The covenant of the Lord with David in Psalm 132 (131)
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31802/BSCH.2022.2.1.005Keywords:
Psalter, psalm, David, testament, Messiah, exegesis, Ancient IsraelAbstract
Psalm 132 (131 according to the Septuagint) is one of the most striking poetic biblical hymns, glorifying the power of the king in Zion. Its content resembles the prayer of Solomon during the consecration of the temple (1 Kings 8, 25; 9, 4–5), and his presence in the collection of “Songs of Ascend” (Psalm 120 — 134) refers to post-exilic liturgical use. Many commentators interpret this psalm as a prophecy about the unconditional inviolability of the David’s throne, without taking into account the possible historical prerequisites for the appearance of this hymn. In this study I want to analyze the process of re-interpreting the key expressions of the psalm associated with the “covenant” in the different periods of the Israel history. The historical-philological method of exegesis witch I use allows to see at least two key thoughts that are explicitly or implicitly present in the psalm. Firstly, the author of the psalm writes about the requirements for the descendants of David, under which they can pretend to the eternity of their reign. Secondly, the Lord’s promise to settle in Zion should be considered as an addition to the “covenant” with David. So, this means that any “messianic” interpretations of the psalm 132 (131) should take into account the high role of the temple, which in the post-exilic period was no less important than the expected Messiah.
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