Hebrew-English Text
I. Summary
Psalm 139 is a prayer addressed to God, and is in many ways a contemplative reflection. The speaker acknowledges God’s greatness, but is bothered by the impossibility of escaping His towering presence. The psalm ends with an imprecation of enemies and a statement of dedication.

II. Photo
The speaker of Psalm 139 is overburdened by the impossibility of escaping God. In vv. 7-12 he complains, “Where can I escape from Your spirit?… If I say, ‘Surely darkness will conceal me, night will provide me with cover,’ darkness is not dark for You; night is as light as day; darkness and light are the same.” The picture attempts to portray a unification of darkness and light.

III. Outline
1a. Superscription
1b. Invocation
1c-6. Plaintive reflection
7-12. Personal distress
13-16. Acknowledgment of Creator
17-18. Adoration
19-20. Petition/imprecation
21-24a. Dedication/innocence
24b. Petition

IV. Comment
After Psalms 3-41 and 51-71, Psalm 139 begins the third major section of “Davidic psalms” (Ps. 138-145). The psalm was recited by an individual, and while the community does not appear they might have been behind the scenes.

In regards to message and form, Psalm 139 is one of the most unique psalms in the entire Psalter. It begins with a reflection on God’s omniscience: “You observe my walking and reclining, and are familiar with all my ways. There is not a word on my tongue but that You, O LORD, know it well” (vv. 3-4). While closeness to God is usually taken as a good thing, this section does not seem to be praising God. In v. 5 the speaker says, “You hedge me (tzartani) before and behind; You lay Your hand upon me.” The root tzwr “to enclose” is used to describe a besieged city (cf. Deut 20:12, 19; 2 Sam 11:1; 20:15; Jer 37:5; 39:1). One gets the feeling that the speaker is smothered by God’s omniscience.

The next section, which speaks of the impossibility of escaping God, makes it clear that the speaker is uncomfortable: “Where can I escape from Your spirit? Where can I flee from Your presence?” (v. 7). The section begins with the pronoun ‘anah “where?”, a word which often indicates imminent danger (cf. Gen 37:30; Deut 1:28; 2Sam 13:13; Jer 15:2). The speaker then confesses how he has nowhere to go (both the vertical and horizontal axes are occupied by God): “If I ascend to heaven, You are there; if I descend to Sheol, You are there too. If I take wing with the dawn to come to rest on the western horizon,  even there Your hand will be guiding me, Your right hand will be holding me fast.” (vv. 8-10) Even the darkness of the night provides no privacy: “If I say, ‘Surely darkness will conceal me, night will provide me with cover,’ darkness is not dark for You; night is as light as day; darkness and light are the same.” (vv. 11-12)

The speaker then praises God for creating him (vv. 13-16), employing a “strange and fascinating representation of creational beliefs unheard of in the Genesis stories.” (Gerstenberger) For example, v. 5 mentions being created in “the recesses of the earth,” something unheard of in Tanakh: “My frame was not concealed from You when I was shaped in a hidden place, knit together in the recesses of the earth.” While the previous section seemed to be critiquing God, this section seems to be more congratulatory.

The psalm takes an unexpected turn in v. 19: it asks God to do away with the previously unmentioned “wicked ones.” The speaker then mentions his unity with God, “O LORD, You know I hate those who hate You, and loathe Your adversaries.” (v. 21) This phrase expresses a level of confidence seen in Ruth’s famous statement to Naomi, “For wherever you go, I will go; wherever you lodge, I will lodge; your people shall be my people, and your God my God. Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. Thus and more may the LORD do to me if anything but death parts me from you.” (Ruth 1:16b-17) The psalm ends with a statement of commitment/innocence which is followed by a short petition, “guide me in ways everlasting.”

In regards to the psalm’s form-critical classification, Gerstenberger writes: “Psalm 139 is one of the most intensely studied poems in the Psalter. The discussion about its genre classification has been going on for a long time with no end in sight. Elements and inklings of various categories of psalms can be detected in the different subunits. The exegete who insists that one single aspect must be determinative for the whole psalm may choose among complaint, thanksgiving, hymn, and wisdom discourse.” In regards to the last genre, “wisdom discourse,” many have noted the psalm’s similarities to the book of Job: (a) it uses the name ‘eloha for God, a word concentrated in the book of Job, (b) v. 6’s message of inferiority and vocabulary is similar to Job 40:4, 42:2-3, and (c) v. 13’s description of creating man is similar to Job 10:11.

Was Psalm 139 used in a liturgical setting? Many scholars think so, but even Gerstenberger (a devout form-critic) writes: “Because of its meditative air, its elevated poetic language, depth of thought, and unusual modulations of form elements, Psalm 139 lends itself to other than liturgical analyses. Thus many interpreters study literary structures and discover a treasure of literary devices (wordplays, strophes, inclusions, symmetries, chiasms, etc.). Others dedicate themselves to its philosophical and theological insights (main problem: the ‘omnipresence’ of God), the result being the elaboration of a clear thought structure detached from all liturgical background. The text itself seems open to ever new expositions.”

In regards to the psalm’s date of composition, scholars feel that the unique vocabulary (there are many hapax legomena) and the use of late Biblical Hebrew indicate an exilic or postexilic (i.e. 2nd Temple period) date for the psalm.

V. Important Verses
vv. 7-12: Where can I escape from Your spirit? Where can I flee from Your presence?  If I ascend to heaven, You are there; if I descend to Sheol, You are there too. If I take wing with the dawn to come to rest on the western horizon, even there Your hand will be guiding me, Your right hand will be holding me fast. If I say, “Surely darkness will conceal me, night will provide me with cover,” darkness is not dark for You; night is as light as day; darkness and light are the same.
v. 21: O LORD, You know I hate those who hate You, and loathe Your adversaries.

Hebrew-English Text

I. Summary
Psalm 138 was likely said while offering a thanksgiving sacrifice in the temple. The speaker recounts how God answered his/her prayer, praises God, and expresses confidence that God will continue to grant protection in the future.

II. Photo

Psalm 138 is a direct-address to God which expresses thanks for his salvation.

III. Outline
1a. Superscription
1b-2b. Offeratory formulas
3. Account of prayer and salvation
4-5. Anticipated thanks/offerings of kings
6. Hymnic praise
7-8b. Affirmation of confidence
8c. Petition

IV.Comment
Psalm 138 contains many elements of the Thanksgiving genre (see Gerstenberger’s “Introduction to Cultic Poetry” in vol. 1 of “Psalms”): (a) it has the offertory formula ‘odekha “I will praise you” (vv. 1-2), (b) it gives an account of trouble and salvation (v. 3), and (c) it expresses praise for God (v. 6). Yet, Psalm 138 is different than all other thanksgiving psalms in that it contains no public aspects: there isn’t (a) an invitation to give thanks or to praise, (b) a blessing for the participants, or (c) an exhortation towards the community. What is one to make of this break from convention?

[For an example of “public service” in individual thanksgivings, see Ps. 22:23-27: Then will I proclaim Your fame to my brethren, praise You in the congregation. You who fear the LORD, praise Him! All you offspring of Jacob, honor Him! Be in dread of Him, all you offspring of Israel! For He did not scorn, He did not spurn the plea of the lowly; He did not hide His face from him; when he cried out to Him, He listened. Because of You I offer praise in the great congregation; I pay my vows in the presence of His worshipers. Let the lowly eat and be satisfied; let all who seek the LORD praise Him. Always be of good cheer!]

Some scholars point out that while most thanksgiving psalms do not contain petitions, Psalm 138 does: “do not forsake the work of Your hands” (v. 8). Based on this peculiarity they suggest that the psalm was once a complaint/petition, and it was later changed to conform to the thanksgiving genre. But, this is highly speculative because (a) the petition is short and run-of-the-mill, and (b) some other thanksgivings also contain petitions, e.g. Ps. 40:12 and 118:25. Others suggest that Psalm 138 is a royal psalm (based on the mention of kings in v. 4 and parallels to Ps. 18), but many are just not sure.

Although I have not seen it written anywhere, I think that there is an altogether different reason why Psalm 138 lacks any public characteristics: it was said by an unaccompanied individual. The psalm mentions the “lowly” and those “from afar” in v. 6, and it is possible that the reciter came to the temple alone (which would make sense if he came from afar). Thus, it is a normal thanksgiving psalm, just said in an unordinary circumstance.

The psalm’s setting seems to be the temple: “I bow toward Your holy temple and praise Your name” (v. 2). It begins with an emphatic line, “I praise You with all my heart,” but quickly becomes enigmatic: what does neged ‘elohim ‘azammerekha “I will sing a hymn to You before the divine beings” mean? While some choose to translate this phrase as “in front, God, I will sing to you,” this is a difficult reading. Rather, like Ps. 82:1 (“God stands in the divine assembly; among the divine beings He pronounces judgment”) and Ps. 135:5 (“For I know that the LORD is great, that our LORD is greater than all gods”) our verse seems to acknowledge the existence – albeit a diminished one – of other gods. This is what scholars call monolatry, i.e. the worship of one deity while acknowledging the existence of others. Monotheism, they say, only developed later.

The psalm mentions the individual “offertory formula” ‘odekha twice (vv. 1-2), and this was probably said while bringing the sacrifice. The account of salvation (v. 3) is brief: “When I called, You answered me, You inspired me with courage.” It is also unusual because it is a direct-address as opposed to the normal third person description (cf. 118:17-20, 40:2-4, 116:3-4). But, it isn’t altogether peculiar: Ps. 30:3-5 and 116:8 are also direct-address accounts of salvation.

Vv. 4-5 express hope for future praise: “All the kings of the earth shall praise You, O LORD, for they have heard the words You spoke. They shall sing of the ways of the LORD, ‘Great is the majesty of the LORD!’” V. 6 is a single line of hymnic praise, and vv. 7-8 are an affirmation of confidence (usual for complaint/petitions but unusual for thanksgivings, but still see Ps. 18:29-30, 118:6-7,14). It ends with a petition, also unusual for thanksgivings, but similar to Ps. 40:12 and 118:25.

V. Important verses
v. 1: Of David. I praise You with all my heart, sing a hymn to You before the divine beings
v. 3: When I called, You answered me, You inspired me with courage.
v. 6: High though the LORD is, He sees the lowly; lofty, He perceives from afar.

Hebrew-English Text
I. Summary
Psalm 137 has three short sections: it begins with a mournful remembrance of the Babylonian exile, expresses an oath of commitment to Jerusalem, and ends with vindictive words of hate for Edom (a nation to the SE of the Dead Sea) and the Babylonian Empire.
II. Photo

The photo depicts the Euphrates river in accordance with v. 1, “By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat, sat and wept, as we thought of Zion.” I chose a black and white photograph because vv. 1-4 seems to be a distant memory; the psalm was probably said by the Jews who had already returned from Babylon.

III. Outline

1-4. Mournful recollection
     1-2. Account of trouble
     3. Taunt of enemies
     4. Plaintive answer
5-6. Oath to Jerusalem
7-9. Imprecations
     7. Implicit curse of Edom
     8-9. Implicit curse against Babylon

IV. Comment
Psalm 137 is difficult to classify in form-critical terms. Many view it as a complaint: vv. 1-4 mentions a dire situation, vv. 5-6 is an oath (similar to the vows found in complaints), and the imprecations in vv. 7-9 are similar to petitions. Yet, Psalm 137 is by no means a regular complaint: there is no introduction, the “complaint” in vv. 1-4 is a narrative, the “affirmations” are a vow, and there is no petition. Consequently, others label it a “Zion song,” but this is because of its content and not its structure. [It is interesting to note that the term “Zion song” actually comes from our psalm’s v. 3.] Due to the psalm’s form-critical ambiguity, some scholars label it a “folk song” or a genre unto itself.

The psalm begins with a recollection of exile: “By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat, sat and wept, as we thought of Zion.” This section describes the deportations to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar in 597 and 587 BCE. The people are accompanied by their lyres, an instrument sometimes used for mourning (cf. Job 30:31). The people are asked to sing a “Zion song,” but are unable to: “How can we sing a song of the LORD on alien soil?” This phrase begins with the word ‘eikh, a “lament participle “(cf. Judg. 16:15, 2 Sam 1:19).

While the mournful recollection is written in the first person plural (“we sat… we wept… we remembered…we were asked… etc.”), the oath to Jerusalem is written in the first person singular (“if I forget… let my tongue stick… if I do not remember… etc.) This section takes the form of an oath: “if I don’t do X then let Y occur to me.” The phrase “let my tongue stick to my palate” is found in other mournful passages, e.g. Ezek. 3:26 and Job 29:10.

The imprecations in vv. 7-9 are directed towards Edom and Babylon. v. 7 asks God to “remember” what Edom did on “the day of Jerusalem,” and the word zekhor “remember” can be used both positively and negatively (compare Neh. 6:14, 13:29 with Neh. 5:19, 13:14). The psalmist does not clarify what Edom did “on the day of Jerusalem,” and there are no other allusions in Tanakh to this event.

The imprecation of Babylon is one of the harshest in Tanakh, and takes the form of a positive beatitude (e.g. “fortunate is he who…”): “blessing on him who seizes your babies and dashes them against the rocks!” Imprecations as harsh as this are rare (but see Ps. 109:6-15), and Gerstenberger calls it a ““deplorable example of deep-rooted ethnic hatred.”

When was Psalm 137 composed? While vv. 1-4 might be speaking of a contemporary exilic experience, the use of perfect verbs and the use of the word sham “there” (vv. 1,3) imply a distance in both space and time from the event. Also, it is possible that the mention of Babylon hashedudah “the predator” or “the destroyed one” means that Babylon has already been “destroyed,” i.e. taken over by Cyrus. Thus, it seems that the psalm was written by those who have already returned to Jerusalem. Yet, vv. 1-4 might have been a preexisting folk song.

When and where was Psalm 137 recited? Passages like Zech. 7:3-6, 8:13 mention days of mourning and fasting, and it is possible that our psalm was recited on those days.

V. Important verses
v. 1: By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat, sat and wept, as we thought of Zion
v. 4: How can we sing a song of the LORD on alien soil?
v. 5: If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand wither;
v. 9: a blessing on him who seizes your babies and dashes them against the rocks!

Hebrew-English Text
I. Summary
Psalm 136 is a hymn that praises God’s creative acts, historical deeds, and present-day kindnesses. Each of its 26 verses are split into two parts, a line of hymnic praise and the congregational response ki le’olam chasdo “His steadfast love is eternal.”
II. Photo
v. 9 praises God for creating “the moon and the stars to dominate the night.”
III. Outline
1-3. Summons to praise
4-9.  Rule of nature
10-15. Egypt
16-22. Entering the land
23-25. Present-day kindnesses
26. Summons to praise
IV. Comment
The dominant theme of Psalm 136 is the repetitive chant ki le’olam chasdo “His steadfast love is eternal” found at the end of each of the 26 verses. Based on our psalm and verses like Ps. 118:1-4, Ezra 3:11, and 2 Chr. 7:6 it seems that the phrase was a standard form of communal prayer (appearing a total of 41 times in Tanakh). Thus, it is likely that the first clause of each line was recited by a leader, and the second clause was recited by the community.
The hymn has four sections of praise. The first section praises God’s command/creation of nature (cf. Ps. 104), the second praises God’s involvement in the exodus (cf. Ps. 77:17-21, 105:28-34, 106:8-11, 114:1-4, Ex. 15:1-10), the third praises God’s involvement in conquering the land of Israel, and the final section praises God’s benevolence to the the living community.
V. Important Verses
v. 1:Praise the LORD; for He is good, His steadfast love is eternal.
v. 25: Who gives food to all flesh, His steadfast love is eternal.

Hebrew-English Text
I. Summary
Psalm 135 is a Hymn that praises God’s power over nature and the historical deeds that he has done on behalf of Israel. It also contains a denunciation of other gods and those who worship them.
II. Photo
God is praised as the one who “makes clouds rise from the end of the earth.” (v. 7)

III. Important Verses
v. 7: He makes clouds rise from the end of the earth; He makes lightning for the rain; He releases the wind from His vaults.
vv. 15-18: The idols of the nations are silver and gold, the work of men’s hands. They have mouths, but cannot speak; they have eyes, but cannot see; they have ears, but cannot hear, nor is there breath in their mouths. Those who fashion them, all who trust in them, shall become like them.
IV. Outline

1a. Hallelujah
1b-4. Summons to praise
    1b-3. Summons
    4. Hymnic rationale
5-18. Hymn
    5a. Introduction
    5bc. Superiority over other gods
    6-7. Rule of nature
    8-12. Conqueror of nations, giver of the Holy Land to Israel
    13. Praise (2nd person)
    14. Hymnic rationale
    15-17. Denunciation of idols and idol worshippers
    18. Imprecation
19-20. Summons to praise
21a. Blessing
21b. Hallelujah

V. Comment
Like many of the psalms found at the end of the Psalter, Psalm 135 lacks a superscription. Yet, it is “framed” by the word “Hallelujah” which is its first and final word. The psalm was likely isolated from the other “Hallelujah” psalms because of its similarities to the psalms before and after it: vv. 1-2 is similar to 134:1, and vv. 10-11 is nearly identical to 136:17-22.

Psalm 134 is a paradigm of the hymn genre. According to Vol. I of Gerstenberger’s “Psalms Part 1” (p. 17), psalms of the hymn genre contain the following elements:

1. Calling on God (e.g Ps. 8:2, 65:2-3)
2. Summons to praise (e.g. Ps. 33:1, 34:4)
3. Praise of God because of his works, deeds, and qualities (e.g. Ps. 19:8-11, 46:5-8)
4. Blessings (e.g. Ps. 29:11, 104:35)

Psalm 135 has each of these components:

1. v. 13 is a 2nd person address to God
2. vv. 1-4, 19-20 are a summons to praise and bless God
3. vv. 6-7 praise God’s rule of nature, vv. 8-12 praise the historical deeds he has done on behalf of Israel, and vv. 5, 14 praise his qualities
4. v. 21, the psalm’s conclusion, is a blessing of God

Perhaps the most striking feature of Psalm 135 is its use of what seem to be “interchangeable parts”: much of it is based, almost word-for-word, on other Psalms and various verses in the Pentateuch.  The only way to convey this is to line Psalm 135 up with its many parallels. Let us begin with the polemic against other gods and those who worship them:

• The idols of the nations are silver and gold, the work of men’s hands. They have mouths, but cannot speak; they have eyes, but cannot see; they have ears, but cannot hear, nor is there breath in their mouths. Those who fashion them, all who trust in them, shall become like them. (Ps. 135:15-18)
• Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men’s hands. They have mouths, but cannot speak, eyes, but cannot see; they have ears, but cannot hear, noses, but cannot smell; they have hands, but cannot touch, feet, but cannot walk; they can make no sound in their throats. Those who fashion them, all who trust in them, shall become like them. (Ps. 115:4-8)

Another part of our psalm also has a strong affinity to Psalm 115:

• O house of Israel, bless the LORD; O house of Aaron, bless the LORD; O house of Levi, bless the LORD; you who fear the LORD, bless the LORD.  Blessed is the LORD from Zion, He who dwells in Jerusalem. Hallelujah. (Ps. 135:19-21)
• O Israel, trust in the LORD! He is their help and shield. O house of Aaron, trust in the LORD! He is their help and shield. O you who fear the LORD, trust in the LORD! He is their help and shield. (Ps. 115:9-11)

The praise in vv. 10-11 was practically taken in full from Ps. 136, save for the repetitive chant ki le’olam chasdo “His steadfast love is eternal”:

• He struck down many nations and slew numerous kings — Sihon, king of the Amorites, Og, king of Bashan, and all the royalty of Canaan (Ps. 135:10-11)
• Who struck down great kings, His steadfast love is eternal; and slew mighty kings — His steadfast love is eternal; Sihon, king of the Amorites, His steadfast love is eternal; Og, king of Bashan — His steadfast love is eternal; and gave their land as a heritage, His steadfast love is eternal; a heritage to His servant Israel, His steadfast love is eternal (Ps. 136:17-22)

The psalm’s first two lines are very similar to the opening line of Psalm 134:

• Hallelujah. Praise the name of the LORD; give praise, you servants of the LORD who stand in the house of the LORD, in the courts of the house of our God. (Ps. 135:1-2)
• A song of ascents. Now bless the LORD, all you servants of the LORD who stand nightly in the house of the LORD. (Ps. 134:1)

Also, the psalm’s opening line is identical to that of Psalm 113, just inverted:

• Hallelujah. Praise the name of the LORD; give praise, you servants of the LORD (Ps. 135:1)
• Hallelujah. O servants of the LORD, give praise; praise the name of the LORD. (Ps. 113:1)

There are also affinities to verses in the Pentateuch. For example:

• For the LORD will champion His people, and obtain satisfaction for His servants. (Ps. 135:14)
• For the LORD will champion His people And obtain satisfaction for His servants… (Deut. 32:36)

What is the explanation for all of these literary connections? It seems that Psalm 135 borrowed from other psalms, not the other way around. This is because vv. 10-11 are part of a greater literary unit in Psalm 136, thus indicating that Psalm 136 is the original psalm, not Psalm 135.

VI. Works Used

(see Commentaries page)

Psalms Part 2 and Lamentations (Erhard S. Gerstenberger, Forms of Old Testament Literature)

Psalms 101-150 (Leslie C. Allen, Word Biblical Commentary)

Photo taken from http://www.nrel.gov/data/pix/Jpegs/00157.jpg

Hebrew-English Text
I. Summary
Psalm 134 is a blessing which goes two ways. It begins with a call upon the worshipers to bless God, and ends with a blessing for the worshipers themselves.
II. Photo

V. 2 says, “Lift your hands toward the sanctuary and bless the LORD. ”

III. Outline
1a. Superscription
1b-2. Summons to praise/bless
3. Blessing

IV. Comment
The underlying structure of Psalm 134 is the parallel blessings: the people are exhorted to bless (barakhu) God, and God is called upon to bless (yevarekhekha) the people. The psalm is very short, only 23 words (counting all Hebrew morphemes), but mentions God’s name five times. It is the last psalm in the shir hama’alot section, indicating that it was possibly said to the pilgrims who journeyed to Jerusalem.

The summons to praise is directed to the “servants (‘avdei) of the LORD who stand (ha’omedim) nightly in the house of the Lord,” and it probably refers to the community at large (cf. Ps. 79:10, 90:16, etc.). Alternatively, it might be referring to the priests or Levites (cf. Deut 10:8 and 18:7 for descriptions of their “standing” and “blessing”). Nightly hymn singing is attested to in Isa. 30:29: “For you, there shall be singing As on a night when a festival is hallowed; There shall be rejoicing as when they march With flute, with timbrels, and with lyres To the Rock of Israel on the Mount of the LORD.”

The final section of the psalm is a blessing for the worshippers themselves. The phrase “May the LORD bless you” is found in two contexts: (a) cultic blessings (e.g. Num. 6:24, Ps. 128:5), and (b) greetings between two people (e.g. Ruth 2:4, Ps. 129:8). This indicates that the phrase had two uses, as a day-to-day greeting and a ceremonial blessing. It also occurs quite often in Deuteronomy (e.g. 14:29, 15:4, 16:15, etc.).

V. Important Verses
vv. 1-2 “Now bless the LORD, all you servants of the LORD who stand nightly in the house of the LORD. Lift your hands toward the sanctuary and bless the LORD.”

Hebrew-English Text
I. Summary
Psalm 133 begins by praising brotherly coexistence and then gives three supporting similes.

II. Photo

v. 1 says, “How good and how pleasant it is that brothers dwell together.”

III. Outline
1a. Superscription
1bc. Commendation formula
2-3. Commendatory similes

IV. Comment
Psalm 133 opens with a sapiential statement that praises brotherly coexistence: “How good and how pleasant it is that brothers dwell together (shevet achim yachdaw).” For two very interesting parallel see Deut. 25:5, “When brothers dwell together (yeshvu achim yachdaw) and one of them dies and leaves no son…” and Gen. 13:5-6, “Lot, who went with Abram, also had flocks and herds and tents, so that the land could not support them staying together (shevet yachdaw); for their possessions were so great that they could not remain together.”

The wisdom statement is introduced by the word hinneh “behold” which seems to have served an instructional function (similar to Ps. 121:4, 123:2, 134:1). It is related in meaning and purpose to the beatitudes that begin “praiseworthy is the man who…” (e.g. Ps. 1:1, 40:5, etc.), and has a proverbial form (cf. Prov. 15:23 and 16:16 for the phrase mah tow “how good”).

The psalm then gives three metaphors, each of which describes a flow from the top down: (a) oil on the head, (b) a beard on the robes, and (c) dew from Mt. Hermon. Gerstenberger writes that these “no doubt were happy and illuminating similes for a contemporary audience, but for us it is rather difficult to see the point of comparison” (372). While the mention of Aaron is enigmatic, Mt. Hermon seems to have been a popular theme in Biblical poetry (cf. Ps. 42:7, 89:13, 133:3, Song 4:8). The psalm ends with what might be seen as a short hymn to Zion: “There the LORD ordained blessing, everlasting life.” Yet, the phrase is ambiguous, it might be modifying “Mt. Hermon.”

The psalm’s location amongst the shir hama’alot psalms (Ps. 120-134) might indicate that it was used by the pilgrims who journeyed to Jerusalem.

V. Important Verses
v. 1: “How good and how pleasant it is that brothers dwell together.”

Hebrew-English Text

I. Summary
Psalm 132 is unique in that it quotes – word for word – both sides of a pact made between David and God. Its message is, “God, David kept his promise of finding You a resting place, please uphold Your promise and sustain Zion and the Davidic dynasty.”

II. Photo

Vv. 3-5 mentions how David couldn’t sleep until he found “a dwelling-place for the Mighty One of Jacob.”
III. Outline

1a. Superscription
1b-5. Remembrance: David
     1b-2. Petition
     3-5. David’s vow
6. Communal recollection
7. Description of procession
8. Petition/Processional
9. Descriptive praise
10. Petition for the “annointed”
11-12. Divine oracle
     11ab. Introduction
     11c-12. Oracle: guarantee of kingship, condition
13-18. Divine oracle
     13. Introduction
     14-18. Oracle: commitment to Zion and David

IV. Comment
Psalm 132 contains the literary features of multiple psalm genres. While some have labeled it a “Zion Hymn” or a “Royal Psalm,” it might also be labeled a “Petition” or the more mild “Prayer.” The psalm has three protagonists: God (vv. 11-18), David (vv. 1-5), and the community reciting it (vv. 6-7). Due to the facts that (a) the psalm is found within the shir hama’alot section of the Psalter (Ps. 120-134), and (b) it mentions traveling to to the holy place (v. 7), it is possible that Psalm 132 was recited by the pilgrims who journeyed to Jerusalem. Yet, it is also possible that it is in the shir hama’alot section because of its focus on Zion.

The psalm presents the promises made by David and God side by side: v. 2 mentions how David “swore (nishba’) to the LORD, vowed to the Mighty One of Jacob” and v. 11 mentions how “The LORD swore (nishba’) to David a firm oath that He will not renounce.” This parallel structure seems to be an attempt to persuade God: “God, David has kept the promise he made, please keep Yours.”

The psalm opens with a plea to God to remember david’s ‘unnot “affliction” or “self-denial” in his attempt to find a “place for the LORD.” The term ‘unnot implies a pain and misery that is especially pitied by God (cf. Ps. 22:25, 119:71, Isa. 53:4, Lev 23:29). While the historical books of Tanakh make no mention of David’s “oath,” they do reference his concern with finding God a dwelling place: “the king said to the prophet Nathan: ‘Here I am dwelling in a house of cedar, while the Ark of the LORD abides in a tent!’” (2 Sam. 7:2).

David makes his promise to ‘avir ya’aqov “the Mighty One of Jacob.” This appellation only appears 5 times in Tanakh, twice in our psalm and once in Gen 49:24, Isa. 49:26, and 60:16. It isn’t clear why it appears here, especially because it is absent from all other passages associated with David or the construction of the Temple.

Starting with vv. 6-7 the text indicates that it was recited by worshipers on their way to the holy place. In regards to “Let us enter His abode, bow at His footstool” Gerstenberger writes, “we are witnessing parts of a ‘live’ worship, not simply historical remembrances.” Bowing was apparently part of the worship service.

The community mentions the places of ‘efrata and sede-ya’ar (v. 6), both of which are in the Judean hills surrounding Jerusalem. The ark was housed in sede-ya’ar for twenty years after it was returned by the Philistines (1 Samuel 7:1-2, there called qiryat ye’arim), and was removed by David and taken to Jerusalem (2 Samuel 6:1-2, 1 Chronicles 13:5-6; 2 Chronicles 1:4). It is noteworthy that ark is explicitly mentioned in our psalm (v. 8), the only time the word appears in the Psalter.

After a petition for the “annointed one” in v. 10 (possibly made before a king standing in the temple), the psalm introduces two divine oracles. An oracle is one of God’s speeches quoted verbatim (i.e. in the 1st person singular), and it is not clear who would recite it. While oracles are standard in the historical books (e.g. “And God said to Moses saying….” or “God said to Abraham….”) it is less common in the Psalter (for another clear example see Ps. 95:8-11).

The first oracle (vv. 11-12) contains two parts: (a) a guarantee that the kings of Israel will be of Davidic descent, and (b) the stipulation that the Israelites keep God’s covenant. The second oracle (vv. 14-18) also contains two parts: (a) a commitment to dwell in and bless zion’s inhabitants, and (b) a commitment to uphold and protect the Davidic king. It speaks of God’s choosing zion, using the same formulation bachar “to choose” as in Deut. 12:5,11,14, “the place that the LORD will choose (yivchar).” The climax of the psalm, “there I will make a horn sprout for David; I have prepared a lamp for My anointed one” (v. 17) also has many parallels in Tanakh (cf. a similar message in Jer. 33:15,17, Exek. 29:21, Isa. 11:1).

Psalm 132 has strong parallels to other areas of scripture. For instance, the ark procession, which here is attributed to David, is also found in the midst of Solomon’s dedication of the Temple in 2 Chronicles (but is conspicuously absent from the parallel 1 Kings 8):

Advance, O LORD, to Your resting-place, You and Your mighty Ark! Your priests are clothed in triumph; Your loyal ones sing for joy. For the sake of Your servant David do not reject Your anointed one. (Ps. 132:8-10)

Advance, O LORD God, to your resting-place, You and Your mighty Ark. Your priests, O LORD God, are clothed in triumph; Your loyal ones will rejoice in [Your] goodness. O LORD God, do not reject Your anointed one; remember the loyalty of Your servant David.” (2 Chr. 6:41-42)

Another key parallel is Psalm 89: the oracles of our psalm are related in terms of message, vocabulary, and structure to Ps. 89:4-5,29-38.

In terms of literary structure, Psalm 132 has many repetitions. Besides for the parallel terms nishba’ (mentioned above), words like lekhisse’ lakh, ‘ade-’ad, kohaneha ‘albish, etc. are repeated. While scholars dispute the psalm’s date of composition, most agree that certain parts go back to the preexilic era.

V. Important Verses
vv. 3-5: “I will not enter my house, nor will I mount my bed, I will not give sleep to my eyes, or slumber to my eyelids until I find a place for the LORD, an abode for the Mighty One of Jacob.”
v. 14: “This is my resting-place for all time; here I will dwell, for I desire it.”
v. 17: “There I will make a horn sprout for David; I have prepared a lamp for My anointed one.”

Hebrew-English Text
I. Summary
Psalm 130 is a short prayer in which the speaker vehemently denies being haughty and declares his trust in God. The psalm ends with an exhortation for the community to turn to God.

II. Photo

V. 2 describes the speaker’s trust: “but I have taught myself to be contented like a weaned child with its mother; like a weaned child am I in my mind. ”

III. Outline
1a. Superscription
1b-e. Invocation, Assertion of innocence
2. Affirmation of confidence
3. Exhortation to community

IV. Comment
Psalm 131 is similar to Psalm 130 in many ways: (a) it contains elements of the petition genre but is lacking an actual petition/complaint, (b) it begins with an individual speaker and ends with an exhortation to the community, (c) the speaker exhorts the community with the words “O Israel, wait for the LORD,” and (d) the relationship between God and the nefesh “person” is described with a metaphor.

The major point of Psalm 131 is for the speaker to declare his innocence: he is not one of the haughty. While the haughty seem to have been a group (cf. the zedim in Ps. 119:21,51 etc.), there is a theme in prophetic literature to denunciate all “high things.” See, for example, Isa. 2:12-17: “For the LORD of Hosts has ready a day Against all that is proud and arrogant, Against all that is lofty — so that it is brought low: Against all the cedars of Lebanon, Tall and stately, And all the oaks of Bashan; Against all the high mountains And all the lofty hills; Against every soaring tower And every mighty wall; Against all the ships of Tarshish And all the gallant barks. Then man’s haughtiness shall be humbled And the pride of man brought low. None but the LORD shall be Exalted in that day.”

The three negative affirmations in v. 1 have parallels elsewhere in Tanakh: see Prov. 16:5 for lo’ gavah libbi “my heart is not proud,” Prov. 6:16-17 for lo’ ramu ‘einay “my look is not haughty,” and Jer. 45:5 for gedolot “great things.” The metaphor “but I have taught myself to be contented like a weaned child with its mother” (v. 2) has no parallel, but is related in meaning to Isa. 66:13, “As a mother comforts her son So I will comfort you; You shall find comfort in Jerusalem.”

In regards to literary structure, there seems to be a short chiastic structure underlying v. 2: nefesh / weaned child / mother / weaned child / nefesh.

V. Important Verses
v.2: “but I have taught myself to be contented like a weaned child with its mother; like a weaned child am I in my mind.”

Hebrew-English Text
I. Summary
While Psalm 130 is a prayer directed to God, the speaker doesn’t really ask for anything. The speaker implicitly confesses his guilt, appeals to God’s attribute of forgiveness, and then encourages the community to turn to God as well.

II. Photo
v. 5 describes the speaker’s intense longing for God: “I am more eager for the Lord than watchmen for the morning [sun].”

III. Outline
1a. Superscription
1b-2. Invocation, initial plea
3-4. Implicit confession, persuasion
5-6. Affirmation of confidence
7a. Exhortation to community
7b-8. Confidence, implicit confession

IV. Comment
While Psalm 130 has most of the features of the petition genre, it lacks the genre’s essential components of “complaint” and “petition.” The burning question is, “Why doesn’t the speaker ask God for anything?” One possible answer is that the speaker is too ashamed to ask for anything: his only wish is to return to God (vv. 5-6).
Like most petition psalms, Psalm 130 begins with an invocation and an initial plea (for similar invocations see Ps 4:2; 55:2; 59:2, for similar initial pleas see Ps. 17:1; 28:2; 31:3; 54:4). The prayer is said to have come from the ma’amaqqim “the depths” (v. 1). The word “depths,” which occurs four other times in Tanach (Isa. 51:10; Ezek 27:34; Ps. 69:3, 15) and means deep and chaotic waters, is employed here as a metaphor for a stressful situation. The psalm’s other analogy is found in v. 6: “I am more eager for the Lord than watchmen for the morning.”
In terms of literary structure, Psalm 130 repeats many words, e.g. qol “voice” (2x in v.2), ki ‘im “for with you” (vv. 4,7), yachal “waiting” (vv. 5,7), and fadah “redemption” (vv. 7,8). God’s name or the appelation ‘adonay occurs 8 times in 8 verses. There might be a chiastic structure underlying vv. 5-7: “I put my hope / watchmen for the morning / / watchmen for the morning / put hope.” The same can be said for vv. 7-8: “Israel / redemption // redeem / Israel.”
Many scholars believe that the vocabulary of Psalm 130 indicates a late date of composition, i.e. the second temple period. Verse 2 contains the words ‘oznekha qashuvot “let your ears be attentive,” and the only parallel verses are 2 Chr. 6:40 and 7:1 (both of which which seem to be a later addition to the text of 1 Kings 8). Also, the fact that the noun selicha “forgiveness” only appears here (v. 4) and in Dan 9:9 and Neh 9:17, implies a later date.

V. Important Verses
v. 3: If You keep account of sins, O LORD, Lord, who will survive?
v. 6: I am more eager for the Lord than watchmen for the morning, watchmen for the morning.