Essay 3 | Psalms

Question 1

What are some theories for where the psalms originated?

Answer 1

• Many theories on the place within life where Psalms were used
• possible use in cultic worship
• Possible use in family worship
• significant royal focus: possibly attributed to David
• didactic psalms used in teaching
• Importance to look to date (pre or post exilic) and what psalms were expressing theological themes

Question 2

Are some of these theories more persuasive than others?

Answer 2

• depends on the content and sitz en laben (origination and location of initial use) of each psalm & has to be determined by its content to determine persuasiveness of psalm

Question 3

What are the various genres of psalms?

Answer 3

Coogan: 369-372

• Lament Psalm: lament leading to praise
• Thanksgiving Psalm: situated nature of thanksgiving after saving
• Hymn Psalm: fully situation of praise
• Didactic Psalm: wisdom psalm following the Torah; black and white interpretation of the world- those who follow Torah are believed to be blessed & prosper those who don’t follow should
• Royal Psalm: characterized by their royal content

** Add specific psalms examples from ATIOT

Question 4

How is the psalter organized?

Answer 4

• Organized into 5 Books analogous of the Torah
• wisdom psalm dedicated to the Torah
• ends with 5 psalms dedicated to praise

Question 5

What is Brueggemann’s typology for the psalms?

Answer 5

Orienting:
Didactic (wisdom) Psalms
Hymns (black and white vision of the world)

Disorienting:
Lament Psalms

Reorienting:
Thanksgiving Psalms

Question 6

Do you find it a helpful approach? Why or why not?

Answer 6

Personal response- be sure to add why or why not

Question 7

How is it similar to and different from other ways of classifying the psalms?

Answer 7

• Emphasizes the function of the rhetoric over and above original situation
• rhetorical movement of the psalm and what is its effect on the reader
• Contrasts against previous view of functioning on the ways and places the psalms were initially used

Question 8

What are some of the major theological themes and emphases in the Psalms?

Answer 8

• Lament:
• Thanksgiving
• Praise

Question 9

Be able to describe the constituent parts of each psalm form (lament; thanksgiving; etc.) and demonstrate how a particular psalm fits that particular form.

Answer 9

- Lament
Address to God
Complaint
Confession of Trust
Petition
(**TURN**)
Words of Assurance
Vow of Praise

*Individual or communal
Disoriented view of the world
**Bruggerman- there is a shift and incident that changes the psalmist view from lament to praise

• Thanksgiving
  Begin with proclamation of intent- “I will do something”
  Thanksgiving to God for what He did
  Ends with declarative praise
• Hymn
  Begins with an imperative (“Praise the Lord”)
  Uses descriptive praise- God’s general attributes (“You created the world” “You did this”)
  Rooted in a relationship with the world that makes sense

-Wisdom
Characterized by their content

-Royal
Characterized by their content