Encountering the Book of Psalms: A Literary and Theological Introduction

Encountering the Book of Psalms: A Literary and Theological Introduction

by C Hassell Bullock
ISBN-10:
0801027950
ISBN-13:
9780801027956
Pub. Date:
07/01/2004
Publisher:
Baker Publishing Group
ISBN-10:
0801027950
ISBN-13:
9780801027956
Pub. Date:
07/01/2004
Publisher:
Baker Publishing Group
Encountering the Book of Psalms: A Literary and Theological Introduction

Encountering the Book of Psalms: A Literary and Theological Introduction

by C Hassell Bullock
$30.0 Current price is , Original price is $30.0. You
$30.00 
  • SHIP THIS ITEM
    This item is available online through Marketplace sellers.
  • PICK UP IN STORE
    Check Availability at Nearby Stores
$99.99 
  • SHIP THIS ITEM

    Temporarily Out of Stock Online

    Please check back later for updated availability.

    • Condition: Good
    Note: Access code and/or supplemental material are not guaranteed to be included with used textbook.

This item is available online through Marketplace sellers.


Overview

According to author Hassell Bullock, "No collection of poems has ever exercised as much influence on the Western world as the Book of Psalms." The attraction for Jews, Christians, as well as nonbelievers is surely the personal element that pervades these poems, which describe the human situation in all its complexity. Though the Psalms are perhaps the most familiar portion of the Hebrew Bible, they are also among the most difficult to interpret. As a result, Bullock has created this guide to introduce students to the study and interpretation of the Psalms.

Encountering the Book of Psalms begins by examining literary and hermeneutical dimensions. Bullock discusses the nature, structure, and authorship of the Psalter and provides readers with specific principles for interpretation. He goes on to examine the use of Psalms in worship from the ancient world to the twenty-first century. He further explores how the psalmists used historical reflection to serve their theological purposes and concludes with an investigation of different types of psalms (e.g., praise, lament, and wisdom).

Like other volumes in the Encountering Biblical Studies series, Encountering the Book of Psalms is designed for classroom use and includes a number of helpful features, including chapter objectives and outlines, sidebars, charts, and illustrations.


Product Details

ISBN-13: 9780801027956
Publisher: Baker Publishing Group
Publication date: 07/01/2004
Series: Encountering Biblical Studies Series
Pages: 272
Product dimensions: 6.75(w) x 9.75(h) x 0.56(d)

About the Author

C. Hassell Bullock (PhD, Hebrew Union College) is professor of Hebrew Bible emeritus at Wheaton College in Wheaton, Illinois. He is the author of An Introduction to the Old Testament Poetic Books and a two-volume commentary on Psalms.

Table of Contents

Editor's Preface11
Publisher's Preface12
To the Student14
Author's Preface15
Abbreviations17
Part 1Encountering the Literary and Hermeneutical Dimensions of the Psalms
1"Begin the Music": Introducing the Psalms21
Outline
Objectives
Names of the Book
Nature of the Book
Place of the Book in the Canon
David's Place in the Book
Titles of the Psalms and Special Terms
Author Titles
Historical Titles
Titles of Literary or Musical Genre
Titles with Musical Terms
Titles with Musical Tunes
Musical Instruments
Singing
Study Questions
Key Terms
2Listening to the Symphony of Praise: Interpreting the Psalms35
Outline
Objectives
Scanning the Orchestra: Hebrew Poetry
Parallelism
Synonymous Parallelism
Antithetic Parallelism
Strophe
Chiastic Structure
Reading the Psalms through the Psalmists' Experience
Reading the Psalms through the Editors' Experience
Reading the Psalms through the Readers' Experience
Reading the Psalms through the Apostles' Experience
Typology
Messianism
Reading the Psalms through the Literary Critics' Eyes
Reading the Psalms through the Students' Experience
Principle 1Determine Who Is Speaking
Principle 2Determine if the Psalm Is Personal or Corporate
Principle 3Determine for What Purpose the Psalm Was Written
Principle 4Determine the Emotional Orientation of the Psalm
Principle 5Determine the Genre of the Psalm if Possible
Principle 6Determine if There Is a Refrain or Recurring Words and Phrases
Study Questions
Key Terms
3The Seams of the Garment of Praise: The Structure of the Book57
Outline
Objectives
The Fivefold Division of the Psalter
The Editorial Seams of the Book: Books 1-3 (Pss 1-89)
Book 1 (Pss 1-41)
Book 2 (Pss 42-72)
Book 3 (Pss 73-89)
Summary
The Editorial Seams of the Book: Books 4-5 (Pss 90-150)
Book 4 (Pss 90-106)
Book 5 (Pss 107-50)
Summary
The Final Shape of the Book: Psalms 1 and 146-50
The Date of the Final Compilation of the Psalter
A Consideration of Authorship in the Shaping of the Book
Authorship
The Davidic Psalms
The Korah Psalms (Pss 42-49; 84-85; 87-88)
The Asaph Psalms (Pss 50; 73-83)
Songs of Ascents (Pss 120-34)
Study Questions
Key Terms
Part 2Encountering the Psalms as Worship and Historical Reflection
4The Psalms in Worship and Faith85
Outline
Objectives
The Psalms as an Expression of Shared Humanness
The Psalms as an Expression of Our Fragmentary Life
The Psalms as Preincarnational Revelation
The Psalms in the Qumran Scrolls
The Psalms in the New Testament
The Psalms in the Gospels
Paul's Use of the Psalms
The Psalms in the Epistle to the Hebrews
Summary
The Psalms in Temple Worship
The Psalms in Synagogue Worship
The Psalms in Christian Worship
The Church until the Reformation
The Psalms in the Reformation Church
The Psalms into the Twenty-First Century
Hiding the Psalms in One's Heart
Summary
Study Questions
Key Terms
5Encountering Theology and History in the Psalms99
Outline
Objectives
Israel and Creation
The Patriarchs in Retrospect
The Exodus
Egyptian Bondage
Crossing of the Red Sea
Sinai
The Wilderness
Conquest
Life in the Land
The Monarchy
The Exile and Return
Summary
Study Questions
Key Terms
Part 3Encountering the Psalms as Literary and Theological Types
6"Praise the Lord, O My Soul; All My Inmost Being, Praise His Holy Name": The Psalms of Praise121
Outline
Objectives
The Anatomy of Praise
Form and Description of the Psalms of Praise
Major Themes of the Psalms of Praise
Creation
Creation by the Word of Command
Creation by Deed
Creation by Understanding
Creation by Power
The Beauty and the Language of Creation
Universality of God's Presence and Reign
God's Work in Israel's History
Summary
Study Questions
Key Terms
7"My God, My God, Why Have You Forsaken Me?": Psalms of Lament135
Outline
Objectives
Definition and Description of the Psalms of Lament
Subcategories of the Psalms of Lament
Identity of the Enemies/Evildoers in the Psalms
Summary
Study Questions
Key Terms
8"I Love the Lord, for He Heard My Voice; He Heard My Cry for Mercy": Psalms of Thanksgiving151
Outline
Objectives
Description of Form and Content
Introduction
Report of Crisis
Deliverance as an Accomplished Fact
Conclusion
The Life Situation (Sitz im Leben) of the Psalms of Thanksgiving
Content of the Individual Psalms of Thanksgiving
Community Psalms of Thanksgiving
Theological Implications of the Psalms of Thanksgiving
Summary
Study Questions
Key Terms
9"The Lord Is My Shepherd, I Shall Not Want": Psalms of Trust165
Outline
Objectives
Definition and Description of the Psalms of Trust
The Individual Psalms of Trust
Psalm 4
Psalm 16
Psalm 23
Psalm 27
Psalm 62
Psalm 73
The Community Psalms of Trust
Psalm 90
Psalm 115
Psalm 123
Psalm 124
Psalm 125
Psalm 126
Summary
Study Questions
Key Terms
10"You Are My Son; Today I Have Become Your Father": Psalms of the Earthly King177
Outline
Objectives
Identifying the Royal Psalms
The Setting of the Royal Psalms
The Royal Psalms and the Messiah
Summary
Study Questions
Key Terms
11"The Lord Reigns": Psalms of the Heavenly King187
Outline
Objectives
Description
Thematic Emphases
The Lord Is Sovereign in Righteousness and Justice
The Lord Is Sovereign in Creation
The Lord Is Sovereign in Judgment
The Lord Is the Sovereign King of the Future
The Messianic Overtones of the Kingship of Yahweh Psalms
Dating the Kingship of Yahweh Psalms
Summary
Study Questions
Key Terms
12"My Mouth Will Speak Words of Wisdom": The Wisdom Psalms199
Outline
Objectives
Wisdom Psalms
Definition and Description of Wisdom Psalms
Identifying Wisdom Psalms
Structure and Motif in the Wisdom Psalms
Summary
Study Questions
Key Terms
13"The Law of the Lord Is Perfect, Reviving the Soul": The Psalms of Torah213
Outline
Objectives
Description of the Torah Psalms and Definition of Torah
Description of the Torah Psalms
Definition of Torah
God's Ways
God's Works
God's Words
Torah Piety as the Spiritual Provenance of the Psalter
Torah and Wisdom
The Torah Psalms
Psalm 1
Psalm 19
Psalm 119
Date of Composition of Psalm 119
A Profile of the Author of Psalm 119
The Torah Theology of Psalm 119
Psalm 119 and the Nature of Torah
Psalm 119 and the Purpose of Torah
Study Questions
Key Terms
14"May They Be Blotted Out of the Book of Life": The Imprecatory Psalms227
Outline
Objectives
The Imprecatory Psalms Defined
The Problem
The Solutions
The Nature of Poetry Itself
Effective Magic
An Inferior Ethic
Prediction over Pronouncement
Messianic
Human Vindictiveness over Divine Instruction
Representative of Human Injustice
The Words of Others
National Rather than Personal
Distinction between the Sin and the Sinner
Interpreting the Imprecatory Psalms as the Word of God
The Psalmist's Theological Perspective
The "Curses"
Principles of Judgment
Study Questions
Key Terms
Notes239
Select Bibliography of the Psalms245
Glossary249
Subject Index253
Scripture Index257
From the B&N Reads Blog

Customer Reviews