THE SERPENT IN PSALM 74:12-15
Psalm 74:12-15 refers to the exodus and the serpent motif
that we are tracing. Within the psalm, verses 12-15 seem to demonstrate that
the Lord has previously defeated those enemies who “revile [his] name forever”
(v. 10). The psalmist desires for the Lord to once again destroy his foes (v.
11). The psalmist then proves that the Lord is capable of defeating his enemies
because from old, God, who is king (v. 12; cf. Exod 15:18), divided the sea by
his might (Ps 74:13a). When this happened, he “broke the heads of the sea
monsters on the waters” (שִׁבַּ֖רְתָּ רָאשֵׁ֥י תַ֜נִּינִ֗ים עַל־הַמָּֽיִם; v.
13b) and “crushed the heads of Leviathan” (v. 14a). The text apparently refers
to the broken heads of the sea monsters in order to allude to God’s victory
over Egypt at the exodus. In this way, the psalmist reveals that he understands
Egypt as the collective seed of the serpent.
Intriguingly, v. 15a mentions that God “split open
springs and brooks” (בקעת מעין ונחל). This is an allusion to Gen 7:11b, which
reads, “On that day all the fountains of the great deep burst forth” (נבקעו כל-מעינת).
John Goldingay also sees here an allusion to Noah’s flood: “Spring likewise
recalls Gen. 1-11 (7:11; 8:2), while ‘rivers’ can be a term for the Red Sea
(Ps. 66:6). Once more, then, these parallel cola speak of Yhwh’s action in
terms that could recall both creation and the Red Sea. On both occasions Yhwh
parted waters so dry land would appear.” (Goldingay, Psalms: Psalms 42-89,
432). This helps confirm our previous interpretation of the exodus because we saw
it in allusions back to Noah’s flood. IN Ps 74:12-14, God crushes the head of
Egypt, the collective seed of the serpent, who is an “enemy” reviling against
the Lord and his people (vv. 8-10). Psalm 74 likens the Lord’s judgment against
Egypt, the collective seed of the serpent, to his judgment against the wicked
world during Noah’s time, the collective seed of the serpent. (Brian A.
Verrett, The Serpent in Samuel: A Messianic Motif [Eugene, Oreg.:
Resource Publications, 2020], 35-36)
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