§ 8. THEOLOGY

These few verses, about one long Biblical chapter, are mostly secondary and imitative, largely a cento of phrases from the Old Testament. They illustrate, however, some of the features of Jewish theology about the beginning of the Christian Era. Thus the unique deity of one God is set forth in verse 22 and at length in the appeal of the Song to all things animate and inanimate to praise God. Yet this one God is still specially the Champion of Israel against their enemies, verse 21. It is possible that the ‘worshippers’ of verses 10, 68 are proselytes, or, at any rate, include Gentiles.

In verses 5, 6, 14 the misfortunes of Israel are explained by their sins, whereas in Psalm 44, commonly regarded as Maccabean, the Jews protest that they are innocent martyrs, persecuted for loyalty to their God. But the sins confessed here are probably those of the nation in the past. Azariah says for himself and those for whom he speaks, ‘But in a contrite heart and a humble spirit let us be accepted … now we follow thee with all our heart, we fear thee and seek thy face,’ verses 16–18.

Further, in verses 16, 17 we have the idea that penitence is an acceptable sacrifice, cf. Psalm 51:8