Old Testament Poetry and Wisdom Literature
Context and Genre of Old Testament Poetry
Old Testament poetry, like narrative and Torah, requires understanding its construction and function within its cultural and historical context. Comparative literature, particularly from John Walton and others, reveals similarities between Old Testament genres and ancient Near Eastern texts. This includes wisdom texts from Egypt and Mesopotamia, as well as Psalms and praise hymns, such as those related to the worship of the Aten in ancient Egypt where they worshiped the one god, the sun.
Use of Wordplay
Poets use wordplay and are meticulous in their crafting of words. George Bernard Shaw exemplified this, spending a great deal of time choosing and revising words. Literary competence in Old Testament poetry involves recognizing ancient poetic devices, including wordplays prevalent in the ancient Near East. While rhyme is not a feature, wordplays and accidents are common. Meter is important in Western poetry, but not in Hebrew poetry. There is no consensus regarding how meter worked in Hebrew poetry, whether it was syllable count or stressed syllables or something else. Thus, prior knowledge of poetry rules needs to be adjusted when approaching these texts.
Poetry and History
Distinctions between poetry and history are often inaccurate, as poetry can record history. Examples include Exodus 15 and Judges 5. The events in Judges 4 are better understood when viewed through the poetic lens of Judges 5, especially regarding the theophanic storm and chariot bombardment. Psalm 74 reflects on the destruction of the Temple of Jerusalem in 587/6 BC and the election of Jerusalem and David as king. Psalm 95 urges listeners not to harden their hearts, referencing events at Meribah and the day of testing. The writer's intention is more important than categorizing a text as history or poetry.
Prevalence of Poetry in the Old Testament
Poetry is found throughout the Old Testament, including: Genesis 1 (creation poem), Genesis 2 (Adam's declaration), Genesis 3 (judgment scene), the end of Genesis, Exodus 15 (Song of the Sea), Deuteronomy, narrative material, the books of prophets (e.g., Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel), and the Writings. The location of poetry within the canon can shape understanding, and the presence of poetry should influence canonical sensitivity and biblical theology. This involves recognizing the canon's function beyond conveying propositional truth or commands. Poetry engages our hearts, affections, desires, and imagination.
Psalms and Poetic Devices
The Psalms contain various poetic devices, including acrostics, where the first letter of each line spells out a word or, in some psalms, progresses through the Hebrew alphabet. Psalm 119 exemplifies this, with each line of a stanza beginning with the same Hebrew letter, illustrating the complexity and completeness of the Torah. Poetry stretches language to its limits, mirroring the character of God, who transcends conceptual boundaries. Poetry is profoundly theological but not reducible to propositional force. Psalms serve as central worship material, expressing the depths of human experience and relationship with God. Studying the Psalms is less important than using them.
Wisdom Literature
Wisdom literature is found throughout the Old Testament, including: the Joseph narrative, the Prophets, and the Writings The key books include: Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Job, and Song of Songs. Wisdom literature does not directly engage covenant traditions or salvation history but presents the God of the covenant as the God of the whole world and life. Its primary aim is to orient us to the world, which is both created and superintended by God, yet complex and often beyond human comprehension (as seen in Job). Wisdom literature is didactic, teaching directly through sayings (as in Proverbs) or shaping wise reflection. It focuses on the process of inculcating wisdom rather than providing specific answers.
Juxtaposition of Contrasting Advice
Wisdom literature often juxtaposes seemingly contrary advice, prompting critical thinking rather than providing definitive answers. It offers general guidance, not promises, about how the world works. Proverbs reflects on an ordered creation, Song of Songs delights in love and human desire, and Ecclesiastes dwells in a fallen world ruled by God. Understanding the limits of wisdom involves recognizing which aspects of the world a particular form of wisdom addresses. Wisdom literature is divinely endorsed. Its job is to inculcate wisdom, get it into our hearts and minds rather than giving us specific instruction with our specific answers.
Features of Hebrew Poetry
Imaging
Psalm 22 uses a multitude of images to convey the overwhelming intensity of the psalmist's experience. For example, "I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint" .
Wordplays
Psalm 6:10 contains a wordplay where the word for shame () is reversed to create the word for turn back (). All my enemies will grow the world with shunning and anguish; they will turn back and suddenly look for shame.
Parallelism
Parallelism is a key feature of Hebrew poetry where one line repeats the next. There are three types:
Synonymous/Affirming: The idea is repeated in the next line, though not exactly the same way. My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? What does that mean? Why are you so far from saving me?
Synthetic/Advancing: The second line advances the idea of the first. Similar idea, but you find the consequence of the silence of God By day I cry out, but you do not answer; by night, and I am not silent.
Antithetic/Opposing: Psalm 1 exemplifies this. An idea in the second line opposes that of that in the first.
Form Criticism
Form criticism, which analyzes literature based on genre, setting, and function, was critiqued for rigidly defining genres and dividing texts artificially. For example, Psalm 19 was split into separate nature and Torah psalms, missing the integrated point. Instead, the text should be read as a whole.
Significance of Psalms in the New Testament
The Psalms are the most quoted book in the New Testament, central to portraying Christ's passion. They reflect on human injustice and suffering, mirrored in Jesus' life and death. Jesus embodies the devastating consequences described in the Psalms, including abandonment by friends and God. Psalm 22:1, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" is one of the seven cries from the cross. This humanizes Jesus' experience, highlighting both his divinity and humanity.
Role of Poetry in Christian Theology and Ethics
Poetry shapes theology and ethical understanding beyond its content. It helps avoid overly systematic theologies that force texts into neat categories, trimming off untidy elements. Poetry's inherent untidiness and evocative nature unsettle us, promoting a more nuanced theological perspective. Paul's hymn in Ephesians 1:3-6 exemplifies this, praising God, bless the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. It is not merely a theological statement but a song meant to be sung. Poetry challenges cognitive fixation and reminds us that the world is not as neat as our systems suggest. It speaks from and to the extremes of the human condition.
Preaching on the Psalms
The Psalms function as both a menu (offering texts for specific circumstances) and a discipline (structuring regular readings). They provide words for the wordless extremes of human experience and school our imaginations and affections. Reading the Psalms in a disciplined manner broadens our empathy, prompting reflection on others' situations and widening our emotional horizons. Series on the Psalms can focus on major genres, individual books, or the theological shape of the psalter. When preaching on lament psalms, approach them cautiously, acknowledging pain and distress rather than solely emphasizing praise. It is important to know that God hears our doubts and pain and acknowledges those as prayer, not apostasy. We should not be schooled to only grin and bear it when there is distress, but to instead say, well, let's look at some of the words that we find in the Psalms, like Psalm 22, my God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Or Psalm 88, which ends, the darkness is my closest friend.
Psalm 1: An Example
Psalm 1 is a wisdom psalm that reflects on patterns of life, comparing two paths: blessing and destruction. It instructs readers to choose the path of blessedness. The structure typically contrasts the way of the righteous (verses 1-3) with the way of the wicked (verses 4-5), concluding with a summary in verse 6. An alternative view sees verse 6 as emphasizing what ultimately matters: being known by Yahweh rather than mere prosperity. It is not that Yahweh will destroy the way of the wicked; it just comes to that.
Canonical Connections
This passage connects to other biblical texts, including: Matthew (Two Ways), Deuteronomy (life vs. death), and Genesis (life and death in the Garden of Eden). As Psalm 1, it introduces the book of Psalms and sets the tone for the rest of the text. It is paired with Psalm 2 and suggests that the psalter is part of the Torah for righteous meditation, outlining a way of life. The psalm makes an obvious statement that is important that we not over look.
Analysis
The first word of the psalter, "Blessed," signifies favor, fortune, and flourishing tied to creation and Abrahamic promises. The righteous are defined negatively (what not to do) and then positively (delighting in and meditating on Torah). Walking, standing, and sitting represent different aspects of the road to destruction. The key difference lies in disposition and affection shaped by valuing Torah. Meditating involves a quiet, internal reading, forming the disposition to delight in Torah. This is a way of life that is not just action but being a certain kind of person, it's habits of the heart.
Metaphors in the Psalm
The image of a tree planted by water represents nourishment and prosperity in an arid landscape with limited water sources. In contract, chaff is lightweight, useless material blown away by the wind, representing the lack of substance and enduring presence of the wicked.
They have no standing in the community. The wicked are blown along with the winds. Because Yahweh does not watch over their way.
Thematic and Practical Implications
Wisdom is connected to a way of life instructed by Yahweh, where the Torah is a gift that shapes hearts. Psalm 1 frames our understanding of the world, presenting a moral universe where living as God intended leads to favorable circumstances. We must, however, reconcile this with the brokenness of the world, as highlighted in Psalms 3, 73, and 143. Being blessed involves delighting in the Lord and being known by God. This psalm acknowledges the complexities that we expect in all books after Psalm 1 and are meant to remember while we read later books.