The Message of the Psalter

Introduction

David Mitchell, The Message of the Psalter: An Eschatological Programme in the Book of Psalms, JSOTSup 252 (Sheffield: Sheffield Academic, 1997).

For more about and by this author, see his personal website.

Interpretive approach: Editorial Criticism

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Summary

This book argues that "the Hebrew Psalter was designed by its redactors as a purposefully ordered arrangement of lyrics with an eschatological message" (15, bold type added). The "central proposition" of the book is that "a resemblance can be discerned between the event-sequences of the psalm-cycles on the one hand, and the eschatological programmes of the prophetic literature, particularly Zechariah 9-14, on the other" (166, bold type added).

In arguing that the Psalms are a purposefully ordered arrangement, Mitchell follows in the footsteps of Gerald Wilson and others in the field of Editorial Criticism. Where Mitchell differs from Wilson is in his claim that the Psalter's message is eschatological. The Psalter "would have been better compared not to Mendelssohn's Elijah (as Wilson does), with its historical themes, but to Handel's eschatological Messiah" (303).

The Psalter is like Handel's Messiah - a set of individual lyrics joined in sequence to convey an eschatological message.

Outline

1. A Review of Psalms Interpretation
2. The Hebrew Psalter
3. The Psalms of Asaph
4. The Songs of Ascents
5. The Ingathering of God
6. Eschatological Programmes
7. A Time of Trouble for Israel
8. The Messiahs of the Lord
9. The Wilderness of the Nations
10. Conclusion

Key Arguments

Mitchell argues that the final form of the Psalter was edited "in accord with an eschatological agenda" (82).

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title: Eschatological agenda
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[Eschatological agenda]: The final form of the Psalter was edited "in accord with an eschatological agenda" (82).
 + <Eschatological milieu>: The Psalter was edited sometime between the end of the Babylonian exile and the translation of the LXX. This was "an eschatologically conscious milieu" (82).
  + [e.g., Ezekiel & Zechariah]: "Ezekiel and Zechariah, in the early post-exilic period, both anticipate a coming golden age of prosperity and dominion for Israel, under a Davidic king" (82-83).
 + <Psalm authors as prophets>: "The figures to whom the Psalms are attributed were regarded as future-predictive prophets even in biblical times" (83).
  + [e.g., David]: "David is represented in 2 Sam. 23:2-4 foreseeing the reign of a just king" (84). <!--
  + [Asaph, Jeduthun, Heman]: "Asaph, Jeduthun and Heman are designated 'seers' (2 Chron. 29:30; 35:15; 1 Chron. 25:5)" (84).
  + [Moses]: "Moses too was regarded as a prophet with predictive powers (Deut. 18:15; 31:19-22; 34:10)" (84).-->
 + <Royal psalms>: The final edited Psalter includes royal psalms at a time when there was no king. These are placed in prominent positions within the Psalter.
  + [e.g., Ps. 2]: Psalm 2 forms part of the introduction to the Psalter.<!--
  + [Ps. 72]: Psalm 72 concludes Book II.
  + [Ps. 89]: Psalm 89 concludes Book III.
  + [Ps. 110]: "Psalm 110 precedes the jubilant ''Halleluyah'' group Psalms 111-117" (87). -->

Eschatological agenda

With regard to the details of the Psalter's eschatological agenda, Mitchell spends the bulk of the book arguing that the Book of Psalms reflects an eschatological programme (sequence of events) similar to Zechariah 9-14.

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title: Eschatological programme
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[Eschatological programme]: "A resemblance can be discerned between the event-sequences of psalm-cycles on the one hand, and the eschatological programmes of the prophetic literature, particularly Zechariah 9-14, on the other" (166).
 + <Eschatological ingathering>: There is a "distinct overall correspondence between the events and themes of the Psalms of Asaph and the pre-deliverance ingatherings of the prophetic programmes, and between the Songs of Ascents and the post-conflict ingathering" (189)
  + [Asaph Psalms]: The Psalms of Asaph (50, 73-83) depict "an eschatological ingathering of Israel culminating in battle" (107).
  + [Songs of Ascents]: The Songs of Ascents (120-134) "depict a joyful ascent to the Feast of Sukkoth in the aftermath of war" (297).
  + [Zech. 9-14]: Zechariah depicts an ingathering of Israel from exile (9:11-10:12), a gathering of the nations to war against Jerusalem (12:3/14:1), a regathering of Israel (14:2-15), and the nations ascending to celebrate Sukkoth in Jerusalem (14:16-21).
 + <Royal Psalms>: "The messianic psalms (45, 72, 89, 110, 132) seem to display a progression of theme that accords with the latter-day events of Zechariah 9-14" (268).
 + <Book IV>: Psalms 90-106 depict "the eschatological exile referred to in Zech. 13:7-14:2" (295).

Eschatological programme

Key Evidence

• Psalms
  • Psalms of Asaph
  • Psalms of Ascents
  • Royal Psalms
• Zechariah, Ezekiel, Joel
• Second Temple Jewish sources
• Rabbinical sources
• Patristic sources

Throughout the book, Mitchell prioritises ancient interpretation. "These commentators lived close to the time of the Psalter's redactor(s), and are likely to have been in receipt of traditions concerning the purpose of his work. An even if they were not, are they not likely to have been able to ascertain the purpose of the collection at least as well as we, who live some 2000 years later in an alien culture?" (299).

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Impact

Important ideas

• The Psalter as reflecting an eschatological agenda.
• The Psalms being understood eschatologically for most of the history of their interpretation.

Critique

Eaton 1998

There is little difficulty in showing that most interpreters, from the ancient Versions to the Enlightenment, Jewish and Christian, read the psalms as prophetic of a greater David and the final Kingdom of God. In his Edinburgh dissertation, David Mitchell illustrates this with impressive learning, and then argues that this outlook can be traced back to the redactors of the Psalter. They positioned the psalms to indicate quite an elaborate messianic scheme, including the coming of the future king, his first works and death, the final victory and universal consummation. The discussion is valuable in bringing many obscure matters under scrutiny, but in the end remains rather tentative and subjective."

Creach 1999

The hypothesis is interesting. M. shows abundant skill in the art of persuasion, and he assembles a plethora of evidence in support of his theory. However, he builds largely on a foundation of rabbinical and patristic commentary. When M. does argue from the primary material, his case is often based on slim connections between language of the psalms and the prophetic material...

Despite the somewhat tenuous nature of M/s connections between the Psalms and his proposed eschatological sequence in certain prophetic works this book has much to commend it. The stated thesis and the line of argument are crystal-clear. M/s handling of his secondary sources, and the number and variety of those sources, are impressive. Although most will conclude that M. fails to demonstrate his main thesis, he argues well on many smaller issues. This book, because of its many strengths, and despite its obvious weaknesses, will be an essential resource for any discussion of eschatological readings of the Psalter.

Gillingham 1999

By using both the "future-predictive" concerns of interpreters who postdate the redactors of the Psalter and the eschatological concerns of the prophets who predate them, Mitchell has secured his argument behind and before. Even so, it raises at least two fundamental questions.

1. Mitchell has still left out large portions of the Psalter.
2. Mitchell is so concerned to see an eschatological program, that he often fails to see other competing redactional interests.