maklelan Posted December 12, 2009 Posted December 12, 2009 I've posted on my blog a detailed exposition of Psalm 82, it's historical context, and its intended meaning. I cite a number of publications that are important to the academic discussion, so if you want to familiarize yourself with it, this should be helpful. I mentioned it over on CARM and invited comments on my blog, but none have ventured so far. (I also posted a video of the Muppets doing Bohemian Rhapsody.)I appreciate any questions, comments, chistes, or chismes (here or there).
volgadon Posted December 12, 2009 Posted December 12, 2009 Excellent resource this summary of yours. That, and your other post on gods not being judges, are fantastic tools.
maklelan Posted December 12, 2009 Author Posted December 12, 2009 Excellent resource this summary of yours. That, and your other post on gods not being judges, are fantastic tools.Thanks for the kind words. I'm glad they're helpful. It's been helpful for me to consolidate my thoughts in them as I move toward my dissertation.
maklelan Posted December 12, 2009 Author Posted December 12, 2009 Something further of interest. Does Isaiah 40:17-23 refer to Psalm 82? Here's the KJV of both, for convenience sake:Psalm 82 1 God standeth in the congregation of the mighty; he judgeth among the gods. 2 How long will ye judge unjustly, and accept the persons of the wicked? Selah. 3 Defend the poor and fatherless: do justice to the afflicted and needy. 4 Deliver the poor and needy: rid them out of the hand of the wicked. 5 They know not, neither will they understand; they walk on in darkness: all the foundations of the earth are out of course. 6 I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are children of the most High. 7 But ye shall die like men, and fall like one of the princes. 8 Arise, O God, judge the earth: for thou shalt inherit all nations.Isaiah 40:17-2317 All nations before him are as nothing; and they are counted to him less than nothing, and vanity. 18 To whom then will ye liken God? or what likeness will ye compare unto him? 19 The workman melteth a graven image, and the goldsmith spreadeth it over with gold, and casteth silver chains. 20 He that is so impoverished that he hath no oblation chooseth a tree that will not rot; he seeketh unto him a cunning workman to prepare a graven image, that shall not be moved. 21 Have ye not known? have ye not heard? hath it not been told you from the beginning? have ye not understood from the foundations of the earth? 22 It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in: 23 That bringeth the princes to nothing; he maketh the judges of the earth as vanity."All nations are as nothing before him" is significant in light of the fact that Yahweh inherits them all at the end of Psalm 82. The end of Isa 40:20 uses the same Hebrew word that ends Ps 82:5 (??? - "to totter"). Isa 40:21 ends with "foundations of the earth," which is the subject of the verb "to totter" in Psalm 82. Yahweh's incomparability is in perfect harmony with the situation established in Psalm 82. "Princes" and "judges of the earth" may also be allusions to the gods of Psalm 82, who judge unrighteously and will fall "like any prince." Is this all intentional? According to Benjamin D. Sommer (A prophet reads scripture: allusion in Isaiah 40-66 [stanford, Calif.: Stanford University Press, 1998], 122-24), it is. I think this merits consideration.
Jerubaal Posted December 12, 2009 Posted December 12, 2009 (I also posted a video of the Muppets doing Bohemian Rhapsody.)I appreciate any questions, comments, chistes, or chismes [chiasms?] (here or there).Yes, that cover of Bohemian Rhapsody is an abomination! If you listen really closly, you'll hear the back-up voices of the original members of Queen (listen close at 0:44). It would seem they simply took the original recording and cut out Freddie's voice, which would ruin just about any Queen song.I'm probably taking it too seriously, but Queen is my favorite band, and this is just sad. And funny.
Ron Beron Posted December 12, 2009 Posted December 12, 2009 (I also posted a video of the Muppets doing Bohemian Rhapsody.)Psalms what?? Freddie would've liked it. I did.
Ron Beron Posted December 12, 2009 Posted December 12, 2009 I've posted on my blog a detailed exposition of Psalm 82, it's historical context, and its intended meaning. I cite a number of publications that are important to the academic discussion, so if you want to familiarize yourself with it, this should be helpful. I mentioned it over on CARM and invited comments on my blog, but none have ventured so far. (I also posted a video of the Muppets doing Bohemian Rhapsody.)I appreciate any questions, comments, chistes, or chismes (here or there).Forget CARMS. It is pearls before swine.
jmordecai Posted December 13, 2009 Posted December 13, 2009 How are other "gods" involved in this world, and who are they?What "gods" other than the Father (& Son & Holy Spirit if you're LDS) are responsible for passing judgment on earth? Its sobering to consider if once deified a god is capable of becoming corrupt themselves. If so, we have no hope that our God above us will forever be righteous.Christ quotes from this Psalm [82:6] in response to the Jews who are
Zakuska Posted December 13, 2009 Posted December 13, 2009 How are other "gods" involved in this world, and who are they?What "gods" other than the Father (& Son & Holy Spirit if you're LDS) are responsible for passing judgment on earth? Its sobering to consider if once deified a god is capable of becoming corrupt themselves. If so, we have no hope that our God above us will forever be righteous.Christ quotes from this Psalm [82:6] in response to the Jews who are
maklelan Posted December 13, 2009 Author Posted December 13, 2009 How are other "gods" involved in this world, and who are they?The tradition being reflected in Deut 32:8-9 and Psalm 82 points to seventy, and they are the offspring of El. What "gods" other than the Father (& Son & Holy Spirit if you're LDS) are responsible for passing judgment on earth?They're not named due to an injunction against naming them in Exodus, but the ones being referenced in Psalm 82 would be Marduk, Baal, etc.Its sobering to consider if once deified a god is capable of becoming corrupt themselves. If so, we have no hope that our God above us will forever be righteous.Just because the Bible appeals to certain ideologies doesn't mean they're true. The author is just using this convention to make a point. Christ quotes from this Psalm [82:6] in response to the Jews who are
Ron Beron Posted December 13, 2009 Posted December 13, 2009 Mak, How did your presentation at SBL go over?
maklelan Posted December 13, 2009 Author Posted December 13, 2009 Mak, How did your presentation at SBL go over?It went excellently. Emanuel Tov liked it, as did Jan Joosten, Anneli Aejmelaeus, and Mel Peters (and I cited all four in the paper). Brent Strawn chaired it and liked my paper, and he's about to publish a paper in Harvard Theological Review on Psalm 82. He's going to send me a copy as soon as revisions are done. Larry Schiffman was there but I didn't get a chance to talk to him.
maklelan Posted December 13, 2009 Author Posted December 13, 2009 Note that Christ did not call those Jews gods.Something I told BrianH repeatedly on CARM, and yet he continued to assert Christ was calling the Pharisees "gods."
jmordecai Posted December 22, 2009 Posted December 22, 2009 Who are all these other "Els" who God appointed for the other nations to Worship?Well, for starters I don
maklelan Posted December 22, 2009 Author Posted December 22, 2009 Secondly, you are misreading the text. It does not say God appointed anything for the nations to worship. The text says do not worship:
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