The Covenant In The Psalms Of Petition, Part II (Biblical)
The Righteous and the Wicked
The Faithful and the Ungodly Contrasted. The theme of the opposition between the faithful worshiper and his ungodly enemies, which surfaces repeatedly in the book of Psalms, is an integral part of the covenant pattern of psalmic worship. This motif predominates in the first part of the Psalter, the "prayers of David," and extends into the remainder of the collection as well; in its various forms, it is present in fully half of the Psalms. On the whole, the Psalms do not present a picture of a people worshiping in complacent unity, but rather reflect an intense struggle for dominance between rival groups within the nation. Some have taken this as evidence for a late origin for the Psalms, reflecting the period when the Jews dwelt alongside other cultural groups in the context of larger empires. However, this is essentially the same situation as that depicted in the preexilic prophetic books, in which Israel's covenant with Yahweh is viewed as being in constant jeopardy due to spiritual indifference and the encroachments of false religious influences. The contrast between the faithful and the ungodly is set forth at the very beginning of the Psalter, in the introductory psalm:Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous. For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish. (Ps. 1:5–6)
The Psalms exclude from the sanctuary of the Lord those who have made a covenant, lifting the hand in oath, with divinities other than Yahweh, the true God:Who shall ascend to the hill of the Lord? And who shall stand in his holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to what is false, and does not swear deceitfully. (Ps. 24:3–4)
The Worshiper's Pledge of Loyalty
Frequently, the speaker affirms his loyalty to Yahweh in terms reminiscent of the vassal's response ratifying the treaty offered by the great king. Thus, the psalmist often pledges himself to the Lord with expressions such as "You are my God" (Pss. 63:1; 118:28; 140:6; 143:10), "You are my [Yahweh]" (Ps. 16:2), or "You are my King" (Ps. 44:4; cf. Ps. 74:12). This pledge is in contrast to the attitude of his adversaries, those outside the covenant. Typical of this response is Psalm 31:I hate those who cling to worthless idols; I trust in the Lord.… They conspire against me and plot to take my life. But I trust in you, O Lord; I say, "You are my God." My times are in your hands; Deliver me from my enemies and from those who pursue me. Let your face shine on your servant; Save me in your [covenant love]. (Ps. 31:6, 13–16)
The Enemies and Their Fate
The psalmist's enemies appear in many guises. They may be people bringing false accusation (Ps. 109:2–5) or who ridicule the worshiper's submission to the Lord (Ps. 69:7–12); the prosperous whose wealth renders them arrogant and indifferent to spiritual matters (Ps. 73:3); former friends and fellow worshipers who have turned against the speaker (Ps. 55:12–14); rebels within the community (Ps. 86:14), potential assassins (Pss. 56:6; 59:3), or foreign invaders (Ps. 79:1–4). The common thread is that they are a menace to the worshiper and stand outside the covenant with Yahweh. More than thirty psalms include a description of these enemies:Do I not hate those who hate you, O Lord, and abhor those who rise up against you? I have nothing but hatred for them; I count them my enemies. (Ps. 139:21–22)
An oracle is within my heart concerning the sinfulness of the wicked: There is no fear of God before his eyes. (Ps. 36:1)
His mouth is full of curses and lies and threats; trouble and evil are under his tongue. He lies in wait near the villages; from ambush he murders the innocent, watching in secret for his victims. (Ps. 10:7–8)
The wicked draw the sword and bend the bow to bring down the poor and needy, to slay those whose ways are upright. (Ps. 37:14)
Against the ungodly the worshiper often feels inadequate; his enemies seem to be the wealthy, the privileged, and the powerful:Therefore pride is their necklace; they clothe themselves with violence. From their callous hearts comes iniquity; the evil consents of their minds knows no limits. They scoff, and speak with malice; in their arrogance they threaten oppression. Their mouths lay claim to heaven, and their tongues take possession of the earth. (Ps. 73:6–9)
Because of Yahweh's faithfulness, however, the fate of the worshiper's enemies is sealed. Although the psalmist's situation may appear desperate from the perspective of ordinary life, when he enters the place of worship he receives a new insight:When I tried to understand all this, it was oppressive to me till I entered the sanctuary of God; then I understood their final destiny. Surely you place them on slippery ground; you cast them down to ruin. (Ps. 73:16–18)
The sorrows of those will increase who run after other gods. I will not pour out their libations of blood or take up their names on my lips. (Ps. 16:4)
The imprecatory psalms, or psalms of cursing, are an important part of the psalmic portrayal of the defeat of the enemies. Like the curses of the ancient treaty, they invoke the sanctions against those who, as opponents of Yahweh and his servant, have broken the bonds of covenant faithfulness. Psalm 109 is the epitome of these psalms of cursing:When he is tried, let him be found guilty, and may his prayers condemn him. May his days be few; may another take his place of leadership. May his children be fatherless and his wife a widow.… May a creditor seize all he has; may strangers plunder the fruit of his labor.… For he never thought of [acting according to covenant love], but hounded to death the poor and the needy and the brokenhearted.… May this be the Lord's payment to my accusers, to those who speak evil of me. (Ps. 109:7–9, 11, 16, 20)
The Lord's Deliverance
The Appeal of the Worshiper
The Psalms echo with the worshiper's appeal to the Lord for deliverance from his enemies and for vindication of his determination to remain faithful to the covenant. Repeatedly the speaker cries out, "Hear my cry!" or "Save me!" or "Rescue me!"Do not turn me over to the desire of my foes, for false witnesses rise up against me, breathing out violence. (Ps. 27:12)
Vindicate me, O God, and plead my [case] against an ungodly nation; rescue me from deceitful and wicked men. (Ps. 43:1)
Rescue me and deliver me in your righteousness; turn your ear to me and save me. (Ps. 71:2)
Deliver me and rescue me from the hand of [aliens], whose mouths are full of lies, whose right hands are deceitful. (Ps. 144:11)
The Lord's Answer; the Worshiper's Vow
The psalmist's petition never goes unanswered. Even the most intense and anguished portrayals of the worshiper's plight also include some recognition that the Lord has heard the speaker's prayer. The psalmist celebrates the Lord's answer, his victory, his faithfulness to the covenant. Closely associated with the proclamation of Yahweh's deliverance is the worshiper's vow of thanksgiving and praise; he promises to make the Lord's saving deeds known to the worshiping congregation.For he has not despised or disdained the suffering of the afflicted one; he has not hidden his face from him but has listened to his cry for help. From you comes the theme of my praise in the great assembly; before those who fear you I will fulfill my vows. (Ps. 22:24–25)
I will not die but live, and will proclaim what the Lord has done. The Lord has chastened me severely, but he has not given me over to death. Open for me the gates of righteousness; I will enter and give thanks to the Lord. (Ps. 118:17–19)
As a response to Yahweh's faithfulness to the covenant, the speaker promises to perform the vow of praise (Pss. 65:1; 116:14), to give thanks or render thank offerings (Pss. 30:12; 35:18; 56:12; 116:17), to declare the Lord's righteousness (Ps. 35:28), to sing praise, sometimes to instrumental accompaniment (Pss. 30:12; 43:4; 61:8; 69:30; 71:22), or simply to praise the Lord (Pss. 22:22; 63:3; 71:23). The worshiper, while still pleading for the Lord's help, may offer the vow as an "incentive" for the Lord to save him:O Lord, how long will you look on? Rescue my life from their ravages, my precious life from these lions. I will give you thanks in the great assembly; among throngs of people I will praise you. (Ps. 35:17–18)
The worshiper's act of praise is his covenant obligation to Yahweh; it is part of the tribute the servant brings to the Great King. The worshiper does not hesitate to remind the Lord that he will not receive his tribute unless he rescues his vassal:No one remembers you when he is dead. Who praises you from the grave? (Ps. 6:5)
Is your [covenant love] declared in the grave, your faithfulness in Destruction? (Ps. 88:11)
Entire psalms may be given over to the celebration of Yahweh's deeds of redemption, whether in the past or yet to come (Pss. 27; 30; 46; 76; 118; 124). Occasionally, the voice of the sanctuary prophet heralds the Lord's protection and deliverance to the faithful:Because he loves me," says the Lord, "I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. He will call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him." (Ps. 91:14–15)
The Lord will keep you from all harm—He will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore. (Ps. 121:7–8)
Such utterances are a reminder that it is in the sanctuary that the Lord hears the plea of the afflicted (Ps. 18:6), and it is in the sanctuary that he reveals and enacts his deliverance (Pss. 73:17; 76:2–3). The Psalms, however realistically they may portray the life situation of the worshiper, do so not in the context of that original situation—the street, the marketplace, the sickbed, the battlefield—but in the midst of the assembly gathered in the presence of the Lord. They are a cultic reenactment of problems and difficulties encountered in remaining faithful to the Lord, so that the good news of his covenant love may be applied to them in the setting of the worshiping congregation.