Covenant Relationships and the Editing of the Hebrew Psalter

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An examination of the relationship between the Davidic covenant and Abrahamic and Mosaic covenants reflected in the editorial shape and shaping of the Masoretic Psalter. Hensley proposes that the editors of the Psalter understood these covenants as a theological unity, whose common fulfilment centres on an anticipated royal successor to David. To test this hypothesis Hensley examines the Psalter’s references and allusions to covenant(s) in light of editorial evidence. The book is split into three parts. Part I reassesses different kinds of editorial evidence, their implications, and their utility for discerning editorial intent. It also re-evaluates the Qumran Psalms hypothesis championed by Sanders, Wilson, and others. Part II engages in extensive survey work on references and allusions to covenant(s) in the Psalter, assessing the extent to which they gravitate around David. Hensley traces phraseological and intertextual allusions to covenant promises and obligations, providing the first survey of its kind on the subject of covenant in the Psalter. Part III then investigates a strong allusion to the Abrahamic covenantal promises in Ps 72:17 in the context of Book II of the Psalter, and the Psalter’s fullest echoes of the “grace formula” (Exod 34:6) in Psalm 86:15, 103:8, and 145:8 in the contexts of Books III, IV, and V respectively. Hensley shows that rather than the Davidic covenantal promises being “democratized,” the promises and obligations of the pre-monarchic covenants are consistently “royalized” throughout the Psalter and its books, depicting the anticipated Davidic figure as a Moses-like intercessor and mediator of covenant renewal, and the leader of a “new song” for a “new exodus.” Cover Half-title Title Copyright Contents Acknowledgments Abbreviations Chapter 1: Introduction Recent Scholarship on Covenant Relationships in the Psalter Covenant Relationships in the Psalter: A Proposal Major Aspects of the Proposal in Scholarship The Methodology and the Approach Taken in this Book Part I: Editorial Evidence and the Psalter Chapter 2: Identifying Editorial Evidence in the Psalter Pre-Enlightenment Views: Some Illustrative Examples Modern “Accretion” Explanations Prior to Wilson Gerald H. Wilson and Recent Scholarship Conclusion Chapter 3: External Editorial Evidence: Qumran and the Septuagint The Qumran Psalms Hypothesis and the Significance of the Dead Sea Scrolls Evaluation The LXX Psalter and the MT Psalter Chapter 4: Internal Editorial Evidence Editorial Use of Superscripts Authorship as a Principle of Organization Genre Other Superscriptional Elements הודו and הללו יה Summary Remarks on Superscripts and Their Implications The Postscript of 72:20 “Doublets” יהוה/אלהים Predominance Doxologies Books I–III Psalm 106:48 Summary Remarks on Doxologies and Their Implications Lexical and Thematic Connections between Psalms Conclusion Part II: An Exploratory Survey of Covenantal References and Allusions in the Psalter Chapter 5: A Survey of “Covenant” in the Psalter: Introductory Matters and Direct References to Yhwh’s ברית Previous Surveys of “Covenant” in the Psalter Surveying “Covenant”: A Two-Pronged Approach Identifying Allusions: Some Methodological Considerations A Question of Terminology: the “Mosaic Covenant” Survey of “Covenant” in the Psalter: Direct References to YHWH’s ברית Psalm 25 Psalm 44 Psalm 50 Psalm 74 Psalm 78 Psalm 89 Psalm 103 Psalm 105 Psalm 106 Psalm 111 Psalm 132 Conclusion Chapter 6: David as Yhwh’s Faithful Covenant Partner David as YHWH’s Covenant Partner The Covenant Formula’s Appearance and Use in the Old Testament David and the Covenant Formula in the Psalms The People as YHWH’s “Inheritance”/“Possession” and YHWH as “Portion” Conclusion Chapter 7: David as Keeper of the Mosaic Covenant David and the Shema (Deuteronomy 6:4[–7]) “Hear, O Israel” (שמע) You shall love YHWH your God with all your heart (Deuteronomy 6:5) Teach the Next Generation (Deuteronomy 6:7) Summary Other Criteria Denoting Faithfulness to the Mosaic Covenant Clustered Terms Relating to Covenantal Stipulations References to תורה Allusions to Specific Commands of the Decalogue Walking in YHWH’s Way and Fearing Him Conclusion Addendum: חק and עדות in Their Singular Forms Chapter 8: David as New Moses The Song of the Sea, Sinai/Horeb, and God’s Gift of the Land The Song of the Sea “Sinai” ( סיני ) and “Horeb” (חרב) The Gift of the Land Summary David as Aaron-like Mediator of YHWH’s Blessing and Moses-like Intercessor: Intertextual Allusions to Numbers 6:24–27 and Deuteronomy 9:26 Deuteronomy 9:26 Numbers 6:24–27 David as Confessor of YHWH the Faithful God: Allusions to Deuteronomy 7:9–10 David as Royal Servant and Son of YHWH The Servant-Lord ( עבד/אדון ) Relationship Father–Son Summary YHWH’s Sworn ( שבע ) Promises Conclusion Part III: Psalms 72:17, 86:15, 103:8, and 145:8 in Their Psalm and Book Contexts, and Psalms 1–2 as an Introduction to the Psalter Chapter 9: Psalm 72:17 in Book II Psalm 72:17 in its Psalm Context Psalm 72:17 and the Abrahamic Covenantal Promise of Blessing to All Nations Psalm 72:17 in Psalm 72 Psalm 72 as Royal Intercession for a Royal Successor Psalm 72 in the Context of Book(s I–)II Major Allusions to the Abrahamic Covenant in the Psalter and Their Occurrences in Books I–II Psalm 72 and Korah I (42–49) David II (51–72): David as Exemplar and Fulfiller of YHWH’s Summons in Psalm 50 Conclusion Addendum: “Give thanks” (ידה ) and the Psalter Chapter 10: The Grace Formula in Exodus and the Psalter The Grace Formula in Recent Scholarship Major Theological Entailments of the Grace Formula in Exodus 34 The Psalter’s Allusions to the Grace Formula and Its Special Association with “David” Conclusion Chapter 11: The Grace Formula in Book III (Psalm 86:15) The Grace Formula in Psalm 86 Psalm 86 in Its Book Context David in the Asaph Group (73–83): Psalm 78:70–72 David as the Central Figure of the Korahite Group (84–88): Psalm 86 “Of David” or “For David?” Conclusion Chapter 12: The Grace Formula in Book IV (Psalm 103:8) The Grace Formula in Psalm 103 Psalm 103 in Its Book Context Psalm 103 in its Immediate Context: Psalms 101–104 Psalm 103 and Psalms 90–100 Psalm 103 and Psalms 105–106 Conclusion Chapter 13: The Grace Formula in Book V (Psalm 145:8) The Grace Formula in Psalm 145:8 Psalm 145 in Its Book Context Psalm 145 and the Beginning and Ending of Book V The Egyptian Hallel Group (113–118) The Songs of Ascent (120–134) Conclusion Concluding Remarks on the Grace Formula in Books III–V Chapter 14: Ending With the Beginning : Psalms 1–2 as an Introduction to the Psalter Questions of Genre and Editorial History Psalms 1–2 and the King Further Reflections on the Characterization of David Part IV: Conclusion Chapter 15: Summing up the Investigation Conclusion Appendix: Allusions to the Covenant Formula Bibliography Index of References Index of Authors