The God revealed to us by the Bible is not just sitting in heaven, smiling about the events on planet Earth. He interferes. The prophetic psalmist of Psalm\u00a02 forsees a time when God speaks up, audibly, understandably, unequivocally, unmistakably.<\/p>\n
\u201cThen He shall speak to them in His wrath. In His fury He will terrify them\u201d (Psalms 2:5). <\/em><\/strong>God does not state objectively, from a distance, neutrally or even scientifically what might happen. He gets emotional, terrifyingly emotional.<\/p>\n Amos Hakham[1]<\/a> <\/a> hears in the language of this verse \u201ca warrior of flesh and blood. First, he mocks his enemy, who is weaker than himself. Then he proceeds with fury against him to fight and destroy him.\u201d[2]<\/a> <\/a> Rashi[3]<\/a><\/a> refers to the \u201crage of fury\u201d in the \u201cSong of the Sea\u201d (Exodus\u00a015:8), and Hakham adds, \u201cthat one actually hears the snorting of the nose in this language. When a person is angry, he actually ejects breath through his nose.\u201d[4]<\/a><\/a> This is audible in the Hebrew word for nose, \u201caf\u201d (\u05d0\u05e3), which is used here.<\/p>\n The Bible testifies of the word of God: He speaks and it happens. \u201cHe calls and everything stands there\u201d (Isaiah\u00a048:13). It quotes the living God several times with the words: \u201cI say it and I will also do it.\u201d[5]<\/a><\/a> Even the Hebrew word stem used in Psalms\u00a02:5 to denote God\u2019s speaking does not distinguish between \u201cword\u201d and \u201cthing.\u201d What is being \u201csaid\u201d is one and the same as the \u201cthing\u201d it designates. The object enters into being by speaking. The Hebrew word \u201cdavar\u201d (\u05d3\u05d1\u05e8) has the meaning \u201cword\u201d as well as \u201cthing\u201d or \u201cobject.\u201d<\/p>\n When God speaks, He does not just utter His thoughts. Rather, His word cuts powerfully into the waves of the sea of nations (compare Psalms 2:1-2). When the living Creator God breaks His silence, He can no longer be ignored by His creatures. Then, an energy is being released that makes any human-imaginable nuclear explosion seem insignificant in comparison. God shapes the events in this world through His word.<\/p>\n Samson Raphael Hirsch[6]<\/a><\/a> recognizes in the Hebrew word \u201cto frighten\u201d (bahal\/\u05d1\u05d4\u05dc) a relationship with the word \u201cba\u2019al\u201d (\u05d1\u05e2\u05dc), which is usually translated as \u201clord,\u201d \u201chusband,\u201d \u201cproprietor,\u201d or \u201cowner.\u201d[7]<\/a><\/a> Originally it refers to the one who has overwhelmed, subjugated and taken possession of another. Hirsch opines, this frightening is about \u201cthe overwhelming of the inner being, [it is about] consternation\u201d[8]<\/a><\/a>.<\/p>\n Rashi observes that God\u2019s speech is not directed in favor of the nations, but against them. Then he asks: \u201cWhat is the speech of God actually all about?\u201d Radak[9]<\/a><\/a> answers, some interpreters see a connection between the Hebrew word stem \u201cdavar\u201d (\u05d3\u05d1\u05e8) used here for God\u2019s speaking and \u201cthe very serious plague\u201d (\u05d3\u05b6\u05bc\u0596\u05d1\u05b6\u05e8 \u05db\u05b8\u05bc\u05d1\u05b5\u05a5\u05d3 \u05de\u05b0\u05d0\u05b9\u05bd\u05d3), which Moses threatens in Egypt in Exodus 9:3. There, the Hebrew word \u201cdever\u201d (\u05d3\u05b6\u05bc\u05d1\u05b6\u05e8) appears for \u201cplague,\u201d which is totally identical to \u201cdavar\u201d (\u05d3\u05d1\u05e8) without vocalization. The rabbinic teachers further observe that in 2\u00a0Chronicles\u00a022:10, it is said of the wicked Israelite queen Atalya \u201cshe said\u201d (\u05d5\u05b7\u05ea\u05b0\u05bc\u05d3\u05b7\u05d1\u05b5\u05bc\u059b\u05e8), which in reality meant \u201cshe killed everyone who belonged to the royal family.\u201d Ibn Ezra[10]<\/a><\/a> summarizes concisely, \u201cThis is the language of death!\u201d<\/p>\n While the Jewish interpreters of Scripture have no problem understanding the meaning of these words, Martin Luther gets tangled up at this point.[11]<\/a><\/a> Obviously, the reformer pushes his limits with the one-dimensional Christian interpretation of Psalm\u00a02, focusing exclusively on the suffering, crucifixion, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. He asks, \u201cBut when did He speak to them in His anger, or in what did His anger express itself?\u201d Luther considered that these words could have been said \u201cabout the Roman army.\u201d But then he completely misses out the possibility that the Romans or their vassal king Herod could have drawn the wrath of God upon themselves for having executed Jesus. It was actually the Roman occupiers who were responsible for the sentencing of Jesus. And they carried out the execution in a way typical for the Roman judicial system, namely as crucifixion. If Jesus had been executed by Jews in a Jewish way, he would have died by stoning, such as Stephen (Acts\u00a07:45ff.).<\/p>\n Luther reveals in this context how biased his interpretation of Scripture is by his anti-Jewish perspective. He concludes here in verse 5, \u201cBut the Jews, when they were devastated and slain by the Romans, He terrified them by the onset of fear eternally.\u201d The German reformer thought he had to remind his readers at this point: \u201cNow see the register of horrible punishments prepared for the murderers of Christ.\u201d To conclude then: \u201cNo creature, not even God Himself, is inclined to them.\u201d<\/p>\n But back to our text. Being emotionally charged in such a way, what does God say? What is His message to the nations? \u2013 \u201cI have set My king on Zion, the mountain of My holiness.\u201d (Psalm\u00a02:6).<\/em><\/strong> The British scholar Derek Kidner sees at this point, \u201cthis is the neglected voice that has the final say.\u201d[12]<\/a><\/a><\/p>\n First of all, Psalm\u00a02:6 basically states: God is the One who appoints the rulers of this world and removes them. This was recognized by the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar who confessed to the Jewish Prophet Daniel: \u201cYour God is a God over all gods and a Lord over all kings\u201d (Daniel\u00a02:47). At the same time the Prophet Ezekiel (17:24) testifies in his rich pictorial language, portraying the powerful of the world as trees: \u201cAll the trees of the field shall know that I am the Lord: I humiliate the lofty tree. I raise up the humble tree. I cause the fresh tree to wither and the dry tree to flourish. I, the Lord, speak and do it (\u05d3\u05b4\u05bc\u05d1\u05b7\u05bc\u05a5\u05e8\u05b0\u05ea\u05b4\u05bc\u05d9 \u05d5\u05b0\u05e2\u05b8\u05e9\u05b4\u05bd\u05c2\u05d9\u05ea\u05b4\u05d9).\u201d<\/p>\n Even prior to the Babylonian exile, the God of Israel had emerged as the actual engine of all ethnic migrations. He had the Prophet Amos (9:7) aligned: \u201cAre you not like the sons of the Cushites, you sons of Israel? Did not I bring Israel up out of the land of Egypt, just like the Philistines from Kaftor and the Syrians from Kir?\u201d Moses already knew that \u201cthe Most High gives the nations their inheritance,\u201d and \u201csets the boundaries of the peoples\u201d (Deuteronomy\u00a032:8).<\/p>\n God\u2019s answer to the rebellion of the nations is the appointment of his Anointed One in Zion. Rashi paraphrases the words of God in the mouth of the psalmist: \u201cWhy are you raging? I have appointed him to be prince and king in Zion, the mountain of my holiness.\u201d And Radak refers back to the original historical context of Psalm\u00a02 narrating: \u201cAfter David had conquered the fortress of Zion, the Philistines gathered in order to fight against him.\u201d Then the Jewish exegete explicates the thoughts of God: \u201cHow can they consider of eradicating the kingship of the house of David? Though I made him king and anointed him!\u201d<\/p>\n This scene is reminiscent of Psalms\u00a0110:1, where in a psalm \u201cfor David\u201d the \u201cprophetic saying of the Lord for my Lord\u201d is transmitted: \u201cSit at my right hand until I place your enemies at the footstool of your feet.\u201d The text here describes \u201cnot just any human being, but the one who \u2018is my saint,\u2019 anointed by me with the Holy Spirit\u201d.[13]<\/a><\/a> In this way \u201cboth [the son and Zion] were authenticated by God\u2019s promise\u201d (2\u00a0Samuel\u00a07:13ff.).[14]<\/a> <\/a><\/p>\n But, \u201chistory makes no mention of a king of Israel being anointed on Zion.\u201d[15]<\/a><\/a> Indeed, this statement is difficult to understand if you only have King David or Jesus Christ in mind. Therefore, the repatriation of the people of Israel to Zion and the establishment of a king on Zion in the future must also be considered here. God will do this, even if \u201cthe Gentiles are raging.\u201d The return of the people of Israel is preparing the installation of the anointed king on Mount Zion.<\/p>\n With the affirmation \u201cI have set My king on Zion\u201d (Psalms\u00a02:6), any competition to Jerusalem is eliminated. It is not in Geneva, New York, Brussels, Moscow, Berlin, London, Paris, Beijing or Washington that the fate of humanity is decided, but in Jerusalem. At the same time any other claim to power over this city is declared invalid. Neither the League of Nations nor the United Nations, neither the Pope nor the Islamic world have anything to decide what happens to Jerusalem, but only He \u201cwho sits in heaven.\u201d This is one of the fundamental statements of Scripture.<\/p>\n The psalmist here does not use the traditional name, \u201cYerushalayim,\u201d Jerusalem, to refer to the central city on the mountain ridge between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan Valley. He speaks of \u201cTsion\/Zion\u201d (\u05e6\u05d9\u05d5\u05df), a term used much more frequently in the Book of Psalms than the name \u201cJerusalem.\u201d[16]<\/a> <\/a><\/p>\n \u201cTsioun\u201d (\u05e6\u05d9\u05d5\u05df) is a \u201cdesignation\u201d or \u201cmarking,\u201d the \u201cgrade\u201d that a student receives at school. \u201cTsioun LeShevah\u201d (\u05e6\u05d9\u05d5\u05df \u05dc\u05e9\u05d1\u05d7) is the \u201caward,\u201d a \u201chonorable citation,\u201d \u201cTsioun-Derech\u201d (\u05e6\u05d9\u05d5\u05df-\u05d3\u05e8\u05da) the \u201csignpost,\u201d the \u201clandmark.\u201d Luther says, \u201cThe name Zion designates a control room.\u201d[17]<\/a> <\/a> And Hirsch explains \u201cZion\u201d as a \u201clandmark and monument to humanity.\u201d[18]<\/a> <\/a><\/p>\n \u201cZion\u201d demands attention and thus gives alignment, provides orientation. Those who are influenced by the biblical word live \u201cZion-oriented.\u201d That is, they do not orientate themselves according to the great and powerful of this world, neither according to zeitgeist nor \u201cpolitical correctness.\u201d Rather, they look at Zion and know: \u201cTorah, i.e. instruction, will proceed from Zion\u201d (Isaiah\u00a02:3). To live \u201cZion-oriented\u201d is not just about looking at Zion, but fundamentally about being guided by Zion.<\/p>\n Zion is defined as \u201cmountain of my holiness\u201d or \u201cmy holy mountain.\u201d It is God\u2019s holiness that is decisive for the character of this mountain. Zion is the place where the Almighty Creator and Mover of the universe is grounded, mooring to this earth. Paul testifies that the \u201cglory\u201d belongs to the people of Israel (Romans\u00a09:4). The living God has bound His glorious presence, which is called \u201cShekhinah\u201d (\u05e9\u05db\u05d9\u05e0\u05d4) in rabbinic teaching, to this nation. And in our time, after millennia of separation, she returns to Zion together with the Jewish people.<\/p>\n Footnotes: <\/a>[2]<\/a> \u05e2\u05de\u05d5\u05e1 \u05d7\u05db\u05dd, \u05e1\u05e4\u05e8 \u05ea\u05d4\u05dc\u05d9\u05dd, \u05e1\u05e4\u05e8\u05d9\u05dd \u05d2-\u05d4, \u05de\u05d6\u05de\u05d5\u05e8\u05d9\u05dd \u05e2\u05d2-\u05e7\u05df (\u05d9\u05e8\u05d5\u05e9\u05dc\u05d9\u05dd: \u05d4\u05d5\u05e6\u05d0\u05ea \u05de\u05d5\u05e1\u05d3 \u05d4\u05e8\u05d1 \u05e7\u05d5\u05e7, \u05d4\u05d3\u05e4\u05e1\u05d4 \u05e9\u05d9\u05e9\u05d9\u05ea \u05ea\u05e9\u201d\u05df\/1990), \u05d6.<\/p>\n <\/a>[3]<\/a> Rabbi Shlomo Ben Yitzchak (1040-1105) or \u201cRabbi Shlomo Itzchaki,\u201d commonly called \u201cRashi,\u201d was born in the northern French town of Troyes, studied for ten years in Mainz and Worms, before he returned to Troyes, where he distinguished himself as a judge and teacher. In his last years he witnessed the persecution of Jews during the Crusades. Rashi is one of the extraordinary interpreters of Jewish writings and the very first who explained the Bible and the Talmud comprehensively. His basic concerns were to bring Holy Scripture to the people, to promote the unity of the Jewish people and the theological confrontation with Christianity. Raschi made a sharp distinction between \u201cpshat\u201d (literal interpretation) and \u201cdrash\u201d (allegorical interpretation), whereby the pshat gives the rash. His interpretation of Scripture has decisively shaped the reformer Martin Luther. Although his comments are still standard today, he often writes \u201cI do not know\u201d.<\/p>\n <\/a>[4]<\/a> \u05e2\u05de\u05d5\u05e1 \u05d7\u05db\u05dd, \u05e1\u05e4\u05e8 \u05ea\u05d4\u05dc\u05d9\u05dd, \u05e1\u05e4\u05e8\u05d9\u05dd \u05d2-\u05d4, \u05de\u05d6\u05de\u05d5\u05e8\u05d9\u05dd \u05e2\u05d2-\u05e7\u05df (\u05d9\u05e8\u05d5\u05e9\u05dc\u05d9\u05dd: \u05d4\u05d5\u05e6\u05d0\u05ea \u05de\u05d5\u05e1\u05d3 \u05d4\u05e8\u05d1 \u05e7\u05d5\u05e7, \u05d4\u05d3\u05e4\u05e1\u05d4 \u05e9\u05d9\u05e9\u05d9\u05ea \u05ea\u05e9\u201d\u05df\/1990), \u05d6.<\/p>\n <\/a>[5]<\/a> \u201c\u05d3\u05b4\u05bc\u05d1\u05b7\u05bc\u05a5\u05e8\u05b0\u05ea\u05b4\u05bc\u05d9 \u05d5\u05b0\u05e2\u05b8\u05e9\u05b4\u05bd\u05c2\u05d9\u05ea\u05b4\u05d9\u201d in Ezekiel 17:24; 22:14; 36:36; 37:14.<\/p>\n <\/a>[6]<\/a> (1808-1888) came from Hamburg and served as Chief Rabbi in Oldenburg, Aurich, Osnabr\u00fcck, Moravia and Austrian Silesia. As a distinguished representative of Orthodoxy, he was an outspoken opponent of reformist and conservative Judaism. Hirsch attached great importance to the study of all Scripture. From 1851 he was rabbi of the separatist Orthodox \u201eIsraelitischen Religions-Gesellschaft\u201c (\u201cIsraelite Religious Society\u201d), engaged in education and published the monthly magazine \u201cJeschurun\u201d. Hirsch had a great love for the land of Israel, was at the same time, however, an opponent of the proto-Zionist activities of Zvi Hirsch Kalischer. He is seen as one of the founding fathers of the neo-orthodox movement.<\/p>\n <\/a>[7]<\/a> Jaacov Lavy, Langenscheidts Handw\u00f6rterbuch Hebr\u00e4isch-Deutsch (Berlin, M\u00fcnchen, Wien, Z\u00fcrich: Langenscheidt, 7. Auflage 1985), 79.<\/p>\n <\/a>[8]<\/a> Samson Raphael Hirsch, Psalmen (Basel: Verlag Morascha, 2. Neubearbeitete Auflage 2005), 9.<\/p>\n <\/a>[9]<\/a> Rabbi David Ben Yosef Kimchi (1160-1235), the so-called \u201cRadak\u201d, was the first among the great exegetes and grammarians of the Hebrew language. He was born in Narbonne, southern France. His father died early, so David was brought up by his brother Moshe Kimchi. Radak allowed philosophical studies only to those whose faith in God and the fear of heaven were firmly established. Publicly he dealt with Christians and attacked primarily their allegorical interpretation of Scripture and the theological claim to be the \u201ctrue Israel\u201d.<\/p>\n <\/a>[10]<\/a> Rabbi Avraham Ben Me\u2019ir Ibn Ezra (1089-1164) is one of the outstanding poets, linguists, interpreters of Scripture and philosophers of the Middle Ages. He came from Toledo in then Muslim Spain. Long journeys took him all over North Africa and up to the Land of Israel. He wrote almost all of his books during the last 24 years of his life. While fleeing Muslim persecution of the Jews, he toured Christian Europe at this time. In 1161 his track is lost in French Narbonne. It is known that he died in January 1164. It is unknown where this happened. Rome, Spain or even England are up for debate. As an outspoken rationalist, Ibn Ezra was the first to question Moses\u2019 authorship of the Pentateuch. However, he believed in the prophetic significance of astrological phenomena \u2013 something which Rambam firmly rejected as idol worship. Since his works are written in Hebrew, he made accessible to European Jewry the intellectual wealth of oriental-Jewish scriptural interpretation, which is largely handed down in Arabic. Of particular value are his exact grammatical studies, always seeking the original, literal meaning of the text.<\/p>\n <\/a>[11]<\/a> For the following compare Johann Georg Walch (hg.), Dr. Martin Luthers S\u00e4mtliche Schriften. Vierter Band. Auslegung des Alten Testaments (Fortsetzung). Auslegung \u00fcber die Psalmen (Gro\u00df Oesingen: Verlag der Lutherischen Buchhandlung Heinrich Harms, 2. Auflage, 1880-1910), 265-267.<\/p>\n <\/a>[12]<\/a> Derek Kidner, Psalms 1-72. An Introduction & Commentary, TOTC (Leicester\/England and Downers Grove, Illinois\/USA: Inter-Varsity, 1973), 51.<\/p>\n <\/a>[13]<\/a> Johann Georg Walch (hg.), Dr. Martin Luthers S\u00e4mtliche Schriften. Vierter Band. Auslegung des Alten Testaments (Fortsetzung). Auslegung \u00fcber die Psalmen (Gro\u00df Oesingen: Verlag der Lutherischen Buchhandlung Heinrich Harms, 2. Auflage, 1880-1910), 268.<\/p>\n <\/a>[14]<\/a> Derek Kidner, Psalms 1-72. An Introduction & Commentary, TOTC (Leicester\/England and Downers Grove, Illinois\/USA: Inter-Varsity, 1973), 51.<\/p>\n <\/a>[15]<\/a> C.F. Keil and F. Delitzsch, Psalms 1-35, Commentary on the Old Testament vol.5\/1. Translated by Francis Bolton (Peabody, Massachusetts\/USA: Hendrickson Publishers, February 1989), 94.<\/p>\n <\/a>[16]<\/a> \u05e2\u05de\u05d5\u05e1 \u05d7\u05db\u05dd, \u05e1\u05e4\u05e8 \u05ea\u05d4\u05dc\u05d9\u05dd, \u05e1\u05e4\u05e8\u05d9\u05dd \u05d2-\u05d4, \u05de\u05d6\u05de\u05d5\u05e8\u05d9\u05dd \u05e2\u05d2-\u05e7\u05df (\u05d9\u05e8\u05d5\u05e9\u05dc\u05d9\u05dd: \u05d4\u05d5\u05e6\u05d0\u05ea \u05de\u05d5\u05e1\u05d3 \u05d4\u05e8\u05d1 \u05e7\u05d5\u05e7, \u05d4\u05d3\u05e4\u05e1\u05d4 \u05e9\u05d9\u05e9\u05d9\u05ea \u05ea\u05e9\u201d\u05df\/1990), \u05d6.<\/p>\n <\/a>[17]<\/a> Johann Georg Walch (hg.), Dr. Martin Luthers S\u00e4mtliche Schriften. Vierter Band. Auslegung des Alten Testaments (Fortsetzung). Auslegung \u00fcber die Psalmen (Gro\u00df Oesingen: Verlag der Lutherischen Buchhandlung Heinrich Harms, 2. Auflage, 1880-1910), 270.<\/p>\n <\/a>[18]<\/a> Samson Raphael Hirsch, Psalmen (Basel: Verlag Morascha, 2. Neubearbeitete Auflage 2005), 9, referring to Jeremiah\u00a031:20; 2\u00a0Kings\u00a023:17; Ezekiel\u00a039:15; compare Isaiah\u00a02:3; Jeremiah\u00a030:17.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The God revealed to us by the Bible is not just sitting in heaven, smiling about the events on planet Earth. He interferes. The prophetic psalmist of Psalm\u00a02 forsees a time when God speaks up, audibly, understandably, unequivocally, unmistakably. \u201cThen He shall speak to them in His wrath. In His fury He will terrify them\u201d […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":41,"featured_media":38162,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2616],"tags":[1772,2157,2490],"class_list":["post-38159","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-2616","tag-israel","tag-jews","tag-psalm-2"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n
\n<\/a>[1]<\/a> (1921-2012) became known in Israel as champion of the first Israeli and worldwide Bible quiz. His handicapped father, Noah Hakham, was a Jewish Bible teacher who had moved from Vienna to Jerusalem in 1913. He had not sent the only son to a public school for fear of a speech impediment. Rather, he himself had trained him in extremely poor conditions. The Bible quiz in August 1958 revealed Amos\u2019 genius and established his legendary career as interpreter of Scripture.<\/p>\n