Psalms of Orientation

1
Psalmsof Orientation
2
Hosea 41-3--Brueggemann

• 1 Hear the word of the LORD, O people of Israel
  for the LORD has an indictment against the
  inhabitants of the land. There is no faithfulness
  or loyalty, and no knowledge of God in the land.
  2 Swearing, lying, and murder, and stealing and
  adultery break out bloodshed follows bloodshed.
  3 Therefore the land mourns, and all who live in
  it languish together with the wild animals and
  the birds of the air, even the fish of the sea
  are perishing. (Hos 41-3 NRS)
• Keeping of Torah maintains creation.

3
Psalms/Orientation--Brueggemann

• Psalm 1Whatever you read is read in light of
  Torah!

4
Psalm 1

• 1Blessed is the man who does not walk in the
  counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of
  sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. 2But his
  delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law
  he meditates day and night. 3He is like a tree
  planted by streams of water, which yields its
  fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither.
  Whatever he does prospers. 4Not so the wicked!
  They are like chaff that the wind blows away.
  5Therefore the wicked will not stand in the
  judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the
  righteous. 6For the LORD watches over the way of
  the righteous, but the way of the wicked will
  perish.

5
Psalms/Orientation--Brueggemann

• Dt. 3015-16 See, I have set before you today
  life and good, death and evil. If you obey the
  commandments of the LORD your God that I command
  you today, by loving the LORD your God, by
  walking in his ways, and by keeping his
  commandments and his statutes and his rules, then
  you shall live and multiply, and the LORD your
  God will bless you in the land that you are
  entering to take possession of it.

6
Psalms/Orientation--Brueggemann

• "Land theology by the propertied class"
• "Nurturing socializing process"

7
Psalms/Orientation--Brueggemann
8
Psalms/Orientation--Brueggemann

• Torah Psalms 1, 19, 119
• Life is not normless!

9
Torah PsalmsPsalm 119

• Acrostic Psalm
• Exhausting and ExhaustiveBrueggemann

10
Psalms/Orientation--Brueggemann

• Creation Psalms Celebration of creation that is
  a life-giving system that works!

11
Psalm 104

• 1 Bless the LORD, O my soul. O LORD my God, you
  are very great. You are clothed with honor and
  majesty, 2 wrapped in light as with a garment.
  You stretch out the heavens like a tent, 3 you
  set the beams of your chambers on the waters, you
  make the clouds your chariot, you ride on the
  wings of the wind. You make springs gush forth
  in the valleys they flow between the hills they
  give drink to every beast of the field the wild
  donkeys quench their thirst.

12
Psalm 104

• 14 He makes grass grow for the cattle, and plants
  for man to cultivate--bringing forth food from
  the earth 15 wine that gladdens the heart of
  man, oil to make his face shine, and bread that
  sustains his heart.
• Elemental gifts of creation sacramental powers.

13
Psalm 104

• 20 You make darkness, and it is night, when all
  the animals of the forest come creeping out. 21
  The young lions roar for their prey, seeking
  their food from God. 22 When the sun rises, they
  withdraw and lie down in their dens. 23 People go
  out to their work and to their labor until the
  evening. 24 O wow! LORD, how manifold are your
  works! In wisdom you have made them all the
  earth is full of your creatures.

14
Psalm 104

• 25 Yonder is the sea, great and wide, creeping
  things innumerable are there, living things both
  small and great. 26 There go the ships, and
  Leviathan that you formed to sport in it.
• Jon Levenson "God's rubber ducky
• The psalm performs creation, it is generative of
  orientation.

15
Psalm 104

• 27 These all look to you to give them their food
  at the proper time. 28 When you give it to them,
  they gather it up when you open your hand, they
  are satisfied with good things.
• Table Prayer

16
Psalm 104

• 29 When you hide your face, they are terrified
  when you take away their breath, they die and
  return to the dust. 30 When you send your Spirit
  breath, they are created, and you renew the
  face of the earth.
• YHWHThe Iron Lung of Creation
• Breath (ruah, ?????) is a gift from God, not a
  possession.

17
Creation Psalms

• The world is sustained by the reliable, faithful
  fidelity of a breath-giving God.
• They invite grateful amazement that the world
  works.
• They are forms of social control. There are ways
  to communicate what you must do to share our
  faith.
• Sociology of some prosperity, but a sociology of
  prosperity that is aware that prosperity is a
  gift.

18
Psalm 8

• 1 O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in
  all the earth! You have set your glory above the
  heavens. 2 From the lips of children and infants
  you have ordained praise Or strength because of
  your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger.
  3 When I consider your heavens, the work of your
  fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have
  set in place, 4 what is man that you are mindful
  of him, the son of man that you care for him? 5
  You made him a little lower than the heavenly
  beings Or "God" and crowned him with glory and
  honor.

19
Psalm 8

• 6 You made him ruler over the works of your
  hands you put everything under his feet 7 all
  flocks and herds, and the beasts of the field, 8
  the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea,
  all that swim the paths of the seas. 9 O LORD,
  our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the
  earth.

20
Psalm 139

• 1O LORD, you have searched me and known me!
• 2 You know when I sit down and when I rise up
• you discern my thoughts from afar.
• 3 You search out my path and my lying down
• and are acquainted with all my ways.
• 4 Even before a word is on my tongue,
• behold, O LORD, you know it altogether.
• 5 You hem me in, behind and before,
• and lay your hand upon me.
• 6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me
• it is high I cannot attain it. (ESV)

21
Psalm 139

• 7 Where shall I go from your Spirit?
• Or where shall I flee from your presence?
• 8 If I ascend to heaven, you are there!
• If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!
• 9 If I take the wings of the morning
• and dwell in the uttermost parts of the
  sea,
• 10 even there your hand shall lead me,
• and your right hand shall hold me.
• 11 If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me,
  
• and the light about me be night,
• 12 even the darkness is not dark to you
• the night is bright as the day,
• for darkness is as light with you. (ESV)

22
Psalm 139

• 13 For you formed my inward parts
• you knitted me together in my mothers
  womb.
• 14 I praise you, for I am fearfully and
  wonderfully made.
• Wonderful are your works
• my soul knows it very well.
• 15 My frame was not hidden from you,
• when I was being made in secret,
• intricately woven in the depths of the
  earth.
• 16 Your eyes saw my unformed substance
• in your book were written, every one of them,
• the days that were formed for me,
• when as yet there was none of them. (ESV)

23
Psalm 139

• 17 How precious to me are your thoughts, O God!
• How vast is the sum of them!
• 18 If I would count them, they are more than the
  sand.
• I awake, and I am still with you. (ESV)

24
Psalm 139

• 19 Oh that you would slay the wicked, O God!
• O men of blood, depart from me!
• 20 They speak against you with malicious intent
• your enemies take your name in vain.
• 21 Do I not hate those who hate you, O LORD?
• And do I not loathe those who rise up
  against you?
• 22 I hate them with complete hatred
• I count them my enemies. (ESV)

25
Psalm 139

• 23 Search me, O God, and know my heart!
• Try me and know my thoughts!
• 24 And see if there be any grievous way in me,
• and lead me in the way everlasting! (ESV)

26
Psalm 133 Hineh ma tov

• Hineh ma tov, umah nayim,
• shevet achim, gam yachad.
• Hineh ma tov, umah nayim,
• shevet achim, gam yachad.

27
Psalm 133 Hineh ma tov

• A Song of Ascents. Of David.
• 1 Behold, how good and pleasant it is when
  brothers dwell in unity! 2 It is like the
  precious oil on the head, running down on the
  beard, on the beard of Aaron, running down on the
  collar of his robes! 3 It is like the dew of
  Hermon, which falls on the mountains of Zion! For
  there the LORD has commanded the blessing, life
  forevermore. (ESV)

28
Wisdom Psalms

• What is a "wisdom psalm"?
• Characteristics of wisdom literature.
• Wicked vs Righteous, Evil vs Good
• Rewards punishment
• Wisdom or instruction terminology
• Is "wisdom psalm" a form or genre?
• Depends upon who you ask.

29
Wisdom Psalms
30
Psalm 37

• Of David 1Do not fret because of the wicked do
  not be envious of wrongdoers, 2 for they will
  soon fade like the grass, and wither like the
  green herb. 3 Trust in the LORD, and do good so
  you will live in the land, and enjoy security. 4
  Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you
  the desires of your heart. 5 Commit your way to
  the LORD trust in him, and he will act. 6 He
  will make your vindication shine like the light,
  and the justice of your cause like the noonday.

31
Psalm 37

• 7 Be still before the LORD, and wait patiently
  for him do not fret over those who prosper in
  their way, over those who carry out evil devices.
  8 Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath. Do not
  fret-it leads only to evil. 9 For the wicked
  shall be cut off, but those who wait for the LORD
  shall inherit the land. 10 Yet a little while,
  and the wicked will be no more though you look
  diligently for their place, they will not be
  there.

32
Psalm 37

• 11 But the meek shall inherit the land, and
  delight themselves in abundant prosperity. 12
  The wicked plot against the righteous, and gnash
  their teeth at them 13 but the LORD laughs at
  the wicked, for he sees that their day is coming.
  14 The wicked draw the sword and bend their bows
  to bring down the poor and needy, to kill those
  who walk uprightly 15 their sword shall enter
  their own heart, and their bows shall be broken.

33
Psalm 37

• 16 Better is a little that the righteous person
  has than the abundance of many wicked. 17 For the
  arms of the wicked shall be broken, but the LORD
  upholds the righteous. 18 The LORD knows the days
  of the blameless, and their heritage will abide
  forever 19 they are not put to shame in evil
  times, in the days of famine they have abundance.
  20 But the wicked perish, and the enemies of the
  LORD are like the glory of the pastures they
  vanish-like smoke they vanish away.

34
Psalm 37

• 25 I have been young, and now am old, yet I have
  not seen the righteous forsaken or their children
  begging bread. 26 They are ever giving liberally
  and lending, and their children become a
  blessing. 27 Depart from evil, and do good so
  you shall abide forever. 28 For the LORD loves
  justice he will not forsake his faithful ones.
  The righteous shall be kept safe forever, but the
  children of the wicked shall be cut off.

35
Psalm 37

• 30 The mouths of the righteous utter wisdom, and
  their tongues speak justice. 31 The law of their
  God is in their hearts their steps do not slip.
  32 The wicked watch for the righteous, and seek
  to kill them. 33 The LORD will not abandon them
  to their power, or let them be condemned when
  they are brought to trial. 34 Wait for the LORD,
  and keep to his way, and he will exalt you to
  inherit the land you will look on the
  destruction of the wicked.

36
Psalm 37

• 37 Mark the blameless, and behold the upright,
  for there is posterity for the peaceable. 38 But
  transgressors shall be altogether destroyed the
  posterity of the wicked shall be cut off. 39 The
  salvation of the righteous is from the LORD he
  is their refuge in the time of trouble. 40 The
  LORD helps them and rescues them he rescues them
  from the wicked, and saves them, because they
  take refuge in him

37
Psalm 112

• 1Praise the LORD! Happy are those who fear the
  LORD, who greatly delight in his commandments. 2
  Their descendants will be mighty in the land
  the generation of the upright will be blessed. 3
  Wealth and riches are in their houses, and their
  righteousness endures forever. 4 They rise in the
  darkness as a light for the upright they are
  gracious, merciful, and righteous. 5 It is well
  with those who deal generously and lend, who
  conduct their affairs with justice.

38
Psalm 112

• 6 For the righteous will never be moved they
  will be remembered forever. 7 They are not afraid
  of evil tidings their hearts are firm, secure in
  the LORD. 8 Their hearts are steady, they will
  not be afraid in the end they will look in
  triumph on their foes. 9 They have distributed
  freely, they have given to the poor their
  righteousness endures forever their horn is
  exalted in honor. 10 The wicked see it and are
  angry they gnash their teeth and melt away the
  desire of the wicked comes to nothing.

39
Psalms of Orientation--Conclusions

• Wonderful statements of theology.
• They celebrate the reliable fidelity of God.
• Invite grateful amazement that the world works.
• Forms of social control.
• This is what you need to do to share in the faith
  of our creator.
• Be alert how you use them!