A CONTEXTUAL ANALYSIS OF PSALMS 107-118

Barry Craig Davis

B.A., University of Hawaii, 1968

M.Div., Western Conservative Baptist Seminary, 1971

Ph.D., University of Southern California, 1976

Th.M., Talbot School of Theology, 1989

A DISSERTATION

Submitted to the Faculty

in partial fulfillment of the requirements

for the degree of

DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY

at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School

Deerfield, Illinois

June 1996

ABSTRACT

Psalms research has undergone many changes in recent years.

One method of analysis that has been on the ascendency is the

literary method, especially as it applies to the structure and

context of groups of psalms. This dissertation fits into that

classification.

Specifically, this study seeks to demonstrate that there

are intentional--and not just accidental or random--lexical and

thematic links among the psalms of the Psalms 107-118 corpus and

that the corpus as a whole exhibits a coherent and unified

structure. This dissertation compares the lexemes of each psalm

with those of the other 11 psalms, in order to differentiate

among key-lexeme links, thematic-lexeme links, and incidental-

lexeme links. This study also traces the 3 primary thematic

threads that run throughout the corpus--the need for God's

people to honor Him, God's ability to deliver His people from

distress, and God's dominion over the created order.

This dissertation reveals that, within the Psalms 107-118

corpus:

iii

1. Psalms that are closer to each other tend to share a

greater number of key- and thematic-lexeme links than do psalms

that are farther apart;

2. Key- and thematic-lexeme links occur primarily in 3

areas: praise, distress and deliverance, and God's character;

3. Two of the major themes--God deserves praise and God

delivers His people from distress--appear in at least 10 psalms;

the third--God dominates over the created order--appears in a

minimum of 6 psalms; and

4. The structure of the corpus is tightly knit, with

Psalms 107 and 118 forming an inclusio of thanksgiving around

the corpus, with Psalms 108-110 being linked by Davidic

superscriptions, with Psalm 114 linking the hallelujah (hy vllh)

rubric psalms (Psalms 111-113) to the hallelujah (hy-vllh)

colophon psalms (Psalms 115-117), and with Psalms 113-118

comprising a sequence of psalms known as the Egyptian Hallel

used in Israel's worship.

In conclusion, this dissertation demonstrates that the

literary approach is a valid method by which to study a series

of psalms in order to assess the significance of lexical,

thematic, and structural linkages.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ABSTRACT iii

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS xi

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS xii

Chapter

1. INTRODUCTION 1

Importance of the Study 1

Problem of the Study 6

Scope of the Study 7

Text of the Study 11

Assumptions of the Study 13

Overview of the History of Psalm-Sequence

Analysis 16

Methodology of the Study 22

General Analyses 23

Structural Analysis 37

Plan of the Study 28

2. THE TEXTS IN CONTEXT 29

Psalm 107 in Context 31

Introduction to Psalm 107 31

Psalms 107 and 108 33

Psalms 107 and 109 40

Psalms 107 and 110 45

Psalms 107 and 111 47

Psalms 107 and 112 50

Psalms 107 and 113 53

Psalms 107 and 114 55

Psalms 107 and 115 57

Psalms 107 and 116 59

Psalms 107 and 117 62

Psalms 107 and 118 63

Psalm 107--A Retrospective 67

Psalm 108 in Context 76

Introduction to Psalm 108 76

Psalms 108 and 109 78

Psalms 108 and 110 83

Psalms 108 and 111 85

Psalms 108 and 112 87

Psalms 108 and 113 90

Psalms 108 and 114 91

Psalms 108 and 115 93

Psalms 108 and 116 95

Psalms 108 and 117 97

Psalms 108 and 118 99

Psalm 108--A Retrospective 102

Psalm 109 in Context 109

Introduction to Psalm 109 119

Psalms 109 and 110 110

Psalms 109 and 111 113

Psalms 109 and 112 115

Psalms 109 and 113 119

Psalms 109 and 114 121

Psalms 109 and 115 123

Psalms 109 and 116 126

Psalms 109 and 117 129

Psalms 109 and 118 131

Psalm 109--A Retrospective 136

Psalm 110 in Context 143

Introduction to Psalm 110 143

Psalms 110 and 111 148

Psalms 110 and 112 150

Psalms 110 and 113 152

Psalms 110 and 114 155

Psalms 110 and 115 156

Psalms 110 and 116 158

Psalms 110 and 117 159

Psalms 110 and 118 160

Psalm 110--A Retrospective 162

Psalm 111 in Context 169

Introduction to Psalm 111 169

Psalms 111 and 112 170

Psalms 111 and 113 177

Psalms 111 and 114 179

Psalms 111 and 115 181

Psalms 111 and 116 185

Psalms 111 and 117 187

Psalms 111 and 118 189

Psalm 111--A Retrospective 192

vii

Psalm 112 in Context 198

Introduction to Psalm 112 198

Psalms 112 and 113 199

Psalms 112 and 114 201

Psalms 112 and 115 203

Psalms 112 and 116 207

Psalms 112 and 117 209

Psalms 112 and 118 210

Psalm 112--A Retrospective 216

Psalm 113 in Context 223

Introduction to Psalm 113 223

Psalms 113 and 114 224

Psalms 113 and 115 226

Psalms 113 and 116 230

Psalms 113 and 117 234

Psalms 113 and 118 236

Psalm 113--A Retrospective 237

Psalm 114 in Context 244

Introduction to Psalm 114 244

Psalms 114 and 115 245

Psalms 114 and 116 248

Psalms 114 and 117 250

Psalms 114 and 118 251

Psalm 114--A Retrospective 253

Psalm 115 in Context 259

Introduction to Psalm 115 259

viii

Psalms 115 and 116 260

Psalms 115 and 117 266

Psalms 115 and 118 268

Psalm 115--A Retrospective 273

Psalm 116 in Context 281

Introduction to Psalm 116 281

Psalms 116 and 117 282

Psalms 116 and 118 283

Psalm 116--A Retrospective 286

Psalm 117 in Context 291

Introduction to Psalm 117 291

Psalms 117 and 118 291

Psalm 117--A Retrospective 293

Psalm 118 in Context 297

Introduction to Psalm 118 297

Psalm 118--A Retrospective 298

3. SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS, AND IMPLICATIONS 306

Summary 306

Conclusions 308

General Findings 308

Lexical Findings 309

Thematic Findings 311

Structural Findings 314

Structural and Thematic Development 320

Overall Conclusion 335

Implications 336

Doctrine of Inspiration 336

Psalms Research 344

Appendix

A. FREQUENCY OF POTENTIALLY SIGNIFICANT

LEXEMES FOUND IN PSALMS 107-118 354

B. PSALMS 107-118: LEXEME FREQUENCY TABLES 356

Psalm 107 357

Psalm 108 395

Psalm 109 408

Psalm 110 436

Psalm 111 444

Psalm 112 455

Psalm 113 465

Psalm 114 475

Psalm 115 482

Psalm 116 504

Psalm 117 525

Psalm 118 529

C. PSALMS 107-118: SUMMARY OF LEXEME

FREQUENCY DATA BY PSALM 565

D. PERCENTAGE OF DISCRETE LEXICAL UNITS OF

A GIVEN PSALM REPLICATED IN AT LEAST

ONE OTHER PSALM OF THE PSALMS 107-118

CORPUS 568

BIBLIOGRAPHY 569

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

Figure Page

1. Identification of psalms containing one or

more of the primary themes of the

Psalms 107-118 corpus 312

2. Overall structure of the Psalms 107-118 corpus 315

3. Internal connections between the hallelujah

(hy vllh) rubric psalms and the hallelujah

(hy-vllh) colophon psalms 316

4. Psalm 110 as a thematic unifier of Psalms 107-113 319

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

God is gracious. He brings into our lives all that is

required to meet our needs--and then He blesses us still more.

In regard to this dissertation, He has more than met my needs.

He has given me the opportunity to study His Word and He has

brought alongside of me many people who have been gracious like

their heavenly Father in helping me to complete this work. The

following is but a meager way to acknowledge the contribution

that those chosen servants of God have made.

No dissertation would be complete without a first reader--

someone willing to take the brunt of faulty thinking and poor

writing, while managing to maintain sanity in his own life and

to give structure to the dissertation itself. In the case of

this dissertation, Dr. David M. Howard, Jr., made that

sacrifice. Fortunately, Dr. Howard not only understands the

rigors of dissertation work, but also has the compassion to

offer encouragement and much needed help--a rare combination, to

be sure. Dr. Howard, moreover, went beyond the call of duty,

returning draft copies of the dissertation with amazing speed

and yet, at the same time, with insightful comments regarding

content, organization, style, and grammar. Without his

xii

guidance, this dissertation would have been a far poorer

composition.

Dissertations also require second readers. Dr. Dennis R

Magary graciously volunteered for that role. His support and

encouragement have also helped to move this dissertation along

to its conclusion.

Within the Ph.D. office of Trinity Evangelical Divinity

School, three people also deserve to be recognized: Dr. Douglas

J. Moo, Director, Ph.D. in Theological Studies, who gave

guidance to the overall dissertation process and who presided at

the dissertation defense; Dr. James Moore, who oversaw the

scheduling and formatting of the dissertation; and Mr. (soon-to-

be Dr.) Gunther H. Juncker, who read through the dissertation to

ensure that it complied with the Ph.D. office guidelines.

Finally, there are my family and my friends. These have

helped me in ways--in good ways--that are beyond words to

express.

My sincerest thanks go out to all of these wonderful

people.

To the one who declared:

ytxrb hylf Mdxv Crx ytyWf yknx

:ytyvc Mxbc-lkv Mymw vFn ydy ynx

(Isa 45:12)

and yet who has shown an interest in my life

--to Him be all glory, praise, and honor.

xiii

CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

Importance of the Study

Throughout the years, interest in the study of the Hebrew

Psalter has risen and waned as new theories and methods for

analysis are proposed, applied, and then set aside when newer

approaches are developed and tried. According to Stek, this

lack of consistent commitment to the study of the Psalms may be

due “on the one hand, to overriding devotional, homiletical,

theological and religious (history of religions, comparative

religions) interests in this literature; and, on the other hand,

to the fact that professional students of the OT texts, while

receiving (more or less adequate) training in languages,

history, theology, and religion, have not been trained in the

aesthetic aspect of OT literature--or any literature, for that

matter.”¹

_________________

¹John H. Stek, "The Stylistics of Hebrew Poetry: A

(Re)New(ed) Focus of Study," Calvin Theological Journal 9 (April

1974): 15. Stek's lament is made as a general reference to the

field of Hebrew (OT) poetry--"its prosody, rhetoric (including

rhetorical conventions), and architectonic forms"--but may,

quite logically, be applied to the study of the Hebrew Psalter,

the most extensive gathering of Hebrew poetry in the Old

Testament. Broadribb concurs that, generally speaking, there

has been a fragmented approach to the study of Hebrew poetry

with few significant discoveries and "little attempt at a

systematic analysis of Hebrew poetry as a whole, such as

Yet, despite the inconsistent appreciation that scholars

have exhibited toward the Psalms, the value of interacting with

the words of the ancient Hebrew poets cannot be denied. Wilson

makes that point abundantly clear when, in regard to Psalm 1

(which many agree functions as an introductory psalm to set the

tenor for the reading of the entire Psalter),² he declares

that "[t]he whole chiastic and antithetical structure of Psalm 1

points up the absolute seriousness with which one should

approach the Psalter. It is a matter of life and death, not

casual acquaintance. It calls for a lifetime of study, not

casual acquaintance."³

Despite the importance of the Psalter as a guide for living

and even simply as an ancient literary work worthy of study,

there is a dearth of materials of a critical nature that address

certain significant segments of the Psalter. For example, few

technical works of an extensive nature exist on the various

_________________

characterized the work of Lowth." He continues: "In

consequence, it can be said that general agreement on the

structure of Hebrew poetry is little more advanced than it was

two or three centuries ago." Donald Broadribb, "A Historical

Review of Studies of Hebrew Poetry," Abr-Nahrain 13 (1972-73):

84. Fortunately, however, subsequent to Broadribb's review,

numerous book-length works--both technical and popular--on the

Psalter have found their way into print, as the bibliography to

this treatise reveals.

²Brevard S. Childs, Introduction to the Old Testament as

Scripture (Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1979), 512-13; Hans-

Joachim Kraus, Psalms 1-59: A Commentary, trans. Hilton C.

Oswald (Minneapolis: Augsburg Publishing House, 1988), 113-14.

³Gerald H. Wilson, "The Shape of the Book of Psalms,"

Interpretation 46 (April 1992): 137.

psalms of Book V (i.e., Psalms 107-150); and of those that do

exist, very few expound the psalms that form the basis of this

study (i.e., Psalms 107-118).

A current search for works on psalms and psalms-related

topics reveals little interest in the content, much less on the

structure, of any of the psalms in the Psalms 107-118 corpus,

apart from a focus on the Messianic issue associated with Psalm

110 and a general concern with the contents of Psalm 118.

Furthermore, although certain studies assess the structure of

individual psalms throughout the Psalter,⁴ few have sought to

discover whether or not literary or thematic structures reveal

any evidence of editorial activity between 2 juxtaposed

psalms.⁵ Recently, however, a ground-breaking effort by

_________________

⁴See for example Robert L. Alden, "Chiastic Psalms (III):

A Study in the Mechanics of Semitic Poetry in Psalms 101-150,"

Journal of the Evanaelical Theological Society 21 (1978): 199-

210; Pierre Auffret, The Literary Structure of Psalm 2, trans.

David J. A. Clines, Journal for the Study of the Old Testament:

Supplement Series 3 (Sheffield: JSOT, 1977); numerous articles

in Pierre Auffret, La Sagesse a Bâti sa Maison: Études de

Structures Littéraires dans l'Ancien Testament et Spécialement

dans les Psaumes (Fribourg: Éditions Universitaries, 1982);

David Noel Freedman, Pottery, Poetry, and Prophecy (Winona Lake,

Ind.: Eisenbrauns, 1980); David Noel Freedman and C. Franke

Hyland, "Psalm 29: A Structural Analysis," Harvard Theological

Review 66 (1973): 237-56; Walter Vogels, "A Structural Analysis

of Ps 1," Biblica 60 (1979): 410-16; Dennis Pardee, "Structure

and Meaning in Hebrew Poetry: The Example of Psalms 23," in

Sopher Mahir: Northwest Semitic Studies Presented to Stanislav

Segert, ed. Edward M. Cook (Winona Lake, Ind.: Eisenbrauns,

1990), 239-80.

⁵There is a growing (though not yet extensive) body of

literature that addresses the question of editorial impact on

the Psalter. See David M. Howard, Jr., "Editorial Activity in

the Psalter: A State-of-the-Field Survey," in The Shape and

Howard on Psalms 93-100 offers an in-depth structural analysis

of a group of psalms larger than a dyad.⁶ His work in Book IV

of the Psalter has been the impetus for a dissertation by Suhany

on the psalms of Book III (i.e., Psalms 73-89), as well as for

this current study.⁷

Only 1 published work to date attempts an in-depth,

comparative analysis the literary structure of 1 psalm in Psalms

107-118 with that of another psalm in the same corpus. That

work, by Pierre Auffret, which is an analysis of Psalms 111-112

(the 2 acrostic psalms of the corpus), emphasizes the

_________________

Shaping of the Psalter, ed. J. Clinton McCann, Journal for the

Study of the Old Testament Supplement Series, 159 (Sheffield:

JSOT, 1993), 52-70. Brennan's work on Book V of the Psalter

(Psalms 107-150) provides an overview of the basic thematic

interrelationships among the various psalms. Joseph P. Brennan,

"Some Hidden. Harmonies in the Fifth Book of Psalms," in Essays

in Honor of Joseph P. Brennan, ed. Robert F. McNamara

(Rochester, N.Y.: Saint Bernard's Seminary, 1976), 126-58.

⁶David Morris Howard, Jr., "The Structure of Psalms 93-

100" (Ph.D. diss., University of Michigan, 1986), forthcoming as

The Structure of Psalms 93-100, University of California at San

Diego Biblical and Judaic Series 5 (Winona Lake, Ind.:

Eisenbrauns). Subsequent to his dissertation, Howard has

completed additional work on Psalms 90-94. David M. Howard,

Jr., "A Contextual Reading of Psalms 90-94," in The Shape and

Shaping of the Psalter, ed. J. Clinton McCann (Sheffield: JSOT,

1993), 108-23.

The term "dyad" (here and passim in this dissertation) is

used simply to reference any set of 2 psalms, whether or not

those psalms occur sequentially in the text. The term does not

convey any further meaning, as might be the case in various of

the other sciences.

⁷Alan Michael Suhany, "Unity and Theme in the Third Book

of the Psalter" (Ph.D. diss., Trinity Evangelical Divinity

School, in progress).

interconnections between the 2 psalms based on an assessment of

the significant words that are repeated within and across those

2 psalms.⁸ Auffret draws the following conclusion: "Ainsi les

deux psaumes manifestent-ils leur complémentarité en attribuant

aux mots récurrents qui à chacun appartiennent en propre des

fonctions très comparables comme indices de leurs structures

littéraires respectives."⁹

This study, therefore, seeks to provide an additional piece

of information to the recently begun effort to close the

knowledge gap that exists relative to a structural and an

exegetical understanding of Psalms 107-118.

_________________

⁸Pierre Auffret, "Essai sur la Structure Littéraire des

Psaumes CXI et CXII," Vetus Testamentum 30 (July 1980): 257-79.

To date, not even Auffret, who has executed extensive structural

analyses of numerous psalms in the Psalter, has focused any

attention on Psalms 107-118 (apart from the work just cited).

See Pierre Auffret, La Saaesse a Bâti sa Maison. Lohfink,

however, does provide a brief comparison between Psalm 114 and

Psalm 115 as the 2 psalms are presented by the MT and the LXX

and then discusses the lexical and semantic connections between

the 2 psalms. Norbert Lohfink, "Ps 114/115 (M und G) und die

deuteronomische Sprachwelt," in Freude an der Weisuna des Herrn:

Beiträge zur Theologie der Psalmen: Festgabe zum 70. Geburststag

von Heinrich Groß, eds. Ernst Haag and Frank-Lothar Hossfeld

(Stuttgart: Katholisches Bibelwerk GmbH, 1986), 199-205.

⁹"Thus the 2 psalms manifest their complementarity while

attributing to the recurring words which belong to each in its

own right the very comparable functions as indices of their

respective literary structures." Auffret, "Essai sur la

Structure Littéraire des Psaumes CXI et CXII," 279.

This translation and all others within this dissertation

are mine unless otherwise specified.

Problem of the Study

The primary purpose of this study is to demonstrate that

there are intentional--and not just accidental or random--

lexical and thematic links among the psalms of the Psalms 107-

118 corpus and that the corpus as a whole exhibits a coherent

and unified structure. In doing so, this dissertation traces

the 3 primary thematic threads that run throughout the corpus--

the need for God's people to offer Him praise and thanksgiving

for who He is and for what He has done, God's ability to deliver

His people from their distress, and God's dominance over the

created order. This study identifies those themes by means of

lexical, structural, and contextual analyses. As a

consequence, this study generates several important results:

1. An identification of the textual context of the various

psalms severally and jointly;

2. A picture of the lexical and thematic contours across

the face of the Psalms 107-118 corpus;

3. Data regarding structural, content, and thematic

relationships among the psalms under study; and

4. Information regarding possible editorial activity in

the arrangement of the psalms in question.

The findings of such a study should be beneficial in

understanding both the meaning of the individual psalms of the

Psalms 107-118 corpus and the function of each psalm within the

first segment of Book V of the Psalter. Furthermore, the

determination of the presence of editorial activity would

suggest an underlying intent that guided the development of the

final product, i.e., the canonical text. The recognition of the

existence of such an intent would have far-reaching implications

on the exegesis of Psalms 107-118. Even greater than the impact

that the compilation of the psalms into their present order has

on how these psalms are to be understood, the imprint of an

editorial hand would signify that the canonical psalms need to

be understood in their literary context rather than as a product

of some historical event. The psalms then should be read

sequentially as chapters in a book, their contextual meaning

being derived from their association with the Psalter as a whole

and, in particular, with the remaining psalms in the corpus of

which they are a part.

Scone of the Study

The present study focuses specifically on the first 12

psalms of Book V of the Psalms, i.e., Psalms 107-118. The

grouping of these psalms together, however, runs counter to

Wilson's position that Psalm 118 belongs with the subsequent

corpus that ranges from Psalm 118 to Psalm 135.¹⁰ Wilson bases

his argument on the presence of vdvh (give thanks) at the

beginning of Psalm 118, which he maintains functions within Book

_________________

¹⁰Whether the Psalms 118-135 (or even Psalms 119-135)

grouping is correct is a matter of debate which goes beyond the

scope of this paper.

V as an editorial marker to identify the first psalm of a

corpus.¹¹

In contrast to Wilson's strong argument for the exclusion

of Psalm 118 from the corpus under study, the following 4

arguments are posited. Taken together, these arguments outweigh

Wilson's view:

1. Psalm 118:29 forms an inclusio with Ps 107:1 to

delimit the boundaries of the corpus.¹² Both verses contain

_________________

¹¹Wilson maintains that Psalm 118 does not belong to the

Psalms 107-118 corpus but rather is the first psalm in the

following corpus, which he understands to run from Psalm 118 to

Psalm 135. Wilson, summarizes the thrust of his reasoning in the

following statement:

A single qualification needs to be made apropos the

evidence of MT. Taking Pss 104-105-106-107 as the point of

departure, it becomes clear that MT makes a slightly

different use of hllwyh and hwdw pss at the conclusion of a

segment of MT Psalter. With the addition of Ps 107, however,

the picture changes considerably.

104 hllwyh

105 hllwyh

106 hllwyh-hwdw doxology-hllwyh

107 hwdw

Here we have the addition of another ps beginning with

the characteristic hwdw phrases. One would expect this ps to

form part of the conclusion to the preceding segment. But

the doxology at the end of Ps 106, marking the end of Book

Four, clearly makes this impossible. Does this supply the

key to understand the position of Pss 118 and 136 as well?

Both immediately follow hllwyh groupings. The situation with

Ps 107 would seem to indicate that these pss (118 and 136) do

not form part of the conclusion, but introduce the segment

which follows.

Gerald Henry Wilson, The Editing of the Hebrew Psalter

(Chico, Calif.: Scholars, 1985), 129.

¹²Psalm 118:29 forms an obvious inclusio with Ps 118:1.

This fact does not negate the possibility of Ps 118:29 having

double-duty responsibility as the concluding component of an

exactly the same words: nom vdsH Mlvfl yk bvF-Yk hvhyl vdh¹³

(Give thanks to the LORD because He is good--because His

lovingkindness is forever!).

2. Psalm 118 has a history of being combined (though not

exclusively) with psalms that precede rather than follow it--in

the so-called "Egyptian Hallel" (Psalms 113-118)¹⁴ and in

connection with what are termed the hallelujah (hy vllh) psalms

(Psalms 111-118).¹⁵

_________________

inclusio with Ps 107:1. If anything, the existence of 2 verses

in Psalm 118 that parallel Ps 107:1 should arrest the attention

of astute readers of the Psalter, drawing their thoughts back to

that earlier verse.

¹³There is, however, a spelling variation that occurs

between the first word of each of the 2 verses. Psalm 107:1

reads vdh (using the simple holem) whereas Ps 118:29 follows

the plene (or full) reading of holem waw, i.e., vdvh. Such a

variation, however, in no way affects the present argument.

¹⁴Psalms 113-118 are traditionally read in connection with

the Festival of Passover. Craigie accords to them an equal

status as a collection of psalms as he does to those psalms that

are grouped together by author as a consequence of their

superscriptions, e.g., the Psalms of David, of Asaph, and of the

Sons of Korah. Peter C. Craigie, Psalms 1-50, Word Biblical

Commentary 19, ed. David A. Hubbard and Glen W. Barker

(Aylesbury, UK: Word [UK] Ltd., 1986), 28-29.

¹⁵Wilson acknowledges the existence of both of these

groupings. Yet, he observes from various Qumran Codices that

Psalm 118 is at times paired with Psalm 117 and at times with

Psalm 119. Wilson, The Editing of the Hebrew Psalter, 134, 135,

179, 220. In this regard, Skehan finds a Qumran manuscript, 4Q

Ps^b, to contain in canonical order portions of psalms beginning

at 91:5 and ending with 118:26 (with a space indicator

suggesting that the psalm originally contained the now missing

verses, 27-29), but giving no indication that Psalm 119 had also

been attached (note, however, that from this manuscript, Psalms

3. Although Psalms 107, 118, and 119 make extensive use of

the term dsH (lovingkindness), Psalms 107 and 118 utilize the

term differently than does Psalm 119.¹⁶ The 2 psalms of the

present corpus recognize God's dsH (lovingkindness) as a reason

for giving praise and thanks to God. Psalm 119, however,

presents God's dsH (lovingkindness) as the way in which the

individual speaker in the psalm desires to be dealt with by God,

rather than as a grounds for his praising God.

4. The subject matter of Psalms 107-118 is significantly

different from that of Psalm 119. The corpus under study

focuses on God's ability to deliver His people from distress and

on the importance of God receiving honor from the individual,

the community, and the world. By contrast, Psalm 119 emphasizes

_________________

104-111 are also missing). Patrick W. Skehan, "A Psalm

Manuscript from Qumran (4Q Ps^b)," The Catholic Biblical

Quarterly 26 (July 1964): 313-22. Furthermore, BHS notes that

many manuscripts combine Psalms 117 and 118 into 1 psalm, but

makes no similar reference for the combination of Psalms 118 and 119.

Westermann, however, argues (without manuscript support)

that the Psalms 120-134 collection "was later added to the

collection framed by Pss. 1 and 119." Claus Westermann, Praise

and Lament in the Psalms, trans. Keith R. Crim and Richard N.

Soulen (Atlanta: John Knox Press, 1981), 255.

Interestingly, Zunz notes that the Midrash Tehillim was

edited in its present form through Psalm 118 during the second

half of the 9th century, C.E., and that the rabbinic

incorporation of the remaining psalms (i.e., Psalms 119-150)

into that work occurred at a much later date. Zunz-Albeck, Die

gottesdienstliche Vorträge der Juden, 2d ed. (Frankfurt: n.p.,

1982), 375. See also the Introduction to The Midrash on Psalms,

2 vols., trans. William G. Braude, Yale Judaica Series 13, ed.

Leon Nemoy (New Haven: Yale University, 1959), xxvii-xxviii.

¹⁶Psalms 107:1, 8, 15, 21, 31; 118:1, 2, 3, 4, 29; 119:41,

64, 76, 88, 124, 149, 159.

the importance of the Word of God. In order to convey its basic

theme, Psalm 119 makes extensive use of such terms as hrvt

(law), hdf (testimony), Mydvqp (precepts), qH (statute), hvcm

(commandment), Fpwm (ordinance), and tmx-rbd (word of truth).

For the most part, these lexemes or phrases are missing from the

Psalms 107-118 corpus.¹⁷

Text of the Study

The current study is a literary analysis of Psalms 107-118,

from the perspective of the Masoretic Text (MT) itself. As

such, the study does not attempt to reconstruct either the

actual historical events described in the psalms themselves

(except as those events may be portrayed within the texts) or

the factors that may have motivated the authors, editors, or

compilers of the various psalms to proceed with the shaping of

these literary compositions.¹⁸

_________________

¹⁷The frequency of occurrence of the terms used in Psalm

119 as descriptive of the Word of God is as follows--the first

number being the total of instances in the Psalms 107-118 corpus

(which consists of 200 verses), the second number being the

total number of incidences in Psalm 119 (which consists of 176

verses): hrvt--0, 25; hdf--0, 14; Mydvqp--1, 21; qH--0, 21;

hvcm-1, 22; Fpwm--2, 23; and tmx-rbd--0, 1 (see also Ps

119:160 in which God's word is called tmx [truth]).

¹⁸Only 3 of the psalms in the corpus under study (Psalms

108, 109, and 110) contain superscriptions that provide any

information regarding the development of the psalms. None of

those superscriptions, however, reveals much regarding the

generation of those psalms, other than that all 3 were written

by David (dvdl) and that Psalm 109 was written for the

Being restricted to the canonical Masoretic Text, moreover,

this study does not concern itself with any texts that may or

may not have been used in the development of individual psalms,

nor does it focus any extended attention on the materials from

Qumran.¹⁹ This study, therefore, derives its findings from an

analysis of the MT which is, as Howard points out, "at the very

least . . . a legitimate and old canonical tradition, one which

certainly reflects the official Pharisaic . . . canon of the

turn of the Christian era."²⁰ Childs accords to the MT still

further importance, stating that the MT is "the vehicle both

for recovering and for understanding the canonical text of the

Old Testament."²¹ The MT, moreover, is the text tradition that

has exerted the greatest influence over the community of

believers.

_________________

choir director (Hcnml). There is, therefore, no indication

whatsoever for any of the psalms in the corpus under study as to

what event or events formed the contextual backdrop for the

writing of those psalms.

¹⁹Wilson notes a lack of standardized sequential

arrangement of the individual psalms in the Qumran materials,

particularly in Book V of the Psalter. Gerald H. Wilson, "The

Qumran Psalms Manuscripts and the Consecutive Arrangement of

Psalms in the Hebrew Psalter," The Catholic Biblical Quarterly

45 (1983): 377, 378, 387.

²⁰Howard, "The Structure of Psalms 93-100," 31.

²¹Childs, Introduction to the Old Testament as Scripture,

97.

This study, however, does not accept the Masoretic Text

uncritically. When appropriate, as required by textual

analysis, textual variations are adopted that reflect a

tradition more closely approximating the original Hebrew

manuscripts than does the Masoretic Text. Yet, only 1 of those

accepted emendations has an impact on the results of this study.

That emendation is the addition of the construct noun tyb (house

of) immediately prior to the noun lxrWy (Israel) in Ps 115:9.

This emendation increases the frequency total of the lexeme tyb

(house) by 1.

Assumptions of the Study

Contemporary exegesis has been influenced by at least 3

major movements: historicism, existentialism, and

structuralism.²² As methods of understanding the Scripture,

historicism (including form criticism, tradition criticism, and

redaction criticism) and existentialism have tended to ignore

the canonical text itself, preferring to be preoccupied either

with historical and developmental trends (in the case of

historicism) or with anthropocentric concerns (in the case of

existentialism).

_________________

²²François Bovon, "French Structuralism and Biblical

Exegesis," in Structural Analysis and Biblical Exegesis:

Interpretational Essays, R. Barthes and others, trans. Alfred M.

Johnson, Jr. (Pittsburgh: Pickwick, 1974), 7.

By contrast, structuralism (together with its allied

disciplines of canon criticism and rhetorical criticism) focuses

its exegetical attention on the text itself. As Armerding

indicates, structuralism eschews historical and diachronic

research and finds "in the writing itself, in the relationship

of words and themes, the key to interpretation."²³ Thus the

structural critic looks at synchronic truth, locating the

meaning of Scripture in the text itself, not in the pre- or

post-history of the text.²⁴ Because of its very nature as a

structural analysis and because (as noted above) there is a lack

of historical information provided by the psalms under study

regarding their origins, this study de-emphasizes the analysis

of the history of the development and transmission of the text.

This study therefore presents a literary analysis of the various

psalms in the Psalms 107-118 corpus.²⁵

_________________

²³Carl Armerding, "Structural Analysis," Themelios 4

(April 1979): 96.

²⁴Robert Martin-Achard, "An Exegete Confronting Genesis

32:23-33," in Structural Analysis and Biblical Exegesis:

Interpretational Essays, R. Barthes and others, trans. Alfred M.

Johnson, Jr. (Pittsburgh: Pickwick, 1974), 35.

²⁵Wilson comments that the shaping of the Psalter into its

final canonical form resulted in "a collection of psalms

loosened from their 'historical moorings' and allowed to

continue to speak with power in an almost unlimited series of

circumstances in the lives of the reader." Wilson, "The Shape

of the Book of Psalms," 138. Separating the text from its

historical origins, however, does not imply that meaning is to

be sought in the horizon of the reader. Meaning (in this study)

is found in the text itself which provides sufficient clues for

understanding authorial intent.

Although the present study identifies itself, in part, as a

structural analysis of Psalms 107-118, it does not place itself

in the stream of contemporary French structuralism which (under

the leadership of de Saussure, Levi-Strauss, and Barthes),

emphasizes the psychological, ethnological, or mythological

understanding of the text.²⁶ Instead, the approach which this

study follows is more in the line of the rhetorical or literary

criticism advanced by such individuals as Freedman, Howard, and

Auffret.²⁷

In essence, the nature of this contextual study is part

structural, part literary. The study seeks to find in the text

of Psalms 107-118 those relationships of lexemes and themes that

are key to the interpretation of each individual psalm and to

the understanding of the interconnections of each psalm to every

other psalm in the corpus.

_________________

²⁶Bovon, "French Structuralism and Biblical Exegesis," 9-

19; Roland Barthes, "The Struggle with the Angel: Textual

Analysis of Genesis 32:23-33," in Structural Analysis and

Biblical Exegesis: Interpretational Essays, R. Barthes and

others, trans. Alfred M. Johnson, Jr. (Pittsburgh: Pickwick,

1974), 21-33.

²⁷David Noel Freedman, Pottery, Poetry, and Prophecy;

Howard, "The Structure of Psalms 93-100" and "A Contextual

Reading of Psalms 90-94," 108-23; Auffret, "Essai sur la

Structure Littéraire des Psaumes CXI et CXII," 257-79; and La

Sagesse a Bâti sa Maison.

Overview of the History of Psalm-Sequence

Analysis

Throughout history, many scholars have treated the Psalter

as a compilation of individual psalms that are to be exegeted

independently of each other. Typically, that exegesis centered

its efforts either in a given psalm's historical context or in

an allegorical conceptualization of the interpreter. In more

recent years, other students of Scripture have analyzed the

various psalms of the Psalter based on an assumed liturgical

function of a psalm.²⁸ Generally, these 3 approaches exhibited

minimal concern for the order in which individual psalms

appeared in the canonical text, that order being understood to

be entirely random or at best to reflect a random compilation of

smaller ordered collections with few or no interrelationships

between the individual psalms themselves.

History also records a less well-known yet significant

tradition of scholarship dating back to the time of the Church

_________________

²⁸Hermann Gunkel, Einleitung in die Psalmen: die Gattungen

der religiösen Lyrik Israels, 2d ed. (Göttingen: Vandenhoeck &

Ruprecht, 1966); Sigmund Mowinckel, The Psalms in Israel's

Worship, 2 vols. (New York: Abingdon, 1962). Tur-Sinai argues

against the traditional liturgical position, stating "this view

and the interpretation based on it can be shown to be

fundamentally wrong." N. H. Tur-Sinai, "The Literary Character

of the Book of Psalms," vol. 8, Oudtestamentische Studien, P. A.

H. De Boer (Leiden: E. J. Brill, 1950), 264. Tur-Sinai

concludes that the psalms are primarily songs drawn from

historical books (in which they originally functioned as

poetical insertions) to meet the cultural and cultic needs of

Israel in its post-exilic rebirth. Tur-Sinai, "The Literary

Character of the Book of Psalms," 265, 280-81.

Fathers that acknowledges a purposeful ordering to the contents

of the Psalter. Exegesis based on this perspective tends to

identify interconnections between the various psalms and often

places a greater emphasis on the literary context than on either

the historical or the functional context of a given psalm.

In the earlier centuries of the Common Era, there was

disagreement as to whether each of the psalms stood alone as

independent entities or whether the sequence of the individual

psalms held some importance relative to the understanding of the

Psalter. On the one hand, Jerome (347-419 C.E.) declared:

"Psalterium ita est quasi magna domus, quae unam quidem habet

exteriorem clavem in porta, in diversis vero intrinsecus

cubiculis proprias claues habet. . . . [S]ic singuli paslmi

quasi singulae cellulae sunt, habentes proprie claves suas."²⁹

Cassiodorus Senator (ca. 487-ca. 580 C.E.), viewing the

individual psalms as prophecies regarding the coming Christ,

maintained a similar position of the independence of individual

psalms. Doing so, allowed him the freedom to apply a different

hermeneutic to given psalms. As P. G. Walsh comments,

Cassiodorus Senator saw "no need to maintain consistency between

_________________

²⁹"The Psalter is like a spacious mansion which in fact

has one exterior key for the entrance, by contrast, however,

each separate room has its own key. Similarly, an individual

psalm is like an individual room having its own personal key."

Jerome, S. Hieronvmi Presbvteri Opera: Part II: Opera

Homiletica, S. Hieronvmi Presbvteri Tractatus siue Homiliae in

Psalmos, in Marci, Euanaelium Aliaque Uaria Argumenta, ed. D.

Germanus Morin (Turnholti: Typographi Brepols Editores

Pontificii, 1958), 3.

a concept or image recurring in different passages; in one

context 'arrows' may represent apostles or evangelists, but in

another, diabolical powers."³⁰

On the other hand, Hippolytus, Bishop of Rome (170-236

C.E.), recognizing that the psalms do not occur in a regular

historical order, suggested that the reason for such a

discrepancy "is to be found in the numbers according to which

the psalms are arranged."³¹ Augustine (354-430 C.E.) also

perceived the order of the psalms to be significant, although he

was unable to determine what that significance was.³²

_________________

³⁰P. G. Walsh, "Introduction to Cassiodorus, Flavius

Magnus Aurelius," Cassiodorus: Explanation of the Psalms, trans.

and annotated by P. G. Walsh, vol. 1, Psalms 1-50 (Psalms 1-

51(50)1. Ancient Christian Writers: The Works of the Fathers in

Translation, ed. Walter Burghardt and Thomas Comerford Lawler,

51 (New York: Paulist Press, 1990), 10.

³¹Hippolytus, The Extant Works and Fragments of

Hippolytus, trans. S. D. F. Salmond, in vol. 5 of The Ante-

Nicene Fathers: Translations of the Writings of the Fathers down

to A.D. 325, ed. Alexander Roberts and James Donaldson (reprint,

New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1925), 200. Hippolytus

concluded that the numbering of the psalms held spiritual

significance. He was not specifically concerned, however, with

making an exegetical interface between various psalms.

³²Augustine writes: "Quamvis ordo Psalmorum, qui mihi

magni sacramenti videtur continere secretum nondum mihi fuerit

revelatus; tamen quia omnes centum quinquaginta numerantur,

etiam nobis qui totius ordinis eorum altitudinem adhuc acie

mentis non penetravimus, insinuant aliquid, unde non impudenter,

quantum Dominus adiuvat, disputare possimus." Which is

translated: "Although the order of the Psalms, which to me

contains the secret of a great mystery, has not yet to me been

revealed, nevertheless, because they number one hundred fifty,

they suggest even to us who thus far have not penetrated with

the eye of the mind the depth of their entire order, whereon we

During medieval times, various rabbis carried on heated

debates regarding the nature of the relationship that exists

between individual psalms. Abraham Ibn Ezra argued that there

are no consistent chronological or thematic connections between

psalms, thus each psalm stood alone. Simon summarizes Ibn

Ezra's view, noting that "he [Ibn Ezra] does not see the Book of

Psalms as a single unified work like the Pentateuch, but as five

collections of psalms, which were gathered, assembled, and

written down by the Men of the Great Assembly many years after

their composition."³³

In direct contrast to the view espoused by Ibn Ezra, rabbis

such as Saadiah Gaon, Salmon ben Yeruham, Yefet ben 'Ali Halevi,

and David Kimhi (RaDaK) defended the view that there are

interconnections (primarily at the thematic level) between the

various psalms, most particularly between adjacent psalms.³⁴

_________________

may, without being impudent, as far as God assists, be able to

speak." Augustine, Sancti Aurelii Augustini Hipponensis

Episcopi Opera Omnia. Enarrationes in Psalmos: Contenta in

Ouato Tomo: Lars Altera, vol. 37, Patriologiae Cursus Completus,

ed. J. P. Migne (Paris: n.p., 1845), 1960.

³³Uriel Simon, Four Approaches to the Book of Psalms: From

Saadiah Gaon to Abraham Ibn Ezra, trans. Lenn J. Schramm

(Albany, N.Y.: State University of New York, 1991), 218.

³⁴Ibid., 29, 71, 96. See also David Kimhi, The Longer

Commentary of R. David Kimhi on the First Book of Psalms (I-X,

XV-XVII, XIX, XXII, XXIV), trans. R. G. Finch, Introduction by

G. H. Box (London: SPCK, 1919), 12, 21.

The Reformers, by contrast to the medieval rabbis,

generally speaking, left the issue of psalm-interrelationship

untouched.³⁵

Unlike for the Reformation Era, the 19th and 20th centuries

have brought forth numerous scholars committed to the belief

that the Psalter is a unified literary work, whose

interpretation must be derived partly or solely from a literary

perspective.³⁶ Most of the work has been done either at the

thematic level (cf. Brennan, Brueggemann, Mays, McCann,

Wilson)³⁷ or at the level of adjacent psalms (cf. Alexander,

_________________

³⁵Calvin, however, noted the introductory function of

Psalm 1 in the present collection of the Psalter: "He who

collected the Psalms into one volume . . . appears to have

placed this Psalm at the beginning, by way of preface, in which

he inculcates upon all the godly the duty of meditating upon the

law of God." John Calvin, Commentary on the Book of Psalms,

vol. 1 [Psalms i.-xxxv.], trans James Anderson (Edinburgh: The

Calvin Translation Society, 1845), 1. Calvin does not suggest

how the psalms were to be understood, whether in their literary

context or otherwise. Furthermore, he makes no attempt, at

least in his analysis of Psalms 107-118, to relate those psalms

to each other or to suggest a specific purpose behind their

ordering.

³⁶For a comprehensive presentation of the history of

literary and structural approaches to the Psalter see Howard,

"Editorial Activity in the Psalter: A State-of-the-Field

Survey," 52-70.

³⁷In his introductory comments on the various psalms in

rabbinic commentary on the psalms, Tehillim: A New Translation

with a Commentary Anthologized from Talmudic, Midrashic and

Rabbinic Sources, Avrohom Chaim Feuer frequently makes thematic

connections from the present psalm to a previous psalm. The

commentators themselves, however, do not regularly do so. See

also Howard, "Editorial Activity in the Psalter: A State-of-the-

Field Survey," 52-70.

Auffret, Delitzsch, Freedman). As noted above, Howard's

dissertation on Psalms 93-100 and his article on Psalms 90-94

are the most extensive technical works to date dealing with the

interrelationships among a group of psalms.³⁸ Howard, in his

dissertation, analyzing the psalms from the syllabic through

lexical and thematic levels, concludes that "Psalms 93-100 form

a logically coherent unit within Book IV of the Psalter. . .

[and even though] [t]hey did not likely exist as a separate

collection after the fashion of Psalms 120-134, . . . a clear

_________________

³⁸In the late 1800's, John Forbes completed a commentary

on the Psalter which highlights throughout various

interconnections among the psalms. In the following he

summarizes his central thesis for the understanding of the

psalms:

we must not regard the Psalms merely as isolated productions,

but that in the order in which we now possess them they have

been arranged and connected together with very great care, so

as to bring out and enforce certain truths with a clearness

and distinctiveness not to be mistaken. So long as each

Psalm is viewed as a separated and unconnected composition,

it is easy to explain away its meaning, and to put upon its

language very diverse and conflicting interpretations,

according to the author, the occasion, and the age to which

each critic may refer it. But when the Psalms are seen, in

the form in which we now possess them, to have been grouped

together as parts of a connected series, in order to bring

out and give expression to some definite idea or important

truth, we gain a certainty, not otherwise to be attained, of

the meaning to be put upon the whole series, as well as upon

individual expressions in each Psalm, which might otherwise

be ambiguous.

John Forbes, Studies on the Book of Psalms: The Structural

Connection of the Book of Psalms. both in Single Psalms and in

the Psalter as an Organic Whole, ed. James Forrest (Edinburgh:

T. & T. Clark, 1888), 2-3.

structure for the section is visible."³⁹ Regarding Psalms 90-

94, Howard notes that "[s]ignificant links can be seen between

every consecutive psalm in Psalms 90-94, and between many non-

adjacent psalms as well."⁴⁰

Methodology of the Study

The purpose of this study is to analyze each of the psalms

in the Psalms 107-118 corpus in order to observe how each

functions within the context of the other psalms of the corpus.

To accomplish this end, this study focuses its attention

primarily on the lexical and thematic interconnections that

exist within the 66 psalm dyads that comprise the corpus.

Specifically, this study does the following:

1. Identifies for each psalm dyad the key-lexeme links,

the thematic-lexeme links, and the incidental-lexeme links;

2. Uncovers the thematic flow among the various psalms of

the corpus; and

_________________

³⁹H oward, "The Structure of Psalms 93-100," 216-17.

⁴⁰Howard, "A Contextual Reading of Psalms 90-94," 123.

Howard concludes (p. 123), pondering the wider significance of

his findings for the understanding of Book IV of the Psalter:

"It may well be, then, that the structure of Book IV is

dependent upon the series of three groups mentioned above--90-

94, 95-100, and 101-106--each with a relative internal coherence

and significant subgroupings within it, and each also relating

in significant ways to the others."

3. Assesses the sequential role that each psalm plays

relative to the overall structure of the Psalms 107-118 corpus.

General Analyses

The findings from the following 2 methodological

approaches--lexeme frequency analysis and thematic analysis--

provide the core content for the dissertation. They are used to

compare each psalm with every other psalm in the Psalms 107-118

corpus and to determine whether or not valid connections can be

made between any 2 given psalms. Furthermore, they supply data

that offer insight into the extent to which the corpus as a

whole is homogeneous.

Lexeme Frequency Analysis

The function of lexeme frequency analysis is to identify

the presence of significant lexical word-group units.⁴¹ In

this study, lexeme units are deemed to be important if (1) they

contribute to the development of the theme or the motifs of a

_________________

⁴¹For the purposes of the lexeme frequency analysis

performed in this dissertation, the following word forms are

excluded from analysis: conjunctions (attached or detached),

prepositions (attached or detached), particles, negative

adverbs, and personal pronouns. The fact that such linguistic

units are not assessed does not imply that they do not

contribute to the meaning of a given psalm, rather that they

typically do not function either as major determinants of the

theme of a specific psalm or as vital links that interconnect 2

or more psalms. The remaining terms are by definition declared

to be significant, i.e., they are the terms that are to undergo

investigation within this dissertation.

given psalm and are repeated within that psalm at a higher

frequency rate than normally would be expected for a psalm of

its size or (2) they are repeated in adjacent or in non-adjacent

psalms within the corpus in greater numbers than the size of the

corpus (relative to the size of the Psalter) anticipates.

A computer scan of the Psalter reveals that the 150 Psalms

of the Psalter contain 29,783 words.⁴² Based on that same

computer search, the 12 psalms of the Psalms 107-118 corpus

house 2131 words, i.e., the present corpus has 8.0% of the total

number of psalms of the Psalter and approximately 7.0% of its

words.

Certain lexemes occur within the Psalms 107-118 corpus at a

frequency rate higher than might be expected for a corpus of

this size.⁴³ There are 5 lexemes in the 12 psalms under study

_________________

⁴²The word count data in this paragraph only (unless

otherwise indicated) is taken from acCordance: Software for

Biblical Studies, Version 1.1, Oak Tree Software Specialists,

Altamonte Springs, Fla. These figures are to be used for their

relative value because of the different manner in which

acCordance and this dissertation define the term "word."

acCordance is a tagged software program which includes as part

of its understanding of "word" the attached conjunctions,

articles, prepositions, and pronouns. By contrast, this thesis

(see above) does not separate out those attached morphemes in

its determination of what is to be identified as a word. The

assumption being made here, therefore, is that the relative

number of attached morphemes does not generally vary from psalm

to psalm and that over the 150 psalms of the Psalter, any minor

variations would be cancelled out. Thus the percentages of

"words" in this thesis (even though being drawn from a different

measurement system) should closely approximate those percentages

shown here for the acCordance data.

⁴³See Appendix A

that surface 10 times or more in the corpus and total 15% or

more of all the occurrences of those lexemes within the Psalter:

hdy (to thank), tyb (house), hyh (to be), jrb (to bless), and

llh (to praise). This clustering of terms (in their context

within the corpus) suggests that a theme of the corpus may

relate to the expression of gratitude to God either for who He

is or for what He has done.⁴⁴ In addition, there are 11

lexemes in the corpus that encompass a minimum of 25% of all the

occurrences of those lexemes in the book of the Psalms. Several

of these lexemes seem to be linked directly or by their context

in some way to the concept of suffering, either that of the

people of God or of their enemies.⁴⁵ The combination of these

2 groupings of lexemes lends support for a view that one focus

of the Psalms 107-118 corpus is on the praise of God who

_________________

⁴⁴Curiously, of the 3 most frequently used terms in this

corpus that express gratitude to God (i.e., hdy--to thank, jrb-

-to bless, and llh--to praise), none occurs in either Psalms

110 or 114. Those 2 psalms, however, are themselves, in

essence, declarations of God's greatness and power. As such,

those psalms may be classified as encomia themselves, thereby

supporting the overall theme of gratitude to God as found in

this corpus.

⁴⁵Those terms are as follows: lvm (to cut off), hqvcm

(distress), NFW (accuser), fvn (to shake, waver), bfr (hungry),

bbs (to turn about, surround), Nvybx (affliction), and Ffm (few,

to be little). Note that not all of these terms are always used

within a context of suffering, but all of them at one time or

another within this corpus relate in some way to the issue of

suffering.

is needed in the midst of distress or who is in some manner

connected to the affliction of those who do not follow Him.

This dissertation, moreover, categorizes all of the lexemes

that overlap between 2 or more psalms into 3 types: key-lexeme

links, thematic-lexeme links, and incidental-lexeme links. Key-

lexeme links are defined as either rarely used words or words

used in unique ways that may have led an editor or a compiler of

the Psalter to place the psalms (in which the terms occur) in

the positions within the corpus in which the psalms are found.

Thematic-lexeme interconnections are classified as those terms

(other than key-lexeme links) that directly advance the

development of a theme that appears within the psalms of which

those terms are a part. Incidental-lexeme linkages, by default,

are identified as all other significant lexeme family groups

that do not function either as key-lexeme links or as thematic-

lexeme links. The primary focus the lexeme frequency analysis

portion of Chapter 2 presents an assessment of the function of

these 3 groups (mainly of key-lexeme links and thematic-lexeme

links) as they reveal the interrelationships among the psalms of

the corpus.

Thematic Analysis

This dissertation also performs a thematic analysis of each

of the psalms of the Psalms 107-118 corpus. The dissertation

then traces the various themes across the boundaries of a given

psalm in order to discover whether or not those themes function

as linkages among the psalms of the corpus.

Determination of the theme of a psalm depends, among other

considerations, on understanding the poet's use of (1) lexical

units (presence and frequency of word groups as well as

deployment of terms that fall within a given semantic range),

(2) grammatical and structural techniques to convey emphasis

(e.g., refrains, chiasm, inclusio, pattern shifts, doubling of

words, and "redundant" terminology), and (3) content flow.

"Theme," as herein understood, is the essential content or

subject-matter of a psalm.⁴⁶

Structural Analysis

In order to determine the overall composition of the

corpus, this study compares each psalm to every other psalm as

they are related sequentially within the Psalms 107-118 corpus.

This study does so, in part, by assessing the impact that the

above-mentioned lexical, thematic, and structural patterns have

on the corpus as a whole. This study also seeks to discover

transitional techniques that may have been used to ensure a flow

of thought between adjacent psalms.⁴⁷

_________________

⁴⁶Watson, Classical Hebrew Poetry: A Guide to its

Techniques, 81.

⁴⁷H. Van Dyke Parunak, "Transitional Techniques in the

Bible," Journal of Biblical Literature 102 (1983): 525-48.

Plan of the Study

Chapter 2, the heart of this study, compares each psalm to

every other psalm in the corpus at the level of the lexical and

thematic interconnections that exist among those psalms.

Chapter 2, moreover, describes each psalm in its textual context

within the Psalms 107-118 corpus.

Chapter 3 presents the summary, conclusions, and

implications of the study.

CHAPTER 2

THE TEXTS IN CONTEXT

Chapter 2 describes the significant interconnections that

exist between the various psalms of the Psalms 107-118 corpus.

To do so, this chapter compares each psalm with every other

psalm of the corpus, resulting in a total of 66 separate

assessments.¹ The chapter analyzes those inter-psalm

relationships according to the 2 primary research methods

described in Chapter 1 above, i.e., according to lexeme

frequency analysis and thematic analysis.²

_________________

¹In other words, Chapter 2 first analyzes Psalm 107 in

relation to Psalm 108, then it assesses Psalm 107 in comparison

to Psalm 109, after which it compares Psalm 107 with Psalm 110,

and so on through Psalm 118. Next, the chapter compares Psalm

108 in relation to each individual psalm from Psalm 109 through

Psalm 118. The chapter applies a similar procedure to each of

the remaining psalms of the corpus (through Psalm 117) as each

psalm relates to each of the psalms subsequent to it. Since

there are no psalms within the corpus subsequent to Psalm 118,

the chapter does not include a similar assessment for Psalm 118.

The inter-psalm relationships for Psalm 118, however, are

included within the assessments for each of the psalms previous

to it. Furthermore, this chapter presents for each of the 12

psalms of the corpus a summary analysis of the various

interconnections.

²The data from which the inter-psalm lexeme connections

are drawn are recorded in Appendix B.

A given lexeme or theme, however, does not necessarily

elicit a connection between every pair of psalms being compared.

Due to space considerations, therefore, this presentation

focuses only on those lexical or thematic components that

suggest the possibility of the existence of an interconnection

between any 2 given psalms.³

By taking the above-cited approach to the analysis of

inter-psalm relationships, this dissertation seeks to provide a

comprehensive analysis of 2 important literary components which

the authors or editors of the psalms of the Psalter appear to

have taken into consideration as they implemented their craft.

The systematic approach of this dissertation, therefore, is

designed to be thorough in its search for lexical and thematic

connections between psalms that previously may have been

undiscovered.⁴

_________________

³See "Lexeme Frequency Analysis" in Chapter 1 for a

discussion of the lexeme search parameters within this

dissertation.

⁴Few studies have provided a comprehensive assessment of

an extended sequence of psalms beyond that of a dyad. Howard's

dissertation on Psalms 93-100, however, provides a notable

exception to this general rule. David Morris Howard, Jr., "The

Structure of Psalms 93-100" (Ph.D. diss., University of

Michigan, 1986), forthcoming as The Structure of Psalms 93-100,

University of California at San Diego Biblical and Judaic Series

5 (Winona Lake, Ind.: Eisenbrauns).

Psalm 107 in Context

Introduction to Psalm 107

Psalm 106 concludes Book IV of the Psalter on less than a

joyous note, having just surveyed Israel's history of rebellion;

by contrast, Psalm 107, as it introduces Book V, offers hope for

those who turn to God.⁵ Psalm 107, furthermore, presents

God's response to the desperate cry of His people in Ps 106:47--

vnyhlx hvhy vnfywvh ("deliver us, O LORD our God") --for Psalm 107

describes God's compassion toward His people in delivering them

from their distress.

_________________

⁵Hengstenberg understands Psalm 107 to have been composed

after the exile "when the whole of Israel were assembled at

Jerusalem, and sacrifices were offered to the Lord upon the

newly-erected altar" but before the rebuilding of the temple was

begun. The psalm was then appended to Psalms 101-106 "and thus

completed the number seven, the first and last word of which

is the mercy of the Lord." E. W. Hengstenberg, Commentary on,

the Psalms, vol. 3, trans. John Thomson and Patrick Fairbairn,

Clark's Foreign Theological Library, vol. 12 (Edinburgh: T. & T.

Clark, 1848), 286-87. Technically, dsH (lovingkindness),

translated by Hengstenberg as "mercy," is not the last Hebrew

word of Ps 107:43 (hvhy—the LORD--is the last word) and is only

the first Hebrew word of Ps 101:1 after the superscription

(rvmzm dvdl--a psalm of David) is removed from consideration.

Psalm 107 divides into 2 main sections.⁶ First, vv. 1-32

picture God's positive response to His people's plea for

deliverance primarily in 4 different situations (each of which

is concluded with a refrain that issues a challenge to God's

people to give Him thanks for His lovingkindness and for His

great works on their behalf). Second, vv. 33-42 present God's

control over creation and how He exercises that power to bless

those who are downtrodden. This final section concludes,

moreover, with an echo (in reverse order to the challenges found

in the refrains of vv. 8, 15, 21, 31) for all who would be wise

to consider God's great works and His lovingkindness.

Section one (vv. 1-32) begins with 3 verses of general

praise for redemption from exile followed by 4 segments in which

a different special circumstances of rescue are described. In

vv. 4-9, God delivers people from a wilderness journey in which

they had been wandering aimlessly; in vv. 10-16, from a time of

bondage and imprisonment; in vv. 17-22, from the face of death

_________________

⁶Regarding these 2 sections, Anderson labels the first

section (vv. 1-32) "a Thanksgiving" and the second section (vv.

33-42) either "a Praise to Yahweh" or a "Wisdom Hymn". A. A.

Anderson, The Book of Psalms: Vol. II: Psalms 73-150, New

Century Bible Commentary, ed. Ronald E. Clements and Matthew

Black (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Eerdmans, 1972), 749.

(due to illness?), and in vv. 23-32, from the "natural"

disasters experienced by those who do business on the seas.⁷

Section two (vv. 33-42) divides into 2 subsections. The

first (vv. 33-38) describes God's ability to alter climatic and

geological conditions in order to judge wickedness and to help

those who are in need. The second subsection (vv. 39-42)

focuses on God's ability to turn upside down the power

structures established by humans in order to bring down from

positions of power those who oppress others and to lift up those

who previously had been helpless.

Psalms 107 and 108

Lexical Interconnections

A comparison of the lexemes studied in Psalms 107 and 108

produces the following frequency-of-occurrence data, separated

into key-lexeme links, thematic-lexeme links, and incidental-

lexeme links:⁸

_________________

⁷The storm that impacts the sailors and tradesmen on the

sea in vv. 25-27 is, in fact, a supernatural disaster, brought

about by God Himself.

⁸See Chapter 2 above for a definition of what qualifies

here and passim in this chapter as a significant lexeme, a

"key-lexeme link," a "thematic-lexeme link," and an "incidental-

lexeme link."

Key-Lexeme Links

rrc⁹ (107:2, 6, 13, 19, 28--108:13, 14)--adversary, distress

Thematic-Lexeme Links

hdy¹⁰ (107:1, 8, 15, 21, 22, 31--108:4)--give thanks,

thanksgiving

hvhy¹¹(107:1, 2, 6, 8, 13, 15, 19, 21, 24, 28, 31, 43--108:4)--LORD

dsH (107:1, 8, 15, 21, 31, 43--108:5)--lovingkindness

Myhlx¹² (107:11--108:2, 6, 8, 12[2x], 14)--God

rzf¹³ (107:12--108:13)—help

_________________

⁹The rrc lexical family includes rc (adversary,

distress), hrc (terror, distress), and rcm (distress) here and

passim in this chapter.

¹⁰The hdy lexical family includes hdy (give thanks) and

hdvt (thanksgiving) here and passim in this chapter.

¹¹The hvhy lexical family includes hy (LORD) and hvhy,

(LORD) here and passim in this chapter. Although according to

Brown, Driver, and Briggs, both hy and hvhy are subsets of hvh

(be), for the purposes of this dissertation the 2 divine names

are subsumed under the title "hvhy lexeme family." The lexeme

family of hyh (be), therefore, is treated as a separate unit.

BDB, 217-19.

¹²The Myhlx lexical family includes lx (God), hvlx (God),

and Myhlx (God) here and passim in this chapter.

¹³The rzf, lexical family includes both the noun (hrzf) and

verb (rzf) forms of the term translated "help" here and passim

in this chapter.

fwy¹⁴ (107:13, 19--108:7, 13)--save, deliver¹⁵

Mvr (107:25, 32--108:6)--exalt, lift up

hHn: (107:30--108:11)--lead, guide

Incidental-Lexeme Links

Crx (107:3, 34, 35--108:6)--earth, land

ryf (107:4, 7, 36--108:11)--city

Mdx (107:8, 15, 21, 31--108:13)--man

bl (107:12--108:2)--heart

xcy(107:14, 28--108:12)--go forth

lk (107:18, 27, 42--108:6)--all

rbd (107:20--108:8)--word, speak

hWf¹⁶(107:22, 23, 24, 37--108:14)--work, do, make

Mymw (107:26--108:5, 6)--heavens

Mf (107:32--108:4)--people

Nvk (107:36--108:2)--establish

The 20 lexeme families cited above represent 13% (20 of 153) of

the separate lexemes of Psalm 107 and 30% (20 of 67) of the

lexemes of Psalm 108.¹⁷

_________________

¹⁴The fwy lexical family includes fwy (save, deliver),

hfvwy (salvation), and hfvwt (deliverance) here and passim in

this chapter.

¹⁵The fwy lexeme thematically links not only Psalms 107

and 108 but also Psalms 106 and 109 in a quadruple grouping of

psalms that crosses the boundary between Books IV and V of the

Psalter.

¹⁶The hWf lexical family includes hWf (do, make) and

hWfm (work) here and passim in this chapter.

¹⁷For the percentage data related to the lexical frequency

analysis of psalm dyads, here and passim in this chapter, see

Appendix C which summarizes (both as raw data and as percentage

The key connecting lexeme family identified above--rrc

(adversary, distress)--occurs 7 times within these 2 psalms.

That figure is approximately 9% of the 82 occurrences of the

lexeme family in the Psalter, i.e., a frequency that is nearly 4

times greater than is to be expected for any 2 psalms whose

verse totals equal those of Psalms 107 and 108.¹⁸ Furthermore,

the usage of rrc in Pss 107:2 and 108:13, 14 functions as an

inclusio emphasizing the fact that God gives victory over the

rc, the adversary.

The 8 thematic lexical connections noted above center

around 2 primary themes: the praise of the LORD and the LORD's

deliverance or guidance of His people. These 2 themes play

important roles in both Psalms 107 and 108.¹⁹

_________________

data) the lexeme frequency data for the various psalms of the

corpus.

¹⁸These statistics are especially instructive in light of

the frequency of the lexeme family rrc in the 4 sequential

psalms of 105-108. Those 4 psalms together contain 10 of the 82

occurrences in the Psalter (i.e., 12%). In addition, 50% (11 of

22) of all the occurrences of the rrc lexeme family in Book V

of the Psalter are found in the Psalms 107-118 corpus. The 7

instances found here in Psalms 107-108, therefore, account for

nearly 1/3 (32%) of those Book V occurrences.

¹⁹ Mays identifies these 2 themes in Psalm 107: "Two

patterns unite the psalm. The first is that of the imperative

hymn in verse 1 with its summons to thankful praise supported by

a statement of the basis and content of the praise (God's

goodness, loyal love). . . .

"The second pattern is that of the narrative of deliverance

from the prayer of thanksgiving . . . James Luther Mays,

Psalms, Interpretation: A Bible Commentary for Teaching and

Both psalms point out that thanks (hdy) is to be given to

the LORD (hvhy)²⁰ because of His lovingkindness (dsH). He is,

moreover, to be exalted (Mvr).

Furthermore, if God (Myhlx) is not to be found, either

because His people have rebelled against Him or because He has

rejected them (as a consequence of their sin?), then there is no

true help (rzf) for His people. Yet, if they turn to Him, He

_________________

Preaching, ed. James Luther Mays (Louisville: John Knox, 1994),

345.

Hengstenberg finds parallel themes in Psalm 108: "The

Psalmist . . . expresses . . . confidence in . . . God, and

praises him because of the fulness of his mercy and truth, ver.

2-6; entreats him to impart his salvation [i.e., deliverance],

and founds this prayer upon the firm ground of the word and

promise of God by which Israel is assured of perpetual possession

of his land, and victory over the neighboring nations, ver. 7-10."

Hengstenberg, Commentary on the Psalms, vol. 3, 299.

²⁰Assuming that Psalm 108 is in fact a compilation of Pss

57:8-12 and 60:7-14, then the presence of the lexeme hvhy (LORD)

in Ps 108:4 is instructive. The original rendering of that

verse (Ps 57:10) included yndx (Lord) rather than hvhy (LORD).

In Psalms 107-118, the lexeme yndx (Lord) occurs in only 4

verses (Pss 109:21; 110:1, 5; 114:7) but never once in the

context of being the recipient of thanks. That context within

the corpus under study is reserved all but once for the lexeme

hvhy (LORD--Pss 107:1, 8, 15, 21, 31; 108:4; 109:30; 111:1;

[116:17]; 118:1, 19, 29). The only other verse in the corpus

that refers to deity as being the recipient of thanks is Ps

118:28 where the lexeme Myhlx (God) occurs. The fact that the

lexeme yndx (Lord) in Ps 57:10 is altered to read hvhy (LORD) in

Ps 108:4 suggests the hand of an editor that worked to revise an

earlier psalm to fit into a later context where the preferred

appelation for deity is the lexeme hvhy (LORD). Including its

use in Ps 108:4, the lexeme family hvhy (LORD) occurs 99 times

in the corpus.

delivers (fwy) them from their distress and guides (hHn) them to

safety.

Thematic Interconnections

Psalms 107 and 108 hold numerous thematic concepts in

common. For example, both psalms emphasize (either by means of

direct commands or by indirect suggestions) the need to praise

hvhy (the LORD) or to give Him thanks (Pss 107:1, 8, 15, 21;

108:2, 3,²¹ 4²²). The 2 psalms also highlight the fact that

the LORD is able to deliver from distress or from adversaries

those who call upon Him (Pss 107:2, 3, 6, 7, 9, 13, 14, 16, 19,

20, 30; 108:7, 13, 14).²³

Furthermore, according to Brennan, Ps 108:4-5 "respond to

the invitation expressed so insistently in 107, 1-3, 8-9, 15-16,

21-22, 31-32, but the thanksgiving of 108 is tempered by the

realization that the danger is not yet over, nor is redemption

_________________

²¹Compare Ps 150:3 regarding instruments used in praise of

God.

²²Delitzsch points out that "[t]he j~r;Ox in ver. 4 and the

whole contents of the Psalm [108] is the echo to UdOh of the

preceding Psalm [107]." Franz Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on

The Psalms, trans. Francis Bolton, vol. 3 (Grand Rapids, Mich.:

Eerdmans, 1968), 173.

²³In Psalm 107, the nation itself or different groups of

people who are in distress cry out for help (Ps 107:6, 13, 19,

28), whereas in Psalm 108, the speaker in that psalm cries out

for deliverance, sometimes speaking for himself (Ps 108:7) and

sometimes for the nation (Ps 108:13, 14).

yet fully achieved."²⁴ Thus, as Brennan concludes, "it is not

surprising that 108, 13-14 prays for deliverance from

oppression, as 107, 2. 6. 13. 19 had given thanks for it."²⁵

Allen also observes this interconnection between the 2

psalms when, in reference to Psalm 108, he states: "Its position

after Ps 107 reflects not only the shared divine attribute of

dsH 'loyal love' (v. 5), but also its historical and

theological setting: after return to the land, the hope of total

repossession and of vindication of God's sovereignty by means of

Edom's conquest remains as the goal of his people."²⁶

In addition, both Psalms 107 and 108 present the case

against the enemies of God and of His people by alternating

between singular and plural grammatical forms. Psalm 107 begins

its discussion with the singular rc (adversary--v. 2), shifts to

the plural Mybydn (princes--v. 40), and returns to the singular

hlvf (unrighteousness--v. 42).²⁷ Psalm 108 utilizes the

_________________

²⁴Joseph P. Brennan, "Some Hidden Harmonies in the Fifth

Book of Psalms," in Essays in Honor of Joseph P. Brennan, ed.

Robert F. McNamara (Rochester, N.Y.: Saint Bernard's Seminary,

1976), 130.

²⁵Brennan, "Some Hidden Harmonies in the Fifth Book of

Psalms," 130.

²⁶Leslie C. Allen, Psalms 101-150, Word Biblical

Commentary 21 (Milton Keynes, England: Word [UK], 1983), 66.

²⁷The singular forms, rc and hlvf, however, undoubtedly

represent plural concepts, i.e., generic groups.

reverse order: plural, singular, and plural. Ps 108:8-10 cite a

group of nations as the enemies of God, Ps 108:13 an individual

adversary (rc), and Ps 108:14 multiple adversaries (Myrc).

Psalms 107 and 109

Lexical Interconnections

An analysis of the lexemes studied in both Psalms 107 and

109 generates the following results:

Key-Lexeme Links

dsH (107:1, 8, 15, 21, 31, 43--109:12, 16, 21, 26)--

lovingkindness

Thematic-Lexeme Links

hdy (107:1, 8, 15, 21, 22, 31--109:30)--give thanks,

thanksgiving

hvhy (107:1, 2, 6, 8, 13, 15, 19, 21, 24, 28, 31, 43--

109:14, 15, 20, 21, 26, 27, 30)--LORD

bvF (107:1, 9--109:5,21)--good

wpn (107:5, 9[2x], 18, 26--109:20, 31)--soul

lcn (107:6--109:21)--deliver

ynf²⁸ (107:10, 17, 41--109:16, 22)--affliction

lwk (107:12--109:24)--stumble

rzf (107:12--109:26)--help

fwy (107:13, 19--109:26,31)--save, deliver

Nvf (107:17--109:14)--iniquity

hfr (107:26, 34, 39--109:5)--evil, misery

_________________

²⁸The lexeme ynf (affliction) is used (here and passim in

this chapter) in place of the root lexeme hnf, (be afflicted) to

represent the lexical family that includes hnf (be afflicted)

and ynf (affliction) and to distinguish that group of lexemes

from the lexical family that is represented elsewhere in the

corpus (Pss 108:7; 118:5, 21) by the root lexeme hnf (answer).

fvn (107:27--109:10, 25[2x])--stagger

HmW (107:30, 42--109:28)--joyful, rejoice, be glad

llh (107:32--109:30)--praise²⁹

jrb (107:38--109:28)--bless, knee

Nvybx (107:41--109:16, 22, 31)--needy

hp (107:42--109:2[2x], 30)--mouth

Incidental-Lexeme Links

dy (107:2--109:27)--hand

Crx (107:3, 34, 35--109:15)--earth, land

jlh (107:7--109:23)--go, walk

Nb (107:8, 15, 21, 31--109:9, 10)--son, (pl.) children

Myhlx (107:11--109:1, 26)--God

bl (107:12--109:22)--heart

xcy (107:14, 28--109:7)--go forth

lk (107:18, 27, 42--109:11)--all

tvm (107:18--109:16)--death, die

rbd (107:20--109:2, 3, 20)--word, speak

hWf (107:22, 23, 24, 37--109:16, 21, 27)--work, do, make

Mym (107:23, 33, 35[2x]--109:18)--water

br (107:23--109:30)--many

hxr (107:24, 42--109:25)--see

dmf (107:25--109:6, 31)--stand

Mvq (107:29--109:28)--rise

CpH (107:30--109:17)--delight, desire

MyW (107:33, 35, 41--109:5)--set

dxm (107:38--109:30)--greatly

Ffm (107:38,39--109:8)--decrease

These 38 lexemes equal 25% (38 of 153) of the total lexeme

population of Psalm 107. The 38 lexemes, moreover, represent

30% (38 of 126) of the lexical families of Psalm 109.

_________________

²⁹Praise in both psalms is to occur in public--in the presence

of the elders in Ps 107:32 and in the midst of many in Ps 109:30.

The key-lexeme link identified above for Psalms 107 and

109--dsH (lovingkindness)--occurs a total of 10 times in the 2

psalms. That number is approximately 8% of the 130 occurrences

of the term dsH in the Psalter, i.e., nearly 4 times as often

as would normally be expected to be found in any given pair of

psalms containing the same verse total as that found in Psalms

107 and 109. In Psalm 107, God's dsH is presented as a reason

for giving praise and thanksgiving to God. That dsH

(lovingkindness), moreover, is understood in relation to God's

deliverance of those in need. To a lesser extent, dsH in Psalm

109 also occurs in relation to God's act of deliverance.

Furthermore, in both psalms (Pss 107:1; 109:21), dsH is brought

into close proximity with the concept of "good" (bvF).³⁰

The multitude of thematic lexical connections between

Psalms 107 and 109 center around 3 foci.³¹ First, God is to be

thanked or praised (hdy--give thanks, thanksgiving; hvhy--LORD;

_________________

³⁰Although the term dsH (lovingkindness) at times occurs

in the context of bvF (good), the term dsH, in Ps 109:16,

provides a contrast to that which is good when the failure of

the wicked to show dsH to others is deemed to be a grounds for

judgment.

³¹Note that the same lexeme may be used to convey more

than 1 thematic concept.

bvF--good; HmW--joyful, rejoice, be glad; llh--praise, and

hp³²—mouth).

Second, God delivers those who are in distress (who have

placed their trust in Him) and provides for them (hvhy—LORD,

wpn--soul; lcn--deliver; rzf--help; fwy--save, deliver; jrb--

bless, knee; and Nvybx--needy).

Third, those who are out of God's will are seen to exhibit

an ungodly character or are pictured as facing serious problems

(hvhy--LORD; wpn--soul; ynf--affliction; lwk--stumble; Nvf--

iniquity; hfr--evil, misery; fvn stagger; and hp—mouth).

Thematic Interconnections

Both Psalms 107 and 109 address the need for the LORD to

rescue those in distress who cry out to Him for help. Psalm 107

cites 4 examples (vv. 4-5, 10-12, 17-18, 23-27) of those who are

in desperate need of deliverance from extremely difficult

situations (sometimes as a result of their own actions,

sometimes not). Psalm 109, in its entirety, essentially is a

plea for deliverance from an oppressive situation. Similar

_________________

³²The lexeme hp (mouth) links in a dual sense across the

2 psalms. In Ps 107:42, the ungodly person is so overwhelmed at

what God does that he cannot even open his mouth to say

anything. Yet, in Ps 109:2, when wicked people do not see God

at work, when He is seemingly silent (Ps 109:1), they boldly

open their mouths (described as wicked and deceitful) to attack

God's servant (cf. Ps 109:3-4). By contrast, the righteous

person (in this case, the speaker in this psalm), after he has

observed God's actions on his behalf, will use his mouth to

offer thanks and praise to God (Ps 109:30).

terminology and expressions of thought arise in both psalms to

describe the person in need and the desperate situation that

that individual faces: affliction or suffering (Pss 107:17, 41;

109:22); a desperate need (Pss 107:41; 109:16, 22, 31); a sense

of impending death (Pss 107:10, 14, 18; 109:23); a feeling of

reeling, staggering, tottering, or faltering (Pss 107:27;

109:24); and a sense of hungering, thirsting, or fainting (Pss

107:5; 109:24).

The 2 psalms, moreover, proclaim that true deliverance

(salvation) from distress comes from the LORD. The LORD's

willingness to rescue those in need is couched in His

lovingkindness (Pss 107:1-2, 6-8, 13-15, 19-21, 28-31; 109:21,

26). Furthermore, those who are delivered from such a distress

need to offer thanksgiving and praise to the LORD (Pss 107:2, 8,

15, 21, 31; 109:30-31).

Psalm 107 concludes with the wicked being unable to say

anything because God has done such a wonderful work for His

people (v. 42). Psalm 109 may be keying off that reality when

the psalm records a plea for God, once again, to do His great

work on behalf of the one who trusts God, because the wicked are

no longer silent, but are speaking out boldly against that

righteous individual (v. 2).

Psalm 107 also ends with the thought that God provides for

the needy, setting him in a secure place away from affliction

(v. 41). This thought reverberates in the ending of Psalm 109

when the psalm declares that God once more protects the needy,

keeping him safe from the attacks of the enemy (v. 31).

Both Psalms 107 and 109, furthermore, alternate between

singular and plural grammatical forms to present the case

against the enemies of God and of His people. Psalm 107

exhibits the following order: singular rc (adversary--v. 2),

plural Mybydn (princes--v. 40), and singular hlvf

(unrighteousness--v. 42).³³ Psalm 109, however, utilizes the

opposite order--plural (vv. 2-5), followed by singular (vv. 6-

19), followed by plural (vv. 20, 25, 27-29, 31).

Psalms 107 and 110

Lexical Interconnections

Psalms 107 and 110 only rarely exhibit lexical duplication,

as the following reveals:

Key-Lexeme Links

none

Thematic-Lexeme Links

hvhy (107:1, 2, 6, 8, 13, 15, 19, 21, 24, 28, 31, 43--110:1, 2, 4)--

LORD

Incidental-Lexeme Links

Mlvf (107:1--110:4)--forever

Crx (107:3, 34, 35--110:6)--earth, land

_________________

³³The singular forms, rc and hlvf, however, undoubtedly

represent plural concepts, i.e., generic groups.

jrd (107:4, 7[2x], 17, 40--110:7)--way

xlm (107:9--110:6)--fill

bwy (107:10, 34, 36--110:1)--sit, dwell

Hlw (107:20--110:2)--send

Mvr (107:25, 32--110:7)--exalt, lift up

Mf (107:32--110:3)--people

hbr (107:38--110:6)--broad, increase

The 10 lexemes held in common by Psalms 107 and 110 account for

7% (10 of 153) of the total number of lexemes in Psalm 107 and

21% (10 of 47) of the lexical families of Psalm 110.

There are no key-lexeme interconnections between the 2

psalms under consideration.

The primary thematic-lexical linkage between Psalms 107 and

110 is the divine name hvhy (LORD). In both psalms, hvhy is

understood to be the one who is in charge of that which is

taking place. This lexeme, moreover, is the most frequently

occurring lexeme in each of the 2 psalms.

Thematic Interconnections

The primary theme that extends across both Psalms 107 and

110 is that the God is more than capable of securing victory in

the face of any difficulty, whether a distressing situation or a

powerful enemy (Pss 107:6-7, 13-14, 19-20, 28-30, 33-38, 39-41;

110:5-6).

To express this theme, both psalms make extensive use of a

disinterested narrational style of presentation as opposed to a

first-person account of events. Psalm 110 utilizes the

narrational style exclusively. Psalm 107, however, intersperses

personal commentary throughout its narration by means of the

jussive form (Ps 107:2, 8, 15, 21-22, 31-32, 43).

Psalms 107 and 111

Lexical Interconnections

Lexical replication between Psalms 107 and 111 occurs, as

follows:

Key-Lexeme Links

hWf (107:22, 23, 24, 37--111:2, 4, 6, 7, 8, 10)--work, do, make

Thematic-Lexeme Links

hdy (107:1, 8, 15, 21, 22, 31--111:1)--give thanks,

thanksgiving

hvhy (107:1, 2, 6, 8, 13, 15, 19, 21, 24, 28, 31, 43--111:1[2x],

2, 4, 10)--LORD

Mlvf (107:1--111:5, 8, 9)--forever

xlp (107:8, 15, 21, 24, 31--111:4)--wonderful work

llh (107:32--111:1)--praise³⁴

Incidental-Lexeme Links

bvF (107:1, 9--111:10)--good

dy (107:2--111:7)--hand

rwy (107:7, 42--111:1,8)--straight, upright

lk (107:18, 27, 42--111:1,2,7,10)--all

Hlw (107:20--111:9)--send

dmf (107:25--111:3, 10)--stand

hmkH (107:27--111:10)--wisdom

_________________

³⁴Praise, according to both psalms, is offered in public,

in the midst of God's people--specifically at the seat of the

elders in Ps 107:32 and in the company of the upright and in the

assembly in Ps 111:1.

CpH (107:30--111:2)--delight, desire

Mf (107:32--111:6, 9)--people

As the above list indicates, there are 15 lexemes of Psalm 107

(10% of the 153 lexemes of the psalm) that are also extant in

Psalm 111. Those 15 terms represent 31% (i.e., 15 of 48) of the

lexeme families of Psalm 111.

A key-lexical link between the 2 psalms is a subset of the

general category hWf (work, do, make), namely, the term hWfm

(work--Pss 107:22, 24; 111:2, 6, 7).³⁵ What makes this seemingly

common³⁶ term a significant link between the psalms in question

is the fact that all 5 usages are identified as being the action

the LORD (e.g., His work, the work of the LORD) as opposed to

those of man.³⁷ Such is not the case for the 2 immediately

antecedent usages of hWfm (work) in the Psalter (Ps 106:35, 39)

and for the immediately subsequent occurrence (Ps 115:4)--all 3

_________________

³⁵The remaining uses of hWf itself, however, are deemed

to be incidental-lexeme links.

³⁶The lexeme hWfm (work), a subset of the lexeme family

of hWf (work, do, make), occurs 234 times in the Hebrew

Scriptures, but only 39 times in the Psalter, 15 of which are

found in Book V. Of those 15 instances, 7 are located in the

Psalms 107-118 corpus, with 5 being present in these 2 psalms

(i.e., approximately 6 times the number of instances to be

expected within the Psalter for 2 psalms the size of Psalms 107

and 111).

³⁷All 5 instances of hWfm in Psalms 107 and 111 are

plural forms. The next occurrence of the term (Ps 115:4), by

contrast, is singular.

of which refer to the activity of man. The hWfm (work) of

the LORD (as it is presented in these 2 psalms), moreover, is

viewed in a positive light by those who experience it.

There are 2 primary themes captured by the thematic-lexical

interconnections between Psalms 107 and 111: (1) the LORD is

great and performs marvelous works on behalf of His people and

(2) the LORD is worthy of honor. The LORD (hvhy) is the prime

mover in both psalms; He is understood to be a doer of wonderful

works (xlp) that remain forever (Mlvf). He is therefore to be

thanked (hdy) and praised (llh).

Thematic Interconnections

Written for the most part from the perspective of a

narrator--as opposed to being a first-person expression of

personal thoughts and feelings--Psalms 107 and 111 present the

wondrous works of the LORD as an important theme.³⁸ The

wonders and works of the LORD in Psalm 107 center around His

control over the elements that allows Him to deliver those who

turn to Him in the midst of their distress (Ps 107:6-9, 13-16,

19-22, 28-31, 33-36, 38-41). Those wonders and works, moreover,

are a cause for joyful thanksgiving by God's people (Ps 107:8,

15, 21, 22, 24, 31). Likewise in Psalm 111, God's works are

_________________

³⁸As noted above, Psalm 107 makes use of the jussive form

in vv. 2, 8, 15, 21-22, 31-32, and 43. Psalm 111, by contrast,

begins with ,a first-person account (v. 1) and then develops and

concludes its contents by means of a narrational style of

presentation (vv. 2-10).

viewed in a positive light by His people--among other things,

they are great, desired, delighted in, splendid, majestic, and

powerful (Ps 111:2, 3, 4, 6, 7).

Both psalms begin with a declaration of thanksgiving to the

LORD (Pss 107:1; 111:1). Both psalms end, moreover, with a

wisdom motif (Pss 107:43; 111:10).

Psalms 107 and 112

Lexical Interconnections

Psalms 107 and 112 exhibit the following key-lexeme,

thematic-lexeme, and incidental-lexeme links:

Key-Lexeme Links

none

Thematic-Lexeme Link

hvhy (107:1, 2, 6, 8, 13, 15, 19, 21, 24, 28, 31, 43--112:1[2x], 7)

--LORD

rrc (107:2, 6, 13, 19, 28--112:8)--adversary, distress

jwH (107:10, 14--112:4)--darkness

hfr (107:26, 34, 39--112:7)--evil, misery

jrb (107:38--112:2)--bless, knee

Nvybx (107:41--112:9)--needy

Incidental-Lexeme Links

bvF (107:1, 9--112:5)--good

Mlvf (107:1--112:6[2x])--forever

Crx (107:3, 34, 35--112:2)--earth, land

rwy (107:7, 42--112:2,4)--straight, upright

bl (107:12--112:7, 8)--heart

rbd (107:20--112:5)--word, speak

hxr (107:24, 42--112:8,10)--see

rmf (107:25--112:3, 9)--stand

Mvr (107:25, 32--112:9)--exalt, lift up

CpH (107:30--112:1)--delight, desire

llh (107:32--112:1)--praise

Nvk (107:36--112:7)--establish

frz (107:37--112:2)--sow, seed

dxm (107:38--112:1)--greatly

This list of 20 lexemes recorded in both Psalms 107 and 112

amounts to 13% (20 of 153) of the lexeme families of Psalm 107

and 36% (20 of 55) of the lexemes of Psalm 112 included within

the present analysis.

Although there are no key-lexeme interconnections between

Psalms 107 and 112, there are 6 thematic-lexeme linkages—hvhy

(LORD), rrc (adversary, distress), jw (darkness), hfr (evil,

misery), jrb (bless, knee), and Nvybx (needy). These thematic-

lexeme links highlight 3 important themes in the 2 psalms: (1)

the LORD is the controller of life, (2) those who are out of

God's will face serious problems, and (3) God blesses those who

are in need.

Thematic Interconnections

Both psalms make extensive use of a narrational style (in

contrast to a first-person account of matters) to present their

respective concerns.³⁹

_________________

³⁹As noted previously, Psalm 107 intersperses the jussive

form (vv. 2, 8, 15, 21-22, 31-32, 43) throughout what otherwise

is a narrative account of events. Psalm 112, by contrast,

begins with an imperative (v. la) and then completes its

In Psalm 107, God establishes the righteous on secure

ground and blesses them greatly (Ps 107:33-42). In Psalm 112,

that security and blessing is presented in some detail (Ps

112:1-9). At the same time, and at the end of both psalms, the

unrighteous find themselves unable to take effective action

against those who have been so honored by the LORD (Pss 107:42;

112:10).⁴⁰

Both psalms, moreover, make use of the picture of darkness

as being that which is descriptive of disaster or distress--a

situation out of which the repentant are brought or out of which

light arises for the upright (Pss 107:10, 14; 112:4). Defeat,

therefore, is not the end for those who serve God.

Both Psalms 107 and 112 alternate between singular and

plural grammatical forms to record their respective cases

against the enemies of God and of His people. The psalms,

however, follow a different sequence. Psalm 107 follows a

singular-plural-singular pattern: rc (adversary--v. 2), Mybydn

(princes--v. 40), hlvf (unrighteousness--v. 42).⁴¹ By

_________________

contents by means of a narrational style of presentation (vv.

lb-10).

⁴⁰Interestingly, the imagery used in both of these verses

regarding the wicked makes reference to the mouth area. In

107:42, the unrighteous shuts his mouth; in 112:10, he gnashes

his teeth.

⁴¹The singular forms, rc and hlvf, however, undoubtedly

represent plural concepts, i.e., generic groups.

contrast, Palm 112 adheres to the opposite pattern: plural

(Myrc--adversaries—v. 8); singular (fwr--wicked--v. 10a-b);

plural (Myfwr--wicked--v. 10c).

Psalms 107 and 113

Lexical Interconnections

Numerous inter-psalm lexeme connections exist between

Psalms 107 and 113, as the following indicates:

Key-Lexeme Links

none

Thematic-Lexeme Links

hvhy (107:1, 2, 6, 8, 13, 15, 19, 21, 24, 28, 31, 43--113:1[3x],

2, 3, 4, 5, 9)--LORD

Mlvf (107:1--113:2)--forever

Myhlx (107:11--113:5)--God

HmW (107:30, 42--113:9)--joyful, rejoice, be glad

llh (107:32--113:1[3x],3,9)--praise

jrb (107:38--113:2)--bless, knee

Nvybx (107:41--113:7)--needy

Incidental-Lexeme Links

Crx (107:3, 34, 35--113:6)--earth, land

Hrzm (107:3--113:3)--east

Nb (107:8, 15, 21, 31--113:9)--son, (pl.) children

bwy (107:10, 34, 36--113:5, 8, 9)--sit, dwell

lk (107:18, 27, 42--113:4)--all

hxr (107:24, 42--113:6)--see

Mvr (107:25, 32--113:4,7)--exalt, lift up

Mymw (107:26--113:4, 6)--heavens

Mvq(107:29--113:7)--rise

Mf (107:32--113:8)--people

bydn (107:40--113:8[2x])--prince

These 18 lexemes equal 12% (18 of 153) of the lexical families

of Psalm 107. These replicated lexemes also comprise just more

than half (18 of 35, i.e., 51%) of the lexemes of Psalm 113.

The lack of key-lexeme interconnections is made up for by

the presence of the 7 thematic-lexeme linkages noted above.

These thematic-lexemes emphasize the ideas that the

characteristics of God (hvhy--LORD; Myhlx--God) are eternal

(Mlvf), that God is to be praised (llh) for what He has done

(i.e., for bringing the joy (HmW) of release and deliverance

into people's lives), and that He is a God who blesses (jrb)

those who are unable to help themselves (i.e., the needy--

Nvybx).

Thematic Interconnections

Both psalms stress the fact that God is a God to be honored

for who He is and for what He has done (Pss 107:1, 8, 15, 21-22,

31-32; 113:1-3, 9). Both psalms, moreover, declare that God

blesses those who are in distress, especially those who turn to

Him for help, (Pss 107:2-3, 6-7, 9, 13-14, 16, 19-20, 28-30, 36-

42; 113:7-9). In particular, God takes care of those in

desperate need,⁴² and He does so in the context of the rich,

i.e., the princes (Pss 107:40-41; 113:7-8).

Psalms 107 and 114

Lexical Interconnections

Although there are no key-lexeme links between Psalms 107

and 114, there are 3 thematic-lexeme links and 7 incidental-

lexeme links, as the following reveals:

Key-Lexeme Links

none

Thematc-Lexeme Links

xcy (107:14, 28--114:1)--go forth

Mym (107:23, 33, 35[2x]--114:8[2x])--water

Mgx (107:35--114:8)--reedy pool

Incidental-Lexeme Links

Crx (107:3, 34, 35--114:7)--earth, land

My (107:3--114:3, 5)--sea

Nb (107:8, 15, 21, 31--114:4, 6)--son, (pl.) children

Myhlx (107:11--114:7)--God

hxr (107:24, 42--114:3)--see

Mf (107:32--114:1)--people

Nxc (107:41--114:4, 6)--flock

_________________

⁴²Allen argues that God's actions here are examples of His

"providential_ intervention in the lives of individuals." Allen,

Psalms 101-150, 101. They may also be examples of God's direct

intervention.

These 10 lexical interconnections which Psalm 107 holds jointly

with Psalm 114 represent 7% (10 of 153) of the lexemes of Psalm

107 and 29% (10 of 34) of the lexemes of Psalm 114.

The first thematic-lexical link of both psalms (xcy--go

forth--Pss 107:14, 28; 114:1) highlights the fact that God

causes His people who are in trouble to go forth out of their

distress. The second and third thematic-lexical links (Mym--

water--Pss 107:23, 33, 35[2x]; 114:8[2x]; Mgx--reedy pool--Pss

107:35; 114:8) focus on God's control over the elements of the

earth. They emphasize the fact that He is able to do with them

as He sees fit.

Thematic Interconnections

Both Psalms 107 and 114 also proclaim thematically the

power God has over creation that allows Him to do whatever He

pleases to accomplish His will. In the 2 psalms, God is seen to

change water in to dry ground and dry ground into water (Pss

107:33-35; 114:3, 8). Psalms 107 and 114, moreover, in their

quests to convey the truth about God's power, utilize

extensively geological motifs⁴³ and, to a lesser degree,

_________________

⁴³The term "geological" is used here in the broad sense to

include not only the physical components of the earth but also

those of the universe and the heavens.

Of the 12 psalms of the Psalms 107-118 corpus, Psalms 107

and 114 make far more use of geological references than do any

of the remaining psalms in the corpus. The geological

references convey, moreover, at times a literal sense and at

times a metaphorical sense.

zoological Motifs.⁴⁴ Of the 43 verses of Psalm 107, 13 (vv. 3-

4, 23-26, 29, 32-35, 37, 40) include at least 1 geological

reference while 2 (vv. 38, 41) present their contents with the

help of a reference to animals. Of the 8 verses of Psalm 114, 6

(vv. 3-8) contain a reference to some geological formation while

2 (vv. 4, 6) make mention of some form of animal life.

Psalms 107 and 115

Lexical Interconnections

Psalms 107 and 115 share numerous lexemes in common, as the

following details:

Key-Lexeme Links

none

Thematic-Lexeme Links

hvhy (107:1, 2, 6, 8, 13, 15, 19, 21, 24, 28, 31, 43--

115:1, 9, 10, 11[2x], 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18[2x])--LORD

dsH (107:1, 8, 15, 21, 31, 43--115:1)--lovingkindness

Mdx (107:8, 15, 21, 31--115:4,16)--man

Myhlx (107:11--115:2, 3)--God

rzf (107:12--115:9, 10, 11)--help

llh (107:32--115:17, 18)--praise

jrb (107:38--115:12[3x],13, 15, 18)--bless, knee

Incidental-Lexeme Links

Mlvf (107:1--115:18)--forever

rmx (107:2, 11, 25--115:2)--say

_________________

⁴⁴Although neither Psalm 107 nor Psalm 114 makes extensive

use of references to animals, they are the only 2 psalms in the

Psalms 107-118 corpus which make any use of a zoological

reference.

dy (107:2--115:4, 7)--hand

Crx (107:3, 34, 35--115:15, 16)--earth, land

jlh (107:7--115:7)--go, walk

Nb (107:8, 15, 21, 31--115:14, 16)--son, (pl.) children

lk (107:18, 27, 42--115:3, 8, 17)--all

tvm (107:18--115:17)--death, die

rbd (107:20--115:5)--word, speak

hWf (107:22, 23, 24, 37--115:3, 4, 8, 15)--work, do, make

dry(107:23, 26--115:17)--go down

hxr (107:24, 42--115:5)--see

Mymw (107:26--115:3, 15, 16[2x])--heavens

CpH (107:30--115:3)--delight, desire

hp(107:42--115:5)--mouth⁴⁵

This group of interconnecting lexemes adds up to 14% (22 of 153)

of the lexemes of Psalm 107 and 42% (i.e, 22 of 52) of the

primary lexical families of Psalm 115.

There are no key-lexeme links that join Psalms 107 and 115

together.

The thematic-lexeme interconnections between the 2 psalms

identify the LORD (hvhy) as being the central thrust of both

psalms. He is, moreover, worthy of praise (llh) because of His

lovingkindness (dsH) and because of the help (rzf) He gives to

the sons of man (Mdx) whom He blesses (jrb).

_________________

⁴⁵Interestingly, in Psalm 107, the unrighteous person

finds his mouth (hp) useless; in Psalm 115 the idol made by the

unrighteous person possesses a useless mouth (hp).

Thematic Interconnections

Both Psalms 107 and 115 point to the fact that God is to

receive honor, an honor that is based in part on God's

lovingkindness (Pss 107:1, 8-9, 15-16, 21-22, 31-31; 115:1, 18).

Both psalms moreover, present the fact that God helps those who

turn to Him (Pss 107:2-3, 6-7, 13-14, 19-20, 28-30; 115:9-11).

In addition, these 2 psalms indicate that God is a God who

blesses His people (Pss 107:36-41; 115:12-15).

Psalms 107 and 116

Lexical interconnections

The lexical interconnections indicated below are those

which exist between Psalms 107 and 116:

Key-Lexeme Links

hvhy(107:1, 2, 6, 8, 13, 15, 19, 21, 24, 28, 31, 43--116:1,

4[2x],5, 6, 7, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19[2x])--

LORD

rrc (107:2, 6, 13, 19, 28--116:3[2x])--adversary, distress

fwy (107:13, 19--116:6, 13)--save, deliver

tvm (107:18--116:3, 8, 15)--death, die

Flm (107:20--116:4)--deliver

Hbz⁴⁶(107:22[2x]--116:17[2x])--sacrifice

_________________

⁴⁶Note that the basic clause--to offer a sacrifice of

thanksgiving (which incorporates both this lexeme and the

following)--occurs in similar forms in Ps 107:22 ("let them

offer sacrifices of thanksgiving" and in Ps 116:17 ("I will

offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving").

hdy (107:22--116:17)--thanksgiving

llh⁴⁷ (107:32--116:19)—praise

Incidental-Lexeme Links

rmx (107:2, 11, 25--116:11)--say

Crx (107:3, 34, 35--116:9)--earth, land

xcm (107:4--116:3)--find

wpn (107:5, 9[2x],18, 26--116:4, 7, 8)--soul

jlh (107:7--116:9)--go, walk

Nb (107:8, 15, 21, 31--116:16)--son, (pl.) children

Mdx (107:8, 15, 21, 31--116:11)--man

ynf (107:10, 17, 41--116:10)--affliction

Myhlx (107:11--116:5)--God

lk (107:18, 27, 42--116:11, 12, 14, 18)--all

rbd (107:20--116:10)--word, speak

Mf (107:32--116:14, 18)--people

dxm (107:38--116:10)--greatly

Nvgy (107:39--116:3)--sorrow

rmw (107:43--116:6)--keep

As the above reveals, 23 lexemes of Psalm 107 (i.e., 15% of the

153 lexemes of the psalm) are replicated in Psalm 116. Those 23

interconnections represent 34% (23 of 68) of the lexical

families of Psalm 116.

There are no key-lexeme linkages between Psalm 107 and

Psalm 116.

The thematic-lexical interconnections between the 2 psalms

express 2 basic thoughts: (1) the LORD rescues those who are in

need and who turn to Him and (2) He is to be rightly honored.

_________________

⁴⁷Psalm 107:32 notes that praise is to occur openly before

the elder council. Psalm 116:19 confirms the necessity of

praising God in the open, formal assembly of God's people.

Specifically, the LORD (hvhy), who is a primary figure in both

psalms, delvers (fWy and Flm) His people from situations of

extreme distress (rrc), even from death (tvm). They, in turn,

are to offer (Hbz) Him a sacrifice (Hbz) of thanksgiving (hdvt)

and to praise (llh) Him.

Thematic Interconnections

The thematic interconnections between the 2 psalms are

essentially the same as those themes which are revealed by an

analysis of the thematic-lexeme links above. Both Psalms 107

and 116 contain as an important theme the fact that God is able

to deliver from the terrors of distress, even from the face of

death, those who in total desperation call out to (xrq), cry

out to (qfc or qfz), or beseech (xnx) Him (Pss 107:2-3, 6-7,

13-14, 19-20, 28-30; 116:1-4, 6-9, 16). These psalms,

furthermore emphasize the need for God's people whom He

delivers to give thanks (hdy) to Him, to offer a sacrifice of

thanksgiving (hdvt Hbz Hbz) to Him, to declare His works with

joyful singing (hnrb vyWfm rps) , to extol (Mvr) Him, to praise

(llh) Him, to lift up the cup of salvation (tvfvwy-svk xWn) to

Him, to call upon the name of the LORD (hvhy Mwb xrq) , or to pay

vows (rdn Mlw) to Him (Pss 107:1, 8, 15, 21-22, 31-32; 116:13-

14, 17-19).

Psalms 107 and 117

Lexical Interconnections

The key-lexeme, thematic-lexeme, and incidental-lexeme

links between Psalms 107 and 117 are cited below:

Key-Lexeme Links

none

Thematic-Lexeme Links

hvhy (107:1, 2, 6, 8, 13, 15, 19, 21, 24, 28, 31, 43--117:1, 2[2x])

--LORD

Mlvf (107:1--117:2)--forever

dsH (107:1, 8, 15, 21, 31, 43--117:2)--lovingkindness

llh (107:32--117:1, 2)--praise

Incidental-Lexeme Links

lk (107:18, 27, 42--117:1[2x])--all

The 5 lexemes of the longest psalm of the corpus (Psalm 107)

that are replicated in the shortest psalm of the corpus (Psalm

117) total only 3% (5 of 153) of the lexemes of Psalm 107 but

represent 5 % (5 of 10) of Psalm 117.

Although there are no key-lexeme links between Psalms 107

and 117, there are 4 terms that function as thematic-lexeme

interconnections between the 2 psalms. Those thematic-lexical

links suggest that (1) the LORD (hvhy) is the center of both

psalms; (2) He demonstrates great care (dsH) for His people;

(3) His characteristics, moreover, are eternal (Mlvf); and (4)

He, in turn, is deserving of praise (llh).

Thematic Interconnections

The 2 psalms present as an important component of their

respective contents the concept that God is to be honored. This

honoring is much deserved, to a great extent, because of the

lovingkindness which He extends to His people (Pss 107:1, 8, 15,

22, 31; 117:1-2).

Psalms 107 and 118

Lexical Interconnections

Analysis of the lexical interconnections between Psalms 107

and 118 generates the following findings:

Key-Lexeme Links

hdy (107:1, 8, 15, 21, 22, 31--118:1, 19, 21, 28, 29)--give

thanks, thanksgiving

hvhy (107:1, 2, 6, 8, 13, 15, 19, 21, 24, 28, 31, 43--118:1, 4,

5[2x], 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16[2x], 17, 18, 19, 20,

23, 24, 25[2x], 26[2x], 27, 29)--LORD

bvF (107:1, 9--118:1, 8, 9, 29)--good

Mlvf (107:1--118:1, 2, 3, 4, 29)--forever

dsH (107:1, 8, 15, 21, 31, 43--118:1, 2, 3, 4, 29)--

lovingkindness

Thematic-Lexeme Links

rmx (107:2, 11, 25--118:2, 3, 4)--say

rrc (107:2, 6, 13, 19, 28--118:5)--adversary, distress

xlp (107:8, 15, 21, 24, 31--118:23)--wonderful work

rzf (107:12--118:7,13)--help

fwy (107:13, 19--118:14, 15, 21, 25)--save, deliver

rps (107:22--118:17)--tell

hWf (107:22, 23, 24, 37--118:6, 15, 16, 17, 24)--work, do,

make

hnr (107:22--118:15)--joyful singing

Mvr (107:25, 32--118:16, 28)--exalt, lift up

HmW (107:30, 42--118:24)--joyful, rejoice, be glad

jrb (107:38--118:26[2x])--bless, knee

bydn (107:40--118:9)--prince

Incidental-Lexeme Links

Mdx (107:8, 15, 21, 31--118:6, 8)--man

Myhlx (107:11--118:27, 28[2x])--God

lk (107:18, 27, 42--118:10)--all

rfw (107:18--118:19, 20)--gate

tvm (107:18--118:17, 18)--death, die

hxr (107:24, 42--118:7)--see

The 23 lexemes of Psalm 107 that find a match in Psalm 118

account for 15% (23 of 153) of the total searched lexeme

population of Psalm 107 and represent 32% (23 of 72) of the

lexemes of Psalm 118.

Psalm 107:1 is repeated in Ps 118:1, 29, thereby giving

rise to the list of key-lexical links⁴⁸ noted above.⁴⁹ The

repetition of 107:1 in 118:1 arrests the reader's attention,

suggesting that the psalms are interconnected in some fashion.

_________________

⁴⁸The key-lexeme links--hdy (give thanks), hvhy (LORD),

bvF (good), Mlvf (forever), and dsH (lovingkindness)--also

function as thematic-lexeme links.

⁴⁹The verses read: :ODs;Ha MlAOfl; yKi bOF-yKi hvAhyla UdHo-- "Give

thanks to the LORD for He is good, for His lovingkindness is

everlasting." The only variation among the 3 verses is the

spelling of the word "give thanks" which reads Udho in 107:1 but

UdOh in 118:1, 29. This variation has no impact on the

significance of these interconnections.

The repetition of 107:1 in 118:29, furthermore, functions as an

inclusio to surround and define the scope of the entire corpus

under study.⁵⁰

The thematic-lexical links between Psalms 107 and 118

identify 2 important themes: (1) God’s great work of rescuing

those who realize the need to rely upon Him rather than upon

humans and who, in fact, turn to Him in their need and (2) the

importance of praising God for who He is and for the marvelous

work that He has done. First, when God's people realize that

human (bydn-- prince) help (rzf) is inadequate and they turn to

the LORD (hvhy) for help (rzf). He delivers (fwy) them from

their distress (rrc) and performs wonderful works (xlp) on

their behalf. Second, God's people, as a consequence, are to

speak out about (rmx), to tell of (rps), to sing joyfully about

(hnr), to extol (Mvr), to rejoice in (Hmw), and to bless (jrb)

God for His goodness (bvF), His kindness (dsH), or His great

acts (hWf).

Thematic Interconnections

A primary theme presented by both Psalms 107 and 118 is the

importance giving thanks to the LORD for His character, His

goodness, His eternal lovingkindness, and His acts of

deliverance (Pss 107:1, 8, 15, 21, 31; 118:1-4, 19, 21, 28-29).

_________________

⁵⁰For further discussion regarding the importance of the

thanksgiving inclusio as a defining component in the decision

to extend the corpus from Psalm 107 through Psalm 118, see in

Chapter 1 the section titled "Scope of the Study."

An additional theme common to the 2 psalms is that God is able

to deliver from distress or even from death those who turn to

Him (Pss 107:6-7, 13-14, 19-20, 28-30; 118:5-14, 17-18).

Both psalms also suggest that God severely disciplines His

people (Pss 107:10-12, 17; 118:18) but that He also rescues them

when they call upon Him for help (Pss 107:13-14, 19-20; 118:5,

17-18, 21).

In addition, the 2 psalms speak about the inadequacy of

trusting in human resources, whether one's own or those of

someone else (Pss 107:4-5, 10-12, 18, 26-27; 118:8-9).

Both Psalms 107 and 118 use the jussive to make a

pronouncement relative to God's lovingkindness--either to offer

thanks to God for that lovingkindness (Ps 107:8, 15, 21, 31), to

consider that lovingkindness (Ps 107:43), or to declare the

eternality of that lovingkindness (Ps 118:2-4).

Furthermore, Psalms 107 and 108 present the arguments

against the enemies of God and of His people by means of

switching back and forth between singular and plural grammatical

forms. Psalm 107 shifts twice; Psalm 118 3 times. Psalm begins

with the singular rc (adversary--v. 2), follows up with the

plural Mybydn (princes--v. 40), and then returns to the singular

hlvf (unrighteousness--v. 42).⁵¹ Psalm 118 also begins with a

_________________

⁵¹The singular forms, rc and hlvf, however, undoubtedly

representaral concepts, i.e., generic groups.

singular form (Mdx--man--v. 6), changes to the use of plural

forms (MyxnW--those who hate and Myvg)--nations—vv. 7, 10-12),

reverts to singular form (hHd--you[sg.] pushed--v. 13), and

then concludes with a plural form (Mynvb--v. 22⁵²).

Psalm 107--A Retrospective

Location within the Psalms 107-118 Corpus

As the initial psalm of Book V of the Psalter, Psalm 107 is

the initial psalm of the corpus under study. As such, it sets

the thematic stage for the psalms which follow. In addition,

due in part to its thematic content--various components of which

run through remaining 11 psalms of the corpus--and due in

part to its size,⁵³ Psalm 107 exhibits in straight numerical

data a great number of lexemes that are duplicated in the

other psalms of the corpus than do any of the remaining psalms

of the Psalms 107-118 corpus.⁵⁴

_________________

⁵²The assumption is being made here and passim in this

chapter that the builders (Mynvbh) of Ps 118:22 are those who

are opposed to God's will--they reject that which God chooses.

As such, they are functioning as the enemies of God.

⁵³By any physical measure, Psalm 107 is the largest psalm

in the Psalm 107-118 corpus.

⁵⁴Psa1m 107 ranks in first place (of all the psalms in the

corpus) in the number of lexeme interconnections that it has

with 6 of the remaining 11 psalms in the corpus. Psalm 107 also

ranks in a tie for first place in the number of lexemes it holds

in common with 3 additional psalms of the Psalms 107-118 corpus.

Only in reference to Psalms 111 and 117 does Psalm 107 rank

Furthermore, Psalm 107 functions together with Psalm 118 to

form an inclusio around the rest of the psalms of the corpus.

This inclusio, which is specifically observed in Pss 107:1 and

118:29, emphasizes 3 points which are similar to the 3 primary

themes which pervade the corpus. First, people (in particular,

God's people) are to give thanks (hdy) to the LORD (hvhy).

Second, a significant reason for people to honor God is because

of what He is, in this case, good (bvF). Third, people are to

demonstrate gratitude to God for how He has treated them,

namely, with lovingkindness (dsH). This lovingkindness,

moreover, is portrayed in both Psalms 107 and 118 as being

observed in God's protection and deliverance of His people.

Although historically recognized as the first psalm of Book

V of the Psalter and therefore regarded to be in a separate

grouping of psalms from that in which Psalm 106 is found, Psalm

107 displays definite points of interconnection with Psalm 106.

For example, the beginning 3 verses of Psalm 107 echo lexically

and respond thematically to the terminology and issues presented

in the concluding 5 verses of Psalm 106 (i.e., vv. 44-48). Of

the 15 lexeme families of Ps 107:1-3, 7 (47%) are replicated in

Ps 106:44-48; hdy, (give thanks--Pss 107:1; 106:47), hvhy (LORD--

Pss 107:1, 2; 106:47, 48[2x]), Mlvf (forever--Pss 107:1;

106:48[2x]), dsH (lovingkindness--Pss 107:1; 106:45), rmx

_________________

lower than first or tied for first of all the psalms of the

corpus that exhibit lexeme links with those 2 psalms.

(say--Pss 107:2; 106:48), rrc (adversary, distress--Pss 107:2;

106:44), and Cbq (gather--Pss 107:3; 106:47). Furthermore, 3

additional lexemes of Ps 107:1-3 are paralleled by similar terms

in those concluding 5 verses of Psalm 106: bvF (good--Ps 107:1)

by br (greatness--Ps 106:45), lxg (redeem--Ps 107:2[2x]) by fwy

(save, deliver--Ps 106:47), and Crx (earth, land--Ps 107:3) by

yvg (nation- Ps 106:47).

The fist verse of Psalm 107, moreover, repeats all but the

hallelujah (hyvllh) rubric of Ps 106:1.⁵⁵ In doing so, Ps

107:1 also reflects the command to give thanks (hdy) of Ps

106:47 and, at the same time, initiates a series of thanksgiving

commands in Psalm 107 (vv. 8, 15, 21, 31).

The beginning of Psalm 107 also provides a thematic

response to the plea recorded in Ps 106:47 for the LORD to

deliver (fwy) His people from distress (rrc—cf. Ps 106:44) and

to gather (Cbq) them from exile from among the nations (yvg).

Psalm 107:2 reports that the people of God have been redeemed

(lxg) out of their disastrous situation (i.e., from the hand of

_________________

⁵⁵The lack of the repetition of the hallelujah (hy vllh)

rubric in Ps 107:1 may be due to the presence of a hallelujah

(hy-vllh) colophon at the end of the final verse of Psalm 106

(i.e., v. 48). The Septuagint, in fact, places the hallelujah

colophon of Psalm 106 (105 LXX) at the beginning of Psalm 107

(106 LXX). There is, however, no other manuscript support for

such an emendation. The location of the clause in the LXX is

not to be accepted since it is not a necessary emendation.

the adversary--rrc) and gathered (Cbq⁵⁶) from the lands (Crx)

to which they had been dispersed.

The concluding verses of Psalm 107, furthermore, show both

lexical and thematic concatenation with the early verses of

Psalm 108. Psalm 107:43 issues a challenge for those who claim

to be wise to consider the hvhy dSH (lovingkindness of the

LORD); Ps 108:5 contains a declaration of an individual who has

considered greatness of that dsH.

The thematic linkage between the conclusion of Psalm 107

and the beginning of Psalm 108 is seen most clearly through a

comparison of Pss 107:42-43 and 108:1-5. First, Ps 107:42

portrays the righteous as being glad and the unrighteous as

closing their mouths when both groups observe the wonderful work

of the LORD Psalm 108:2-4 follows immediately with a picture

of a righteous person exhibiting gladness through the singing of

praises to God and through the offering of thanksgiving to Him--

2 activities that are performed with an open mouth. Second, the

theme of lovingkindness--as noted above in reference to the

mutual use of the lexeme dsH (lovingkindness) by both psalms--

also bridge the border between the Psalms 107 and 108.

_________________

⁵⁶The lexeme Cbq (gather) occurs in only 4 passages

within the Psalter: Pss 41:6; 102:22; 106:47; 107:3. The fact

that the term is utilized as it is in Pss 106:47 and 107:3 is,

at the very least, interesting, and more probably suggestive of

an intentional linking of the 2 psalms that contain the word

Cbq or of the editing of 1 or the other of the 2 psalms to

include that term.

Lexical Interconnections

Psalm 107 contains 153 lexical families that fit the search

parameters of this dissertation. Of those 153 lexemes, 48% (73

of 153) are replicated at least on 1 other occasion within the

Psalms 107-118 corpus.⁵⁷ The remaining 52% (80 of 153),

therefore, categorized as being hapax legomena within the

corpus.⁵⁸

Based a straight numerical tabulation, Psalm 107

exhibits a greater number of lexeme family interconnections with

the following psalms (in descending order of frequency) in the

Psalms 107-118 corpus than with those not listed: Psalms 109

(38), 116 (23), 118 (23), 115 (22), 108 (20), and 112 (20).

When the tabulations are converted to percentage data (i.e.,

percentage of a given psalm's total lexeme family population

that is replicated by the Psalm 107 lexemes), the sequence of

interconnection takes the following shape (in descending

order): Psa 113 (51%), 117 (50%), 115 (42%), 112 (36%), 116

_________________

⁵⁷The figures for the percentage of replication of the

lexemes for each psalm of the Psalms 107-118 corpus that are

cited separately in the individual retrospective sections for

each psalm, here and passim in this chapter, are gathered

together, in Appendix D, for comparative purposes.

⁵⁸There are 13 lexemes in Psalm 107 that are hapax

legomena within the Psalter, 1 of which (zvHm—shipyard, haven,

city--Ps 107:30) is also a hapax legomenon within the Hebrew

Scriptures.

(34%), 118 (32%), 111 (31%), 109 (30%), and 108 (30%).⁵⁹ No

percentage figure for any of the remaining psalms of the corpus,

moreover, drops below 20%. This high percentage of replication

of other psalms within the corpus by the lexical families of

Psalm 107 is that Psalm 107 functions as an introductory

psalm to the Psalms 107-118 corpus to spearhead the lexical and

thematic development of the entire corpus.⁶⁰

There are, moreover, 15 lexeme families of Psalm 107 that

are duplicated in a minimum of 5 of the other psalms of the

corpus under study.⁶¹ Those lexemes are as follows: hdy (give

_________________

⁵⁹The percentage data, here and passim in the various

retrospective sections of this chapter, account for the

potential influence that the lexemes of a given psalm may exert

on the other psalms of the corpus. The data for a given psalm

intentionally do not show the reverse percentages, i.e., the

extent to which the lexemes of other psalms link to the given

psalm under study. That information may be drawn from the

retrospective sections for each of the remaining psalms. For a

complete listing of both sets of percentage figures, see

Appendix C.

⁶⁰The declaration of Psalm 107 as a well-placed

introductory psalm to the corpus is confirmed in the analyses of

the various other psalms below. At least 1, if not both, of the

primary lexical groupings of Psalm 107 related to distress and

the need for help or to thanksgiving and praise permeate the

remaining psalms of the corpus as well. So too, the 3 major

themes of Psalm 107--God's ability to deliver His people, the

greatness of God, and the gratitude that is to be offered to

Him--are developed to varying degrees, individually or

severally, in the remaining 11 psalms of the Psalms 107-118

corpus.

⁶¹The arbitrary minimum number of 5 has been selected here

and passim throughout this chapter because that number of

psalms, together with the individual psalm under study at any

thank, thanksgiving), hvhy (LORD), Mlvf (forever), dsH

(lovingkindness), Crx (earth, land), Nb (son, [pl.] children),

Myhlx (God), lk (all), rbd (speak), hWf (work, do, make), hxr

(see), Mvr (exalt, lift up), Mf (people), llh (praise), and jrb

(bless, knee). More significantly, of the 74 lexemes that are

duplicated elsewhere in the corpus, there are 12 lexemes that

function as either key-lexeme or thematic-lexeme links between

Psalm 107 and 3 or more other psalms in the corpus: rrc

(adversary, distress), hdy (give thanks, thanksgiving), hvhy

(LORD) dsH (lovingkindness), Myhlx (God), rzf (help), fwy

(save, deliver), HmW (joyful, rejoice, be glad), llh (praise),

jrb (bless), Nvybx (needy), and Mlvf (forever). These 12

lexemes depict God as a God who cares about His people and who

acts mightily to deliver them from desperate situations which

they face. He is, therefore, as these lexemes reveal, to

receive honor from His people who themselves rejoice at having

been rescued from their distress.

Thematic Interconnections

There are 3 important themes that Psalm 107 holds in common

with the majority of the other psalms in the Psalms 107-118

corpus. The first is that God is able to deliver from distress

_________________

given time, adds up to a minimum of 1/2 of the psalms of the

entire corpus which suggests that the psalm being studied

potentially may exert a strong lexical influence throughout the

corpus.

(even from death) those who turn to Him. This theme, or a

variation on it, is found not only in Psalm 107 but also in

Psalms 108-109, [110], 111, [112], [113], 114-116, and 118. The

second jointly held theme is that those to whom God extends His

care, lovingkindness, or deliverance are to praise, honor, or

give thanks to Him. This theme of the need to show gratitude to

God which appears in Psalm 107 also occurs in Psalms 108-109,

[110], 111-113, and 115-118. The third theme that Psalm 107 and

essentially every other psalm of the corpus declares is that God

is a great God and a God of wondrous works. Psalm 107, as well

as Psalms 198-109, 111-113, 115-116, and 118, moreover, portrays

a confident belief that God blesses those who place their trust

in Him.

Strongest Linkages within the Corpus⁶²

Quite understandably, being the introductory and defining

psalm of corpus, Psalm 107 exhibits strong lexical and

thematic ties to the remaining psalms of the Psalms 107-118

corpus. In fact, with every other psalm of the corpus, Psalm

107 displays either important lexical or thematic links.

_________________

⁶²As noted above (earlier in this section, i.e., within

"Psalm 107--A Retrospective"), external to the corpus, Psalm 107

also displays important linkages to Psalm 106--the concluding

psalm of Book IV of the Psalter. Psalm 107:1 is repeated in its

entirety (with 1 minor orthographic variant) in Ps 106:1. Psalm

107:2-3, moreover, reveals that God responded favorably to the

plea in Ps 106:47 for deliverance from exile.

Specifically, as noted above, Psalm 107 begins with a

command to give thanks to God because of His goodness and

lovingkindness (vdsH Mlvfl yk bvF-yk hvhyl vdh). That verse is

repeated, with 1 minor orthographic change, in Ps 118:1 and in

Ps 118:29. The interconnection between Pss 107:1 and 118:29, in

particular, forms an inclusio around the corpus. This

inclusio no only helps to establish the physical parameters of

the corpus, but it also functions in such a way as to establish

the general thematic boundaries of the corpus. Based on this

inclusio, the corpus focuses on (1) the need for God's people

to praise Him, (2) the recognition that God is a great God, and

(3) the realization that God demonstrates a compassion for His

people.

Apart from the just-mentioned connection based on the

thanksgiving inclusio, Psalm 107 shares its greatest lexical

linkages with Psalm 109--a psalm in many ways just like Psalm

107 because of the strong emphasis that both psalms place on

deliverance from distress. Psalms 107 and 109 make 38 lexical

connections with each other, i.e., 25% (38 of 154) and 30% (38

of 126) of the total number of each psalm, respectively. Those

38 lexeme links, moreover, occur primarily along 3 thematic

lines: praise of God, deliverance from distress, and disaster

for those outside of God's will.

From a strictly thematic standpoint, Psalm 107 shows its

strongest ties with its neighbor psalm, Psalm 108. Both psalms

depict God's deliverance of His people and His sovereignty over

the created world. Both psalms also speak of the praise that

God's people are to give (Psalm 107) or actually give (Psalm

108) to Him.⁶³

Psalm 108 in Context

Introduction to Psalm 108

Psalm 108--a psalm which most scholars⁶⁴ agree is a

compilation of Ps 57:8-12 (Ps 108:2-6) and Ps 60:7-14 (Ps 108:7-

14)--stands as an important psalm in its own right, and should

be treated as such.⁶⁵ Psalm 108, moreover, fits appropriately

_________________

⁶³To a lesser degree, Psalm 107 makes all 3 of these

thematic interconnections with Psalm 115.

⁶⁴Dahood's view of the origins of Psalm 108 runs contrary

to the generally accepted position of most scholars. In

reference to Psalm 108, Dahood writes: "This psalm was probably

compiled for liturgical purposes from ancient religious poems

that are also used in Pss lvii 8-11 and lx 7-14. To describe

the psalm as a compilation from the two other psalms . . . goes

beyond the available evidence." Dahood, Psalms III (101-150),

93.

⁶⁵Unfortunately, many commentators do not recognize the

uniqueness of this "compiled" psalm in its context and say

little or nothing about it in their commentaries other than to

refer the reader back to their descriptions regarding Psalms 57

and 60. For example, see Charles Augustus Briggs and Emilie

Grace Brigg , A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Book

of Psalms (Edinburgh: T. & T. Clark, 1907; reprint, 1960), 364;

and meaningfully into the Psalms 107-118 corpus, making an

significant contribution to structure and flow of this

corpus.⁶⁶

Following immediately after a psalm that both openly

demonstrate, God's ability to deliver those who call upon Him

and urges people to contemplate those works as well as God's

lovingkindness, Psalm 108 begins (vv. 2-7)⁶⁷ with a declaration

of praise to God, a proclamation that God's lovingkindness is

great, and plea to the LORD for a mighty deliverance. The psalm

continues (Vv. 8-10) with God responding by declaring His

intention to defeat and rule over the nations. Psalm 108 then

concludes (vv 11-14) with a renewed cry to God for help and

with an expression of confidence that God, in fact, will bring

victory over the adversaries of His people.

Psalm 108 is the first of 3 sequential psalms (including

Psalms 109 and 110) that are linked into a sub-unit of the

_________________

Hans Schmidi, Die Psalmen (Tübingen: J. C. B. Mohr [Paul

Siebeck], 1934), 199. Even Kraus, who writes very briefly

regarding Psalm 108, comments that "[i]t is difficult to

understand that the significance is of the combination in Psalm

108 of two completely different pieces." Hans-Joachim Kraus,

Psalms 60-150: A Commentary, trans. Hilton C. Oswald

(Minneapolis: Augsburg, 1989), 333.

⁶⁶See 108--A Retrospective," below.

⁶⁷ Psalm 108:1 is a superscription that indicates that this

psalm is "A Song, a Psalm of David" (rvdl rvmzm ryw).

corpus by presence of superscriptions identifying each as

being Davidic in origin.

Psalms 108 and 109

The lexical Interconnections

The lexical linkages between Psalms 108 and 109 appear, as

follows:

Key-Lexeme Links

rvmzm (108:1--109:1)--psalm

rvd (108:1--109:1)--David

Myhlx (108:2, 6, 8, 12[2x], 14--109:1, 26)--God

Thematic-Lexeme Links

hdy (108:4--109:30)--give thanks, thanksgiving

hvhy (108:4--109:14, 15, 20, 21, 26, 27, 30)--LORD

dsH (108:5--109:12, 16, 21, 26)--lovingkindness

fwy (108:7, 13--109:26, 31)--save, deliver

Nymy (108:7--109:6, 31)--right hand"

rzf (108:13--109:26)—help

Incidental-Lexeme Links

bl (108:2--109:22)--heart

lk (108:6--109:11)--all

Crx (108:6--109:15)--earth, land

rbd (108:8--109:2, 3, 20)--word, speak

wxr (108:9--109:25)--head

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⁶⁸There are 42 examples of Nymy in the Psalter--17 of

which occur in Book V and 8 of which appear in the Psalms 107-

118 corpus. Of the 8 incidences located in Psalms 107-118, 5

occur in the 3 Davidic psalms of the corpus (Pss 108:6; 109:6,

31; 110:1, 5). The remaining 3 occur in Psalm 118 (vv. 15,

16[2x]).

xcy (108:12--109:7)--go forth

hWf (108:14--109:16, 21, 27)--work, do, make

These 16 matching lexemes represent 24% (16 of 67) of the

lexemes of Psalm 108 and 13% (16 of 126) of those found in Psalm

109.

The first 2 key-lexeme links (rvmzm--psalm and dvd--David)

which are located in the superscriptions of the 2 psalms⁶⁹

reveal a logical and perhaps intentional linkage between the 2

psalms. Prior to the presence to these 2 psalms in the Psalter,

David is identified as the author of a given psalm on 58

occasions, 55 of which occur in Books I and II. Moreover, in

Books III and IV, there are only 3 psalms identified as Davidic

in origin (Psalms 86, 101, and 103). Thus the psalms currently

under analysis (i.e., Psalms 108 and 109) are the first dyad of

Davidic psalms since Psalms 69-70.⁷⁰ The next grouping of

Davidic psalms outside of the corpus under study occurs in

Psalms 138- 45.⁷¹

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⁶⁹The order of the 2 terms is reversed in the 2

superscriptions. The order in Ps 108:1 is dvdl rvmzm, whereas

in Ps 109:1 it is rvmzm dvdl.

⁷⁰The significance of the Davidic interconnection in

Psalm 108 and 109 is strengthened by the fact that the next

psalm in sequential order, i.e., Psalm 110, is also a Davidic

psalm.

⁷¹In addition to Psalms 108-110 and 138-145, 4 other

psalms within Book V of the Psalter are identified by their

The third key-lexeme link--the Myhlx (God) lexeme family--

occurs with a high degree of frequency throughout the Hebrew

Scriptures and 445 times within the Psalter. The term, however,

appears on only 43 occasions within Book V of the Psalter,

whereas 124 instances would be anticipated for a grouping of

psalms the size of Book V.⁷² Of the number of actual

occurrences of the word Myhlx in Book V (43), nearly 19% (8)

occur in the 45 verses of Psalms 108-109. This is the largest

grouping of the term Myhlx for any 2 consecutive psalms within

Book V of Psalter.

The interconnecting thematic lexemes align themselves among

3 related categories: (1) the greatness of the LORD (hvhy)--His

lovingkindness (dsH) is great, good, and a basis on which an

individual can be saved; (2) the work of the LORD--His strong

right hand (Nymy) is able to deliver (fwy) those who seek His

help (rzf); and (3) the public declaration of thanksgiving to

the LORD—the thanks (hdy) offered to God will be both verbal

and boldly claimed in the midst of many people.

_________________

superscriptions as being Davidic in origin: Psalms 122, 124,

131, and 133.

⁷²Based on a verse-count analysis, the Psalter has 2527

verses of which 704 (27.9%) are found in Book V and 200 (7.9%)

in the Psalms 107-118 corpus.

Thematic Interconnections

Both Psalms 108 and 109 present a strong entreaty to God to

rescue His people from their adversaries (Ps 108:7: fwy--save,

hnf--answer hrzf bhy--give help; Ps 109:21, 26: lcn--deliver,

rzf--help, fwy--save).⁷³

The adversary motif, moreover, links the 2 psalms together.

Psalm 108 (v. 12) concludes with a declaration of confidence

that God will overcome the adversaries of His people; Psalm 109

(vv. 2-5) begins with a description of who those adversaries are

and what they (one adversary in particular has) have done to

deserve God’s wrath.

The 2 psalms also execute number shifts from plural to

singular and back again to plural to present the adversarial

motif--whether those enemies are viewed primarily in conjunction

with God or with God's people. Psalm 108 begins its discussion

of the adversary by listing a group of nations which God

overcomes (vv. 8-10). The psalm continues by recording a plea

to God for help for His people against the rc (adversary--

singular--v. 13); the psalm then concludes by declaring that God

will strike down the the Myrc (adversaries--plural--v. 14) of

_________________

⁷³Brennan points out that "[v]erses 22 and 31 make it

clear that it is still the same ‘poor and needy' post-exilic

community [as in Psalm 108] which prays this lament [i.e., Psalm

109], although now their heart is no longer 'steadfast' (as in

108,2), but 'pierced' and broken (109,22)." Brennan, "Some

Hidden Harmonies in the Fifth Book of Psalms," 130.

His people. Likewise, Psalm 109 begins by recording a

multiplicity of enemies (vv. 2-5), shifts thereafter to an

extended passage about an individual foe (vv. 6-19), and then

concludes by referencing a plurality of adversaries (vv. 20, 25,

27-29, 31).

In addition, both psalms reveal the intent to give full

praise to God (Pss 108:1-6; 109:30) in a public setting (Ps

108:3--among the peoples and among the nations; Ps 109:30--in

the midst of many).⁷⁴

Furthermore, the 2 psalms have a propensity to utilize

terminology related to vocal declaration: Ps 108:2--ryw (sing),

rmz (sing paises); Ps 108:4--hdy (give thanks, thanksgiving),

rmz (sing praises); Ps 108:7--Nnf (answer); Ps 108:8--rbd

(spoken); Ps 108:10--fvr (shout aloud); Ps 109:1--wdH lx (do

not be silent); Ps 109:2--Htp... yp (have opened the mouth), rbd

_________________

⁷⁴Some commentators interpret ytlht yhlx (God of my

praise) in Ps 109:1 to indicate that God is the object (not the

subject) of the praise. If this view is correct, then both

Psalms 108 and 109 begin with a statement that expresses a

reverence toward Myhlx (God). In light of the second half of Ps

109:1 (wrHt-lx--do not be silent) and the context of the entire

psalm (the speaker in this psalm is under attack and in need of

a defender of his cause), however, this interpretation does not

appear to be as strong as the position which understands the

speaker in the psalm to be the one who is honored by God. John

Calvin, Commentary on the Book of Psalms, vol. 4 [Psalms xciii.-

cxix.], trans. James Anderson [Psalms c., ci., cvi.-cxix., 61st

verse, of this volume, trans. John Hunter] (Edinburgh: The

Calvin Translation Society, 1847), 269-70; Delitzsch, Biblical

Commentary on the Psalms, vol. 3, 176; Kraus, Psalms 60-150: A

Commentary, 339; Hengstenberg, Commentary on the Psalms, vol. 3,

305-06.

(spoken), Nvwl (with a tongue); Ps 109:3--tbd (with words); Ps

109:4--NFW (accusers); Ps 109:4--hlpt (prayer); Ps 109:6--NFW

(accuser); Ps 109:17--hllq (cursing), hkrb (blessing); Ps

109:18--hllq (cursing); Ps 109:20—NFW (accusers); Ps 109:20--

Myrbdh (those who speak); Ps 109:25--hprH (reproach); Ps

109:28--llq (curse), jrb (bless); Ps 109:29--NFW (accusers);

and Ps 109:30—hdy (give thanks, thanksgiving), ypb (with my

mouth), and llh (praise).

Psalms 108 and 110

Lexical Interconnections

The lexical linkages between Psalms 108 and 110 appear, as

is indicated below:

Key-Lexeme Links

rvmzm (108:1--110:1)--psalm

dvd (108:1--110:1)--David

Thematic-Lexeme Links

Nymy (108:7--110:1, 5)--right hand⁷⁵

Incidental-Lexeme Links

Mf (108:4--110:3)--people

hvhy (108:4--110:1, 2, 4)--LORD

Mvr (108:6--110:7)--exalt, lift up

Crx (108:6--110:6)--earth, land

_________________

⁷⁵Note that Nymy (right hand) functions as a lexical link

to tie together Psalms 108-110, the 3 Davidic psalms of the

Psalms 107-118 corpus.

wdq (108:8--110:3)--holy, holiness, sanctuary

wxr (108:9--110:6, 7)--head

lyH (108:14--110:3)--power, valiantly

Although there are few lexical interconnections between Psalms

108 and 110, those that do exist equal 15% (10 of 67) of the

lexical families of Psalm 108 and slightly more than 1 out of

every 5 of the lexemes of Psalm 110 (21%, i.e., 10 of 47).

The 2 key-lexical linkages occur in the superscriptions of

both psalms. Those interconnections identify the 2 psalms as

being Davidic in origin.⁷⁶ These 2 psalms thus surround Psalm

109 to form a 3-psalm sub-unit of the larger corpus.

The primary thematic-lexical interconnection between Psalms

108 and 110 is the term Nymy (right hand). This term is used to

suggest the power of the LORD as that power is exercised against

the enemies of God.

Thematic Interconnections

A primary theme which both Psalms 108 and 110 hold jointly

is that of defeat of the enemies of God. Psalm 108 records

God declaration of His intent to secure victory over those

nations who surround Israel (vv. 7-9). The psalm then echoes

that thought by affirming that God truly will destroy the

adversaries of His people (v. 13) and that, as a consequence,

_________________

⁷⁶ The order of presentation of the duplicated terms,

however, is reversed with Ps 108:1 reading rvdl rvmzm and Ps

110:1 reading rvmzm rvdl. Psalm 110 completes the trilogy of

Davidic psalms that encompasses Psalms 108, 109, and 110.

His praises will be sung amid the nations (presumably, among

those whom God has defeated--v. 3). Likewise, throughout Psalm

110, God is seen to secure victory over enemies (vv. 1-2), kings

(v. 5), nations (v. 6), and a broad country (v. 6). Both

psalms, moreover, exude a confidence that God's victory over His

enemies is sure; the possibility of defeat is nowhere even

contemplated.

In addition, within both psalms, God Himself is seen to

speak, and speech that He gives relates to His commitment to

exercise control over His adversaries (Pss 108:8-10; 110:1-3).

These are the only 2 psalms within Book V⁷⁷ of the Psalter that

make reference to God speaking or to a speech given by Him.

Psalms 108 and 111

Lexical Interconnections

There are relatively few lexical connections between Psalms

108 and 111. Those that exist are listed below:

Key-Lexeme Links

none

_________________

⁷⁷Base on a cross-matching of the following terms--rmx

(say); rdb (speak); Mxn (declare); hnf (answer); hvhy (LORD); hy

(LORD) Nvdx (Lord); Myhlx (God); lx (God); and ynx (I--when used

in reference to God)--Psalms 108 and 110 are, in fact, the only

2 psalms in the Psalter after Psalm 85:9 that make even a

general reference to God speaking.

Thematic-Lexeme Links

hdy (108:4--111:1)--give thanks, thanksgiving

hvhy (108:4-111:1[2x], 2, 4, 10)--LoRD

Incidental-Lexeme Links

Mf (108:4--111:6, 9)--people

lvdg (108:5--111:2)--great

tmx (108:5--111:7, 8)--truth

lk (108:6--111:1, 2, 7, 10)--all

hWf (108:14--111:2, 4, 6, 7, 8, 10)--work, do, make

The 7 lexemes of Psalm 108 (i.e., 10% of the 67 lexemes of the

psalm) that are replicated in Psalm 111 represent 15% (7 of 48)

of the lexemes of that latter psalm.

None of the lexemes mutually held by Psalms 108 and 111 are

sufficiently unique to be called key-lexeme interconnections.

By means of thematic-lexeme replication, both psalms (in

Pss 108:4; 111:1) express a wholehearted determination for

thanks (hdy) to be offered to the LORD in a public arena. In

Psalm 108, that thanks is to take place among the peoples

(Mymfb); in Psalm 111, among the upright (Mywry rvsb) and in the

assembly (hdf).

Furthermore, through the mutual use of the term hvhy

(LORD), the LORD is pictured as the central figure of the both

psalms. The term hvhy, moreover, occurs--solely in Psalm 108

and frequently in Psalm 111--in the context of a discussion of

the attributes of the LORD.

Thematic Interconnections

A mutually held theme of both Psalms 108 and 111 is that of

the surpassing excellence of God which is a source of

wonderment. Psalm 108 depicts an awe of God's lovingkindness,

of His truth, of God Himself, and of His glory--all of which

cannot be contained by this earth (Ps 108:4-5). Psalm 111,

likewise, portrays an amazement with God in relation to time--

past (Ps 111:9), present or non-temporal (Ps 111:2; cf. Ps

108:5), and future (Ps 111:3-4, 8; cf. Ps 108:4). God's works

are great, delightful to behold, and beautiful (Ps 111:2-3); His

very essence, furthermore, is holy and awesome (Ps 111:9).

Psalms 108 and 112

Lexical Interconnections

The fo1lowing list identifies those lexemes that Psalms 108

and 112 hold in common:

Key-lexeme Links

Nvk (108:2--112:7)--steadfast, establish

bl (108:2--112:7, 8)--heart

Thematic-Lexeme Links

rrc (108:13,14--112:8)--adversary, distress

Incidental-Lexeme Links

dvbk (108:2,6--112:9)--glory

hvhy (108:4--112:1[2x], 7)--LORD

Mvr (108:6--112:9)--exalt, lift up

Crx (108:6--112:2)--earth, land

rbd (108:8--112:5)--word, speak

There are a total of 8 interconnecting lexemes between the 2

psalms under study. Those 8 lexemes comprise 12% (8 of 67) of

the lexemes of Psalm 108 and 15% (8 of 55) of the lexeme groups

of Psalm 112.

The speaker in Psalm 108 is presented as being a righteous

individual. As such, and by using the 2 key lexical terms noted

above, he delares: ybl Nvkn (my heart is steadfast--v. 2).

According to the context of the psalm, his steadfastness is a

result of his confidence in the LORD. In a similar manner, the

speaker in Psalm 112 utilizes the key-lexical links between the

2 psalms to indicate that the individual who fears the LORD

(i.e., the righteous person) is an individual who possesses a

heart that is steadfast (vbl Nvkn) due to his relationship to the

LORD.⁷⁸

The 1 thematic-lexical interconnection between Psalms 108

and 112 is the rrc (adversary, distress) lexical family. This

term appears in Ps 108:12, 13 to reveal that the adversaries of

_________________

⁷⁸The clause bl Nvk (heart is steadfast--or--to establish

a heart) appears only 8 times in the entirety of the Hebrew

Scriptures: Pss 10:17; 57:8(2x); 78:8; 108:2; 112:7; Job 11:13;

2 Chr 12:14. The rarity of the clause, the close proximity in

which the clause appears within these 2 psalms (i.e., Psalms 108

and 112), and the similarity of semantic usage of the clause by

which it is used to describe the internal condition of the

righteous individual makes this clause an important linkage

between Psalms 108 and 112.

God's people are dangerous but, despite that fact, God tramples

down those foes in order to give success to His people. In Ps

112:8, the individual who serves God is able to look down with

confidence in a powerless rc (adversary)--powerless in the

presence of the one who trusts in the LORD.

Thematic Interconnections

The person who is rightly related to God finds a sense of

security in the midst of present and future troubles. Psalm 108

describes such an individual as having a steadfast heart (v. 2)

and being successful (v. 14). Similarly, Psalm 112 declares

that the righteous individual will never be shaken (v. 6), will

not be afraid of difficult times (vv. 7-8), has a steadfast

heart (v. 7), and has a heart which is upheld (v. 8).

The 2 psalms, moreover, present the enemies of God or of

His people as being both singular and plural in number. Psalm

108 identifies as adversaries, first of all, a group of nations

(vv. 8-10). The psalm next puts the spotlight on an individual

enemy (v. 13) and then concludes by showing that God will defeat

the adversaries (plural) of His people (v. 14). In a similar

fashion, Psalm 112 introduces the theme of the adversary by a

reference to a group of people (v. 8). The psalm continues its

discussion in v. 10a-b by highlighting a singular foe (fwr—the

wicked--followed by 3 singular verbs) and then finishes its

treatment of the subject by reverting to a plural form (Myfwr--

the wicked ones) in v. 10c.

Psalms 108 and 113

Lexical Interconnections

Despite the fact that there are no key-lexeme

interconnections between Psalms 108 and 113, there are both

thematic-lexeme links and incidental-lexeme links, as seen

below:

Key-Lexeme Links

dvbk (108:2,6--113:4)--glory

Myhlx (108:2, 6, 8, 12[2x], 14--113:5)--God

hvhy (108:4--113:1[3x], 2, 3, 4, 5, 9)--LORD

Mymw (108 : 5, 6--113 : 4, 6) --heavens

Incidental-Lexeme Links

Mf (108:4--113:8)--people

Mvr (108:6--113:4, 7)--exalt, lift up

lk (108:6--113:4)--all

Crx (108:6--113:6)--earth, land

The 8 lexemes of Psalm 108 that are also identified as occurring

in Psalm 11 total 12% (8 of 67) of the lexemes of Psalm 108 and

23% (8 of 3 ) of the major lexeme families of Psalm 113

The thematic-lexemes tie the 2 psalms together in relation

to the them of God's greatness--He Himself is superior to His

creation; His glory also is far more important than any element

of that creation (i.e., it is above the earth [108:6] and the

heavens [113:4]).

Thematic Interconnections

Psalm 108:2-7 parallel in thought much of Psalm 113. Both

psalms declare that God is worthy of praise. His greatness

reaches beyond the creation (Ps 108:5-6--heavens, skies,

heavens, earth; Ps 113:4-6--heavens, on high, heaven, earth).

In both psalms, moreover, the praise that is to be offered to

God is to be lifted up early in the morning (Ps 108:3--at dawn;

Ps 113:3--at the rising of the sun).

In addition, both psalms conclude their respective praise

sections by statements concerning God's relationship to those in

need. Psalm 108:7 notes that an individual--God's beloved--is

the one who is in need--in need of deliverance (from his

adversaries) by the hand of God. Psalm 113:7-9, however,

presents groups of individuals as being those who require God's

help. Those groups are the poor, the needy, and the barren

woman--people whose needs God more than sufficiently meets.

Psalms 108 and 114

Lexical Interconnections

As is the case with the relationship of many of the psalms

in the Psalms 107-118 corpus to Psalm 114,⁷⁹ there are

_________________

⁷⁹See the section titled "Psalm 114--A Retrospective,"

below.

relatively few lexical ties between Psalms 108 and 114.

Analysis of the 2 psalms uncovers the following 5 mutually

utilized lexemes:

Key-Lexeme Links

none

Thematic-Lexeme Links

Myhlx (108:2, 6, 8, 12[2x], 14--114:7)--God

Crx (108:6--114:7)--earth, land

hdvhy (108:9--114:2)—Judah

Incidental-Lexeme Links

Mf (108:4--114:1)--people

wdq (108:8--114:2)--holy, holiness, sanctuary

xcy (108:12--114:1)--go forth

These 6 lexemes represent 9% (6 of 67) of the lexeme families of

Psalm 108 and 18% (6 of 34) of those of Psalm 114.

There no key-lexeme interconnections between Psalms 108

and 114.

The 3 thematic-lexeme links (Myhlx--God; Crx--earth, land;

hdvhy--Judah) between the 2 psalms under consideration are used

in the development of themes related to God's dominance over the

creation and to His relationship to His people.

Thematic Interconnections

Psalms 108 and 114 coincide thematically in 2 significant

arenas. First, both psalms acknowledge God's control over the

nations and over His chosen people (Pss 108:7-9; 114:1-2).

Second, the 2 psalms denote that God secures victory for His

people--a victory which His people were incapable of effecting

on their own and a victory which required supernatural

intervention to ensure its reality (Pss 108:12-13; 114:1-8).

Psalms 108 and 115

Lexical Interconnections

As the following displays, although there are no key-lexeme

links between Psalms 108 and 115, there are a number of strong

thematic-lexeme interconnections between the 2 psalms:

Key-Lexeme Links

none

Thematic-Lexeme Links

Myhlx (108:2, 6, 8, 12[2x], 14--115:2, 3)--God

hvhy (108:4--115:1, 9, 10, 11[2x], 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17,

18[2x])--LORD

Mymw (108:5,6--115:3, 15, 16[2x])--heavens

Crx (108:6--115:15, 16)--earth, land

rzf (108:13--115:9, 10, 11)--help

Incidental-Lexeme Links

dvbk (108:2,6--115:1)--glory

lvdg (108:5--115:13)--great

dsH (108:5--115:1)--lovingkindness

tmx (108:5--115:1)--truth

lk (108:6--115:3, 8, 17)--all

rbd (108:8--115:5)--word, speak

Mdx (108:13--115:4, 16)--man

hWf (108:14--115:3, 4, 8, 15)--work, do, make

The 13 lexemes identified above comprise 19% (13 of 67) of the

lexemes of Psalm 108. They also reflect 25% (13 of 52) of the

lexeme families of Psalm 115.

The thematic-linking terms identify God (Myhlx) the LORD

(hvhy) as being the one who is capable of controlling the

affairs of humanity. Those interconnecting words, moreover,

recognize Him as being superior to the greatest elements of the

creation, i.e., the heavens (=Mymw) and the earth (Crx).

Furthermore, His help (rzf) is needed by man and is far superior

to that which is offered by man.

Thematic Interconnections

The primary themes projected by Psalms 108 and 115 are

similar to each other in 2 important ways. (1) Both psalms

evidence a concern for God to receive the honor that is due to

Him--thanks, praise, and glory belong to God (Pss 108:2-5;

115:1, 18). (2) Both psalms also acknowledge the inadequacy of

the work of man to control his own ends. Deliverance that comes

by the hands of man is useless (Ps 108:12). So too the so-

called gods which are created by man are useless (Ps 115:4-7).

The true God of Israel alone is the one who is able to bring

about the success or victory desired by His people.

Psalms 108 and 116

Lexical Interconnections

The lexeme families of Psalms 108 and 116 exhibit linkages

to each other on 11 occasions with 6 of those incidences being

at the level of thematic interconnection, as the following

listing reveals:

Key-Lexeme Links:

none

Thematic-Lexeme Links

Myhlx (108:2, 6, 8, 12[2x], 14--116:5)--God

hdy (108:4--116:17)--give thanks, thanksgiving

Mf (108:4--116:14, 18)--people

hvhy (108:4--116:1, 4[2x], 5, 6, 7, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18,

19[2x])--LORD

ClH (108:7--116:8)—rescue⁸⁰

fwy (108:7, 13--116:6, 13)--save, deliver

Incidental-Lexeme Links

lk (108:6--116:11, 12, 14, 18)--all

Crx (108:6--116:9)--earth, land

rbd (108:8--116:10)--word, speak

rrc (108:13,14--116:3[2x])--adversary, distress

Mdx (108:13--116:11)--man

_________________

⁸⁰These 2 references are the only examples of the use of

ClH (rescue) in the Psalms 107-118 corpus. There are only 4

cases of the term found in Book V, 12 in the Psalter, and 49 in

the Hebrew Scriptures.

The 11 lexemes identified above represent approximately 16% of

the lexemes of each of the psalms under consideration--11 of 67

for Psalm 108 and 11 of 68 for Psalm 116.

None of the interconnecting lexemes in Psalms 108 and 111

is deemed be a key-lexeme link between those 2 psalms.

The 6 thematic-lexical interconnections between the 2

psalms draw attention to 2 different but interrelated themes.

The first concerns the desire that God would be honored in the

public forum either by the rendering of thanks (hdy) to the LORD

(hvhy) among the peoples (Mf--Ps 108:4) or by the paying of vows

to the LORD (hvhy) in the presence of all His people (Mf--Ps

116:14, 18) The second lexically-identified theme of the 2

psalms centers around the realization that God (Myhlx)--the LORD

(hvhy)--is capable of rescuing (ClH) or delivering (fwy) His

people who are in distress (Pss 108:7, 13; 116:6, 8, 13).

Thematic Interconnections

In both Psalms 108 and 116 the thematic interconnections

supplement thematic-lexical links just made. The public

nature of declaration of honor to God occurs not only in

relation to Mf (the people--Ps 108:4; His people--Ps 116:14, 18)

but also among the nations (Mymx-lb--Ps 108:4), in the courts of

the house of the LORD (hvhy tyb tvrcHb--Ps 116:19), and in the

midst of Jerusalem (Mlwvry ykkvtb--Ps 116:19).

The public honoring of God, moreover, includes many related

elements. In Psalm 108 it involves singing (v. 2--hrywx),

singing praises (vv. 2, 4--hrmzx), awaking harp and lyre (v. 3--

rvnkv lbnh hrvf), awaking the dawn (v. 3—rHw hryfx), giving

thanks (v. 4—hvhy... jrvx), and exalting God (v. 6--

Myhlx... hmvr). In Psalm 116 the honoring of God encompasses the

lifting up of the cup of salvation (v. 13—xWx tvfvwy-svk), the

calling upon the name of the LORD (vv. 13, 17—xrqx hvhy Mwb),

the paying of vows (vv. 14, 18—yrdn Mlwx hvhyl), and the

offering of a sacrifice of thanksgiving (v. 17—hdvt Hbz Hbzx).

Psalms 108 and 117

Lexical Interconnections

Psalms 108 and 117 share 4 lexemes in common with each

other. The following listing identifies 3 of those mutually

held lexemes as exhibiting commonality on the thematic level

with the remaining lexeme functioning across the 2 psalms only

as an incidental connector:

Key-Lexeme Links

none
98

Thematic-Lexeme Links

hvhy (108:4-117:1, 2[2x])--LORD

dsH (108:5--117:2)--lovingkindness

tmx (108:5--117:2)--truth

Incidental-Lexeme Links

lk (108:6--117:1[2x])--all

These 4 lexemes add up to only 6% (4 of 67) of the total number

of lexical groups of Psalm 108. Those lexemes, however,

represent 40% (4 of 10) of the lexemes of Psalm 117.

There are no key-lexeme links between these 2 psalms.

The thematic-lexeme links between Psalms 108 and 117

highlight the fact that the LORD (hvhy) is the one who is to be

honored (thanked in 108:4; praised and lauded in 117:1). That

worship, moreover, is due to Him (Pss 108:5; 117:2) because of

His lovingkindness (dsH) and His truth (tmx).

Thematic Interconnections

The primary thematic interconnection between the 2 psalms

is that of the international scope of the praise that is to be

offered by God. Psalm 108:4 records an intent to give thanks to

the LORD among the peoples (hvhy Mymfb jdvx) and to sing His

praises among the nations (Mymx-lb jrmzx) . In addition, Psalm

117:1 declares that the nations themselves are to praise the

LORD (Myvg-lk hvhy-tx vllh) and that all peoples are to extol Him

(Mymxh-lk vhvHbw).

Psalms 108 and 118

Lexical Interconnections

There are strong thematic-lexeme ties between Psalms 108

and the final psalm of the Psalms 107-118 corpus as the

following presentation of key-lexeme links, thematic-lexeme

links, and incidental-lexeme links indicates:

Key-Lexeme Links

none

Thematic-Lexeme Links

Myhlx (108:2, 6, 8, 12[2x], 14--118:27, 28[2x])--God

hdy (108:4--118:1, 19, 21, 28, 29)--give thanks,

thanksgiving

hvhy (108:4-118:1, 4, 5[2x], 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 15,

16[2x], 17, 18, 19, 20, 23, 24, 25[2x], 26[2x], 27, 29)--LORD

dsH (108:5--118:1, 2, 3, 4, 29)--lovingkindness

Mvr (108:6--118:16, 28)--exalt, lift up

fwy (108:7,13--118:14, 15, 21, 25)--save, deliver

Nymy (108:7--118:15, 16[2x])--right hand

hnf (108:7--118:5, 21)--answer

rzf (108:13--118:7, 13)--help

Mdx (108:13--118:6, 8)--man

hWf (108:14--118:6, 15, 16, 17, 24)--work, do, make

lyH (108:14--118:15, 16)--power, valiantly

Incidental-Lexeme Links

lk (108:6--118:10)--all

wxr (108:9--118:22)--head

rrc (108:13, 14--118:5)--adversary, distress

100

The 12 thematic-lexeme links together with the 3 incidental-

thematic links are responsible for 22% (15 of 67) of the lexical

groups of Psalms 108 and 21% (15 of 72) of those of Psalms 118.

The lack of key-lexeme linkages between Psalms 108 and 118

does not impact negatively the interrelationship between the 2

psalms since there are 12 vital thematic-lexeme interconnections

that unite the psalms.

Those thematic-lexeme linkages point to several themes held

in common by Psalms 108 and 118. The focus of both psalms is

God (Myhlx) the LORD (hvhy). He is the one to whom thanks (hdy)

are to be offered, in particular for His surpassing

lovingkindness (dsH). He is also deserving of exaltation

(Mvr). He is, moreover, a God of power (Nymy--right hand, lyH--

power, valiantly) who does (hWf) what He sets out to do, in

particular, the deliverance (fwy) of His people. The LORD

answers (hnf) His people's cry from the midst of their

situations of distress--His help (rzf) being far more effective

than any that man (Mdx) can offer.

Thematic Interconnections

Numerous themes interwoven throughout both Psalms 108 and

118 are held in common by the 2 psalms. (1) God is to be the

object of exultation and praise (Pss 108:2-4; 118:1-4, 19, 21,

28-29). (2) Righteous individuals project a joyful relationship

to the LORD, recognizing their knowledge or relationship to God

101

to be a reason for singing (Pss 108:2; 118:14-15). (3) The

defeat of the nations is accomplished through the LORD (Pss

108:8-10; 118:10-12). (4) Dependence on God is far better than

dependence upon man (Pss 108:13; 118:8-9). (5) When God is

defending the cause of His people, they have full confidence of

success (Ps 108:14; 118:6).

An additional connection between the 2 psalms arises from

the use of singular and plural descriptions of the enemy. In

Psalm 108, the identification of the adversary begins with a

list of nations (vv. 8-10), followed by the notation of a single

foe (v. 13), and concluded by a reference to a group of enemies

(v. 14). Psalm 118 varies this pattern slightly. The psalm

begins with word Mdx (man--v. 6) which, although it is in

the singular form, references a plural concept and might

logically be translated "men." Psalm 118 then utilizes plural

forms--nouns, verbs, and suffixed pronouns--in vv. 7, 10-12.

Next, the psalm alternates back to the singular form in v. 13 by

means of a singular verb (hHd⁸¹--push). Finally, the psalm

shifts once again to the plural form (utilizing metaphoric

language) in v. 22.

_________________

⁸¹The LXX, Syriac, and Vulgate understand this verb to be

a first person singular passive form. That emendation does not

appear to be necessary in light of the fact that various psalms

exhibit a comfort in shifting back and forth between plural and

singular forms to describe the enemies of God and of His people

(cf. Psalms 108, 109, 112).

102

Psalm 108--A Retrospective⁸²

Location within the Psalms 107-118 Corpus

Psalm 108 is the first of 3 sequential Davidic psalms

(Psalms 108-110) which are linked together by means of their

superscriptions. All 3 psalms are designated rvmzm (a psalm)

and all 3 are identified as being Davidic (dvd) in origin.

Furthermore, Psalm 108 relates to these 2 other psalms (and to

Psalm 118) by means of various references to Nymy (right hand), a

term that is found nowhere else within the Psalter in such a

concentrate frequency across 3 sequential psalms.

Whereas Psalm 107 sets forth the distress that God's people

face in generic is terms (i.e., without a specific reference to

human enemies), Psalm 108 begins a trilogy of psalms that

identify certain nations, an individual, or groups of

individuals as being the enemies of God's people or of God (Pss

108:8-10; 109:2-29; 110:5-6).⁸³

The contents of Psalm 108 flow naturally after those of

Psalm 107. Psalm 108:2-7 not only respond to the concluding

_________________

⁸²This retrospective compares Psalm 108 not only to the

subsequent 10 psalms of the Psalms 107-118 corpus but also to

the preceding psalm, i.e., Psalm 107.

⁸³Psalm 111 reverts back to a generic reference to the

enemy of God's people and, in fact, only makes an indirect

reference to the nations as being the problem faced by God's

people (v. 6).

103

remarks of psalm 107 but also parallel the 4 cries-for-

deliverance refrains (vv. 6, 13, 19, 28) and the 4 call-to-

thanks refrains (vv. 8, 15, 21, 31) of that psalm.

First, as noted in "Psalm 107--A Retrospective" above, the

final 2 verses of Psalm 107 (vv. 42-43) indicate that God's

people rejoice at the work of the LORD whereas the ungodly are

struck dumb and that person who desires to be wise needs to

contemplate God's lovingkindness. Psalm 108:2-6 present a

picture of righteous individual declaring his intention to

praise God and then actually offering that praise to God.

Furthermore, these verses (in particular, vv. 2-4) delineate

what the joy of the righteous person looks like--singing,

singing praises, playing musical instruments, giving thanks, and

praising God. Psalm 108:5, moreover, highlights God's great

lovingkindness as a reason why He is worthy of praise.

Second, there is perhaps a subtle interconnection that may

be made between Pss 107:41 and 108:2. The former verse states

that God sets the needy person securely on high (bgw). The

latter verse declares that the beloved of God himself is

securely established, his heart is steadfast (Nvk). Whether

these 2 verses are meant to complement one another in this way

is difficult at best to determine. The 2 main lexemes do not

appear elsewhere in combination as a word pair, and only rarely

within the same chapter of the text of the Hebrew Scriptures

104

(cf. Isa 2:2, 11, 17; 9:7, 11; 30:13, 33; Pss 59:1, 4; 107:36,

41; Prov 29:14, 25).

Third, Psalm 108, in reverse order to that which exists

between the need-for-help refrains and the thanksgiving refrains

of Ps 107 (vv. 6, 8, 13, 15, 19, 21, 28, 31), expresses

gratitude to God (Ps 108:2-6) and then pleads for God's

deliverance (Ps 108:7).⁸⁴

The concluding 2 verses of Psalm 108 link together

thematically with the initial verses of Psalm 109; they also

become a springboard for most of the contents of Psalm 109. In

Ps 108:13, God's help is sought against the adversary

(adversaries in v. 14) of His people. Psalm 109:2-5 then

describes what the adversaries have done. The psalm continues

by detailing what the servant of God hopes that God would do to

one particular adversary in order to punish that individual's

wrongdoings (vv. 6-20) and then what the servant of God desires

God to do his accusers as a group (vv. 26-29). The conclusion

of Psalm 108 and the beginning of Psalm 109, moreover, express a

_________________

⁸⁴The order may be reversed between the 2 psalms to

emphasize the difference between the way people who are not

fully serving God respond to a desperate situation and the way a

righteous person does. Whether all 4 situations of Psalm 107

refer to non-righteous people, however, is debatable. Definite

statements are made to characterize the second and third groups

(vv. 10-16 and 17-22, respectively) as being rebellious (vv. 11,

17). Yet nothing is specifically stated regarding as to whether

or not the first and fourth groups (vv. 4-9 and 23-32,

respectively ) are also ungodly. Neither of these last 2 groups,

however, is declared to be righteous.

105

realization that God's intervention is needed on behalf of God's

servant who appears unable by himself to thwart the efforts of

his oppressor(s).

Of the 67 lexemes of Psalm 108, 32 (48%) are replicated

elsewhere in the Psalms 107-118 corpus. There are, therefore,

25 (52%) lexemes that are hapax legomena for the corpus.⁸⁵

The following psalms have a greater frequency of lexical

interconnection to Psalm 118 than do the remaining psalms of the

Psalms 107-118 corpus: Psalms 107 (20), 109 (16), 118 (15), 115

(13), 116 (11), and 110 (10). The strongest numerical ties that

Psalm 108 has with any of the other 11 psalms is with its 2

neighbor psalms, i.e., Psalms 107 and 109. When the numerical

data are transformed into percentage data (i.e., percentage of

the total number of lexeme families of a given psalm), however,

the order changes significantly: Psalms 117 (40%), 115 (25%),

113 (23%), 10 (21%), and 118 (21%). Based on a percentage

analysis, Psalms 107 and 109 which have the greatest frequency

of lexical interconnections with Psalm 108 have, in fact, the

lowest percentage of lexical linkage with that psalm--just under

13% each.

_________________

⁸⁵There are no lexical families that are hapax legomena

for either the Psalter or the Hebrew Scriptures.

106

Within Psalm 108, there are 10 lexeme families that also

occur in 5 or more other psalms in the Psalms 107-118 corpus:

Myhlx (God), hdy (give thanks, thanksgiving), Mf (people), hvhy

(LORD), dsH (lovingkindness), Mvr (exalt, lift up), lk (all),

Crx (earth, land), rbd (speak), and hWf (work, do, make).

These terms in general convey the idea that the LORD God is

committed to the well being of His people and that they, as a

consequence, are to glorify Him with the words of their mouths.

Perhaps even more important that the list of lexemes just

presented is the delineation of those terms that function as

either key-lexeme links or thematic-lexeme links between Psalm

108 and a minimum of 3 other psalms in the corpus. That group

of 7 terms is as follows: hdy (give thanks, thanksgiving), hvhy

(LORD), dsH (lovingkindness), Myhlx (God), rzf (help), fwy

(save, deliver), and Nymy (right hand). An analysis of these

terms reveals that they are used primarily to depict God as

being the one who cares about His people so much so that He

protects and rescues them from their trouble, offering them help

that is unmatched by any other source.

Thematic Interconnections

The most significant lexical and thematic interconnection

that Psalm 108 makes with the other psalms in the Psalms 107-118

corpus relates to the nature and work of God. Together with

various of the other psalms of the corpus, Psalm 108 proclaims

107

that LORD is wonderful in His ways and far greater than His

creation. His lovingkindness, for example, is everlasting,

worthy of contemplation and praise, beyond the heavens in

greatness, and the basis for the deliverance of His people (cf.

Psalms 107, 109, 115, 118). God Himself is exalted above the

heavens and the earth (cf. Psalms 113-115); He is, moreover,

capable of redeeming His people from their adversaries, even if

those adversaries are powerful nations (cf. Psalms 107, 109-112,

114-116, 118).

A second level linkage from Psalm 108 to a number of other

psalms in the corpus is that of the need or desire for God's

people who are the recipients of God's benefits to praise or

thank Him for who He is and for what He has done. Psalm 108

specifically declares the determination of the beloved of God to

honor God with joyful expressions in the public arena--offering

that praise often in the midst of the enemies of God's people

(cf. Psalms 107, 109, 111-113, 115-118).

Strongest Linkages within the Corpus

The most direct linkage that Psalm 108 makes to other

psalms within the Psalms 107-118 corpus is that which arises as

a consequence of its superscription. Psalm 108 is identified as

a psalm (rvmzm) of David (dvdl). So too are Psalms 109 and 110.

These 3 psalms are the only psalms within the corpus that are so

identified. These 3 psalms, moreover, are linked together by

108

the thematic thread that speaks of God's ability to overcome the

enemies of His people. In addition, these 3 psalms are linked

through the use of the lexeme Nymy (right hand)--a term used in

all 3 psalm as a reference to God's power⁸⁶--a term that also

occurs with this same meaning in Psalm 118, thereby linking that

psalm to these 3 psalms.⁸⁷

The most significant lexical linkage (apart from those

associated with the superscription) that Psalm 108 makes with

any of the other psalms of the corpus is the interconnection it

has with Psalm 109 based on the lexeme Myhlx (God). The mutual

use of the term Myhlx (God) is, as noted above, the largest

grouping of the lexeme for any 2 consecutive psalms within Book

V of the Psalter. The second most important lexical

interconnection that Psalm 108 makes with any of the remaining

11 psalms of the corpus is that which it makes with Psalm 112 by

means of the clause bl Nvk (heart is steadfast). Both psalms

Pss 108:2; 112:7) use that clause to portray the settled

internal state of the person who honors God.

_________________

⁸⁶Psa1 109:6 also uses this term to indicate a place of

power at which an accuser stands to judge the wicked.

⁸⁷There are only 42 examples of the use of (right hand)

within the Psalter, 8 of which are captured in this corpus.

Those 8 citations account for more than twice as many

occurrences as are expected for a psalms corpus the size of the

present corpus under study.

109

Thematically, Psalm 108 links most closely to Psalm 107

with both psalms addressing the issues of God's ability to

deliver His people, God's dominance over creation, and the

praise which God is to receive. There is concatenation between

these 2 psalms, moreover, as Ps 108:4 contemplates the dsH

(lovingkindness) of hvhy (LORD) as Ps 107:43 directs those who

are MkH (wise) to do.

Psalm 109 in Context

Introduction to Psalm 109

Psalm 109 divides easily into 4 major sections. In vv. 1-

5, the God's servant pleads to God for Him to speak on his

behalf since his adversaries have unleashed a furious verbal

attack on him without cause. The servant of God then (vv. 6-20)

implores the LORD to enact the full force of His judgment

against one specific unnamed adversary. Following that strong

imprecation, the servant of God, who declares himself to be

afflicted and needy (v. 21), asks the LORD (vv. 21-29) to show

special kindness toward him in order to counteract the work of

his many adversaries (plural, once again). Finally (vv. 30-31),

he states that he will open his mouth to give thanks and praise

to the LORD for His willingness to protect and deliver those who

are in desperate straits.

110

Psalms 109 and 110

Lexical Interconnections

The frequency of lexical interconnections between Psalms

109 and 110 may be few, but those that do exist suggest

important connections between the 2 psalms. The following list

identifies those mutually held lexemes:

Key-Lexeme Links

dvd (109 :1--110: 1) --David

rvmzm (109 :1--110: 1) --psalm

Nymy (109 : 6, 31--110 : 1, 5 ) --right hand

Thematic-Lexeme Links

hvhy (109:14, 15, 20, 21, 26, 27, 30--110:1, 2, 4)--LORD

Crx (109:15--110:6)--earth, land

Nvdx⁸⁸ (109:21--110:1, 5)--Lord

wxr (109:25--110:6, 7)—head

Incidental-Lexeme Links

Mvy (109:8--110:3, 5)--day

brq (109:18, 22--110:2)--inward part, body, midst

The 9 lexemes that cross between the boundaries of Psalms 109

and 110 represent 7% (9 of 126) of the lexemes of Psalm 109 and

19% (9 of 47) of the lexeme families of Psalm 110.

As is true for Psalms 108 and 109, so too the same 3

lexemes--dvd (David), rvmzm (psalm), and Nymy (right hand)--

function as key-lexical links between Psalms 109 and 110. The

_________________

⁸⁸The Nvdx lexical family includes Nvdx and yndx—both of

which are translated "Lord"--here and passim in this chapter.

111

superscriptions of both Psalms 109 and 110 include in the same

order a declaration that the writings are Davidic in origin and

psalmic in nature (rvmzm dvdl). The third lexeme--Nymy (right

hand)--unites these latter 2 psalms with 2 citations in each.

There is, however, a difference in the usage of the lexeme in

the 2 psalms. In Psalm 109 Nymy is used in relation to

humankind, whereas in Psalm 110 in relation to deity.⁸⁹

Several terms also extend thematic considerations across

the 2 psalms. The first lexeme, hvhy (LORD), is utilized in

both psalms to reveal God's greatness and His power over the

adversary. The second term, Crx (earth, land), occurs in the

context of the destruction of the enemy. The memory of the

adversary is to be removed from the earth in Ps 109:15 and

leader of the wicked is to be scattered across the earth in

defeat in Ps110:6. The third lexical family group, Nvdx

(Lord), also arises in the context of the enemy, either focusing

on the deliverance of the righteous out of the hand of the

adversary on the humiliation of the wicked. The final

thematic-lexeme link between the 2 psalms is wxr (head)--the

_________________

⁸⁹In commenting on Ps 109:31, Delitzsch appears to suggest

that Nymy (right hand) in Ps 110:5 is used to refer to the needy

when he states: "Jahve comes forward at the right hand of the

poor, contending for him (cf. cx.5), to save (him) from those

who judge (xxxvii.33), i.e. condemn, his soul." Delitzsch,

Biblical Commentary on The Psalms, vol. III, 182. This

interpretation, however, does not fit the context of that

passage.

112

last thing the adversaries do in Ps 109:25 before the man of God

is delivered is to shake their wxr (head) in reproach regarding

the God's servant; the last thing God does in after defeating

the wxr (head or chief) of His enemies (Ps 110:6) is to lift

His wxr (head) in victory (Ps 110:7).

Thematic Interconnections

The most prominent theme mutually advanced by both of the

psalms study is that of the defeat of the enemy. The

servant of hopes for the downfall of the adversary in Psalm

109; in Psalm 110, God shows what the reality of that downfall

looks like. Among other components of that destruction,

judgment (Fpw⁹⁰) is desired in Ps 109:7; judgment (Nyd is

promised in Ps 110:6. Furthermore, the thorough degradation of

the enemy which is hoped for in Ps 109:6-20 is presented in

Psalm 110 by the declaration that the enemy will be made into a

footstool (v. 1), shattered (vv. 5, 6), and filled with corpses

(v. 6).

In addition, contrasting but related concepts unite Psalms

109 and 110. First, Ps 109:8 depicts an office (17b) or

responsibility being taken away from the wicked; Ps 110:1-2, 4

show the offices of King and Priest being given to the Righteous

One, i.e., the Lord. Second, whereas Ps 109:8, 13 record the

temporary nature of the wicked, Ps 110:4 reveals the eternality

_________________

⁹⁰The Fpw lexical family includes Fpw (judge) and Fpwm

(judgment) here and passim in this chapter.

113

of God. Third, the imagery of water (Mym) defines a contrast.

Psalm 109:18 proclaims that cursing flows through the body of

the adversary like water, whereas Ps 110:7 declares that water

drunk from a brook after a battle refreshes the one who defeats

the adversary.

Psalms 109 and 111

Lexical Interconnections

Although there are no key-lexeme links between Psalms 109

and 111, there are 6 thematic-lexeme links and 10 incidental-

lexeme link, as the following reveals:

Key-Lexeme Links

none

Thematic-Lexeme Links

rkz (109:14, 15, 16--111:4, 5)--remember

hvhy (109:14, 15, 20, 21, 26, 27, 30--111:1[2x], 2, 4, 10)--LORD

hWf (109:16, 21, 27--111:2, 4, 6, 7, 8, 10)--work, do, make

dy (109:27--111:7)--hand

hdy (109:30--111:1)--give thanks, thanksgiving

llh (109:30--111:1)--praise

Incidental-Lexeme Links

hlht (109:1--111:10)--praise

bvF (109:5, 21--111:10)--good

Fpw (109:7, 31--111:7)--judgment, judge

dmf (109:6, 31--111:3, 10)--stand

wrd (109:10--111:2)--seek

lk (109:11--111:1, 2, 7, 10)--all

NnH (109:12--111:4)--gracious

114

Mw (109:13, 21--111:9)--name

bbl (109:16--111:1)--heart

CpH (109:17--111:2)--delight, desire

The 16 lexemes identified above represent 13% of the 126 lexemes

of Psalm 109 and 33% of the 48 lexical families of the shorter

Psalm 111.

There is a sense of remembrance (rkz) conveyed by a

thematic-lexeme linkage between the 2 psalms, albeit a

significantly different elements are to be remembered. In Psalm

109, there is a call to remember the enemy's iniquity to the

LORD (v. 14), a hope that the memory (remembrance) of the wicked

would be eradicated (v. 15), and a declaration of the failure of

the wicked to remember to do good (v. 16). In Psalm 111, God's

works are to be remembered (v. 4) and God remembers His works

(v. 5).

In both Psalms 109 and 111, the lexeme LORD (hvhy) is used

to indicate the one who is at work (hWf) for His people. This

work is understood to be performed by the hand (dy--Pss 109:27;

111:7) of the LORD. As a consequence for all that the LORD has

done, He is to be openly honored--thanked (hdy) and praised

(llh)--by those who receive His benefits (Pss 109:30; 111:1).

Thematic Interconnections

In the earlier of the 2 psalms, the LORD is called upon to

deliver His people (Ps 109:26); in the latter, He is noted as

having provided that deliverance for them (Ps 111:9).

115

Psalms 109 and 112

Lexical Interconnections

The following list presents the lexical interconnections

that exist between Psalms 109 and 112

Key-Lexeme Links

none

Thematic-Lexeme Links

rkz (109:14, 15, 16--112:6)--remember

Crx (109:15--112:2)--earth, land

Nvybx (109:16, 22, 31--112:9)--needy

Incidental-Lexeme Links

fwr (109:2, 6, 7--112:10[2x])--wicked, guilty

rbd (109:2, 3, 20--112:5)--word, speak

hfr (109:5--112:7)--evil, wickedness, misery

bvF (109:5, 21--112:5)--good

dmf (109:6, 31--112:3,9)--stand

Fpw (109:7, 31--112:5)--judgment, judge

hyh (109:7, 8, 9, 12[2x], 13, 15, 19, 25--112:2, 6)--be

NnH (109:12--112:4, 5)--gracious

rvd (109:13--112:2)--generation

hvhy (109:14, 15, 20, 21, 26, 27, 30--112:1[2x], 7)--LORD

wyx (109:16--112:1, 5)--man

CpH (109:17--112:1)--delight, desire

bl (109:22--112:7, 8)--heart

jrb (109:24, 28--112:2)--bless, knee

hxr (109:25--112:8, 10)--see

dxm (109:30--112:1)--greatly

llh (109:30--112:1)--praise

116

There are 20 lexemes that occur in both Psalms 109 and 112.

These 20 lexemes represent 16% of the 126 lexemes of Psalm 109.

The 20 lexemes also comprise more than 1 out of every 3 words of

Psalm 112 (20 of 55, i.e., 36%).

There are no key-lexeme linkages between Psalm 109 and

Psalm 112.

Memory (rkz) in Psalm 109 is viewed in a negative context,

as it is used to describe the wicked--sin is to be remembered by

God for the purposes of judgment (v. 14); because of their

iniquity, the things the wicked do are not to be remembered

positively through time (v. 15); and the wicked person does not

remember to show lovingkindness to those in need (v. 16). In

Psalm 112, however, rkz is used to present the contrasting

picture of the righteous who are to be remembered (rkz) always

(v. 7).

A second linking lexeme between Psalms 109 and 112 also

highlights the contrast between the wicked (Psalm 109) and the

righteous (Psalm 112). That term is Crx (earth, land). The

memory of the wicked is to be cut off from the earth (Crx--Ps

109:15), whereas the descendants of the righteous will be

powerful on the earth (Crx--Ps 112:2).

Still one further contrast appears in the thematic-lexical

interconnections between the 2 psalms. This contrast is

observed in relation to the difference between the way the

117

wicked and the righteous treat those who are Nvybx (needy).

Both halves of the contrast are presented initially within Psalm

109 itself; the second half of the contrast is then continued in

Psalm 112. In Ps 109:16, the needy individual (Nvybx) is

persecuted by the wicked. In Ps 109:22, the servant of God

identifies himself as one of those needy (Nvybx) who is

undergoing persecution. Psalm 109 concludes (v. 31), however,

with a declaration that the LORD protects the needy (Nvybx) from

the persecution of the wicked. Psalm 112 carries forward that

contrasting attitude toward the needy by showing, in v. 9, that

the righteous gives freely to those who are in need (Nvybx).

Interestingly, another contrast appears in this same context of

the difference between the work of the wicked (Ps 109:16) and

that of the righteous (Ps 112:9) toward the needy. The outcomes

of the lives of those 2 diametrically opposite groups are

different. On the one hand, the memory of the wicked who

persecutes the needy is to be cut off (Ps 109:15-16). On the

other hand, the righteousness of the individual who helps the

needy endures forever (Ps 112:9).

Thematic Interconnections

Expanding on the contrasting lexical linkages described

above, the 2 psalms contain contrasting thematic

interconnections--a description of the nature and acts of the

wicked (Psalm 109) and a description of the nature and acts of

118

the righteous (Psalm 112). In Psalm 109, the wicked⁹¹ are

self-absorbed, seeking the harm and destruction of those who are

downtrodden (Ps 109:2-5, 16-18, 25, 28). The evil of the wicked

ultimately results in judgment and in the cutting off of that

which is dear to them (Ps 109:6-15, 19-20, 29). By contrast, in

Psalm 112, the righteous individual trusts in the LORD and is

committed to the well-being of others, especially those who are

downtrodden (Ps 112:1, 4, 7, 9). The outcome of the righteous

life is security, prosperity, and an eternal continuance of the

good which the righteous individual has done (Ps 112:2-3, 5-6,

8).

What brings these contrasting pictures together in the 2

psalms is that each psalm provides its own sub-contrast, i.e.,

an undercurrent of what characterizes the opposing individual

(i.e., the righteous in Psalm 109 and the wicked in Psalm 112).

In the former psalm, the righteous person is an individual who

trusts in LORD, exhibits confidence despite adverse

circumstances, and honors God openly (Ps 109:4, 28, 30). In the

latter psalm, the wicked abhor the well-being of the righteous;

ultimately the hopes of the wicked are shattered (Ps 112:10).

These 2 psalms, moreover, are linked together by a

stylistic device that both use to describe the enemy. Both

_________________

⁹¹The plural form of the term "wicked" is used here, but

the singular form could be used just as well to present the

content of Psalm 109. See below for an explanation of the shift

back and forth between the plural and the singular forms within

the text itself.

119

Psalms 109-112 introduce the enemy by means of plural

grammatical forms (Pss 109:2-5; 112:8). The 2 psalms then

change the form to the singular (Pss 109:6-19; 112:10a-b) and

finally conclude, once again, with plural forms (Pss 109:20, 25,

27-29, 31; 12:10c).

Psalms 109 and 113

Lexical Interconnections

The key-lexeme, thematic-lexeme, and incidental-lexeme

links between Psalms 109 and 113 appear below:

Key-Lexeme Links

none

Thematic-Lexeme Links

Nb (109:9, 10--113:9)--son, (pl.) children

hvhy (109:14, 15, 20, 21, 26, 27, 30--113:1[3x], 2, 3, 4, 5, 9)--

LORD

Mmx⁹²(109:14--113:9)--mother, people

Nvybx (109:16, 22, 31--113:7)--needy

llh (109:30--113:1[3x], 3, 9)--praise

Incidental-Lexeme Links

Myhlx (109:1, 26--113:5)--God

hyh (109:7, 8, 9, 12[2x], 13, 15, 19, 25--113:2)--be

lk (109:11--113:4)--all

Mw (109:13, 21--113:1, 2, 3)--name

Crx (109:15--113:6)--earth, land

_________________

⁹²The Mmx lexical family includes Mx (mother) and hmx

(people [but not handmaid--found within the corpus only in Ps

116:16]) here and passim in this chapter.

120

jrb (109:24, 28--113:2)--bless, knee

hxr (109:25--113:6)--see

Mvq (109:28--113:7)--rise

dbf (109:28--113:1)--servant

HmW (109:28--113:9)--joyful, rejoice, be glad

The 5 thematic-lexeme links coupled with the 10 incidental-

lexeme links between the 2 psalms account for 12% (15 of 126) of

the lexemes of Psalm 109. They account, however, for 43% (15 of

35) of the lexemes of Psalm 113.

Although there are no key-lexeme links between Psalms 109

and 113, there are 5 thematic-lexeme interconnections which

Psalms 109 and 113 use to express a number of ideas that are

held in common by the 2 psalms.

Those psalms make use of 2 of those terms to present

different views of the family situations of the wicked (Ps

109:9, 10, 14) and of the righteous (Ps 113:9). In Psalm 109

the Nb (son, [pl.] children) of the wicked is to become

fatherless and a nomadic beggar (Ps 109:9, 10); the sins of the

Mmx⁹³ (mother, people) of the wicked are to brought before the

LORD for judgment (Ps 109:14).

The lexeme hvhy (LORD) occurs frequently in both psalms--7

times in Psalm 109 and 8 times in Psalm 113. The LORD is the

one who oversees the lives and destinies of both the wicked and

the righteous (Pss 109:14, 15, 20, 21; 113:5). He is the one,

_________________

⁹³The lexical family of Mmx (mother, people) is

relatively rare within the Psalter, occurring only 13 times.

121

moreover, who, in particular, demonstrates a care for those who

do not typically have a human advocate to defend their cause

(Pss 109:31; 113:7-9).

Both psalms exhibit a concern for the Nvybx (needy--Pss

109:16, 22, 31; 113:7). Both psalms, moreover, specifically

reveal the LORD's concern for the needy (Pss 109:31; 113:7).

The final significant thematic-lexical interconnection

between the 2 psalms is the term llh (praise). Psalms 109 and

113 use this term to express a desire that the LORD receive

honor from the lips of humans (Pss 109:30; 113:1[3x], 3, 9).

Thematic Interconnections

Both Psalms 109 and 113 teach that God is able to provide

much-needed help to those who are unable to control their own

situations. In Psalm 109, God is close at hand to the needy and

the afflicted (vv. 21-22, 31). In Psalm 113, God elevates those

who are in desperate straits--He raises them to a level equal to

that of the leaders of their people (vv. 7-8). He also brings

blessed joy to the barren woman, giving her children (v. 9).

Psalms 109 and 114

Lexical Interconnections

There are few lexical links between Psalms 109 and 114.

Those lexical interconnections that do exist are only

122

incidental-lexeme links. There are no key-lexeme or thematic-

lexeme links between the 2 psalms, as the following list

indicates:

Key-Lexeme Links

none

Thematic-Lexeme Links

none

Incidental-Lexeme Links

Myhlx (109:1, 26--114:7)--God

bbs (109:3--114:3, 5)--turn around, surround

xcy (109:7--114:1)--go forth

hyh (109:7, 8, 9, 12[2x], 13, 15, 19, 25--114:2)--be

Nb (109:9,10--114:4, 6)--son, (pl.) children

Crx (109:15--114:7)--earth, land

Mym (109:18--114:8[2x])--water

Nvdx (109:21--114:7)--Lord

hxr (109:25--114:3)--see

The relatively few interconnecting lexemes between the 2 psalms

represent 7% (9 of 126) of the lexical families of Psalm 109.

They also comprise more then 1 out of every 4 lexemes of Psalm

114 (9 of 34, i.e., 26%).

Thematic Interconnections

The primary thematic linkage between Psalms 109 and 114

concerns the matter of the response that people should exhibit

when they recognize the demonstration of God's power. In Psalm

109, that response--on the part of the wicked--is one of

123

dishonor and shame (vv. 27-29). In Psalm 114, that response is

one of trembling on the part of the whole earth (v. 7).

Psalms 109 and 115

Lexical Interconnections

There are numerous lexeme linkages between Psalms 109 and

115, as the list below reveals:

Key-Lexeme Links

none

Thematic-Lexeme Links

Myhlx (109:1, 26--115:2, 3)--God

hvhy (109:14, 15, 20, 21, 26, 27, 30--115:1, 9, 10, 11[2x], 12, 13,

14, 15, 16, 17, 18[2x])--LORD

jrb (109:24, 28--115:12[3x], 13, 15, 18)--bless, knee

rzf (109:26--115:9, 10, 11)--help

dy (109:27--115:4, 7)--hand

llh (109:30--115:17, 18)--praise

Incidental-Lexeme Links

hp (109:2[2x], 30--115:5)--mouth

rbd (109:2, 3, 20--115:5)--word, speak

hyh (109:7, 8, 9, 12[2x], 13, 15, 19, 25--115:8)--be

Nb (109:9,10--115:14, 16)--son, (pl.) children

lk (109:11--115:3, 8, 17)--all

dsH (109:12, 16, 21, 26--115:1)--lovingkindness

Mw (109:13, 21--115:1)--name

rkz (109:14, 15, 16--115:12)--remember

Crx (109:15--115:15, 16)--earth, land

hWf (109:16, 21, 27--115:3, 4, 8, 15)--work, do, make

tvm (109:16--115:17)--death, die

CpH (109:17--115:3)--delight, desire

124

jlh (109:23--115:7)--go, walk

hxr (109:25--115:5)--see

There are 20 lexical interconnections between Psalms 109 and

115. Those interconnections comprise 16% (20 of 126) of the

lexemes of Psalm 109. They also represent 38% (20 of 52) of the

lexical families of Psalm 115.

There are no key-lexeme links between Psalm 109 and Psalm

115.

A component of the thematic-lexical interconnections is the

use of Myhlx (God) relates to His hiddenness. In Ps 109:1, the

servant of God pleads to God that He not remain silent. The

enemy has been speaking against God's servant, but God has not

yet taken up that individual's defense. Seemingly, Myhlx (God)

is nowhere to be found. In Ps 115:2, the adversary also

questions the existence or presence of God. Where is He? Once

again, and this time from the perspective of the adversary,

Myhlx (God) is nowhere to be found.

When the hvhy (LORD) does make His presence known, however,

He is more than capable of providing rzf (help) to those in

trouble (Pss 109:21, 26; 115:9-11).

This God, both psalms note, is the one who blesses (jrb)

His people, whether they are as few in number as an individual

servant of the LORD (Ps 109:28) or they are as great in number

as the entirety of His people (Ps 115:12-13).

125

The final thematic-lexical interconnection focuses on the

fact that God is to be praised. In Ps 109:30, the afflicted

servant of the LORD declares that he will praise the LORD. In

addition, Ps 115:18 commands its readers (i.e., Israel, the

house of Aaron, and those who fear the LORD--vv. 9-11) to offer

praise to the LORD. Thus, the combination of the contexts of

the previous thematic-lexical linkage (jrb--bless) and the

current interconnection (llh--praise) suggest that whomever the

LORD blesses should be the one(s) who break(s) forth in praise

to the Him.

Thematic Interconnections

Both Psalms 109 and 115 state that the LORD is the one to

whom to turn for help and protection (Pss 109:21, 26; 115:9-11).

The 2 psalms, moreover, pronounce the LORD as the one from whom

blessing comes (Pss 109:28; 115:12-15).

Both psalms also express a confidence that the true God is

able to defeat the works of the hands of the enemies of His

people (Pss 109:6-20, 26-29; 115:3-8).

The 2 psalms, furthermore, each conclude with a declaration

of a commitment to honor God (Ps 109:30--hdy [give thanks] and

llh (praise]; Ps 115:18--jrb [bless] and llh [praise]) openly

in the public arena.

126

Psalms 109 and 116

Lexical Interconnections

There are numerous lexemes that are used jointly by Psalms

109 and 116. Those lexemes are cited below:

Key-Lexeme Links

none

Thematic-Lexeme Links

Myhlx (109:1, 26--116:5)--God

hvhy (109:14, 15, 20, 21, 26, 27, 30--116:1, 4[2x], 5, 6, 7, 9, 12,

13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19[2x])--LORD

tvm (109:16--116:3, 8, 15)--death, die

wpn (109:20, 31--116:4, 7, 8)--soul

fwy (109:26, 31--116:6)--save, deliver

hdy (109:30--116:17)--give thanks, thanksgiving

jvt (109:30--116:19)--midst

llh (109:30--116:19)--praise

Incidental-Lexeme Links

Htp (109:2--116:16)--open

rbd (109:2, 3, 20--116:10)--word, speak

Mvy (109:8--116:2)--day

Nb (109:9, 10--116:16)--son, (pl.) children

lk (109:11--116:11, 12, 14, 18)--all

NnH (109:12--116:5)--gracious

Mw (109:13, 21--116:4, 13, 17)--name

Crx (109:15--116:9)--earth, land

ynf (109:16, 22--116:10)--be afflicted,

bhx (109:17--116:1)--love

hFn (109:23--116:2)--stretch out, bend,

jlh (109:23--116:9)--go, walk

dbf (109:28--116:16[2x])--servant

dxm (109:30--116:10)--greatly

127

The 22 co-utilized lexeme groups just mentioned total 17% (22 of

126) of the lexemes of Psalm 109. They also add up to 32% of

the 68 lexical families of Psalm 116.

There are no key-lexeme interconnections between Psalms 109

and 116, but there are 8 thematic-lexeme links that are

described in the next several paragraphs.

God (Myhlx) is a God, according to both psalms, who

exhibits a caring nature--lovingkindness (dsH) in Ps 109:26,

compassion (MHr) in Ps 116:5.

Both psalms use the term hvhy (LORD) in similar ways.

First, they use the lexeme as a vocative of address to make a

declarative statement regarding the LORD (Pss 109:27; 116:16) or

to seek the LORD's help (Pss 109:21, 26; 116:4). Second, the 2

psalms also record the word hvhy (LORD) to indicate the one who

is to be honored (Pss 109:30; 116:14, 18, 19).

Another thematic lexeme occurring in both psalms is the

term bvm (death, die). Psalm 116 declares that the servant of

the LORD came close to death (v. 3) but that God delivered him

from that death (v. 8). The psalm does not depict that near

death experience as coming to the servant of the LORD naturally,

but rather at the hands of those who afflicted him greatly (vv.

10-11). Psalm 109 sets a similar backdrop for a death-related

encounter that parallels the event described in Psalm 116. The

servant of God in Psalm 109 states that his adversary persecuted

128

an afflicted and needy man--a despondent man--to put him to

death (Ps 109:16).

Likewise, the use of the term wpn (soul) in Psalm 109 sets

a springboard for its use in Psalm 116. In Ps 109:20 the

accusers speak evil against the wpn (soul) of the servant of

God. In Ps 109:31, the LORD stands beside the needy to rescue

him from those who judge his wpn. In Ps 116:4 the servant of

God calls upon the LORD to save his wpn (soul)--which the LORD

does with the result that his wpn (soul) can rest in confidence

in the blessing of the LORD (Ps 116:7-8).

Closely tied to this use of the term wpn (soul) is the

contextual development of the lexeme fwy (save, deliver). In Ps

109:26, the servant of the LORD pleads to Him to fwy (save,

deliver) him. He then acknowledges that fact that the LORD does

fwy (save, deliver) those who are in trouble but does not

indicate that the LORD had saved him. In Ps 116:6, the servant

of the LORD in that psalm proclaims that the LORD, in fact, did

fwy (save, deliver) him from seemingly hopeless position in

which he found himself.

The final 2 thematic-lexeme links between Psalms 109 and

116--jvt (midst) and llh (praise) --occur near the end of each

psalm. Both terms are present in the same verses (Pss 109:30;

116:19). The servant of the LORD in both psalms desires to make

his expression of gratitude to the LORD in the public forum, in

129

the midst (jvt) of many. He also desires that the LORD would

receive praise (llh).

Thematic Interconnections

Two primary themes extend across the 2 psalms under study.

Both psalms declare that God is a deliverer of those who are

facing life-threatening situations (Pss 109:1, 26-27, 31; 116:3-

7, 8-11). Both psalms also reveal the desire that God be

honored (Pss 109:30; 116:2, 13-14, 17-19)--and that that honor

be expressed openly before many people (Pss 109:30; 116:14, 18-

19).

Psalms 109 and 117

Lexical Interconnections

Although Psalm 117 is the smallest psalm in the Psalms 107-

118 corpus, it registers 3 thematic-lexeme links and 2

incidental-lexeme link with Psalm 109, as the following reveals:

Key-Lexeme Links

none

Thematic-Lexeme Links

dsH (109:12, 16, 21, 26--117:2)--lovingkindness

hvhy (109:14, 15, 20, 21, 26, 27, 30--117:1, 2[2x])--LORD

llh (109:30--117:1, 2)--praise

Incidental-Lexeme Links

lk (109:11--117:1[2x])--all

Mmx (109:14--117:1)--mother, people

130

The 5 lexemes that occur in both Psalms 109 and 117 account for

only 4% of the 126 lexemes of Psalm 109 but 50% of the 10 lexeme

families of Psalm 117.

There are no key-lexeme links between Psalms 109 and 117.

The first mutually held thematic lexeme is dsH

(lovingkindness). This term is used in both psalms in relation

to the LORD to show that the LORD is good to His people (Pss

109:21, 26; 117:2).

The final 2 jointly utilized lexemes--hvhy (LORD) and llh

(praise)--are tied together in both psalms. The LORD is the one

to be praised because of His actions toward His people (Pss

109:30-31; 117:1-2).

Thematic Interconnections

The conclusion of Psalm 109 (vv. 30-31) and the entirety of

Psalm 117 (vv. 1-2) focus on essentially the same issue--the

praise of the LORD. Psalm 109 indicates that LORD is to be

thanked (hdy—Ps 109:30) and praised (llh—Ps 109:30); Psalm

117, that He is to be praised (llh--Ps 117:1-2) and extolled

(Hbw--Ps 117:1). Both psalms, moreover, declare all (Psalm

109) or part (Psalm 117) of the reason that God is to be honored

is His work in relation to humans.

131

Psalms 109 and 118

Lexical Interconnections

There are numerous thematic-lexeme and incidental-lexeme

interconnections between Psalms 109 and 118, as is recorded in

the list below:

Key-Lexeme Links

none

Thematic-Lexeme Links

bbs (109:3--118:10, 11[2x], 12)--turn around, surround

bvF (109:5, 21--118:1, 8, 9, 29)--good

dsH (109:12, 16, 21, 26--118:1, 2, 3, 4, 29)--lovingkindness

Mw (109:13, 21--118:10, 11, 12, 26)--name

hvhy (109:14, 15, 20, 21, 26, 27, 30--118:1, 4, 5[2x], 6, 7, 8, 9,

10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16[2x], 17, 18, 19, 20, 23, 24, 25[2x],

26[2x], 27, 29)--LORD

hz⁹⁴ (109:20, 27--118:20, 23, 24)--this

hxr (109:25--118:7)--see

rzf (109:26--118:7,13)--help

fwy (109:26, 31--118:25)--save, deliver

hdy (109:30--118:1, 19, 21, 28, 29)--give thanks,

thanksgiving

Incidental-Lexeme Links

Myhlx (109:1, 26--118:27, 28[2x])--God

Htp (109:2--118:19)--open

Nymy (109:6, 31--118:15, 16[2x])--right hand

hyh (109:7, 8, 9, 12[2x], 13, 15, 19, 25--118:14, 21, 22, 23)--be

Mvy (109:8--118:24)--day

lk (109:11--118:10)--all

_________________

⁹⁴The hz lexical family includes hz (this [m.]) and txz

(this [f.]) here and passim in this chapter.

132

hWf (109:16, 21, 27--118:6, 15, 16, 17, 24)--work, do, make

tvm (109:16--118:17, 18)--death, die

xvb (109:17, 18--118:19, 20, 26)--come, enter

wxr (109:25--118:22)--head

jrb (109:24, 28--118:26[2x])--bless, knee

HmW (109:28--118:24)--joyful, rejoice, be glad

These 22 jointly utilized lexemes represent 17% (22 or 126) of

the lexical families of Psalm 109 and 31% (22 of 72) of the

lexemes of Psalm 118.

No key-lexeme links exist between Psalms 109 and 118.

There are, however, numerous thematic-lexeme links which are

discussed in the following paragraphs.

Both psalms express the feelings of an individual being

closed in, i.e., bbs (surrounded), by his enemies. In Ps

109:3, the adversaries' words of hatred that overwhelmed that

individual, even though he was innocent of their charges. In Ps

118:10-12, the speaker in that psalm bemoans the fact the

nations had swarmed around him (to do him harm).

The thematic-lexemes of bvF (good) and dsH

(lovingkindness) are used once in Psalm 109 and twice in Psalm

118 (vv. 1, 29) within the same general thematic context of

God's greatness. In Ps 109:21, God's dsH (lovingkindness) is

bvF (good); in Ps 118:1, 29, God Himself is bvF (good) and His

dsH (lovingkindness) is everlasting.

In addition, both psalms present God's Mw (name) as being

important in the context of deliverance. In Ps 109:21, the

133

servant of the LORD seeks God's help to extricate him from an

oppressive situation for the sake of God's Mw (name).

Likewise, the speaker in Ps 118:10-12 declares that the Mw

(name) of the LORD is the basis on which he defeats the enemies

who surround him.

The lexeme hvhy (LORD) permeates both psalms. It occurs 8

times (in 8 verses) in Psalm 109 and 28 times (in 24 verses) in

Psalm 118. In both psalms this lexeme occurs in at least 3

mutually shared contexts--in the deliverance of the distressed

individual (Pss 109:21, 26; 118:5-12, 14, in the demonstration

of God's power (Pss 109:27 ; 118:15-17), and in the honoring of

the LORD by those who recognize God's character or good work

(Pss 109:30; 118:1, 19, 29).

Although normally one does not expect the term hz (this) to

be a significant contributor to the thematic development of a

portion of Scripture, yet the lexeme occurs only 21 times within

the Psalter and only 8 times within Book V. The relative rarity

of the term within poetic settings suggests, then, that, when

the term does appear in poetry (such as in Psalms 109 and 118),

its function within the poem should be considered closely. Both

Psalms 109 and 118 use the term hz in the context of the LORD's

work on behalf of His people in order to emphasize that the LORD

has accomplished a special work despite the opposition of the

enemy (Pss 109:27; 118:23).

134

The verb hxr (see) is used in both Psalms 109 and 118 in

the context of one person looking down on another person--in a

way that disparages the person in the lower position. In Ps

109:25, the adversary looks down on the servant of God with an

attitude of disgust and reproach; in Ps 118:7, the speaker looks

down upon his enemies in triumph (gloating?) over them.

In addition, both psalms take notice of the fact that help

(rzf)--Pss 109:26; 118:7,13) in the face of the enemy comes from

the LORD and that the LORD is the one who provides deliverance

(fwy--Pss 109:26, 31; 118:25) in such desperate situations. As a

consequence, both psalms convey an understanding that there is a

need to give thanks (hdy--Pss 109:30; 118:1, 19, 21, 28, 29) to a

God who is so gracious.

Thematic Interconnections

Both Psalms 109 and 118 are concerned with a righteous

individual's deliverance from a difficult situation--a

deliverance that can be effected only by the LORD. In Psalm

109, the servant of God invokes an imprecation against his

adversaries, and in particular against one person who oppressed

not only the servant of God, but others as well (Ps 109:2-20,

29). He, therefore, seeks God's help to extricate him from an

otherwise hopeless situation (Ps 109:26-28). The speaker in

Psalm 118 declares that, in the past, after he had called upon

God, God delivered him from his distress (Ps 118:5). He now

135

anticipates that, once more, with the LORD's help, he would

succeed---this time, in the face of other enemies (Ps 118:7, 10-

14, 25).

The righteous individuals of both Psalms 109 and 118,

moreover, proclaim their commitment to honoring their Deliverer

openly (Pss 109:30; 118:17, 19, 21, 28).

In addition, both psalms recognize the importance of God's

character as being an underlying component in His actions on

behalf of His people. In particular, both psalms point to the

dsH (lovingkindness) of the LORD (Pss 109:21, 26; 118:1-4, 29).

Both psalms also focus on the LORD's ability to protect His

people and to accomplish His ends (Pss 109:21, 26-28, 31; 118:5-

9, 13-16).

In addition, Psalms 109 and 118 utilize linguistic shifts,

back and forth, from plural to singular or from singular to

plural, to describe the enemies of God or of His people. Psalm

109 begins with the plural (vv. 2-5), continues with the

singular (vv. 6-19), and concludes with the plural (vv. 20, 25,

27-29, 31). By contrast, Psalm 118 varies that pattern

slightly, beginning with the singular form (v. 6--a form which

in context may be understood as descriptive of a generic group),

shifting to plural forms (vv. 7, 10-12), alternating back to the

singular (v. 13), and then concluding with a plural (v. 22).

136

Psalm 109--A Retrospective⁹⁵

Location within the Psalms 107-118 Corpus

Psalm 109 is the middle of 3 sequential Davidic psalms.

Together Psalms 108, 109, and 110 present a chiastic structure

to their organization, with Psalm 109 functioning as the central

point. Both Psalms 108 and 110 focus primarily on God's work

against the enemies of His people on a national level (Pss

108:8-10; 110:5-6). Psalm 109, however, also presents God's

action in relation to the His servant's personal adversary or

adversaries (Ps 109:2-29).

This chiastic structure, moreover, is strengthened by the

use of the lexeme Nymy (right hand) in these 3 psalms. In Psalms

108 and 110, Nymy (right hand) occurs within the sphere of deity

(Pss 108:6; 110:1, 5). Here, in Psalm 109, the middle psalm,

Nymy (right hand) is used to focus on the realm of humanity--

first on the wicked and then on the righteous, i.e., the needy

(Ps 109:6, 31).

The beginning of Psalm 109 looks backward to the concluding

verses of Psalm 108 in 2 ways--through the continuance of the

theme of the adversary and through the use of the lexeme family

of Myhlx (God). First, in Ps 109:2-5, oppressors have acted

_________________

⁹⁵This retrospective compares Psalm 109 not only to the

subsequent 9 psalms of the Psalms 107-118 corpus but also to the

preceding 2 psalms.

137

aggressively against the servant of the LORD and he appears to

be powerless to stop them. Yet, he knows that God is able to

speak on His behalf, if He chooses to do so (Ps 109:1). This

thought reflects that which is projected in Ps 108:13-14, in

which the speaker in that psalm acknowledges the hopeless

condition he faces against his enemies--hopeless, that is, apart

from God's help.

Second, both Psalms 108 and 109 use the term Myhlx (God)

in a syntactic function that is unique to these 2 psalms within

the Psalms 107-118 corpus. In both psalms, Myhlx (God) is used

as a vocative of address.⁹⁶ This form occurs at the conclusion

of Psalm 108--twice in v. 12--and at the beginning of Psalm 109-

-once in v. 1. Interestingly, this syntactical use also occurs

near the beginning of Psalm 108 (vv. 2, 6) and near the

conclusion of Psalm 109 (v. 26).

The concluding verses of Psalms 109 (i.e., vv. 26-31),

moreover, make numerous connections with the first 3 verses of

Psalm 110. Lexically, both hold in common 2 terms: hvhy (LORD--

Pss 109:26, 27, 30; 110:1, 2) and Nymy (right hand--Pss 109:31;

110:1). In both sections, hvhy (LORD) is seen as the central

_________________

⁹⁶Psalm 109 uses the term Myhlx (God) exclusively as a

vocative of address. By contrast, although Psalm 108 makes

extensive use of the term Myhlx (God) as a vocative of address,

this psalm does not use Myhlx (God) solely as a vocative of

address. Psalm 108:8 records the term as the subject of its

sentence, whereas Ps 108:14 utilizes this word as an object of a

preposition.

138

figure who either is urged to take action (Ps 109:26-29) or who

declares His intent to take action (Ps 110:1-2). Furthermore,

the positional idea of Nymy (right hand) comes into consideration

in the last verse of Psalm 109 and in the first verse of Psalm

110. In both cases, the LORD operates for the benefit of the

one in relation to whom the lexeme Nymy (right hand) is

mentioned. In Ps 109:31, the LORD Himself is at the right hand

of the needy and from that vantage point He ensures the

deliverance of that downtrodden individual from those who

oppress him. In Ps 110:1-2, the LORD (hvhy) has the Lord (Nvdx)

sit at His (hvhy's) Nymy (right hand) until the time when He

(hvhy) subdues His (Nvdx' s) enemies.

In addition, both Pss 109:26-31 and 110:1-3 link together

thematically around 2 issues. First, both sets of verses make

reference to the abasing of enemies--an abasing which is the

work of the LORD. Second, both passages present a picture of

the godly person as one who turns to the LORD to honor Him (with

words in Ps 109:30-31 and with deeds in Ps 110:3).

Lexical Interconnections

Psalm 109, the second largest psalm in the Psalms 107-118

corpus (based on the number of lexical families each psalm

contains), contains 126 lexemes, of which 51% (64 of 126) are

139

oberved to occur also in at least 1 other psalm in the corpus

and 49% (62 of 126) are hapax legomena to the corpus.⁹⁷

The 64 duplicated lexemes appear in varying numbers among

each of the other 11 psalms of the corpus. The psalms which

contain the larger number jointly held lexemes are as follows:

Psalms 107 (38), 118 (22), 116 (21), 112 (20), and 115 (20).

When all of the figures are recalculated to show a percentage of

the total lexeme population of each of the psalms, the order of

the degree of coincidence (for those containing 30% or more

duplication) then becomes Psalms 117 (50%), 113 (43%), 115

(38%), 112 (36%), 111 (33%), 116 (31%), and 118 (31%). Thus the

lexemes of Psalm 109 exhibit a high degree of interconnection

with the lexemes of most of the remaining 11 psalms of the

corpus.

There are 11 lexeme families in Psalm 109 that also appear

in 5 or more of the other psalms of the corpus. Those lexemes

are Myhlx (God), rbd (speak), hyh (be), lk (all), Mw (name),

hvhy (LORD), Crx (earth, land), hWf (work, do, make), hxr

(see), hdy (give thanks, thanksgiving), and llh (praise). In

addition to these general linkages, there are 7 terms (some the

same, some different) that function as either key-lexeme

linkages or thematic-lexeme linkages between Psalm 109 and 3 or

_________________

⁹⁷There are 9 lexeme families in Psalm 109 which are also

hapax legomena for the Psalter. None, however, is a hapax

logomenon for the Hebrew Scriptures.

140

more of the remaining 11 psalms of the Psalms 107-118 corpus:

dsH (lovingkindness), hdy (give thanks, thanksgiving), hvhy

(LORD), rzf (help), fwy (save, deliver), llh (praise), and

Myhlx (God). These important lexemes work together to present

the LORD as a compassionate God who helps (far more effectively

than any human does) and delivers His people. He is, therefore,

to be honored by the sacrifices of thanksgiving and praise of

His people.

Thematic Interconnections

Psalm 109 connects lexically and thematically with various

of the psalms of the Psalms 107-118 corpus. The central thrust

of the psalm which is replicated in numerous ways elsewhere

reads as follows: the LORD is (1) the judge of the enemy, (2)

the blesser and deliverer of His people, and (3) the one who is

deserving of abundant praise.

First, hvhy (the LORD) rules over His adversaries and the

adversaries of His people. He functions in Psalm 109 as a

knowledgeable judge who is cognizant of the misdeeds of people

(v. 14). He also has the power and ability to carry out a

sentence of judgment against those who are found guilty (vv. 15,

20). Likewise, in Psalms 107, 108, and 110, hvhy controls the

destinies of the wicked. In Ps 107:40, He demonstrates outrage

at those who oppress the downtrodden, causing those who act

unjustly to be stripped of their wealth and security.

141

Furthermore, He dictates judgment against the nations (Pss

108:8-10; 110:6), treads down or destroys the enemies of His

people (Pss 108:14; 110:5-6), and rules over those defeated

adversaries (Ps 110:2).

Second, the LORD is a God who brings joy to His people; He

is also capable of rescuing them from their adversaries. The

LORD both blesses (jrb--Pss 109:29--107:38; [112:2]; 115:12,

13, 15) and gladdens (HmW--Pss 109:29--107:30, 42; 113:9;

118:24) His people. He is, moreover, able to help (rzf--Pss

109:26--115:9, 10, 11; 118:13), deliver (lcn--Pss 109:21--

107:6), and save (fwy--Pss 109:26, 31--107:13, 19; 108:6; 116:6;

118:25) them from any oppressive situation in which they find

themselves.

Third, the LORD is worthy of public honor from His people.

The Psalm 109 declares that in the midst of many people, the

servant of God will give abundant thanks and praise to the LORD

(v. 30).⁹⁸ Various of the other psalms of the Psalms 107-118

corpus also record that the LORD is deserving of praise or honor

or exaltation in the public forum (Pss 107:32; 108:4; 111:1;

113:3; 116:19; 117:1).

In addition, the servant of the LORD in Psalm 109 expresses

high praise and respect (Ps 109:21, 26) when he utilizes the

_________________

⁹⁸Brennan states: "The Psalm ends on the usual note of

confidence and thanksgiving (vv. 30-31) in words which re-echo

108,4 and respond to 107,1.8.15.21-22.31." Brennan, "Some

Hidden Harmonies in the Fifth Book of Psalms," 130.

142

term dsH (lovingkindness) in relation to the LORD. Similar

expressions can be found as well in Pss 107:1, 8, 15, 21, 31,

43; 108:4; 115:1; 117:2; and 118:1, 2, 3, 4, 29.

Strongest Linkages within the Corpus

Psalm 109 is the second of 3 psalms headed by

superscriptions designating David as the author of those psalms.

As such, it links backward to Psalm 108 and forwards to Psalm

109. Psalm 109 also connects with those 2 psalms (and to Psalm

118) by means of the lexeme Nymy (right hand) which emphasizes in

those psalms the power of God. In addition, as cited

previously, there is a strong concatenation between the lexemes

that begin Psalm 109 and those that conclude Psalm 108 and

between those that conclude Psalm 109 and those that begin Psalm

110.

Furthermore, although Psalm 109 is of a different genre

than Psalm 110 (an imprecatory psalm versus a messianic

psalm,⁹⁹respectively), Psalm 109 finds in Psalm 110 a

particularly close thematic yokefellow. What Psalm 109 begins,

Palm 110 completes. On the one side, Psalm 109 cries out to

the LORD for the total destruction of the enemy. On the other

_________________

⁹⁹See below, in the section titled "Introduction to Psalm

110," for a discussion for a discussion of the messianic

character of Psalm 110. Whether or not the position of this

dissertation can be maintained regarding the specific genre of

Psalm 110, the fact remains that Psalm 109 and Psalm 110 are

significantly different relative to their individual genres.

143

side, Psalm 110 depicts the thoroughness of such a devastation

as the LORD tramples down the enemy like grist in a mill.

Psalm 110 in Context

Introduction to Psalm 110

Psalm 110:1-4 transports the reader into a heavenly venue

where hvhy (LORD) announces to yndx (Lord) that He (hvhy) will

defeat His (yndx's) enemies and cause Him (yndx) to rule as King

over a people receptive to His (yndx's) authority. Then, in Ps

110:4, hvhy (LORD) declares yndx (Lord) to be a priest according

to the order of Melchizedek--a position which yndx (Lord)

maintains eternally. Psalm 110 concludes (vv. 5-7) with a

proclamation that yndx (Lord) will gain victory over the

numerous powerful enemies that He (yndx) encounters and then

rest.

Without assessing in depth all of the controversy

surrounding this psalm, this dissertation supports the messianic

view of Psalm 110 rather than either the argument that

understands the psalm to be set in the context of an Autumnal

Festival or the position that espouses as the Sitz im Leben of

the psalm the enthronement of an earthly ruling king.¹⁰⁰

_________________

¹⁰⁰A. A. Anderson, The Book of Psalms, vol. 2, Psalms 73-

150, New Century Bible Commentary, eds. Ronald E. Clements and

Matthew Black (Grand Rapids, Mich: Eerdmans, 1972), 767; and M.

J. Paul, "The Order of Melchizedek (Ps 110:4 and Heb 7:3),"

Westminster Theological Journal 49 (1987): 195.

144

The Autumnal Festival view, which is advocated by fewer

scholars than is the enthronement position, argues, in Gammie's

words, that "the setting of the psalms in relation to natural

phenomena, and especially the autumnal rainfall, is as important

as their setting in the cult."¹⁰¹ This view maintains that the

ancients attached great significance to natural phenomena due to

their belief that when they "heard the thunder of the heavens

and saw the lightning, . . . Yahweh, in the heavenly realm, was

sitting in judgment on the gods of the nations."¹⁰²

Furthermore, the supposed purpose of the Autumnal Festival

(which was assumed to have convened during October and November)

was to ensure that God would respond kindly to His people and

end the drought season. Gammie, therefore, argues that the

occasion of Psalm 110 "seems to have been a drought" and that,

because Ps 110:7 states that the king will drink from a torrent

along the way, "water was sparse."¹⁰³

A weakness of the Autumnal Festival position is that it

concludes on the basis of the 1 reference to water in Ps 110:7

that Psalm 110 finds its Sitz im Leben in the Autumnal

Festival--without adequately accounting for the numerous other

_________________

¹⁰¹John G. Gammie, "A New Setting for Psalm 110," Anglican

Theoloaical Review 51 (1969): 4.

¹⁰²Gammie, "A New Setting for Psalm 110," 7.

¹⁰³Gammie, "A New Setting for Psalm 110," 11.

145

promises made within the psalm itself. Another weakness of this

view is that there is no biblical evidence that directly

supports the existence of such a festival in ancient Israel.

By contrast to the Autumnal Festival view, the enthronement

position understands Psalm 110 to be a hymn used in the

ceremonies surrounding the coronation of an earthly king--with

or without allusion to a messianic king.¹⁰⁴

In presenting the enthronement position, Driver identifies

8 stages which comprised the ancient ritual of coronation:

(i) mounting the future king on the royal mule . . .;

(ii) escorting him to Gihon . . . to drink of its water

. . .;

(iii) the anointing of a prophet or a priest, accompanied by

sacrifices . . .;

(iv) the acclamation . . .;

(v) naming him . . .;

(vi) the presentation 'by' (or 'on') the pillar . . .;

(vii) putting the crown and the 'testimony' on his head

. . .;

(viii) drawing up a 'covenant' between the king and the

people . . . .¹⁰⁵

Two primary difficulties regarding the position that

identifies Psalm 110 as an enthronement psalm should be noted.

First, Psalm 110 contains no more than half of Driver's 8 stages

of the enthronement ceremony (perhaps only ii, iii, iv, and vii,

_________________

¹⁰⁴ Allen, Psalms 101-150, 83; G. R. Driver, "Psalm CX: Its

Form[,] Meaning and Purpose," in Studies in the Bible, ed. J. M.

Grintz and J. Liver (Jerusalem: Kiryat Sepher, 1964), 28-29; and

Kraus, Psalms 60-150: A Commentary, 346-47.

¹⁰⁵Driver, "Psalm CX: Its Form[,] Meaning and Purpose," 28-

29.

146

some of those are disputed).¹⁰⁶ With so many steps missing,

one wonders whether the ancient Israelite would have recognized

the psalm as a psalm to be used in the coronation of an earthly

king. Second, and perhaps more devastating to the enthronement

position, is the argument contained in Kissane's statement that

"as far as the evidence goes, the ritual of the coronation

ceremony was a really summary affair; and for the practice of

commemorating the king's ascension by an annual festival there

is no Biblical evidence whatsoever."¹⁰⁷

Does Psalm 110, then, refer at all to an earthly king or

does it refer to a messianic king, or to both? Much of the

controversy among these views hinges on the understanding of the

term yndxl, in Ps 110:1 which is pointed as ynidoxla (to my Lord).

This pointing does not indicate whether "Lord" should be written

with an upper case "L" (i.e., a reference to deity) or with a

lower case "1" (i.e., a reference to a human master).¹⁰⁸ The

determination of which of those 2 understandings is correct

_________________

¹⁰⁶Even Driver admits that "the Psalmist ignores some

elements in it [the coronation ritual]; he passes, over the

secular elements, such as riding on the royal mule, the

acclamation and presentation, the crowning, the protocol and the

‘Covenant’. . . ." Driver, "Psalm CX: Its Form[,] Meaning and

Purpose," 30.

¹⁰⁷E. J. Kissane, "The Interpretation of Psalm-11Q," Irish

Theological Quarterly 21 (1954): 104.

¹⁰⁸Contrast, in Ps 110:5, the pointing of the term as ynAdoxE

(Lord) which consistently refers to deity.

147

depends upon the context in which the term is found. In Ps

110:1, the defining context is the pronoun "my." If "my" refers

to a citizen of the realm (as opposed to the king himself), then

yndx indicates an earthly king. If, however, "my" denotes the

earthly king of Israel, then the term yndx is a reference to

God, i.e., the King of the king. In regard to Psalm 110, the

superscription of this psalm identifies the "my" as being David,

the King of Israel. Thus, if the superscription is accepted as

being an inspired portion of the Word of God or, at the least,

an accurate reflection of the origin of the psalm, then the term

yndx is a reference to God.

Further support for the view that Psalm 110 is a messianic

psalm is found in the realization that (1) no earthly king of

Israel is ever observed seated at God's right hand (Ps 110:1),

(2) no earthly king of Israel has ever filled the role of an

eternal priest (Ps 110:4),¹⁰⁹ and (3) (if wxr [head] in Ps

110:6 is, in fact, a reference to Satan) no earthly king is ever

seen to be able to defeat Satan as does the King of this psalm.

_________________

¹⁰⁹There are those who convincingly argue that no king of

Israel ever functioned as a priest to any greater degree than

any other Israelite. See Paul, "The Order of Melchizedek (Ps

110:4 and Heb 7:3)," 195-99.

148

In addition, Ps 110:1, 4 are used by various New Testament

writers to support their understanding that Jesus is the

Messiah.¹¹⁰

Based on the above-stated arguments, this dissertation

accepts a messianic understanding of Psalm 110. The following

analysis of Psalm 110, therefore, reflects that messianic

orientation.

Psalms 110 and 111

Lexical Interconnections

Of the 7 lexical interconnections between Psalms 110 and

111, none function as key-lexeme links, but 2 do operate as

important thematic links, as is indicated below:

Key-Lexeme Links

none

Thematic-Lexeme Links

Mf (110:3--111:6, 9)--people

yvg (110:6--111:6)--nation

Incidental-Lexeme Links

hvhy (110:1, 2, 4--111:1[2x], 2, 4, 10)--LORD

Hlw (110:2--111:9)--send

rdh (110:3--111:3)--splendor

_________________

¹¹⁰See, for example, as citations of Ps 110:1, Matt 22:44;

Mark 12:36; 16:19; Luke 20:42-43; Acts 2:34-36; 1 Cor 15:25-28;

Eph 1:20, 22; and Heb 1:13; 10:13; 12:2. Psalm 110:4 is used in

Heb 5:6, 10; 6:20; and 7:17, 21.

149

MHr¹¹¹(110:3--111:4)--womb, compassionate, to have

compassion

Mlvf (110:4--111:5, 8, 9)--forever

The 7 lexeme interconnections between the 2 psalms comprise 15%

(7 of 47) of the lexemes of Psalm 110 and 15% (7 of 48) of the

lexeme families of Psalm 111.

In both psalms, God's people (Mf) observe His power (lyH--

Ps 110:3; Hk--Ps 111:6) as He exercises it over those who are

opposed to Him, in particular, in relation to the nations (yvg--

Pss 110:6; 111:6).

Thematic Interconnections

Three basic concepts are common to both Psalms 110 and 111:

(1) a gathering of people (Pss 110:3; 111:1), (2) God's special

relationship to His people (Pss 110:3; 111:9), and (3) the

defeat of nations (Pss 110:6; 111:6).

First, the context of the gathering of God's people in

Psalm 110 is that of a battle scenario--the people join with the

LORD against their mutual enemies (v. 3). The context of the

Psalm 111 gathering is that of testimony meeting--a time for the

people to hear the speaker in that psalm praise God for who He

is and for what He has accomplished (particularly for the

deliverance He has provided for His people--vv. 6, 9).

_________________

¹¹¹The MHr lexical family includes MHr (womb, to have

compassion) and MvHr (compassionate) here and passim in this

chapter.

150

Second, God has a special relationship with His people.

Having a covenant relationship with His people (Ps 111:5, 9), He

centers His base of operations in their midst (in Zion) from

which He exhibits His power against the adversary (Pss 110:2;

111:6). They, in turn, rally around Him (Ps 110:3), praising

Him for the redemption which He secures for them (Ps 111:6, 9).

Third, God is more than able to defeat His enemies. He

shatters them and offers them as a present to His people--a

people whom He has redeemed from the grip of the enemy (Pss

110:1-2, 5-6; 111:6, 9).

Psalms 110 and 112

Lexical Interconnections

There are few lexical interconnections between Psalms 110

and 112, none of which are either key-lexeme links or thematic-

lexeme links, as the following depicts:

Key-Lexeme Links

none

Thematic-Lexeme Links

none

Incidental-Lexeme Links

hvhy (110:1, 2, 4--112:1[2x], 7)--LORD

MHr (110:3--112:4)--womb, compassionate, to have

compassion

Mlvf (110:4--112:6[2x])--forever

151

Crx (110:6--112:2)--earth, land

Mvr (110:7--112:9)--exalt, lift up

The 5 mutually held lexemes represent only 11% (5 of 47) and 9%

(5 of 55) of the lexemes of Psalms 110 and 112, respectively.

The lexeme hvhy (LORD) offers the only possibility of being

legitimate thematic-lexeme interconnection between the 2

psalms. Yet a close inspection of the 2 psalms reveals that

this term does not qualify for such a title. In Psalm 110, God,

described not only as hvhy (LORD) but also as yndx (Lord),¹¹² is

the primary actor, the primary achiever of results (vv. 1-2, 5-

6). In Psalm 112, by contrast, the person who fears hvhy, is the

focus of the psalm. That individual, however, defers to hvhy as

being the one in whom the righteous individual places his trust

and from whom he gains his confidence (vv. 1, 7-8).

Thematic Interconnections

Two thematic motifs cross the boundaries of Psalms 110 and

112. First, God's people yield to the LORD in order to secure

victory (Pss 110:3; 112:1, 7-8). They offer themselves to the

LORD as freewill offerings to do His work in opposition to the

enemy (Ps 110:3). Furthermore, they fear or reverence the LORD,

fixing their hearts on Him (Ps 112:1, 7). Second, God

_________________

¹¹²See in the introduction to the section titled “Psalm 110

in Context” the discussion relative to the use of the term yndx

(Lord) in Psalm 110.

152

frustrates His enemies (Pss 110:1-2, 5-6; 112:7-8, 10). He

rules over them (Ps 110:1-2). Furthermore, He breaks their

leaders, He judges their nations, and He slaughters them in

battle (Pss 110:5-6; 112:8). He also is the ultimate reason why

the enemies of His people act in rage, agonize over life, and

finally lose hope (Ps 112:10).

Psalms 110 and 113

Lexical Interconnections

The key-lexeme, thematic-lexeme, and incidental-lexeme

links between Psalms 110 and 113 are identified below:

Key-Lexeme Links

none

Thematic-Lexeme Links

hvhy (110:1, 2, 4--113:1[3x], 2, 3, 4, 5, 9)--LORD

bwy (110:1--113:5, 8, 9)--sit, dwell

Mlvf (110:4--113:2)--forever

yvg (110:6--113:4)--nation

Incidental-Lexeme Links

Mf (110:3--113:8)--people

Crx (110:6--113:6)--earth, land

Mvr (110:7--113:4, 7)--exalt, lift up

As observed above, there are 7 lexical linkages between the 2

psalms. Those interconnections add up to 15% (7 of 47) of the

lexemes of Psalm 110 and 20% (7 or 35) of the lexical entities

of Psalm 113.

153

Although there are no key-lexeme links between Psalms 110

113, there are 4 thematic-lexeme interconnections: hvhy

(LORD), bwy (sit, dwell), Mlvf (forever), and yvg (nation).

Both psalms utilize the lexeme hvhy (LORD) in the context

of revealing God's greatness. This hvhy (LORD), in Psalm 110,

gives honor to God, i.e., to hvhy (Lord). He is able to give a

position of authority, a right to rule, and a functional title

(vv. 1-2, 4). In Psalm 113, the greatness of hvhy (LORD) is

understood through the statements of the speaker of that psalm

in which he praises and gives blessing to hvhy (LORD--vv. 1-2).

That individual also describes hvhy (LORD) as being far beyond

the creation who of necessity has to humble Himself to become

involved in the affairs of humans (vv. 4-5).

Another thematic-lexical interconnection between the 2

psalms—bwy (sit, dwell)--occurs in the context of the term

hvhy. This term suggests that God inhabits heaven. In Ps

110:1, "the LORD" (hvhy) tells "my Lord" (yndx) to "sit" (bwy

at His (the LORD's) "right hand."113 In Ps 113:5, is seated

(bwy) on high, i.e., above the nations and above the heavens (v. 4).

An additional lexeme--Mlvf (forever)--also works in

coordination with hvhy (LORD) in both Psalms 110 and 113. In Ps

110:4, hvhy (LORD) bestows upon Nvdx (the Lord) an eternal

_________________

¹¹³The assumption being made here is that hvhy is in heaven

when He makes this statement.

154

priesthood, thereby suggesting that hvhy (LORD) Himself is

eternal. Furthermore, in Ps 113:2, the lexeme Mlvf (forever) is

used to indicate that hvhy (LORD) is to be blessed throughout

all eternity, thereby, once again, suggesting that hvhy (LORD)

lives forever.

The final thematic-lexical linkage between Psalms 110 and

113 is the term yvg (nation). Both psalms (Pss 110:6; 113:4)

describe God as ruling over the nations (Myvg)--still one more

indication of the greatness of God.

Thematic Interconnections

The primary thematic linkage between Psalms 110 and 113 is

that God is truly ruler over all. As such, He is able to

accomplish whatever He chooses to do, irrespective of the

circumstances. First, He is in a high position of authority--a

position that encompasses the entirety of the earth (Pss 110:5-

6; 113:3-6). Second, He takes down or lifts up whomever He

chooses to humble or exalt (Pss 110:5-6; 113:7-9).¹¹⁴

_________________

¹¹⁴The 2 psalms almost suggest the exact opposite

operations as they describe the actions of the LORD. In Psalm

110, He first "lifts up" Himself (Nvdx—the Lord), then He

brings down (the enemy, i.e., Myklm—kings, Myvg—nations, and

wxr--leaders). In Psalm 113, He first comes down (lpw—humbles

Himself), then He lifts up (those who are downtrodden, i.e.,

ld--the poor, Nvybx—the needy, and rqf--the barren woman).

155

Psalms 110 and 114

Lexical Interconnections

Mutually held, lexeme linkages between Psalms 110 and 114

are rare, as the following indicates:

Key-Lexeme Links

none

Thematic-Lexeme Links

Nvdx (110:1, 5--114:7)--Lord

Incidental-Lexeme Links

Mf (110:3--114:1)--people

wdq (110:3--114:2)--holy, holiness, sanctuary

Crx (110:6--114:7)--earth, land

These 4 lexical families comprise 9% (4 of 47) of the lexemes of

psalm 110 and 12% (4 of 34) of the lexemes of Psalm 114.

Although there are no key-lexeme linkages between Psalms

110 and 114, both psalms (Pss 110:1-2, 5-6; 114:1-8) utilize the

thematic-lexeme link (Nvdx--Lord) to make abundantly clear

that nothing on the earth can succeed or even merely stand

against God.

Thematic Interconnections

The strength of the earth--social and physical--is no match

for God. In Psalm 110, He makes His enemies as a footstool (v.

1). He rules over them, shattering, judging, and destroying

156

them (vv. 5-6). In Psalm 114, God dominates the sea and the

land, causing each to respond as He wishes (vv. 3-6, 8).

Both psalms, moreover, highlight God's special relationship

to His people. In Ps 110:2, God makes Zion His base of

operations. In Ps 114:2, God makes His people His sanctuary and

dominion.

Psalms 110 and 115

Lexical Interconnections

The following presents the lexemes mutually held by Psalms

110 and 115:

Key-Lexeme Links

none

Thematic-Lexeme Links

Mlvf (110:4--115:18)--forever

Incidental-Lexeme Links

hvhy (110:1, 2, 4--115:1, 9, 10, 11[2x], 12, 13, 14, 15, 16,

17, 18[2x])--LORD

lgr (110:1--115:7)--foot

Jx (110:5--115:6)--wrath, nose

yvg (110:6--115:2)--nation

Crx (110:6--115:15,16)--earth, land

The 6 lexemes noted above account for 13% (6 of 47) of the

lexemes of Psalm 110 and 12% (6 of 52) of the lexical families

of Psalm 115.

There are no key-lexeme links between the 2 psalms.

157

The 1 thematic-lexical interconnection between the 2 psalms

is the term Mlvf (forever). God is understood to be eternal--to

an eternal responsibility--in Ps 110:4. He is, moreover,

to be blessed forever (Ps 115:18). What argues in favor of this

being a thematic-lexeme link is that it occurs in the

contrastive context of the enemies of God having either a short-

term future (Ps 110:5-6) or of not being real at all (Ps 115:4-

8).¹¹⁵

Thematic Interconnections

Both Psalms 110 and 115 accentuate the truth that God is

able to accomplish whatever He chooses to do. He rules over His

enemies and defeats them at will (Ps 110:2, 5-6). Furthermore,

unlike man-made idols which are incapable of even managing their

own affairs, the true God is able to protect and bless His

people (Ps 115:3, 9-15).

In addition, both psalms stress the fact that God is worthy

of the trust of His people (Pss 110:3; 115:9-11).

_________________

¹¹⁵The lexeme Mlvf (forever) also is contrasted to the dead

Ps 115:17.

158

Psalms 110 and 116

Lexical Interconnections

All 6 lexical interconnections between Psalms 110 and 116

deemed to be incidental in nature, as is observed in the

following list:

Key-Lexeme Links

none

Thematic-Lexeme Links

none

Incidental-Lexeme Links

hvhy (110:1, 2, 4--116:1, 4[2x], 5, 6, 7, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15,

16, 17, 18, 19[2x])--LORD

lgr (110:1--116:8)--foot

Mf (110:3--116:14, 18)--people

Mvy (110:3, 5--116:2)--day

MHr (110:3--116:5)--womb, compassionate, to have

compassion

Crx (110:6--116:9)--land

The 6 lexical interconnections represent 13% (6 of 47) of the

lexemes of Psalm 110 and 9% (6 of 68) of those of Psalm 116.

Nothing of importance can be made regarding the lexical

linkages between the 2 psalms.

Thematic Interconnections

God is the central figure of both Psalms 110 and 116. He

gives victory to His people (Pss 110:3, 5-6; 116:1-9).

159

Psalms 110 and 117

Lexical Interconnections

The lexical linkages between Psalms 110 and 117 are

below--none of which, however, are either key-lexeme

thematic-lexeme interconnections:

Key-Lexeme Links

none

Thematic-Lexeme Links

none

Incidental-Lexeme Links

hvhy (110:1, 2, 4--117:1, 2[2x])--LORD

Mlvf (110:4--117:2)--forever

yvg (110:6--117:1)--nation

The 3 lexical interconnections between the 2 psalms approximate

only 6% (3 of 47) of the lexemes of Psalm 110 but 30% (3 of 10)

of the lexeme families of Psalm 117.

The 1 connecting term that may have a possible direct link

between the 2 psalms as a thematic-lexeme interconnection is the

term Mlvf (forever). This lexeme occurs in both psalms in

relation to God and convey the idea that He has a function that

continues forever (Nhk--a priesthood--Ps 110:4) and a personal

characteristic that is eternal (tmx--truth or faithfulness--Ps

117:2). This possible connection, however, is not sufficiently

close to justify labeling it as a thematic-lexeme link.

160

Thematic Interconnections

Both psalms, in different ways, declare the greatness of

God. In Psalm 110, His greatness is evidenced through His

defeat of His enemies (vv. 5-6). In Psalm 117, that greatness

is seen in His relationship to His people and in His inherent

character (v. 2).

Psalms 110 and 118

Lexical Interconnections

The lexical linkages between Psalms 110 and 118 take the

form of 3 thematic-lexeme links and 6 incidental-lexeme links,

as the following list reveals:

Key-Lexeme Links

none

Thematic-Lexeme Links

Nymy (110:1, 5--118:15, 16[2x])--right hand

lyH (110:3--118:15, 16)--power, valiantly

yvg (110:6--118:10)--nation

Incidental-Lexeme Links

hvhy (110:1, 2, 4--118:1, 4, 5[2x], 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13,

14, 15, 16[2x], 17, 18, 19, 20, 23, 24, 25[2x], 26[2x], 27, 29)

--LORD

zf (110:2--118:14)--strong, strength

Mvy (110:3, 5--118:24)--day

Mlvf (110:4--118:1, 2, 3, 4, 29)--forever

wxr (110:6, 7--118:22)--head

Mvr (110:7--118:16, 28)--exalt, lift up

161

These various lexical interconnections add up to 19% (9 of 47)

of the lexemes of Psalm 110 and 13% (9 of 72) of the lexical

families of the final psalm of the Psalms 107-118 corpus, i.e.,

Palm 118.

None of the 9 interconnecting lexemes functions as a key-

lexeme link between Psalms 110 and 118.

The thematic-lexeme linkages between Psalms 110 and 118

present God as a powerful being who overcomes or who provides

the ability to His people to overcome the might of the nations

that oppose Him or His people. In Psalm 110, the LORD (hvhy)

has the Lord (Nvdx) take a position of authority at His (hvhy)

right hand (Nymy--v. 1) from which the Lord (Nvdx) goes forth in

power (lyH--v. 3). From that right-hand position (v. 5-6), the

Lord (Nvdx) defeats the nations (Myvg) with ease. Similarly, in

Psalm 118, when the nations (Myvg) surround the speaker in that

psalm, that individual finds in the LORD (hvhy) the strength to

overcome them (v. 10). Furthermore, in Ps 118:15-16, he then

proclaims his joy at his victory declaring that the right hand

(Nymy) of the LORD (hvhy) does valiantly (lyH).

Thematic Interconnections

Both psalms agree that God is the deliverer of His people.

In Psalm 110, He rules in the midst of His enemies, He brings

down their leadership, and defeats them (vv. 1-2, 5-6). In

Psalm 118, the speaker finds his refuge, victory, and

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deliverance in God (vv. 5-14, 21, 25). God, moreover, according

to both psalms, has a special relationship to His people (Pss

110:2; 118:2-4).

Psalm 110--A Retrospective¹¹⁶

Location within the Psalms 107-118 Corpus¹¹⁷

Psalm 110 is a linchpin psalm of the first 7 psalms of Book

V of the Psalter. More than being merely the center psalm of

Psalms 107-113, Psalm 110 provides a transition between the 2

groups of psalms. To a great extent, the contents of Psalms

107-109 depict God's people in the midst of distress and convey

the anguished pleas of those people for deliverance from their

misery. Psalms 111-113, however, focus far more on the joy of

_________________

¹¹⁶This retrospective compares Psalm 110 not only to the

subsequent 8 psalms of the Psalms 107-118 corpus but also to the

preceding 3 psalms.

¹¹⁷Brennan, pointing out the "generally considered" view

that Psalm 110 is a "pre-exilic Royal Accession Psalm, composed

for one of the Davidic Kings," queries why Psalm 110 is placed

in the midst of Book V of the Psalter about which "there is

little doubt that the actual compilation of the collection took

place after the end of the Babylonian Captivity." He then

offers a plausible explanation: "this ancient and obscure text

was incorporated into Book V in order to keep alive the post-

exilic community's faith in Yahweh's promises"--that "Psalm 110,

originally composed to celebrate a royal accession, now embodies

the faith of the post-exilic community that the promises made to

David are not void, but only waiting for their fulfillment."

Brennan, "Some Hidden Harmonies in the Fifth Book of Psalms,"

127, 131. The following discussion offers additional

explanations, from the vantage point of lexical and thematic

analysis to account for the position of Psalm 110 within the

Psalms 107-118 corpus.

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being related to a God who delivers His people. Psalm 110, the

connector psalm, presents the reason why these groups of psalms

are juxtaposed to each other. Psalm 110 declares that God is

able to secure victory against powerful enemies. Thus (as all

of the 7 psalms state or imply), because He more than answers

the grief-stricken cries of His people, God is deserving of the

glory and the honor expressed in the 3 psalms that immediately

follow Psalm 110.

In addition, Psalm 110 is the third of a Davidic trilogy

that begins with Psalm 108. Each of these 3 psalms is

designated as a psalm (rvmzm) of David (dvdl). As has been

noted previously, in the retrospective sections for Psalms 108

and 109, the 3 psalms work together to describe God's power to

overcome nations and individuals who are opposed to God's

people.

The beginning 3 verses of Psalm 110 carry forward important

elements of the conclusion of Psalm 109 (i.e., vv. 26-31). As

noted previously in "Psalm 109--A Retrospective," the psalms are

linked by the lexemes hvhy (LORD) and Nymy (right hand),¹¹⁸ as

well as by the topics of the abasing of the enemy and of the

people of God honoring Him with their mouths or their actions.

_________________

¹¹⁸As a consequence of God being "located" at the right

hand (Nymy), victory comes to His people who are in need (Pss

109:31; 110:2). Note also the presence of the term Nymy (right

hand) in Ps 110:5, where the outcome of that situation is again

victory for God's people.

164

In addition, Ps 110:1-3 links back to Ps 109:26-31 by means

of a series of parallel but somewhat contrasting ideas. First,

in Ps 110:1, there is a command (invitation) for the Lord (Nvdx)

to sit (bwy) until the enemies are overcome. Even with the

opposite action in Ps 109:28, when the enemies arise (Mvq) on

their own, the same result occurs--they themselves are overcome.

Second, in Ps 110:3, God's people are clothed in holy array

(wdq-yrdhb). The accusers of God's people, however, are

dressed in reproach (hmlk) and in shame (twb). Third, the

servant of God in Ps 109:27, in essence, says to God: "Let the

enemies see Your hand (dy) of strength." In Ps 110:1, the LORD,

in essence says: "[My hand?] I will show them the feet (lgr) of

the Lord, for the enemy will become a footstool."

Psalm 110:4-7, the final 4 verses of Psalm 110, contain

both lexical and thematic elements that bridge the border

between that psalm and the beginning of subsequent psalm, i.e.,

Ps 111:1-6. Three lexeme families help to link the 2 psalms:

hvhy (LORD--Pss 110:4; 111:1[2x], 2, 4), Mlvf (forever--Pss

110:4; 111:5), and yvg (nation--Pss 110:6; 111:6). In both

psalms, the LORD (hvhy) is recognized as performing a great

work, and what He does has eternal (Mlvf) consequences.

Furthermore, God overcomes the nations (yvg), judging them and

giving them as an inheritance to His people.

165

Building off the lexical linkages between the end of Psalm

110 and the beginning of Psalm 111, the thematic links

strengthen the ties between the 2 psalms. In particular, in

Psalm 110, God powerfully defeats His enemies (Ps 110:5-6); in

Psalm 111, works such as the defeat of nations are deemed to be

great, splendid, majestic, and powerful, and are works that are

to be remembered and praised (Ps 111:1-4, 6).

Lexical Interconnections

Although one of the shorter psalms of the Psalms 107-118

corpus, Psalm 110 possesses 47 lexeme families. Of those

lexemes, 55% (26 of 47) also occur in at least 1 of the other 11

psalms, whereas 45% (21 of 47) are hapax legomena to the

corpus.¹¹⁹

Psalm 110, moreover, exhibits its strongest lexical ties--

based on frequency of occurrence--with Psalms 107 (10), 108

(10), 109 (9), 118 (9), 111 (7), and 113 (7). The frequency of

occurrence data may also be calculated as a percentage of the

number of lexemes of a given psalm. When that calculation is

made, the sequence of the stronger lexical linkages between

Psalm 110 and the remaining psalms of the corpus changes to the

following: Psalms 117 (30%), 113 (20%), 108 (15%), 111 (15%),

_________________

¹¹⁹Of the 21 lexeme families that are hapax legomena

within the Psalms 107-118 corpus, 4 are hapax legomena within

the Psalter, none of which, however, is a hapax legomenon

within the Hebrew Scriptures.

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and 118 (13%). Based on a straight numerical tabulation,

therefore, Psalm 110 tends to make stronger lexical

interconnections with the psalms closer to it than with those

farther away. Based on the above-stated percentage analysis,

however, no clear pattern of lexical linkage is discernible

between Psalm 110 and the other psalms of the corpus.

There are 6 lexemes contained within the text of Psalm 110

that occur in 5 or more of the other psalms of the Psalms 107-

118 corpus: hvhy (LORD), Mf (people), Mlvf (forever), yvg

(nation), Crx (earth, land), and Mvr (exalt, lift up). In

addition to these lexemes which make broad interconnections

across the Psalms 107-118 corpus, there are 3 lexeme groups that

function as either key-lexeme links or thematic-lexeme links

between Psalm 110 and at least 3, other psalms under study: hvhy,

(LORD), Nymy (right hand), and yvg (nation). The use of these 3

lexemes indicates that the LORD is a central focus of thought;

He is, moreover, a powerful being who acts on behalf of His

people against the nations. In addition, the application of the

term Nymy, (right hand) in its various contexts consistently

projects a sense of power or authority that the LORD is capable

of exercising.

Thematic Interconnections

Two themes emphasized by Psalm 110 permeate numerous of the

other psalms of the Psalms 107-118 corpus. The first theme

167

expresses the fact that God has a special relationship with His

people. In Psalm 110, He rules from their midst (i.e., from

Zion--v. 2) and they, in turn, place their confidence in Him (v.

3). Likewise, other psalms in the corpus reveal the need for

God's special people to seek Him, to rely upon Him, or to

recognize their unique position in relation to Him (Pss 107:43;

108:1-7, 14; 109:21, 26, 30; 111:5, 9; 112:1, 7-8; 115:9-13;

116:19; 118:2-4).

The second themes highlights that fact that God overcomes

the enemies of His people, bringing down even those who are

powerful (Ps 110:1-2, 5-6). Similarly, in various of the other

psalms under study, a picture is drawn that portrays God as

easily defeating those of high status, those who are proud, and

those who possess mighty armies (Pss 107:40; 108:8-10; 109:6-20,

31; 111:6, 9; 112:7-8, 10; [114:1] 120; 115:9-11; 116:3-11;

118:5-14, 21, 25).

Strongest Linkages within the Corpus

Within the Psalms 107-118 corpus, Psalms 110 and 114 appear

to exhibit a kindred spirit to each other.¹²⁰ In one sense, both

psalms are different from the psalms that immediately surround

them. Neither psalm emphasizes praise or thanksgiving to God,

_________________

¹²⁰Although Ps 114:1 does not directly identify God as the

one who brings the Israelites out of Egypt, it does act as a

reminder of the time when the LORD actively defeated the

powerful Egyptian army, against whom the Israelites on their own

could do little or nothing (cf. Exodus 3-14).

168

unlike all of the remaining psalms of the corpus. Although

Psalm 110 does tie strongly back to Psalms 108 and 109 by means

of the Davidic superscriptions that all 3 psalms bear,¹²¹ Psalm

110 functions even more significantly as a bridge that links the

plea for deliverance, as found in Psalms 107-109, to the praise

for having been delivered, as found in Psalms 111-113.

Similarly, Psalm 114, which does not possess a single lexeme

that conveys the idea of praise or thanksgiving (although, as

observed above, the entirety of the psalm may rightly be called

a psalm of praise), is the anchor psalm around which the

hallelujah (hy vllh) rubric psalms (Psalms 111-113) and the

hallelujah (hy-vllh) colophon psalms (Psalms 115-117) are

anchored.¹²²

Psalm 110, moreover, exhibits strong thematic ties to Psalm

114. Both psalms display in dramatic fashion the awe-inspiring

_________________

¹²¹The linkage among the 3 psalms by means of the Davidic

superscription is an important linkage in its own right, as is

attested above, in this chapter, in the sections titled "Psalms

108 and 109," "Psalms 108 and 110," "Psalms 108--A

Retrospective," and "Psalms 109--A Retrospective," as well as

earlier in this section titled "Psalms 110--A Retrospective."

¹²² As is discussed below, in this chapter, in the sections

titled "Psalm 113--A Retrospective" and "Psalm 118--A

Retrospective," the contents of Psalm 114 provide the

inspiration for the title for the liturgical group of psalms

known as the Egyptian Hallel (i.e., Psalms 113-118).

See below, also, in this chapter, in the sections titled

"Introduction to Psalm 111" and "Psalm 114--A Retrospective."

169

power of God, who is able, with no difficulty whatsoever, to

destroy the mightiest armies the world has to offer.

Psalm 111 in Context

Introduction to Psalm 111

Psalm 111--a psalm which combines a hallelujah (hy vllh)

rubric¹²³ with an acrostic format--declares the greatness of God

_________________

¹²³The phrase "hallelujah (hy vllh) rubric," as used in

this dissertation, indicates the presence of the Hebrew clause

hy vllh (Praise the LORD) at the beginning of a given psalm. It

is a type of superscription.

Waltke points out that "biblical superscripts concern

themselves mostly with matters of composition: authorship, genre

classification, historical circumstance, cultic performance, and

function or purpose of the psalm." Bruce K. Waltke,

"Superscripts, Postscripts, or Both," Journal of Biblical

Literature 110 (1991): 584. The hallelujah (hy vllh) rubric,

however, appears not only to identify the psalms which it heads

as being praise psalms, but also to convey a semantic intent,

namely, that people are to offer praise to the LORD. The

hallelujah (hy vllh) rubric, moreover, may flow naturally into

the body of the text (as seems to be the case at the beginning

of Psalm 113) or it may be set apart from the rest of the text,

possibly as an addendum to the text as it appears to be in Pss

111:1 and 112:1. Sawyer comments on this phenomenon, when he

writes in reference to psalm-headings: "In the Psalm-headings

the linguistic context of a term brings it into two sets of

relations. On the one hand, the term is related to other terms

in the same heading. . . . On the other hand, there is the

relation between a term in the heading of the Psalm to which it

refers." John F. A. Sawyer, "An Analysis of the Context and

Meaning of the Psalm-Headings," in Transactions: Volume XXII:

Years 1967 to 1968, ed. William McKane (Glasgow: Glasgow

University. Oriental Society, 1970), 29-30.

Wilson, writing in general concerning both the hallelujah

(hy vllh) rubrics and the hallelujah (hy-vllh) colophons (which

function similarly to the hallelujah (hy vllh) rubrics to

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and the wonders of His marvelous acts toward His people. Psalm

111 begins (v. 1) with the speaker of that psalm announcing that

he will offer thanks to God in public. Verses 2-9 then suggest

the reasons for this encomium: God's works are amazing and He

Himself is a God who is gracious, compassionate, holy, and

awesome. The psalm concludes (v. 10) with the acknowledgment

that true wisdom lies in having a right attitude toward the LORD

and in doing His will; God's praise, moreover, lasts forever.

Psalms 111 and 112

Lexical Interconnections

The lexical interconnections between Psalms 111 and 112 are

numerous and significant.¹²⁴ To some extent they may all be

_________________

conclude various psalms), maintains that "it is best to view

these hllwyh [hy vllh] elements not as editorial comments

appended for organizational purposes but as liturgical notes

associated with their performance . . . ." Gerald H. Wilson,

The Editing of the Hebrew Psalter, (Chico, Calif.: Scholars,

1985), 141.

There is no certainty as to whether any of the 3 hallelujah

(hy vllh) rubrics of the Psalms 107-118 corpus (i.e., those

found in Pss 111:1; 112:1; and 113:1) were recorded at the time

the text was first written or were added at some later date.

¹²⁴Even a number of phrases and clauses of Psalm 112 are

seen to repeat verbatim or in a close paraphrase those of Psalm

111. Brennan briefly highlights various elements of that

phenomenon: "Thus 111,3 is repeated in 112,3 ('his justice

stands firm for ever') and 111,4 appears in 112,4 ('gracious and

compassionate'). Psalm 111,10 echoes 111,3 in a variant form

('His praise stands firm for ever'), but 112,9 repeats the

expression exactly as it is in 111,3 and 112,3 [i.e., 'His

righteousness stands firm for ever']." Brennan, "Some Hidden

Harmonies in the Fifth Book of Psalms," 132.

171

deemed key-lexeme links since the 2 psalms parallel each other

very closely. In addition, many of the interconnecting lexical

terms occur in the same relative position within the 2

psalms.¹²⁵ The following listing, however, reveals that the

lexeme interconnections that tie together Psalms 111 and 112 may

appropriately be separated into the 3 categories of key-lexeme

links, thematic-lexeme links, and incidental-lexeme links:

Key-Lexeme Links

llh (111:1--112:1)--praise

hvhy (111:1[2x], 2, 4, 10--112:1[2x], 7)--LoRD

CpH (111:2--112:1)--delight, desire

qdc¹²⁶ (111:3--112:3, 4, 6, 9)--righteous, righteousness

dmf (111:3, 10--112:3, 9)--stand

df¹²⁷ (111:3, 8, 10--112:3, 9)--forever

NnH (111:4--112:4, 5)--gracious

jms (111:4--112:4)--compassionate, to have

compassion

jms (111:8--112:8)--uphold

_________________

¹²⁵Although technically not considered to be strictly a

lexical interconnection between Psalms 111 and 112, the acrostic

design of both psalms operates an important (and certainly the

most visible--in Hebrew) linkage between the 2 psalms. The

acrostic structure of a psalm, however, is a function of word

selection. See below for further discussion regarding the

acrostic interconnection between Psalms 111 and 112.

¹²⁶The qdc lexical family includes qdc (righteousness),

hqdc (righteousness), and qydc (righteous) here and passim in

this chapter.

¹²⁷The lexeme df (unto) also occurs as a preposition in

Pss 107:18; 108:4, 10; 110:1; 112:8; 113:2, 3; 115:18; 118:27.

Prepositions, however, are excluded from consideration in this

dissertation.

172

Thematic-Lexeme Links

Ntn (111:5, 6--112:9)--give

xry (111:5, 9, 10--112:1, 7, 8)--fear, awesome

Incidental-Lexeme Links

rwy¹²⁸ (111:1, 8--112:2, 4)--straight, upright

rkz (111:4, 5--112:6)--remember

Mlvf¹²⁹ (111:5, 8, 9--112:6[2x])--forever

Fpw (111:7--112:5)--judgment, justice

bvF (111:10--112:5)--good

These 16 interconnected lexemes represent approximately 33% (16

of 48) of the lexemes of Psalm 111 and 29% (16 of 55) of the

lexemes of Psalm 112.

Psalms 111 and 112 begin with the hallelujah (hy vllh--

praise the LORD) rubric, which is recognized as being separate

_________________

¹²⁸Although the term rwy (straight, upright) occurs only 30

times within the Psalter, with 4 of those occurrences being

found in Psalms 111 and 112, this term is declared to be an

incidental-lexeme link because its various occurrences arise in

different contexts within the 2 psalms.

¹²⁹Whether this term should be deemed a key-lexeme link or

an incidental-lexeme link is debatable. In any other comparison

of 2 separate psalms, there would most likely be no doubt that

the interconnection is of an incidental nature; yet here in

Psalms 111 and 112, with so many other interconnecting terms,

this lexeme may very well be labelled as a key-lexeme link. For

the purposes of this analysis, however, Mlvf (forever) is

identified as an incidental-lexeme link for 2 reasons: (1) the

word Mlvf (forever) is extremely common occurring 143 times in

the Psalter with nearly half (68, i.e., 48%) of those

occurrences being located in Book V of the Psalter (15 of which

occur in the corpus under study); and (2) the term is used in

Psalm 111 in the context of God's covenant and precepts, whereas

in Psalm 112 in relation to individuals who are considered to be

righteous.

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from the acrostic portions of the psalms.¹³⁰ These key linking

terms are the first 2 sets of linking hallelujah (hy vllh)

rubrics in a series of 3 that concludes with Psalm 113.

The term CpH (delight, desire) proves to be a key-lexical

link, due to its infrequent utilization within Book V of the

Psalter, since it occurs only 8 times therein. In both Psalms

111 and 112, the lexeme CpH is used descriptively of the

righteous individual in relation to 2 different aspects of what

God has done. In Ps 111:2, the man of God delights (CpH) in

the study of God's works; in Ps 112:1, the committed believer

delights (CpH) in God's commandments.

The sequence of 3 terms dfl tdmf vtqdc (his righteousness

endures forever), which is first seen in Ps 111:3, is repeated

twice in Psalm 112 in verses 3 and 9. This lexical sequence

occurs nowhere else within the Hebrew Scriptures. This unique

clause interestingly appears in Psalm 111 in relation to hvhy

(the LORD) but, in Psalm 112, in relation to hvhy-tx xry wyx (the

man who fears the LORD).

_________________

¹³⁰The presence of a hallelujah (hy vllh) rubric prior to

each of these acrostic psalms (and not part of the acrostic

schema) suggests the possibility that the rubrics are editorial

insertions. The existence of the hallelujah rubrics at the

beginning of Psalms 111 and 112, moreover, makes these psalms

appropriate for inclusion here in the Psalms 107-118 corpus by

an editor or by a compiler who specifically intends that they be

considered as psalms of praise.

174

The phrase MvHrv NvnH (gracious and compassionate) is rare,

occurring only 8 times in the Hebrew Scriptures.¹³¹ The fact

that MvHrv NvnH occurs in sequential acrostic psalms suggests

that the individual terms should be considered key-lexeme links

between the 2 psalms.

The final key-lexical interconnection between Psalms 111

and 112 is the term jms (uphold). Although it occurs in 2

different contexts (in relation to God's precepts in Ps 111:8

and in relation to the heart of the one who trusts God in Ps

112:8), jms appears in the same relative position within the 2

psalms (as the fifteenth acrostic header for both psalms). No

other acrostic headers are repeated in both psalms.¹³² The term

_________________

¹³¹The phrase (in the exact form and order that it appears

here) occurs only in Joel 2:13; Jonah 4:2; Pss 111:4; 112:4;

145:8; Neh 9:17, 31; 2 Chr 30:9. In each of these verses,

except in Ps 112:4, the phrase describes God. In Ps 112:4, the

phrase is used in relation to the individual who is upright.

The 2 lexeme families are brought together in the same verse,

either in the current order or in reverse order, either

contiguous or separated within a given verse, on only 9 other

occasions in the Hebrew Scriptures: Ex 33:19; 34:6; 2 Kgs 13:23;

Is 27:11; 30:18; Pss 86:15; 102:13; 103:8; 116:5.

¹³²There exists an alternative term to jms (uphold) that

is both a synonym to and begins with the same letter as jms

(uphold). That term is dfs (sustain, uphold). The lexeme jms

(sustain, uphold) appears within the Psalter (as well as

elsewhere within the Hebrew Scriptures) and hence provides an

optional acrostic header for the s-acrostic colon in both Psalms

111 and 112. The fact that the alternate term does not occur in

either of these 2 psalms, whereas the term jms (uphold) does

appear, lends strength to the lexical linkage that exists

between Ps 111:8 and Ps 112:8.

175

jms also occurs only infrequently within the Psalter (11

times),¹³³ thus making the juxtaposing of these 2 occurrences to

be all the more significant.

Along with the above-mentioned key-lexical linkages, there

are 2 thematic-lexeme interconnections: Ntn (give) and xry,

(fear, awesome). Both psalms record the term Ntn (give) in the

context of God giving His blessing to those in need--to His

people in Ps 111:5, 6, and to the poor in Ps 112:9.

Furthermore, both psalms utilize the term xry (fear, awesome) on

at least 1 occasion each to designate the righteous individual,

i.e., the one who fears (or reverences) God (Pss 111:5;

112:1).¹³⁴

Thematic Interconnections

Forbes, recognizing the fact that Psalm 111 focuses on the

works and attributes of God whereas Psalm 112 presents the

character and work of those who honor God, records the thematic

connection between the 2 psalms as follows:

_________________

¹³³Of the 11 occurrences, 10 are directly related in one

way or another to a human being. The unique application of jms

in relation to the precepts of God is found in Ps 111:8.

¹³⁴The lexeme xry (fear) is also used in these psalms to

speak of the awesomeness of the name of the LORD (Ps 111:9), the

fear of the LORD as the beginning of wisdom (Ps 111:10), and the

fact that the one who fears the LORD never has to be afraid of

any thing (Ps 112:7) or of anyone (Ps 112:8).

176

Ps. cxii. catches up the thoughts of Ps. cxi.,

transcribing, as it were, the acts and character of the Lord

into those of the man who may look for God's blessing;

namely, only in so far as he reflects God's character--above

all, in that he has renounced sin and received into his heart

that "righteousness that standeth fast for ever" (cxi. 3),

to which special prominence is given by the double

repetition, "His righteousness standeth fast for ever" (cxii.

3, 9), and by the everlasting stability and remembrance which

the possession of this character will ensure him, being made

the central point of the Psalm.¹³⁵

The concept of eternality (through the use of the terms df

and Mlvf) permeates both psalms. God's righteousness (Ps

111:3), covenant (Ps 111:5, 9), precepts (Ps 111:8), and praise

(Ps 111:10) are eternal, as are the righteousness (Ps 112:3, 6,

9) and stability (Ps 112:6) of the one who trusts in God.

The 2 psalms are joined together by several other means as

well. Both psalms are introduced by a hallelujah (hy vllh)

rubric, thus categorizing both psalms as praise psalms. Both

psalms, moreover, are acrostics of 10 verses in length--the

first 8 of which are bicola,the final 2 tricola.¹³⁶

_________________

¹³⁵John Forbes, Studies on the Book of Psalms: The

Structural Connection of the Book of Psalms, both in Single

Psalms and in the Psalter as an Organic Whole, ed. James Forrest

(Edinburgh: T. & T. Clark, 1888), 164. See also Allen, Psalms

101-150, 97.

¹³⁶Watson states that the use of the acrostic stylistic

device may have been, in part, an attempt by the Hebrew poet "to

ensure that his treatment of a particular topic was complete.

At the same time, the reader gained the impression that the poem

he was reading covered every angle." Wilfred G. E. Watson,

Classical Hebrew Poetry: A Guide to its Techniques, Journal for

177

Psalms 111 and 113

Lexical Interconnections

The 7 lexemes that interconnect Psalms 111 and 113 are

relatively evenly divided into the categories termed key-lexeme

links, thematic-lexeme links, and incidental-lexeme links, as

the following indicates:

Key-Lexeme Links

llh (111:1--113:1[3x], 3, 9)--praise

hvhy (111:1[2x], 2, 4, 10--113:1[3x], 2, 3, 4, 5, 9)--LORD

Thematic-Lexeme Links

yvg (111:6--113:4)--nation

Mw (111:9--113:1, 2, 3)--name

Incidental-Lexeme Links

lk (111:1, 2, 7, 10--113:4)--all

Mlvf (111:5, 8, 9--113:2)--forever

Mf (111:6, 9--113:8)--people

The 7 lexical linkages between Psalms 111 and 113 represent 15%

(7 of 48) of the lexemes of Psalm 111 and 20% (7 of 35) of the

lexeme families of Psalm 113.

The hallelujah (hy vllh) rubric of Psalm 111 is replicated

as both a hallelujah (hy vllh) rubric and a hallelujah (hy-vllh)

_________________

the Study of the Old Testament Supplement Series 26 (Sheffield:

JSOT, 1984), 198.

If Watson is correct, as he appears to be, then the

acrostic patterns of Psalms 111 and 112 function to support the

overall themes of these 2 psalms--declaring that their themes

have been presented in depth, from "x to t" (i.e., from "A to

Z").

178

colophon in Psalm 113. Both psalms, as a result, function as

praise psalms and are the bookends to a trilogy of praise psalms

that includes Psalm 112 as well. This key-lexeme clause links

Psalms 111 and 113 (along with Psalm 112) closely together,

especially if Ps 113:9 (i.e., the hallelujah [hy-vllh] colophon)

is understood to function as an inclusio together with Ps

111:1.

There are also 2 thematic-lexeme connectors between the 2

psalms: yvg (nation) and Mw (name). In Ps 111:6, the LORD gives

His people Myvg tlHn (the heritage of the nations) while in Ps

112:4, the LORD is Myvg-lk-lf Mr (high above all nations).

Although at first glance the usage of the term yvg (nation) in

these 2 verses does not appear to suggest a common theme. Yet,

when the larger contexts of the 2 psalms are considered, the

mutual theme that God is far greater than the Myvg (nations)

stands out clearly.

The thematic-lexical interconnection of the second term Mw

(name) is more readily recognized than that of the previously

discussed term. Psalm 111:9 openly declares that God's Mw

(name) is holy and awesome, i.e., a name to be respected or

feared. At the same time, Ps 113:1-3 also proclaims on 3

separate occasions that God's Mw (name) is worthy to receive

the highest honor, i.e., to be praised or blessed by His people

179

(Ps 113:1), throughout eternity (Ps 113:2), wherever they are

(Ps 113:3).

Thematic Interconnections

Both psalms ring loud with the theme of thanksgiving or

praise that is to be given to God by His people. Both psalms

begin and end with a statement of praise (Pss 111:1, 10; 113:1-

3, 9). Both psalms declare throughout that God's position or

works are great (Pss 111:2-9; 113:4-9). This declaration of

greatness appears to provide the foundation on which the praise

of God is based. The praise, moreover, is to be offered openly

in public (Pss 111:1; 113:3).

A second theme of both Psalms 111 and 113 is that of God's

positive actions on behalf of His people. He satisfies their

needs, lifts them out of their troubles, and provides redemption

for them (Pss 111:5-6, 9; 113:7-9).

Psalms 111 and 114

Lexical Interconnections

There is only 1 lexeme linkage between Psalms 111 and 114,

and that term is categorized as an incidental-lexeme

interconnection, as the following reveals:

Key-Lexeme Links

none

180

Thematic-Lexeme Links

none

Incidental-Lexeme Links

Mf (111:6, 9--114:8)--people

The 1 lexical interconnection between the 2 psalms accounts for

only 2% (1 of 48) and 3% (1 of 34) of the lexical families of

Psalms 111 and 114, respectively.

The lexeme Mf (people) occurs in Psalm 111 to designate

the people of God to whom He exhibits His powerful works (v. 6)

and for whom He sends His redemption (v. 9). By contrast, in

Psalm 114, the term references the Egyptian people from whom God

delivers His people Israel (v. 1). Thus this lexeme functions

neither as a key-lexical link nor as a thematic-lexeme

interconnection.

Thematic Interconnections

Although there is only 1 lexical interconnection--an

incidental-lexeme link--between Psalms 111 and 114, there are 2

important thematic interconnections. First, both psalms picture

God as a redeemer of His people (Pss 111:9; 114:1-8). Second,

both psalms declare that God is a God to be feared (Pss 111:5,

9-10; 114:3-8).

In addition, Psalm 114, in its entirety, may be understood

to present a magnificent and powerful example (i.e., the

181

deliverance of His people from the grip of the Egyptians) of the

wonderful acts of God. Psalm 111 proclaims that such acts are

to be remembered (v. 4).

Psalms 111 and 115

Lexical Interconnections

The mutually shared lexemes of Psalms 111 and 115 fall into

3 categories of interconnectivity, as the following reveals:

Key-Lexeme Links

llh (111:1--115:17, 18)--praise

hvhy (111:1[2x], 2, 4, 10--115:1, 9, 10, 11[2x], 12, 13, 14, 15,

16, 17, 18[2x])--LORD

Thematic-Lexeme Links

hWf (111:2, 4, 6, 7, 8, 10--115:3, 4, 8, 15)--work, do, make

rkz (111:4, 5--115:12)--remember

Ntn (111:5, 6--115:1, 16)--give

xry (111:5, 9, 10--115:11, 13)--fear, awesome

dy (111:7--115:4, 7)--hand

tmx (111:7, 8--115:1)--truth

Mw (111:9--115:1)--name

Incidental-Lexeme Links

lk (111:1, 2, 7, 10--115:3, 8, 17)--all

lvdg (111:2--115:13)--great

CpH (111:2--115:3)--delight, desire

Mlvf (111:5, 8, 9--115:18)--forever

yvg (111:6--115:2)--nation

As listed above, there are 14 lexemes jointly held by Psalms 111

and 115. Those lexemes total 29% (14 of 48) of the lexical

182

families of Psalm 111 and 27% (14 of 52) of the lexemes of Psalm

115.

The terms--llh (praise) and hvhy (LORD)--are designated as

key-lexeme linkages because together they comprise a hallelujah

(hy vllh) rubric in Ps 111:1 and a hallelujah (hy-vllh) colophon

in Ps 115:18. As such, they define the 2 psalms as being praise

psalms.

The lexeme family of hvhy (LORD), however, which occurs

frequently in both psalms (4 times in Psalm 111 and 12 times in

Psalm 115, exclusive of the hallelujah [hy vllh] rubric and the

hallelujah [hy-vllh] colophon), functions within the psalms as a

thematic-lexeme linkage because it identifies the central figure

of both psalms as being God.

The lexical family of hWf (work, do, make), in particular,

the hWfm (work) segment of that family, together with the term

dy (hand)--both lexemes being thematic-lexeme links between the

2 psalms--help to establish the contrasting themes of both

Psalms 111 and 115. In Psalm 111, the true God is an active

God--a "doing" (hWf) God (vv. 4, 8). He is, moreover, a God of

works (hWfm)--works that are great and powerful, works that are

defined as truth and justice (vv. 2, 6-7). This true God is

also known in Psalm 115 as a God who can do (hWf) whatever He

so chooses to do (v. 3). By contrast, the idols (the so-called

gods) identified in Psalm 115 are the works (hWfm) of human

183

hands (dy--v. 4). Those gods, despite being given hands (dy--v.

7) by their human creators, however, are never once observed to

do (hWf) anything. The true God, however, is the maker (hWf)

of heaven and earth (v. 15). The works of His hands (dy),

moreover, are the important components of truth and justice (Ps

111:7).

An additional thematic-lexeme interconnection between

Psalms 111 and 115 is the term rkz (remember). Both psalms

utilize this lexeme to indicate that God remembers (rkz) the

relationship that He has with His people (Pss 111:5; 115:12).

He never forgets the covenant of blessing He has established

with His people (Ps 111:5) and, as a consequence of His

remembering His people, He blesses them (Ps 115:12).

The 2 psalms under study, moreover, portray the true God as

being a giving (Ntn) God, i.e., a God who provides sustenance to

those in need (Ps 111:5), an inheritance to His people (Ps

111:6), and the earth to all people (Ps 115:16).

Furthermore, Psalms 111 and 115 exhibit a high regard for

God's name (Mw--Pss 111:9; 115:1) and for His truth (tmx--Pss

111:7, 8; 115:1).

Finally, these 2 psalms remind their respective readers

that those who rightly fear (xry) the LORD are those who receive

God's benefits. He provides for their needs (Ps 111:5) and

gives them wisdom (Ps 111:10). He is their protector--their

help and shield (Ps 115:11)--and the one who blesses them

184

whether or not they are considered important in the eyes of the

world (Ps 115:13).

Thematic Interconnections

God's efforts on behalf of His people are a cause for

praise to Him on the part of His people (Pss 111:1-4; 115:1, 16-

18). Both Psalms 111 and 115 declare that praise (llh) is due

to the LORD--so too are the giving of thanks (MT--Ps 111:1) and

blessing (jrb--Ps 115:18). Furthermore, both psalms,

interestingly, parallel each other by beginning and ending with

a note regarding God's worthiness to be honored (Pss 111:1, 10;

115:1, 18). In addition, the 2 psalms conclude with a statement

that the praise and blessing that God's people extend to Him

will be eternal (Mlvf)--Pss 111:10; 115:18).

God's efforts on behalf of His people, moreover, are

extensive. They range from providing food (Ps 111:5), to

fulfilling the provisions of His covenant (Ps 111:5, 9), to

demonstrating His power by causing them to possess as an

inheritance the nations (Ps 111:6), to redeeming them (Ps

111:9), to protecting them (Ps 115:9-11), to blessing them (Ps

115:12-13), to giving them an increased amount of material goods

(Ps 115:14), and to giving them (and all of humanity) the earth

(Ps 115:16).

185

Psalms 111 and 116

Lexical Interconnections

The 10 lexeme linkages between Psalms 111 and 116 fit

entirely into 2 categories only--key-lexeme links and

incidental-lexeme links--as the following listing depicts:

Key-Lexeme Links

llh (111:1--116:19)--praise

hvhy (111:1[2x], 2, 4, 10--116:1, 4[2x], 5, 6, 7, 9, 12, 13, 14,

15, 16, 17, 18, 19[2x])--LORD

hdy (111:1--116:17)--give thanks, thanksgiving

NnH (111:4--116:5)--gracious

MHr (111:4--116:5)--womb, compassionate, to have

compassion

Thematic-Lexeme Links

none

Incidental-Lexeme Links

lk (111:1, 2, 7, 10--116:11, 12, 14, 18)--all

qdc (111:3--116:5)--righteous, righteousness

Mf (111:6, 9--116:14, 18)--people

Nmx (111:7--116:10)--confirm, believe

Mw (111:9--116:4, 13, 17)--name

The 5 key-lexeme links together with the 5 incidental-lexeme

links total 21% (10 of 48) of the lexemes of Psalm 111 and 15%

(10 of 68) of the lexemes of Psalm 116.

The hallelujah (hy vllh) rubric of Ps 111:1 is

counterbalanced by the hallelujah (hy-vllh) colophon of Ps

116:19. The 2 key-lexemes that comprise the hallelujah (hy

186

vllh) rubric and the hallelujah (hy-vllh) colophon designate

both Psalms 111 and 116 as being praise psalms. In addition,

the honoring of God through the medium of praise is bolstered by

a third key-lexeme family: hdy (give thanks, thanksgiving). The

speakers in both Psalms 111 and 116 make use of this lexeme to

indicate that the honoring of God is not merely for others to do

but that they personally will express adoration to God through

the giving of thanks.

The remaining 2 key-lexeme linkages—NnH (gracious) and MHr

(womb, compassionate, to have compassion)--only rarely are

brought together within the same verse within the Hebrew

Scriptures, as they are here in Psalms 111 and 116.¹³⁷ As a

consequence, they should arrest the reader's attention when they

arise in such close proximity to each other, and such is the

case in Pss 111:4 and 116:5. Both psalms record these 2

adjectives--NnH (gracious) and MHr (compassionate)--as

descriptors of God.

The lexical family of hvhy (LORD), which is listed above as

a key-lexeme link, may be understood to function separately as a

thematic-lexical interconnection between Psalms 111 and 116.

The term is used to identify God as an important component of

both psalms. In Psalm 111, hvhy (LORD) is portrayed as the

_________________

¹³⁷See the discussion of the phrase MvHrv NvnH (gracious and

compassionate) above, in this chapter, in the section titled

"Psalms 111 and 112."

187

primary actor of the psalm (vv. 4-6, 9), as well as the one who

is to be the recipient of honor (v. 1). In Psalm 116, He is the

one to whom the servant of the LORD gives honor (vv. 1-2, 12-14;

16-19) for the acts of compassion and deliverance that He has

performed on his behalf (vv. 2, 6-8, 16).

Apart from the possible exception of hvhy (LORD), there are

no thematic-lexeme interconnections between Psalms 111 and 116.

Thematic Interconnections

Both psalms declare that praise and thanks should be given

to the LORD (Pss 111:1; 116:17, 19). Similarly, both psalms

express a heartfelt gratitude to the LORD (Pss 111:1; 116:1).

In addition, Psalms 111 and 116 note that God protects and

delivers His people. He gives food (Ntn JrF--Ps 111:5), redeems

(hdp--Ps 111:9), preserves (rmw--Ps 116:6), saves (fwy--Ps

116:6), and rescues (ClH--Ps 116:8).

Psalms 111 and 117

Lexical Interconnections

Although Psalm 117 is the shortest psalm in the Psalms 107-

118 corpus, it contains 6 terms that display lexical linkages

between it and Psalm 111. Those lexical interconnections are

noted below:

Key-Lexeme Links

llh (111:1--117:1, 2)--praise

hvhy (111:1[2x], 2, 4, 10--117:1, 2[2x])--LORD

188

Thematic-Lexeme Links

tmx (111:7,8--117:2)--truth

Incidental-Lexeme Links

lk (111:1,2,7,10--117:1[2x])--all

Mlvf (111:5,8,9--117:2)--forever

yvg (111:6--117:1)--nation

These 6 lexical interconnections add up to only 13% (6 of 48) of

the total number of lexemes of Psalm 111 but account for 60% (6

of 10) of the lexemes of Psalm 117.

The hallelujah (hy vllh) rubric of Ps 111:1 is repeated as

part of the introductory clause of Ps 117:1 and as the

hallelujah (hy-vllh) colophon that concludes Psalm 117. These

duplicated key-lexemes help define both psalms as psalms of

praise.

The 2 psalms share a thematic-lexical interconnection, the

term tmx (truth). tmx, according to Psalm 111, is one of the

works of the LORD (v. 7), and as such provides a framework for

the application of God's precepts throughout eternity (vv. 7-8).

Likewise, according to Psalm 117, tmx, which is God's tmx,

remains forever (v. 2).

Thematic Interconnections

Both Psalms 111 and 117 begin and end with words of praise.

Ps 111:1 states not only that God is to be praised (llh), but

also thanked (hdy) fully. That same psalm concludes (v. 10)

189

with the further declaration that God's praise (hlht) is

eternal. In a similar fashion, Ps 117:1 commands that people

honor God. Not only should they praise (llh) Him but also

extol (Hbw) Him. Still further, Ps 117:2 ends with another

command to praise (llh) God.

Both psalms, moreover, express the concepts that God is

eternal and personal--a God who has a working relationship with

His people. In Ps 111:3, 5, 8-10, His righteousness, ability to

remember, covenant, precepts, and ability to receive praise are

everlasting. In Ps 117:2, His truth is eternal. Furthermore,

in Ps 111:4-6, 9, He exhibits a loving concern for His people by

meeting their needs, blessing them, and redeeming them. In Ps

117:2, He demonstrates abundant lovingkindness toward them.

Psalms 111 and 118

Lexical Interconnections

There are a number of lexemes that appear in both Psalms

111 and 118. The following list identifies those lexemes:

Key-Lexeme Links

none

Thematic-Lexeme Links

hdy (111:1--118:1, 19, 21, 28, 29)--give thanks,

thanksgiving

hvhy (111:1[2x], 2, 4, 10--118:1, 4, 5,[2x], 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12,

13, 14, 15, 16[2x], 17, 18, 19, 20, 23, 24, 25[2x],

26[2x], 27, 29)--LORD

Mw (111:9--118:10, 11, 12, 26)--name

190

Incidental-Lexeme Links

lk (111:1, 2, 7, 10--118:10)--all

hWf (111:2, 4, 6, 7, 8, 10--118:6, 15, 16, 17, 24)--work, do,

make

qdc (111:3--118:15, 19, 20)--righteous, righteousness

xlp (111:4--118:23)--wonderful work

Ntn (111:5, 6--118:18)--give

xry (111:5, 9, 10--118:4, 6)--fear, awesome

Mlvf (111:5, 8, 9--118:1, 2, 3, 4, 29)--forever

yvg (111:6--118:10)--nation

bvF (111:10--118:1, 8, 9, 29)--good

The above-cited lexemes account for 25% (12 of 48) of the

lexemes of Psalm 111 and 17% (12 of 72) of the lexical families

of Psalm 118.

There are no key-lexeme links between Psalms 111 and 118.

Both psalms, by means of a thematic-lexeme linkage, express

an interest in seeing that God is honored. Both psalms utilize

the term hdy (give thanks) in that capacity. Immediately

following its hallelujah (hy vllh) rubric, Psalm 111 begins with

the one who fears the LORD making a promise that he will give

thanks to the LORD with all his heart (v. 1). Psalm 118 also

commences by one whom God had delivered urging the readers of

the psalm to give thanks to the LORD (v. 1). He then makes

known his own commitment to offer thanks to the LORD (vv. 19,

21, 28), whereupon, at the conclusion of the psalm, reissues the

command of verse 1 that people are to give thanks to the LORD

(v. 29).

191

In addition, both Psalms 111 and 118 utilize another

thematic-lexeme linkage--hvhy (LORD)--to enhance the expression

of a theme that weaves itself through both psalms, namely, that

the LORD is the central figure of interest. The LORD is the one

who is deserving of honor (Pss 111:1, 4, 10; 118:1, 4, 19, 28,

29) for He has accomplished great and marvelous things (Pss

111:2-6; 118:22-24, 27).

Furthermore, in connection with the term hvhy, the lexeme

Mw (name)--as in "the name of the LORD" or in "His name"--is

operates within both psalms to develop the theme of God's

greatness. In Ps 111:9, that Mw (name) is deemed to be holy and

awesome. Furthermore, in Ps 118:10-12, that Mw (name) is

understood to be a source of confidence by which to secure

victory over ones enemies. Still further, in Ps 118:26, that

Mw (name) is that upon which truly successful people rely.

Thematic Interconnections

There are 3 basic themes present in Psalm 111 that also

occur in Psalm 118: (1) God is a God to be honored (vv. 1, 10),

(2) God's being and works are great (vv. 2-4, 7-8), and (3) God

provides for His people in many different ways (vv. 5-6, 9).

First, as noted above in the discussion of the lexical

interconnections between the 2 psalms, both psalms are concerned

that God receive thanks (hdy--Pss 111:1; 118:1, 19, 21, 28, 29).

Both psalms also are concerned that God's people praise Him.

192

This belief is registered in Psalm 111 in verse 1 where praise

(llh) to the LORD is commanded and in verse 10 where the praise

(hlht) of the LORD is understood to be eternal. Similarly, in

Psalm 118, without using any terms to express the concept of

praise, the one whom God has rescued from distress commands the

people of God to speak praise to God in the form of the

declaration that "His lovingkindness is everlasting" (vv. 2-4).

Second, the 2 respective psalms declare that God's nature

and acts are marvelous. This theme takes the form of a listing

of the elements of God's character (Pss 111:3-4, 9; 118:1-4, 29)

and a statement of the importance of God's work (Pss 111:2-4, 7-

8; 118:15-17, 22-23).

Third, both Psalm 111 and Psalm 118 stress the fact that

God takes care of His people. In particular, He helps them to

succeed in the midst of difficult (even life-threatening)

situations (Pss 111:6, 9; 118:5-7, 10-14, 17, 21).

Psalm 111--A Retrospective¹³⁸

Location within the Psalms 107-118 Corpus

Psalm 111 is the first psalm in a sequence of 3 hallelujah

(hy vllh) rubric psalms that conclude with Psalm 113. Psalm

111, moreover, functions with Psalm 117 to form an inclusio

_________________

¹³⁸This retrospective compares Psalm 111 not only to the

subsequent 7 psalms of the Psalms 107-118 corpus but also to the

preceding 4 psalms.

193

around the hallelujah (hy vllh) rubric and the hallelujah

(hy-vllh) colophon psalms of the corpus.¹³⁹ The 3 hallelujah

(hy vllh) rubric psalms, i.e., Psalms 111-113, together with the

3 hallelujah (hy-vllh) colophon psalms, i.e., Psalms 115-117,¹⁴⁰

sandwich in the middle Psalm 114, a psalm which does not contain

the word hallelujah but which in its entirety is a declaration

of praise regarding God's great work in delivering His people

from Egypt

Psalm 111 fits sequentially well between Psalms 110 and

112. Psalm 110, the final psalm of the Davidic trilogy,

concludes with examples of God's impressive work of defeating

His enemies--shattering the powerful leaders and judging the

nations (vv. 5-7). Psalm 111 follows up on Psalm 110 by

beginning with a declaration that God's works are great,

splendid, majestic, and memorable (Ps 111:2-4)--works which

Psalm 111 later identifies in part as being God's giving of the

nations as an inheritance to His people and His giving of

redemption to them (Ps 111:6, 9).¹⁴¹

_________________

¹³⁹The reality of this inclusio is strengthened by the

fact that both Psalms 111 and 117 begin and end with a statement

regarding God's praise (Pss 111:1, 10; 117:1, 2). Thus they

appear to form a solid block of praise around the hallelujah

rubric and colophon psalms of the psalms under study.

¹⁴⁰Psalm 113 also contains a hallelujah colophon in v. 9.

¹⁴¹ Brennan considers Psalm 111 to be "a royal reply to the

divine assurances of Psalm 110, although in its post-exilic

setting it has become a prayer of the whole community."

194

Likewise, the relation of the ending of Psalm 111 to the

beginning of Psalm 112 is also manifestly clear. The final

verse of Psalm 111 declares that a person gains wisdom by

fearing the LORD and keeping His commandments¹⁴² (v. 10). The

first verse of Psalm 112 notes that blessing comes to the one

who fears the LORD and who delights in His commandments--almost

a direct play off of Ps 111:10. This interrelationship is

further strengthened by the fact that Ps 111:10 concludes with

the statement that LORD's praise endures forever and Ps 112:1

begins with a command to praise the LORD. One further link

between Psalms 111 and 112 is the expression dfl tdmf (endures

forever) which occurs in Pss 111:10 and 112:3. In the former

verse, God's praise dfl tdmf (endures forever); in the latter

verse, the righteousness of the one who fears the LORD dfl tdmf

(endures forever).

Psalms 111 and 112, moreover, are linked together by the

additional fact that both psalms are acrostic psalms--the former

presenting a description of the righteous God who is to be

feared, the latter a picture of the righteous individual who

fears that one true God.

_________________

Brennan, "Some Hidden Harmonies in the Fifth Book of Psalms,"

132.

¹⁴²The term "commandments" or "precepts" is supplied by the

context.

195

Lexical Interconnections

Of the 48 lexeme families of Psalm 111, more than 2 out of

every 3--69% (33 of 48)--are replicated in 1 or more of the

other 11 psalms of the Psalms 107-118 corpus. Thus 31% (15 of

48) of the lexemes are hapax legomena to Psalm 111 within the

Psalms 107-118 corpus.¹⁴³

Based solely on the number of lexical families replicated

in the other psalms of the corpus, the strongest lexical ties

that Psalm 111 makes with those other psalms are made with

Psalms 109 (16), 112 (16), 107 (15), 115 (14), and 118 (12).

When percentage of lexical families of a given psalm are

considered, the results vary from the above as follows: Psalms

117 (60%), 112 (29%), 115 (27%), 113 (20%), 118 (17%), and 110

(15%). Thus, Psalm 111 exhibits fairly strong connections

(based on percentage data) with psalms that are subsequent and

relatively close in sequential order to it, i.e., Psalms 112,

113, and 115.

There are 9 lexical families of Psalm 111 that interconnect

with a minimum of 5 other psalms in the Psalms 107-118 corpus:

llh (praise), hvhy (LORD), hdy (give thanks, thanksgiving), lk

(all), hWf (work, do, make), hdy (forever), Mf (people), yvg

(nation), and Mw (name).

_________________

¹⁴³There are, however, no lexical families in Psalm 111

that are considered to be hapax legomenon for either the

Psalter or the Hebrew Scriptures.

196

Furthermore, there are 5 lexeme families of Psalm 111 that

exhibit either key-lexeme linkages or thematic-lexeme linkages

with 3 or more of the other psalms in the corpus. These various

lexemes in their contexts within Psalm 111 relate to the other

psalms in which the terms are present to highlight mutually held

themes.¹⁴⁴ These 5 lexeme, taken together, reveal that the LORD

(hvhy) is to be thanked (hdy) and praised (llh) for who He is--

His Mw (name) is holy, awesome, blessed, and powerful--and for

what He has done--His hWf) (work), particularly that which He

does on behalf of His people, is marvelous.

Thematic Interconnections

Psalm 111 is 1 of many psalms in the Psalms 111-118 corpus

that proclaims the necessity of praising God (Pss 107:32;

109:30; 111:1; 112:1; 113:1, 3, 9; 115:18; 116:19; 117:1-2) or

of thanking God (Pss 107:1, 8, 15, 21, 31; 108:4; 109:30; 111:1;

118:1, 19, 21, 28, 29).

Psalm 111 also links with numerous other psalms in the

corpus around the theme of the greatness of God's works, most

notably regarding the deliverance of His people from dire

situations (Ps 111:2-9). Psalm 107 illustrates God's

willingness to rescue His people from a variety of problematic

_________________

¹⁴⁴Note that not every occurrence of a given lexeme listed

here contributes in the other psalms to the expression of the

same themes as those found in Psalm 111.

197

circumstances. Psalms 108-110 focus on God's ability to save

His people from their enemies. Psalms 112 and 113 show the

confidence position in which God's people find themselves as a

consequence of God freeing them from their enemies. Psalms 114,

115, and 116 present a picture of God as a God who is able to

overcome the most powerful of enemies, i.e., the Egyptian

nation, the idols of this world, and death, respectively. Psalm

117 declares that God's lovingkindness is overwhelming toward

His people, and Psalm 118 concludes the corpus by reminding the

reader that there is nothing in this world so powerful that God

cannot defeat it for the benefit of His people.

Strongest Linkages within the Corpus

The acrostic structure of Psalm 111 immediately links the

psalm to Psalm 112--an acrostic psalm designed according to the

same structural pattern as that of Psalm 111.¹⁴⁵ These 2 psalms

also exhibit a strong propensity for the use of the same

lexemes, phrases, and clauses. Both psalms, moreover, address a

similar theme--the character of the righteous--but from

different perspectives. Psalm 111 presents the righteous God;

whereas Psalm 112 presents the righteous individual. In doing

so, both psalms utilize a clause found nowhere else in the

Hebrew Scriptures in the precise form in which it appears within

_________________

¹⁴⁵See above, in this chapter, in the section titled

"Psalms 111 and 112."

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these psalms: dfl bdmf vtqdc (his righteousness endures

forever).

Psalm 111 also exhibits close connections to Psalm 112 and

to Psalm 113 by virtue of the hallelujah (hy vllh) rubric that

precedes each of the 3 psalms. Also, by virtue of that same

clause, Psalm 111 demonstrates a strong linkage with Psalms 113

and 115-117--all of which contain hallelujah (hy-vllh)

colophons.

Psalm 112 in Context

Introduction to Psalm 112

Utilizing the same hallelujah (hy vllh) rubric and acrostic

format as Psalm 111, Psalm 112 presents itself as a counterpart

to that earlier psalm. The contents of Psalm 112, moreover,

complement those of Psalm 111. Whereas Psalm 111 records the

greatness of God and of His works, Psalm 112 describes the

greatness of the person and works of the individual who fears

the LORD. In Ps 112:1-4, God's blessing is on that person and

his character is shown to be one of righteousness, grace, and

compassion. Furthermore, in vv. 5-9, because his character

flows forth in practical terms and he places his trust in the

Lord, he has nothing to fear, not even from his enemies; his

character is firmly established and he is blessed. As a result,

in the final verse of the psalm (v. 10), those who do not fear

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the LORD (i.e., the wicked) are thoroughly frustrated and

falter.

Psalms 112 and 113

Lexical Interconnections

All 3 types of lexical interconnections--key, thematic, and

incidental--are used to link Psalm 112 to Psalm 113, as the

following indicates:

Key-Lexeme Links

llh (112:1--113:1[3x], 3, 9)--praise

hvhy (112:1[2x],7-113:1[3x], 2, 3, 4, 5, 9)--LORD

Thematic-Lexeme Links

tyb (112:3--113:9)--house

Nvybx (112:9--113:7)--needy

Mvr (112:9--113:4,7)--exalt, lift up

dvbk (112:9--113:4)--glory

Incidental-Lexeme Links

Crx (112:2--113:6)--earth, land

hyh (112:2,6--113:2)--be

jrb (112:2--113:2)--bless, knee

Mlvf (112:6[2x]--113:2)--forever

hxr (112:8, 10--113:6)--see¹⁴⁶

_________________

¹⁴⁶There is an interesting utilization of the lexeme hxr

(see) in these 2 psalms, although that usage probably does not

constitute sufficient justification to label hxr as anything

more than an incidental-lexeme link. In these 2 psalms, 3

different individuals hxr. The righteous looks down upon his

adversaries as a confident victor (Ps 112:9). The wicked person

looks at the success of the righteous and is enraged at what he

200

There are 11 lexical interconnections between Psalms 112 and

113. Those linkages account for approximately 1/5 (20%--11 of

55) of the total number of lexical families of Psalm 112 and

nearly 1/3 (31%--11 of 35) of the lexemes of Psalm 113.

The 2 key-lexeme linkages occur in the same clause and in

the same relative position in both psalms. Those 2 terms form

the hallelujah (hy vllh) rubric of Pss 112:1 and 113:1. These

key-lexical interconnections (together with the hallelujah

[hy-vllh] colophon of Ps 113:9) function to categorize these 2

psalms as psalms of praise.

The 4 thematic-lexeme links tie the 2 psalms together at

the level of the relationship between the greatness of God and

the parallel greatness of the person who places his trust in

that great God.

The first of these 4 interconnections, the term tyb

(house), is used in connection with the blessings that God gives

to His people (prosperity in Ps 112:2, progeny in Ps 113:9).

The final 3 thematic-lexical links reveal how in some fashion

the person who fears is similar to the God whom he fears. Both

the LORD and the one who fears the LORD minister to the needs of

the poor (Pss 112:9; 113:7). Both the LORD and the one who

fears the LORD are specially deemed worthy of honor. In Ps

_________________

sees (Ps 112:10). The LORD looks down on all of creation as the

controller of all that He has created (Ps 113:6).

201

112:9, the horn of the God-fearing individual is lifted up (Mvr)

in glory (dvbk). In Ps 113:4, the LORD is high (Mvr) above the

nations and His glory (dvbk) is above the heavens.

Thematic Interconnections

Both Psalms 112 and 113 are concerned that people praise

the LORD (Pss 112:1; 113:1, 3, 9). This praise is viewed as

pure praise (i.e., praise that is offered for who God is and not

as a consequence of what He has done).

Both psalms also acknowledge the fact that God provides

very well for His people (implied in Ps 112:1-4, 8-9; directly

stated in Ps 113:7-9). He rescues them from their downtrodden

state and places upon them much honor (implied in Ps 112:4-6, 9-

10; directly stated in Ps 113:7-9). The LORD, moreover, not

only preserves and blesses in this generation those who depend

upon Him, He also provides them with the hope for preservation

and blessing in future generations (implied in Ps 112:2;

directly stated in Ps 113:9).

Psalms 112 and 114

Lexical Interconnections

There are only 4 lexemes mutually shared by Psalms 112 and

114. All 4 of those lexemes operate as incidental-lexeme links,

as the following reveals:

Key-Lexeme Links

none

202

Thematic-Lexeme Links

none

Incidental-Lexeme Links

Crx (112:2--114:7)--earth, land

hyh (112:2, 6--114:2)--be

tyb (112:3--114:1)--house

hxr (112:8, 10--114:3)--see

These 4 lexemes comprise 7% (4 of 55) of the total lexeme

population of Psalm 112 and 12% (4 of 34) of sum of the lexical

families of Psalm 114.

The only 1 of the 4 lexical interconnections between the 2

psalms that even comes close to being either a thematic-lexeme

link or a key-lexeme link is the term hxr (see). This term

appears to be used on 1 occasion in each of the psalms (Pss

112:10; 114:3) to indicate that when someone or something looks

(hxr) upon a demonstration of God's power, that person or thing

can do nothing to counteract God's work. In Psalm 112, when the

wicked (fwr) person sees (hxr) the righteous person exalted

(presumably by the LORD), the wicked person becomes angry

(sfk). This wicked person then gnashes his teeth and melts

away; his desire also ceases. Similarly, in Ps 114:3, the sea

(My), which is in the way of the advancing Israelites whom God

is leading on their exodus out of Egypt, sees (hxr) their

coming and flees (svn) . With this understanding, the verb hxr

203

might possibly be deemed a thematic-lexeme link, though this

dissertation does not adhere to such a position.¹⁴⁷

Thematic Interconnections

The primary theme that links Psalms 112 and 114 is that of

God's deliverance of His people from trying circumstances. In

Psalm 112, light rises in the darkness for the righteous person

(v. 4). He is not shaken in the midst of judgment (v. 6). His

enemies, by contrast, are unable to stand in his presence (v.

10). In Psalm 114, the people of God are moved out from under

the domination of the Egyptians (v. 1) and nothing, not even the

powerful forces of the created world can stop that freeing

process from taking place (vv. 3-6).

Psalms 112 and 115

Lexical Interconnections

The lexical interconnections between Psalms 112 and 115 are

identified below:

_________________

¹⁴⁷There are within the Hebrew Scriptures a few occasions

where the terms fwr (wicked) and My (sea) occur in close

proximity to each other, i.e., within 30 words (Isa 57:20-21;

Hab 1:13-14; Zeph 1:3; Ps 106:6-7; Job 38:13-16). In some of

those instances the wicked is likened unto the sea, in others

the wicked receives the same fate as the sea, and in still

others there is no interconnection being made. None of these

examples, however, uses the terms in a way that parallels the

way that Pss 112:10; 114:3 use the 2 terms that would allow one

to justify granting term hxr (see) any special status in Pss

112:10; 114:3.

204

Key-Lexeme Links

llh (112:1--115:17, 18)--praise

hvhy (112:1[2x],7--115:1, 9, 10, 11[2x], 12, 13, 14, 15, 16,

17, 18[2x])--LORD

Thematic-Lexeme Links

xry (112:1, 7, 8--115:11, 13)--fear, awesome

jrb (112:2--115:12[3x], 13, 15, 18)--bless, knee

tyb (112:3--115:9[ET]¹⁴⁸, 10, 12[2x])--house

HFb (112:7--115:8, 9, 10, 11)--trust

Incidental-Lexeme Links

CpH (112:1--115:3)--delight, desire

Crx (112:2--115:15, 16)--earth, land

hyh (112:2, 6--115:8)--be

rbd (112:5--115:5)--word, speak

Mlvf (112:6[2x]--115:18)--forever

rkz (112:6--115:12)--remember

hxr (112:8,10--115:5)--see

Ntn (112:9--115:1,16)--give

dvbk (112:9--115:1)--glory

The above-cited lexical linkages represent 27% (15 of 55) of the

lexemes of Psalm 112 and 29% (15 of 52) of the lexical families

of Psalm 115.

The key-lexical interconnection between the 2 psalms is the

hallelujah (hy vllh) rubric of Ps 112:1 which is paralleled by

the hallelujah (hy-vllh) colophon of Ps 115:18. These clauses

argue for both psalms being classified as praise psalms.

_________________

¹⁴⁸The acronym "ET" indicates emended text here and passim

in this chapter. See the section titled "Text of the Study" in

Chapter 1, above, for a discussion of this dissertation's

position relative to the emendation of the Masoretic Text.

205

There are 4 thematic-lexeme links between Psalms 112 and

115. First, the term xry (fear, awesome) ties the 2 psalms

together due to its connection with hvhy (LORD) in the

combination of words that indicates the man "who fears the LORD"

(hvhy-tx xry--Ps 112:1) and in its counterparts, either you (pl)

"who fear the LORD" (hvhy yxry--Ps 115:11) or "those who fear the

LORD" (hvhy yxry--Ps 115:13).¹⁴⁹ What makes these groupings of

words significant inter-psalm linkages is the rarity of the use

of this specific phrase (with or without the marker of the

direct object¹⁵⁰) in the Psalter. There are only 11 such

examples, 7 of which occur in Book V, 4 of which occur in the

Psalms 107-118 corpus, and 3 of which occur in these 2

psalms.¹⁵¹

_________________

¹⁴⁹Were it not for the inclusion of the marker of the

direct accusative (tx) in Ps 112:1 but its lack of visibility in

Ps 115:11, 13, this phrase would be deemed a key-lexeme link.

¹⁵⁰In the Psalter, the use of tx (the marker of the direct

accusative) to connect xry (fear) uninterruptedly to hvhy (LORD)

occurs only here in Ps 112:1 and in Ps 34:10. Note that in Ps

102:16, tx unites xry and hvhy indirectly to each other in the

clause hvhy Mw-tx Myvg vxryyv (so the nations will fear the name of

the LORD). Psalm 102:16 provides the only example within the

Psalter of an indirect connection between xry, tx, and hvhy.

¹⁵¹The sequence of words hvhy xry or hvhy tx xry appears in

Pss 15:4; 22:24; 25:12; 34:20; 112:1; 115:11, 13; 118:4; 128:1,

4; 135:30. There are also, however, 19 examples of the word xry,

(fear) with an attached suffix to indicate a person or persons

"who fear(s) Him" or "who fear(s) Thee" where the suffix "Him"

or "Thee" references God. See, for instance, Ps 112:7.

206

The second thematic-lexeme interconnection is the term jrb

(bless), with its sole focus in Psalm 112 (v. 1) and its primary

focus in Psalm 115 (vv. 12, 13, 15) being that those who are

rightly related to God are blessed.

Third, prosperity comes to the tyb (house) of the one who

is upright (Ps 112:3); God's blessing to the lxrWy tyb (house of

Israel) and to the Nrhx tyb (house of Aaron).¹⁵²

The final thematic-lexical linkage between Psalms 112 and

115 is the term HFb (trust). According to Ps 112:7, the person

who fears the LORD does not fear evil tidings but has a

steadfast heart which trusts (HFb) in the LORD. Similarly, Ps

115:11 indicates that those who fear the LORD should also trust

(HFb) Him. Ps 115:9-10 further indicate that God's people are

to trust (HFb) in the LORD.

Thematic Interconnections

Together, Psalms 112 and 115 provide examples of the truths

earlier proclaimed in Psalm 1: the righteous succeed, the wicked

fail.¹⁵³ Psalms 112:1-9; 115:9-15 set forth a description of

_________________

¹⁵²The lexeme tyb (house) may function in some fashion as a

minor linking term to connect all the remaining psalms (except

Psalm 117) within the Psalms 107-118 corpus (i.e., Psalms 112,

113, 114, 115, 116, 118). The lexeme occurs only 54 times in

the Psalter with 10 of those occurrences being spread throughout

these 6 psalms.

¹⁵³Interestingly, Ps 112:1 (following its hallelujah

rubric) begins its text similarly to the text of Ps 1:1--blessed

207

the benefits of serving God; Pss 112:10; 115:2, 4-8 present the

folly of turning from God.

The righteous are blessed of God (Pss 112:1; 115:12-13,

15). Their offspring also prosper (Pss 112:2; 115:14). The

righteous, moreover, are secure in the midst of difficulty

because God protects them (Pss 112:5-8; 115:9-11). By contrast,

the wicked are unable to accomplish anything that they desire

(Pss 112:10; 115:4-8).

Psalms 112 and 116

Lexical Interconnections

The various lexical interconnections between Psalm 112 and

Psalm 116 are noted in the following:

Key-Lexeme Links

llh (112:1--116:19)--praise

hvhy (112:1[2x], 7--116:1, 4[2x], 5, 6, 7, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16,

17, 18, 19[2x])--LORD

Thematic-Lexeme Links

NnH (112:4, 5--116:5)--gracious

MHr (112:4--116:5)--womb, compassionate, to have

compassion

qdc (112:3, 4, 6, 9--116:5)--righteous, righteousness

_________________

(or happy) is the man. Psalm 112:1 reads wyx yrwx while Ps 1:1

adds a definite article to the clause—wyxh yrwx. See also 1

Kgs 10:8 and 2 Chr 9:7 for the only other uses of this

combination of terms (although both employ the plural form of

wyx) in the Hebrew Scriptures.

208

Incidental-Lexeme Links

dxm (112:1--116:10)--greatly

Crx (112:2--116:9)--earth, land

tyb (112:3--116:19)--house

rbd (112:5--116:10)--word, speak

rrc (112:8--116:3[2x])--adversary, distress

The 10 just-identified lexeme interconnections represent 18% (10

of 55) of the lexical groupings of Psalm 112 and 15% (10 of 68)

of the lexeme families of Psalm 116.

The key-lexeme linkage between the 2 psalms is formed by

the connection between the hallelujah (hy vllh) rubric of Ps

112:1 and the hallelujah (hy-vllh) colophon of Ps 116:19. These

clauses highlight the praise content of both psalms.

The 3 thematic-lexeme links tie the 2 psalms together by

conveying the idea that the one who fears God is to be likened

unto God, whom he fears, in both character and actions. The-

upright person, according to Ps 112:4 (see also Ps 112:3, 5, 6,

9) is NnH (gracious), MHr (compassionate), and qdc (righteous).

Likewise, according to Ps 116:5, God is NnH (gracious), qdc

(righteous), and MHr (compassionate).

Thematic Interconnections

There are numerous thematic parallels between Psalms 112

and 116--parallels that show (as is noted above under "Lexical

Interconnections") the upright individual to be a human

imitation of God. The godly person is gracious, compassionate,

and righteous (Ps 112:3-6, 9); so too is God (Ps 116:5). The

209

godly person cares for those in need (Ps 112:5, 9); so too does

God (Ps 116:6-8, 16). The godly person is honored (by God?) (Ps

112:1, 9); so too God is to be honored by His righteous servant

and His people (Ps 116:12-14, 17-19).

Furthermore, both psalms acknowledge the fact that

salvation (from God) has come to the righteous individual (Pss

112:4, 8, [10]; 116:6-8, 16).

Psalms 112 and 117

Lexical Interconnections

There are few lexeme linkages between Psalm 112 and Psalm

117, as the list recorded hereafter shows:

Key-Lexeme Links

llh (112:1--117:1, 2)--praise

hvhy (112:1[2x], 7--117:1, 2[2x])--LORD

Thematic-Lexeme Links

none

Incidental-Lexeme Links

Mlvf (112: 6 [2x] --117:2 ) --forever

The 3 lexeme interconnections between Psalms 112 and 117

comprise 5% (3 of 55) of the lexemes of the former psalm and 30%

(3 of 10) of the lexical families of the latter.

The 2 key-lexeme links between the 2 psalms arise in the

forms of a hallelujah (hy vllh) rubric (Ps 112:1) and a

210

hallelujah (hy-vllh) colophon (Ps 117:2). These 2

interconnections set the tone for both of the psalms, deeming

them to be psalms of praise.

There are no thematic-lexeme interconnections between

Psalms 112 and 117.

Thematic Interconnections

The primary theme that links Psalms 112 and 117 is the

theme that declares that the LORD is to be praised (Pss 112:1;

117:1-2).

A secondary theme that joins the 2 psalms is that which

concerns lovingkindness. Psalm 112 gives various examples of

the active care which the individual who fears God exhibits

towards those who are in need (Ps 112:4-5, 9). Psalm 117 simply

makes the statement that the LORD's lovingkindness is great

toward His people (Ps 117:2). Lovingkindness, therefore, is

that which the Divine Being and those who serve Him practice.

Psalms 112 and 118

Lexical Interconnections

The following list indicates the sum total of the lexemes

that are shared by Psalms 112 and 118:

Key-Lexeme Links

xry (112:1, 7, 8--118:4, 6)--fear, awesome

hvhy (112:1[2x], 7--118:1, 4, 5[2x], 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13,

14, 15, 16[2x], 17, 18, 19, 20, 23, 24, 25[2x], 26[2x], 27, 29)

--LORD

211

Thematic-Lexeme Links

jrb (112:2--118:26[2x])--bless, knee

qdc (112:3, 4, 6, 9--118:15,19,20)--righteous,

righteousness

rvx (112:4--118:27)--light

HFb (112:7--118:8, 9)--trust

hxr (112:8, 10--118:7)--see

Incidental-Lexeme Links

hyh (112:2, 6--118:14, 21, 22, 23)--be

tyb (112:3--118:3, 26)--house

bvF (112:5--118:1, 8, 9, 29)--good

Mlvf (112:6[2x]--118:1, 2, 3, 4, 29)--forever

rrc (112:8--118:5)--adversary, distress

Ntn (112:9--118:18)--give

Nrq (112:9--118:27)--horn

Mvr (112:9--118:16, 28)--exalt, lift up

These 15 lexeme families represent slightly more than 1 out of

every 4 of the lexemes of Psalm 112 (27%--15 of 55) and

approximately 1 out of every 5 of the lexemes of Psalm 118 (21%-

-15 of 72).

Regarding the key-lexeme links, both Psalms 112 and 118

utilize the term xry (fear, awesome) in 2 similar contexts and

in the same sequential order. First, in Pss 112:1; 118:4, the 2

psalms use this lexeme to show how the godly person relates to

God--he fears the LORD (hvhy xry).¹⁵⁴ Second, these psalms (in

Pss 112:7, 8; 118:6) record the lexeme xry (fear, awesome) to

_________________

¹⁵⁴See the discussion, above, in this chapter, in the

section titled "Psalms 112 and 115," regarding the relative

rarity of the phrase hvhy xry (who fears the LORD).

212

describe how the godly person relates to difficult situations in

the world--he does not fear (xry xl) them but lives confidently

despite them.¹⁵⁵

There are 5 thematic-lexeme links between Psalms 112 and

118: (1) jrb (bless, knee), (2) qdc (righteous, righteousness),

(3) rvx (light), (4) HFb (trust), and (5) hxr (see).

First, both psalms declare that the person who identifies

with the LORD is blessed (jrb--Pss 112:2; 118:26[2x]).¹⁵⁶

Second, both psalms express an interest in the righteous

and in righteousness--more than any other psalms within the

Psalms 107-118 corpus and more often than any other psalms in

Book V of the Psalter (apart from the 176-verse Psalm 119). The

upright person, according to Psalm 112, is righteous (v. 4) and

as such will endure forever (v. 6), as will his righteousness

also (vv. 3, 9). In Psalm 118, the righteous person is joyous

_________________

¹⁵⁵ Dahood, noting that "[t]he wordplay on yira', 'he fears

(not),' and yir'eh, ['he rejoices over' or 'he looks over'] is

one of the commonest puns in biblical poetry," cites both Pss

112:8 and 118:6-7 as examples of this wordplay. Mitchell

Dahood, Psalms III (101-150), The Anchor Bible 17A, ed. William

Foxwell Albright and David Noel Freedman (Garden City, N.Y.:

Doubleday, 1970), 129.

¹⁵⁶This thought is also sounded in Ps 112:1 (but by means

of another lexeme--yrwx), where the psalm presents the truth

that the one who fears God is blessed or happy (yrwx).

213

because God has blessed him (v. 15); he then enters through the

gates of righteousness¹⁵⁷ (vv. 19-20).

Third, Psalms 112 and 118 share the lexeme rvx (light) in

the similar context of light being brought into the life of the

godly person--light which was not previously present for the

upright person (Pss 112:4; 118:27). The rvx (light) referenced

in both psalms appears to be a light of deliverance for the

righteous.¹⁵⁸

_________________

¹⁵⁷Most commentators (e.g., Allen, Delitzsch, Kraus)

interpret qdc-yrfw (the gates of righteousness) to mean the

gates to the Temple of the LORD in Jerusalem. Dahood, however,

argues that this phrase refers to the gates to the city of

Jerusalem. Since the phrase is a hapax legamenon, precise

interpretation is at best difficult. The context in which the

phrase occurs (cf. Ps 118:17), however, does not appear to

permit an interpretation that these gates are the gates leading

into heaven. If the phrase, in fact, references eternal gates,

then the term qdc (righteousness) is being used in a context

that suggests a sense of Mlvf (forever), which would then

strengthen the case for labeling qdc lexical family as a

thematic-lexeme link between Psalms 112 and 118 (cf. Ps 112:3,

6, 9 for the use of qdc in conjunction with Mlvf). Allen,

Psalms 101-150, 124-25; Dahood, Psalms III (101-150), 159;

Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on The Psalms, vol. III, 228;

Kraus, Psalms 60-150: A Commentary, 399.

¹⁵⁸In Ps 112:4, the light arises in the darkness for the

godly person. Darkness, in the context of vv. 5-8, 10,

undoubtedly refers to a bleak (perhaps hopeless) situation

generated by the adversaries of the righteous. In Ps 118:27,

the LORD is the one who gives light to the righteous. The

context of vv. 25-26 indicates that the people of God cry out to

God for salvation and success, and that God has sent someone to

ensure that His people receive the deliverance and prosperity

that they so desperately desire.

214

Fourth, the 2 psalms note that trusting (HFb) the LORD is

vitally important for the individual who is facing trying times.

Psalm 112 presents the positive side of the theme (i.e., that

placing one's trust in the LORD is good), whereas Psalm 118

shows the counterpoint (i.e., that putting one's trust in humans

is not as beneficial, as taking refuge in the LORD). Psalm 112:7

indicates that the one who fears the LORD has a firmly fixed

confidence because he trusts in the LORD. This confidence

exists even though the individual is surrounded by discouraging

times and difficult enemies (vv. 7-8). Advocating this same

theme of reliance on God that is found in Psalm 112, Ps 118:8, 9

present a contrast between the relative worth of the placing

one's trust in God and the value of placing one's trust in

humans, even if those humans are in positions that allow them to

exert great power.¹⁵⁹ The former is significantly better.

Fifth, the 2 psalms utilize the common lexeme hxr (see)

similarly. They declare that, because God is on the side of the

_________________

¹⁵⁹In Ps 118:8-9, the speaker in the psalm may be implying

that he had at one time placed his confidence in certain humans

or in certain nations that had later turned against him. He

suggests this through his stylistic technique of juxtaposing his

trust statements of Ps 118:8-9 with examples of humans who had

taken up adversarial roles against him (Ps 118:10-14). Psalm

118:5-7 records that the speaker in the psalm had been under

attack by those who detested him, but that, since the LORD had

been on his side, he had had nothing to fear regarding those

enemies. In like fashion, Ps 118:10-14 reveals that this same

individual had been surrounded by nations that had been

violently opposed to him, but that, because the LORD once again

had helped him, he had been able to secure victory.

215

righteous person, that individual will be able to look (hxr)

down on his defeated enemies (Pss 112:8; 118:7).

Thematic Interconnections

The beginning portions of Psalms 112 and 118 set the tone

for the remainder of their respective psalms by establishing up

front a recognition that God is deserving of honor--He is to be

praised (Ps 112:1); He is to be thanked for His goodness and

lovingkindness (Ps 118:1-4). In addition, Psalm 118 continues

with a statement of thanks (v. 21) and then concludes with a

declaration that God is to be thanked and praised (vv. 28-29).

Both psalms, moreover, express the concept of the righteous

being rescued from distress that is caused by adversaries (Pss

112:4, 7-8, 10; 118:5-7, 10-14). In the midst of such a

difficult situation, the light of deliverance shines upon the

the upright (Pss 112:4; 118:27).

Furthermore, both Psalms 112 and 118 present a picture of

the adversary as being both an individual and a group of

individuals. Psalm 112 introduces the theme of the adversary by

pointing to a group of people (v. 8) whom the righteous

individual no longer needs to fear. The psalm then continues

its discussion in v. 10a-b by focusing its attention on a

singular foe (fwr—the wicked--followed by 3 singular verbs),

and finally completes its presentation of the subject in v. 10c

by returning to its assessment of a plural adversary (Myfwr--

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the wicked ones). Likewise, Psalm 118 alternates between

statements regarding a singular and a plural enemy. That psalm,

however, varies slightly the pattern established in Psalm 112.

By contrast, Psalm 118 begins with the singular form (v. 6--a

form which in context may be understood as descriptive of a

generic group), shifts to plural forms (vv. 7, 10-12), reverts

back to the singular form (v. 13), and then concludes with a

plural form (v. 22). By doing so, both psalms seek to show that

the godly person can have confidence when he encounters either a

personal enemy or a national foe.

Psalm 112--A Retrospective¹⁶⁰

Location within the Psalms 107-118 Corpus

Psalm 112 is the second of a trilogy of praise psalms that

includes Psalms 111 and 113--a trilogy, moreover, that finds its

defining element to be the hallelujah (hy vllh) rubric that is

present at the beginning of each psalm. Psalm 112, which

portrays the character of the person who lives a life of praise

to God, functions as the middle portion of this chiastically

grouped trilogy of psalms--Psalms 111 and 113 focusing on the

God who is worthy to be praised by the life and words of the

righteous.

_________________

¹⁶⁰This retrospective compares Psalm 112 not only to the

subsequent 6 psalms of the Psalms 107-118 corpus but also to the

preceding 5 psalms.

217

Being a praise psalm, Psalm 112 is additionally part of a

larger unit of praise psalms that ranges from Psalm 111 to Psalm

117.

Psalm 112 shows a number of linkages to its immediately

contiguous psalms. As noted above in the section titled "Psalm

111--A Retrospective," both Psalms 111 and 112 are acrostic

psalms of similar length and format. The beginning of Psalm

112, moreover, builds off the ending of Psalm 111 by means of

the linking concepts of praise, fear of the LORD, the

commandments of God, and a sense of eternality (Pss 111:8-10;

112:1-3).¹⁶¹

In addition, there are positive and contrastive

interconnections that can be made between the conclusion of

Psalm 112 and the beginning of Psalm 113. The horn of the

righteous individual is lifted up in honor (v. 9); likewise, in

Psalm 113, the LORD is to be praised as one who is high above

the nations and the heavens (v. 4). The abbreviated life of the

wicked (Ps 112:10) is counterbalanced by the eternal nature of

the LORD in Ps 113:2.

_________________

¹⁶¹Mays labels Psalms 111 and 112 as "a kind of diptych."

He continues by indicating that "[t]hey correspond in form and

language and deal with contemporary topics. Psalm 111 is praise

of the works of the LORD by those who fear him. Indeed it

teaches that the fear of the LORD is a work of the LORD. Psalm

112 is a commendation of the way and life of those who fear the

LORD. The theme of Psalm 112 is set by the last verse of Psalm

111." Mays furthers this though when he later states that

"[v]erse 1 of Psalm 112 is a direct sequel to the conclusion of

Psalm 111." Mays, Psalms, 355, 358.

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Lexical Interconnections

Of the 55 lexemes of Psalm 112, 37 (67%) are held in common

with 1 or more of the other psalms of the Psalms 107-118 corpus.

The remaining 18 (33%), therefore, are hapax legomena within

the corpus.¹⁶²

The strongest lexical connections based on the number of

linked lexemes that Psalm 112 makes with the other psalms of the

corpus are those made with Psalms 107, 109, 111, 115, 118. The

total number of those connections is 20, 20, 16, 15, and 15,

respectively. The strongest lexical connections based on the

percentage of the lexemes of the other psalms duplicated,

however, produces a somewhat different result. The 5 psalms

with the highest percentages of replicated lexical families are

aligned in the following order: Psalms 111 (33%), 113 (31%), 117

(30%), 115 (29%), 118 (21%). From this latter perspective, the

strongest lexical ties that Psalm 112 evinces are with its 2

neighbor psalms, Psalms 111 and 113.

There are 10 specific lexical families that Psalm 112 holds

in common with 5 or more of the remaining psalms in the Psalms

107-118 corpus: llh (praise), hvhy (LORD), Crx (earth, land),

_________________

¹⁶²One of the lexical families of Psalm 112 is a hapax

legomenon within the Psalter--hfvmw (report, news, tidings--

found in v. 7). None of those lexemes, however, is a hapax

legomenon within the Hebrew Scriptures.

219

hyh (be), jrb (bless, knee), tyb (house), rdb (word, speak),

Mlvf (forever), hxr (see), and Mvr (exalt, lift up).

Of the 55 lexemes of Psalm 112, the following 6 terms

function as important¹⁶³ linkages: hvhy (LORD), jrb (bless,

knee), Nvybx (needy), llh (praise), qdc (righteous,

righteousness), and xry (fear, awesome). These lexemes

contribute to the development of themes within specific psalms

of the corpus that are similar to those found in Psalm 112.

The terms llh (praise) and hvhy (LORD) together form the

hallelujah (hy vllh) rubric of Psalm 112. This combination of

terms parallels the hallelujah (hy vllh) rubrics in Psalms 111

and 113, and the hallelujah (hy-vllh) colophons in Psalms 113,

115, 116, and 117. These 6 psalms are thereby all deemed to be

psalms of praise.

The lexeme jrb (bless, knee) occurs in Ps 112:2 in the

context of the upright person being blessed. This contextual

use is the most common of the 3 types of application of the term

jrb in the corpus, and arises in Pss 107:38; 109:28;

115:12(3x), 13, 15; 118:26.¹⁶⁴

_________________

¹⁶³Important is defined here as the occurrence of a term as

either a key-lexeme or a thematic-lexeme in 3 or more other

psalms within the corpus as well as in Psalm 112.

¹⁶⁴The lexical family of jrb (bless, knee) is also used

within the Psalms 107-118 corpus to indicate that God is blessed

(Pss 113:2; 115:8) and to reference the physical knees of an

individual that are weak from fasting (Ps 109:24).

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The remaining 3 lexemes classified as important are Nvybx

(needy), qdc (righteous, righteousness), and xry (fear,

awesome).¹⁶⁵These terms operate in conjunction with each other

to describe the character of God and of those who serve Him.

First, God is qdc (righteous, righteousness) and He provides

for those of His people who are righteous (qdc). The

righteousness of both, moreover, endures forever. Second, those

who fear (xry) God do not need to fear (xry) anyone or anything

else for God provides for them. Finally, both God and His

righteous servants who fear Him offer much needed assistance to

those who are Nvybx (needy).

_________________

¹⁶⁵There is an additional lexeme family that, even though

it does not qualify as being either a key-lexeme link or a

thematic-lexeme link between Psalm 112 and the other psalms in

the corpus, is worthy of further analysis. That lexeme is the

term tyb (house).

This term first appears within the corpus in Ps 112:3

where, because of its context, it most likely indicates the

household (as opposed to a physical 4-walled building) of the

person who fears God. In Ps 112:3, that tyb (house) is greatly

blessed. The lexeme thereafter occurs in Pss 113:9; 114:1;

115:9[ET], 10, 12(2x); 116:19; 118:3, 26. All 9 of these

instances, like that of Ps 112:3, exist within a positive

context. Furthermore, all but Pss 116:19; 118:26 (which refer

to the house of the LORD, i.e., the temple) refer either to the

concept of a human household or metaphorically to a tribe of

people, e.g., the house of Jacob.

The fact that the occurrences of term tyb (house) are

bunched together in 6 of the final 7 psalms of the corpus works

to strengthen the linkages among those psalms: This term,

however, is unlikely to be the primary reason why those psalms

were brought together into their present sequence.

221

Thematic Interconnections

There are 3 primary themes found in Psalm 112 that are

echoed in many of the other psalms of the Psalms 107-118 corpus:

God's people are blessed (Ps 112:1-3, 5, 9), God's people are

secure (Ps 112:5-8, 10), and God's people are redeemed from

their distress (Ps 112:4, 8). The theme that God's people are

blessed appears also in Pss 107:9, 38; 109:28; 111:5; 115:12-15;

117:2; 118:27. The truth that God's people are secure is found

not only in Psalm 112 but also in Pss 107:7, 29-30, 36-37, 41;

113:7-9; 115:9-11; 116:1-2, 7. The reality of the deliverance

of God's people from their disastrous circumstances is recorded

in the following psalms of the corpus as well as in Psalm 112:

Pss 107:2-3, 6, 13, 16, 19-20, 28, 39-41; 108:13-14; 109:21-22;

26-27; [110:5-6]; 111:6, 9; 114:1; 116:3-6, 8, 16; 118:5-7, 13-

14, 21.

In addition, due to the hallelujah (hy vllh) rubric of Ps

112:1 which establishes Psalm 112 as being a psalm of praise,

the attitude of praise to God permeates the entirety of Psalm

112. By means of such terms as llh (praise), Mvr (exalt, lift

up), hdy (give thanks, thanksgiving), dvbk Ntn (give glory), rmz

or (sing praises), this attitude is manifestly visible in each

222

of the remaining psalms of the Psalms 107-118 corpus (apart from

Psalms 110 and 114).¹⁶⁶

Strongest Linkages within the Corpus

Within the Psalms 107-118 corpus, the closest companion

psalm to Psalm 112 is Psalm 111--both psalms not only being

similarly structured acrostic psalms with an extensive sharing

of the same lexeme families, but also being hallelujah (hy vllh)

rubric psalms.

In addition, as a hallelujah (hy vllh) rubric psalm, Psalm

112 sends feelers forward to Psalm 113, the third of the 3

hallelujah (hy vllh) rubric psalms in the Psalms 111-113

sequence. This praise component of Psalm 112, moreover, also

reaches out to Psalms 115-117--3 praise psalms which are

identified specifically as hallelujah (hy-vllh) colophon

psalms.¹⁶⁷

_________________

¹⁶⁶Psalms 110 and 114 are essentially illustrations of why

God is deserving of praise, yet neither directly acknowledges

that God is to receive praise or honor.

¹⁶⁷Psalm 113 also concludes with a hallelujah (hy-vllh)

colophon, thus strengthening, somewhat, the linkage between

Psalm 112 and Psalm 113.

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Psalm 113 in Context

Introduction to Psalm 113

Beginning and ending with praise to the LORD, Psalm 113

divides into 3 sections of 3 verses each. Verses 1-3 declare

that the LORD is worthy of all praise--everywhere and for all

eternity. Verses 4-6 describe God as being far beyond the

confines of the created order, so far beyond heaven and earth,

in fact, that He has to humble Himself even to look upon

anything of the creation. Yet, vv. 7-9 reveal that He does more

than merely look upon that creation, He actually becomes

involved in it and His involvement takes place at the lowest of

levels--at the levels of the forgotten and shamed of human

society. This psalm thus rightly concludes as it begins:

hy-vllh¹⁶⁸ (Praise the LORD!).¹⁶⁹

_________________

¹⁶⁸The Masoretes consistently, within the Psalms 107-118

corpus, utilize the maqqep to distinguish between the

hallelujah (hy vllh) rubric and the hallelujah (hy-vllh)

colophon.

¹⁶⁹This concluding clause is known as a hallelujah

(hy-vllh) colophon. It is a type of psalm postscript and

appears also in Psalms 115-117, which are classified within this

dissertation as hallelujah (hy-vllh) colophon psalms.

Hallelujah (hy-vllh) colophons function, at the end of

their respective psalms, in much the same way as hallelujah

(hy-vllh) rubrics do at the beginning of their respective psalms

(i.e., Psalms 111-113, in the Psalms 107-118 corpus). In other

words, hallelujah (hy-vllh) colophons both identify their

respective psalms as praise psalms and issue forth a command to

224

Psalm 113, moreover, is the first psalm in a sequence of 6

psalms (i.e., Psalms 113-118) known as the Egyptian Halle1.¹⁷⁰

These psalms have been sung either in full or in part at various

worship services and festivals from ancient times in Israel.¹⁷¹

Psalms 113 and 114

Lexical Interconnections

The lexeme interconnections between Psalm 113 and Psalm 114

are identified below:

Key-Lexeme Links

none

Thematic-Lexeme Links

Myhlx (113:5--114:7)--God

Crx (113:6--114:7)--earth, land

_________________

praise the LORD. For further information regarding the nature

of hallelujah (hy-vllh) rubrics, see above, in this chapter, in

the note appended to the section titled "Introduction to Psalm

113."

¹⁷⁰For further discussion regarding the Egyptian Hallel

psalms, see below, in this chapter, in the sections titled

"Psalm 113--A Retrospective" and "Psalm 118--A Retrospective."

¹⁷¹Some scholars believe that the individual psalms of the

Egyptian Hallel "were assembled for liturgical use at the

dedication of the Temple after the Maccabean victory."

Encyclopedia of Jewish Concepts, 1979 ed., s.v. "Hallel."

See below, in the section titled "Psalm 113--A

Retrospective" for further discussion regarding the Egyptian

Hallel in connection with the contextual analysis of Psalms 113-

118.

225

Incidental-Lexeme Links

hyh (113:2--114:2)--be

hxr (113:6--114:3)--see

Mf (113:8--114:1)--people

tyb (113:9--114:1)--house

Nb (113:9--114:4, 6)--son, (pl.) children

Of the 35 lexemes of Psalm 113, the 7 cited above represent 20%

of that total lexeme population. Those 7 lexemes account for

nearly the same percentage of lexemes in Psalm 114: 21% (i.e., 7

of 34).

Although there are no key-lexeme linkages between Psalms

113 and 114, there are 2 thematic-lexeme interconnections

between those psalms--Myhlx (God) and Crx (earth, land). These

terms are used in close proximity to each other in each psalm

(Pss 113:5-6; 114:7) in order to highlight an important truth

being presented. In both psalms, Myhlx is identified in

relation to His people and is presented as a God who is far

superior to the Crx in greatness and power.

Thematic Interconnections

Psalms 113 and 114 hold 2 themes in common: (1) God is

great and (2) God delivers His people from difficult situations.

First, in Ps 113:4-6, God is far above the creation--above the

nations, above the earth, above the heavens. In Ps 114:3-8, God

dominates the creation such that the water and the ground

respond to His will. Second, even though God is far beyond the

226

things of this world, He is intimately concerned with the

welfare of His people. This truth is revealed in Ps 113:7-9, in

which God provides for 2 downtrodden people--the poor and the

barren. This truth is also presented in Ps 114:1 in the exodus

of God's people from Egypt.¹⁷²

Psalms 113 and 115

Lexical Interconnections

The following are the key-lexeme, thematic-lexeme, and

incidental-lexeme links between Psalm 113 and Psalm 115:

Key-Lexeme Links

llh (113:1[3x], 3, 9--115:17, 18)--praise

hvhy (113:1[3x], 2, 3, 4, 5, 9--115:1, 9, 10, 11[2x], 12, 13,

14, 15, 16, 17, 18[2x])--LORD

Mw (113:1, 2, 3--115:1)--name

htf (113:2--115:18)--now

Mlvf (113:2--115:18)--forever

Thematic-Lexeme Links

jrb (113:2--115:12[3x], 13, 15, 18)--bless, knee

Mymw (113:4, 6--115:3, 15, 16[2x])--heavens

Myhlx (113:5--115:2, 3)--God

hxr (113:6--115:5)--see

Crx (113:6--115:15, 16)--earth, land

_________________

¹⁷²Although Psalm 114 does not specify that God is the one

who brought the Israelites out of Egypt, the context of the

psalm and the context of the rest of the Hebrew Scriptures

obviates the need for the psalm to make such a statement.

227

Incidental-Lexeme Links

hyh (113:2--115:8)--be

lk (113:4--115:3, 8, 17)--all

yvg (113:4--115:2)--nation

dvbk (113:4--115:1)--glory

tyb (113:9--115:9[ET], 10, 12[2x])--house

Nb (113:9--115:14, 16)--son, (pl.) children

The 16 lexical interconnections between Psalms 113 and 115

represent 46% (16 of 35) and 31% (16 of 52) of the lexical

families extant in these 2 psalms, respectively.

The initial key-lexeme links between Psalms 113 and 115 are

the hallelujah (hy vllh) rubric and the hallelujah (yh-vllh)

colophon of Ps 113:1 and 9, respectively, that consist of

members of the lexical families of llh (praise) and hvhy (LORD)

and connect to the hallelujah (hy-vllh) colophon of Ps 115:18.

The hallelujah (hy vllh) rubric and the hallelujah (hy-vllh)

colophons define in which they occur as being praise psalms.

The lexical family of Mw (name) also functions as a key-

lexeme interconnection between the 2 psalms under study.

Repeatedly (3 times), in Ps 113:1-3, the individual who is in

awe of the LORD declares that the Mw (name) of the LORD (hvhy)

is to be praised (llh) or blessed (jrb). These applications of

the lexeme Mw (name) link together with the same term in Ps

115:1 where the statement is twice made that humans are not to

receive God's glory but rather that to the Mw (name) of the

LORD is glory to be given. Thus both Psalms 113 and 115 begin

228

with strong and parallel assertions that the Mw (name) of the

LORD is to be honored greatly.

Two lexemes occur as part of final key-lexeme

interconnection between Psalms 113 and 115: htf (now) and Mlvf,

(forever). The terms take the form of a rarely used

prepositional phrase Mlvf-dfv htfm (from now [this time] and

until forever). In the entirety of the Hebrew Scriptures, this

phrase occurs only 8 times in this form: Isa 9:7; 59:21; Mic

4:7; Pss 113:2; 115:18; 121:8; 125:2; 131:3.¹⁷³ In both of its

appearances in the corpus under study (i.e., in Pss 113:2 and

115:18), the phrase occurs in the context of the LORD being

blessed.

Both Psalms 113 and 115 express a concern that God be

honored. Along with the key-lexeme link of (praise) noted

above, both psalms (Pss 113:2; 115:18)¹⁷⁴ use the lexeme jrb

(bless, knee) to convey this theme.

Two more thematic-lexeme interconnections between the 2

psalms are the terms Mymw (heavens--Pss 113:4, 6; 115:3, 15,

16[2x]) and Crx (earth--Pss 113:6; 115:15, 16). Both of these

_________________

¹⁷³Interestingly, all 5 of the appearances that this phrase

makes in the Psalter are visible within Book V.

¹⁷⁴The remaining occurrences of the term jrb (bless) in

Psalm 115 refer to God blessing humans (vv. 12[3x], 13, 15).

Although God's blessing humans is a theme contained in both

psalms, Psalm 113 does not use jrb (bless) in that way.

229

terms are used to indicate that God is not part of the creation

but is, in fact, in control of and above the creation. This

theme is carried further by the presence of 2 additional

lexemes: Myhlx (God--Pss 113:5; 115:2, 3) and hxr (see--Pss

113:6; 115:5). God (Myhlx) rules from the heavens and does what

He chooses to do. He, in fact, must humble Himself to see

(hxr) the heavens and the earth, whereas the gods of human

creation (who dwell on earth) may have eyes but do not, in

truth, have the ability to see (hxr).

Thematic Interconnections

Two significant themes permeate the structure of Psalm 113

that are also important components of the text of Psalm 115: (1)

God is a great God who is to be honored and (2) God blesses His

people.

First, the LORD is superior to all of the creation, being

above the nations and above the heavens--His throne,

furthermore, being on high in the heavens where He dwells (Pss

113:4-5; 115:3, 15-16). This God is worthy of praise and

blessing from His people (Pss 113:1-3, 9; 115:1, 17-18).

Second, God provides for His people as individuals and as a

community. Psalm 113 offers specific details of the types of

actions God takes on behalf of those in need--helping the

indigent and the social outcast (vv. 7-9). Psalm 115 confirms

the broader and general scope of God's blessing toward. His

230

people as a whole--protecting them and giving them prosperity

(vv. 9-15).¹⁷⁵

Psalms 113 and 116

Lexical Interconnections

There are 10 lexemes that have left their mark on both

Psalms 113 and 116, 2 of which--llh (praise) and hvhy (LORD)--

exhibit stronger ties between the 2 psalms than do the remaining

8. All 10 linkages are cited below:

Key-Lexeme Links

llh (113:1[3x],3, 9--116:19)--praise

hvhy (113:1[3x], 2, 3, 4, 5, 9--116:1, 4[2x], 5, 6, 7, 9, 12, 13, 14,

15, 16, 17, 18, 19[2x])--LORD

Thematic-Lexeme Links

dbf (113:1--116:16[2x])--servant

Mw (113:1,2,3--116:4, 13, 17)--name

Incidental-Lexeme Links

lk (113:4--116:11, 12, 14, 18)--all

Myhlx (113:5--116:5)--God

Crx (113:6--116:9)--earth, land

Mf (113:8--116:14, 18)--people

tyb (113:9--116:19)--house

Nb (113:9--116:16)--son, (pl.) children

_________________

¹⁷⁵Psalm 115, in fact, also depicts God as being the one

who gives the entire earth to humans for their use (v. 16).

231

The 10 lexemes identified above account for 29% (10 of 35) of

the lexemes of Psalm 113 and 15% (10 of 68) of the lexeme

families of Psalm 116.

The hallelujah (hy vllh) rubric and the hallelujah

(hy-vllh) colophon of Ps 113:1, 9, respectively, are comprised

of members of the 2 lexical families cited above as key-lexeme

links, i.e., llh (praise) and hvhy (LORD). These hallelujah

clauses are mirrored by the hallelujah (hy-vllh) colophon of Ps

116:19, and all 3 instances help to identify their respective

psalms as being psalms of praise.

The first of 2 thematic-lexeme links between Psalms 113 and

116 is the term dbf (servant). The speaker in Psalm 113

commands the dbf (servants) of hvhy (the LORD) to praise the

name of the LORD (v. 1). The lexeme dbf (servant) reappears in

Ps 116:16(2x) where the individual in that psalm who had been

rescued from death by the LORD declares himself to be the dbf

(servant) of hvhy (the LORD). That individual continues by

acknowledging that, because God has freed him from his bondage

(v. 16), he will offer thanks to the LORD, call upon the name of

the LORD, and pay his vows to the LORD (v. 17). Thus, the use

of dbf (servant) in Psalm 116 acts as an illustration of the

fulfillment of the command to the hvhy ydbf (servants of the

LORD) in Ps 113:1.

232

The second of the 2 thematic lexemes that tie Psalms 113

and 116 together is the term Mw (name), especially when Mw is

used in combination with hvhy (LORD) to indicate hvhy Mw (the

name of the LORD). At first glance, the term me does not

appear to be used in the same manner in both psalms. In Ps

113:1-3, the Mw is blessed or praised; whereas in Ps 116:4, 13,

17, it is called upon. The context of the term's use in Ps

116:13 and 17, however, suggests that the calling which is to be

done is a calling forth of thanksgiving or of praise for

something that God has already done, whereas in Ps 116:4, the

calling occurred in order to receive something from the LORD.

Thus, Mw does function as a thematic-lexeme linkage between the

2 psalms, at least between its usages in Ps 113:1-3 and Ps

116:13, 17.

Thematic Interconnections

Psalms 113 and 116 both advance, although in reverse order,

the theses that God is worthy of honor and that He helps those

who find themselves in difficult situations in which they are

unable to help themselves.

Psalm 113 begins with 4 successive statements that God is

to be praised (llh--vv. 1, 3) or blessed (jrb--v. 2). He is to

be so honored by His servants (v. 1) throughout time and

eternity (v. 2) in every place (v. 3). The psalm proceeds by

presenting the greatness of God: He is beyond the heavens and

233

earth, He rules from on high, and He must humble Himself even to

associate with His creation (vv. 4-6). The theme of God's

greatness--that He is deserving of honor--is carried forward by

the servant of the LORD in Psalm 116. Near the conclusion of

Psalm 116, God's servant ponders what he can do to pay back to

God for all that God has done for him (v. 12). He next declares

that he will call upon the name of the LORD (vv. 13, 17), pay

his vows to the LORD (vv. 14, 18), and offer up thanks to Him

(v. 17). The psalm then concludes with a hallelujah colophon:

hy-vllh (praise the LORD--v. 19).¹⁷⁶ The servant of the LORD,

in Psalm 116, commits himself to do all of these things because

God had been willing to reach down to him in his desperation and

to lift him up (vv. 1-8).

The contents of both Psalms 113 and 116 also meet in the

mutual expression of the theme of God's willingness to care for

the helpless. The helpless of Psalm 113 are the poor, the

needy, and the barren woman (vv. 7-9); the helpless of Psalm 116

is the servant of the LORD who himself had come to the point of

_________________

¹⁷⁶Whether this hallelujah (hy-vllh) colophon was part of

the original psalm or was added at some later date is unknown.

What is clear, though, is that it forms an appropriate ending

for a psalm that expresses abundant gratitude to the LORD (Ps

116:1-2, 13-14, 16-19) because He delivered His servant from

death (Ps 116:3-4, 6-8).

The same may also be said for the hallelujah (hy-vllh)

colophons of Psalms 115 and 117--they too provide fitting

conclusions to their respective psalms--whether or not they were

recorded at the time the psalm first developed or were appended

subsequently.

234

death (vv. 3, 6, 8). God lifts each of these people out of

seemingly hopeless situations (Pss 113:8, 9; 116:6, 8).

Psalms 113 and 117

Lexical Interconnection

There are 6 lexemes that Psalms 113 and 117 share in

common. Those terms are identified below:

Key-Lexeme Links

llh (113:1[3x],3, 9--117:1, 2)--praise

hvhy (113:1[3x], 2, 3, 4, 5, 9--117:1, 2[2x])--LORD

Thematic-Lexeme Links

none

Incidental-Lexeme Links

Mlvf (113:2--117:2)--forever

lk (113:4--117:1[2x])--all

yvg (113:4--117:1)--nation

Mmx (113:9--117:1)--mother, people

These just-cited lexemes represent only 17% (6 of 35) of the

total lexeme population of Psalm 113 but 60% (6 of 10) of all of

the lexeme families of Psalm 117 that are subject to analysis in

this dissertation.

The key-lexeme links--llh (praise) and hvhy (LORD)--work

together in Psalm 113 to form a hallelujah (hy vllh) rubric and

a hallelujah (hy-vllh) colophon which are repeated directly in

the hallelujah (hy-vllh) colophon of Ps 117:2 and closely

235

paralleled (with the addition of the marker of the direct

accusative, tx, and with the term hvhy rather than the shorter

hy) as the beginning words of Ps 117:1—hvhy-tx vllh.

There are no thematic-lexeme linkages between the 2 psalms

under study.

Thematic Interconnections

The primary theme which is common to both Psalms 113 and

117 is that which relates to the glorifying of God. Both psalms

begin and end with declarations of praise to the LORD (Pss

113:1, 9; 117:1, 2). Both psalms use an additional term besides

llh (praise) to advance this theme (Ps 113:2-11: jrb [blessed]; Ps

117:1--Hbw [extol]). Both psalms, moreover, suggest that

praise be offered throughout the world (Ps 113:3--from the

rising of the sun to its setting;¹⁷⁷ Ps 117:1--all nations, all

peoples).

A second, but lesser-developed theme contained in both

psalms is that of God's lovingkindness. Psalm 113:7-9 offers

examples of some ways in which God exercises His lovingkindness

_________________

¹⁷⁷The Hebrew phrase vxvbm-dx wmw-Hrzmm (from the rising of

the sun to its setting) occurs in this exact form in only 2

other places in the Hebrew Scriptures: Mal 1:11; Ps 50:1. In

both of those verses, the phrase indicates location, not time.

Hence, the understanding here of the phrase suggesting from the

east to the west, rather than from the morning to the evening.

The time component of the praise of the LORD is covered in Ps

113:2—Mlvf-dvf htfm (from now [this time] and until forever).

236

toward those in need. Psalm 117:2 merely states that God's

lovingkindness is great toward His people.

Psalms 113 and 118

Lexical Interconnections

Most of the lexical linkages between Psalms 113 and 118

appear to be of the incidental-lexeme interconnection type, as

the following depicts:

Key-Lexeme Links

none

Thematic-Lexeme Links

hvhy (113:1[3x], 2, 3, 4, 5, 9--118:1, 4, 5[2x], 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11,

12, 13, 14, 15, 16[2x], 17, 18, 19, 20, 23, 24, 25[2x], 26[2x],

27, 29)--LORD

Incidental-Lexeme Links

Mw (113:1, 2, 3--118:10, 11, 12, 26)--name

hyh (113:2--118:14, 21, 22, 23)--be

jrb (113:2--118:26[2x])--bless, knee

Mlvf (113:2--118:1, 2, 3, 4, 29)--forever

Mvr (113:4, 7--118:16, 28)--exalt, lift up

lk (113:4--118:10)--all

yvg (113:4--118:10)--nation

Myhlx (113:5--118:27, 28[2x])--God

hxr (113:6--118:7)--see

bydn (113:8[2x]--118:9)--prince

tyb (113:9--118:3, 26)--house

HmW (113:9--118:24)--joyful, rejoice, be glad

237

The 13 mutually held lexemes just listed account for 37% (13 of

35) of the lexemes of Psalm 113 and 18% (13 of 72) of the

lexemes of Psalm 118.

There are no key-lexeme links between Psalms 113 and 118.

The lone lexeme which functions as a thematic-lexeme

connector between Psalms 113 and 118 is the term hvhy (LORD).

This divine appellation permeates both psalms and by doing so

indicates that hvhy, is the primary subject matter of both

psalms.

Thematic Interconnections

Both Psalms 113 and 118 identify hvhy (the LORD) as the one

who is to be honored (Pss 113:1-3, 9; 118:1-4, 19, 21, 28-29)--

the one who accomplishes much on behalf of those in need (Pss

113:7-9; 118:5, 13-14). Both psalms, moreover, express

amazement at His great work (Pss 113:5-9; 118:22-23).

Psalm 113--A Retrospective¹⁷⁸

Psalm 113 completes the trilogy of hallelujah (hy vllh)

rubric psalms (Psalms 111-113) and as such echoes the contents

of Psalm 111 by presenting a picture of the God who is to be

praised. Psalms 111-113 function chiastically with Psalms 111

_________________

¹⁷⁸This retrospective compares Psalm 113 not only to the

subsequent 5 psalms of the Psalms 107-118 corpus but also to the

preceding 6 psalms.

238

and 113, describing the God who is worthy to be praised, while

Psalm 112--the center psalm of the chiasm--portrays the

character of the person who by his life praises that God.

While Psalm 113 concludes a trilogy of hallelujah (hy vllh)

rubric psalms, it also begins a group of 6 psalms (Psalms 113-

118) which traditionally are known as the Egyptian Halle1.¹⁷⁹

This group of psalms takes its title from Psalm 114, which

refers to the exodus of the Israelites out of Egypt.¹⁸⁰

Tradition, furthermore, accords Mosaic authorship to the entire

group.¹⁸¹ These psalms, moreover, have been highly regarded in

the Jewish community (since, perhaps, the second century B.C.E.)

as psalms to be sung at Passover (particularly by pilgrims on

their way to Jerusalem), at the Feast of Dedication, and at New

Moon assemblies. Psalm 113, therefore, with its hallelujah (hy

vllh) rubric and its hallelujah (hy-vllh) colophon provides a

_________________

¹⁷⁹The following discussion regarding the Egyptian Hallel

is taken from Encyclopedia of Jewish Concepts, 1979 ed., s.v.

"Hallel"; The Encyclopedia of Jewish Religion, 1965 ed., s.v.

"Hallel;" and David Noel Freedman, ed., The Anchor Bible

Dictionary (New York: Doubleday, 1992), s.v. "Hallel," by Steven

R. Swanson.

¹⁸⁰Curlously, the title of the Egyptian Hallel is derived

from the only psalm of this group of psalms that does not

include either the term llh (praise) or the term hdy (give

thanks). This fact suggests that Psalm 114 is to be understood

as a praise psalm in its own right.

¹⁸¹This fact lends support to the argument favoring the

terminal point of the corpus under study as being Psalm 118.

See in Chapter 1 the section titled "Scope of the Study."

239

very appropriate beginning to a group of psalms designed to

praise the LORD.¹⁸²

As noted above, in the section titled "Psalm 112--A

Retrospective," exaltation and temporal concerns link the

conclusion of Psalm 112 and the beginning of Psalm 113 together.

The righteous person (Ps 112:9) and the LORD (Ps 113:1-4) are

lifted up in honor. Furthermore, a temporal contrast is made

between the wicked of Ps 112:10 who melt away and whose desire

perishes, and the LORD of Ps 113:2 whose name is to be blessed

forever.

There are 2 lexemes which occur at the conclusion of Psalm

113 and also at the beginning of Psalm 114: Mf (people--Pss

113:8; 114:1) and tyb (house--Pss 113:9; 114:1). Yet, these

terms do not function in the same way in each of the psalms and

as such may be considered only superficial linkages at best.

Both Psalms 113 and 114, however, end and begin, respectively,

with an illustration of the results of God's action on behalf of

His people that either directly expresses joy (Ps 113:9) or

implies the presence of joy (Ps 114:1).¹⁸³

_________________

¹⁸²For further discussion regarding the Egyptian Hallel

psalms, see above, in this chapter, in the section titled "Psalm

113 in Context" and below, in this chapter, in the section

titled "Psalm 118--A Retrospective."

¹⁸³Allen comments that "[1]ater generations of worshippers

broadened the scope of [Psalm 113] vv 7-9 as typifying the

chosen nation itself as recipient of God's blessing: probably

the placing of the psalm before Ps 114 already implies this

interpretation." Allen, Psalms 101-150, 101.

240

Lexical Interconnections

The 35 lexemes of Psalm 113 may be divided into 2

categories--those that are duplicated 1 or more times in 1 or

more of the remaining 11 psalms of the Psalms 107-118 corpus and

those that are hapax legomena within that corpus.¹⁸⁴ There are

27 lexemes of that former grouping (i.e., 77%) and 8 of the

latter (i.e,, 23%). The replicated lexemes of Psalm 113 occur

with greater frequency (in descending order) in Psalms 107 (18),

115 (16), 109 (15), 118 (13), and 112 (11) than in the remaining

psalms of the corpus. That order changes dramatically, however,

when the frequency of occurrence data are converted into

percentage data, i.e., the percentage of lexemes of the non-

Psalm 113 psalm that are duplicated. The percentage of

interconnection sequence is as follows: Psalms 117 (60%), 115

(31%), 114 (21%), 112 (20%), and 118 (18%). Thus when the

percentage of replication is considered, the psalms which are

closest in the Hebrew text to Psalm 113, generally speaking,

have the higher percentage of lexical linkage with Psalm 113

than do the psalms that are further away.

_________________

¹⁸⁴Of the 35 lexemes of Psalm 113, only 1 is a hapax

legomenon within the Psalter--tqwx (ash heap, refuse--found in

v. 7). No lexeme of Psalm 113, however, is considered to be a

hapax legomenon within the Hebrew Scriptures.

241

Of the 35 lexemes of Psalm 113, 15 (43%) are duplicated in

at least 5 other psalms in the Psalms 107-118 corpus.¹⁸⁵ More

significantly, 6 make important linkages (i.e., either key-

lexeme links or thematic-lexeme links) with a minimum of 3 of

the other psalms. Those lexical families are as follows: hvhy

(LORD), Mlvf (forever), Myhlx (God), llh (praise), Nvybx

(needy), and Mw (name). Taken together, llh and hvhy form a

hallelujah (hy vllh) rubric and a hallelujah (hy-vllh) colophon

in Ps 113:1, 9, respectively. The hallelujah (hy vllh) rubric

reappears in 2 other psalms (Pss 111:1 and 112:1), the

hallelujah (hy-vllh) colophon in 3 (Pss 115:18; 116:19; and

117:2). The lexical family of llh, moreover, occurs in 2

additional psalms, the lexical family of hvhy in 5. These

various occurrences reveal that an important theme of Psalm 113

(i.e., the honoring of the LORD) also arises in numerous other

psalms of the corpus. Furthermore, the central person of Psalm

113 (i.e., hvhy) is also the central figure of several of the

remaining 11 psalms. This fact is further supported by the

presence of the term Myhlx (God) in several of the psalms of the

corpus. Additional support is expressed through the existence

of the lexeme Mw (name) as a reference to God which is deemed

_________________

¹⁸⁵Those lexemes are llh (praise), hvhy (LORD), Mw (name),

hyh (be), jrb (bless), Mlvf (forever), Mvr (exalt, lift up), lk

(all) , yvg (nation), Myhlx (God), hxr (see), Crx (earth, land),

Mf (people) tyb (house), and Nb (son, [pl.] children).

242

to be holy and awesome (Ps 111:9), to be worthy of glory (Ps

115:1), and to be called upon (Ps 116:4, 13, 17). Still another

lexeme that makes significant interconnections (in reference to

God) between Psalm 113 and other of the psalms in the corpus is

the word Mlvf (forever). Through the use of this term, the

LORD's character, authority, and person are understood to be

eternal (Ps 107:1; 110:4; 115:18). The final term, Nvybx¹⁸⁶

(needy), functions as a thematic-lexeme interconnection between

Psalm 113 Psalms 107, 109, and 112. These psalms use this

lexeme to demonstrate that God, or those who fear God, provide

abundant help for the needy (Pss 107:41; 109:31; 112:9; 113:7).

Thematic Interconnections

Two important themes that run through the text of Psalm 113

also exhibit themselves in numerous of the other psalms of the

Psalms 107-118 corpus. Those themes are (1) that God is to be

honored greatly (vv. 1-3) and (2) that God demonstrates

compassion on those in need (vv. 4-9). The former theme also

_________________

¹⁸⁶This lexeme is the only 1 of the 6 lexemes deemed to be

important linkages between Psalm 113 and 3 or more psalms that

is not also listed among the group of lexemes that appear in

Psalm 113 plus 5 or more psalms.

243

appears (to various degrees) in Psalms 107-109, 111-112, 115-

118.¹⁸⁷ The latter theme is present to a greater or lesser

extent in Psalms 107-109, 111, 114-116, 118.¹⁸⁸

Strongest Linkages within the Corpus

Structurally, because of its hallelujah (hy vllh) rubric,

Psalm 113 exhibits close ties to Psalms 111 and 112--2 other

hallelujah (hy vllh) rubric psalms. Within that grouping of

psalms, Psalm 113 particularly displays a closeness of fit with

Psalm 111 for 2 reasons. First, the 2 psalms share a similar

perspective on praise, namely, that it is to be directed toward

God. Second, Ps 113:9 contains a hallelujah (hy-vllh) colophon

which appears to function as an inclusio of praise with the

hallelujah (hy vllh) rubric of Ps 111:1. Together, the praise

_________________

¹⁸⁷Psalms 110 and 114 give examples of why God is worthy of

being honored, but do not directly indicate that people are

praising or should be praising God.

¹⁸⁸The theme of God's compassion on those in need is

suggested by Psalms 110, 112, and 117, but is not directly

illustrated in those psalms. Psalm 110 depicts God as

destroying nations, but does not state specifically that He

delivers His people as a result. Psalm 112 indicates that the

righteous person, the one who trusts God, has nothing to fear

from his enemies, but the psalm does not directly indicate that

God is the one who gives the godly person victory. Finally,

Psalm 117 states that God's lovingkindness is great toward His

people, but does not specify whether God expresses that

lovingkindness in such a way as to rescue those who are in

distress.

244

declarations of Pss 111:1 and 113:9 establish the parameters of

the hallelujah (hy vllh) rubric psalms.¹⁸⁹

Traditionally, Psalm 113 has been linked liturgically to

Psalms 114-118 in what is known as the Egyptian Hallel. As

such, Psalm 113, along with those other psalms, has played an

important role in the worship practices of Israel, particularly

in relation to the various festivals associated with Passover,

the Feast of Dedication, and the New Moon assemblies.

Psalm 114 in Context

Introduction to Psalm 114

The 8 verses of Psalm 114 depict the power of God over the

creation, specifically during the time of the exodus of His

people from their enslavement in Egypt. Verses 1-2 set the time

of the exodus as the historical referent point within the psalm.

Verses 3-4 declare that the sea, the Jordan River, the

mountains, and the hills feared God at that time. Verses 5-6

then pose a series of rhetorical questions to those 4 physical

entities of the created order as to why they were afraid.

_________________

¹⁸⁹The presence of the hallelujah (hy-vllh) colophon in Ps

113:9 also links Psalm 113 structurally to Psalms 115-117, 3

hallelujah (hy-vllh) colophon psalms in the Psalms 107-118. The

connection that the hallelujah (hy-vllh) colophon of Ps 113:9

makes to Psalms 115-117, however, does not appear to be as

strong as the linkage it makes within the Psalms 111-113 group

as the concluding portion of the praise inclusio.

245

Verses 7-8 close the psalm with a command for the whole earth to

tremble before the God of Israel who has demonstrated His

capability to transform the very elements of the creation into

whatever He so chooses to make them become.

Psalms 114 and 115

Lexical Interconnections

The 7 lexical linkages between Psalms 114 and 115 are

divided into the 3 categories of key-lexeme, thematic-lexeme,

and incidental-lexeme links, as follows:

Key-Lexeme Links

lxrWy (114:1, 2--115:9, 12)--Israel

tyb (114:1--115:9[ET], 10, 12[2x])--house

hxr (114:3--115:5)--see

Thematic-Lexeme Links

Crx (114:7--115:15, 16)--earth, land

Myhlx (114:7--115:2, 3)--God

Incidental-Lexeme Links

hyh (114:2--115:8)--be

Nb (114:4, 6--115:14, 16)--son, (pl.) children

The 7 lexemes just noted total approximately 21% (7 of 34) of

the lexemes of Psalm 114 and 13% (7 of 52) of those of Psalm

115.

The first lexical interconnection--lxrWy (Israel)--is

deemed a key-lexeme link because of its infrequent occurrence

246

within the corpus, and yet its relative importance of use within

Book V of Psalter. The term lxrWy (Israel) appears 24

times in Book V (39% of the 62 occurrences in the Psalter).

This figure is 41% higher than is statistically to be expected

for Book V.¹⁹⁰ Furthermore, for any 2 psalms the size of Psalms

114 and 115, only 1 example is to be expected. The fact that 4

usages appear is noteworthy, especially since the use of the

terms in Psalm 114 parallel those in Psalm 115. In Ps 114:1,

lxrWy is protected and delivered by God from the Egyptians; in

Ps 114:2, 4, lxrWy becomes His special domain, i.e., His special

place of rule. These uses are mirrored in Ps 115 where the LORD

is seen to be Israel's help and shield (v. 9) and the one who

will bless Israel (v. 12).

The second lexeme noted above—tyb (house)--is declared to

be a key-lexeme connector between Psalms 114 and 115 because of

the rarity of its use as a direct reference to the people of God

in their tribal designations in Book V of the Psalter.¹⁹¹ Of

_________________

¹⁹⁰Based on a simple comparison of the number of verses of

Book V compared to the number of verses of the Psalter, the

lexeme lxrWy (Israel) should appear only 17 times (27.9% of the

62 occurrences of the term lxrWy, in the Psalter).

¹⁹¹The term tyb (house) identifies the tribal people of God

in Book V of the Psalter in only Pss 114:1; 115:9(ET), 10,

12(2x); 118:3; 135:19(2x), 20. There are 14 other occurrences

of the lexeme in Book V (4 of which are in the Psalms 107-118

corpus) that do not reference a specific tribe of the people of

God but are used to indicate, for example, a physical house or

the concept of a generic house.

247

the 9 occurrences of tyb as a reference to a tribal group in

Book V, 6 are found in the Psalms 107-118 corpus, 5 of those

being in Psalms 114 and 115.

The final key-lexeme link between Psalms 114 and 115 is the

verb hxr (see). This verb occurs 101 times in the Psalter, but

only 6 times in conjunction with something other than either God

or a human being.¹⁹² Psalms 114 and 115 contain 1 example each

of those 6 instances--Ps 114:3 (hxr Myh--the sea saw) and Ps

115:5 (vxry xlv Mhl Mynyf--they [idols] have eyes but cannot see).

Taken together, the 2 verses teach that that which God makes,

even if it is an inanimate object, "sees" the power of God and

fears, whereas that which man makes to be their gods have no

ability to “see" anything whatsoever.

Along with the above-mentioned key-lexeme links, there are

also 2 the thematic-lexeme interconnections between Psalms 114 and

115: Crx (earth, land--Pss 114:7; 115:15-16) and Myhlx (God--

Pss 114:7; 15:2-3). The former is used in a thematic context

to teach that God is greater than the earth (Crx)--an object

_________________

¹⁹²Within the Psalter, the lexeme hxr (see) is used with

non-beings in Pss 77:17; 97:4; 98:3; 114:3; 115:5; 135:16. Two

of those verses, however, use this verb in conjunction with the

subject being Crxh (the earth--Ps 97:4) or Crx-yspx-lk (all the

ends of the earth--Ps 98:3). Both subjects (particularly the

subject of Ps 98:3) may, in fact, be referencing human beings.

If so, then the frequency of non-being subjects drops to 4: Mym

(water—Ps 77:17), My (sea--Ps 114:3), Mhybvf (their idols--Ps

115:5, cf. v . 4), and Myvgh ybcf, (the idols of the nations--Ps

135:16, cf.v. 15).

248

which He created (Ps 115:15), which He gave to humans (Ps

115:16), an which is to tremble at His presence (Ps 114:7).

The latter--Myhlx (God)--further advances that same theme by

showing that God is more powerful than the earth (Ps 114:7) and

is not confined to it as are idols, the creation of man (Ps

115:2-3; cf. v. 4).

Thematic Interconnections

The basic theme of Psalm 114 is that God acts powerfully on

behalf of His people. He acts so powerfully that neither humans

(the Egyptians--v. 1) nor the creation (the sea, the Jordan

River, the mountains, the hills, or the earth--vv. 3-7) are able

to counter His will. Likewise, Psalm 115 pictures God as a

great God who accomplishes whatever He pleases (v. 3). He is

greater, moreover, than humans or than idols, i.e., the

creations of human hands (vv. 4-8). This powerful God,

furthermore, is the creator and controller of heaven and earth

(v. 15). As such, He is able both to help and to protect His

people (vv. 9-11).

Psalms 114 and 116

Lexical Interconnections

As the following list indicates, the 6 lexeme linkages

between Psalm 114 and Psalm 116 are all classified as

incidental-lexeme links:

249

Key-Lexeme Links

none

Thematic-Lexeme Links

none

Incidental-Lexeme Links

tyb (114:1--116:19)--house

Mf (114:1--116:14, 18)--people

Nb (114:4,6--116:16)--son, (pl.) children

hnp (114:7[2x]--116:9)--face, before, corner

Crx (114:7--116:9)--earth, land

Myhlx (114:7--116:5)--God

The lexical linkages between Psalms 114 and 116 represent 18% (6

of 34) and 9% (6 of 68) of the lexical families of those 2

psalms, respectively.

There are no key-lexeme interconnections or thematic-lexeme

interconnections between Psalms 114 and 116.

Thematic Interconnections

Both Psalms 114 and 116 express the concept that God

delivers His people from distress. In Ps 114:1, God guides His

people out of their bondage in Egypt. Similarly, in Ps 116:3-4,

6-8, 13, 16, God brings His servant out of a life-threatening

situation.

250

Psalms 114 and 117

Lexical Interconnections

In reference to that body of lexemes subject to analysis in

this dissertation, there are no lexemes that function as lexical

linkages between Psalms 114 and 117, as the following reveals:

Key-Lexeme Links

none

Thematic-Lexeme Links

none

Incidental-Lexeme Links

none

The lack of lexical links between the 2 psalms means that 0% of

lexemes of Psalm 114 (0 of 34) are replicated among the lexical

families of Psalm 117 (0 of 10).

There is, furthermore, only 1 lexical link of any kind

between Psalms 114 and 117: yk (that, for). This particle,

moreover, is used in different ways in the 2 psalms, thus

reducing even further the possibility of any significant lexical

interconnection between the 2 psalms.

Thematic Interconnections

Both Psalms 114 and 117 indicate that the world is to

recognize God’s greatness, particularly as He acts in relation

251

to His people. Psalm 114:7 commands the earth¹⁹³ to tremble

before Israel's God who transforms the physical creation on

behalf of His people (v. 8, cf. vv. 3-6). Psalm 117:1 also

issues a command, this time to all human beings everywhere.

They are to praise (llh) and extol (Hbw) God.

Psalms 114 and 118

Lexical Interconnections

The following list of lexeme linkages between Psalms 114

and 118 reveals that there is only 1 category of interconnection

operative--incidental-lexeme links:

Key-Lexeme Links

none

Thematic-Lexeme Links

none

Incidental-Lexeme Links

lxrWy (114:1, 2--118:2)--Israel

tyb (114:1--118:3, 26)--house

hyh (114:2--118:14, 21, 22, 23)--be

hxr (114:3--118:7)--see

bbs (114:3,5--118:10, 11[2x], 12)--turn around, surround

hnp (114:7[2x]--118:22)--face, before, corner

Myhlx (114:7--118:27, 28[2x])--God

_________________

¹⁹³The context is not clear as to whether the term Crx

(earth, land) is used in a physical sense to indicate the

inanimate world or in a metaphorical sense to point to the

people who inhabit the earth. Possibly both ideas are intended.

252

These 7 incidental-lexeme links total approximately 21% of the

34 lexical families of Psalm 114 and nearly 10% of the 72

lexemes of Psalm 118.

Only 1 of the 7 incidental-lexeme interconnections comes

into serious consideration for being placed into either the

thematic-lexeme or key-lexeme categories: bbs (turn around,

surround). The primary reason why this term is a potential

candidate for being labeled a key-lexeme link is the fact that

it occurs only 8 times in Book V of the Psalter--7 of which are

in the corpus under study, with 6 of those 7 being found in

Psalms 114 and 118.¹⁹⁴ The lexeme, however, functions

differently in Ps 114:3, 5 (where it conveys the idea of

turning) than it does in Ps 118:10, 11(2x), 12 (where it holds

the sense of being surrounded).

Thematic Interconnections

A theme which both Psalms 114 and 118 hold in common is

that of God's deliverance of His people from the nations which

beset them. In Ps 114:1, God brings the Israelites out of

Egypt; in Ps 118:10-12, God gives to the one who takes refuge in

Him the power to overcome the nations which surround him.

_________________

¹⁹⁴Furthermore, the term bbs (turn around, surround)

occurs only 24 times in the entire Psalter.

253

The work which God performs, moreover, is such that when it

is performed it is to be considered amazing by whatever (the

earth--Ps 114:7) or whoever (God's people--Ps 118:23) sees it.

Psalm 114--A Retrospective¹⁹⁵

Location within the Psalms 107-118 Corpus

Much in the same way that Psalm 110 plays a vital role as

the central unifying psalm of the Psalms 107-113 group, so too

Psalm 114 operates as the fulcrum between Psalms 111-113 and

115-117. Both Psalms 110 and 114 emphasize God's power but with

a slightly different focus from each other. Psalm 110, which

presents as ruling above the creation, paints a general

picture of God's power as it goes forth against His enemies.

Psalm 114, however, portrays in graphic detail God's might as it

is exercise against one specific nation, and then depicts that

power of God as being dominant over the creation.

More specifically, Psalm 114 links together Psalm 113 (the

final psalm of the hallelujah (hy vllh) rubric sequence that

begins with Psalm 111) and Psalm 115 (the initial psalm of the

hallelujah (hy-vllh) colophon sequence that ends with Psalm 117)

by means of this mutually held theme of God's sovereignty over

the creation. Psalms 113-115 declare that no one is as powerful

_________________

¹⁹⁵This retrospective compares Psalm 114 not only to the

subsequent psalms of the Psalms 107-118 corpus but also to the

preceding 7 psalms.

254

as the LORD God--He is above all creation (Psalm 113), He

dominates creation (Psalm 114), and He dominates that which

creation creates, i.e., idols (Psalm 115). Thus, Psalm 114,

which is bereft of direct statements regarding the praise of

God, plays key role in the unification of the 6 hallelujah

psalms (i.e., Psalms 111-113 and 115-117) in the Psalms 107-118

corpus.¹⁹⁶

In addition, the beginning of Psalm 114 links backward to

the conclusion of Psalm 113 by means of illustrations that

depict God's work on behalf of those who are in desperate

situations.¹⁹⁷ In Ps 113:7-9, those who are rescued are the

poor, the needy, and the barren woman. In Ps 114:1, the people

_________________

¹⁹⁶Brennan conjectures that that Psalm 114 "has been set in

relief by the editor, who inserted the title hallelu-Yah

('Praise Yah') at various places in this part of Book V. He

apparently took the already existing Egyptian Hallel and united

to it the covenant-renewal Psalms 111 and 112. He then prefixed

111, 112, 113, and 117 with this title, and added the same

expression at the end of 113, 115, 116[,] and 117, thus forming

a sequence of seven Psalms, in which the first three begin with

hallelu-Yah, the second three end with it, and the third Psalm

in each triad (i.e., 113 and 117) both begins and ends with it.

Psalm 114 thus as lacks it completely." Brennan, "Some Hidden

Harmonies in the Fifth Book of Psalms," 133-34.

¹⁹⁷In reference to the relationship between the Psalm 114

in its entirety to Psalm 113, Alexander writes: "As the

preceding psalm encouraged the people of God, in a time of

trial, by reminding them that, although infinitely exalted, he

condescends to notice and relieve the sufferings of his

creatures, so the one before us is intended to produce the same

effect, by bringing to their recollection what he actually did

for Israel in the period of the exodus from Egypt." Joseph

Addision Alexander, The Psalms Translated and Explained (Grand

Rapids, Mich Zondervan, 1864; reprint, n.d.), 467.

255

of God are ones who are experience God's deliverance.¹⁹⁸

The beginning of Psalm 114, moreover, is joined to Psalm 113

through the presence of 2 lexemes--Mf (people--Pss 113:8; 114:1)

and tyb (house--Pss 113:9; 114:1). These lexemes, however,

function differently in the 2 psalms and thus can be considered

only as weak linkages, if linkages at all.

Furthermore, the latter portions of Psalm 114 link forward

to the initial verses of Psalm 115 in 2 ways: (1) regarding the

relationship the world is to have or has with the LORD and (2)

regarding God's power. First, at the end of Psalm 114, the

earth is commanded to show respect to the LORD (to tremble

before Him) because of His great power (vv. 7-8). Near the

beginning of Psalm 115, however, rather than displaying respect

to the LORD, the nations mock Him (v. 2). Second, God

accomplishes the seemingly impossible (Ps 114:8); He also

accomplishes whatever He desires (Ps 115:3).

_________________

¹⁹⁸Geller notes the connection between Ps 113:7-8 and Psalm

114 (though he perhaps pushes the exegetical implications of the

contents of the linkage beyond what is clearly demonstrable).

Geller states: "It is perhaps no accident that Psalm 113,

adjacent to our Psalm [114], also contains the motif of social

disorder as the agency of divine blessing, even quoting the Song

of Hannah ([Psalm 113] vv. 7-8). 'Raising the poor from the

dust' is the social aspect of 'turning rock to water,' of

Israel's redemption from Egyptian slavery 'to sit with

princes.'", Stephen A. Geller, "The Language of Imagery in Psalm

114," in Linger over Words: Studies in Ancient Near Eastern

Literature in Honor of William L. Moran, ed. Tzvi Abushch, John

Huehnergard, and Piotr Steinkeller (Atlanta: Scholars, 1990),

189.

256

Lexical Interconnections

There are 34 lexemes in Psalm 114, 18 (53%) of which are

replicated at least once elsewhere in the corpus, 16 (47%) are

hapax legomena within the corpus.¹⁹⁹ Based on a numerical

tally of the number of lexemes of Psalm 114 duplicated in the

other psalm of the Psalms 107-118 corpus, those psalms which

have the greatest frequency of lexical interconnections with

Psalm 114 are Psalms 107 (10); 109 (9); 113 (7); 115 (7); and

118 (7). This listing alters greatly when the percentages of

lexical linkages are considered. The new order reveals that the

psalms immediately adjacent to Psalm 114 have a higher

percentage of replication than do those further away: Psalms 113

(20%); 115 (13%); 118 (10%); 108 (9%); 116 (9%); and 110 (9%).

Of the 34 lexemes of Psalm 114, 7 (21%) also occur in 5 or

more of the other psalms of the corpus under study: tyb (house),

Mf (people), hyh (be), hxr (see), Nb (son, [pl.] children), Crx

(earth, land), and Myhlx (God).

More importantly, from the sum total of the lexeme

population, Psalm 114, 2 lexemes make significant (i.e., key-

lexeme or thematic-lexeme) links with 3 or more of the other

psalms in the Psalms 107-118 corpus. One of the lexemes is the

term Crx (earth, land) which functions as a thematic-lexeme

_________________

¹⁹⁹Psalm 114 contains 2 lexemes that are hapax legomena

within the Psalter-zfl (talk unintelligibly) and wymlH

(flint)--1 of which, zfl, is also a hapax legomenon within the

Hebrew Scriptures.

257

link between Psalm 114 and Psalms 108; 113; and 115 to declare

that God is greater than His creation. The other significant

lexical interconnection is made by the lexical family of Myhlx

(God) which also advances this same theme as it links Psalm 114

to Psalms 107, 108, 113, and 115.

Thematic Inerconnections

Two significant themes of Psalm 114 that are extant in many

of the other psalms of the Psalms 107-118 corpus are (1) God's

deliverance of His people from difficult situations and (2)

God's dominance over His creation.

First, in Ps 114:1-2, God brings His people out of their

bondage in Egypt. He also acts on their behalf to rescue them

from a variety of distresses, some due to their own sins, some

which the surrounding nations caused, some which God Himself

brought on people (Pss 107:1-32; 108:8-10; 109:31; (110:5-

6]; 111:9; 112:4, 8, 10]; 115:9-11; 116:3-8, [14]; 118:5-7, 10-

15).

Second, God rules over His creation, controlling it in any

way that suits His pleasure (Ps 114:3-8).²⁰⁰ Likewise, in Pss

_________________

²⁰⁰Brennan identifies verses 7 and 8 as the key verses of

Psalm 114. In those verses, "Yahweh, the God of Jacob, is

acclaimed as Lord of all the earth. He transforms the destiny

of his people as wonderfully as he changes the flinty rock into

running water (a theme which echoes 107,4-9.33-41 and 113,7-9)."

Brennan, "So me Hidden Harmonies in the Fifth Book of Psalms,"

133.

258

107:24-26; 9; 33-35, 38; 108:8-10; 110:5-6; 113:5-9; 115:3,

[14]; God observed controlling the physical creation and

demonstrating His superiority over the powers of this world.

Strongest Linkages within Corpus

Despite the relatively few lexical connections that Psalm

114 makes with the remaining 11 psalms of the Psalms 107-118

corpus,²⁰¹ Psalm 114 is not a misfit psalm within the corpus.

This psalm forms a thematic chain with Psalms 113 and 115, its

neighbor psalms. Together, those 3 psalms picture God’s power

over the Created order.

Psalm 114 also functions as the point of praise around

which the hallelujah (hy vllh) rubric psalms (Psalms 111-113)

and the hallelujah (hyvllh) colophon psalms (Psalms 115-117)

revolve. Yet, as noted previously, Psalm 114 contains no

lexemes that specifically express or command praise. The entire

psalm is an encomium to God for His act of delivering His people

at the time of the exodus from Egypt. Psalm 114, therefore,

appropriate falls in the midst of 6 other psalms of praise.

Furthermore also as noted above, the contents of Psalm 114

_________________

²⁰¹When the lexeme interconnections that Psalm 114 makes

with each of the other psalms individually are added together,

the sum total of those linkages is only reaches to 61. Only

Psalm 117, the shortest psalm in the corpus (and in the

Psalter), makes fewer total lexical interconnections (47 total)

than does Psalm 114. On the higher side, the psalm that is

closest to Psalm 114, in the total number of lexical

interconnections that it makes within the corpus, is Psalm 110,

with 76 links. See Appendix C.

259

provide the thematic reason why Psalms 113-118 (which have been

used liturgically as a group of psalms for over 2,000 years in

Israel's worship at selected festivals) carry the name Egyptian

Hallel.

Psalm 115 in Context

Introduction to Psalm 115

Psalm 115 follows naturally after Psalm 114, a psalm that

declares God 's sovereignty over creation. Psalm 115:1 proclaims

that all glory is to go to God, not to man. Yet the reality of

God is challenged by the world in v. 2. That challenge is

counterbalanced through the confirmation by the speaker in the

psalm that the LORD, in fact, is the God of heaven who, unlike

the idols created by human hands, does whatever He desires (vv.

3-8). Such a God, understandably, is to be relied upon, not

only because He is a God who is capable of doing whatever He

wants to do, but also because He is a God who helps, protects,

and blesses His people (vv. 9-15). This God who owns the

heavens and loans out the earth to man is therefore a God who is

deserving of praise forever and ever (vv. 15-18).

260

Psalms 115 and 116

Lexical Interconnections

The lexeme linkages between the lexemes of Psalm 115 and

those of Psalm 116 are presented below:

Key-Lexeme Links

hvhy (115:1, 9, 10, 11[2x], 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18[2x]--

116:1, 4[2x], 5, 6, 7, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19[2x])--

LORD

rbd (115:5--116:10)--word, speak

Nyf (115:5--116:8, 15)--eye

Nzx (115:6--116:2)--ear

fmw (115:6--116:1)--hear

lgr (115:7--116:8)--foot

jlh (115:7--116:9)--go, walk

llh (115:17,18--116:19)—praise

Thematic-Lexeme Links

Mw (115:1--116:4, 13, 17)--name

Myhlx (115:2, 3--116:5)--God

tvm (115:17--116:3,8,15)--death, die

Incidental-Lexeme Links

rmx (115:2--116:11)--say

lk (115:3, 8, 17--116:11, 12, 14, 18)--all

Mdx (115:4, 16--116:11)--man

tyb (115:9[ET], 10, 12[2x]--116:19)--house

Nb (115:14, 16--116:16)--son, (pl.) children

Crx (115:15, 16--116:9)--earth, land

The above-cited lexemes account for 33% (17 of 52) of the

lexemes of Psalm 115 and 25% (17 of 68) of the lexeme families

of Psalm 116.

261

Although there are 8 key-lexeme links between Psalms 115

and 116 listed above, there are in reality only 2 key-lexeme

concepts between the 2 psalms. The first is derived from the

combination of llh (praise) and hvhy (LORD). These 2 terms

together form the hallelujah (hy-vllh) colophons that conclude

both psalms (Pss 115:18; 116:19) and as such function as

important reminders to the readers that these psalms are psalms

of praise to the LORD who is more powerful than all of creation

and who is more than worthy to be trusted by His people to

deliver from their distress.

The second key-lexeme concept is that which is drawn from

the remaining 6 terms: rbd (word, speak), Nyf (eye), Nzx (ear),

fmw (hear), lgr (foot), and jlh (go, walk). None of these

lexemes operates individually as a key-lexeme link until it is

placed together in conjunction with the others,²⁰² but as a

group they convey the image of the human body. They do not,

however, qualify as being also thematic-lexeme links since their

usage in Psalm 115 centers around idols, whereas in Psalm 116,

_________________

²⁰²For example, of the 4 references to Nyf (eye) in the

Psalms 107-118 corpus, 3 occur in the 2 adjacent psalms of

Psalms 115 and 116, suggesting a possible strong connection.

Yet, the term is not used in the same way in both of those

psalms. The lexeme Nyf (eye) is used of idols in Ps 115:5, of

an individual human being in Ps 116:8, and of the LORD in Ps

116:15. The only other occurrence of the lexeme Nyf (eye)

within the corpus (Ps 118:23) offers still one more use of the

term: a reference to the eyes of the people of God.

262

their usage is varied, either as a reference to the LORD or to

the individual whom the LORD had saved from death.²⁰³

By contrast to the key-lexeme links which function

together, the 3 thematic-lexeme interconnections operate

separately (although Mw [name] is always found in close

association with hvhy [LORD], which itself may be considered a

thematic-lexeme link as well as a key-lexeme link). The 3 terms

identified as thematic-lexeme links between the 2 psalms are

Mw--name, Myhlx--God, and tvm--death, die.

First, the LORD's Mw (name) is to receive glory because of

His lovingkindness and truth (Ps 115:1). In Psalm 116, that Mw

(name) of God is to be called upon because of His acts of

lovingkindness in relation to the deliverance of His people--

acts which are worthy to receive a sacrifice of thanksgiving

(vv. 4, 13, 17).

_________________

²⁰³ The following are additional terms related to the body

that appear in only 1 of these 2 psalms but not in the other: 14

(hand--Ps 115:4, 7), hp (mouth--Ps 115:5), hxr (see--Ps 115:5),

Jx (nose--Ps 115:6), Hyr (smell--Ps 115:6), lvq (voice--Ps

116:1), xrq (call--Ps 116:2, 4, 13, 17), wpn (soul--Ps 116:4,

7, 8), hfmd (tear--Ps 116:8), and yHd (stumbling--Ps 116:8)

One body-related lexeme that occurs in both psalms but

which does not qualify as either a key-lexeme link or a

thematic-lexeme link is the term rmx (say--Pss 115:2; 116:11).

This term in Psalm 115 is used of the nations (Myvg) and not of

idols (as is the case with the group of terms identified above

as key-lexemes), while in Psalm 116, it is used of the speaker

in that psalm.

263

Second, Myhlx occurs in each instance in these 2 with a

plural possessive pronoun that indicates that Myhlx is related

to His people as a group. Of the 12 other occurrences of the

Myhlx lexeme family in the Psalms 107-118 corpus, only 1 (that

which is found in Ps 113:5) is used in conjunction with a plural

possessive to indicate the same God-to-His-people

relationship. The others are used either as vocatives of

address (Ps 108:1, 5, 11[2x]; 109:1, 26), in a third person

construction (Pss 107:11; 108:7, 13; 118:27), or in connection

with a first person possessive pronoun (Pss [109:26];²⁰⁴

118:28[2x]).

Third, the lexeme tvm (death, die) as used in Ps 116:3, 8,

15, provides a clarification to its use in Ps 115:17. That

Psalm 115 passage seems to suggest that death (even for the

believer) is the end, that there is no more relationship--at

least not a positive one--between the one who dies and the LORD.

The use tvm (death, die) in Psalm 116, however, corrects any

erroneous thought that the reader might have concerning death.

Psalm 116 declares that even though an individual has pleaded

with God to rescue him from death (vv. 3-4) and even though the

LORD has delivered him from that seemingly tragic event at that

_________________

²⁰⁴The reference here to the use of Myhlx in relation to a

first person pronoun has already been cited as being a vocative

of address, hence the use of brackets. The use of the Myhlx

lexical family in Ps 109:26 is yhlx hvhy (O LORD my God).

264

time (v. 8) the LORD considers the death of His godly ones as a

positive event, in fact a precious (rqy) one (v. 15).

Thematic Interconnections

Psalm 115 has 3 primary themes: (1) God is more capable

than idols--the works of man's hands, (2) God is to be trusted

as one who is able to deliver from distress, and (3) God is to

be praised for His greatness. The first of these 3 themes is

carried over subtly in Psalm 116, whereas the second and third

are loudly, echoed in that latter psalm.

First, in Ps 115:3-7, God is declared to be superior to

idols. They may have the physical characteristics of a sentient

being--mouths, eyes, ears, noses, hands, feet, and throats--but

their appendages are non-functional and are made of silver and

gold. The idols, in fact, are incapable of doing anything.

God, by contrast, who lives in heaven (the idols, by

implication, merely live on earth), can do whatever He desires.

This theme of God's superiority to the things of man is

advanced further in Psalm 116. Although the psalm does not

juxtapose God to idols, it shows that God's "ear" is capable of

functioning on behalf of His people when they call upon Him (v.

1-2). He has control over life and death (Ps 116:3-8--the

idols, in Ps 115:4-7, do not have the ability to control their

own "life"). The true and living God, moreover, has "eyes"

265

which see the death of His beloved as precious (Ps 116:15--

the idols in Ps 115:5, despite having eyes, are sightless).

The second theme--that God is a protector of His people--is

stated both in Ps 115:9-11 and in Ps 116:1-8, [13], 16. He is

worthy of His people's trust and dependence.

The third theme of Psalm 115 is that God is to be honored

by His people.²⁰⁵ This theme is presented both at the beginning

and the ending of his psalm (Ps 115:1, 18), and is developed

through the use of such terms as dvbk (glory), jrb (bless), and

llh (praise). In similar fashion, at both the beginning and

the ending of the psalm, Psalm 116 reveals that honor belongs to

God (Ps 116:1, 13-14, 17-19). To convey this thought, the

servant of God, in Psalm 116, uses such clauses as hvhy... bhx

(I love the LORD--v. 1), xwx tvfvwy-svk (I shall lift up the cup

of salvation --v. 13), xrqx hvhy Mwb (I shall call upon the name

of the LORD -v. 13), Mlwx hvhyl yrdn (I shall pay my vows to the

LORD--v. 14), Hbzx hdvt Hbz (I shall offer a sacrifice of

thanksgiving --v. 17), and hy vllh (praise the LORD--v. 19).

_________________

²⁰⁵Forbes understands Psalm 116 in its entirety to be "the

return which the Psalmist makes for the answer to his prayer in

Ps. cxv., in which appeal was made to God to hear His people in

their distress, in vindication of the glory of His own Name, for

His 'MERCY' and TRUTH'S sake' (ver. 1)." Forbes, Studies on the

Book of Psalms, 171.

266

Psalms 115 and 117

Lexical Interconnections

The 7 lexeme linkages between Psalms 115 and 117 are

identified below:

Key-Lexeme Links

hvhy (115:1, 9, 10, 11[2x], 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18[2x]--

117:1, 2[2x])--LORD

dsH (115:1--117:2)--lovingkindness

tmx (115:1--117:2)--truth

llh (115:17, 18--117:1, 2)--praise

Thematic-Lexeme Links

none

Incidental-Lexeme Links

yvg (115:2--117:1)--nation

lk (115:3, 8, 17--117:1[2x])--all

Mlvf (115:18--117:2)--forever

These 7 lexical interconnections represent 13% (7 of 52) of the

lexemes of Psalm 115 and 70% (7 of 10) of the lexical families

of Psalm 117.

The key-lexeme linkages between the 2 psalms function in

pairs: dsH (lovingkindness) is associated with tmx (truth) in

Ps 115:1 and Ps 117:2, and llh (praise) with hvhy (LORD) in Ps

115:18 and Ps 117:1-2.

The terms dsH (lovingkindness) and tmx (truth) are

declared to be reasons why God is to be honored, whether by

267

Himself (Ps 115:1) or by the peoples of the world (Ps 117:1-

2).²⁰⁶

The clause hy-vllh (praise the LORD) is repeated in both

psalms as hallelujah (hy-vllh) colophons (Pss 115:18; 117:2). A

variation of the clause is also used in Ps 117:1—hvhy-tx vllh.

The use of this clause in the manner in which it occurs in both

Psalms 115 and 117 classifies both psalms as being psalms of

praise.

Although no thematic-lexeme links are listed above, the 4

key-lexeme links in actuality function as both key-lexeme and

thematic-lexeme linkages.

Thematic Interconnections

In both Psalms 115 and 117, God is to be honored because of

His lovingkindness and His truth (or faithfulness) (Pss 115:1;

117:1-2). God is to glorify Himself in Ps 115:1; whereas the

whole world is to praise and laud Him in Ps 117:1. God

moreover, is to be praised by people (Pss 115:18; 117:1-2).

_________________

²⁰⁶There are 25 verses in the Psalter which contain a

member from both the dsH (lovingkindness) and tmx (truth)

lexical families. Only 4 of those 25 occur in Book V of the

Psalter, 3 in the Psalms 107-118 corpus: Pss 108:4; 115:1;

117:2. Of the 25 verses total, there are 6 verses which

identify dsH or and tmx as being a grounds for honoring God

through glorifying Him, praising Him, or offering Him

thanksgiving. All of the above-cited verses in the Psalms 107-

118 corpus so qualify. The other 3 instances are Pss 59:11;

100:5; 1381:2. Thus all 4 cases found in Book V of the Psalter

function in this manner.

268

Psalms 115 and 118

Lexical Interconnections

The following list presents the key-lexeme, thematic-

lexeme, and incidental-lexeme links between Psalms 115 and 118:

Key-Lexeme Links

hvhy (115:1, 9, 10, 11[2x], 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18[2x]--118:1,

4, 5[2x], 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16[2x], 17, 18,

19, 20, 23, 24, 25[2x], 26[2x], 27, 29)--LORD

tyb (115:9[ET], 10, 12[2x]--118:3, 26)--house

lxrWy (115:9, 12--118:2)--Israel

Nrhx (115:10, 12--118:3)--Aaron

dsH (115:1--118:1, 2, 3, 4, 29)—lovingkindness

Thematic-Lexeme Links

yvg (115:2--118:10)--nation

hWf (115:3, 4, 8, 15--118:6, 15, 16, 17, 24)--work, do, make

HFb (115:8, 9, 10, 11--118:8, 9)--trust

rzf (115:9, 10, 11--118:7, 13)--help

xry (115:11, 13--118:4, 6)--fear, awesome

Incidental-Lexeme Links

Mw (115:1--118:10, 11, 12, 26)--name

Ntn (115:1, 16--118:18)--give

rmx (115:2--118:2, 3, 4)--say

Myhlx (115:2, 3--118:27, 28[2x])--God

lk (115:3, 8, 17--118:10)--all

Mdx (115:4, 16--118:6, 8)--man

Nyf (115:5--118:23)--eye

hxr (115:5--118:7)--see

hyh (115:8--118:14, 21, 22, 23)--be

jrb (115:12[3x], 13, 15, 18--118:26[2x])--bless, knee

tvm (115:17--118:17, 18)--death, die

Mlvf (115:18--118:1, 2, 3, 4, 29)--forever

269

There are 2 lexical interconnections between Psalms 115 and

118. Those 22 linkages total 42% (22 of 52) of the lexical

families of Psalm 115 and 31% (22 of 72) of the lexemes of Psalm

118.

The 5 lexeme links function primarily in 2 groups. The

first key-lexeme group is comprised of hvhy (LORD) and dsH

(lovingkindness) which work together as a unit.²⁰⁷

Both Psalms 115 and 118 begin with a command that utilizes

the first-lexeme group. According to Pss 115:1; 118:1-4,

hvhy (LORD) is to be honored because of His dsH

(lovingkindness). Both psalms, moreover, end with an additional

command that hvhy (the LORD) is to be honored (Pss 115:18;

118:29).²⁰⁸

The hvhy lexical family, furthermore, permeates throughout

much of the 2 psalms. The LORD (hvhy), both psalms proclaim, is

to be relied upon for protection and help in the midst of

trouble (Ps 115:9-11; 118:5-14). The LORD (hvhy) also is the

one who blesses His people (Pss 115:12-15; 118:25). The LORD

(hvhy), moreover, is the Creator--the maker of heaven and earth

(Ps 115:15), the maker of time (Ps 118:24).

_________________

²⁰⁷The lexeme hvhy (LORD) also stands by itself as a key-

lexical interconnection as is revealed below.

²⁰⁸Psalm 118:29 repeats word for word the command of Ps

118:1, and thereby reinforces the truth that God's dsH

(lovingkindness) is a reason for honoring Him.

270

The second key-lexeme group consists of tyb (house), lxrWy,

(Israel), and Nrhx (Aaron). This group is fully developed in

Psalm 115, but only partially developed in Psalm 118 (unless the

Septuagint rendering of Ps 118:2 is accepted and tyb is joined

together with lxrWy.²⁰⁹ Psalm 115 records a construct

relation between tyb and a proper noun which identifies

either a human being (as opposed to a divine being) or a group

of humans for both lxrWy tyb (the house of Israel) and Nrhx tyb

(the house of Aaron).²¹⁰ Psalm 115:9(ET) stipulates lxrWy tyb

(the house of Israel), Ps 115:10 Nrxh tyb (the house of Aaron),

and Ps 115: 2 both. Psalm 118 contains only Nrhx tyb (the house

of Aaron) v. 3, but has in the immediately preceding verse

(which apart from the "missing" tyb essentially parallels v. 3)

the lexeme lxrWy (Israel). In view of the rarity of these

various combinations of terms in the Psalter within such close

_________________

²⁰⁹This dissertation rejects the LXX rendering even though

it would strengthen the argument for the presence of the tyb--

lxrWy--Nrhx key-lexeme group of Psalms 115 and 118 (cf. Ps

135:19).

²¹⁰The construct relationship between tyb (house) and a

human designee is rare in the Psalter, occurring in only 10

verses with a total of 12 references: Pss 52:2 (Ahimelech); 98:3

(Israel); 114:1 (Jacob); 115:9(ET) (Israel); 115:10 (Aaron);

115:12 (Israel and Aaron); 118:3 (Aaron); 122:5 (David); 135:19

(Israel and Aaron); and 135:20 (Levi). Note that 8 of the

verses and 10 of the occurrences of the construct relationship

occur in Book V of the Psalter, with 5 of the verses and 6 of

the instances existing within the corpus under study.

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proximity suggests that the tyb-- lxrWy—Nrhx-- group functions as

a key-lexeme linkage between Psalms 115 and 118.²¹¹

Along ith the 5 key-lexeme links between Psalms 115 and

118, there also 5 thematic-lexeme links: yvg (nation), hWf

(work, do, make), HFb (trust), rzf (help), and xry (fear,

awesome).

In both psalms, the Myvg (nations) are viewed as the

primary opposition to God and His people (Pss 115:2; 118:10-

12).²¹²

The thematic-lexeme link of hWf (work, do, make)

designates within both psalms the actions of both God and

humans. God does (hWf) whatever He so chooses to do (Pss

115:3; 118:15-17); He is also the maker (hWf) of the created

_________________

²¹¹Only psalms in the Psalter include within their

boundaries both lxrWy (Israel) and Nrhx (Aaron): Pss 105:10

(Israel), 23 (Israel), 26 (Aaron); 106:16 (Aaron); 48 (Israel);

115:9 (Israel); 10 (Aaron); 12 (Israel and Aaron); 118:2

(Israel), 3 (Aaron); 135:4 (Israel), 12 (Israel), 19 (Israel and

Aaron).

²¹²In Ps 118:13, the subject which is contained in the verb

hHd (push) is masculine singular. As such, it may suggest a

specific individual who opposed the speaker in the psalm, or it

may be a reference to the nations (Myvg) of Ps 118:10, viewing

them as a collective group. If the former is true, then Psalm

118 indicates the presence of at least 2 opponents--the nations

and an unspecified individual. A third party--a group of

people—may also be viewed as antagonists, namely, the builders

of Ps 118:24. In any case, the nations (Myvg) remain the

speaker's primary opponents, as is evidenced by the amount of

space that is devoted to them within the text (3 verses as

opposed to 1 verse each for the other 2[?] groups).

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order (Pss 115:15; 118:24). By contrast, humans apart from God

lack the ability to do (hWf) anything truly powerful (Pss

115:4, 8; 118:6).

Since God and humans apart from God are of the nature just

described, both psalms stress the wisdom of placing one's HFb

(trust) in the LORD rather than in humans or in those objects of

worship created by human hands (Pss 115:8, 9, 10, 11; 118:8, 9).

These 2 psalms also stress the importance of the LORD's rzf

(help) on behalf of His people (Pss 115:9, 10, 11; 118:7,

13).²¹³

The final thematic-lexeme link between Psalms 115 and 118

is the term xry (fear, awesome). This term is used in a

positive light in Pss 115:11, 13; 118:4 to indicate those who

hvhy yxry(fear the LORD).²¹⁴ Such individuals are those who are

to put their trust in the LORD (Ps 115:11), those for whom the

LORD acts as helper and protector (Ps 115:11), those whom God

_________________

²¹³Technically, the rzf (help) recorded in Ps 118:7 is help

that comes from humans. Yet, as the verse states, the LORD is

among those who offer help. This suggests that God is the one

who is providing the help which the speaker in Psalm 118 needs

and He is king that provision through human agents.

²¹⁴The lexeme xry (fear) also appears in Ps 118:6. In that

verse, the speaker boldly states that because the LORD is on his

side, he has nothing to fear. That verse, therefore, when taken

in concert with Pss 115:11, 13; 118:4, suggests that if one

truly fears the LORD, then no other fear is possible (or, at

least, not logically possible).

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blesses (Ps 115:13), and those who are to declare that the

lovingkindness of the LORD is forever (Ps 118:4).

Thematic Interconnections

Three important themes of Psalm 115 are carried over into

Psalm 118: the deservedness of God to be honored, God's ability

to accomplish whatever He decides to do, and the wisdom of

relying on God for deliverance from difficult situations. The

first theme--that regarding the honoring of God--arises in Pss

115:1, 18; 18:1-4, [15], [17], 19, 21, 28-29. The second

theme--that regarding God's capabilities--presents itself in Pss

115:3[-8], 5-16; 118:15-18, 22-24, 27. The third theme--that

of God as the source to turn to for rescue from distress--occurs

in Pss 115:9-11; 118:5-14.

Psalm 115--A Retrospective²¹⁵

Location within the Psalms 107-118 Corpus

Psalm 115 is the first of 3 hallelujah (hy-vllh) colophon

psalms that encompass Psalms 116 and 117 as well. As such Psalm

115 begins 3 pronged declaration of praise to God. Psalm 115

identifies God's people as those who are to praise Him. Psalm

116 continues the praise thought by focusing on the individual

_________________

²¹⁵This retrospective compares Psalm 115 not only to the

subsequent 3 psalms of the Psalms 107-118 corpus but also to the

preceding 8 psalms.

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who has reason to praise the LORD. Finally, Psalm 117 states

that the nations are to offer up praise to God. Together these

psalms present an argument that all people--whether an

individual, God's chosen people, or the peoples of the world--

are to honor God.

The beginning portion of Psalm 115 connects backward to the

ending portion of Psalm 114 by continuing the sense of trembling

that the creation exhibits toward God. In Ps 115:1, by means of

repetition, expresses a strong emotional feeling that God, and

not His people, receive the glory that is rightfully due to Him

and Him alone. In the previous psalm, i.e., Psalm 114, the

strong "emotional feeling" is exhibited by the sea, the Jordan

River, the mountains, and the hills that quake at the very

presence of the LORD (Ps 114:3-6). The words of that psalm then

challenge the whole earth to do likewise (Ps 114:7-8). Psalm

115 apparently "accepts" that challenge and presents the

statements of an individual who acts accordingly (Ps 115:1). In

addition, both the beginning of Psalm 115 and the ending of

Psalm 114 paint a literary picture of the power of God--either

suggesting (Ps 114:8) or directly stating (Ps 115:3) that His

power is unlimited.

The conclusion of Psalm 115, moreover, forms ties with the

beginning section of Psalm 116 through a spatial progression--

(from the heavens to the earth to the underworld--Pss 115:16-17;

116:3), through a declaration of gratitude to God on behalf of

275

the servant of God (Pss 115:18; 116:1), and through the lexeme

tvm (death, die) which is a reminder to the individual whom God

has delivered to praise God while he still is alive (Pss 115:17-

18; 116:1-4 .

Lexical Interconnections

The 52 lexical families of Psalm 115 are divided into those

which are duplicated elsewhere in the Psalms 107-118 corpus--41

of the 52 i.e., 79%--and those which are hapax legomena within

the corpus--11 of the 52, i.e., 21%^.216 The 41 replicated

lexemes are found with varying frequency in 1 or more of the

other psalms of the corpus under study. Based on strict

numerical data, the 6 psalms which contain the highest frequency

of lexeme families found in Psalm 115 are Psalms 107, 118, 109,

116, 113, and 112. These psalms exhibit the following number of

lexeme links: 22, 22, 20, 17, 16, and 15, respectively. When

the total number of lexeme interconnections are compared to the

total number of lexemes within a given psalm, then the order of

the psalms with the greatest lexeme linkage to Psalm 115 (and

totaling 20% or more of the total number of lexemes of the

psalm) are psalms 117 (70%), 113 (46%), 118 (31%), 111 (29%),

112 (27%), 16 (25%), and 114 (21%). When taken together with

_________________

²¹⁶Of the 11 lexemes that are hapax legomena within the

corpus, 1 is a hapax legomenon for the Psalter--Hyr (smell--Ps

115:6). There are no lexemes contained within Psalm 115 that

are hapax legomena for the Hebrew Scriptures.

276

Psalm 115, these psalms form an unbroken stretch in the corpus

running from Psalm 111 to Psalm 118. Thus, generally speaking,

the psalms which are closer to Psalm 115 have a greater

percentage if lexeme family linkage to that psalm than do those

psalms which are farther away from it.

Of the 52 lexemes of Psalm 115, 16 (31%) are also found in

5 or more of the other psalms in the Psalms 107-118 corpus.²¹⁷

In addition, there are 10 lexemes that make important

interconnections (i.e., either key-lexeme or thematic-lexeme

linkages) with 3 or more of the other psalms in the corpus.

Those 10 lexical families are hvhy (LORD), dsH (lovingkindness),

Myhlx (God) rzf (help), llh (praise), jrb (bless), Crx

(earth, land), xry (fear, awesome), Mw (name), and tyb (house).

These various lexemes advance the thesis that the name (Mw) of

the LORD (hvhy), who is greater than His creation (greater than

the earth-- Crx), is to be receive honor (to be blessed--jrb and

to be praised--llh) by the people of God (Myhlx)--e.g., by the

house (tyb) of Israel or by the house (tyb) of Aaron--because of

His lovingkindness (dsH). The LORD, moreover, extends His help

(rzf) to His people (a help which is far greater than any help

_________________

²¹⁷The following are the lexeme families that occur in

Psalm 115 and in a minimum of 5 other psalms in the corpus under

study: hvhy LORD), Mw (name), dsH (lovingkindness), yvg

(nation), Myhlx (God), lk (all), hWf (work, do, make) rdb

(speak), hxr (see), hyh (be), tyb (house), jrb (bless), Nb

(son, [pl.] children), Crx (earth, land), llh (praise), and

Mlvf (forever).

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which man could possibly offer) and blesses (jrb) them. Those

who rightly fear (xry) Him thus have no need to be afraid (xry)

of anything throughout the entirety of the creation which God

made.

Thematic Interconnections

There are 3 themes developed in Psalm 115 that are

prominent in various of the other psalms of the Psalms 107-118

corpus. Those themes concern (1) the honoring of God, (2) the

dominance of God over creation, and (3) the ability of God to

deliver His people from distress and hence their need to rely

upon Him for such a deliverance.

The first theme--the honoring of God--functions within

Psalm 115 as an envelope inside of which the remainder of the

psalm is contained (Ps 115:1, 18). This theme is also packaged

as a valuable component in all the remaining psalms of the

corpus (except in Psalm 114, which in its entirety may be

understood to be a praise psalm to God).

God's superiority to His creation--the second theme--is

noted in Psalm 115, in particular in verses 3-8 and 15-16. The

LORD who is the maker of heaven and earth controls them as He so

desires; He also is far superior to the creations of humans

(i.e., idols) which are incapable of doing anything. Similarly,

these ideas arise (among other places) in Pss 107:24-25, 33-35;

113:5-6; 114:3-8 where God is greater than the forces of nature;

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in Pss 108:8-10; 110:5-6; 113:4; 114:1-2 where God rules over

nations; and in Ps[s] 109:6-20; [118:13] where His judgment is

focused upon an individual adversary.

The third theme--that God is recognized as the one who is

able to deliver His people from their distress--is one of the

more prominent themes of the entire corpus. It is observed

within Psalm 115, in verses 9-11, where God is seen to be a help

and a shield to His people. It also appears in Pss 107:6-7, 13-

14, 19-20, 28-30; 108:13-14; 109:21-26; [110:5-6]; 111:9;

[112:8, 10]; 113:7-9; 114:1; 116:3-4, 6-8, 13, 16; 118:5-14.

Strongest Linkages within the Corpus

In a similar way to Psalms 107 and 108, Psalm 115 captures

within its 18 verses all 3 of the major themes that drive the

Psalms 107-118 corpus. As do those 2 earlier psalms, Psalm 115

speaks of the LORD as (1) a God who protects His people in their

time of trouble, (2) a God who rules over the created order,²¹⁸

and (3) a God who deserves praise.

Psalm 115 also displays an important, but second-level

thematic interconnection to Psalm 109. Both psalms begin with

the depiction of God as a God who is silent or not noticeably

present, i.e., a God who is not speaking out or acting on behalf

_________________

²¹⁸Psalm 115 pictures God as being greater not only than

the heavens and the earth (v. 16) but also than that which

humans, who are a part of the created order, themselves creates

to serve as their so-called gods.

279

of His people (Pss 109:1; 115:2). Both psalms, however, move on

to portray God as one who demonstrates a genuine concern for His

people and who is more than capable enough to overcome the

adversaries of His people.

In addition, Ps 115:18. establishes an inclusio-type

linkage with Ps 113:2--a linkage which emphasizes the

declaration that (the name of) the LORD is to be blessed. The

reality of this interconnection is strengthened by the recording

in both verses not only of the common terms jrb (bless) and hvhy

(LORD) but also of a rarely used prepositional phrase htfm

Mlvf-dfv (from now [this time] and until forever)--a phrase which

occurs a total of only 8 times in the Hebrew Scriptures.²¹⁹ The

inclusio, moreover, joins together 3 psalms (Psalms 113-115)

that emphasize God's dominance over creation. Furthermore, this

inclusio functions to strengthen the interconnection between

the hallelujah (hy vllh) rubric psalms (Psalms 111-113) and the

hallelujah (hy-vllh) colophon psalms (Psalms 115-117).²²⁰

_________________

²¹⁹See above, in this chapter, in the section titled

"Psalms 113 and 115."

²²⁰The linkage between the hallelujah (hy vllh) rubric

psalms and the hallelujah (hy-vllh) colophon psalms is observed

first and foremost by structural repetition of the praise clause

by which those psalms receive their genre classifications.

Second, Psalms 111-113 and Psalms 115-117 are joined together by

mean of Psalm 114--a psalm in which no specific words of praise

occur, but a psalm which, in its entirety, is a declaration of

praise to God for His deliverance of His people from Egypt.

(importantly, the linking function of Psalm 114 is enhanced by

the fact that 6 of the 7 lexemes that Psalm 114 has in common

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Perhaps the strongest linkage that Psalm 115 makes with

certain other psalms in the Psalms 107-118 corpus is by means of

is hallelujah (hy-vllh) colophon, occurring in Ps 115:18. This

clause links Psalm 115 directly to its 2 immediately subsequent

psalms, i.e., to Psalms 116 and 117, which also contain

hallelujah (hy-vllh) colophons (Pss 116:19; 117:2). As a

consequence of the presence of their respective hallelujah

(hy-vllh) colophons, each of these psalms is categorized as a

praise psalm.

Furthermore, also by means of its hallelujah (hy-vllh)

colophon, Psalm 115 links directly backward to Psalm 113 which

also contains a hallelujah (hy-vllh) colophon (Ps 113:9). Less

directly, but still importantly, Psalm 115, through its

hallelujah (hy-vllh) colophon, shares in common the clause

hy-vllh (praise the LORD) with the hallelujah (hy vllh) rubric

(i.e., Psalms 111-113).

In addition, Psalm 115 displays a close lexical linkage

with Psalm 116 by means of a preponderance of terms found in

the psalms that relate to the body or to the functions of the

body. Altogether, there are 17 such terms. Of those 17

_________________

with Psalm 113 are the same lexemes that Psalm 114 uses to make

6 of its 7 lexical interconnections with Psalm 115.) Third, the

gap between the 2 groups of praise psalms is bridged by the

commonly advocated theme of God's dominance over the created

order as found in Psalms 113-115. Finally, the inclusio of Pss

113:2 and 115:18 (which declares that the LORD is to be blessed

from now and until forever) tightens the cables of the

interconnecting bridge still further.

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lexemes, 7 occur in both psalms.²²¹ The rest of the words

appear in either 1 psalm or the other, but not in both.

Psalm 116 in Context

Introduction to Psalm 116

The contents of the first 11 verses of Psalm 116 shift back

and forth between, on the one hand, a declaration of the

gratitude to the LORD that is felt by God's servant because God

has helped him through his time of distress (vv. 1-2, 5-7, 9)

and, on the other hand, a delineation of the misery of that

dreadful situation (vv. 3-4, 8, 10-11). The psalm then

concludes (vv. 12-19) with an announcement by the servant of the

LORD that he fully intends to pay his vows to the LORD, to offer

a sacrifice of thanksgiving to the LORD, and to praise the LORD.

His desire, moreover, is that he be able to honor God openly

before all to hear.²²²

_________________

²²¹Of these 7 lexemes that are shared by both psalms, 6

operate together as key-lexeme links between the 2 psalms: rbd

(word, speak), Nyf (eye), Nzx (ear), fmw (hear), lgr (foot), and

jlh (go, walk). The remaining term, rmx (say) is classified as

an incidental-lexeme link.

²²² Of all the praise psalms in the Psalms 107-118 corpus

(i.e., Psalms 111-113 and 115-117), Psalm 116 is the most

autobiographical, with nearly every verse expressing the

feelings, actions, or concerns of the servant of the LORD.

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Psalms 116 and 117

Lexical Interconnections

The 3 lexeme linkages between Psalms 116 and 117 are

identified below:

Key-Lexeme Links

hvhy (116:1, 4[2x], 5, 6, 7, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19[2x]--

117:1, 2[2x])--LORD

llh (116:19--117:1, 2)--praise

Thematic-Lexeme Links

none

Incidental-Lexeme Links

lk (116:11, 12, 14, 18--117:1[2x])--all

These 3 interconnections account for only 4% (3 of 68) of the

total population of lexemes of Psalm 116 but 30% (3 of 10) of

the lexical families of Psalm 117.

The 2 key-lexeme links function together to form a

hallelujah (hy-vllh) colophon in both psalms (Pss 116:19;

117:2). Psalm 117 also begins with a related construction that

utilizes both key lexemes: hvhy-tx vllh (praise the LORD).

These key-lexeme interconnections highlight the praise content

of both psalms. These key-lexeme links, moreover, could also be

categorized as thematic-lexeme links since they define their

respective psalms as being praise psalms. Apart from such a

283

dual labeling, there are no thematic-lexeme interconnections

between Psalms 116 and 117.

Thematic interconnections

Psalm 116 states that the LORD rescues His servant from

death (Ps 116:3-8). The LORD, therefore, is worthy of all the

public honor that His servant can give to Him (Ps 116:1, 12-14,

17-19). Psalm 117 also records a basis on which praise is to be

offered to God, namely, His lovingkindness toward His people (Ps

117:2). Praise, as an expression of honoring God, therefore, is

to be proclaimed openly to the LORD (Ps 117:1-2).

Psalms 116 and 118

Lexical Interconnections

There are 18 lexical linkages between Psalms 116 and 118.

Those points of nexus are identified below:

Key-Lexeme Links

hvhy (116:1, 4[2x], 5, 6, 7, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19[2x]--

118:1, 4, 5[2x], 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16[2x], 17,

18, 19, 20, 23, 24, 25[2x], 26[2x], 27, 29)--LORD

xrq (116:2, 4, 13, 17--118:5)--call

Thematic-Lexeme Links

tvm (116:3--118:17, 18)--death, die

rrc (116:3--118:5)--adversary, distress

fwy (116:6,13--118:14, 15, 21, 25)--save, deliver

Mdx (116:11--118:6, 8)--man

hdy (116:17--118:1, 19, 21, 28, 29)--give thanks,

thanksgiving

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Incidental-Lexeme Links

lvq (116:1--118:15)--voice

Mvy (116:2--118:24)--day

Mw (116:4, 13, 17--118:10, 11, 12, 26)--name

qdc (116:5--118:15, 19, 20)--righteous, righteousness

Myhlx (116:5--118:27; 28[2x])--God

Nyf (116:8, 15--118:23)--eye

hnp (116:9--118:22)--face, before, corner

rmx (116:11--118:2, 3, 4)--say

lk (116:11, 12, 14, 18--118:10)--all

Htp (116:16--118:19)--open

tyb (116:19--118:3, 26)--house

These jointly held lexemes account for approximately 1/4 of the

lexeme families of both Psalms 116 and 118. In Psalm 116, they

total slightly more than 26% (18 of 68); in Psalm 118, they

amount to exactly 25% (18 of 72).

In these 2 psalms, hvhy (LORD) functions as a key-lexeme

interconnection, in part due to its frequency and in part due to

its consistent use throughout both psalms. Within the corpus

under study, Psalms 116 and 118 exhibit with greatest number of

instances of the hvhy (LORD) lexeme family with 16 and 28

occurrences, respectively.²²³Furthermore, in both psalms, hvhy

(LORD) is the object of honor (Pss 116:1, 12-14, 17-19; 118:1,

_________________

²²³Psalm 118 has the highest numerical total of examples of

the hvhy (LORD) lexeme family of all the psalms in the Psalter.

Note that also that Psalm 117 (the psalm which is sandwiched

between the 2 psalms under study) has the highest percentage-

per-verse total in the Psalter of the occurrence of the hvhy

lexeme family with its 2 verses and 3 instances totaling 150%

per verse.

285

19, 28-29), the one to whom those who trust in God are to turn

in their distress (Pss 116:4; 118:5), and the one who rescues

those who find themselves in difficult situations (Pss 116:6-8,

[13], 16; 118:5, [7], [10-12], 13-16).

The term xrq (call) also operates as a key-lexeme linkage

between Psalms 116 and 118. It is so identified due to the fact

that the 5 occurrences of the xrq (call) lexical family in

these 2 psalms (Pss 116:2, 4, 13, 17; 118:5) are the only

instances of that lexeme within the Psalms 107-118 corpus. In

addition, all 5 citations occur in the context of an individual

calling out to God, and not to another human being.

In addition to the key-lexeme links between the 2 psalms,

there are 4 thematic-lexeme interconnections: tvm (death, die),

rrc (adversary, distress), fwy (save, deliver), and Mdx (man).

The speakers in both Psalms 116 and 118 indicate that they had

been in much distress (rrc--Pss 116:3; 118:5), coming very

close to death (tvm--Pss 116:3; 118:17, 18), but the LORD was

the one who delivered (fwy--Pss 116:6, 13; 118:14, 15, 21, 25)

them. Both psalms also picture man (Mdx--Pss 116:11; 118:6, 8)

as being less than reliable and even a source of problems. None

of these 3 references to Mdx (man), moreover, are positive; and

in all 3 of the contexts, Mdx (man) and what he does is placed

in direct contrast to the LORD and the help that He brings to

the troubled individual.

286

Thematic Interconnections

God delivers from distress; God is to be honored for what

He has done--these are 2 important themes that cross the

boundaries of Psalms 116 and 118. In both psalms, the main

individuals of those psalms face life-threatening situations.

As a consequence, they turn to the LORD to rescue them from

danger and the LORD graciously delivers them (Pss 116:1-8, 16;

118:5-14). Both individuals, therefore, declare that God is or

is to be honored--through the display of love to the LORD (Ps

116:1), the paying of vows to Him (Ps 116:14, 18), the giving

of thanks to Him (Pss 116:17; 118:1, 28-29), the declaration of

His great attributes (Pss 116:5; 118:2-4), the open proclamation

of His great works (Ps 118:17), the extolment of the LORD (Ps

118:28), or the expression of praise to Him (Ps 116:19).

Psalm 116--A Retrospective²²⁴

Location within the Psalms 107-118 Corpus

Psalm 116, the middle of 3 hallelujah (hy-vllh) colophon

psalms, joins with the other 2 psalms (Psalms 115 and 117) to

offer praise to God--a praise that is mirrored in the 3

hallelujah (hy vllh) rubric psalms of Psalms 111-113. Together,

these 6 psalms with their emphasis on praise form the heart of

the Psalms 107-118 corpus. They are the backbone to which the

_________________

²²⁴ This retrospective compares Psalm 116 not only to the

subsequent 2 psalms of the Psalms 107-118 corpus but also to the

preceding 9 psalms.

287

other psalms of the corpus link their proclamations of God's

greatness or their declarations of gratitude to the LORD.

At the beginning of Psalm 116, the servant of the LORD

expresses both his love for the LORD and his commitment to call

upon Him throughout his life (Ps 116:1). His statement reflects

back to Ps 115:17-18 where the speaker in that psalm also gives

voice to his personal feelings toward the LORD (blessing and

praise) and expresses his own recognition of the fact that now,

while one is still alive, is the time to honor God.²²⁵

Moving further into the middle of Psalm 116, the servant of

the LORD portrays the LORD as a God who has poured out His

bountiful blessing on him by delivering him from death (Ps

116:7-8). This example gives a practical illustration of the

words of the servant of the LORD, in Ps 115:12-13, when that

individual presents his confident belief that God has not

forgotten His people but rather will, without a doubt, one day,

bless them.

The speaker in Psalm 116 concludes his thoughts by

declaring his determination to glorify God publicly (Ps 116:12-

14, 17-19. In the final clause of the psalm, he then sums up

his feelings in 2 words: hy-vllh (praise the LORD). This

sentiment as picked up immediately in the first verse of Psalm

_________________

²²⁵See "Psalm 115--A Retrospective," above, in this

chapter, for further discussion regarding the connections made

between Psalms 115 and 116.

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117 with similar words: hvhy-tx vllh (praise the LORD). So too,

Ps 117:1 captures the thought that God should be praised openly.

In this latter psalm, the world is commanded to offer praise to

the LORD--a praise that is for all to hear. Psalm 117,

moreover, also concludes (v. 2) with the same 2-word clause

recorded previously in Ps 116:9—hy-vllh (praise the LORD).

Lexical Interconnections

Psalm 116 contains within its 19 verses 68 lexeme families,

45 (66%) of which are replicated elsewhere in the Psalms 107-118

corpus, leaving 23 (34%) as hapax legomena for the corpus.²²⁶

When the 45 duplicated lexemes are assessed in the

remainder of the corpus, the greatest number of them are found

in Psalm 107 (23). They are then found in decreasing numbers in

Psalms 109 (21), 118 (18), and 115 (17). The conversion of the

numerical data into data that reflect the percentage of number

of duplicated lexemes compared to the total number of lexemes

found in a given psalm in the corpus, the order changes to the

_________________

²²⁶Of the 23 lexemes resident within Psalm 116 that are

hapax legomena for the Psalms 107-118 corpus, 2 are also hapax

legomena within the Psalter: Hvnm (rest) and lvmgt (benefits).

Technically, Hvnm (rest) is a hapax legomenon within the

Psalter only in this lexical form. The verb from which it is

derived--Hvn--occurs 4 times within the Psalter--Pss 17:14;

105:14; 119:121; 125:3. None of these occurrences, however,

conveys the idea of rest in the sense of repose as does Ps

116:7. By contrast, the lexeme lvmgt (benefits) is a true

hapax legomenon in the Psalter and also in the Hebrew

Scriptures.

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following: Psalms 115 (33%), 117 (30%), 113 (29%), 118 (25%),

111 (21%), 112 (18%), and 114 (18%).

There are 11 lexical families found in Psalm 116 that also

occur in 5 or more of the other psalms of the corpus: hvhy

(LORD), Mw (name), Myhlx (God), Crx (earth, land), rdb (word,

speak), lk (all), Mf (people), Nb (son, [pl.] children), hdy

(give thanks, thanksgiving), tyb (house), and llh (praise):

Furthermore, of the 68 lexemes of Psalm 116, 7 show either

key-lexeme or thematic-lexeme interconnections with a minimum of

3 other psalms in the Psalms 107-118 corpus: hvhy (LORD), fwy

(save, deliver), tvm (death, die), hdy (give thanks,

thanksgiving), llh (praise), Myhlx (God), and MHr (womb,

compassionate, to have compassion). The lexical families of

hvhy (LORD) and Myhlx (God) frequently are used to express that

concepts that God is compassionate (MHr) toward His people and

is sufficiently powerful to deliver (fwy) them from their

distress, even from death (tvm). Being such a God, He is worthy

to receive offerings of thanksgiving (hdy) and praise (llh)

from His people.

Thematic Interconnections

Three significant themes which arise in the words of Psalm

116 concern (1) the need of the servant of the LORD for help in

the midst of his problems and his subsequent turning to God for

that help (vv. 3-4), (2) the LORD's actual deliverance of His

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servant from his difficulties (vv. 5-8), and (3) the desire of

the servant of the LORD to honor Him for all that He has done

for him (vv. 1-2, 12-14, 17-19). These themes also are

important components of various other psalms in the Psalms 107-

118 corpus as their are applied either to individuals or to the

collective community of the people of God. Among those other

psalms, the first of these 3 themes exhibits itself in Psalms

107-109, 118; the second in Psalms 107-114, 118; and the third

in Psalms 107-109, 111-113, 115, 117-118.

Strongest Linkages within the Corpus

Psalm 116 is a hallelujah (hy-vllh) colophon psalm. As

such, it joins together with Psalms 115 and 117 to form a 3-

psalm unit of hallelujah (hy-vllh) colophon psalms.

Furthermore, Psalm 116 makes connections with the 3 hallelujah

(hy vllh) rubric psalms (i.e., Psalms 111-113) and, separately,

a second time, with Psalm 113--a psalm which also contains a

hallelujah (hy-vllh) colophon.

Apart from these just-mentioned linkages, Psalm 116 makes

its strongest lexical connection within the corpus to Psalm 115

by means of the numerous, mutually-shared lexemes that relate to

the body or to the actions of the body.²²⁷

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²²⁷For a further discussion of the interconnection between

Psalms 115 and 116 as a consequence of the presence in both

psalms of a variety of terms related to the body, see above, in

this chapter, in the sections titled "Psalms 115 and 116" and

"Psalms 115--A Retrospective."

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Psalm 117 in Context

Introduction to Psalm 117

The entirety of Ps 117:1 is a call to the whole world to

honor God--to praise the LORD (hvhy-tx vllh) , to laud Him

(vhvHbw). The beginning 2/3s of Ps 117:2 gives the reasons for

praising Cod--His lovingkindness (dsH) and His truth (tmx).

The final third of Ps 117:2 (the final verse of the psalm) is

one more call to praise--a hallelujah (hy-vllh) colophon.

Psalms 117 and 118

Lexical Interconnections

All 3 categories of lexeme linkage manifest themselves

between Palms 117 and 118, as the following reveals:

Key-Lexeme Links

hvhy (117:1, 2[2x]--118:1, 4, 5[2x], 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13,

14, 15, 16[2x], 17, 18, 19, 20, 23, 24, 25[2x], 26[2x], 27, 29)

--LORD

Thematic-Lexeme Links

dsH (117:2--118:1, 2, 3, 4, 29)--lovingkindness

Incidental-Lexeme Links

lk (117:1[2x]--118:10)--all

yvg (117:1--118:10)--nation

Mlvf (117:2--118:1, 2, 3, 4, 29)--forever

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The 5 lexical interconnections identified above represent 50% (5

of 10) of, the lexemes of Psalm 117 but only 7% (5 of 72) of the

lexical families of Psalm 118.

The sole key-lexeme linkage between the 2 psalms is the

hvhy (LORD) lexeme family. As noted previously, this highly

visible lexical group in the Psalter has its highest percentage

of per verse occurrences within the Psalter in Psalm 117 (150%--

3 instances in 2 verses) and its highest frequency of

occurrences for all psalms within the Psalter in Psalm 118 (28).

The sole thematic-lexeme interconnection between Psalms 117

and 118 is the term dsH (lovingkindness). This term is

identified in both psalms (Pss 117:2; 118:1-4) as an important

reason for honoring God.

Thematic Interconnections

The 1 theme of Psalm 117--that God is to be honored--is

carried over into Psalm 118 where the speaker in that psalm

declares that God is to be offered thanks (Ps 118:1, 19, 21, 28-

29) and His attributes and actions are to be declared openly (Ps

118:2-4, 17).

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Psalm 117--A Retrospective²²⁸

Location Within the Psalms 107-118 Corpus

Psalm 117 is the final psalm of a trilogy of hallelujah

(hy-vllh) colophon psalms that includes Psalms 115 and 116, as

well. Psalm 117 is also the final great praise psalm of the

Psalms 107-118 corpus--a corpus of psalms which includes Psalms

107, 109, 111-113, and 115-117 that contain within their

contents a declaration of praise (llh) to God. Psalm 117,

moreover, (functions as a conclusion to the hallelujah (hy-vllh)

colophon psalms much in the same way that Psalm 113 functions as

the ending, psalm of the Psalms 111-113 hallelujah (hy vllh)

rubric psalms. Both Psalms 113 and 117 begin and end with a

command to praise the LORD.

Concatenation occurs between the conclusion of Psalm 116

and the beginning (in fact, with the entirety) of Psalm 117. As

noted, Psalm 117 begins (v. 1) and ends (v. 2) with commands to

all nations and to all peoples to praise the LORD. These

_________________

²²⁸This retrospective compares Psalm 117 not only to the

subsequent 1 psalms of the Psalms 107-118 corpus but also to the

preceding 10 psalms.

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commands paralle1²²⁹ the command found at the end of Psalm 116

(v. 19), which also urges people to praise the LORD.

Psalm 117 includes in its final verse (v. 2), the term dsH

(lovingkindness), and relates that term to the LORD. In similar

fashion, Psalm 118 links dsH (lovingkindness) to the LORD in

its first 4 verses. Furthermore, Psalm 117 ends (and begins)

with a command that the LORD is to be honored (praised); Psalm

118 also begins (and ends) with a command that the LORD is to be

honored (offered thanks). Both psalms declare that a primary

reason for giving that honor to God is His dsH

(lovingkindness)--a dsH (lovingkindness) which is great toward

God's people (Ps 117:2) and a dsH (lovingkindness) which is

everlasting (Ps 118:1-4).²³⁰

_________________

²²⁹As previously noted, the command to praise the LORD

takes a slightly different grammatical form in Ps 117:1 (vllh

hvhy-tx) than that which is found in both Pss 116:19 and 117:2

(hy-vllh).

²³⁰Note also that the term Mlvf (forever) joins the

conclusion of Psalm 117 with the beginning of Psalm 118, and is

used in both psalms the lexeme to describe an attribute of God

(tmx--truth in Ps 117:2 and dsH lovingkindness in Ps 118:1-4).

295

Lexical Interconnections

Of the 10 lexical families of Psalm 117, 80% (8) are

replicated elsewhere in the corpus and 20% (2) are hapax

legomena within the Psalms 107-118 corpus.²³¹

Numerically, the lexeme families of Psalm 117 connect most

frequently with the lexemes of the remaining psalms of the

corpus in the following order: Psalms 115 (7), 111 (6), 113 (6),

107 (5), 109 (5), and 118 (5). When the calculation is made to

show the percentage of lexical groups of those psalms that are

duplicated by the lexemes of Psalm 117, the order then becomes

Psalms 113 (17%), 115 (13%), 111 (13%), 118 (7%), 110 (6%), and

108 (6%).

Of the 10 lexemes that are duplicated elsewhere in the

corpus, 6 occur in a minimum of 5 of those other psalms: llh

(praise), hvhy (LORD), lk (all), yvg (nation), dsH

(lovingkindness), and Mlvf (forever). Of those same 10 lexemes,

moreover, 4 of them--hvhy (LORD), dsH (lovingkindness), llh

(praise), and tmx (truth)--function as either key-lexeme or

thematic-lexeme linkages between Psalm 117 and a minimum of 3

other psalms in the Psalms 107-118 corpus. Two of those lexical

families work together to present the LORD (hvhy--Psalms 107-

109, 111-113, 115-116, 118) as the focal point of many of the

_________________

²³¹Neither of the 2 terms that are hapax legomena within

the corpus--Hbw (extol) and rbg (great)--is a hapax legomenon

either within the Psalter or within the Hebrew Scriptures.

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psalms of the corpus and as a God who is to be praised (llh--

Psalms 107, 109, 111-113, 115-116). Furthermore, the remaining

2 lexemes--dsH (lovingkindness--Psalms 107-109, 115, 118) and

tmx (truth--Psalms 108, 111, 115)--at times together and at

times separately, present components of God's character that

serve as important reasons for the people of God to give thanks

to Him or to praise Him.

Thematic Interconnections

The overriding theme of Psalm 117 is that the LORD is to be

praised by everyone. This theme--the deservedness of God to be

honored whether by individuals or by large groups of people--is

conveyed elsewhere in the corpus under study in Psalms 107-109,

111-113, 115-116, and 118.

Strongest Linkages within the Corpus

Psalm 117 is a praise psalm. As such, it makes its closest

linkages to the other psalms of the corpus so designated. More

specifically, Psalm 117 is a hallelujah (hy-vllh) colophon psalm

and, as a consequence, makes direct connection with the 2

immediately preceding psalms, i.e., Psalms 115 and 116, which

are also hallelujah (hy-vllh) colophon psalms. Less

directly,²³² Psalm 117 looks backward to Psalm 113 which also

_________________

²³²The connection that Psalm 117 makes with Psalm 113 is

considered less direct than that which Psalm 117 has with Psalms

115 and 116 because, the straight line sequence of hallelujah

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concludes with a hallelujah (hy-vllh) colophon. Furthermore,

through the presence of its 2 praise clauses (hvhy-tx vllh--Ps

117:1 and hy-vllh--Ps 117:2), Psalm 117 exhibits a close linkage

to Psalms 111-113, each of which contains a hallelujah (hy vllh)

rubric.

Psalm 118 in Context

Introduction to Psalm 118

Psalm 118 begins and ends with a challenge to give thanks

to the LORD because the LORD Himself is good and because His

lovingkindness never ceases (vv. 1, 29). In between those

identical verses, the speaker in the psalm urges God's people to

honor Him in regard to His lovingkindness (vv. 2-4); relates a

story about his own near-death situation brought about by his

adversaries from which God extricated him (vv. 5-18); and

declares his own commitment, and challenges others, to give

thanks to God for all that He has done not only in the midst of

his difficulties but in and through other circumstances as well

(vv. 19-28).

_________________

(hy-vllh) colophon psalms from Psalm 117 backward to Psalm 113

is broken by Psalm 114--a psalm which is devoid of a hallelujah

(hy-vllh) colophon.

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Psalm 118--A Retrospective²³³

Location Within the Psalms 107-118 Corpus

Psalm 118 serves as the concluding psalm of the Psalms 107-

118 corpus. This psalm, together with Psalm 107, forms an

inclusio around the corpus in what might be termed a chiastic

structure. The final verse of Psalm 118 (v. 29) repeats word-

for-word the first verse of Psalm 107.²³⁴ At the same time, the

first 4 verses of Psalm 118 echo back to the final verse of

Psalm 107 (i.e., v. 43). Psalm 107:43 proclaims that the dsH

(lovingkindness) of the LORD is to be studied by whoever

considers himself to be wise. Psalm 118:1-4 also emphasizes, in

each of its verses, the importance of the dsH (lovingkindness)

of the LORD--it is a reason for giving thanks to God; it is also

an attribute of God that never ends. This chiastic inclusio

structure seems to suggest that the entire corpus focuses its

attention on the LORD and on the importance of God being honored

for His lovingkindness (which these 2 psalms--and many of the

_________________

²³³This retrospective compares Psalm 118 to the preceding

11 psalms lof the Psalms 107-118 corpus.

²³⁴Note also that Ps 118:1 repeats Ps 107:1 word-for-word

(with the same insignificant spelling variation that occurs in

Ps 118:29). Psalm 118:1 and 29 act almost as a wall to halt the

progress of the reader and to drive the reader back to the

contents of Psalm 107 in such a way as to suggest that the 2

psalms and all of the psalms in between fit together into one

package.

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intervening psalms--portray as being exhibited most frequently

in connection with God's deliverance of His people from

distress)

Psalm 118 is not only the concluding psalm of the Psalms

107-118 corpus, it is also the final psalm of the series of

psalms known as the Egyptian Hallel, i.e., Psalms 113-118.²³⁵

Traditionally, these 6 psalms were read at annual feasts,

especially at Passover.²³⁶ Understanding those psalms to

function as a unit, Mays writes:

The cycle begins with Psalm 113 and its praise of the LORD as

the God who reverses the fixed arrangements of human affairs

by lifting up the lowly, needy, and helpless. Psalm 114

tells the story of the exodus as the manifestation of the

LORD's rule in the world. Psalm 115 contrasts the LORD as

Israel's help to the nations and their gods. Psalm 116

thanks the LORD for deliverance from death, and Psalm 117

calls on all nations to praise the LORD. Every one of the

first five psalms in the cycle anticipates themes and motifs

of Psalm 118.²³⁷

There are strong interconnections between the beginning of

Psalm 118 and the conclusion (or the entirety) of Psalm 117. In

_________________

²³⁵For further discussion regarding the Egyptian Hallel

psalms, see above, in this chapter, in the sections titled

"Psalm 113 in Context" and "Psalm 113--A Retrospective."

²³⁶Allen states that "'the (Egyptian) Hallel,' . . . was

sung at the three main annual festivals together with those of

the new moon and the dedication of the temple. At the family

celebration of the Passover Pss 113 and 114 were sung at the

beginning of the meal and Pss 115-118 at the end . . . ."

Allen, Psalms 101-150, 100.

²³⁷ Mays, Psalms, 378.

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Ps 118:1-4, the lovingkindness (sdH) of the LORD is emphasized,

as is the need to honor God (in this case by the giving of

thanks to Him). Psalm 117 concludes with both of these motifs.

According to Ps 117:2, the LORD's lovingkindness is great; He

is, moreover, to be honored (in this case, by the giving of

praise to Him--Ps 117:1 also indicates that the LORD is to be

praised).

In addition, the final 8 verses of Psalm 118 (i.e., vv. 22-

29) show connecting links to the first 8 verses (the x-verses)

of Psalm 119, the initial (or sole) psalm of the subsequent

corpus. The interconnections lie in 3 areas: (1) the

utilization of the term hvhy (LORD), (2) the expression of the

concept of the blessedness of humans who serve God, and (3) the

declaration of the intention or need to offer thanks to God.

First, the lexeme hvhy (LORD) and the related personal

pronouns are present in the ending of Psalm 118 and in the

beginning of Psalm 119. The conclusion Psalm 118, however,

actually records the divine appellation 8 times (vv. 23, 24,

25[2x], 26[2x], 27, 29), whereas the beginning of Psalm 119 uses

it only once (v. 1).

Second, the last 8 verses of Psalm 118 and the first 8

verses of Psalm 119 highlight the idea that those who follow or

serve the LORD are in some way honored. In Ps 118:26, the

person who is so honored is called jrb (blessed); in Ps 119:1-

2, yrwx (happy, blessed).

301

Third, the conclusion of Psalm 118 and the beginning of

Psalm 119 both reveal, on the part of the individual speakers in

those psalms, a commitment to the offering of thanks to the LORD

(Pss 118:28; 119:7). Psalm 118:29 also challenges others to

give thanks to God.

Despite having, at a minimum, these 3 linkages between

them, Psalms 118 and 119 are not to be understood as part of the

same corpus. As is noted above in Chapter 1, the differences

between Psalm 118 and Psalm 119 and between Psalms 107-118 and

Psalm 119 far outweigh the similarities.

Lexical Interconnections

Psalm 118 contains 72 lexemes, 49 (68%) of which are

duplicated elsewhere in the Psalms 107-118 corpus, the remaining

23 (32%) being hapax legomena in that same corpus.²³⁸

Psalm 118 makes lexical linkages with each of the remaining

11 psalms in the corpus under study. This psalm has a greater

number of lexical families that connect with the following

psalms (in descending numerical order) than with any of the

other psalms in the corpus: Psalms 107 (23), 109 (22), 115 (22),

116 (18), 108 (15), and 112 (15). Once again, when the

_________________

²³⁸Of the 24 lexemes which are hapax legamena within the

Psalms 107-118 corpus, 4 are also hapax legomena within the

Psalter--lvm (cut off--this lexeme occurs 3 times in Psalms 118,

in vv. 10, 11, and 12), hrvbd (bee), jfd (extinguish), and Cvq

(thorn). None of these terms, however, is a hapax legomenon

within the Hebrew Scriptures.

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percentage of interconnections of the lexeme families of the

other psalms is calculated, the rank order of the first 6 of the

psalms changes: Psalms 117 (50%), 115 (42%), 113 (37%), 112

(27%), 116 (26%), and 111 (25%). These percentage figures

indicate that, for the most part, the psalms that are closer to

Psalm 118 in the corpus have a higher percentage of linkage to

that psalm than do the psalms which are farther away.

There are 14 lexeme families of Psalm 118 that are

replicated in a minimum of 5 other psalms within the corpus: hdy

(give thanks, thanksgiving), hvhy (LORD), Mlvf (forever), dsH

(lovingkindness), tyb (house), hWf (work, do, make), hxr (see),

lk (all), yvg (nation), Mw (name), hyh (be), Mvr (exalt, lift

up), jrb (bless), and Myhlx (God).

More importantly, of the 72 lexemes of Psalm 118, there are

6 lexemes that make significant linkages (defined as being

either key-lexeme or thematic-lexeme interconnections) between

Psalm 118 and 3 or more of the other psalms in the corpus under

study. Those lexemes are as follows: hdy (give thanks,

thanksgiving--Psalms 107-109, 111, 116), hvhy (LORD--Psalms 107-

109, 111-113, 115-117), dsH (lovingkindness--Psalms 107-109,

115, 117), rzf (help--Psalms 107-109, 115), fwy (save, deliver--

Psalms 107-109, 116), and hWf (work, do, make—Psalms 107-108,

115). These lexical connections indicate that the LORD (hvhy)

is the central focus of the various psalms; that He gives help

(rzf) to His people, delivering (fwy) them from disastrous

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situations; or that He is worthy of adoration and respect (i.e.,

to be thanked--hdy). Furthermore, the dsH-link reveals that

the LORD's dsH (lovingkindness) is a reason for celebration

since it is often the basis on which God deals with His people

to guide them from their distress to a place of success. In

addition, the linkage that hWf, (work, do, make) establishes is

one that displays God's great and marvelous accomplishments.

Thematic Interconnections

Psalm 118 weaves 3 important thematic strands through its

text: gratitude, distress, and deliverance. First, Ps 118:1-4,

19, 21, 28-29 declare that God is worthy of praise because of

who He is and what He has done. Other psalms in the Psalms 107-

118 corpus openly register the same thought--Psalms 107-109,

111-113, 115-117.²³⁹ Second, Psalm 118 links together

thematically with Psalms 107-109, 111-116 to present with

varying degrees of clarity the problems that God's people

encounter in the face of their enemies, whether those enemies be

individuals, nations, "natural" events, or social circumstances.

Third, Psalm 118 gives God credit as one who is able to deliver

the speaker in the psalm from the disastrous situation he had

faced. Psalms 107-109 and 111-116 record similar thoughts.

_________________

²³⁹Psalms 110 and 114 may also be considered psalms of

praise or of gratitude to God since they describe His greatness,

His power, and His acts which result in significant benefit for

the people of God.

304

Those psalms point out either directly or subtly that the LORD

is able to rescue individuals or even the community of believers

from less than favorable situations.²⁴⁰

Strongest Linkages within the Corpus

As stated above, in this section (i.e., "Psalm 118--A

Retrospective"), the concluding verse of Psalm 118 (i.e., v. 29)

exhibits an important word-for-word²⁴¹ structural linkage with

the beginning verse of Psalm 107. Together, these verses form

an inclusio of thanksgiving around the Psalms 107-118 corpus.

Although not to the precision of duplication just

described, Psalm 118:29 and Ps 111:1 also form an inclusio of

thanksgiving. This inclusio surrounds the Hallel (praise)

psalms of the corpus (i.e., Psalms 111-118). In doing so, the

inclusio unites the hallelujah (hy vllh) rubric psalms (i.e.,

Psalms 111-113), the hallelujah (hy-vllh) colophon psalms (i.e.,

Psalms 115-117), and the Egyptian Hallel psalms (i.e., Psalms

113-118, see below).

_________________

²⁴⁰Brennan points out that "[t]here is a close link between

the confidence of triumphing over death in 118,17 and the

gratitude for this victory expressed in 115,17-18, and

116,3.8.9.15." Brennan, "Some Hidden Harmonies in the Fifth

Book of Psalms," 136.

²⁴¹As noted previously, there is 1 minor orthographic

variance between the 2 verses. That variance, however, has no

effect on the inclusio relationship between Ps 107:1 and Ps

118:29.

305

In addition, in Jewish tradition, Psalm 118 has been linked

with Psalms 113-117 in what is known as the Egyptian Hallel.

Thus, Psalm 118 has been identified (since prior to the Common

Era) as a praise psalm--a praise psalm worthy to be sung at

joyous occasions such as Passover celebrations, Hanukkah feasts,

New Moon assemblies, and other festive times.

Lexically, Psalm 118 makes its strongest links with Psalm

107.²⁴² Based on a straight numerical tabulation, Psalm 118

displays 23 lexeme interconnections with Psalm 107--a greater

number of linkages than Psalm 118 makes with any of the other

psalms of the Psalms 107-118 corpus. The vast majority (17) of

those linkages, moreover, are either key-lexeme links (5) or

thematic-lexeme links (12). An analysis of those various

significant interconnections reveals that they revolve around 2

themes that central to the corpus: God's deliverance of His

people and God's worthiness to be praised.

_________________

²⁴²Psalm 118 also makes extensive lexical interconnections

with Psalms 109 and 116. Those linkages, however, do not appear

to be as significant as the lexical interconnections which Psalm

118 shares with Psalm 107.

CHAPTER 3

SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS, AND IMPLICATIONS

Chapter 3 presents a brief summary of the dissertation

research as well as the major conclusions drawn from that

effort. It also suggests some of the implications that the type

of analysis used within the dissertation has relative to the

doctrine of biblical inspiration and to psalm research, in

general.

Summary

Until recently, those who studied the Psalter typically

concentrated their efforts at the level of the individual psalm.

They tended to analyze each psalm in isolation from its literary

context within the Psalter and to assess the psalm in an assumed

historical, functional, or devotional context. Recently,

however, there has been an increase in the number of individuals

who have focused their attention on the literary context of a

given psalm, or even of a group of psalms.

This dissertation, therefore, has sought to discover

whether the literary context of the Psalter that surrounds a

given psalm is an appropriate context from which to gain insight

into the meaning of that psalm. Specifically, this dissertation

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307

attempted to prove or falsify the proposition that there are

intentional--and not just accidental or random--lexical and

thematic links among the psalms of the Psalms 107-118 corpus and

that the corpus as a whole exhibits a coherent and unified

structure.

To accomplish its purpose, the dissertation completed 2

essential tasks. First, the dissertation engaged in a lexeme

analysis to determine the presence (or absence) of lexical

linkages among the various psalms of the Psalms 107-118 corpus.

Upon identifying each significant discrete lexeme family of the

corpus, the dissertation performed a cross-psalm analysis to

determine which lexemes function as key-lexeme, thematic-lexeme

and incidental-lexeme links between any 2 given psalms in the

corpus. The dissertation then assessed what significance, if

any, those lexical interconnections reveal in regard to the

relationship that each psalm has with every other psalm of the

corpus.

Second, the dissertation enacted a thematic analysis of the

various psalms of the corpus in order to identify the presence

of thematic elements which any 2 given psalms held in common.

To implement this analysis, the dissertation performed (among

other tasks) an examination of the flow of ideas through a given

psalm and an assessment of the existence of groups of synonymous

or antonymous terms.

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The dissertation also paid attention to the presence of

lexical or thematic interconnections that manifested themselves

among a group of psalms at a level larger than that of the dyad.

Conclusions

General Findings

1. Each of the psalms of the corpus exhibits either

lexical or thematic (or both) interconnections with every other

psalm of the corpus.

2. The Psalms 107-118 corpus is a tightly knit unit

bounded by Psalms 107 and 118, which form an inclusio around

the corpus by means of lexical repetition in their first and

last verses, respectively (i.e., Ps 107:1; 118:29), and by means

of thematic repetition related to God's lovingkindness and God's

deliverance of His people.

3. The bookend psalms (i.e., Psalms 107 and 118) display

some level of linkage to their immediately contiguous psalms

outside of the Psalms 107-118 corpus (i.e., Psalms 106 and 119).

Psalms 107 and 118, however, show stronger ties--lexically, or

thematically--to the psalms that exist within the corpus than to

those that are external to it.

4. Within the Psalms 107-118 corpus, there typically are

strong linkages--sometimes lexical, sometimes thematic--between

the end of one psalm and the beginning of the next. These

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linkages function not only to bind one psalm to the next, but

also to interconnect groups of psalms within the corpus that at

one time may have been joined together as small independent

clusters of psalms (e.g., Psalms 108-110--the Davidic psalms;

Psalms 111-113--the hallelujah [hy vllh] rubric psalms; and

Psalms 115-117--the hallelujah colophon [hy-vllh] psalms) prior

to being incorporated into the canon.¹

Lexical Findings

1. There is a tendency within the corpus for psalms that

are sequentially closer to each other to have stronger lexical

ties (either based on straight numerical data or, more often, on

percentage data that expresses the degree of replication of the

total lexeme population of the linked psalms) than for those

psalms that are farther apart from each other.

2. All of the psalms of the corpus have at least 1 lexical

tie (and more typically numerous lexical ties) with every other

psalm in the corpus, with the exception of Psalms 114-to-117

link, which shows no interconnection whatsoever between the

discrete lexeme units of those 2 psalms.

_________________

¹A larger cluster of psalms that may also be in view here

is that group of psalms known as the Egyptian Hallel psalms

(i.e., Psalms 113-118). As is noted in Chapter 2, above, the

Egyptian Hallel are thought to have functioned together as a

group of psalms for liturgical purposes from the time of the

Maccabean restoration of the Temple. Whether, prior to that

time, they were linked together as a separate unit is difficult

to determine.

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3. There are 5 lexical families that are identified as

key-lexeme links between a given pair of psalms on a minimum of

3 different occasions: hvhy (LORD--20 times), llh (praise--15

times), dsH (lovingkindness--4 times), rvmzm (psalm--3 times),

and dvd (David--3 times).² The first 3 lexeme units listed

function as key-lexeme interconnections in reference to the

content of the psalms of which they are a part. As such, they

provide major clues regarding the overall focus of the corpus,

i.e., that God is the one who is to be honored for the marvelous

way He takes care of His people. The final 2 lexeme groups

which are found in the only 3 superscriptions of the Psalms 107-

118 corpus serve to establish the authorship of Psalms 108-110

and the type of writing contained within those 3 poems, i.e.,

that each document is a psalm.

4. Of the 67 lexeme families that are categorized as

thematic-lexeme links between 2 psalms, 15 function in that way

a minimum of 5 times within the Psalms 107-118 corpus. Those

highly important thematic-lexeme interconnections (together with

their frequency of occurrence) are hvhy (LORD--27), Myhlx (God--

15), hdy (give thanks, thanksgiving--13), llh (praise--11), rzf

(help--10), fwy (save, deliver--10), dsH (lovingkindness--9),

jrb (bless, knee--9), Crx (earth, land--7), Nvybx (needy--6),

_________________

²There are a total of 36 lexeme units that operate as

key-lexeme linkages between 2 psalms on at least 1 occasion

within the corpus.

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Mw (name--6), Mlvf (forever--5), rrc (distress, adversary-5),

hWf (work, do, make--5), and yvg (nation--5). These lexical

families at various times help to convey 3 themes that are vital

threads throughout the corpus. First, they picture God as being

in control of all creation, to do with it as He so pleases.

Second, they portray the LORD as rescuing His people from

disastrous situations. Third, they present those whom God

delivers as recognizing their need to glorify Him openly.

5. When the key-lexeme, thematic-lexeme, and incidental-

lexeme links are added together, there are 8 lexical families

that are present on 15 or more occasions in the Psalms 107-118

corpus: hvhy (LORD--99), hWf (work, do, make--23), lk (all--

20), dsH (lovingkindness--18), hyh (be--18), Myhlx (God--17),

hdy (give thanks, thanksgiving--15), and Mlvf (forever--15).

Furthermore, there are 17 lexeme units that appear in at least

half (i.e., 6 or more) of the psalms of the corpus. Those that

occur in 8 or more psalms are as follows: hxhy(LORD--11), Crx

(earth, land--9), lk (all--9), Mlvf (forever--8), Myhlx (God--

8), and llh (praise--8).

Thematic Findings

1. Three primary themes can be traced across a minimum of

6 psalms each (figure 1). The first is that praise,

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Psalm 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118

God Deserves

Praise X X X *³ X X X *⁴ X X X X

God Delivers

His People X X X X⁵ X *⁶ X X X X X X

God Dominates

the Created X X X X X X

Order

Figure 1. Identification of psalms containing 1 or more of the

primary themes of the Psalms 107-118 corpus.

thanksgiving, or blessing is to be offered to the LORD,

especially by His people. The second is that God delivers His

_________________

³Without directly suggesting the need for praise to be

offered to God, Psalm 110 lays a foundation from which praise

must, of necessity, burst forth. That foundation is God's

defeat of all of the powers of this created order that are

opposed to Him.

⁴Although Psalm 114 does not contain directives to praise

or to thank God, the entire psalm is a psalm of praise, both

because of its contents that declare God's victory over Egypt at

the time of the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt and because

of its juxtaposition between 2 groups of praise psalms (i.e.,

Psalms 111-113 and 115-117). See figure 3, below.

⁵Psalm 110 does not directly state that God defeats the

enemies of His people, yet, the enemies whom He does defeat in

Ps 110:5-6 are, quite probably, also to be considered the

enemies of His people (cf. Ps 110:3).

⁶The one who fears the righteous God overcomes his own

adversaries (undoubtedly with the help of God).

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people from tribulation⁷ and even from death. The third is

that God rules over all of His creation and even over the

supposedly powerful creations (i.e., idols) of those whom He has

created.

2. There are numerous other themes that appear with lesser

emphasis within various of the psalms of the corpus. Those

themes reveal that God is a great God who does wondrous works.

His lovingkindness, moreover, is beyond comparison. In

addition, He is a God who blesses His people abundantly.

3. The thematic unity of the Psalms 107-118 corpus is

evidenced by the fact that there is no significant theme of any

individual psalm that is not replicated in at least 5 of the

other psalms of the corpus.

4. The focus of vast majority of the psalms of the Psalms

107-118 corpus is on the LORD and His relationship to His

people. Although the nations (yvg) are mentioned--sometimes as

the enemies of God (Pss 110:6; 111:6; 115:2; 118:10), once as a

component of the created world (Ps 113:4), once a part of those

who are to praise God (Ps 117:1), and on occasion specifically

by name (Pss 108:8-11; 114:1)--they are relegated to a minor

_________________

⁷Tribulation may come from any number of causes--from

personal sin, from natural disasters, from the attack of the

enemy, or from God's own choosing. Thus, in the process of

delivering His people, God must, and does, overcome the

rebellion of His people, the day-to-day problems of the lives of

His people, and the mighty armies of their enemies.

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role in this corpus in comparison to God's work on behalf of His

people and to the attitude of praise that God's people are to

express towards Him.

Structural Findings

The 12 psalms of the Psalms 107-118 corpus as a canonical

unit (figure 2) appear to have been at an early stage in their

canonization process 3 groups of 3 psalms each (Psalms 108-110,

111-113, and 115-117) and 3 independent psalms (Psalms 107, 114,

and 118). Each of the 3 unified groups of psalms is identified

as a separate unit due either to a superscript or a postscript

that is held in common by the individual psalms within each

group.

The first 2 sets of psalms (i.e., Psalms 108-110 and 111-

113) are bound into their separate groupings by superscriptions.

Psalms 108-110 form a triad based on the presence of

superscriptions pointing to a Davidic authorship for each of

those psalms. Psalms 111-113 are linked together by the

existence of a superscription of praise--a hallelujah (hy vllh)

rubric--at the beginning of each of the 3 psalms.

The individual psalms of the third group (i.e., Psalms 115-

117) find their common structural adhesive in the repetition of

a postscript of praise. That declaration of praise--a

hallelujah (hy-vllh) colophon--occurs in the final verse of each

of those psalms (i.e., in Pss 115:18; 116:19; 117:2).

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Figure 2. Overall structure of the Psalms 107-118 corpus.

The 3 remaining psalms (i.e., Psalms 107, 114, and 118), at

first glance, appear to be independent psalms with little

structurally to tie them to the rest of the corpus. Those

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psalms, in actuality, function as strong linkages within the

corpus.

At some point in the canonization process, Psalm 114

attained its present form. It is a psalm that describes God's

great power--a power that manifested itself in and through the

exodus of the Israelites from Egypt. That power of God is,

without doubt, deserving of great praise. Psalm 114, however,

contains no specific words of praise nor does it direct those

who encounter the psalm to offer praise to God. Yet, the

entirety of the psalm is an encomium. As such, Psalm 114 proves

to be an ideal psalm to link together the hallelujah (hy vllh)

rubric psalms (Psalms 111-113) and the hallelujah (hy-vllh)

colophon psalms (Psalms 115-117) (figure 3). Furthermore, as

Figure 3. Internal connections between the hallelujah (hy vllh)

rubric psalms and the hallelujah (hy-vllh) colophon psalms.

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figure 3 pictures, Psalm 114 tightens the bond between these 2

groups of psalms by operating as a thematic bridge between Psalm

113 (the concluding psalm of the former group) and Psalm 115

(the initial psalm of the latter group). That thematic bridge

finds its foundation in the theme of God's sovereignty over

creation--a theme held in common by Psalms 113, 114, and 115.⁸

Thus, when all 7 psalms are joined together in this way, they

form a major block of Hallel (i.e., praise) psalms that extends

from Psalm 111 to Psalm 117.

Next, the Davidic psalms (Psalms 108-110) may have been

juxtaposed to the beginning of these Hallel psalms to provide

additional reasons why God's people should sing the Hallel

psalms. They should joyfully sing praise to God because He

mightily defeats national and personal enemies and because He

offers the hope that He, one day, will establish His sovereign

rule over all Israel's enemies.

Most likely, the final stage of the canonization process

saw the addition of Psalms 107 and 118 to complete the

corpus.⁹ These psalms sketch a general picture of God's work

_________________

⁸See "Psalm 114--A Retrospective" in Chapter 2, above.

⁹Gerstenberger offers a slightly different explanation

regarding the gathering together of the 12 psalms of the corpus.

He suggests that Psalms 111-118 (which he refers to as the

Hallelujah Psalms) were brought together into 1 collection

during the later portion of the preexilic period. Next, he

pictures the Davidic psalms as being joined to each other during

the exile. Finally, he argues that Psalm 107 was prefixed to

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in delivering His people--a work that is more than worthy of

praise. These 2 psalms, moreover, emphasize God's goodness and

lovingkindness, as well as the need for His people to offer up a

sacrifice of thanksgiving to Him. Psalms 107 and 118, thereby,

form an inclusio around the entire corpus to link the 12 psalms

together into a structurally unified body of psalms. As a

consequence, the individual psalms of the corpus function as a

unit to express the idea that God is to be thanked and praised

for the marvelous work that He has done on behalf of His people

in delivering them from their enemies.

Further analysis reveals that, much like the way that Psalm

114 acts, Psalm 110 (figure 4) operates to form a thematic bond

between 2 groups of psalms, in this case, between Psalms 107-109

and 111-113. Psalm 110 portrays God as a God who is more than

able to deliver His people from their distress (as pictured in

Psalms 107-109) and who is thus worthy of their praise (as

presented in Psalms 111-113).

There are still further structural linkages between

juxtaposed psalms within the Psalms 107-118 corpus. The most

obvious interconnection is that which unites Psalm 111 and Psalm

_________________

these 2 groups during the postexilic era as part of Book V of

the Psalter. Erhard S. Gerstenberger, Psalms: Part 1 with an

Introduction to Cultic Poetry, vol. 14, The Forms of the Old

Testament Literature, ed. Rolf Knierim and Gene M. Tucker (Grand

Rapids, Mich.: Eerdmans, 1988), 29.

319

Figure 4. Psalm 110 as a thematic unifier of Psalms 107-113.

112. Both psalms are acrostic psalms.¹⁰ Both psalms,

moreover, contain 10 verses, the first 8 being bicola, the final

2 being tricola.¹¹ These 2 psalms, furthermore, are linked,

_________________

¹⁰This stylistic device is manifestly evident within the

Hebrew text. It is, however, generally speaking, missing from

the English translations of the 2 psalms.

¹¹The 2 psalms are also linked through the use of

complementary themes--the greatness of the person and works of

God (Psalm 111) and the greatness of the person and works of the

one who is rightly related to that God (Psalm 112).

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in part, by virtue of the similarity of their respective

lengths.¹²

Structural and Thematic Development

As is pictured above, in figures 2-4, the Psalms 107-118

corpus manifests a purposeful structure that enhances the

thematic flow through the individual psalms. Those various

structural patterns and the concurrent development of the main

themes of the corpus are highlighted below.¹³

Psalm 107, which together with Psalm 118 unifies the entire

corpus into a single entity, sets the stage, both lexically and

thematically, for the remaining psalms of the corpus.¹⁴ As the

_________________

¹²The fact that these 2 psalms are acrostic psalms,

however, does not, in and of itself, require that they be of

equal or near-equal size to each other (contrast, for example,

the size of these psalms with that of other acrostic psalms such

as Psalm 119, Psalm 145, and Lamentations 1-4).

¹³For further information, see Chapter 2, above.

¹⁴Although Psalm 107 is the beginning psalm of Book V of

the Psalter, it exhibits strong ties back to Psalm 106, the

concluding psalm of Book IV. Psalm 107:1, in essence, repeats

Ps 106:1, word-for-word (apart from the hallelujah [hy vllh]

rubric found in that verse). Furthermore, nearly half of the

discrete lexeme units of Ps 107:1-3 are duplicates of discrete

lexeme units of Ps 106:44-48, the final 5 verses of Psalm 106.

In addition, Psalm 107 provides a response to the plea of Ps

106:47 that God's people be saved and gathered from their places

of exile among nations. In Ps 107:2-3, God's people are seen to

have been redeemed from all parts of the earth.

Although Psalm 107 makes these important interconnections

with Psalm 106, Psalm 107 displays even stronger linkages within

the Psalms 107-118 corpus, as is demonstrated below.

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lead psalm of the corpus, this psalm introduces all 3 of the

main themes that permeate the corpus: (1) God is to receive

praise, (2) God is able to deliver His people from distress, and

(3) God exercises control over all creation.

Psalm 107 begins with a command to give thanks to God

because He is a good and loving God. This command introduces

the first theme of the corpus--a theme that declares that

sacrifices of thanksgiving, praise, and honor need to flow forth

to God, not merely from His people alone, but from all peoples

of the earth, as well. The psalm advances this theme by

including in its text such lexemes as hdy (give thanks,

thanksgiving), dsH (lovingkindness), llh (praise), Mvr (exalt,

lift up), and jrb (bless). Furthermore, within its text, Psalm

107 underscores the importance of this theme by means of 3

significant structural tactics: strophic development,

thanksgiving refrains that conclude strophes, and an inclusio

to envelop the psalm in God's dsH (lovingkindness).

In the remainder of the Psalm 107-118 corpus, this theme of

praising God for who He is and for what He has done is carried

forward, directly, by the utilization of specific praise-

oriented lexemes in no fewer than 9 of the remaining 11 psalms--

and, indirectly, in the remaining 2 psalms (figure 1).

The command of Ps 107:1, moreover, is replicated in Psalm

118. It is not merely "echoed" back by that latter psalm, it is

amplified in intensity in Psalm 118, being repeated twice--once

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in Ps 118:1 and again in Ps 118:29, to form, with Ps 107:1, an

inclusio of thanksgiving around the corpus. Thus, the message

that people need to praise and honor God is sent reverberating

throughout the entire corpus.

Psalm 107 also introduces to the corpus the theme that

declares God to be a deliverer of His people. The psalm

accomplishes this feat through the use of discrete lexical units

that are repeated in various other psalms of the corpus. Four

of the more important of those repeated terms are rrc

(adversary, distress), rzf (help), fwy (save, deliver), and

Nvybx (needy). Furthermore, Psalm 107 makes use of 4 mid-

strophe refrains (vv. 6, 13, 19, 28) to stress the desperation

that God's people faced and the deliverance that God provided.

In addition, the psalm frames the 4 parallel strophes (vv. 4-9,

10-16, 17-22, 23-32)--each of which presents disaster-

deliverance data dealing with specific issues--with introductory

and concluding sections that highlight, in generic terms, once

more, God's work in overcoming the oppression encountered by His

people.

The salvation-from-tribulation component of Psalm 107 is

picked up specifically and developed further by 8 other psalms

in the corpus: Psalms 108-109, 111, 113-116, and 118 (figure

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1).¹⁵ These psalms express a confidence in God's ability to

deliver or a feeling of gratitude for God having performed His

marvelous work of deliverance.

The third major theme of Psalm 107--God's dominance over

the created order--is developed in the context of God's ability

to transform or control the very elements of nature (Ps 107:25,

29, 33-35). This theme also finds expression in Psalms 108,

110, and 113-115, in which God exercises His sovereignty to

direct not only nature, but also to overcome human and

supernatural powers--2 additional forces in the created order.

Immediately subsequent to Psalm 107 are 3 psalms headed by

superscriptions attributing Davidic authorship to them: Psalms

108-110. These 3 psalms stress God's work in relation to

international or personal adversaries--Psalms 108 and 110

focusing on the former, Psalm 109 on the latter. They also

provide a backdrop for the praise psalms which follow.

_________________

¹⁵Two other psalms--Psalms 110 and 112--contain elements

of the distress-deliverance theme, but do not emphasize either

the problems faced by God's people (as is the case with Psalm

110) or the direct act of God that brings about the release from

those problems (as is the case with Psalm 112). See above, in

this chapter, notes 5 and 6.

Psalm 117, the remaining psalm in the corpus, focuses

entirely On the theme of praise to God. According to that

psalm, one reason for the world to praise the LORD is because of

His dsH (lovingkindness) toward His people. Because of the

context of the Psalms 107-118 corpus in which Psalm 117 is

located, that descriptive noun may, in fact, be designed to

convey tacitly a sense of deliverance (cf. Pss 107:1-3, 8-9, 15-

16, 21-22, [26-]31, 43; 109:21, 26; 115:1; and 118:1-4, 29).

324

Specifically, Psalm 108 opens with bold declarations of

praise to God that are followed without pause by an equally open

plea for deliverance. The psalm then presents (as the central

point of this chiastic psalm) God's statement of intent to

overcome the surrounding nations.¹⁶ Yet, He does not, within

the confines of the psalm, produce that much-desired victory.

As a consequence, another plea for deliverance rings out. This

plea is followed immediately (almost without a breath being

taken) by a final vote of confidence in God's greatness.

Thus, Psalm 108 expresses, in one way or another, each of

the 3 major themes of the corpus, which were unveiled in Psalm

107. First, God is worthy of praise. Second, God is capable of

defeating formidable foes. Third, God is greater than the

heavens and the earth (even greater than powerful nations of

this earth).

Through its lexical choices, Psalm 108 reaches out to other

psalms in the corpus to depict God as a God who both cares about

His people and who is sufficiently powerful to act on their

behalf in order to deliver them from the tribulations they face.

_________________

¹⁶Following the superscription of verse 1, the chiastic

structure of the Psalm 108 unfolds along the lines of the

outline presented below:

A. An expression of confidence in God (vv. 2-6)

B. A plea for deliverance (v. 7)

C. A promise of deliverance (vv. 8-10)

B'. A plea for deliverance (vv. 11-13)

A'. An expression of confidence in God (v. 14)

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Psalm 108 makes this commonly-advocated point by means of the

following lexemes: hdy (give thanks, thanksgiving), hvhy

(LORD), dsH (lovingkindness), Myhlx (God), rzf (help), fwy

(save, deliver), and Nymy (right hand).¹⁷

Psalm 109, the second of the 3 Davidic psalms, carries

forth the first and the second of the 3 themes contained in its

immediately preceding Davidic psalm, Psalm 108 (as cited in the

previous paragraph). Like Psalm 108, Psalm 109 recognizes that

God alone can provide deliverance from an, as of yet,

unalleviated situation and that He, therefore, is deserving to

receive an offering of thanksgiving--in the midst of many

peoples. Yet, unlike both Psalm 108 and Psalm 110 (the third

Davidic psalm), which focus on national or global adversaries,

Psalm 109 presents the enemy attack at the level of the

individual.¹⁸

In order to convey its primary themes, Psalm 109 includes

various lexemes that are appropriate to those themes and, at the

same time, are common to numerous other psalms in the corpus.

_________________

¹⁷The lexeme Nymy (right hand) occurs in each of the 3

Davidic palms (i.e., Psalms 108-110) and, as such, provides an

important ,linkage among them.

¹⁸In the Hebrew Scriptures, an attack against a nation is,

at times, regarded as a specific attack against the leaders of

the nation or against the king himself.

The nature of the attack recorded in Psalm 109 (and the

consequent imprecation), however, seems to preclude that view

from being a correct understanding of these events. The attack

described here, therefore, takes place at a personal level,

rather than at a national level.

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Some of those lexical choices are hdy (give thanks,

thanksgiving), llh (praise), dsH (lovingkindness), rzf (help),

fwy (save,, deliver), and Nymy (right hand).

Whereas Psalms 108 and 109, the first 2 Davidic psalms of

the Psalms 107-118 corpus, cry out for deliverance, Psalm 110,

the final Davidic psalm of the corpus, depicts how God will

destroy His enemies. Thus Psalm 110 provides a strong sense of

confidence that the concerns and fears of Psalms 108 and 109

will, one day, no longer trouble His people.¹⁹

An important thematic focus of Psalm 110 is that not only

is God able to defeat His enemies, but He also rules supreme

over the most powerful components of the created order.

Psalm 110, moreover, functions as an important bridge

between Psalms 107-109 and Psalms 111-113 (figure 4). The

former psalms incorporate into their texts a plea for

deliverance,²⁰ the latter psalms are designated psalms of

_________________

¹⁹Psalm 110 does not specifically state that God destroys

the enemies of His people. The psalm does, however, portray

God, one day, judging the nations with severity. Since, within

the Hebrew Scriptures, the term Myvg (nations) is often

understood to be used to indicate the enemies of the people of

God, Psalm 110 undoubtedly implies by its inclusion in v. 6

that, when God metes out punishment on the nations, He is doing

so against those who are the adversaries of His people.

²⁰Of these 3 psalms, only Psalm 107 includes both a cry

for help and a subsequent realization of deliverance. The other

2 psalms, i.e., Psalms 108 and 109, present only unfulfilled

hopes for deliverance.

Much like the way Psalm 1 presents an ideal picture of the

contrast between the righteous and the wicked, Psalm 107, the

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praise to God--all 3 of those latter psalms being hallelujah (hy

vllh) rubric psalms. Psalm 110 provides an important reason why

the anguished concerns of Psalms 107-109 are able to be turned

into the songs of praise of Psalms 111-113. That reason is that

God truly sits on His throne in heaven ruling over His creation.

As a consequence, no enemy is able to stand against Him (or

against those whose cause He defends).

In addition, Psalm 110 exhibits important lexical and

functional relationships to Psalm 114--the only other psalm of

the corpus devoid of direct statements regarding the need to

praise or thank God. Interestingly, like Psalm 110, Psalm 114

functions as a key linking bridge between 2 major sections

within the corpus, i.e., between Psalms 111-113 and 115-117.

With the conclusion of Psalm 110--a psalm that emphasizes

the power of God over His enemies--the corpus shifts its focus

away from an emphasis on the plight of God's people and more

toward an emphasis on the praise that God's people offer to

_________________

introductory psalm to the Psalms 107-118 corpus, includes all 3

of the main themes of the corpus, in their ideal completed

forms. Similarly, just as much of the rest of the Psalter

reformats the ideal picture of Psalm 1 in view of the realities

of life, so too, Psalms 108 and 109 counterbalance the ideal of

Psalm 107. Not every issue plaguing God's people has been

resolved; not every cry for help has been answered. God's

people have not yet reached the position of permanent victory

where the can offer unhindered or unqualified praise to God.

328

Him.²¹ Psalm 111 is the first psalm to move in this new

direction. It is a hallelujah (hy vllh) rubric psalm. As such,

Psalm 111 interconnects with Psalms 112 and 113--2 additional

hallelujah (hy vllh) rubric psalms. Reaching further into the

corpus, Psalm 111 also makes connection, by virtue of its

hallelujah (hy vllh) rubric, to Psalms 115-117, 3 hallelujah

(hy-vllh) colophon psalms.

Psalm 111, however, makes its strongest lexical and

structural; linkages with Psalm 112. Both psalms are acrostic

psalms consisting of 8 bicola followed by 2 tricola. Both

psalms, moreover, share 16 discrete lexemes in common, more than

half of which are key-lexeme links. In addition, Psalms 111 and

112 record, on a number of occasions, similar semantic

expressions. One clause, in particular, stands out as a linking

force between the 2 psalms: dfl tdmf vtqdc (his righteousness

endures forever). What makes the linking function of this

clause so important is that, apart from the 3 citations found

here in these 2 psalms (Ps 111:3; 112:3, 9), the clause appears

nowhere else in the Hebrew Scriptures. Furthermore, both Psalm

111 and Psalm 112 address the same theme--the nature of the

_________________

²¹Even though the psalms that sequentially follow Psalm

110 in the corpus place the expression of gratitude to God in

the thematic spotlight, they only dim the light on the problems

God's people fact--they do not shut it off completely.

Likewise, the psalms which precede Psalm 110 and which emphasize

the tribulations that God's people experience, do not fully

eliminate all statements regarding praise to God.

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righteous--but from different perspectives. Psalm 111 presents

the righteous character of God, whereas Psalm 112 highlights the

righteous character of the individual who fears that righteous

God.

Psalm 112, a hallelujah (hy vllh) rubric psalm, fits as the

chiastic center between Psalms 111 and 113, 2 other hallelujah

(hy vllh) is psalms. Those 2 psalms focus on the God who is

deserving of praise. Psalm 112 places between those psalms a

picture of the individual who lives a life of praise.

Furthermore, because of its praise orientation, Psalm 112 also

links to Psalms 115-117, a group of psalms also designated as

praise psalms.

The final hallelujah (hy vllh) rubric psalm of the corpus

is Psalm 113. This psalm links backward to Psalms 111 and 112

(2 hallelujah [hy vllh] rubric psalms) and forward to Psalms

115, 116, and 117 (3 hallelujah [hy vllh] colophon psalms).²²

In addition, Psalm 113 functions liturgically as the

initial psalm of a group of 6 psalms known as the Egyptian

Hallel. For more than 2 millennia, the Egyptian Hallel have

been have been incorporated as an important component in

numerous Jewish festivals--in particular, the Passover

_________________

²²Psalm 113 also contains a hallelujah (hy-vllh) colophon,

thus making its link to Psalms 115-117 even stronger than would

otherwise be the case.

330

celebration, the Feast of Lights,²³ and the new moon

assemblies. As the first psalm of this group, Psalm 113 sets

the tone for the rest of the members of the group. This psalm

declares that the focus of praise is on God--a God who is both

transcendent and immanent, who is both beyond creation and, yet,

intimately involved in it.

Psalm 113 also conveys all 3 major themes of the Psalms

107-118 corpus that are introduced to the corpus in Psalm 107

(figure l).

The above-mentioned Egyptian Hallel psalms take their name

from the psalm that falls next in numerical sequence after Psalm

113. The contents of Psalm 114 give rise to that name by

presenting a description of the deliverance of the Israelites

from Egypt at the time of the exodus. By presenting this

deliverance as it does, Psalm 114--a psalm which contains no

lexical indices directly related to the concept or act of

praise--is, in its entirety, an encomium.

Psalm 114 functions, moreover, as the center of mass of a

series of praise psalms extending from Psalm 111, on one side,

to Psalm 117, on the other. Thus, Psalm 114 brings together the

hallelujah (hy vllh) rubric psalms (Psalms 111-113) and the

hallelujah (hy-vllh) colophon psalms (Psalms 115-117). Psalm

114 makes that linkage, in part, because of its closeness of

_________________

²³Also known as the Feast of Dedication or Hanukkah.

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thematic fit with its 2 neighbor psalms, Psalms 113 and 115

(figure 3). All 3 psalms highlight God's dominance over

creation. Furthermore, Psalm 114 makes a greater percentage of

lexical interconnections with these 2 psalms than with any of

the other psalms of the corpus.²⁴

Psalm 115 (which, as just noted, links back to Psalm 114,

both lexically and thematically) is the opening psalm of a 3-

psalm set known, within this dissertation, as the hallelujah

(hy-vllh) colophon psalms.

Psalm 115 has the distinction of being 1 of 4 psalms in the

corpus to contain all 3 of the major themes of the corpus in

their fully developed forms. The other 3 psalms to do so are

Psalms 107, 108, and 113. Interestingly, the fact that these 4

psalms all advance the primary themes of the corpus may have

been an impetus for linking 10 of the 12 psalms of the corpus

together. This may be the case since Psalms 108, 113, and 115

appear in important roles in their respective sub-units of the

corpus: the Davidic psalms (Psalms 108-110), the hallelujah (hy

vllh) rubric psalms (Psalms 111-113), and the hallelujah

(hy-vllh) colophon psalms (Psalms 115-117). The positioning of

_________________

²⁴The 7 lexemes which Psalm 114 shares in common with

Psalm 113 represent 20% of the total population of discrete

lexemes found in that latter psalm. Psalm 114 also makes 7

lexical links to Psalm 115, which represent 13% of that latter

psalm's total number of discrete lexeme units. Significantly, 6

of the 7 lexical interconnections that Psalm 114 makes with the

2 psalms are the same.

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Psalm 107 (with its unfolding of the 3 major themes), at the

beginning of the corpus, would thus ensure a strong linkage

among these 10 psalms.²⁵

Psalm 115 also exhibits another important structural

linkage. Psalm 115:18 works together with Ps 113:2 to form an

inclusio of blessing that unifies Psalms 113, 114, and 115--3

psalms that emphasize God's dominance over the created order

(figure 3 ).²⁶

_________________

²⁵Two psalms of the corpus, however, remain unaccounted

for by this theory--Psalms 114 and 118. Yet, as noted

previously, Psalm 114 operates as a bonding agent between the

halleluja (hy vllh) rubric psalms and the hallelujah (hy-vllh)

colophon psalms to form a unified group of praise psalms that

begins with Psalm 111 and ends with Psalm 117. Psalm 114 may,

therefore, have been brought into the larger corpus at the same

time those other 6 psalms were attached. Such would be the

case, especially if the hallelujah (hy vllh) rubric psalms and

the hallelujah (hy-vllh) colophon psalms were brought together,

with Psalm 114, into a unified whole prior to the completion of

the Psalms 107-118 corpus.

The final remaining psalm, Psalm 118, may have been

introduce to the corpus in at least 1 of 2 ways. First, the

psalm may have been accepted into the corpus as the concluding

member of the Egyptian Hallel psalms (Psalms 113-118).

Understandably, for this option to be true, the Egyptian Hallel

psalms would have had to have functioned as a distinct group of

psalms prior to the completion of the canon and prior to the

coalescing of the 12 psalms into this corpus. Second, Psalm 118

may simply have been juxtaposed to the end of an already unified

collection of psalms that ran from Psalm 107-117 in order to

form, with Psalm 107, an inclusio of thanksgiving around the

entire corpus.

²⁶The presence, in both Ps 113:2 and Ps 115:18, of a

prepositional phrase (Mlvf-dfv htfm--from now [this time] and

until forever) which occurs only 8 times total in the Hebrew

Scriptures heightens the intensity of this inclusio.

333

Psalm 116, the middle psalm in the 3-psalm hallelujah

(hy-vllh) colophon sequence, links by means of its declaration

of praise not only to its fellow hallelujah (hy-vllh) colophon

psalms (i.e., Psalms 115 and 117), but also to the 3 hallelujah

(hy vllh) rubric psalms (i.e., Psalms 111-113).

Psalm 116 makes its strongest lexical interconnections with

immediately antecedent psalm in the corpus, Psalm 115. Not only

does Ps 116 link lexically with Psalm 115 by means of the

lexemes that comprise the jointly shared hallelujah (hy-vllh)

colophon bit also by means of the repetition of numerous terms

related to the body. Both psalms, moreover, individually record

lexemes that name parts of the body or that describe the actions

of those body parts. These 2 psalms also display nearly the

same relative size as each other, which may have been an

additional reason (although undoubtedly minor) for their

juxtaposition within the corpus.

The shortest psalm of the corpus, i.e., Psalm 117,

contribute far more to the structure of the overall scheme of

the corpus than might be expected from a psalm of its size.

First, Ps 117 fits within the corpus as the third of 3

sequential hallelujah (hy-vllh) colophon psalms (Psalms 115-

117). Second, because of its praise orientation, Psalm 117

links backward to the hallelujah (hy vllh) rubric psalms (Psalms

111-113). Third, the contents of Psalm 117 function with Ps

111:1-3 as an inclusio around Psalms 111-117 to bring those 7

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psalms together into a unified group of praise psalms.²⁷

Fourth, Palm 117 parallels Psalm 113, the concluding hallelujah

(hy vllh) rubric psalm, by the presence of commands, at the

beginning and ending of each psalm, to praise the LORD. Thus,

both the hallelujah (hy vllh) rubric psalms and the hallelujah

(hy-vllh) colophon psalms conclude their respective 3 psalm

sequences with a double emphasis on praise. Fifth, Psalm 117

provides a bridge to link Psalm 118 to the sequence of praise

psalms that begins at Psalms 111. Psalm 117 does so lexically

and thematically. Lexically, Ps 117 includes the term dsH

(lovingkindness) as a descriptor of hvhy (LORD). That lexeme is

picked up by Ps 118:1-4, 29, where it again is used in relation

to hvhy (LORD). Thematically, Psalm 117 declares that God is to

be honored (praised-llh). Likewise, Psalm 118 begins and ends

with the same essential thought, that God is to be honored

(thanked--hdy) .

The final verse of the final psalm of the corpus, i.e., Ps

118:29, joins with the first verse of the first psalm of the

corpus, i.e., Ps 107:1, to envelop the corpus in an attitude of

thanksgiving to God for who He is and for what He has done.

_________________

²⁷Psalm 117:1 declares that the offering of praise is to

be a public event. Psalm 117:2 indicates that this praise is to

be given to God both because of His care for His people and

because of His personal attributes. In the inclusio that they

form with Ps 111:1-6, these 2 verses find as their thematic

counterparts Ps 111:1 and Ps 111:2-6, respectively.

335

This inclusio sets the structural boundaries of the Psalms 107-

118 corpus.

This linkage that Psalm 118 has with Psalm 107, moreover,

is enhanced by the fact that (in sheer number of words held in

common) Psalm 118 has stronger lexical ties to Psalm 107 than to

any of the other psalms in the Psalms 107-118 corpus. Thus the

linkage from Psalm 118 back to Psalm 107 is quite strong.

In addition, Psalm 118 functions as the concluding psalm to

the group of psalms known as the Egyptian Hallel--a group of

psalms that has formed an important part of Jewish worship

through the centuries. Being so connected suggests at least 2

significant points: (1) Psalm 118 is to be understood as a

praise psalm and (2) Psalm 118 belongs (at least in the minds of

the ancient Hebrews) to the present corpus and not to some

subsequent corpus.²⁸

Overall Conclusion

Based on the evidence presented in this dissertation, the

proposition that there are intentional--and not just accidental

or random--lexical and thematic links among the psalms of the

_________________

²⁸Psalm 118, however, does make important lexical

connections with Psalm 119 that help to ensure a smooth

transition from the end of Psalm 118 to the beginning of Psalm

119. This transition is developed by the repetition of the

terms hvhy (LORD) and hdy (give thanks, thanksgiving), and also

by the use of synonyms--jrb (blessed) in Ps 118:26 and yrwx

(happy, blessed) in Ps 119:1-2.

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Psalms 107-118 corpus has been validated. So too has the

proposition that the corpus as a whole exhibits a coherent and

unified structure been proven to be correct.

Implications

Doctrine of Inspiration

With the recognition that the Hebrew Scriptures are the

Word of God, certain of the findings of this dissertation exert

a potential impact on the understanding of the doctrine of

inspiration. Three findings in particular have a direct bearing

on that doctrine: the psalms of the corpus appear (1) to have

undergone an editing process, (2) to be arranged purposefully,

and (3) to have been written in such a way that they show a high

regard for the words and not just for the ideas of the text. In

addition, the validity of literary approach as a method for

psalms research also affects the notion of the doctrine of

inspiration.

Inspiration and the Editing of the Psalter

If the canonical psalms of the Psalms 107-118 corpus have

been revised by the work of an editor subsequent to their

creation, then the doctrine of inspiration must account for, at

a minimum the earliest and the latest documents (and for any

possible redactions in between). If the various editions of a

given psalm are to be considered (in the purest sense) the Word

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of God, then not only must the work of the original human author

of a psalm be held under the umbrella of the doctrine but so

also must that of any subsequent editor (and perhaps any

compiler) through to the completion of the canonization process.

Waltke argues for such a doctrine of inspiration. According to

Waltke, the doctrine must extend the cloak of inspiration over

the original author, the editors, and the compilers to the point

when the final book was added to the Scripture.²⁹

Among the psalms under study, there appears to have been

some level of editing that altered certain of the psalms from

their original state to their present state. Two psalms, in

particular, stand out as possibly having undergone an editor's

changes: Psalms 107 and 108.

After its 3 introductory verses, Psalm 107 consists of 4

illustrations of God's deliverance of His people (vv. 4-9, 10-

16, 17-22, 23-32). Each of those pictures includes a plea-for-

deliverance refrain (vv. 6, 13, 19, 28) and ends with a 2-verse

offering-of-thanks-for-deliverance refrain, the second to last

verse in each of those final refrains being the same. Following

sequentially those illustrations, the psalm, in its canonical

form, draws near to its conclusion with a series of 10 verses

_________________

²⁹Bruce K. Waltke, "A Canonical Approach to the Psalms,"

in Tradition and Testament: Essays in Honor of Charles Lee

Feinberg, ed. John S. Feinberg and Paul D. Feinberg (Chicago:

Moody, 1981), 9-16.

338

which picture God as both exercising His power over creation and

blessing His people to the dismay of the unrighteous. Psalm 107

then concludes (v. 43) with a declaration that those who truly

desire to be wise need to pay close attention to God's works and

to His lovingkindness. The final 11 verses, however, do not

follow the double refrain pattern extant within the 4

illustrations. The differences between the introductory

materials and the 4 illustrations and between the final 11

verses and the illustrations have led many³⁰ to argue (as may

be the case) that the canonical psalm is an expanded version of

an earlier composition (or compositions) that consisted of

_________________

³⁰There are some, e.g., Dahood, who consider the entire

psalm to be "a unity composed by one psalmist." Mitchell

Dahood, Psalms III (101-150), The Anchor Bible 17A, ed. William

Foxwell Albright and David Noel Freedman (Garden City, N.Y.:

Doubleday 1970), 89. The various segments of the psalm do

function together harmoniously and thus indeed may have been the

work of an individual author. If so, then this psalm was

marvelously crafted to fit in its present position at the

beginning ,of the Psalms 107-118 corpus and at the beginning of

Book V of the Psalter. The psalm, through its first 3 verses,

links backward to Psalm 106 to respond to that psalm's

concluding cry for deliverance. Psalm 107 also links forward

through its concluding 11 verses to other psalms within the

corpus that focus on God's power over the created order and on

God's ability to baffle the enemy. Psalm 107:1 (and to a lesser

extent, Ps 107:43), moreover, operates in conjunction with Ps

118:29 and to a lesser extent with Ps 118:1) to form a

structural framework around the entirety of the Psalms 107-118

corpus. None of these various linkages would be quite so strong

if Ps 107:1-3 and 33-43 were missing from the final composition

of the psalm.

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anywhere from 1 to 4 of the deliverance illustrations present in

the psalm's current canonical state.³¹

Psalm 108 also offers another example within the corpus of

a psalm that may have undergone editorial work. Most contend

that the canonical psalm is not an original independent

composition but rather is essentially a compilation of Pss 57:8-

12 and 60:1-14.³²

_________________

³¹Briggs and Briggs contend that v. 1 "is a gl. in order

to make the Ps. into a Hallel." Charles Augustus Briggs and

Emilie Grace Briggs, A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the

Book of Psalm (Edinburgh: T. & T. Clark, 1907; reprint, 1960), 358.

Kraus argues that v. 2 is "a prescriptive formula which

someone later intervened in the psalm." Hans-Joachim Kraus,

Psalms 60-150: A Commentary, trans. Hilton C. Oswald

(Minneapolis: Augsburg, 1989), 328. Kraus, furthermore, concurs

with Duhm that vv. 33-43 as a group is a "supplemental poem."

Kraus, Psalms 60-150: A Commentary, 325.

Even the inverted nuns attached to the BHS Masoretic Text

at vv. 21-26, 40 suggest the possibility of the psalm having

been in a different sequential order than is presently observed.

The precise meaning of the inverted nuns, however, is unclear.

Allen provides a brief, but insightful, discussion of the

views of various scholars regarding what is to be considered as

the "original" psalm and what has been added to it. Leslie C.

Allen, Psalms 101-150, Word Biblical Commentary 21 (Milton

Keynes, England: Word [UK], 1983), 60-63.

³²Franz Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on The Psalms,

trans. Francis Bolton, vol. 3 (Grand. Rapids, Mich: Eerdmans,

1968), 173-74; E. W. Hengstenberg, Commentary on the Psalms,

vol. 3, trans. John Thomson and Patrick Fairbairn, Clark's

Foreign Theological Library, vol. 12 (Edinburgh: T. & T. Clark,

1848), 299-300; Kraus, Psalms 60-150: A Commentary, 333; Hans

Schmidt, Die Psalmen (Tübingen: J. C. B. Mohr [Paul Siebeck],

1934), 199. By contrast, Dahood maintains that the 3 psalms--

Psalms 57, 60, and 108--were developed independently from the

same, previously existing poetic compositions. He believes that

any present depiction of Psalm 108 as a psalm that was compiled

340

Even if the superscriptions of all 3 psalms (i.e., Psalms

57, 60, and 108) are correct that each psalm is Davidic in

origin, an explanation needs to be given for the change of the

divine appellation of yndx (Lord) in Ps 57:10 to hvhy (LORD) in

Ps 108:4. Psalms 57 and 60 are contained within Book II of the

Psalter, a Book that (relatively speaking) rarely uses the term

hvhy (LORD). Book V of the Psalter (in which Psalm 108 is

found), by contrast, makes extensive use of that divine name.

Thus, even if David is the author of all 3 of those canonical

psalms, there is no clearly definitive explanation as to why he

would have made the change from yndx (Lord) to hvhy (LORD).³³

A reasonable assumption, then, is that a later editor (or

perhaps the compiler of Book V) effected the change in order to

ensure that Psalm 108 fit more closely into the hvhy-pattern of

Book V than it would otherwise do.

Thus, if these or other editorial emendations within the

Psalms 107-118 corpus are in fact demonstrable (as they appear

to be), then a doctrine of inspiration that advances the view

that the original manuscripts are the inspired Word of God needs

also to accord that same divine aegis to the edited documents up

to and including their final canonical forms--if the canonical

_________________

from Psalms 57 and 60 is incorrect since it "goes beyond the

available evidence." Mitchell Dahood, Psalms III (101-150), 93.

³³Historically, of course, David did not have a hand in

the final compilation of Book V of the Psalter--an event which

took place centuries after his death.

341

texts are to be considered divinely inspired to the same degree

as the original manuscripts.³⁴

Inspiration and the Sequence of the Psalter

The of the Psalms 107-118 corpus appear to have been

arranged fully into their present order. There are

obvious of psalms within the corpus that are linked

together means of lexical overlap or by the interjection of a

complete psalm between 2 groups. There is also a thematic flow

that carries through the entire corpus and is particularly

enhanced by the various interconnections that exist between the

_________________

³⁴That edited texts within the Hebrew Scriptures are to be

accepted as canonical or inspired is not a new suggestion. For

example, most scholars accept Ps 72:20 (ywy-Nb dvd tvlpt vlk--"The

prayers of David, the son of Jesse, are ended") as being part of

the canonical text of the Scripture. What makes that verse

remarkable (relative to the present discussion) is that it

stands as the concluding verse to Psalm 72, a psalm whose

superscription attributes the origin of the psalm to Solomon,

not to David. In addition, Psalm 72 is not the final psalm of

David recorded in the Psalter. Other psalms identified by their

superscriptions to be Davidic in origin (e.g., Psalms 108-110 in

the present corpus) occur subsequent to Psalm 72 within the Psalter.

The fact that Ps 72:20 stands at the conclusion of Book II

of the Psalter suggests, according to Wilson, that "Books One

and Two may have combined to form an earlier collection

introduced and concluded by 'Royal' pss, a collection which

because of its high Davidic content (60 of 70 pss) might well

justify the description 'prayers of David.'" Gerald H. Wilson,

The Editing of the Hebrew Psalter (Chico, Calif.: Scholars,

1985), 208.

See also Deut 34:5-12, which speaks about events occurring

after the death of Moses. Even those who adhere to the Mosaic

authorship of the Pentateuch generally agree that Deut 34:5-12

was added to the text at some time after the completion of the

rest of the Pentateuch.

342

concluding verses of each of the first 11 psalms (i.e., Psalms

107-117) and the beginning portion of their respective

subsequent psalms (i.e., Psalms 108-118). Furthermore, Psalms

107 and 118 form an inclusio around the entire corpus to tie

the psalms of the corpus into a identifiable group.

In light of the multitude of linkages--lexical, thematic,

and other--among the psalms of the corpus,³⁵ there can be no

doubt that the compiler(s) of the Psalter intentionally

positioned the various psalms of the Psalms 107-118 corpus in

the sequence in which they presently occur.³⁶ An adequate

doctrine of inspiration, therefore, must pay serious attention

to the output of the compiler if that doctrine intends to

acknowledge the significance of the sequence of the psalms and

_________________

³⁵See Chapter 2, above.

³⁶There are those who argue that other portions of the

Psalter, as well, if not all of the psalms of the Psalter, have

been intentionally positioned as they now stand. See, for

example, Joseph P. Brennan, "Some Hidden Harmonies in the Fifth

Book of Psalms," in Essays in Honor of Joseph P. Brennan, ed.

Robert F. McNamara (Rochester, N.Y.: Saint Bernard's Seminary,

1976), 126-58; Walter Brueggemann, "Bounded by Obedience and

Praise: The Psalms as Canon," Journal for the Study of the Old

Testament 50 (1991): 63-92; John Forbes, Studies on the Book of

Psalms: The Structural Connection of the Book of Psalms, both in

Single Psalms and in the Psalter as an Organic Whole, ed. James

Forrest (Edinburgh: T. & T. Clark, 1888); David Morris Howard,

Jr., "The Structure of Psalms 93-100" (Ph.D. diss., University

of Michigan, 1986), forthcoming as The Structure of Psalms 93-

100, University of California at San Diego Biblical and Judaic

Series 5 (Winona Lake, Ind.: Eisenbrauns); Wilson, The Editing

of the Hebrew Psalter.

343

the impact that a given psalm has, in particular, on the psalms

that immediately surround it.

Inspiration and Lexical Issues

The high degree of overlap of lexemes among the various

psalms of the Psalms 107-118 corpus suggests a strong interest

on the part of the author(s), editor(s), or compiler(s) of the

corpus to take into consideration the very words of the text and

not mere the ideas. More specifically, the key-lexeme links

and thematic-lexeme links highlight the word-level decisions

made by those who left their mark on the 12 psalms of the

corpus.

In addition, the actual positioning of the significant

lexemes within a given psalm appears to have been a concern of

those who implemented the process of the development and

sequencing of the various psalms of the corpus. Evidence of the

reality of this concern is observed in an analysis of the

location of specific lexemes within a given psalm. As observed

previously, the location of various significant lexemes within a

psalm s the expression of the concepts contained within

that psalm. Certain lexemes, moreover, at times, because of

their location within adjoining psalms or even across a sequence

of psalms (e.g., the lexemes of Pss 107:1 and 118:29) function

as bridges between the psalms of which they are a part.

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An adequate doctrine of inspiration must account for the

concerns and the work of those who under the direction of God

left evidence of their activity on the 12 psalms of the corpus.

Thus, to the extent that the author(s), editor(s), or

compiler(s) exhibited a high regard for the very lexemes of the

texts of the corpus under study, the doctrine of inspiration

must include within its propositions statements to the effect

that the inspiration of Scripture takes place at the level of

the lexeme as well as at the level of the concept.

Inspiration and the Literary Method

If a literary analysis of the type used within this

dissertation is a valid methodological approach for the study of

the Psalter, then the doctrine of inspiration must extend at the

very least from the narrow bandwidth of the individual lexemes

themselves to the broad scope of the corpus in its entirety.

The doctrine must account for such matters as the lexemes

themselves, the development of themes within the individual

psalms, the various lexical and thematic linkages among the

various psalms, and the flow of ideas throughout the corpus.

Psalms Research

As noted in Chapter 1 above, there are generally 3

methodological approaches by which various scholars have entered

345

into the analysis of the texts of Psalter.³⁷ Each of the

systems stresses a different research strategy. The first seeks

to understand the text in light of its historical setting, the

second in reference to its function within the ancient Israelite

worship system, and the third in its literary context. Each of

these systems has its strengths and weaknesses, the major

advantages and disadvantages being presented below.³⁸ These

lists are not intended to be exhaustive but rather to highlight

the more salient points.

Assessment of the Historical-Critical Method

Strengths

The historical-critical method of psalms interpretation:

1. Pushes the analysis of a text back to the original

stage of biblical inspiration of that text;

_________________

³⁷This discussion does not concern itself with the

methodology of higher criticism such as those approaches that

focus on source-critical issues or even on the text-transmission

process itself.

³⁸The following presentation of the strengths and

weaknesses of the literary approach is restricted solely to an

assessment of the methodology used within this dissertation.

Thus, this analysis does not take into consideration the

profitability or lack thereof of the use of other literary

methods such as structural criticism or rhetorical criticism.

346

2. Provides a sense of historical validation to the

contents of the text--a validation that ideally is corroborated

by historical or archaeological evidence;

3. Offers insight into the forces that shaped the feelings

and actions expressed within the text;

4. Gives support to (and gains support from) the

superscriptions to the various psalms; and

5. Seeks to understand the psalm in the context of the

original author and the original audience.

Weaknesses

1. Accurate determination of the historical context of

many psalms is difficult at best, if not impossible. Current

attempts to recreate the original context of a given psalm fail

to guarantee that all relevant data are taken into

consideration. General historical contexts may be

reconstructed, but the specific details of a given event or of

the emotional reactions (apart from those expressed in the text)

of the participants in that event still prove to be elusive.

Without all of the relevant data, the discovery of, for example,

the causes and effects of certain actions within a specific

battle is less than certain.

347

2. Many psalms are devoid of context-informing

superscriptions³⁹ or are headed by superscriptions that offer

little or no insight into the historical background of a

text.⁴⁰ Analysis of the historical context of these various

psalms, therefore, may be on less than stable ground,

particularly if the text of the psalm itself does not provide

adequate clues regarding its origins.

3. This approach appears to weaken the doctrine of the

perspicuity of Scripture. The historical-critical method

implies that those who do not have access to all of the relevant

historical data are unable to gain a clear understanding of the

meaning of a text.

_________________

³⁹Many scholars debate the meaning, function, and

significant of the superscriptions to the psalms. Peter C.

Craigie, Psalms 1-50, Word Biblical Commentary 19, ed. David A.

Hubbard and Glen W. Barker (Aylesbury, UK: Word [UK], 1986), 31-

35; Hans-Joachim Kraus, Psalms 1-59: A Commentary, trans. Hilton

C. Oswald (Minneapolis: Augsburg Publishing House, 1988), 21-32;

John F. A. Sawyer, "An Analysis of the Context and Meaning of

the Psalm-Headings," in Transactions: Volume XXII: Years 1967 to

1968, ed. William McKane, (Glasgow: Glasgow University Oriental

Society, 1970), 26-38; Bruce K. Waltke, "Superscripts,

Postscripts, or Both," Journal of Biblical Literature 110

(1991): 583-96.

⁴⁰Superscriptions such as those that head Psalms 108-110

merely suggest a general historical time frame by indicating a

Davidic authorship. They do not, however, disclose at what

stage in David's career--as a shepherd, as a fugitive, as a

newly crowned king, as a king at the peak of his power, or as a

king whose power has waned--he is to have written those psalms.

The impact the historical context on a given psalm would be

significantly different if the psalms were written at different

times in David's life.

348

4. Those who use the historical-critical method must

address the issue of the inspiration not only of the texts but

also of the historical events themselves.

5. This method potentially locks the application of a

given meaning of a given psalm into a specific set of historical

circumstances, thereby lessening the potential for that psalm to

be able to speak to a modern audience.

Assessment of the Functional-Critical Method

Strengths

The functional-critical method of psalms analysis, better

known as form criticism or genre criticism:

1. Helps the exegete to understand the literary formulas

that underlie the various types of psalmic literature;

2. Accords with the position that the psalms were designed

to meet the needs of the religious community⁴¹ as it seeks to

explain the meaning of the psalms in the context in which they

presumably, were used;

_________________

⁴¹Mowinckel contends that "[p]salm poetry as such has

sprung from the temple cult. Even the psalms transmitted to us,

perhaps more than 140 of the 150 of the Psalter, have not only

been used as cult-psalms, but have also been composed for that

purpose." Sigmund Mowinckel, "Psalms and Wisdom," in Wisdom in

Harold Henry Rowley, eds. M. Noth and D. Winton Thomas,

Supplements to Vetus Testamentum 3, ed. G. W. Anderson and

others (Leiden: E. J. Brill, 1969), 205.

349

3. Allows the interpretation of the various psalms to be

understood as being timeless and not bound in meaning to an

irreproducible moment in time; and

4. Displays findings regarding the psalms that shows them

to have a place in the worship setting of Israel that is

parallel to known worship practices of other ancient societies

and thereby strengthens the confidence level of biblical

exegetes regarding their interpretation of the meaning and

function of a given psalm.⁴²

Weaknesses

1. Form criticism or genre criticism falters

significantly, since there is at present a lack of demonstrable

proof that the various psalms were used according to the

functions ascribed to them by those who adhere to this

approach.⁴³

2. The critics who use this method often overlook the

superscript data attached to the specific psalms by ancient

_________________

⁴²Gerstenberger, Psalms: Part 1 with and Introduction to

Cultic Poetry, 6-7.

⁴³The failure of form criticism or genre criticism to

provide demonstrable proof that ancient Israelites used a given

psalm in a specific way within the cultus does not necessarily

render illegitimate the psalmic structures that form critics or

genre critics have identified.

350

editors or compilers who thereby expressed their understanding

of the origins, meaning, or use of the superscripted psalms.

3. This approach limits a given psalm's application to a

specific religious function that may not necessarily have an

identifiable functional parallel in current worship practices.

The psalm, therefore, would have no applicability to the modern

reader.

4. In its push to classify the genre of given psalms, the

form-critical method at times fails to account for subtle

content differences that may exist between 2 psalms which have

been classified as belonging to the same genre.⁴⁴

5. There is a general lack of agreement as to what defines

a functional category and as to which psalm fits into which

category.⁴⁵

_________________

⁴⁴ Greenwood cautions against the separation between genre

and content when he writes that "it is arguable that, as a

general rule, content was more important for the sacred writers

themselves than form." David Greenwood, "Rhetorical Criticism

and Formgeschichte: Some Methodological Considerations,"

Journal of Biblical Literature 89 (1970): 419.

⁴⁵Compare, for example, Gerstenberger, Psalms: Part 1 with

an Introduction to Cultic Poetry, 9-21; Hermann Gunkel,

Einleitung in die Psalmen: die Gattungen der religiösen Lyrik

Israels, 2d ed. (Göttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 1966);

Mowinckel, "Psalms and Wisdom," 205-24; and Claus Westermann,

Praise and Lament in the Psalms, trans. Keith R. Crim and

Richard N. Soulen (Atlanta: John Knox, 1981).

As form critics and others continue to apply their

expertise to the analysis of the various psalms of the Psalter,

quite probably, additional findings will be forthcoming that

either will be able to account for the differences in the

351

6. The form critics," according to Greenwood, "have

tended to lose sight of the forest by concentrating on the

individual trees: by dealing exhaustively with individual

pericopes. . . and, in general, small blocks of material, they

have sometimes neglected to regard biblical books as individual

entities."⁴⁶

Assessment of the Literary Method

Strengths

The literary method used in this dissertation:

1. Understands the 150 psalms of the Psalter to be a

literary unit that forms a literary context within which the

individual psalms are to be interpreted (as is the case with the

various chapters of the other books of the Scripture);

2. Recognizes as significant the canonical texts of the

various psalms;

3. Accounts for the editorial process and for the

arrangement of the psalms; and

4. Removes a given psalm from a time-bound historical

context and places it in a literary context, thereby allowing

later readers of Scripture to be able to apply (more easily than

_________________

identification of functional categories or will reveal that this

approach to the analysis of the Psalter is tenuous.

⁴⁶Greenwood, "Rhetorical Criticism and Formgeschichte:

Some Methodological Considerations," 418.

352

otherwise would be the case) the truths contained within that

psalm.

Weaknesses

1. An improper application of this literary method may

downplay the intent of the original author of a given psalm in

favor of the sense conveyed by a later editor or compiler. The

exegete may mistakenly assume that later emendations to a text

negate the meaning of the original text, thereby potentially

suggesting that either the original document or the later text

(even the canonical one) is not fully inspired or contains

erroneous materials.

2. This literary method requires that the doctrine of

inspiration be made to encompass not only the known author of

the various psalms of the Psalter, but also the unknown

editor(s) or compiler(s) of those psalms.⁴⁷

3. The literary approach to psalms analysis, moreover,

does not emphasize either the historical context of a psalm or

the functional use of that psalm in the history of Israel.

4. Identifying the context that the entire Psalter brings

to an individual psalm is difficult. Not all who adhere to the

view that the Psalter is a unified literary body hold to the

_________________

⁴⁷The authorship of many of the psalms themselves is

unknown. This argument against the literary method, therefore,

is not very convincing.

353

same understanding regarding the thematic cord that binds the

150 psalms together.⁴⁸

General Evaluation of Research Methodologies

Each of the 3 methods of psalm research has its proponents.

By virtue of the nature of these approaches, the adoption of any

one research method tends to diminish the importance of the

other 2 approaches.

This dissertation does not claim to have demonstrated

conclusively that the literary approach is preferable to either

the historical-critical approach or the form-critical approach.

This dissertation, however, has shown that a literary

understanding of the text is a valid approach to the study of

the Psalter. That approach is one that accounts for the

utilization of the lexemes and the themes of the individual

psalms of the Psalms 107-118 corpus as a means by which those 12

psalms are linked together into a unified whole within the

canonical text.

_________________

⁴⁸Compare, for example, the views of Brennan, Brueggemann,

Mays, McCann, and Wilson. Brennan, "Some Hidden Harmonies in

the Fifth Book of Psalms," 126-58; Brueggemann, "Bounded by

Obedience and Praise: The Psalms as Canon," 63-92; James Luther

Mays, "The Question of Context in Psalm Interpretation," in The

Shape and Shaping of the Psalter, ed. J. Clinton McCann, Journal

for the Study of the Old Testament Supplement Series, no. 159

(Sheffield: JSOT, 1993), 14-20; J. Clinton McCann, Jr., "Books

I-III and the Editorial Purpose of the Hebrew Psalter," in The

Shape and Shaping of the Psalter, 93-107; Wilson, The Editing of

the Hebrews Psalter, 139-228.

APPENDIX A

FREQUENCY OF POTENTIALLY SIGNIFICANT LEXEMES

FOUND IN PSALMS 107-118

The following charts present lexemes that (1) occur a

minimum of 10 times in the Pss 107-118 corpus and comprise 15%

or more of all cases in the Psalter (i.e., more than 2 times

greater than is expected for a corpus of this size) or (2) occur

3-9 times in the Psalms 107-118 corpus and comprise at least 25%

(i.e., more than 3 times greater than is expected) of all cases

in the Psalter:

Lexemes Occurring 10 or More Times within the

Corpus and Totaling 15% or More of All

Occurrences within the Psalter

Lexeme Translation Frequency Percent

1. dhy To thank 13/67 19

2. tyb¹ House 10/54 19

3. hyh To be 18/104 17

4. jrb To bless 13/76 17

5. llh To praise 14/94 15

_________________

¹This lexeme occurs only 9 times in the corpus of the

Masoretic Text, i.e., 17% of the 53 total examples of tyb in the

Psalter. The preferred reading of Ps 115:9 adds tyb prior to

rxrWy, thus bringing the frequency total of tyb to 10, and

thereby making the lexeme eligible for inclusion in this chart

of potentially significant lexemes.

354

355

Lexemes Occurring 3-9 Times within the Corpus

and Totalling 25% or More of All Occurrences

within the Psalter

Lexeme Translation Frequency Percent

1. lvm To cut off 3/3 100

2. hqvcm Distress 4/5 80

3. NFW Accuser 4/6 67

4. fvn To shake, waver 4/8 50

5. NvnH Gracious 3/6 50

6. bydn Prince 3/7 43

7. bfr Hungry 3/8 38

8. Nrhx Aaron 3/9 33

9. bbs To turn about, 7/24 29

surround

10. Nvybx Affliction 6/23 26

11. Ffm Few, to be little 3/12 25

APPENDIX B

PSALMS 107-118: LEXEME FREQUENCY TABLES

Based on the Masoretic text of Psalms 107-118, the following charts identify three

specific items:

1. The text of each verse of the Psalms 107-118 corpus;

2. The root lexeme (termed "search lexeme") of each significant discrete lexeme within each verse; and

3. The verse location(s) within the corpus in which each signficant discrete

lexeme occurs.

356

APPENDIX D

PERCENTAGE OF DISCRETE LEXICAL UNITS OF A GIVEN

PSALM REPLICATED IN AT LEAST ONE OTHER PSALM OF

THE PSALMS 107-118 CORPUS

The figures presented below for each psalm of the Psalms

107-118 corpus compare the number of discrete lexical units of a

given psalm that occur in at least one other psalm of the corpus

to the total population of discrete lexical units of that

original psalm. For example, as the chart below reveals, Psalm

107 contains a total of 154 discrete lexical units, of which 74

appear not only in Psalm 107 but also at least once in the

remaining 17 psalms of the Psalms 107-118 corpus. Those

replicated units thus represent 48% (74 of 154) of the total

number of discrete lexical units in Psalm 107.

Psalm Extent of Total Lexeme Total Number of

Replication Population Replicated Lexemes

107 48% 154 74

108 48% 67 32

109 51% 126 64

110 55% 47 26

111 69% 48 33

112 67% 55 37

113 43% 35 15

114 53% 34 18

115 79% 52 41

116 66% 68 45

117 80% 10 8

118 68% 72 49

568

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