Introduction to the Psalms: A Song from Ancient Israel

by Nancy L. deClaissé-Walford

Introduction to the A Song from Ancient Israel seeks to provide the reader with a solid introduction to the Hebrew Psalter, one that is informed by an interest in its shape and shaping. The author, Nancy deClaiss?-Walford, provides an up-to-date study on the poetic style of the psalms in the Psalter, their Gatt?ngen or genres, the broad shape of the book, and the history of its shaping. She introduces each of the five books of the Psalter, providing a detailed examination of those individual psalms that are either key to the shaping of the Psalter or interesting studies in poetic style. In the final chapter, deClaiss?-Walford draws conclusions about the shape of the Psalter and about its story and message. She proposes a way to read the Psalms as a unified whole and in relationship to one another rather than as individual pieces, giving an inclusive, all-encompassing shape to the Psalter. Included are two appendices that provide a listing of the superscriptions and Gatt?ngen of the psalms in the Hebrew Psalter and an explanation of many of the technical terms found in their superscriptions.

Genres: Textbooks, Biblical Studies

184 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 2004

About the author

Nancy L. deClaissé-Walford (born December 21, 1954) is an American theologian, specialist in the Hebrew language and Biblical studies.

Reviews

[Paul Patterson · Rating 4 out of 5]

The title Introduction to the Psalms: A Song from Ancient Israel by Nancy L. deClassié Walford belies the true value of this volume; the book goes far beyond the standard introductions, insofar, as the reader senses they are entering a multiplicity of psalm-shaping communities. The four major types or Psalms (community hymns, thanksgiving hymns of individuals, laments both individual and community), four minor types (royal, creation, wisdom, and enthronement), and poetic idioms (hebrew acrostic and parallelism) are clearly introduced through representative passages. Helpful as this introduction is, it is the flow and history of an ever changing relationship to God that rivets the reader to the book. Getting a taste of how stories and traditions unfolded in original story-telling sessions and later retellings that move beyond the original intentions of the writers toward the needs of the later editor’s community, often surprises us and begs the question if this Psalm has a current life in our context.

The historical background helps to see how the profoundly existential questions of life with Yahweh could lead to doubt, faith, praise and trust. During the exile and post-exilic periods Yahweh’s people struggled not only with whether God was powerful enough to deliver them but whether he was indeed trustable. After all the covenant to David and his descendants, thought to be unilateral and perpetual, was withdrawn leaving them seemingly abandoned in the hands of their enemies who as far as they were concerned were wicked. Why do the wicked prosper? How could God let this happen? Most importantly, did God back out of his Davidic promises?

The answer according to this reading of Psalms is that Yahweh was not fickle, the exile was caused through Israel’s, especially their king’s, foolish sinfulness and neglect of the poor. God would deliver in a new way, singing a new song of deliverance in a new key, sans monarchy. The psalms worked on the collective and individual memory of a blessed and accompanied life during the exodus wanderings. Revisiting these memories Israel was reminded that obedience to God as the ultimate sovereign was essential to her spiritual vibrancy and security.

The shape of the Psalms in the structure of the so-called Five Books(Bk One 1-41; Bk Two 42-72; Bk Three 73-89; Bk Four 90-106; Bk. Five 107-150 ) recounts the journey from Davidic tensions, temple worship, exile and on to post-exilic challenges. It is helpful to be shown that the frequency of the Psalm types change as history proceeds from the monarchial, exilic and post-exilic period, and become ever more praise and thanksgiving oriented as the theology shifts and Israel adjusts to her new situation; restored to her land – yet without a monarch. Nancy de-Classié- Walford produces the static that in Book One 59 % were laments whereas in Book Five only 23 % were laments. Hard proof that mourning was turned to rejoicing in the Psalms.

Some sections of this Introduction required the concentration of furrow browed reading but on the whole when the Psalms connected with history and with my own personal life, I experience both sorrow and joy and a new understanding of how personal and mysteriously dynamic a life with Yahweh can be. When I read each of the Psalms Book summaries, I read the actual Psalms aloud and let them sink into myself before pondering the excellent commentary de-classié-Walford provided. The Psalms must be sung one way or another. ... Paul Patterson

[Lindsay John Kennedy · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Psalms are rightfully beloved, but many are unaware of its clear and intentional structure. Or if they are, they have not considered the purpose for its structure. Nancy L. deClaissé-Walford’s Introduction to the Psalms: A Song from Ancient Israel, “seeks to provide the reader with a solid introduction to the Hebrew Psalter, one that is informed by an interest in its shape and shaping” (vii). There are many introductions to the Psalms, but a unique feature to this is that it reads the Psalter as a unified, interconnected work.

First, deClaisse-Walford introduces the Psalms, with a discussion of their impact and attempting to date the completed Psalter as we have it today. Chapter one exposes the reader to the features Hebrew poetry, such as parallelism, word pairs, chiasmus, inclusio, and acrostic. Chapter two introduces form criticism, that is, the classification of Psalms types or genres such as hymns, laments, royal, creation, wisdom and enthronement psalms. But the Psalter is not arranged by type, so Chapter three turns to examine the actual shape of the Psalter. Individual Psalms make up larger collections, such as the Davidic (Ps 3-41; 51-72; 138-145), the Asaphite (Ps 73-83) and the Songs of Ascents (120-134). The Psalter consists of five Books compiled over time. Chapter four details the history behind the Psalter’s shaping. deClaissé-Walford’s argues that the Psalter as we have it was completed “late in the postexilic period, perhaps as late the first century of the common era” (p47), and was “shaped into five books which narrate a history of ancient Israel” (p56) that reflects the theological worldview of its editors. Chapters five through nine trace deClaissé-Walford’s understanding of the storyline of the Psalter book by book. Book One depicts “the ‘golden age’ of ancient Israel, when a king of God’s choosing reigned in Jerusalem” (p59). Book Two “continues the story of the reign of King David” (p73), but with other characters such as Asaph, the Korahites and Solomon, and concludes as “Solomon ascends the throne of the nation of Israel” (p83). Book Three “reflects events that took place during the period of the divided kingdoms of ancient Israel” (p85). Book Four describes Israel’s time in exile, where they recognized “the ‘grand experiment’ of kingship in Israel has failed” (p101); they need to look not to a future king, but to Yhwh as king. Finally, Book Five “leads the reader/hearer from the despair of exile in Babylon to the celebration of a new life in the land of Israel with God as king and the Torah as the guide for life” (p128). Chapter ten, the final chapter, retraces the five Books asking the question “how did the post exilic community perceive and use the book of Psalms”? (p129). deClaisse-Walford concludes that a major theme is that Yhwh is king.

There are several clear strengths to this work. First, it is clear and concise; essential for introductions. Second, deClaisse-Walford clearly knows her material, drawing from relevant ANE texts and rabbinic material for supporting illustrations. Third, it is relatively unique through being an introduction to reading the Psalter in light of its shaping. Fourth, several side-bars explain a word or concept in fuller detail. These are helpful, though I think they could have been formatted better to aid clarity in reading, as they share the same font as the text body.

There are a few more quibbles. That the Psalms uniquely capture “for the most part, not the words of God to humanity, but the words of humanity to God” (p3) is true in what it affirms but not what it denies. For the Christian, the Psalter is just as God-breathed as any other Biblical book.

More problematic, however is that deClaissé-Walford’s theology of each Book reveals that subjectivity is a real danger in the canonical approach. While some big-picture elements (Book 3/Ps 89 climaxing in exile) ring true, others seem highly speculative. First, it is not at all clear to me that Book One “tell[s] the story of the life of King David” (p72, emphasis mine), nor that it depicts the “golden age” of Israel (p59). Sure, all Psalms in Book One are Davidic, but no clear story is perceived, and the dominance of laments is at odds with it recording a supposed “golden age”. Second, deClaissé-Walford follows Gerald Wilson in denying that Books Four-Five hold a hope for a future Israelite king. This is seen in her downplaying of David in these Books, going so far as to state that he is “absent in Books Three and Four” (p113), despite Ps 86, 101, and 103 all bearing his name. Ps 89 is apparently about “Israel’s broken covenant with David” (p98), when the covenant was clearly between Yhwh and David, and even Ps 89 itself holds forth a hope in Yhwh’s faithfulness despite human disobedience. Besides these points, the presence of Psalm 110 in Book Five should be enough to challenge her thesis. Third, for deClaissé-Walford, the Psalter tells a finished story; that is, Book Five ends with an encouragement to Israel in her postexilic state as “an identifiable entity within the vast Persian empire” (p128), but with no anticipation of the future. This does not fit the content of Book Five, which, assuming the canonical reading, has all twelve tribes in the land (Ps 120-135) ruled by a priest-king (Ps 110). These remain unfulfilled.

As she set out to accomplish, Nancy L. deClaissé-Walford’s Introduction to the Psalms: A Song from Ancient Israel is a solid introduction to the Psalms from a perspective that takes its shaping seriously. It is recommended particularly for those interested in such an approach, as long as one recognizes that other conclusions have been reached by using the same approach.

Many thanks to Chalice Press for providing a copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Ann Fleming · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent summary and incite to the Book of Psalms.

[Emily Holladay · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the most helpful, easy to read, but profoundly insightful book I have read on the Psalms (and I’m not just saying that because Dr. deClaisse-Walford was my OT professor 10 years ago...).

[Brandon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Helpful and succinct introduction to the Psalter with a special consideration in the commentary given to the canonical structure of the Psalms.

[Mecca Morrison · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book for my Poetic and Wisdom Literature class and it was very informational about different aspects of the bible that are not necessarily talked about in bible school or during a regular church service. It takes you deeper into the bible. I loved it. I am excited that I go to a college that promote learning more about the bible, even if it is something that we don’t know 100% about or will never be able to comprehend. I love obtaining new views on different things. I would say this book would be good for college or older people. It is a very deep and complex book and can get confusing if you don’t have someone going through it with you. I was fortunate enough to go through it will my class so we could discuss different topics together.