Moses, David and the High Kingship of Yahweh
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
UHI Thesis - pdf download summary Moses, David and the High Kingship of Yahweh A Canonical Study of Book IV of the Psalter McKelvey, Michael G DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY (AWARDED BY OU/ABERDEEN) Award date: 2008 Awarding institution: The University of Edinburgh Link URL to thesis in UHI Research Database General rights and useage policy Copyright,IP and moral rights for the publications made accessible in the UHI Research Database are retained by the author, users must recognise and abide by the legal requirements associated with these rights. This copy has been supplied on the understanding that it is copyright material and that no quotation from the thesis may be published without proper acknowledgement, or without prior permission from the author. Users may download and print one copy of any thesis from the UHI Research Database for the not-for-profit purpose of private study or research on the condition that: 1) The full text is not changed in any way 2) If citing, a bibliographic link is made to the metadata record on the the UHI Research Database 3) You may not further distribute the material or use it for any profit-making activity or commercial gain 4) You may freely distribute the URL identifying the publication in the UHI Research Database Take down policy If you believe that any data within this document represents a breach of copyright, confidence or data protection please contact us at [email protected] providing details; we will remove access to the work immediately and investigate your claim. Download date: 01. Oct. 2021 Moses, David and the High Kingship of Yahweh A Canonical Study of Book IV of the Psalter A thesis presented for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Theology at the University of Aberdeen Michael G. McKelvey BS- Mississippi College, USA MDIV- Reformed Theological Seminary, USA 2008 I, Michael G. McKelvey, confirm that I composed this thesis, that it has not been accepted in any previous application for a degree, that the work is my own, and that all quotations have been distinguished by quotation marks and the sources of information specifically acknowledged. Michael G. McKelvey Date _______________ Abstract The present work attempts to enter into the ongoing discussion regarding the canonical arrangement of the Old Testament Psalter and its overall message. It does so by examining Book IV and its function within the whole of the psalms. By examining Psalms 90-106 in their literary context, the psalm book’s overall theological and thematic message is discussed, and the main suggestion of this thesis is that Psalms 90-106 have been purposely arranged as a rejoinder to the previous three books, in response to the rise and fall of Davidic kingship charted in Books I-III. Thus, as a result, this work seeks to outline Book IV’s role in the message of the Psalter and, thereby, add to the ongoing conversation within psalms studies regarding the organisation of the Psalter. Acknowledgments While it is impossible to thank everyone who has played an influential part in my life and, as a result, in this present work, there are a few who are due special thanks. Dr Jamie A. Grant, of Highland Theological College, was outstanding as a doctoral supervisor. With his informed suggestions and constant encouragement, he proved to be an exceptional guide through the waters of doctoral studies. I am also grateful to Prof. Joachim L. W. Schaper, of the University of Aberdeen, for his supervisory influence in the development of this thesis. Prof. A. T. B. McGowan, of Highland Theological College, is also deserving of thanks for his role in this research work. Thanks also to the First Baptist Church of Clinton, LA, USA, and its pastor, Dr Fred A. Malone, for their unwavering support in countless ways over these years of doctoral work. My parents and family also deserve credit for their years of support and encouragement. Finally, my wife, Mary Alice, and our children, William and Breanne, are the enduring source of love and support. My gratefulness for them, especially my wife, can never be fully expressed, but as a token of my appreciation, this work is dedicated to their honour. Michael G. McKelvey Dingwall, June 2008 Abbreviations Periodicals, Series and Reference Works AB Anchor Bible Commentary AcBib Academia Biblica AOTC Apollos Old Testament Commentary AThANT Abhandlungen zur Theologie des Alten und Neuen Testaments BBB Bonner Biblische Beiträge BDB F. Brown, S. R. Driver, C. A. Briggs, Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament BHS Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia Bib Biblica BJS/UCSD Biblical and Judaic Studies/University of California San Diego BN Biblische Notizen BZ Biblische Zeitschrift CBQ Catholic Biblical Quarterly CJT Canadian Journal of Theology EBC Expositor’s Bible Commentary EBS Encountering Biblical Studies ECC Eerdmans Critical Commentary EvQ Evangelical Quarterly FAT Forschungen zum Alten Testament FOTL Forms of Old Testament Literature HALOT Koehler, Ludwig and Walter Baumgartner, The Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon of the Old Testament HBT Horizons in Biblical Theology HTS Hervormde Teologiese Studies IBC Interpretation Biblical Commentary ICC International Critical Commentary Int Interpretation JBL Journal of Biblical Literature JBQ Jewish Biblical Quarterly JETS Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society JJS Journal of Jewish Studies JSOT Journal for the Study of the Old Testament JSOTSup Journal for the Study of the Old Testament Supplement Series JSS Journal of Semitic Studies JTS Journal of Theological Studies JTSA Journal of Theology for Southern Africa MCS Mentor Commentary Series NCB New Century Bible NEchtB Neue Echter Bibel NIB New Interpreter’s Bible NIBCOT New International Biblical Commentary: Old Testament NICOT New International Commentary on the Old Testament NIDOTTE New International Dictionary of Old Testament Theology and Exegesis NIVAC New International Version Application Commentary OTG Old Testament Guides OTL Old Testament Library RevExp Review and Expositor SBB Stuttgarter Biblische Beiträge SBLDS Society of Biblical Literature Dissertation Series SBLSP Society of Biblical Literature Seminar Papers SBS Stuttgarter Bibelstudien SK Skrif en kerk SJOT Scandinavian Journal of the Old Testament ThV Theologia Viatorum ThZ Theologische Zeitschrift TOTC Tyndale Old Testament Commentary TJ Trinity Journal UF Ugarit-Forschungen VT Vetus Testamentum VTSup Vetus Testamentum Supplements WBC Word Biblical Commentary WTJ Westminster Theological Journal ZThK Zeitschrift für Theologie und Kirche ZAW Zeitschrift für die alttestamentliche Wissenschaft Ancient Texts, Rabbinic Texts and Dead Sea Scrolls 4QPsa Qumran Cave 4 portions of the Psalms 11QPsa Qumran Cave 11 portions of the Psalms LXX Septuagint MT Masoretic Text Modern Bible Translations ESV English Standard Version JPS Jewish Publication Society Tanakh KJV King James Version NASB New American Standard Bible NEB New English Bible NIV New International Version NRSV New Revised Standard Version RSV Revised Standard Version Miscellaneous aNE ancient Near East cf. confer, compare Dtr Deuteronomic DtrN Nomistic Deuteronomic e.g. exampli gratia, for example et al. et alii, and others etc. et cetera, and the rest i.e. id est, that is MS(S) manuscript(s) n note p(p) page(s) Ps(s) Psalm(s) s/s(s) superscription(s) vol. volume v(v) verse(s) Table of Contents INTRODUCTION 1 Chapter 1 METHODOLOGICAL CONSIDERATIONS 4 1. Canonical Approach 4 1.1 Method in Psalms Studies 4 2. Choice of Book IV 9 2.1 An Apparent Narrative 9 2.2 Importance of Book IV 12 3. Method of Examination in this Study 13 4. Conclusion 14 Chapter 2 PSALMS 90-92 16 1. Introduction 16 2. Psalm 90: An Introduction to Book IV 16 2.1 Translation 17 2.2 Themes and Theology 20 2.2.1 Theocentric Themes 20 2.2.2 Anthropocentric Themes 22 2.3 Other Elements 24 2.3.1 Mosaic Motif 24 2.4 Canonical Relationships 27 2.4.1 Relation to Psalm 89 27 2.5 Conclusion: Psalm 90 30 3. Psalm 91: YHWH as Refuge 31 3.1 Translation 31 3.2 Themes and Theology 33 3.2.1 Theocentric Themes 33 3.2.2 Anthropocentric Themes 34 3.3 Other Elements 35 3.3.1 Mosaic Motif 35 3.4 Canonical Relationships 36 3.4.1 Relation to Psalm 90 36 3.5 Conclusion: Psalm 91 38 4. Psalm 92: A Sabbath Psalm 39 4.1 Translation 39 4.2 Themes and Theology 41 4.2.1 Theocentric Themes 41 4.2.2 Anthropocentric Themes 43 4.3 Other Elements 44 4.3.1 Mosaic Motif 44 4.4 Canonical Relationships 47 4.4.1 Relation to Psalm 90 47 4.4.2 Relation to Psalm 91 48 4.4.3 Relation to Psalms 93-100 49 - i - 4.5 Conclusion: Psalm 92 50 5. Conclusion: Psalms 90-92 50 Chapter 3 PSALMS 93-100 52 1. Introduction 52 2. Psalm 93: “YHWH Reigns” 52 2.1 Translation 53 2.2 Themes and Theology 54 2.2.1 Theocentric Themes 54 2.3 Other Elements 57 2.3.1 Similarities with Exodus 15 57 2.4 Canonical Relationships 58 2.4.1 Relation to Psalm 92 58 2.4.2 Relation to Psalm 94 60 2.4.3 Relation to Psalms 93-100 61 2.5 Conclusion: Psalm 93 62 3. Psalm 94: The Judge of the Earth 62 3.1 Translation 63 3.2 Themes and Theology 65 3.2.1 Theocentric Themes 65 3.2.2 Anthropocentric Themes 67 3.3 Canonical Relationships 68 3.3.1 Relation to Psalm 95 68 3.3.2 Relation to Psalms 93-100 70 3.4 Conclusion: Psalm 94 70 4. Psalm 95: Worship and Warning 71 4.1 Translation 71 4.2 Themes and Theology 73 4.2.1 Theocentric Themes 73 4.2.2 Anthropocentric Themes 74 4.3 Other Elements 76 4.3.1 Mosaic Motif 76 4.4 Canonical Relationships 79 4.4.1 Relation to Psalm 96 79 4.4.2 Relation to Psalms 93-100 80 4.5 Conclusion: Psalm 95 81 5.