creation faith of the psalmists, The

Trinity Journal, Fall 2000 by Obenhaus, Stacy R

This observation suggests that Creation theology may have had a more central place in Israel's worship than one might think, given the extended Exodus narrative and the frequent recapitulations of the Exodus event in the Psalms and the prophets. Knierim thus notes that there is little basis, ultimately, for concluding that Israel's Creation faith is subordinate to its theology of history, which emphasizes God's saving action in liberating Israel from oppression in Egypt and leading them to the Promised Land.53 One might cite, in support of that thesis, those psalms which offer Creation in itself as a basis for praise of God. This would include Psalm 149 ("Let them praise the name of the LORD, for he commanded and they were created"); Psalm 135 ("Praise the LORD, for the LORD is good ... he it is who makes the clouds rise at the ends of the earth"); and Psalm 93 ("The LORD is king, he is robed in majesty.... He has established the world; it shall never be moved"). It is perhaps in these hymns that the Psalms come closest to expressing an outright theology of Creation per se, not subordinated to such issues as social or ethical order, trust and confidence, or Israel's covenant relationship. Although the praise is often directed at God for a number of reasons, creation of the world in and of itself appears as a proper and sufficient basis for such praise.

This is not to suggest that the Psalms encompass, even implicitly or indirectly, the complete expression of Israel's Creation faith. For example, one item missing from the Psalms' Creation faith is the eschatological dimension so strongly suggested in the prophets, where God's creative power will transform eschatological chaos into a new creation.54 Thus, Isaiah looks to a future restoration of Israel to Zion and promises, based on God's defeat of Rahab at Creation, that "the ransomed of the LORD shall return, and come to Zion with singing" (Is 51:9-11).55 Moreover, the extended Creation narrative in Genesis 1 certainly develops many themes much more fully than they are developed in the Psalms. Nevertheless, the Psalms arguably present creation as having much fuller significance, not only because of the diversity of themes and functions presented, but particularly because they present Creation faith in the context of Israel's public worship.

This suggests one final observation about Creation faith in the Psalms. As suggested in the introduction, the mere placement of the Creation narrative at the beginning of the Hebrew Bible, along with the extended narrative treatment it is given there, undoubtedly confirms for many believers the centrality of creation in Israel's faith. Yet the suggestion by Genesis 1-3 of the importance of creation in Israel's faith finds little expression elsewhere in the Hebrew Bible except perhaps in the Psalms. As this study shows, Creation faith pervades the Psalms on many levels. Thus, one could well argue that even if the Genesis Creation narrative did not exist, one could conclude from the Psalms themselves that creation held a fundamental place in Israel's faith and worship.