DOCSLIB.ORG

The Historical Superscriptions of Davidic Psalms: an Exegetical, Intertextual, and Methodological Analysis

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text

Load more

Andrews University Digital Commons @ Andrews University Dissertations Graduate Research 2016 The Historical Superscriptions of Davidic Psalms: An Exegetical, Intertextual, and Methodological Analysis Jerome L. Skinner Andrews University, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/dissertations Part of the Biblical Studies Commons Recommended Citation Skinner, Jerome L., "The Historical Superscriptions of Davidic Psalms: An Exegetical, Intertextual, and Methodological Analysis" (2016). Dissertations. 1610. https://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/dissertations/1610 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate Research at Digital Commons @ Andrews University. It has been accepted for inclusion in Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons @ Andrews University. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Andrews University Digital Commons @ Andrews University Dissertations Graduate Research 2016 The iH storical Superscriptions of Davidic Psalms: An Exegetical, Intertextual, and Methodological Analysis Dissertation Office Follow this and additional works at: http://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/dissertations This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate Research at Digital Commons @ Andrews University. It has been accepted for inclusion in Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons @ Andrews University. For more information, please contact [email protected]. ABSTRACT THE HISTORICAL SUPERSCRIPTIONS OF DAVIDIC PSALMS: AN EXEGETICAL, INTERTEXTUAL, AND METHODOLOGICAL ANALYSIS by Jerome L. Skinner Adviser: Jiří Moskala ABSTRACT OF GRADUATE STUDENT RESEARCH Dissertation Andrews University Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary Title: THE HISTORICAL SUPERSCRIPTIONS OF DAVIDIC PSALMS: AN EXEGETICAL, INTERTEXTUAL, AND METHODOLOGICAL ANALYSIS Name of researcher: Jerome L. Skinner Name and degree of faculty adviser: Jiří Moskala, Ph.D. Date completed: April 2016 The significance of the historical superscriptions (h/ss) that refer to David’s life (Pss 3, 7, 18, 34, 51, 52, 54, 56, 57, 59, 60, 63, 142) has been a matter of interest over the past century of Psalm Studies. An investigation into the structural and theological role1 of the thirteen Davidic h/ss and their psalms in the Psalter, as well as the role of David expressed in them reveals the nature of their origin, authorship, structural function, and theological import. While their historicity forms a large part of the discussion, at its core is the question of meaning. The literary and theological analysis of the h/ss and their 1 Roderick Smith concluded, “The superscriptions provide an important key which unlocks a world of understanding in the Psalter and of the days of its composition.” Smith, “The Titles in the Psalms,” 52. The illocutionary force has been overlooked in most studies of these h/ss. In a canonical approach consideration for the desired effect must be seen through the trifocal lens of composition, liturgical, and editorial aims. psalms provides the basis for the conclusions about their function and meaning and provides a context through which comparisons are made. Out of its literary setting, the historiographical interests of these psalms are shown to go beyond an apology for David to express the significance of David’s experience as Yahweh’s anointed as detailed in the historical narratives. This dissertation engages the topic of the h/ss in three ways: exegetically, intertextually, and methodologically. This study first analyzes the psalms individually to provide the foundational groundwork for a collective view of authorial indications and subsequent analysis. This is examined through the central themes that emerge from three interrelated features of poetic analysis: (1) structure, (2) imagery, and (3) parallelism. The recent gains in the analysis of biblical poetry have enabled readers to see the epistemic grounds for authorship in its literary features that emerge from the text as part of the exegetical process. This is followed by an analysis of the stylistic and intertextual aspects found in the thirteen h/ss. After determining the intertextual links that emerge from the h/ss, a consideration of how to understand the intertextual links within a larger structural view is examined. These intertextual links are determined by analyzing linguistic connections in light of the structural concerns of the books of 1 and 2 Samuel and 1 and 2 Chronicles. The stylistic and linguistic features of the h/ss reveal patterns from a comparison of the h/ss and the lexical and thematic parallels between adjacent psalms that engages a broadening focus on psalm groups, collections, and books of the Psalter. and how the features ל Following this is an examination of the structural uses of of the h/ss point to Davidic authorship. The syntactical constructions of the h/ss are surveyed to demonstrate the veracity and originality of Davidic authorship. Also, generic and structural analysis are made to substantiate these claims. The final chapter provides a methodological critique of views on the h/ss and sets forth more fortuitous paths in developing a coherent method that is more comprehensive. In conclusion, the h/ss have been shown to be original in a pre-exilic context, has been לְדָוִד authentic, and are clearly connected to the psalms they introduce. The term shown to refer to David as the author of the psalms and his clear involvement in the writing of the h/ss as author, liturgist, and king. The h/ss have been shown to be intentionally placed, theologically coherent by linking specific chapters in David’s life (his exile by Saul, his kinship during Yahweh’s blessing, and his kingship during Yahweh’s judgment/wrath), and to provide a broader narrative reading strategy for the Psalter as a book. The Davidic covenant has been shown to best reflect the context for reading the final form of the Psalter, as well as strengthening the general consensus that kingship is a central focus of the thematic structuring of the Psalter. The ultimate meaning of the h/ss is aligned with the development of Yahweh’s plan for his covenant people and promises. Andrews University Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary THE HISTORICAL SUPERSCRIPTIONS OF DAVIDIC PSALMS: AN EXEGETICAL, INTERTEXTUAL, AND METHODOLOGICAL ANALYSIS A Dissertation Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy by Jerome L. Skinner July 2016 ©Copyright by Jerome L. Skinner 2016 All Rights Reserved THE HISTORICAL SUPERSCRIPTIONS OF DAVIDIC PSALMS: AN EXEGETICAL, INTERTEXTUAL, AND METHODOLOGICAL ANALYSIS A dissertation presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Doctor of Philosophy by Jerome L. Skinner APPROVAL BY THE COMMITTEE: _____________________________ _____________________________ Faculty Adviser, Director of Ph.D./Th.D. Religion Program Jiri Moskala Thomas Shepherd Professor of Old Testament Exegesis And Theology _____________________________ _____________________________ Richard M. Davidson Dean, SDA Theological Seminary J.N. Andrews Professor of Old Jiri Moskala Testament Interpretation _____________________________ Jacques B. Doukhan Professor of Hebrew and Old Testament Exegesis _____________________________ _____________________________ Date Approved DEDICATION This dissertation is dedicated to my wife Miriam, who gave immeasurable love and support, to my mother Rosalind, who gave me the best example to follow, to my committee (Drs. Moskala, Davidson, and Doukhan), who taught me to love the Word and listen to the Word, to James Clark who believed in me, and finally to the God of all life and wisdom, who is my all. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF TABLES ....................................................................................................... xi LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS ...................................................................................... xv Chapter INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................ 1 Background to the Problem .................................................................... 1 Statement of the Problem ....................................................................... 14 Purpose of the Study .............................................................................. 19 Scope and Delimitations ......................................................................... 20 Methodological Outline .......................................................................... 24 1. POETIC EXEGESIS OF PSALMS WITH HISTORICAL SUPERSCRIPTIONS .................................................................................... 27 Poetic Exegetical Analysis ..................................................................... 27 Structure, Imagery, and Parallelism ................................................ 28 Psalm 3 ............................................................................................ 30 Translation and Textual Remarks ............................................ 30 Heading .................................................................................... 31 Literary Structure ..................................................................... 33 Exegetical Notes ...................................................................... 34 Literary Analysis: Parallelism and Imagery ............................ 36 Verses 2–3 .......................................................................
Recommended publications
  • An Introduction to the Book of Psalms

    An Introduction to the Book of Psalms

    An Introduction to the Book of Psalms John F. Hobbins [email protected] The book of Psalms is actually a collection of five books each of which ends with a note of praise. Known as “the book of praises” in Jewish tradition, almost every composition in it is suffused with praise, culminates in praise, or anticipates offering praise to the national deity of Israel. A doxology closes Book 1 (Psalms 1-41), Book 2 (Psalms 42-72), Book 3 (Psalms 73-89), and Book 4 (Psalms 90-106). Several psalms of praise close Book 5 (Psalms 107-150). In the Psalms, the chief calling of God is to respond to the needs of his creatures. The chief calling of his creatures is to offer him praise and spread abroad his greatness. The psalms are also characterized by raw passions and an emotional logic that are alien and familiar to moderns at the same time. Faith in God is something that always comes to expression in the psalms, even if it manifests itself as protest and rage against God. Scansions and translations of a few of the psalms are offered on this site: Psalms 2, 6, 104, 111-112, and 137; also, Jonah 2:3-10, a psalm outside the Psalter. Psalms manuscripts recovered from the caves of Qumran demonstrate that the book of Psalms as passed on to posterity by rabbinic Judaism is not identical in contents and arrangement to psalms collections in existence before the standardization of the biblical text became an accomplished fact in the first and second centuries CE.
  • 1 and 2 Samuel, by Robert Vannoy, Lecture 4

    1 and 2 Samuel, by Robert Vannoy, Lecture 4

    1 Dr. Robert Vannoy, Samuels, Lecture 4 © 2011, Robert Vannoy and Ted Hildebrandt “We now come to the final point in our consideration of the theme of kingship and covenant in 1 and 2 Samuel. Namely, kingship as practiced by David was an imperfect, but true representation of the ideal of the covenantal king. And as I mentioned earlier, we find David’s reign described in the book of 2 Samuel. After Saul’s death at the end of First Samuel, David was initially acclaimed as king by the tribe of Judah, over whom he reigned for a time in the southern city of Hebron (2 Samuel 2:1-7). Then, subsequently, he was accepted as king by the remaining tribes of Israel after the failure of Saul’s son, Ishbosheth, to perpetuate his father’s dynasty among the northern tribes. It’s in 2 Samuel 5 that David finally begins his reign over the entire nation. We read in verse 3 of 2 Samuel 5. “When all the elders of Israel had come to King David at Hebron, the king made a compact with them at Hebron before the Lord, and they anointed David king over Israel.” The first thing that the narrator mentions after describing the beginning of David’s reign over all Israel is his capture of the stronghold of Zion. At the time, Zion was a small but heavily fortified city inhabited by the Jebusites. It was located on the southeastern ridge of what would later become the temple mount of Jerusalem. From a political standpoint, Zion was ideally situated for a new seat of government.
  • Folklore and the Hebrew Bible: Interdisciplinary Engagement and New Directions

    Folklore and the Hebrew Bible: Interdisciplinary Engagement and New Directions

    humanities Article Folklore and the Hebrew Bible: Interdisciplinary Engagement and New Directions Susan Niditch Department of Religion, Amherst College, Amherst, MA 01002, USA; [email protected] Received: 16 November 2017; Accepted: 1 January 2018; Published: 10 January 2018 Abstract: This essay explores the rich interactions between the fields of folklore and biblical studies over the course of the 20th century until the present. The essay argues for the continued relevance of folklore and related fields to an appreciation of ancient Israelite cultures and their artistic inventions. It concludes with several case studies that underscore the fruitful realizations that emerge from this sort of interdisciplinary humanistic work. Keywords: form-criticism; oral tradition; formula; morphology; typology; social context; performance 1. Introduction The fields of biblical studies and folklore studies have always shared much in terms of content and methodology. Readers of the Hebrew Bible encounter narratives about the exploits of heroes and the creation of the world, they find descriptions of ritual actions rich in symbolic media, saying forms akin to proverbs and riddles, and verbal repetitions of various kinds betokening formulaic and traditional styles of speech—a corpus richly suggestive of folklore. Biblicists’ interests in life settings, prosody, literary forms, reception, and redaction in many ways, moreover, parallel those of folklorists who emphasize performance contexts and cultural settings, the texture, content, and structures of various folk genres, the significance of these aspects of genre for an appreciation of message, and the importance of developments in stories and other media across time and place. The scholarly interrelationship between the study of the Hebrew Bible and folklore studies has a long, complicated history.
  • PSALMS 142 and 143

    PSALMS 142 and 143

    PSALMS 142 and 143 This Maskil, Psalm 142, is written for our instruction. It teaches us how to order our prayer to Yahweh in times of distress. Such instruction is among the most needful, practical, and effectual parts of our spiritual education. He who has learned how to pray has been taught the most useful of the arts and sciences. William Thompson gives a firsthand account of "the cave" thought to be David's refuge: Leaving our horses in charge of some Arabs, and taking one for our guide, we started for the cave now known as Mughâret Khureitûn, which is believed to be the cave Adullam, having a fearful gorge below, gigantic cliffs above, and the path winding along a narrow shelf of the rock. At length, from a great rock hanging on the edge of the cliff, we entered by a long leap a low window which opened into the perpendicular face of the cliff. We were then within the traditional hold of David, and, creeping half doubled through a narrow crevice for a few rods, we stood beneath the dark vault of the first grand chamber of this mysterious and oppressive cavern. Our whole collection of lights did little more than make the damp darkness visible. After groping about as long as we had time to spare, we returned to the light of day, fully convinced that, with David and his lion-hearted followers inside, all the strength of Israel under Saul could not have forced an entrance--would not have even attempted it. Psalm 142 Maskil of David, when he was in the cave.
  • “Still Crying in a Cave”: Psalm

    “Still Crying in a Cave”: Psalm

    Wheelersburg Baptist Church 7/8/07 Brad Brandt Psalm 142 “Still Crying in a Cave” ** Main Idea: While crying in a cave in Psalm 142 David verbalized four thoughts which he expressed to God. We can learn from David how to respond to our ‘cave experiences.’ I. David tells us what he did (1-2). A. He asked Yahweh for mercy. B. He told Yahweh his predicament. II. David tells us how he felt (3-4). A. He felt weak. B. He felt vulnerable. C. He felt alone. III. David tells us what he knew (5-6). A. He was desperate. B. God is sufficient. 1. Make sure Yahweh is your refuge. 2. Make sure Yahweh is your portion. IV. David tells us what he wanted (7). A. He desired to be set free. B. He desired to praise Yahweh’s name. C. He desired to see Yahweh’s people gather together. Take another look: What do we see in this cave experience? 1. This psalm teaches us about Christ. 2. This psalm teaches us about our desperate need for Christ. A promise is an amazing thing. When someone makes a promise to you, they are using words to communicate intended action, to tell you what will or will not happen. And when God makes a promise that intended action is as good as done! “I will never leave you,” God said in Hebrews 13:5. And He meant it. “I am going to prepare a place for you,” Jesus said in John 14:2, followed by this announcement in verse 3, “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.” You will be with me forever! What an astounding promise! And ponder these words that John heard from the heavenly throne in Revelation 21:4, “He will wipe every tear from their eyes.
  • Study Questions on the Psalms

    Study Questions on the Psalms

    Study Questions on the Psalms Habakkuk 3: A Model Psalm 1. Look carefully at the psalm in Habakkuk chapter 3. (a) How do v. 1 and the last sentence in v. 19 differ from the rest of the psalm? (b) What kind of information is in v. 1? (c) What kind of information is in the last sentence in v. 19? 2. Look at Isa 38:9-20. Can you find parallels to the three parts of Habakkuk 3? 3. Compare these elements with Psalm 3. (a) How do the parts of the opening of Psalm 3 align with Hab 3:1? (b) Does Psalm 3 have a final sentence comparable to the one in Hab 3:19? What happened to it? (You might be interested to learn that “Neginoth” is the same word translated “stringed instruments” in Hab 3:19.) 4. Now let’s study the relation of Habakkuk’s psalm to the rest of the book. (a) Read over chapters 1-2. i. These chapters record a conversation. Who is speaking with whom? ii. What two questions does Habakkuk ask? iii. Is he happy with the answers he gets? (b) Now analyze the body of Habakkuk 3. i. Notice how the Psalm is divided into four parts based on a) what Habakkuk is saying and b) to whom he is saying it. What are these four parts? ii. How does v. 2 reflect his attitude in the first two chapters of the book? iii. How does he reassure himself in vv. 3-16? iv. What resolution does he reach in vv.
  • The Books of Chronicles and the Scrolls from Qumran

    The Books of Chronicles and the Scrolls from Qumran

    THE BOOKS OF CHRONICLES AND THE SCROLLS FROM QUMRAN George J. Brooke 1. Introduction In this short study in honour of Graeme Auld I wish to consider briefly four partially interrelated aspects of the Books of Chronicles in the light of the scrolls found in the eleven caves at and near Qumran.1 Graeme Auld’s own work on the historical books of the Hebrew Bible is well known. For the Books of Chronicles in par- ticular he has argued for a reorientation of how the relationship between Chronicles and Samuel–Kings should be envisaged. Rather than seeing a simple line of dependence of Chronicles on Samuel– Kings, Auld has proposed that scholars should consider that both the compilers of Samuel–Kings and the Chronicler used a common source which is readily discernible in the text that the two works share; each then developed that common source in distinct ways. Since the starting point in each section of this paper is the evidence from Qumran, it is not necessary to enter into any lengthy arguments about the composition history of Chronicles or about its date and author- ship.2 Nevertheless, although this paper is primarily about the recep- tion of Chronicles in the second and first centuries bce, such reception offers insight into the nature of the Books of Chronicles too and appears partially to vindicate elements of Auld’s approach. 1 J. Trebolle Barrera, ‘Chronicles, First and Second Books of’, in L. H. Schiffman and J. C. VanderKam (eds.), Encyclopedia of the Dead Sea Scrolls (New York: Oxford University Press, 2000), p.
  • Ashland Theological Journal 2009 Hermann Gunkel, Creation And

    Ashland Theological Journal 2009 Hermann Gunkel, Creation And

    Ashland Theological Journal 2009 Book Reviews Hermann Gunkel, Creation and Chaos in the Primeval Era and the Eschaton: A Religo­ Historical Study of Genesis 1 and Revelation 12. With contributions by Heinrich Zimmerman. Translated by K. William Whitney, Jr. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2006 Pp. xlii, 442. Paper. $36.00 Originally published in 1895 and reprinted in 1921, Gunkel's Schopfung und Chaos in Urzeit und Endzeit has now finally been translated into English. Thus, one of the great classics of biblical criticism is now available to a wider audience. Since Gunkel's method and conclusions are well known, a legitimate question is what need is there for a review of a work so foundational and well known? Very little discussed has not been covered elsewhere, Even the appendix (pp. 253-83) which provides translations of selected Babylonian myths does not provide readers access to material not available elsewhere, such as Pritchard's Ancient Near Eastern Texts, or Hallo's Context of Scripture. Nevertheless, a review of this translation is warranted for several reasons. First, the preface by Peter Machinist provides the reader with a brief analysis of both the significance and shortfalls of Creation and Chaos (xv-xx). In particular, the reader is informed that Gunkel focused too exclusively upon Mesopotamian mythology for cultural parallels with the Hebrew Bible. Gunkel could not be blamed for not anticipating later discoveries, particularly of Canaanite and West Semitic literature, whose impact on the biblical tradition is undoubtedly more profound than the Mesopotamian or Babylonian parallels (xix). Nevertheless, twenty-first century readers are well advised that the discussion has advanced.
  • Psalm 50 Outline

    Psalm 50 Outline

    Covenant Keepers Psalm 50 Introduction: 1. Why do we have the Psalms: a. Story of the two men who were shipwrecked and decided to pray. (B-1, I-52, N-12…) (Bible Hub, “1. The Significance of the Psalms | Bible.Org”) b. Many of us feel as if we know more and understand better the worship of the Bible. However, we often refer to the preaching hour as the worship hour (all of life is worship). A major mistake that we commit is that we have a start and stop time for worship, get up and leave and think that what we do the rest of the week is not worshipping. (ibid) c. The central focus of our lives should not be us or even others, it should be God. (John 4:20-24; Ephesians. 1:6, 12, 14; 3:2) (ibid) d. The glory of heaven is not that will be happy in heaven (which we will for there are no tears in heaven), but that we will see God in His fulness and fall down and worship Him (24 elders Revelation 4:9-11) (ibid) e. “…while the rest of the Scripture speaks to us, the Psalms speak for us. The Psalms provide us with a rich vocabulary for speaking to God about our souls.” (Hedges) 1. “When we long to worship, we have psalms of thanksgiving and praise. When we are sad and discouraged, can pray the psalms of lament. The psalms give voice to our anxieties and fears, and show us how to cast our cares on the Lord and renew our trust in him.
  • To Bible Study the Septuagint - Its History

    To Bible Study the Septuagint - Its History

    Concoll()ia Theological Monthly APRIL • 1959 Aids to Bible Study The Septuagint - Its History By FREDERICK W. DANKER "GENTLEMEN, have you a Septuagint?" Ferdinand Hitzig, eminent Biblical critic and Hebraist, used to say to his class. "If not, sell all you have, and buy a Septuagint." Current Biblical studies reflect the accuracy of his judgment. This and the next installment are therefore dedicated to the task of helping the Septuagint come alive for Biblical students who may be neglecting its contributions to the total theological picture, for clergymen who have forgotten its interpretive possibilities, and for all who have just begun to see how new things can be brought out of old. THE LETTER OF ARISTEAS The Letter of Aristeas, written to one Philocrates, presents the oldest, as well as most romantic, account of the origin of the Septuagint.1 According to the letter, Aristeas is a person of con­ siderable station in the court of Ptolemy Philadelphus (285-247 B. C.). Ptolemy was sympathetic to the Jews. One day he asked his librarian Demetrius (in the presence of Aristeas, of course) about the progress of the royal library. Demetrius assured the king that more than 200,000 volumes had been catalogued and that he soon hoped to have a half million. He pointed out that there was a gap­ ing lacuna in the legal section and that a copy of the Jewish law would be a welcome addition. But since Hebrew letters were as difficult to read as hieroglyphics, a translation was a desideratum. 1 The letter is printed, together with a detailed introduction, in the Appendix to H.
  • Psalms Psalm

    Psalms Psalm

    Cultivate - PSALMS PSALM 126: We now come to the seventh of the "Songs of Ascent," a lovely group of Psalms that God's people would sing and pray together as they journeyed up to Jerusalem. Here in this Psalm they are praying for the day when the Lord would "restore the fortunes" of God's people (vs.1,4). 126 is a prayer for spiritual revival and reawakening. The first half is all happiness and joy, remembering how God answered this prayer once. But now that's just a memory... like a dream. They need to be renewed again. So they call out to God once more: transform, restore, deliver us again. Don't you think this is a prayer that God's people could stand to sing and pray today? Pray it this week. We'll pray it together on Sunday. God is here inviting such prayer; he's even putting the very words in our mouths. PSALM 127: This is now the eighth of the "Songs of Ascent," which God's people would sing on their procession up to the temple. We've seen that Zion / Jerusalem / The House of the Lord are all common themes in these Psalms. But the "house" that Psalm 127 refers to (in v.1) is that of a dwelling for a family. 127 speaks plainly and clearly to our anxiety-ridden thirst for success. How can anything be strong or successful or sufficient or secure... if it does not come from the Lord? Without the blessing of the Lord, our lives will come to nothing.
  • The Second Book of Samuel

    The Second Book of Samuel

    A PATRISTIC COMMENTARY THE SECOND BOOK OF SAMUEL FR. TADROS Y. MALATY 2004 Initial edition Translated by: DR. GEORGE BOTROS Revised by SAMEH SHAFIK Coptic Orthodox Christian Center 491 N. Hewes St. Orange, California 92869-2914 INTRODUCTION As this book in the Hebrew origin, is a complementary to the first book of Samuel, we urge the reader to refer back to the introduction of that book. According to the Jewish tradition, the authors of this book were the prophets Nathan and Gad, beside some of those who were raised in the school of the prophets, founded by the prophet Samuel. In the Septuagint version, it is called “The second Kingdoms book.” WHEN WAS IT WRITTEN? It was written after the division of the kingdom, and before the captivity. It embraces a complete record of the reign of King David (2 Samuel 5: 5); and mentions the kings of ‘Judah,’ as distinct from those of ‘Israel’ (1 Samuel 27: 6). ITS FEATURES 1- Its topic was a survey of King David’s life, following his strife with king Saul, who was killed by the enemies at the end of the previous book; a narration of king David’s ascension to the throne, his wars, and the moving up of the Tabernacle of God to Jerusalem. It also gave a record of David’s fall in certain sins, with all the incessant troubles and grieves they entailed. In other words, this book represents the history of the people during the 40 years of king David’s reign. Its study is considered to be of special importance to everyone intending to comprehend David’s psalms.