Devotional Short Note on Psalm 79: The principle that came forward in the
analysis so far, is that although the Psalm mentions the name of Asaph, it was
actually written by David. With this in mind, another decision is cardinal for
us to make: is it possible for a human to see into the future. Answer no. If
God reveals the future, is that possible. If the answer is no, then one cannot
accept that David wrote Psalm 79 and if the answer is yes, then of course one
believes in the future predictions of prophets. Because scholars do not belief in
wonders, miracles or God’s revelation of future events to prophets, similar to
Rudolph Bultmann who did not hesitate to say that, therefore, they ascribe the
origin of the Psalm as after the Babylonian captivity. Bultmann declared that he
does not believe in the Second Advent, Resurrection, miracles, Incarnation,
Judgment and a number of other biblical doctrines. Yet, the world calls him a
theologian and some of our colleges even teach with positive enthusiasm his
commentaries on the New Testament to religion students. We have a firm belief
in future predictions coming from God, and since Isaiah could see 200 years
down the line the coming of Cyrus, it is therefore not impossible for David to
have had visions of the Messiah to come and also of the Babylonian exile. It is
that simple. David wrote a prayer that would be
helpful under the circumstances that he must have received a vision of. We are
not told that he got this vision, and nothing in the text support such an
assumption. However, the circumstantial scenario that was outlined above, helps
towards this decision. For this reason, that it is a future
prediction, means that David will use perfect verbal forms, but they will have
to be seen as prophetic pasts since he saw it already happened in vision. “O
God nations have come in Your inheritance” (79:1b). The area in mind and of
concern for David is the Temple and Jerusalem. “They set up Jerusalem to heaps”
(79:d). The ones who were killed are called the
servants of God (79:2a-b). He saw abandoned bodies as prey for raptures. Jerusalem
was the area where this happened (79:3b). David used a word that was also used
in the Amman Citadel Inscription that was discussed by the Seventh-day
Adventist Archaeologist, Siegfried Horn in February 1969 in line one reading “the
surroundings”. David says that “round about Jerusalem” the corpses are lying
(79:3b). Those who are “round about us” scorn them (79:4b). Then David used a word that Daniel also
used in surprise in Daniel 8:13 after a vision he had: “how long” (ad mah which
compares to Daniel’s ad matay). How long will God be angry? This was so
shocking to David that he had to ask the Lord. How long will His anger burn “like
fire” (kemo = like) (79:5). It is not real fire. It is not yet the executive judgment
of God or Hell event of the eschaton. This is in history. The eschaton will be
real fire, this case is “like fire”. David is concerned about the nations
that do not know the Lord and those who do not call upon the name of God (79:6).
He feels that maybe it is a problem that faithful should suffer and heathens
not? The reason is that these very people
have destroyed “Jacob’ and laid waste his habitation (79:7). David asked that
the iniquities of the forefathers should not be held against them so that they
are punished (79:8). What the faithful need in this situation, is help,
deliverance and forgiveness (79:9). David could hear the nations saying: “Where
is their God?” (79:10). David wish to see that God take revenge at the nations
for killing the servants of God (79:10b-c). David could see that some would be made
prisoners and some will be ordered to be killed. He asked that God will set
them free (79:11). He asked that God shall “sevenfold”
punish these pagan nations (79:12). The number seven was special throughout the
existence of man. Even though the Sumerians and the Akkadians in early times
after the Flood in 2692 BCE were using a decimal counting system in relay with
a seximal system, meaning that seven had almost no meaning for them, yet, seven
was very important. It must have been a undercurrent that ran all the way from
Adam and Eve’s day when God instituted the Sabbath at the seventh day of the
week, that every seven became vitally important for them. The symbolic value of
seven was elevated by this decree of God. It was thus divinely connected by
humans and although pagans did not use seven in their system, there may have
been some superstition about it. Gudea who was a contemporary with the
birth-date of Ishmael, also used the symbolic seven many times in his
inscriptions. David pointed out that when God is able
to properly punish these nations, the faithful as “flock of Your pasture” can
give thanks to the Lord “for ever” or “unto eternity”. If it happens in history
before the eschaton, then David thinks that they can tell it generation after
generation to future people of God’s care.