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Between Babel and Beast
(America and Empires in Biblical Perspective)
The Glory of Kings: A Festschrift for James B. Jordan
Fyodor Dostoevsky
(Christian Encounters Series)
Athanasius
(Foundations of Theological Exegesis and Christian Spirituality)
The Four: A Survey of the Gospels
Defending Constantine: The Twilight of an Empire and the Dawn of Christendom
From Behind the Veil: The Epistles of John
Deep Exegesis:The Mystery of Reading Scripture
1 & 2 Kings
Brazos Theological Commentary
The Promise Of His Appearing: An Exposition Of Second Peter
A Great Mystery: Fourteen Wedding Sermons
Deep Comedy: Trinity, Tragedy, And Hope In Western Literature
Miniatures & Morals: The Christian Novels of Jane Austen
The Priesthood of the Plebs: A Theology of Baptism
A Son To Me: An Exposition of 1 & 2 Samuel
From Silence to Song: The Davidic Liturgical Revolution
Ascent to Love: A Guide to Dante's Divine Comedy
Blessed Are the Hungry: Meditations on the Lord's Supper
A House For My Name: A Survey of the Old Testament
Heroes of the City of Man: A Christian Guide to Select Ancient Literature
Brightest Heaven of Invention: A Christian Guide To Six Shakespeare Plays
Wise Words: Family Stories That Bring the Proverbs to Life
The Kingdom and the Power: Rediscovering the Centrality of the Church
Psalm 103:1 is a small chiasm that hints at large anthropological conclusions:
A. Bless Yahweh
B. O my soul
B’. All that is within me
A’. [Bless] His holy name.
Though the verb “bless” is not repeated in the final clause, it is implied. Yahweh and “holy name” are clearly parallel. Yahweh and His Name enclose the soul of the Psalmist. What intrigues me at the moment is the B/B’ connection. Initially, it is David’s soul that blesses Yahweh; then it is “all within.” That shows that the “soul” is parallel to, if not identical with, “all within.” This has implications in a couple of directions.
First, if we can press the parallel, we might be able to say that the soul is what is within. What do you have within you? The Psalmist answers, My soul. ”Soul” names the whole of my interior life. But then we can add the observation that in Scripture the soul is not primarily intellectual but appetitive. Souls desire, long for, yearn, hunger, and thirst. If “soul” names everything in me, then (at least perspectivally) my interior life is a life of desire. At my “heart” I am my desires.
Second, this verse seems to have some import for our understanding of the sacrificial system. In all the animal sacrifices, the portions of the animal that are brought near (qarab) to Yahweh are the inward parts (qereb). Here, David blesses Yahweh with his soul, all that is within (kal-qarebaw), all his inner parts. This verse supports the notion that the fat and inner organs that are offered to Yahweh represent the worshiper offering his innermost soul, his loves and desires, to Yahweh, so that they might be transfigured to smoke.
posted by Peter J. Leithart on Thursday, August 16, 2012 at 10:00 am
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