The Psalter. PS 90-106: Book Four - PS 90-106 (4) (Rhetorica Biblica Et Semitica, 37) 9789042948525, 9789042948532, 9042948523

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PONTIFICIA UNIVERSITAS G REGORIA NA RHETORICA BIBLICA ET SEMITICA

Roland Meynet

THEPSALTER Book Four

(Ps 90-106)

THE PSALTER Book Four

(Ps 90-106)

Roland Meynet

THE PSALTER Book Four

(Ps 90-106)

Rhetorica Biblica et Semitica XXXVII Translated by Bernard Witek

PEETERS LEUVEN - PARIS - BRISTOL, CT

2022

INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY FOR THE STUDY OF BIBLICAL AND SEMITIC RHETORIC

Many scholarly societies exit whose purpose is the study of rhetoric. The best known is the "International Society for the History of Rhetoric". The RBS is the only one: devoted exclusively to study Semitic literature, mainly the Bible, but also the other texts, such as Islamic texts; which consequently sets out to list and describe the specific laws of a rhetoric that presided over the elaboration of the texts whose importance is in no way inferior to those of the Greek and Latin of which the modern Western civilization is heir. We should not forget either that the same Western civilization is also the heir of the Judeo-Christian tradition which has its origins in the Bible, that is in the Semitic world. More broadly, the texts that we are studying are the founding texts of the three great monotheistic religions, Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Such a scientific study, the first condition for a better mutual knowledge, can only contribute to the rapprochement between those who claim to belong to these various traditions. The RBS promotes and supports training, research and publications: especially in the biblical field, both New and the Old Testament; but also in the field of other Semitic texts, in particular those of Islarn; and also of authors who have been nourished by the biblical texts, such as St. Benedict and Pascal. For this purpose, the RBS organises an international conference in even years, the proceedings of which are published in the this series; every year, training seminars on its methodology, in different languages. The RBS welcomes and brings together first of all researchers and university professors who, in various academic institutions, work in the field of biblical and Semitic rhetoric. It encourages in all ways students, especially doctoral students, in the learning of its own technique. It is also open to all those who are interested in its activities and wish to support them.

INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY FOR THE SruDY OF BIBLICAL AND SEMITIC RHETORIC

Pontificia Universita Gregoriana - Piazza della Piloua, 4 - 00187 Rome (Italy) For more information on the RBS, visit, www

.retoricabiblicaesemitica.org.

ISBN 978-90-429-4852-5 e1SBN 978-90-429-4853-2 0/2022/0602/20 A catalogue record for this book is available from the Library of Congress. © 2022, Peeters, Bondgenotenlaan 153, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage or retrieval devices or systems, without prior written permission from the publisher, except the quotation of brief passages for review purposes.

Rhetorica Biblica et Semitica Many imagine that classical rhetoric, inherited from the Greeks through the Romans, is universal. It is indeed the one that seems to govern modern culture, which the West has spread throughout the world. The time has now come to abandon such ethnocentrism: classical rhetoric is not the only one in the world. The Hebrew Bible, whose texts were written mainly in Hebrew but also in Aramaic, obeys a rhetoric quite different from the Greek-Roman rhetoric. It should therefore be recognised that another rhetoric exists, the "Hebrew rhetoric". As for the other biblical texts, from the Old and the New Testaments, which were either translated or written directly in Greek, they largely obey the same laws. We are therefore entitled to speak not only of Hebrew rhetoric, but more broadly of "biblical rhetoric". Moreover, the same laws were then recognised

as

operative in Akkadian, Ugaritic and

other texts, preceding the Hebrew Bible, then in the Arabic texts of the Islamic Tradition and the Koran, subsequent to the biblical literature. It should therefore be admitted that this rhetoric is not only biblical, and we can say that all these texts, which belong to the same cultural area, belong to the same rhetoric, which we will call "Semitic rhetoric". Contrary to the impression that the Western reader inevitably gets, the texts of the Semitic tradition are very well composed, provided that they are analysed according to the laws of rhetoric that govern them. We know that the form of the text, its layout, is the main door which opens the access to the meaning. Not that composition directly and automatically provides the meaning. However, when formal analysis allows us to make a reasonable division of the text, to define its context more objectively, to highlight the organisation of the work at the different levels of its composition, the conditions are thus met which allow us to undertake the work of interpretation on a less subjective and frag­ mentary basis.

INTRODUCTION The fourth book is the shortest of the five books of the Psalter. Like the preceding book, it has seventeen psalms with the total of 16,988 signs, while the third book has 19,905 signs. There are not many studies on the composition of this book. In recent years, however, the number of studies on limited groupings has increased. Thus, the last two psahns of the book (Ps 105-106) form a complementary pair that traces the history of Israel.! The same applies to the group comprising Ps 103-106, which has been regarded as the conclusion of the book.2 And also the structured grouping formed of Psahns 93-100, which was the subject of a doctoral dissertation in 1986 3 A few years later, the same author published a study on the group comprising Ps 90-94 4 According to him, the book is divided into three parts : Ps 90-94, 95-100, 10 1-106, with the subgroups Ps 90-92 and 104-106, which forms a concentric construction around the Kingdom Psalms.' l\1any recognise the existence of the group of the "Kingdom Psahns", but they differ as to its limits. For some these are Ps 93-100,' for others Ps 93-99,' and still for others Ps 96-998 Studies envisaging the composition of the entire fourth book are less common. The initial one is that published by Goulder in 19759 The seventeen psahns would have been sung during the eight days of the "autumn festival" as proposed by Mowinckel: psahns with an even number would have been sung in the evening, and those with an odd number in the moming.1O Actually, such an assumption does not provide the composition of the book, but only its Sitz im

Leben. Zenger's (2000) study" considers the composition of the book, from the point of view of the redaction criticism. After identifying the inclusion formed of Ps 90: 13-14 and Ps 106:45, he divides the book into three main parts. The first 1 See, e.g., in 2008, Th.H. OLBRICHT, "The Rhetoric of Two Narratives Psalms 105 and 106". 103-106 as a Closure to Book IV of the Psalter". 3 HOWARD, D.M., Jr, The Structure a/Psalms 93-100. " 4 HOWARD, D.M., Jr., A Contextual Reading ofPsalrns 90-94"; see Lorenzin, 357, note 18. "A 5 HOWARD, D.M., Jr, Contextual Reading ofPsalrns 90-94", 109. 6 Vesco, 842; Hossfeld - Zenger, II, 6; W. BRUEGGEMAN - W.H. BELLINGER, Psalms, 1 1 , 402. 7 deClaisse-Walford- al., 686. 8 Lorenzin, 374. 9 M.D. GoULDER, ''The Fourth Book of the Psalter". 1 0 See the critique of Goulder's proposal by G.H. Wilson in "Understanding the Purposeful Arrangement of Psalms", 45-46. 11 E. ZENGER, ''The God ofIsrael's Reign over the World". 2 In 201 0, L. Wn,SON, "On Psalms

8

The Psalter. Book Four (Ps 90-106)

three psahus fonu the introductory part (Ps 90-92). The "centre" comprises the next eight psahus (Ps 93-100), which he presents according to three "lines of testimony": the fIrst one around the Kingdom of God (Ps 93, 95, 96, 98, 99, 100) with Ps 96 and 98 at the centre of the composition, the second one with Ps 97, which would be the centre of the part fonued ofPs 93-100, the third one with Ps 94, and fInally "the climax of the composition", namely Ps 100. The third part (Ps 10 1-106) is subdivided as follows: 1) the pair of Ps 10 1-102; 2) the pair of Ps 103-104; 3) the twin psalms 105 and 106; 4) Ps 103. Wallace in his doctoral dissertation, published in 2007,12 followed the narrative methodology. According to his analysis, the fourth book is organised into four main parts: l . "The Intercession of Moses" (Ps 90-92); 2. "The Majesty of Yahweh" (Ps 93-100); 3. "David's Deference ofMoses" (Ps 10 1-103); 4. "Back to the Beginning" (Ps 104-106). The most recent study is by Gelston published in 2010 13 His method consists of identifying "the thematic and sometimes lexical relationships between adjacent psahus" (p. 170). His hypothesis is presented on four pages (170-176). He identifIes the following groups: beginning with Ps 90-92 + Ps 94 and Ps 102-104, then Ps 93 + Ps 95-100 and ending with Ps 105-106. Several most recent commentaries no longer present psalms simply one after another as they used to do in the past but group them within the respective books of the Psalter. It will suffice to mention two of them. Lorenzin (2001) organises the fourth book into three main parts which are responses to the failure of the Davidic dynasty with which the third book ends:14 l . "The fIrst response to the failure of the Davidic dynasty" (Ps 90-94); 2. "The second response to the failure of the Davidic dynasty" (Ps 95-100); 3. "The third response to the failure of the Davidic dynasty" (Ps 10 1-106) 15 Moreover, Vesco (20 1 1), also has a tripartite division, but it does not overlap with that of Lorenzin: l . "From passing grass to long lasting days" (Ps 90-92); 2. "The Kingdom Psahus" (Ps 93-100); 3. "The divine demands" (Ps 101-106).16 12 R.E. WALLACE, The Narrative Effect a/Book IV ofthe Hebrew Psalter. 1 3 A. GELSTON, "Editorial Arrangement in Book IV of the Psalter". 14 In this regard see B. GoSSE, "Le quatrierne livre du Psautier CPs 90-106),

conune reponse

a 1 'echec de la royaute davidique" (This study focuses on the relationship between the fourth book

and the book ofIsaiah). 1 5 Lorenzin, 352, 369, 384. 16 Vesco, 842, 872, 928. See also deClaisse-Walford distinguish two major blocks, Ps 93-99 and Ps 100-106.

-

al.,

685-689:

after Ps

90-92,

they

Introduction

9

Biblical rhetorical analysis17 has revealed an elliptical composition of the book." Three sections, each comprising five psalms (Ps 90-94; 96-100 & 102106), are linked by two short sections of the measure of a single psahn (Ps 95 & Ps 10 I) which articulate the whole: Gad reveals A song

The Lord

rhe fuult$ of rhe afflicted

and SAViiOS h,m

Ps 90-91 Ps 92

for the Sabbath day

Ps 93-94

will protect his inheritance from the wicked "Today

"Sing

if you would listen

to the Lord,

to his voice!"

Ps 95

all the eartJi'

Ps 96-97

"All the ends ofthe earth have seen ,H'" �VATON of our God"

"The Lord

I God

"When

for-grves A song

The Lord

reIgns over

Ps 98

all the peoples'

will you come

rh" faults cf rh" afflicted

Ps 99-100

to me?"

and SAVES

Ps l O l Isra,,1

Ps 1 02-103 Ps 104

for the creation protected his people

l

from their enemies

Ps 1 05-106

17 My exposition in Traite de rhhorique biblique = Treatise on Biblical Rhetoric. 1 8 See R. MEYNET, "Une nouvelle figure: la composition a double foyer".

ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS

al.

alii. others

AnBib BEThL

Analecta biblica Biblioteca Ephemeridum Theologicarum Lovaniensium

Bib

Biblica

BJ

Bible de Jerusalem

BZ

Biblische Zeitschri{t

chap. ed. e.g. Gesenius HThK

chapter editor, edited for example E. Kautzsch, ed., Gesenius ' Hebrew Grammar, Oxford 1910 Herders theologischer Kommentar zum Neuen Testament

JETS

Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society P. Joiion, Grammaire de l 'hebreu biblique, Rome 1923

Joiion JSOT.S

Journal for the Study of the Old Testament. Supplement Series

JTS

Journal ofTheological Studies

LAPO LeDiv lit. Luc 2005 Luc 2011 NICOT

Litteratures anciennes du Proche-Orient Lectio Divina literally . R. Meynet, L 'F;vangile de Luc, RhSem I, Paris 2005 R. Meynet, L 'Evangile de Luc, RhSem 8, Pende 20 1 1 The New International Commentary on the Old Testament

NRTh aTE

Nouvelle Revue Theologique Old Testament Essays

OTL p. par. RBS RBSem repr.

Old Testament Library page, pages paragraph International Society for the Study of Biblical and Semitic Rhetoric Rhetorica Biblica et Semitica (Peeters) reprint

RevSR

Revue des sciences religieuses

RhBib RhSem

Rhetorique biblique (Cerf) Rhetorique sernitique (Lethielleux, Gabalda)

RTL

Revue Theologique de Louvain

SBi SBL

Sources bibliques Society of Biblical Literature

StRBS

Studia Rhetorica Biblica et Semitica

StAnBib

Studia Analecta Biblica R. Meynet, Traite de rhetorique biblique, RhSem 4, Paris 2007; RhSem 12, Pende 2013 translation, translated

Traite trans.

The Psalter. Book Four (Ps 90-106)

12

Treatise on Biblical Rhetoric, International Studies m the History of Rhetoric 3, Leyden - Boston 2012 Traduction CEcumenique de la Bible verse, verses volume, volumes

Treatise TOB v. vol.

VT

Vetus Testamentum

VT.S

Vetus Testamentum. Supplement

ZAW

Zeitschrijtfur die Alttestamentliche Wissenschaft

The commentaries on the psahns are referred to only by the name/s of the author/s in lower case, followed by the volume and pagels number/s; e.g., Weiser, 232; Alonso Schoekel - Camiti, I, 303. The references to the three volumes of my commentary on the psahns are abbreviated: Le Psautier. Cinquieme livre; Le Psautier. Premier livre; Le

Psautier The Psalter. Book One; Troisieme livre The Psalter. Book Three; Le Psautier. Deuxieme livre The Psalter. Book Two. �

�

�

The abbreviations of the biblical books follow The SBL Handbook ofStyle.

GLOSSARY OF TECHNICAL TERMS

l.

TERMS DESIGNATING RHETORICAL UNITS

Very often in the exegetical works the terms "section", "passage", and in particular "piece", "part", etc., are not used consistently. Here is a list of terms designating the textual units at their successive levels. THE "LOWER ·· (OR NON-AUTONOMOUS) LEVELS Apart from the first two (the term and the member), the lower level units are formed of one, two or three units of the preceding level. TERM

The term generally corresponds to a "lexeme", or word that found in the lexicon: noun, adjective, verb, adverb.

M EMBER

The member is a syntagma, or group of "terms" linked together by close syntactic relations. The "member" is the minimal rhetorical unit; it may happen that the member consists of a single term (the term of Greek origin is "stich").

S EGMENT

The segment comprises one, two or three members; there are "unimember" segments (the term of Greek origin is "monostich"), "bimember" segments (or "distichs"), and ''trimember'' segments (or "tristichs").

P IECE

The piece comprises one, two or three segments.

PART

The part comprises one, two or three pieces.

IS

THE "UPPER ·· (OR AUTONOMOUS) LEVELS They are all formed of either one or several units from the previous level. PASSAGE

The passage-the equivalent of the exegetes' "pericope"-is formed of one or more parts.

S EQUENCE

The sequence is formed of one or more passages.

S ECTION

The section is formed of one or more sequences.

BOOK

Finally, the book is formed of one or more sections.

It is sometimes necessary to use the intermediary levels of "subpart", "subsequence" and "subsection"; these intermediary units have the same definition as the part, sequence and section.

The Psalter. Book Four (Ps 90-106)

14 S IDE

The side is a textual complex that precedes or follows the centre of a construction; if the centre is bipartite, the side corresponds to each of the two halves of the construction. 2.

TERMS DESIGNATING THE RELATIONS BETWEEN SYMMETRICAL UNITS

TOTAL SYMMETRIES PARALLEL CONSTRUCTION

Composition figure in which the units in paired relations are arranged in parallel fashion: A B C D EI A'B 'C'D'E'. When two units parallel to each other frame a single element, we talk about parallelism referring to the symmetry between these two units, but we consider the whole (the upper level unit) as a concentric construction: AI xI A'. "Parallel construction" is also called "parallelism" (as opposed to "concentrism').

M IRROR CONSTRUCTION

Composition figure in which the units in paired relations are arranged in an antiparallel or "mirrored" fashion: A B C D EI E'D'C'B'A'. Like the parallel construction, the mirror construction does not have a centre; like the concentric construction, the related elements mirror each other. When the construction comprises only four units, it is also called "chiasmus": A BI B'A'.

CONCENTRIC CONSTRUCTION

Composition figure where the concentrically: A B C D E I xI element (this element can be organisation). "Concentric construction" can opposed to "parallelism").

symmetrical units are arranged E'D'C'B' A', around the central a unit of any level of textual also be called "concentrism" (as

ELLIPTIC CONSTRUCTION

Composition figure where the two focal points of the ellipse articulate the other textuallllli

Glossary of Technical Terms

15

PARTL4L SYMMETRIES I NITIAL TERMS

Identical or similar terms or syntagmas that mark the beginning of symmetrical textual units; the "anaphora" of classical rhetoric.

F INAL TERMS

Identical or similar terms or syntagmas that mark the end of symmetrical textual units; the "epiphora" of classical rhetoric.

EXTREME TERMS

Identical or similar terms or syntagmas that mark the extremities of a textual unit; the "inclusion" of traditional exegesIS.

M EDIAN TERMS

Identical or similar terms or syntagmas that mark the end of a textual unit and the beginning of the unit symmetrical to it; the "hook-word" or "linking-word" of traditional exegesis.

CENTRAL TERMS

Identical or similar terms or syntagmas that mark the centres of two symmetrical textual units.

For more details, see R. l\1EYNET, Treatise on Biblical Rhetoric, International Studies in the History of Rhetoric 3, Leyden - Boston 2012, 129-145. MAINREWRITING RULES -Within the member, the terms are usually separated by spaces; -Each member is usually rewritten on a single line; - Segments are separated by a blank line; -Pieces are separated by a broken line; -Part is delimited by two continuous lines; the same applies to the subparts. - Within the passage, the parts are framed (unless they are very short, such as an introduction or a conclusion); the subparts are arranged in adjoining frames; - Within the sequence or subsequence, the passages, rewritten in prose, are arranged in frames separated by a blank line; - Within the sequence, the passages of subsequence are arranged in adjoining frames. On the rewriting rules, see Treatise, chap. 4, 187-299.

THE FATE OF THE CHILDREN OF ADAM First Section Ps 90-94

18

First Section (Ps 90-94)

The fIrst section comprises fIve psalms organised into tlnee sequences. Each of the extreme sequences (Ps 90-91 and Ps 93-94) contains two psahns, while the central sequence contains only one psahn (Ps 92):

GOD

A SOI�G

THE LORD

REVEALS THE rAUL'I'.l or THurFLICTED

AND s.\YES HIll

FOR THE SAB8All-I DAY

WILL PROTECT

HIS INHERITANCE

Ps 90-91

Ps 92

FROM THE WICKED

Ps 93-94

1. GOD REVEALS THE FAULTS OF THE AFFLICTED AND SAVES HIM

The First Sequence: Ps 90-9 1

l . PSALM 90 The previously published analysis of this psalm is reproduced here,' albeit without the methodological discussion with the late Pierre Auffret. Textual matters will be dealt with throughout the composition.

COMPOSITION

The psahn is organised into three parts. The first part is a long complaint ( Ib­ ID); the third part is a supplication ( 12-17). The central part ( 1 1) is much shorter and is the only question in the text: it links the other two parts 2

THE FIRST PART (lB-JO) This particularly extensive part is subdivided into two subparts : the first subpart ( lb-3) sets out the situation of humanity in relation to God, and the second subpart (4-10), marked by three occurrences of the particle kf,3 retakes and unfolds it in three stages.

Thefirst subpart (l b-3) + lb 0 ADONAI. + you are

a habitation. to us,

:: FROM GENERA HON

TO GENERATION.

+ 2 Before + and you broughtforth

the rn ountains the earth

: : fROM ETERNrrY

TO ETERNrrY

- 3 You make return

mankind

- and you say:

"Return.

yes YOU.

were born and the world. YOU (are)

GOD.

to the dust. you children

of Adam '··

The first two segments ( lbcd & 2) are trimernbers. They are delimited by the two divine names, "Adonai" ( lb) and "God" Cel, 2c), which form an inclusion

1 R. MEYNEf, "Analyse rhetorique du psaurne 90. Honunage critique a Pierre Auffret". 2 In this way the law of the question at the centre is once again verified; see Traite, 41 7-435

Treatise, 280-286. 3 Translated as "because" but could also be rendered as "yes"; see lotion, 164b.

=

20

First Section (Ps 90-94)

together with the repetition of "you" ( lb & 2c); in their third members "from eternity to eternity" (2c) corresponds to "from generation to generation" ( l d). While the first segment speaks of the relationship between God and "us", the second segment presents it in relation to the creation' In the first segment, the complete form h Ciyfta (Ie) is considered with the predicate "a habitation" ( lb) as equivalent to a "stative verb" and thus translated by a present tense;' the clause has the same temporal status as the main clause of the second segment, which is a nominal phrase: "you (are) God" (2c). The third segment (3) is a birnember. The root swb occurs in each of its members : in hiphil ("you make return") and then in qal ("return"). "l\1ankind" ( 'enoS)' of the first member is matched in the second member by "children of Adam". This segment is interpreted in different ways,' especially as it regards the type of relationship that one sees between its two members : The double occurrence of verb swb in verse 3 is interpreted by most exegetes in the sense of a synonymic parallelism. However, one can also assume a synthetic parallelism if one interprets the verb swb differently in the second half-verse, thinking not of a "return to dust", but of a "return to life", namely the replacement of an old generation by a new one.8

The most common interpretation, in fact, sees in the first member as well as in the second one a reference to Gen 3 : 19: "For dust you are and to dust you shall return".' The idea of the renewal of generations is supported by the composition of the section which shows the link between verse 3 and the initial verse where the divine protection extends "from generation to generation" ( ld). Others dismiss the reference to the story of the fall, because the last word of 3a is not 'apar as in Gen 3 : 19, but the hapax dakka ';l0 in the piel the verb dk ' means "to crush" (Ps 34: 19; Ps 72:4; 89: l l; Isa 53: 10; 57: 15) 11 In fact, it would be the divine punishment intended to make humans return from their sin. Evode Beaucamp writes as follows: V. 3 has been too hastily interpreted as an allusion to Gen 3 : 19: "For you are dust and to dust you shall return". The key word "dust" does not in fact appear in our text. In 4 The waw with which the last member (2c) begins is considered here as an apodosis waw and is therefore not translated (Joiion, 1 76fJ. 5 See Jolion, II2a. The same applies to the first three segments of Ps 85: "You love your land, o Lord; you bring back the forhme of Jacob. .. "; R. Tournay translates it as follows: "From age to age, O Lord, you are our shelter",Le Psmttier de Jerusalem, 141. 6 This term COIlllotes the fragility of mankind: "What is man that you remember him and the son of adam that you care for him? CPs 8:5). 7 Curiously, some people ignore this verse, not saying a word about it: L. JACQUET, Les Psaumes et Ie camr de I 'homme, II, 723, 726; R. ALTER, The Book ofPsalms, 318. 8 Ch. FORSTER, Begrenztes Leben als Herausfordenmg Das Vergiinglichkeitsmotiv in weisheitlichenPsalmen, 37-200 (147), quoted by Hossfeld - Zenger, II, 417. 9 Among others Kraus, II, 215-2 16; Ravasi, II, 884; Vesco, 847. 1 0 Thus Hossfeld - Zenger, II, 422. 1 1 So also "to humiliate"; the Septuagint translates dakkii ' as tapeinosis.

Psahn 90

21

any case, the comparison should be limited to the first hemistich: "you send the man back to his crushing"; because the formula of the second hemistich: "and he says: return", does not evoke the return to the first clay, which would be only a flat repetition of the preceding clause. When the direction is not specified, in fact, the verb "return" implies a movement towards the speaker: "convertirnini! "12 And tlie comment by Luis Alonso Schoekel: In the whole psalm, God speaks only once, giving the command to return. Could not such a general imperative work in another direction? "Return" (v. 3). To where? If they are made of earth, to the earth; but if they are of God, as his image, why should they not return to God? Return: to where shall we return, to whom shall we return? Is He not our refuge or our dwelling place from generation to generation? "All that comes from the earth returns to the earth, and what comes from heaven returns to heaven" (Sir 40: 1 1) 13 According to this interpretation, a link is also established between verses 1 and 3, which is in line with the analysis of the composition of the subpart 1-3. Among the Jewish commentators, while Ibn Ezra reads in verse 3 a reference to the story of the fall (Gen 3 : 19), Rashi interprets the second member as a call to repentance: "Return, you mortals, from your evil ways".14 As for Emmanuel's modern commentary, it is entirely focused on the "return", that of mankind (3) and that of God (13):" On the one hand, greatness and eternity (90:2), on the other, a breath as fragile as the grass that flourishes in the morning and withers in the evening (90:5-6). But if God makes man return to dust, he also makes him return to contrition and repentance, for that is the ambiguous meaning of the term used in the Scripture (90:3). This verse does not refer to the physical death, but rather to the rebirth of man. Therefore, the psalm adds that God says to man: Return. But the man answers God: Return, a Lord, repent (90: 1 3), as Moses said: Return from the fierceness of your anger and repent of the evil you want to do to your people (Exod 32:12). It is through repentance and return that the infinitely great and the infinitely small come together. 16 That is the interpretation of the Septuagint, followed by the Vulgate: et dixisti convertimini filii hominum. That is also the interpretation of the Targum: "You strike the son of man because of his sin to death, and you say: convert, you children ofman".17 The last segment (3) is directly opposed to the preceding one, with the frailty of humans being compared to the eternity of God: their last words, "God" (2c) and "Adam" (3b), serve as final terms. It is also related to the first segment, for 12 E. BEAUCAMP, Le Psautier, II, 96-97 (the emphasis is mine). Pace Ravasi, II, 884, note 24. 1 3 Alonso Schoekel - Camiti, II, 260. 14 M.I. GRUBER, ed., Rashi's Commentary on Psalms, 575, 577. 1 5 EMMANUEL, Commentairejuifdes Psmtmes, 242-244. 16 EMMANUEL, Commentairejuifdes Psmtmes, 242. 17 Quoted by Vesco, 847.

22

First Section (Ps 90-94)

the reasons just mentioned together in the quotations from Forster, Beaucamp and Alonso Schoekel. It should also be pointed out that the vocabulary of filiation runs through the three verses: "from generation to generation" ( ld), "were born" and "you brought forth" (22ab), "children of Adam" (3b).

The second subpart (4-1 0) - 4 BECAUSE thousand -likeADAY

- and a watch

1E-III.1·

of yesterday in the night.

in your eyes (are)

when it ispast

: 5 You submerge them, (in) the sleep - in the morning (they are) like grass

they are; that is renewed.

- 6 In the morning : in the everring

and is renewed; and dries up.

· ·

7 BECAUSE 'fE ll\E A�ISIlIiII by your anger, and by yourfury 'lRTH,

- let thunder

- 12 let be jubilant -then will shout for joy

the field, trees

and AlL of the fores�

that is in it;

ALL the

: : 13 before

YHMi,

BECAUSE he comes,

TO JUDGE

THE EJ>RTH;

: : HE JUDGES

THE WORLD

: : and TIEPEOPLES:

with hi. truth.

with r1gh1.eol1Bl1e!ll

- Yes, is established : : HE SENTENCES - 11 Let rej oiee

: : BECAUSE he comes

The second piece ( 1 1-12) is a series of wishes that lead to their fulfihnent, when the trees "will shout for joy" ( 12b). Its first segment ( 1 1) lists the canonical trio of "the heavens", "the earth" and "the sea" which refer to the whole of creation, which is called "the world" in lOc. In the second segment (12), "the trees of the forest" correspond to "the field". In median terms, "all that is in it" (12a) refers to "its fullness" ( l 1b). The first member of the last piece ( 13a) is syntactically linked to the preceding member (12b). The two segments of the piece are linked by the repetition of the verb "to judge" followed by "the earth" and "the world" (13a & 13c). "The earth", "the world" and "the peoples" are all object complements of the verb "to judge". The last member of the first piece (IOd) shares with the last piece (13) the synonyms "to judge" ( 13bc) and "to sentence" and "the peoples" (IOd), as well as the synonymous complements, "uprightness" ( lOd), "righteousness" and "truth" (Bcd), introduced by the same preposition "with".

THE WHOLE OF THEPSAIM Each of the extreme parts contains twelve members, while the central part has only half of them. The six imperatives of the first part ( 1-3a) are followed in the last part by six verbs, five of which are volitive ( lOa & l l-12a), followed by "will shout for joy" ( 12b) which is on the same line of the proclamation. The extreme parts provide motivations: "because" occurs twice in 4a & 5a and in 13a & 13b. There are also the following repetitions: "among the nations" (3a & l Oa), "the peoples" (3b, 10d, 13d), "the earth" (Ib, 1 1a, 13b) and "the heavens" (5b & l la). The central part contains seven imperatives, six of which stand at the beginning of its six members, but there is no motivation.

Psahn 96 + 96 1 SING

107

to YHWH to YHWH,

a song,

a new one,

All

THE EARTH;

: : PROC1AIlI

to YHWH, from day to day

BLESS his salvation;

U/I ,HlIl,

: : 3 REIXlUN'l

AI10NG THE NJ,TION5

: : am ong ALL

Tf£PEOPLE5

his GLORY, his wonders.

+ SING + 2 SING

- 4 BECAUSE great is - fearsome

he is

YHMi

and to be praised above ALL

greatly, gods;

- j BECAUSE All

gods THE HEAVENS

of TI£PEOPLE5 he made;

are worthlessness,

- and YHWH, _

6 majesty

and SPLENDOUR and beauty

- STRENGTH

+ 7 AsCRIBE + ASCRIBE + 8 ASCRIBE

: : BruNG

: : 9 BOW DOWN : : TREMBLE

before HIM,

in HIS SANCTUARY.

to YHWH, to YHWH

GLORY

to YH\\IH an offering

and IXlME

o

families

of THEPEOPLE5, and STRENGTH; of 111> ,\ 1.Iff, into his courts;

GLORY

to YHWH

in THE SPLENDOUR

of HOLINESS,

BEFORE HIM

All

THE EARTH.

+ 10 S,\Y

AI10NG THE NJ,TION5:

+ YHMi

reigns!

- Yes, is established : : he sentences

THE WORLD, Tf£PEOPLE5

it cannot be shaken; with uprightness.

- 11 LETl/J}JOI(JJ}

THE HEAVENS

the sea

and ZXl!1T and its fulness;

THE EARTH,

- UT THlINI!ER

the field, trees

and All of the forest,

that is in it;

YHMi,

BECAUSE he THE EARTH;

- 12 UJI'BEJl!BII.JNT

- then

WILL SHOUTf'DRJOY ALL the

: : 13 BEFORE : : BECAUSE he

: : he judges : : and

comes

to judge THE WORLD

TI£PEOPLE5

comes,

with righteousness with his truth.

Two vocatives frame the central part indicating the audience the psahnist is addressing: the "families of the peoples" (7a) and "all the earth" (9b), These two central vocatives correspond to the one with which the fIrst part begins : "all the earth" ( lb), The third part has no vocatives, but in the central piece the subjects of the verbs are "the heavens", "the earth" and "the sea" ( 1 1), "the fIeld" and "all

108

Third Section (Ps 96-100)

the trees of the forest" ( 12); together with "all its fullness" and "all that is in it" ( l lb & l2a), the whole of creation is thus called to "rejoice" ( l la). This long final enumeration corresponds to "all the earth" at the beginning ( lb). + 96 1 SrnG + SING + 2 SING

: : PROCLAIM : : 3 RlX:OUNT : : among ALL

to YHWH to YHwt

YHWff,

the foundation

THEFARTH,

of his throne.

THE FARTH;

the master

or ALL THE EAmH.

the heavens

HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS,

ALL THE PECl'LES

his glory.

The extreme pieces mirror each other: "the many islands" and "all the peoples" ( lb & 6b), on the one hand, and on the other hand, the world above where "righteousness" reigns (2 & 6a). "The earth" occurs in the first two pieces ( l a, 4b, 5c), "around him" (2a) corresponds to "all around" (3b). The verb "to see" is repeated in the last two pieces (4b & 6b).

THE SECOND PART (7) + 7 Let (them) be

ashamed ALL who serve of worthlessness' � Bow down to him, ALL you gods.

a statue,

+ who boast themselves

The trimember is of AAB type. The first two members refer to the people who serve the idols, "statue", "worthlessness"; the third member, on the other hand, is addressed to pagan deities, which are invited to worship the one God.

Psahn 97

115

THE THIRD PART (8-12) + 8 Hears

AND REJOICES

+ and EXULT + because of

the daughters your judgments,

: : 9 Yes, your (are), : : Most High

Zion, of Judah, O YfM/H.

O YHWH,

"""r allthe earth,

- greatly

you are elevated

ovsr all gods.

: 10 You who love : : He guards - from the hand : : 11 A light

the souls of the wicked

YHMi,

hate of his faithful, he delivers them.

IS sown of heart

JOY.

: : and for the upright +

12 REJOICE,

101'RmlrTKQI ",

+

and GfvETI{A.NKS

to the remembrance

evil!

for mE RJGHTEOUS,

in Y�I, of his holiness.

The extreme pieces (8 & 12) are the size of a single segment and correspond to each other: The verb "''to rejoice" (8a & 12a) is paired with "exult" in 8b, and with "give thanks" in 12b. The reasons for this joy are expressed in the endings : they are the 'judgments" of Yhwh (8c) and "the remembrance of his holiness" ( l2b). The central piece (9-11) makes explicit and develops the endings of the extreme pieces, namely the motifs of joy, exultation and thanksgiving. It begins with the dominion of the "Most High" "over all the earth" and "over all gods" (9), with which the last two members of the trimember conclude l It is above all the protection that Yhwh provides against "the wicked" ( l Oc) in favour of those who love him and hate evil ( lOa), "his faithful" ( l Ob), "the righteous" ( l 1a), "the upright of heart" ( l 1b) 2 The first segment of the central piece (9) is in the second person singular, like the first piece ("your judgements" in 8c). The last two segments of the central piece (10-11) are linked to the last piece by the repetition of "righteous" ( 1 1a & 12a) and because the plural imperatives of 12 refer to that one in lOa.

1 The 2 One

terms "Most High" and "you are elevated" are of the same root. rnaynotice a mirrored construction of the last two members of verse 10: a (be) I (b'c') a'.

116

Third Section (Ps 96-100)

THE WHOLE OF THEPSAIM +

LET EXULT

and dark cloud AND JUDGMENT

around him, are the foundation of his throne.

:3

Fire : and sets ablaze

before him all around

goes his adversaries;

lights up : sees

his lighting and shakes

the world,

: 5

the rn ountains : before : before

like wax YfMlH, the master

melt

6 Proclaim and (they) see,

the heavens all the peoples

HlS RI GffTIOOllSNESS,

all who serve of worthlessness!

a statue,

LETREJOICE

+

2 cloud

+

RlGH IE Ol! S'fESS

:4

+ +

7 Let them be ashamed who boast themselves Bow down to him, +8

Hears and EXULT + because of +

: 9 Yes, you are, : Most High : greatly : 10 You who love

+

many;

TlfEElRTH,

Of'iJI,[, THE�H

his glory.

/>Il. YOU GO�. AND REJOICES

the daughters YOUR JUDGMENTS,

Zion, of Judah, o YHI/IH.

O YHWH,

IlVERML THECJJRTll,

you are elevated

over AU GODS.

YfMlH, the souls of the wicked

hate of his faithful, he delivers them.

: and for the upright

IS sown of heart

JOY.

12 REJOICE,

YOU RJOI11E011S,

and give thanks

to the remembrance

: He guards : from the hand : 11 A light +

fHEJ:MITll,

reIgns, the islands

97 ' YHWH

+

evil!

FOR !HE RlGHTEUUS,

in YIiWH, of his holiness.

The extreme parts, each consisting of thirteen members, are parallel to each other. At the extremities of the first part ( 1 & 6), the subjects "rejoicing" and "proclaiming" are "all the earth", ''the many islands", "all the peoples"; on the other hand, at the extremities of the last part (8 & 12), it is Israel, "Zion" and "the daughters of Judah", the "righteous". In the central piece of the first part (35), God's fire is unleashed against "his adversaries", while in the central piece of the last part (9-1 1), the Lord intervenes on behalf of "his faithful".

Psahn 97

117

The central part distinguishes itself from the other two, not only because of its brevity, but also because it is the only place where the idolaters and those they serve, "all gods", are addressed. This part seems to connect the other two parts : Indeed, since "all gods" (7c) is taken up again in the last part (9c), the syntagrna "all who serve a statue" recalls "his adversaries" in the fIrst part (3b) 3 The verbs "to exult" and "to rejoice" in I and 8, to which can be added ')udgrnentls" (2b & 8c), play the role of initial terms for the extreme parts; "his righteousness" and "the righteous" (6a & 12a), the role of fInal terms. In addition, the two occurrences of "to rejoice" in 1 and 12 serve as extreme terms for the whole psahn. "Righteousness" occurs twice in the fIrst part (2b & 6a), in median terms at a distance between the extreme pieces, and "righteousness" also occurs twice in the last part ( 1 1a & 12a), in median terms between the last two pieces. "All the earth" returns in 5c and 9b, in median terms at a distance between the central pieces; but "the earth" is already found in l a and 4b. "All you gods", at the end of the central part (7c), is retaken in 9c by "all gods".

CONTEXT

THE THEOPHANYAT HOREB Verses 2-5 of the psalm take up the imagery and vocabulary of the Sinai theophany: "lightning", "cloud" and ''fire'' on ''the mountain" mark the account in Exod 19: 16-19. "Cloud and dark cloud", "fIre" and "the mountain" are found in Deut 4 : 1 1 (see also 5:22).

GODS OF PAGAN NATIONS In the time of the monarchy, each people had its own main deity: 4 For when Solomon was old, his wives turned away his heart after other gods; and his heart was not true to Yhwh his God, as was the heart of his father David. j For Solomon followed Astarte the goddess of the Sidonians, and Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites. 6 So Solomon did what was evil in the sight of Yhwh, and did not completely follow him, as his father David had done. 7 Then Solomon built a high place for Chemosh the abomination of Moab, and for Molech the abomination of the Ammonites, on the mountain east of Jerusalem . 8 He did the same for all his foreign wives, who offered incense and sacrificed to their gods. (1 Kgs 1 1 :4-8)

3 "His adversaries" and "all goos" are synunetrically placed at the end of the first segments of the central pieces of the extreme parts (3b & 9c).

ll8

Third Section (Ps 96-100)

INTERPRETATION

IDOLATERS AND IDOLS As is often the case, the centre of a concentric construction is surprising, to

the extent that one is tempted to consider it as a kind of meteorite, an interpolation, a secondary addition, incongruous. And yet it fulfils the function of a keystone, thanks to which the whole arc of the text finds its cohesion. It is true that idolaters and their statues are not mentioned elsewhere in the psalm and that this is the only place where "the gods" are addressed (Ps 97:7). However, there are the centres that identify "the adversaries" of Yhwh who are mentioned throughout the central piece of the first part (97:3-5), as well as the "evil" (97: 10) into which "the wicked" want to drag "the faithful" at the heart of the last part.

"ALL YOU GODS " (97: 7c) At the time the psalm was composed, monotheism was not yet imposed. Each nation had its own principal god, accompanied by subordinate and local gods. The worship of the Baal of the Canaanites and other foreign deities had not disappeared until the days of the exile in Babylon. For this reason, Ezekiel so strongly condemns the prostitution of Israel, which had abandoned Yhwh their God to follow his "abomination" (e.g., Ezek 16). This kind of idolatry hardly exists in the West today, but that does not mean that "Yhwh reigns" without division today. The idols that are served no longer have the names of the past, but "the golden calf still stands". And the worship of Profit, Power and other modem deities that hide their names is far from being dead. The various "worthlessness" (Ps 97:7) still reign, more ferociously than ever, constantly demanding that they be offered sacrifices. Moloch still enjoys human sacrifices, which are presented to him by entire peoples.

THE ADVERSARIES OF YHWH At the centre of the centre of the psahn, the gods are declared to be "worthlessness" (97:7b). The subsequent injunction addressed to "all you gods" to bow down to the one Lord (97:7c) can therefore only be ironic. "A statue", and especially "worthlessness", are incapable of doing anything. They are not the "adversaries" whom Yhwh's "fire" "sets ablaze" (97:3), but the human beings who populate "the world", "the earth", "all the earth" (97:3-5). Those who oppose the Lord are those who love "evil" (97: 10), those who "serve" "all gods", who worship "worthlessness" and boast themselves of them (97:7). One cannot love Yhwh and "evil" (97: lOa). Idolaters who love evil thereby hate the one Lord. "The wicked" (97: IOc) are no others than those who seek to draw the "faithful" into the "evil" of idolatry.

Psahn 97

119

"LET THE EARTH EXULT! " (97:1) There is only one mention of "all gods" in the last part, but it is done only to state that the "Most High" is much higher than them (97:9). They do nothing, they say nothing, they feel no emotion. On the contrary, there are the human beings who "rejoice" and "exult" (97:1, 8, 12), not only those of "Zion" and "Judah" (97:8), but also "the righteous" (97: 12) of the entire "earth" (97: la), who see themselves being delivered "from the hand of the wicked", who enjoy the "light" that "is sown" for them (97: 10-11).

3. "SING TO THE LORD, ALL THE EARTH" (PS 96-97) COMPOSITION OF THE FIRST SEQUENCE 96 ' Sing to Yhwh a new song. sing to Yhwh. All TIlE HRTIT; 2 sing to Yhwh. �ess his name. proclaim his salvation from day to day; 3 recount among the nations HlS GLORY. among .11.1. TilE PEOPLES his wonders. 4 Because great is Yhwh and greatly 10 b" praiswi. he is fearsome above ,oil 6C05; 5 because AU GODS of TIlE PF11PI.ES are 1VCRTflESSN'.SS. and Yhwh made THE HEAVENS; 6 majesty and sfJ endour befoce hl$ fuce. strength and beauty in his sanctuary. 7 Ascribe to Yhwh. 0 F.\lIlI.lES OF TIlE PEOPLES. ascribe to Yhwh GLORY and strength; 8 ascribe to Yhwh GLORY of his name. bring an offering and come into his courts; 9 bow down to Yhwh i n the splendour of HOLINESS. tremtJe befuce his face All TIIEHRTIT. 1 0 Say among the nations: YHWH REIGNSI Yes. TIfF WORLD is established. it cannot be shaken; he sentences TIfF PElJPT.ES with uprightness. 11 LET THE HEAVENS RElQtCE and LIfT TIfF EIRTif F..I"UIT. let the sea thunder and its fullness; 12let the fiEJd be jubilant. and all that is in it; then all the trees of the forest will shout for joy. 13 befuce the face because he comes. because he comes to JUDGE TIfF EIRTIf; he JUDGES TIfF WORf)) with RIGHTEOUSNESS and TilE PEOPLES with his truth. 97 1 YHWH REIGNS. LET TIfF EIRT E.I"VLT. LET the many islands REJulC£ ; 2 cloud and dark cloud around him. RIGHTEOUSNESS and JUDGMENT are the foundation of his throne. 3 Fire goes befoce his face and sets a�aze his adversaries all around; 4 his lightning lights up TIfF WORf)). and TIfF KtRTIf sees and shakes; 5 the mountains melt like wax Woce the foce of Yhwh. bef"oce the foce the master of All TIIELIRTIT. 6 THE HEAVENS proclaim HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS. and .11.1. TIlE PEOPLES see HlS GLORY. 7 Let all who serve a statue be shamed. who boasl lb"ms"/v,,s of WCllT� 1 Bow down to hi m. AU YOU GODS. 8 Zion hears and REJOICES. and the daughters of Judah H.\7ILT. because of your JUDGMENTS. O Yhwh. 9Yes. you are. 0 Yhwh. Most High over All TIlE HRTIT. you are greatly elevated over AU GClJS. 1O You who love Yhwh. hate evil I He guards the souls of his faithful. dEJ ivers them from the hand of the IMcked. 11 A light is sown for THE RIGHTEOUS. and JuY for the upright of heart. 12 REJ()WF. YOU RIGHTEOUS. in Yhwh. and give thanks to the remembrance of HIS HOlINESS.

- "All the earth" occurs twice in 96 : 1 , 9 (accompanied by "all the peoples" in 96:3 and "families of peoples" in 96:7), and twice in 97:5, 9 (accompanied by "all the peoples" in 97:6); it should be added the pairs "the world" and "the peoples" (96: 10), and "the world" and "the earth" (96: 13; 97:4); - "All gods" and "worthlessness" of 96:4-5 are retaken in 97:7, 9; - "God reigns" occurs in 96: 10 and 97: I; - The verbs "to rejoice" and "to exult" accompanied by "the earth" are found at the end of the first psalm (96: 1 1) and at the beginning of the two sides of the second psahn (97: I, 8); 'joy" occurs in 97: 1 1 ;

The Whole of the First Sequence (Ps 96-97)

121

- The word "glory" is repeated in 96:3, 7, 8 and 97:6; it always refers to the glory of God; - "Holiness" occurs in 96:9 and 97: 12; - "Righteousness" of 96: 13 is retaken by "righteousness" and "the righteous" in 97:6, l l, 12; - The terms "to judge" and 'judgment" link both psahns (96: 13; 97:2; retaken in plural in 97:8); - The terms "with uprightness" and "the upright" derive from the same root (96: 10; 97: l l); - "Boast themselves" (97:7) recall "to be praised" (96:4); - The word "the heavens" is found in 96:5, 1 1 and in 97:6; - "Before his/the face" occurs in 96:6, 9, 13 and in 97:3, 5 [2x] ; - The verb "to bow down" is found in 96:9 and 97:7; - Finally, the verb "is established" in 96: 10 derives from the same root as the word "the foundation" in 97:2.

INTERPRETATION "THE LORD REIGNS " (96: 1 0 AND 91: 1) That is the message to be proclaimed "among the nations" (96: 10), it is the reason why "the earth" and "the many islands" will rejoice and exult (97: 1). This reign is characterized by "his salvation", "his wonders" (96:2-3), "his glory" (96:3, 7, 8; 97:6), "his holiness" (96:9; 97: 12), "his righteousness" and "his judgment" (96: 13; 97:2, 6, 8). Other terms are added in abundance: "majesty and splendour", "glory and strength" (96:6, 7), "splendour of holiness" (96:9), "truth" (96: 13). He is surrounded by "cloud and dark cloud" as it was at Horeb (97:2), "fire" that "sets ablaze" (97:3) and melts "the mountains like wax" (97:5), "lightning" (97:4), "light" and 'joy" for "the righteous" and "the upright of heart" (97: l l).

"LET THE HEAVENS REJOICE AND THE EARTH EXULT I " (96: 1 1) Throughout the sequence, "all the earth" is invited to "sing" to the Lord

(96:1), to "exult" and "rejoice" (96 : l l; 97: 1) with "Zion" (97:8) and "the righteous" (97: 12). The reason is that Yhwh is "the master of all the earth" (97:5), the "Most High over all the earth" (97:9); "his lightning lights up the world, the earth sees and shakes" (97:4). Other terms associated with the four occurrences of "all the earth" are: "the nations" (96:3, 10), "all the peoples" (96:3; 97:6), "families of the peoples" (96:7), "the earth", "the world" (96: 13; 97:4), "the peoples" (96: 13). "The heavens" are associated with the joy of the earth (96: l l) and will join with it in order to "proclaim" the righteousness of God (97:6). "The sea" cannot be missing with "its fullness" (96 : l l), and

122

Third Section (Ps 96-100)

likewise "the field and all that is in it", as well as "all the trees of the forest" (96: 12). The totality of creation could not be marked more clearly.

ALL GODSARE WORTHLESSNESS The kingdom of God is abundantly described with all its "glory", "holiness", and "righteousness". "All the earth" with ''the heavens" and ''the sea" are invited in all their diversity to sing to him. In contrast, "all gods" of the nations are mentioned only twice in each psalm (96:4-5 & 97:7), and only to state that they are ''worthlessness'', "nothingness". They can only "bow down" to him. And those who serve them should be ashamed to worship "a statue" (97:7). The psahnist does not stop there, no more than for the other "adversaries" of the Lord (97:3), nor for "the wicked", mentioned so to speak in passing (97: 10), not to say simply being swept away.

II. "ALL THE ENDS OF THE EARTH HAVE SEEN THE SALVATION OF OUR GOD" The Second Sequence: Ps 98 TEXT 1 A psalm. Sing to Yhwh a new song. Yes, he has done wonders: his right hand has saved him and the arm of his hdiness. 2 Yhwh has made known his salvation, in the eyes of the nations he has revealed his righteousness; 3 he has remembered his faithfulness and his truth to the house of Israe; all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God. 4 Acclaim Yhwh, all the earth, break forth and shout for joy and sing psal ms; 5 sing psal ms to Yhwh with the cithara, IMth the cithara and the sound of psalmody; 6IMth the trumpets and the sound of the horn, acdaim before the king Yhwh. 7 Let the sea and its fullness thunder, the wond and those who dwell in itl 8 Let the rivers clap the hands, let the mountains shout for joy together, 9 before Yhwhl Yes, he comes to judge the earth, he 11.111 judge the wond with righteousness and the peopes IMth uprightness.

The psahn does not present any textual difficulty.

COMPOSITION The psalm is organised into two parallel parts : an invitatory (Ibc & 4-9a) followed by its motivation ( l d-3 & 9bcd). This composition was already identified in the early 19th century by Boys.!

THE FIRST PART (lB-3) +

Ib

+

a

Sing song,

TO YHIf*t

a new one.

: Yes, wonders : HAS SAVED H1M

: and the ann -

2

(He) has made known, lJle f!fes

- In

he has done: his right hand, of his holiness. YtMtI

HIS SALVATION,

of the nations

he has revealed

:: 3

he has remembered his faithfulness : : to the house of Israel; - (they) have seen, - THE SALVATION

1

Th.

BoYs,A

all the ends OF OUR GOO.

Key to the Book a/the Psalms, 74.

and his truth of the earth

his righteousness;

124 +

Ib

+

a

Sing song,

: Yes, wonders : HAS SAVED HIM

: and the ann -

2

(He) has made known,

I n the eyes :: 3

he has remembered : : to the house - (they) have seen, - ruE SALVATION

Third Section (Ps 96-100) TO YHWH

a new one. he has done: his right hand, of his holiness. YHMi

HIS SALVATION,

of the nadons

he has revealed

his faithfulness of Israel;

and his truth

all the ends

of the earth

his righteousness;

OF OUR GOO.

In the short initial subpart ( 1 bc), both terms at the beginning of the members are from the same root. The second subpart ( ld-3), which begins with kf, translated as "yes" ( ld), is much more extensive and gives the reasons for the invitation to sing to the Lord. The first piece ( ldef) is an abb type trirnember: the last two members beginning with the verb "to save" (Ie) explain the "wonders" mentioned in the first member ( l d). The second piece (2-3) is built concentrically: the extreme segments (2ab & 3cd) correspond to each other in a mirrored fashion, with "salvation" and the name of God in 2a and 3d, with "in the eyes" / "they have seen" and "nations" / "all the ends of the earth" in 2b and 3c. At the centre (3ab), "the house of Israel" is the recipient of "salvation" (2a & 3d), "his righteousness" (2b), and "his faithfulness and truth" (3a). The verb "to save" of the first piece ( Ie) is echoed by "salvation" at the extremities of the second piece (2a & 3d). "His holiness" at the end of the first piece ( If) is echoed by "his righteousness", and "his faithfulness and truth" in the second piece (2b & 3a).

THE SECOND PART (4-9) The first piece in the first subpart (4-6) is addressed to "all the earth" (4a), that is, to human beings, who are invited to "sing psahns" (4b & 5a) accompanied by the musical instruments. The second piece (7-9a), on the other hand, is addressed to the ''world'', "sea", "rivers" and "mountains". The two occurrences of "acclaim" form an inclusion for the first piece (4a & 6b), with all intermediary members specifying the modalities of acclamation: the two occurrences of "sing psahns" link the first two segments (4b & 5a), those of

Psahn 98

125

"cithara" link the two members of 5, and those of "and the sound of', the last two segments (5b & 6a). + 4 Acclaim

YHMi,

: : break forth

and SHOUf FOR Xf(

all THE lWlTH, and sing psalms;

to YH\IIH

with the cithara,

end the $a ucd

of the horn, the king

: : j slI1g psalms

: : with the cithara

: : 6 with the trumpets +

acclaim

- 7 Let thunder -

TH E WORLD

= 8 The rivers together � 9 BEFORE

�

Qnd tnlO:' so und BEFORE

ofpsalmody;

VHWH.

the sea and its fulness, and those who dwell in it! let (them) clap the rn ountains

the hands,

LEr (TIEM) SHOUT ,GIl JOf,

YHMi I

- Yes, he corn es

tojudgs

THE EARTH,

- lJe willjudgs

ll1E WORLD

with righteousness

- and the peoples

with uprightness.

In the second piece, "the world" (7b) is paralleled to "the sea" (7a) and in this way it refers to dry land;2 "those who dwell in it" (7b) are then the land animals, paralleled by those of the sea, "its fullness" (7a). The two segments are parallel: Indeed, the term "the rivers" (8a) corresponds to "the sea" (7a), and "the mountains" (8b) to "the world" (7b). "Before the king Yhwh" and "before Yhwh" (6b & 9a) act as the final terms of the two pieces in the first subpart. In the second subpart (9bcd), the verb "to judge" occurs in the first two members (9bc); the last two members (9cd) end with the synonymous terms, "with righteousness" and "with uprightness". The second subpart takes up, in the same order, "the earth" and "the world" from the first subpart (4a & 7b). The verb "shout for joy" is repeated (4b & 8b). The term "the peoples" specifies at the end the addressees of Yhwh's judgment (9d).

2 See, e.g., 1 Sam 2:8 ("for to Yhwh belong the pillars of the earth, on these he has poised the world"); see also 2 Sam 22: 16 (''The very springs of ocean were exposed, the world's foundations were laid bare, at the roaring of Yahweh, at the blast of breath from his nostrils").

126

Third Section (Ps 96-100)

THE WHOLE OF THEPSAIM 98 1 A psalm

1++ SIVh

a song, : YES, wonders : has saved him

: and the ann 2

Has rn ade know - in the eyes -

TO YHWH

a new one.

he has done : his right hand, of H�HOLNESS . YHiM'I

his salvation,

ofthe nations

he has revealed

.. 3

he has remembered HS FAlTHFl.UIIESS oflsrael; . . to the house

and HIS TRUrH

- have seen

ALL

the ends OF OUR GOD.

of THE llARlli

4 M!:i.Mll

YtMti,

AU THE IlARTH,

nREAK FORTII

and snolT FOR-JOY

and Slvr; PSMJIS;

- the salvation

++ ++ ++

j Slvr; PSMJIS

TO YHWli

with the cithara

and the sound

with the cithara, of psalmody;

6 with the trumpets

and the sound before

of the hom, the king

M!:i.ml

- 7 LIIT TIIIVDER

- the world = 8 The rivers � together = 9 before

YffIIIIH

the sea and its fulness, and those who dwell in it! LET TIIEll CLIP

the hands,

the rn ountains

LET TIIEll snolT FOR JOY,

YHWH I

- YES, he comes

to judge

lliE llARlli,

- he will judge

the world

WITH RJGHTEOLJ5I'ESS

- and the peoples

HIS RJGHTEOLJ5NESS ;

WITH UPI1IGHNE55.

The two parts are parallel, balancing each other in their imbalance. Indeed, the invitatory in the first part is very brief, measuring only one segment ( lbc), while its motivation is extensive ( l d-3); the opposite is true in the second part, where the invitatory is very long (4-9a) and its motivation is very short, measuring only one segment (9bcd). The motivation in the first part focuses on the past, while the motivation in the second part focuses on the future. The three occurrences of "to save/salvation" in

Psahn 98

127

the fIrst motivation (Ie, 2a, 3d) correspond to the two occurrences of the verb 'to judge" in the second motivation (9b & 9c). "Yes" introduces the motivational subparts ( l d & 9b). "All the ends of the earth" and "all the earth" (3c & 3a) link both parts. The occurrences of "the earth" in 3c and 9b act as fInal tenns. "Righteousness" occurs in 2b and 9c. On the one hand, the last member of the fIrst part (3d) allows us to understand that the speaker is a member of the people of Israel, since he calls "Yhwh" "our God";3 and, on the other hand, that the fIrst member of the second part (4a) identifIes the addressee of the psahn, "all the earth" which is the only vocative in the psahn. Whereas in the fIrst part "Israel" (3ab) is distinguished from "the nations" (2b), namely from "all the ends of the earth" (3c), in the second part it is "all the earth" (4a) that is invited to acclaim Yhwh and the Lord who "comes to judge" "the earth", "the world", "the peoples" without distinction (9bcd), namely Israel as well as the pagan "nations".

CONTEXT

"HIS RIGHT HAND HAS SAVE HIM" (98: 1 E) The wonders that the Lord has done are explained in the singular in a brief but surprising fonnula: "his right hand has saved him" (98 : l e). We are used to hear that God saved Israel, not that he saved himself! That is the reason why the translations soften the sharpness of the wording: "His right hand helped him",' "He assured victory",' "His right hand, his most holy ann made him victorious".6 This is not the only time that such an expression is used: 16 He saw he was astonished

that there was no rn an, that there was none to intervene,

then SAVED HIM and his righteousness, it

his ann, sustained him.

17 He put on

righteousness

and the helmet

OF SALVATION

like a breastplate, on his head (Isa 59: 16-17; see also 63:5).

"As if the Lord had been attacked and had to defend himself' .' His enemies

thought that he was unable to save Israel and his name, which means his reputation was at stake. By saving his people, he saves the honour of his name.

3 It is the only first person plural pronoun. Dhorrne, Osty. 5 Traduction liturgique. 6 TOB. For the sake of consistency, the other occurrences of the same root are rendered in the same way: "2 The Lord has made known his victory [ ... ] 3c To the ends of the earth the victory of our God has been seen" (similarly the liturgical translation, Ravasi, II, 1023-24, 1031-32). 7 Alonso Schoekel - Carniti, II, 353. 4

128

Third Section (Ps 96-100)

Such a formulation recalls the reason that God gives for not destroying Israel because of its repeated unfaithfulness : Then I thought I would pour out m y wrath upon them and spend m y anger against them in the midst of the land of Egypt ' But I acted for the sake of my name, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations among whom they lived, in whose sight I made myself known to them in bringing them out of the land of Egypt (Ezek 20:8-9; see also 20: 1 4, 22; 36:21-22) And the chapter ends with this statement: 44 And you shall know that I am Yhwh, when I deal with you for the sake ofmy name, not according to your evil ways, or corrupt deeds, 0 house of Israel, says the Lord Yhwh. (Ezek 2044)

"TURN TOMEAND YOU WILL BE SAVED " (ISA 45:22) Deutero-Isaiah promises salvation to all nations that accompanied by " righteousness" : 22 Turn to me andyou will be saved,

all the ends of the earth, because I am God, and there is no other. 23 By myself! have sworn, from my mouth has gone forth righteousness, it is an irrevocable word: Yes, before me every knee shall bow, by me every tongue shall swear 24

saying: In Yhwh alone are righteousness and strength. (Isa 45:22-24)

INTERPRETATION

A SONG OFAlL THE EARTH The psahn begins abruptly and very concisely: the four words of the initial invitation (Ps 98: lbc) do not say to whom it is addressed. It is the other invitatory (98:4-9), extremely extensive, which in its fIrst three words reveals it: It is "all the earth" that is called to sing it (98:4a). This song will not only be a solemn acclamation that humans will accompany with all kinds of instruments (98:4-6), it will also be the song of the whole of creation, of "the sea" and "the rivers", of the dry land and "the mountains", whose shouts for joy will join those of all the people.

Psahn 98

129

"A NEW SONG " (98:1c) Right from the start, the song is described as "a new". Is this simply because it is another song, a new composition, necessarily different from all the others? Or is its novelty not only in its form, but also in its content? A certain novelty lies in the fact that it is "all the earth" (98:4a) that is invited to praise Yhwh, and not only Israel. But this novelty is relative, for three other psalms exist which are also addressed to "all the earth" (Ps 66 : 1 ; 96:1,9; 100:1). It seems that the specific novelty of the psalm is the "salvation" of God (Ps 98:3d). While this salvation was manifested in faithfulness and loyalty to the covenant made in favour of Israel (98:3ab), the revelation of God's salvation and righteousness was made in the eyes of all the nations (98:3cd). The question arises as to whether the Gentiles were merely spectators of the salvation of the chosen people alone, or whether they too were beneficiaries, along with Israel.

GOD ·S RIGHTEOUSNESS God's "righteousness" is coordinated with his "salvation" (98:2). Would God be righteous only with Israel? In saving Israel, he restores righteousness : he saves the oppressed from the clutches of those who want to tear them apart and swallow them up, but he also saves the aggressor from hisiher violence, thus leading both to peace. That is what he did in the past (98: ld-3), and that is what he will do in the future when he "will judge" "with righteousness" and "with uprightness" (9bcd). "The earth", "the world", including all "peoples"-Israel together with all other peoples-will be saved together from oppression and violence. And therefore, the name of God himself will be "saved" (98 : l e).

III. "THE LORD REIGNS OVER ALL THE PEOPLES" The Third Sequence: Ps 99-100

l . PSALM 99 TEXT 1 Yhwh reigns, the peoples tremble, he sits on the Cherubim, the earth shakes; 2 Yhwh is great in Zion, and he (is) exalted over all the peoples. 3 Let them give thanks to your great and fearsome name: He (is) hdy. 4 And the strength of the king (is) the judgment which he loves, (it was) you who have established uprightness; j udgment and righteousness in Jacob, (it was) you who have made. 5 Exalt Yhwh our God, bow down to the footstod of his feel: He (is) hdy. 6 Moses and Aaron among his priests, and Samuel among those calling his name, they called Yhwh and (it was) he who answered them. 7 1 n the pilar of cloud he spoke with them, they kept his testimonies and the law that he gave them. 8 0 Yhwh our God, (it was) you who answered them, you were a God of forgiveness to them and you took vengeance on their wrongdoings. 9 Exalt Yhwh our God, bow down to the mountain of his hdiness: Because Yhwh our God (is) hay. V.

lB: "SHAKES "

This verb (nut) is a hapax and can be understood through the parallel term "tremble" in the first member.

V. 4: "AND THE STRENGTH OF THE KING (IS) THE JUDGMENT WHICH HE LOVES " The whole first member of the verse is problematic, and there are many attempts to solve it l

COMPOSITION The psahn is organised into three parts ( 1-3, 4-5 & 6-9) delimitated by the final terms.

1 See Ravasi, II, 1045; Vesco, 917, note 2; Hossfeld - Zenger, II, 483 (the solution of these authors is retained here).

132

Third Section (Ps 96-100)

THE FIRST PART (1-3) + l Y�H

: : he sits : : 2 YHIIIH +

and EXALTED, : : 3 Let them

give thanks

+ HOLY,

reIgns, on the Cherubim,

tremble shakes

!he peoples, the earth;

in Zion HE (is),

is GREAT, over all

!he peoples.

10 YOUR NAI.IE

GREAT

and fearsome:

HE

(is).

The first piece is descriptive (1-2), the second one is appellative (3). The two members of the first segment (1) are parallel term by term. Those of the second segment (2) are complementary: the greatness of the Lord is manifested not only "in Zion" (2a), but also "over all the peoples" (2b). The two segments are constructed in mirror image manuer, with "the peoples" at the extremities ( la & 2b) and "on the Cherubim" and "in Zion" in the median members ( 1 b & 2a). The single segment of the second piece (3) parallels the preceding segment (2): "great" is repeated in the first members (2a & 3a) where "your name" (3a) refers to "Yhwh" (2a). Both terms in the second member (3b) correspond to the first two terms in 2b.

THE SECOND PART (4-5) - 4 And the strength + (it was) YOU

of the king (is) thejudgment who have established uprightness;

-judgment (it was) YOU

and righteousness who have made.

in Jacob,

: : 5 Exaft

YHWH

: : bow down

to the footstool he (is).

OUR GOD,

+

� Holy,

which he loves,

of his feet:

Again, the first piece (4) is descriptive, the second one (5) is appellative. The two segments of the first piece are paralleL "Strength and 'judgement" of 4a are matched by 'judgement" and "righteousness" in 4c; the second members start with "you" (4b & 4d), the verbs "to establish" and "to make" belong to the same semantic field. The trimember of the second piece (5) is of aab type: the third member (5c) gives the reason for the preceding imperatives. The first two members (5ab) are complementary: God is exalted by those who bow down to him.

Psahn 99

133

THE THIRD PART (6-9)

+ and Samuel

and Aaron among those caJiing

�

YH\\tI

among his priests, his name, and (it was) he who answered them.

of cloud his testimonies

he spoke and the law

with them,

� 8 0 YtMtl Ol.ll Goo , bearing + a Goo + and you took vengeance on their deeds.

(it was) you you were

who answered them,

: : 6 Moses they called

: : 7 In the pillar

: : they kept

YHiM'I

: : bow down

to the rn ountain

of his holiness:

YH\\tI

OUR GOO.

Because (is) holy,

totilem,

OUR Goo,

: : 9 Exaft �

that he gave them.

The first piece (6-8) refers to the figures representing the Law and the Prophets. It seems that the last two segments (7-8) correspond, in the same order, to the first two members of the first segment (6). "Moses" and his brother "Aaron" are placed among the "priests", because they were of the tribe of Levi (6a), but they were the ones who received "his testimonies and the law" in "the cloud" and "kept" them (7). The prophet Samuel (6b) announced the forgiveness of God who "bears" the faults (8b), that is forgiving them and "taking vengeance on their (bad) deeds" (8C) 2 All "called" to God (6bc) and he "answered" all of them (6c & 8a). What Moses and Aaron have in common with Samuel is their function as intercessors who "call" and to whom God answers (6c). The second piece (9) is the size of a trimember. The first two members begin with imperatives. Introduced with "because" (9c), the third member gives the reason for the preceding invitations; "holiness" and "holy" link the last two members (9bc), and the extreme members end in the same fashion with "Yhwh our God" (9a & 9c). "Yhwh our God" in 8a, which combines "Yhwh" in 6c and "God" in 8b into one syntagma, appears twice in the second piece (9a & 9c).

2

See, e.g., Vesco, 92 1 .

134

Third Section (Ps 96-100)

THE WHOLE OF THEPSAIM - 99 1 YHWH - he sits

2 Yi'MIi - and exalted, _

: : 3 Let them give thanks � HOLY,

- 4 And the strength

+ (it was)

on the Cherubim,

tremble shakes

the peoples, the earth;

in ZiOll he (is),

is great, over all

the peoples.

to 11I1ll � 111 E HE (is).

great

and fearsome:

REIGNS ,

IOU

OF TIlE KING (is) the judgment who have established uprightness;

which he loves,

and righteousness who have made.

in JlJ\nilU

- The extreme psalms have in common the initial terms, "Sing to Yhwh a new song" (96 : 1 & 98 : 1); - In the [mal terms of the extreme psalms, "because he comes to judge the earth, he judges/will judge the world with righteousness and the peoples with his truth/uprightness" (96 : 13 & 98:9); - The phrase "let the sea thunder and its fullness" returns shortly before the end of these psalms (96: I I & 98:7), accompanied by "the heavens" and "the earth" (96: l l), "the field" and "all that is in it", and "the trees of the forest" (96: 12), by "the world and those who dwell in it" (98:7), "the rivers" and "the mountains" (98:8); - "To sing psahns" and "psahnody" in 98:4-5 (with the musical instruments) are in relation to the Temple: "in his sanctuary" (96:6), "an offering" and "his courts" (96:8) "before his face" (98:9); - And repeated word "salvation" and "to save" (96:2; 98: 1, 2, 3); - "The nations" (96:3, 10; 98:2); - "Wonders" (96:3; 98:1); - "His truth" (96: 13c; 98:3); - "Shout for joy" (96: 12; 98:4, 8). - The last two psalms have in common "the mountains" (97:5; 98:8); - "The faithful" (97: 10) and "faithfulness" (98:3); - "upright and uprightness" (97: l l; 98:9c).

152

Third Section (Ps 96-100)

RELATIONS BETWEEN THE LAST TWO SEQUENCES (PS 98 & Ps 99-1 00) 98 ' A psalm. Sing 10 Yhwh a new song. Yes, tiE IAS CONE wonders: his righl hand has saved him and Ihe arm of his holiness. 2 Yhwh has made known his salvalion, in Ihe eyes of Ihe nalions he has revealed hi� rlghtfZOlUnflN; 3 he has remembered HIS FAlTJ1HlLNESS and HIS TRLlTH 10 Ihe house of Israel; ,III TIlE ms OF TIlE E.lRTli have seen Ihe salvalion of our God. 4 ACCLAIM

Yhwh,

PSALMS

10 Yhwh IAilh Ihe cilhara, wilh Ihe cilhara and Ihe sound of PSALMODY; 61Ailh Ihe

All TIlE f,IRTII,

break forth and

SlfiJ1J7 frJ,� JD'i and SING PSALMS;

5 SING

Irumpels and Ihe sound of Ihe horn, ACCI.AIM before Ihe king Yhwh. 1 Lel lhe sea and ils fullness Ihunder, Ihe wand and Ihose who dwell in ill 8 Lel lhe rivers clap Ihe hands, lel lhe mounlains SHOIJ'fFllRJOf'logelher, 9 before Yhwhl Yes, he comes 10 judglt Ihe earth, hit 111 1 11 judglt Ihe wand IAilh rlghtsrouanflN and TilE PEOPLES wilh uprighlness.

99 ' Yhwh reigns, TIlE PEOPLES IremtJe, he sils on Ihe Cheru�m, Ihe earth shakes; 2Yhwh is greal IN ZION , and he is exalled over All TIIHmpUX 3 Lel lhem give Ihanks 10 your greal and fearsome name: He is holy. 4 And

the strength of the king is the judgmS'nl which he loves, it was you who have estatJished uprightness; judgmS'nt and rlghtfZOu�nflN in Jacob, it was you 'M-IO �IAIIE lllAoe. 5 Exalt Yhwh our God, bow down TO mE FOOTSTOOL OF HIS PEET: He is holy.

6 Moses and Aaron among his priests, and SamuEJ among those calling his name, they called Yhwh and it was he who answered them. ' in the pillar of cloud he speke with them, they kept his testimonies and the law that he gave them. 8 0 Yhwh our God, it was you who answered them, you were a God of forgiveness to them and you took vengeance on their wrongdoings. 9 Exalt Yhwh our God, bow down TO m E MOUNTPJN OF his holiness: Because Yhwh our God is holy 100 1 A psalm for thanksgiving. ACCLAIM Yhwh,

All TilE LlRTII,

2 serve Yhwh with joy, come

before his face IAith $Ji1)IJT$OF'JDJi

3 Know that Yhwh, he is God, it is he v.t10 WlOE IJS and we are his, illS PEOPLE and the sheep of his pasture. 4 Come

to his PORTICOES IAith thanksgiving, to his COURTS with praise, give thanks to him, tJess his namel 5Yes, Yhwh is good, IfIS FAlTIlFULNESS is forever, and HIS TRUTH from age to age.

The Whole of the Third Section (Ps 96-100)

153

- The three psahns have in common "all the earth" (98:4; 100: I) and "all the peoples" (99:2); to which should be added "all the ends of the earth" (98:3), "the peoples" (98:9; 99: I) and once "his people" (100:3); - The verb "to do / to make" (98: I; 99:4; 100:3); - The Temple is mentioned in the first psahn with the terms "to sing psalms" and "psahnody" (98:4-5) together with all the musical instruments; in the second psalm with "in Zion" (99:2), "to the footstool of his feet" (99:5) and "to the mountain of his holiness" (99:9), and in the last psahn with "before his face" ( 100:2), "in his porticoes" and "in his courts" (100:4). - The first two psahns have in common "holinesslholy" (98 : 1 ; 99:3, 5, 9[2x]); - "Righteousness" is repeated in 98:2, 9 and 99:4; - "To judge/judgment" occurs in 98:9[2x] and 99:4[2x]. - The extreme psahns begin with the term "a psalm"; - The couple "his faithfulness" and "his truth" are found in 98:3 and 100:5; - The verb "to acclaim" occurs in 98:4, 6 and 100: I; - "Shout for/ofjoy" is found in 98:4, 8 and 100:2;

SPECIFICITY OF THE CENTRAL SEQUENCE (PS 98) Most of vocabulary in the central psahn of the sequence is found elsewhere in the section: 98 1 A PSALM. SING TO YHWH A NEW SONG. YES, HE HAS DONE WONDERS : his right hand HAS SAVED HIM and the arm OF HIS HOLINESS. 2 YHWH HAS MADE KNOWN HIS SALVATION, in the eyes OF THE NATIONS he has revealed HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS; 3 HE HAS REMEMBERED HIS FAITHFULNESS AND HIS TRUTH to the house of Israel; ALL the ends OF THE EARTH HAVE SEEN THE SALVATION OF OUR GOD.

4 ACCLAIM YHWH, ALL THE EARTH, break forth AND SHOUT FOR JOy AND SING PSALMS;

5 SING

PSALMS TO YHWH, with the cithara, with th e cithara and the sound OF

PSALMODY; 6 with the trumpets and the sound ofthe horn, ACCLAIM BEFORE THE KING YHWH. 7 LET THE SEA AND ITS FULLNESS THUNDER, THE WORLD AND THOSE WHO DWELL IN IT ! 8 Let the rivers clap the hands, LET THE MOUNTAINS SHOUT FOR JOy ' togeth er, BEFORE YHWH ' YES, HE COMES TO JUDGE THE EARTH, HE WILL JUDGE THE WORLD WITH RIGHTEOUSNESS AND THE PEOPLES WITH UPRIGHTNESS.

154

Third Section (Ps 96-100)

INTERPRETATION "YHWHREIGNS " (Ps 97:1: 99:1) Two psalms begin with this proclamation (Ps 97 & Ps 99), but all the psahns in the section present the Lord in a royal guise. The first psahn, at the beginning of its second side, calls out to its addressees: "Say among the nations, 'Yhwh reigns '" (96:10). In the central psahn Yhwh is called "the king" (98:6), as he is called in the next psahn (99:4) and as the preceding one mentions "his throne" (97:2). Only the last psalm does not speak of a reign, of a king or of a throne. However, when the psalmist says that we are "his people, the sheep of his pasture" (100:3), it is the image of the shepherd that is evoked, the traditional image of the king who takes care of the sheep of his flock: "Yhwh is my shepherd, I lack nothing" (Ps 23: 1). RIGHTEOUSNESS, HOLINESS, SALVATION, GLORY... The five psahns strive to accumulate the attributes and qualities of King Yhwh. The first object that the recipients are invited to "proclaim" is "his salvation" (96:2). This indicates from the outset that the "glory" of this king and the "wonders" he accomplishes (96:3) are for the benefit of "all the earth". He is "great" and greatly ''to be praised" by men, and when he is ''fearsome'', he is to "all gods", those who are "worthlessness" (96:4). "Majesty and splendour" accompany him, "strength and beauty in his sanctuary" (96:6), which means in favour of those who corne "before his face" to recognise "his glory", "the splendour of his holiness" (96:7-9). And these are "his salvation" (96:2; 98: 1, 2, 3), "his wonders" (96:3; 99: 1), "his glory" (96:3, 7, 8; 97:6), "his holiness" (96:9; 97:12; 98 : 1 ; 99:3, 5, 9), his "uprightness" (96 : 10; 98:9; 99:4), "his righteousness" (96: 13; 97:2, 6; 98:2, 9; 99:4), his 'judgment" (%: 13; 97:2, 8; 98:9; 99:4). He is "great" (96:4; 99:2, 3) and "fearsome" (96:4; 99:3), "exalted" (99:2), "light" and 'joy" (97: l l); he is the one who answers (99:6, 8), who gives "the testimony and the law" (99:7). In short, he is "good" (100:5), "his truth" (96: 13), "his faithfulness and truth" (98:3; 100:5) are "forever" and "from age to age". That is the final word.

"ALL THE EARTH " (96:1, 9: 98:4: 1 00:1) All the psahns in the sequence, without exception, invite "all the earth" (96: 1, 9; 98:4; 100:1) to sing to the Lord, which is right and proper since he is "the ruler of all the earth" (97:5), "Most High over all the earth" (97:9). The expressions "all the earth", "all the ends of the earth" (98:3) mean first of all "all the peoples" (96:3; 97:6; 99:2), all the "families of the peoples" (96:7). However, they are not limited to human beings: "the heavens proclaim his righteousness, and all the peoples see his glory" (97:6). They include all creation, ''the heavens, the earth and the sea", ''the heavens" to rejoice, ''the

The Whole of the Third Section (Ps 96-100)

ISS

earth" to exult, "the sea" to thunder (96: 1 1), "the field and all that is in it", "all the trees of the forest" (96: 12), "the earth" and "the many islands" (97: I), "the rivers" to clap their hands, "the mountains" to shout for joy (98:8). "IN HIS SANCTUARY" (96:6) It is in "Zion" (97:8; 99:2), in his "sanctuary" (96:6), that all the peoples are invited to come together to "bring an offering" "in his courts", to ''bow down before Yhwh" (99:7, 9). There they will sing psahns accompanied by all the liturgical instruments (98:4-6); they will "bow down in Zion" "to the footstool of his feet", "to the mountain of his holiness" (99:2, 5, 9); they will corne "before his face", "to his porticoes", "to his courts" (100:2, 4). "THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL " (98:3) AND "THE FAMILIES OF THE PEOPLES " (96: 7) All the peoples are called to "bless" the name of the Lord (96:2; 100:4), to "give thanks" to him (97: 12; 99:3; 100: I, 4[2x]). The primary reason for it is given at the very beginning: it is "his salvation" (96:2) and the central psahn says who is the first beneficiary, namely "the house of Israel". In this way, "his faithfulness and loyalty" (98: 1-3) is manifested, according to the promises of the covenant concluded with "his people", the chosen people among all the peoples, "the sheep of his pasture" (100:3). However, it is clear throughout the section that the reasons why the whole earth is called to "sing a new song" extend beyond the salvation of Israel. It is that the Lord rules over all creation, over all nations, over their gods which are vanity. The fact that "all the peoples" are called "families of the peoples" in the first psahn (96:7) echoes the promise made to Abram: "Through you all the families of the earth will be blessed" (Gen 12:3), a promise renewed to Jacob (Gen 28: 14). We can thus understand that "his faithfulness" and "his truth", mentioned at the end of the sequence, are no longer reserved for the chosen people but extended to all, "forever" and "from age to age" (Ps 100:5).

"WHEN WILL YOU COME TO ME?" Fourth Section Ps 1 0 1

PSALM 101 TEXT 1 Of

David, a psal m. I IAiIi sing of faithfLJ ness and judgment, to you, 0 Yhwh, I IAiIi sing psal ms. 2 1 will progress in the way of the perfect; when IAiIi you come to me? I IAiIi walk in the perfection of my heart, in the midst of my house. 3 1 will not set before my eyes a word of Belial; I hate the work of the deviated, it shall not ding to me. 4 A perverse heart turns aside from me, I do not know evil. 5 One who secretly slanders his neighbour, that one I IAiIi annihilate, haughty of eyes and swollen of heart, that one I IAiIi not bear. 6 My eyes on the truthful of the land to dwEJI with me; he who walks in the way of the perfect, he (is the one) who IAiIi serve me. 7 Shall not dwell in the !lidst of my house the one who practices deceit; the one who speaks lies shall not stand before my eyes. 8 Each morning I will annihilate all the wicked of the land to cut off from the city of Yhwh all the doers of iniquity.

v. 2: '1 WILL PROGRESS " This verb (SkI, hiphil) covers a wide spectrum of meaning: "to comprehend! understand" (Ps 2: 10; 64: 10); "to instruct" ( 14:2; 32:8), "to be wise", "prudent" (36:4; 53:3); "to think about", "to be concerned with" (41:2); "to succeed" (Ps l l 1 : 10). Here, the meaning of "to progress" (TOB) implies an aspect of wisdom in the verb 1 v. 3: "BELIAL " This proper name is also used in Ps 18:5 and 4 1 :9 2 "A word of Belial" is also found in Deut 15:9, where this expression can be rendered as "a word of scoundrel".

COMPOSITION After the title ( la), the psalm is organized into two parallel parts (2-5 & 6-8). Each part is divided into two subparts, the fIrst one stating what the psalmist wants, the second one what he does not want.

1

Vesco (921) translates it as "to pay attention" (conunentary, 931); Dhorrne prefers "to study". details see Le Psmttier. Premier livre, 198, 572 = The Psalter: Book One, 198, 572.

2 For more

160

Fourth Section (Ps 101)

THE FIRST PART (lB-5) + 1 Of faithfulness + to you,

and judgment O Yhwh,

I will sing, I will sing psalms.

2 I willprogress

in the way will you come

to me?

I will wa/k

in the perfection

of my HEART,

before of Belial;

lIT EYES

- the work - It shall not cling

of the deviated to me.

I hate,

_ 4 A HEART,

a perverse one, I do not know.

turns aside

secretly I will annihilate,

his neighbour,

orEmi

and swollen

�

= when � �

in the midst

-3

I will not set - a word

·

evil

- 5 One who slanders ·

tmt Olle

- haughty that Olle ·

of the perfect;

of my house.

from me,

of HEART,

I will not bear.

The first subpart ( 1-2) is the size of a piece of ABB type. The fIrst segment (1) concems the psalmist's relationship with "Yhwh" whom he wants to praise for his "faithfulness" and 'judgement"; the next two segments are marked by the theme of walking. The two members of the second segment (2ab) are complementary, the fIrst one describes the path taken by the psahnist, the second one that of God whom the speaker wishes to see corning towards him. The last segment (2cd) in some way intemalizes the preceding one, "the perfection of my heart" (2c) is succeeding "the way of the perfect" (2a), the "house" of the king (2d) seems to be the place where Yhwh would corne to him (2b). Constructed in a mirrored fashion, the fIrst piece of the second subpart (3) incorporates the "word" and the "work" of "the deviated" in the same refusaL The three bimembers of the second piece make the conduct of the deviated explicit (4-5): The extreme segments have in common "heart" (4a & 5c) and the negation in their second members (4b & 5d), in the last two segments the second members begin with "that one" (5b & 5d). The two occurrences of "eyes" (3a & 5c) serve as extreme terms for the subpart. Across the subparts, the word "heart" occurs in fInal terms (2c & 5c).

Psahn 101

161

THE SECOND PART (6-8) + 6 MYEYES

: : to dwell + he who

walks : : he (is the one)

-7

Shall not dwell

- the one who practices

on II,. frllth/,Il with me; in the way who will serve me.

0/11,. p�lf;;CI,

in the midst deceit;

of my house

- the one who speaks - shall not stand

lies before

- 8 Each rn orning . all the wicked

QF THE LAND,

- to cut off

. all the doers

OF TIlE LAND

MYEYES.

I will annihilate from the city of iniquity.

of Yhwh

The two bimernbers of the first subpart (6) put in parallel "the truthful" (6a) and "the perfect" (6c) whom the psahnist wishes to keep by his side (6b) to "serve him" (6d). Constructed in a mirror image manner, the first piece of the second subpart (7) concerns the liar (7bc) whom the psahnist will not accept "in the midst of his house", "before his eyes" (7a & 7d). Constructed in parallel, the two segments of the second piece (8) tell what the king will do against "the wicked", "the doers of iniquity": They will all be annihilated in the land (8a), eliminated from the capital (8c). "The truthful of the land" of the first subpart (6a) is opposed by "all the wicked of the land" of the second subpart (8b), and "the perfect" of the first subpart (6c) is opposed in the second subpart by "the one who practices deceit" and "the one who speaks lies" (7bc), as well as by "all the doers of iniquity" (8d). Take a note that the syntagma "my eyes" occurs at the beginning of the first piece (6a) and at the end of the second piece (7d).

162

Fourth Section (Ps 101)

THE WHOLE OF THEPSAIM 1 0 1 1 Of David,

a psalm.

: Of faithfulness - to you,

and judgment OYfMIi,

I will sing, I will sing psalm s.

: 2 I will progress

IN THE WAY

OF THE PERFECT,

will you corne

tome?

in the perfection

of my heart,

- when : I WILL WALK - []I THE !!IIlST

Ol' lIY HOOSE.

- 3 I will NOT set

BEFORE

. a word,

MY EYES

a demonic one; of the deviated to me.

I hate,

+ 4 A heart,

a perverse one,

turns aside

evil

I do NO T know.

. THE WORK

- it shall NOT cling ·

+ 5 One who slanders ·

that one

+ haughty ·

that one

: 6 My EYES

secretly

: HE WHO WALKS

C5 He turned their hearts to hate his peope, to deal craftily with his servants. ;£ He sent Moses his servant, Aaron, whom he had chosen; 27 they set among them the words of his signs, and miracles in the land of Ham. 28 He sent darkness, and made (it) dark, but they did not defy his orders; 29 he turned their waters into �ood, and caused their fish to cle; 3J their land teemed with frogs in the chambers of their kings. 31 He said, and insects came, mosquitoes in all the country, "' he gave hail (as) their rain, lames of fire in their land; 33 and he struck their vine and their fig tree, he broke the trees of their country. 34 He said, and the locusts came, and grasshoppers without number, 35 and they ate up every vegetation in their land, and they ate up the fruit of their ground; 36 and he struck all firstborn in their land, the first fruits of all their vigour. 37 And he brought them out IMth silver and gdd, and no one among their tribes stum�ed; 38 Egypt was gjad at their going out, because dread of them had fallen upon them. 39 He spread a cloud for a covering and a fire to light up the night. 40 They asked, he brought quails, and satisfied them with the bread of heaven; 41 he opened the rock, and the waters gushed out, and they have gone into dry paces (as) a river 42 Yes, he remembered his holy word to Abraham his servant. 43 And he brought out his peope in gladness, his chosen ones with shouts of joy; 44 and he gave them the lands of the nations, and they inherited the labour of the countries, 45 for the sake that they might keep his decrees and observe his laws. Praise Yahl

Fifth Section (Ps 102-106)

206

v. 1 6 "HE BROKE EVERY STAFF OF BREAD " Various interpretations have been proposed to explain the strange expression "staff of bread": A flail of the threshing, a shovel to take the bread out of the oven, a stick on which the loaves were put l One could understand it as "all supplies" (as in Lev 26:26; Isa 3 : 1). v. 22: "TO INSTRUCT HIS PRINCES BY HIS THROAT" The Hebrew text has "to bind" "to his soul"; based on the parallelism of both members, the choice of "to instruct" of the ancient versions seems preferable. v. 2 7: "THEY SET " The subject of the verb is "Moses" and "Aaron" mentioned in the preceding verse. The Septuagint puts the verb in the singular, thus understanding that its subject is the Lord. v. 40: "THEYASKED, HE BROUGHT QUAILS" The Masoretic text puts the fIrst verb in the singular. The ancient versions interpreted it with a collective meaning by putting it in the plural.

COMPOSITION

A long introductory part (1-5) is matched by a very short conclusion (45c). The body of the psalm comprises seven parts arranged concentrically.

INTRODUCTION (1-5) + 1 GrvE THANKS + PROClAIM

to YffI'M, among the peoples

+ 2 SING to him,

SING PSALMS to him,

+ REmE

all

HIS WONDERS.

in THE N/lME the heart

CF THOSE 11110 SEEK

: 3 PRAISE : let rejoice

CALL

of his holiness,

- Gfe:

his face

YH\\JH

and his strength, continually;

5 REMEMBER - his miracles

ll!E WONDERS

that he has done, of his mouth.

- 4 StARCH Fa< _

1

See Ravasi,

and the judgments

111, 151.

on HIS N/lME,

his mighty deeds;

YffIMi'

Psahn 105

207

In the first piece (1-2), each of the first members of the two segments contains two imperatives that call for praise of God ( l a & 2a), while the second members ( lb & 2b), which contain only one imperative, call for proclamation "among the peoples" of what he has done. In the third piece (4-5), the first segment is about the Lord himself (4), "his strength" and "his face", the second segment about his actions (5). Thus, the first segment corresponds to the first members of the segments of the first piece, and the second segment to the second members. The term "wonders" occurs in 2b and 5a. The central segment (3) provides the transition between the other two pieces. The term "name" of the first member (3a) is already used at the beginning of the first piece ( l a), "those who seek" refers to "seek" in the third piece (4b).

THE FIRST PART (6-1 1) : : 6 0 offspring : : 0 children

of ABRAHAM ofJACOl!

his servant, his chosen ones,

+ 7 he (is) + in all

Yhwh THE E4RTH

our God, his judgments.

- 8 He rernern bers - fhe word

which he commanded

�JREVEI\

HIS COVENANT, for a thousand

9 which - and his oath

he concluded to r.H IC

with ABRAHAM,

- 10 And he made it - for /.>11.KI

for J.W08 (as) a COVENANT

as a decree, FllREVEI\,

11 saying:

- "To you - the portion

I give of your inheritance."

TH E LAJ".J D

of Canaan,

_

generations,

In the first piece (6-7), the psahnist appeals to the descendants of Abraham and Jacob (6), of whom he is a part, to remind them that their God governs "all the earth" (7). The next two pieces (8-9 & 10-11) are devoted to the "covenant" made first with "Abraham" and his son "Isaac" (8-9), and then with Abraham's grandson, "Jacob-Israel" ( lOab). This confmned covenant with the three patriarchs is made "forever" (8a & lOb), "for a thousand generations" (8b). The last segment ( lOcd) provides the content of the promise, the "inheritance" of "the land of Canaan".

208

Fifth Section (Ps 102-106)

THE SECOND PART (12-16) : 12 When they were : very few

few and strangers

in number, in it,

: 13 and they went : from one kingdom

from nation to a people,

to nation, another one,

+

14 he did not allow : : and he chastised

an adam on their account

to oppress them, kings.

+

my anointed ones, do no harm (them)."

15 "Do not touch and my prophets, : : 16 And he called down : : every staff

+

a famine of bread

upon the earth, he broke.

The first piece (12-14) fonns a single phrase. During the nomadic period when the limited number of people of Israel was moving among the other settled peoples ( 12-13), the Lord protected them against their aggressors (14). The second piece (15-16) develops the last segment of the first piece. Its first segment (15) corresponds to 14a: God forbids anyone ("an adam'') to oppress those he considers his "anointed ones" and "prophets". As for the last segment (16), the action of God who "broke" "every staff of bread" corresponds to the chastisement imposed on kings ( 14b).

THE THIRD PART (1 7-22) before them was sold,

a man, Joseph;

- Iron

with fetters came

his foot, TO HIS THROAT,

= 19 until the tim e � the speech

when came of Yhwh

his word, justified him.

+ 20

the king,

and released him, set him free;

_ 17 HE SENT - (who) as a slave - 18 they afflicted

HE SENT,

+

/ho! f1J1�,

+

21 he ill ade him

lord

and roJl!1

over all

over his house, his possessions,

his princes

BY HIS THROAT,

+

+ 22 +

to instruct and his elders,

of the peoples

he made wise.

Psahn 105

209

The first piece ( 17-19) lists the painful stages of Joseph's life, being sold into slavery ( 17), being shackled in prison (IS), and being justified with God's help ( 19). The second piece (20-22) reports the exaltation that followed: His liberation by "the king" of Egypt (20), his institution as manager of his house (21), his office as master of the great ones (22). The "ruler" of the peoples (20b) makes Joseph "ruler" of his property (21b). It may be noted that the three terms belonging to the same semantic field, ''the king", "lord", ''his princes", are found in the same position, as the second terms of each segment (20a, 21a, 22a). Both pieces begin with the same verb (17a & 20a). Joseph's "throat" which had been tightened by "iron" of his chains ( l Sb), is the one that instructs the princes (22).

THE FOURTHPART (23-27) + 23 And carne + and JACOB = 24 and he made increase = made them stronger : 25 He turned : to deal craftily + 26 He sent + A'U,.- his covenant forever, the word which he commanded for a thousand generations, 16 which he concluded with Abraham, and his oath to Isaac. 17 And he made it as a decree for Jacob, for Israel as a covenant forever, 1 8 saying: "To you I give the land of Canaan, the portion of your inheritance." 1 9 When)'.,u IVt'1"it few in number, very few and strangers in it, 20 and they went from nation to nation, alldfrom one kingdom to another people, 2 1 he did not allow man to oppress them and he chastised kings on their account. 22 "Do not touch my anointed ones andfol",. my prophets do not do any harm."

A "LITTLE HISTORICAL CREED " The text that von Rad has called a "little historical creed" of Israel (Deut 26: 5-9) makes the one who brings the first fruits of his harvest to the Temple confess that he has corne a long way up to the present moment: j My father was a wandering Aramaean, who went down to Egypt with a small group of men, and stayed there, until he there became a great, powerful and numerous nation. 6 The Egyptians ill-treated us, they oppressed us and inflicted harsh slavery on us. 7But we called on Yhwh, God of our ancestors. Yhwh heard our voice and saw our misery, our toil and our oppression, 8 and Yhwh brought us out of Egypt with mighty hand and outstretched ann, with great terror, and with signs and wonders. 9 He brought us here and has given us this country, a country flowing with milk and honey. lO Hence, I now bring the first-fruits ofthe soil that you, Yhwh, have given me.

2 See Ps 96, p.

111.

Psahn 105

215

The creed of Deut 6:2 1-25 begins only with the corning out of Egypt. The creed of Josh 24:2-13 goes from Abraham son of Terah to the gift of the land; it is the historical prologue to the covenant at Shechem.

INTERPRETATION

THE GOD OF THE COVENANT \\!hat Israel is invited to "proclaim", to "recite", to "give thanks", to "sing psalms", are the "mighty deeds" of their God, "his wonders", "his miracles" and "his judgements" (Ps 105: 1-5). There is no mention of creation; everything begins with Abraham. The God of Israel is above all the one who intervenes in the history of humanity, to make a "covenant" with one of them and with his descendants, Isaac and Jacob (105:6-11). Remembering what he had promised to Abraham, he will subsequently make a covenant with all the people descending from him, when he gives his "decrees" and his "laws" to Moses ( 105 :45). However, the word "covenant" is no longer used after the generation of the fathers; this covenant is "for a thousand generations" (105:8) and "forever" (105: 10). As if there were only one covenant, and that of Moses is not a different one from the one made with Abraham, which is underlined by the verse with which the last part begins: "Yes, he remembered his holy word to Abraham his servant" (105 :42).

"PROCLAIMAMONG THE PEOPLES " (1 05: 1) The psalm traces the great stages in the history of the chosen people. However, other peoples are not absent. First, there are "the nations" and "the kingdoms" among whom the children of Israel carne and went as nomads driving their flocks (105: 12-13). The Lord defended them from the oppression of these peoples and had to chastise many of them (105 : 1 4-15). Then there are the Egyptians who "hated his people" (105 :25) and whom God struck with many plagues (105 :28-36), but they lent "silver and gold" to the children of Israel ( 105 :37). The Lord "covered" his people with a cloud to protect them from their pursuers (105 :39). And finally, there are "the nations" and "the countries" from which Israel inherited "the lands" ( 105:44). These are the punishments that the psalmist calls "the mighty deeds" of God and invites to proclaim them as such to their victims! Such behaviour-which could be taken as unconsciousness, if not sadism-can only be understood in the context of the covenant with Abraham. As soon as he is called, the promise is made that "all the families of the earth will bless themselves by you" (Gen 12:3). The formula returns like an insistent refrain: Gen 18: 18; 22:18; 26:4; 28:14.

2. PSALM 106 TEXT 1 Praise Yah. give thanks to Yhwh. because (he is) good. because his faithfLJ ness (endures) foreverl 2Who will express the prowess of Yhwh. make all his praise to be heard? 3 Happy (are) those who keep judgment. those who do righteousness at all timesl 4 Remember me. 0 Yhwh. in favour of your peope. visit me IMth your salvation. 5 to see the happiness of your chosen ones. to rejoice myself in the joy of your nation. to praise mysef with your inheritancel 6 We have sinned with our fathers. we have done wrong. we have acted wickedy; 7 our fathers in Egypt did not understand your wonders. they did not remember the abundance of your faithfLJ ness. they rebelled at the sea. by the Sea of Reeds. 8 And he saved them for the sake of his name. to make known his prowess; 9 he threatened the Sea of Reeds. and it dried uP. he let them through the depths as (through) a desert. 1 0 And he saved them from the hand of the hater. and redeemed them from the hand of the enemy; 1 1 and the waters covered their oppressors. not one of them escaped. 12 And they believed in his words. they sang his praise. 13 They made haste. they forgot his works. they did not wait for his pan. 14 and they desired a desire in the desert. and they tempted God in a IMlderness: 15 And he gave them what they asked for. and he sent a nausea into their throat. 16 And they were jealous of Moses in the camp. of Aaron the holy one of Yhwh: 17 The earth opened and swallowed up Dathan. and it covered the group of Abiram. 18 and fire l amed against their group. a lame burnt up the wicked. 19 They made a calf at Horeb and bowed down to a cast metal ; OJ they exchanged their glory for the image of an ox that eats grass. 21 They forgot God their saviour. who had done great things in Egypt. 22wonders in the land of Ham. marvels at the Sea of Reeds. 23And he spoke of exterminating them. if not that Moses his chosen one stood in the breach before him to turn away his fury from destroying. 24 They refused a delightful land. they did not b�ieve in his word; 25 they murmured in their tents. they did not listen to the voice of Yhwh. 26 And he lifted up his hand upon them. to make them fall in the desert. 27 to make their offspring fall among the nations. to scatter them in the lands. 28 They yoked themseves to Baal of Peor. and ate the sacrifices of the dead; 2l and they irritated him with their actions. and a pague broke out among them. 3J And Pinehas stood up and intervened. and the pague was stopped; 31 and it was accounted to him as righteousness from age to age forever. 32 And they made him angry at the waters of Meribah. and it went ill lMth Moses on their account. 33 because they rebeled against his spirit. and he spoke ras�y with his lips. 34 They did not exterminate the peoples. of which Yhwh had spoken to them. 35 and they minged IMth the nations. they learned their works; 36 and they served their idds. and they became a snare to them. 37 And they sacrificed their sons and their daughters to demons. 38and they shed innocent blood. the tJ ood of their sons and their daughters. whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan. and the land was profaned with �ood. 39 And they defiled themseves with their works. and prostituted themseves with their actions; 40 and Yhwh caught a fire against his people. and he abhorred his inheritance. 41 And he gave them into the hand of the nations. and their haters ruled over them; 42 and their enemies oppressed them. and they were subdued under their hand. 43 Many times he delivered them. and they rebeled in their bravado and sank in their fault. 44 And he saw their anguish when he heard their cry; 45 and he remembered for them his covenant. and he was moved according to the abundance of his faithfu ness; 46 and he granted them mercy before all who had deported them. 47 Save us. 0 Yhwh our God. and gather us from the nations. to give thanks to your hay name. and to glory in your praise. 48 Blessed be Yhwh the God of Isra� from everlasting and to everl astingl And all the peope will say: Amenl Praise Yahl

218

Fifth Section (Ps 102-106)

v. 15: "AND HE SENTA NAUSEA INTO THEIR THROAT" The term ra$on is already used in verse 4, where it is rendered as "love", "favour"; the Septuagint translates it as "fullness", seeing in the second member of the segment a synonym of the first member. However, many are of the opinion that the second member opposes the first member. Referring to the account in Num 1 1 :33 ("The meat was still between their teeth, it was not yet chewed, when the anger of Yhwh burned against the people. Yhwh struck them with a very great plague"), the BJ translates it as "fever" l Others, rather, refer to Num 1 1 : 19-20 ("You will eat it not for one day, or two, or five, or ten or twenty, but for a whole month, until it comes out of your nostrils and becomes disgusting to you") and translate it in this sense 2

v. 29: "THEY IRRITATED HIM" In the Hebrew text the verb has no direct object complement. The versions restore it.' The same phenomenon occurs at the beginning ofv. 32.

COMPOSITION

The psalm has seven parts arranged in a concentric manner ( 1-5, 6-12, 13-

23, 24-27, 28-40, 41-46, 47-48). THE FIRST PART (1-5) : : 1 PRAISE YAH, : : because (he is) GOOD,

give thanks because forever

to YffWH,

- 2 Who will express - make to be heard

the prowess all

of YHWH, HIS PRAISE?

: : 3 Happy (are) : : those who do

those who keep

judgment,

righteousness

at all times'

+ 4 Remember me, + in favour + visit rne

o YHWH,

= 5 to see � to rejoice myself � to PRAISE MYSELF

his faithfulness'

of)'v!lrpeopl�,

with your salvation, THE HAPPINESS in the joy

�1th YOPlr inl'wn/ancc-!

q(l'Olir clws"" Olle" q(YOIII· llulio/1,

1 Vesco translated it as "languor" (995). 2 Thus Dhorrne: "he sent them something to disgust them". 3 See Vesco, 995, note 2.

Psahn 106

219

In the fIrst piece ( 1-3), the invitation to praise the Lord is motivated by the fact that he is "good" and by "his faithfulness". The central segment (2) raises the question of who will be worthy of such "praise". The answer comes in the last segment (3), where human 'judgement" and "righteousness" "at all times" correspond to the Lord's goodness and "faithfulness" "forever" ( lb). In the second piece (4-5), the psalmist now addresses Yhwh (4a). He asks for himself "salvation", but he does it "in favour of the people" (4bc). In the second trimember (5), salvation causes "happiness" and 'joy" for the whole nation, so that the psahnist can "praise" himself with all of them (4bc). "Praise" and "praise myself' ( l a & 5c) form an inclusion; similarly "good" and "happiness" (tob and toM, lb & 5a). Just as in the fIrst piece the psahnist's 'judgment" and "righteousness" correspond to Yhwh's goodness and ''faithfulness'', so in the second piece the people's "happiness" and 'joy" correspond to God's "salvation".

THE SECOND PART (6-12) - 6 We have sinned - we have done wrong,

with om·'a/her�, we have acted wickedly;

7 our la/hen - did not understand

in Egypt your wonders,

- they did not remember - they rebelled

the abundance at the sea,

of your faithfulness, by THE SEA OFREEDS.

+ 8 AND HE SAVED TIlEM + to rn ake known

for the sake his prowess;

of his name,

+ 9 he threatened + he let them

THE SEA OF REEDS, through the depths

and it dried up, as (through) a desert.

+ 10 AND HE SAVED TIIEM + and redeemed them

from the hand from the hand

of the hater, of the enemy;

+ 11 and covered + (even) one

the waters of them

their oppressors, did not escape.

� 12 And they believed � they sang

in his words, his praise.

_

In the first piece (6-7), the psahnist equates the sin of the present generation with that of their "fathers" (6), after which he recalls what the fathers did in Egypt: Forgetting the wonders that brought them out of the land of slavery (7abc), they sinned at the Sea of Reeds by reproaching Moses for having brought them out to die in the desert (Exod 14: 1 1-12; see p. 73). Beginning with "And he saved them" (8a & l Oa), the next two pieces recall the crossing of the sea; in the fIrst one (8-9), the sea dries up to let the people

220

Fifth Section (Ps 102-106)

pass, in the second one (10-12) the enemies who were pursuing them are destroyed ( 10-11), which arouses the faith of the Israelites and their "praise" (12).

THE THIRD PART (13-23) + +

13 They made haste,

they did not wait for + 14 and they desired +

and they tempted � 15 And he gave

� and he sent - 16 And they were jealous - of Aaron � 17 (It) opened, = and it covered � 18 \�� fLI\IR� � \ FI \\I E - 19 THEY MADE - and bowed down - 20 they exchanged - for the image - that eats

THE YPORGOT

HIS WORKS,

his plan, a desire GoD

in the desert, in a wilderness:

them a nausea

what they asked for, into their throat.

of MOSES the holy one

in the camp, of YHUItI :

the earth, the group

and swallowed up of Abiram,

flR� m�r rr

agamst fflel! group,

a calf

at Horeb

the wicked.

to a cast metal; their glory of an ox

grass.

+

WHO HAD DONE

21 THEJ' FORGOT

Goo

their saviour, in Egypt,

+

22 wonders

in the land at the Sea ofReeds.

ofHam,

+

+

marvels

great things

� 23 And he spoke

of exterminating them,

. . if not that . . stood . . to turn away

in the breach

MOSES

illS All,

his chosen one before him from destroying.

Dathan,

Psahn 106

221

The first two subparts ( 13-15 & 16-18) are built in parallel. The sins against "God" (13-14) and against Moses and Aaron the holy one of "Yhwh" (16) are followed by their punishment ( 1 5 & 17-18). The third subpart (19-23) is more extensive. The first two pieces ( 19-20 & 2 1-22) oppose what the Israelites "made" at Horeb ("a calf', "a cast metal", "the image of an ox") and what God "had done" in Egypt ("great things", "wonders", "marvels"). "Egypt" (2lb) is then specified in detail by "in the land of Ham" (22a), followed by "at the Sea of Reeds" (22b). The third piece (23) speaks of the punishment that God planned (23a), but which was prevented by Moses' intervention (23bcd). The three subparts follow the same pattern, sin is followed by its consequence. "Works" ( 13a) and the verb "to do, to make" (19a & 2lb) are of the same root, "they forgot" occurs in 13a and 2la, "Moses" in l6a and 23b, "God" in l4b and 2la; all events are situated, "in the desert" and "in a wilderness" (14ab), "in the camp" ( 16a), "at Horeb" ( 19a) and "in Egypt" (2lb), "in the land of Ham" (22a), "at the Sea of Reeds" (22b). Finally, "his fury" (lit. "his heat") at the end of the third subpart (23d) recalls "fire" and "flame" at the end of the second subpart ( 18ab).

THE FOURTHPART (24-27) - 24 They refused - they did not believe

a land in his word;

- 25 they munnured - they did not listen to

in their tents, the voice

of Yhwh.

� 26 And he lifted up � to make fall

his hand them

upon them, in the desert,

� 27 and to make fall = to scatter them

their offspring in the lands.

among the nations,

of delights,

The first piece (24-25) recalls the sin of the Israelites who refused to take possession of Canaan, after the report of the twelve people who had been sent there for reconnaissance (Num 13-14). The second piece (Ps 106:26-27) is devoted to a double punishment: the generation of sinners will "fall" "in the desert" (26), their descendants will also "fall" in exile, scattered "among the nations" (27).

222

Fifth Section (Ps 102-106)

THE FIFTHPART (28-40) - 28 They yoked themselves - and ate

to Baal

of Peor,

TIlE SACRIFICES

OFIBEDEAD;

- 29 and they irritated him � and broke out am ong them

WITH THEm ACTIONS,

a plague.

: : 30 And stood up : : and was stopped

Pinehas

: : 3 1 and it was accounted : : from age

to him to age

as righteousness forever.

- 32 And they made him angry � and it went ill

at the waters with Moses

of Meribah, on their account,

- 33 because they rebelled � and he spoke rashly

against his spirit, with his lips.

- 34 They did not exterminate - of which

the peoples, had spoken

+ Jj and they mingled + fhey learned

with the nations,

+ 36 and they served + and they became

TAmIDOlS to them

: 37 And TIlEY SACRIFICED : and their daughters

their sons

JlI..I,IiIIII!jl

: 38 and they shed : fhe blood

of their sons

innocent, and their daughters,

: whom : and was profaned

TIlEY SACRIFICED

mIBEIDOJ.�

fhe land

with blood.

and intervened,

the plague;

YHWH

to them,

THE1R WmlKI',

blood

a snare.

o[Canaan,

- 39 And they defiled fhemselves with = WOIill\ - and prostituted themselves with Tl!EII\ACTIONS ; � 40 and caught a fire � and he abhorred

YHWH

against his people,

his inheritance.

The frrst piece of the frrst subpart (28-29) mentions the sin of the Israelites who offered sacrifrces to "Baal ofPeor" (28-29a), for which they were punished (29b); the second piece (30-3 1) reports the intervention of Pinehas who put an end to the plague.

Psahn 106

223

In the second subpart (32-33), the sin at Meribah (32a & 33a) "went ill with Moses" (32b) who "spoke rashly" (33b) 4 The third subpart (34-40) is much more extensive and comprises three pieces. In the fIrst piece (34-36), instead of exterminating the peoples as they had been commanded (34), the Israelites became assimilated to them (35) to the point of serving their idols (36). The second piece (37-38) tells what the service of the idols mentioned in the fIrst piece consists of, namely the sacrifIces of children offered to Moloch (Lev 18:21; 20:2-5). Finally, in the third piece (Ps 106:3940), their conduct, "their works" (39) learned from "the nations" (35b), earn them the punishment of Yhwh (40). "SacrifIces" / "they sacrificed" occurs at the beginning of the fIrst subpart (28b) and twice in the central piece of the last subpart (37a & 38c). "Their actions" found at the beginning (29a) is repeated at the end (39b), as a synonym for "their works" (39a & 35b). In the extreme subparts, Israel is assimilated to "the nations" (35a), they serve "Baal ofPeor", deity of the Moabites (28a), "they sacrifIced to the idols of Canaan" (38c). Consequently, the series is drawn: "the dead" (28b), "idols" (36a), "demons" (37b), "idols" (38c).

THE SIXTHPART (41-46) : : 41 And he gave them : : and ruled over

into the hand them

ofthe nations, their haters;

: : 42 and oppressed them : : and they were subdued

their enemies, under

their hand.

+ 43 Times - and they - and sank

numerous rebelled in their fault.

he delivered them, in their bravado

+ 44 And he saw + when he heard

the anguish their cry;

of theirs

+ 45 and he remembered + and he was ill ov ed

for them

+ 46 and he granted + before

them all

his covenant, according to the abundance of his faithfulness mercy who had deported them.

The fIrst piece (4 1-42) describes the punishment inflicted on the Israelites, who were subjected to their enemies. In the second piece (43), they rebel in spite

4 However, the parallelism between the two segments of this subpart on the one hand, and between 33ab and 29ab on the other hand, where sin (29a, 32a, 33a) is followed by punishment (29b, 32b, 33b), invites us to discard the widely accepted correction of verse 33 with 'They had embittered his spirit" eBl, Kraus, II, 314; Alonso Schoekel - Carniti, II, 454; Vesco, 996)

Fifth Section (Ps 102-106)

224

of the many deliverances. Finally, in view of their cries, the Lord has mercy on them (44-46).

THE SEVENTHPART (47-48) + 47 Save us, + and gather us

from the nations,

O YHWH

01.11 Goo,

� to give thanks � and to glory

to the name in your PRAISE.

of your holiness,

� 48 Blessed be � nE GOD = from everlasting

YtMtI

and to everlasting!

. . And will say .. Amen'

all the people: PRAISE YAH'

OF ISRAEL

The first piece (47) is in the second person singular, the second piece (48) in the third person. "0 Yhwh our God" at the beginning of the first piece (47a) is matched by "Yhwh the God of Israel" (48ab) at the beginning of the second piece. In final terms, the noun "praise" and the verb "praise" (47d & 48e). The thanksgiving, the fruit of the salvation hoped for by "us" at the end of the first piece, is accomplished in the second piece by the psahnist's blessing (48abc) which is joined by "all the people".

THE WHOLE OF THEPSAIM The seven parts of the psalm are arranged in a concentric fashion.

Relations between the extreme parts (1-5 & 4 7-48) 1 FRAISE YAH, GIVE TIlANKS to YlfWH, because he is good, because his faithfulness endures forever' 2 Who will express the prowess of YtMtI, make all his PJJ; 2 LET US DRAW NEAR lum with thanksgiving, LET US ACCLAIM him with music, ., 1ort.· .... 3 BECAUSE YHWH IS A GREAT GOO, and a great KING ABO VP ALL GODS, 4 for in his hand are

95 1 GO,

the depths of the earth, and the heights of the rnOlllltains are his, MADE

5 for the sea is his,

and he

it, and his hands formed the dry land.

6 Corne, let us BOW DOWN and let us do reverence, let us kneel

hcfol"T' Yhwh who MADE us,

7 because he is our God, and we the people of his pasture, and the sheep oflus hand. Today, if you would listen to his voice!

8 Do not harden your hearts

as at Meribah, as on the day of Massah in the desert,

9 then your

fathers tested me, tempted me, though they had seen my deed! l O For forty years I loathed that generation, and I said: "It is a people that do err in their hearts, and they did not know my ways, 11 then I swore in my anger: ''They never corne into my rest! "

96 1 SING to Yhwh a new song, SING to Yhwh, all the earth; 2 SING to Yhwh, BLESS his name, PROCLAIM his SALVAT ION from day to day; 3 RECOUNT among the nations his glory, among all the peoples his wonders.

4 BECAUS E GREAT IS YHWH and greatly to be praised, he is fearsome

ABOVE ALL GODS",

5 because all gods of the peoples are worthlessness, and Yhwh f'-'\oODE the heavens; 6 majesty and splendour before him, strength and beauty in his sanctuary.

7 Ascribe to Yhwh, 0 families of the peoples, ascribe to Yhwh glory and strength; s ascribe to Yhwh glory of his name, bring an offering and corne into his courts; 9 BOW DOWN to Yhwh in the splendour of holiness, tremble

bj::fOIT hi:fl

Ibel.: all the earth.

10 Say among the nations: Yhwh REIGNS! Yes, the world is established, it cannot be shaken; he sentences the people with uprightness. 1 1 Let the heavens rejoice and the earth exult, let the sea thunder and its fullness; 1 2let the field be jubilant, and all that is in it; then all the trees of the forest will shout for joy, 1 3 before Yhwh, because he comes, because he comes to judge the earth; he judges the world with righteousness and the peoples with his truth.

- Both psahns begin with a series of volitive verbs, five in 95: 1-2 and six in

96: 1-3; - The reasons given for this begin in a similar fashion: "because Yhwh is a great God" (95:3) and "because great is Yhwh" (96:4); - God is "king" and he "reigns" (95:3; 96: 10); - He is great/fearsome "above all gods" (98:3; 96:4); - He "made" (95:5, 6; 96:5); - "The earth" and "the sea" (95:4-5; 96 : 1 1) and also "the heavens" (96:5, 1 1); - "To bow down" (95:6; 96:9); - "Before hirn/Yhwhihis face" (95:2, 6; 96:9).

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THE SECOND FOC4LPOINT (PS 1 01) & THE CENlRE OF THE CENTRAL SECTION (PS 98) 98 1

·1 }'�Jd.

SING to Yhwh a new SONG. Yes, he has done wonders: his right hand has saved him and the ann of his holiness. 2 Yhwh has made known his salvation, in the eyes of the nations he has revealed his righteousness; 3 he has remembered his FAiTHFUU�E.SS and his truth to the house of Israel; all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God. 4 AIJ:LAIM Yhwh, all fh" {?fJrlh, BREAK FORTH and SHOUT FOR JOY and SING PSALMS; 5 SING PSALMS to Yhwh, with the cithara, with the cithara and the sOlllld of PSAlMODY; 6 with the trumpets and the sOlllld of the hom, ACCLAIM before the king Yhwh. 7 Let the sea and its fullness THUNDER, the world and those who dwell in it! 8 Let the rivers CLAP THE HANDS, let the mountains SHOUT FOR JOY together, 9before Yhwh! Yes, HE CGM� to JUDGE fh� f2Jrfh, Hf Wfll JUOOE the world with righteousness and the peoples with uprightness.

101 1 Of David, -4 FS.4llI I WILL SING ofF�THfULfESS and JUDGMENT; to you, 0 Yhwh, I Will SING PSAlMS. 2 I WILL PROGRESS in the way of the perfect; when wLL (OU COME to me? I will walk in the perfection of my heart, in the midst of my house. 3 I will not set before my eyes a word of Belial; I hate the work of the deviated, it shall not cling to me. 4 A perverse heart turns aside from me, I do not know evil. 5 One who secretly slanders his neighbour, that one I will annihilate, haughty of eyes and swollen of heart, that one I will not bear. 6My eyes on the truthful of fh;:: ltwdto dwell with me; he who walks in the way of the perfect, he is the one who will serve me. 7 Shall not dwell in the midst of my house the one who practices deceit; the one who speaks lies shall not stand before my eyes. 8 Each morning I will annihilate all the wicked of fh;:: Jemd to cut off from the city of Yhwh all the doers of iniquity.

- "A psalm" occurs in the titles; - Both parts of Ps 98 comprise a series of volitive verbs (98: Ib, 4-8), and similarly Ps 101 begins with three volitive verbs (101: 1-2); - "Faithfulness" occurs in 98:3 and 101: I; - "The earth/land" occurs two times in each psalm (98:4, 9; 101:6, 8); - "To judge" and 'judgment" perfonu the function of median tenus at a distance

(98:9[2x]; 101: 1); - Similarly, the two occurrences of the verb "to corne" (98:9; 101 :2).

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The Psalter. Book Four (Ps 90-106)

THE SECOND FOCAL POINT (Ps 1 01) & THE CENTRE OF THE LAST SECTION (PS 1 04) 101

1 Of David, A PSALM.

I WILL SING of faithfulness and judgment, to you, 0 Yhwh,

2 I will progress in the way of the perfect; when will you corne to me?

I

I WILL SING PSAlMS.

will walk in the

perfection of my heart, in the midst of my house.

3 I will not set before my eyes a word of Belial; I hate the work of the deviated, it shall not

cling to me. 4A

parverse heart

I do not know evil. 5 One who secretly slanders his haught.y of eyes and 3WOllen of heart., that one I will not bear.

turns aside from me,

neighbour, that one I will annililate,

6 My eyes on the truthful of fh� land to dwell with me; he who walks in the way of the perfect, he is the one who will serve me.

7 Shall not dwell in the midst ofmy house th, on' who

practices d,ceit; th, on' who speaks lies shall

not stand before my eyes. 8 Each morning I >MI annil1llcte ALL THE WICKED of fh;: land to cut off from the city of Yhwh

all th, doers of iniquity.

104

1 Bless Yhwh, 0 my soul. 0 Yhwh, my God, you are very great, you are clothed with

majesty and splendour 2 wrapped in light as with a mantle, stretching out the heavens like a tent.

3 He builds his upper chambers

on the waters, he sets the clouds his chariot, he moves on the

wings of the wind, 4 making the winds his messengers, fire and flame are his servants.

5 He fixed fhf: f:fjrlh on its foundations, it will not be shaken forever and ever.

6 You covered

it with the deep like a clothing, the waters stood above the mountains. 7 At your threat they flee, at the voice of your thunder they escape; 8 the mountains go up, the valleys go down to the place that you fixed for them. 9 You set a boundary that they may not pass, they may not return to cover fhf: f:tJrlh. 10He sends forth the springs into the ravines, they move between the mountains. 1 1 They water all the living of the fields, the wild asses quench their thirst; 1 2besides them the birds of the heavens dwell, in between the leaves they give voice. 1 3 He waters the mountains from his upper chambers, fh¢ ¢8J1h is satisfied with the fruit of your works. 14 You make the grass grow for the cattle and the plants for the service of the adam, to bring forth bread from fh¢ ¢8J1h, 1 5 and wine to gladden the heart of man, to make the faces shine more than oil, and bread to help the heart of man. 1 6 The trees of Yhwh are satisfied, the cedars of Lebanon which he planted; 17 in them there the birds make nests, the stork has its

house in the cypresses. 18 The high mountains are for chamois, the crags are a refuge for

hyraxes. 1 9 He made the moon for seasons, the sun knows its arrival. 20 You set darkness and it is night, all the living of the forest swarm in it. 21 The young lions roar for prey seeking their food from God. 22 The sun rises, they withdraw back to their dens to lie down; 23 the adam goes out to his work and to his service until the evening. 24 How many are your works, 0 Yhwh! You have made them all in wisdom; fh;? ,:nrlh is full of your possessions. 25 This is the great sea and wide of arms; there are swarms and without number of living things, small and great, 26 there the ships move along, Leviathan whom you formed to laugh at. 27 All of them wait for you to give their food in its time; 28 you give to them, they gather, you open your hand, they are satisfied with good. 29 You hide your face, they are terrified, you take away their breath, they expire, and they return to their dust. 30 You send forth your breath, they are created, and you renew the face of the ground. 3 1 May the glory of Yhwh endure forever, may Yhwh rejoice in his works! 32 He looks at

fh;: PJrlh and it trembles, he touches the mountains and they smoke!

33 I WILL SING to Yhwh in my

life, I WILL SING PSALMS to my God in my duration. 34 Let my meditation be pleasing to him, as for me,

I

rejoice in Yhwh!

35 L.t sinners d'lJOCIppear from

Bless Yhwh, 0 my soul ! Praise God!

fhf: fllJrlh and THE

WICKED be

no

more!

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267

What Ps 10 I emphasises throughout is found concentrated at the end of Ps

104: - "A psahn" and "to sing psahns" (101: I [2x] & 104:33); - "To sing" ( 10 1 : 1 & 104:33); - "(All) the wicked" ( 10 1 : 8 & 104:35) and other terms belonging to the same semantic field ( 10 1 :3, 4, 5 [3x], 7 [2x], 8; 104:35); - "I will annihilate" (101 :5, 8) is matched by "let disappear" and "be no more"

( 104:35); - "The earth/land" occurs twice in 101:6, 8 and seven times in 104:5, 9, 13, 14,

24, 32, 35.

B. INTERPRETATION

HUMAN FRAILTY The book begins with the image of grass that flourishes in the morning and withers and dries up in the evening (90:5-'{)). And it returns with even greater force in a symmetrical position at the beginning of the last section (102:5, 12; 103: 15-16). This is the vision that strikes the mind more than anything else. However, human frailty is first illustrated by another image, that of "dust": "You make mankind return to the dust, and you say: 'Return, you children of Adam! '" (90:3). This image was already used in the account of the original sin: "By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread until you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; you are dust, and to dust you shall return." (Gen 3 : 19). "Yes, as for him, he knows what we are made of, remembering that we are dust" (Ps 103: 14). "Moses, the man of God" (90:1), lived one hundred and twenty years, the maximum foreseen by God on the eve of the flood (Gen 6:3). For the ordinary mortal, the duration of his life is even shorter: seventy years, eighty for the strongest ones (Ps 90: 10).

"] WILL SATISFY HIM WITHLENGTH OF DAYS " (91 : 1 6) Thus ends the second psalm (91: 16). And it is God who makes this promise. A promise that may seem derisory, since, in any case, we must die one day. Of course, the psahnist is not talking about eternal life for the individual, or life after death for the individual person. When he begins by saying to the Lord: "0 Adonai, yes you, you are our habitation from generation to generation" (90: I), it is nevertheless clear that he is convinced that life does not end with the end of his days. And he goes on to say, just after taking up the images of dust and withered grass: "But the faithfulness of Yhwh from everlasting to ever­ lasting on those who fear him and his righteousness to the children of their children" (103: 17). Therefore, in our descendants we will be satisfied for a long time.

26 8

The Psalter. Book Four (Ps 90-106)

THE EARTH IS FUlL OF THE WICKED The days of human existence are numbered, life is short. Moreover, it is often attacked and even shortened by "the wicked": "They attack the soul of the righteous and condemn the innocent blood" (94:21), "they kill the widow and the stranger, and they murder the orphans" (94:6), "all the day my enemies insult me" (102:9). Such was the situation of the fathers when the Egyptians turned against them: "He turned their hearts to hate his people" (105:25). In immemorial times, the Lord subdued ''the rivers", ''the waters" and ''the sea" that raised their voices against him (93:3-4). And to this day the wicked "crush your people and they oppress your inheritance" (94:5), while the psahnist cries out, "How long will the wicked, 0 Yhwh, how long will the wicked triumph?" (94:3).

THE LORD ANNIHHATES THEM The wicked are present throughout the section, but they are not the only ones. The Lord watches: "Yes, it is he who delivers you from the snare of the fowler, from the destructive pestilence" (91:3). Not only does he save the oppressed, he also pays the wicked what they deserve: "You will only look with your eyes, and you will see the reward of the wicked" (9 1 : 8 ). Certainly, "the wicked sprout like grass, and all doers of iniquity flourish", but "they will be destroyed forever" (92: 8). Unlike those they persecute, there is no mention of their descendants prolonging their days. "He returns to them their iniquity, and he annihilates them for their evil, he annihilates them, Yhwh our God!" (94:23). Like the Egyptians at the Sea of Reeds: "and the waters covered their oppressors, not one of them escaped" (106: l l). You HAVE REVEALED OUR SIN

The wicked are a legion, and the psalmist and all his people are their victims. However, these victims are not innocent and, on behalf of all, the psahnist confesses in the last psalm: "We have sinned with our fathers, we have done wrong, we have acted wickedly" (106:6), and he tells how, throughout history, they rebelled: "Many times he delivered them, and they rebelled in their bravado, and sank in their fault" (106:43). Already in the first psahn he acknowledges how much they deserved God's punishment: "Because we are finished by your anger, and by your fury we are terrified. You have set our faults before you, our secrets in the light of your face. Because all our days fade away under your wrath" (90:7-9).

"HE FORGIVESALL YOUR FAULTS " (1 03:3) Just as human frailty [mds a remedy in God's goodness, which satisfies them from generation to generation, so sin, which also participates in human misery,

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269

finds healing through the Lord's forgiveness. Right from the first psahn, after experiencing the just punishment (90:15), the psalmist implores his God: "Return, 0 Yhwh! How long? And repent concerning your servants" (90 : 13). He recognises that the punishment he deserved was for the sinner's correction: "Happy the man whom you discipline, 0 Yhwh, and whom you teach out of your law" (94: 12). And [mally, he blesses the Lord with all his being, because "He forgives all your faults, he heals all your diseases" (103:3); "As the east is far from the west, so far does he remove our sins from us" (103 : 1 2), for "As a father has compassion to his children, so Yhwh has compassion for his fearful" ( 103 : 13). "SING TO THE LORD, ALL THE EARTH" (96: 1) The central section dominates the bulk of the fourth book like an ahnost unreachable high plateau. Throughout its five collected psahns, the psahnist invites "all the earth" to "sing to the Lord a new song" (96: I) to celebrate the reign of "the master of all the earth" (97:5). "All the peoples", "all the ends of the earth" are called to corne to Zion and worship before his face, in his "porticoes" and "courts" (100:4), on "the mountain of his holiness" (99:9). They will have to recognise, in wonder and thanksgiving, that their gods are "worthlessness" (96:4-5), that only "Yhwh", the God of Israel, is "greatly to be praised" (96:4; 99:3). And at the centre of the section, "the righteousness" that the Lord will reveal "in the eyes of the nations" is "the salvation" that he has, in his "faithfulness and truth", granted "to the house ofIsrael" (98:2-3). Thus, with shouts of joy, they will join the chosen people in "singing psahns" with all the musical instruments, united also with all creation, "the sea and its fullness, the world and its inhabitants", clapping their hands and shouting for joy with "the rivers" and "the mountains". While it is undeniable that many among the nations, in "all the earth", have responded to this call, especially since the time it was fulfilled in Jesus Christ, it must be recognised that we are still far from such unanimity. The term is marked, but it is on the eschatological horizon, which is never reached, but which is always expected. "WHEN WILL YOU COME TOME? " (101:2) Firmly framing the high plateau from which the vision of the end can be contemplated, the two focal points of the ellipse lead us back down into the valley and back to the present, to its flatness, to its realism. What are we going to do, while waiting for the blessed day of the promise made to Abraham? The answer is formulated, in typical biblical fashion, by two kinds of questions : "Today, if you would listen to his voice! " (95:7) and "When will you corne to me? ( 10 1 :2). It is certainly not by chance that the Church makes us use Ps 95 every morning for the first office of the Liturgy of the Hours. The past is no longer, the future is not yet, only the "today" is always present. Strictly

270

The Psalter. Book Four (Ps 90-106)

speaking, what we hear at the heart of Ps 95 is not really a question, but a wish, a wish with a tinge of doubt: "Today, if only you would listen to his voice ... " (95:7), in short, a kind of prayer, a supplication. This hope is matched by the hope of the other focal point: "When will you corne to me?" ( 1 0 1 :2). One is addressed to human beings, the other one to God. The desire of one meets that of the other, day after day, "from generation to generation".

C ON CLUSION In terms of composition, the fourth book of the Psalter is in no way inferior to the other four books already analysed. Indeed, it is constructed according to a particularly regular architecture: Its three major sections, each of which contains five psalms organised in a concentric fashion, are linked by two much shorter sections, the size of a single psalm. These two linking sections constitute the focal points of the ellipse that the whole book draws. The extreme sections are related to each other. The first one (Ps 90-94) describes "the fate of the children of Adam", the last one (Ps 102-106) "the fate of the children of Israel". They are both subject to the law of human affliction. They are like the grass that flourishes in the morning and withers and dries up in the evening; like clay vessels, they will soon return to the dust from which they were taken. However, their misery is not exhausted in the frailty of all the living; even more miserable are the sins which, like their fathers in the desert, each one of them inevitably commits sins against God and against his or her fellow human beings. As the refuge of humanity from generation to generation, the Lord saves the people by satisfying those who fear him for many days and by assuring his faithfulness to the children of their children, from age to age. Despite their repeated unfaithfulness, God continually renounces his anger and wrath, and does not grow weary of forgiving their faults and sins. The first section focuses on Ps 92, entitled "A Song for the Sabbath Day"; the last day of the week, the Sabbath is the ultimate day, celebrating and anticipating the end of time. In a symmetrical position, the centre of the last section is occupied by Ps 104, which sings of the creation at the origin of the world, in the first days of time. In this way, humanity is situated at the centre of history, stretched between the origin and the end, both of them are in God. Like a high plateau overlooking a mountain range, the central section (Ps 96100) stands out clearly from the rest of the book which it overlooks. The psalmist invites all the children of Adam, all the foreign nations, to sing "a new song" to celebrate "Yhwh", the God of Israel, whose reign extends to the whole universe. They are also called to go to Zion, to the sanctuary of Jerusalem, to worship the Lord, to bless him who has saved the people, whom he has chosen from all the families of the earth, the sheep of his fold. Thus, the oath made to Abraham that all nations will be blessed in him will be fulfilled. Carried by the promise of the one God and by the hope of the one people, this invitation is situated on the never reached but always desired eschatological horizon. The focal points of the ellipse (Ps 95 and Ps 10 I) not only outline the book, they also ensure its coherence and constitute the key to its reading. The first

272

The Psalter. Book Four (Ps 90-106)

focal point is the psalm that the Church has chosen as the invitatory psalm of the liturgy of the hours, the psalm that opens the prayer of each day. It is focused on a wish, which sounds like an ever-renewed and ever-relevant question: "Today, if you would only listen to his voice! " (Ps 95 : 7). Whereas the first focal point is addressed to humans, the other one poses a question to God: "When will you corne to me?" (Ps 10 1 : 2). Therefore, the entire fourth book is captured in this tension between two desires, that of God and that of humans, which meet each other, in a "today" which fragility places each one between the morning when the grass flourishes and the evening when it dries up, between the time of the fathers, which the last section evokes at length, the time of sin and forgiveness, and the time of salvation and of the end which the central section contemplates. This today of God's corning is evoked by Jesus-as stated in the third gospel-on the first day of his ministry, in a very short homily that he delivers in the synagogue of Nazareth, after reading from the prophet Isaiah: "Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing" (Luke 4 : 2 1). With the present volume, the five books of the Psalter have been analysed according to the procedures of biblical and Semitic rhetorical analysis: Not only the composition of each individual psahn has been brought to light, but also, at the upper levels, that of sequences formed of several psalms, then of sections that group together sequences, and finally of the whole of each book. However, the analysis should not stop there; it should go all the way to the end and consider the totality of the five books that form the Psalter in their mutual relationships. This will be the subject of the next and [mal volume, "if the Lord is willing" (Jas 4: 15).

BIBLIOGRAPHY of the works referred to

R., "Le Psaume 90 et les fragilites de I'homme. Vne lecture contexte africain", RevSR 87 (2013) 1-19.

ABELAVA,

en

R., "Chiastic Psahns: A Study in the Mechanics of Semitic Poetry in Psahns I-50", JETS 19 ( 1976) 198-199.

ALDEN,

L. - CARNITI, C., Salmos, Traducci6n, introducciones y comentario, Nueva Biblia espanola, Estella (Navarra) 1994; Italian trans. I salmi, Commenti biblici, Roma 1992.

ALONSO SCHOEKEL,

R., The Book of Psalms: A translation with commentary, New York ­ London 2007.

ALTER,

AMZALLAG,

N., "The Meaning of Todah in Psahn 100", ZA W 126 (2014) 535-

545. BEAUCAMP,

E., Le Psautier, SBi, Paris 1976.

BEAUCHAMP,

P., "Preface", in R. MEYNET, Quelle est donc cette Parole?

, L 'Un et l 'Autre Testament. 1. Essai de lecture, Paris 1976.

--

, Psaumes nuit etjour, Paris 1980.

--

BELLINGER,

W.H., see BRUEGGEMAN, W.

P., Ristabilire la giustizia. Procedure, vocabolario, orientamenti, AnBib 1 10, Roma 1986.

BOVATI,

, '''Abbiamo peccato con i nostri padri' (Sal 106,6). II ricordo del peccato corne cammino per la lode", in L. MAzZINGHI - G. PAPOLA - F. FICCO, ed., La vita benedetta. Studi in onore della prof Bruna Costacurta in occasione del suo quarantesimo anno d'insegnamento, StAnBib 12, Roma

--

2018, 281-305. BOVATI, P. - MEYNET, Boys,

R.,Le livre du prophete Amos, RhBib 3, Paris 1994.

T., A Key to the Book ofthe Psalms, London 1825.

BRUEGGEMAN,

W. - BELLINGER, W.H., Psalms, New York 2014.

CARNITI,

c., see ALONSO SCHOEKEL, L.

CAQUOT,

A. - et al., Textes ougaritiques, I, Mythes et Iegendes, LAPO 7, Paris

1974. DECLAISSE-WALFORD.

N.L., ed., The Shape and Shaping ofthe Book ofPsalms: The Current State of scholarship, Ancient Israel and Its Literature 20. Atlanta (GA) 2014.

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274

DECLAISSE-WALFORD, N.L. - JACOBSON, R.A. - TANNER, B.L., The Book of Psalms, NlCOT, Grand Rapids (l\1I) - Cambridge (UK) 2014. DELITZSCH, F., Die Psalmen, Biblischer Commentar zum Alten Testament, Leipzig 18945; English trans., Commentary on the Old Testament in Ten Volumes. V: The Psalms, Grand Rapids (l\1I), 1988. DAVIES, G.H., "Psalm 95", ZA W 85 ( 1973) 183-195. DHORME, E, La Bible. L 'A ncien Testament, Bibliotheque de la Pleiade 120, 139, Paris 1956, 1959. EMMANUEL, Commentairejuifdes Psaumes, Paris 1963. FORSTER, Ch., Begrenztes Leben als Herausforderung das Verganglichkeits­ motiv in weisheitlichen Psalmen, Ziirich 2000. FOUCAULD, Ch. de, Lettres a Henry de Castries, Paris 1938. GELSTON, A., "Editorial Arrangement in Book IV of the Psalter", in K.I. DELL ­ et al., Genesis, Isaiah and Psalms, VT.S 135, Leiden - Boston (MA) 2010, 165-176. GIRARD, M., Les psaumes redecouverts. De la structure au sens, II. Quebec 1994. GOSSE, B., "Le quatrierne livre du Psautier (Ps 90-106), comme reponse it l'echec de la royaute davidique", BZ 46 (2002) 239-252. GOULDER, MD., "The Fourth Book of the Psalter", JTS 26 (1975) 269-289. GRUBER, M.I., ed., Rashi's Commentary on Psalms, Leiden - Boston 2004. HAKHAM, A., Sefer tehillfm, I-II, Jerusalem 1986, 1988. HOSSFELD, F.L. - ZENGER, E., Psalms 2: A Commentary on Psalms 51-1 00, Herrneneia, Minneapolis (MN) 2005 (German original: Psalmen 51-1 00, HThK AT; Freiburg irn Breisgau - Basel - Wien 2000). , Psalms 3: A Commentary on Psalms 1 01-1 50, Herrneneia, Minneapolis (MN) 20 1 1 (German original: Psalmen 1 01-1 50, HThK AT; Freiburg im Breisgau - Basel - Wien 2008).

--

HOWARD, D.M. Jr, The Structure ofPsalms 93-1 00, Biblical and Judaic Studies from the University of California San Diego 5, Winona Lake (IN) 1997. , "A Contextual Reading of Psalms 90-94", in I.e. MCCANN, ed., The Shape and the Shaping of the Psalter, JSOT.S 159, Sheffield 1993, 108-

--

123. JACQUET, L., Les Psaumes et Ie clEur de I 'homme: etude textuelle litteraire et doctrinale, II, Gernbloux 1977. JACOBSON, R., "Grammatical Parallelism and Its Russian Facet", Languages 42 ( 1966) 399-429. , Questions de poetique, Collection poetique, Paris 1973.

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Bibliography

275

JODON, P., Grammaire de l'hebreu biblique, Rome 2 1965. KRAUS, H.-l, Psalmen, Neukirchen 1960; English trans., Psalms 1-59; Psalms 60-150, Minneapolis (l\1N) 1993. LORENZIN, T., I salmi. Nuova versione, introduzione e commento, I libri biblici. Primo Testamento 14, Milano 200 l. LUND, N.W., Chiasmus in the New Testament: A Study in Formgeschichte, Chapel Hill 1942, 125-126 (repr., Chiasmus in the New Testament: A Study in the Form and Function ofChiastic Structures, Boston 1992). MCCANN, lC., ed., The Shape and the Shaping of the Psalter, JSOT.S 159, Sheffield 1993. MAILLOT, A. - LELIEVRE, A., Les psaumes, I-III, Geneve 1961-1969. MASSOUH, S., "Psalm 95", Trinity Journal 4 (1983) 84-88. MEYNET, R., "Au ca:ur du texte; analyse rhetorique de I'aveugle de Jericho selon saint Luc", NRTh 103 (1981) 693-710. , "La composition du Notre Pere", Liturgie l l9 (2002) 158-191; reprinted and corrected in StRES 18 (04.05.2005; 16.12.2014).

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, "The Question at the Centre: A Specific Device of Rhetorical Argumentation in Scripture", in A. ERIKSSON - T.H. OLBRICHT, W. UBELACKER, ed., Rhetorical Argumentation in Biblical Texts. Essays from the Lund 2000 Conference (Emory Studies in Early Christianity 8, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 2002) 200-214.

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, AppeIes a la liberte, RhSem 5, Paris 2008. , "Selon les Ecritures ". Lecture typologique des recits de la Paque du Seigneur, Theologia 7, Rome 2012.

--

--

--, Treatise on Biblical Rhetoric, International Studies in the History of Rhetoric 3, Leyden - Boston 2012. --, Traite de rhetorique biblique, RhSern l l, Pende 20132 , «

--

Rhetorique biblique, rhetorique de I'enigrne", Rhetorica 33 (2015) 147-

180. , '" Aujourd'hui si vous ecoutiez sa parole! ' Analyse rhetorique du psaume

--

95", RTL 47 (2016) 475-494. , "Une nouvelle figure: la composition a double foyer", in F. GRAZIANO R. MEYNET, ed., Studi del sesto convegno RES. International Studies on Biblical and Semitic Rhetoric, RBSern 18, Peeters, Leuven 2019, 325-349.

--

MEYNET, R., see BOVATI, P. OLBRICHT, Th.H., "The Rhetoric of Two Narratives Psalms 105 and 106", in R.L. FOSTER - D.M. HOWARD Jr, ed., "My Words are Lovely ": Studies in

276

The Psalter. Book Four (Ps 90-106)

the Rhetoric of the Psalms, LHBOTS 467, New York (NY) - London 2008, 1 56-170.

OSTY, E., La Bible, Paris 1973. PINKER, A, "The Famous but Difficult Psalm 90 : 1 0", aTE 28 (2015) 497-522. PLOEG, I.P.M. van der, Psalmen, De Boeken van het Oude Testament, Roerrnond 1971-1974.

PRINSLOO, W.S., "Psalm 95 : If Only you Will Listen to his Voice", in MD. CARROLL R. - D.I.A CLINES - Ph.R. DAVIES, ed., The Bible in Human Society: Essays in Honour of John Rogerson, JSOT.S 200, Sheffield, 1995, 393-4 10. RAVASI,

G. ll libro dei Salmi. Commento e attualizzazione, II-III, Bologna 1985.

RIDING, c.B., "Psahn 95: 1-7c as a Large Chiasm", Z4 W 88 ( 1976) 418. TANNER, B.L., see DECLAISSE-WALFORD, N.L. TOURNAY, R., Le Psautier de Jerusalem, Paris 1986. Traduction CEcumenique de la Bible, Paris 1975. TSEVAT, M., "Psahn XC", VT 3 5 (1985) l l5-1 l7. TUCKER, Jr, W.D., "Psahn 95 : Text, Context, and Intertext", Bib 8 1 (2000) 53354l.

VANHOYE, A, L 'Epftre awe Hebrewe. Un pretre different, RhSem 7, Pend" 2010.

VESCO, I.-L., Le psautier de David traduit et commente, LeDiv 210-2 1 1, Paris 2006.

WALLACE, R.E., The Narrative Effect of Book IV of the Hebrew Psalter, SBL 1 12, New York (NY) 2007.

WATSON. W.G.E., Classical Hebrew Poetry. A Guide to Its Techniques, JSOT.S 26, Sheffield 1984.

WEISER, A, The Psalms: A Commentary, OTL, London 1962. WHITLEY, Ch., "The Text of Psalm 90:5" , Bib 63 ( 1982) 55 5-557. WILSON, G. H. , "Understanding the Purposeful Arrangement of Psalms", in MCCANN, I.c. , ed., The Shape and the Shaping of the Psalter, JSOT.S 159, Sheffield 1993, 45-46.

WILSON, L., "On Psalms 103-106 as a Closure to Book IV of the Psalter", in E. ZENGER, ed., The Composition of the Book of Psalms, BEThL 238, Leuven 2010, 75 5-766.

WINTON THOMAS, D., "A Note on zeramtam sena jiheju in Psahn 90:5" , VT 18 (1968) 267-268.

ZENGER, E., see HOSSFELD, F.L.

INDEX OF QUOTED AUTHORS Alonso Schoekel, 12, 21, 22, 26, 35, 87, 1 10, 127, 202, 223 Alter, 20 Arnzallag, 140 Auffret, 19 Beaucamp, 20, 21, 22 Beauchamp, 33, 99, 202 Bellinger, 7 Benedict, St., 85 Bovati, 91, 99, 229 Boys, 123 Brueggeman, 7 Caquot, 59, 273 Carniti, 12, 21, 22, 26, 35, 87, l lO, 127, 202, 223 Davies, 87 deClaisse-Walford, 7, 8, 35, 49, 57 Dhorrne, 26, 57, 86, 127, 159, 202, 218 Emmanuel, 21 Forster, 20, 22 Foucauld, 180, 181, 274 Gelston, 8 Gesenius, 35 Girard, 87 Gosse, 8 Goulder, 7 Gruber, 2 1 Gunkel, 26 Hakbam, 26, 36, 49, 61, 95 Hossfeld - Zenger, 7, 20, 22, 27, 35, 49, 87, 1 3 1, 141, 173 Howard, 7 Huvelin, 180 Ibn Ezra, 2 1 Jacquet, 20 Jakobson, 87 Joiion, l l, 19, 20

Kraus, 20, 26, 35, 86, 87, 89, 100, 223 Lorenzin, 7, 8, 35, 87 Lund, I I I l\1aillot - Lelievre, 36, 4 1 l\1annati, 35 l\1assouh, 93 Meynet, 3, 9, l l, 15, 19, 25, 32, 59, 87, 98, 99, 135, 180, 202 Mowinckel, 7 Olbricht, 7 Osry, 26, 27, 33, 57, 91, 127 Paperon, 180 Pinker, 22 Ploeg, 86 Prinsloo, 85, 86, 87, 89 Ravasi, 20, 21, 24, 26, 35, 49, 59, 61, 86, 87, 96, 100, 127, 1 3 1, 167, 1 89, 193, 202, 206 Riding, 90 Six, 1 8 1 Tournay, 20, 88, 9 1 Tsevat, 22 Tucker, 96 van der Ploeg, 86 Vanhoye, 97 Vesco, 7, 8, 20, 21, 22, 23, 26, 27, 33, 57, 87, 13 1, 133, 136, 159, 189, 218, 223 Wallace, 8 Watson, 87 Weiser, 12, 33, 35, 100, 141 Whitley, 22 Wilson, G.H., 7 Wilson, L., 7 Winton Thomas, 22 Zenger, 7

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction ............................................ ....................... ..................... ......... Acronyms and Abbreviations ...................................................................... Glossary of Teclmical Terms ......................................................................

THE FATE OF THE CHILDREN OF ADAM First Section: Ps 90-94

7 11 13

17

I. God reveals the faults of the afflicted and saves him The First Sequence: Ps 90-91 . . . . . . . . . .......................................................

19

1. Psalm 90 2. Psalm 91 ............................................................................................. 3. The Whole of the First Sequence (Ps 90-91) .....................................

19 35 44

II. A song for the Sabbath day The Second Sequence: Ps 92 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .................................................

49

III. The Lord will protect his inheritance from the wicked The Third Sequence: Ps 93-94 ...............................................................

57

1. Psalm 93 ............................................................................................. 2. Psalm 94 ............................................................................................. 3. The Whole of the Third Sequence (Ps 93-94) ...................................

57 61 70

IV. The Whole of the First Section (Ps 90-94) ...........................................

74

.............................................................................................

"TODAY, IF YOU WOULD LISTEN TO HIS VOICE!" Second Section: Ps 95

83

ALL THE EARTH IS INVITED TO BLESS GOD WHO SAVES ISRAEL Third Section: Ps 96-100 ...................................... 10 1 I. "Sing to the Lord, all the earth" The First Sequence: Ps 96-97 . . . . . . . . . .......................................................

103

1. Psalm 96 .............................................................. ........... ............ ........ 2. Psalm 97 .............................................................. ....................... ........ 3. The Whole of the First Sequence (Ps 96-97) .....................................

103 113 120

280

The Psalter. Book Four (Ps 90-106)

II. "All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God" The Second Sequence: Ps 98 ..................................................................

123

III. "The Lord reigns over all the peoples" The Third Sequence: Ps 99-100 .............................................................

131

1 . Psahn 99 2. Psahn 100 .................................................................... ........... ............ 3. The Whole of the Third Sequence (Ps 99-100) .................................

131 139 144

IV. The Whole of the Third Section (Ps 96-100) .......................................

146

"WHEN WILL YOU COME TO ME?" Fourth Section: Ps 10 1 ..........................................

157

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .........

THE FATE OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL Fifth Section: Ps 102-106

165

I. God forgives the faults of the afflicted and saves Israel The First Sequence: Ps 102-103 ............................................................

167

1. Psahn 102 ........................................................................................... 2. Psahn 103 ........................................................................................... 3. The Whole of the First Sequence (Ps 102-103) .................................

167 175 184

II. A song for the creation The Second Sequence: Ps 104 ................................................................

189

III. The Lord protected his people from their enemies The Third Sequence: Ps 105-106 ...........................................................

205

1 . Psahn 105 ....................................................................... ........... ......... 2. Psahn 106 ........................................................................................... 3. The Whole of the Third Sequence (Ps 105-106) ...............................

205 217 232

IV. The Whole of the Fifth Section (Ps 102-106) ......................................

236

THE WHOLE OF THE FOURTH BOOK Ps 90-106 A. Composition l . Some Numerical Values 2. Relations between the Extreme Sections (Ps 90-94 & 102-106) ......

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ...... .....................................................................

247 249 25 1 252

TabIe of Contents

28 1

3. Specificity of the Central Section (Ps 96-100) .................................. 4. Relations between the Focal Points of the Ellipse (Ps 95 & 101) . . . . . . 5. Function of the Focal Points ..............................................................

258 260 262

B. Interpretation . . . .......................................................................................

267

Conclusion ................................. .......... ............ ........... ........... .......... ............ Bibliography Index of Quoted Authors ............. ........... ............ .......... ............ ........... ........

271 273 277

................................................................................................

RHETORIQUE BIBLIQUE Series edited by Roland Meynet and Pietro Bovali 1.

ROLAND MEYNET, L' Evangile selon saint Luc. Analyse rhetorique, Ed. du Cerf, Paris 1 9 8 8 .

2.

PIETRO BOVAT! - ROLAND MEYNET, Le Livre du prophete Amos, Ed. du Cerf, Paris 1994.

3.

ROLAND 1.1EYNET, Jesus passe. Testament, jugement, execution et n!sUJTection du Seigneur Jesus dans les evangiles synoptiques, PUG Editrice - Ed. du Cerf, Rome Paris 1999.

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ROLAND MEYNET, L 'Evangile de LUG, Lethielleux, Paris 2005. TOMASZ KOT, La Lettre de Jacques. La /oi, chemin de la vie, Lethielleux, Paris 2006.

3.

MICHEL CUYPERS, Le Festin. Une lecture de la sourate al-Mil'ida, Lethielleux, Paris 2007.

4.

ROLAND MEYNET, Traite de rhetorique biblique, Lethielleux, Paris 2007.

5.

ROLAND MEYNET, Appeles a la liberte, Lethielleux, Paris 2008.

6.

ROLAND MEYNET, Une nouvelle introduction aux evangiles synoptiques, Lethielleux, Paris 2009. ALBERT VANHOYE, L 'Epitre aux Hebreux. « Un pretre different >>, Gabalda, Pende

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ROLAND MEYNET, L 'Evangile de Luc, Gabalda, Pende

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MICHEL CUYFERS, La Composition du Coran, Gabalda, Pende 2012.

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ROLAND MEYNET, La Lettre aux Galates, Gabalda, Pende 2012.

11.

ROLAND MEYNET, Traite de rhetorique biblique, Gabalda, Pende

12.

ROLAND MEYNET - J. ONISZCZUK, Exercices d'analyse rhetorique, Gabalda, Pende

20 1 1 3

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JACEK ONISZCZUK, La premiere lettre de Jean, Gabalda, Pende 2013.

14.

ROLAND 1.1EYNET, La Paque du Seigneur. Passion et resurrection de Jesus dans les evangiles synoptiques, Gabalda, Pende 2013.

15.

MCHEL CUYFERS, Apocalypse coranique. Lecture des trente-trois sourates du Coran, Gabalda, Pende 2014. ROLAND MEYNET, L 'Evangile de Marc, Gabalda, Pende 2014.

16.

RHETORIQUE BIBLIQUE Series edited by Roland Meynet and Pietro Bovali 1.

ROLAND MEYNET, L' Evangile selon saint Luc. Analyse rhetorique, Ed. du Cerf, Paris 1 9 8 8 .

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PIETRO BOVAT! - ROLAND MEYNET, Le Livre du prophete Amos, Ed. du Cerf, Paris 1994.

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ROLAND 1.1EYNET, Jesus passe. Testament, jugement execution et resurrection du Seigneur Jesus dans les evangiles synoptiques, PUG Editrice - Ed. du Cerf, Rome Paris 1999.

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TOMASZ KOT, La Lettre de Jacques. La /oi, chemin de la vie, Lethielleux, Paris 2006.

3.

MICHEL CUYPERS, Le Festin. Une lecture de la sourate al-Ma'ida, Lethielleux, Paris 2007.

4.

ROLAND MEYNET, Traite de rhetorique biblique, Lethielleux, Paris 2007.

5.

ROLAND MEYNET, Appeles a la liberte, Lethielleux, Paris 2008.

6.

ROLAND 1.1EYNET, Une nouvelle introduction aux evangiles synoptiques, Lethielleux, Paris 2009. ALBERT VANHOYE, L 'Epftre aux Hebreux. « Un pretre different >>, Gabalda, Pende

7.

2010. 8.

ROLAND MEYNET, L 'Evangile de Luc, Gabalda, Pende

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MICHEL CUYFERS, La Composition du Coran, Gabalda, Pende 2012.

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ROLAND MEYNET, La Lettre aux Galates, Gabalda, Pende 2012.

11.

ROLAND MEYNET, Traite de rhetorique biblique, Gabalda, Pende 20132

12.

ROLAND MEYNET - J. ONISZCZUK, Exercices d'analyse rhetorique, Gabalda, Pende

201 1 ' .

2013. 13.

JACEK ONISZCZUK, La premiere lettre de Jean, Gabalda, Pende 2013.

14.

ROLAND 1.1EYNET, La Faque du Seigneur. Passion et resurrection de Jesus dans les evangiles synoptiques, Gabalda, Pende 2013.

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11ICHEL CUYFERS, Apocalypse coranique. Lecture des trente-trois sourates du Coran, Gabalda, Pende 2014. ROLAND MEYNET, L 'Evangile de Marc, Gabalda, Pende 2014.

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RETORICA BIBLICA Series edited by Roland Meynet, Pietro Boyati and Jacek Oniszczuk

EDIZION! DEHON!ANE ROMA 1.

ROLAND MEYNET, II vangelo secondo Luca. Analisi retorica, ED, Roma 1994.

2.

PIETRO BOVATI - ROLAND MEYNET, I1 libro del profeta Amos, ED, Roma 1995.

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ROLAND 1.1EYNET, «E ora, scrivete per voi questa cantico». Introduzione pratica all 'analisi retoriea. 1. Detti e proverbi, ED, Roma 1996.

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ROLAND 1.1EYNET, Una nuova introduzione ai vangeli sinottici, EDB, Bologna 200 1 .

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ROLAND 1.1EYNET, La Pasqua del Signore. Testamento, processo, esecuzione e risurrezione di Gesu nei vangeli sinottici, EDB, Bologna 2002.

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TOMASZ KOT, La fede, via della vita. Composizione e interpretazione della Lettera di Giacomo, EDB, Bologna 2003.

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ROLAND 1.1EYNET, Il vangelo secondo Luca. Analisi retorica, seconda edizione, EDB, Bologna 2003.

8.

GIORGIO PAXIMADI, E io dimorero in mezzo a loro. Composizione e interpretazione di Es 25-31, EDB, Bologna 2004.

9.

ROLAND 1.1EYNET, Una nuova introduzione ai Vangeli Sinottici, seconda edizione riyista e ampliata, EDB, Bologna 2006.

10. ROLAND MEYNET, Trattato di retorica biblica, EDB, Bologna 2008. 1 1 . JACEK ONISZCZUK, La Prima Lettera di Giovanni, EDB, Bologna 2008. 12. ROLAND MEYNET - JACEK ONISZCZUK, ed., Retorica biblica e Semitica 1. Atti del primo convegno RES, EDB, Bologna 2009. 13. ROLAND MEYNET, Chiamati alia liberta, EDB, Bologna 2010. 14. ALBERT VANHOYE, L 'epistola agli Ebrei. «Un saeerdote differente>>, EDB, Bologna 2010. 15. JACEK ONISZCZUK, La passione del Signore secondo Giovanni CGy 1 8-19), EDB, Bologna 201 1 . 16. ROLAND MEYNET - JACEK ONISZCZUK, ed., Retorica biblica e Semitica 2. Atti del secondo convegno RES, EDB, Bologna 201 1 . 17. ROLAND MEYNET, La lettera ai Galati, EDB, Bologna 2012. 1 8 . GERMANO LORI, II Discorso della Montagna, dono del Padre (Mt 5, 1-8, 1), EDB, Bologna 2013.

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R. 1vfEYNET, Una nueva introducci6n a los Evangelios Sinopticos, Conviviurn Press G&B Press, Miami - Rome 2012. ENGLISH

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MEYNET, Called to Freedom, Convivium Press

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2009. 2.

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CUYPERS, The Banquet. A Reading of the Fifth Sura of the Qur 'an, Convivium Press - G&B Press, Miami - Rome 2009. MEYNET, A New Introduction to the Synoptic Gospels, Convivium Press Press, Miami - Rome 2010.

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ROLAND MEYNET - JACEK ONISZCZUK, ed., Studi del terzo convegno RES. Inter­ national Studies on Biblical and Semitic Rhetoric, G&B Press, Roma 2013.

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ROLAND MEYNET - JACEK ONISZCZUK, ed., Studi del quarto convegno RES. Inter­ national Studies on Biblical and Semitic Rhetoric, G&B Press, Roma 2015.

6.

ROLAND MEYNET, Les huit psaumes acrostiches alphabetiques, G&B Press, Roma 2015.

7.

ROLAND MEYNET, Lefait synoptique reconsidere, G&B Press, Roma 2015.

8.

ROLAND MEYNET, II vangelo di Marco, G&B Press, Roma 2016.

RHETORICA BIBLICA ET SEMITICA Series edited by Roland Meyne!, Jacek Oniszczuk (t 2017), and then by Francesco Graziano 9.

ROLAND MEYNET, Les psaumes des montees, Peeters, Leuven 2017.

10. MICHEL CUYFERS, Le Festin. Une lecture de la sourate al-Ma'ida, deuxieme edition, Peeters, Leuven 2017. 1 1 . ROLAND MEYNET - JACEK ONISZCZUK, ed., Studi del quinto convegno RES Inter­ national Studies on Biblical and Semitic Rhetoric, Peeters, Leuven 2017. 12. ROLAND MEYNET, Le Psautier. Cinquieme livre (ps 107-150), Peeters, Leuven 2017. 13. JACEK ONISZCZUK, Incontri con il Risorto in Giovanni (Gv 20-21), 2° edizione, Peeters, Leuven 2018. 14. ROLAND MEYNET, II vangelo di Marco, Peeters, Leuven 2018. 15. JACEK ONISZCZUK (t), «Se il chicco di grano caduto in terra non muore. . . » (Gv 1 1-12), Peeters, Leuven 2018. 16. ROLAND MEYNET, Le Psautier. Premier livre (ps 1-41), Peeters, Leuven 201 8 . 1 7 . MASSIMO GRILLI - t JACEK ONISZCZUK - ANDRE WENIN, ed., Filiation, entre Bible et cultures. Hommage a RolandMeynet, Peeters, Leuven 2019. 1 8 . FRANCESCO GRAZIANO - ROLAND MEYNET, ed., Studi del sesto convegno RES. International Studies on Biblical and Semitic Rhetoric, Peeters, Leuven 2019. 19. ROLAND MEYNET, Le Psautier. Troisieme livre (ps 73-89), Peeters, Leuven 2019. 20. ROLAND MEYNET, Le Psautier. Deuxieme livre (Ps 42143-72), Peeters, Leuven 2019. 2 1 . PIETRO BOVAT! - ROLAND MEYNET, I1 libro del profeta Amos. Seconda edizione rivista, Peeters, Leuven 2019. 22. FRANCESCO GRAZIANO, La composizione letteraria del Vangelo di Matteo, Peeters, Leuven 2020. 23. ROLAND MEYNET, Le Psautier. Quatrieme livre (Ps 90-1 06), Peeters, Leuven 2020. 24. ROLAND MEYNET, Le Psautier. L 'ensemble du Livre des Louanges, Peeters, Leuven 2020. 25. ROLAND MEYNET, Le Cantique des cantiques, Peeters, Leuven 2020. 26. ROLAND 1.1EYNET, La Lettre aux Galates. Deuxieme edition revue, Peeters, Leuven 202 1 . 27. ROLAND 1.1EYNET, La Faque du Seigneur. Passion et resurrection de Jesus dans les evangiles synoptiques. Troisieme edition revue, Peeters, Leuven 202 1 . 28. ROLAND MEYNET, Traite de rhetorique biblique. Troisieme edition revue et amplijiee, Peeters, Leuven 202 1 . 29. ROLAND MEYNET - JACEK ONISZCZUK, Exercices d'analyse rhetorique biblique. Deuxieme edition revue, Peeters, Leuven 2021 .

30.

FRANCESCO GRAZIANO - ROLAND MEYNET - BERNARD WITEK, ed., Studi del settimo convegno RES. International Studies on Biblical and62 Semitic Rhetoric, Peeters, Leuven 2021.

31.

ROLAND MEYNET, Qohelet, Peeters, Leuven 202 1 .

32.

ROLAND MEYNET, The Psalter: Book One (ps 1-41), Peeters, Leuven 202 1 .

33.

ROLAND MEYNET, The Psalter: Book Two (ps 42143-72), Peeters, Leuven 202 1 .

34.

ROLAND MEYNET, Comment? Les Lamentations de Jeremie, Peeters, Leuven 202 1 .

35.

ROLAND MEYNET, The Psalter: Book Three (ps 73-89), Peeters, Leuven 2021.

36.

ROLAND MEYNET, Ruth,

37.

ROLAND MEYNET, The Psalter: BookFour (ps 90--1 06), Peeters, Leuven 2022.

Peeters, Leuven 2022.