The 3rd corpus of the Hebrew Bible consists of 11 Books

’Emeth (Truth)PsalmsJobProverbs

Megilloth (5 Scrolls)Song of SolomonRuthLamentationsEcclesiastesEsther

DanielEzra-Nehemiah1-2 Chronicles

PsalmsGreek word Psalmoi (LXX) or Psalterion

(Psalter)Meaning “to pluck” a musical instrumentSongs (psalmos) or a collection of songs

(psalterion)Hebrew word is Tehillim “praises” for

the Book of Psalms The Hebrew word for psalm is Mizmor

“song”

Functions and Roles of the PsalmsTo reflect the human situations: Lament

pssGive a voice to the victimsExpose the fact of oppression, violence, injustice, etc

Allow repentance, reparation, restorationAllow us to identify with the psalmists’ frailty and humanity

To celebrate God’s Kingship To reflect God’s characterTo teach Torah and WisdomPsalms as prophecy

Types of PsalmsHymns: 8; 19; 29; 33; 65; 67; 68; 96; 98; 100; 103-

105; 111; 113; 114; 117; 135; 145-150YHWH’s Enthronement: 93; 97; 99Individual Lament: 3; 5-7; 13; 17; 22; 25-28; 32;

38; 39; 42; 43; 51; 54-57; 59; 61; 63; 64; 69-71; 86; 88; 102; 109; 120; 130; 140-143

Communal Lament: 44; 74; 79; 80; 83; 89Thanksgiving: 18; 30; 34; 40:1-11; 41; 66; 92; 116;

118; 138Royal Psalms: 2; 18; 20; 21; 45; 72; 101; 110; 132;

144:1-11Wisdom Psalms: 1; 14; 37; 73; 91; 112; 119; 128 Many psalms are difficult to classify and are omitted

here

The Editing of the Psalter Editorial work included

the collecting and arranging of the individual psalms

the division into 5 books: 1-41; 42-72; 73-89; 90-106; 107-150

and the supplying of superscriptions or titles for 116 of the psalms

Twin Psalms (Pss 1 and 2) at the beginning as introduction to the Psalter

Book 1 (Pss 1-41)Introduction: Pss 1 and 2Individual Laments (3-7, and etc.), this part of the Psalter consists most of the IL

Made up almost entirely of Psalms associated with David in the titles

Doxology on 41:13 “Blessed is the Lord…Amen & Amen”

Elah Valley (1 Sam 17)

Book 2 (Pss 42-72)Begins with “Sons of Korah” pss (42-49)Pss 42-83 are called “Elohistic Psalter”Ps 14 is almost identical to Ps 53 except

the divine name; Ps 40:13-17 is almost the same as Ps 70

Ends with a collection of Davidic psalms (51-65; 68-70; 71 & 33 are untitled)

72 ended with a note “The prayers of David…are ended”

Doxology on 72:18-19“Blessed is the Lord…Amen & Amen”

Book 3 (Pss 73-89)Contains only 17 psalms73-83 associated with AsaphMost of the Community Laments are gathered here (74, 79, 80, 83, 85)

Only one Davidic psalm (86), Ps 89 signals the end of Davidic dynasty

Ends with doxology on 89:52“Blesses is the Lord forever, Amen & Amen”

Book 4 (Pss 90-106)Contains 17 psalmsAnswer to problems raised in books 1-3 Yahweh is king (Pss 93; 95-99)Only 101 & 103 are attributed to DavidTwin psalms: Thematic grouping and

similarity of beginnings and endings103 & 104: “Bless the Lord, O my

soul”105 & 106: “O give thanks to the

Lord” and “Praise the Lord”Ends with a series of hymns (103-106)Doxology at 106:1, 48 “Praise the Lord”

Book 5 (107-150)The largest of the five books, with 44

psalmsDavidic psalms are grouped at the

beginning 108-110 and towards the end 138-145

Torah Psalm (119): acrosticSongs of Ascent or Pilgrimage Psalms

(120-134)Pss 140-143 constitute a final series

of Individual LamentsHallelujah psalms: 146-150 framed by

“Praise the Lord”

Steps of Ascent

Royal PsalmsPs 2 (coronation)Ps 18 (royal thanksgiving)Ps 20 (prayer for the king’s victory)Ps 21 (thanksgiving for answered prayer)Ps 45 (royal wedding)Ps 72 (prayer for the king at coronation)Ps 89 (lament for deliverance)Ps 101 (king promises to rule with justice)Ps 110 (coronation)Ps 132 (divine choice of David and Zion)Ps 144:1-11 (the king prays for victory)

Untitled Psalms (34)

Book 1: Pss 1-2; 10; 33Book 2: Pss 43; 71Book 3: All have titlesBook 4: Pss 91; 93-97; 99; 104-106

Book 5: Pss 107; 111-119; 135-137; 146-150

Davidic Psalms and the Historical Narrative

73 psalms include in the title “Of David”In 13 pss (3, 7, 18, 34, 51, 52, 54, 56, 57,

59, 60, 63, 142) the title associates the psalm with an event in David’s life

Tradition depicts David ascomposer of psalms (2 Sam 1:17)musician (1 Sam 16:16-23)sweet singer of Israel (2 Sam 23:1)

Case Study 1: Ps 52 and1 Sam 21:1-9 & 22:6-23

Questions:Without the superscription, what is

bothering the psalmist?With the superscription as background,

does it give you a better understanding of the psalm?

What are the clues that made the editor link this psalm to the historical event in 1 Sam?

Case Study 2: Ps 51 and 2 Sam 11-12:23

Questions:Without the superscription would you be able to tell what is bothering the psalmist?

How does the superscription help you understand this psalm?

What kind of information can you glean from Ps 51:18-19?

Excavation on the City of David

Kidron Valley Opposite to City of David

Christological Reading of the Psalms

Jesus as the crucified and risen MessiahThe Psalms foreshadow ChristType is by nature imperfectOnly the portion of the Psalm that is used

by the NT writer or by Christ himself is prophetic of Christ and not the whole Psalm

The offices in Israel’s history foreshadow the life of Christ: King, Prophet, and Priest

Wisdom LiteratureLack of historical elementsThe 3 biblical books: Proverbs, Job, and

Ecclesiastes (some may include Song of Songs, together with the 2 apocryphal books, Sirach and Wisdom of Solomon), represent Israel’s “Wisdom Literature.”

Some Wisdom Psalms: Pss 1, 19B, 32, 34, 37, 49, 73, 78, 111, 112, 119, 127, 128, 133

2 main types of wisdom writingsProverbial wisdom: ProverbsContemplative or speculative wisdom: Job,

Ecclesiastes

Criteria for Wisdom PsalmsFormal:

Alphabetic structure (e.g. acrostic psalms)Numerical sayings (“3 yea 4” etc)“Blessed” sayings “Better” sayingsThe use of wisdom vocabulary and terms of phrasesThe use of forms such as proverbs, similes, rhetorical

questions, and words like “listen to me”Thematic:

The problem of retributionThe sharp division between the righteous and the wickedExhortations to trust personally in the LordThe fear of the Lord The study of written Torah as a source of delight and

meditation

Theology of Wisdom LiteratureCreation TheologyZimmerli states that wisdom theology is creation theology (Gen 1:28)

Israelites observed God’s creation and coined their cogent reflections upon it, e.g. Prov 24:30-34; Ecc 1:3-11; Job 38-41

Biblical wisdom connotes a search for “order”

Gen 1-3 and Wisdom LiteratureProverb:God as Creator (14:31; 17:5; 20:12; 22:2; 29:13)

Image of the ‘tree of life’ (3:18; 11:30; 13:12; 15:4)

God established the world through wisdom (3:19-20; 8:22-31)

The creation of humanity marks the climax of God’s creative acts in Prov 8 & Gen 1

Gen 1-3 and Wisdom LiteratureEcclesiastes:Clements: Ecclesiastes is “best understood as an

arresting but thoroughly orthodox exposition of Gen 1-3.”

Textual links:work as “toil” (Eccl 3:13; cf. Gen 3:17)life as “ephemeral” or “vain” (play on Abel’s name)

Eccl 3:11 “He has made everything beautiful in its time” may allude to divine assessment in Gen 1

3:20b “all come from dust, and to dust all return” is virtually identical to Gen 3:19

Gen 1-3 and Wisdom Literature

Job:Most prominent in the divine speeches in chs 38-40

Proclaim the sovereignty of the Creator

Fear of the LordKaiser terms this phrase “the key theme of wisdom literature”

Occurs 18 times in Proverbs (framing introduction to Proverbs 1:7, 29; 2:5; 8:13; 9:10; and concluding the portrayal of wisdom incarnate at 31:30)

5 times in Ecclesiastes (esp. closing the book of Ecclesiastes at 12:13)

10 times in Job (characterizing Job as morally impeccable at 1:1, 8, 9; 2:3; 28:28)

Meaning of “the Fear of the Lord”Patriarchal EraResponse of worship, knowledge, obedience,

trustGen 22:12; 32:42, 53; 42:18Job 1:1, 8, 9; 2:3

Mosaic Era and LaterExpression also involved service, love,

obedience, and total surrender to the living LordExod 1:17, 21; 14:31; 20:20Lev 19:14, 32; 25:17Deut 4:10; 5:29; 6:2, 13, 24; 8:6; 10:12, 20;

13:4; 14:23; 17:19; 31:12, 13, etcWisdom LiteratureThe essence of knowledge and wisdom of God

Fear of the Lord in Wisdom LiteratureThis phrase is placed strategically in Prov, Eccl,

and JobStarting point and inception of all real

knowledge (Prov 1:7)Promises life (Prov 10:27; 13:14; 14:27;

19:23; etc)Choose the way of life (Prov 3:7; 8:13; 14:2;

16:6; 23:17)Find the meaning of life (conclusion of Eccl

12:13-14)Makes one delight in wisdom and instruction

(Prov 1:7), receive counsel and reproof (1:29-30), and listen to wisdom, understanding and the knowledge of God (2:1-6)

Fear of the Lord is Wisdom (Job 28:28)

Retribution theologyThe doctrine of the sages: the good are

rewarded and the bad are punishedTraditionally scholars saw a tension within the

wisdom corpus, i.e. Prov vs Job & EccAll 3 books (Prov, Job, Eccl) show their unity

The limitation of wisdomDivine freedom and inscrutability

All 3 books assume a similar stance regarding the relationship between deeds and consequences

The Retribution DogmaProverbsRetribution can be either “immanent”

(automatic) or take place through social interaction or through the direct intervention of God

One has to wait for justice to arrive (22:8; 24:16)

“Life” is a relationship with God and that death is a disruption of that relationship

This life outlasts physical death in communion with God (12:28; 14:32)

The Retribution DogmaEcclesiastesQohelet does not question the existence of divine justice but is troubled by its time (3:16-17, cf. 8:6-8)

JobThe God of Job’s friends is “the Lord of Retribution”

Job is also convinced of God’s justice

Human Experience and QuestioningThe enigmatic teaching of Ecclesiastes It represents a searching criticism of

secularism and a positive assessment of faith

It represents an agonizing debate by Qohelet between skepticism and faith, with the latter winning out

The questions raised by Job concerning human suffering

Why the righteous has to suffer?Can a person has “disinterested

righteousness”?What is God like?

Agreement among the Biblical Wisdom Books

Limitation of Wisdom in guaranteeing successProverb (26:12; 28:11, 26; etc)Ecclesiastes (9:11, 15-16; 1:8; 3:22; 6:12; 7:14; 8:7; 9:1, 12; 10:14 cf. Pr 27:1)

Job (36:26, 29; 37:15-16; 38:18, 20-21, 36-37)

Divine freedom and inscrutability all 3 books affirm divine sovereignty and inscrutability, acknowledging that God himself is the bestower of wisdom (Pr 2:6; Ecc 2:26; Job 28:23)

OT TheologyMany scholars attempt and propose various centers for OT theology. What is your idea?