once again ‘wear’ that strength that He girded Himself with at the Sea.
However, HaShem is not, G-d forbid, a destructive force. So, the first verse of our psalm ends that as He destroys Israel’s enemies, He continues to control and direct the world and all of existence.
Verse 2 – When Did He Become King?
Tehillim 93:2
Your Throne is established from then; You are eternal.
תהילים צג:ב
נָכוֹן כִּ סְ אֲ � מֵ אָ ז ; מֵ ע וֹ ל ָ ם אָ תָּ ה.
Though Israel saw HaShem as King at the Sea, and the world will witness His Kingship at the future redemption, His rule will not be a revolution, imposing a new rule upon the world. On the contrary: HaShem was always King; His Throne was established from time eternal. He has not changed at all. But for most of world history His rule was hidden from the world. The world was seemingly in control of human powers and Israel’s enemies seemed to control them.
Verse 3 – The Noise of the Rivers
David HaMelech likens the enemies of Israel to noisy rivers:
Tehillim 93:3
The rivers lifted up, oh G-d, the rivers lifted up their voice; the rivers will lift up their waves.
תהילים צג:ג
נ ָ שְׂ א וּ נְ הָ רוֹת ,יְ הוָה--נ ָ שְׂ א וּ נְ הָ רוֹת קוֹלָם ; יִ שְׂ א וּ נְ הָ רוֹת דָּ כְ יָ ם
Israel’s enemies make a lot of noise as they wreak destruction upon G-d’s People. Nevuchadnetzar and the Babylonians were like a noisy river as they destroyed the Beis Hamikdash. “They made noise in the House of G-d like on a holiday” (Eichah 2:7). Titus and the Romans were like a noisy river as they destroyed the Beis haMikdash. “Your enemies roared in the midst of Your holiday” (Tehillim 74,4). Per Gittin 56b, refers to Titus destroying the Temple.
Verse 4 – Above the Noise of the Rivers
Even though Israel’s enemies will raise their volume:
Tehillim 93:4
From above the sound of many waters, mighty breakers of the sea, You are mighty above, HaShem.
תהילים צג:ד
מִ קֹּ ל וֹ ת ,מַ יִ ם רַ בִּ י ם--א ַ דִּ י רִ י ם מִ שְׁבּ ְ רֵ י-יָם ; אַ דִּ י ר בַּמּ ָ רוֹם ' ה
HaShem is above their cacophony of destructiveness. In the era of the final redemption He will judge all of these enemies, these noisy rivers, as He did the Egyptian armies at the Sea. He will thus reveal his eternal Kingship, His Royalty, to the world.
Verse 5 – This Will Certainly Happen
How do we know this will come about?
Tehillim 93:5
Your testimony is very trustworthy; Your House is fitting for holiness. HaShem, for long days.
תהילים צג:ה
ﬠֵ דֹ תֶ י� ,נ ֶ אֶ מְ נ וּ מְ אֹ ד--לְ בֵ יתְ � נַאֲ וָה - קֹ דֶ שׁ : ה' ,לְ אֹ רֶ � י ָ מִ י ם.
HaShem has already told us in His Torah that this will transpire (in last week’s parshah): “It will be, when all of these things will befall you, the blessing and the curse that I placed before you ... and you will return to G-d and listen to His voice ... and He will gather you from all of the nations ... and HaShem will place all of these curses on your enemies ... who pursued you” (Devarim 30:1-7). His testimony is very trustworthy.
HaShem’s palace, the Beit Hamikdash, was already sanctified by Avraham and Yitzchak and is His fitting eternal dwelling place. G-d was King
