The Psalms: Strophic Structure and Theological Commentary, Vols. 1 & 2 (Eerdmans Critical Commentary | ECC)

by Samuel Terrien

Publisher:

Eerdmans

, 2003

Overview

In his most ambitious undertaking, the late Samuel Terrien brings together a lifetime of scholarship on the Psalms. The commentary’s clear and insightful introduction considers these important subjects on the Psalms: their longevity and ecumenicity; their Near Eastern background; the Hebrew text and ancient versions; their music; their strophic structure; their literary genre; their theology; and their relation to the New Testament. Terrien elucidates the theological significance of these collected poems by putting readers in touch with the formal versatility and religious passion of the psalmists themselves. While he consistently engages in scientific exegesis before drawing theological conclusions, Terrien is careful to allow full expression to the theological and, especially, the doxological voice of these unmatched spiritual songs. The result is a commentary that provides a link between the archaic language of Psalms and the intellectual demands of modern thinking and spirituality.

Throughout his exposition Terrien shows great respect for the scribal testimony of the Jewish tradition, especially the consonants of the Masoretic text. He similarly displays great care in finding the most accurate meaning for Hebrew words of obscure origin, thus creating a meticulously reliable translation of Psalms. He also draws on many fruitful gains of structural analysis in discerning the strophic divisions within the Hebrew text. Often he finds unity of composition where earlier critics denied it. And for readers interested in specific aspects of translation and interpretation, Terrien has appended bibliographical lists of modern works on each psalm.

Key Features

• Written in an academic yet readable style
• Perfect for students, professors, and the general reader

Contents

Top Highlights

“The date of the finished Psalter is to be situated between the composition of Chronicles and the age of Jesus ben Sirach.” (Page 19)

“Perhaps the Yahweh-psalms came from Judah, and the Elohim-psalms from Israel-Ephraim” (Page 17)

“only a few psalms present pure forms, that is to say, are nonhybrid” (Page 42)

“It derives from a root meaning ‘to go forward,’ ‘to walk on,’ ‘to march steadily’” (Page 71)

“perhaps even to progress in the way of comprehension” (Page 71)

Endorsements

Samuel Terrien has willed us a legacy that is well worth studying for years to come. The crown of that legacy is his magnum opus on the Psalter….Rich in treasures for scholars and students alike, this commentary reflects a mind gifted with sharp intellect and a heart attuned to the cadences of the human and the divine.

—James A. Sanders, Ancient Biblical Manuscript Center, Claremont, California

I have always stood in awe of Samuel Terrien’s erudition and theological insight. As in all of his work, he is able in this volume to marry the sensitivities of a believer to the rigors of scholarly analysis in ways that are rich, insightful, and provocative….This commentary is a tour de force in contemporary Psalms scholarship and a fitting monument to one of the outstanding biblical scholars of the twentieth century.

—John A. Gettier, Trinity College, Hartford, Connecticut

Product Details

• Title: The Psalms: Strophic Structure and Theological Commentary
• Author: Samuel Terrien
• Series: Eerdmans Critical Commentary
• Publisher: Eerdmans
• Print Publication Date: 2003
• Logos Release Date: 2008
• Pages: 967
• Era: era:contemporary
• Language: English
• Resources: 1
• Format: Digital › Logos Research Edition
• Subjects: Bible. O.T. Psalms › Commentaries; Bible. O.T. Psalms › Theology; Hebrew poetry, Biblical › History and criticism; Hebrew language › Metrics and rhythmics
• ISBNs: 9780802826053, 0802826059
• Resource ID: LLS:EECRTCOMM19PS1
• Resource Type: Bible Commentary
• Metadata Last Updated: 2022-09-29T23:37:53Z

About Samuel Terrien

Samuel Terrien is well known for his brilliant book, The Psalms and Their Meaning for Today. He was also an editor of The Interpreter’s Bible. Born in France, he was educated at the Sorbonne, the School of the Louvre Museum, the French School of Biblical Archaeology at Jerusalem, and Union Theological Seminary in New York. Terrien was a long-time professor at Union Theological Seminary. He died in 2002 at the age of 91.