“Seek Peace And Pursue It” (Ps 34:15): A Call to Beleaguered Members of a Community

Abstract

Psalm 34 contains a call to promote peace in a context where peace is threatened by damaging speech. This paper seeks to define the social setting that could explain such a call. Its thesis is that the psalm is addressed to Jews who are beleaguered by others speaking deceit. It is an attempt to convince them not to be seduced by Hellenistic culture and not to be misled by deceitful discourses of those who discard their traditions in favour of Hellenistic beliefs and lifestyles.