by
Cherry Lee
[Cherry Lee is a member of the La Jolla Presbyterian Church in La Jolla, Ca.
She is an Elder (not in active service) who is currently serving on the
church’s nominating committee. She just completed training as a Stephen
Minister and is awaiting her first assignment. She is active in her PW
circle, and tutors in her church’s program, “Kids at Heart,” a one-on-one
tutoring program in San Diego’s inner city Hispanic community. Her most
intense involvement, however, is as coordinator of The International
Children’s Art Exchange, an annual program bringing children of the world
together through an exchange of ideas as expressed through their art. The
program gathers and redistributes about 2000 pieces of art every year.]
*I. Narrative Section*
“‘The Psalter’ might well be called a little Bible. In it is comprehended
most beautifully
and briefly everything that is in the entire Bible. It is really a
fine…handbook.'” (Luther,
_Luther’s Works_, 35:254, as quoted in [3, p. 1]. Luther’s view takes form
as we work
sequentially through this “_Horizon’s_” study of the Psalms : Lesson 1,
Psalms of
Celebration, 2, Psalms of Instruction, 3, Remembrance, 4, Trust, and in
this, Lesson 5,
Psalms of Vengeance. As we look ahead to Lessons 6-9 that follow, the study
brings to light Calvin’s claim that “‘In it (_the Psalms_) there is nothing
wanting which relates to the knowledge of eternal salvation.'” (Calvin as
quoted in [3, p. xxxix]) We will see psalms focusing on confession, communal
lament, individual lament, and finally psalms of praise.
“The psalms have a double identity. They are scripture and liturgy. In
historical
perspective another identity emerges.” [3, p. ix]. In expository study of
the psalms it
seems essential to me to become aware of that third component, “historical
perspective”, in order to accurately understand the psalmist’s intent in
composing such compelling means of worship.
The Psalms are written to express human emotion! They are about feelings. In
reading, studying, puzzling over the anger expressed in the two
“imprecatory” (cursing) psalms included in this lesson it is important to
look carefully at the historical setting which produced such vehemence.
Then, thankfully, along with the negative cursing Psalms 58 and 137, the
author, Fane Downs, has chosen to include Psalm 139! for it brings some
sense of relief as it draws us away from “national” political devastation
brought about by blatantly wicked leaders to take an intense look at our
personal relationship with the God of our individual salvation. However,
within this psalm, too, we hear the psalmist cry out to God for vengeance on
those who speak of God with evil intent, those who hate him! Only to come to
the awful realization that, “We have met the enemy and he is us!”
*Psalm 58* was written by David during that time in his life when he was “on
the run”
constantly evading the treacherous Saul whose singular passionate desire was
to kill him. God has anointed David because “the LORD looks at the heart”.
(I Sam. 16: 7) In Psalm 58 a righteous David, out of his anguish, implores
God to bring the full power of His judgment on those who under Saul’s
leadership so cruelly murdered innocent people. Some say there is no way to
know specifically who the leaders are who are addressed in this psalm.
However according to Dr. Bill Creasy [5], I Samuel 22 is the time and the
place referred to and Saul is the ruler who “devises injustice and metes out
violence on the earth.”. In this instance Doeg, Saul’s henchman, as a
“reward” for revealing one of David’s hiding places to Saul was given the
“honor” of killing 85 priests and destroying the village of Nob including
the women and children. David’s anger increases in intensity as he pleads
with God envisioning and listing in this psalm just how God might punish
those who carried out such brutal treachery. David, ever-faithful and
trusting of God, concludes his plea, “Then men will say, ‘Surely the
righteous still are rewarded, surely there is a God who judges the earth.'”
For men of faith, such as David, can hope for the judgment of God knowing he
will not take vindictive revenge but will “act to do justice and restore
order where ” worldly institutions failed. [3, p. 212] A line from the hymn,
“_This is My Father’s World”_, expresses this view eloquently. “Though the
wrong seems oft so strong, God is the ruler yet.”
*Psalm 137* is unique in that it refers to specifically stated times, events
and places. The author is in all probability one of the singers referred to
in the Psalm itself, taunted by guards, and now returned from exile in
Babylon to a devastated Jerusalem. This is,
according to Mays [3, p. 422], a song of two cities: resistance against one
and
devotion to the other ~ not simply as a geographical place but as “the city
of our God” (Ps. 48:1). The request by guards for Israel to sing in
captivity was really a taunting, derisive, “Where is your God now?” Both
captor and captive knew the issue was not music, but faith. George Knight
points out in his commentary [2] that it is remarkable these exiles kept
their faith at all ~ they could have concluded that God had broken all his
promises. Yet “In the ‘Easter Saturday’ of their experiences these brave
folk remained utterly sure that an ‘Easter Sunday’ would surely follow.” [2,
p. 312] The passionate cries (vv. 8-9) for reprisal came from “zeal for the
LORD and the place of the LORD’s habitation.” [3, p.423] As this psalm has
been read through the ages the names Babylon and Jerusalem have become not
just specific references to those geographical places but symbols of a
godless versus a god-fearing people. “Faith can never forget Jerusalem!
Faithfulness will remember in pain and prayer.” [3, p. 424] It seems
entirely appropriate, then, for the “_Horizons_” author to have chosen to
include the interpretation (I would not term it a “translation” as she did)
of Psalm 58 from _Why, O Lord?; Psalms and Sermons from Namibia_, as a part
of this lesson. Such an expression of the anguish by a contemporary exiled
people enables us to much more effectively empathize with the Scriptural
Psalm 137. In dealing with the final stanza of Psalm 137 many authors [2, 4,
5] point out that historically it was vital for a people to wipe out the
total population of an enemy. Thus the horrific plea to God that he take
vengeance on Babylon by to “dashing babies against the rocks”. Survival
depended on annihilation of the other tribe.
*Psalm 139* in vv. 1-18 and vv. 23-24 transports us serendipitously to a
totally different world!! A world where we fully appreciate and understand
our most wonderful relationship to God! It is my favorite psalm. The
extraordinarily intimate relationship depicted in these poetic lines
eloquently reveals to us that we are “accountable, confronted and known” by
God. [3, p. 428] This author, James Mays, also says, “Psalm 139 is the most
personal expression in Scripture of the Old Testament’s radical monotheism.”
It “portrays human existence in all its dimensions in terms of God’s
knowledge, presence and power.” It creates “an awareness of the LORD as the
total environment of life.” [3, p.425] Then we come to vv. 19 – 22!! Uh,
oh!! Here we are back again with supplications to God that he “slay the
wicked”, those who are God’s “adversaries”, who “hate God”. By the placement
of verses 19 – 22, with vv. 1-18 and 23-24 as “parentheses” around it, *we*
cannot help but come to the conclusion that *we* are among those who “speak
of him with evil intent”, who “rise up against him”. Verses 23 – 24 place us
as individuals among the accused by beseeching God to “search me”, “know my
heart.”. Do we, like David, have total confidence that we can safely seek
such scrutiny? Have not we, like David (II Samuel, Ch. 11) fallen far short
of the mark, sinned disgracefully, defiantly, destructively…..? Do we have
total confidence that though he will then “know my
anxious thoughts” and “See if there is any offensive way in me”, he will
“lead me in the
way everlasting.” First, the concern of this psalm is the relationship
between the psalmist and God. Second, it focuses on just one dimension of
God’s relationship to man. “You know me….” so *you* can lead me. You are
the “divine judge who discerns and assesses the human heart.” [3, p. 426].
Psalm 139 has brought us back to focusing on our own personal salvation.
Just as Calvin has suggested in Psalms “there is nothing wanting which
relates to the knowledge of eternal salvation.” And so as we conclude this
lesson, having looked at the flawed people of history, we are brought full
circle to turn our focus inward to our own crying need for redemption.
Knowing that, by the grace of God, *we* have been born on this side of
history, we can know the inconceivable gift of everlasting life because we
have received the Good News. We are assured of salvation. “For God so loved
the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him
shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16.
*II Definitions and Questions*
*”gods” * In its opening verses this Psalm 58 refers to “gods”. This term
may have referred to the many gods accepted by men at that time, imperfect
gods created by men, not the one perfect God who created man. Another
interpretation might be as a reference to the leaders of the time who were
often assigned divine nature.
*vengeance* I would emphasize that the definition offered by Fane Downs is
the definition to keep at the forefront of our thinking of God’s “vengeance”
called for throughout this study.
*”Horizons” Questions:*
*#1, p. 29*, With 20/20 hindsight in what “evil” situation would you have
called on God to intervene? How has such retrospection helped you in dealing
with other like situations?
*#2, p. 29*, In answering this question it would be well to consider some
New Testament scripture concerning anger, injustice, and compassion: Mt
5:44, Mt 23:23 or Lk 11:42, Lk 16:19-25, Rom 12:4, I Cor 4:12, II Cor 1:3,
Eph 4:32, Col 3:12-14, Jas 1:19-21, I Pet 3:8-9 Also in _The Book of
Confessions_, “The Confession of 1967”, 9.32.”The life, death, resurrection,
and promised coming of Jesus Christ has set the pattern for the church’s
mission….. to work for every form of human well-being. His suffering makes
the church sensitive to all the sufferings of mankind so that it sees the
face of Christ in the faces of men in every kind of need.”
*#3, p. 30*, What other situations come to mind?
*#5, p. 30*, When is anger righteous and expression of that anger
appropriate? Consider Jesus’ angry response in Jn. 2: 13-17.
*# 8, p. 31*, In dealing with the “enemies (within) threatening your
relationship to God” we realize that according to _The Book of Confessions
i_n the “Westminster Confession of Faith” 6.011, “There is but one only
living and true God…the rewarder of them that
diligently seek him; and withal most just and terrible in his judgments
hating all sin, and
who will by no means clear the guilty.” Still we are assured in “The Second
Helvetic
Confession”, 5.108 that “solely on account of Christ’s sufferings and
resurrection God is propitious with respect to our sins and…imputes
Christ’s righteousness to us as our own (II Cor. 5:19 ff.;.Rom. 4:25)” What
do these ideas mean to you in maintaining/restoring your relationship with
God?
*III Suggestions for Leaders*
*Ahead of Time:* As you prepare, Pray for God’s guidance and inspiration in
understanding and teaching of this, His Word Read the supplemental
narrative.
Read the additional scripture suggested throughout the narrative and for the
questions.
Also read the full text of the references to _The Book of Confessions_.
*Leading the Lesson*
*Closing*
As a closing prayer use _The Book of Confessions_, “A Brief Statement of
Faith –
Presbyterian Church (USA), #10.4. Try breaking it in parts to use as a
choral reading. Sing “This is My Father’s World”
Sources:
1] _The Communicator’s Commentary_, John Guest
2] _The Daily Study Bible _(Old Testament): Psalms: Volume 1 and 2,
George A. F. Knight
3] I_nterpretation: Bible Commentary for Teaching and Preaching_, James
Luther Mays
4] _The Laymen’s Bible Commentary: Volume 9, The Book of Psalm_s, Arnold B.
Rhodes
5] Dr. Bill Creasy, Logos Ministries, Lecture series, Ps. 58