Old Testament

Week 16: Wisdom & poetry literature

Hurricane Utah Adult Religion Class

Hebrew wisdom and poetry literature

Poetry Psalms The Song of Solomon
(a.k.a Song of Songs or Canticles)

Wisdom Proverbs Ecclesiastes Job

Psalms
Greek (psalmoi) = songs of praise. Hebrew ( tehillim) = praises. Compare ( hallelujah) =
praise ye the LORD. Psalms 113118 = hallel (praise) psalms.

Authorship of the Psalms

David attached to 73 of 150 Psalms.
Written by or for or about or in honor of him.

David a composer of psalms (2 Samuel 1:17 27; 22:151 ), a musician (1 Samuel 16:16 23; 18:10). Other authors:
Moses (Psalm 90) Solomon (Psalm 72) Ethan (Psalm 89) Heman (Psalm 88) Asaph (Psalms 50, 7383) Sons of Korah (Psalms 42, 4449, 8485, 8788).
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Importance and use of Psalms

One-sixth of Old Testament quotations in the New Testament. Many copies in the Dead Sea Scrolls. Temple psalms in public worship; personal psalms for private situations.

Parallelism
A rhetorical literary device. The same idea expressed twice in two lines of verse. Second expression reshaped, enhanced, extended. Complete thought richer than through a single statement.

Psalm 103:612
Lord executeth righteousness and judgment for all that are oppressed. 7He made known his ways unto Moses, his acts unto the children of Israel. 8The Lord is merciful and gracious slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy. 9He will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger for ever. 10He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. 11For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him. 12As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.
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6The

Psalm 103:612
6The

Lord executeth righteousness and judgment [justice] for all that are oppressed. 7He made known his ways unto Moses, his acts unto the children of Israel. 8The Lord is merciful and gracious slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy. 9He will not always chide [accuse]: neither will he keep his anger for ever. 10He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. 11For as the heaven [sky] is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him. 12As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.
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Chiasmus (inverted parallelism)

Chiasmus is a parallel literary structure where the second half of the parallel is in reverse order: A A B B C C D C1 C1 B1 B1 A1 A1

Psalm 124:7
aOur

soul is escaped bas a bird out of the snare of the fowlers: b1the snare is broken, a1and we are escaped.

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Psalm 110
1 aJehovah 2 3 4
bThe

installs the king. day of the kings power.

king is sent out to conquer.

dThe

cThe

Lord makes the king a Melchizedek priest (fulcrum). c1The day of Jehovahs wrath.
b1Jehovah

goes out to conquer.

7 a1Jehovah

gives honor to the king.

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aFor

it is expedient that an atonement should be made; bfor according to the great plan of the Eternal God there must be an atonement made, cor else all mankind must unavoidably perish; dyea, all are hardened; d1yea, all are fallen and are lost, c1and must perish b1except it be through the atonement a1which it is expedient should be made.
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Chiasmus in the Book of Mormon: Alma 34:9

Psalm 24
1 The earth is the LORDS, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.

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Psalm 24
1 aThe earth is the LORDS, band the fulness thereof; a1the world, b1and they that dwell therein.

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Psalm 24
1 aThe earth is the LORDS, band the fulness thereof; a1the world, b1and they that dwell therein.

2 For he hath founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the floods.

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Psalm 24
1 aThe earth is the LORDS, band the fulness thereof; a1the world, b1and they that dwell therein.

2 aFor he hath founded it upon the seas, a1and established it upon the floods.

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Psalm 24
1 aThe earth is the LORDS, band the fulness thereof; a1the world, b1and they that dwell therein.

2 aFor he hath founded it upon the seas, a1and established it upon the floods.
3 aWho shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? a1or who shall stand in his holy place?

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Psalm 24
1 aThe earth is the LORDS, band the fulness thereof; a1the world, b1and they that dwell therein.

2 aFor he hath founded it upon the seas, a1and established it upon the floods.
3 aWho is allowed to ascend the mountain of the LORD? a1Who may go up to his holy dwelling place?

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Psalm 24
4 aHe that hath clean hands, a1and a pure heart; bwho hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, b1nor sworn deceitfully.

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Psalm 24
4 aThe one whose deeds are blameless, a1and whose motives are pure; bwho does not lie, b1nor make promises with no intention of keeping them.

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Psalm 24
4 aThe one whose deeds are blameless, a1and whose motives are pure; bwho does not lie, b1nor make promises with no intention of keeping them.

5 aHe shall receive the blessing from the LORD a1and righteousness from the God of his salvation.

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Psalm 24
4 aThe one whose deeds are blameless, a1and whose motives are pure; bwho does not lie, b1nor make promises with no intention of keeping them.

5 aHe shall receive the blessing from the LORD a1and righteousness from the God of his salvation. 6 aThis is the generation of them that seek him, a1that seek thy face, O Jacob. Selah.

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Psalm 24
4 aThe one whose deeds are blameless, a1and whose motives are pure; bwho does not lie, b1nor make promises with no intention of keeping them.

5 aHe shall receive the blessing from the LORD a1and righteousness from the God of his salvation. 6 aThis is the circle of them that seek him, a1that pray to thee, O God of Jacob. Selah.

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Psalm 24
7 aLift up your heads, O ye gates; a1and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; band the King of glory shall come in.

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Psalm 24
7 aLift up your heads, O ye gates; a1and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; band the King of glory shall come in. 8 aWho is this King of glory? bThe LORD strong and mighty, b1the LORD mighty in battle.

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Psalm 24
9 aLift up your heads, O ye gates; a1and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; band the King of glory shall come in. 10 aWho is this King of glory? bThe LORD of hosts, b1he is the King of glory. Selah.

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Proverbs
Ascribed to Solomon (1 Kings 4:32).
Other Jewish wisdom literature: Wisdom of Solomon, Wisdom of Sirach (Ecclesiasticus).

True wisdom ultimately comes from knowing God and understanding the way he understands (Proverbs 1:17; 3:57).

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Wisdom as the divine feminine

Wisdom speaks to the reader (Proverbs 8:19:18). Wisdom was with God before the creation (Proverbs 8:2236).

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Famous proverbs
A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger. (Proverbs 15:1.) Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall. (Proverbs 16:18.) For as [a man] thinketh in his heart, so is he. (Proverbs 23:7.)
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Book of Mormon proverbs

Counsel with the Lord in all thy doings, and he will direct thee for good; yea, when thou liest down at night lie down unto the Lord, that he may watch over you in your sleep; and when thou risest in the morning let thy heart be full of thanks unto God; and if ye do these things, ye shall be lifted up at the last day. (Alma 37:37.)
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Ecclesiastes
Proverbs = positive. Ecclesiastes = negative. (Ecclesiastes 2:911) Author: the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem (1:1) (Solomon?). Things as they appear on earth (under the sun).

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Job
Pithy sayings vs. long discourse. Chapters 1, 2, and 42 in prose. Chapters 341 in poetic verse. What we dont know:
Who wrote it? Where does it take place? When was it written?

Job: Fictional or historical?

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The message of Job

Patience? Submit to Gods will. Gods acts are just. Be blameless and upright. Do not accuse God.

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The setting of Job

Job the man (Job 1:1). The divine council (Job 1:612).
The sons of God. Hebrew ( ha-satan), the accuser. Satans proposed test (Job 1:911).

Job loses everything (Job 1:1318). Jobs humility (Job 1:2022). Further afflictions (Job 2:713).
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Discourses of Job
Jobs expressions of misery; the accusations of his three friends (Job 331). Elihu chastises everyone involved (Job 3237). Gods counsel (Job 3841). Jobs confession and restoration (Job 42).

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Reflections on Job
God and the problem of evil (theodicy). God is good and wants us to do good in an evil world. The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom.

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Next week:
The early prophets: Jonah, Amos, Micah, Hosea