Mizmor 19: Proclaiming God's Glory/2

Mizmor 19: Proclaiming God's Glory

Exegetical Approaches

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Hymn in Praise of God

The psalm

Sources:RashiTehillim 19About R. Shelomo Yitzchaki, Ibn EzraTehillim Second Commentary 19About R. Avraham ibn Ezra, R. Yosef Bekhor ShorTehillim 19About R. Yosef Bekhor Shor, RadakTehillim 19About R. David Kimchi, SfornoTehillim 19About R. Ovadyah Sforno

Anti Pagan Polemic

The psalm is a tacit polemic against sun-worshippers, emphasizing that the sun is not a deity, but rather subservient to Hashem, the God of truth and justice.

Sources:Prof. N. Sarna¹

Ancient Near Eastern Context – In Mesopotamia, Shamash was worshiped both as the sun god and the god in charge of justice.² In other ancient near eastern cultures, as well, the sun gods were associated with law and judgment.  The two aspects might have been connected due to the association of light with righteousness and also because people believed that the sun's position high in heaven and its daily travels across the sky enabled it to see all that transpires below, making it capable of judging all.

Connection between the two halves of the psalm – In light of the two aspects associated with pagan sun gods mentioned above, the connection between the two halves of the psalm is clear; the first half dispels the notion that the sun (or Shamash or any equivalent) is a deity, and the second combats his perceived role as god of justice. As such, the first half of the psalm speaks of the sun's subordinance to Hashem, and the second praises the truth and justice of Hashem's laws, highlighting that Hashem is the true and only god of justice.

Allusions to pagan mythology in the sun's descipritions – Prof. Sarna suggests that several of the images used to describe the sun in the psalm were chosen to intentionally allude to pagan mythology: 

• "like a groom going forth from his chamber"³ – In Mesopotamia, the sun's setting was described as Shamash betaking himself to his chamber, and its rising as him leaving it.⁴  Moreover, Shamash is described as having a consort, Aya, referred to as his "bride".⁵
• "like a might warrior to run his course" – Shamash is often described as a warrior and portrayed as a runner who traverses the heavens and earth.⁶

Sarna suggests that these references to Shamash would be familiar to the reader who would think of the perceived sun god as he read the pslam, but would realize through the surrounding verses (see points below) that the sun / Shamash really has no power of his own.

The heavens proclaim Hashem's praise – The psalm opens by stating that the heavens praise Hashem to make it clear that the heavens, and all therein, are subservient to Hashem.  They are not gods to be worshiped, but rather subjects of the only God, Hashem.  Their role is to praise, not to be praised.

"לַשֶּׁמֶשׁ שָׂם אֹהֶל בָּהֶם" – The verse states that it is Hashem who makes a tent for the sun, further highlighting that even though it rises and sets from its chamber, it is Hashem who created that chamber and the sun is under God's control and subject to His desires and demands  .

"וְאֵין נִסְתָּר מֵחַמָּתוֹ" – Prof. Sarna understands "חַמָּתוֹ" to mean: "His sun," with the verse stressing that the sun belongs to God.

Repetition of the name Hashem – Each of the terms used to refer to God's laws is attached to the name Hashem, emphasizing that it is Hashem's teaching and laws which bring justice, not those connected to any other perceived god.

Descriptions of the Torah – Prof. Sarna notes that many of the descriptions given to the law employ images used in near eastern sun god liturgies. The vocabulary has been emptied of pagan content and appropriated to exalt the Torah:

• תּוֹרַת י״י...  מְשִׁיבַת נָפֶשׁ – In Mesopotamian texts, the sun god is said to revive the dead. Here, the psalmist shifts the focus from a material revival to a spiritual one, with the study of Torah itself being life-sustaining.
• פִּקּוּדֵי י״י יְשָׁרִים מְשַׂמְּחֵי לֵב – Shamash is described as a "god of truth and right", and other hymns from Egypt speak of the sun god Re as bringing "joy" to the world. The psalmist hints that they have no real power to do so; it is observance of Hashem's just law that brings happiness.  There might also be a hidden pun in the choice of the root "שמח" which is sometimes used in Tanakh to mean "shine",⁷ another hint to the sun.
• מִצְוַת י״י בָּרָה מְאִירַת עֵינָיִם

Lesson to Man

¹ See N. Sarna, "The Excellence of Torah: An Anti Pagan Polemic", in: On the Book of Psalms (New York, 1993), 70-96.

² See, for example, the prologue and the epilogues to the code of Hammurabi where Shamash is referred to as the "great judge", and the image on the stele in which he appears to authorize Hammurabi to promulgate laws. In the Ur Nammu law code as well the sun god is invoked, with the king claiming that his laws are in accord with the god's will. In the Great Hymn to Shamash, the god is similarly described as one who enforces justice and morality.

³ The Hebrew reads "כְּחָתָן יֹצֵא מֵחֻפָּתוֹ", which can alternatively be translated as: "as a groom going forth from his wedding canopy" (which would not work as well with Prof. Sarna's comparisons). This latter translation might be supported by the fact that the verbal root "חפה" means to cover, and by usage of the noun in Yeshayahu 4:5 where it appears to be a canopy.  However, in Yoel 2:16 the noun "חפה" is parallel to the word "חדר", a room, providing a basis for reading it as a "chamber" in our verse as well.

⁴ See J. B. Pritchard, Ancient Near Eastern Texts Relating to the Old Testament, (New Jersey, 1978): 391.

⁵ See the sources cited by Sarna, ibid, p.233.

⁶ See The Great Hymn to Shamash as translated by W. G. Lambert in "Babylonian Wisdom Literature" (Oxford, 1960) 127 ff.

⁷ See Tehillim 97:11 where the noun is parallel to the word "אור", light, and Mishlei 13:9 (and Radak and Hoil Moshe there), where the verb is used in contrast to the rot "דעך" (to extinguish).