The Psalter

OT426/OT626 (English) | OT636 (Hebrew)

 

Content

1. The origin and use of the Psalms in ancient Israel: EITHER: Exegesis of the English text of Psalms 2, 8, 16, 19, 22, 24, 46, 51, 73, 74, 96, 99, 103, 110, 116, 132, 137 (or a comparable selection),
   The development of the Psalter, psalm types, psalm and cult;
   Theological motifs in the Psalter: the “I”, kingship, lament, enemies, Zion.
2. OR: Translation and exegesis of the Hebrew text of Psalms 2, 8, 22, 46, 73, 99, 132, 137 (or a comparable selection).

Hebrew Texts to be prepared for OT636
The psalms to be studied are Psalms 2, 8, 22, 46, 73, 99, 132, 137.

Assessment

You will need to hand in two copies (one with a cover sheet) of your assignments, one of which will be annotated and returned. The other copy will be retained for moderation.

OT426
There are two forms of assessment:

1. An unseen examination worth 60%, held during the exam week. The exam will be 2 hours long, and students will need to answer 3 questions (out of a choice of 8). 1 question (out of a choice of 3) will be on the theology of the Psalms; 2 questions (out of a choice of 5) will involve exegesis of the prescribed texts listed above.

2. A 2000 word essay worth 40%, on one of the following topics from the book of Psalms:

• ‘Yahweh reigns.’ To what extent is Book IV (Psalms 90-106) the theological centre of the Psalter?
• Identify the key theological ideas which emerge from the Zion psalms, and discuss the usefulness of these psalms for Christians today
• What does the book of Psalms teach about the nature and place of lament?
• What are the key themes of the historical recital psalms and what is their enduring value?

OT626
There are two forms of assessment:

1. An unseen examination worth 50%, held during the exam week. The exam will be 2 hours long, and students will need to answer 3 questions (out of a choice of 8). 1 question (out of a choice of 3) will be on the theology of the Psalms; 2 questions (out of a choice of 5) will involve exegesis of the prescribed texts listed above.

2. A 3000 word essay worth 50%, on one of the following topics from the book of Psalms:

• To what extent is Book III of the Psalter a discrete book with a coherent theme?
• To what extent is a missiological reading of the book of Psalms possible?
• What is the role of Psalm 119 in the Psalter as a whole?
• Assess the comparative usefulness of the canonical and form critical approaches to the book of Psalms.
• Critically evaluate the appropriateness of the category of ‘wisdom psalms’, and views about their value in the book as a whole.
• ‘The New Testament use of the Psalms is a model for Christians today.’ Discuss.

 OT636 (Hebrew text option)
There are three forms of assessment:

1. An unseen examination worth 40%, held during the exam week. The exam will be 90 minutes long, and students will need to answer 2 questions (out of a choice of 4). These will involve translation and exegesis of the prescribed texts listed above.

2. Weekly preparation of the set texts worth 10%. It is expected that you will have translated the allocated portion of text prior to class, and that you are equipped to discuss major issues that emerge from the Hebrew text.

3. A 3000 word essay worth 50%.