Priests Wearing Righteousness in Ps. 132:9

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Introduction

The Hebrew text of Psalm 132:9 reads as follows:[1]

כֹּהֲנֶ֥יךָ יִלְבְּשׁוּ־צֶ֑דֶק
וַחֲסִידֶ֥יךָ יְרַנֵּֽנוּ׃

The ESV is representative of most modern translations: Let your priests be clothed with righteousness (ESV, cf. KJV, NRSV, NEB, REB, LUT, ELB, EÜ, ZÜR, TOB, NBS, NVS78P, BDS, NFC, S21, RVR95, NVI, DHH94I, BTX4). In the ESV, as in most modern translations, it is unclear what the word 'righteousness' means in this context. Does it refer to a moral quality which the priests are supposed to adopt? Or does it refer to some saving activity of YHWH? Other translations reflect disagreement at this point. For example,

  • May your priests do always what is right (GNT, cf. NLT, NET, HFA, NGÜ).
  • Let victory be like robes for the priests (CEV, cf. JPS85, NJB, PDV2017).

Argument Maps

'Righteousness' as a moral quality of the priests (preferred)

Some scholars argue that 'righteousness' in v. 9 refers to a moral quality which the priests are called to adopt. The GNT, for example, says, "May your priests always do what is right" (cf. NLT, CEV, NET, HFA, NGÜ). 


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[Priest's righteousness]: 'Righteousness' refers to a moral quality which the priests are supposed to adopt.
 + <Similar imagery in Isaiah>: “In Isa 11:5 a comparable clothing metaphor describes the peaceful, messianic regime. Isaiah 61:10 illustrates the divine gift of a just order of society on Zion as a clothing with righteousness (cf. Isa 59:17 and Job 29:14). This is therefore about the clothing of the priests with a socially relevant duty that can be thought of as administration of justice and beneficial leadership” (Hossfeld, 'König David' 225, cited in Zenger 2011:463 :C:; cf. Barbiero 2013:247 :A:).
  + [Isa. 11:5]: "Righteousness (צֶדֶק) will be his belt and faithfulness the sash around his waist" (Isa. 11:5, NIV).
  + [Isa. 61:10]: "I will greatly rejoice in the Lord; my soul shall exult in my God, for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation (יֶשַׁע); he has covered me with the robe of righteousness (מְעִיל צְדָקָה), as a bridegroom decks himself like a priest with a beautiful headdress, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels" (Isa. 61:10, ESV).
 + <MORAL CONCEPT is CLOTHES>: There is a conceptual metaphor in Biblical Hebrew MORAL CONCEPT is CLOTHES, in which "the corresponding feature — 'ability to be worn' — is transferred to the moral concept" (Veremchuk 2022:186-187 :A:).
  + [MORAL CONCEPT is CLOTHES]: "I put on righteousness as my clothing; justice was my robe and my turban" (Job 29:14, NIV, cf. Isa. 59:17; Prov. 31:25; Ps. 73:6; cf. Eph. 4:22-24).
 + <Priests as teachers/judges>: Righteousness is an essential moral quality for the priests in particular, "because they are the teachers of Torah and the judges of Israel" (Ibn Ezra :C:).


Argument Mapn0Priest's righteousness'Righteousness' refers to a moral quality which the priests are supposed to adopt.n1Isa. 11:5"Righteousness (צֶדֶק) will be his belt and faithfulness the sash around his waist" (Isa. 11:5, NIV).n4Similar imagery in Isaiah“In Isa 11:5 a comparable clothing metaphor describes the peaceful, messianic regime. Isaiah 61:10 illustrates the divine gift of a just order of society on Zion as a clothing with righteousness (cf. Isa 59:17 and Job 29:14). This is therefore about the clothing of the priests with a socially relevant duty that can be thought of as administration of justice and beneficial leadership” (Hossfeld, 'König David' 225, cited in Zenger 2011:463 🄲; cf. Barbiero 2013:247 🄰).n1->n4n2Isa. 61:10"I will greatly rejoice in the Lord; my soul shall exult in my God, for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation (יֶשַׁע); he has covered me with the robe of righteousness (מְעִיל צְדָקָה), as a bridegroom decks himself like a priest with a beautiful headdress, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels" (Isa. 61:10, ESV).n2->n4n3MORAL CONCEPT is CLOTHES"I put on righteousness as my clothing; justice was my robe and my turban" (Job 29:14, NIV, cf. Isa. 59:17; Prov. 31:25; Ps. 73:6; cf. Eph. 4:22-24).n5MORAL CONCEPT is CLOTHESThere is a conceptual metaphor in Biblical Hebrew MORAL CONCEPT is CLOTHES, in which "the corresponding feature — 'ability to be worn' — is transferred to the moral concept" (Veremchuk 2022:186-187 🄰).n3->n5n4->n0n5->n0n6Priests as teachers/judgesRighteousness is an essential moral quality for the priests in particular, "because they are the teachers of Torah and the judges of Israel" (Ibn Ezra 🄲).n6->n0


'Righteousness' as a saving act of YHWH

Other scholars argue that 'righteousness' in v. 9 is something that the priests passively experience. It refers to YHWH's righteousness by which he rescues his people. The CEV translates it as 'victory' and the NJB as 'saving triumph.' The PDV2017 is the clearest in this regard: "Que la force de ton salut couvre tes prêtres comme d’un vêtement." 


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[YHWH's (saving) righteousness]: 'Righteousness' refers to the saving activity of YHWH which the priests experience (HALOT 'clothed in well-being' :L:; Calvin :C:). #dispreferred
 + <Distant parallelism (v. 16)>: Verse 9 is parallel with v. 16, and in v. 16 the priests are clothed in YHWH's 'salvation' (cf. Calvin :C:; Gunkel 1926 :C:). #dispreferred
  + [v. 16]: וְֽ֭כֹהֲנֶיהָ אַלְבִּ֣ישׁ יֶ֑שַׁע וַ֝חֲסִידֶ֗יהָ רַנֵּ֥ן יְרַנֵּֽנוּ׃ #dispreferred
   <_ <Differences and development>: There are important differences between the two verses. "In v. 9, it is a command (jussive) and related to v. 8 and the ark procession to Yahweh's resting place; in v. 16, it is an affirmation of what will occur as the result of Yahweh's having arrived at his resting place in Zion (v. 14). Thus it appears that there is a difference in meaning here between צֶדֶק and יֶשַׁע. If the priests are clothed in 'righteousness,' Yahweh will clothe them with 'salvation' (Fretheim 1967:293 :A:).
   <_ <Salvation mediated>
 + <'Righteousness' as 'salvation' in Isaiah>: In Isa. 61:10, 'robe of righteousness' is parallel to 'clothes of salvation', and the two phrases are probably synonymous. #dispreferred
  + [Isa. 61:10]: כִּ֤י הִלְבִּישַׁ֙נִי֙ בִּגְדֵי־יֶ֔שַׁע מְעִ֥יל צְדָקָ֖ה יְעָטָ֑נִי #dispreferred
 + <2 Chron. 6:41-42>: 2 Chron. 6:41–42 is very similar to Ps. 132:8–10, except in 2 Chronicles תְשׁוּעָה replaces צֶדֶק (cf. Calvin :C:; Gunkel 1926 :C:). #dispreferred
  + [2 Chron. 6:41-42]: וְעַתָּ֗ה קוּמָ֞ה יְהוָ֤ה אֱלֹהִים֙ לְֽנוּחֶ֔ךָ אַתָּ֖ה וַאֲר֣וֹן עֻזֶּ֑ךָ כֹּהֲנֶ֜יךָ יְהוָ֤ה אֱלֹהִים֙ יִלְבְּשׁ֣וּ תְשׁוּעָ֔ה וַחֲסִידֶ֖יךָ יִשְׂמְח֥וּ בַטּֽוֹב׃ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהִ֔ים אַל־תָּשֵׁ֖ב פְּנֵ֣י מְשִׁיחֶ֑יךָ זָכְרָ֕ה לְחַֽסְדֵ֖י דָּוִ֥יד עַבְדֶּֽךָ׃ #dispreferred
   <_ <Salvation mediated>: 'Salvation' in Ps. 132:16 and 2 Chron. 6:42 is not primarily something that the priests experience, but something that they mediate to the people (cf. HALOT 1801 :L:), and this act of mediation requires that the priests themselves be morally 'righteous.'
    + <Nature of priesthood>: "Perhaps the central concept of priesthood is mediation between the sphere of the divine and the ordinary world" (NIDOTTE :D:; cf. Andrew Malone 2017:9-10 :M:).
    + <Isa. 59:17>: In Isaiah 59, YHWH puts on 'righteousness' and 'a helmet of salvation.' In this context, wearing 'salvation' does not refer to experiencing salvation but to giving it, and 'righteousness' is the moral quality that compels YHWH to give salvation.
     + [Isa. 59:17]: וַיִּלְבַּ֤שׁ צְדָקָה֙ כַּשִּׁרְיָ֔ן וְכ֥וֹבַע יְשׁוּעָ֖ה בְּרֹאשׁ֑וֹ
 + <צֶדֶק as 'salvation'>: The word צֶדֶק can refer to the 'divine righteousness, which manifests itself as salvation' (Ges-18 :L:, cf. HALOT :L:). #dispreferred
  + [צֶדֶק as 'salvation']: E.g., Isa. 45:8; 51:5; Pss. 40:10; 85:11. #dispreferred


Argument Mapn0YHWH's (saving) righteousness'Righteousness' refers to the saving activity of YHWH which the priests experience (HALOT 'clothed in well-being' 🄻; Calvin 🄲). n1v. 16וְֽ֭כֹהֲנֶיהָ אַלְבִּ֣ישׁ יֶ֑שַׁע וַ֝חֲסִידֶ֗יהָ רַנֵּ֥ן יְרַנֵּֽנוּ׃ n6Distant parallelism (v. 16)Verse 9 is parallel with v. 16, and in v. 16 the priests are clothed in YHWH's 'salvation' (cf. Calvin 🄲; Gunkel 1926 🄲). n1->n6n2Isa. 61:10כִּ֤י הִלְבִּישַׁ֙נִי֙ בִּגְדֵי־יֶ֔שַׁע מְעִ֥יל צְדָקָ֖ה יְעָטָ֑נִי n9'Righteousness' as 'salvation' in IsaiahIn Isa. 61:10, 'robe of righteousness' is parallel to 'clothes of salvation', and the two phrases are probably synonymous. n2->n9n32 Chron. 6:41-42וְעַתָּ֗ה קוּמָ֞ה יְהוָ֤ה אֱלֹהִים֙ לְֽנוּחֶ֔ךָ אַתָּ֖ה וַאֲר֣וֹן עֻזֶּ֑ךָ כֹּהֲנֶ֜יךָ יְהוָ֤ה אֱלֹהִים֙ יִלְבְּשׁ֣וּ תְשׁוּעָ֔ה וַחֲסִידֶ֖יךָ יִשְׂמְח֥וּ בַטּֽוֹב׃ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהִ֔ים אַל־תָּשֵׁ֖ב פְּנֵ֣י מְשִׁיחֶ֑יךָ זָכְרָ֕ה לְחַֽסְדֵ֖י דָּוִ֥יד עַבְדֶּֽךָ׃ n102 Chron. 6:41-422 Chron. 6:41–42 is very similar to Ps. 132:8–10, except in 2 Chronicles תְשׁוּעָה replaces צֶדֶק (cf. Calvin 🄲; Gunkel 1926 🄲). n3->n10n4Isa. 59:17וַיִּלְבַּ֤שׁ צְדָקָה֙ כַּשִּׁרְיָ֔ן וְכ֥וֹבַע יְשׁוּעָ֖ה בְּרֹאשׁ֑וֹn12Isa. 59:17In Isaiah 59, YHWH puts on 'righteousness' and 'a helmet of salvation.' In this context, wearing 'salvation' does not refer to experiencing salvation but to giving it, and 'righteousness' is the moral quality that compels YHWH to give salvation.n4->n12n5צֶדֶק as 'salvation'E.g., Isa. 45:8; 51:5; Pss. 40:10; 85:11. n13צֶדֶק as 'salvation'The word צֶדֶק can refer to the 'divine righteousness, which manifests itself as salvation' (Ges-18 🄻, cf. HALOT 🄻). n5->n13n6->n0n7Differences and developmentThere are important differences between the two verses. "In v. 9, it is a command (jussive) and related to v. 8 and the ark procession to Yahweh's resting place; in v. 16, it is an affirmation of what will occur as the result of Yahweh's having arrived at his resting place in Zion (v. 14). Thus it appears that there is a difference in meaning here between צֶדֶק and יֶשַׁע. If the priests are clothed in 'righteousness,' Yahweh will clothe them with 'salvation' (Fretheim 1967:293 🄰).n7->n1n8Salvation mediated'Salvation' in Ps. 132:16 and 2 Chron. 6:42 is not primarily something that the priests experience, but something that they mediate to the people (cf. HALOT 1801 🄻), and this act of mediation requires that the priests themselves be morally 'righteous.'n8->n1n8->n3n9->n0n10->n0n11Nature of priesthood"Perhaps the central concept of priesthood is mediation between the sphere of the divine and the ordinary world" (NIDOTTE 🄳; cf. Andrew Malone 2017:9-10 🄼).n11->n8n12->n8n13->n0


Conclusion (C)

'Righteousness' in Ps. 132:9 probably refers to a moral quality which the priests, as leaders in the community, are called to adopt (cf. GNT, NLT, NET, HFA, NGÜ). The main reason for this conclusion is that, elsewhere in the Hebrew Bible, putting on 'righteousness' as a garment refers to adopting the moral quality of righteousness (cf. Isa. 11:5; 59:17; Job 29:14). On the other hand, the parallels with v. 16 and with 2 Chron. 6:41–42 provide a strong argument for seeing 'righteousness' as a synonym for 'salvation.' But this argument only holds if 'salvation' in these passages refers to something which the priests experience. It is more likely, however, that 'salvation' in these passages refers to something which the priests mediate. Just as YHWH puts on righteousness and salvation in order to rescue his people (Isa. 59:17), so the priests in Ps. 132 perform their duties in righteousness (v. 9) and thereby mediate YHWH's salvation to his people (v. 16). As a result, the people of God flourish and "sing for joy" (vv. 9b, 16b).

Research

Translations

Ancient

  • LXX: οἱ ἱερεῖς σου ἐνδύσονται δικαιοσύνην[2]
    • "Your priests will clothe themselves with righteousness"[3]
  • Jerome (iuxta Hebraeos): sacerdotes tui induantur iustitia[4]
  • Peshitta: ܟܗ̈ܢܝܟ ܢܠܒܫܘܢ ܙܕܝܩܘܬܐ[5]
    • "May your priests be clothed with righteousness"[6]
  • Targum: כהנייך ילבשון לבושין דזכו[7]
    • "Let your priests be clothed with garments of righteousness"[8]

Modern

Ambiguous 'righteousness'

  • Let thy priests be clothed with righteousness (KJV)
  • Let your priests be clothed with righteousness (ESV)
  • Let your priests be clothed with righteousness (NRSV)
  • Let thy priests be clothed in righteousness (NEB)
  • Let your priests be clothed in righteousness (REB)
  • Deine Priester lass sich kleiden mit Gerechtigkeit (LUT)
  • Deine Priester sollen sich bekleiden mit Gerechtigkeit (ELB)
  • Deine Priester sollen sich in Gerechtigkeit kleiden (EÜ)
  • Deine Priester sollen sich in Gerechtigkeit kleiden (ZÜR)
  • Que tes prêtres soient vêtus de justice (TOB)
  • Que tes prêtres soient revêtus de justice (NBS)
  • Que tes sacrificateurs soient revêtus de justice (NVS78P)
  • Que tes prêtres se parent de justice (BDS)
  • Que tes prêtres soient revêtus de justice (NFC)
  • Que tes prêtres aient la justice pour habit (S21)
  • Tus sacerdotes se vistan de justicia (RVR95)
  • Que se revistan de justicia tus sacerdotes (NVI)
  • Que tus sacerdotes se revistan de justicia (DHH94I)
  • Vístanse tus sacerdotes de justicia (BTX4)

God's (saving) 'righteousness'

  • May your priests be clothed with your righteousness (NIV)
  • Your priests are clothed in triumph (JPS85)
  • Let victory be like robes for the priests (CEV)
  • Your priests are robed in saving justice (NJB)
  • Que la force de ton salut couvre tes prêtres comme d’un vêtement (PDV2017)
  • Gib deinen Priestern Vollmacht, uns deinen Beistand zu vermitteln (GNB)

'Righteousness' as moral quality of the priests

  • May your priests be clothed in godliness (NLT)
  • May your priests do always what is right (GNT)
  • May your priests be clothed with integrity (NET)
  • Die Priester sollen dir gerecht und treu dienen (HFA)
  • Deine Priester sollen mit Wort und Tat verkünden, was deinem Willen entspricht. (NGÜ)

Secondary Literature

Barbiero, Gianni. 2013. “Psalm 132: A Prayer of ‘Solomon.’” The Catholic Biblical Quarterly 75 (2): 239–58.
Calvin, John. Commentary on the Book of Psalms. Translated by James Anderson. Grand Rapids: Christian Classics Ethereal Library.
Fretheim, Terence E. 1967. “Psalm 132: A Form-Critical Study.” Journal of Biblical Literature 86 (3): 289–300.
Gunkel, Hermann. 1926. Die Psalmen. 4th ed. Göttinger Handkommentar Zum Alten Testament 2. Göttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht.
Hossfeld, Frank-Lothar, and Erich Zenger. 2011. Psalms 3: A Commentary on Psalms 101-150. Edited by Klaus Baltzer. Translated by Linda M. Maloney. Hermeneia. Minneapolis, MN: Fortress.
Ibn Ezra. Ibn Ezra on Psalms.
Malone, Andrew S. 2017. God’s Mediators: A Biblical Theology of Priesthood. New Studies in Biblical Theology 43. Downers Grove, Illinois: Apollos, InterVarsity Press.
Veremchuk, Eldar. 2022. “Ontological Metaphors for Moral Concepts in the Bible: Introduction.” Acta Neophilologica 55 (1–2): 177–91.

References

132:9

  1. ↑ Hebrew text from OSHB, based on the Leningrad Codex.
  2. ↑ Rahlfs 1931.
  3. ↑ NETS.
  4. ↑ Weber-Gryson 5th edition.
  5. ↑ CAL.
  6. ↑ Taylor 2020:555.
  7. ↑ CAL.
  8. ↑ Stec 2004:227.