Psalms Mid-Term
What marks Psalm 72 as the last psalm in a collection of psalms?
"This concludes the prayers of David son of Jesse" (v. 20)
How may the preposition in the title of the psalm be understood? Why does Childs suggest that it should be understood as specifying authorship?
1. "le" designates the possessor 2. The term is found on jar handles, designating the owner of the jar
How many times does the NT quote a verse or a phrase from Psalms? How many of the psalms are quoted?
1. A few more than 400 2. 35
What are the five components of laments of the people?
1. Address and introductory petition 2. Lament 3. Confession of trust 4. Petition 5. Vow of praise
How many complete or partial manuscripts of the Book of Psalms were discovered in the Dead Sea Scrolls? What does this large number tell us about the Qumran community?
1. At least 30 2. The Qumrans highly prized this collection
What information may be included in the superscription of a psalm?
1. Author 2. Historical setting 3. Literary or musical genre
What two ways does Bullock suggest that we may understand Jesus's quotation of Psalm 22:1? Summarize the differences between the two.
1. Fuller sense: takes away the historical setting of David's suffering. 2. Typology: Jesus suffers in the same way that David did.
Who was the pioneer of critical study of Psalms and what was his method?
1. Hermann Gunkel 2. Form-critical methodology
What are two views for how the psalms of ascents were used?
1. Journey of returning exiles from Babylon to Jerusalem 2. Annual journey of pilgrims to Jerusalem at the agricultural festivals
Who is Korah and who are his sons?
1. Korah was the great-grandson of Levi who rebelled against Moses and Aaron, and was swallowed up by a whole in the ground (Numbers 16) 2. His sons were important supporters of David (1 Chr 12:6; 26:1-10)
What are the two poles of the Psalter?
1. Lament 2. Praise
What are the two basic components in a lament psalm?
1. Lament itself 2. Reason for lamenting
What are Claus Westermann's four categories of psalms?
1. Lament of the people 2. Lament of the individual 3. Declarative praise 4. Descriptive praise
What two recommendations does Bullock give for his students?
1. Read some good literature outside of their own discipline 2. Always be memorizing portions of Scripture and great literature
What did the Epistles to Barnabas identify with Psalm 1:1? What error is he guilty of?
1. Three kinds of meat forbidden by Moses: "wicked" with seafood; "sinners" with pork; "mockers" with birds. 2. Eisegesis
What might one argue is the purpose of human existence according to the Psalms? What is the chief end of man according to the Westminster Shorter Catechism?
1. To praise God 2. To glorify God and enjoy him forever
What psalm describes creation in wisdom language?
104; 136
What mini-collection begins book 3?
11 Asaph psalms
How many psalms have superscriptions with historical information and what is common to all?
13 - all belong to David
Where is a Davidic collection located in Book 5?
138-145
How do Psalms 72 and 73 relate to each other?
72 idealizes Israel's king; 73 reflects upon injustice of the world
How many psalms are attributed to David?
73 (85 in Septuagint)
What are metrical psalms?
A paraphrase of psalms into metrical form, following the meter and rhyme of Latin poetry
How does Calvin understand Psalm 45?
A royal psalm composed in honor of Solomon's marriage to the Egyptian princess, depicting Solomon as a type of Christ
What did Sigmund Mowinckel believe that the Sitz im Leben was of virtually all psalms?
All psalms were composed for liturgical or cultic purposes
How does book 4 highlight the "kingship of Yahweh"?
By declaring that "Yahweh reigns" (93, 97, 99); David declares Yahweh king over all (cf. 103:19). Though the earthly king no longer sits on the throne, the heavenly kings remains on his
How does book 4 emphasize Moses?
By making clear that it was Israel who broke covenant, not Yahweh
What makes the divisions of the Psalter into five books quite obvious?
Concluding doxologies at the end of each book
What does the fivefold division of the Psalter suggest with regard to editorial design?
Designed to emphasize the central place of the law in Israel's faith
How did the editor shape the meaning of the psalm?
Each book was meant to evoke Israel to a particular response of faith within their respected historical context
Where does the English title of Psalms come from?
Greek versions render Hebrew word 'mizmor' (song) as 'psalmos', thus giving the name of Psalms
What word in praise psalms typically introduces the reason for praising?
Halleluyah: "Praise the Lord"
How did the character Berel Jastrow hold on to his sanity?
He recited the psalms
How does Bullock suggest our NT faith is more sterile than OT faith?
Hebrew faith accommodated human complaint, whereas the NT faith has no right to stay in this state of mind
What is the distribution of individual and communal laments in the Psalter?
Individual - 29 Communal - 13
What is Sitz im Leben?
Life situation
What is parallelism?
Literary pattern that states an idea in one line and focuses more closely on the same idea in the following line
What is a strophe?
Logical unit determined by either the subject matter or structure of poem
What is antiphonal singing?
Music that is performed by two semi-independent choirs in interaction; sung by alternating groups of performers
Do you agree that if all of God's people praised him with their whole hearts in one simultaneous moment, God's kingdom would come? Why or why not?
No, but rather that when God's kingdom comes we will all be praising him with our whole hearts simultaneously. We do not bring about the kingdom of God by our worship; God gives us hearts to worship by bringing about his kingdom.
What evidence suggests that Books 1-4 existed as a collection before Book 5 was added?
Psalm 137 references the spiritual depression of the exiles; Books 1-4 are in a chiastic structure;
What musical instruments were apparently a favorite accompaniment for singing the psalms?
Strings
Why is the numbering of Psalms different in the Septuagint than it is in the Hebrew?
Structure in the same strophes of adjacent psalms suggest they are a part of the same psalm
What does the shortest psalm in the Psalter do?
Summons all nations and peoples to praise the Lord
Hebrew name for the book of Psalms and its meaning
Tehillim - meaning "praises"
What do laments teach us about honesty in prayer?
That we should be bold before God, and not hide how we truly feel
Why do you think the Psalms were such a major part of the Reformation Church?
The Christian/Catholic church had lost its zeal for their relationship with Yahweh, as well as their regard for his glory
What was the practice of the Anglican Church in the 16th century with regard to the Psalms?
The book of Psalms was to be recited in course once each month
What is a stich?
The larger thought (distich: two-line thought; tristich: three-line thought
How does J. Clinton McCann describe praise?
The offering up of the whole self to God
What is implied when the psalmist speaks of God's work in creation?
The world belonged to him
How does Childs believe that the Psalms are prophetic?
They announce the kingdom of God
How does the honesty of the Psalms purge from us hypocrisy?
They appeal to the weakest and strongest of us, in our high times and low times
What does the number of commentaries written on the Psalms by early church fathers tell us?
They are significant
Why are Psalms 42 and 43 sometimes considered to be a single psalm?
They contain the same refrain
Why does it make sense in light of Samuel and Chronicles that David wrote many psalms?
They paint David as a musician and a poet
Why did authors use chiasms?
To draw attention to leading ideas
According to G. K. Chesterton, what is the only way to enjoy a weed?
To feel even unworthy of a weed
What was a favorite instrument of the Chronicler?
Trumpet
What is the solution most commonly expressed in individual laments?
Trust in the unfailing character of Yahweh
Why do we praise things, according to C. S. Lewis?
We are made to worship that which is valuable to us
What do the psalms of praise extol the Lord for?
What he has done in creation and in history
What is a unit?
Words/phrases that make up a larger though segment
Where are the Psalms located in the Hebrew Bible?
Writings