Psalms: Exegetical and Theological Study (BA9020P)

Content

The Psalter is poetry which erupts at moments of emotional intensity; a transcript from real life; poetical accompaniment to real events and real experiences that appeals to the human being. They are completely and explicitly a human effort to express thought, anger, joy, thanksgiving, lament, doubt and more, to God. This unit will introduce the student to poetic literature in the Hebrew Bible, poetic devices and forms of expression, especially as they are found in the Book of Psalms. We will study the formation and development of the Psalter and attend to a full range of forms/genres of the Psalms, their structure, setting and their potential functions within the historical experience of Israel. The course also seeks to provide critical knowledge of the theological themes inherent in the Psalms and explore the relevance, use and functions of the Psalms in today’s context and for preaching.

Learning outcomes

Unit sequence

24 points in Old Testament Studies

Pedagogy

Lectures, Seminars and Tutorials

Indicative Bibliography

• Brown, William P., ed. The Oxford Handbook of the Psalms. Oxford: OUP, 2014.
• Brown, William P. Seeing the Psalms: A Theology of Metaphor. Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2002.
• Brueggemann, W., and Billinger, William H., Jr. Psalms. New Cambridge Bible Commentary. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2014. (recommended for purchase)
• deClaisse-Walford, Nancy L. Introduction to the Psalms. St Louis: Chalice, 2004.
• Gerstenberger, E. Psalms 1–60 with an Introduction to Cultic Poetry, Part 1, FOTL. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1988.
• Gerstenberger, E. Psalms and Lamentations, Part 2. FOTL. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2001.
• Goldingay, John. Psalms. Volume 1: Psalms 1-41. Baker Commentary on the Old Testament Wisdom and Psalms. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2006.
• Goldingay, John. Psalms. Volume 2: Psalms 42-89. Baker Commentary on the Old Testament Wisdom and Psalms. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2007.
• Goldingay, John. Psalms. Volume 3: Psalms 90-150.* Baker Commentary on the Old Testament Wisdom and Psalms. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2008.
• Jacobson, Rolf A., ed. Soundings in the Theology of Psalms: Perspectives and Methods in Contemporary Scholarship. Minneapolis: Fortress, 2011.
• Lee, Nancy C. Lyrics of Lament: From Tragedy to Transformation. Minneapolis: Fortress, 2010.

Assessment