The Editing of the Hebrew Psalter

Introduction

Gerald H. Wilson, The Editing of the Hebrew Psalter (Chico, CA: Scholars Press, 1985).

Category: Editorial Criticism.

"The publication of The Editing of the Hebrew Psalter in 1985 inaugurated a new era in the study of the book of Psalms. A biblical book, the study of which had been driven by form criticism and cult-functional criticism for many years, was about to be subject to a very different kind of scrutiny – an examination of its shape and shaping."

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Summary

The study focuses on two major concerns:

• What evidence is there of editorial activity in the final form of the Psalter?
• What is the purpose behind this editorial arrangement?

With regard to the first concern, Wilson claims, "there is evidence within MT 150 itself of an editorial movement to bind the whole together... The unity achieved by this process is not merely a convenient combination of disparate items into an 'accidental' formal arrangement, but represents the end result of purposeful editorial organization" (4).

What then is the purpose behind the arrangement? "He concludes that the psalms and psalm collections of the Hebrew Psalter were arranged to tell the story of the rise and fall of the Davidic kingship in Israel (Books 1, 2, and 3) and the story of new hope for existence with YHWH as king in the exilic and post-exilic eras (Books 4 and 5)." The message of the Psalter is, in Wilson's words, that "YHWH is eternal king, only he is ultimately worthy of trust. Human 'princes' will wither and fade like the grass, but the steadfast love of YHWH endures forever" (228).

Outline

1. Methodological Considerations
2. The Collection of Sumerian Temple Hymns
3. The Catalogues of Hymnic Incipits
4. The Qumran Psalm Manuscripts and the Hebrew Psalter. I. Preliminary Questions
5. The Qumran Psalm Manuscripts and the Hebrew Psalter. II. Presentation and Analysis of the Texts
6. The Hebrew Psalter. I. Evidence of Editorial Shaping
7. The Hebrew Psalter. II. The Final "Shape" of the Canonical Collection

Key Concepts

"Seams"

The history of the Psalter's composition is complex. For Wilson and others, it probably involved the compiling of already-existing mini collections of Psalms into one single collection. The following list presents, by way of example, several "individual pss collections which were subsequently brought together in the final redaction of the Psalter" (5):

• Psalms of Ascents
• Korahite Psalms
• Asaphite Psalms
• YHWH reigns Psalms
• Hallelujah Psalms

This complex history would have limited the freedom of the editor(s), who were working not just with individual psalms, but with already existing collections of psalms. For that reason, editorial activity is most likely to be detected at the seams between psalm collections.

"A key question which arises is: What indications are there of editorial efforts to combine and unify these originally unrelated groupings of pss? In this regard, it will be most important to look closely at the 'seams' between the collections where editorial activity should be most evident" (5). For Wilson, the most important "seams" are those which join the five 'books' of Psalms. "To discover the editorial purpose behind the Psalter arrangement one must begin by looking at the pss which mark the seams between the books" (209).

Key Arguments

Editorial Movement

Wilson argues that there was "an editorial movement to bind the whole (Book of Psalms) together" (4).

===
    title: Editorial movement
===
[Editorial movement]: There was "an editorial movement to bind the whole (Book of Psalms) together" (4).
 + <Comparative Evidence>: Based on the "study of the Mesopotamian and Qumran Pss texts, and the editorial /organizational technique and concern demonstrated there, one is almost prepared to find similar technique and concern at work in the organization of the canonical Hebrew Psalter" (139).
 + <Internal Evidence>: "There is evidence within MT 150 itself of an editorial movement to bind the whole together" (4).
  + <Explicit elements>: "Explicit statements attached to the pss" (i.e., superscriptions) are used "to assist in the organization of the MT 150" (182).
   + [Superscriptions]: Author changes are used to "mark strong disjunctions" (157), while genre-groupings "are used... to bind together and to 'soften' the transition between groups of pss" (167).
    + [Author to divide]: E.g., "with the opening of Book Two (42/3) we have an abrupt change of authorship (from David) to the 'Sons of Qorah'" (157).
    + [Genre to bind]: E.g., at the point of transition from the Asaphite collection (73-83) to the second Qorahite psalms (84-88), "there are four consecutive psalms (82-83 Asaphite; 84-85 Qorahite) which bear the term *mizmor* in their superscriptions" (164).<!--
   + [Untitled pss]: Sometimes the absence of a superscription represents "an intentional editorial method to indicate a tradition of the combination of the 'untitled' psalm with its immediate predecessor" (173).
    + [Pss 9-10]: E.g., Ps. 10 is untitled, and there is a strong tradition of the combination of Pss 9-10, which (as the acrostic pattern suggests) may be original.-->
  +  <Non-explicit elements>: Several non-explicit elements, such as the concluding doxologies and the arrangement of *hallelujah-hodu* psalms, "clearly function editorially in MT 150" (182).
   + [Doxologies]: Doxologies occur at the end of each 'book' of Psalms (Bk I: 3-41; Bk II: 42-72; Bk III: 73-89; Bk IV: 90-106; Bk V: 107-150).
   + [Hallelujah/hodu psalms]: "The *hallelujah* pss conclude segments" while "the *hodu* pss which follow introduce the next segment of pss" (190).
    + [Pss 104-107]: E.g., *Hallelujah* pss (104-106) conclude Book IV, and a *hodu* ps (107) introduces Book V.

Editorial movement

Editorial Purpose

The editorial movement to bind the Book of Psalms together had a purpose behind it. The Psalter in its final form is designed to communicate a message. As Wilson puts it, "the final form of MT 150 is the result of a purposeful, editorial activity which sought to impart a meaningful arrangement which encompassed the whole" (199). "The message is that "YHWH is eternal king, only he (vs a temporary human king) is ultimately worthy of trust" (228).

===
    title: Editorial purpose
===
[Editorial purpose]: The Psalter's message is that "YHWH is *eternal* king, only *he* (vs a temporary human king) is ultimately worthy of trust" (228).
 + <Books I-III (Problem)>: Books I-III set up a problem: the Davidic covenant, which was established (Ps 2), relied upon (Ps 41), passed down (Ps 72), has failed (Ps 89).<!--
  + [Ps 2]: In the first ps of Book I, YHWH makes a covenant with David.
  + [Ps 41]: In the last ps of Book I, David rests secure in the covenant promises.
  + [Ps 72]: In last ps of Book II, the covenant is passed on to David's descendants.
  + [Ps 89]: In the last ps of Book III, the covenant fails. -->
 + <Book IV (Answer)>: Book IV, "the editorial 'center' of the final form of the Hebrew Psalter.. stands as the 'answer' to the problem": YHWH is our king and refuge, whether or not there is a human monarch (215).
  + [Book IV as center]: Book IV is "the editorial 'center' of the final form of the Hebrew Psalter" (215).
   + Book IV contains a "high portion of 'untitled' pss (13/17)" which "enjoyed relative freedom from the earlier collection processes characterized by the categorizing reflected in the superscriptions" (214-215).
  + [Book IV's message]: Book IV celebrates YHWH's kingship and decries human weakness.
   + [E.g., "YHWH reigns"]: The proclamation "YHWH reigns" echoes throughout Book IV (e.g., Pss 92-93, 96-99
   + [E.g., Ps 90]: In Ps 90, "the emphasis is placed upon YHWH as Israel's place of security 'in all generations' (90:1) in contrast to the transient authority of the monarchy" (215).
 + <Book V>: Book V is a message to the exiles that "deliverance and life thereafter is dependent on an attitude of dependence and trust in YHWH alone" (227).
  + [E.g., Ps 146]: At the opening of the final hallel (Ps 146:3-6), "David the king bows to the kingship of YHWH and denies the efficacy of temporary human rulers" (227).

Editorial purpose

Key Evidence

• Hebrew Psalms
  • The Canonical Hebrew Psalter (MT-150)
    • superscriptions (author/genre designations)
    • concluding doxologies
    • hallelujah/hodu pss
  • Qumran Psalms manuscripts
• Mesopotamian hymnic literature
  • The Sumerian Temple Hymn collection
  • Mesopotamian Catalogues of Hymnic Incipits

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Impact

The impact of this book on the modern history of Psalms research can hardly be overstated. Wilson, perhaps more than any other individual, helped to steer scholarship away from its focus on form criticism and cult-functional crticism into the relatively uncharted waters of editorial criticism. The following statements are typical:

• "The publication of The Editing of the Hebrew Psalter in 1985 inaugurated a new era in the study of the book of Psalms."
• "The publication of Gerald H. Wilson's The Editing of the Hebrew Psalter in 1985 marked a distinct shift in approaches to Psalms research."
• "The major and marked contrast in psalms studies between 1985 and today is certainly due in part, perhaps in large part, to Gerald Wilson's The Editing of the Hebrew Psalter."

Important ideas

• Editorial activity to bind the whole Psalter together
• Purpose and meaning behind the Psalter's arrangement
• The function of superscriptions to group psalms
• Editorial activity at the seams
• Significance of the Davidic Covenant to the Psalter's message
• Psalm 1 as an introduction
• The Psalter as a book for pious meditation rather than liturgical recitation
• The role of hallelujah/hodu psalms to conclude/begin segments
• The use of untitled psalms to indicate different traditions for joining psalms
• "The climactic placing of Psalm 145"

Critique

• Critique of first argument. Wilson's argument for an "an editorial to bind the whole (Book of Psalms) together" (4) has been widely accepted. Still, some scholars (e.g., Norman Whybray) disagree with this conclusion. David Willgren argues that the very notion of the Psalter as a 'Book' needs to be reconsidered.
• Critique of second argument. Whereas Wilson understands the Psalter to portray the Davidic Covenant as a relic of Israel's past - for the future, Israel must look to YHWH and not to a Davidic king - other scholars, such as David Mitchell and Peter Ho have argued that the Psalter's message is eschatological, anticipating the arrival of a new Davidic king.