The victory over Sisera is an occasion for rejoicing and that joy is captured in the Song of Deborah found in Judges 5. The song heaps praise upon the faithful of Israel and the Divine Warrior who have defeated their enemy and brought some security to the land. For those historians out there, this might be the oldest and earliest texts of the bible.
The song opens with a possible reference to Nazirites found in the description of "locks", referring to long hair of those dedicated to God. The appearance of the Lord comes, and possibly shifts the battle with a deluge of water and earthquake. Israel senses that God is fighting for them.
The song provides a chronology, after Shamgar and before Jael the situation was tenuous in Israel but then things greatly prospered because of Deborah's activity. All, rich and poor are called to rejoice and celebrate. The list of those tribes who responded to the call of Barak are then listed, noticeably absent are Judah and Simeon. Evidently the southernmost tribes did not participate. Finally the song ends with by extolling Jael, a humble "tent-dwelling woman" who empowered by God, destroys a mighty general.
Of note, this song is a statement against the unjust societies that the Canaanite city-states represented as opposed to the more egalitarian family based system of the Israelites. While it is not quite a statement against cities, it is a condemnation of the negative forces at work within them.
Because of Deborah, Jael and Barak, Israel has forty years of peace. In other words, a generation passes, but unfortunately the familiar cycle is about to revisit Israel.
Oops, there it is! "The Israelites did what was evil in the sight of the Lord," Judges 6 tells us, so we know that oppression by Canaanites cannot be far behind. But it is worse than usual, it would seem the oppressions are getting worse. The Midianites have oppressed Israel, and part of this oppression is the fact that every season the Midianites come and take the spoils of the land that Israel has worked hard to produce. Israel flees to the hills to live in caves and hideouts. Year after year this continues, finally Israel cries out to God, who hearing the cry, sends a prophet to remind Israel of what they were supposed to do, as well as what they did.
God sends an angel to Gideon to arouse the people of Israel and throw off the oppression of Midian. Gideon however has concerns and his response is not immediate. Again we are seeing the slow decay of a relationship between God and Israel, even the judges are slow to respond. After Gideon tests the angel, he truly hears the voice of God and follows God's instructions. He destroys the altar of Baal, but does it at night since he fears the people will interfere if he tries to do it during the day.
Initially the people want to kill Gideon but Gideon's father steps in and says "Let Baal come and contend with him." I guess since it was Gideon's father's to begin with, this argument wins the day.bAs the armies of Midian and its allies gather, word spreads among several of the tribes of Israel to gather and take up arms. Gideon, still has some reservations, and once again he tests God with the fleece. That the fleece was dry in the morning but the ground around it was wet, is a sign that Israel will prevail.
Psalm 40-41
The 40th Psalm is a Psalm of thanksgiving that opens the way for a prayer for help. It opens with a hymn of thanks for help that came from Lord. This experience of remembering this past time as well as other instances where God has listened and acted on behalf of the psalmist is the foundation for the thanksgiving.
Because of these acts of deliverance and salvation, the author does not provide sacrificial offerings, instead, the psalmist proclaims these acts with his or her mouth and proclaims the goodness of God. The Word of God is contained in the author's heart. The psalmist is a witness to the community.
The Psalm now shifts into a new plea for help. Based upon previous experience, the psalmist is bold enough to seek the deliverance of God. While evil is about him or her, it would also seem that the psalmists own behavior has lead him or her into trouble. For those who threaten the psalmist, for those who want to see him or her hurt, the psalmist seeks God's relief to put the to shame.
The 41st Psalm is set up as an address before a community in which the virtues of helping others is established as God's way. This address then leads to a plea for help from God.
After establishing that God assists the sick and those in need, the psalmist then seeks such assistance. The sickness that has afflicted the psalmist must be rather dire, and the psalmist assumes that he or she must have greatly sinned for such an illness to come over them. Those around the psalmist assume he or she will die, even their closest friends.
Yet, God's sends healing and the psalmist recovers, leading to a closing hymn.
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