Gordon College Students Hear Rabbinic Perspectives on the Psalms

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It wasn’t the presence of a usual student, professor, or otherwise Christian speaker during convocation at Gordon College on Friday, September 11 and Friday, September 18. Instead, Jewish scholars and Rabbi’s, Dr. Jon D. Levenson and Baruch HaLevi spoke in a series that explored the psalms from Jewish perspectives.

HaLevi, who received his doctoral degree in Ministry at Oxford University, explored Psalm 145 in convocation on Friday, September 11^th. “As you read through the psalms, open yourselves up. All meaningful encounters occur in the dark where he [David] struggles,” said HaLevi. “‘God open my mouth so I can speak to you from the dark, constricting places in my life’. God is the rope to guide us through dark and narrow places.”

Levenson, a professor of Jewish Studies at Harvard University, offered the audience an explanation of Psalm 137; the controversial psalm that speaks of dashing infants against rocks. Levenson explained that this curse is not directed at babies but instead at the city of Edom which is portrayed as a woman.

Dr. Marvin R. Wilson, a professor of biblical and theological studies, said the objective of the series is to take a look at favorite psalms as well as some of the unknown psalms.

“I had never been to an event where a rabbi spoke. I have been learning a lot about Jewish history in my Old Testament class so it’s nice to hear their [Jewish] beliefs,” said Krysti Leach, a sophomore at Gordon College.