Post by Lawrence Francis Ligocki, MA, OblSB

This study examines the divergent interpretations of Psalm 9:20 found in both ancient Christian exegesis and modern biblical scholarship. The verse presents a notable textual variation: the Masoretic Text reads, “Put them in fear, O LORD,” while the Septuagint/Vulgate tradition renders it, “Appoint, O Lord, a lawgiver over them.” Patristic commentators offer sharply contrasting readings of this “lawgiver.” Saint Augustine identifies the figure with the Antichrist, drawing on 2 Thessalonians 2:3–4, whereas Theodoret of Cyrus interprets the lawgiver as Christ Himself, the One who perfects the Law in the Sermon on the Mount and restores humanity to its true dignity. Modern commentators who follow the Hebrew text—such as Willem A. VanGemeren, Artur Weiser, Peter C. Craigie, and James E. Smith—shift the focus from a personal “lawgiver” to the revelatory function of divine judgment. For them, the “terror” invoked by the Psalmist is pedagogical rather than punitive, intended to awaken the nations to their human frailty and dependence on God. Together, these interpretations illuminate the theological richness of Psalm 9:20, revealing how differing textual traditions generate distinct yet complementary visions of divine authority, human humility, and the purpose of God’s judgment.