The nations in the book of Psalms

 ñòàòüå àíàëèçèðóåòñÿ èñïîëüçîâàíèå êîíöåïòà «íàðîäû» â êíèãå Ïñàëìîâ íà îñíîâàíèè äîñòèæåíèé ñîâðåìåííîé áèáëåèñòèêè îòíîñèòåëüíî îñîáåííîñòåé íàðàòèâíîãî õàðàêòåðà êíèã Âåòõîãî Çàâåòà.

Êëþ÷åâûå ñëîâà: òåîëîãèÿ, áèáëåèñòèêà, òåîëîãèè íàöèè, òåîëîãèÿ ñïàñåíèÿ.

Introduction

recent Psalms studies and `Psalms matrix' Since the book of Psalms consists of five smaller books (Book One: 1-41; Book Two: 42-72; Book Three: 73-89; Book Four: 90-106; Book Five: 107150), traditionally in Jewish as well as in Christian theology this five-fold division was associated with the five books of the Pentateuch:

As Moses gave five books of laws to Israel, so David gave five Books of Psalms to Israel, the Book of Psalms entitled Blessed is the man (Ps 1:1), the Book entitled For the Leader: Maschil (Ps 42:1), the Book, A Psalm of Asaph (Ps 73:1), the Book, A Prayer of Moses (Ps 90:1), and the Book, Let the redeemed of the Lord say (Ps 107:2).

The hypothesis of David Mitchell (that the Psalter can be read as containing an eschatological programme similar to the Zecharian one), for example, offers some support for the parallel between the five books of the Pentateuch and the five books of Psalms in the light of Israel's later history (though he admits that further research is needed to substantiate his hypothesis). According to him, if Book Two represents an exodus from the Exile, “then it accords well with the principal theme of the second book of the Pentateuch.” If Book Three of the Psalms is levitical (because it consists of Asaph and Korah psalms), it therefore “accords well with the levitical and sacrificial themes of Leviticus.” If Book Four describes Israel `in the desert' among the nations, it “accords well with Bemmidbar.” In addition, if Book Five represents the final ingathering to worship God at Sukkoth in Jerusalem, “that corresponds with that of Deuteronomy, in which Israel are about to possess the land and there serve and worship Yhwh at the appointed feasts.”

Nevertheless, in the past twenty years Psalms scholars with their studies in the Psalter confirmed that its five-book division is a purposeful indication of editorial organization around Davidic Covenant and Throne. According to Brian Toews, for example, there is a particular chronological order in the book of Psalms: Book One and Two relate to David and Solomon; Book Three addresses Israel while the Exile was taking place; Book Four speaks about Israel in the Exile; and finally Book Five relates to the period of the Return from the Exile. Toews' argument is that many of the Old Testament books have a narrative structure. For instance, the books of the Pentateuch and the Former Prophets narrate in chronological order from Creation to Exile. The Major Prophets also have a chronological arrangement - Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel. In the Minor Prophets, there is a general chronological order from pre-exilic to post-exilic prophets. Though Toews agrees that to see the chronological sequence in the Writings is difficult because of the placement of the book of Job, on the other hand, he asserts that there is a general movement from David and Solomon (Psalms-Ecclesiastes) to the Exile (Lamentations-Daniel), and to Post-exile (Ezra- Chronicles).

Gerald Wilson proposed that the purpose of the Psalter in its final form was to address the apparent failure of the Davidic covenant in light of the Exile, the Diaspora, and the oppression of Israel by the nations in the post-exilic era. Thus, Wilson suggests that Books One through Three were compiled during the Exile or shortly after the Exile, and that their main concern was about the failure of the Davidic throne:

The Davidic covenant introduced in Ps 2 has come to nothing and the combination of three books concludes with the anguished cry of the Davidic descendants.

He then supposes that Books Four and Five were developed to answer that concern giving the message that God is Israel's King: even though the Davidic line has failed, Yahweh still reigns over his people. Therefore, according to Wilson, Books One through Three were arranged to document the failure of the Davidic covenant (Ps 89), while the purpose of the last two was to answer the problem documented by first three Books: Book One - Davidic Covenant proclaimed; Book Two - Davidic Covenant passed on; Book Three - Davidic Covenant failed; Books Four and Five - (1) YHWH is King, (2) refuge from exile is found in God, and (3) trust the Lord. Since Wilson in his study (1985) paid attention more to the last two Books of the Psalter, Clinton McCann made a short investigation (1993) with regard to “Books I-III and the Editorial Purpose of the Hebrew Psalter” in order to cover that space.

About twelve years ago, John Walton demonstrated a similar interest in taking the structural insights of Wilson and attempting to work them out in a coherent examination of the actual, individual psalms and their order within the various Books. Thus, he proposed that the book of Psalms was organized as a “cantata” around the theme of the Davidic Covenant. He sees Book One addressing David, Saul, and their conflict; Book Two - the time of David's kingship; Book Three - Assyrian crisis; Book Four - introspection about destruction of the temple and the Exile; Book Five - praise and reflection on return from the Exile and New Era. Pss 1 and 2 (whose theme is a vindication of the righteous and theocratic sponsorship of the Davidic King) are the introduction to the Psalter; and Pss 146-150 (which offer praise relating to themes of the entire Psalter) are the conclusion of the book of Psalms.

Therefore, taking into account Wilson's proposed approach, which was much supported by McCann and 15 no. 3 (1995): 358-66; Michael LeFebvre. The Shape of the Psalter. (14 May 2003); David M. Howard, Jr. Recent trends in Psalms Study.

46 J. Clinton McCann, Jr. Books I-III and the Editorial Purpose of the Hebrew Psalter. Journal for the Study of the Old Testament Supplement Series 159 (Sheffield: JSOT Press, 1993).

47 J. H. Walton, `Psalms: A Cantata About the Davidic Covenant,' Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society 34, no. 1 (1991): 21-31. further developed by Walton, I would presume the following `Psalms matrix':

• Book One relates to Davidic Covenant proclaimed, and to the time of David's kingship, and his conflict with Saul.

• Book Two relates to Davidic Covenant passed on, and to the time of David's kingship until Solomon's accession to the throne.

• Book Three relates to Davidic Covenant failed, and to the time of the Assyrian crisis, when the exile was taking place.

• Book Four relates to Israel in `the desert', i.e. in the Exile, and is also an introspection about the destruction of the Temple and the time of Exile.

• Book Five relates to the time of the Return from the Exile, and represents the final ingathering to worship the Lord in Jerusalem. According to Wilson, Books Four and Five also proclaim that (1) YHWH is King, (2) refuge from exile is found in God, and (3) trust the Lord.

So, the editors of the Psalter shaped the Psalms in such a way that “takes the reader on a journey through the history of the nation Israel,” and ...the Psalter celebrates the majestic reign of David, laments the dark days of oppression and exile, and rejoices in the restoration of the glorious reign of YHWH and the surety that ancient Israel would continue to exist as a viable entity in the ancient near east. 54

Thus, in this paper the author is going (1) to define the main themes55 with regard to the nations in every Book of the Psalter, and (2) to see if those themes support the concept of the editorial shape of the Psalter.

Defining the main themes with regard to the nations The Nations in Book One (Pss 1-41)

According to Wilson, Ps 1 represents a late editorial addition as an introduction to the whole Psalter. As a result, Book One begins with Ps 2.56 Almost every psalm in this Book is ascribed to David with the exception of Pss 1, 2, 10, and 33.

Psalm 2 may be considered as an entry point into the theme of nations in the Psalter. Thus, in this psalm, the theme of royal considerations and especially of the institution of the Davidic Covenant (see 2 Sam 7-8) dominates:

The psalm throughout presents a positive evaluation of the Davidic covenant which is divinely instituted and continues to experience divine support. As such the psalm is admirably fitted for its function as the introduction of the highly Davidic collection of psalms which follows. 57

As soon as David was made the king in Jerusalem, the kings of all the surrounding nations rose up against him: Philistia, Moab, Zobah, Syria, Ammon, Amalek, Edom. However, David defeated all of them. The psalm opens with the question about the rebellion of the nations: “Why do the nations conspire and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the Lord and against his Anointed One. `Let us break their chains,' they say, `and throw off their fetters.'” (2:1-3) The response of the Lord to this rebellion is to laugh, because this rebellion poses no real threat to Him: “The One enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord scoffs at them. Then he rebukes them in his anger and terrifies them in his wrath, saying, `I have installed my King on Zion, my holy hill.'” (2:4-6) In verses 7-9, Messiah declares what God has told about Him, the decree of the Lord: “You are my Son; today I have become your Father. Ask of me and I will make the nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession. You will rule them with an iron sceptre; you will dash them to pieces like pottery.” Finally, God's exhortation to the rebellious nations is “Therefore, you kings, be wise; be warned, you rulers of the earth. Serve the Lord with fear and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest he be angry and you be destroyed in your way, for his wrath can flare up in a moment. Blessed are all who take refuge in him.” (2:10-12) Thus, God installed His king on Zion, and the nations gathered against Anointed One in order to break their chains. However, God laughed at them, and rebuked them in anger. Then He exhorted the nations to serve the Lord with fear, and proclaimed that blessed are those who take refuge in Him.

Psalm 9. Since the emphasis in this psalm is on Gentile enemies, it is possible to suggest that historically Ps 9 belongs to the time of 2 Sam 6-8. The dominant theme of this psalm is the judgment of God (vv. 3-8, 12, and 15-20) upon the hostile nations (vv. 5, 6, 15, 17, 19, and 20). In this psalm, David praises the Lord for His triumph over the nations. God has sat on His throne judging righteously (9:4). He has rebuked the nations and has blotted out their name forever (9:5). Then David announces that the Lord reigns forever, and has established His throne for judgment (9:7) in order to judge the nations with justice (9:8). After that, David calls to sing praises to the Lord and proclaim among the nations what God has done (9:11). Those nations that forget God will return to the grave (9:17), and will perish from His land (10:16). The psalm ends with David's prayer to the Lord: “Arise, O Lord, let not man triumph; let the nations be judged in your presence. Strike them with terror, O Lord; let the nations know they are but men.” (9:19-20) Thus, in this psalm David (1) says that the Lord will judge with justice those nations that do not submit to Him, and (2) calls to proclaim among the nations what God has done.

Psalm 18 has an unusually full historical title: “Of David the servant of the Lord. He sang to the Lord the words of this song when the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul.” This sets the psalm somewhere between 2 Sam 6 and 11 - for it is inconceivable that vv. 22-24 were written after the time of his great lapse, and the allusions in the second half of the psalm to the northern tribes and Gentile enemies require that David be king in Jerusalem when writing these words. This psalm occurs also in its historical setting in 2 Sam 22 (chapters 20-24 form a miscellaneous collection of records not in chronological order). As David looks backward at his victory, he first points to God's enablement and preparation of him. He then reviews the actual victory over his enemies and God's part in it. Finally, the result of submission of the nations is also attributed to the power of God: “You have delivered me from the attacks of the people; you have made me the head of nations; people I did not know are subject to me.” (18:43) After reviewing God's help, the victory and the results, David praises the Lord. Therefore, he concludes, as he began, with a doxology to the Lord, because He shows covenant loyalty to his anointed, especially to David, and to all who will sit on his throne: “He is the God who avenges me, who saves me from my enemies. You exalted me above my foes; from violent men you rescued me. Therefore I will praise you among the nations, O Lord...” (18:47-49) Thus, God delivered Davidfrom the attacks of the nations, and made him the head of the nations (which applies also to Messiah). For this reason, he will praise the Lord among the nations.

Psalm 22. The historical situation of this psalm involves David's full of suffering prayer when enemies attacked him. His sickness and bitter experiences at the time of the rebellion of Absalom may explain such kind of language, and the satisfying result of that terrible crisis. However, in such an interpretation of Ps 22, it is difficult to find specific meaning for many of the details. In this psalm, David shows his distress with the absence of God, but finds comfort from the relation of God to Israel in the past, proclaiming also that the Lord is “enthroned as the Holy One.” Moreover, David is distressed with the attacks of his enemies (22:6-21), but praising the Lord in the second part of his prayer, he also finds comfort in that “all the end of the earth will remember and turn to the Lord, and all the families of the nations will bow down before him, for dominion belongs to the Lord and he rules over the nations.” (22:27-28) Thus, in this psalm David (1) proclaims that the Lord rules over the nations, and (2) predicts that all the nations will bow down before the Lord, i.e. they will worship Him.

Psalm 33 is a liturgical song of praise to God. There is no superscription to this psalm. Its original occasion is unknown; however, it seems to be an event of national deliverance. The psalm offers to praise the Lord for two basic reasons: He is the Creator (33:4-11), and He is the Redeemer of Israel (33:12-19). Therefore, the author calls upon the earth to “fear the Lord; let all the people of the world revere him. ” (33:8) He also proclaims that the Lord foils the plans and the purposes of the nations, but His plans and purposes stand firm forever through all generations (33:10-11).

Thus, these are the main themes with regard to the nations in Book One: (1) Their rebellious plans will be destroyed by the Lord (Pss 2:4-5; 9:5, 17, 20; 33:1011); (2) The nations are subdued to Davidic King (Messiah) (Pss 2:8; 18:43-45); (3) The Lord rules over the nations (Pss 2:8; 22:28); (4) The nations will be judged by the Lord (Ps 9:8, 19); and (5) The Lord will be praised among the nations, and all nations will worship the Lord (Pss 9:11; 18:47-50; Ps 22:27-28).

The Nations in Book Two (Pss 42-72)

Book Two represents an extension of the first Davidic collection rather than an independent collection (see Ps 72:20). It opens with Korah psalms (42-49), followed by Asaph's psalm (50). Pss 51-65 are Davidic, as are Pss 68-70. Book Two ends with Ps 72, which is ascribed to Solomon, and concludes with doxology.

Psalm 44 is a national lament after defeat in battle. Since it is a unique assertion of national fidelity, it may come from the kingdom of Judah, which as a nation did not break covenant with the Lord until very late in its history. The psalm is composed of three parts, each, in its own way, providing a ground for the appeal for help: God's past actions as a basis for current confidence (44:1-8), the lament (44:9-22), and concluding prayer (44:23-26). Thus, in this psalm the author laments that the Lord scattered the nation “among the nations, ” and have made it “a byword among the nations. ” (44:11, 14)

Psalm 45. This royal psalm celebrates and praises the king on his wedding day. Perhaps it was a poetic call to the chosen people to fully enter into a covenant with its God, its spouse. God made himself present through His Davidic King (Messiah), anointed by Him (v. 8). Israel is party to the divine marriage, followed by all the nations who accept the revelation of God and salvation. It begins with lavish praise for the royal bridegroom (45:1-9). The counsel for the bride follows the praise (45:10-15), and the prediction of a blessed future follows the counsel (45:16-17). Thus, the wish “let the nations fall beneath your feet” is a part of the praise for Davidic King (Messiah) (45:5), and in the end of psalm there is a prediction that “the nations will praise” Davidic King (Messiah) forever (45:17).

Psalm 46. The author praises God as the sure defense of Israel. This psalm is also one of those that recall the miraculous deliverance of Jerusalem in the time of Isaiah (Is 36-37). There are two references to the nations in this psalm: (1) before God, “na tions arein uproar, kingdoms fall; he lifts his voice, the earth melts” (46:6); (2) God “will be exalted among the nations” and “in the earth. ” (46:8-10)

Psalm 47 is a celebration of the universal reign of Israel's God. It has been classified as an enthronement psalm, which celebrates Lord's universal reign (as Pss 93, and 95-99). The author calls all nations to rejoice in the Lord of Israel: “Clap you hands, all you nations; shout to God with cries of joy.” (47:1) God “subdued nations under us, peoples under out feet.” (47:3) Proclaiming the enthronement of the Lord, the psalmist calls to praise God: “For God is the King of all the earth; sing to him a psalm of praise. God reigns over the nations; God is seated on his holy throne. The nobles of the nations assemble as the people of the God of Abraham, for the kings of the earth belong to God; he is greatly exalted” (47:7-9). Thus, this psalm proclaims God's reign over the nations, and the assemblage of the nations to Him as God's people.

Psalm 56. David's song of trust is ascribed to his visit to Gath (1 Sam 21:10). This psalm is framed by an urgent appeal to God (56:1-2), and an expression of assurance (56:12-13). The main body of the prayer is found in verses 3-11. David makes complaints against his enemies: “all day long they twist my words; they are always plotting to harm me. They conspire, they lurk, they watch my steps, eager to take my life.” (56:56) He then appeals to God: “On no account let them escape; in your anger, O God, bring down the nations. ” (56:7)

Psalm 57 is similar to the preceding one except that it is more triumphant. The superscription says that it was written “when he [David] fled from Saul into the cave.” The psalm divides into two sections each ending with the same refrain “Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; let your glory be over all the earth.” (57:5, 11) First, David prays to God for deliverance (57:1-5). Then he praises the Lord for deliverance, and says that he will praise the Lord “among the nations”, and will sing of Him “among the peoples.” (57:6-11)

Psalm 59. According to the superscription, this song is David's prayer for deliverance “when Saul had sent men to watch David's house in order to kill him.” (1 Sam 19) This psalm consists of two sections. First, David prays to God for deliverance calling upon Him: “O Lord God Almighty, the God of Israel, rouse yourself to punish all the nations; show no mercy to wicked traitors... But you, O Lord, laugh at them; you scoff at all those nations. ” (59:1-9) In the second part, David praises the Lord for deliverance naming Him as “fortress,” and “refuge.” (59:10-17)

Psalm 66 is a song of thanksgiving, although the occasion for it is unknown. The psalm was probably written by a king who had experienced deliverance from an enemy nation. In verses 1-4, God's mighty works are acknowledged by the nations: “All the earth bows down to you; they sing praise to you, they sing praise to your name. ” (66:4) The author also proclaims that the Lord “rules for ever by his power, his eyes watch the nations--let not the rebellious rise up against him,” (66:7) and calls the nations to “praise our God, O peoples, let the sound of his praise be heard.” (66:8)

Psalm 67 was probably a prayer used in the communal worship of Israel. The psalmist prays for God's saving ways to be known to all the nations: “.your ways may be known on earth, your salvation among all nations. May the peoples praise you, O God; may all the peoples praise you. May the nations be glad and sing for joy, for you rule the people justly and guide the nations of the earth. May the peoples praise you, O God; may all the peoples praise you. ” (67:2-5) Thus, “the point of blessing to Israel is in order that Yahweh's `way ' and ` saving power' (ys) will be known among the nations. Israel offers to be a case study, so that the nations may know of Yahweh (v. 2) and may join in `thanks' (ydh).”

Psalm 72. According to the superscription, this psalm is “of Solomon.” Though “it remains unclear whether the psalm is `by,' `to,' `for' or even `concerning' Solomon,”

.. .the whole psalm functions as David's attempt to transfer the blessings of his covenant with Yhwh to his descendants... So the covenant which Yhwh made with David (Ps 2) and which serves as the source of David's assurance (Ps 41) is now passed on to his descendants in this series of petitions in behalf of `the king's son' (Ps 72).60

It also speaks about the millennial reign of Davidic King (Messiah): “all kings will bow down to him and all nations will serve himf (72:11) and “all nations will be blessed through him, and they will call him blessed. ” (72:17)