Psalms

• Authorship
• • The difficulty in attempting to determine the authorship of psalms partially derives from the translation of the superscriptions in the psalms (e.g., 22, 23, 51, 90,127)
  • • What is typically translated as "a psalm of" can be translated as "a psalm for," "a psalm to," or "a psalm concerning" - such superscriptions may mean a psalm is in honor of someone or part of a particular collection
    • The intention probably is to name the author although at this late date it is almost impossible to prove authorship objectively
  • Authors given in superscriptions
  • • David - 73 psalms attributed to him - far more than anyone else
    • Asaph (73-79, 81-83)
    • Sons of Korah (84, 85, 87, 88)
    • Moses (90)
    • Solomon (127)
    • 34 psalms are not attributed to any author
  • Some argue that so many psalms were attributed to David because tradition maintained he was skilled on the lyre (1 Sam. 16:18, Amos 6:5) and because he did so much for the cult of Israel (2 Sam. 6, 7; 1 Chron. 13-29)
• Title of the Book
• • Hebrew title is "Tehillim" or praises
  • English title derives from the Greek word psalmoi meaning "songs of praise"
• Texts Other than the Hebrew Text
• • Qumran Scrolls (Dead Sea Scrolls) - Psalms Scroll from Cave 11 contains all or parts of 41 psalms found in the Book of Psalms, 2 Sam. 23:1-7, four psalms not found in the Hebrew Bible, and four other non-biblical works
  • Septuagint adds a Psalm 151 which David wrote to celebrate his victory over Goliath - also merges Pss. 9 and 10 into one psalm and Pss. 114 and 115 into one psalm and splits both Pss. 116 and 147 into two psalms each
• Historical Situation
• • Superscriptions of many psalms purport to give information concerning when the psalm was written or when it was to be used
  • • Some psalms are linked to specific events in David's life (e.g., 18, 51, 56)
    • Some psalms are linked to a particular festival (e.g., 30), a particular service (e.g., 100), or a particular day of the week (e.g., 48, 81, 92, 93, 94) - a few even supply musical information (e.g., 8, 12, 56, 57)
  • Although it is difficult to prove that the historical information, in particular, is correct, what is perhaps more important is the fact that the psalms transcend any one historical situation - the modern reader discovers the psalms are not confined to the past
• Influence From Israel's Neighbors
• • When Israel moved into the land of Canaan, it moved into a context which already possessed an ancient, well-developed religious tradition and literature
  • Israel rejected the basic theology of its neighbors but borrowed many of their forms and often the content of their songs
• Date
• • General considerations
  • • At one time the tendency was to set the composition of almost all of the psalms after the exile
    • At present the tendency is to claim that many of the psalms were written before the exile and were used in Solomon's Temple
  • In any event the psalms were composed over a long period of time, gradually formed into a collection and then into the present book
• Composition
• • Of the psalms
  • • Some were liturgies used in the cult
    • • Making an offering (e.g., 66)
      • Processions (e.g., 48, 132)
      • Entrance into the Temple (e.g., 15, 24)
    • "Songs of Ascents" or "Pilgrimage Psalms" seem to have been written for pilgrims to sing as they "went up" to Jerusalem for one of the festivals (120-134)
    • Community Laments would have been written for and used in times of national emergency such as military conflict, drought, or famine (e.g., 44, 60)
    • Individual Laments similarly would have come from personal crises and would have been used going through similar circumstances (e.g., 4, 5, 6, 7, 22)
  • Of the book
  • • Probably based on the Davidic collection found in Pss. 3-41
    • Other collections (e.g., the Elohistic Psalter [42-83]) were added to this nucleus
    • Divided into 5 books (1-41, 42-72, 73-89, 90-106, 107-150) possibly to parallel the five divisions of the Torah or Pentateuch - the Talmud says "Moses gave Israel the five books, and David gave Israel the five books of the Psalms"
    • Psalms 1 and 2 serve as an introduction to the collection and Psalm 150 as a concluding doxology
• Types of Psalms
• • Lament
  • Song of Thanksgiving
  • Hymn
  • Song of Trust
  • Royal
  • Song of Zion
  • Wisdom
  • Torah
• Some Theological Themes
• • God
  • • Characteristics
    • • Powerful - on both international (e.g., 2:1-11, 29:3-4) and personal (e.g., 7:1) levels
      • Everywhere (e.g., 139:7-12)
      • Creator (e.g., 24:1-2, 33:6-9, 94:4-5, 104:5-26)
      • Cares about people (e.g., 8:3-8, 23:1-6)
      • Loving (e.g., 30:4-5, 33:22, 36:5)
      • Forgiving (e.g., 32:1-2)
      • Righteous (e.g., 11:7, 36:6)
      • Faithful (e.g., 25:10, 105:8-11, 145:13)
      • Glorious (e.g., 24:7-10, 29:1-2, 76:4, 96:7-8)
      • Enthroned forever (e.g., 9:7, 33:11-12, 46:9-10, 74:12, 93:1-2, 96:10)
      • To be praised (e.g., 8:1, 9:1-2, 33:1, 98:1-9, 100:1-5, 103:1-22, 117:1-2, 150:1-6)
      • Stronghold (e.g., 9:9, 18:1-2, 27:1, 31:3, 32:7, 46:1, 62:6, 71:3)
      • Distant (e.g., 10:1, 42:6-7, 44:9-16, 74:1, 109:1)
      • Terrible (e.g., 76:7)
    • Actions
    • • Has acted in the past (e.g., 22:4-5, 44:1, 78:5-72, 107:1-43, 133:8-12, 136:1-26)
      • Will act (e.g., 12:5-6, 85:10-13, 91:3-4)
      • Punishes nations (e.g., 60:1-3, 81:12) and individuals (e.g., 88:6-7, 94:12)
      • Saves His people (e.g., 116:8-9, 121:5-8, 147:2-3)
      • Nourishes earth (e.g., 65:9-13, 68:7-10, 104:27-30, 111:5)
      • Demands pure worship (e.g., 50:9-15, 51:17)
  • Call to faith
  • • Must follow God's way (e.g., 1:1-3, 15:1-5, 18:20-24, 25:4-5, 34:11-14, 86:11)
    • Must desire to follow God (e.g., 42:1-3)
    • Must trust (e.g., 31:14, 37:5-7, 71:5, 130:5-8)
    • Even in times of difficulty (e.g., 3:1-6, 116:10-11)
    • Righteous life is best and brings blessing (e.g., 1:3, 92:12-14, 128:1)
  • Creation declares God's glory (e.g., 19:1-4)
  • God's law is perfect (e.g., 19:7-10)
  • God's care for His king (e.g., 2:7-9, 18:50, 21:1-7, 72:1-19, 89:19-37, 110:1-7) and His city Jerusalem (e.g., 87:1-7, 122:1-9)
  • Life is complex
  • • Difficulties of life
    • • National disasters (e.g., 137:1-9)
      • Enemies (e.g., 18:4-5, 22:16-18, 55:2-3, 140:9)
      • Sin (e.g., 38:18, 41:4, 51:1-5)
      • Brevity of life (e.g., 39:5, 90:5-6, 144:4)
      • Confusing because sometimes religious beliefs do not seem to work in life (e.g., the wicked seem to prosper - 10:3-11, 73:3-9)
    • Must plead to God for help (e.g., 57:1, 59:1-5, 69:1, 70:1, 71:9)
    • God preserves His people (e.g., 18:6-19)
• Some Final Thoughts
• • Book of Psalms was Israel's hymnbook and prayerbook - in this collection Israel expressed its feelings and faith in the midst of life
  • According to Israel, God was involved in life and suffering and was always there to listen no matter how He was approached
  • The psalms provide models for the people of God to use in expressing their faith in the midst of life

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