Texts in Conversation
Romans draws from Psalm 94 to argue that God has not abandoned Israel despite their unfaithfulness. The psalm affirms that God does not forget the people who belong to him, a theme Paul adapts to address the perception of Israel’s rejection in the Roman community.
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Psalm 94:14
Hebrew Bible
12 How blessed is the one whom you instruct, O Lord, the one whom you teach from your law 13 in order to protect him from times of trouble, until the wicked are destroyed. 14 Certainly the Lord does not forsake his people; he does not abandon the nation that belongs to him. 15 For justice will prevail, and all the morally upright will be vindicated. 16 Who will rise up to defend me against the wicked? Who will stand up for me against the evildoers?
Date: 6th-3rd Centuries B.C.E. (based on scholarly estimates)
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Romans 11:3
New Testament
1 So I ask, God has not rejected his people, has he? Absolutely not! For I too am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, from the tribe of Benjamin. 2 God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew! Do you not know what the scripture says about Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel? 3 “Lord, they have killed your prophets; they have demolished your altars; I alone am left, and they are seeking my life!” 4 But what was the divine response to him? “I have kept for myself 7,000 people who have not bent the knee to Baal.” 5 So in the same way at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace.
Date: 55-58 C.E. (based on scholarly estimates)
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Notes and References
"... Paul wrestles with the problem of Israel’s unfaithfulness. Had God rejected his people (Romans 11:2)? Paul’s answer was based on the experience of Elijah: Romans 11:4: “But what is God's reply to him (Elijah)? ‘I have kept for myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal’”. In this case, Paul used the historical narrative, but his answer is buttressed by Psalm 94:14: “For the Lord will not reject his people; he will never forsake his inheritance”. Israel’s unbelief had been foreseen and the consequences would be retribution. In Romans 11:9-10, Paul establishes this from Psalm 69. As Paul develops his argument, he quotes Isaiah 59:20-21 in Romans 11:26-27. This echoes David’s conclusion to Psalm 14, which Paul used earlier in the epistle: “Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion! When the Lord restores his people, let Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad!” (Psalm 14:7). Paul concludes his consideration of God’s dealings with Israel in a doxology in language reminiscent of Psalm 77 ..."
Gibb, Ian
Paul and the Psalms: Paul's Hermeneutic and Worldview
(pp. 176-177) University of Glasgow, 2017
* The use of references are not endorsements of their contents. Please read the entirety of the provided reference(s) to understand the author's full intentions regarding the use of these texts.
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