The Old Testament and Christian Spirituality - International Voices in ...

Spirituality of the Psalms 65
a repetitive theme throughout Mystiek in de Psalmen. To signify
God, Waaijman mostly utilises the term “Wezer”—“He who
is”/“That which is,” among other connotations—a term loaded
with both biblical-revelatory and existential-philosophical
connotations.
Among the three mystical starting points—the self, the other,
and the Other—it is the latter which defines the former two. 54 This
happens in concrete contexts, through a dialogical immediacy
(“dialogische onmiddellijkheid”) 55 which elicits response-ability
(“antwoordelijkheid”/“responsibilité”), that is, giving oneself over
in trust, resulting in creative re-formation. 56 In this sense, the
Psalms are mystically dialogical. 57
With wide-ranging references to Christian, Jewish, and Muslim
mystics and to Scripture, the latter with the most detailed focus on
sections from the Psalms, Waaijman discusses a variety of topics
in Spirituality. These are: creation, 58 being saved from death, 59
forgiveness and re-creation, 60 fear, trust and meeting God anew, 61
one’s own life’s journey, 62 respect for/fear of the Lord, 63 good and
evil, 64 God’s Name, interestingly connected with liberation, 65 God
54
Waaijman, Mystiek in de Psalmen, 14–16.
55
Ibid., 18.
56
Ibid., 19–20.
57
Wölber (see H.-O. Wölber, “Der Königsweg der Spiritualität. Gedanken zur
Frömmigkeit aus der Bibel,” Evangelische Kommentare 9/12 [1976]: 727),
drawing on Küng (see H. Küng, Christ sein [München: R. Piper, 1974]), makes
the point that the Bible is not only a book that talks about God, but also with
God—an insight which is also full of dialogical possibilities (cf. Bezuidenhout,
“Perspektiewe uit die Psalms,” 713–14, 718).
58
Waaijman, Mystiek in de Psalmen, 21–31.
59 Ibid., 32–42.
60 Ibid., 43–54.
61 Ibid., 55–67.
62 Ibid., 68–78.
63 Ibid., 79–89.
64 Ibid., 90–100, 101–11.
65 Ibid., 112–23.