Conflict And Enmity In The Asaph Psalms

Since the garden of Eden, a choice between true and false wisdom has confronted human beings, and the need for discernment is consistent throughout Scripture. This volume engages with the canny decisions of the Hebrew midwives, the moral chaos of the judges’ era, dilemmas in the monarchy, and prophetic responses to the turmoil of the threat of empires, along with themes from Psalms, Job, and Proverbs. Wise preaching and teaching are enriched by insights from Tanzania, Myanmar, and Central Asia, and wisdom in daily life is found in biblical practices and is centered on Christ. Colleagues and students honor Lindsay Wilson, whose wisdom interests extend across the canon. This work is valuable for students and teachers of Old Testament and for anyone seeking to become wise.

The Asaph psalms (50, 73-83) are a unity. They often call God 'Elohim' and 'El', and the people 'Joseph', as Amos does; they appeal to Israelite history, the exodus and the covenant; they are written in the face of military catastrophe. In this suggestive and brilliant work, Goulder argues that they were composed in Bethel in the 720s for use as the psalmody for the autumn festival. This gives us vital new evidence for the history of the Pentateuch: there was at Bethel a historical tradition from at least the time of the oppression in Egypt to the Solomonic Empire; the Asaphites took this tradition to Jerusalem and their descendants were the Deuteronomists.

The ancient musician, Asaph, wrote: "As for me, I almost lost my footing..." (Psalm 73:2 NLT) Perhaps you feel the same way because Unanswered Prayer, Unfulfilled Promises, and Unpunished Evil challenge your faith and perception of God. These three issues have confronted believers for thousands of years. Walk with award-winning author, James N. Watkins, as he follows the path through the honest and passionate struggles of Asaph, King David's minister of music. Watkins utilizes Scripture, the work of biblical scholars, and the experience of everyday people to bring hope and healing to those struggling with soul-shaking questions. "I love the book! James pulls back the curtains of doubt and despair in the ancient psalms of Asaph. This book allows us to release our feelings to God without fear that our honesty might offend him. Take time to read through this honest adventure and find hope during seasons of struggle." -Chris Maxwell, author of Underwater

By conceptualizing the 'Book' of Psalms as an anthology, and by inquiring into its poetics by means of paratextuality, David Willgren provides a fresh reconstruction of its formation and concludes that it preserves a selection of psalms that is best seen not as a book of psalms, but as a canon of psalms. - back of book.

For many, the Psalms are the richest part of the Old Testament. Derek Kidner provides a fresh and penetrating guide to Psalms 73—150. He analyzes each psalm in depth, comments on interpretative questions and brings out the universal relevance of the texts. Formerly part of the Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries series, this introduction and commentary will inspire and deepen personal worship.

The presence of didactic, wisdom-like passages in the Book of Psalms presents a puzzle because it suggests a non-liturgical origin and pedagogical aim distinct from the more dominant psalmic language of lament and praise. Catherine Petrany argues for a literary and theological approach to the question of wisdom's role in the psalms that accounts for its meaningful integration with these other kinds of discourse. The unique contextualization of wisdom motifs in the psalms creates a pedagogical platform unique to the book, one related to but distinct from the pedagogies of the biblical wisdom corpus. Human wisdom speech in the psalms points beyond the classroom to the congregation and asks its hearers to become speakers, that is, to enter into conversation with the divine.