Philip Sumpter, «The Coherence of Psalms 15–24», Vol. 94 (2013) 186-209
This article develops recent arguments that Psalms 15–24 constitute a relatively self-contained sub-collection that is chiastically arranged. It seeks to uncover the logic underlying the arrangement by attending to three points: 1) the manner in which the content of each psalm is 'expanded' and 'brought forward' in its chiastic parallel; 2) the nature of the relation between the framing psalms (15; 19; 24) and those that intervene; 3) the significance of David and Zion. In short, it argues that the editors were concerned to situate David within his true theological context.
202 PHILIP SUMPTER
23 thereby provides Israel with a glimpse into David’s “inner lifeâ€
as he treads the same stony path that they as a nation must follow.
Again, Psalm 22 sets Psalm 17 within a broader theological hori-
zon, intensifying its imagery and turning the fate of its speaking sub-
ject into a type of those who seek the Lord (cf. Ps 22,27 with Ps 24,6).
Psalm 22’s more comprehensive scope is first indicated by its use of
diverse genres. Whereas Psalm 17 appears to be a fairly typical com-
plaint consisting of invocation, protestation of innocence, petition,
complaint, and imprecation 49, Psalm 22 is a “mixed construction of
heterogeneous genre elements (complaint, petition, praise, thanks,
hymnic intentions to praise with predictions of the future)†50. In ad-
dition to this, Psalm 22’s representation of the polarities of suffering
and joy are far more extreme than in Psalm 17 51. In its talk of utter
abandonment by God (v. 2) in which the petitioner is dehumanized
(v. 7) Psalm 22 starts “lowerâ€, and yet it ends far “higherâ€, for by the
end of the psalm we reach an eschatological hymn of praise extending
spatially to the ends of the earth (v. 28) and temporally to include fu-
ture generations (v. 32), indeed even those who have died (v. 30) 52.
Whereas Psalm 17, like Psalm 16, concludes with an affirmation of
the blessedness of abiding in the presence of YHWH (v. 11), in Psalm
22, as in Psalm 24, the reach of the kingdom of God (v. 29; cf. 24,7.9)
is cosmic in scope (cf. 24,1-2).
Finally, it is important to note that the axis upon which the shift
from complaint to universal praise moves is the personal experience
of David himself. As Goldingay puts it, “v. 24 makes clear that the
promise (v. 22) and the summons (v. 23) do actually relate to the
particularity of what YHWH has done for this suppliant†53. The
king’s suffering and redemption are grounds for the “true Israelâ€
is raised up in front of my oppressors; you make my body fat with stout birds,
and the head of my priests with the oil of anointing†(STEC, Targum, 61).
E. GERSTENBERGER, Psalms, Part 1. With an Introduction to Cultic Po-
49
etry (FOTL 14; Grand Rapids, MI 1988) 108.
HOSSFFELD, in HOSSFELD – ZENGER, Psalmen:1, 144.
50
Cf. KRAUS, Psalms:1, 300: “Psalm 22 traverses unimaginable dimen-
51
sions. From the depths of abandonment by God, the song of the rescued per-
son rises to a worldwide hymn that draws also the dead into a great homage
of Yahwehâ€.
Goldingay thus calls this act of praise “particularly remarkable and ex-
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tensive†(GOLDINGAY, Psalms:1, 323).
GOLDINGAY, Psalms:1, 336.
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