The Shaping of the Psalter

O. Palmer Robertson

• Publisher: P Publishing
• Year: 2019
• eBook ISBN: 9781629956206
• Topic: Theology & Religion
• Subtopic: Biblical Studies

O. Palmer Robertson argues that there is a clear redemptive-historical progression throughout its five books of Psalms.

1

Basic Aspects of the Five Books

The Israelites compared the five books of the Psalter to the five books of Moses. But no objective basis has ever been uncovered to justify this comparison. The ultimate origin of the five books is veiled in the mist of ancient history. Yet certain aspects of the five books are worthy of noting to assist in a general comprehension of the shape of the Psalter.

The Length of the Five Books

The first and fifth books of the Psalter are longest. Book I contains forty-one psalms and Book V consists of forty-four psalms. Book II has thirty-one psalms, while Books III and IV each contain only seventeen psalms. So Books I and V are almost three times longer than Books III and IV. The reason for this difference in length is difficult to determine. Yet their relative lengths do have an impact on their differing shapes.

The Biblical-Theological Setting of the Five Books

“Biblical-theological setting” refers to the particular place in the progression across history of God’s purposes in redeeming a people to himself. This progression may be seen in the sequential arrangement of the five books.

This observation does not mean that all 150 psalms are neatly arranged in chronological order. Extensive studies in the past have failed in locating the psalms according to a chronological design. Yet some order according to the unfolding of God’s redemptive purposes may be traced across the psalms.

Books I and II (Pss. 1–72) are almost altogether set in the days of David (c. 1000–960 b.c.). During this time, David struggles constantly against the enemies who oppose the establishment of his messianic kingdom of righteousness and peace. Despite this opposition—or even in response to this opposition—a major portion of the Psalter was developed for use in the context of the nation’s worship.

Book III (Pss. 73–89) contains several psalms that clearly depict the situation of God’s people at the time of their being conquered by the Assyrians and Babylonians (Pss. 74, 79, 80, 89). The entire nation along with its center of worship undergoes devastation at the hands of international enemies. These events occurred some 250 to 400 years after the days of King David. So clearly there is a movement from the period of Israel’s messianic kingship under David and Solomon to the sobering events of Israel’s conquest by international enemies.

Book IV (Pss. 90–106) does not contain so precise an indicator of its redemptive-historical context. Yet Psalm 90 opens this book with an expression of the faith appropriate to an exiled people. At the conclusion of the previous Book, they have no temple, no priesthood, no sacrifices, no king. Yet their faith has matured to the point that they can declare, “Lord, you have been our dwelling place through all generations” (Ps. 90:1). In the collections of this fourth book, the Yahweh Malak psalms prevail (Pss. 92–100). “The Lord is King,” these psalms declare. One can imagine this confident declaration arising out of a context of Israel’s exile. As the prophets Daniel and Ezekiel testify despite their locale in Babylon, the Lord reigns over all the nations of the world at all times and in all circumstances.

Finally and climactically, Book V (Pss. 107–150) leads Israel to a victory celebration in the broader context of its return from exile (537–520 b.c.). The “Psalms of Ascents” (Pss. 120–134) depict the “going up” to Jerusalem of a people who have survived exile and experienced restoration to their land, their temple, and their cherished priestly benedictions. The praises of Israel crescendo to their climax with two collections of psalms that begin and/or end with a word unique to the Psalter in the Old Testament: “Hallelu-YAH!” (Pss. 111–117; 146–150).

Once more it may be noted that a purely chronological order of arrangement is not inherent in the Psalter. Collections of Davidic psalms appear in the final as well as the first two books. Yet clearly a redemptive-historical progression may be traced from Books I and II through Books III and IV, climaxing in Book V.

2

Developing Themes of the Five Books

Observing the overall themes that develop across the five books may help in understanding the shape and structure of the Psalter. A single word may serve to capture the theme of each of these books as follows.

First, a disclaimer. No single word could actually summarize the full message of the forty-one diverse psalms of Book I, or the forty-four different psalms of Book V. Yet a single word may serve to represent the overall thrust of each of the five books. This one key word may also reflect in general terms the biblical-theological setting in redemptive history of the various books of the Psalter. These defining terms will first be listed. Then they shall be explored more fully, following the order of the five books. These developing themes of the five books are as follows:

Book I: Confrontation

Book II: Communication

Book III: Devastation

Book IV: Maturation

Book V: Consummation

With this proposal of an overall theme for each of the five books in view, each of the books may now be considered in sequence.

Book I: Confrontation (Psalms 1–41)

Enemies, enemies, enemies. As you read through the opening collection of psalms in the Psalter, you may feel somewhat overwhelmed. Who are all these enemies? Why are they given such a prominent role in the beginning of the Psalter?

This constant confrontation with enemies represents the struggle of David to establish his messianic kingdom of righteousness and peace. David stands prominently at the forefront of this first collection of psalms because the “covenant of the kingdom” was made specifically with him (2 Sam. 7:11b–14). No less than thirty of the forty-one psalms in Book I make specific reference to the wicked, to enemies, to foes. Of the remaining eleven psalms, three imply the presence of enemies without specifying them, and five refer to death, which is the “last great enemy.” So as many as thirty-eight of the forty-one psalms of Book I focus on the enemies of the Messiah, his nation, and his people.

The presence of enemies doesn’t end with Book I. “Enemies” are prominent in each of the five books. The ongoing conflict between the “seed” of the woman and the “seed” of Satan has its origin recorded in Genesis 3:15. This confrontation is especially prominent in Book I of the Psalter, beginning with the assaults of Absalom against David his father (Ps. 3). Indeed, some psalms of Book I make no mention of enemies, such as Psalms 15–17. Other books of the Psalter also depict this constant confrontation with enemies. But Book I is distinctive in its focus on this constant confrontation with enemies of the messianic king and his kingdom of righteousness and peace.

Book II: Communication (Psalms 42–72)

The enemies of the messianic kingdom of righteousness and peace are still ever-present in Book II (Pss. 42–72). Confrontation with these enemies is just as intense.

But the perspective on these enemies in Book II is significantly different. The psalmist now manifests a determination to communicate with these enemies. Two significant contrasts between Book I and Book II underscore this determination to communicate with the enemies in Book II. First, a contrast becomes evident in the differing designation for God in the two books. Second, a different attitude comes to expression in Book II with respect to these enemies, particularly with reference to foreign nations. These two distinctives of Book II in contrast with Book I deserve further consideration.

A Contrast in the Name Used for God

Two basic names for God appear in the Psalter as well as in the Old Testament in general: Yahweh, the covenant name for God, and Elohim, the general name for God. Basic statistics underscore the striking difference in the employment of these two names as found in these first two books of the Psalter. Tallies may differ slightly, but the contrast is plain to see:

Book I:

Yahweh, the covenant name for God, appears 278 times, or 85 percent of the total use of these two terms in Book I.

Elohim, the general name for God, appears 48 times, or 15 percent of the total use of these two terms in Book I.

In Book II, the proportionate use of these two names for the deity is almost exactly reversed:

Yahweh, the covenant name for God occurs 32 times, or 14 percent of the total use of these two terms in Book II.

Elohim, the general name for God, occurs 197 times, or 86 percent of the total use of these two terms in Book II.

In addition to this general comparison, a deliberate substitution of the names has occurred at several points. The substance of Psalms 14 and 53 are virtually identical. Both these psalms describe the atheistic fool. Yet Psalm 53 of Book II replaces Yahweh in Psalm 14 of Book I with Elohim four times (compare Psalm 14:2, 4, 6–7 with Psalm 53:2, 4–6). In similar fashion, the confession of sin in Book II (Ps. 51) uses Elohim to the exclusion of Yahweh, while the companion psalm of confession in Book I (Ps. 32) uses Yahweh to the exclusion of Elohim.

This distinction in the use of the divine names is clear, and generally recognized. But what is the reason? Why this difference in the use of the names for God in Books I and II?

Some have proposed that two divergent collections of Davidic psalms circulated throughout ancient Israel, one collection for the north and one for the south. Others have suggested a reluctance to use the special name of God revealed to Moses at the burning bush. Neither of these explanations is quite conv...

Table of contents

• Contents
• Preface
• Introduction
• 1. Basic Aspects of the Five Books
• 2. Developing Themes of the Five Books
• 3. Structures in Book I: Psalms 1–41
• 4. Structures in Book II: Psalms 42–72
• 5. Structures in Book III: Psalms 73–89
• 6. Structures in Book IV: Psalms 90–106
• 7. Structures in Book V: Psalms 107–150
• Conclusion
• Bibliography