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| Psalm 2: Rejoice with Trembling |
What should be our mental state during prayer — joy and delight, or
seriousness and reverence? We find that the psalmist advocates both of these
conflicting emotions:
How does one rejoice and tremble at the same time?
Joy and Solemnity
What is the source of joy in prayer?
The wonderful sensation of enlightenment and closeness to God
naturally makes us feel happy.
We feel sadness and even a measure of bitterness, on the
other hand, when we consider our faults and character defects. This
awareness becomes more pronounced as we advance spiritually and morally,
and relate more deeply to God's perfection.
From the verse, however, it is not clear which emotion should be the
major theme and which the minor one. What does it mean to "rejoice
in trembling"? Should our overall attitude in prayer be one of
solemnity and trembling, accompanied by a measure of gladness? Or
should joy be our dominant emotion, tempered by seriousness and
introspection?
The Sages taught: "When rejoicing, there should also be
trembling" (Berachot 30). This indicates that our overriding
emotion should be one of joy. True spiritual growth is achieved
through happiness and an expansive frame of mind.
However, we must be careful that this joy does not lead to
frivolity and flippancy. Therefore it says to "rejoice with trembling."
We should temper our joy with a contemplative reverence, as we reflect on
who we are and before Whom we stand.
This sobering thought limits our joy only to those aspects
that relate to our true perfection.
Gilah versus Simchah
Rav Kook noted that the verse specifically uses the Hebrew
word gilah, meaning an exuberant outburst of joy. This lively
form of gaiety may lead one to frivolity and abandoning the
path of true spiritual growth. Therefore, the psalm admonishes us to "rejoice in trembling," to
keep this high-spirited joy in check with reverence and
thoughtful seriousness.
Yet there is another form of joy, an inner happiness called simchah,
the result of wisdom and enlightenment. Simchah
contains a tranquility that is free of the potential
pitfalls of the more exuberant gilah; it does not need to be diluted or
restrained. About this reverential service of God it says,
"Awe of God will add days," so that "sadness will add
nothing to it" (Proverbs 10:27,22).
(Adapted from Ein Eyah vol I, p. 128)
Copyright © 2006 by Chanan Morrison
"òÄáÀãåÌ àÆú-ä' áÌÀéÄøÀàÈä; åÀâÄéìåÌ áÌÄøÀòÈãÈä.
(úäéìéí á:é"à)
"Serve God in awe,
and rejoice with trembling." (Psalms 2:11)