Saturday, November 01, 2008

Psalm 56 - Miktam - a strange melody

Bound, binding, religion, tradition. I have not been a fan of the religion word - such bindings I found to be restrictive. Much of what I seemed to learn from those who seemed to teach was simply wrong. I'll avoid specifics, but be warned about your assumptions, for they may be totally off base.

In Psalm 2 we get the kings throwing off bindings - related to teaching. In Psalm 16 we get an enigmatic thought about a different binding. In Psalm 56, we get an enigmatic title with yet another word related to being bound. I am not going to do a detailed analysis of the bindings and cords of various roots - maybe on a third pass. But, given our positive stubbornness and holy defiance, what bindings do we long for?

For the leader
on the disabled, mute, bound dove in the distance
of David, a miktam
when the Philistines in Gath seized him

Have mercy on me O God
for bloodthirsty humanity's every day fighting oppresses me
my watchers thirst for my blood every day
for many are fighting me in a high place

I fear day
I in you will trust
In God I will praise his word
In God I will trust
I will not fear
What will flesh do to me?

Every day they torture my words
against me are all their plans for evil
their hidden agenda
they watch my steps as they seek my life

Through iniquity will they escape?
In anger bring the people down O God
Tell of my wanderings
Put my tears in your bottle
Are they not in your book?
Then my enemies will turn back in the day I cry
this I know for God is for me

In God I will praise a word
In יְהוָה I will praise a word
In God I will trust
I will not fear
What will humus do to me?

To me O God are your promises
I will make whole thanksgivings to you
for you deliver my life from death
will you not my feet from falling
so I will walk in the presence of God
in the light of the living
Note the rarity of יְהוָה in these psalms.
Note (green) the three differing words for humanity -enosh, basar, and adam.
The significant word in this psalm seems to be 'day'.
The red 'I' is a stand alone article as in Psalm 75 which is linked to this psalm by sharing the title of the next three miktamim.

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