God\u27s Lordship in the Psalm 97

Promišljajući stvarnost kraljevstva Božjega, na način na koji je prikazana u Starome zavjetu, ovaj rad bavi se njezinom konkretnom izraženošću u Ps 97. Psalam je to koji spada u skupinu »kraljevskih psalama«, naime molitveno-bogoslužnih obrazaca koji naviještaju i slave sveopće Božje gospodstvo. Čineći to, stilom i rječnikom podsjeća na velike monarhije drevnoga Istoka, ali s jednom temeljnom razlikom: riječ je o kraljevstvu koje će trajati dovijeka (usp. 2 Sam 7,16) i kojemu na čelu nije ograničen zemaljski vladar, nego sam Bog. Ps 97 donosi sve bitne momente Božje vladavine. Budući da je pisan nakon babilonskoga sužanjstva, i da stoji pod izravnim utjecajem Deuteroizaije, psalam se odlikuje univerzalističkim aspektom. Tekst, ipak, i sadržajno i izričajno slijedi liniju objave. To se osobito vidi u opisu teofanije, koja je kronološki starija, ali uklopljena u poruku psalma o cijeloj zemlji koja se raduje Božjemu zakraljivanju. Bog, koji u ognju dolazi na zemlju, istodobno je i Bog koji potiče na radost, vjeran i djelatan Bog koji skrbi o svom narodu te ga osposobljuje da i sam bude slobodnim dionikom te vladavine u pravdi i pravu, koja vodi kozmičkom slavljenju. Prikazavši širi kontekst psalma, temu kojom se bavi, kao i njegov prijevod i njegovu strukturalnu rasporedbu, rad se zaustavlja na tekstualnoj raščlambi, i to na mjestima koja su neposrednije povezana s njegovim predmetom. Zaključno se, u sažetom obliku, donose uobličene značajke Božje vladavine.Pondering into the reality of the kingdom of God as depicted throughout the Old Testament, this paper deals with its concrete outlines displayed in the Psalm 97. This psalm, forming a part of the so-called »royal psalms«, unfolds patterns of prayer and cult that proclaim and praise God\u27s universal lordship. As for style and vocabulary of our psalm, parallels can be drawn to the monarchies of the Ancient East, although one fundamental difference arises - God\u27s Lorsdhip shall endure forever (cf. 2 Sam 7:16), for the king is no finite earthly ruler, but God himself. All essential aspects of God\u27s Lordship are well noticeable throughout the text. Having been composed after the Babylonian captivity, and being directly influenced by Second Isaiah, this psalm is significantly permeated with universalism, which notwithstanding does not infringe on the continuity of revelation, whether in terms of content or its articulation. An outstanding example of this conformity is the theophany which, chronologically speaking, precedes to the rest of the psalm, although is well fitted into the message of the whole world rejoicing upon God\u27s enthronization. God, coming down to the earth with fire going before him, is the one and the same God who encourages gladness, faithfully takes care of His people, enabling them to participate operatively in His Lordship, ruled by the righteousness and justice, which leads to all-cosmical praise. After having sketched the broader context of the psalm, its topic in general, as well as its structural arrangement, the paper examines the text, verse by verse, calling particular attention to the passages that are more closely tied to the subject. As a conclusion, eight theses are proposed, which in concise manner sum up important aspects of God\u27s lordship