Dirk J. Human

PSALM 132 AND ITS COMPOSITIONAL CONTEXT(S)

Psalm 132 can be interpreted from various compositional contexts. In every new compositional context different nuances add value to the significance of the text. Psalm 132 can be interpreted as a single psalm, and as part of the Sirē Hama・alot psalms in smaller (130-134) or larger (120-134) collections. Finally the psalm can be understood as part of the theology and coherence of Book V (107-150) of the Psalter. The combination of Psalmen - and Psalterexegese therefore does not exclude each other, but they function complementarily. Both enrich the exegetical process and together they unveil the multiple theological perspectives connected to the different compositional contexts of a psalm.

‘Off with their heads!’ The imagery of the head in the trilogy of Psalms 108–110 (Part 2)

A social-scientific analysis of the word ‘head’ in Psalms 108–110 indicates from another theme (war) and perspective (honour) how the imagery of the head is used to communicate warfare, and to develop and establish the connections between Psalms 108 to 110. This two-part article indicates (in the first article) that the imagery of the head can be considered as part of the imagery of warfare. The value system of honour and shame as expressions of the function and purpose of the warfare imagery is made through a social-scientific analysis of the imagery of the head. The iconography of different ancient Near Eastern contexts is used as extra-textual sources to elucidate the concept of the head as an aspect of warfare imagery, expressing honour and shame. The second article examines and applies the use of the imagery of the head in Psalms 108–110 by integrating the deductions made in this first part. This helps to indicate the development and connections between Psalms 108–110 through utilisation of the imagery of the head.

Teodisee vraagstuk in Job as uitdaging aan die grense tussen samelewing (rein) en wildernis (onrein)

The question regarding theodicy in Job as a challenge in regard to the borders between society and wilderness This article focuses on the first divine speech in Job (38-39:33). In this regard the first divine speech serves as polemics against the ruling Zeitgeist in post-exilic Israel. A message of hope, that urges Israel to focus her attention on the one sovereign God sprouts forth from it, morphing the first divine speech into a radical message of cultic and religious encouragement. The animals listed in Job 38-39:33 show similarities when their habitat is taken into account. Habitat outside of society and death as a conceptual location is linked to each other in various ways. The article attempts to show that concepts such as being clean or unclean is created through cultural processes of thought that links being clean with cosmic order and the presence of God. Cultic cleanness is linked with ‘society’. The antitheses of ‘society’ is ‘wilderness’. In Job 38-41 God cares for animals that live in the ‘wilderness’. The negative associations that Israel have towards ‘wilderness’ now stands in direct contrast towards God’s love and care. In this regard Israel’s perception of true cleanness and uncleanness is placed in the spotlight. Clean, unclean and right and wrong seems to be redefined and God claims authority over it all. Suffering, deserved or not and our negative feelings towards suffering is redefined, seeing that what we once thought was wrong and had negative feelings towards, just like uncleanness, now seems to be a part of the one sovereign God.

Cultic Music In The Ancient Orient And In Ancient Israel/Palestine

Michaela Geiger/Rainer Kessler (Hg.), Musik, Tanz und Gott – Tonspuren durch das Alte Testament (SBS 207), Katholisches Bibelwerk Stuttgart 2007, 144 S. – Sarit Paz, Drums, Women, and Goddesses. Drumming and Gender in Iron Age II Israel (OBO 232), Academic Press Fribourg und Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht Göttingen 2007, XII + 143 S. – Thomas Schipperges (Hg.), Musik und Bibel. 111 Figuren und Motive, Themen und Texte (Bärenreiter Basiswissen), I: Altes Testament; II: Neues Testament, Bärenreiter Kassel 2009, zus. 289 S. – Dahlia Shehata, Musiker und ihr vokales Repertoire. Untersuchungen zu Inhalt und Organisation von Musikerberufen und Liedgattungen in altbabylonischer Zeit (GBAO 3), by Universitätsverlag Göttingen 2009, 479 S.

A tradition-historical analysis of Psalm 55

A tradition-historical analysis of Psalm 55. The text of Psalm 55 will be remembered for its musical setting by Felix Mendelsohn and others and also for the fact that it is one of the most difficult psalms to analyse. A tradition-historical analysis of the traditions and history of the poem confinns the unique and independent character of the text. The content of the psalm is characterised by vague allusions to well-known salvational and historical traditions as well as the psalms characteristic fonnulations. Themes from the primeval history and desert wanderings of Israel are identifiable. Moreover, tenninology with a socalled priestly background, reflect the psalms cultic setting and junction, while a theme from the Zion tradition is also evident. Prophetic language is evident in both legal concepts and tenninology which expresses guilt. Relationships with wisdom texts are also evident. This article is an attempt to identify and detennine the function of the above-mentioned traditionsgeschichtliche themes in order to gain a better understanding of the text.