Rabbi Nachman teaches that ten specific people—Adam, Melchizedek, Abraham, Moses, David, Solomon, Asaf, and the three sons of Korah—authored the Psalms, though there is dispute regarding Yedutan; Rav Huna reports that although the Psalms were composed by these ten elders, David the King of Israel alone properly established them, compared to a choir where the king selects one singer with the sweetest voice to sing on behalf of all.
דבר אחר אשרי האיש. רבי נחמיה פתח (קהלת ז יט) החכמה תעוז לחכם מעשרה שליטים. אלו עשרה בני אדם שנאמר ספר תלים על ידם ואלו הן - אדם ומלכי צדק אברהם משה ודוד ושלמה ואסף ושלשה בני קרח. על אילין לא איתפלגות ועל מה איתפלגות רב ורבי יוחנן אמר לידותון על הדינין שעברו עליו ועל ישראל. ר' הונא בשם ר' אבא אמר אף על פי שנאמר על ידי עשרה זקנים לא נתקן אלא על ידי דוד מלך ישראל. משל לחבורה של זמרין שהיתה מבקשת לומר שבחו של מלך הימנון למלך. אמר להם המלך כולכם זכאין כולכם זמרין כולכם משובחין וראויין לומר הימנון אלא איש פלוני יאמר על ידי כולכם שקולו ערב יותר מן הכל. הדא הוא דכתיב (שמואל-ב כג א) ונעים זמירות ישראל. של כולם ערבים אבל של דוד בן ישי יותר מן הכל. מנעים זמירותיהן של ישראל גדול בן גדול אביינוס בן אביינוס. מהו אומר בסוף תלים (תהלים עב כ) כלו תפלות דוד בן ישי. וכשם שנאמר על ידי עשרה בני אדם כך נאמר בעשרה מיני זמר - בניצוח בניגון במזמור בשיר בתפלה בהלל בברכה בהודיה באשרי בהללויה. וגדול מכולם הללויה שכולל שם ושבח בבת אחת. רב קרא כל ספרא הללו יה: לא כן הרשעים. זה שאמר הכתוב (שיר השירים ב א) אני חבצלת השרון. אמרה כנסת ישראל לפני הקב"ה חביבה אני שחבבת אותי מכל האומות. חבצלת שעשיתי לך צל על ידי בצלאל. השרון שאמרתי לפניו שירה על ידי משה. דבר אחר השרון חביבה אני שהייתי חבויה בצלן של מצרים ולשעה קלה כנסני הקב"ה לרעמסס והרטבתי במעשים טובים כשושנה ואמרתי לפניו שירה. שנאמר (ישעיה ל כט) השיר יהיה לכם כליל התקדש חג. א"ר יוחנן בשם ר' שמעון בן יהוצדק פסוק הזה בא ללמד על פרעה ועל סנחריב. דבר אחר אני חבצלת השרון אני הוא וחביבה אני שהייתי חבויה בסיני שכפה עלי ההר כגיגית. שנאמר (שמות יט יז) ויתיצבו בתחתית ההר. ובשעה קלה הרטבתי במעשים טובים כשושנה ואמרתי (שם כד ז) כל אשר דבר ה' נעשה ונשמע. דבר אחר אני חבצלת השרון חביבה אני שהייתי חבויה בצלה של מלכיות וכשיגאל אותי הקב"ה אני מרטבת במעשים טובים ואומרת לפניו שירה. שנאמר (תהלים צח א) שירו לה' שיר חדש כי נפלאות עשה. א"ר ברכיה אמרו דור המדבר אני הוא וחביב אני שכל הטובות שבעולם חבויין בי. הדא הוא דכתיב (ישעיה מא יט) אתן במדבר ארז שטה והדס ועץ שמן. וכשיבקש הקב"ה ממני אני מחזיר לו את פקדונו ואני מרטיב כשושנה ואומרת לפניו שירה. שנאמר (שם לה א) ישושום מדבר וציה ותגל ערבה ותפרח כחבצלת פרוח תפרח ותגל אף גילת ורנן. ורבנן אמרי ארץ אומרת חביבה אני שכל מתי עולם חבויין בי וכשיבקש הקב"ה אני מחזיר לו פקדונו ומרטבת כשושנה ואומרת לפניו שירה. שנאמר (שם כד טז) מכנף הארץ זמירות שמענו צבי לצדיק. רבי יודן ור' אלעזר אמר משל את הצדיקים במשובח שבמינין ובמשובח שבאותו המין. משובח שבמינין שושנה ובמשובח שבאותו המין שושנת העמקים. ולא כשושנת הר שהיא נוחה לכמוש אלא כשושנת העמקים שמרטבת והולכת. ומשל את הרשעים במגונה שבמינין ובמגונה שבאותו המין. וזהו המוץ. שנאמר (תהלים לה ה) יהיו כמוץ לפני רוח. ואומר לא כן הרשעים כי אם כמוץ. ואם תאמר כמוץ שבבקעה שיש בו לחלוחית לא אלא כמוץ הרים לפני רוח. א"ר אבא בר כהנא אמרה כנסת ישראל לפני הקב"ה אני שושנת העמקים הנתונה בעמקי הצרות וכשידלני המקום ממעמקי הצרות אני מרטבת במעשים טובים כשושנה ואומרת לפניו שירה. שנאמר (שם מ ד) ויתן בפי שיר חדש. אתיא דרבנן כהדא דר' אלעזר המודעי לעתיד לבוא באין אומות העכו"ם לקטרג את ישראל לפני הקב"ה ואומרים לפניו רבונו של עולם אלו שופכי דמים ואלו שופכי דמים אלו עובדים עבודה זרה ואלו עובדים עבודה זרה אלו מגלים עריות ואלו מגלים עריות מפני מה הללו יורדין לגיהנם והללו יורדין לגן עדן. אומר להן אם כן תרד כל אומה ואומה ואלקיה עמה שנאמר (מיכה ד ה) כי כל העמים ילכו איש בשם אלקיו. רבי ראובן בשם ר' חנינא אמר אלמלא מקרא כתוב אי איפשר לאומרו שנאמר (ישעיה סו סז) כי באש ה' נשפט. שופט אין כתיב כאן אלא נשפט. והוא שדוד אמר (תהלים כג ד) גם כי אלך בגיא צלמות לא אירא רע. שבטך אלו הייסורין שנאמר (שם פט לג) ופקדתי בשבט פשעם. ומשענתך זו התורה שנאמר (במדבר כא יח) במחוקק במשענותם. המה ינחמוני. יכול בלא ייסורין תלמוד לומר אך. יכול בעולם הזה תלמוד לומר (תהלים כג ו) אך טוב וחסד ירדפוני כל ימי חיי. ולמה ושבתי בבית ה'. אבא תנחומא אמר למה הצדיקים דומין בעולם הזה לטבלא המוקבעת באבנים טובות ומרגליות ונקובות ידים בתוכה נוטלה ונשפך כל מה שבתוכה ונראה שבח הטבלא. כך הרשעים נבלעים מן העולם כחציר שנאמר (ישעיה מ ח) יבש חציר נבל ציץ. וצדיקים נראין לעולם שנאמר (שם) ודבר אלקינו יקום לעולם. אלו הצדיקים שקיימו דבר אלקינו:
Another interpretation of “Blessed is the person” (Psalms 1:1). Rabbi Nachman began [his teaching, with the verse:] “Wisdom gives more strength to the wise than ten mighty governors [in a city]” (Ecclesiastes 7:19). These are the ten people, by way of whom the psalms were said: Adam, Melchizedek, Abraham, Moses, David, Solomon, Asaf, and the three children of Korah. About those [ten] there is no dispute. About whom is there a dispute? Rav and Rabbi Yochanan said that Yedutan [who is mentioned in Psalms 39:1, 62:1 and 77:1, is not an author of any of the psalms but is a word that] refers to the decrees that passed over the Psalmist and over Israel. [In Kohelet Rabbah 7:19:4, we’re told that Rav and Rabbi Yochanan are actually on opposite sides of this debate. Rav holds that Yeudutan (at least in some instances of that word in the book of Psalms) refers to a person – one of the three children of Korah – while Rabbi Yochanan holds that (in the book of Psalms), it only ever refers to the decrees that passed over the Psalmist and over Israel]. Rav Huna said in the name of Rav Abba, even though they were said by ten elders, they were only properly fixed by the hand of David, King of Israel. This can be likened to a choir of singers that was requested to praise the king with a hymn for the king. The king told them that they are all worthy, all good singers, all praiseworthy and fitting to sing the hymn. But this one person will sing it on your behalf [which might mean, “with your accompaniment”], because his voice is the sweetest of all. This is what is written: “the sweetest of the songs of Israel” (2 Samuel 23:1). All of your voices are sweet, but David son of Jesse’s is sweetest of all; the sweetness of the songs of Israel; a great person the son of a great person; a nobleman the son of a nobleman. What is written [towards the] end of the book of Psalms? “Here ends the Psalms of David son of Jesse” (Psalms 72:20) [which, perhaps the Midrash is reading creatively as, “all of the Psalms are of David son of Jesse.”] And just as they were said by ten people, they were also said in ten different formats: 1. [the style] of the chief conductor; 2. [alongside an] instrumental melody; 3. song set to instruments; 4. acapella song; 5. prayer; 6. praise; 7. blessing; 8. thanksgiving; 9. praises of the blessed; and 10. [with the word] hallelujah. And the greatest of all of them is hallelujah because it includes simultaneously within it a name [of God] and praise. Rav read [every instance of the word hallelujah throughout] the entire book [as two words, rather than one:] hallelu [and, then after a space] jah. “Not so the wicked” (Psalms 1:4). This [relates to] that which the Scripture said, “I am a rose of the Sharon, [a lily of the valleys]” (Song of Songs 2:1). The Assembly of Israel said before the Holy One, blessed be He, “I am beloved, since you have loved me from [among] all the nations. A “rose” because I made shade for you [in the form of the Tabernacle] through the [work of] Bezalel [who was the main artisan behind the construction of the Tabernacle. The Midrash is playing on the Hebrew word for rose, chavatzelet, because it contains the phoneme, tzel, which means shade. This phoneme is also found in the name of Bezalel]. I am [of] the Sharon [a word which shares its root with the Hebrew word for song], because I uttered a song before [the Holy One, blessed be He] through the [instruction] of Moses [ – a reference to the song at the Sea, which Moses led].” Alternatively, [regarding the “rose of] the Sharon” (Song of Songs 2:1), I am beloved because I was hidden in the shade of Egypt [“hidden in the shade of” is rendered, in Hebrew, chavuya betzelan, which sounds like the Hebrew for a rose, chavatzelet], and yet within the blink of an eye, the Holy One, blessed be He, brought me before Ramses, and I became filled with the sap of good deeds, like a lily [ – the good deeds in question are likely circumcision and the Passover sacrifice. The Jews were commanded to bring the Passover sacrifice before they left Egypt, and according to Rabbinic tradition, this was accompanied by a mass embrace of the commandment of circumcision which had been neglected during the years of Egyptian slavery, and which is a necessary pre-requisite for any male who wants to take part in the Passover sacrifice], and I uttered a song before [the Holy One, blessed be He – the song in question is the hallel song that was, according to the Rabbis, sung over the Passover sacrifice]. As it is said, “For you, there shall be singing, as on a night when a festival is sanctified; [there shall be rejoicing as they march, with flute, with hand-drums, and with lyres; to the Rock of Israel on the Mount of God]” (Isaiah 30:29). Rabbi Yochanan said in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Yehotzadak, “This verse comes to teach us that [hallel was sung at the victory over] Pharoah [on the first Passover, just as hallel was sung when Jerusalem was saved from] Sennacherib. [In other words: this verse serves as the basis for the teaching that hallel is sung on the night of Passover, and over the Passover sacrifice (Pesachim 95b; Jerusalem Talmud Pesachim 9:3:4)]. Alternatively, “I am a rose of the Sharon” (Song of Songs 2:1): That is me, and I am beloved because I was hidden at Sinai, as the mountain was held over me like a barrel [ – with the implicit threat that if I didn’t accept the Torah, the mountain would fall upon me and crush me to death (c.f., Shabbat 88a)], as it is written “and they stood at the bottom of the mountain” [ – creatively re-read to be saying, “and they stood underneath the mountain”] (Exodus 19:17); and yet within the blink of an eye, I became filled with the sap of good deeds, like a lily, and I said, “All that God has said, we shall do, and we shall heed” (Exodus 24:7). Alternatively, “I am a rose of the Sharon” (Song of Songs 2:1), I am beloved because I was hidden in the shade of [various] kingdoms [who ruled over me], and when the Holy One, blessed be He, will redeem me, I become filled with the sap of good deeds, and I utter a song before [the Holy One, blessed be He], as it is said, “Sing a new song to God, because of the wonders He has wrought” (Psalms 98:1). Rabbi Berechia said that the generation of the wilderness said [seemingly on behalf of the wilderness itself], “The [rose of the Sharon] is me, and I am beloved because all of the bounty of the world is concealed within me, as it is said, “I will plant cedars in the wilderness, acacias, myrtles, and oleasters” (Isaiah 41:19) [the Midrash is assuming that these plants are already there in the wilderness, in potential], and when the Holy One, blessed be He, requests it from me, I shall return His deposit to Him [by allowing that hidden potential to become manifest, as those plants finally come to blossom within me], and I become filled with sap, like a lily, and I utter a song before [the Holy One, blessed be He], as it is said, “The arid desert shall be glad, the wilderness shall sing with joy and shall blossom like a rose. It shall blossom abundantly. It shall also exult and shout” (Isaiah 35:1-2). And the Rabbis say that the earth says, “I am beloved because all of the dead of the world are hidden within me, and when the Holy One, blessed be He, will request it, I shall return His deposit to Him, and I become filled with sap like a lily, and I utter a song before [the Holy One, blessed be He],” as it is said, “From the end of the earth we hear singing: “Glory to the righteous!”” (Isaiah 24:16). Rabbi Yuden and Rabbi Elazar said, “Compare the righteous to the most praiseworthy species, and to the most praiseworthy variety of that species. The most praiseworthy species is the lily, and the most praiseworthy of that species is the lily of the valleys; not like a mountain lily which is quick to wither, but like a lily of the valley, which continues to stay moist. And compare the wicked to the most disgusting of species, and to the most disgusting variety of that species. And that is chaff, as it is said, “let them be as chaff in the wind” (Psalms 35:5); and say [along with our Psalm], “Not so the wicked, rather, they are like chaff that the wind blows away” (Psalms 1:4). And lest you say [that they are] like the chaff of the valley, which contains some moisture; no, they are like the windblown chaff of the mountains.” Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said that the assembly of Israel said before the Holy One, blessed be He, “I am a lily of the valleys, that has been given over to the valleys of despair, and when the Omnipresent One raises me up from the valleys of despair, I become filled with the sap of good deeds, like a lily, and I utter a song before [the Holy One, blessed be He], as it is said, “[I was lifted out of the miry pit... and] a new song was placed into my mouth” (Psalms 40:3-4). The Rabbis’ [opinions] accords with that of Rabbi Elazar HaModa’i: In the end of days, the idolatrous nations will come to accuse the [nation] of Israel before the Holy One, blessed be He, and [they will] say before Him, “Master of the universe! These [Gentiles] shed blood, and those [Jews] shed blood; these worship idols, and those worship idols; these engage in illicit sexual relations, and those engage in illicit sexual relations. Why [then] do these [Gentiles] go down to hell, while those [Jews] go down to the Garden of Eden? [God] says to them, “If that’s so, then let each and every nation go down to hell along with its [own] god, as it is said: “Though all the peoples walk, each in the names of its gods, [we will walk in the name of the Lord our God forever and ever]” (Micah 4:5) [The prophet is describing the end of days. In the Midrashic imagination, he is saying that at that time, each nation will follow its god to hell, and the Jews will follow their God, also to hell]. Rabbi Reuven said, in the name of Rabbi Channina, were it not written in Scripture, it would be impossible to say it, as it is said, “for God is judged in the fire” (Isaiah 66:16). [Although the verse, in context, clearly means that God will judge the wicked in fire, if you pay attention to the Hebrew wording] it isn’t [actually] written here that [God] judges. Rather, [the plain reading of the text tells us that] God is judged. And this [relates] to that which David said, “Although I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil [for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff; they comfort me.]” (Psalms 23:4). [The suggestion is that even as I walk through hellfire, I do so with God by my side]. “Your rod” – this refers to the afflictions [with which God punishes us for our sins], as it is said, “I will punish their transgressions with the rod” (Psalms 89:33). “Your staff” – this is the Torah, [since the word “staff” is juxtaposed, in the Biblical Song of the Well, with a sceptre,] as it is said, “[The well that the chieftains dug, that the nobles of the people started] with a spectre, and with their own staffs” (Numbers 21:18) [and the Hebrew word for “sceptre” is etymologically tied to the word for legislation; and thus, to God’s Torah]. “They comfort me” – you might have thought [that the Torah could comfort me] without the afflictions [with which God punishes us], but the [limitative particle] אך [in verse 6 of Psalms 23] comes to teach us [that the afflictions are necessary for the comfort that the Torah brings]. You might think that the [comfort is experienced] in this world, but the verse comes to teach us that, “Goodness and steadfast love shall pursue me all the days of my life,” to what end? So that [after I die] “I will dwell in the house of God for ever” (Psalms 23:6). Abba Tanchuma said, what are the righteous like, in this world? [They] are like a tray that is inlaid with gem stones and pearls, and [it has] holes [on either side so that] hands [can grip it to lift it up]. [It lies on the floor, full of sand, or other worthless materials, that obscure its beauty]. [When one] lifts it up, all that is inside of it spills [through the holes], and the beauty of the tablet is seen. Accordingly, the wicked shall be destroyed from the world like hay, as it is said, “Grass withers and flowers fade” (Isaiah 40:8), but the righteous will be seen forever, as [the verse continues], “But the word of our God stands forever” – this refers to the righteous who embody the word of our God.