C. Hassell Bullock - Encountering the Book of Psalms: A Literary and Theological Introduction

Encountering Biblical Studies

Walter A. Elwell, General Editor and New Testament Editor

Eugene H. Merrill, Old Testament Editor

Encountering the Old Testament: A Christian Survey , 3rd edition

Bill T. Arnold and Bryan E. Beyer

Readings from the Ancient Near East: Primary Sources for Old Testament Study

Bill T. Arnold and Bryan E. Beyer, editors

Encountering the New Testament : A Historical and Theological Survey , 3rd edition

Walter A. Elwell and Robert W. Yarbrough

Readings from the First-Century World : Primary Sources for New Testament Study

Walter A. Elwell and Robert W. Yarbrough, editors

Encountering the Book of Genesis: A Study of Its Content and Issues

Bill T. Arnold

Encountering the Book of Psalms: A Literary and Theological Introduction , 2nd edition

C. Hassell Bullock

Encountering the Book of Isaiah

Bryan E. Beyer

Encountering John: The Gospel in Historical, Literary, and Theological Perspective , 2nd edition

Andreas J. Kstenberger

Encountering the Book of Romans: A Theological Survey , 2nd edition

Douglas J. Moo

Encountering the Book of Hebrews: An Exposition

Donald A. Hagner

2001, 2018 by C. Hassell Bullock

Published by Baker Academic

a division of Baker Publishing Group

P.O. Box 6287, Grand Rapids, MI 49516-6287

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Ebook edition created 2018

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any meansfor example, electronic, photocopy, recordingwithout the prior written permission of the publisher. The only exception is brief quotations in printed reviews.

ISBN 978-1-4934-1446-8

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is on file at the Library of Congress, Washington, DC.

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are from the Holy Bible, New International Version. NIV. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com

Scripture quotations labeled ESV are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version (ESV), copyright 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. ESV Text Edition: 2011

Scripture quotations labeled NRSV are from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright 1989, by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations labeled RSV are from the Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright 1952 [2nd edition, 1971] by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Illustration credits:

The illustration on page 13 (top) is taken from Klaus Seybold, Introducing the Psalms , trans. R. Graeme Dunphy (Edinburgh: T&T Clark, 1990). Used by permission.

The illustrations on pages 13 (bottom), 14, 15, 22, 33, 54, 116, 126, 142, 143, 145, 159, 174, 178, 185, 207, 213, and 214 are taken from Othmar Keel, The Symbolism of the Biblical World: Ancient Near Eastern Iconography and the Book of Psalms , trans. Timothy J. Hallett (New York: Seabury, 1978). Contact Othmar Keel (Othmar.keel@unifr.ch). Used by permission.

All other photographs are copyright Baker Publishing Group and Dr. James C. Martin.

To the memory of Rev. Britts E. and Mrs. Lucinda R. Nichols, my father-in-law and mother-in-law, who lived in the spirit of the Psalms.

Blessed in the sight of the L ORD is the death of his faithful servants. Psalm 116:15

Contents

To the Student

E ncountering the book of Psalms in a systematic way for the first time is an exciting experience. It can also be overwhelming because there is so much to learn. You need to learn not only the content of this book of songs but also important background information about the world in which the songwriters lived.

The purpose of this textbook is to make that encounter a little less daunting. To accomplish this, a number of learning aids have been incorporated into the text. I suggest you familiarize yourself with this textbook by reading the following introductory material, which explains what learning aids have been provided.

Sidebars

Sidebars isolate contemporary issues of concern and show how the book of Psalms speaks to these pressing ethical and theological issues.

Chapter Outlines

At the beginning of each chapter is a brief outline of the chapters contents. Study Suggestion : Before reading the chapter, take a few minutes to read the outline. Think of it as a road map, and remember that it is easier to reach your destination if you know where you are going.

Chapter Objectives

A brief list of objectives is placed at the outset of each chapter. These present the tasks you should be able to perform after reading the chapter. Study Suggestions : Read the objectives carefully before beginning to read the text. As you read the text, keep these objectives in mind and take notes to help you remember what you have read. After reading the chapter, return to the objectives to see whether you can perform the tasks.

Key Terms and Glossary

Key terms have been identified throughout the text by the use of boldface type. This will alert you to important words or phrases you may not be familiar with. Definitions of these words will be found at the end of the book in an alphabetical glossary. Study Suggestion : When you encounter a key term in the text, stop and read the definition before continuing through the chapter.

Study Questions

A few discussion questions have been provided at the end of each chapter, and these can be used to review for examinations. Study Suggestion : Write suitable answers to the study questions in preparation for tests.

Further Reading

A helpful bibliography for supplementary reading is presented at the end of the book. Study Suggestion : Use this list to explore areas of special interest.

Visual Aids

A host of illustrations have been included in this textbook. Each illustration has been carefully selected, and each is intended to make the text not only more aesthetically pleasing but also more easily mastered.

May your encounter with the book of Psalms be an exciting adventure!

Preface to the Second Edition

R eading the Psalms is like looking into a mirror. We see so many emotions, circumstances, and dilemmas that we human beings face, our own profile, no less. And the Psalms are not only a reflection of the human challenges, but they also tell us so much about how the psalmists dealt with those challenges in the light of their faith in a covenant-keeping God and how God never tired of reaffirming his commitment to creation and those who fear his name.

With this recognition, I express my gratitude to those teachers and students who have used the first edition of Encountering the Book of Psalms and, by their usage, invoked the publishers invitation to issue this new edition. That leads naturally to my thanks to Jim Kinney, executive vice president for academic publishing at Baker Publishing Group, for issuing this invitation and to the editorial expertise of Brian Bolger and his staff. Also along with the kind reception of the first edition by the readership is the completion of my two-volume commentary in the Teach the Text series (Baker Books, 2015, 2017), necessitating the need to bring these two works into a coordinate relationship.

As the reader will note, my approach to the Psalms reflects the canonical method, which has opened up new and stimulating vistas on this timeless collection of spiritual poems. As I continue to teach the Psalms in the Wheaton College Graduate School, I am encouraged by those students who find that this method provides them with a new perspective on the Psalter. I sincerely hope that the readers of this volume will have a similar experience as they discover its usefulness in opening up new insights about the psalmists themselves, about their personal and historical circumstances, and about their spiritual program for finding solutions and ultimately entering into a more mature relationship with God. Davids passionate yearning is the model of the Psalter, often expressed as being in the presence/house of the Lord (Ps. 23:5). Indeed, the goal of the saving message of Scripture generally is that we might acquire the passion and learn the spiritual program that will lead us into the Lords presence, both in this life and in the life to come (Ps. 16:11). To that end this work is intended to be for the glory of God alone soli Deo gloria !