The Psalms: The Hymnbook of Israel

Introduction

This Sunday we are beginning a sermon series in the book of Psalms. We will be considering a variety of different Psalms from different genres scattered across the book. This blog post will serve as a general introduction to our study. I hope you enjoy our journey through the Psalms as much as I do!

The Psalms are one of the most cherished parts of the Bible by many folks. There is something transcendent about the Psalms that makes Christians treat them a little differently from the rest of the Old Testament. In fact it is not unusual to see New Testament only editions of the Bible include the Psalms. Many of the Psalms are very existential and are not only easy to apply to our lives, but easy to see ourselves in them too. However, if we want to get the most out of the Psalms we need to do two things: read the Psalms in their ancient context and see Christ in them.

I’ve found Bonhoeffer’s writings on the Psalms helpful because he focuses on the question, “How is it possible that you and I and Jesus Christ can pray the Psalms at the same time?” Bonhoeffer said, “In the Psalms, the Son of God who became man, and who carried all the weakness of the human race in his own flesh, pours out the heart of all humanity before God, stands in our place, and prays for us. He has known torment, pain, guilt and death deeper than we have…. It is really our prayer, but since he knows us better than we know ourselves, and since the things he accomplished for us he accomplished as a man, it’s also really his prayer, and it can only become our prayer because it is ultimately his prayer.” So Bonhoeffer concludes with this question: “Who prays the Psalms, then?” He says that David prays them, Jesus Christ prays them, and you and I pray them.

Who Wrote the Psalms?

This depends a bit on what you mean. There are two issues involved: the authors of individual Psalms and the editor that finally arranged them, put them together as a book, and probably added a few bits and pieces here and there.

In terms of the individual authors many Psalms have titles that ascribe them to certain people. However, there is a problem with the preposition used in the Hebrew titles for these Psalms. It could mean “to, for, or of.” So, a Psalm for David? Or a Psalm of David? Anyway, the vast majority of the Psalms with titles are ascribed to David. Other authors mentioned include: Asaph (a worship leader during David’s time), the sons of Korah (worship leaders during the 2^nd temple period), Solomon, Moses (Ps. 90), Heman and Eithan the Ezrahites (88-89), etc. Other Psalms have no inscription at all.

In terms of an editor, the book is historically attributed to David, but that must have referred to some early subset of what finally comes to be in our Bible, because there are some Psalms that are clearly set after David lived, for example the post-exilic Ps. 126. Therefore the final form must have come to be during the 2^nd Temple.

The Structure of the Psalter

The Psalms are organized into five books. This break down is generally modeled after the Torah, the five books of Moses.¹ Each of the Books ends with an editorial doxology (Ps. 41:13; 72:18-20; 89:52; 106:48; and 150). Prominent themes and content of the Books have prompted scholars to associate each book with certain periods of Israelite History. However this editorial arrangement of perspective tells us little if anything about the original provenance or authorship of individual Psalms.²

Book I – Ps. 1-41

This book focuses largely on kingship with mostly personal Psalms. This book seems focused on the Monarchic period from David to the destruction of the First Temple by the Babylonians. (ca. 1000-586 BC)

Book II – Ps 42-72, Book III – Ps. 73-89

Books II and III speak from the perspective of the Babylonian exile. The themes expressed are of national oppression mixed with hope and anticipation of restoration and covenant blessing. (ca. 586-520 BC)

Book IV – Ps. 90-106, Book V – 107-150

Books IV and V speak from the post-exilic, Second Temple perspective. The themes of this book include corporate worship, the development of liturgy, and the pilgrimages of diaspora Jews returning to Jerusalem for festivals. (ca. 520-200? BC)

Notes:

Psalm 1 (and perhaps 2) serves as a literary introduction to the entire book.

Psalm 150 serves as the conclusion of the Psalms.

There are several distinct collections of Psalms:

1. Psalms 3-42 are all ascribed to David (except 10 & 33 which are connected to 9 & 32). 51-65 and 138-145 are also ascribed to David. There are also groups of Psalms ascribed to the sons of Korah (42, 44–49, 84–85, 87) and Asaph (73-83)
2. Psalms 113-118 make up the Egyptian Hallel, also known as the Cantata of Salvation. By the 2^nd Temple period these Psalms formed part of the liturgy of the Passover Feast.
3. Psalms 120-134 make up the Psalms of Ascent. These Psalms were sung by pilgrims making their way to Jerusalem for Festivals. (No matter where you are coming from, you are always going up to Jerusalem!)
4. Psalms 145-150 make up the Pesukei dezimra, or “hymnal of verses,” which are part of Jewish prayers of Rabbinic Judaism. Ps. 145 is the last of the last of the Davidic Psalms and begins the praise. 146-150 are Halleluja Psalms and they each begin and end with “Praise the LORD.”

Select Bibliography

Books

Berlin, Adele., and L. V. Knorina. The Dynamics of Biblical Parallelism. Rev. and expanded ed. ed. Grand Rapids, Mich. Dearborn, Mich.: William B. Eerdmans Pub. Dove Booksellers, 2008.

Bullock, C. Hassell. An Introduction to the Old Testament Poetic Books. Rev. and expanded. ed. Chicago: Moody Press, 1988.

Collins, John Joseph. Introduction to the Hebrew Bible. Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press, 2004.

Fee, Gordon D., and Robert L. Hubbard. The Eerdmans Companion to the Bible. Grand Rapids, Mich. ; Cambridge, U.K.: W.B. Eerdmans Pub. Co., 2011.

Hallo, William W. & K. Lawson Younger, The Context of Scripture, 3 Vols., Leiden, The Netherlands, 2003.

Hill, Andrew E., and John H. Walton. A Survey of the Old Testament. 3rd ed. ed. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Zondervan Publishing House, 2009.

Longman, Tremper. How to Read the Psalms. Downers Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity Press, 1988.

Poythress, Vern. The Shadow of Christ in The Law of Moses. Brentwood, TN: Wolgemuth & Hyatt, 1991.

Robertson, O. Palmer. The Christ of the Covenants. Phillipsburg, NJ: Presbyterian & Reformed Publishing, 1980.

Commentaries

Allen, Leslie C. Psalms 101-150, Revised. Vol. 21, Word Biblical Commentary. Nashville: T. Nelson, 2002.

Beale, G. K., and D. A. Carson. Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament. Grand Rapids, Mich. Nottingham, England: Baker Academic Apollos, 2007.

Carson, D. A. New Bible Commentary : 21st Century Edition. 4th ed. ed. Leicester, England ; Downers Grove, Ill., USA: Inter-Varsity Press, 1994.

Craigie, Peter C. Psalms 1-50. Vol. 19, Word Biblical Commentary. Nashville: T. Nelson, 1983.

Metzger, Bruce M., Ed. Word Biblical Commentary, 56 vols. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers.

Sarna, Nahum M., Ed. The JPS Torah Commentary, 5 vols. NewYork: The Jewish Publication Society, 1989-96.

Tate, Mavin E. Psalms 51-100. Vol. 20, Word Biblical Commentary. Nashville: T. Nelson, 1990.

Terrien, Samuel L. The Psalms: Strophic Structure and Theological Commentary. The Eerdmans Critical Commentary, Grand Rapids, Mich.: William B. Eerdmans Pub., 2003.

Walton, John H., Victor H. Matthews, & Mark W. Chavalas. The IVP Bible Background Commentary, Old Testament. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2000.

Dictionaries

Bromiley, Geoffrey W., Ed. International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, 2^nd Ed. 4 vols. Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans, 1995.

Collins, John Joseph, and Daniel C. Harlow. The Eerdmans Dictionary of Early Judaism. Grand Rapids, Mich.: William B. Eerdmans, 2010.

Freedman, David Noel, Ed. The Anchor Yale Bible Dictionary, 6 vols. New Haven, CT: Yale University, 1992.

Wood, D. R. W., Ed. The New Bible Dictionary, 3^rd Ed. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1996.