The Book of Psalms (Hebrew exegesis) (BA9300T)

Postgraduate, 24.0 points

Content

In this unit, students will engage with the Book of Psalms, through Hebrew exegesis of selected texts, as well as with scholarship on the composition and historical contexts of its texts. Themes such as ecology, divine absence, ageing, poverty, justice and wisdom will be examined in light of the pedagogy, poetics and canonical formation of the Psalter. The fundamentals of reading Hebrew poetry and text criticism will also be developed.

Unit code: BA9300T

Unit status: Approved (Major revision)

Points: 24.0

Unit level: Postgraduate Elective

Unit discipline: Old Testament

Proposing College: Trinity College Theological School

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Learning outcomes

1.

Analyse and engage critically with scholarly debates regarding the composition of the Book of Psalms
2.

Exegete selected Hebrew texts from the book of Psalms with advanced knowledge of the Biblical Hebrew language
3.

Reflect theologically on the text of the Psalms in relation to other biblical studies and theological disciplines
4.

Evaluate critically selected ethical and theological issues in the book of Psalms and propose implications for contemporary life and teaching

Unit sequence

Prerequisites: an introductory unit in Old Testament; and Hebrew A and B (or equivalent)

Pedagogy

Lecture component (online or in classroom) and tutorial component on Hebrew exegesis.

Indicative Bibliography

  • Brenner, Athalya, and Carole R Fontaine (eds). Wisdom and Psalms. The Feminist Companion to the Bible, 2nd Ser., No. 2. Sheffield: Sheffield Academic Press, 1998.
  • Brown, W.P. Seeing the Psalms: A Theology of Metaphor. Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox, 2002.
  • Brown, W.P. (ed). The Oxford Handbook of the Psalms. New York: Oxford University Press, 2014.
  • Brueggemann, W. and W.H. Bellinger. Psalms. NCBC. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2014.
  • DeClaissé-Walford, Nancy L., R.A. Jacobson and B. Laneel Tanner. The Book of Psalms. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2014.
  • DeClaissé-Walford, Nancy. Introduction to the Psalms: A Song from Ancient Israel. St Louis: Chalice press, 2004.
  • Gillingham, Susan. “The Messiah in the Psalms: A Question of Reception History and the Psalter.” Pages 209-237 in King and Messiah in Israel and the Ancient Near East. Ed. John Day. Sheffield: Sheffield Academic Press, 1998.
  • Gossai, Hemchand (ed.) Postcolonial Commentary and the Old Testament. London: T&T Clark, 2019.
  • Jacobson, Rolf A. (ed.) Soundings in the Theology of Psalms. Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2011.
  • Screnock, John. Psalms 90–100: A Handbook on the Hebrew Text. Baylor University Press, 2025.
  • Wenham, Gordon J. Psalms as Torah: Reading Biblical Song Ethically. Grand Rapids: Baker, 2012.

Assessment

Type Description Word count Weight (%)
Skill Demonstration - Weekly text translation 1500 20.0
Exegesis

Mid-semester exegesis assignment including annotated translation and exegetical essay. 2500 words equivalent

 2500 20.0
Essay

Thematic essay submitted after completing two hurdle tasks: submission of draft essay and one-to-one oral presentation with lecturer. 3000 words equivalent

 3000 40.0
Approvals

Unit approved for the University of Divinity by Naomi Wolfe on 17 Sep, 2026

Unit record last updated: 2026-09-17 12:15:56 +1000