Toni’s Title
God Is a Father to the Oppressed
ESV Title
God Shall Scatter His Enemies
Literary Type
This is psalm is almost impossible to classify; Zion liturgy?
Covenant Renewal Liturgy
In their early history, before the time of David, the Israelites probably had a special time in the autumn of each year to renew their conditional covenant with God, the Mosaic covenant. “If you will obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession…” (Exodus 19:5) The saving deeds of God in Israel’s history were proclaimed and the people were asked to reaffirm their allegiance to God.
Examples: Psalms 50 and 81
Songs of Zion
Several psalms express the view that God chose Zion as the earthly center of the divine rule. Mount Zion was the site of the Jerusalem temple. It was the place where God chose to be present in the midst of the people. So it became a sanctuary to which the people made pilgrimages. To the psalmists, Zon was the center of historical meaning that God had disclosed to Israel and, through Israel, to the whole world. The psalmists glorify Zion at that location. Zion came to represent the meeting place of heaven and earth and a foreshadowing of eternal life.
Examples: Psalms 46, 48, 76, 84, 87, 121, 122
NT Prayer Guide
Col. 3:1-14
Note that the verse numbering in the New Coverdale version below differs from the ESV.
Superscription
To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. A Song.
68
Exsurgat Deus
1 Let God arise, and let his enemies be scattered; *
let those who hate him also flee before him.
2 As the smoke vanishes, so shall you drive them away; *
and as wax melts before the fire, so let the ungodly perish before the presence of God.
3 But let the righteous be glad and rejoice before God; *
let them also be merry and joyful.
4 O sing unto God, and sing praises unto his Name; magnify him who rides upon the heavens. *
The Lord is his Name; rejoice before him.
5 He is a father of the fatherless and defends the cause of the widows, *
God in his holy habitation.
6 He is the God who gives the solitary a home, and brings the prisoners out of captivity, *
but lets the rebellious dwell in a desert land.
7 O God, when you went forth before the people, *
when you went through the wilderness,
8 The earth shook, and the heavens poured forth rain at the presence of God, *
even as Sinai also was moved at the presence of God, who is the God of Israel.
9 You, O God, sent a gracious rain upon your inheritance *
and refreshed the land when it was weary.
10 Your congregation found a dwelling there, *
for you, O God, of your goodness have provided for the poor.
11 The Lord gave the word; *
great was the company of those who proclaimed the tidings.
12 Kings with their armies fled, they fled, *
and the women at home divided the spoil.
13 Though you have lain among the sheepfolds, *
yet shall you be like the wings of a dove that are covered with silver, and whose feathers shine like gold.
14 When the Almighty scattered kings, *
it was as if it snowed in Zalmon.
15 As the hill of Bashan, so is God’s hill, *
even a high hill, as the hill of Bashan.
16 Why look with envy, you high hills? This is God’s hill, on which it pleases him to dwell; *
surely, the Lord will abide on it for ever.
17 The chariots of God are twenty thousand, even thousands of angels, *
and the Lord has come from Sinai into the holy place.
18 You have gone up on high; you have led captivity captive, and received gifts from men, *
even from your enemies, that the Lord God might dwell among them.
19 Praised be the Lord daily, *
even the God who helps us and pours his benefits upon us.
20 He is our God, the God from whom salvation comes; *
God is the Lord, by whom we escape death.
21 God shall wound the head of his enemies, *
and the hairy scalp of those who persist in their wickedness.
22 The Lord has said, “I will bring back my people again, as I did from Bashan; *
my own will I bring back again, as I did before from the depths of the sea,
23 That your foot may be dipped in the blood of your enemies, *
and that the tongues of your dogs may be red with blood.”
24 Your solemn procession is seen, O God, *
how you go into the sanctuary, my God and King.
25 The singers go before, the musicians follow after; *
in the midst are the maidens playing the timbrels.
26 Give thanks unto God in the congregations, *
unto the Lord, the fountain of Israel.
27 There is little Benjamin their ruler, and the princes of Judah their counsel, *
the princes of Zebulon, and the princes of Naphtali.
28 O God, send forth your strength; *
establish, O God, what you have wrought in us.
29 For your temple’s sake at Jerusalem, *
kings shall bring presents unto you.
30 Rebuke the beasts that dwell among the reeds, *
a herd of bulls with their calves;
31 Rebuke the peoples who trample on those whom you have tried as silver, *
and scatter the peoples who delight in war.
32 Then shall they bring tribute out of Egypt; *
Ethiopia shall stretch out her hands unto God.
33 Sing unto God, O you kingdoms of the earth; *
O sing praises unto the Lord,
34 Unto God who sits in the heavens over all from the beginning; *
he sends out his voice, his mighty voice.
35 Ascribe power to God over Israel; *
his worship and strength are in the clouds.
36 O God, you are wonderful in your holy places; *
the God of Israel will give strength and power to his people. Blessed be God.