Well, I’m still writing! If one did not know better, one might even be forgiven for thinking that perhaps I did disappear after “Judgement Day” back in May. Even if it took a literal end of the world threat to get me to knuckled down an update my blog! So that’s good!
Several weeks ago, in the meantime, I finally completed the Book of Psalms. I feel like this, among the books I have read so far, is one I truly need to put more thought into my interpretations. Sadly, so much time has passed between my starting and finishing the book I feel I would not be able to do it justice. It is such a diverse, yet unified, book that I could easily have written many entries about it, but I think that, in view of moving forward in my project, one will have to suffice (for now, at least). One thing that I might say is that many in Psalms could be considered, to my uneducated mind, cryptic. How much do they lose in their translations from songs in one language to static passages in others?
References to the Psalms are everywhere, probably more than any other book in the Old Testament (at least in general American culture), with such famous passages as Psalm 23 “even though I walk through the valley of death, I fear no evil” being repeated often in popular culture as well as Christian ceremonies. Psalms are referred to everything from bumper stickers to a full car perched on a billboard along Highway 94 in North Minneapolis which refers to Psalms 46:10 (the car survived the May tornado with only slight damage). The sited passage refers to a typical Psalm, “God the Refuge of His People,” a psalm “of the sons of Korah,” a song. The specific passage reads,“Cease striving and know that I am God; I will be exalted among nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” Psalm 46, like many, seems to represent a prayer in song form in praise or supplication to God to aid in some way, with a few “Selahs” thrown in for good measure (my translation explains this strange word to mean a pause or musical interlude of some kind).
Another common theme in these prayers is seen in Psalm 35, “Prayer for Rescue from Enemies” which begins “Contend, O Lord, with those who contend with me; Fight against those who fight against me.” Psalm 35 is only one of many that exhort God for protection from many enemies, personal and widespread conflict seeming to be a major area of concern, then as now. It is still interesting how prominent the fears of violence seem to be in the Psalms, though little is mentioned of God counseling the differences of these “enemies,” only protection or action against them. There is however, an interesting case in Psalm 60, “Lament over Defeat in Battle” which is similar to other pleas for aid against enemies, but begins after “Thou hast rejected us” and allowed the “enemies” to win in battle and later sings “O give us help against the adversary.” The annotations mention a certain event in connection with this Psalm in which a Mikhtam of David struggled with Aramnaharaim and Aram-zobah, ending with twelve thousand being smote in the “Valley of Salt.” Prayers answered?
In conclusion, I feel that I have only scratched the surface of the Book of Psalms, and being such an important area of the Old Testament in modern culture I might need to go back for some more research on this one; I still do not entirely grasp the background of these songs. I’ll be starting up on the Book of Proverbs now (as a wannabe folklorist, this sounds interesting already!) and hopefully I’ll be able to avoid the pitfalls of the last couple of months and update more regularly, certainly, at least, before Judgement Day round two in October!
