The Book of

PSALMS

NANCY DECLAISSÉ-WALFORD

ROLF A. JACOBSON

BETH LANEEL TANNER

William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company

Grand Rapids, Michigan / Cambridge, U.K.

© 2014 Nancy deClaissé-Walford, Rolf A. Jacobson, and Beth LaNeel Tanner

All rights reserved

Published 2014 by

Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.

2140 Oak Industrial Drive N.E., Grand Rapids, Michigan 49505 /

P.O. Box 163, Cambridge CB3 9PU U.K.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

DeClaissé-Walford, Nancy L., 1954–

The book of Psalms / Nancy DeClaissé-Walford, Rolf A. Jacobson, Beth Laneel Tanner.

pages cm. — (The New International commentary on the Old Testament)

ISBN 978-0-8028-2493-6 (cloth: alk. paper)

1. Bible. Psalms—Commentaries.

I. Jacobson, Rolf A. II. Tanner, Beth LaNeel, 1959– III. Title.

BS1430.53.D43 2014

223′.207—dc23

2014012056

www.eerdmans.com

The New International Commentary on the Old Testament

General Editors

E. J. Young

(1965–1968)

R. K. Harrison

(1968–1993)

Robert L. Hubbard, Jr.

(1994– )

To:

William H. Bellinger, Jr.

Patrick D. Miller

J. J. M. Roberts

Our Teachers

Contents

GENERAL EDITOR’S PREFACE

ACKNOWLEDGMENTSM

PRINCIPAL ABBREVIATIONS

INTRODUCTION

I. TITLE, TEXT, AND TRANSLATION

II. AUTHORSHIP, SUPERSCRIPTIONS, AND DATE

A. Authorship

B. Superscriptions

III. FORM CRITICISM AND HISTORICAL APPROACHES TO INTERPRETATION

IV. THE CANONICAL SHAPE OF THE PSALTER

V. THE POETRY OF THE PSALTER

A. Parallelism

B. Evocative Language

VI. THEMES AND THEOLOGY

VII. ANALYSIS OF CONTENTS

VIII. SELECT BIBLIOGRAPHY

TEXT AND COMMENTARY

Book One of the Psalter: Psalms 1–41

Psalm 1: The Way of Life

Psalm 2: Speaking of Kings

Psalm 3: The “Many” and the “One”

Psalm 4: Room to Rest

Psalm 5: Lead Me, Guide Me

Psalm 6: The Problem and the Solution

Psalm 7: Taking Refuge in God’s Righteousness

Psalm 8: A Natural Question

Psalm 9/10: The Power and Presence of God

Psalm 11: What Can the Righteous Do?

Psalm 12: Now Shall I Arise!

Psalm 13: Waiting on the Lord

Psalm 14: Not a Stop-Gap God

Psalm 15: In the Presence of God

Psalm 16: You Are My Lord

Psalm 17: The Embodiment of a Legitimate Prayer

Psalm 18: My God, My Rock

Psalm 19: Tune My Heart to Sing Your Praise

Psalm 20: Intercession for the Day of Trouble

Psalm 21: Blessings

Psalm 22: Desperate Cries and Recounting God’s Ways

Psalm 23: You Are with Me

Psalm 24: Mutual Advents

Psalm 25: Remember, Forgive, and Teach Me

Psalm 26: Prepare to Appear

Psalm 27: Trust in the Day of Trouble

Psalm 28: Silence, Hearing, and Song

Psalm 29: Ascribe to the Lord

Psalm 30: From Mourning to Morning

Psalm 31: Protect Me from Those Wishing Me Harm

Psalm 32: Celebrating Forgiveness

Psalm 33: The Hesed of the Lord Fills the Earth

Psalm 34: The Nearness of a Personal God

Psalm 35: Fight for Me, Save Me

Psalm 36: In Your Light, We See Light

Psalm 37: Advice for the Upright

Psalm 38: I Am in Need, Please Come!

Psalm 39: From Silence to Speech to Silence

Psalm 40: From Praise to Prayer

Psalm 41: A Plea for Communion

Book Two of the Psalter: Psalms 42–72

Psalm ...