For You—whom You struck they pursued, and they recounted the pain of Your victims. Psalm 69:27 [Hebrew Bible] Robert Alter Whom You struck – When did God strike you? The verb is nākâ, used some 500 times in the Tanakh, often for physical injury or even death. But that’s not the way it’s used here. …
God of vengeance, O LORD, God of vengeance, shine forth. Psalm 94:1 Robert Alter Vengeance – Robert Alter’s translation comes with a footnote. “This boldly aggressive characterization of God, ‘el naqamot, which occurs only here, is fudged by the modern translations that render it in mitigating language as ‘God of retribution.’ As in many psalms…
Therefore, says the Master, LORD of Armies, Israel’s Mighty One: Oh, I will settle scores with my foes and take vengeance on my enemies. Isaiah 1:24 Robert Alter Take vengeance – As you recall, the verb translated “settle scores” is typically a verb about consolation or regret. We noticed the shadow of this idea when…
Happy who seizes and smashes your infants against the rock. Psalm 137:9 Alter Happy – It’s difficult to believe God in the midst of great trauma. If God is good, if He cares about us, then why do we suffer so much? It doesn’t feel like a test. It feels like abandonment, or divine failure. …
“Take full vengeance for the sons of Israel on the Midianites; afterward you will be gathered to your people.” Moses spoke to the people, saying, “Arm men from among you for the war, that they may go against Midian to execute the Lord’s vengeance on Midian.” Numbers 31:2-3 NASB The sons of Israel – Moses is about to die. …
to inflict vengeance on the nations and punishment on the peoples, to bind their kings with fetters, their nobles with shackles of iron, Psalm 149:7-8 NIV To bind – We discovered that naqam, the Hebrew word for “vengeance,” is an essential element in the holiness of God. We realized that this idea, even if it seems…
Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a two-edged sword in their hand, to execute vengeance on the nations and punishment on the peoples, Psalm 149:6-7 NASB Execute Vengeance – David sounds like a contemporary imam. If they don’t follow YHVH, kill them all! What? Certainly David was a warrior king,…
