Bible Study last week - Psalm 51

I should start posting the Bible studies I lead twice a month in Edgewood.  So, I'll start by posting last week's tonight.  Then I'll go backwards over the other ones I wrote myself.  I will not post the ones that are abridged versions of http://www.womeninthebible.net/, for obvious reasons. So, here is the one I put together for last week.

Psalm 51 August 20, 2009 Holy Cross Women’s Bible Study Group


Introduction

Psalm 51 has been viewed as a psalm of confession, traditionally attributed to King David after his act of adultery with Bathsheba. Although King David has been hailed as the greatest king in Israel by many, we can also know him as a fallible human being.

What shape is it?

There are debates over whether the heading of this Psalm is original to it, or whether an editor inserted it later after the period of the Babylonian Exile (after 586 BC). If we compared the heading to the rest of this Psalm, the psalm contains no specifics about King David’s predicament that would connect it to his life and acts. However, the heading has been preserved in the earliest-known manuscripts we have. So we can say conservatively that ancient Jews did connect this psalm to David’s adultery.

The Psalm heading in Hebrew, “L-David,” is often translated as “of David” but “L” is a preposition “to/at.” Biblical scholars have wondered if this actually means “after the style of David,” who was certainly one of the great psalmists and probably had a style of his own. The Ugaritic Baal Epic uses a similar phrasing, “L-Baal,” who was a god to many cultures contemporary with the Hebrew people.

Psalm Structure

Verses 1-2 : Appeal for divine forgiveness, cleansing and renewal

Verses 3-5: Confession

Verses 6-7: More appeals for forgiveness

Verse 8: Joyful thanksgiving

Verses 9-12: More appeals for forgiveness

Verses 13-15: Vows

Verses 16-17: Acknowledgement of God’s desire for contrition and not sacrifice

Verses 18-19: Hope to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem, at which point God will appreciate sacrifice.

What is it? Genre and History of Tradition

Jewish

King David’s sin: Traditionally this psalm has been linked with the story of David’s guilt over committing adultery with Bathsheba. David then had his men get Bathsheba’s husband (Uriah the Hittite) killed in battle to make it look like an accident. (2 Sam 11:1-27) Nathan confronted David about his guilt.

Yom Kippur/Day of Atonement: This is coming up at the end of September, a few days after Rosh Hashanah/Jewish New Year. Ritual baths (ablution) are practiced by some Jews today as part of their observance of Yom Kippur. Levitical law also called for the Temple priests to take these baths as they prepared to lead the congregations through the sacrifices that atoned for their sins.

Post-Exilic Period: Some have linked this psalm with the period after the Babylonian exile, when some of the Israelites returned to Jerusalem to rebuild the Temple. At that time, they were troubled by the question of whether they would ever be able to worship there again, because it had been desecrated and defiled by foreigners and spilled blood. If so, then worshippers would have viewed this need for purity as a corporate need, as much or more than a personal individual need for cleansing.

The Hebrew word for “to sin” comes from archery, when an archer has “missed the mark.” How does that affect your ideas about sinfulness?

Christian

This Psalm has been viewed as one of the “greatest penitential Psalms of the church.” It has been used in certain Christian liturgies to call people to confession, and to give expression to our need for confession and repentance.

Verse 5 has often been used by Christians as if it is evidence of original sin, or the “sinfulness” or impurity of sexual intercourse. However, ancient Israel considered marriage and childbirth as a sacred “mitzvah” or commandment that one should fulfill. Rather, the psalmist is probably mourning the tendency that humans have to sin.

Most mainline Christians confess their sins every time they gather for worship. John Wesley said that before we take Holy Communion we must confess our sins, and examine ourselves so we receive the full benefit of the sacramental meal. Some individuals today believe that there is no need for regular confession because they feel they are already “right with God.” What do you think?

Theological Applications (all of them are up for discussion!)

Sin and Evil! Sin is often discussed as “separation from God.” Is there such a thing as corporate (eg, congregational) sinfulness, or is it only personal, just between “God and me?” What do you think? Martin Luther said that we can never be completely cleansed, but just “covered” with God’s forgiveness. John Wesley (in his later years) believed that it was possible to become “perfect” in one’s lifetime, through repeated practice of discipleship. Calvin said that humans are “utterly depraved,” similar to St. Augustine, who said that it is not possible for us to not sin. This does not mean they thought we are hopeless, but that we are very much in need of grace. Some contemporary theologians recognize human sinfulness as part of the larger reality that we are caught up in the nature of the world, which is brokenness all around. How do we participate in/are complicit with that “brokenness?”

Forgiveness and Atonement: Atonement is the Old English word for being forgiven by God. If you break it down, it means “At-One-Ment.” When have you experienced “At-One-Ment”? Was it a moment of atonement for you? How did it feel?

Sources:

• Barton, John and John Muddiman. The Oxford Bible Commentary. (New York: Oxford University Press, 2001).
• Also used:  Rahlfs-Hahnhart's Septuaginta, my memory, Life in Biblical Israel (Stager/King)