Psalms not in the Psalter
The 10 songs: Song 10
These are the 10 songs of Judaism. Among them, two are found in the Psalter, and one is the Song of Solomon or Song of Songs, which I plan to delve into separately. It’s also important to note that the last song, the Song of the Messiah, according to Jewish custom, has never been sung, as it is reserved for when the Messiah is present.
This is the last of an occasional series. Except I have deliberately skipped the Song of Songs, which will have its own short series of posts, coming soon.
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First, the history lesson.
Isaiah became a prophet after seeing a vision when King Uzziah died. The next king, Jotham, was good, but his son Ahaz was not. During Ahaz’s reign, the Assyrians attacked and took Zebulun and Naphtali, making it part of the Assyrian-controlled Galilee.
But there will be no gloom for her who was in anguish. In the former time he brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the latter time he has made glorious the way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations.
2 The people who walked in darkness
Isaiah 9:2-7
have seen a great light;
those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness,
on them has light shined.
3 You have multiplied the nation;
you have increased its joy;
they rejoice before you
as with joy at the harvest,
as they are glad when they divide the spoil.
4 For the yoke of his burden,
and the staff for his shoulder,
the rod of his oppressor,
you have broken as on the day of Midian.
5 For every boot of the tramping warrior in battle tumult
and every garment rolled in blood
will be burned as fuel for the fire.
6 For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given;
and the government shall be upon his shoulder,
and his name shall be called
Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
7 Of the increase of his government and of peace
there will be no end,
on the throne of David and over his kingdom,
to establish it and to uphold it
with justice and with righteousness
from this time forth and for evermore.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.
13 And leaving Nazareth he went and lived in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, 14 so that what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled:
15 “The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali,
Matthew 4:13-16
the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles—
16 the people dwelling in darkness
have seen a great light,
and for those dwelling in the region and shadow of death,
on them a light has dawned.”
The immediate context of Isaiah’s poem unfolds in Assyrian-occupied Galilee, a truly difficult time for those enduring the weight of an oppressive foreign rule. In Isaiah chapters 7 to 9, the hope of a child being born shines through, offering a flicker of light in the darkness. Historically, this child represents Hezekiah, the future king of Judah, a symbol of resilience and a promise of better days to come for a weary people.
However, these powerful words point to a brighter future; they encapsulate a messianic poem celebrating the coming of the Messiah, a joyous song destined to be sung when the Messiah graces the earth. To quote a Rabbi, “It will be sung during the times of Mashiach or the Messiah, after Mashiach appears on Earth,” heralding a time of hope and renewal for all.
Now is the time to sing it.
The song has a simple psalm structure, that of a chiasm. Chiasm, meaning crossing over, is a form used in nearly all Psalms and is a repetition of similar ideas in the reverse sequence. It goes like this:
A Narrative intro: “Yahweh” brings judgment and deliverance (v. 1)
B Poetic description of increased joy; “multiplied” (rabah, vv. 2-3)
C Reason 1: Oppression broken; “his shoulders” (shikmo, v. 4)
X Reason 2: Weapons destroyed (v. 5)
C’ Reason 3: A child has been born; “his shoulders” (shikmo, v. 6)
B’ Poetic description of the reign; “grow continually” (rabah, v. 7a)
A’ Narrative conclusion: Yahweh will do this (v. 7b)
In the reign of Hezekiah, the Assyrians, who were busy trying to give Jerusalem a hard time, suddenly decided to pack up and leave Judah and Israel because, believe it or not, their own homeland was now the one getting the royal treatment from Babylon! Talk about bad timing for a siege!
Matthew quotes it to give this prophecy its fulfilment in Jesus, setting up the centre of his ministry in this area, still under foreign control, but now by the Romans. The Messiah is here.
Handel, in his oratorio The Messiah, set these words to music in two songs. The Messiah is here.
These words from Isaiah are used as the Old Testament readings in the lectionary for Christmas Eve, not because the reading is related to the Nativity of Christ, it isn’t. But it does make the statement The Messiah is here. (Messiah and Christ mean the same thing: God’s Anointed.)
The arrival of the Messiah is not just a historical fact. After His death and resurrection, Jesus ascended back to Heaven, yet this does not imply that He is distant from us. At Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit was poured out, Heaven and Earth beautifully merged, creating a lasting connection that reminds us we are never alone in our journey.
The Messiah is here. Now!
We have something to celebrate.
The 10 songs:
Making an ass of myself 