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Foreword

soul, for I am pious.” The Gemara explains this verse by
giving three examples of David’s unique “piety”: Tehillim Lev Rahamim Ve'Sarah P_1-32 [300 COPIES]
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1) Whereas the kings of all other nations would sleep late

in the morning, as they did not have to rise early to work

and earn a living, King David arose from his bed already at

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midnight in order to compose and sing his praises to the

Almighty.

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2) The kings of all other nations conducted themselves

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with grandeur and enjoyed comfortable, luxurious lives,

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whereas King David spent his time ruling on intricate mat-
ters of halachah. 1

3) Unlike other kings, who were arrogant and self-
assured, King David regularly consulted with his teacher to
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ensure that his halachic rulings were correct.

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< The úåãéñç of King David, then, was that of humble

subservience to G-d. Most people who reach positions of

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4 power and prestige use their stature to indulge in worldly

$ comforts and pleasures, and to bring themselves honor.
David, however, recognized that the role of the Jewish king
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$ is to bring honor and delight to Hashem, and not to Himself.

He understood that he became king over Israel solely for the
purpose of glorifying the King of the universe. And so
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> David did not conduct himself like other kings. Rather than
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use his kingship to enjoy a comfortable, luxurious life, he
used his kingship to give praise to Hashem and to inspire his

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subjects, Am Yisrael, to observe Hashem’s commands.
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$ For this reason, the Book of Tehillim is associated with
úåãéñç. King David’s stirring compositions, many of which

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were composed in the still of the night, as everyone else

/ slept soundly in their beds, testify to his humble submission
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to Hashem, how he pursued not personal comfort and
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fame, but the dissemination of faith in, and devotion to, the
Creator.

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