The Formation of the 'Book' of Psalms - Reconsidering the Transmission and Canonization of Psalmody in Light of Material Culture and the Poetics of Anthologies

Cover

Preface

Table of Contents

Part I: Framing the Task at Hand

Chapter 1: The Problem

A. Wilson’s New Framework

B. Sketching Major Trajectories

I. Exploring Small Scale Sequences of Psalms

II. ‘Seamingly’ Important Psalms

III. Mapping the Dead Sea ‘Psalms’ Scrolls

C. Focal Points for the Current Study

Chapter 2: The Elusive String

A. Anthology Defined

B. An Anthological Genre?

C. Anthologies Unfold

D. Uncovering the Artificial

E. Outlining the Task at Hand

Part II: Anthologies Compared

Introduction

Chapter 3: Artifactual Diversity

A. Reconsidering Fixed Sequences

B. Variation in Ancient Manuscripts

C. Continuous Variation

Chapter 4: Paratexts

A. Prefaces

B. Titles

C. Colophons, Doxologies, and Epilogues

Chapter 5: The How and the Why

A. Collections with Few Manuscript Variations

B. Collections with Manuscript Variation

C. Collections without Ancient Manuscripts

I. The Homeric Hymns

II. The Psalms of Solomon

D. The Question of Purpose Once Again

I. Archival Economy

II. Scribal Curriculum

III. Preservation (Canonization)

Overview and Outlook

Part III: The Artifacts

Introduction

Chapter 6: Overview of the Scrolls

A. Second Century BCE

B. First Century BCE

I. First Half or Middle of the Century

II. Second Half of the Century

C. The Turn of the Era

D. First Century CE

I. First Half of the Century

II. Middle and Second Half of the Century

Chapter 7: Evaluating the Evidence

A. Reconstructing a ‘Book’ of Psalms?

I. Preliminary Observations

II. Arguments for the Stabilization of the ‘Book’ of Psalms

III. Beyond Statistics

1. A Farewell to a Two-Stage Stabilization

2. Possible Ways Forward

B. 11Q5 as a Competing Collection?

I. Liturgical Clusters

II. Text

III. David and 11Q5

IV. Structure and Purpose

V. Beyond 11Q5

Overview and Outlook

Part IV: In Search of the Artificial

Chapter 8: Psalms 1–2 as Preface

A. The Psalms in Question

I. Psalm 1

1. A Brief Walkthrough

2. Meditating on the Torah

3. On What?

4. For What?

II. Psalm 2

1. A Brief Walkthrough

2. A Crux Interpretum

III. Conclusions

B. Combining Psalms 1–2

I. Integrated Readings of Psalms 1–2

II. Internal Evidence

III. External Evidence

1. LXX

2. 4Q174

3. Acts 13:33

4. Early Reception of Psalms 1–2

C. Evaluating the Evidence

I. Towards a Definition

II. Debunking Strict ‘Prefatorialism’

Introduction

Chapter 9: Superscriptions

A. Overview and Analysis

I. ‘Author’ Designations

II. ‘Type’ Designations

III. Musical Directions and Indications of Use

IV. ‘Biographical’ Notes

V. Hallelujah

VI. Psalms with No Superscription

B. Conclusions

I. Forming Collections of Psalms

II. Fixation of Psalm Sequences

III. Exerting Interpretive Control

Chapter 10: Psalm 72:20

A. Attempted Solutions

B. Psalm 72:20 as a Frozen Colophon

Chapter 11: ‘Book’ Dividers

A. Preliminary Observations

B. Integral Parts or Later Insertions?

I. Psalm 41

II. Psalm 72

III. Psalm 89

IV. Psalm 106

V. Conclusions

C. A Possible Clue in 1 Chronicles 16

I. Beyond a Direction of Dependence?

II. A Closer Look

III. Conclusions

D. Reconstructing Contexts of Use for Amen

I. Amen in the Hebrew Bible

II. Amen in the Dead Sea Scrolls

III. Amen in the Apocrypha and the New Testament

IV. Conclusions

1. Trajectories of Use

2. Connecting the Dots

E. One Doxology Short?

I. Psalms 135–136

1. Psalm 135

2. Psalm 136

3. Initial Remarks

4. Stanza I: Exhortations

5. Stanzas II–IV: YHWH as King and the Question of Trust

6. Stanza V: Final Doxology

7. Conclusions

II. Lost, but Found?

1. A ??? doxology in Psalms 135–136?

2. Unexpected Implications

3. On the Relation Between ??? and ???

F. Conclusions

Chapter 12: The ‘Final Hallel’

A. The Psalms in Question

I. Psalm 145

II. Psalm 146

III. Psalm 147

IV. Psalm 148

1. A Praise for All His Faithful

2. Evaluating the Connections

V. Psalm 149

VI. Psalm 150

B. Psalms 145.146–150 as a Composition

I. Psalms 145.146–150 and Artifactual Diversity

II. Dissolving Borders of Sequential Reading

C. The Hallelujah Frameworks Once Again

D.Conclusions

Overview and Outlook

Part V: Psalms on Repeat

Introduction

Chapter 13: Traces in the Hebrew Bible

A. Declared Citations

I. 2 Samuel 22

II. 1 Chronicles 16

III. Summary

B. Undeclared Citations

I. Possible Borrowing

II. Psalms within Psalms

III. Nascent Scripturalization

IV. Summary

C. Stock-Phrases

I. A Levitical Stock-Phrase

II. Further Examples of Stock-Phrases

III. Summary

D. External Indications

E. Conclusions

Chapter 14: Traces in the Dead Sea Scrolls

A. Declared Citations

I. Pesharim

II. 1Q16

III. 4Q171

IV. 4Q173

V. 4Q174 and 4Q177

VI. 11Q13

VII.Summary

B. Undeclared Citations

I. 4Q176

II. 4Q380–381

1. 4Q380

2. 4Q381

III. 4Q393

IV. 4Q434–438

V. 4Q521, 4Q525, 4Q528

VI. 4Q213a and 4Q370

VII.Summary

C. Psalms in ‘New’ Collections

I. 4Q522

II. 11Q11

D. External Indications

I. Possible References to the ‘Book’ of Psalms as a Collection

II. Indications of Use

E. Conclusions

Chapter 15: Prolonging Trajectories of Use

A. Prophetic and Davidic

B. Continuous Davidization

C. Traces of (Scriptural) Collections of Psalms

D.Conclusions

Part VI: The Formation of the ‘Book’ of Psalms

Introduction

Chapter 16: How?

A. Gathering the Evidence

I. Rehearsing the Artificial

II. Psalms on Repeat Once Again

B. Putting the Pieces Together

I. Finding a Place to Start

II. Psalms 1–119

III. Psalms 1/2–135/136

IV. Psalms 1–150

Chapter 17: Why?

A. Purpose(s) of Selection

B. Purpose of Organization

I. Interpretive Frameworks?

II. A Sitz in der Schrift

III. Paratexts and Interpretive Control

C. Conclusions

A Final Outlook

Appendix 1: Catalogues of Incipits

Appendix 2: Superscriptions

Appendix 3: LXX Manuscripts

Bibliography

Index of Passages

Index of Authors