Seder 108: Investigating Psalm 108 in Canonical Context

 Psalm 108 is an often-neglected psalm.  Its first five verses are largely a repetition of Psalm 57:7-11, and verses 6-13 come from Psalm 60:5-12.  To save space in long commentaries on the psalms, commentators frequently treat Psalm 108 briefly by saying, "See my comments on Psalm 57 and Psalm 60."  

In a recent dissertation, Wyatt Graham takes a close look at Psalm 108, paying attention both to the slight changes the psalm makes in the material from Psalm 57 and Psalm 60, and to the placement of this psalm within the psalter.  With regard to the placement of Psalm 108, Graham observes that Book IV of the psalter ends in Psalm 106:47 with a plea for restoration from exile.  The at the beginning of Psalm 107, those redeemed from exile rejoice and give thanks to God (107:1-3).

Then Psalm 108 follows with David's confident prayer and statement of God's sovereignty, with a promise that God will again bring victory to his people in the future.  After that come the imprecatory Psalm 109, which has traditionally been associated with the betrayal of the Messiah: and Psalm 110, which pictures the Messiah ascending to the right hand of God and serving as a priest like Melchizedek.  Graham sees Psalm 108 contributing to the Psalm 108-110 trilogy., which looks forward to the coming of the Messiah to bring salvation and further restoration.   

The superscriptions for Psalm 57 and Psalm 60 associate those psalms with particular times in David's life when God was with him.  In Psalm 108, David seems to be looking ahead and anticipating future deliverance.  We can see Psalm 108 fitting into the overall "story" being told by the psalter as a messianic prophecy.

Seder 108: Jeremiah 31:22---"A Woman Encircles a Man"

 There is a fascinating sentence in Jeremiah 31:22.  In the context of a prophecy about Israel's eventual  return from exile to the Promised Land, Jeremiah says, "For the Lord has created a new thing on the earth:  a woman encircles a man."

Commentators observe that the word for "created" is bara, a word used only when God is creating something with no help from anyone or anything else, as in "creation from nothing."  The word for "man", geber, refers to a mighty man.

This passage has been the source of lots of discussion---see, for example, Charles Lee Feinberg, "Jeremiah 31:22:  Proverb, Promise, or Prophecy?", Bibliotheca Sacra 123 (1966), 315-324; 124 (1967), 16-21.

One popular Christian interpretation sees this as a prophecy of the Virgin Birth.  A number of church fathers---e.g., Jerome---held this interpretation.  Certainly the miracle of the Virgin Birth is an entirely new, unprecedented creation of God, with a "mighty man" encompassed/enclosed/encircled by (the body of) a woman.  Also, it is the work of Jesus on the cross that makes the new covenant (Jer 31:31-34) possible, and there are some references to the Messiah in the previous chapter (30:9,21).  Still, this interpretation doesn't seem to fit the context of Jeremiah 31:22, even with the phrase "virgin Israel" appearing in verse 21.  

A second possibility, more in keeping with the context, has a woman (the nation of Israel) being enabled by God to overcome the power of enemy nations like Assyria and Babylon (the mighty man), surrounding or hemming in those enemies.  John Calvin proposed an interpretation along these lines.

A third possibility has God causing the woman (the nation of Israel) to embrace or cling to God and/or the Messiah (the mighty man) as never before.  This reading connects with the new covenant promise in verses 31-34.  .  

Today's commentators humbly admit that we don't know the meaning of the passage for sure. For example, Michael L. Brown (Revised Expositor's Bible Commentary) remarks, "Certainty of interpretation is highly unlikely here, given the concise nature of the Hebrew expression, and McKane’s comments that this phrase 'has been a happy hunting-ground for aspiring exegetes' should be remembered."

Seder 108: Jeremiah 31:18-34---Israel's Restoration and the New Covenant

 Chapters 30-33 of Jeremiah have been called the Book of Consolation.  At a time just before the fall of Jerusalem and the kingdom of Judah to the Babylonians (Jer 32:1-2) in around 586 BC , God gave Jeremiah a message of hope for the future of Israel, promising restoration for both the northern tribes of the House of Israel and the southern tribes of the House of Judah. 

The northern kingdom---symbolized by Ephraim, its leading tribe---had already fallen to Assyria in 722 BC.  The repentance of those tribes in exile is pictured in Jer 31:18-19. "You have disciplined me, and I was disciplined, like an untrained calf," Ephraim says.  The language here is reminiscent of Hosea 4:16, where Hosea declares, "Like a stubborn heifer, Israel is stubborn."  

God responds with compassion for Ephraim (Jer 31:20), expressing sentiments similar to those of Hosea 11:8-9.  "I will surely have mercy on him, declares the Lord."   

The prophecy goes on to say that God will restore both the northern and southern tribes from exile.  The promise of a new covenant with Israel and Judah comes in Jer 31:31-34.  Commentators Walter Kaiser and Tiberius Rata call this passage "the apex of biblical theology for both Testaments."  They note that while this is the only time the prophets  use the term "new covenant," the same basic promise is repeated, with varying language, in a number of prophecies:

• "everlasting covenant"---Jer 32:40; 50:5; Isa 24:5; 55:3; 61:8; Ezek 16:60; 37:26.
• "new heart and a new spirit"---Ezek 11:19; 18:31; 36:26; Jer 32:39 LXX.
•  "covenant of peace"---Isa 54:10; Ezek 34:25; 37:26.
• "a covenant" or "my covenant"---Isa 42:6; 49;8; Hos 2:18-20. 

Like the Sinai covenant, the new covenant involves God's Torah or instruction (v 33).  In terms of its content it is more a "renewed" covenant" than a "brand new" covenant.  Verses 32-34  explain how the new covenant will be different from the Sinai covenant:  many Israelites had not kept the Sinai covenant, but they universally would obey the new one, because God would write his Torah on the hearts of the people.   

This covenant is made with the house of Israel and house of Judah (v 31).  The first participants were Jesus' Jewish disciples (Luke 22:20; Acts 2), but people from all nations were soon added as "wild olive shoots" grafted into the olive tree of Israel (Rom 11:17).  

Seder 108: Numbers 7---Tribal Gifts for Dedication of the Altar

 The first two months of the second year of the Exodus were a busy time for the Israelites.  The completion of the tabernacle and the ordination of the priests were among the major events of that period.  To dedicate the altar of burnt offering for the tabernacle, each tribe gave an identical gift, as recorded in Numbers 7.

The presentation of the gifts was carried out over a period of twelve days, with each tribe featured on a different day.  These were generous voluntary gifts that symbolized each tribe's desire to contribute.  The twelve-day celebration promoted the unity of the tribes and rejoiced that God would be accompanying them on the journey.  

The tribes took turns according to the order for marching laid out in Numbers 2.  Judah, the leading tribe, went on day 1.  Ephraim, another leading tribe, went on day 7.  The tribes were led by the representatives that had been chosen to carry out the census described in Numbers 1.

The gifts are described in twelve almost identical paragraphs, with the main differences being the name of the tribe and its representative.  In all but one case, the representatives are called princes.  The exception is the Judah paragraph in the MT, which does not call Nahshon a prince (the LXX does, however).  Tradition says this is because the real prince of the tribe of Judah is the future messianic king prophesied in Gen 49.

With the construction of the tabernacle, Moses would no longer be communing with God at a "tent of meeting" outside the camp (Exod 33;7-11).  From now on the tabernacle would double as the tent of meeting (Num 7:89).

In a sermon on this seder at Church of the Messiah on July 9, 2022, Rob Wilson highlighted the importance of God speaking with his people for the benefit of the whole community, as described in Num 7:89.

Seder 108: Psalm 21---A Messianic Royal Psalm of Thanksgiving

 Psalm 21 is a royal psalm that can be seen as a sequel to Psalm 20.  Psalm 20 is a prayer for protection and success for the king, while Psalm 21 expresses the king's gratitude for the success that God has granted him.  

Here is one example of the connections between the two psalms:

Psalm 20:4---"May he grant you your heart's desire and fulfill all your plans!

Psalm 21:2---"You have given him his heart's desire...."

Psalm 21:1-7 shows gratitude for the promises of the Davidic covenant, including

• God's steadfast love (v.7; 2 Sam 7:15);
• God's presence (v. 6; 2 Sam 7:9);
• a dynasty lasting forever (vv 4, 6; 2 Sam 7:13, 16).

In verse 7 the king affirms his trust in God, rather than in horses or chariots(see 20:7).  Then in verses 8-13, the congregation affirms its faith in God's ulimate judgment of enemies and victory over all opposition.  The psalm begins and ends by praising God's strength. 

During the era of Solomon's Temple, this psalm could have been used to celebrate a victory or the anniversary of a king's coronation.  Then during the Second Temple period and beyond, it was natural to see this psalm messianically, especially with its references to eternal life and blessing (vv 4,6) and final victory.  The last half of the psalm reminds us of prophecies that the Messiah will conquer all enemies, including death (Isa 25:7-8; 1 Cor 15:54-57).

The Targum in verses 1 and 7 has "the king Messiah" for "the king,"  and the discussion of this psalm in Midrash Psalms is entirely about how the different parts of the psalm apply to the Messiah. Here are some examples of the discussion in Midrash Psalms:  

• The Midrash connects verse 2 ("you have given him his heart's desire and have not withheld the request of his lips") with Isa 11:4 ("he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked").  
• To explain verse 4 ("he asked life of you"), it is speculated that the Messiah asked God for the resurrection of Korah and his colleagues, who were swallowed up by the ground during Israel's years in the wilderness (Num 16). 
• In connection with verse 6 ("you make him glad with the joy of your presence"), sages mention examples where the Messiah comes into the presence of God (Dan 7:13-14; Jer 30:21).  

Unlike some other royal psalms (45 and 110, e.g.), Psalm 21 is not referenced in the New Testament.  Some verses in Psalm 21 look like good candidates for a prosopological reading, but I am not aware of them being used in this way.  I may look into this question further.