Structure:
l V1-3: universal
sovereignty. V3, V5 the refrain “Holy is He” is not just structural marker but
also expanded more on each occasion, an acclamation of praise.
l V4-5: Just
kingship.
l V6-9: Israel
and representatives.
Context:
l This is the last
of the sequence of Yahweh kingship psalms. Could be a specific conclusion.
l Book 3 was
trying to come to terms with the crises of exile.
l Book 4 is a
response to that crises.
l Ps106 ends with
a prayer/thanksgiving, that Yahweh sets the captives free. The crises of the
exile is being resolved. Reaffirms Yahweh’s covenant. Reinforces Yahweh’s
justice. The covenant itself is an instrument of Yahweh’s rule of justice. Who
is responsible in establishing justice? Yahweh. Not that Yahweh’s kingship
replaces Davidic kingship, but that it’s the ground of hope for justice. Any
hope of the Davidic kingship is that Yahweh backs the Davidic king.
Right vs
holy:
l To be right:
lined up with the responsibilities we have, for others etc. Moral implications.
l To be holy: To
be the being that God is, for God’s use only. The tabernacle is holy to Yahweh,
fit for Yahweh’s purpose. It’s a theological and ontological category. Yahweh
is transcendent, not controlled by any of the categories or limitations that we
know. It has moral implications (eg. Having God’s characters means we are
moral) but not a moral category.
Exegesis:
l V1: Opens with
Yahweh malek. Self-involving discourse: People can say words quite
easily. “He sits cherubim” in Hebrew. Functioning adverbially: the manner in
which Yahweh is enthroned: “Yahweh is enthroned cheribimly”.
l V2: Sometimes
there is universality, sometimes particularity. Yahweh is great in Zion:
particular, in Zion. He is exalted over all the peoples. From Zion, Yahweh
rules over all nations. The Lord reigns as king.
l V4: The might
of the king is loving justice. What demonstrates mighty power is loving
justice. Mishpat is the exertion of
power to set the world right. “You are the one who established uprightness.”
l V6: Because
Moses and Aaron was present in the establishment of the Israelite community.
l V7: “Pillar of
cloud” is the mobile theophany of the wilderness, transferred to the
tabernacle. Statutes and decrees: the instructions that God gave Israel is the
way Yahweh’s just rule should be enacted.
l V8: In a sense,
forgiveness is the antithesis of justice. Forgiveness is necessary because
people turned away from God as soon as the commandments were given. When they
refuse God’s offering of forgiveness, all that is left is the terrifying
judgment.
l V9: With all
that in mind, we are summoned to worship again.
Themes:
l The importance
of this psalms is the covenant and covenant instructions.
l The claim of
this psalm: Yahweh reigns. When we preach this psalm, make this very clear. We
see the world through the lenses of this psalm: that Yahweh is king and
Yahweh’s kingship is seen in the world. If we say Yahweh reigns, we have to be
a community that reflect who God is in the world. We have to show the world
what life lined up rightly look like.
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