Pujitlah Tuhan Sang Pencipta: Membaca Mazmur 104

Pendahuluan

Salah satu rangkaian kegiatan perayaan HUT ke-85 Gereja Kristen Pasundan adalah penanaman pohon bakau di hutan bakau di sekitar Cirebon. Program ini dimaksudkan untuk melindungi pantai dari erosi dan abrasi air laut, juga untuk melindungi pemukiman penduduk di tepi pantai dari terpaan badai dan angin laut. Manfaat lain dari keberadaan hutan bakau adalah mencegah intrusi (perembesan) air laut, sebagai tempat hidup satwa liar seperti ikan, udang, kepiting, burung dan monyet, sekaligus dapat menjadi tempat edukasi ekologi, serta dapat berfungsi sebagai pencegah proses perubahan iklim yang drastis dengan penyerapan CO2 dari udara.

Tentu saja, program yang dilakukan oleh Gereja Kristen Pasundan ini adalah bagian dari perhatiannya terhadap persoalan-persoalan lingkungan hidup yang ada di sekitarnya. Juga sebagai bagian dari upaya GKP menjadi Gereja bagi sesama dan upaya GKP memenuhi rencana pencapaian yang tertera dalam Rencana Kerja Dasarnya. Harapannya, perhatian GKP terhadap masalah lingkungan hidup tidak berhenti di program penanaman pohon bakau kali ini saja, tetapi juga terus dilakukan dalam berbagai bentuk program lainnya. Bahkan, melaluinya terjadi perubahan perilaku yang semakin ramah terhadap lingkungan.

Mengenal Mazmur 104

Kata “mazmur”[3] atau dalam bahasa Inggris “psalm” dan “psalter” (bahasa Latin “psalmi” dan “psalterium”), bahasa Yunaninya adalah “psalmoi” dan “psalterion”. Rupanya terjemahan-terjemahan ini adalah penerjemahan kata asli yang berbahasa Ibrani yaitu “mizmor”, artinya “lagu atau nyanyian atau kidung rohani yang dimainkan dengan alat musik.”[4] Dalam Alkitab kanon Ibrani, judul dari Mazmur adalah “seper tehilim” atau “buku nyanyian atau pujian” meskipun tidak seluruh mazmur berisi puji-pujian atau nyanyian. Istilah ini adalah nama yang baku, sebab secara umum, Mazmur memiliki tema pujian dan ucapan syukur kepada Tuhan yang muncul berulang-ulang.[5] Alkitab kanon Ibrani sendiri terbagi atas tiga bagian besar, yaitu Hukum (the Law), Para Nabi dan Tulisan-tulisan (the Prophets and the Writings), dan Buku Pujian.[6]

Menurut seorang ahli berkebangsaan Jerman, H. Gunkel, ada lima tipe mazmur, yaitu himne (bahasa Ibrani: tehilla; Mazmur 8, 19a, 29, 33, 46-48, 65, 66a, 76, 84, 87, 93, 95-100, 103-104, 113-114, 117, 122, 134-136 dan 145-150), mazmur ratapan komunal (Mazmur 60, 80, 126), mazmur kerajaan (Mazmur 2, 18, 20, 45, 110), mazmur ratapan pribadi (Mazmur 3-7, 22, 25-28, 51, 54-57, 139-143) dan mazmur ucapan syukur pribadi (Mazmur 30, 32, 34, 41, 116, 138)[7]. Gunkel menambahkan beberapa tipe mazmur lain di luar lima tipe utama di atas, yaitu mazmur yang berbentuk pengucapan syukur komunal (Mazmur 124), mazmur hikmat (Mazmur 1, 112), mazmur penziarahan (Mazmur 37, 49) dan berbentuk liturgi (Mazmur 75, 85).[8] Selain pembagian yang dilakukan Gunkel tersebut, Kitab Mazmur dapat dibagi ke dalam lima bagian yaitu pasal 1-41, 42-72, 73-89, 90-106 dan 107-150[9], dan setiap bagian telah meliputi adanya doksologi, dan formulasi liturgis untuk memuji Tuhan (pasal 41:13, 72:18-19, 89:52, 106:48 dan pasal 150).[10]

Sementara itu, Witte melakukan pengelompokan Mazmur berdasarkan dua kelompok besar yaitu kelompok tematik dan kelompok topikal. Kelompok tematik dibagi menjadi mazmur keluhan dan permohonan (Mazmur 3-6, 9-14, 22, 25-28), mazmur syukur dan pujian (Mazmur 135-136, 138, 144-150) dan mazmur YHWH sebagai Raja (Mazmur 29, 47, 92-99). Sedangkan mazmur topikal dibagi menjadi mazmur penitensi atau penyesalan dosa (Mazmur 6, 32, 38, 51, 102, 130, 143), mazmur pembuangan (Mazmur 44, 74, 79, 126, 137), mazmur historis (Mazmur 77-78, 105-106, 114), mazmur Kerajaan (Mazmur 2, 18, 20-21, 45, 68, 72, 89, 101, 110, 132, 144), mazmur balas dendam (Mazmur 69, 109, 137), mazmur penciptaan (Mazmur 8, 29, 104), mazmur Taurat (Mazmur 1, 19, 119), mazmur hikmat (Mazmur 37, 49, 73), mazmur Sion (Mazmur 46, 48, 76, 84, 87) dan mazmur Haleluya (Mazmur 113-118, 135-136, 146-150).[11]

Genesis 9

Reading from: Olley, John. Mixed Blessing for Animals: The Contras of Genesis 9, in  Norman C. Habel and Shirley Wurst (eds.), The Earth Story in Genesis, England : Sheffield Academic Press, 2000, p. 130-139

Introduction

When we read flood story, we read about animals in their richness of their variety are included in the occupant of the ark. We can say that this plentiful diversity of animals is seen as good and is to be maintained. It was emphasized by the repeated “kol or all” in Genesis 8:17, 19 (seven times).Yet the first reference to animal in Genesis 9 is to “the fear and dread” of Noah and his descendants (9:2). So we can see there is difference between Genesis 8 and Genesis 9. In Genesis 8 we can see there is comprehensiveness between humans and animals, while in Genesis 9 the sole beneficiary is humankind. The question is does animals only simply become as human food supply and ruthlessly treated by humans? And also a question about does animals and humans seem to have accountability?

When we read Genesis 9 we get surprising information. The first covenant involves not only Noah but also every living creature. (9:10. 12, 15, 16, 17). It simply described as between God and “the earth” (Gen. 9:13). Next question is how can we understand this chapter - this juxtaposition between humankind and every living creature? Meanwhile, in the other hand, people still hard to except that animals can be recognized as “covenant partners with Yahwe”.

Animals – A Contrast to Near Eastern Parallels

The author explain that we can get helpful information and context provided by other ancient Near Eastern material, especially that known as flood narrative. (1) Atrahasis said that both domestic and wild creatures are explicitly included in flood narrative; (2) Epic of Gilgamesh has a reference that is in the command, “Aboard that ship take thou wild creature of the field … I made go aboard” (instead of only sent out birds); (3) Eridu Genesis: inside Eridu Genesis, Ziusdra is made “preserver, as king, of the name of the small animals and the seed of humankind.” So it means that the amount of attention given to animals after the flood is intentional, not only because animals were in the ark.

Psalm 104

Praising God as Creator with Psalm 104:

Reading Psalm 104 for Church Ecological Ministry [1]

Rev. T. Adama A. Sihite[2]

Introduction

The word ‘psalm’ and ‘psalter’ are from the Latin ‘psalmi’ and ‘psalterium’ which are derived from the Greek psalmoi and psaltẽrion. Apparently this translation translates the Hebrew word ‘mizmor’ which is usually taken to mean “a religious song accompanied by stringed instrument(s)’[3] In the Hebrew Bible the title of the Book of Psalms is sẽper t^ehilίm or the book of praise although not all psalms are praises. This term is a fitting name for the Psalter as whole because the theme of praise and thanksgiving recurs again and again.[4] The Hebrew Bible is divided into three parts: the Law, the Prophets and the Writings. The Book of Psalms belongs to the Writing.[5]

According to German scholar, H. Gunkel, there are five types of psalms: hymns (Heb. t^ehillά. Psalm 8, 19a, 29, 33, 46-48, 65, 66a, 76, 84, 87, 93, 95-100, 103-104, 11, 113-114, 117, 122, 134-136 and 145-150), communal laments (Psalms 60, 80, 126), royal psalms (Psalms 2, 18, 20, 45, 110, 110), individual laments (Psalms 3-7, 22, 25-28, 51, 54-57, 139-143) and individual thanksgiving (Psalms 30, 32, 34, 41, 116 and 138).[6]  And in addition to these five major types, Gunkel also recognized the existence of a number of other types. These include the communal thanksgiving (Psalm 124), the wisdom psalms (Psalms 1, 112), the pilgrimage psalms (Psalms 37, 49), and liturgies (Psalms 75, 85).[7]

We can divide all the psalms into five books (Psalm 1-41, 42-72, 73-89, 90-106, and 107-150) and each of those books concludes with a doxology, a liturgical formula of praise to God (Psalm 41:13, 72:18-19, 89:52, 106:48, and 150).[8]

Form / Structure / Setting

One of the types of psalm is hymns or the psalm of praise. Actually almost all the hymns are in the last third of the Psalter. They are post-exilic (but not Psalm 104), while many of other psalms (though not all) in the first two-thirds of the Psalter are pre-exilic.[9] These psalms are called as hymns or psalms of praise because they relate to Yahweh’s greatness and goodness as manifested on two main ideas: God’s creation of the universe and God’s gracious acts in the history of Israel.[10] Some of those psalms centre on the theme of creation or Yahweh’s lordship over nature. We can find this in Psalm 19a, 29 and 104.

Although not all of them have the same structure, some of them have the following threefold form:

1.      Introduced call a praise

2.      The main part of the psalm: motivation for the praise (often introduced by kί or ‘for’)

3.      Final repetition of the call to praise

The shorter psalm in the Psalter, Psalm 117, illustrates this simple structure in the briefest possible way:[11]

1          Praise the Lord, all nations!

            Extol him, all peoples!

2a-b     For great is his steadfast love toward us;

            and the faithfulness of the Lord endures for ever.

2c        Praise the Lord!

Ruth 1:1-22

Sometimes in my place, when we read from Ruth, we put our reading into simple hermeneutic about love. We use the book of Ruth, specially chapter 1:16-18. But now there is a big question about it. Is it correct or not in context to put reading from Ruth on wedding sermon.

The book of Ruth for me can be divided four sections. And for chapter 1, I divide it into several sub section : (1) bethlehemie tragedy in Moab (1:1-5); (2) returning to Judah (1:6-19a); and (3) the arrival in Betlehem (1:19b-22).

This book was named from one of three women’s name who apprear – specially in chapter 1. These women are Naomi, Ruth and Orpah. And only Naomi and Orpah continued apprear in the all narrative of the book. Even for this point, we can say that the book of Ruth itself is a good example of the art of telling a story.
This book opens with an information about famine in the land of Judah, and interesting, closed with the first barley harvest after the famine. And in between, the narrator has worked on the theme of emptiness – fullness, like : Mahlon and Kilion – Kilion and Mahlon (1:2,5 and 4:9); husband and boys – boys husband (1:3 and 1:5); goes and return – return and goes (1:8a and 1:12); kiss and cry – cry and kiss (1:9 and 1:14); Shadday and YHWH – YHWH and Shadday (1:20-21a and 1:21b); These things also show us that the book of Ruth has a rhythmic prose; only in 1:16-17 we can see a poetic form of Ruth.

Isaiah 44:9-20

Reading Report Form : Soares-Probhu, George M. “Laughing at Idols: The Dark Side of Biblical Monotheism (an Indian Reading of Isaiah 44:9-20),” in eds. By Fernando F. Segovia and Mary Ann Tolbert, Reading from this Place: Social Location and Biblical Interpretation in Global Perspective, vol. 2. Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1995, 109-131

Isaiah 44:9-20 can not be separated from chapter 43:22-44:23. This part of second Isaiah is composed of Yahweh speeches. It’s form like a dialogue between Yahweh and narator. The dialogue is about idol-makers and closed with final hymnic call to praise. This dialogue also contains  accusastions that Israel has directly worship others god rather than worship Yahweh.God recounts his service to Israel, including forgiveness of Israel’s sins (v.25). The purpose of the speech is to prepare the way for the offer of grace that is to follow.[1]  Isaiah 44:9-20 is considered an imitation of legal setting, called a taunting song even a satire against the idols. Like a piece of drama, is provides a kind of comic interlude as two character ridicule those who make and worship idols. The idolators are ridiculed. Not the idol but the worshipers are the object of laughter. They are emptiness, who see nothing and know nothing. They are shamed, less than human (v. 11), a mind decieved.[2] In second Isaiah we can read that If Yahweh is the only God, then the idols of the nations must profit nothing. Idols are nothing because Yahweh is the only God. It reveals second Isaiah’s exclusive monotheism : Yahweh is a truly God, the only God beside whom there is no other.

Psalm 79

Preface

Today in Indonesia, church closing incidents recently are increasing. Those incidents happen parallelly with the increasing number of moslem fundamental and radical movements in Indonesia, specially for this last decade. The number of crime hates also increasing. Some people just can except any differences any more and forget about diversities that Indonesia has as a nation. Specially with this moslem fundamental and radical groups, they just can except Christian as a part of this nation. They just do not like Christian, even they just do not like other moslem groups which have differences ideologies with them.

One of the church closing incidents happened in our church at Dayeuhkolot, about 30 minutes from Bandung, the capitol city for West Java province and at Cisewu – Garut, about 3 hour from Bandung. In short they just came to our church and questioning about permit letter for having worship activities in church building. They did not want to hear any explaination that we gave specially about the permit letter according to one on Indonesia’s law (number 8 and 9 year 2006 which regulate the permission to build any religious building; but moslem fundamental groups only intrepret that law to any religions except moslem).

The moslem fundamental movement in Bandung (called AGAP / BAP) not only forbid all worship activities held in the church, they also seal the church after they ruin and ravage church’s furnitures (in the other congregation of GKP or Pasundan Christian Church, the moslem fundamental group also burnt church’s building with everything inside it, like bibles, furnitures, pulpit, hymn books etc).

When all these incidents happened and took a place among our church members’ life, they felt very afraid, frustrated, felt hopeless and in the same time, angry. They had a question about why this incident happened. Was God angry with them? Did they do anything wrong so God just let all the incidents happened in their life? They had a traumatic experiences after saw how the moslem fundamental group ruin and ravage their church building brutally and also threatened their life.

Mixed Blessing for Animals

Olley, John. Mixed Blessing for Animals: The Contras of Genesis 9, in  Norman C. Habel and Shirley Wurst (eds.), The Earth Story in Genesis, England : Sheffield Academic Press, 2000, p. 130-139

Introduction

When we read flood story, we read about animals in their richness of their variety are included in the occupant of the ark. We can say that this plentiful diversity of animals is seen as good and is to be maintained. It was emphasized by the repeated “kol or all” in Genesis 8:17, 19 (seven times).Yet the first reference to animal in Genesis 9 is to “the fear and dread” of Noah and his descendants (9:2). So we can see there is difference between Genesis 8 and Genesis 9. In Genesis 8 we can see there is comprehensiveness between humans and animals, while in Genesis 9 the sole beneficiary is humankind. The question is does animals only simply become as human food supply and ruthlessly treated by humans? And also a question about does animals and humans seem to have accountability?

When we read Genesis 9 we get surprising information. The first covenant involves not only Noah but also every living creature. (9:10. 12, 15, 16, 17). It simply described as between God and “the earth” (Gen. 9:13). Next question is how can we understand this chapter - this juxtaposition between humankind and every living creature? Meanwhile, in the other hand, people still hard to except that animals can be recognized as “covenant partners with Yahwe”.

Psalm 104

Praising God as Creator with Psalm 104:

Reading Psalm 104 for Church Ecological Ministry [1]

Rev. T. Adama A. Sihite[2]

Introduction

The word ‘psalm’ and ‘psalter’ are from the Latin ‘psalmi’ and ‘psalterium’ which are derived from the Greek psalmoi and psaltẽrion. Apparently this translation translates the Hebrew word ‘mizmor’ which is usually taken to mean “a religious song accompanied by stringed instrument(s)’[3] In the Hebrew Bible the title of the Book of Psalms is sẽper t^ehilίm or the book of praise although not all psalms are praises. This term is a fitting name for the Psalter as whole because the theme of praise and thanksgiving recurs again and again.[4] The Hebrew Bible is divided into three parts: the Law, the Prophets and the Writings. The Book of Psalms belongs to the Writing.[5]

According to German scholar, H. Gunkel, there are five types of psalms: hymns (Heb. t^ehillά. Psalm 8, 19a, 29, 33, 46-48, 65, 66a, 76, 84, 87, 93, 95-100, 103-104, 11, 113-114, 117, 122, 134-136 and 145-150), communal laments (Psalms 60, 80, 126), royal psalms (Psalms 2, 18, 20, 45, 110, 110), individual laments (Psalms 3-7, 22, 25-28, 51, 54-57, 139-143) and individual thanksgiving (Psalms 30, 32, 34, 41, 116 and 138).[6]  And in addition to these five major types, Gunkel also recognized the existence of a number of other types. These include the communal thanksgiving (Psalm 124), the wisdom psalms (Psalms 1, 112), the pilgrimage psalms (Psalms 37, 49), and liturgies (Psalms 75, 85).[7]

We can divide all the psalms into five books (Psalm 1-41, 42-72, 73-89, 90-106, and 107-150) and each of those books concludes with a doxology, a liturgical formula of praise to God (Psalm 41:13, 72:18-19, 89:52, 106:48, and 150).[8]

Form / Structure / Setting

One of the types of psalm is hymns or the psalm of praise. Actually almost all the hymns are in the last third of the Psalter. They are post-exilic (but not Psalm 104), while many of other psalms (though not all) in the first two-thirds of the Psalter are pre-exilic.[9] These psalms are called as hymns or psalms of praise because they relate to Yahweh’s greatness and goodness as manifested on two main ideas: God’s creation of the