Headliners

It is You who know my reproach, and my shame and disgrace before all my foes.  Psalm 69:20 [Hebrew Bible]  Robert Alter

Reproach – “In a White House eager to distance itself from allegations of nepotism, corruption and grifting, Hunter Biden is the problem that simply won’t go away.”[1] We’re not so familiar with the word “reproach,” but we know it when we see it.  It means bringing all the dirty laundry into the public eye.  The action intends to expose someone’s failings in a most humiliating way.  The purpose is to destroy reputation.  King David seems well aware of the strategy of his enemies.  In a culture where public credibility was the hallmark of character, David’s foes are ready to drag all his faults into the open.  Perhaps they’ve uncovered his affair.  Maybe they know about his involvement in Uriah’s death. Maybe they know why 70,000 died when he disobeyed.  But no matter what they know, or don’t know, they’re ready to humiliate David in public.  They’ll publish headlines in the Jerusalem Gazette: “King David’s sins have caused our downfall.”  Read all about it!

David considers this situation from the perspective of the ancient Near East.  He uses two words to cover the implications: bōšet and kĕlimmâ.

The primary meaning of this root is “to fall into disgrace, normally through failure, either of self or of an object of trust.” . . . The word is often paralleled with kālam “to be humiliated,” and less frequently with ḥātat “to be shattered, dismayed.” As these parallels suggest, the force of bôš is somewhat in contrast to the primary meaning of the English “to be ashamed,” in that the English stresses the inner attitude, the state of mind, while the Hebrew means “to come to shame” and stresses the sense of public disgrace, a physical state.^[2]

kālam seems to refer to 1) wounding of the body, 2) wounding of the spirit through public humiliation, and 3) wounding of the spirit because of defeat and captivity.^[3]

Now we can understand why David opens this verse with “You know.”  It might be true that his enemies know bad things about him, but God knows everything!  The public may read the headlines, but God knows the heart.  If David finds grace with God, he can endure the rest.  After all, who is the real judge of our lives?

Apply the lesson.  Imagine that the news is going to air the worst things you haver ever done.  Imagine that investigative reporter is intent on destroying your reputation.  Imagine all the dirty little secrets out in the open.  Then read David’s opening again.  And the next few verses.

Topical Index: reproach, bōšet, kĕlimmâ, shame, disgrace, Psalm 69:20

[1] https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/6/30/hunter-biden-the-us-presidents-scandal-plagued-son

^[2] Oswalt, J. N. (1999). 222 בּוֹשׁ. R. L. Harris, G. L. Archer Jr., & B. K. Waltke (Eds.), Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament (electronic ed., p. 97). Chicago: Moody Press.

^[3] Oswalt, J. N. (1999). 987 כָלַם. R. L. Harris, G. L. Archer Jr., & B. K. Waltke (Eds.), Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament (electronic ed., p. 443). Chicago: Moody Press.