Tuesday 12 July 2016

Psalm: Psalm 118:19-29

Background

This is the first part of a story about David. To read the wholetale you will need to look at tomorrow's passage as well.

In the meantime it seems a strange collection of verses to findin Scripture. But the Bible does not ignore the faults and foiblesof its heroes whether it is the drunkenness of Noah (Genesis 9:20-23) or in this case KingDavid.

Reading these verses it is easy to come to the conclusion thatDavid is the guilty party who takes advantage of the innocentvictim, Bathsheda. But could it also not be the case that Bathshebaknew what she was doing and ensnared David by exposing herself inorder to produce a desired effect. (This does not, however, excuseDavid's subsequent actions.) It may also be worth remembering thatit was the same Bathsheba who conspired with the prophet Nathan tomake sure that her son Solomon would succeed David (1 Kings 1:13-31).Depending on how we approach the passage, different meanings canemerge. Who is to say which is right or, for that matter, which iswrong? 

Leaping to Bathsheba's defence we read that, with the exceptionof verse 5, she does not speak. Does this cast her as the silentvictim? And likewise we have to make assumptions about what she isthinking or feeling. Again that can be interpreted in differentways. Or alternatively it could be the fault of the writer whosilences women.

To Ponder

• How do you view Bathsheba? Innocent victim or guilty temptress?What are your reasons for thinking so?

• What assumptions do you bring to your reading of theBible?

• We hear very little of Bathsheba words, and nothing of herthoughts or emotions. Who would you like to hear more from in theBible? And what questions would you like to ask them?