The Psalter

Unit Overview
The Psalms will be studied as prayer, poetry, theology, and transformation. We will be listening to a variety of voices including Athanasius, Luther, Calvin, Bonhoeffer, Walter Brueggemann, Serene Jones, as well as Indigenous, majority world and Asian voices including Miriam Rose Ungunmerr, Carol Robertson, Emmanuel Katongole, Yohanna Katanacho, Federico Villanueva, and Dennis Ngien. Each class will include a time of reflection and prayer.

Please visit the timetable by clicking here for the current dates on when this unit is offered.

Unit Details

Workload	One semester, 12 credit points
Status	Elective
Subject Code	OT020 (English) | OT021 (Hebrew)
Prerequisites	32 credit points of core foundation units which include OT001 and OT002. OT021 requires the completion of LA003 and LA004.
Teacher	Jill Firth

Unit content

• Poetry, metaphor, psalm types, individual and communal lament, imprecation, praise, thanksgiving, the feminine in the Psalter, colonialism and postcolonialism, themes and theology, structure of the Psalter, New Testament connections.
• Exegesis of the English text of Psalms including 1, 2, 3, 22, 42, 72, 73, 74, 96, 110, 105-106, 137, 149, 150.
• Hebrew Texts to be prepared for translation in OT021: Psalms 1, 2, 22, 73, 110, 137, 149, 150. A workbook with the Hebrew text is supplied to students.
• Assessment is through two essays (no exam).

Study Expectations
Students should prepare for class with the recommended reading and reflection, and by submitting assignments in a timely manner. Each Ridley unit expects 8–10 hours per week, including class time.