Rendering David a Servant in Psalm of Solomon 17.21

Abstract

In the quest for Second Temple messianic traditions, Psalm of Solomon 17 serves as an indispensable touchstone. Within the psalm, v. 21 is of particular importance since it introduces the messianic ‘son of David’ for the first time in extant Second Temple literature. Given the importance of this psalm in general and of 17.21 in particular, it is therefore surprising that a translation option for 17.21 has gone unexplored in the last four centuries of scholarship. Through careful examination of external and internal evidence, in addition to the manuscript tradition, this article argues that David's son, rather than Israel, is the Lord's ‘servant’ in Ps. Sol. 17.21, a rendering that is bolstered by and adds to the psalm's position as the Second Temple witness to Davidic messianism par excellence.