The Covenant In The Psalms Of Petition, Part I (Biblical)
The Davidic Kingship
The covenant is an agreement granted by Yahweh, as the Great King, to his servant people, represented in the Psalms especially by the Davidic ruler. The traditional identification of half the Psalms with David, as well as the obvious association of many of the Psalms with the king as military leader and spokesman for the community, underscore the association of the Psalter with the Judean royal house. The Jerusalem sanctuary, with its priesthood and musicians, was established by David and Solomon and continued under the patronage of the royal house of Judah. A theology of the Lord's special choice and anointing of David and his dynasty, first enunciated by the prophet Nathan (2 Sam. 7:7–17), seems to have been developed in association with the worship on Zion. Thus many of the Psalms appear to be for the use of the king (or in his behalf), as the covenant partner or vassal of the Lord, the "great King."He gives his king great victories, he shows [covenant love] to his anointed, to David and his descendants forever. (Ps. 18:50)
But the king will rejoice in God; all who swear by God's name will praise him, while the mouths of liars will be silenced. (Ps. 63:11)The Psalms reflect the king's involvement in warfare. They represent him engaged in a bitter struggle against dangerous enemies, the opponents of Yahweh's covenant, calling out to the Lord for deliverance and vindication in behalf of the righteous. Several psalms celebrate the Lord's covenant with David to establish his dynasty in Zion (Pss. 89; 110; 132). There are special psalms associated with the coronation of the Davidic ruler (Pss. 2; 72), and even a nonreligious poem celebrating the royal marriage (Ps. 45).
In all this, however, the king stands before the Lord in behalf of the community. He speaks as the representative worshiper, and what he says to the Lord is generalized to express the need and the devotion of all the faithful. The same principle applies to the Lord's words to the king in the Psalms; they declare his faithfulness and deliverance to all worshipers. Biblical culture did not think of personality in the individualistic way to which we in the West are accustomed; the Hebraic mind worked with an understanding of "corporate personality," in which the individual's view of himself or herself was bound up in his or her solidarity with the leader of the community. (Christ's atonement for the sin of others and his impartation of new life to those who are "in Christ" can be fully understood only in light of this Hebraic sense of corporate identity.) For these reasons it is not always appropriate to distinguish between the "individual" and the "community" psalms.Yahweh's Covenant Love
The Psalms in several places refer to the covenant granted by the Lord as the foundation for Israel's hope of deliverance from distress, the basis for the doctrine of the enduring rule of the Davidic dynasty, and the formulation of the worshiping community's obligation to its God:He provided redemption for his people; he ordained his covenant forever—holy and awesome is his name. (Ps. 111:9)
You said, "I have made a covenant with my chosen one, I have sworn to David my servant, I will establish your line forever and make your throne firm through all generations." (Ps. 89:3–4) He took note of their distress when he heard their cry; for their sake he remembered his covenant and out of his great [covenant love] he relented. (Ps. 106:44–45) But from everlasting to everlasting the Lord's [covenant] love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children's children—with those who keep his covenant and remember to obey his precepts. (Ps. 103:17–18)Although the community of Israel has bound itself to God by covenant (Ps. 50:5) and is pledged to abide by its precepts, in the psalmist's eyes it is chiefly the Lord who, having initially granted the covenant, upholds it by his grace. Frequently the Psalms speak of his "faithfulness" ('?munah) and his "righteousness" (tz?daqah); these qualities are not indiscriminately displayed attributes of God but more specifically express his active intervention in the life of his people to maintain the covenant. Virtually synonymous with these terms, and used more frequently (more than 120 times in 53 psalms), is the word ?esed, often translated "loving-kindness," "love," "steadfast love," or "mercy." Again, Yahweh's ?esed is not his impartial benevolence to all creation but specifically his love and mercy to his own people, out of loyalty to the covenant. Only those who have obligated themselves in treaty with the Great King have the right to appeal to him on the basis of his ?esed; the best translation is therefore "covenant love."
In a treaty relationship, the servant-king may appeal to the overlord for protection from enemies on the basis of the great king's good offices in granting the agreement and his loyalty to his word. In the same manner, it is in virtue of the Lord's covenant love to his servants that the worshiper may plead with him for help and salvation:Remember not the sins of my youth and my rebellious ways; according to your [covenant love] remember me, for you are good, O Lord. (Ps. 25:7)
Rise up and help us; redeem us because of your [covenant love]. (Ps. 44:26)
In your [covenant love], silence my enemies; destroy all my foes, for I am your servant. (Ps. 143:12)In many respects "covenant love" is the key word or concept in the book of Psalms; it pervades all that is said to, or about, Yahweh, whether the word ?esed is present or not. In its praise of the Lord, Israel joyfully celebrates his covenant love:
It is good to [confess to] the Lord and make music to your name, O Most High, to proclaim your [covenant love] in the morning and your faithfulness at night. (Ps. 92:1–2)
The most oft-repeated thanksgiving in the Psalter (Pss. 106:1; 107:1; 118:1, 29; 136:1–26; cf. 1 Chron. 16:34; 2 Chron. 20:21) praises Yahweh for his loyalty to the covenant:
Confess to Yahweh, that he is good, For his covenant love is forever. (author's translation)
Yet in times of distress the Psalms express the community's anguish with a shocking candor. The speaker may even take the Lord to task for seemingly failing to honor his obligation to defend his partner:
You sold your people for a pittance, gaining nothing from their sale. You have made us a reproach to our neighbors, the scorn and derision of those around us.… All this happened to us, though we had not forgotten you or been false to your covenant. (Ps. 44:12–13, 17)
You have renounced the covenant with your servant and have defiled his crown in the dust. (Ps. 89:39)Such language reveals the extent to which the concept of the treaty could be taken in Israel's understanding of its relationship with Yahweh.