Imprecations in the Psalms: Love for Enemies in Hard Places

By Steffen G. Jenkins

The gap between the New Testament and the Imprecatory Psalms is less than we think. When faced with prayers against enemies in the Psalms, we are too quick to assume that these Old Testament authors were ignorant of some basic New Testament ethics. They are self-righteous, thinking they have earned God's favor. They don't know that the wicked can repent and be forgiven. They believe in vengeance and hating their enemies. We assume wrongly. These prayers are far more aware than many modern churchgoers of how deeply our own sin runs, so that even when persecuted, we are not automatically entitled to divine help. Even when we are truly entitled to justice against unrighteous attackers, if God rescues us, that is unmerited grace. Further, the psalms are fully aware that their enemies can repent, and they show mercy to them. The Book of Psalms teaches its readers--individuals and the whole people of God--to desire the repentance, forgiveness, and divine blessing of all nations, even the people's most vicious enemies.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Pickwick Publications
• Release date: Feb 4, 2022
• ISBN: 9781725292413

Steffen G. Jenkins

Steffen Jenkins is Lecturer in Greek and Biblical Studies at Union School of Theology, prior to which he has served as a seminary lecturer in Cuba, a minister in England, and Tutor for biblical languages at Tyndale House, Cambridge. His PhD examined prayers for retribution within the shape of the Book of Psalms, under Prof. Gordon Wenham (Trinity College Bristol).

Book preview

Imprecations in the Psalms

Love for Enemies in Hard Places

Steffen G. Jenkins

Imprecations in the Psalms

Love for Enemies in Hard Places

Copyright ©

2022

Steffen G. Jenkins. All rights reserved. Except for brief quotations in critical publications or reviews, no part of this book may be reproduced in any manner without prior written permission from the publisher. Write: Permissions, Wipf and Stock Publishers,

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Pickwick Publications

An Imprint of Wipf and Stock Publishers

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paperback isbn: 978-1-7252-9239-0

hardcover isbn: 978-1-7252-9240-6

ebook isbn: 978-1-7252-9241-3

Cataloguing-in-Publication data:

Names: Jenkins, Steffen G. [author]

Title: Imprecations in the Psalms : love for enemies in hard places / Steffen G. Jenkins.

Description: Eugene, OR: Pickwick Publications,

2022

| Includes bibliographical references and index.

Identifiers:

isbn 978-1-7252-9239-0 (

paperback

) | isbn 978-1-7252-9240-6 (

hardcover

) | isbn 978-1-7252-9241-3 (

ebook

)

Subjects: LCSH: Bible—Psalms—Criticism, interpretation, etc | Blessings and cursing in the Bible | Anger—Religious aspects | Bible—Psalms—Theology

Classification:

BS1430.6 J46 2022 (

print

) | BS1430.6 (

ebook

)

10/01/21

Unless otherwise indicated, all translations are by the author.

Table of Contents

Title Page

Preface

Abbreviations

Chapter 1: Introduction

Chapter 2: A Real, Biblical Problem: Retribution in the Psalter

What We Mean by Imprecations

Silence

A Priori Ethical Rejection—They Have No Place at All

Ethical Rejection, Canonical Acceptance—They Are Evil, but Have a Place in the Bible

Allegories: From Origen to Luther

Walter Brueggemann

Rejection Specifically for the Church—They Are Not Evil, but They Have No Place in the Church

Not Yet For the New Testament Church

No Longer For the New Testament Church

Cautious Appropriation—They Have a Place in the Church

Reformation and Onwards—Optimistic Appraisals of David’s Ethics

Dietrich Bonhoeffer—Christ at Prayer with His People

Post-Modernism—Prayers of the Oppressed

Global Church Solidarity—Praying with the Oppressed

John N. Day—A Slight Shift in NT Emphasis

Self-Righteousness—A Further Problem

Point of Departure

Chapter 3: Reading the Psalter as Book

Psalter Shape: A Venerable Enterprise

Psalms Have Superscriptions

Different Ways of Labelling Psalms

Descriptive Labels Are Useful

David in the Superscriptions—Applied History

One Psalter in Five Books

From Individual Psalm to Psalter Shape

A Fully-Fledged Book

From Psalter Context to Canonical Context

A Thematic Introduction to Guide the Reader

Chapter 4: Retribution in the Introduction to the Psalter

Retribution in the Introduction to the Book of Psalms

Psalm 1: Retribution Expected

Torah in Psalm 1

Torah and the Expectation of Retaliation

Psalm 1: The Entrance to the Psalms in Light of the Exile

Exile Motifs from the Wider Canon

Torah for Exile: Learn to Pray with David

Psalm 2: The Enemies Are Invited to Repent and Be Blessed

Excursus: Textual Criticism of the Crushing Son and Fearful Rejoicing

The King Is the Judge

The Enemy Are Rebellious Kings and Judges

Rebel Judges Are Invited to Repent and Be Blessed

The Restored Leaders Are a Cause for Rejoicing among Their People

The Introduction to the Psalter in Summary

Chapter 5: Retribution in the Introduction to David

Psalm 3

The Backstory to Psalm 3: Absalom (David Is Innocent); Bathsheba (David Is Guilty)

From Bathsheba to Absalom

David Is Simultaneously Innocent and Guilty

The Flight from Absalom: David as Innocent and Guilty in Psalm 3

The Aftermath: David in Victory

David and Retribution in the Background of Psalm 3: Psalms 1–2 and 2 Samuel

The Theme of Retribution Extends into Psalm 3

Literary Connections Within Psalms 1–3

David’s Flight from Absalom within Psalms 1–3

Retribution in Psalm 3

The Imprecation in Psalm 3 Did Not Require Innocence

A Sinner Awaits a Merciful Verdict: vv. 5–6 [4–5]

What Is David Asking For?: v. 8 [7]

Blessing the Enemies: vv. 8–9 [7–8]

Conclusion

Chapter 6: Because of My Innocence

A Flawed Assumption: Innocence vs. Sinlessness

The Righteous vs. the Wicked in the Psalms

Confessions of Sin Coexist with Protestations of Innocence

A Plea of Not Guilty Is Not Self-Righteousness

A Word of Caution about Grace and Salvation

The Limits of Template Criticism

Conclusion: Not Self-Righteousness, but Specific Righteousness

Chapter 7: David and Israel in the Psalter

David and Absalom as Types of Israel and Babylon

Typology in the Absalom Incident

Typology of Exile

David’s Sin as a National Apostasy in the Psalter

David’s Second Introduction: Psalm 51 and the Golden Calf

Divine Mercy: The Meaning of Exod 34:6–7

Exodus 34 and the Structure of the Psalter

Chapter 8: Retribution in Book I

The Setting of Psalm 7

A Conditional Self-Malediction: vv. 2–5 [1–4]

Malicious Perjury, Not Mistaken Testimony: v. 15 [14]

May God Stop Their Evil Deeds: vv. 7–10 [6–9]

David Is Not Guilty and God Will Judge Rightly: vv. 9–12 [8–11]

The Enemy Can Repent: vv. 13–14 [12–13]

Mercy Triumphs over Justice

Psalm 7 in the Context of Book I

Conclusion

Chapter 9: Retribution in Book I

Who Is the Enemy and What Is the Extent of Retribution in Ps 18?

Blessing and Repentance in Ps 18

Psalms 18 and 19 Read Together: Proclaiming Blessing to the Nations

The Blessed Life Is Available Globally

My Righteousness in Psalm 18 Is Available in Psalm 19

Psalms 18–19 in the Context of Book I

Who Will Ascend the Holy Hill?

David the Exemplary Herald of Good News to the Nations

Conclusion In Book I

Chapter 10: David, Israel’s Teacher about Steadfast Love

Steadfast Love and the Structure of Book V

Pre-existing Collections Are Insufficient

Markers of Structure: Thank Him, Praise Him, and His Steadfast Love

Pleading and Praising for Steadfast Love: The Seam with Book IV

David the Model Recipient of Steadfast Love in Book V

David Displaced in Book V?

David and Israel Have Experienced Steadfast Love

David Is the Model for the Exiled and Restored Nation

David the Model User of Imprecations

Chapter 11: Retribution in Section I of Book V

Exposition of Psalm 109

David’s Petition in Psalm 109

Even While Innocent, He Appeals to Mercy . . .

. . . And He Shows Mercy

. . . Or Does He Ask for a Death Sentence After All?

David Repays Malice with Mercy

Psalm 109 within the Structure of Book V

David the Model for Israel: Hesed and the Afflicted and Oppressed

Psalm 107: Thank Yahweh for His Mercy

Psalm 108: How Shall We Pray about Edom?

Psalm 109: Receive Mercy, Show Mercy

Psalm 110: Repent or Perish

Response to Enemy in 107–110

Concluding Hallelujah: Every Nation Invited to Be Those Who Fear Yahweh

Chapter 12: Retribution in Section II of Book V

Opening Hodu: Psalm 118

Imprecations in the Body of Section II (119–34)

The Place of Psalm 119

Attitude to Self in Psalm 119

Attitude to the Enemy in Psalm 119

Psalm 129 in the Songs of Ascents

Concluding Hallelujah: Psalm 135

Book V So Far—Lessons from the Past for Israel’s Future

Chapter 13: Retribution in Section III of Book V

Opening Hodu: Psalm 136 and the Structure of Sections I–III

Body of Section III (Pss 137–144): Imprecations Are Followed by Universal Praise for hesed

The Puzzling Placement of Ps 137

Structure of Section III: David Responds to Psalm 137 with Psalms 138–145

Psalm 138: Response to Imprecations (I)

Psalm 145: Response to Imprecations (II)

How and When to Pray Psalm 137: Lessons from David

As David in Psalm 3, so Israel in Psalm 137

The Imprecations in Psalm 137

The Final David Collection (Pss 138–45) Teaches the Use of Psalm 137

David’s Innocence Criterion Applied to Psalm 137 in Psalms 139–44

Closing Hallelujah: Psalms 146–50

Summary: Retribution in Section III (Psalms 137, 139–44)

Are These Imprecations Self-Righteous?

Is Perfect Righteousness Required to Pray Imprecations?

Cannot the Enemy Repent and Be Blessed?

Does David Teach Israel to Hate the Enemy?

Conclusion: David, Israel’s Model of Imprecation in Book V

Chapter 14: Conclusion

Imprecations Do Not Require Perfect Righteousness (Real or Imagined)

Imprecations Are Not a Symptom of Self-Righteousness

Victimhood Is Not Righteousness

The Enemies Are Redeemable: Even Enemy Kings and Nations Are Invited to Repent and Be Blessed

The Psalms Would Rather Bless the Enemy Than Be Avenged

A Missing Theology of the Cross?

Contemporary Use of Imprecations

Bibliography

"There are few ‘eureka’ moments in Psalms studies, but Steffen Jenkins has found one! The problem of retribution, especially the pesky imprecations (‘curses’), has been a sore spot in biblical theology for centuries . .  . Jenkins, powered by a canonical approach, argues that David, in book

5

, . . . has become the master teacher of how to pray for Israel and the nations, both objects of Yahweh’s undeserved ‘steadfast love and plenteous redemption.’"

—C. Hassell Bullock

Wheaton College (IL), emeritus

"With sustained and careful analysis of psalms

1–3

and the shape of book

5

, Jenkins demonstrates persuasively that the imprecatory psalms should not be understood as self-righteous requests for revenge. Rather, they ‘show concern for the welfare of the enemy, including . . . a desire for their repentance and blessing.’ His work also clearly shows how attention to Psalter shape continues to yield illuminating and important results—very impressive!"

—J. Clinton McCann Jr.

Eden Theological Seminary

Steffen Jenkins has produced a fresh and stimulating analysis of the imprecatory psalms that will greatly aid academics and students for years to come as they explore this difficult portion of the Psalter.

—Jonathan Gibson

Westminster Theological Seminary

I am delighted to commend enthusiastically Steffen Jenkins’s study on the imprecatory psalms. Steffen’s commitment to the absolute trustworthiness of God’s word shines through his insightful and always engaging exposition of this often much abused portion of Scripture. Jenkins writes not only with academic care but also with pastoral sensitivity. I look forward to more coming from his pen (or computer).

—Ian Hamilton

Westminster Presbyterian Theological Seminary

This study makes an important contribution to the theology and ethics of the calls for divine retribution within the Psalter. It can also serve as an accessible introduction to reading the Psalter as a book and with an awareness of significant links to other parts of the Old Testament. Having studied and lectured on the Psalms for years, I have nevertheless learned much from this work which broadened my perspective on the Psalter, deepened my understanding of individual psalms, and changed my mind on a few issues.

—Thomas Renz

Oak Hill Theological College, retired

Who hasn’t wondered about why the imprecatory psalms are in the Bible? . . . Were the people who prayed them self-righteous or deluded? Were they unaware of the call to love one’s enemies? Did they think they could simply say anything because they were suffering? Did they lack any idea of enemies turning to God? Jenkins shows that the answer to all these questions is no!

—John Goldingay

Fuller Seminary, emeritus

Imprecations in the Psalms have long posed a critical problem in their interpretation. Where the dominant approach in recent decades has been to look behind each individual poem, Steffen Jenkins suggests we look instead at the Psalter, which provides the context for interpretation. He shows that the final form of the Psalter provides the guardrails which guide how we are to read these prayers. This is a crucial work that will need to be considered by all who wrestle with this issue.

—David G Firth

Trinity College, Bristol

"In line with the righteous man of psalm

1

, Steffen Jenkins has clearly spent long hours meditating day and night on the Psalter, and among the fruits of this are a significant number of astute and important observations about the shape of the Psalter. He makes a case that needs to be heard that there are signs of careful arrangement of the Psalter and that this contributes to how we should understand imprecatory psalms. I would be very glad to see his research disseminated more widely."

—Peter J. Williams

Tyndale House, Cambridge

In Memoriam

Brian David Foster

my dear father-in-law

irrevocably summoned into the presence of the ultimate author, final subject and perfect performer of every Psalm

יָ֭קָר בְּעֵינֵ֣י יְהוָ֑ה

הַ֝מָּ֗וְתָה לַחֲסִידָֽיו

Preface

The bricks making up this humble book were quarried from doctoral research conducted at Trinity College, Bristol, under the supervision of Prof. Gordon Wenham. This publication gives me the excuse to offer hearty thanks more publicly to many!

How do I begin to thank Prof. Wenham for supervising me those four years, and for his and Mrs. Wenham’s generous hospitality? He indefatigably read and commented on my work and guided me through every stage of the process with a sure, reassuring and experienced hand. Every visit to the Wenham home, sometimes by all the Jenkins, was a life-giving kindness and joy to us.

It was a great privilege to have Dr. Philip S. Johnston as my external supervisor. I cannot imagine how he found the time, while being the Senior Tutor of Hughes Hall, but he went well beyond the call of duty. From the minute detail to the overall claim of the work, he offered the most helpful criticisms with kind encouragement. I may not have convinced him of my case, but his warnings have made it less weak than it was. Proverbs 27:6a.

I would like to thank the thesis examiners, Dr. David Firth (then external to Trinity) and Dr. Knut Heim, for their enthusiastic and thorough evisceration and for their even more enthusiastic and prolonged encouragement to publish afterwards. Dr. Firth has been especially charitable in his ongoing spur to let some of the work see the light of day.

At Trinity and at Bristol University, I must thank the directors of Post-Graduate studies (Dr. Knut Heim and D.r Justin Stratis), the Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Humanities, and the Post-Graduate administrators (Mrs. Sam Hands and Mrs. Emma Crick de Boom).

I am immensely grateful for the privilege of enjoying study space and daily fellowship (sometimes from the shoulder, of course) at Tyndale House from 2011 to 2015. I would like to thank the Principal, Peter Williams, and the librarians, Elizabeth Magba and Simon Sykes, for allowing me to be part of the amazing community at the House. It was my undeserved pleasure to share a study carrel at various points with real scholars, men and women far above my station, and I will not debase their names by mentioning them in such a lowly book as this. They know who they are, and their friendship and encouragement, and that of their families to our whole family was a gift. Having them as cell-mates was a daily dose of delight.

I would like to thank Prof. Robert Gordon and Dr. Katherine Dell for suffering my attendance at the OT Senior Seminars at the Divinity Faculty in Cambridge, and Josh Harper, Kim Phillips, Brittany Melton, and Luke Wisely for organising the Tyndale House OT Graduate Seminar.

A love for Hebrew and for the Psalms were kindled and nurtured during my seminary education by Rev. Dr. James Robson, Dr. Charles Anderson, Rev. Dr. Thomas Renz, Dr. Bryan Howell and Dr. Seulgi Byun, and maintained on a weekly basis since then by the inclusive Psalmody of Cambridge Presbyterian Church, Chelmsford Presbyterian Church and now Bethel Presbyterian Church—the pattern in those names makes me wonder whether we should get the word out more widely about singing psalms once in a while! My whole family is grateful for the psalm settings of Jamie Soles, and not a few connections were spotted on car journeys as familiar words reappeared to different tunes.

In addition to faithful support in prayer a number of friends supported our family financially during the thesis (or, during its final year, supported my students when I took time out to run the Cuba Hebrew Boot Camp at Tyndale House) and we express our gratitude to God for them: Liz Capper, †Valerie Chambers, David & Sue Field, Martin Grinnell, Ian and Joan Hamilton, Phil and Ruth Heaps, †Gerv and Ruth Markham, Steve and Christine Martin, James and Liz Oakley, Mike and Ceri Payne, Mike and Lizzy Peach, Peter and Margaret Rae, Chad and Emily VanDixhoorn, and Neil and Sarah Yorke-Smith. I am most grateful to the Tyndale Fellowship for awarding me Erasmus Scholarships between 2011–15, and to the trustees of Emmanuel for a scholarship.

More recently, as I have tried to publish a book, rather than merely write a thesis, I confess that I have needed more encouragement and reassurance than a boy of my age perhaps ought. I am most grateful to Hassell Bullock, Peter Williams, Palmer Robertson, Jonny Gibson, James Hely-Hutchinson, Thomas Renz, Ian Hamilton, John Orchard and especially Cornelis Bennema, Stephen Moore, and Pieter Kwant. The now tragically late Donald Mitchell read extensively from an early draft, offered invaluable advice, and encouraged me to make the text accessible beyond those who read Hebrew.

Matt Wimer, the Editorial Production Manager, and EJ Davila and Robin Parry, the Pickwick editors, considered the proposal in the kindest and most hassle-free way imaginable, for which I thank them. Raj Sangha and Kevin Hale have kindly proof-read the volume and offered sage advice, as well as doing much thankless drudgery to bring the formatting of the manuscript up to scratch. Just a little while, and you too. . . . My faculty colleagues at Union School of Theology have selflessly encouraged me to keep a low profile and write for the last few months; I hope that this volume is a worthy product of their thoughtfulness!

Sally, Ben and Daniel: Proverbs 31:10 and Psalm 127:3. And the rest is silence.

Penultimately, all four of us express our gratitude to our parents for all their love and support in more ways than can be listed here.

Ultimately, in thankful worship and adoration, I express my indebtedness, devotion and love to the one who shows hesed to us on a daily basis.

Juravit Dominus, et non pœnitebit eum:

Tu es sacerdos in æternum

secundum ordinem Melchisedech.

Chiclana de la Frontera

August, AD 2021

Abbreviations

AB Anchor Bible

AC Goshen-Gottstein, Moshe, ed. The Aleppo Codex: Part One: Plates. Jerusalem: Magnes, 1976

ACCSOT Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture: Old Testament

AER American Ecclesiastical Review

AJSL American Journal of Semitic Languages and Literature

Alep Aleppo Codex (cf. AC, MGH)

ALGHJ Arbeiten zur Literatur und Geschichte des hellenistischen Judentums

AnBib Analecta biblica

ANE Ancient Near-East(ern)

ANF Ante-Nicene Fathers

AOAT Alter Orient und Altes Testament

ASV American Standard Version

ATANT Abhandlungen zur Theologie des Alten und Neuen Testaments

ATD Das Alte Testament Deutsch

b. Berakot Berakot in the Babylonian Talmud

BBB Bonner biblische Beiträge

BBRSup Bulletin for Biblical Research Supplements

BDAG Bauer, Walter, F. W. Danker, W. F. Arndt, and F. W. Gingrich, eds. A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature. 3rd ed. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000

BDB Brown, Francis, S. R. Driver, and Charles Briggs. Hebrew and English Lexicon: With an Appendix Containing the Biblical Aramaic. Oxford: Clarendon, 1906

BDF Blass, F., A. Debrunner, and Robert W. Funk. A Greek Grammar of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1961

BETL Bibliotheca ephemeridum theologicarum lovaniensium

BEvT Beiträge zur evangelischen Theologie

BHL Dotan, Aron, ed. [Torah Nevi’im u-Khetuvim] = Biblia Hebraica Leningradensia: Prepared According to the Vocalization, Accents, and Masora of Aaron Ben Moses Ben Asher in the Leningrad Codex. Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 2001

BHS Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia. Edited by K. Elliger and W. Rudolph. 5th ed. Stuttgart: Deutsche Bibelgesellshaft, 1997

Bib Biblica

BibInt Biblical Interpretation

BibLeb Bibel und Leben

BK Bibel und Kirche

BKAT Biblischer Kommentar, Altes Testament. Edited by M. Noth and H. W. Wolff

BL Bibel und Liturgie

BN Biblische Notizen

Brenton Brenton, Lancelot Charles Lee. The Septuagint Version of the Old Testament: English Translation. London: Samuel Bagster and Sons, 1870.

BSac Bibliotheca sacra

BTB Biblical Theology Bulletin

BWANT Beiträge zur Wissenschaft vom Alten und Neuen Testament

BZ Biblische Zeitschrift

BZAW Beihefte zur Zeitschrift für die alttestamentliche Wissenschaft

CahRB Cahiers de la Revue biblique

CBQ Catholic Biblical Quarterly

COS The Context of Scripture. Edited by William W. Hallo and K. Lawson Younger. Leiden: Brill, 1997–

CurBS Currents in Research: Biblical Studies

Darby 1890 Darby Bible

DCH Dictionary of Classical Hebrew. Edited by David J. A. Clines. Sheffield: Sheffield Academic, 1993–

Delitzsch Delitzsch, Franz. Die Psalmen. 5th ed. Leipzig: Dörflin u. Franke, 1894. Reprint, Giessen: Brunnen, 1984

Diodati, Annotations Diodati, Giovanni. Pious Annotations upon the Holy Bible: Expounding the Difficult Places Thereof Learnedly and Plainly. London, 1664

DJD Discoveries in the Judaean Desert

DOTWPW Dictionary of the Old Testament: Wisdom, Poetry & Writings. Edited by Tremper Longman III and Peter Enns. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity, 2008

DSE Dictionary of Scripture and Ethics. Edited by Joel B. Green. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2011

DTIB Dictionary for Theological Interpretation of the Bible. Edited by Kevin J. Vanhoozer. Grand Rapids: Baker, 2005

EHLL Encyclopedia of Hebrew Language and Linguistics. Edited by Geoffrey Khan. 4 vols. Leiden: Brill, 2013

ESV English Standard Version

ETL Ephemerides theologicae lovanienses

ETS Erfurter Theologische Schriften

EÜ Einheitsübersetzung

EvQ Evangelical Quarterly

EvT Evangelische Theologie

ExAud Ex auditu

ExpTim Expository Times

FAT Forschungen zum Alten Testament

FC The Fathers of the Church, a new translation

FOTL Forms of the Old Testament Literature

FRLANT Forschungen zur Religion und Literatur des Alten und Neuen Testaments

GNB Good News Bible

Goldingay 1/2/3 Goldingay, John. Psalms. Baker Commentary on the Old Testament Wisdom and Psalms. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2006–8

GW God’s Word Translation

HALOT Koehler, L., W. Baumgartner, and J. J. Stamm, The Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon of the Old Testament. Translated and edited under the supervision of M. E. J. Richardson. 4 vols. Leiden: Brill, 1994–99

HAT Handbuch zum Alten Testament

HBM Hebrew Bible Monographs

HBS Herders Biblische Studien

HBT Horizons in Biblical Theology

HCSB Holman Christian Standard Bible

Hossfeld-Zenger I/II/III Hossfeld, Frank-Lothar, and Erich Zenger. Die Psalmen I: Psalm 1–50. NEchtB 29. Würzburg: Echter, 1993

———. Die Psalmen II: Psalm 51–100. NEchtB 40. Würzburg: Echter, 2002

———. Die Psalmen III: Psalm 101–150. NEchtB 41. Würzburg: Echter, 2012

Hossfeld-Zenger 2/3 ———. Psalmen 51–100. HThKAT. Freiburg: Herder, 2000

———. Psalmen 101–150. HThKAT. Freiburg: Herder, 2008

HThKAT Herders theologischer Kommentar zum Alten Testament

HTR Harvard Theological Review

HUCA Hebrew Union College Annual

HUT Hermeneutische Untersuchungen zur Theologie

Int Interpretation

Jastrow Jastrow, M. A Dictionary of the Targumim, the Talmud Babli and Yerushalmi, and the Midrashic Literature. Authorised ed. New York: Choreb, 1926

JBVO Jenaer Beiträge zum Vorderen Orient

JBQ Jewish Bible Quarterly

JET Jahrbuch für Evangelische Theologie

JETh Jahrbuch für evangelikale Theologie

JETS Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society

JNES Journal of Near Eastern Studies

JNSL Journal of Northwest Semitic Languages

Joüon Joüon, P. A Grammar of Biblical Hebrew. Translated and revised by T. Muraoka. 2 vols. Subsidia biblica 14/1–2. Rome: Pontifical Biblical Institute, 1991

JPSTC JPS Torah Commentary

JSOT Journal for the Study of the Old Testament

JSOTSup Journal for the Study of the Old Testament: Supplement Series

JSS Journal of Semitic Studies

JTS Journal of Theological Studies

K&D Keil, Carl Friedrich, and Franz Delitzsch. Commentary on the Old Testament. Translated by J. Martin et al. 25 vols. Edinburgh: T&T Clark, 1857–78. Reprint, 10 vols. Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 1996

Kirkpatrick Kirkpatrick, A. F., ed. The Book of Psalms. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1892–1901

KJV King James Version

Kraus Kraus, Hans-Joachim. Psalmen. 5., grundlegend überarbeitete und veränderte Aufl. BKAT 15. Neukirchen-Vluyn: Neukirchener, 1978

L Leningrad Codex (cf. BHL, LC, BHS)

L&N Louw, Johannes P., and Eugene A. Nida, eds. Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Based on Semantic Domains. 2nd ed. New York: United Bible Societies, 1989.

LC Freedman, David Noel, ed. The Leningrad Codex: A Facsimile Edition. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1998

LCC Library of Christian Classics.

LEB Lexham English Bible

LHB/OTS Library of Hebrew Bible/Old Testament Studies

LSJ Liddell, Henry George, and Robert Scott. A Greek-English Lexicon. Revised and augmented throughout by Sir Henry Stuart Jones, with the assistance of Roderick McKenzie. Oxford: Clarendon, 1940

LXX Septuagint

McCann McCann, J. Clinton, Jr. Psalms. In Vol. 4 of The New Interpreter's Bible, edited by Leander E. Keck, 639–1280. Nashville: Abingdon, 1996

MdB Le Monde de la Bible

MGH I/II Cohen, Menachem, ed. Psalms: Part I. Mikra’ot Gedolot ‘Haketer’: A Revised and Augmented Scientific Edition of ‘Mikra’ot Gedolot’. Based on the Aleppo Codex and Early Medieval MSS. Ramat Gan, Israel: Bar Ilan University Press, 2003

———, ed. Psalms: Part II. Mikra’ot Gedolot ‘Haketer’: A Revised and Augmented Scientific Edition of ‘Mikra’ot Gedolot’. Based on the Aleppo Codex and Early Medieval MSS. Ramat Gan, Israel: Bar Ilan University Press, 2004

Mm Masorah magna

Mp Masorah parva

MSG The Message: The Bible in Contemporary Language

MT The (Tiberian) Masoretic Text, usually referring to Alep

MThZ Münchener Theologische Zeitschrift

NAC New American Commentary

NASB New American Standard Bible

NBC New Bible Commentary. 4th ed. Edited by Don A. Carson, R. T. France, J. Alec Motyer, and Gordon J. Wenham. Leicester: InterVarsity, 1994

NBD New Bible Dictionary. 3rd ed. Edited by I. Howard Marshall, A. R. Millard, James I. Packer, and D. J. Wiseman. Leicester: InterVarsity, 1996

NCBC New Cambridge Bible Commentary

NCV New Century Version

NEchtB Neue Echter Bibel. Kommentar zum Alten Testament mit der Einheitsübersetzung

NET The New English Translation

NETS A New English Translation of the Septuagint

NIDOTTE New International Dictionary of Old Testament Theology and Exegesis. Edited by Willem VanGemeren. 5 vols. Carlisle: Paternoster, 1997

NIrV New International Reader’s Version

NIV The New International Version, 1984

NIVAC New International Version Application Commentary

NJB New Jerusalem Bible

NKJV The New King James Version

NLT New Living Translation

NPNF1 Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Series 1

NPNF2 Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Series 2

NRSV New Revised Standard Version

NSBT New Studies in Biblical Theology

OBO Orbis biblicus et orientalis

ÖBS Österreichische biblische Studien

OTE Old Testament Essays

OtSt Oudtestamentische Studiën

OTL Old Testament Library

PaVi Parole di vita

PG Patrologia graeca [= Patrologiae cursus completus: Series graeca]. Edited by J.-P. Migne. 162 vols. Paris, 1857–86

PIBA Proceedings of the Irish Biblical Association

PL Patrologia latina [= Patrologiae cursus completus: Series latina]. Edited by J.-P. Migne. 217 vols. Paris, 1844–64

Poole, Annotations Poole, Matthew. Annotations upon the Holy Bible: Wherein the Sacred Text Is Inserted, and Various Readings Annex’d, together with the Parallel Scriptures, the More Difficult Terms in Each Verse Are Explained, Seeming Contradictions Reconciled, Questions and Doubts Resolved, and the Whole Text Opened. London, 1683

PRSt Perspectives in Religious Studies

Ravasi Ravasi, Gianfranco. I Salmi: Introduzione, testo e commento. Milano: San Paolo, 2007

Ravasi I/II/II Ravasi, Gianfranco. Il libro dei Salmi: commento e attualizzazione. Vol. I, 1–50. Lettura pastorale della Bibbia 12. Bologna: Dehoniane, 1981

———. Il libro dei Salmi: commento e attualizzazione. Vol. II, 51–100. Lettura pastorale della Bibbia 12. Bologna: Dehoniane, 1985

———. Il libro dei Salmi: commento e attualizzazione. Vol. III, 101–150. Lettura pastorale della Bibbia 12. Bologna: Dehoniane, 1985

RevistB Revista bíblica

Ross 1/2 Ross, Allen P. A Commentary on the Psalms: Volume 1 (1–41). Kregel Exegetical Library. Grand Rapids: Kregel, 2011

———. A Commentary on the Psalms: Volume 2 (42–89). Kregel Exegetical Library. Grand Rapids: Kregel, 2013

RSV Revised Standard Version

[s] Some psalms have their superscription as the whole of verse 1; where this happens, English translations begin numbering v. 1 at Hebrew v. 2. Where I refer to Hebrew v. 1 in such cases, I give the English verse reference as [s].

SBAB Stuttgarter biblische Aufsatzbände

SBB Stuttgarter biblische Beiträge

SBLAIL Society of Biblical Literature Ancient Israel and its Literature

SBLDS Society of Biblical Literature Dissertation Series

SBLMS Society of Biblical Literature Monograph Series

SBM Stuttgarter biblische Monographien

SBS Stuttgarter Bibelstudien

SBT Studies in Biblical Theology

Schökel I/II Schökel, Luis Alonso, and Cecilia Carniti. Salmos I: (Salmos 1–72) Traducción, introducciones y comentario. 3rd ed. Nueva Biblia Española. Madrid: Cristiandad, 2008

———. Salmos II: (Salmos 73–150) Traducción, introducciones y comentario. 4th ed. Nueva Biblia Española. Madrid: Cristiandad, 2009

Seybold Seybold, Klaus. Die Psalmen. HAT I/15. Tübingen: Mohr Siebeck, 1996

SJOT Scandinavian Journal of the Old Testament

STDJ Studies on the Texts of the Desert of Judah

SubBi Subsidia biblica

SUNY State University of New York

Syr. Syriac

TB Theologische Bücherei: Neudrucke und Berichte aus dem 20. Jahrhundert

TDNT Theological Dictionary of the New Testament. Edited by G. Kittel and G. Friedrich. Translated by G. W. Bromiley. 10 vols. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1964–76

TDOT Theological Dictionary of the Old Testament. Edited by G. J. Botterweck and H. Ringgren. Translated by J. T. Willis, G. W. Bromiley, and D. E. Green. 8 vols. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1974–2006

THAT Theologisches Handwörterbuch zum Alten Testament. Edited by Ernst Jenni, with assistance from Claus Westermann. 2 vols. München: Kaiser, 1971–76

Them Themelios

ThWAT Theologisches Wörterbuch zum Alten Testament. Edited by G. Johannes Botterweck, Helmer Ringgren, and Heinz-Joseph Fabry. Stuttgart: Kohlhammer, 1970–2000

TLOT Theological Lexicon of the Old Testament. Edited by E. Jenni, with assistance from C. Westermann. Translated by M. E. Biddle. 3 vols. Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 1997

TLZ Theologische Literaturzeitung

TP Theologie und Philosophie

TRE Theologische Realenzyklopädie. Edited by G. Krause and G. Müller. Berlin: de Gruyter, 1977–

TThSt Trierer Theologische Studien

TWOT Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament. Edited by Robert L. Harris, Gleason L. Archer, and Bruce K. Waltke. 2 vols. Chicago: Moody, 1980

TynBul Tyndale Bulletin

TZ Theologische Zeitschrift

Vesco Vesco, Jean-Luc. Le psautier de David: traduit et commenté. Lectio Divina 211. Paris: Cerf, 2006

VT Vetus Testamentum

VTSup Vetus Testamentum Supplements

Vulg. Vulgate

WBC Word Biblical Commentary

Weber Weber, Beat. Werkbuch Psalmen. Stuttgart: Kohlhammer, 2001–3

Westminster Annotations Certain Learned Divines. Annotations upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament Wherein the Text Is Explained, Doubts Resolved, Scriptures Parallelled and Various Readings Observed / by the Joynt-Labour of Certain Learned Divines, Thereunto Appointed, and Therein Employed, as Is Expressed in the Preface. London, 1645

WMANT Wissenschaftliche Monographien zum Alten und Neuen Testament

WTJ Westminster Theological Journal

WUNT Wissenschaftliche Untersuchungen zum Neuen Testament

WW Word and World

YLT Young’s Literal Translation

ZAW Zeitschrift für die alttestamentliche Wissenschaft

ZTK Zeitschrift für Theologie und Kirche

1

Introduction

Certain prayers about enemies in the Psalms have always jarred Christian readers: they appear to be at significant odds with the ethics of the New Testament. The psalmists are full of self-righteousness, blithely unaware of their own sinfulness, and imagining themselves to have earned God’s favor against their enemies. They are vengeful and vindictive, wanting nothing more than retribution.

In response, many will grant the cleft between the Psalms and the New Testament, and say that it is only to be expected. The events and teaching of the New Testament ought to have improved on the ethics of the psalms. The legalism and exceptionalism of the Old Testament does lead to delusions of self-righteousness, earned merit before God, and superiority over the enemy. They could not have known better this side of the cross of Jesus. Similarly, there was no way for someone like David, born before the age of the gospel, to know that the wicked are redeemable. If he had no notion that the enemy could repent, he had no way of asking for the end of evil than to ask for the destruction of evildoers. Not having seen the example of the Christ, but living in a world where the friend is to be loved but the enemy is to be hated, how could the authors of psalms be expected to love their enemies, or to have known to pray for God to forgive and bless the wicked who troubled them?

A different tack would treat these prayers as only ever appropriate to Jesus, since he is sinless. Their time will come at the end of the age, when there is no more opportunity to repent but judgment finally arrives.

Responses such as these make common assumptions about the Old Testament which need to be investigated. In the Psalms, especially in the most brutal psalms that deal with enemies in very honest ways, we will test these presuppositions about the Old Testament:

1.Do prayers against enemies require perfect righteousness?

2.Alternatively, do such prayers stem from a deluded self-righteousness, which is unaware of the supplicant’s own need for mercy and forgiveness?

3.Is suffering a sufficient qualification for praying against enemies?

4.Do the psalms understand that the enemy is able to repent, or do they imagine that they can only ask for the destruction of the enemy?

5.Do the psalms have any notion of loving the enemy, desiring their blessing, or do they simply demand vengeance?

After a brief survey of the responses to these prayers in the Psalms, we will introduce the art of reading a psalm within its context in the Book of Psalms. We will then examine the introduction to the Book of Psalms (Pss 1 and 2) and see that it already begins to overturn some of these assumptions. For example, Ps 2 clearly indicates that the enemy can and must repent. They are redeemable. The psalmist even desires their blessing.

We will see in Ps 3 that David is introduced at the most sinful point of his career and embattled with a wicked enemy. He is presented as a type of Israel in exile, embattled by Babylon. David serves as a model for individuals and for the nation of how to respond in prayer when faced by vindictive, wicked, and murderous enemies. Already in Ps 3, we find that he is well aware of his own guilt and the opposite of self-righteous. He does not presume on God’s favor but knows himself to be reliant on God’s undeserved mercy to rescue him.

When given victory over his enemies, he foregoes not only vengeance but even justice, and instead desires their blessing. David is presented in the psalms in the aftermath of his disgraceful incident with Bathsheba and Uriah, where David himself understands his sin to be a total apostasy, on a par with Israel turning from Yahweh to the golden calf. As representative king, his sin is equivalent to that of the nation. The same astonishing mercy which Yahweh showed to Israel in Exod 34 is what David has experienced, and psalms which appeal to it are strategically placed in every book of the Psalter.

In Book I, we examine imprecations in Pss 7 and 18, in their context. We find that each of the assumptions above about the pre- and/or sub-Christian Old Testament are ill-founded. David’s appeals to righteousness are not the same as claims of perfection and certainly not appeals to merit. In Ps 7, they are an honest confession of not guilty in the face of particular false accusations. In Ps 18, they are followed by Ps 19, confessing David’s precarious moral standing. As for the enemy, in Ps 7, David warns and desires for them to repent, and if they will not, he is restrained in what he asks for them; he is much harsher with himself than with them. In Ps 18, we see what happens when the enemy will not repent, but the surprising twist at the end of the psalm is that other enemies, kings and nations, come to David submissively. David then promises to tell the enemy kings and nations about Yahweh’s forgiveness and relationship with him through his Torah, which he does in Ps 19. Far from living before the gospel age or being ignorant of the repentance of the wicked, we find David as an evangelist to the nations.

David’s example in his prayers of Book I and the way that he is introduced by the Book of Psalms is picked up in Book V, which looks back on the brutal experience of the Babylonian invasion and exile. David is enlisted as the representative of the nation, who prayed about enemies in analogous situations, such as his flight from Absalom. Absalom sinfully attacked him, as Babylon did Israel. Absalom and Babylon were God’s chosen agents of righteous judgment against sinful David/Israel. A prophetic oracle declared that the sinful agents would be overthrown and that sinful David/Israel would be rescued. How should Israel think and pray about Babylon and about such cobelligerents as Edom? David’s prayers will show the way to appropriate Ps 137, where Edom and Babylon are in focus after the end of exile.

We will examine every imprecation in Book V. Book V is artfully divided into three sections, and the devices that signal those divisions make Yahweh’s hesed prominent: his steadfast love which he showed to Israel when Israel deserved the very opposite.

David teaches the nation that their sin makes them entirely reliant on that undeserved mercy. There is no room for self-righteousness. David shows Israel that those who have received mercy must show it to others; why should wicked nations not experience the blessings that wicked Israel enjoyed? In fact, Book V builds up a growing chorus of calls to all the nations to join Israel in celebrating the mercy that Yahweh offers promiscuously to all. Not only can the wicked nations repent and be redeemed, but they also are encouraged to do so. Further, Israel is encouraged to enjoy thanking Yahweh for his mercy alongside their former enemies.

In answer to our five questions, we will see that the gap with the New Testament is much less than often assumed:

1.Prayers against