Salmos 57
Bob Utley · You Can Understand the Bible
Salmos 57
CONTEXTUAL INSIGHTS The superscriptions in the MT are not original. They are missing in the DSS. Often they are incorrect. See Introduction to the Psalms, IV. "Authorship." Psalm 57 is characterized by the use of double (or triple) words. be gracious to me, Ps. 57:1 take refuge, Ps. 57:1 my heart is steadfast, Ps. 57:7 awake, Ps. 57:8 In Ps. 57:6 and 7 there are several VERBS and NOUNS that start with the Hebrew letter Kaph. prepared – BDB 465, KB 464 bowed down – BDB 496, KB 493 dug – BDB 500, KB 496 fall – BDB 656, KB 709 steadfast – BDB 465, KB 464 (twice) NOUN, glory, Ps. 57:5 – BDB 458 NOUN, my soul/liver, Ps. 57:8 – BDB 458 (NASB has "glory," BDB 458) NOUN, lyre, Ps. 57:8 – BDB 490 Psalm 57:6 is a typical "reversal" motif, so common in the OT. Enemies plan evil but are caught in their own schemes. Two key theological terms are repeated. lovingkingness (hesed) – BDB 338, cf. Ps. 57:3 (personified), 10 (see SPECIAL TOPIC: LOVINGKINDNESS (hesed) faithfulness/truth (emet) – BDB 54, Ps. 57:3 (personified), 10 (see SPECIAL TOPIC: BELIEVE, TRUST, FAITH AND FAITHFULNESS IN THE OT, II. C.) This Psalm mentions "the nations." See SPECIAL TOPIC: YHWH'S ETERNAL REDEMPTIVE PLAN
Salmos 57:1-3
57:1 This Psalm is characterized by the double use of words. See Contextual Insights, B. SPECIAL TOPIC: HEBREW POETRY ▣ "refuge" The VERB (BDB 340, KB 334) is a recurrent theme in the Psalms. See note at Ps. 2:12 and 5:11-12. Here there is a play between the PERFECT denoting completed action and a resulting state, v. 1b the IMPERFECT denoting ongoing continuing action, v. 1c SPECIAL TOPIC: REFUGE ▣ "the shadow of Your wings" This is one of several feminine images to describe God. as a mother bird — Gen. 1:2; Exod. 19:4; Deut. 32:11; 33:12; Isa. 31:5 nursing mother — Isa. 49:15; 66:13; Hosea 11:4 (emendation) SPECIAL TOPIC: SHADOW AS METAPHOR FOR PROTECTION AND CARE ▣ "Until destruction passes by" This continues the imagery of God as a mother bird. Note "destruction" (i.e., destructive winds or storm, BDB 217, cf. similar terms in Ps. 55:8) is personified, as in Isa. 26:20. 57:2 "God Most High" This is the name Elohim (BDB 43) combined with Elyon (BDB 751 I). See notes at Ps. 7:17 and 46:4b. SPECIAL TOPIC: NAMES FOR DEITY, B. C. ▣ "God" This is El (BDB 42), the general name for deity in the ANE. SPECIAL TOPIC: NAMES FOR DEITY, A. ▣ "who accomplishes all things for me" What an inclusive faith assertion (cf. Ps. 138:8). Experience tells us that "all" must be defined and limited. But this is a faith worldview of a faithful follower (cf. Phil. 1:6). In this context God's actions are noted in Ps. 57:3. send from heaven – who or what is not specified save me – from vicious enemies (cf. Ps. 57:4,6) reproach those who trample (cf. Ps. 56:2) – BDB 357 I; it means "rebuke" or "put to shame" those who say sharp things (see the enemies described as wild lions with sharp teeth, Ps. 57:4) send forth His personified lovingkingness and truth/faithfulness, cf. Ps. 89:14 and also Ps. 43:3, where "light" and "truth" are personified as YHWH's servants SPECIAL TOPIC: LOVINGKINDNESS (hesed) 57:3 "send from heaven" The term "heaven" has two distinct usages. the atmosphere above the earth (cf. Ps. 57:5, see SPECIAL TOPIC: HEAVEN) the place YHWH dwells (cf. Ps. 57:5, see SPECIAL TOPIC: THE HEAVENS AND THE THIRD HEAVEN) In OT thought God was transcendent. The Holy One of Israel was separated from sinful creations after Genesis 3. He dwelt with Israel in the Holy of Holies, between the wings of the Cherubim, above the mercy seat of the ark of the covenant (which symbolized the place of atonement, cf. Leviticus 16). There is a purposeful tension between YHWH"s transcendent holiness and immanence with Israel. ▣ "Selah" See note at Ps. 3:2 and Intro. to Psalms, VII.
Salmos 57:4-6
57:4-6 These verses characterize the psalmist's enemies and his God who supports him (cf. Ps. 57:2). the enemies like lions breathe fire (or better, KB 521 II, "to devour," found only here) teeth/words are spears and arrows prepared a trap (BDB 440, KB 1298, a net or basket to catch birds or fish) to catch and kill him but will fall into it themselves (cf. Prov. 26:27) God (cf. Ps. 57:5,11) be exalted – BDB 926, KB 1202, Qal IMPERATIVE, here "heavens" refers to the atmosphere above the earth (note parallelism); see SPECIAL TOPIC: HEAVEN Your glory be above the earth; see SPECIAL TOPIC: GLORY (OT, kabod) the psalmist I must lie among. . . – BDB 1011, KB 1486, Qal COHORTATIVE my soul is bowed down – BDB 496, KB 493, Qal PERFECT SPECIAL TOPIC: NEPHESH 57:4 "breathe forth fire" "set on fire" "greedily devour" "greedy for human prey" "hungry for human flesh" "devour" The MT has "that are a flame" (BDB 529, KB 521, Qal ACTIVE PARTICIPLE), but here, there are two possible Hebrew roots. devour ‒ להט, KB 521 II, only here but related to Arabic root meaning "to devour greedily" scorch, burn ‒ להט, KB 521 I, Ps. 104:4; Piel stem to destroy by flame, cf. Deut. 32:22; Ps. 83:14; 97:3; 106:18 Option #1 fits this context best because of the mentioning of "lions." 57:6 "Selah" See note at verse 3.
Salmos 57:7-11
57:7-11 This strophe is almost exactly like Ps. 108:1-5. It may have been a liturgical refrain. 57:7-9 This strophe expresses the psalmist's faith and confidence (i.e., expressed in a worship event at the tabernacle/temple) in YHWH's actions on his behalf. my heart is steadfast, Ps. 57:7 (twice) – BDB 465, KB 464, Niphal PARTICIPLE I will sing, Ps. 57:7 – BDB 1010, KB 1479, Qal COHORTATIVE I will sing praises, Ps. 57:7 – BDB 274, KB 273, Piel COHORTATIVE awake my glory (or "my soul," lit. "liver," both BDB 458), Ps. 57:8 – BDB 734, KB 802, Qal IMPERATIVE awake my harp and lyre (i.e., instruments for the psalmist to praise God with), Ps. 57:8 – BDB same VERB as #4 I will awaken the dawn, Ps. 57:8 – BDB 734, KB 802, Hiphil COHORTATIVE I will give thanks, Ps. 57:9 – BDB 392, KB 389, Hiphil IMPERFECT used in a COHORTATIVE sense I will sing praises, Ps. 57:9 – BDB 274, KB 273, Piel IMPERFECT used in a COHORTATIVE sense 57:7 "heart" See SPECIAL TOPIC: HEART 57:9 Notice the parallelism between "the peoples" (BDB 766 I) and "the nations" (BDB 115 and BDB 52, i.e., not covenant peoples). There is a recurrent emphasis in the Psalms on the universal aspect of Israel's God (cf. Ps. 9:11b; 18:47,49; 105:1; 145:12-13). The implication of monotheism (see SPECIAL TOPIC: MONOTHEISM) is that there is only one true God who created all humans in His image for fellowship (see SPECIAL TOPIC: YHWH'S ETERNAL REDEMPTIVE PLAN). ▣ NASB, NKJV, NJB, Peshitta, LXX "my glory" REB, NRSV, TEV, JPSOA, NET "my soul" The MT has "glory" (BDB 458-459, KB 455-458). Here, it is used of the psalmist's personhood (i.e., soul; see SPECIAL TOPIC: GLORY (OT, kabod), III. A. #1. ▣ "I will awaken the dawn" The two roots used of the word "snake" earlier in this verse are Qal IMPERATIVES, but this use (BDB 734, KB 802, Hiphil IMPERFECT): some see as functioning as a third command (i.e., COHORTATIVE) NASB sees it as the time of the psalmist's deliverance from his enemies the time of the psalmist's praise in the tabernacle/temple (i.e., use of harp and lyre) 57:10 This verse repeats the personified servants of God (i.e., hesed and emet) from Ps. 57:3. They are both said to be "above" the heavens and clouds (i.e., atmosphere of this planet), which denotes their greatness their origin in God SPECIAL TOPIC: LOVINGKINDNESS (hesed) SPECIAL TOPIC: HEAVEN 57:11 This repeats Ps. 57:5. It functions as a way to denote the greatness of God (i.e., His transcendence above His creation).