DESCRIPTION:

A study of the Book of Psalms with particular reference to a cross-section of Psalms: 6, 30, 42, 51, 72, 88, 89, 95, 100, 104, and 139. The whole of each psalm will be studied, but about ten verses each week will be designated for study in Hebrew.

By the end of the course students should have 1) gained insight into a range of approaches to the study of the Psalms which can enable the Psalms to illumine and develop our relationship with God as the church and as individuals; and 2) discovered the value of studying the Psalms in Hebrew and been inspired to continue using Hebrew in the study of the Old Testament.

The course meets twice a week for two-hour sessions. One class will consider general approaches to different types of psalms and will look at the psalm for the week as a whole. The other will focus on its Hebrew text.

Students need to possess a copy of the Hebrew text of the OT (e.g., BHS) and to have regular access to a Hebrew Lexicon (e.g., BDB) and a Hebrew Syntax (e.g., Williams or Waltke/O'Connor).

Students should obtain a copy of the Course Reader before the first class.

See the Biblical Division bibliography "Linguistic and Exegetical Books Required in the Master of Divinity Program" available in the SOT Academic Advising office.

An annotated list of works on the Psalms appears in the Course Reader and students will be expected to sample these during the course (see below). They will be expected to pay particular attention to the work of A. A. Anderson, C. A. Briggs, C. Broyles, W. Brueggemann, P. C. Craigie/M. E. Tate/L. C. Allen, E. Gerstenberger, D. Kidner, H.-J. Kraus, J. L. Mays, and C. Westermann.

1. Each week students will study about ten verses of a psalm in Hebrew, consider its translation in three versions in English or other languages, identify textual and exegetical issues it raises, and see what illumination on these is gained from two recommended commentaries. At the end of the course they will submit a file of preparatory notes, annotated as they wish in the light of lectures and discussion (one third of final grade).

2. They will submit a 10-page exegetical study of a passage from a psalm other than those studied in class (one-third of grade).

3. They will submit a 10-page paper reflecting on aspects of what they have learned from the course as a whole (one-third of grade).

PLEASE NOTE: OT507 and OT557 Psalms are different variants of the same course, respectively based on the Hebrew text and the English text, meeting together one day and separately the other days. Students may register for only one of the two courses.

Only for students who miss more than one class. The mark is then combined with that for the files of preparation notes.