Ps. 31.2-6 (to be "in Yhwh")

“In you / O Yhwh / have I sought refuge – let me never / be ashamed – deliver me / in your righteousness.” One thing to note about this psalm is the fact that a portion of almost every verse can be found in some other part of Scripture. It is, in short, a very formulaic psalm. This can be seen immediately. The image of Yhwh as ‘refuge’ is something we have had the chance to reflect upon on numerous occasions; it is one of the most common designations of Yhwh we have seen thus far. Furthermore, the fact that this refuge is sought to avoid shame is not new, nor is the idea of deliverance ‘in’ Yhwh’s righteousness. One thing, though, I have not thought of until now is that Paul often speaks of us being ‘in Christ’. I wonder if the same idea is present here. The psalm opens with an appeal for refuge from Yhwh and his righteousness; both of these are prefaced by being “in” (“in Yhwh”; “in your righteousness”). Being “in Yhwh’s righteousness” refers, primarily, to being in covenant relationship with Yhwh. Likewise, the opening line “In you I have sought refuge – let me never be put to shame” can be read as a covenantal plea, as if he is saying “You are my covenant partner, therefore act according to our agreement.” Part of that covenant is that each party would avoid shaming, or causing shame on, the other. As we have seen in other psalms, this ‘shame’ is crucial to understand because it points to the fact that the ‘person’ is not merely an internal “I” but the “I” as perceived within the community. For Yhwh to redeem this individual, he will, necessarily, have to publicly redeem him so as to cleanse his public “I” from shame/taint (we have seen, in another context, how Israel is Yhwh’s ‘reputation’ among the nations; this is something we will return to further down). For the psalmist to appeal to being ‘in Yhwh’ is to work out this covenantal dynamic: to seek, in Yhwh’s judgment, redemption from the false accusations that are attacking his public “I” (which is as intimate to him as he is to himself). There is, here, no ‘private’ redemption; in fact, it is precisely (as we will see), the public redemption that is the focus of the psalm. In other words, there is no retreat to a private sphere of interior luminosity or stoic, and individualistic indifference. Rather, as we will see (and have seen), the splendor that is to flow from being “in Yhwh” is one that is all encompassing, something that involves the fully public (this gives it that ‘naïve’ feel, as we would call it). “Incline your ear / toward me, - rescue me quickly, / O Yhwh. – Be a rock / of refuge / for me, - a fortified place / to deliver me. – For you are / my rock / and my fortification.” The ‘inclining of the ear’ is a very common image for the psalmists to use. It speaks not merely of auditory reception, but of Yhwh’s hearing (or his heart) being ‘pricked’ into action. To hear, is to act; specifically, to act in a redemptive fashion. It is for this reason why he immediately follows this up with “rescue me quickly”. For those Jews in covenantal relation with Yhwh, the covenant provides the context for this ‘hearing-act’; the two parties are abound by mutual obligations and fidelity to each other. This is not an abstract legal obligation but one of concern; hence the endearing, “O Yhwh”. One cannot conceive of the other party ‘hearing’ and it not being the beginning of action. And the call is essentially one of ‘take me to yourself’. Again, place me within your covenantal sphere of power, here described as a “rock of refuge” and “a fortified place”. For the psalmist (as for everyone of his surrounds) one stands within ‘spheres of power’. He is “in Yhwh” (and is asking Yhwh to act such that his trust in Yhwh not become a source of shame for him). To be “in Yhwh” is to be upon (or within?) a ‘rock of refuge’ and within ‘a fortified city’. The power and protection that flows from Yhwh is immensely defensive, so much so that the psalmist sees himself as existing within the center of barricaded city, with, presumably, soldiers standing guard. The psalmist then seemingly repeats himself: “For you are my rock and my fortification.” However, this is not mere repetition. The psalmist is showing Yhwh that his only source of strength is coming from Yhwh (there has been a continuous reverberation in the back of my mind of the first commandment of the Decalogue, “You shall have no other gods before (beside) me.” I think this is the case because to stand “in Yhwh” is to stand, exclusively, within his sphere and to not be involved in any others. Yhwh’s power (his covenantal blessing) only flows when one joins his entire allegiance to Yhwh, without remainder or admixture.) This is a plea, something of desperate cry, that the psalmist stands, as required, alone with Yhwh. “So / for your name’s sake – lead me / and guide me.” It is because of this unwavering, and absolutely centered, trust in Yhwh that he can appeal to Yhwh’s name and request his guidance. When one stands, utterly, within the realm of Yhwh’s protection and covenantal love, one bears Yhwh’s name and, therefore, Yhwh’s ‘reputation’ in the world. As this ‘image of god’, such a person is bound, in the same way that one’s reputation is attached to the individual’s “I”, to Yhwh and Yhwh to him. When one, therefore, demands to be delivered because of Yhwh’s name, one is recognizing the fact that Yhwh has ‘given his name over’, in covenant, and therefore He must act to preserve His reputation, publicly. It is as if the psalmist says, “I have placed everything I have in you; I therefore represent you; because you care about your reputation, lead me and guide me so that I can be your ‘image’”. From this ‘leading’ comes a change in imagery; no longer are there the passive acts of refuge, but the active locating of peril and danger (the ‘guiding’). “Deliver me / from the net – which they hid / for me – for you are my refuge.” The image of ‘hiding’ is important, and one that will resurface throughout the psalm. Suffice to say, based on what we have seen, that covenantal relationship with Yhwh entails his providing protection against enemies that the partner cannot be aware of. The psalmist knows his enemies have hidden stratagems to destroy him. He knows, like a wild animal, he is being hunted; he has the sense of hidden danger and of his complete inability to adequately guard himself against the attacks. The danger he is certain of is, in fact, faceless (and, therefore, ever-present). To be “in Yhwh” is to be within a light that perceives the darkness he cannot and that this ‘light’ will ‘guide him and lead him’ around and through these hidden nets. As said above, though, to be in this ‘light’ is to be exclusively within this light. There is, here, a shocking amount of trust demanded, especially when, as here, danger is lurking. To ask for guidance is to admit that one is in darkness. To trust, utterly, in Yhwh to be such a refuge in the face of hidden danger, is a profound act of faith and trust. Hence, why he keeps reminding Yhwh that he his “in” him. This is summed up in the marvelous statement: “Into your hand / I commit / my spirit.” This is an incredibly compact but sufficient explanation of everything we have said thus far. The psalmist is casting himself upon Yhwh for protection, acknowledging that he, Yhwh, has his exclusive allegiance and that there is no other cave to run to for refuge, no other city to retreat within for protection, and no other source of power for his redemption. He is looking, solely, to Yhwh.