Index/Table of Contents
Old Testament and New Testament  
Credits and Copyright

POETRY AND WISDOM LITERATURE

LECTURE 27

PSALMS

Students will be able to

1. explain the origin and primary use of the Psalms.

2. identify the types of Psalms in the Psalter.

CONTENT OF LECTURE

The Origin of Psalms:

The question of authorship of the 150 Psalms is one that is very perplexing. It would be good to assign authorship to each psalm but none of them indicate an author in the verses. The absence of authorship may indicate the writers did not consider their writings to be Scripture.

All but thirty­four of the Psalms bears some type of title, but by no means should these titles indicate authorship. The LXX adds David's name to fifteen Psalms so designated in Hebrew. In addition to the 73 attributed to David, twelve are connected with Asaph, twelve with the sons of Korah, two with Solomon, one with Ethan, and one with Moses. However the titles are not based on biblical text, but on ancient tradition.

The name Psalms was first used by the translators of the Septuagint. The Codex Vaticanus gives the book the title Psalms with the subtitle The Book of Psalms.

The Greek word psalmos is a translation of the Hebrew word mizmor. Both words mean to pluck as in pruning a vine or in playing a stringed instrument. Therefore, a psalm was a song sung to the accompaniment of a stringed instrument. The title of the book in most Hebrew manuscripts is not mismorim (Psalms) but, Tehillim (praises). The word is derived from the same root as Hallelujah and is quite appropriate for some of the psalms, especially those which begin with the word 'Hallelujah'. (Ralph L. Smith, Israel's Period of Progress, 100).

The biblical psalms are without exception religious or cultic poetry. Some were created during a national crisis or personal crisis.

The 150 psalms are only a small portion of the psalms written by the Israelites, but in the Book of Psalms are those which proved most useful in the worship of the individual and congregation across the decades of Israel's existence.

Dating Of Psalms:

A precise dating of the Psalms is impossible. Those who put the Psalter together endeavored to provide a hymnbook for their own generation to meet their needs in times of stress and difficulty.

Few Psalms are either pre­exilic or wholly postexilic. Some Psalms may contain elements varying in date by more than a thousand years. Some scholars drink the majority of the Psalms originate in Maccabean times. However, the trend today is toward earlier dates. The phrase, "The Hymn and Prayer Book of the Second Temple", may still be applied to the over­all collection because of the final editing after the exile. Yet much of the Psalter is pre­exilic, with some elements originally pre­Davidic. This recognition of early and late material makes the book of Psalms even more valuable as a record of the entire history of Israel's response to God as His Chosen People (The Open Bible, NASB, Introduction to Psalms, 502).

The Background.

It is more appropriate to speak of the Psalm's literary background than their historical background. Actually, the Psalms can be broken down into three general categories: Praise, Lament, and Wisdom. Other smaller categories are also included. Most psalms fit neatly into one category. However, Psalm 22 is the exception ­- Verses 1­21 are a lament and Verses 22­31 are praise verses.

Both the praise and the lament psalms have typical characteristics that make them easily identifiable. For instance, the lament Psalms generally contain a vocative in the first line (e.g., O Lord; cf. PPS 3­7), and congregational praise psalms almost always start with an imperative (e.g. Sing to the Lord; cf. PPS. 96, 98). (Andrew S. Hill & John H. Walton, A Survey of the Old Testament, 276).

Each category of Psalms follows a fairly consistent format.

Lament psalms usually include:

complaint,

petition, and

confession of trust

while praise psalms are either

descriptive (extoling God for who He is) or

declarative (praising a person or thanking God for answered prayer).

TYPES OF PSALMS

1. Psalms of Praise

The largest single category of psalms is the hymns and Psalms of praise. These are offered either directly or indirectly to God. Seventy­four of the 150 psalms are considered as belonging to the praise psalms. They are poems which praise God, directly or indirectly.

Twenty­six refer to God's nature, attributes and deeds:

8, 19, 24,29, 33, 65, 68, 100, 103, 104, 105, 111, 113, 114, 115, 117, 134, 135, 136, 139, 145, 146, 147, 148, 149, 150.

Twelve Psalms of praise relate to thanksgiving:

30, 32, 34, 41, 66, 67, 92, 107, 116, 118, 124, 138.

Six Psalms are hymns of praise of Zion as the pilgrimage place of the presence of God:

46, 48, 76, 84, 87, 122.

Six hymns praise God as universal and eternal king:

47, 93, 96, 97, 98, 99

Four Psalms present praise to counteract lamentation:

9/10, 57, 77, 108.

Eleven psalms infer the presence of God, as a part of a lesson about man on the basis of what God is:

15, 36, 50, 75, 78, 81, 82, 95, 121, 125, 129.

 II. Laments

Prayers of lamentation amid stress and difficulty comprise the second largest category of Psalms. Of the 150 Psalms, 56 are laments, and the majority are individual prayers of lamentation. These laments stem from contexts of spiritual, mental, physical, and material suffering. They begin with a cry for hearing and a plea for deliverance. It closes with confident faith in God and praise to Him.

There are thirty­nine individual laments:

3, 5, 6, 7, 13, 17, 22, 25, 26, 28, 31, 35, 38, 39, 40, 42/43, 51, 52, 54, 55, 56, 59, 61, 63, 64, 69, 70, 71, 86, 88, 94, 102, 109, 120, 130,140,141,142,143.

The community laments are cries from the congregation over some catastrophe affecting the community as a whole:

12, 14, 44, 53, 58, 60, 74, 79, 80, 83, 85, 90, 106, 123, 126, 137.

III. Royal Psalms

These are Psalms which bear a direct relation to the rule in Jerusalem of David and his dynasty. They celebrate various aspects of the continuance of Davidic rule. The royal Psalms are relatively few:

2, 18, 20, 21, 45, 72, 89, 101, 110, 132, 144

IV. Wisdom Psalms

A few of the chronological Psalms are the clear contribution of the wise men of the temple academy, the sages of Israel who nurtured and propagated the traditional theology of Israel in an effort to discover the right way of life. The style of the wise men is apparent in many psalms, but these are plainly their own:

1, 37, 49, 73, 112, 119, 127, 128, 133

(This category is taken from John I. Durham, The Broadman Bible Commentary, "Psalms," pp. 165­167.)

 

OUTLINE OF PSALMS

I. Psalms of Praise

Psalms: 8, 19,24,29, 33, 65,68, 100, 103­5, 111, 113­5, 117, 134­6, 139, 145­150

II. Laments

Psalms: 3, 5­7, 13, 17, 22, 25, 26, 28, 31, 35, 38-40, 42­3, 51­2, 54­6, 59, 61, 63-4, 69, 70­1, 86, 88,94,102, 109, 120, 130, 140­143

III. Royal Psalms

Psalms: 2, 18, 20­1, 45, 72, 89, 101, 110, 132, 144

IV. Wisdom Psalms

Psalms: 1, 37, 49, 73, 112, 127, 128, 133

ASSIGNMENT

1. Read and interpret one psalm from each of the categories presented in class.

2. Read from text on "Proverbs," Hill and Walton, pages 286­292.

 

Discussion Questions:

#1. During what time period were the Psalms written?

#2. Give examples of Christ's use of the Psalms in his ministry.

#3. From Psalm 15, what are some characteristics of the one who may dwell in God's sanctuary?

 

Discussion Questions:

#1. What is the significance of the psalm types for interpreting the Book of Psalms?

#2. Suppose you are pulled over and ticketed for driving 60 m.p.h. in a 55 m.p.h. zone while everyone else was going 70­75 m.p.h. Reflect on your response in relation to the lament psalms.

 

Teacher's Notes:

The book of Psalms is the single most representative book in the entire old Testament In it are mirrored the basic theological convictions of the people who produced the old Testament . . ."Blessed is the man," are the words with which the Psalter opens; 'Praise the Lord! are the words with which it closes. These seven words are an appropriate parenthesis for the movement from man to God, a movement stimulated by the unchanging love of God, and one which the book of Psalms depicts with unsurpassed realism and eloquence. (John 1. Durham, "Psalms," The Broadman Bible Commentary, 153)
Teacher's Notes:

Five dominant themes recognized in Psalms:

1. Realization of God's Presence

2. Recognition of a need for Thanksgiving

3. Personal Communion with God

4. Remembrance of God's part in history

5. Sense of deliverance from enemies

Like many other portions of the Old Testament, the Psalms are written in poetic form. They are characterized by a correspondence in thought between lines (known as parallelism) and an abundance of literary figures. The use of poetic imagery gives the Psalms a concreteness and vividness which engages the imagination, moves the emotions, and allows the reader to sympathize more easily and even empathize with the psalmists. Because of the emotional and personal qualities of these ancient prayers and hymns, one can readily apply them to his own experiences and appreciate more personally and fully the relevance of the theological truths they affirm (Roy B. Zuck ea., A Biblical Theology of the Old Testament, 258).

 

Teacher's Notes:

Andrew E. Hill and John H. Walton in A Survey of the Old Testament, present the following as an outline of Psalms:

I. Introduction (1­2)

II. Divides Conflict with Saul (3-41)

III Divides Kingship (42­72)

IV. The Assyrian Crisis (73­89)

V. Introspection About The Destruction of the Temple and Exile (90­106)

VI. Praise and Reflection on the Return and the New Era (107­145)

VII. Concluding Praise(146­150)

RESOURCES

 

Credits and Copyright This online text book is provided by the Division of Student Ministry of the Baptist General Convention of Texas, 333 N. Washington Dallas, Texas 75246-1798 214.828.5100 Use the text to meet your academic needs. If you copy any part of this online text, please give credit to the Division of Student Ministry of the Baptist General Convention of Texas. Any donations which you give will be used in the Division of Student Ministry Summer Missions Programs.

Credits and Copyright This online text book is provided by the Division of Student Ministry of the Baptist General Convention of Texas, 333 N. Washington Dallas, Texas 75246-1798 214.828.5100 Use the text to meet your academic needs. If you copy any part of this online text, please give credit to the Division of Student Ministry of the Baptist General Convention of Texas. Any donations which you give will be used in the Division of Student Ministry Summer Missions Programs.