Literary Genres of Psalms Wisdom Psalms Torah Psalms

Characteristics of Wisdom Psalms Hokmah = Wisdom / Havanah = Understanding Instructor’s opening call (Pss 49:1; 78:1) “Better” sayings (Pss 37:16; 63:3; 84:10; 118:8-9; 119:72) “Numerical” sayings (Pss 62: 12-13; 27:4) “Ashre” Sayings (Pss 1:1; 34:8; 112:1; 119: 1) Acrostic or Alphabetical Psalms (Pss 34, 37, 111, 112, 119, 145)

Themes of Wisdom Psalms Transitoriness of life in time (Ps 90) House-building, protection of the city, toils of labor (Ps 127) Common life of brothers (Ps 133)

Example of a Wisdom Psalm: Psalm 90 A prayer of Moses, the man of God. 1. O Lord, a refuge have you been for us forever and ever! 2. Before the hills were yet born And earth and the dry land were lying in pains of birth – From eternity to eternity you are, O God!

3. You lead the human back to dust And say: “Come back, children of humans!” 4. For a thousand years are to you Like yesterday’s day when it vanished, Like a watch in the night. 5. You seed them year after year; They are like the grass that grows up again and again.

6. In the morning it sprouts and grows, In the evening it withers and dries up. 7. In truth, we waste away through your anger, And through your wrath we are frightened. 8. You set our sins before your eyes, Our secret iniquities before the light of your countenance.

9. Indeed, our days pass away before your wrath, Our years disappear like a sigh. 10. The number of our years is seventy years, And if it reaches a high point, eighty years. And their pageantry is misery and disappointment! Indeed, quickly is it gone, vanished in flight. 11. Who recognizes the power of your anger, And who perceives the weight of your wrath?

12. To number our days – O, teach us that, That we may bring in a wise heart! 13. Desist, YHWH! How long still? And have mercy on your servants! 14. Satisfy us in the morning with your goodness, That we may exult and shout for joy in all our days!

15. Grant us happiness for as many days as you afflicted us, As many years as we have seen distress! 16. Let your activity become manifest in your servants, Your glory over their children! 17. May the favor of the Lord be over us! And advance the work of our hands! The work of our hands advance!

Torah Psalms Proper sense: Pss 1, 19B, 119 Extended sense: 34, 37, 49, 111, 112, 127, 128, 139

Example of a Torah Psalm: Ps 1 1. Happy the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the circle of scoffers; 2. But who has delight in YHWH’s instruction / and, reading his Torah, he meditates day and night.

3. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, that always yields its fruit, whose leaves do not wither. [No matter what he does, he brings it to a successful conclusion.]

4. That is not the way of the wicked. They are like chaff that the wind blows away. 5. Therefore the wicked cannot stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.

6. For YHWH knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked leads to destruction.