Fairytales and Our Happily Ever After
Rafa Oliveira ‘24
When I took a Principles of Biblical Interpretation class in college, I discovered Psalm 88 for the first time. The professor used it to illustrate an example of what he called a parallelism of extension. Each verse carried on the theme of grief showcased in the poem, reflecting the verse that had come before it. One of the many reasons I liked reading fairy tales as a kid was because I admired how heroes overcame what stood against them, like dragons, dark bogs, hordes of mercenaries, or a binding spell. All their own versions, perhaps, of Psalm 88. But what I loved most was that their struggle, their battles, were never in vain. They persevered, endured, and won. The knight rescues the princess, Bilbo and Sam are reunited with their friends, and the Pevensies are crowned kings and queens of Narnia. Fairy tales always get me thinking. They often vividly illustrate our struggles, and, for Christians, our eventual eternal victory.
One of my favorite passages in Scripture comes out of Psalm 42, where the refrain reads:
“Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God” (v.5).
This is what my professor would call a parallelism of contrast, since the verses before it were also all about grief. However, what I like about this verse is that the Psalmist says “I shall again praise him.” I don’t think this is a spontaneous moment of happiness, but rather a quiet knowledge that he almost can’t bear his burden, but he knew he would make it to the other side. After all, who hopes for what he already has? (Rom. 8:24-26) I could be wrong, but I’m not sure this verse is exactly a happy moment in the Psalm. It is, however, a moment of unfurling hope, courage, and belief made possible through grace and faith.
I’m not sure the knight knew he’d rescue the princess, or if the Pevensies ever dreamed of becoming Narnian royalty. Sam and Frodo thought they’d never return to the Shire. But we Christians know that our battles are not for naught, that we’re assured that one day, all our tears will be wiped from our eyes, and our Creator will sing over us in a land where, as Samwise Gamgee said, everything sad will become untrue. I take a lot of comfort from those happily ever afters, because He who has overcome the world, has promised us one, and He has promised to carry us there (Isa. 46:4).