Clasificaciones de gerencia de operaciones

GROUP II

GROUP 1

God’s

Inaction Innocence False _Accus­ Enemies Prienc

ation Sickness Pear of Guilt

Death (3) (13) 22

(

26)

(28)

(

26

)

(35) (38) (51) (55) [59] 6l [63] [63] [71] [71] (71) 102A 109 139 140 141 142 143 102A 102A 102A 139 (143)

1. Lamentation over the Activities of "enemies"

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It is clear from this table that the dominant motif of these lament­

ations (except in the case of Job) is the activities of the "enemies".

Besides the name "enemies" they are also termed "persecutors"j"adversaries"» "slanderers"» "attackers", etc..^^^^ The nominal phrase ?VyB

("workers of evil"), on which Mowinckel sets so much store as a character-

i

Istic of the enemy group as a #iole, only occurs five times. While it may be admitted that pN may mean "manipulators of magical power"» i.e.,

sorcerers, there is no need to regard all enemy activity, particularly in respect of the "sickness" laments, as Involving spells and black magic, Besides this it is important to realise, as Westermann points out, that in

123') no case is the sickness ever ascribed to enemy activity.

The activities of the enemies are wide ranging and many images are used to describe their plans and deeds against the faithful Israelites praying these prayers.

Images of wax* are very common (Pss 3.7; 27»3; 55,19; 56.2; 62.4; 109.3; 120.7; 140.3, 8; Jer. 20.17) and so too are the weapons of war _in the

enemies' hands (Pss. 7.13f; 37.14; 57.5; 59.8; 64.4; 120.4).

The enemy is often described as a hunter who uses nets» pits and traps in order to ensnare his victims (Pss 7.16; 9.16; 31.5; 35.7f; 57.7; 140.6; 141.6f; Jer. 18.22).

Another image used to picture the enemies is that of the brigand who with cunning and stealth lies in wait for his victims and plunders both

their life and wealth (Pss 10.3, 8ff; 35.10ff; 37.12; 56.7; 59.4; cf. ^

Lam. 3.52). |

J

j

4

56.

Other places speak of the enemies as uw'WTFa^e vho fill the Psalmist with ckead (Pss 7.3; 10.9; 17.12; 22.13f, 17; 27.2; (35.21); Of. Job

29.17).

Besides these images there are many, straightforward descriptions of the enemies’ activities. Their twisted ways» malicious thoughts and evil and sneering words are bemoaned (Pss 25.19; 27.12; 31.12; 35.15ff; 38.12f; 41.10; 55.4f; 69.8; 88,9, 19; Jer. 11.19; 12.6; 18.23; 20.18; Job 11.13-19). In some prayers their injurious words and ideas are quoted (Pss 3.3; 22.9; 35.21; 25; 4o.l6; 4l.6»9; 42.4»11; 64.6f; 71.11; Jer. 11.19; 17.5; 18.18; 20.10). These malicious words are directed not only against the pious but also against God himself (Pss 5.11; 10.4, 5» 13; 17.13; 28.5; 64.6ff).

When these acts and words of the enemies are considered it is soon realised that there is a very real difference between them and the activities of the enemies in the truly national laments. In the latter the calamity has already happened and the enemies are regarded as having

caused it.^^^) in the personal "I" laments» however» the enemies are spoken of as either planning or threatening to act (Pss 7.3; 27.2; 64.5; 140,5; 17.11; 31.14; 37.14» 32; 62.5) or uttering calumnies against the

one praying (Pss 42.11; 69.10; 102.9; 22.8; 35.16; 39-9) or rejoicing over 1

his misfortune (13.4; 22.18; 35.19, 21» 24ff, 39.17). These last references

obviously look back to an already existing sorrow which has occasioned the derision* But it is never said that this occasion was caused by the enemies.

Alongside these laments over the actions and words of the enemies,

which are to be found in practically all the Psalms and the laments of Jeremiah, stand statements about the behaviour of relatives and friends

of the one lamenting. This group of people are described as having failed the Psalmist in his time of need and Instead of standing by him reject and despise him (Pss 27.10; 31.12; 38.12; 41.10; 55.13f; Jer. 12*6; 20.10; Job 19.13-19; cf. Ps 41,7; 55.22). Only Psalm 88 identifies the enemies

with the Psalmist’s friends (vss 9 and 19). 2. Lamentation over the Activity of God

The aoGuaations levelled against God are of two kinds: a) The first is very much akin to the charges levelled in the Communal Lamentations - God has forsaken the petitioner and caused the calamity lamented (Pss

13.2; 22.2; 38.3; 39.11; 88.6ff, 15ff; 102.11). He is accused of being

deceitful (Jer. 15.8; 20.7)&of acting arbitrarily and unjustly (Jer. 12.Iff,;

Job 7.l7ff; 9.16-24; 16.6-17; 21.7-26). b) God is accused of not acting

to alleviate the suffering. This is primarily through the use of the negative petition which is quite a feature of these lamentations in

contrast to the national laments, e.g.

"Hide not your face from me.

Turn not your servant away in anger..,."

Cast me not off, forsake me not." (Ps 27.9)^^^^

Thus the harshness of the direct accusation is lessened. That the negative petition occurs in the Individual Lamentation far more frequently than in the Communal Lamentation is undoubted but whether this fact can be used in evidence for the development of the lament in ancient Israel, as Westermann does, is another matter. The negative petition and the fact that the direct accusation and the rhetorical question "Why?" and "How long?" are less frequent in the Individual Lamentations suggests to

Westermann that the Communal preceded the Individual Lamentation in %

I

59.

Israel’s cultic history - a suggestion that is diametrically opposite to Mowinckel’s view.^^^^ Unfortunately Westermann fails to take account of the other fact which arises out of the evidence that in both Job and Jeremiah, whose laments are patterned on the cultic model exhibited in

137)

the Psalms, God is addressed in the most outrageous fashion. This suggests that simple developmental schemes are inappropriate in dealing

with the biblical evidence. ,| 3. lamentations over Personal Suffering

The pevQonat situations of those praying these personal "I" laments in the Old Testament is difficult to determine except when, as in the

case of Job and Jeremiah, the context supplies the details of the situation in which a lament may be offered. One result of this difficulty has been the uncertainty of scholars about the original settings of these Psalms of

1

In document Gerencia de Operaciones y Atención al Cliente Transportista en el Peaje Monterrico de la Empresa LAMSAC, Santiago de Surco 2016 (página 47-50)