PSALM 78 – The Riddles presented by history

Sunday 27 September 2020, the 17th Sunday after Pentecost.

Most of us were taught a bit of history in our youth, and some of us learned from a little book called ‘1066 and All That’, a tongue-in-cheek history of England. The Israelites were a people steeped in their own history as many events influenced them. Some people say that we should learn from history (especially from our mistakes) while others say that history is nothing more than a list of dates. The psalm for 27^th September has a slightly different tone from the previous ones we have been looking at. The Hebrews have been in the Promised Land for some time, and the annual festival has come round again. This time the poet notes the difference in the way people celebrate their God.

1     Give heed to my teaching O my people;
incline your ears to the words of my mouth

2     For I will open my mouth in a parable:
and expound the mysteries of former times

3     What we have heard and known;
what our forefathers nave told us,

4     We will not hide from their children:
but declare to a generation yet to come:
the praiseworthy acts of the Lord
his mighty and wonderful works

 

This is not a question of giving an account of the history of early Israel, for instance after the fashion of a chronicle cast in rhymes, comparable with an epic poem. On the contrary, history here is reflected upon in a way that takes for granted that an account has already been given to the cult community. The psalm does not present a recapitulation of history, rather it wants to impress upon the mind the ‘riddles from of old’ (seen in the word ‘parables’ v2a), or as we may say today - the irrational quality of the things that have come to pass in order that present and coming generations will bear in mind and never forget the revelation of God’s nature and will. Simultaneously they are admonished to be faithful and obedient.

11   For he did marvellous things
in the sight of their fathers:
in the land of Egypt, in the country of Zoan.

12   He divided the sea and let them pass through:
he made the waters stand up in a heap.

13   In the daytime he led them with a cloud
and all night long with the light of fire.

14   He cleft rocks in the wilderness:
and gave them drink in abundance
as from springs of water.

15   He brought streams out of the rock:

and caused the waters to flow down like rivers

 

The psalmist’s meditation on history take as its starting point the fundamental saving deeds at the time of Moses, the deliverance at the Red Sea, and the divine guidance and help in the wilderness, to which the people owe their survival to God alone.

This is a long Psalm, but it bears reading through and attempting to connect with the history of God’s interactions with Israel right up to the time of King David. Try to see what the attitude is of the poet to the people of the covenant.

Thank you Fr Graham Alston for your weekly commentary on the psalms.

PSALM 105: 1-6; 37-45

 

Psalm 105:1-6; 37-45 – THE SONG OF THE DIVINE COVENANT

20th September 2020,

16th Sunday after Pentecost.

 

Do not be put off by the way this poem seems to be like the beginning of our worship when the priest greets us with: “The Lord be with you,” and we answer: “And also with you.” It is one of the psalms used in a liturgy of covenant renewal. This we know because records of the Qumran community have a liturgy of covenant renewal. When you see Qumran think of the Dead Sea scrolls and that little community of Jews who, at the time of Jesus, were trying to live a life of scrupulous fidelity to the laws and traditions of Judaism. They stored their writings in the caves that surrounded the Dead Sea.

1       O give-thanks to the Lord and call upon his name:
tell among the peoples what things he has done.

2       Sing to him, O sing praises;
and be telling of all his marvellous works-

3       Exult in his holy name:
and let those that seek the be joyful in heart

4       Seek the Lord - and his strength:
O seek his face continually.

5       Call to mind what wonders he has done:
his marvellous acts and the judgments of his mouth,

6       O seed of Abraham his servant
O children of Jacob his chosen one.

The condition of praise that dominates this introductory piece is a focus on God – it is He who brought them together as a family under Abraham; and then when Joseph went into Egypt where they became slaves to the imperial building activities of the Pharaoh. But God in his righteousness chose to bring them out; this was all God’s work!

Then they continue with enumerating the events of the Exodus …

37    He brought Israel out with silver and with gold:
and not one among their tribes was seen to stumble.

38    Egypt was glad at their going:
for dread of Israel had fallen upon them.

There is a lovely story that can be found in the book of Exodus that before the Hebrews got together with their families for the Passover meal they went to their Egyptian neighbours and asked for their jewellery and gold which is surprising as they had endured the ten Plagues (sanctions). Such was the changed heart of the Egyptians that they gave generously. In the light of the plagues they would be glad ‘at their going’.

39    He spread out a cloud for a covering:
and fire to lighten the night.

Cecil B. De Mille has not been outdone in even the most recent of movies about the Exodus with the cloud between the Hebrews and the Egyptians during the day and fire at night that kept them apart until the tides were right.

40    The people asked, and he brought them quails:
and satisfied them with the bread from heaven.

41    He opened a rock so that the waters gushed:
and ran in the parched land like a river.

It is recorded three times that the Hebrews grumbled against Moses because they could see their provisions, which they had brought with them, were running out. They wanted bread and God sent them ‘manna’! They wanted meat and God sent them flocks of quail, and even when they were really running out of water God led Moses to strike a rock and water gushed out

42    For he had remembered his holy word:
that he gave to Abraham his servant.

43    So he led out his people with rejoicing:
his chosen ones with shouts of joy.

44    He gave them the land of the nations:
and they took possession of the fruit of other men's toil,

Not everything that happened to the Hebrews as they journeyed to the Promised Land is recorded in this poem. They have been left out so that people will come again to another festival where the story will be expanded. We have a picture of a people travelling with a happy expectation of having promises fulfilled, so they ‘shout with joy’.

45    So that they might keep his statutes:
and faithfully obey his laws
O praise the Lord.

The purpose of God’s historic acts was to create a people obedient to his revealed will. The congregation respond with one word, ‘Hallelujah’ (Praise the Lord!).

Thank you Fr Graham Alston for your weekly commentary on the appointed psalms

PSALM 114

 PSALM 114 – A VICTORY SONG

This psalm is one of many that give public liturgical articulation to the “new kingship” of Yahweh, which has just now been established through the liberation of his people. It is likely that the enthronement songs are one version of victory songs that celebrate Yahweh’s victory over Israel’s enemies. In these psalms, kingship is granted to Yahweh on the basis of the victory just won. Perhaps the primary example of the victory song in the Old Testament is the song of Miriam in Exodus 15, which is reckoned as a very early liturgical statement of the exodus. 

The song of Miriam is the alternative old Testament song in our readings today.

1     When Israel came out of Egypt
and the house of Jacob from among a people of an alien tongue,

2     Judah became his sanctuary
and Israel his dominion

This hymn stays very close to the narrative experience of the exodus. It is evident that the specific liberating event here is presented as having cosmic proportions.

In a quick move, verses 1-2 comprehend the entire sojourn history of in-Israel from the exodus (Egypt— ‘‘people of strange language”) to a land settlement (“Sanctuary”—surely a reference to Jerusalem--“dominion”). The long tale told in the Hexateuch is summarised. That is possible because the entire memory has vitality in the community. It is sufficient to allude to it without spelling out in detail.

3     The sea saw that and fled
Jordan was driven back

4     The mountains skipped like rams
and the little hills like young sheep

This is a part of the story of the exodus and the arrival in the land of promise. What we see is a joyous picturing of the events of the crossing of the Red sea and the River Jordan. As in the beginning God made space for the creation, so in this the elements of chaos – sea and river are tamed by God. This leads to what is called a “taunt song” sung with energy

5     What ailed you O sea that you fled
O Jordan that you were driven back?

6     You mountains that you skipped like rams
and you little hills like young sheep?

The tellers of this tale enjoy mightily the disruptive power of Yahweh. They are so sure that they tease and taunt. They wonder why the sea is such a coward and why the river is unable to stay in its place. Thus, the contrast is between Yahweh, whom the nations thought marginal, and the elements of creation, which seem so sturdy. Now the humble God is exalted, and the exalted elements are humiliated. It is no contest. The exodus is now sung as a cosmic inversion. What happened with that slave band is no mere tribal event, but an event that concerns all of creation.

7     Tremble O earth at the presence of the Lord
at the presence of the God of Jacob,

8     Who turned the rock into a pool of water
and the flint-stone into a welling spring.

With this understanding of reality, the conclusion of verses 7-8 is unavoidable. The whole earth is summoned to be frightened. The pivotal word in the psalm is dance, twist and turn, in pain and anguish, because the whole known world is now under assault. The address is to “earth” which imagines itself stable and serene. But now it is all in jeopardy. The agent of the jeopardy is the real, sovereign Lord. It is enough to name the decisive name of sovereignty, for the terrorised nations understand exactly what is being said. The conclusion of the poem in (v. 8) is an additional doxological point ‘linking this God to the miracle of water in the wilderness’ (cf. Exod. 17:6).

Thank you Fr Graham Alston for your weekly narration on the psalms.

     Psalm 114 is the appointed psalm for Sunday 13th September 2020

PSALM 149

 PSALM I49 – THE JUDGEMENT ON THE GENTILES

This is one of the psalms called the “Hallelujah Psalms” because they start and end with the words “Praise the Lord!” (Hallelujah). It is a characteristic of the last five of the Psalms (Pss 146, 147, 148, 149, and 150).  This psalm bears all the conventional marks of a psalm, yet its development is unusual and offers a surprising emphasis.

This psalm, however, has from the fifth century AD up to the present, been interpreted as referring to Maccabean times. If you look carefully at its composition, it does not go beyond very general allusions which fit into every age. If you would like to know more about Maccabean times the books I and II Maccabees can be found in the Apocrypha.

1   O praise the Lord
and sing to the Lord a new song:
O praise him in the assembly of the faithful.

2   Let Israel rejoice in him that made him:
let the children of Zion be joyful in their king.

3   Let them praise him in the dance:
let them sing his praise with timbrel and with harp.

Like psalms 33v3 and 96v1 the psalm opens with a call to the festival congregation resting in the grounds of the Temple at Jerusalem to sing the praise of God who as their Maker and King has revealed his ‘name’ and has once more entered upon his reign at his feast. This song is to be sung as a “new song”, thus an enthronement motif in the psalm.

4   For the Lord takes delight - in his people:
he adorns the meek with his salvation.

5   Let his faithful ones exult in his glory:
let them sing for joy upon their beds.

6   Let the high praises of God be in their mouths:
and a two-edged sword in their hands,

The reasons for this call are given: God’s gracious good pleasure rests upon the members of the community and this fact inspires them with awe and humility, so that the worshippers are called ‘the meek’. But the members of the festal congregation are at the same time lifted by the salvation whereby God glorifies himself in them so that they reflect that ‘glory’ back to the divine Giver in their song of praise. This worship is a very noisy affair.

7   To execute vengeance on the nations.
and chastisement upon the peoples,

8   To bind their kings in chains:
and their nobles with fetters of iron,

9   To visit upon them the judgment that is decreed-
such honour belongs to all his faithful servants.
Praise the Lord.

This psalm issues a call to action based on praise. It is action that is powered by and grows out of the act of praise. The action that is urged is warlike action that concerns vengeance, chastisement, binding in chains, execution of judgment. I do not know what to make of this, for it is quite unexpected in the hymns. It is a statement of sobering historical realism. Praise of God is not flight from historical reality. In its songs Israel does not escape from either historical responsibility or historical temptation. One cannot tell whether this is responsibility (to fend off oppressors) or temptation (to gather imperial power). Either way, it is clear that Israel’s praise of Yahweh keeps one foot in and one eye firmly on historical reality. There is no liturgical or spiritual escape from the hardness of history. The liberation questions will not be siphoned off in song.

Thank you Fr Graham Alston for your weekly commentary on the psalms