The Polemical Nature of God’s Word

Recently I have had discussions with one man who has taken serious issues with the view that sees Psalms 29 and 83 as being Baal-like hymns originally used to worship Baal but utilized by David to worship Yahweh. Today, the same thing is being done with Christian hip hop and praise worship and even the classic hymnal songs have been adaptations of other songs or tunes originally used in hedonistic ways. In many ways such adaptations are like Moses giving God his wooden staff used to help him walk but once it left Moses’ hands and into God’s hands, it became an instrument of redemption.

The problem that some people have with the view that sees Psalms 29 and 83 as having a Baal background is probably based off of unrecognizing the polemical nature of God’s word. If one understands the polemical posture of Biblical narrative and poetry on matters of creation, then one would understand the use of a Canaanite hymn originally intended to worship Baal but used instead to worship Yahweh by those under God’s divine inspiration. If it be said that scripture bears God’s character, then surely we can see the mocking nature of Psalm 29. God has revealed to us through His word that He is a God of humor, a sarcastic God who loves to mock Israel’s surrounding mythological world.

In addition to Psalm 29, there is Psalm 33, Genesis 1:1-2:4 and Isaiah 40-48, among others, which gives lots of attention to creation. The Bible’s redundant attention to the theme of God being the sustainer of creation is intentional due to Israel’s surrounding neighbors and their cosmological obsessions. For God to be presented as the only true sustainer of the cosmos was both a mockery and a magnet for nations to repent and turn to the true and living God. Hence, it is no surprise that God utilized creation in judging Egypt ( Exodus)

Again, if one recognizes the polemical nature of God’s word, Israel’s surrounding cultures, and God’s will for all nations to repent and turn to Him, then people would not make speaking against the view that Psalm 29 and 83 are Baal-like hymns used to worship the true God of the cosmos their battle cry.