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| Open Theism Discussion Board > Public Forums > Let’s solve the problem of evil > Psalm 44 and the Warfare Theodicy | Forum Quick Jump
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Tom
Registered Member
Date Joined Jul 2001
Total Posts : 10353
| Posted 11/20/2001 2:46 AM (GMT -6) |   | Psalm 44
1 We have heard with our ears, O God; our fathers have told us what you did in their days, in days long ago. 2 With your hand you drove out the nations and planted our fathers; you crushed the peoples and made our fathers flourish. 3 It was not by their sword that they won the land, nor did their arm bring them victory; it was your right hand, your arm, and the light of your face, for you loved them.
4 You are my King and my God, who decrees victories for Jacob. 5 Through you we push back our enemies; through your name we trample our foes. 6 I do not trust in my bow, my sword does not bring me victory; 7 but you give us victory over our enemies, you put our adversaries to shame. 8 In God we make our boast all day long, and we will praise your name forever. Selah
9 But now you have rejected and humbled us; you no longer go out with our armies. 10 You made us retreat before the enemy, and our adversaries have plundered us. 11 You gave us up to be devoured like sheep and have scattered us among the nations. 12 You sold your people for a pittance, gaining nothing from their sale. 13 You have made us a reproach to our neighbors, the scorn and derision of those around us. 14 You have made us a byword among the nations; the peoples shake their heads at us. 15 My disgrace is before me all day long, and my face is covered with shame 16 at the taunts of those who reproach and revile me, because of the enemy, who is bent on revenge.
17 All this happened to us, though we had not forgotten you or been false to your covenant. 18 Our hearts had not turned back; our feet had not strayed from your path. 19 But you crushed us and made us a haunt for jackals and covered us over with deep darkness. 20 If we had forgotten the name of our God or spread out our hands to a foreign god, 21 would not God have discovered it, since he knows the secrets of the heart? 22 Yet for your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.
23 Awake, O Lord! Why do you sleep? Rouse yourself! Do not reject us forever. 24 Why do you hide your face and forget our misery and oppression? 25 We are brought down to the dust; our bodies cling to the ground. 26 Rise up and help us; redeem us because of your unfailing love.
Hi all-
I’ve been intrigued by Ps. 44 for a while. A couple of friends of mine and I discussed it at length for some months. I have all those emails but unfortunately they’re overseas in my office and I’m in the States right now. I wanted to post a few thoughts from our interaction and see what you all think. Since I don’t have my notes, I’ll just throw this out and see if there’s any interest.
Ps. 44 is interesting because it sheds light on the question of innocent suffering. The psalmist (not David) speaks on behalf of the community and wonders why, since they have not broken covenant or been unfaithful, God has exposed them to public ridicule, failure on the battlefield, and even scattered them abroad (not a reference to the Exile). The author interprets this turn of events in the crucial vv. 19-22, which, interestingly, show up in the New Testament in a curiously similar context (Rm 8.36). The author attributes a more active role to God in bringing about/permitting the suffering he and his community are experiencing than the warfare theodicy seems to permit. Or not?
Tom
Edited by - tgb on 11/20/2001 07:48:06 AM | | Back to Top | | |
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