In part two we get drawn to the hymn in Phil 2 and discover not only what Jesus’ discension is all about, but also get to understand the talk of us being gifts in Eph 4:11-13 better. (If you have not listened to part 1 do listen to that first.)
The original audio only version of this post is here.
Hi again Tim, Psalm 68 uses more names for God than any other psalm. God appears in the poem as El, Eli, Elohim, Elohay (31 times), Yah (2), ???? 2, Shaddai (1), Adonai (7). I think it is too much to say that any one of these could or should be identified with ‘Father/Son/or Spirit’, i.e. to the Trinitarian metaphor in any simple sense. The phrase ‘my Lord’ might apply to the then current king of Israel.
re ascending – Psalm 68 occurs right after the harvest sequence – 65-67, and right in the middle of the circles defined by the inscriptions in Books 2 and 3. It is then I think that Adonai represents the one who ascends. If we trace this from Psalm 2, this is the one who is offered as libation on the Holy Hill of Zion (Psalm 2)
??????? ?????????? ????????
??? ??????? ??? ????????
I myself have offered as libation my own king
on Zion, my holy hill
Now notice how ‘ascend’ ??? offer up, ascend, burnt offering, (also leaf of Psalm 1), is translated as burnt offering in the Psalms up to Psalm 66. Thereafter it is translated as ascend. (Note particularly the play of this in Psalm 47 and the reference to Abraham and the offering by implication of Isaac).
So there is a strong Christological reasoning in the use of this word in the Psalms, but it needs careful teasing out. The related word ‘descend’ is best understood from Jonah chapters 1 and 2. The link to Psalm 68 is via Psalm 18 and the theophany of verse 10-11 and the ‘riding’, ??? chariot, ride 18:11, picked up three times in 68:5, 18, 34.
I live the fact that the rebellious receive (are) gifts as well – very important for this particular rebel… Thanks for the stimulus.
Nice typo above – I live the fact; I meant I love the fact – but I live it too. Sorroy for the Hebrew; I forgot that it turns into ? on your site.
🙂 and thanks again for the really stimulating comments, being (for this podcast) focused on the NT text I had not even looked at such things 🙁