1. Introduction to the Book of Psalms

Quoted more in the NT than any other book
Usually the first book of the OT to be translated into any language
Often bound in with N.T.
Much loved
- my own experience
- favourite Psalms? (why?)
The largest book in the Bible is a book of music
- Luther: (Allen p.23)
- Why no musical notes?
  - actually there is a whole system of marks, but the meaning is almost completely lost
  - we do know where each line and verse ends from the Hebrew
We have to be careful teaching this book that we don’t end up with too much emphasis on analysing it and lose the wonder
- Nevertheless, when you put something that God has made under the microscope, you see more and more beauty
- So the goal of this course is to help us to appreciate the psalms

A. Name of the book

Hebrew name: sefer tehillim (Book of Praises)
- abbreviated to tehillim (Praises)
- same basic word as halelu-Yah
- virtually every single psalm has some element of praise in it.
Another title is prayers (see Ps 72.20)
- see also intro to Hannah’s psalm of praise in Sam 2:1
The word “thanksgiving” is also used as a title
- This is direct, i.e. addressed to God.
- Almost 2/3 of the psalms directly address God at some point
- This was common in early Christian hymns, but hymns written in the 1800 and 1900’s rarely address God
- Much of Christian songwriting today has recaptured this lost aspect
- If the Psalms are “sung prayers” then they should usually be addressed to God
  - Value of mixing prayer and singing in our worship
The difference between praise and thanksgiving: Allen p.58-64
- Actually there is no Hebrew word for giving thanks
- The importance of being vocal and not quiet in our praises
- In ancient times, reading was always done aloud.
  - This is actually a good way to read the Psalms
So a second goal of this course is to help us praise God

There are some duplications, most notably Ps 14 = Ps 53
- Why is this?
- Arranged for a purpose, maybe some regular worship activity
There is evidence that the whole 150 were carefully organized, since some Psalms link together with the previous.
- Some were actually joined originally (e.g. 9-10 are an acrostic. 42-43 have the same refrain, three times)
Superscripts—brief notes at the start of many psalms, are probably original and are best taken as accurate
- Jesus thinks so: Mark 12:35-37 (quoting Ps 110)
- In all Hebrew bibles, back to the very oldest ones, the superscripts are marked as the first verse
Psalm 1 & 2 begin the collection
Each book ends with doxology (Praise and glory to God)
Book ends with 5 doxologies and then Ps 150 is entirely praise
Note at end of 2nd book

Ps 113-118 Hallel or Hymns of praise
- Ps 113-4 before the meal and 115-8 afterwards
- Last words in the light of what Jesus was about to do!
Ps 120-134 “Songs of Ascent”

See it primarily as teachings (Early church, up to reformation)
- lack of focus on beauty and literature
Reformation
- began (with Luther and Calvin) to value it as an art-form
late 1800, early 1900s Analytical/Critical
- very little value. Very dry. (many of them were unbelievers)
1900’s Historical approach
- tried to reconstruct a historical background to each psalm
- could become very speculative
- some useful insights
Form critical approach
- focussed on the literary form of each psalm
- found 7 basic types (discuss later)
- a lot of useful insights in this approach
Cultic (worship) approach
- attempts to reconstruct worship events for which there is very little evidence
- e.g. an annual autumn festival
Eclectic approach (pick the best out of all the others)
- most good scholars today do this

An entire online course on the Psalms: http://www.bible.org/series.php?series_id=144
- by Allen Ross, an excellent Hebrew scholar Note: this material seems to be no-longer available. See this link for information: Ross
- first class material at a good scholarly level (although some may find it a little dry)
Another entire course, this time in audio: http://www.believerschapeldallas.org/OnlineMessages/DrBruceWaltke/tabid/175/Default.aspx
- By Bruce Waltke, one of the translators of the NIV
- Possibly the best Christian scholar today on the Psalms
- About 20 hours of audio. Very easy to listen to (he is a good speaker)
Praise! A matter of Life and Breath, Ronald B. Allen (Nashville: Nelson, 1980)
- Allen was one of the translators of the NKJV
Psalms—An Introduction and Commentary, Derek Kidner (Downers Grove: IVP, 1973)