Smith DTh Thesis (final).pdf - South African Theological Seminary

Chapter 4: Analysis of Psalms 3-8200:51:4, v. 3a). “My honour” may be understood either as the psalmist’spersonal dignity (e.g., Briggs and Briggs 1906:30; Kidner 1973:56; Mays1994a:55; Craigie 1998:17) or as his God (Coggan 1998:30; Broyles1999:53). 43 Second, they had “loved delusions” ( אֱ‏ הָ‏ בּון שִ‏ יר ֶ ; v. 3b, NIV); thenoun שִ‏ יר (12:3:1) can also mean “emptiness” or “vanity” (Swanson1997:§8198; cf. HALOT 1999:1228). Third, they had sought “falsehood”(NASB) or “false gods” (NIV), depending on how the noun כָ‏ זָ‏ ב (31:6:2, v. 3c) isunderstood. Commentators are divided between these options, with themajority leaning towards “falsehood”. If the psalm were construed as arisingfrom an agricultural crisis (so Dahood 1966; Wilson 2002), then verse 3 wouldbe understood as describing the nobles shaming Yahweh בודִ‏ י)‏ ‏(כְ‏ by seekingsomething vain יר)‏ ‏,(שִ‏ namely, false gods זָ‏ ב)‏ ‏.(כָ‏ Conversely, if the psalm wereconstrued as an attack on the psalmist’s honour (so Mays 1994a; Motyer1994; Craigie 1998), then verse 3 would be interpreted so that שִ‏ יר refers to“delusions” and כָ‏ זָ‏ ב to “falsehood”, denoting the nobles spreading lies aboutthe psalmist.Verses 5-6. This strophe consists of three paired commands from the psalmistto the “sons of men”. The three pairs of commands are arranged43 Wilson (2002) lists both options as possibilities, but does not take a first stand either way.117