Psalms Through the Centuries, Volume 2
A Reception History Commentary on Psalms 1 - 72
Blackwell Bible Commentaries (Series Nr. 2)
1. Edition May 2020
496 Pages, Softcover
Wiley & Sons Ltd
ISBN:
978-1-119-48018-1
John Wiley & Sons
Further versions
Psalms Through the Centuries: Volume Two provides the first ever extensive commentary on the Jewish and Christian reception history of the first two books of the Psalter (Psalms 1-41 and 42-72). It explores the various uses of the Psalms, over two millennia, in translation and commentary, liturgy and prayer, study and preaching, musical composition and artistic illustration, poetic and dramatic imitation, and contemporary discourse.
With lavish illustrations, using examples from both music and art, Psalms Through the Centuries: Volume Two offers a detailed commentary on each psalm, with an extensive bibliography, a large glossary of terms, and helpful indices. It is an ideal resource both for students and scholars in the academy and for lay people and ministers in church and synagogue.
Psalms Through the Centuries is published within the Wiley Blackwell Commentary series. Further information about this innovative reception history series is available at www.bbibcomm.info
Illustrations xiii
Preface xvii
Abbreviations xxi
Introduction: How is a Reception History Commentary a Different Genre? 1
Book One: Psalms 1-41
Davidic Piety and the Conflict of Faith and Experience 9
Psalms 1 and 2: The Prologue to the Psalter 11
Psalm 1: Who is the 'Blessed Man'? 13
Psalm 2: Who is 'My Son'? 25
Psalms 3-41: The First Davidic Psalter 44
Psalms 3-14: Praying by Night and Day 46
Psalm 3: A 'Morning Psalm' 47
Psalm 4: An 'Evening Psalm' 53
Psalm 5: A 'Morning Psalm' 58
Psalm 6: An 'Evening Psalm' of Penitence 61
Psalm 7: A 'Morning Psalm' 68
Psalm 8: An 'Evening Hymn of Praise' 72
Psalms 9 and 10: An Acrostic Psalm 83
Psalm 11: The 'All-Seeing God' 89
Psalm 12: 'Flattering Lips' 91
Psalm 13: The Fear of Death 95
Psalm 14: The Fool says 'There is no God' 98
Psalms 15-24: Bringing Prayer to the Temple 101
Psalm 15: An Entrance Liturgy 102
Psalm 16: Confident Trust in God 105
Psalm 17: Lament for Deliverance 111
Psalm 18: Thanksgiving for Victory 116
Psalm 19: A Hymn of Praise 122
Psalm 20: Thanksgiving for Victory 129
Psalm 21: Thanksgiving for Victory 133
Psalm 22: Lament for Deliverance 136
Psalm 23: Confident Trust in God 144
Psalm 24: An Entrance Liturgy 153
Psalms 25-34: Prayers and Thanks for Deliverance 163
Psalm 25: An Acrostic Concerning the Poor 164
Psalm 26: A Protest of Integrity 167
Psalm 27: Confidence and Complaint 170
Psalm 28: Lament and Thanksgiving 177
Psalm 29: A Hymn of Praise 180
Psalm 30: Thanksgiving for Healing 186
Psalm 31: Confidence through Fear 190
Psalm 32: Confession and Healing 195
Psalm 33: A Hymn of Praise 201
Psalm 34: An Acrostic concerning the Poor 205
Psalms 35-41: Poverty, Sickness and Trust in God 213
Psalm 35: Friends and Enemies 214
Psalm 36: The Plight of the Poor 218
Psalm 37: The Poor and the Land 221
Psalm 38: Penitence and Sickness 231
Psalm 39: Penitence and Human Transience 237
Psalm 40: Thanksgiving and Sacrifice 242
Psalm 41: Friends and Enemies 248
Book Two: Psalms 42-72
David and the Temple: Nostalgia and Hope 255
Psalms 42-49: Exile, Temple and King 257
Psalms 42-43: Longing for the Temple 258
Psalm 44: Praying for National Deliverance 263
Psalm 45: A Wedding Song for the King 267
Psalm 46: God is King in Zion 276
Psalm 47: God is King 284
Psalm 48: God is King in Zion 288
Psalm 49: A Psalm of Complaint and Instruction 292
Psalm 50: An Asaphite Psalm about Repentance and Sacrifice 297
Psalms 51-72: The Second Davidic Psalter 302
Psalm 51: 'The Psalm of Psalms' 304
Psalms 52-55: Learning from the Life of David 317
Psalm 52: For Instruction on the 'Deceitful Tongue' 317
Psalm 53: For Instruction on the 'Fool' 320
Psalm 54: For Instruction on Persecution 323
Psalm 55: Instruction on Betrayal 324
Psalms 56-60: Reflecting on the Life of David 330
Psalm 56: Reflections on Persecution 330
Psalm 57: Reflections on Violence 333
Psalm 58: Reflections on Confronting Evil 335
Psalm 59: Reflections on Enemy Aggression 338
Psalm 60: Reflections in Times of War 340
Psalms 61-64: Hymnic Reflections on God's Protection 344
Psalm 61: A 'Psalm' about Refuge in God 344
Psalm 62: A 'Psalm' about the Silence of God 347
Psalm 63: A 'Psalm' Seeking God in the Morning 349
Psalm 64: A 'Psalm' about Protection 352
Psalms 65-68: God's People Sing of his Praise 355
Psalm 65: A Sanctuary Song about God's Sustenance through Nature 355
Psalm 66: A Sanctuary Song about God's Sustenance through History 359
Psalm 67: A Sanctuary Song about God's Universal Blessings 362
Psalm 68: A Sanctuary Song about the Divine Warrior 367
Psalms 69-71: Psalms of the Righteous Sufferer 374
Psalm 69: Righteous Suffering of the One and the Many 374
Psalm 70: Righteous Suffering and the Plea for Deliverance 379
Psalm 71: Righteous Suffering as a Model for Faith 381
Psalm 72: 'Of Solomon': The Completion of the Prayers of David 386
Appendix 395
Glossary 400
References 416
Index of Names 431
Psalms Index 441
Subject Index 444
Preface xvii
Abbreviations xxi
Introduction: How is a Reception History Commentary a Different Genre? 1
Book One: Psalms 1-41
Davidic Piety and the Conflict of Faith and Experience 9
Psalms 1 and 2: The Prologue to the Psalter 11
Psalm 1: Who is the 'Blessed Man'? 13
Psalm 2: Who is 'My Son'? 25
Psalms 3-41: The First Davidic Psalter 44
Psalms 3-14: Praying by Night and Day 46
Psalm 3: A 'Morning Psalm' 47
Psalm 4: An 'Evening Psalm' 53
Psalm 5: A 'Morning Psalm' 58
Psalm 6: An 'Evening Psalm' of Penitence 61
Psalm 7: A 'Morning Psalm' 68
Psalm 8: An 'Evening Hymn of Praise' 72
Psalms 9 and 10: An Acrostic Psalm 83
Psalm 11: The 'All-Seeing God' 89
Psalm 12: 'Flattering Lips' 91
Psalm 13: The Fear of Death 95
Psalm 14: The Fool says 'There is no God' 98
Psalms 15-24: Bringing Prayer to the Temple 101
Psalm 15: An Entrance Liturgy 102
Psalm 16: Confident Trust in God 105
Psalm 17: Lament for Deliverance 111
Psalm 18: Thanksgiving for Victory 116
Psalm 19: A Hymn of Praise 122
Psalm 20: Thanksgiving for Victory 129
Psalm 21: Thanksgiving for Victory 133
Psalm 22: Lament for Deliverance 136
Psalm 23: Confident Trust in God 144
Psalm 24: An Entrance Liturgy 153
Psalms 25-34: Prayers and Thanks for Deliverance 163
Psalm 25: An Acrostic Concerning the Poor 164
Psalm 26: A Protest of Integrity 167
Psalm 27: Confidence and Complaint 170
Psalm 28: Lament and Thanksgiving 177
Psalm 29: A Hymn of Praise 180
Psalm 30: Thanksgiving for Healing 186
Psalm 31: Confidence through Fear 190
Psalm 32: Confession and Healing 195
Psalm 33: A Hymn of Praise 201
Psalm 34: An Acrostic concerning the Poor 205
Psalms 35-41: Poverty, Sickness and Trust in God 213
Psalm 35: Friends and Enemies 214
Psalm 36: The Plight of the Poor 218
Psalm 37: The Poor and the Land 221
Psalm 38: Penitence and Sickness 231
Psalm 39: Penitence and Human Transience 237
Psalm 40: Thanksgiving and Sacrifice 242
Psalm 41: Friends and Enemies 248
Book Two: Psalms 42-72
David and the Temple: Nostalgia and Hope 255
Psalms 42-49: Exile, Temple and King 257
Psalms 42-43: Longing for the Temple 258
Psalm 44: Praying for National Deliverance 263
Psalm 45: A Wedding Song for the King 267
Psalm 46: God is King in Zion 276
Psalm 47: God is King 284
Psalm 48: God is King in Zion 288
Psalm 49: A Psalm of Complaint and Instruction 292
Psalm 50: An Asaphite Psalm about Repentance and Sacrifice 297
Psalms 51-72: The Second Davidic Psalter 302
Psalm 51: 'The Psalm of Psalms' 304
Psalms 52-55: Learning from the Life of David 317
Psalm 52: For Instruction on the 'Deceitful Tongue' 317
Psalm 53: For Instruction on the 'Fool' 320
Psalm 54: For Instruction on Persecution 323
Psalm 55: Instruction on Betrayal 324
Psalms 56-60: Reflecting on the Life of David 330
Psalm 56: Reflections on Persecution 330
Psalm 57: Reflections on Violence 333
Psalm 58: Reflections on Confronting Evil 335
Psalm 59: Reflections on Enemy Aggression 338
Psalm 60: Reflections in Times of War 340
Psalms 61-64: Hymnic Reflections on God's Protection 344
Psalm 61: A 'Psalm' about Refuge in God 344
Psalm 62: A 'Psalm' about the Silence of God 347
Psalm 63: A 'Psalm' Seeking God in the Morning 349
Psalm 64: A 'Psalm' about Protection 352
Psalms 65-68: God's People Sing of his Praise 355
Psalm 65: A Sanctuary Song about God's Sustenance through Nature 355
Psalm 66: A Sanctuary Song about God's Sustenance through History 359
Psalm 67: A Sanctuary Song about God's Universal Blessings 362
Psalm 68: A Sanctuary Song about the Divine Warrior 367
Psalms 69-71: Psalms of the Righteous Sufferer 374
Psalm 69: Righteous Suffering of the One and the Many 374
Psalm 70: Righteous Suffering and the Plea for Deliverance 379
Psalm 71: Righteous Suffering as a Model for Faith 381
Psalm 72: 'Of Solomon': The Completion of the Prayers of David 386
Appendix 395
Glossary 400
References 416
Index of Names 431
Psalms Index 441
Subject Index 444
Susan Gillingham is Emeritus Professor of the Hebrew Bible at the University of Oxford and a Senior Research Fellow at Worcester College, Oxford. She is a Permanent Deacon in the Anglican Church and serves at St. Barnabas Church and Worcester College Chapel, Oxford. She was appointed as Canon Theologian for the Cathedral Church of St Peter in Exeter in 2018. She has written some fifty articles and eight books, mostly on the Psalms and Biblical Interpretation. These include the companion publication, Psalms Through the Centuries: Volume One (Wiley Blackwell, 2008), which is a cultural and reception history introduction to the entire Psalter; The Poems and Psalms of the Hebrew Bible (1994); One Bible, Many Voices: Different Approaches to Biblical Studies (1998); The Image, the Depths and the Surface (2002); and A Journey of Two Psalms: The Reception of Psalms 1&2 in Jewish and Christian Tradition (2013).
