Abstract
Susan Gillingham’s recent publication builds upon her seminal opus magnum, The Psalms Through the Centuries. 1 It consists of 11 chapters, each of which closes with a helpful ‘Conclusion’.
Chapter 1 introduces the main concerns of the book: 1) a demonstration of the specific character of Psalm 1 and 2, which are independent and yet unified and which function as a preface to the Psalter; 2) the differences between the Jewish and Christian interpretations of the Psalms; 3) the theme of the temple, which binds both psalms together and recurs throughout the history of their interpretation by both religious communities. This is followed by a brief presentation of the text and message of the two psalms according to current scholarly exegesis (in short: Ps 1 belongs to the triad of torah psalms, Pss 1, 19, and 199, none of which mention the temple, are all open to allusions to the temple by virtue of their imagery of the righteous person as a fruitful tree; Ps 2 is the first of a series royal psalms that are of structural significance for the Psalter; the two psalms are bracketed together by means of their framing macarisms and keywords). The ‘Journey’ starts in chapter 2, which looks at the interpretation of the two psalms within ancient Judaism (Hebrew Bible; echoes in Qumran, the Septuagint, and the Apocrypha). Chapter 3 analyses the Christian interpretation within the New Testament and by the Church Fathers, paying particular attention to the Vulgate. Both psalms are interpreted Christologically: Ps 1 points to the lifestyle of Jesus, Ps 2 promises the effects of Jesus’ redemptive work. The 4th chapter contains a sketch of Rabbinic and medieval Jewish interpretation. This strand responds to the loss of the temple and emphasizes by means of literal exegesis the requirement that the Jewish community live with the Torah (Ps 1) and hold tight to the promises to David, despite pagan foes (Ps 2). Chapter 5 unfolds the interpretation of the psalms in the most important Christian commentaries from the early Middle Ages until the Reformation. By and large, these commentaries follow the Christological interpretations of the Church Fathers, yet now under the influence of the Council of Chalcedon or the Credo. There is a change in tone with the Reformers, for Martin Luther in an anti-Jewish direction, for John Calvin in a Jewish-friendly direction. The layout changes for the next four chapters, chapters 6–9. Four main areas in which the psalms were implemented practically are showcased drawing on a selection of examples from the entire history of Christian and Jewish interpretation. These areas are liturgy, the visual arts (‘visual exegesis’), musical interpretation and the impact of the interpretations upon English-language literature. The 10th chapter links up with the first chapter and takes the reader on a tour through 19th-, 20th-, and 21st-century interpretation of the Psalms, with special emphasis on the so-called newer psalms and Psalter exegesis practiced since the 1970s. Chapter 11 summarizes the yield of this historical journey in terms of the three following core insights: 1) the theme of the temple recurs in a number of variations throughout the history of the interpretation of both religions; 2) Jewish and Christian interpretation stand largely in tension with each other, with an increasing rapprochement since the Second World War; 3) the two psalms have always been perceived as a two-part yet conjoined introduction to the Psalter.
Gillingam’s book is a treasure trove for any exegete and scholar who is interested in these two psalms and who works with them.
Footnotes
1
Susan Gillingham, Psalms Through the Centuries (Oxford: OUP, 2008).