Shape and Shaping of the Psalter

by Jerry Clinton McCann Jr.

Publisher:

Sheffield Academic Press

, 1993

Overview

The nine essays in this volume originated in the discussions of the Psalms program unit of the Society of Biblical Literature and a number were first presented as papers at the SBL meetings in 1989 and 1990. The volume documents the growing interest among scholars in understanding the book of Psalms not only as a collection of liturgical materials from ancient Israel and Judah but also as a coherent literary whole.

Part I considers the nature and significance of this new approach; it contains essays by J. L. Mays, Roland E. Murphy, Walter Brueggemann, Gerald H. Wilson and David M. Howard, Jr. Part II illustrates the application of this approach and offers preliminary conclusions concerning the shape of the Psalter and its component books; it contains essays by Gerald H. Wilson, Patrick D. Miller, Jr, J. Clinton McCann, Jr. and David M. Howard, Jr..

Contents

Top Highlights

“Wilson suggests that the purpose of the Psalter in its final form was to address the apparent failure of the Davidic covenant in light of the exile, the diaspora and the oppression of Israel by the nations in the postexilic era.” (Page 93)

“I propose that an analysis of the final form of Book III reveals an arrangement that serves to assist the community not only to face squarely the disorienting reality of exile, as Wilson would suggest, but also to reach a reorientation based upon the rejection of the Davidic/Zion theology that had formerly been Judah’s primary grounds for hope.¹ The canonical juxtaposition of the traditional Davidic/Zion theology with community psalms of lament serves to signal the rejection of this basis for hope.” (Pages 98–99)

“First, too many treatments of arrangement begin by setting forth an hypothesis to guide the investigation. Such working hypotheses, as we have seen, often distort the interpreter’s vision and prevent the true nature of the material from coining into focus. In my opinion, the only valid and cautious hypothesis with which to begin is that the present arrangement is the result of purposeful editorial activity, and that its purpose can be discerned by careful and exhaustive analysis of the linguistic and thematic relationships between individual psalms and groups of psalms.” (Page 48)

“When one considers Psalm 1 as well as Psalm 2 at the beginning of Book I, Psalms 42–44 at the beginning of Book II, and Psalms 73–74 at the beginning of Book III, one discovers a pattern that serves to instruct the postexilic community not only to face the disorienting reality of exile but also to reach toward a reorientation beyond the traditional grounds for hope, that is, beyond the Davidic/Zion covenant theology.” (Page 95)

Product Details

• Title: Shape and Shaping of the Psalter
• Author: J. Clinton McCann, Jr.
• Publisher: Sheffield Academic Press
• Publication Date: 2009
• Pages: 130

About Jerry Clinton McCann Jr.

Clinton’s research and writing have focused on the Psalms. A noted biblical scholar, he served as chair of the Psalms Section for the Society of Biblical Literature for 10 years. His publications on the Psalms include: The Shape and Shaping of the Psalter (1993); A Theological Introduction to the Book of Psalms: The Psalms as Torah (1993); the Psalms commentary in The New Interpreter’s Bible (Vol. IV; 1996); Preaching the Psalms (2001); and annotations on the Psalms in The Access Bible, The Learning Bible, and The Westminster Discipleship Study Bible. His most recent book is Judges (2002) in the Interpretation commentary series.