Psalms - The Divine Journey

Research on the Psalms has shifted dramatically over the past forty years. In charting these changes, Mark S. Smith highlights the changing landscape of interpretation. Part One contains studies of specific psalms in light of these developments. Part Two addresses a relatively new topic in biblical studies, namely the human body and emotions expressed in and through the body; this includes the Hebrew word commonly translated "soul" (as in "bless the Lord, O my soul!"). Part Three probes specific cultural backgrounds to the Psalms: their Canaanite religious and literary heritage; their Temple setting; and their expression of social identity as a people. Most notably, pilgrimage and its constellation of practices inform many psalms (such as Psalm 23, "The Lord is my shepherd"). Pilgrimage also plays a role in the larger shaping of the Psalter. No less important are the Psalms' literary properties, particularly their "genre-bending" and their brilliant imagery, metaphor and sound-play as well as their use of prose particles. Finally, Part Four addresses the Psalter as a whole. This part of the book pays considerable attention to theories about the Psalter, with a focus on its Levitical compilers and their vision of the Psalter as a textual whole, laid out like an opera in five movements.