Davidic Messiah (Psalms of Solomon 17:1-51)

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This very famous psalm (among the NT scholars) describes a Davidic, messianic figure who will purge Jerusalem of Gentiles. The psalm is important for christology studies in that it unveils messianic hopes among some branches of early Judaism. It promotes a belief that the messiah would soon come to liberate Jerusalem from the Roman oppressors. This messianic king will gather the scattered exiles whom he will lead and shepherd in righteousness. These liberating thoughts de facto culminate in the first Jewish Revolt and the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70.

Historically, it seems that the Psalms of Solomon are concerned with the turbulent events that took place during the first century B.C. The siege of Jerusalem that is described here might be pointing to the invasion of the Roman army led by Pompey (see Ps.Sol 2:1-2). Also, Herod the Great might be in view since he made claims to himself as a legitimate Jewish ruler and invaded the land to secure his position as appointed king of Judea. However, both of these persons are not explicitly mentioned. This silence might be due to the protection of the community from the revenge of the ruling elite.

Vocabulary

Word Meaning
εὐλογία, ας, ἡ blessing; praise, flattery
δύναμαι can, be able
πρός towards; near, at, by (with A)
ἰσχυρός, ά, όν strong
κραταιός, ά, όν powerful, mighty
ποιμαίνω tend, shepherd
ποίμνιον, ου, τό flock
πίστις, εως, ἡ faith
νομή, ῆς, ἡ pasturage

Biblical text

17:1Ψαλμὸς τῷ Σαλωμὼν μετὰ ᾠδῆς· τῷ βασιλεῖ. Κύριε, σὺ βασιλεὺς ἡμῶν εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα καὶ ἔτι· ὅτι ἐν σοί, θεὸς ἡμῶν, καυχήσεται ψυχὴ ἡμῶν.2καὶ τίς χρόνος ζωῆς ἀνθρώπου ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς; κατὰ τὸν χρόνον αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐλπὶς αὐτοῦ ἐπ᾽ αὐτόν.3ἡμεῖς δὲ ἐλπιοῦμεν ἐπὶ τὸν θεὸν σωτῆρα ἡμῶν, ὅτι τὸ κράτος τοῦ θεοῦ ἡμῶν εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα μετ᾽ ἐλέους,4καὶ βασιλεία τοῦ θεοῦ ἡμῶν εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα ἐπὶ τὰ ἔθνη.5σύ, Κύριε, ᾑρετίσω τὸν Δαυὶδ βασιλέα ἐπὶ Ἰσραήλ, καὶ σὺ ὤμοσας αὐτῷ περὶ τοῦ σπέρματος εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα, τοῦ μὴ ἐκλείπειν ἀπέναντί σου βασίλειον αὐτοῦ.6καὶ ἐν ταῖς ἁμαρτίαις ἡμῶν ἐπανέστησαν ἡμῖν ἁμαρτωλοί, ἐπέθεντο ἡμῖν καὶ ἐξώσαντο ἡμᾶς· οἷς οὐκ ἐπηγγείλω, μετὰ βίας ἀφείλαντο,7καὶ οὐκ ἐδόξασαν τὸ ὄνομά σου τὸ ἔντιμον· ἐν δόξῃ ἔθεντο βασίλειον ἀντὶ ὕψους αὐτῶν,8ἠρήμωσαν τὸν θρόνον Δαυὶδ ἐν ὑπερηφανίᾳ ἀλλάγματος. καὶ σύ, θεός, καταβαλεῖς αὐτούς, καὶ ἀρεῖς σπέρμα αὐτῶν ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς,9ἐν τῷ ἐπαναστῆναι αὐτοῖς ἄνθρωπον ἀλλότριον γένους ἡμῶν.10κατὰ τὰ ἁμαρτήματα αὐτῶν ἀποδώσεις αὐτοῖς, θεός, εὑρεθῆναι αὐτοῖς κατὰ τὰ ἔργα αὐτῶν.11οὐκ ἐλεήσει αὐτοὺς θεός, ἐξερεύνησεν τὸ σπέρμα αὐτῶν καὶ οὐκ ἀφῆκεν αὐτῶν ἕνα·12πιστὸς κύριος ἐν πᾶσι τοῖς κρίμασιν αὐτοῦ οἷς ποιεῖ ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν.13ἠρήμωσεν ἄνομος ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν ἡμῶν ἀπὸ ἐνοικούντων αὐτήν· ἠφάνισαν νέον καὶ πρεσβύτην καὶ τέκνα αὐτῶν ἅμα.14ἐν ὀργῇ κάλλους αὐτοῦ ἐξαπέστειλεν αὐτὰ ἕως ἐπὶ δυσμῶν, καὶ τοὺς ἄρχοντας τῆς γῆς εἰς ἐμπαιγμόν· καὶ οὐκ ἐφείσατο.15ἐν ἀλλοτριότητι ἐχθρὸς ἐποίησεν, ἐν ὑπερηφανίᾳ· καὶ καρδία αὐτοῦ ἀλλοτρία ἀπὸ τοῦ θεοῦ ἡμῶν.16καὶ πάντα ὅσα ἐποίησεν ἐν Ἰερουσαλήμ, καθὼς καὶ τὰ ἔθνη ἐν ταῖς πόλεσι τοὺς θεοὺς αὐτῶν.17καὶ ἐπεκρατοῦσαν αὐτῶν υἱοὶ τῆς διαθήκης ἐν μέσῳ ἐθνῶν συμμίκτων, οὐκ ἦν ποιῶν ἐν μέσῳ ἐν αὐτοῖς, ἐν Ἰερουσαλήμ, ἔλεος καὶ ἀλήθειαν.18ἐφύγοσαν ἀπ᾽ αὐτῶν οἱ ἀγαπῶντες συναγωγὰς ὁσίων· ὡς στρουθία ἐξεπετάσθησαν ἀπὸ κοίτης αὐτῶν.19ἐπλανῶντο ἐν ἐρήμοις, σωθῆναι ψυχὰς αὐτῶν ἀπὸ κακοῦ, καὶ τίμιον ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς παροικίας ψυχὴ σεσωσμένη ἐξ αὐτῶν.20ἐφύγοσαν ἀπ᾽ αὐτῶν οἱ ἀγαπῶντες συναγωγὰς ὁσίων· εἰς πᾶσαν τὴν γῆν ἐγενήθη σκορπισμὸς αὐτῶν ὑπό ἀνόμων. ὅτι ἀνέσχεν οὐρανὸς τοῦ στάξαι ὑετὸν ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν·21πηγαὶ συνεσχέθησαν αἰώνιοι ἐξ ἀβύσσων, ἀπὸ ὀρέων ὑψηλῶν. ὅτι οὐκ ἦν ἐν αὐτοῖς ποιῶν δικαιοσύνην καὶ κρίμα· ἀπὸ ἄρχοντος αὐτῶν καὶ λαοῦ ἐλαχίστου ἐν πάσῃ ἁμαρτίᾳ.22 βασιλεὺς ἐν παρανομίᾳ καὶ κριτὴς ἐν ἀπειθείᾳ, καὶ λαὸς ἐν ἁμαρτίᾳ.23ἴδε, Κύριε, καὶ ἀνάστησον αὐτοῖς τὸν βασιλέα αὐτῶν, υἱὸν Δαυίδ, εἰς τὸν καιρὸν ὃν ἴδες σύ, θεός, τοῦ βασιλεῦσαι ἐπὶ Ἰσραὴλ παῖδά σου.24καὶ ὑπόζωσον αὐτὸν ἰσχὺν τοῦ θραῦσαι ἄρχοντας ἀδίκους.25καθάρισον Ἰερουσαλὴμ ἀπὸ ἐθνῶν καταπατούντων ἐν ἀπωλείᾳ, ἐν σοφίᾳ, ἐν δικαιοσύνῃ26ἐξῶσαι ἁμαρτωλοὺς ἀπὸ κληρονομίας, ἐκτρίψαι ὑπερηφανίαν ἁμαρτωλοῦ ὡς σκεύη κεραμέως, ἐν ῥάβδῳ σιδηρᾷ συντρίψαι πᾶσαν ὑπόστασιν αὐτῶν·27ὀλοθρεῦσαι ἔθνη παράνομα ἐν λόγῳ στόματος αὐτοῦ, ἐν ἀπειλῇ αὐτοῦ φυγεῖν ἔθνη ἀπὸ προσώπου αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐλέγξαι ἁμαρτωλοὺς ἐν λόγῳ καρδίας αὐτῶν.28καὶ συνάξει λαὸν ἅγιον οὗ ἀφηγήσεται ἐν δικαιοσύνῃ, καὶ κρινεῖ φυλὰς λαοῦ ἡγιασμένου ὑπὸ Κυρίου θεοῦ αὐτοῦ.29καὶ οὐκ ἀφήσει ἀδικίαν ἐν μέσῳ αὐτῶν αὐλισθῆναι ἔτι, καὶ οὐ κατοικήσει πᾶς ἄνθρωπος μετ᾽ αὐτῶν εἰδὼς κακίαν.30γνώσεται γὰρ αὐτοὺς ὅτι πάντες υἱοὶ θεοῦ εἰσιν αὐτῶν, καὶ καταμερίσει αὐτοὺς ἐν ταῖς φυλαῖς αὐτῶν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς.31καὶ πάροικος καὶ ἀλλογενὴς οὐ παροικήσει αὐτοῖς ἔτι· κρινεῖ λαοὺς καὶ ἔθνη ἐν σοφίᾳ δικαιοσύνης αὐτοῦ. διάψαλμα.32καὶ ἕξει λαοὺς ἐθνῶν δουλεύειν αὐτῷ ὑπὸ τὸν ζυγὸν αὐτοῦ, καὶ τὸν κύριον δοξάσει ἐν ἐπισήμῳ πάσης τῆς γῆς.33καὶ καθαριεῖ Ἰερουσαλὴμ ἐν ἁγιασμῷ, ὡς καὶ τὸ ἀπ᾽ ἀρχῆς,34ἔρχεσθαι ἔθνη ἀπ᾽ ἄκρου τῆς γῆς ἰδεῖν τὴν δόξαν αὐτοῦ, φέροντες δῶρα τοὺς ἐξησθενηκότας υἱοὺς αὐτῆς,35καὶ ἰδεῖν τὴν δόξαν Κυρίου ἣν ἐδόξασεν αὐτὴν θεός· καὶ αὐτὸς βασιλεὺς δίκαιος διδακτὸς ὑπὸ θεοῦ ἐπ᾽ αὐτούς,36καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν ἀδικία ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις αὐτοῦ ἐν μέσῳ αὐτῶν· ὅτι πάντες ἅγιοι, καὶ βασιλεὺς αὐτῶν χριστὸς κύριος.37οὐ γὰρ ἐλπιεῖ ἐπὶ ἵππον καὶ ἀναβάτην καὶ τόξον, οὐδὲ πληθυνεῖ αὐτῷ χρυσίον οὐδὲ ἀργύριον εἰς πόλεμον· καὶ πολλοῖς οὐ συνάξει ἐλπίδας εἰς ἡμέραν πολέμου.38Κύριος αὐτὸς βασιλεὺς αὐτοῦ· ἐλπὶς τοῦ δυνατοῦ ἐλπίδι θεοῦ, καὶ ἐλεήσει πάντα τὰ ἔθνη ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ ἐν φόβῳ.39κατάξει γὰρ γῆν τῷ λόγῳ τοῦ στόματος αὐτοῦ εἰς αἰῶνα·40εὐλογήσει λαὸν Κυρίου ἐν σοφίᾳ μετ᾽ εὐφροσύνης.41καὶ αὐτὸς καθαρὸς ἀπὸ ἁμαρτίας, τοῦ ἄρχειν λαοὺς μεγάλους, ἐλέγξαι ἄρχοντας καὶ ἐξᾶραι ἁμαρτωλοὺς ἐν ἰσχύι λόγου·42καὶ οὐκ ἀσθενήσει ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ θεῷ αὐτοῦ, ὅτι θεὸς κατηργάσατο αὐτὸν δυνατὸν ἐν πνεύματι ἁγίῳ καὶ σοφὸν ἐν βουλῇ συνέσεως μετὰ ἰσχύος καὶ δικαιοσύνης.43καὶ εὐλογία Κυρίου μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ ἐν ἰσχύι,44καὶ οὐκ ἀσθενήσει ἐλπὶς αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ Κύριον· καὶ τίς δύναται πρὸς αὐτόν; ἰσχυρὸς ἐν ἔργοις αὐτοῦ καὶ κραταιὸς ἐν φόβῳ θεοῦ,45ποιμαίνων τὸ ποιμνίον Κυρίου ἐν πίστει καὶ δικαιοσύνῃ, καὶ οὐκ ἀφήσει ἀσθενῆσαι ἐν αὐτοῖς ἐν τῇ νομῇ αὐτῶν.46ἐν ἰσότητι πάντας αὐτοὺς ἄξει, καὶ οὐκ ἔσται ἐν αὐτοῖς ὑπερηφανία τοῦ καταδυναστευθῆναι ἐν αὐτοῖς.47αὕτη εὐπρέπεια τοῦ βασιλέως Ἰσραήλ, ἣν ἔγνω θεός, ἀναστῆσαι αὐτὸν ἐπ᾽ οἶκον Ἰσραήλ, παιδεῦσαι αὐτόν.48τὰ ῥήματα αὐτοῦ πεπυρωμένα ὑπὲρ χρυσίον τὸ πρῶτον τίμιον, ἐν συναγωγαῖς διακρινεῖ λαοῦ φυλὰς ἡγιασμένου·49οἱ λόγοι αὐτοῦ ὡς λόγοι ἁγίων ἐν μέσῳ λαῶν ἡγιασμένων.50μακάριοι οἱ γενόμενοι ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις ἐκείναις, ἰδεῖν τὰ ἀγαθὰ Ἰσραὴλ ἐν συναγωγῇ φυλῶν· ποιήσαι θεός.51ταχύναι θεὸς ἐπὶ Ἰσραὴλ τὸ ἔλεος αὐτοῦ· ῥύσεται ἡμᾶς ἀπὸ ἀκαθαρσίας ἐχθρῶν βεβήλων. Κύριος αὐτὸς βασιλεὺς ἡμῶν εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα καὶ ἔτι.