Hebrew Poetry Reading Psalms and Job. Parallelism Robert Lowth (1710- 1787) made the idea of Hebrew...
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Transcript of Hebrew Poetry Reading Psalms and Job. Parallelism Robert Lowth (1710- 1787) made the idea of Hebrew...
ParallelismParallelism Robert Lowth Robert Lowth
(1710-1787) made (1710-1787) made the idea of Hebrew the idea of Hebrew poetic parallelism poetic parallelism popularpopular
Expression of the Expression of the same idea, its same idea, its antithesis, or a antithesis, or a building on it in building on it in different words. different words. Three basic forms.Three basic forms.
Synonymous ParallelismSynonymous Parallelism The heavens are The heavens are
telling the glory of telling the glory of God; and the God; and the firmament proclaims firmament proclaims his handiwork. Ps his handiwork. Ps 19:119:1 A= the heavensA= the heavens
AA11= the firmament= the firmament B= tellingB= telling
BB11=proclaims=proclaims C= glory of GodC= glory of God
CC11= his handiwork= his handiwork
The major idea is The major idea is reiterated in reiterated in synonyms; the synonyms; the previous pattern is previous pattern is the basic one:the basic one:
A B C AA B C A1 1 BB1 1
CC11
Antithetic ParallelismAntithetic Parallelism Those who go out Those who go out
weeping, bearing the weeping, bearing the seed for sowing; shall seed for sowing; shall come home with come home with shouts of joy, carrying shouts of joy, carrying their sheaves. 126:6their sheaves. 126:6
In this case, the In this case, the balance is with balance is with opposite thoughtsopposite thoughts
Go out – coming homeGo out – coming home Weeping – shouts of joyWeeping – shouts of joy Bearing the seed for Bearing the seed for
sowing – carrying their sowing – carrying their sheavessheaves
Another example: The Another example: The wicked borrow and do wicked borrow and do not pay back, but the not pay back, but the righteous are generous righteous are generous and keep giving (37:21)and keep giving (37:21)
Synthetic ParallelismSynthetic Parallelism I am poured out I am poured out
like water, and all like water, and all my bones are out my bones are out of joint; my heart of joint; my heart is like wax; it is is like wax; it is melted within my melted within my breast Ps 22:14breast Ps 22:14
Loosest and most Loosest and most difficult of Lowth’s difficult of Lowth’s categoriescategories
The idea builds – a The idea builds – a synthesis is synthesis is createdcreated
Not the same Not the same words, but the words, but the same idea keeps same idea keeps growing and growing and developingdeveloping
Other Kinds of BalanceOther Kinds of Balance Statement and reasonStatement and reason
Blessed be the Lord!Blessed be the Lord! for he has heard the for he has heard the
voice of my voice of my supplication. (28:6)supplication. (28:6)
Question and Answer; Question and Answer; or answer and or answer and questionquestion For you are the God in For you are the God in
whom I have taken whom I have taken refuge; why have you refuge; why have you cast me off?cast me off?
Abstract to concreteAbstract to concrete Even my bosom friend in Even my bosom friend in
whom I trusted; who ate whom I trusted; who ate of my bread, has lifted the of my bread, has lifted the heel against me. (41:9)heel against me. (41:9)
RepetitionRepetition O Israel, trust in the O Israel, trust in the
Lord! He is their help and Lord! He is their help and their shield. O house of their shield. O house of Aaron, trust in the Lord! Aaron, trust in the Lord! He is their help and their He is their help and their shield. You who fear the shield. You who fear the Lord! He is their help Lord! He is their help and their shield. (115:9-and their shield. (115:9-11)11)
PoetryPoetry
As in many As in many languages, poetry in languages, poetry in Hebrew is figurative Hebrew is figurative and you need to and you need to explore the ideasexplore the ideas
You can expect to You can expect to see alliteration, see alliteration, assonance, rhyme – assonance, rhyme – but, of course, in but, of course, in HebrewHebrew
Repetitions are Repetitions are frequentfrequent
Clear forms will Clear forms will appear in some appear in some typestypes
The BookThe Book Tehillim – “praises” from the verb hallel or “to praise”Tehillim – “praises” from the verb hallel or “to praise” Cultic texts – used in community worshipCultic texts – used in community worship ““Hymnbook of the Second Temple” because the final Hymnbook of the Second Temple” because the final
collection is post-exiliccollection is post-exilic Dead Sea Scrolls (below) has Psalms, but not in the same Dead Sea Scrolls (below) has Psalms, but not in the same
orderorder
Some Notes on How Some Notes on How ManyMany
150 Psalms in English 150 Psalms in English textstexts
Codex Leningradensis Codex Leningradensis has 149 (114 and 115 has 149 (114 and 115 are combined)are combined)
Many Greek Many Greek manuscripts have manuscripts have 151; Psalm 151 is also 151; Psalm 151 is also in the DSSin the DSS
Five Books Five Books Pss 1-41 Davidic PsalmsPss 1-41 Davidic Psalms Pss 42-49 Elohistic Pss 42-49 Elohistic
Psalter; “Sons of Korah”Psalter; “Sons of Korah” Pss 73-89 Mostly Pss 73-89 Mostly
community laments – community laments – Pss 73-83 associated Pss 73-83 associated with Asaph with Asaph
Pss 90-106 Kingship of Pss 90-106 Kingship of YHWHYHWH
Pss 107-150 Davidic, Pss 107-150 Davidic, pilgrimage, and pilgrimage, and individual lamentsindividual laments
Key TermsKey Terms Invocation – asks for God’s Invocation – asks for God’s
presence or attentionpresence or attention Hear my voice, O God, in my Hear my voice, O God, in my
complaint; preserve my life complaint; preserve my life from my dread enemy. 64:1from my dread enemy. 64:1
Lament – a complaint; Lament – a complaint; explains a problem and explains a problem and feeling of isolationfeeling of isolation
All day long my enemies All day long my enemies taunt me; those who deride taunt me; those who deride me use my name for a curse. me use my name for a curse. 102:8102:8
Petition – requests Petition – requests intervention/actionintervention/action
But I trust in you, O Lord; I But I trust in you, O Lord; I say, “You are my God.” My say, “You are my God.” My times are in your hand; times are in your hand; deliver me from the hand of deliver me from the hand of my enemies and persecutors. my enemies and persecutors. 31:14-1531:14-15
PraisePraise GeneralGeneral
Praise the Lord! Praise the Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord, O my soul! I will Lord, O my soul! I will praise the Lord as long as I praise the Lord as long as I live; I will sing praises to my live; I will sing praises to my God all my life long. 146:1-God all my life long. 146:1-22
Call to praiseCall to praise Make a joyful noise to the Make a joyful noise to the
Lord, all the earth. Worship Lord, all the earth. Worship the Lord with gladness; the Lord with gladness; come into his presence with come into his presence with singing. 100:1-2singing. 100:1-2
Vow of praiseVow of praise I will come into your house I will come into your house
with burnt offerings; I will with burnt offerings; I will pay you my vows, those that pay you my vows, those that my lips uttered and those my lips uttered and those that my lips promised when that my lips promised when I was in trouble. 66:13-14I was in trouble. 66:13-14
Psalms ScholarshipPsalms Scholarship Hermann Gunkel Hermann Gunkel
(1862-1932)(1862-1932)
German scholarGerman scholar
Form Criticism Form Criticism identified 5 primary identified 5 primary types of Psalmstypes of Psalms
Sitz im leben – setting Sitz im leben – setting in life – an idea in life – an idea pioneered by Sigmund pioneered by Sigmund MowinckelMowinckel
Gunkel’s Psalm TypesGunkel’s Psalm Types Hymns of PraiseHymns of Praise
Individual LamentsIndividual Laments
Individual Individual Thanksgiving PsalmsThanksgiving Psalms
Communal LamentsCommunal Laments
Royal PsalmsRoyal Psalms
Also there are 5 sub-Also there are 5 sub-typestypes Songs of PilgrimageSongs of Pilgrimage Community Community
ThanksgivingThanksgiving WisdomWisdom Torah and Prophetic Torah and Prophetic
LiturgiesLiturgies MixedMixed
Hymns of PraiseHymns of Praise
Intro or call to Intro or call to worshipworship
Reason for worshipReason for worship
Call repeatedCall repeated
Praise the Lord, all Praise the Lord, all you nations! Extol you nations! Extol him all you peoples!him all you peoples!
For great is his For great is his steadfast love steadfast love toward us, and the toward us, and the faithfulness of the faithfulness of the Lord endures Lord endures forever. forever.
Praise the Lord!Praise the Lord!
(Psalm 117)(Psalm 117)
Individual LamentIndividual Lament Most frequent type of Most frequent type of
PsalmPsalm
Give a pattern for prayer:Give a pattern for prayer: InvocationInvocation Complaint – articulation of Complaint – articulation of
the problemthe problem Confession of trust in GodConfession of trust in God Petition for intervention Petition for intervention
and action needed to solve and action needed to solve the problemthe problem
Vow to tell of God’s saving Vow to tell of God’s saving workwork
To you, O Lord, I call; my rock, do not refuse to To you, O Lord, I call; my rock, do not refuse to hear me, for if you are silent to me, I shall be hear me, for if you are silent to me, I shall be like those who go down to the Pit.like those who go down to the Pit.
Hear the voice of my supplication, as I cry to you Hear the voice of my supplication, as I cry to you for help, as I lift up my hands toward your for help, as I lift up my hands toward your most holy sanctuary.most holy sanctuary.
Do not drag me away with the wicked, with those Do not drag me away with the wicked, with those who are workers of evil, who speak peace who are workers of evil, who speak peace with their neighbors, while mischief is in their with their neighbors, while mischief is in their hearts.hearts.
Repay them according to their work, and Repay them according to their work, and according to the evil of their deeds; repay according to the evil of their deeds; repay them according to the work of their hands; them according to the work of their hands; render them their due reward.render them their due reward.
Because they do not regard the works of the Because they do not regard the works of the Lord, or the work of his hands, he will break Lord, or the work of his hands, he will break them down and build them up no more.them down and build them up no more.
Blessed be the Lord, for he has heard the sound Blessed be the Lord, for he has heard the sound of my pleadings. The Lord is my strength and of my pleadings. The Lord is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts, so I am my shield; in him my heart trusts, so I am helped, and my heart exults, and with my helped, and my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him.song I give thanks to him.
The Lord is the strength of his people; he is the The Lord is the strength of his people; he is the saving refuge of the anointed. O save your saving refuge of the anointed. O save your people, and bless your heritage; be their people, and bless your heritage; be their shepherd, and carry them forever. (Psalm 28)shepherd, and carry them forever. (Psalm 28)
Individual ThanksgivingIndividual Thanksgiving Nine of these Nine of these
psalmspsalms
Intro tells you why Intro tells you why thanks are being thanks are being givengiven
What was going on What was going on with the personwith the person
Trust in God and Trust in God and promise to make promise to make an offeringan offering
Psalm 30Psalm 30 V1 I will extol you, O V1 I will extol you, O
Lord, for you have Lord, for you have drawn me up, and did drawn me up, and did not let my foes not let my foes rejoice over merejoice over me
Vv 8-11 what was Vv 8-11 what was asked and givenasked and given
V12 so that my sould V12 so that my sould may praise you and may praise you and not be silent. O Lord not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give my God, I will give thanks to you thanks to you forever.forever.
Community LamentsCommunity Laments
Structured much Structured much like individual like individual lamentslaments
They discuss times They discuss times of national tragedyof national tragedy
Praise of God is Praise of God is keykey
Psalm 137 most Psalm 137 most famous examplefamous example
Royal PsalmsRoyal Psalms
Psalms concerning Psalms concerning the monarchy and the monarchy and events associated events associated with itwith it
Coronation (Pss 2, Coronation (Pss 2, 72, 101, 110), 72, 101, 110), great victories (Pss great victories (Pss 20, 21, 89), royal 20, 21, 89), royal weddings (Ps 45)weddings (Ps 45)
No one clear No one clear structurestructure
From various From various differing times and differing times and about different rulersabout different rulers
MiscellaneousMiscellaneous Psalm 1 – Wisdom – Sets Psalm 1 – Wisdom – Sets
up not only the first up not only the first collection but the whole collection but the whole bookbook
Psalm 119 extols the Psalm 119 extols the Torah and is the longest Torah and is the longest Psalm at 176 verses (also Psalm at 176 verses (also an alphabetic acrostic an alphabetic acrostic with 8 lines for each of with 8 lines for each of the 22 letters; others – the 22 letters; others – some incomplete – 25, some incomplete – 25, 34, 1111, 112, 145)34, 1111, 112, 145)
Psalms pilgrims sang Psalms pilgrims sang going up to Jerusalem going up to Jerusalem are key toward the are key toward the end; 122 most famous end; 122 most famous (although 121 is my (although 121 is my favorite)favorite)
Some Uses of PsalmsSome Uses of Psalms Congregational – with Congregational – with
both vocal and both vocal and instrumental musical instrumental musical scoresscores Singing, shouting, Singing, shouting,
instruments (Pss 33, instruments (Pss 33, 150)150)
Dancing (Pss 149, 150)Dancing (Pss 149, 150) In temple (134, 135)In temple (134, 135) Call and response (136)Call and response (136)
LiturgiesLiturgies Offerings (66)Offerings (66) Processions (24, 48, 132)Processions (24, 48, 132)
FestivalsFestivals Songs of Ascent (120-Songs of Ascent (120-
134)134)
Special FastsSpecial Fasts Crises (44, 60, 90)Crises (44, 60, 90)
Individual UsesIndividual Uses See previous textsSee previous texts
Book of JobBook of Job
Prose prologue and Prose prologue and epilogue – chapters epilogue – chapters 1 and 2; 42:7-171 and 2; 42:7-17
Poetic Body of TextPoetic Body of Text Three Cycle of Three Cycle of
Speeches Between Speeches Between Job and His Friends Job and His Friends – Eliphaz, Bildad – Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar – and Zophar – chapters 3-31chapters 3-31
A monologue A monologue chastising Job and chastising Job and the friends from a the friends from a previously unknown previously unknown Elihu (chapters 32-Elihu (chapters 32-37)37)
Two speeches from Two speeches from God and Job’s God and Job’s responses responses (chapters 38:1-(chapters 38:1-42:6)42:6)
Other “Jobs”Other “Jobs” MesopotamianMesopotamian
““A Man and His God” or a A Man and His God” or a Sumerian JobSumerian Job
Humans sinful from birth Humans sinful from birth and that explains sufferingand that explains suffering
“ “I will Praise the Lord of I will Praise the Lord of Wisdom”Wisdom”
Humans must do rituals to Humans must do rituals to ward off troubleward off trouble
““The Babylonian Theodicy”The Babylonian Theodicy” Debate on whether bad Debate on whether bad
things happen to good things happen to good people and what that says people and what that says about Godabout God
““The Dialogue Between a The Dialogue Between a Master and His Slave”Master and His Slave”
Closer to Ecclesiastes than Closer to Ecclesiastes than JobJob
EgyptianEgyptian ““The Admonitions of The Admonitions of
Ipuwer”Ipuwer” Laments wickedness that Laments wickedness that
the gods allow humans to the gods allow humans to dodo
““The Dispute Between a The Dispute Between a Man and His Ba”Man and His Ba”
Suicide as an answer to Suicide as an answer to human suffering and human suffering and whether or not it should whether or not it should be allowedbe allowed
““The Tale of the Eloquent The Tale of the Eloquent Peasant”Peasant”
Debates again over the Debates again over the rights of humans; more rights of humans; more human than divinehuman than divine