Sunday 16 January 2011

Tohu wabohu

It might seem a bit odd, if you know it, but Psalm 107 is one of my favourite psalms. It's the way it combines vivid descriptions in the first part of people released from distress - I am always particularly struck by the description of the sailors tossed about in the storm and coming safe at last into haven - with a wisdom hymn in the second part that has many parallels with other wisdom literature, not least the Magnificat. Reading a commentary on the psalm, I was taken back seven years to my Certificate in Theology and my first exegesis, of Genesis 1:1-3. The commentary stated that 'trackless wastes' in v.40 is a translation (in both the RSV and NRSV) of the Hebrew word tohu,and referenced the phrase tohu wabohu of Genesis 1:2 - 'formless void' or 'primeval Chaos' - marvellous!!

Coincidentally, 'primeval Chaos' is also a good description of the weather over the last 24 hours, of louring skies, and shrieking winds battering diffident rain against the windows.

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