Table of Contents
Illustrations xiii
Preface xvii
Abbreviations xxi
Introduction: How is a Reception History Commentary a Different Genre? 1
Book One: Psalms 1–41 Davidic Piety and the Conflict of Faith and Experience 9
Psalms 1 and 2: The Prologue to the Psalter 11
Psalm 1: Who is the ‘Blessed Man’? 13
Psalm 2: Who is ‘My Son’? 25
Psalms 3–41: the First Davidic Psalter 44
Psalms 3–14: Praying by Night and Day 46
Psalm 3: A ‘Morning Psalm’ 47
Psalm 4: An ‘Evening Psalm’ 53
Psalm 5: A ‘Morning Psalm’ 58
Psalm 6: An ‘Evening Psalm’ of Penitence 61
Psalm 7: A ‘Morning Psalm’ 68
Psalm 8: An ‘Evening Hymn of Praise’ 72
Psalms 9 and 10: An Acrostic Psalm 83
Psalm 11: The ‘All‐Seeing God’ 89
Psalm 12: ‘Flattering Lips’ 91
Psalm 13: The Fear of Death 95
Psalm 14: The Fool says ‘There is no God’ 98
Psalms 15–24: Bringing Prayer to the Temple 101
Psalm 15: An Entrance Liturgy 102
Psalm 16: Confident Trust in God 105
Psalm 17: Lament for Deliverance 111
Psalm 18: Thanksgiving for Victory 116
Psalm 19: A Hymn of Praise 122
Psalm 20: Thanksgiving for Victory 129
Psalm 21: Thanksgiving for Victory 133
Psalm 22: Lament for Deliverance 136
Psalm 23: Confident Trust in God 144
Psalm 24: An Entrance Liturgy 153
Psalms 25–34: Prayers and Thanks for Deliverance 163
Psalm 25: An Acrostic Concerning the Poor 164
Psalm 26: A Protest of Integrity 167
Psalm 27: Confidence and Complaint 170
Psalm 28: Lament and Thanksgiving 177
Psalm 29: A Hymn of Praise 180
Psalm 30: Thanksgiving for Healing 186
Psalm 31: Confidence through Fear 190
Psalm 32: Confession and Healing 195
Psalm 33: A Hymn of Praise 201
Psalm 34: An Acrostic concerning the Poor 205
Psalms 35–41: Poverty, Sickness and Trust in God 213
Psalm 35: Friends and Enemies 214
Psalm 36: The Plight of the Poor 218
Psalm 37: The Poor and the Land 221
Psalm 38: Penitence and Sickness 231
Psalm 39: Penitence and Human Transience 237
Psalm 40: Thanksgiving and Sacrifice 242
Psalm 41: Friends and Enemies 248
Book Two: Psalms 42–72 David and the Temple: Nostalgia and Hope 255
Psalms 42–49: Exile, Temple and King 257
Psalms 42–43: Longing for the Temple 258
Psalm 44: Praying for National Deliverance 263
Psalm 45: A Wedding Song for the King 267
Psalm 46: God is King in Zion 276
Psalm 47: God is King 284
Psalm 48: God is King in Zion 288
Psalm 49: A Psalm of Complaint and Instruction 292
Psalm 50: An Asaphite Psalm about Repentance and Sacrifice 297
Psalms 51–72: the Second Davidic Psalter 302
Psalm 51: ‘The Psalm of Psalms’ 304
Psalms 52–55: Learning from the Life of David 317
Psalm 52: For Instruction on the ‘Deceitful Tongue’ 317
Psalm 53: For Instruction on the ‘Fool’ 320
Psalm 54: For Instruction on Persecution 323
Psalm 55: Instruction on Betrayal 324
Psalms 56–60: Reflecting on the Life of David 330
Psalm 56: Reflections on Persecution 330
Psalm 57: Reflections on Violence 333
Psalm 58: Reflections on Confronting Evil 335
Psalm 59: Reflections on Enemy Aggression 338
Psalm 60: Reflections in Times of War 340
Psalms 61–64: Hymnic Reflections on God’s Protection 344
Psalm 61: A ‘Psalm’ about Refuge in God 344
Psalm 62: A ‘Psalm’ about the Silence of God 347
Psalm 63: A ‘Psalm’ Seeking God in the Morning 349
Psalm 64: A ‘Psalm’ about Protection 352
Psalms 65–68: God’s People Sing of his Praise 355
Psalm 65: A Sanctuary Song about God’s Sustenance through Nature 355
Psalm 66: A Sanctuary Song about God’s Sustenance through History 359
Psalm 67: A Sanctuary Song about God’s Universal Blessings 362
Psalm 68: A Sanctuary Song about the Divine Warrior 367
Psalms 69–71: Psalms of the Righteous Sufferer 374
Psalm 69: Righteous Suffering of the One and the Many 374
Psalm 70: Righteous Suffering and the Plea for Deliverance 379
Psalm 71: Righteous Suffering as a Model for Faith 381
Psalm 72: ‘Of Solomon’: The Completion of the Prayers of David 386
Appendix 395
Glossary 400
References 416
Index of Names 431
Psalms Index 441
Subject Index 444
