Ryan Cook

The twelve psalms attributed to Asaph reflect both elements of theological unity and diversity. Both their unified elements and divergent emphases have been explained in various ways. This paper argues that the Asaph psalms grew out of two contexts of crisis: the Assyrian invasion and Babylonian exile. With these contexts in mind, it utilizes a Social Identity Approach to analyze the function of the Asaphite psalms in shaping group identity in light of traumatic events.

In 1 Sam 3:18b, Eli responds to a prophetic judgment with the phrase “it is the Lord, may he do what is good in his eyes.” Most commentators understand this response as an example of pious acceptance of divine judgment. The claim of this article is that a plausible case can be made for reading Eli’s response as culpably passive. This case will be made following two lines of evidence. First, I will examine an oracle of judgment against an individual and the response as a type-scene in Samuel-Kings. Second, I will examine how this culpable passivity fits with the characterization of Eli in 1 Samuel 1-3.

The Psalter references other nations or people groups frequently and in richly diverse ways. This article seeks to understand the role and function of these references in ancient Israelite worship. It conducts this study by outlining the diverse roles the nations play in the Psalter, then utilizing rhetorical criticism, it examines their suasive role in the Psalm 2. It argues that the primary function of the nations in the Psalter, despite the various ways in which the nations are depicted, is to help shape Israel’s identity both between itself and YHWH and between itself and the nations.

Rhetorical criticism of the Psalms has been practiced in a variety of ways. Applying traditional rhetorical theory to the interpretation of the Psalms is a growing, but underdeveloped area of study. This article argues that a traditional approach to rhetorical criticism helps provide new perspectives on the interpretation of an individual psalm as a unit. Building on the work of George Kennedy, this article proposes a way of applying rhetorical criticism to the Psalms. Through applying this approach to Psalm 46, the psalm is analyzed as a type of epideictic rhetoric.

grative approach that defines and relates three elements: concrete circumstances, literaty contexts , and anthropological constants. This approach retains the multidimensionality of the OT view of the human, leaving room for particularities (with concrete circumstances and lit‫־‬ eraty contexts) as well as maintaining universal characteristics (with anthropological con‫״‬ stants). If the Psalms are the mirror of the soul (Calvin), the essence of humanity, then it is only through God and in relationship to God that humans take their rightfill position in the world. The questions posed to God in lament present humans as afflicted and complaining, not atout the trivial, but about God leaving them to face a world full of injustice. Despite these questions, the Psalms know of the path to life, a path overcoming the crisis of trust (not a resolution of the particular crisis) and leading to renewed trust in God. As a result the Psalms guide aperson to peaceful, confident waiting-grounded in relationship to God. This is one important reason for reclaiming the laments in Christian prayer. A second, perhaps even greater reason comes after Janowski's carefiil work with Psalm 22 and the Markan Passion (chapter 10). Janowski concludes that NT Christology is Psalms-Christolo^ (with Zenger, 338). It is because of the lament-spirituality of the Psalms that we are able to understand Jesus' death and resurrection. For this reason it is even more important that the Psalms of Lament are included "as an integral component of Christian prayer" (338-339). Few books merit translation from German to English (or vice versa)‫؛‬ Westminster John Knox Press is to be applauded for recognizing the exceptional contributions and enduring value of Bernd Janowski's Konfliktgespmche mit Gott: Eine Anthropologie kr Psalmen (Neukirchener, 2003/2009) and bringing this text to a Wder English-reading audience. Ifyou have not already read the original German edition and you are serious about your scholarship in the Psalms (or biblical anthropolo^), immediately put the English translation on your reading list and make room for Arguingmth God on your bwkshelf among other German monographs of equal weight (Gunkel, Wertermann, and Mowinckel). I think it unlikely that pastors or graduate students (unless in a course on Psalms) are likely to find Janowski's immense work and dense prose to be especially rewarding, and I cannot imagine undergraduates reading more than a few pages before giving up. Such is the fate and honor of a specialized study, translated or not. Like other important works, Janowski's ideas will require mediation into more popular formats and readable prose‫؛‬ another task worthy of pursuit. The prophetic books of the OT/Hebrew Bible are often ignored in the pulpit due to their context-specific language, forms of speech, as well as the challenge of discerning appropriate contemporaty relevance. In this book, Gaty V. Smith serves as a guide for seminary students and pastors who desire to take up this challenge. Smith writes from an evangelical perspective, thus this handbook covers the prophets as they appear in the protestant canon, including Lamentations and Daniel. Additionally, he assumes the face value dates for their historical setting (6٥-centuty Jonah). Like all volumes in this series, this book is structured in six chapters addressing genre, major themes, preparation for interpretation, interpretation. 300

In broad terms, this paper strives to unpack the relational dynamic between Israel, God, and the Psalmist represented in this collection. More specifically, our study explores the Asaphite psalms within a collective, literary, and narrative context. This narrative architecture provides a helpful framework for illustrating the relationships among the three primary characters: the Psalmist, Israel, and God. To explore the relationships between these characters, we applied a coding method developed for qualitative research in the social sciences known as dramaturgical coding.