At a Distance from God’s Terrific Power? Potentials for Distancing in Ps 139

Abstract

The image of God in Psalm 139 is highly ambivalent: a God who comes (too) close to those who pray. The potential for misusing this image of God in pastoral work, liturgy, and religious education (as criticized by Tilmann Moser and Doris Reisinger) necessitates a sensitive approach to Psalm 139. Exegesis can contribute to this sensitivity by highlighting not only the potential for identification but also the potential for distancing that biblical texts like Psalm 139 offer. The possibility of distancing oneself preserves the aesthetic freedom of the reader. This short exegetical study will examine two specific opportunities for distancing: the psalm’s heading and Job’s stance toward the image of God in Psalm 139. For the latter, the strong intertextual references between Psalm 139 and the Book of Job will be evaluated.