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

Chapter 4: Analysis of Psalms 3-8Psalm 7:7-12 78 is dominated by terms related to justice and judgement as thepsalmist petitions Yahweh to intervene with righteous judgement (cf. Hubbard1982:268-279). Two references to the Lord’s righteous indignation serve asthe boundaries (inclusio) of the section. The psalmist begins by petitioning“the Lord” to arise in his “anger” ‏,אַ‏ פ)‏ 277:35:2, v. 7a) and ends by declaringthat God “expresses his wrath” ‏,זָ‏ ףַ‏ ם)‏ 12:1:1, v. 12b, NIV) regularly. The formerterm פ)‏ ‏(אַ‏ portrays a strong feeling of displeasure, while the latter ףַ‏ ם)‏ ‏(זָ‏ usuallyadds “a focus on the acts of anger and punishment toward the object of one’sanger” (Swanson 1997:§2404; cf. Wood 1999:§568).A cluster of terms referring to Yahweh’s righteous judgement occur betweenthe two references to his indignation. First, he has “decreed” 79 (v. 7c, NET;Piel of וָ‏ ה ‏(קָ‏ “judgement” ‏,מִ‏ שְ‏ פָ‏ ט)‏ 423:65:1, v. 7c), apparently meaning that78 In my proposed structural divisions (see §4.5.4), verses 7-12 cut across two sections.Topically, the break from “petition” to “confidence” comes at the end of verse 10 as suggestedin §4.5.4. However, verbal coherence suggests that verses 11-12 belong with verses 7-10.For the sake of discussing terminology, verses 7-12 need to be treated together.79 The ESV rendering, “you have appointed a judgement,” is misleading. It gives theimpression the psalmist is referring to a future judgement day. This obscures the point of theverse, namely, that the Lord has appointed judgement; He has decreed justice. The nature ofGod cries out for justice against evil.161