Psalms (T&T Clark Study Guides)

by John Day

Publisher:

T&T Clark

, 1999

Overview

In this highly competent analysis of the Psalms, John Day begins by introducing the most common types of Psalms. He then examines Psalms of lament, praise and thanksgiving, confidence, wisdom and torah Psalms, historical Psalms, entrance Liturgies, pilgrimage Psalms, the Autumn Festival, and the Royal Psalms. Day then discusses the composition of the Psalter, and finishes up by scrutinizing the theology of the Psalms and the history of their interpretation by the Jews and in the Christian church.

Contents

• 1. Introduction
• 2. Psalms of Lament
• 3. Psalms of Praise and Thanksgiving
• 4. Psalms of Confidence, Wisdom and Torah Psalms, Historical Psalms, Entrance Liturgies, and Pilgrimage Psalms
• 5. The Autumn Festival
• 6. The Royal Psalms
• 7. The Composition of the Psalter
• 8. The Theology of the Psalms and the History of their Interpretation by the Jews and in the Christian Church

Top Highlights

“Royal psalms. These are psalms centring on the king, whom Gunkel understood to be the pre-exilic Israelite monarch.” (Page 12)

“The psalms were composed to be sung to music, as the very word psalm (Heb. mizmôr) indicates.” (Page 16)

“The psalms are littered with cultic allusions, which only make sense if they were used in public worship in the temple in Jerusalem. For example, references to the temple include Pss. 23:6; 26:8; 27:4; 63:2; 96:6 and 122:1, and Psalms 24; 68; 118 and 132 make allusion to cultic processions, while similarly Ps. 48:12 alludes to the perambulation around the walls of Mt Zion. References to sacrifices of various kinds are found, e.g. sacrifices generally (Pss. 4:5; 27:6), burnt offerings (Ps. 20:3), a covenant sacrifice (Ps. 50:5), and a freewill offering (54:6). Mention is also made of dancing (Pss. 30:11; 87:7; 149:3; 150:4), singing (Pss. 9:11; 30:4; 33:2; 47:6–7), and various kinds of musical instrument (Pss. 33:2; 47:5; 81:2; 98:6; 150:5).” (Page 15)

“As a book of cultic songs the Psalter has sometimes been referred to in the past as ‘the hymn book of the second temple’, i.e. of the post-exilic period. This is fair enough, provided that we remember that a considerable part of it was also the ‘hymn book’ of the first temple, i.e. of the pre-exilic period.” (Page 16)

“most would now recognize that there are in fact a large number of both pre-and post-exilic psalms.” (Page 16)

Product Details

• Title: T&T Clark Study Guides: Psalms
• Author: John Day
• Publisher: T&T Clark
• Publication Date: 1999
• Pages: 147

About John Day

John Day is an English Old Testament scholar. He is Professor of Old Testament Studies in the Faculty of Theology at the University of Oxford. He is the editor of In search of pre-exilic Israel and wrote God’s Conflict with the Dragon and the Sea. He is also Fellow, Tutor in Theology, and Dean of Degrees at Lady Margaret Hall.