Abstract In a word, whatever may serve to encourage us when we are about to pray to God, is taught us in this book.

- Calvin1 Hence also it comes to pass that the Psalter is the Book of all the Saints; and every one, whatsoever his case may be, find therein Psalms and words which suit his case so perfectly. - Luther2 The arrangement of the Psalms, which seems to me to contain a secret of great mystery, has not yet been revealed to me. Augustine3 Treating the Psalter as deliberately shaped book, rather than mysteriously arranged collection of appropriate human responses to God, was largely unheard of before Gerald Wilsons The Editing of the Hebrew Psalter. Wilsons canonical suggestion changed the approach to the Psalms in both the academy and the church, and his insights have since been developed to the point that several threads of developing theology can be traced through the Psalter from beginning to end. We begin with the hypothesis that the canonical form of the Psalter has been arrived at with a purpose, testing this via internal and external evidence. Once this conclusion is established we consider the benefits reading the Psalter as a book as comparable to experiencing music in the form of an album, or cantata, rather than a best of compilation, arguing that such an approach is the best means for understanding the work in its socio-theological context, and further that such an understanding leads more readily to the divine authors purpose, which is beneficial for understanding and teaching individual Psalms.

J. Calvin, Commentary on the Book of Psalms, trans. J. Anderson, (Grand Rapids, Christian Classics Ethereal Library), retrieved online http://www.ccel.org/ccel/calvin/calcom08.titlepage.html 2 M. Luther, Commentary on the First 22 Psalms, ed. J. N Lenker, Vol 1, (Sunbury: Lutherans in All Lands, 1903), 12, retrieved online http://www.archive.org/stream/lutherscommentar01luth#page/n13/mode/2up 3 Cited in J.A Grant, The King as Exemplar: The Function of Deuteronomys Kingship Law In The Shaping of the Book of Psalms, SBL Academia Biblica 17 (Atlanta: Society of Biblical Literature, 2004),1
1

This piece suggests that a final form reading has particular interpretive value, providing theological and historical context against which the Psalter can be interpreted, and further, that a book reading of Psalms has ethical implications as it shapes the life of those who would live with Yahweh as king.

1.0 Introduction
Music fans in the 21st century are increasingly faced with a dilemma. Do we purchase individual songs that resonate with our taste, or do we recognise the intention of the band behind the music, and enjoy their song as placed within an album. Albums are carefully arranged, charting the development of a concept or idea, where the contribution of individual songs is greater than the sum of its parts. Outside of the album the song is still a song, but its significance is diminished. This musical dilemma is analogous to approaching the Psalms, the traditional approach to the Psalter was to treat each Psalm as a divinely inspired song, modeling responses to God in various human situations.4 Traditional Biblical scholarship saw the Psalms as individual units, placed next to each other in a somewhat arbitrary, or unclear,5 manner.6 Critical scholarship also takes Psalms individually,7 so both traditional and critical approaches fail to consider the evidence for the deliberate ordering and shaping of the Psalms as a book.8 In recent times, canonical scholars have viewed the Psalter is a book,9
4 See, for example, the approaches of Calvin, Luther, and Augustine in the works referenced above. 5 See Augustine quote above. 6 J.H Walton, Psalms: A Cantata About the Davidic Covenant, Journal for the Evangelical Theological Society, 34/1, (March 1991), 21-31, 21 7 W. Brueggemann, Bounded by Obedience and Praise: The Psalms as Canon, Journal for Study of the Old Testament, 50 (1991) 63-92, 63, The Psalter is perhaps the only Old Testament book that traditional and critical scholarship approached in the same manner; by breaking it into pieces. 8 G. Wenham, Towards a Canonical Reading of the Psalms, Canon and Biblical Interpretation, Scripture & Hermeneutics Series, Vol 7, ed. C. Bartholemew, S. Hahn, R. Parry, C. Seitz, A. Wolters, (Milton Keynes, Paternoster Press, 2006), 333-334, Form critical scholarship treated the Psalms individually as historical artefacts representative of an underlying tradition, taking a history of religions perspective, focused the traditions or historical events behind individual songs, W. Brueggemann, Bounded by Obedience and Praise,63 suggests both critical and traditional scholarship tended towards considering Psalms individually, with little regard to literary context. R. D. Anderson, The Division and Order of the Psalms, Westminster Theological Journal, 56 (1994) 219-41, 219, says Form critics, following Gunkel, had previously attempted to consider Psalms by gattung with little consideration as to where a Psalm sat in the book, seeking cultic origins or historical events behind these genres and individual Psalms. Also, D.J.A Clines, Psalm Research Since 1955: The Psalms and the Cult, Tyndale Bulletin, 18, (1967) 103-126, 103-104 9 This has been the popular scholarly view of the Psalms since G.H Wilsons dissertation and associated publications, for example G.H Wilson, The Qumran Psalms Manuscripts and the Consecutive Arrangement of Psalms in the Hebrew Psalter, The Catholic Biblical Quarterly, 45, (1983), 377-388, scholars since Wilson have accepted his initial hypothesis, but rejected elements of his argument, and developed his conclusions. See, for example, D.C Mitchell, Lord Remember David: G.H Wilson and the Message of the Psalter, Vetus Testamentum LVI, 4, (Leiden, Brill, 2006), 526-548, 548, Mitchell suggests Wilson tries to hold too many tensions together to create a sapiential purpose for the Psalter rather than an eschatological/Messianic purpose, and that his conclusions are also drawn on a flawed reading of the evidence.

deliberately shaped for the purpose of reflection. In this view Psalms is not merely a hymnbook,10 but a musical score, or cantata,11 telling an unfolding story.12 Treating the Psalter in this manner, and reading the book through the eyes of the implied reader of the canonical work, opens up new opportunities for exegesis of the Psalms. We can reflect on the development of Israels theology through the Psalter, and alongside the narrative arc of her history, and the function of the canonical work in the liturgical, ethical, and socio-political life of Israel. of Yahwehs people. Some scholars have reduced Psalter scholarship to identifying the theological thread binding the book, at the expense of identifying the rich tapestry on offer.13 This piece will treat kingship as a case study, as one theological thread amongst many that develop throughout the Psalter.14 Adopting the canonical methodology of starting at the beginning and following our thread to the end to find theological intentionality.15 Our kingship thread begins with David, and moves through the exile, to the second temple period as Israel grapples with her new reality, and with questions of how to live as people with Yahweh as king. Following this thread we conclude that a book reading of the Psalter has significant benefits for exegesis of individual Psalms in a historical-grammatical hermeneutical framework, for understanding the relationship between

G.H Wilson, Shaping the Psalter: A Consideration of Editorial Linkage in the Book of Psalms, The Shape and Shaping of the Psalter, ed. J. C. McCann, (Sheffield, JSOT Press, 1993), 72 11 J.H Walton, Psalms: A Cantata About the Davidic Covenant, 24, suggests the Cantata is the best analogy because it acknowledges that some of the songs may not originally have been composed for the purpose they are employed for in the final presentation. 12 G.H Wilson, Shaping the Psalter, 82, J.H Walton, Psalms: A Cantata About the Davidic Covenant, 24 suggests the storyline begins with Davids conflict with Saul (book I), deals with Davids kingship (book II), faces the Assyrian Crisis (book III), reflects on the destruction of the temple and exile (book IV), and reflects on the return from exile (book V). 13 To carry the musical analogy further this approach is analogous to listening to an album and only paying attention to a particular note. 14 W. Brueggemann, Psalm 73 as a Canonical Marker, Journal for Study of Old Testament, 72, (1996), 45-56, Brueggemanns treatment of the Psalter focuses on the human response to the movement occurring within the Psalter, he identifies a development from obedience to praise exemplified by Psalms 1 and 150 while not fully endorsing Brueggemanns conclusions, his methodology is sound, and an example of the multiple threads which can be traced through the Psalter. 15 W. Brueggemann, Bounded by Obedience and Praise,64

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Psalms within the Psalter, and implications for understanding the purpose of the book, which helps readers draw ethical principles from the Psalms.

2.0 The evidence for deliberate, editorial, shaping

2.1 External evidence Qumran Wilson (1983) argued that while books I-III appear definitively settled at Qumran,16 books IV-V are in a state of flux,17 with the canonical form of the Psalter only established in the first century AD.18 This position can be refuted by evidence from the Septuagint (LXX) and Masoretic Text (MT).19 The LXX was completed prior to the 1st Century BC, 20 and the LXX Psalter closely parallels the MT, which would appear to suggest the canonical form was settled before the Qumran community took shape,21 and that the Qumran adaptations are the process of the communitys liturgical requirements.22 The implications of Qumran and LXX evidence on the shaping of the Psalter are minor. The two relevant findings are that the Psalter arrived at its final

16 G.H Wilson, The Qumran Psalms, 377-388, Wilson examined Qumran Psalter scrolls and found that books I-III were the same at Qumran as in the Masoretic Text (MT), also, R. D. Anderson, The Division and Order of the Psalms, 221 17 G.H Wilson, Shaping the Psalter, 74 18 G.H Wilson, The Qumran Psalms, 377-387, The argument, is that Qumran scroll 11QPsa presents an altered version of these Psalms. Wilsons article completely fails to consider the question of the LXX, at 387 he suggests that the Qumran agreement with the canonical Psalter increases based on the age of the manuscript, (ie. younger manuscripts are more likely to support the canonical form) leading to his conclusion that the Psalter was canonically established in the first century. 19 For a detailed rebuttal of Wilsons conclusions see D.C Mitchell, Lord Remember David, 544-548, also R.T Beckwith, The Early History of the Psalter, Tyndale Bulletin, 46.1, (1995), 127, 21-24 20 D.C Mitchell, Lord Remember David, 546, it is generally accepted that the LXX was completed in the 2nd century BC. 21 D.C Mitchell, Lord Remember David, , 545-547, Wilsons argument requires the Masoretic Text (MT) to have been settled after the LXX. Mitchell suggests the unlikely hypothetical situation Wilson proposes is that First, the MT 150-Psalm arrangement either appears, or becomes authoritative, relatively late, say, in the mid-first century CE. This new authoritative Psalter is so influential that it immediately gives rise to its own Greek translation (our LXX). This new Greek translation then supplants all existing versions of the earlier Alexandrian bet-din Psalter, written two hundred years before, leaving no trace. The MT has priority, and the LXX, particularly its superscripts, are derived from a Hebrew translation very much like the MT. The lack of full text evidence from Qumran also makes this argument difficult to sustain. See also, R. D. Anderson, The Division and Order of the Psalms, 221-224, Anderson acknowledges that the Qumran evidence is insufficient, but suggests the differences between the LXX and MT are enough to suggest that books four and five were in flux after the first three were settled. However, these differences are minor, generally in the form of variations in superscript, and likely products of redaction by the LXX translators. 22 R.T Beckwith, The Early History of the Psalter, 21, Evidence of a process of stabilisation going on in the Qumran community liturgical adaptations.

form before the second century BC, 23 and secondly, the practice of rearranging the Psalter to make a theological point is a historical reality. For our purposes, the canonising of the Psalter prior to the second century BC provides us with an epoch by which to assess the theology presented by the Psalter in its final form.24 2.2 Internal evidence Structure The more compelling evidence for deliberate shaping of the Psalter comes within the text itself.25 The five-fold division of the work is indicative of a deliberate editorial decision,26 and Psalms are deliberately arranged either lexically (eg. the Psalms), or with titles indicative of function (Psalms of Ascent).27 Psalms relate to their neighbours, titled Psalms are often placed with untitled Psalms, paired by theme, or by repetition of key phrases.28 In some cases Psalms are juxtaposed, where one answers the questions of another. 29 There is a clear demarcation in form, and substance, between books I-III and the final two books.30 They are organised differently, and contain very

23 M. Futato, Interpreting the Psalms: An Exegetical Handbook, ed. M Futato, D.M Howard, (Grand Rapids, Kregel, 2007), 61, suggests the final form probably emerged in the 4th century BC. 24 Most scholars settle on a post-exilic date for the editorial production of books IV-V, and the canonical shaping of the Psalter, R.T Beckwith, The Early History of the Psalter, 23-24, offers a more conservative view, where a book close to the final form of the Psalter is settled preexile, in three parts, and later sub-divided into five parts post-exile, added post-exilic Psalms. 25 R.N Whybray, Reading the Psalms as a Book, (Sheffield, Sheffield Academic Press, 1996), 21, Whybray suggests we must rely wholly on implicit evidence. 26 G.H Wilson, Shaping the Psalter, 72 27 R. D. Anderson, The Division and Order of the Psalms, 219 28 R.N Whybray, Reading the Psalms as a Book, 21 29 R.N Whybray, Reading the Psalms as a Book, 30, makes an interesting point about how this juxtaposition contributes to the overall message of the Psalter, Abrupt changes of Gattung, for example, from lament to praise from one Psalm to the next should not be seen as indications of random juxtaposition, but may point to deliberate arrangement made in order to create a progressive movement of thought and feeling. J. Aloisi, Who Is Davids Lord? Another Look At Psalm 110:1, Detroit Baptist Seminary Journal, 10 (2005), 10323, 112, demonstrates that Psalm 110 holds 107-109 and 111-113 together in juxtaposition Israel cry out for delivery, in 110 it is declared that God will bring victory through this king, and 111-113 are the response (praise), J.A Grant, The King as Exemplar, 2, Kingship Psalms are juxtaposed with Torah Psalms, eg Psalms 1 and 2, 18, 20, 21 and 19, 118 and 119. 30 G.H Wilson, Evidence of Editorial Division in the Hebrew Psalter, Vetus Testamentum, XXXIV, 3 (1984), 337-357, 357 suggests the different methodology of linking Psalms thematically between I-III and IV-V suggests I-III existed independently, a view others have since rejected, see D.C Mitchell, Lord Remember David, 532

different outlooks regarding Israel and her king.31 The books also vary in the names used for God.32 The beginning and end of the Psalter (Psalms 1-2, and 146-150) are also indicative of an editorial hand. The opening Psalms operate as a hermeneutical key to the Psalter,33 where the Psalms are to be read and meditated on as divine revelation, not just mans cries to God, 34 while Psalms 146-150 operate as a closing doxology.35 The Psalms at the seams of each book are used to develop movement within the work.36 The royal Psalms placed at transitions between books serve to emphasise the Davidic covenant (eg Psalm 72, 73).37 By the end of book III, this points to the failure of this covenant (Psalm 89),38 and begins to establish the case that Yahweh must deliver Israel.39 We will see how this case develops below.40 2.2.1 What it seams? A Case Study on Psalm 73 The structural mid-point of the Psalter falls at the transition between books II and III,41 the pivotal theological development occurring at this seam is further structural evidence for a deliberate arrangement.42
G.H Wilson, Shaping the Psalter, 73 R. D. Anderson, The Division and Order of the Psalms, 225, I, IV, and V prefer Yahweh to Elohim, while book II uses Elohim significantly more, and book III is split between the two names. 33 J.C McCann, The Psalms as Instruction, Interpretation, 46.2, (1992), 117-28, 123, suggests the opening two Psalms anticipate the content, theology and purpose of the entire Psalter. 34 G.H Wilson, Shaping the Psalter, 74 35 G.H Wilson, Shaping the Psalter, 74 36 G.H Wilson, The Use of Royal Psalms at the Seams of the Hebrew Psalter, Journal for the Study of the Old Testament, 35 (1986), 85-94, also G.H Wilson, Shaping the Psalter, 75, R.N Whybray, Reading the Psalms as a Book, 28, W. Brueggemann, Psalm 73 as a Canonical Marker,, 45 37 J.H Walton, Psalms: A Cantata,, 22-24, G.H Wilson, The Use of Royal Psalms at the Seams of the Hebrew Psalter, 91-92 38 G.H Wilson, The Use of Royal Psalms at the Seams of the Hebrew Psalter, 90 39 G.H Wilson, Shaping the Psalter, 75, the focus on the seams received support from W. Brueggemann, Psalm 73 as a Canonical Marker,, 45, 40 See 2.4.1 41 Especially adopting the suggestion that Psalms 146-150 function as a doxology, see G.H Wilson, Shaping the Psalter, 74 42 W. Brueggemann, Psalm 73 as a Canonical Marker,, 46, Adopting Brueggemanns move from beginning to end methodology, has the Psalter physically, and theologically, pivoting on Psalm 73. The theological function of Psalm 73, as a Psalm at the seams, has been recognised since Wilson, See R.N Whybray, Reading the Psalms as a Book, 28, at 23, he cites McCann, who believes Psalm 73 offers a solution to the dilemmas raised by the lament
32 31

Brueggeman sees the Psalm as the turning point in the movement from obedience to praise (73:28),43 and a movement from the Davidic king to Yahweh as king.44 He suggests it is juxtaposed with Psalm 72, which reflects on Solomons failure to meet the Davidic ideal,45 so book III opens by providing an alternative script for the monarchy,46 and ends (Psalm 89) reflecting on the disaster that comes when Israels king fails to follow this script,47 and the Deuteronomic expectations of Israels king.48 It is possible that this provides a date of composition for the close of Book III of around the time that the Davidic king disappears from the scene (587 BC).49 2.3 Internal Evidence Superscripts Superscripts throughout the Psalter have long been an interpretive tool for approaching individual Psalms.50 These superscripts ascribed Psalms to figures from Israels history, tied Psalms to historic events, and described their function.51 They are present in early manuscripts,52 and are found, in varying number, in the MT, LXX, at Qumran, and in the Targum.53 These factors, and the spread of Davidic superscripts throughout the Psalter, point
Psalms, and that location supports the notion of progressive theological development in the structure of the Psalter. 43 R.N Whybray, Reading the Psalms as a Book, 24, W. Brueggemann, Psalm 73 as a Canonical Marker, 46 44 W. Brueggemann, Psalm 73 as a Canonical Marker, 51, So in the Psalms, and perhaps especially in Psalm 73 on a royal reading, the king of Psalm 72 recedes and the governance of Yahweh becomes decisive, as is evident in the concentration of 'Enthronement Psalms' in Book IV. This followed Wilsons treatment of the Psalm, which observed a turning point in the view of the king presented by the Psalter, W. Kaiser, Psalm 72: An Historical and Messianic Current Example of Antiochene Hermeneutical Theoria, Journal Evangelical Theological Society 52/2 (June 2009) 25770, 260 45 W. Brueggemann, Psalm 73 as a Canonical Marker, 50-51 46 W. Brueggemann, Psalm 73 as a Canonical Marker, 51 47 W. Brueggemann, Psalm 73 as a Canonical Marker, 51 48 J.A Grant, The King as Exemplar, 3 49 W. Brueggemann, Psalm 73 as a Canonical Marker, 51, W. Kaiser, Psalm 72, 261, both citing Seitz. Accepting this position, we can adopt the compositional history suggested by G.H Wilson, The Use of Royal Psalms at the Seams of the Hebrew Psalter, 91, where Books I-II are pre-exilic, III reflects on the exile, and IV-V are post-exilic. 50 See, for example, G. Berry, The Titles of the Psalms, Journal of Biblical Literature, Vol. 33, No. 3 (Oct., 1914), 198-200 51 R.T Beckwith, The Early History of the Psalter, 8, Some titles are much fuller than others, but in their full form they give musical directions (55 psalms), type of composition (97 psalms) and authorship (100 psalms), usually in that order, followed in a few cases by a statement about the occasion when the psalm was composed or the occasion or purpose of its use (18 psalms). 52 R.N Whybray, Reading the Psalms as a Book, 21, It seems that in many cases the superscripts are original and not the work of redactors 53 R. D. Anderson, The Division and Order of the Psalms, 226, Anderson suggests the reason for the difference between LXX and MT translations may be that the Hebrew terms used in the titles may have been archaic at the time of translation.

towards a deliberate editorial process, and make the titles important for a canonical approach to the Psalms.54 Superscripts are also used to order Psalms according to their function, or theme, as is the case with the Songs of Ascent (Psalm 120-134). A strong case can be made that these songs functioned in the post-exilic period,55 yet Psalms within this collection are ascribed to David (122, 124, 131, 133), and Solomon (127). It seems these ascribed Psalms were collected for a purpose, and can be read against the history of Israels return from exile.56 This fits the thesis of a post-exilic theological function for the Psalter. The Psalms of Ascent sit beside the Torah Psalm (119) to shape the devotional life of the post-exilic reader.57 Placing the composition and function of this collection in the post-exilic period gives us another example of a deliberate shaping of the Psalter, and an example of the exegetical benefits of adopting a canonical reading.58 Further superscript evidence for a shaping of the Psalter, consistent with our kingly case study, comes in the presentation of Psalms ascribed to David throughout the Psalter.59 A further set of Psalms contain superscriptions that tie the Psalm to events from his life (51, 52, 54, 56, 57, 59, 60, 63). It is clear that the Psalms, particularly in Books I-III, are to be closely identified with the historical person of David.60 Book II ends with a postscript demarking a collection of Davidic Psalms (Psalm 72.20), supporting a theory that the first two books were completed before book III, within Davids life. 61 Further Psalms ascribed to David ( )are scattered throughout books III-V (Psalms
G.J Wenham, Towards a Canonical Reading, 341, suggests that the titles were important to the canonical editors, who worked with the titles to create the shape of the Psalter 55 R.N Whybray, Reading the Psalms as a Book, 25 56 M.D Goulder, The Songs of Ascent and Nehemiah, Journal for the Study of the Old Testament, 75, (1997), 43-58, Goulder needlessly assumes the Psalms come from the one pen, rather than that they are the product of one deliberate redaction. 57 K. Neilsen, Why Not Plough With An Ox And An Ass Together? Or: Why Not Read Ps 119 Together With Pss 120-134?, Scandinavian Journal of the Old Testament, 14.1 (June 2001), 56-66, 58 R. D. Anderson, The Division and Order of the Psalms, 240-41, Psalm 137 provides a terminus a quo in the exile; however, the distinction between books 1-3 and 4-5 in the mss tradition would seem to indicate a later date. Possibly these books were compiled during the time of the literary work done by NehemiahThe number of Davidic psalms in books 4 and 5 shows that there was still a considerable number of psalms preserved from pre-exilic times. 59 R. D. Anderson, The Division and Order of the Psalms, 226-228, While the preposition is not always indicative of authorship, it would appear that in most cases within the Psalter the is a lamed auctoris, a claim of authorship, actual or pseudopigraphal. 60 R.N Whybray, Reading the Psalms as a Book, 21 61 R. D. Anderson, The Division and Order of the Psalms, 234

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86, 101, 103, 108, 109, 110, 122, 124, 131, 133, 138, 139, 140, 141, 142, 143, 144, 145).62 This supports the traditional view that the Psalter is closely related to David,63 the canonical view which sees David as an interpretive lens,64 and represents the developing theology of kingship in Israel, and to a deliberate theological shaping of the Psalter, to which we now turn. 2.4 Internal evidence Theological Development If we accept the hypothesis that Books I-III and Books IV-V are separate units, then in order to demonstrate deliberate shaping of the Psalter by a post-exilic redactor, we must identify an integrated theology developing across the books. Following the thread of kingship through the Psalms leads to the conclusion that Books IV-V represent a development, not departure, of themes presented in the opening books,65 especially revolving around the question who is Israels king? We noted that the structure of the Psalter, and the use of superscripts, link the Psalter closely with David, both as historical figure and ideal literary character.66 The presentation and development of the office of king from beginning to end of the Psalter is thrown into focus by a book reading. Such an approach to the Psalter leads to the conclusion that while David was an example to follow, his line failed, and Yahweh has always been Israels king.

G.H Wilson, Shaping the Psalter, 72-73, R. D. Anderson, The Division and Order of the Psalms, 231-232 supports the conclusion regarding book 1, while suggesting book 2 is a product of Davidic times, rather than directly from his hand (accounting for the Korah Psalms), 233 63 D. L. Christensen, The Book Of Psalms Within The Canonical Process In Ancient Israel, Journal Evangelical Theological Society, 39/3 (September 1996) 421-432, 421 64 See the Davidic implications for ethics discussed below. Also J.L Mays, The David of the Psalms, Interpretation, 40 no 2 Ap 1986, 143-155, suggests that David is integral to a canonical interpretation of the Psalms. 65 D.C Mitchell, Lord Remember David, , 532 66 J.L Mays, The David of the Psalms, and M.D. Knowles, The Flexible Rhetoric of Retelling: The Choice of David in the Text of the Psalms, The Catholic Biblical Quarterly, 67 (2005), 236249, The Psalms present David as a rhetorical device, a character who interacts with Yahweh, who may differ from the David presented in the Deuteronomic History, or in Chronicles.
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This realisation is created by the interaction, through physical proximity, between Torah and Kingship Psalms,67 the presence of Yahwehs anointed king, in the early books, is celebrated alongside the gift of the law.68 Grant (2004) suggests this repeated juxtaposition (see Psalms 1 and 2, Psalms 18, 20, 21 and Psalm 19, Psalms 118 and 119) was designed to draw attention to the Deuteronomic kingship law (Deut 17:14-20).69 This juxtaposition introduces the Psalter, and other royal and Torah Psalms appearing through the book look back to the introductions hermeneutical key.70 The kingship law, and these pairings, present an ideal for the king expected by books IV-V, and remind the reader that the Deuteronomic king was to be a model of devotion for the people (Deut 17:18-20).71 Book IV opens with a Mosaic reminder that Yahweh has always been in control (Psalm 90), in apposition to the lament in Psalm 89, that in the failure of the Davidic line, Yahweh appears to have deserted his covenant. Books IVV offer a response to this dilemma where Yahweh becomes king,72 this is especially clear in book IV where the dominant theme is Yahwehs reign through Israels history.73 Divine kings were common in the Ancient Near East (ANE), books I-III of the Psalter present a distinct view of kinship, where

W. Brueggemann, Psalm 73 as a Canonical Marker, 45, Torah Psalms indicate that it has always been Gods word that should guide the lives of believers, also S.J Murphy, Is the Psalter a Book With a Single Message, 289 cites McCann who, in applying an exegetical method (rather than canonical), concluded that the Psalter is Torah, teaching that the Lord reigns, the conclusion that the Psalter is fundamentally Torah is supported by M. Futato, Interpreting the Psalms,63 68 J.A Grant, The King as Exemplar, 2 69 J.A Grant, The King as Exemplar, 2 70 J.A Grant, The King as Exemplar, 293 71 J.A Grant, The King as Exemplar, 291-293, The king in Psalms 2, 18, 20-21, and 118 is entirely dependant on YHWH a central aspect of Deuteronomic theology and the kingship law. The Deuteronomic influence on the Psalmic picture of the king is not peripheral, rather it is prominent and positioned in a way as to nuance the idea of kingship throughout the whole book, the redaction, clearly, does not reflect the complete or only picture of kingship found in Psalms, but it does influence the picture of the king in significant ways. 72 G.H Wilson, Shaping the Psalter, 75 73 G.H Wilson, Shaping the Psalter, 75, Wilsons view of the structure of book 4 is that it contains two blocks of YHWH-Malak Psalms 93, 96-99, and a Davidic collection 101, 103-104. The YHWH Malak Psalms are framed by 95 and 100, and Psalms 94 and 95 link Malak Psalms to 90-92 to present a cohesive picture of the kingship of YHWH. R. D. Anderson, The Division and Order of the Psalms, 239 points out that the LXX ascribes Psalms 91, and 93-99 to David, Anderson does not see any reason to discount this claim.
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Israels king is Yahwehs anointed servant, without blurring the boundary between human and divine. 74 2.4.1 Psalm 110 The King is Yahweh, long live the King As Israel turns to the recognition that Yahweh is king, the boundaries between king and God start to dissolve, and a vision of kingship previously foreign to Israel is presented. This blurring is clearest in Psalm 110, where Yahweh and the Davidic king are conflated into a divine messianic figure, tapping in to the messianic timbre of Psalm 2.75 Psalm 110 is a Davidic Psalm, placed in book V, 76 where language of kingship is used exclusively of Yahweh.77 This Psalm is the only Old Testament reference to a figure at Yahwehs right hand (101:1),78 elevating this priest-king figure (110:4) above David, and equal to Yahweh.79 The Psalm is a transitional point in a seven Psalm collection (107-113). Israel cries out for delivery (107-109), Psalm 110 declares that God delivers through this king, and Israel responds with praise (110-113). 80 The vision of Yahwehs king crushing Israels enemies (110:1,5), and judging the nations (110:6) becomes part of post-exilic Israels messianic expectation,81
74 D.J.A Clines, The Psalms and the Cult, 124, Israelite kingship was different to the ANE because even when the kings had special relationship with Yahweh, eg Saul, David, Solomon, there is no blurring of the boundaries. 75 D.C Mitchell, Lord Remember David, 539-540, argues that Psalm 110 delivers the announcement that Yahweh and his messiah have come to rule the earth as one (Zech. xiv 4, 9), in fulfillment of Psalm 2. 76 J. Aloisi, Who Is Davids Lord? the Psalms as a Book, 104, suggests Davidic authorship seems essential, but the Psalm has been appropriated for the purpose of the theology of book V. 77 D.C Mitchell, Lord Remember David, 537-540, in his treatment of book V, Mitchell argues that melekh is only used of Yahweh, this argument rests on the assumption that references to David in books IV-V (110, 118, 132, 144) are references to the kingly messiah. 78 J. Aloisi, Who Is Davids Lord? the Psalms as a Book, 106-7, This is a place of honour in the Ancient Near East. 79 J. Aloisi, Who Is Davids Lord? the Psalms as a Book, 108-110, the language of this Psalm, including the elevation of this king to the place of honour reserved for equals, this Psalm is indicative of an elevation of the king-figure to equal status with Yahweh. 80 J. Aloisi, Who Is Davids Lord? the Psalms as a Book, 112 81 D.C Mitchell, Lord Remember David, 529, Mitchell takes two established ideas about the Psalmspurposeful sequence and eschatological bent and combined them. He perhaps pushes his eschatological observations too far, while there is a clear eschatological emphasis within the Psalter, Mitchell sees this driven solely by a focus on the future, where the Psalter seems to base future expectations on observations of the past, see S.J Murphy, Is the Psalter a Book With a Single Message, 288, though praise Psalms rely on both reflections on Israels history, and reflections on Israels current situation. 12 of 42 praise Psalms refer to events from the history of Israel, the rest reflect on either Yahweh as creator of the world, or Israels

consistent with Messianic prophecies (eg Zechariah 14:4,9). 82 So Psalm 110, 83 books IV-V, 84 and thus the canonical Psalter, present an eschatological agenda, with Israels future defined by Yahwehs king. The conclusion at the heart of Wilsons thesis, that the Psalter urges readers to forget their Davidic past, looking forward to a kingdom where Yahweh reigns,85 is fundamentally sound. Further observations about how Israel is to respond to this truth, and how the Psalter functioned in shaping the lives of Israel, provide a more vivid picture of this truth.86

3.0 Conclusion - the benefits of a canonical reading

3.1 Exegesis and the Implied Reader The historical-grammatical method of exegesis relies on an understanding of the context and purpose of a passage. A book reading of the Psalms, coupled with a proposed historical setting for the canonical act, helps to establish the context of both the Psalter, and individual Psalms, 87 and thus their purpose for the implied reader.88 It is possible, via the superscripts, to access a pre-canonical context for individual Psalms (e.g Books I-III, and the Davidic Psalms), 89 but establishing a post-exilic date for the Psalter means we approach the book through the

current experiences, see W. Houston, David, Asaph and the Mighty Works of God: Theme and Genre in the Psalms Collections, Journal for the Study of the Old Testament, 68 (1995), 93111, 104 82 D.C Mitchell, Lord Remember David, 530, The chief motifs are the gathering of Israel from exile under an eschatological king, a gathering of hostile forces against Israel, the death of the king, Israels ensuing exile, the regathering of Israel, the divine rout of the nations, the establishment of the messianic malkut and Israels gathering to the Feast of Sukkoth in Zion. 83 J. Aloisi, Who Is Davids Lord? the Psalms as a Book, 123 84 M.S Smith, The Psalms as a Book for Pilgrims, Interpretation, 46/2, (1992), 156-66, Smith suggests Davidic superscriptions in 4-5 refer to the new David. 85 G.H Wilson, Shaping the Psalter, 81 86 Wilson stops short of advocating an eschatological interpretation of this future, S.J Murphy, Is the Psalter a Book With a Single Message, Bibliotheca Sacra 165 (July-September 2008), 28393, 92, While skeptical about a holistic approach to the Psalter, Murphy suggests The proposals of Mitchell, McCann, and DeClaisse!-Walford are interesting and innovative. Their suggestions that the message of the Psalms concerns the Lord's eschatological reign, His current reign, or the survival story for Israel reflect themes present in the Psalter in one way or another. 87 J.H Walton, Psalms: A Cantata, 21, Describes the benefit of canonical study of the Psalms as being able to read the Psalter with macrocontext in mind. 88 D.C Mitchell, Lord Remember David, 532, suggests a single redactor brought the five books together (with no prior form (ie books I-III)) in the post-exilic period 89 G.J Wenham, Towards a Canonical Reading, 344, suggests Zenger often employed the method of drawing extra meaning from the pre-canonical history of a Psalm

eyes of a different reader, and consider the implications of the Psalms for a new, and perhaps intended, audience. This audience, the post-exilic Israelite, is grappling with questions of identity, and the Psalter through personal reflection, and communal liturgy, provides answers to these questions.90 3.1.1 The Hermeneutical Challenges of a canonical reading Considering the final form as an entity limits the need for speculative historical reconstructions of the traditions behind individual Psalms, which presents its own hermeneutical hurdles, particularly surrounding questions of inspiration. Do we raise the editor above the composer? Do we place speculative reconstruction on the same level as the message of the individual Psalm? Is the canonical reading the main emphasis of the book? 91 Wenham (2006), attempts to circumvent this obstacle through the development of a canonical approach, he summarises Zengers foundational principles of canonical Psalm exegesis as: paying attention to connections between neighbouring Psalms, the position within a redactional unit (book), and the position within the Psalter, and seeing the titles as interpretive horizons.92 Wenham then advocates interpreting individual Psalms in three canonical contexts the context of the Psalter, the context of the Old Testament, and the context of the Christian Bible, and urges caution regarding speculation about specific historical setting of the Psalter.93 This interpretive tension is alleviated somewhat by placing our interpretation alongside what we know of Israels history through revelation.94 Speculation is invited by the structure of the book and by the development of themes, and references to history contained throughout. So our reconstruction of the

R. D. Anderson, The Division and Order of the Psalms, 237 argues for a date either during or post-exile for Psalm 89 in particular. 91 J.H Walton, Psalms: A Cantata, 30 92 G.J Wenham, Towards a Canonical Reading, 344, cites Zenger, Was wird anders bei kanonischer Psalmenauslegung? 397-415 93 G.J Wenham, Towards a Canonical Reading, 349 94 J.H Walton, Psalms: A Cantata, 31, Also, G.T Sheppard, Theology and the Book of Psalms, Interpretation, 46/2, (1992), 143-155, 153, suggests a canonical reading of the Psalms 1-2 ties the Psalter to the rest of the Old Testament, theologically, through parallels to the opening statement of Joshua (1:3-7), and the Deuteronomic commands of Torah observance (Deut 11:24-25, 31:7-8).

90

Psalters message surrounding kingship is consistent with Israels history, and the Psalter provides a theological reflection on that history.95 3.2 The ethical function of the Psalter The Psalter represents a response to exile, telling Israels story from the beginning in order to shape post-exilic identity, how to live when surrounded by powerful nations.96 The Psalter answers the fundamental questions of identity, who are we? and what are we to do?97 As Israel rebuilds identity around something other than king and court, the basis of her identity comes from Israels beginnings.98 Book IV, specifically Psalm 90, takes Israel back to her Mosaic roots, with a reminder that Yahweh has always been king since creation, and life in the post-exilic period must reflect that.99 Kingship is redefined, and Israels identity and ethical approach with injunctions to praise Yahweh as king,100 and living in wisdom.101 Others
95 J.H Walton, Psalms: A Cantata, 31, Walton was hesitant to pursue macro context via a canonical reading of the Psalms when treating individual Psalms, but recognised the promise such an approach presented, he was particularly reluctant to disregard the context of individual Psalms (ie Davidic) when they have been appropriated by the redactor. 96 N.L, DeClaisse-Walford, Reading From the Beginning: The Shaping of the Hebrew Psalter, (Macon, Mercer University Press, 1997), 4-8 97 N.L, DeClaisse-Walford, The Canonical Shape of the Psalms, An introduction to wisdom literature and the Psalms: festschrift Marvin E. Tate, Ed. Marvin E. Tate, Harold Wayne Ballard, W. Dennis Tucker, (Macon, Mercer University Press, 2000), 95-96, these were two fundamental questions that J.A Sanders said imbued a text with value for a community, and thus are the questions underpinning those texts which form the canon, DeClaisse-Walford says these are the questions Psalms answers for post-exilic Israel. 98 N.L, DeClaisse-Walford, The Canonical Shape of the Psalms, 99, DeClaisse-Walford outlines the movements in the Psalter as It celebrates the reigns of David and Solomon in books 1 and 2; laments the dark days of oppression during the divided kingdoms and the Babylonian exile in book 3, and looks forward to and rejoices in Israel's restoration to the land and in the reign of YHWH as king in Books 4 and 5 99 N.L, DeClaisse-Walford, Reading From the Beginning, 7 100 W. Brueggemann, Bounded by Obedience and Praise,72, 75, Brueggemann suggested the movement from Psalm 1 to Psalm 150 helps the reader process the breakdown of the actsconsequences nexus that he sees presented by Psalm 1. His answer to this dilemma is that the faithful reader is called by the Psalms to move from obedience to praise. For Brueggemann the dilemma addressed by this movement is the idea that Torah observance should bring blessing, while Israel experiences the disappointments of real life, the fundamental objection this view must overcome is the essential assumption that Israel was ever truly faithful to the covenant, the Psalter contains as much reflection on this failure as it does calls of lament and cries for Yahweh to honour the covenant (eg Ps 89). D.M Howard, Psalm 94 among the Kingship of Yhwh Psalms, The Catholic Biblical Quarterly, 61, (1999), 667-685 provides some support to this view with his treatment of Psalm 94, a lament Psalm juxtaposed with kingship of Yahweh Psalms, a structure Howard suggests is part of the process of the transition from question to praise (685).

suggest the Mosaic frame, 102 and flavour, 103 of book IV call individuals back to Torah obedience.104 Ethical readings based on individual reflection on the Psalter seemingly contradict form-critical view that the Psalms were cultic in function,105 and most canonical Psalm scholarship treats the Psalters function as post-cultic.106 While it is hard to deny that the Psalter has application for individuals, such a treatment would seem to contradict the communal nature and emphasis of pre-diasporan post-exilic life (cf Nehemiah 8, Ezra 3). It is possible that these individualised functions operated within the context of community.107
Some see a call to wisdom, via the two ways dichotomy commonly presented in Wisdom Literature (and present in Psalm 1), G.H Wilson, Shaping the Psalter, 80, Wilson identified a sapiential wisdom frame uniting books IV-V where Psalm 90 contains an appeal for wisdom, 145 ends with a wisdom admonition followed by the doxological Psalms 146-150. M. Futato, Interpreting the Psalms,59 identifies a wisdom influence. 102 G.H Wilson, Shaping the Psalter, 76, Wilson suggests 90-92 and 105-106 form a Mosaic frame, identifying an overlapping/interlocking organizational style in book IV. 103 R. D. Anderson, The Division and Order of the Psalms, 238, Book IV is Mosaic in theme, from its introductory work, attributed to Moses, to six further mentions of Moses in the book (Ps 90:1; 99:6; 103:7; 105:26; 106:16, 23, 32). 104 G.H Wilson, Shaping the Psalter,, 80, The rhetorical effect of Psalm 1 is then to individualise the Psalters function, calling the reader to Torah observance, B. Childs, Introduction to the Old Testament as Scripture, (London, SCM Press, 1979), 513, the Psalter is the medium by which one reflects on Torah, where the study of the Psalter serves as a guidebook along the path of blessing. 105 For various views regarding an individualised reading of the Psalter see S.J Murphy, Is the Psalter a Book With a Single Message, Bibliotheca Sacra 165 (July-September 2008), 283-93, 285, R.N Whybray, Reading the Psalms as a Book, 21, 30-31, J.C McCann, The Psalms as Instruction, Interpretation, 46/2, (1992), 117-28, 123, W. Brueggemann, Bounded by Obedience and Praise,64. For views on the Cultic function of the Psalter see R. D. Anderson, The Division and Order of the Psalms, 241, Essentially combining the form critical approach with insights from the canonical approach, rejects any systematic theological organisation of the Psalter, finding instead that the shape of the Psalter developed beside Israels history. He suggests the Psalter was compiled to provide a liturgical framework for temple use. D. L. Christensen, The Book Of Psalms Within The Canonical Process In Ancient Israel, Journal Evangelical Theological Society, 39/3 (September 1996) 421-432 ties the compositional history of the Psalms to the compositional history of the Deuteronomic History. He concluded that the Psalms were arranged and numbered to fit a triennial lectionary calendar in the temple. B.S Childs, Introduction to the Old Testament as Scripture: Biblical Theology in Crisis, (Philadelphia, Westminster Press, 1970), 521, Childs suggests the canonical text removes the Psalms from the cultic practices of Israel and infuses them with history, rather than vice versa, also N.L, DeClaisse-Walford, Reading From the Beginning, 10 106 R.N Whybray, Reading the Psalms as a Book, 30-31, Though Whybray is also hesitant to recognise a single comprehensive message (119), perhaps a rejection of the aforementioned attempts to identify a single theological thread behind the organisation of the Psalter, he is, however comfortable with a loose progression. see G. Wenham, Towards a Canonical Reading, 340 107 N.L, DeClaisse-Walford, Reading From the Beginning, 120, Thus the Psalter had a dual role in the life of the community. Individual psalms and collections were used in ceremonies and festivals, but the Psalter as a whole was read publicly to remind Israel of her story., J.L Mays, The David of the Psalms, 155, The emphasis in Chronicles and in the psalms' titles on the use of the psalms by the community shows that their language transcends the individual to express the typical and traditional. The "I" in the psalms can be a particular person, many people, the community G.H Wilson, The Use of Royal Psalms at the Seams of the Hebrew Psalter, 86, Even if the psalms were read

101

3.2.1 Ethics: The King and I As the Psalter emerges post-monarchy, the Davidic flavour of the final form serves both a theological and ethical agenda. Through our case study we have considered the presentation of the king throughout the Psalms as the result of a deliberate editorial act to present Israel with a picture of the ideal king, which raises the question of the appropriate response to this king. While the transition to Yahweh as king operates eschatologically,108 foreshadowing the hope of a new divine Davidic king, David also operates as exemplar for the post-exilic reader. 109 The presentation of David as pious and submissive to Yahwehs rule throughout the Psalter reinforces this message, and establishes David, as the ideal Deuteronomic King (Deut 17:18-20), who models the right response to Yahweh.110 This idealic presentation, coupled with the so-called democratisation, where Israelites are to think of themselves as kings (Psalm 8),111 combines to give the Psalter an ethical thrust. Readers are to meditate on Davids life and the Torah as they develop an ethic,112 reciting Psalms in Davidic character. 113 This reading does not, contra Kaiser, require treating David as a fiction, but rather learning from the portrayal of Davids character in the Psalter and Israels history.114

at some point in the triennial cycle, this does not necessarily mean the Psalter was organized on that basis. 108 J.A Grant, The King as Exemplar, 3 109 J.A Grant, The King as Exemplar, 2, The coming eschatological king, from the renewed house of David, will reflect the ideal king rather than the historical reality. While the presentation of the Davidic kings pious response to Yahweh functions as an example, via the Deuteronomic Kingship legislation, for a proper response to Yahweh. 110 J.A Grant, The King as Exemplar, 2 111 J.A Grant, The King as Exemplar, 293-294, suggests the democratising process means The king is one of the people, not better than them, and serves as exemplar. J.J.M Roberts, The Enthronement of Yhwh and David: The Abiding Theological Significance of the Kingship Language of the Psalms, The Catholic Biblical Quarterly, 64, (2002), 675-686, 684, Alongside the development of this messianic expectation, however, there was also another strand of thought, in which Gods promises to the Davidic king were democratised and applied to the people as a whole (Isa 55:3). 112 R.N Whybray, Reading the Psalms as a Book, 21 113 G. Wenham, Towards a Canonical Reading, 341, J.L Mays, The David of the Psalms, 152, In this pattern of experience, repeated so often in the story when appropriate psalms are related to his crises, he becomes model and guide for those who study the psalms and sing them in worship. 114 W. Kaiser, Psalm 72, 261-262, criticises the approach to democratization as turning kingship Psalms ahistorical, where the persuasive force of the democratization process would seem to rest on the physical example of David as the Deuteronomic ideal presented by the Psalter. Though, as argued by J.L Mays, The David of the Psalms, 144, The question of whether were dealing with the David of the book, or the David of history, is largely immaterial, as David of the Psalms is more real to most than the David of the histories.

A canonical reading of the book supports a democratised ethical approach.115 Davidic Psalms appearing late in the book (eg Psalm 145) serve to present David as the king from history who acknowledges that Yahweh is the true king of Israel,116 inviting Israel to follow suit. While a book for reflection, the Psalter is also performative in nature, containing superscripted musical instructions,117 and forming part of Israels liturgy. The communal performance of the Psalter serve to reinforce its ethical thrust. Wenham (2009), in commenting on the Psalters impact on the ethical life of the believer, suggested that the language of the Psalter, especially the use of first person language, invited readers to identify with the viewpoint of the Psalmist. Reader-response theory suggests this language, coupled with the speech-act theory implications of the regular corporate singing and praying of the Psalter would have a profound effect on the participant as they perform this cantata describing Israels past, and her future, under Yahwehs reign.118

Kaiser suggests Antiochene Hermeneutical Theoria allows the simultaneous extraction of ethical principals and historical truths. 115 N.L, DeClaisse-Walford, Reading From the Beginning, 10, especially through the presence of Davidic superscripts throughout 116 N.L, DeClaisse-Walford, The Canonical Shape of the Psalms, 110 117 R.T Beckwith, The Early History of the Psalter, 2 118 G.J Wenham, Reflections on Singing the Ethos of God, European Journal of Theology, 18:2, (2009), 115-124, 121-122

Bibliography J. Aloisi, Who Is Davids Lord? Another Look At Psalm 110:1, Detroit Baptist Seminary Journal, 10 (2005): 10323 R. D. Anderson, The Division and Order of the Psalms, Westminster Theological Journal, 56 (1994) 219-41 R.T Beckwith, The Early History of the Psalter, Tyndale Bulletin, 46.1, (1995), 1-27 G. Berry, The Titles of the Psalms, Journal of Biblical Literature, Vol. 33, No. 3 (Oct., 1914), 198-200 W. Brueggemann, Bounded by Obedience and Praise: The Psalms as Canon, Journal for Study of the Old Testament, 50 (1991) 63-92 W. Brueggemann, Psalm 73 as a Canonical Marker, Journal for Study of Old Testament, 72, (1996), 45-56 B.S Childs, Introduction to the Old Testament as Scripture: Biblical Theology in Crisis, (Philadelphia, Westminster Press, 1970) D. L. Christensen, The Book Of Psalms Within The Canonical Process In Ancient Israel, Journal Evangelical Theological Society, 39/3 (September 1996) 421-432 D.J.A Clines, Psalm Research Since 1955: The Psalms and the Cult, Tyndale Bulletin, 18, (1967) 103-126 N.L, DeClaisse-Walford, Reading From the Beginning: The Shaping of the Hebrew Psalter, (Macon, Mercer University Press, 1997)

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G.H Wilson, The Qumran Psalms Manuscripts and the Consecutive Arrangement of Psalms in the Hebrew Psalter, The Catholic Biblical Quarterly, 45, (1983), 377-388 G.H Wilson, Shaping the Psalter: A Consideration of Editorial Linkage in the Book of Psalms, The Shape and Shaping of the Psalter, ed. J. C. McCann, (Sheffield, JSOT Press, 1993) G.H Wilson, The Use of Royal Psalms at the Seams of the Hebrew Psalter, Journal for the Study of the Old Testament, 35 (1986), 85-94 R.N Whybray, Reading the Psalms as a Book, (Sheffield, Sheffield Academic Press, 1996)