Psalm 78 Poetic Features
Psalm 78
Poetic Features
In poetic features, we identify and describe the “Top 3 Poetic Features” for each Psalm. Poetic features might include intricate patterns (e.g., chiasms), long range correspondences across the psalm, evocative uses of imagery, sound-plays, allusions to other parts of the Bible, and various other features or combinations of features. For each poetic feature, we describe both the formal aspects of the feature and the poetic effect of the feature. We assume that there is no one-to-one correspondence between a feature’s formal aspects and its effect, and that similar forms might have very different effects depending on their contexts. The effect of a poetic feature is best determined (subjectively) by a thoughtful examination of the feature against the background of the psalm’s overall message and purpose.
Forgetting Past Lessons
If an emendation or revocalization is preferred, that emendation or revocalization will be marked in the Hebrew text of all the visuals.
| Emendations/Revocalizations legend | |
|---|---|
| *Emended text* | Emended text, text in which the consonants differ from the consonants of the Masoretic text, is indicated by blue asterisks on either side of the emendation. |
| *Revocalized text* | Revocalized text, text in which only the vowels differ from the vowels of the Masoretic text, is indicated by purple asterisks on either side of the revocalization. |
Feature
The "miracles in Egypt" (v. 12) would normally lead the audience to expect a recital of the plagues and Passover (as the Passover annual feast would have done). Indeed, there is a recital, but not until far later in the psalm, in vv. 44-51.
The chronological order of the Exodus and Wilderness Wandering events are consequently largely reversed in Psalm 78, in that Egypt is briefly mentioned in v. 12 before the text skips immediately to passing through the Reed Sea (v. 13). Only after the grumbling in the Wilderness does the psalm return to Egypt (v. 43) in more detail (vv. 44-51).
The themes of remembering and forgetting are also highlighted in the two-fold repetition of forget (vv. 7, 11) before the first mention of Egypt (v. 12), and the three-fold repetition of remember (vv. 35, 39, 42) before the second mention of Egypt (v. 43).
Effect
When the text mentions Egypt but not the plagues and Passover, it is as if the deeds in Egypt had been forgotten. The poetry mimics the behavior of the Israelites, whose grumbling in the wilderness proceeds from their own forgetting the power of God on display in Egypt.
The psalmist only enters into the details of the Exodus plagues after another "he displayed his signs in Egypt and his miracles in the region of Zoan" (v. 43). This appears after the threefold repetition of the opposite of "forget"—"remember" (vv. 35, 39, 42).
Ironically, though, this tension is not resolved in the use of the verb "remember," as they refer to pretense (v. 35), God's remembering (v. 39), and Israel's not remembering (v. 42).
The effect is highlighting that Israel had "forgotten" or not learned from what God did in Egypt. Even when they seemed to remember them, it was only a pretense: they had still not fully learned the lesson.
The only hope is in God's remembering them, recognizing their weakness and providing the solution for their continued pattern of rebellion in the shepherd-king David. Asaph composes this psalm so that his listeners, also, "might put their trust in God, [so that] they might not forget God's deeds" (v. 7).
Sheep, Shepherd and Shevet
If an emendation or revocalization is preferred, that emendation or revocalization will be marked in the Hebrew text of all the visuals.
| Emendations/Revocalizations legend | |
|---|---|
| *Emended text* | Emended text, text in which the consonants differ from the consonants of the Masoretic text, is indicated by blue asterisks on either side of the emendation. |
| *Revocalized text* | Revocalized text, text in which only the vowels differ from the vowels of the Masoretic text, is indicated by purple asterisks on either side of the revocalization. |
Feature
The place "Egypt" is modified in apposition or parallel twice in Ps 78 with the toponym צֹעַן (vv. 12, 43). Outside of Ps 78, the name "Zoan" is only found four times in the Bible (Num 13:22; Isa 19:11, 13; Ezek 30:14).
To describe the "wilderness," as well as the common noun מִדְבָּר (vv. 15, 19, 40, 52), the relatively rarer noun צִיָּה is used in v. 17 (see also Isa 35:1; Jer 50:12; Zeph 2:13; Job 30:3 and the plural צִיּוֹת in Ps 105:41).
YHWH's people are described as a צֹאן "flock" in v. 52. The same word appears in v. 70, referring to sheep.
David is said to "shepherd" (רעה) the people in vv. 71-72.
The "clans" of Israel (שֵׁבֶט) appear in v. 55, while vv. 67b and 68a mentions individual clans of Ephraim and Judah. The lexeme שֵׁבֶט is polysemous with both senses "clan" and a shepherding "rod, staff" and royal "scepter" (see, e.g., Ps 45:7).
Effect
Despite the relative length of the psalm, the reader cannot help but notice the sound play between the intentional selection of צֹעַן "Zoan," צֹאן "flock, sheep," צִיּוֹן "Zion," and, to a lesser extent, צִיָּה "wilderness."[1] The early mention of צֹעַן (v. 12) and צִיָּה (v. 17) primes the audience's expectations, a signal which is confirmed with the second occurrence of צֹעַן in v. 43. These two locations thematically lead the audience to the final destination of the psalm: Zion (צִיּוֹן).
These key words, with their צ-phonetic anaphora, combine with the polysemous שֵׁבֶט (thrice-repeated in vv 55, 67-68), which all converge with increasing pace to the resolution of the parable (משׁל, v. 2) of the entire psalm, such that all the events in Egypt and in the wilderness are cast as part of (preparing) the "sheep" for the future shepherd. Being brought out of Zoan (צֹעַן), YHWH's people are led through the wilderness (צִיָּה) like a flock (צֹאן), until they reach Zion (צִיּוֹן). In order to establish Zion as the permanent dwelling place of his flock, YHWH must also call his servant David from shepherding sheep (צֹאן)—v. 70b—to shepherd (רעה) his people (vv. 71-72). When history is cast as either preparing the "sheep" or the "scepter/shepherd," David is seen as the culmination of God's plan for Israel.
The effect is to highlight the identity of Israel as God's sheep for whom he has now provided a shepherd in the person of David. Of all the clans of Israel, the true "scepter" is only found in David, the chosen shepherd, so that submitting to his rule becomes the embodiment of acting as God's people.
Still His People
If an emendation or revocalization is preferred, that emendation or revocalization will be marked in the Hebrew text of all the visuals.
| Emendations/Revocalizations legend | |
|---|---|
| *Emended text* | Emended text, text in which the consonants differ from the consonants of the Masoretic text, is indicated by blue asterisks on either side of the emendation. |
| *Revocalized text* | Revocalized text, text in which only the vowels differ from the vowels of the Masoretic text, is indicated by purple asterisks on either side of the revocalization. |
Feature
Israel may be referred to as "his [YHWH's] people" because they were in covenant with YHWH, but not necessarily because they were always covenantally faithful.
In Psalm 78, Israel refers to itself as "his [YHWH's] people" in v. 20, in the context of complaining about YHWH's lack of provision. In the midst of their rebellious grumbling for food placed between two descriptions of YHWH's anger (vv. 21-22, 31) we find intentional reference to the camp of the Israelites as "his camp" and "his tents," i.e., YHWH's (v. 28). The camp did not cease to belong to him, nor did he cease to be associated with the people therein.
Another negative context in which we find "his people" is v. 62: "He gave his people over to the sword and against his inheritance he raged." Immediately follows is the violent description of Shiloh's fate, involving "his young men, his young women, his priests, his widows" (vv. 63-64). They suffer consequences for their sins as YHWH's people; they are purified to come out the other side as YHWH's people.
On the other hand, he is said to shepherd "his people" in v. 52, and, indeed, they are shepherded by David after their multiple rebellions in v. 71 (again, accompanied by "his inheritance").
Effect
Israel's ongoing character of rebelliousness and God's insistence on covenant faithfulness are in tension throughout Psalm 78. The psalm's persistence in referring to Israel as "YHWH's people" highlights this tension.
On the one hand, there is the irony that "his people" are not known for his character, but for their own rebelliousness. On the other hand, they are still "his people" in that he maintains his covenant faithfulness to them.
Many commentators and translations, both ancient and modern, have wrestled with the text as genuinely identifying the rebellious people as belonging to YHWH. They consider it more likely that, when describing rebellious people, the text would distance the identity of the people from YHWH.
Nevertheless, the text emphatically persists in identifying Israel, even when rejecting YHWH, as still "his people," since, even through judgment and discipline, God maintains his covenant faithfulness with his people, and he still considers them to be "his people."
By the end of the psalm, both "Israel" and "Jacob" are included among those who will be shepherded by the Davidic king at the end and are referred to as "his people" and "his inheritance" (v. 71)—a far cry from the previous instance of this pair: "He gave his people over to the sword and against his inheritance he raged." (v. 62).
If the puzzling problems (חִ֝יד֗וֹת, v. 2) describe the almost endless pattern of rebellion against the pattern of YHWH's discipline and perseverance with his people, the parable (מָשָׁ֣ל, v. 2) offers hope for this same rebellious people, thanks to God's faithfulness in providing a shepherd-king.
Repeated Roots
The repeated roots table is intended to identify the roots which are repeated in the psalm.
| Repeated Roots legend | |
|---|---|
| Divine name | The divine name is indicated by bold purple text. |
| Roots bounding a section | Roots bounding a section, appearing in the first and last verse of a section, are indicated by bold red text. |
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Roots occurring primarily in the first section are indicated in a yellow box. |
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Roots occurring primarily in the third section are indicated in a blue box. |
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Roots connected across sections are indicated by a vertical gray line connecting the roots. |
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Section boundaries are indicated by a horizontal black line across the chart. |
- ↑ Leuchter 2006.