PSALM 62 : PRAYER , ACCUSATION , DECLARATION OF INNOCENCE , SELF-MOTIVATION , SERMON , OR ALL OF THESE ?

Because of its seeming mix of different styles, Psalm 62 has intrigued researchers for a long time. It has been regarded by many as the prayer of an innocent person who was accused of some wrongdoing, but the direct exhortation to the “people” of God to put their trust in him seems to argue against this. The pertinent influence of wisdom-thinking also agitates against a reconstructed cultic setting. Some investigators have consequently argued that the psalm is a conflation from different sources. This article attempts to contribute to the debate about the seeming mix of styles by arguing from a social-scientific analysis that the psalm should be read against the background of a post-exilic context of exploitation in Jerusalem and the ensuing debate about the value of continued dedication to God.


INTRODUCTION
What type of psalm is Ps.62, and what is it that its author or authors wanted to communicate?These questions have led to various proposals about its Gattung and a corresponding wide variety of interpretations.It has been argued that Ps. 62 is an individual psalm of trust or confidence (Kraus 1966:436, Anderson 1972:450); 1 the prayer of a persecuted person (Weiser 1975(Weiser [1959]]:446); 2 a song of thanksgiving (Weber 2001:276); 3 a composition only characterised by the forms and motifs of a psalm of trust (Hossfeld & Zenger 2002:373;Van der Ploeg 1973:365); 4 or even a document setting out the dispute between a falsely accused person and his pursuers (Seybold 1996:244). 5The clear influence of wisdom has led scholars like Gunkel, Kraus, and others to put it in the wisdom tradition (Tate 1990:120), 6 but Tate insists that it is only "near wisdom" and does not clearly belong to this rather "amorphous" category (Tate 1990:120). 7This array of opinions shows that investigators have in the past often embarked on their interpretation from the assumption that the psalm was used in 1 Kraus says with great conviction that it belongs to the Gattung of the "individuellen Vertrauenslieder," but adds that these are related to individual laments and supplications.Bland (1974:82) describes it, together with Pss 4, 16, 27, and 131, as a "psalm of trust." 2 According to Weiser, the psalmist has been forsaken and is now persecuted by his former friends who still pretend to be his friends but are full of hatred and seek his life.3 Weber says that the psalm is "gattungsmässig komplex."It reminds of a lament, but without the expected supplication and with two confessions of trust framing the accusation against the enemy.These characteristics, combined with the "wisdom-generalising expansion" (my translation of the German) leads him to think of the context of a Toda, a song to accompany a sacrifice of thanksgiving.4 According to Van der Ploeg, it is a prayer in which the psalmist lifts his spirit up to God in whom he finds rest, and (a prayer) in which he exhorts others to put their trust in God. 5 According to Seybold, the accused sought asylum in the temple since he asserted in turn that the accusations were false and based on lies.The text was only secondarily turned into a prayer-like and meditative psalm through repetition of the declaration found in vv.2-3 in vv.6-7 so as to form a refrain; and also through the introduction of a plea in the concluding verse.Terrien (2002:459) in turn says that the psalm does not strictly belong to the category of prayers of vigil, but was partly inspired by the legal genre of supplication and was composed for use during "the nocturnal ordeal of temple asylum."6 Hossfeld & Zenger (2007:179) regard it with Gunkel as a unique composition, characterized by the forms and motifs of a psalm of trust, but from verse 9 onwards particularly influenced by wisdom forms and thinking.Gunkel's description is given in Gunkel (1986:262-3).7 Tate, like Seybold, thinks that the speaker is someone who has taken refuge in a sanctuary because he or she was assaulted (verbally or physically) and hopes for a Heilsorakel to set him or her free.

Botha
Psalm 62: Prayer, accusation 34 some kind of ceremony, ritual, or procedure in the Temple (or a temple) and that this institutional context contains the key to its interpretation. 8  In this article, the form and contents of Ps. 62 are used to ask what can be inferred about the social context in which it would have been useful and meaningful.What phenomena or actions were seen by the author or authors to be problematic and which remedies are proposed or advocated?
If it were meant to be a prayer or a psalm of thanksgiving, it certainly deviates from what one would expect in those genres: Only in verse 13 is the "Lord" ‫)אדני(‬ addressed directly.Apart from that verse, the author addresses his enemies (v.4), himself (vv.6-8), and his compatriots (vv. 9-11).In the other verses, it is difficult to be sure whether the author speaks to Yahweh, to any of these persons, or to a priest or other functionary (vv. 2-3; 5).The purpose of the psalm rather seems to be offering advice to the "people" ‫עם(‬ v. 9) of the psalmist, while he uses his own commitment to, and trust in, God as an example to others (vv.2-3).
The psalmist also clearly speaks with the authority of a wisdom teacher in certain verses (vv. 9-12).It is thus possible that verses 2-3 and 5, as well as those verses in which the opponents are directly addressed, were also formulated primarily for the benefit of the in-group of the psalmist.
The text and contents of the psalm will first be analysed and afterwards a social-scientific investigation will be used in an attempt to determine more clearly how the author saw his social situation and what strategy he used to address this situation. 98 This kind of approach is now outdated.Hossfeld & Zenger (2007:181) say the idea that the psalm was conceived and used as a formulary for an asylum seeker should be regarded with scepticism.Although such a situation may be reflected in the metaphors of protection and refuge in the psalm, this metaphoric complex is only one aspect of a mixture of metaphors.They also think the psalm was not meant for a single situation, but rather an overall interpretation of the "condition humaine."This statement is possibly too general.It does seem that more can be inferred about the situation for which it was composed.9 Cf. Elliott (1993:72).The aim of this type of analysis as part of the exegetical enterprise, is "the analysis, synthesis, and interpretation of the social as well as the literary and ideological (theological) dimensions of a text … and the manner in which it was designed as a persuasive vehicle of communication and social interaction, and thus an instrument of social as well as literary and theological consequence." 13a ‫כּ‬ For You will render to a man acc 5a b ‫ח‬ ‫אַ‬ 12 One thing God has said;  'il (cf. v. 5) is used to describe the removing of the Aaronite priests and Levites from the temple in order to replace them with immoral priests who obtained the priesthood with a bribe.This parallel use of the verb may be significant for the interpretation of the psalm.
The contents of strophes A and C also throw light on strophe D in stanza II, the exhortation to the "people" to "trust" in God at all times.This "trust" provides a summary of what the psalmist has confessed to do -and has exhorted himself to do -a short while ago, namely to regard God as the only "refuge" ‫,מחסה(‬ cf. the confession of the psalmist in v. 8b and the parallel exhortation to the people in v. 9c).The unacceptable alternative of trust in God is spelled out in strophe D, namely to trust in humans (vv.9-10) or in wealth (v. 11).Whether these humans are of high or low standing does not matter, they are "a breath" ‫)הבל(‬ and "a delusion" ‫)כזב(‬ altogether (v.10).These two words could also be translated as "vanity" and "a lie," but the imagery of the balance (v.10bc) makes it clear that the psalmist is creating a pun to express the inconsistency of humans.The particle ‫אך‬ is also used at the beginning of verse 10 to create polarity between trust in God and trust in humans.Verse 11 criticises other presumed sources of stability, namely extortion, robbery, and wealth (whether obtained illegally or legally).
The most obvious meaning of strophe E is then also that trust in God alone is the only option for the psalmist and his group, since the confessed principle of retribution, together with the belief that only God has the power and steadfast love, will mean that those who use lies or deception (v.5), extortion or robbery (v. 11) to obtain what they want, will be punished.
After this analysis of the argumentative coherence of Ps. 62, it is time to investigate its social dimensions.

A SOCIAL-CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF PS. 62
Ps. 62 is pseudonymously ascribed to "David," the king of Israel (v. 1).The reasons for this could be that the historical David was seen to be exemplary 18 While she recognises the argumentative thrust of Ps. 62, (Charney 2015:48) thinks that the attacks are not aimed at the speaker in Ps. 62, but rather an unnamed third party.She says that "a man" ‫)איׁש(‬ in v. 4 probably does not refer to the speaker.Within the context of strophes A and C, where the suppliant speaks of waiting for God for "salvation," it seems more probable that the impersonal reference to "a man" in v. 4 and the third-person reference to "him" in v. 5 both refer to attacks on the speaker himself.

Botha
Psalm 62: Prayer, accusation 42 precisely in connection with the possible "movement" of the psalmist (vv. 3 and 7).It thus definitely seems that the psalmist's position of honour was threatened by his opponents and that he pinned his hope on God to provide the support that he needed.His opponents were, however, not openly attacking him.Their secret "planning" ‫,יעץ(‬ v. 5) to topple him made them more dangerous.They were intent on "murder" (v.4), but are (probably) compared in the psalm to enemies attacking a "leaning wall" and an "unstable rampart" (v.4).In the next verse (v.5), the psalmist refers to the treacherous modus operandi of his opponents.They "take delight in deception" ‫כזב(‬ ‫)ירצו‬ and pretend to bless people (probably the psalmist and his in-group), but inwardly they are actually cursing.
The treacherous attacks of opponents who are attempting to cause the downfall of the psalmist are therefore a major cause of concern for him.But among the in-group, there also were worrying trends.The psalmist uses himself as an example in his attempt to encourage the in-group to trust ‫)בטח(‬ in God alone (cf. the repetition of ‫מחסה‬ in vv. 8 and 9: "my refuge is in God"; "God is a refuge for us").The adverbial extension of the exhortation to trust in God "at all times" ‫)בכל-עת(‬ in verse 9 is proof of the extent of the problem.Like Hannah at the temple in Shiloh, the in-group is encouraged to "pour out" ‫)ׁשפך(‬ their "heart" before God, because He is a refuge for them (v.9). 22n contrast to God, who can be trusted at all times, the psalmist emphasises the fickleness of human beings.They are like a mere breath, disappearing immediately.The author probably had the vapour accompanying breath on a cold day in mind, vapour which disappears almost immediately.The in-group is also warned explicitly not to trust ‫אל-(‬ ‫)תבטחו‬ in "extortion," "robbery", or "wealth" (v.11).While the "hope" ‫)תקוה(‬ of the psalmist is "from God" (v.6), the in-group should not "put vain hopes" ‫)אל-תהבלו(‬ on illicit wealth (v. 11).The root of the word for "vanity" or "breath" ‫)הבל(‬ is also used as a verb ‫)הבל(‬ in the expression to not "put confidence in vanity" in verse 11, creating figura etymologica and establishing a close connection between frail humanity and inconsistent wealth acquired through criminality.The conclusion of the psalm, stating that "power" ‫)עז(‬ and "steadfast love" ‫)חסד(‬ belong to God alone and that He will retribute each person according to "his work," suggests that not everybody in the in-group would have accepted these statements as truths.It was probably necessary to reconfirm them.This may also be the reason why the psalmist emphasises his own "silence" ‫,דומיה(‬ v. 2; ‫,דומי‬ v. 6) Jews enjoyed, while many others possibly suffered deprivation, 32 became a temptation for some members of the in-group to abandon their trust in God and to make use of unlawful methods or to set their whole heart on acquiring or increasing wealth and power.The author of the psalm possibly was a prominent member of the community who suffered as a result of the enmity of unscrupulous peers. 33His greatest concern, though, was to exhort and encourage members of the in-group to stay true to the values and faith of the true people of God, since he was absolutely convinced that this was the only way to achieve true inner peace and stability.

CONCLUSION
Ps. 62 is an ideological text with prominent argumentative features from beginning to end.It is pseudonymously presented as a psalm of David who thus serves as an example for the contemporaries of the editors, but also as a figure of authority who could exhort the Israelites since God had helped him to triumph over all his opponents.For the greater part, it is a self-deliberation in which the psalmist confirms his conviction that help can only come from God and that he therefore must wait faithfully and confidently for God to intervene on his behalf against opponents who wanted him out of the way.In a fictive direct address to these enemies, he accuses them of trying to kill him socially. 34The psalmist then turns to his "people," exhorting them to trust in God alone and to guard against putting their hopes on a wisdom form par excellence, but that it no longer lists daily human experiences (such as those found in Proverbs), but faith experiences which cannot be verified, but only accessed by those who risk stepping into a relationship of trust.32 The whole Persian period proved to be financially challenging for some Jews.
One must reckon with unfavourable agricultural phenomena, the stress caused by those who returned from exile and asserted historical rights to land their families once owned, the inability of many existence farmers to provide for their families on land holdings which became too small, and the requirement of the Persian rulers that taxes be paid with money instead of produce.For a general description of the social and economic situation, cf.Zenger (1990:396-400).See also the detailed analysis of the socio-economic situation of the Persian Period in Judah by Bremer (2016).Ps. 62 is not one of the "psalms of the poor," but probably also originated, together with other psalms from the Second Davidic Psalter, in the circle of the "servants of Yahweh."For the connection they had with the poor, cf.Bremer (2016:436-7). 33 Hossfeld & Zenger (2007:182) say that the situation seems to have been such that the author ostensibly lived in peace with his enemies, but that those people had enough power and influence to make life difficult for him.34 Wilson (2002:879) also interprets the attack of the enemies as "less physical and more verbal."