Psalms Through the Centuries, Volume 1 (Blackwell Bible Commentaries)

402 Pages·2008·2.88 MB·English

by  Susan Gillingham

For Dick
driver, cook, fiercest critic, closest friend
Little by little, one travels far.
(J.R.R. Tolkien)
Blackwell Bible Commentaries
Series Editors: John Sawyer, Christopher Rowland, Judith Kovacs, David M. Gunn
John Through the Centuries Ecclesiastes Through the Centuries
Mark Edwards Eric S. Christianson
Revelation Through the Centuries Esther Through the Centuries
Judith Kovacs & Christopher Jo Carruthers
Rowland
Psalms Through the Centuries:
Judges Through the Centuries Volume One
David Gunn Susan Gillingham
Exodus Through the Centuries Galatians Through the Centuries
Scott M. Langston John Riches
Forthcoming:
Leviticus Through the Centuries The Minor Prophets Through the
Mark Elliott Centuries
1 & 2 Samuel Through the Centuries By Jin Han and Richard Coggins
David Gunn Mark Through the Centuries
1 & 2 Kings Through the Centuries Christine Joynes
Martin O’Kane Luke Through the Centuries
Psalms Through the Centuries: Larry Kreitzer
Volume Two The Acts of the Apostles Through
Susan Gillingham the Centuries
Song of Songs Through the Centuries Heidi J. Hornik and Mikeal C. Parsons
Francis Landy and Fiona Black Romans Through the Centuries
Isaiah Through the Centuries Paul Fiddes
John F. A. Sawyer 1 Corinthians Through the Centuries
Jeremiah Through the Centuries Jorunn Okland
Mary Chilton Callaway 2 Corinthians Through the Centuries
Lamentations Through Paula Gooder
the Centuries Hebrews Through the Centuries
Paul M. Joyce and Diane Lipton John Lyons
Ezekiel Through the Centuries James Through the Centuries
Andrew Mein David Gowler
Jonah Through the Centuries Pastoral Epistles Through the Centuries
Yvonne Sherwood Jay Twomey
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© 2008 by Susan Gillingham
blackwell publishing
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First published 2008 by Blackwell Publishing Ltd
1 2008
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Gillingham, S. E. (Susan E.)
Psalms through the centuries / Susan Gillingham.
p. cm.—(Blackwell Bible commentaries)
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-0-631-21855-5 (hardcover : alk. paper) 1. Bible. O.T. Psalms—Commentaries. I. Title.
BS1430.53.G55 2007
223'.207—dc22
2007013646
A catalogue record for this title is available from the British Library.
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List of Illustrations ix
Series Editors’ Preface xi
Preface xiii
Works Cited xv
Introduction: Towards a Reception-History Commentary
on the Psalms 1
1 The Eleventh Century BCE to the Fifth Century CE: Translation,
Exposition, Instruction, Liturgy and the Prophetic Bias 5
Jewish Reception 5
From Composition to Compilation to Translation 5
Exposition: The Prophetic Bias 9
vi Contents
Instruction through Imitations of Psalms 11
Christian Reception 13
The Psalms as Prophecies in the New Testament 14
The Psalms as Prophecies in the Church Fathers 24
Alexandrian Commentators 28
Liturgical Adaptations of the Psalms 40
Christian Liturgy 40
Jewish Liturgy 43
Concluding Observations 46
2 The Fifth to Eleventh Centuries: Liturgy, Exposition,
Artistic Representation 47
Christian Reception 47
Liturgy 47
Exposition, Homily, Translation 55
Artistic Representation 62
Jewish Reception 68
Liturgy 68
Translation, Exposition, Homily 71
Artistic Representation 75
Concluding Observations 75
3 The Eleventh to Fifteenth Centuries: Learning and Discerning 77
Jewish and Christian Controversies through Exegetical Works 77
Preliminary Considerations 77
Jewish Commentators 82
Christian Commentators 87
Christian and Jewish Artists 95
Christian Illumination 95
Jewish Illumination 104
Christian and Jewish Didactic Works 113
Christian Writers 113
Jewish Writers 117
Christian and Jewish Liturgy 120
Christian Adaptations 120
Jewish Adaptations 123
Translation in Christian Tradition 123
Concluding Observations 130
4 The Fifteenth to Seventeenth Centuries: Democratization
and Dissemination 131
Reception as Translation: Christian Responses 131
Contents vii
Commentary, Liturgy, Homily and Translation on the Continent 131
Liturgy, Homily and Translation in England and Scotland 146
Reception as Aesthetic Representation: Jewish and Christian Responses 163
Jewish Reception through Art and Music 163
Christian Reception through Art, Literary Imitation and Music 166
Concluding Observations 190
5 The Eighteenth and Nineteenth Centuries: Secularization
and Revitalization 192
Christian Responses 194
Exegetical Works 194
Devotional Works 203
Musical Reception 220
Reception through Liturgy 228
Translations of Psalmody 230
Jewish Responses 234
Reception as Translation and Liturgy 234
Reception as Homily and Exegesis 237
Aesthetic Responses 239
Concluding Observations 240
6 The Twentieth to Twenty-First Centuries: Pluralism and Ecumenism 242
Christian and Jewish Translations of Psalmody 246
Liturgy and Psalmody in Christian and Jewish Traditions 254
Exegetical Studies, Christian and Jewish 266
Devotional Works, Christian and Jewish 282
Aesthetic Responses, Christian and Jewish 290
Concluding Observations 307
Conclusion: From Introduction to Commentary 309
Glossary 313
References 322
Index of Psalms 351
Index of Names 361
Subject Index 368