Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

Alicia Suskin Ostriker’s poem "Psalm" offers a strikingly raw and candid reimagining of the traditional biblical psalm, transforming what is typically an expression of devotion or lamentation into a declaration of defiance and woundedness. The poem speaks to the complexities of faith, especially in the face of suffering, and explores the strained relationship between the speaker and the divine. Through its sparse, direct language and emotional intensity, "Psalm" challenges the reader to consider the darker, more difficult aspects of spiritual life.

The opening lines, "I am not lyric any more / I will not play the harp / for your pleasure," immediately establish the speaker’s rejection of conventional worship. The speaker, who may have once engaged in lyrical expressions of faith, now refuses to participate in the traditional acts of praising God. The harp, often a symbol of divine worship in the biblical Psalms, becomes a tool of resistance here. By refusing to "play the harp," the speaker turns away from the role of a dutiful worshiper, rejecting the idea that their expressions of faith should serve to please a deity who has caused them pain.

The poem continues with the lines, "I will not make a joyful / noise to you, neither / will I lament." Here, the speaker renounces both joyful praise and sorrowful lamentation, two fundamental forms of religious expression. The rejection of lamentation is particularly poignant, as it acknowledges that God might derive a certain satisfaction from human suffering: "for I know you drink / lamentation, too, / like wine." This metaphor portrays God as consuming human sorrow, perhaps with a disturbing sense of relish. It suggests that lamentation, traditionally seen as a way to seek comfort or intervention, might instead feed a divine appetite for human misery, further deepening the speaker’s sense of betrayal.

In the lines that follow, "so I dully repeat / you hurt me / I hate you," the speaker expresses their pain and anger in the simplest, most direct terms. The use of "dully" suggests a sense of exhaustion or resignation, as if these words have been spoken many times before, losing their sharpness but not their truth. The repetition of "you hurt me" emphasizes the depth of the speaker’s wounds, while "I hate you" represents a stark and powerful rejection of the divine. This hatred is not born of petty anger but of profound disappointment and injury, marking a rupture in the relationship between the speaker and God.

The poem’s tone of defiance reaches its peak with the lines, "I pull my eyes away from the hills / I will not kill for you / I will never love you again." The act of pulling one’s eyes away from the hills, a possible reference to Psalm 121 ("I lift up my eyes to the hills—where does my help come from?"), symbolizes a refusal to seek divine help or guidance. The declaration "I will not kill for you" can be interpreted as a rejection of any divine command that might require violence or sacrifice, further asserting the speaker’s autonomy and moral stance against what they perceive as divine injustice. The finality of "I will never love you again" conveys the speaker’s profound disillusionment and the decision to sever the emotional and spiritual bond with the divine.

Yet, the poem ends with a conditional statement that introduces a subtle complexity: "unless you ask me." This closing line hints at the possibility of reconciliation, suggesting that despite the speaker’s anger and rejection, there remains a sliver of openness to divine intervention—if God were to make the first move. The speaker’s conditional willingness to return to love implies a deep-seated desire for acknowledgment, understanding, or perhaps an apology from the divine. It reveals that the speaker’s defiance is not absolute but is contingent on a response from God that recognizes the speaker’s pain.

"Psalm" is a profound exploration of the darker aspects of faith and the complicated emotions that can arise in a relationship with the divine. Through its direct and unembellished language, Ostriker captures the rawness of spiritual disillusionment and the struggle to reconcile faith with personal suffering. The poem challenges traditional notions of worship and devotion, offering instead a portrayal of a believer who is unafraid to confront God with their pain and anger. In its final lines, "Psalm" leaves the door open for the possibility of healing and renewal, but only if the divine acknowledges the depth of the speaker’s wounds and reaches out to mend the broken relationship.

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