Divine Metaphors In Selected Hebrew Psalms Of Lamentation

In this book, Alec Basson examines the divine metaphors in a selection of biblical Hebrew Psalms of Lamentation from a cognitive-anthropological perspective. The study signals a move beyond the more traditional approaches to the Psalms and argues that the textual information in these poems is more than literary information as such; it is also a cognitive representation of the psalmist's world. The divine portrayals arise from the supplicant's cognitive organisation and utilisation of cultural information, which include the everyday experiences. In situations of affliction, the poet employs various cognitive strategies viz. cultural models, image-schemas and conceptual metaphors as a means of portraying the deity. The exploration illustrates the link between the psalmist's cultural experience, cognitive construal of reality and the metaphorical representations. The utilisation of the different cognitive tools gives rise to new and recurring images of the deity and accounts for the multiple depictions of Yahweh. The investigation arrives at the conclusion that, to appreciate fully the divine metaphors used in the Psalms of Lamentation, one has to examine the cognitive world of the poet.

Oystein Lund gives a new approach to texts in Isaiah 40-55 that deal with ways and desert transformation. Earlier exegesis has mainly read these texts in a literal way. In recent years, exegetes have pointed out that the so-called 'exodus texts' should rather be interpreted metaphorically. The author supports this, and accordingly seeks to continue this discourse by systematizing, intensifying, and deepening the argumentation for a metaphorical reading. He argues that most of the way-texts in Isaiah 40-55 are interrelated, and gradually contribute to explore questions regarding the way-situation of the people. The way-theme appears in the prologue, and in 40:27 a problem approach is established when the people is addressed: How can you say, O Jacob, and speak, O Israel, 'My way is hidden from the LORD, and my right passes by my God'? Several subsequent way-texts are related to this text, and together these draw a coherent picture in which the problematic way-situation of the people in the past and present is transformed. JHWH establishes new ways in which he leads his people through their difficult landscape. Oystein Lund argues that such a coherent reading of the way-texts gives good meaning, which is consistent with the over all message of Isaiah 40-55.

We present a comparative epistemological analysis of the wisdom motifs in Psalms 1, 73, 90, and 107. These texts were selected on the basis of their epistemological content (each confronts the relationship between virtue and prosperity), and their canonical placement within the Psalter (each begins one of the Psalter’s five “Books”). We explore the implications of their respective epistemological features for our understanding of the canonical structure of the Psalter. After developing a diagnostic method for the identification and analysis of the epistemological features within a biblical text, we apply it to each of the four psalms, and discuss their epistemological qualities with respect to their canonical placement in the Psalter. We find that an epistemic progression develops across the canonical ordering of the four psalms. While the psalmists are increasingly forthright in acknowledging the moral paradox that the righteous often suffer, while the wicked can prosper, they engage this paradox with ever more sophisticated responses. Although Yhwh is ultimately the source of all wisdom, human beings can facilitate their acquisition of knowledge by seeking him out intentionally, by questioning him directly, and by observing him with a heart focused on learning.

In Psalm 18 in Words and Pictures: A Reading Through Metaphor, Alison Gray engages in an in-depth study of the figurative language of Psalm 18, demonstrating the necessity of a dynamic approach to metaphor interpretation within a given textual unit. As one of the longest and most elaborate in the Hebrew Bible, Psalm 18 provides fertile soil for studying the interplay between words and images. While previous studies of the Psalm have focused on questions of form, structure, or unity - as well the relation to its Doppeltext of 2 Samuel 22 - Alison Gray explores the ways in which a metaphor-oriented hermeneutic enriches the psalm’s translation and exegesis.

Formal and thematic devices demonstrate that Hebrew poetry is composed of a consistent pattern of cantos (stanzas) and strophes. The formal devices include quantitative balance on the level of cantos in terms of the number of verselines, verbal repetitions and transition markers.

Reading Romans as Lament examines how and why Paul uses such a high volume of Old Testament lament in his letter to the Romans. Lament is not merely a poignant cry of distress, but a distinct form of prayer scattered across the pages of the Old Testament. It contains a distinct literary footprint and theology. Although often overlooked, Romans contains a great deal of this prayer form through its various lament citations and echoes. When these citations and echoes are heard, it impacts the interpretation of the letter's argumentation and sheds historical light on suffering in the early church. Building on the work of both Old Testament scholarship and recent trends in Pauline Studies, most notably Claus Westermann and Richard B. Hays, this book explores how Paul uses the language and theology of Old Testament lament to address the tension between what his gospel promises and the pain his listeners experience. The echoes of lament in Romans indicate that suffering stems from various sources, but they share a common concern with divine wrath. The experience of pain, including concern over God's wrath, is a reality for the "righteous" in Rome. Paul consistently answers their cries of distress with the gospel.

In Metaphorical Landscapes and the Theology of the Book of Job Johan de Joode demonstrates how crucial spatial metaphors are for the theology of the book of Job.

In Psalm 91 and Demonic Menace Gerrit Vreugdenhil offers a thorough analysis of Psalm 91, a text that already in its earliest interpretations has been associated with the demonic realm.