The Songs of Ascents: a

decentralised
hermeneutic for
evangelical spiritual
formation

Paper presented to the 2007 Annual meeting of

Aotearoa/New Zealand Association of Biblical Studies
(ANZABS) at Christchurch, New Zealand

John C. Douglas
12/4/2007
 Abstract

Several exegetical schools have viewed the Songs of Ascents (Psalms 120-134) as

pilgrim hymnal; describing their environment of use within Jerusalem festival. This

perspective engages debate concerning whether they should be interpreted as expectation

(pilgrim journey) or participation (festival liturgy), “is or was there a generalised context

hermeneutic applied in the pre-Christian Hebrew usage?” An interpretative understanding

which invested spiritual reflection, and meaning into the pilgrims/worshippers interpersonal

and corporate spiritual formation through participation in festival. This paper will move

from that question to explore the notion of developing several context hermeneutics, and pose

the possibility of how ―context reflection‖ and the use of the images in the texts could

facilitate interpersonal and corporate spiritual formation amongst conservative evangelical

faith communities. Part of this paper will consider the praxis (or potential propensity) of

shifting primary exegesis from text toward an exegesis of both interpretation and application.

John C. Douglas
jcd@sage.ac.nz
December 2007

The meeting‘s full schedule of presented papers can be viewed at http://anzabs.blogspot.com/

1
 “The Songs of Ascents: a decentralised hermeneutic for
evangelical spiritual formation”
A paper presented by John C. Douglas at ANZABS 2007 Conference, Auckland, New Zealand

Paul offers this paper background when he defines, ―all Scripture as God-breathed

and is useful for the formation of faith (teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in

righteousness)1. In so doing he is commending the broad value of First Testament canon to

the young faith community. In this paper I humbly (and nervously) propose the same

commendation through some hermeneutical consideration in the Songs of Ascents to the

growing field of evangelical spiritual formation.

In view of our title, I will now proceed by considering the views of several exegetical

schools of thought2 regarding the Songs of Ascents (Psalms 120-134) as pilgrim hymnal;

including describing their use-environment within Jerusalem festival. This group of Psalms

form the collection known as the "Songs of Ascents," which in turn is a major part of the

Great Hallel psalms (120-136). An exact meaning of the designation, "songs of ascents" is

unclear, whether they are name as the former or as "Pilgrim Songs," "Song of Degrees," or

"Gradual Psalms."3 However the ascent identification rests primarily in the superscription to

each psalm in the collection, with a secondary contribution being ascent as the ―going up to

Jerusalem (which stands high above the sea level and much of the land of Israel) 4 of the

pilgrims.‖ The consideration of these perspectives will engage a limited weighing up of

1
II Timothy 3:16
2
In the early Christian period two main ―schools‖ dominated. Antioch School of Exegesis, the
theological institution in Syria, traditionally founded in about CE200, stressed the literal interpretation of the
scriptures and the completeness of Christ's humanity, in opposition to the Exegetical School of Alexandria
which emphasized the allegorical interpretation of the scriptures and stressed Christ's divinity. See page 8.
3
VanGemeran, Willem A. Psalms in the Expositor’s Bible Commentary Ed. Gaebelein, Frank E.
(volume 5). Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1988.p.256.
4
See Matthew 20:17 cf Psalms 24:3; 122:4 for described or implied geographic going-up.

2
their debate concerning whether they should be interpreted as expectation (pilgrim journey)

or participation (festival liturgy).

Engaging Context, Collection, Construction and Contribution

Edersheim (1874)5 Elaborates the relationship of the songs to pilgrims travelling to

the temple, and states they sang from 122:2 ―Our feet are standing within thy gates O

Jerusalem‖ as they enter the city.

Kidner (1973)6 states (as do Dahood, et.al.) the Mishnah recording that fifteen steps

led up from the Court of the women to the Courts of the Israelites ‗corresponding to the

fifteen Songs of the Ascents in the Psalms, and upon them the Levites used to sing‘.7 While

Kidner ventures Keet‘s comment, ―there is no record of what was sang there‖8, Edersheim

has the Levites singing Psalm 150.9 VanGemeren states, ―It is more likely that the songs

were sung in the three annual festival processions, as the pilgrims ‗ascended‘ (`-l-h) to

Jerusalem (cf. Exodus 23:14-17; Deuteronomy 16:16), hence the designation "songs of

ascents" (ma`aloth).10

The greater weight of perspective regarding “authorial intention” does not appear to

have the ―collection‖ written for the express purpose of festival, as either pilgrimage or

liturgy. Goldingay‘s comment serves as a summary, ―… some headings look as if they

reflect adaptations of the psalm to new circumstances: e.g., Psalms 120-34 are ‗psalms of

Ascents‘, suggesting they were used for pilgrimage or procession, but they do not as if they

5
Edersheim, Alfred. The Temple: Its Ministry and Services as they were at the Time of Jesus Christ.
Originally published 1874. p.382-4.
6
Kidner, Derek. Psalms 1 – 72: An Introduction and Commentary on Books I and II of the Psalms.
Leicester: IVP 1973. p.43
7
Middoth 2:5, The Mishnah, ed. H. Danby (Oxford University Press, 1933). p.593.
8
Keet, Cuthbert C. A Study of the Psalms of Ascents. A Critical and Exegetical Commentary Upon
Psalms CXX to CXXXIV Greenwood: Attic, 1969. p.16
9
Edersheim p.383.
10
VanGemeren, p.256.

3
were written for that‖.11 They clearly some reflect other original uses, but they became

canonically significant in a new liturgical adaptation, when they were incorporated together

in a small collection of fifteen hymns.12 The Mishnah teaches that in the period of the

second temple they were incorporated into the temple liturgy. 13 Richard Press held that they

were composed during the Exile.14 Michael Goulter develops and supports his authorial

thesis on four propositions: (1) The Songs of Ascents are a unity, coming from the hand of a

single author. (2) The author of the Songs composed them to celebrate the achievement of

Nehemiah. (3) Psalms 120-127 follow the stories in the original first-person, so-called

Nehemiah memoir, Neh. 1:1-7:5a, in sequence, as do 133-34 in its continuation in Neh.

12:27-43; 128-32 follow that part of the original Nehemiah ‗memoir‘, for which Neh. 7:5b-

12:26 has been substituted — principally Neh. 13:4-31, which has been displaced. (4)

Nehemiah‘s ‗memoir‘ was in fact his testimony, proclaimed to the people evening and

morning through the feast of Tabernacles in BCE445; and the Songs of Ascents were responses

to those testimonies, sung at the fifteen services through the week.15

Construction - the broad scholarly opinion within commentary and research articles

is they are an assembled collection, a construction. Along with form and social setting in the

individual poems there is relationship between poems and the structure and intent of the

Psalter itself.16 Contrasting to authorial intention in the writing of individual units/psalms,

there is ―redactor intention‖ in the collection‘s assemblage. The collection‘s redactor

intention is broad. In the early twentieth century, Herman Gunkel‘s17 form critical work re-

11
Goldingay, John. Psalms Volume 1: 1-41. Grand Rapids: Baker, 2006 p.26.
12
VanGemeren,p.258.
13
Ibid.p.257.
14
Press, Richard. "Der zeitgeschichtliche Hintergrund der Wallfahrtspsalmen," Theologische
Zeitschrift 14:1958.
15
Goulter, M. D. The Songs of Ascents and Nehemiah. JSOT 75:1997. p.43.
16
Prinsloo, Gert M. The Role of Space in the (Psalms 120–134) BSL p.457
17
Gunkel, Hermann. The Psalms: A From-critical Introduction. trans. Thomas M. Horner.
Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1967.

4
related psalms to corporate worship of Israel as community. As he classified them according

to forms, types or genres and into purposeful collections, the hermeneutical spotlight shifted

away from the late dating tendency of the late ninetieth century with its attendant focus on

their major role of supporting individualized spirituality/piety and onto seeing them as

composed late in Israelite history, based upon earlier prototypes originating in the worship

life of an earlier period.18 The continuing of form criticism – cult functional methods

through the twentieth century and beyond have in the last twenty years become supplemented

(not supplanted) with rhetorical critical method, thus allowing consideration of ―the actuality

of the text‖.19 These interpretive developments co-exist with the continuing pursuit of

considering the diversity of redactor intentionality.

The older or two-fold redaction intentions relate to (1), construction for the purpose of

guiding pilgrimage, and (2) as liturgy in guiding the seven days/fifteen units of actual festival

at Jerusalem have been supplemented through recent scholarly articles.

Goulter‘s thesis‘ third and fourth points are in support of the assertion they are

composed as a unity by a single author, to celebrate the achievement of Nehemiah; and

follow the stories in the original first-person writing of the Book of Nehemiah (or so-called

Nehemiah memoir) proclaimed to the people evening and morning through the feast of

Tabernacles to serve as sung liturgical responses to the testimonies. The thesis ascribes

redactor intentionality and authority (not task) to Nehemiah as legitimate leader/governor of

the people/community.20 This intentionality is liturgical.

Kirsten Neilsen21 advances a thesis established around the proximate relationship of

Psalm 199 to the ‗fifteen Songs‘ as a ―connection of Torah to pilgrimage‖ to answer Micah‘s

18
McCann, J. Clinton, Jnr. A Theological Introduction to the Book of Psalms: The Psalms as Torah.
Nashville: Abingdon, 1993. p.17.
19
Ibid. p.18.
20
Goulter. P.44.
21
Nielsen, Kirsten. Why Not Plough with an Ox and an Ass Together? Or: Why not Read Psalm 119
Together with Psalms 120-134? SJOT. Volume 14:1, January 2000.

5
rhetorical question22 of ―what does the Lord require of you … how does one walk justly and

humbly with God?‖

As far as I can see, we can find an interpretation of that in Ps 119, which tells the reader to
walk according to the law of the Lord, for ―Blessed are they whose ways are blameless.‖ (Ps
119:1) And we can find another interpretation of the same words expressed in the Songs of
Ascents, not least in the superscript, if we translate it as Songs of Ascents. The author of Ps
119 wanted to underline the Torah23 and by doing so stressed the role of ethics. The redactors
of Psalms 120-134, on the other hand, wanted to stress the pilgrimage to the Jerusalem
temple. And if I am right in this suggestion, then I could argue that standing side by side in
the Hebrew Bible Psalm 119 and Psalms 120-134 give two different answers to the same
question. If the question is ―How do we walk humbly with our God?‖ one answer is: We walk
with God in our daily life following his Torah; and the other would be: We walk with God on
our way up to the house of the Lord. And the redactors of the Psalter included both answers
and placed them side by side.24

Neilsen develops the idea that the redactor‘s work offered two ways to answer the question;

one meeting Jerusalem for pilgrims, the other for stay-at-home-Hebrews.25 Nielsen‘s

redactor intentionality is pilgrimage.

Loren D. Crow26 sees the Songs consist of two layers. The oldest layer, which is the

core of the collection, derives ―from a north-Israelite agrarian provenance‖.27 The younger is

a Jerusalemite redactional layer that deliberately gives the older songs a new purpose, namely

to persuade northern Israelites of the Persian period to go on a pilgrimage to the Jerusalem

temple. Neilsen states, ―I am not able to tell whether Crow‘s dating of this Jerusalemite

redaction to the Persian time is correct; but that is not the main point for me. I am more

concerned with the idea of some redactors wanting to make propaganda for pilgrimage.‖28

22
Micah 6:8
23
For the meaning of Torah in Ps 119 see Jon D. Levinson, ―The Sources of Torah: Psalm 119 and the
Modes of Revelation in Second Temple Judaism‖ in Patrick D. Miller, Jr., Paul D. Hanson, S. Dean McBride
(eds), Ancient Israelite Religion. Essays in Honour of Frank Moore Cross (Philadelphia 1987), 559-574.
Levinson argues convincingly that in the Second Temple period Torah is more than the Pentateuch, i.e. more
than written Torah.
24
Ibid.
25
Nielsen, Kirsten,p43.
26
L.D. Crow, The Songs of Ascent (Pss 120-134): Their Place in Israelite History and Religion (SBLD
148; Atlanta 1996).
27
Ibid., p.167.
28
Neilsen, p.58.

6
McCann observes of Crow‘s analysis29, ―the pilgrimage orientation derives not from the

character or origin of the nucleus group but rather from the redactor, whose work means that

"the Songs of Ascents not only depict but make a case for pilgrimage from outlying areas to

Jerusalem" (Crow, p. 157).

Qumran redaction of the Psalter has the Songs ending with 132. Matthias Millard30

maintains the reason for the shorter collection relates to conflict with the Essenes and the

priests at Jerusalem. He states; ―The Essenes never went on pilgrimage, and therefore

Psalms 133-34 have been removed from the Songs of Ascents in order that the wish

expressed in Psalm 132 of going to the house of the Lord should not be fulfilled immediately

after.‖ He bases his argument on differences between the MT version and the Qumran

version of the Psalter; the latter ending with Psalm 132, ―Let us go to his dwelling place‖ as

an intention – capable of fulfillment by staying-at-home. The Qumran redaction implies

liturgy.

Contribution - the contributions of the cited material, including my readings in, yet

un-cited scholarship, have come from five scholarly/literary offerings, monographs,

commentaries, published papers/essays, journal articles, and reviews. A generalized

agreement exists concerning the designation ―Songs of Ascents‖, through not without

divergent opinion whether the superscription‘s voice is one of introduction (apriori) or

summary classification (apostori). Their place within canon/collection clearly relates to

redactor-intention, though the world behind the redactor(s) carries influence into the world of

the individual psalms‘ role within the primary usage in pilgrimage, as journey-liturgy,

liturgical-journey or functional within the pursuit of Torah-piety. Their usage spans latter

divided kingdom, exilic, restoration, first century Judaism and into the Common Era. I

29
McCann, J. Clinton, Jnr., Review of The Songs of Ascents (Psalms 120-134): Their Place in Israelite
History and Religion, Loren D. Crow. SBLDS 148; Atlanta: Scholars, 1996. in the The Catholic Biblical
Quarterly I:59, 1997 p.534
30
Millard, Matthias. Die Komposition des Psalters. Ein formgschichtlicher Ansatz. FAT 9; Tübingen.
p.219-227.

7
observe these ―flexible contributing factors‖ supported engagement in broader ways by

divergent communities in their processing of YHWH-centric communal faith.

Change Beyond Trends in Evangelicalism31

My opening reference to Paul‘s commendation of the broad value of First Testament

canon to the young faith community - ―all Scripture as God-breathed and is useful for the

formation of faith (teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness)32 refers to a

canon which took a journey of diversity as it was used/applied. It experienced variation in

―fixed form‖ before it became settled or ―canonical‖ form for the Hebrew communities,

without the exclusive authority conferred by the ultimate closure of the canon. Collections

in the Psalms served spiritual formation through both a community-supported personal

pursuit of Torah-piety and participation with community liturgical pilgrimage. This

diversity of collection-in-composition/construction implies that along with prophets, poets

and scribes, redactors ―breathe with the breath of the Spirit‖ as the text which forms the

communities is formed within the contexts of the communities.

One of the commonalities amongst evangelicals in the importance of the Biblical text

as the authoritative, clear and objective voice for the Spirit in the community in matters of

faith, practice and mission. Another is a generalised commitment to the practice historical-

grammatical hermeneutics – they live mainly at Antioch, with occasional excursions to

Alexandria.

31
In this paper the term evangelicalism refers to a historically recent, approximately 150 years, yet
broad, collection of religious beliefs, practices, and traditions which can be found among some Protestant
Christian churches. It is typified by an emphasis on evangelism, and what adherents call a "personal
experience" of conversion. Current media usage of the ―term‖ is often synonymous with conservative Protestant
Christians.
32
II Timothy 3:16

8
 Evangelicals in a post-modern world, seeking spiritual formation33 are adopting

historic (pre-modern) praxis34 with their usual default approach of centred pragmatism ... ―if

the Bible speaks for it, and/or not against it, we‘ll use it‖. Individualism and method

influence perspective, even in the broadening of spirituality. There are marked changes in

rhetoric and interests as the terms ―community/communal‖ are increasing applied and

discipleship is being re-designated ―spiritual formation‖35 ... for a movement beyond trend,

existing generalised evangelical hermeneutics should allow for a broadening by de-centering.

A de-centering by allowing for a hermeneutical movement away from all major effort

concentrated on uncovering and sustaining generalised truth and praxis and placing a new

emphasis on local (and diverse) context.

Realities in Evangelical Hermeneutics

Evangelicalism is Adolescent - Evangelicals as faith community are have yet to

obtain social adulthood in general terms, incidentally so does ANZ, while beyond childhood

the characteristics of adolescence exert influence on self-perception. Adolescent self-

assuredness is mistaken for arrogance, idealism and peer influence can drive herd instincts, in

the quest ―pseudo-enemies‖ are created (often members within the family), and for peace-

sake others are forced to become masters in the art of accommodation. In James Marcia‘s36

ego-identity terms their ―identity is shaped by a high, yet ‗foreclosed‘ view of the Bible‖.

Evangelical(ism) is not monolithic; it never has been … Diversity already exists

even though if often looked, smelled and apparently acted as monolith. At least six varieties

of evangelical can be discerned within ANZ Christian society. (1). Fundamentalists, whose
33
Webber, Robert E. The Younger Evangelicals: Facing the Challenges of the New World. Grand
Rapids: Baker, 2002. p.182.
34
―Traditional‖ praxis disciplines of silence, meditation, lectio divina, meditation icons, classical
reading, labyrinth, journaling, etc.
35
Over 250 new titles have been published in 2007.
36
Marcia, James E. Development of and validation of ego-identity status, Journal of Personality and
Psychology 3:1966, p.551-558.

9
primary adherence is to the ―inerrant Word‖, generally possessing polemical and separatist

mentality. They also can be apocalyptic or non-apocalyptic, political or apolitical. (2).

Established Evangelicals, where the affective side is in ascendancy, personal experience of

regeneration being decisive, together with its expression in mass evangelism. (3). New

Evangelicals, the designation "Neo-evangelical" came into use mid twentieth century to

describe those who stressed the social import of faith and its apologetic persuasiveness and

criticized fundamentalist sectarianism. (4). Justice, Peace and ―Greening‖ Evangelicals,

influenced by the anti-establishment social movements of the nineteen sixties and since,

related often to communitarian experiments, these activist evangelicals advocate a political

agenda drastically at variance with ANZ‘s fledgling Christian Right. (5).

Charismatic/Pentecostal Evangelicals, New birth leads to fresh blessings and personal

spiritual renewal— glossolalia, healing, charismata, celebrative worship, intense group

experience; those of ―charismatic orientation‖ often reflect an ―a-institutionalism‖ in contrast

to Pentecostal ―neo-institutionalism‖. (6). Ecumenical Evangelicals, more a tendency than a

constituency, ecumenical evangelicals edge the movement toward relationships with the

larger Christian community. This evidences itself in a variety of ways from sacramental

rediscoveries to alliances with mainline Christians on common social and environmental

concerns.

Evangelicalism is Intelligent and Biblically Competent - both globally and nationally

Evangelicalism‘s communities/constituencies have both individual and corporate

intelligence, there is clear capability to comprehend; to understand and profit from

experience, to learn, reason, and problem solve. They are also biblically competent.

Incidentally, ANZ has never been a safe haven for ―tight inerrantists‖ – the major focus or

the question on biblical/textual reliability within ANZ‘s evangelical diversity has viewed

Scripture‘s inspirational and authority as priori above ―subscriptional inerrantism‖. Any

10
narrow and minority debate over the ―battle for the Bible‖37 is at best the limited conduct of a

North American war in our backyard.

While competency signals capability, it does not necessitate exercise; that requires

working intelligence in engagement – especially fresh engagement. Hermeneutically

evangelicals are in a strong publishing mode, especially in biblical engagement for adequate

theological belief/missional interaction within post-modern society.38 The commendable

pursuit is largely validating evangelicalism‘s historic core into the present ethos, especially

interpreting cultural artifacts such as literature, film, music, newspapers and the media of

twenty-first centre ―public square(s)‖. There is a place to use known principle/perspectives

in hermeneutics in establishing ―other centers‖, of local (and diverse) context. An example

of this would be applying the ―three world exegetical framework‖ of Randolph Tate39 against

the Songs of Ascents toward exploring the development of a decentralised hermeneutic for

evangelical spiritual formation.

Tate sees the locus of meaning is found in the interplay between all three worlds, of

author, text, and reader.40 His first world, "The World Behind the Text", explains the value

of a careful historical investigation of the redactor intention, author's linguistic, cultural, and

ideological milieu; the second is "The World Within the Text" main ‗textual sub-genres‘ and

‗broad literary-contextual genres‘, and a third world, "The World in Front of the Text"

considers the contribution readers (as individuals and communities) make to meaning

through the presuppositions and interpretative interests that inform their readings.

37
Lindsell, Harold. The Battle for the Bible. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1990.
38
Franke, John R. The Character of Theology: A Postconservative Evangelical Approach. Grand
Rapids: Baker, 2005. Zimmermann,, Jens. Recovering Theological Hermeneutics: An Incarnational-Trinitarian
Theory of Interpretation. Grand Rapids: Baker, 2004. Goldsworthy, Graeme. Gospel –Centered
Hermeneutics: Biblical-theological Foundations and Principles. Nottingham: Apollos, 2006.
39
Tate, W. Randolph. Biblical Interpretation: An Integrated Approach. Peabody: Hendrickson,
1991.p.xv.
40
Ibid., p.145.

11
 Locating the Exegesis in Evangelical Praxis

There is an emerging praxis differential (or potential propensity) of shifting primary

exegesis from text toward an exegesis of both interpretation and application. Exegesis41 as

generally understood involves an extensive and critical interpretation of an authoritative text,

in this activity a textually-adequate hermeneutical method/theory approach is applied.

Communication of the textual findings has traditionally been through the ―media‖ of

exposition and instruction. Historically the task of textual exegesis provides interpretation

for belief communication calling for reception of the interpretation/belief by application; this

is no longer a generalized praxis norm. Postmodern developments have elevated all three

elements to ―text‖42; the primary text of scriptures, secondary texts of interpretation, and the

third, texts of application. The effect is not a threefold exegesis, but exegesis of either second

or third texts must be served by a hermeneutic capable of providing coherence with the

primary text.

Meanwhile, Back to the Songs or in Conclusion

I will summarise some of our findings in a three world framework.

The world behind the text, a generalized agreement exists concerning the designation

―Songs of Ascents‖, through not without divergent opinion. Their place within

canon/collection clearly relates to redactor-intention, as the world behind the redactor(s)

carries influence into the world of the individual psalms‘ role within the primary usage in

pilgrimage, as journey-liturgy, liturgical-journey or functional within the pursuit of Torah-

41
Often the terms exegesis and hermeneutics are used interchangeably; however, they are distinct. An
exegesis is the interpretation and understanding of a text on the basis of the text itself. A hermeneutic is a
practical application of a certain method or theory of interpretation, often revolving around the contemporary
relevance of the text in question.
42
Text in post-modernity can be any source of presentation capable of ―exegesis,‖ this includes art,
story, media, community cultural narrative. Ie. An accepted interpretation or application of some
foundational/defining data or experience can be regarded as text based on the notion ―if it is capable of
construction, it is therefore capable of textual deconstruction‖.

12
piety. This broad range of usage spans from later exilic to the Common Era. Their flexible

contributing factors supported engagement in broader ways by divergent communities in their

processing of YHWH-centric communal faith.

The world within the text mixes genres to facilitate the journey-liturgy from the very

borders of the nation to the solemnity of the evening majesty of the Temple/Zion. Lament,

celebration, renewal of confidence, festival, community approach to YHWH are some of the

sub-genre serving the poetry within the world of the text.

The world in front of the text (in this paper) is inhabited by communities with

common beliefs, diversities, capabilities, pursuing fresh and creative ―localized‖ spiritual

formation pathways. They have the possibility of building their own parallels and exegesis of

all three worlds by apprehending a biblically generated hermeneutic within their local

contexts. Who knows a post-adolescent evangelicalism may yet contribute a fresh

community discipline into ―spiritual formation‘s historic magesterium.‖

J. C. Douglas
4th December 2007
Tauranga, New Zealand
jcd@sage.ac.nz

13