“He Shall Not Be Put to Shame”: Honor-and-Shame Culture as the Overlooked Context of Psalm 127

Abstract

When interpreting Ps 127, scholars have sometimes overlooked the context of the cultural values that structure society. The use of the language of shame in verse 5cd, however, calls for an investigation of this psalm from the perspective of honor-and-shame culture in ancient Mediterranean societies. I aim, therefore, to investigate this psalm by taking verse 5cd as the starting point for reading the psalm using a cultural-anthropological approach. I argue that verse 5cd is a social interaction in the context of honor and shame between the father, the man depicted in verses 3–5b, and his enemies, known as the wicked in other psalms. The concept of patronage in such a cultural context brings to light a patron–client relationship between God and the father. Such a relationship is the reason why the father will not be put to shame by his enemies in the gate. It also clarifies the unity and connection of verses 1–2 and 3–5. This psalm is a response to social struggles between the righteous and the wicked.