SciELO - Scientific Electronic Library Online

 
vol.21 issue2 author indexsubject indexarticles search
Home Pagealphabetic serial listing  

Services on Demand

Article

Indicators

Related links

  • On index processCited by Google
  • On index processSimilars in Google

Share


Old Testament Essays

On-line version ISSN 2312-3621
Print version ISSN 1010-9919

Old testam. essays vol.21 n.2 Pretoria  2008

 

'Killing them softly with this song...' the literary structure of Psalm 3 and its Psalmic and Davidic contexts1: Part II: A contextual and intertextual interpretation of Psalm 3

 

 

Phil J. Botha; Beat Weber

Department of Ancient Languages, University of Pretoria

Correspondence

 

 


ABSTRACT

In this article, the second in a series of two on Ps 3, the contribution which its immediate literary context and its heading makes to the interpretation of Ps 3 is discussed. It seems that Ps 3 is connected to its immediate neighbours, Pss 1-2 on the one hand, and Pss 4-14 on the other, with the help of key-words and shared motifs. The heading draws attention to intertextual connections it has with the narrative of Absalom's revolt in 2 Sam 15-19 and with David's song of triumph in 2 Sam 22, and through this last mentioned text also with the rest of the Psalter. Ps 3 can consequently be viewed as part of the 'overture' of the Psalter consisting of Pss 1-3, but simultaneously as the first exemplaric prayer of David which he formulated under difficult circumstances. The connections with 2 Sam 22 also suggest that the psalm can only be properly understood from the perspective of David's victory over 'all' his enemies.


 

“Full text available only in PDF format”

 

 

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Barbiero, G. 1999. Das erste Psalmenbuch als Einheit. Eine synchrone Analyse von Psalm 1-41. Frankfurt a.M.: Peter Lang. (ÖBS 16.         [ Links ])

Botha, P. J. 1991. The junction of the two ways: the structure and theology of Psalm 1. OTE 4(3), 381-396.         [ Links ]

_____ 2005. The Ideological Interface between Psalm 1 and Psalm 2. OTE 18, 189-203.         [ Links ]

_____ 2007. Intertextuality and the Interpretation of Psalm 1, in: Human, D. J. (ed.), Psalms and Mythology, 58-76. London: T&T Clark (LHBOTS 462.         [ Links ]).

Craigie, P. C. 1983. Psalms 1-50. Waco, TX: Word Books. (WBC 19.         [ Links ])

Creach, J. F. D. 1999. 'Like a tree planted by the temple stream: The portrait of the righteous in Psalm 1:3'. CBQ 61(1), 34-46.         [ Links ]

Croft, S. J. L. 1987. The Identity of the Individual in the Psalms. Sheffield: Sheffield Academic Press. (JSOT.S 44.         [ Links ])

Culley, Robert C. 1991. Psalm 3: Content, Context, and Coherence, in: Gross, W. et al. (eds), Text, Methode und Grammatik, 29-39. St. Ottilien: EOS Verlag.         [ Links ]

Gesenius, W. & Kautzsch, E. 1962 [1909]. Hebräische Grammatik. Reprint of the 28th edition, Leipzig 1909. Hildesheim: Olms.

Hartenstein, F. 2009. 'Schaffe mir Recht, JHWH!' (Psalm 7:9). Zum theologischen und anthropologischen Profil der Teilkomposition Psalm 3-14, in: Zenger, Erich (ed.), The Composition of the Book of Psalms, forthcoming. Leuven: Peeters (BEThL.         [ Links ])

Hossfeld, F.-L. & Zenger, E. 1993. Die Psalmen I. Würzburg: Echter. (NEB 29.         [ Links ])

_____ 2000. Psalmen 51-100. Freiburg i.Br.: Herder. (HThKAT.         [ Links ])

Kleer, M. 1996. 'Der liebliche Sänger der Psalmen Israels.' Untersuchungen zu David als Dichter und Beter der Psalmen. Bodenheim: Philo. (BBB 108.         [ Links ])

Kraus, H.-J. 1978. Psalmen. 1. Teilband: Psalmen 1-59. 5., grundlegend überarbeitete und veränderte Auflage. Neukirchen-Vluyn. (BKAT XV/1.         [ Links ])

Kselman, J. S. 1987. Psalm 3: A Structural and Literary Study. CBQ 49, 572-80.         [ Links ]

Lindström, F. 1994. Suffering and Sin. Interpretations of Illness in the Individual Complaint Psalms. Stockholm: Almqvist & Wiksell. (CBOT 37.         [ Links ])

Oeming, M. 2000. Das Buch der Psalmen. Psalm 1-41. Stuttgart: Katholisches Bibelwerk. (NSKAT 13/1.         [ Links ])

Rösel, C. 1999. Die messianische Redaktion des Psalters. Studien zu Entstehung und Theologie der Sammlung Psalm 2-89*. Stuttgart: Calwer. (CThM.BW 19.         [ Links ])

Seybold, K. 1996. Die Psalmen. Tübingen: Mohr Siebeck. (HAT I/15.         [ Links ])

Van der Ploeg, J. P. M. 1973. Psalmen I (Psalm 1-44). Roermond: J. J. Romen & Zonen. (BOT.         [ Links ])

Wallace, H. N. 2007. King and Community: Joining with David in Prayer, in: Becking, B. & Peels, E. (eds), Psalms and Prayers. Papers read at the Joint Meeting of Old Testament Study and Het Oudtestamentisch Werkgezelschap in Nederland en België, Apeldoorn August 2006, 267-277. Leiden: Brill. (OTS 55.         [ Links ])

Weber, B. 2001. Werkbuch Psalmen I. Die Psalmen 1 bis 72. Stuttgart: Kohlhammer.         [ Links ]

_____ 2007a. 'HERR, wie viele sind geworden meine Bedränger (Ps 3,2a). Psalm 1-3 als Ouvertüre des Psalters unter besonderer Berücksichtigung von Psalm 3 und seinem Präskript, in: Ballhorn, E. & Steins, G. (hrsg.), Der Bibelkanon in der Bibelauslegung. Methodenreflexionen und Beispielexegesen, 231-251. Stuttgart: Kohlhammer.         [ Links ]

_____ 2007b. Psalm 1 als Tor zur Tora JHWHs. Wie Ps 1 (und Ps 2) den Psalter an den Pentateuch anschliesst. SJOT 21, 179-200.         [ Links ]

_____ 2009. Von der Psaltergenese zur Psaltertheologie: Der nächste Schritt der Psalterexegese?! Einige grundsätzliche Überlegungen zum Psalter als Buch und Kanonteil, in: Zenger, E. (ed.), The Composition of the Book of Psalms, forthcoming. Leuven: Peeters. (BEThL.         [ Links ])

Wilson, G. H. 2002. Psalms - Volume I. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan. (The NIV Application Commentary.         [ Links ])

Zenger, E. 1998. Der Psalter als Buch. Beobachtungen zu seiner Etstehung, Komposition und Funktion, in: Zenger, E. (hrsg.), Der Psalter in Judentum und Christentum, 1-57. Freiburg i.Br.: Herder. (HBS 18.         [ Links ])

 

 

Correspondence:
Beat Weber
Theologisches Seminar Bienenberg, Liestal, CH, in conjunction with the University of Wales, Lampeter, UK (Associate Lecturer)
Research Associate of the Department of Ancient Languages, University of Pretoria
Pretoria 0002, RSA. Birrmoosstr. 5, CH-3673 Linden BE (Switzerland)
E-mail: weber-lehnherr@freesurf.ch

Phil J. Botha
Department of Ancient Languages
University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0002, South Africa
E-mail: phil.botha@up.ac.za

 

 

1 This article and a preceding one by the same authors have grown out of investigations and discussions between them during 2005 and again during 2008 at the Department of Ancient Languages, University of Pretoria, South Africa. Phil J. Botha is professor of Semitic Languages at this institution and Dr. Beat Weber is associated with this department as research associate and has spent time there as part of his Sabbatical Leave.

Creative Commons License All the contents of this journal, except where otherwise noted, is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License