Psalm 20: Ballad of a Guardian Ghost

Ballad of a Guardian Ghost
Music & Lyrics by Shep Rosenman (c) 2021
A ghost appeared to Jose the man of Zayther
For how many a year
Have I been hanging ‘round here?
By the sun at high noon
And the light of the moon
I protect this lagoon
From spirits rough-hewn
Scare away all goblins and demons
Another of my kind wants to evict me
It's got some ennui
Wants to live violently
Take my watchman's place
And scare kids from this space
Light and joy debase
It will be a disgrace
I need your help to rid us of this demon
Chorus
If a ghost needs some help
Maybe I do too
Ain't afraid of no ghost
But I am afraid of you
If a ghost needs some help
Maybe I do too
So I'm asking you for help
Is that something that you'll do?
Jose heard this story with eyebrows askew
He said, is there something I can do
That will rescue you?
The ghost thought for a time
Said look for a sign
When red does intertwine
With the water’s top line
That’s when you can get rid of that demon
Jose told this story to all the townsfolk
This isn't a joke
We'll weave a plan that's bespoke
Need to capture this loon
Win back the lagoon
Build a scheme to fine tune
Before the new moon
To drive away from here this evil demon
CHORUS
The town showed up at the first star of the morning
With spades adorning
And sickles a warning
The day growing hotter
The mood getting tauter
They’re ready to slaughter
When blood floats on the water
Time to say goodbye to that demon
The sign came just as they finished praying
Their bodies swaying
And voices braying
Demon, we're beginning
Soon, we will be winning
Its power quickly thinning
The people started grinning
A helping hand is what cast out the demon

תהילים כ׳

(א) לַמְנַצֵּ֗חַ מִזְמ֥וֹר לְדָוִֽד׃ (ב) יַֽעַנְךָ֣ יְ֭הוָה בְּי֣וֹם צָרָ֑ה יְ֝שַׂגֶּבְךָ֗ שֵׁ֤ם ׀ אֱלֹהֵ֬י יַעֲקֹֽב׃ (ג) יִשְׁלַֽח־עֶזְרְךָ֥ מִקֹּ֑דֶשׁ וּ֝מִצִּיּ֗וֹן יִסְעָדֶֽךָּ׃ (ד) יִזְכֹּ֥ר כָּל־מִנְחֹתֶ֑ךָ וְעוֹלָתְךָ֖ יְדַשְּׁנֶ֣ה סֶֽלָה׃ (ה) יִֽתֶּן־לְךָ֥ כִלְבָבֶ֑ךָ וְֽכָל־עֲצָתְךָ֥ יְמַלֵּֽא׃ (ו) נְרַנְּנָ֤ה ׀ בִּ֘ישׁ֤וּעָתֶ֗ךָ וּבְשֵֽׁם־אֱלֹהֵ֥ינוּ נִדְגֹּ֑ל יְמַלֵּ֥א יְ֝הוָ֗ה כָּל־מִשְׁאֲלוֹתֶֽיךָ׃ (ז) עַתָּ֤ה יָדַ֗עְתִּי כִּ֤י הוֹשִׁ֥יעַ ׀ יְהוָ֗ה מְשִׁ֫יח֥וֹ יַ֭עֲנֵהוּ מִשְּׁמֵ֣י קָדְשׁ֑וֹ בִּ֝גְבֻר֗וֹת יֵ֣שַׁע יְמִינֽוֹ׃ (ח) אֵ֣לֶּה בָ֭רֶכֶב וְאֵ֣לֶּה בַסּוּסִ֑ים וַאֲנַ֓חְנוּ ׀ בְּשֵׁם־יְהוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵ֣ינוּ נַזְכִּֽיר׃ (ט) הֵ֭מָּה כָּרְע֣וּ וְנָפָ֑לוּ וַאֲנַ֥חְנוּ קַּ֝֗מְנוּ וַנִּתְעוֹדָֽד׃ (י) יְהוָ֥ה הוֹשִׁ֑יעָה הַ֝מֶּ֗לֶךְ יַעֲנֵ֥נוּ בְיוֹם־קָרְאֵֽנוּ׃

Psalms 20

(1) For the leader. A psalm of David. (2) May the LORD answer you (second person singular) in time of trouble, the name of Jacob’s God keep you safe. (3) May God send you help from the sanctuary, and sustain you from Zion. (4) May God receive the tokens of all your meal offerings, and approve your burnt offerings. Selah. (5) May God grant you your desire, and fulfill your every plan. (6) May we (first person plural) shout for joy in your victory, arrayed by standards in the name of our God. May the LORD fulfill your (second person) every wish. (7) Now I (first person singular) know that the LORD will give victory to God's anointed, will answer the anointed one from God's heavenly sanctuary with the mighty victories of God's right arm. (8) They [call] on chariots, they [call] on horses, but we (first person plural) call on the name of the LORD our God. (9) They collapse and lie fallen, but we rally and gather strength. (10) O LORD, grant victory! May the Sovereign answer us when we call.

Questions to consider:
What is the basic theme of Tehillim/Psalm 20?
In verse 3, why does God’s help come from Kodesh (sanctuary, holiness, separation)?
What can we learn from the changes back and forth in the personal pronouns (noted in blue)?
Other questions we considered:
How do you get God to respond when you need something?
Does God only help in war-time?
In verse 7, who is/are God’s anointed? Is it limited to Israelites?
Why do we say this Psalm daily after Ashrei and before u’Va l’Tzion?
Why do we say verse 10 before Maariv (evening service) daily?

שמואל ב י״ח:ב׳-ח׳

(ב) וַיְשַׁלַּ֨ח דָּוִ֜ד אֶת־הָעָ֗ם הַשְּׁלִשִׁ֤ית בְּיַד־יוֹאָב֙ וְ֠הַשְּׁלִשִׁית בְּיַ֨ד אֲבִישַׁ֤י בֶּן־צְרוּיָה֙ אֲחִ֣י יוֹאָ֔ב וְהַ֨שְּׁלִשִׁ֔ת בְּיַ֖ד אִתַּ֣י הַגִּתִּ֑י (ס) וַיֹּ֤אמֶר הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ אֶל־הָעָ֔ם יָצֹ֥א אֵצֵ֛א גַּם־אֲנִ֖י עִמָּכֶֽם׃ (ג) וַיֹּ֨אמֶר הָעָ֜ם לֹ֣א תֵצֵ֗א כִּי֩ אִם־נֹ֨ס נָנ֜וּס לֹא־יָשִׂ֧ימוּ אֵלֵ֣ינוּ לֵ֗ב וְאִם־יָמֻ֤תוּ חֶצְיֵ֙נוּ֙ לֹֽא־יָשִׂ֤ימוּ אֵלֵ֙ינוּ֙ לֵ֔ב כִּֽי־עַתָּ֥ה כָמֹ֖נוּ עֲשָׂרָ֣ה אֲלָפִ֑ים וְעַתָּ֣ה ט֔וֹב כִּי־תִֽהְיֶה־לָּ֥נוּ מֵעִ֖יר לעזיר [לַעְזֽוֹר׃] (ס) (ד) וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֲלֵיהֶם֙ הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ אֲשֶׁר־יִיטַ֥ב בְּעֵינֵיכֶ֖ם אֶעֱשֶׂ֑ה וַיַּעֲמֹ֤ד הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ אֶל־יַ֣ד הַשַּׁ֔עַר וְכָל־הָעָם֙ יָֽצְא֔וּ לְמֵא֖וֹת וְלַאֲלָפִֽים׃ (ה) וַיְצַ֣ו הַמֶּ֡לֶךְ אֶת־י֠וֹאָב וְאֶת־אֲבִישַׁ֤י וְאֶת־אִתַּי֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר לְאַט־לִ֖י לַנַּ֣עַר לְאַבְשָׁל֑וֹם וְכָל־הָעָ֣ם שָׁמְע֗וּ בְּצַוֺּ֥ת הַמֶּ֛לֶךְ אֶת־כָּל־הַשָּׂרִ֖ים עַל־דְּבַ֥ר אַבְשָׁלֽוֹם׃ (ו) וַיֵּצֵ֥א הָעָ֛ם הַשָּׂדֶ֖ה לִקְרַ֣את יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַתְּהִ֥י הַמִּלְחָמָ֖ה בְּיַ֥עַר אֶפְרָֽיִם׃ (ז) וַיִּנָּ֤גְפוּ שָׁם֙ עַ֣ם יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל לִפְנֵ֖י עַבְדֵ֣י דָוִ֑ד וַתְּהִי־שָׁ֞ם הַמַּגֵּפָ֧ה גְדוֹלָ֛ה בַּיּ֥וֹם הַה֖וּא עֶשְׂרִ֥ים אָֽלֶף׃ (ח) וַתְּהִי־שָׁ֧ם הַמִּלְחָמָ֛ה נפצית [נָפֹ֖צֶת] עַל־פְּנֵ֣י כָל־הָאָ֑רֶץ וַיֶּ֤רֶב הַיַּ֙עַר֙ לֶאֱכֹ֣ל בָּעָ֔ם מֵאֲשֶׁ֥ר אָכְלָ֛ה הַחֶ֖רֶב בַּיּ֥וֹם הַהֽוּא׃

II Samuel 18:2-8

(2) David sent out the troops, one-third under the command of Joab, one-third under the command of Joab’s brother Abishai son of Zeruiah, and one-third under the command of Ittai the Gittite. And David said to the troops, “I myself will march out with you.” (3) But the troops replied, “No! For if some of us flee, the rest will not be concerned about us; even if half of us should die, the others will not be concerned about us. But you are worth ten thousand of us. Therefore, it is better for you to support us from the town.” (4) And the king said to them, “I will do whatever you think best.” So the king stood beside the gate as all the troops marched out by their hundreds and thousands. (5) The king gave orders to Joab, Abishai, and Ittai: “Deal gently with my boy Absalom, for my sake.” All the troops heard the king give the order about Absalom to all the officers. (6) The troops marched out into the open to confront the Israelites, and the battle was fought in the forest of Ephraim. (7) The Israelite troops were routed by David’s followers, and a great slaughter took place there that day—twenty thousand men. (8) The battle spread out over that whole region, and the forest devoured more troops that day than the sword.

רש"י על תהילים כ׳:ג׳:א׳

מקדש. מהיכל קדשו שהוא שוכן שם:

Rashi on Psalms 20:3:1

from His sanctuary From His Holy Temple, in which He dwells.

מדרש תנחומא, קדושים ט׳:א׳

קְדֹשִׁים תִּהְיוּ. זֶה שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב: יִשְׁלַח עֶזְרְךָ מִקֹּדֶשׁ וּמִצִּיּוֹן יִסְעָדֶךָּ (תהלים כ, ג). יִשְׁלַח עֶזְרְךָ מִקֹּדֶשׁ, מִקְּדֻשַּׁת מַעֲשִׂים שֶׁבְּךָ. וּמִצִּיּוֹן יִסְעָדֶךָּ (שם), מִצִּיּוּן מַעֲשִׂים שֶׁבְּךָ. אָמַר רַבִּי בְּרֶכְיָה בַּר סִמּוֹן, מַעֲשֶׂה הָיָה בְּקִרְיָתֵנוּ, בְּרוּחַ אֶחָד שֶׁהָיָה שָׁרוּי עַל הַמַּעְיָן, בָּא רוּחַ אַחֵר לְהִזְדַּוֵּג לוֹ וּבִקֵּשׁ לְהוֹצִיאוֹ מִשָּׁם. הָיָה שָׁם חָסִיד אֶחָד וּשְׁמוֹ יוֹסִי אִישׁ צַיְיתּוּר, נִגְלָה לוֹ אוֹתוֹ הָרוּחַ, אָמַר לֵיהּ: רַבִּי, הֲרֵי כַּמָּה שָׁנִים שֶׁאֲנִי נָתוּן כָּאן, וּבַצָּהֳרַיִם וּבַלַּיְלָה וּבַיּוֹם לֹא הִזַּקְתִּי בְּרִיָּה, וְהָרוּחַ הַזֶּה בָּא עָלַי עַכְשָׁו מִמָּקוֹם אַחֵר וּמְבַקֵּשׁ לְהוֹצִיאֵנִי מִכָּאן וְלֵישֵׁב הוּא לְהַזִּיק אֶת הַבְּרִיּוֹת. אָמַר לוֹ: וּמַה נַּעֲשֶׂה. אָמַר לוֹ: טְלוּ מַקְלֵיכֶם וּמַגַּלְכֶם וּצְאוּ עָלָיו בִּשְׁעַת הַצָּהֳרַיִם וְאִמְרוּ, שֶׁלָּנוּ נִצֵּחַ שֶׁלָּנוּ נוֹצֵחַ, וְהוּא בּוֹרֵחַ. עָשׂוּ כֵן וְהִבְרִיחוּהוּ מִשָּׁם. אָמְרוּ, לֹא זָזוּ מִשָּׁם עַד שֶׁרָאוּ כְּחֶרְדַת דָּם צָף עַל פְּנֵי הַמַּעְיָן. כְּשֶׁשָּׁמְעוּ חֲכָמִים בַּדָּבָר, אָמְרוּ, וּמָה אִם דָּבָר שֶׁלֹּא נִבְרָא לְשׁוּם סִיּוּעַ, צָרִיךְ סִיּוּעַ וָסַעַד. בְּנֵי אָדָם עַל אַחַת כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה. לְפִיכָךְ אָמַר דָּוִד, יִשְׁלַח עֶזְרְךָ מִקֹּדֶשׁ, וּמִצִּיּוֹן יִסְעָדֶךָּ (תהלים כ, ג).

Midrash Tanchuma, Kedoshim 9:1

(Lev. 19:2:) “You shall be holy.” This text is related (to Ps. 20:3), “May He send you help from the sanctuary and sustain you from Zion.” From the sanctuary (qdsh) [means] from the holiness (rt.: qdsh) of the works that are in you; and [sustain you] from Zion (mtsywn) [means] [from the marker (tsywn)] of the works that are in you.²⁸M. Pss. 20:5. R. Berekhyah said, “There was a story in our village about a certain spirit who dwelt by the spring.²⁹Lev. R. 24:3. Another spirit came to attack³⁰Lahizdawweg, from the root Zug. The word also has implications of mating. Cf. the Gk.: zeugos, i.e., “a team of beasts,” and then “a married couple.” Cf. also the Latin: conjugium, from jugum. it and sought to get it away from there. There was also there a certain saint whose name was Jose the man of Zaythor. The first spirit appeared to him. It said to him, ‘Rabbi, look at how many years I have been situated here; yet neither at noon nor at night nor during the day have I harmed [any] mortal. But now this spirit has come upon me from another place and wants to get me away from here in order to harm mortals.’ He said to it, ‘What shall we do?’ It said to him, ‘Take your staves and your scythes, and go out against it at the noon hour. Then say, “Ours has won! Ours is winning!” And it will run away.’ They did so and drove it away from there.” They used to say, “They did not move from here until they saw, as it were, a clot of blood floating on the water.” When the sages heard about the matter, they said, “If something which was not created with a need for assistance, needs assistance and support, how much the more so in the case of people.” David, therefore, said (in Ps. 20:3), “May He send you help from the sanctuary.”

רד"ק על תהילים כ׳:ח׳:ב׳

ואנחנו בשם יהוה אלהינו נזכיר: כשנזכיר שמו ונקראהו אנחנו ננצח; ואנחנו ברגל ננצח הרכב והסוסים.

Radak on Psalms 20:8:2

“And we will remember (call) the name of Adonai our God” - When we remember God’s name and we call on God, we will be victorious; and we will win on foot over chariots and horses. [Shep’s translation]

Add sources? For
New Moon
Shacharis, mincha, Maariv,
Swaying/loud voices in prayer
Farm implements in war
Blood/water
Fear of God
Whole Town/Minyan

Demon power waning?

Shep Rosenman