Poetry and Emotion in Psalm 22 (Part 1) (original) (raw)
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In broad terms, this paper strives to unpack the relational dynamic between Israel, God, and the Psalmist represented in this collection. More specifically, our study explores the Asaphite psalms within a collective, literary, and narrative context. This narrative architecture provides a helpful framework for illustrating the relationships among the three primary characters: the Psalmist, Israel, and God. To explore the relationships between these characters, we applied a coding method developed for qualitative research in the social sciences known as dramaturgical coding.
Psalm 22 is part of a body of liturgical poetry that is integral to Judaism, and for Christians, the dying Jesus quotes Psalm 22 in the Passion narratives. The psalmist eventually moves away from lamenting one's situation and towards praising YHWH, which is a normal, key characteristic of Hebrew psalms of individual lament. In this essay, praise and lament in the historical, geographical and cultural context of the Near East will first be briefly examined, before turning to a close reading of the language and literary devices used within the different sections of Psalm 22 itself.
Delighting in the Torah: The Affective Dimension of Psalm 1
Old Testament essays, 2010
It is argued in this article that the common interpretation of Ps 1 as a call for obedience, a view exemplified by Walter Brueggemann’s influential article, “Bounded by Obedience and Praise: The Psalms as Canon,” does not quite capture the emphasis of the text. While it is true that Ps 1 affirms the lifestyle of the “righteous,” righteousness is not limited to or equated with “obedience.” The psalm points to the affections rather than to behaviour as the key element of the righteous person—“his delight is in the Torah of Yahweh” (Ps 1:2). Instead of calling for obedience to the Torah, Ps 1 evokes affection for the Torah. This important move suggests that the study of biblical poetry in general and of the Psalms in particular can benefit from an approach that is attuned to the passions that are inherent in the text and the passions that are brought to the text by the interpreter. A INTRODUCTION Recent studies of the Psalms have continued to include generous attention to the canonical...
In the Old Testament, the book of psalms stands out because of its vast and rich imagery and vivid metaphorical language. Deep human experiences and a wide range of human emotions in its heights and depths can be discovered there. The metaphorical language in the Old Testament, particularly in the psalms, is often linked with emotions. This paper centres on emotions within the metaphor discourse and aims to contribute to two fields of research: firstly, the field of metaphor analysis in the psalms and secondly, the area of the Studies of Emotions by using Ps 34,19 as an example. After presenting some core theoretical concepts regarding the study of metaphors and emotions, the analysis of the form and content of Ps 34 as well as the "broken hearted" and "crushed in spirit" in Ps 34,19 will be carried out. The results of the analysis shed new light on the well-known verbal images of the "broken hearted" and "crushed in spirit."
This thesis seeks to develop a new method of interpretation for lament psalms and to apply it to Psalms 13, 22, 44, 88. The new method is called Theo-dramatic approach. This method recognizes lament psalms as dialogical prayers, (multivoicing) which describe the drama of suffering experienced by the psalmists. The Theo-dramatic approach is an imaginative method of interpretation. The most important elements are: the script, the theatre and the performance. The actors are: God, the supplicant, the enemy, the community. Script: lament Psalms: 13, 22, 44, and 88, were chosen because they demonstrate much of the vocabulary of the absence or hostility of God. Theatre: the public space provided by the covenant relationship between God and pray-er. Performance: the dramatized grief and pain of the psalmist, caused by the hostility or absence of God. This method of interpretation emphasizes the drama presented in the script: protest, argument, accusation of God for being unfaithful to the covenantal responsibilities. It affirms that God’s behaviour is sometimes different from how people understand his character. But the relationship between God and the sufferer continues despite God’s strange behaviour (absence or hostility), because God is challenged to come onstage and bring deliverance to the supplicant, is invited to walk with him/her and bring onstage the experience of his healing presence. The suffereriii realises that he/she has a choice – he/she could try to stuff the hurt in a closet, pretend it wasn’t there and wish it disappeared, or chose to bring it out into the open to face it head-on, trudge through it, feel its full weight, and do the best to confront the feeling of loss and hopelessness with the truth of God’s Word at every turn. The power of the performance draws the reader onstage to work through their own experiences of God as absent or hostile, hence giving creative expression to difficult life experiences. To groan with sorrow and anger is part of being human, is that when you lose the relationship with God that is so valuable to you, you agonize over this loss, and there is nothing wrong with that. Your tears and cry of anger do not reflect a lack of faith, but a strong faith in the only one who has the healing power, if he just want to present himself on the stage. Applying this method helps the reader to be a participant in the drama played onstage. Human life and the journey of faith imply dramatic events. The relationship with God is a risky and adventurous path.
Presents an introductory poetic analysis of the Hebrew text of Psalm 23, including translation and scansion (with defenses) and a brief analysis of parallelism, metaphor, and poetic structure.
An Object-Relations Analysis of Psalm 131
Psalm 131 employs the metaphorical imagery of an infant and mother to portray the relationship between the psalmist and YHWH. Since this imagery is critical in understanding the psalmist and the overall message of the psalm, I utilize psychoanalytical Object-Relations theory in reading the psalm. This interpretive framework offers insights into the language, structure, and movement of the psalm that might otherwise be overlooked. This essay reveals the foundational role of YHWH, particularly in relation to his absence and presence as primary caregiver in the development of the false self and the restoration of the true self-identity of the psalmist. The restoration of the psalmist's true self-identity is further supported by the larger canonical context in which the Torah of Psalm 119 functions as an object-relations transitional object for the psalmist.
It is argued in this article that the common interpretation of Ps 1 as a call for obedience, a view exemplified by Walter Brueggemann's influential article, " Bounded by Obedience and Praise: The Psalms as Canon, " does not quite capture the emphasis of the text. While it is true that Ps 1 affirms the lifestyle of the " righteous, " righteousness is not limited to or equated with " obedience. " The psalm points to the affections rather than to behaviour as the key element of the righteous person— " his delight is in the Torah of Yahweh " (Ps 1:2). Instead of calling for obedience to the Torah, Ps 1 evokes affection for the Torah. This important move suggests that the study of biblical poetry in general and of the Psalms in particular can benefit from an approach that is attuned to the passions that are inherent in the text and the passions that are brought to the text by the interpreter .