THE ENIGMA OF PSALM 23.
This treatise investigates whether any comparison can be made between this Psalm and the narrative from Samuel 1;16. and whether the events as narrated in the latter may have occasioned the poetic text of the former. To that end the texts of both are freshly translated from the Greek Septuagint and compared in detail..
[NB: All of the Greek text within this treatise is shown without accents or breathings since The Septuagint itself pre-dates the Alexandrian acceptance of these conventions.]
PREFACE
A young shepherd boy beset by visions and having the skill to express them in verse and song?
A teenager longing to be admitted into adulthood and fantasizing on the enhanced status it will bring?
A young ‘king-in-waiting’ suddenly called upon to undergo both the coming of age ritual and the ceremony of anointing?
Which of these scenarios holds the key to the circumstances surrounding the creation of this evocative Psalm?
Therein lies the enigma that this Psalm seems to pose. The following treatise seeks to re-interpret Psalm 23 outside the hitherto ‘comfortable’ image it has held in the past, as a praise song by a sinple shepherd boy; by examining, firstly, the traditional Engli sh translation and, secondly the traditional Jewish translation; both of which are descended from the original Septuagint Greek translation from the fourth century BC..
For, notwithstanding these traditional acceptances, this particular shepherd boy was shortly destined to be anointed king. The circumstances of this anointing, as related in Samuel 16:1, bear an uncanny resemblance to the the controversial wording of stanza 5 of the Psalm itself.
Psalm23 – Original Greek Text and [The Authorised English Translation.]
Stanza 1:
Κυριος ποιμαινει μεΚαι ουδεν με υοτερεω
[I shall not want]
Stanza 2:
Εις τοπον χλοης, εκει με κατεσκηνωσε
Επι υδατος αναπαυσεως εξεθρεψεν με.
Stanza 3:
Την ψυχην μου επεστρεψεω Ωδηγησεν με επι τριβους δικαιοσνης.
Ενεκεν του ονοματος αυτου
Stanza 4:
Εαν γαρ και πορευθω εν μεσω σκιας Θανατου Ου φοβηθησομαι κακα, οτι συ μει εμου ει
Η ραβδος σου και η βακτηρια σου, αυται με παρεκαλεσαν.
Stanza 5:
Ητοιμασας ενωπιον μου τραπεζαν εξ εναντιας των θλιβοντων μεΕλιπανας εν ελαιω τη κεφαλην μου και το ποτηριον σου μεθυσκον με ως ει κρατιστον.
Stanza 6:
Και το ελεος σου καταδιωξει με Πασας τας ημερας της ζωης μου Και το κατοικειν με εν οικω Κυριον εις Μακροτητα ημερων.
In the first century AD, the Romans destroyed Jerusalem and the Jewish nation was driven out of Palestine, the original scriptures were destroyed and lost forever. Their contents were only preserved in the Greek Septuagint, a translation dating from the fourth century BC. It was later re-translated back into Hebrew and renamed the Massoretic Text, or Massorah
Psalm 23 – Traditional Jewish Translation from the Hebrew Massorah(See Endnote 2A)
The Poet:
1. Jahweh is my Shepherd;
I have no want,
The Sheep:
2. In pastures of tender grass he setteth me;
Unto still waters he leadeth me;
3. He turneth me back again;right paths for his
He guideth me along
4. Yea, though I walk through the vale offear no harm;
The shadow of death,
I
5. Thou settest food before me,
In the presence of my foes;
Thou has anointed my head with oil;
My trough runneth over.
The Poet:
6. Ah,goodness and mercy have followed me
…oooOOOooo…
Commentary
In both of the above translations the ‘shepherd’ symbolism is accepted without comment and this acceptance may well have misdirected the true intent and message of the Psalm itself. As it stands, and has stood since its resurrection from the Greek Septuagint, it has always been relegated to the role of a simple praise song, despite the mysterious content of stanza 5. The Jewish version, taken from the Masoretic text, the Hebrew re-translation from the Greek text of the Septuagint, also follows this trend. The Psalm is contained in Book I of the Psalms and is therefore amongst the earliest attributed to David (
see Endnote 1), and would have dated from his youth. Despite his acknowleged accomplishment with harp and composition, the beautiful symbolism attributed to this Psalm might seem to be beyond the concept of such a young mind. The fact that at this time he was in charge of his father’s sheep might just be quite coincidental. What might be more relevant is that at this time he was about to be anointed king by the prophet Samuel! Could such an event have triggered off this output of unconcealed joy?This Psalm bears the opening inscription ‘by David’ but there has always been substantial discussion as to whether this inscription is at all authentic and whether it is a ‘royal’ psalm at all. There is also considerable speculation, and even heated discussion, as to whether it is indeed by David, either when he had become King or while still uncrowned. Is the Psalm then a remembered event or a didactic account of a contemporary situation? Its long accepted provenance as a spontaneous ‘praise song’ is difficult to sustain in either case.(See Endnot e 1A) However, Psalm 23, sometimes referred to as ‘The Shepherd’s Psalm’ has always been considered by most commentators to be a beautiful, unadorned example of a praise song to God, using the simple symbolism of a shepherd and his sheep to establish the loving relationship between God and his people.(See Endnote 2) Whether this symbolism is valid, as genrally accepted, might be open to question if we trace it from the original Septuagint translation from the authentic scriptures(See Endnote 3), and carried out for the Ptolemaic dynasty.(See Endnote 4)
But, if we choose to accept it at face value, then we must also accept that its ‘voice’ is that of David, then a youth and the youngest male of the family of Jesse of Bethlehem. It speaks of a time when he looked after the family’s flock of sheep and uses the allegory of a shepherd and his flock to make its point. This being the time honoured role for any youngest son at that time, it also sets the time frame of its setting. David is still a young boy but we must also accept, from the evidence of other biblical texts, ie Samuel 1:16.18, that David was then renowned as a talented harpist and composer; in fact a young prodigy. However, whatever his musical talents were, physically and mentally he was still a young boy with seven elder brothers and very much outside any family consultations. So that when the prophet Samuel arrives at his father’s house, David is quite unaware of its importance and would normally have been kept uninformed. But when one of his brothers is sent to bring his father’s message of recall and, presumably, to replace him in his duties with the sheep, it would have been a cataclysmic event in the uneventful life of a shepherd boy. Could it possibly have occasioned the composition of this Psalm and, if so, might it allow a different interpretation and translation of the LXX. Text? However the actual content of the six stanzas leaves a great deal of confusion of exactly how this particular ‘shepherd’ symbolism can be applied at all meaningfully. To consider how the exact words of the text might have been ‘manipulated’ into this genre, the following points might be deemed relevant.
Stanzas one and two are fairly straightforward since they postulate the care that God extends even to those of his people who behave as wayward sheep. He provides green pastures, cool water, rest and protection from predators and always redemption, acceptance and eventual restoration to the family of God.
Stanzas three and four extend the praise and specify the effect that God’s goodness has had, personally, upon the author of this praise. Stanza six closes the praise by transposing the symbolism of the opening stanzas into human terms by acknowledging the care that God extends throughout life, with the promise of eternal dwelling in God’s own house after death.
However stanza five poses a problem with a quite unrelated textual reference. This is often attributed by some commentators as a cultic insertion which would conveniently dismiss its implication to a time and place to which we no longer have reference and must therefore have no bearing on the main theme and thrust of the Psalm itself. Some ascribe it merely to poetic licence or ecstasy. Few would consider it as related to actual contemporary events .
Thus, an enigma presents itself that is difficult of resolution unless we can begin to consider alternative explanations. Parallel to, and contemporary with, the scenario presented by the vignette of the shepherd boy and his life, is the actual events of the prophet Samuel and his journey to the house of David’s father, Jesse of Bethlehem. Introducing a comparison of the Psalm’s own message with the text of Samuel 16:1-13, might serve to offer such an alternative explanation.
The Samuel 1:16 Text
This describes the journey of the prophet Samuel to the house of Jesse in Bethlehem. God has revealed to Samuel his dissatisfaction with King Saul and his determination to anoint a successor. He reveals to Samuel that he has been chosen to carry out God’s intention and that he will find the successor in Jesse’s house at Bethlehem. However, in order to conceal his intent from King Saul’s spies, he is to announce that his ostensible reason is to carry out a ritual sacrifice to cleanse the house of Jesse. He is to take a fatted calf and sacred oil with him, together all the necessary religious paraphernalia. However, there must be no visible trappings that would be necessary for the anointing of a King; only the ingredients for a sacrifice and subsequent feast should be visible. Thus the oil must be olive oil; the goblet a common drinking horn and the altar must be a simple table.
As to the candidates, Samuel must interview all the sons of Jesse in turn until God indicates which one is the chosen one. All the sons of Jesse are adults except for the youngest, David, who looks after his father’s flock of sheep. Therefore, when Samuel arrives only the grown up sons are initially presented; David being considered too young and feckless for serious consideration. But God does not favour any of the older sons and Jesse must send for David to join them. On David’s arrival God indicates that Samuel’s task is satisfactorily completed and David is anointed as the next King.
Samuel 1:16/Greek Text
In 1:16.1 the Lord tells Samuel that he is rejecting Saul as King and proposes to anoint a son of Jesse of Bethlehem to be king instead. He directs Samuel to journey there and anoint the new king in his name.
1:16.2 kai eipen samouhl pws poreuqw kai akousetai saoul kai apoktenei me kai eipen kurios damalin bown labe en th ceiri sou kai ereis qusai tw kuriw
hkw
.[And then Samuel, said to the Lord, in what manner shall I travel? If Saul shall hear of this he will kill me. And then the Lord replied, take with you a young heifer, held by a rope, as a sacrifice to the Lord.]
1:16.3 kai kaleseis ton iessai eis thn qusian kai gnwriw soi a poihseis kai criseis on ean eipw pros se.
[And summon Jesse to the sacrifice and I will aquaint you with he whom you shall anoint for me]
In 1:16.4 Samuel journeys to Bethlehem as instructed by the Lord and the elders there greeted him with alarm and asked whether he came in peace.
1:16.5 kai eipen eirhnh qusai tw kuriw hkw agiasqhte kai eufranqhte met˘ emou shmeron kai hgiasen ton iessai kai tous uious autou kai ekalesen autous eis thn qusian.
[ And Samuel replied, I come in peace to sacrifice unto the Lord so purify yourselves and join me in the sacrifice. Then he also purified Jesse and his sons and called them to join him in sacrifice.]
In the five chapters, 1:16.6-10, Samuel requests Jesse to present seven of his sons, individually, to him. Each time he listens for the Lord’s approval but the Lord remains silent.
1:16.11 kai eipen samouhl pros iessai ekleloipasin ta paidaria kai eipen eti o mikros idou poimainei en tw poimniw kai eipen samouhl pros iessai aposteilon kai labe auton oti ou mh katakliqwmen ews tou elqein auton
[ And then said to Jesse, have any sons been left out? Then Jesse replied, there is still the youngest but he is out in pasture shepherding the sheep. And Samuel then said to Jesse, despatch someone to bring him here, for we may not sit down to meat until they return.]
1:16.12 kai apesteilen kai eishgagen auton kai outos purrakhs meta kallous ofqalmwn kai agaqos orasei kuriw kai eipen kurios pros samouhl anasta
kai crison ton dauid oti outos agaqos estin
[ And he sent and brought the boy in. And this son was bright red with beautiful eyes and was right in the sight of the Lord. And the Lord said to Samuel arise yourself and anoint this son, David, for this fair one is he.]
1:16.13 kai elaben samouhl to keras tou elaiou kai ecrisen auton en mesw
twn adelfwn autou kai efhlato pneuma kuriou epi dauid apo ths hmeras ekeinhs kai epanw kai anesth samouhl kai aphlqen eis armaqaim
[
And Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his elder brothers and the spirit of the Lord became fixed within David from that day onwards And then Samuel made ready to return home.]~~~oOo~~~
ANALYSIS & COMPARISON of TEXTS:- Psalm 23/Samuel 16:1
Below are given the Greek text of the individual stanzas of Psalm 23. Against these the following passages from the Greek text of Samuel 1:16 can realistically be compared.
Stanza 1:
In our present time, it is difficult for us to gauge the ‘mindset’ of a boy of David’s age in relation to God within the framework of his time, region and circumstances.. He may not have been of an age when the concept of ‘God Almighty’ would figure largely in his consciousness or be automatically attributable for such earthly events that would concern his daily existence.
Therefore, the opening words of the Psalm – ‘Κυριος ποιμανιεν με’ – the standard translation of which is ‘The Lord is my shepherd’ - need not necessarily be taken as a direct reference to God himself. In David’s humble existence, ‘Κυριος’ -‘The Lord,’ could just refer to his father Jesse since his father wa s for him the sole arbiter of his fate, not the Almighty! When his father sent for him, an event completely out of his experience, the words might rightly be construed as a normal response; in effect ‘as I command the sheep, so my father comands me’. Nor should the allusion to a ‘shepherd’ be given undue prominence. The active Greek word in this Psalm, ποιμανιεν’ is a verb, and cannot easily be construed as a substantive. Its overall meaning is to ‘tend’, ‘lead’, or ‘govern’ and its allusion to a ‘shepherd’ can only be reasonably substatiated if the nominative object it governs (ie. ‘sheep’) is stated as such. Since this is clearly not the case, the whole ‘shepherd/sheep’ rationale for this Psalm might well be called into question. More properly then, the correct translation should read –[The Lord commands me]
The standard translation of the following line, –
‘Και ουδεν με υστερησει’ – I shall not want], is meant to buttress line 1, but this interpretation manifestly does not do so, in that it fails to accurately reflect the Greek meaning. Again the grammar is confused by the action wrongly given to the verb ‘υστερησει’ – to be left behind or forgotten – which is definitely attributable to the Lord, not the singer. More properly, the translation should read – [And he forgets me not].A comparison with the Samuel text 1:16.11, provides a viable alternative reason for the recall. -
kai eipen samouhl pros iessai ekleloipasin ta paidaria - Then Samuel said to Jesse, ‘Have any sons been left out?’kai eipen eti o mikros idou poimainei en tw poimniw
- [Then Jesse said ‘There is only the youngest but he looks after the sheep in the pasture.’]kai eipen samouhl pros iessai aposteilon kai labe auton.
[And then Samuel said to Jesse, ‘Despatch someone to bring him back home.’
David is therefore summoned home, away from his meagre surroundings of a tent, in the wilderness, to
the comforts of home and feels he is not ‘left out of things.‘Stanza 2:
By comparison with his tenure as a shepherd and using the stark symbolism it evokes, home would have indeed seemed a ‘verdant place.’ Which is echoed in the opening line of this stanza.
Εις τοπον χλοης, εκει με κατεσκηνωσε – [He has called me to rest, sitting me down in a green and pleasant place,]But it is the second line, usually translated as ‘cool waters’, (possibly to emphasise the ‘shepherd/sheep’, symbolism) that leads us away from this favourite theme. The introduction of memories of his childhood, before he faced the harsh realities of a shepherd boy’s life, cannot easily be fitted into the framework of a praise song to God.
Επι υδατος αναπαυστεως εξεθρεψεν με –
[ With cool water as once he did in my childhood.]David is speaking to, and of, his father and his father’s past care. This is a pivotal and poignant moment in this Psalm, when David, probably approaching his thirteenth birthday, is ready to be accepted as an adult with all its responsibilities within the Jewish faith. Whether he feels he has come of age or not, as yet, he has no inkling of what God, through Samuel, intends.
The comparison with Samuel 1:16.11/12 continues to illuminate the scene.
’oti ou mh katakliqwmen ews tou elqein auton’ – [For we may not sit down at table until he is here]
’kai apesteilen kai eishgagen auton’ – [And he sent for him and brought him in]
Stanza 3:
In the first two stanzas the ‘Κυριος ‘ – the ‘Lord’ has been referred to, by the psalmist, in the third person and, as already suggested, ‘Lord’ In these opening stanzas might reasonably be construed as referri ng to David’s father Jesse. This stanza serves to confirm that this may indeed be the case,
‘Την ψυχην μου επεστρεψεω’ [
He has restored my self esteem]In recalling him back into the family circle David thinks that his father has indicated that David is no longer a child and is now ready to become an adult
‘Ωδηγησεν με επι τριβους δικαιοσνης.’ [
He guides me on the path to my birthright]David is thus convinced that an iniation to adulthood awaits him.
‘Ενεκεν του ονοματος αυτου’
[In order that I shall bear his name]And that subsequently, he will be reckoned to be an adult within the family of Jesse.
The comparison with Samuel 1:16 does not allow us to appreciate what is happening within David’s mind but does allow us to see what happens at Jesse’s house upon his arrival
kai outos purrakhs meta kallous ofqalmwn kai agaqos orasei kuriw’ –
[and this son was fiery-red with embarrassment but, with beautiful eyes, was suitable in the Lord’s sight.]
kai eipen kurios pros samouhl anasta kai crison ton dauid oti outos agaqos estin
’ – [And the Lord said to Samuel, arouse yourself and anoint David for this fair son is the one.]Samuel now faces a twofold dilemma. Everyone there has been purified but David is not only unpurified but is not even an adult. Although the ceremony of ‘Bar Mitzvah’, in its modern form, may not have existed at that time, certainly the ritual and accompanying feast would have been place. Samuel cannot anoint a child as king; he must first be iniated into the community as an adult. The text of Samuel 16:1 does not identify any action that would have remedied the situation but the Psalm does.
Stanza 4:
In the first three stanzas
Κυριος is referred to in the third person. In this stanza David addresses God directly, in the second person. We must remember, however, that this is still the voice of David, the child, not yet become an adult. For a Jewish child to address God directly is an almost impossible scenario except in the ritual that finally confirms them into adulthood. In the ritual of becoming an adult, a Jewish child must stand before his elders and recite passages from the sacred Torah. Uusually with a passage from Exodus and the manner of the flight from Egypt and survival in the wilderness. It is endemic to the Jewish faith that any celebration should start with a thanks for such a deliverance. It would certainly have been so on this occasion.‘
Εαν γαρ και πορευθω εν μεσω σκιας [For even though I pass beneath Death’sΘανατου’
shadow]‘Ου φοβηθησομαι κακα, οτι συ μει
[I will fear no evil, since you areεμου ει’
with me]‘Η ραβδος σου και η βακτηρια σου,
[And your rod and staff, protect andαυται με παρεκαλεσαν.’
comfort me]Here, there is a clear reference to the Israelite’s flight from Egypt. The ‘rod’ referred to is Aaron’s rod that brought the seven plagues on Egypt, culminating with the Passover – ‘the ‘Shadow of Death’, which only the children of the Israelites survived. The’staff’ is that of Moses which parted the Red Sea for the Israelites but allowed it to drown the following Egyptians.
The Greek text of Samuel 1:16 makes no reference to any ceremonial that David undergoes before Samuel anoints him, but common sense dictates that it must have been so. David is still a child, outside the adult family circle. He is fetched straight from herding sheep into the presence of his family elders, unpurified and still not initiated into adulthood. Whether the ‘Bar Mitzvah’ ceremony of today existed at that far off time or not, the passage from childhood to adulthood would have been marked. However brief, it must have preceded the anointing ceremony and David must have been made to read a passage from and to have become aquainted with the Torah. However much the passage of time has invested his anointing with a romantic theme, pragmatism must insist that, in Jewish law, a child, per se, could not inherit a kingdom. So the passing reference to the events of Exodus 13-14., and the enigmatic references to ‘rod’ and ‘staff’ with Psalm 23 might be construed as David’s initiation into adulthood, which was quite overshadowed by the subsequent anointing ceremony.
Stanza 5
This stanza is the most enigmatic passage of the whole Psalm. It falls completely out of step with the remainder and is quite irreconcilable with the genre of a praise song. In the context of the ‘shepherd/sheep’ theme it is also totally unrelateable. However, unlike stanza 4., a comparison with Samuel 1:16 could provide an answer. Such a set of events as decribed in this stanza did occur in the early life of David. A literal translation of the lines, unsullied by any ‘cultic’ significance, does provide us with a truer picture of such events.
‘Ητοιμασας ενωπιον μου τραπεζαν
[ You have set a table in front ofεξ εναντιας των θλιβοντων με’
me in the presence of my elders]A feast, following a child’s initiation into adulthood, is now a tradition. Presumably it would have been so in David’s time and his elders would also have been present. With six older brothers, David would also have been conscious that at last he need no longer feel ‘oppressed’ in their presence.
‘Ελιπανας εν ελαιω τη κεφαλην μου
[Anointing me with oil, your cupκαι το ποτηριον σου μεθυσκον με
intoxicates me, as though with mightiness]ως ει κρατιστον.’
However, this next line brings us completely out of context. Annointing with oil is not a tradition on these occasions and can only be of a royal significance, certainly not in a purification context. It would seem that two events might have been melded into one.
The text of Samuel 1:16.13 is however quite unequivocal.
kai elaben samouhl to keras tou elaiou kai ecrisen auton en mesw
twn adelfwn autou
[Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers]
kai efhlato pneuma kuriou epi dauid apo ths hmeras ekeinhs kai epanw
[And the spirit of the Lord entered into David from that day onwards]
kai anesth samouhl kai aphlqen eis armaqaim
[And then Samuel arose and made ready to depart.]
Stanza 6:
This stanza is rather too ambiguous to sustain any argument that this Psalm is didactic
In that it may describe an actual moment in the psalmist’s own life. But where the first line appears to conclude on a conservative note in line with most other praise songs, the second line does deviate in that it is a specific statement rather than a fervent hope.
Και το ελεος σου καταδιωξει με
[Your goodness shall be with me allπασας τας ημερας της ζωης μου.
the days of my life]Και το κατοικειν με εν οικω Κυριον εις
[and within the house of the Lord I willμακροτητα ημερων.
dwell forever.]Samuel
However the text of Samuel 1:16.14/16, does serve to provide a resolution to this.
kai pneuma kuriou apesth apo saoul kai epnigen auton pneuma ponhron para kuriou
[But the spirit of the Lord absented itself from Saul and he breathed in an evil spirit from the Lord instead.]
kai eipan oi paides saoul pros auton idou dh pneuma kuriou ponhron pnigei
se
[Then said Saul’s young slaves to him, behold an evil spirit from the Lord has seized you]
eipatwsan dh oi douloi sou enwpion sou kai zhthsatwsan tw kuriw hmwn andra eidota yallein en kinura kai estai en tw einai pneuma ponhron epi soi kai yalei en th kinura autou kai agaqon soi estai kai anapausei se
In this passge, Samuel 16:1.16, Saul’s servants suggest that they seek out a skilled harpist for Saul so that when the evil spirit is upon him, the music will soothe him
kai eipen saoul pros tous paidas autou idete dh moi andra orqws yallonta kai eisagagete auton pros eme
In this following passage, Samuel 16:1.17, Saul commands his servants to find such a man and in the next passage, one of his servants mentions David:-
kai apekriqh eis twn paidariwn autou kai eipen idou eoraka uion tw iessai
bhqleemithn kai auton eidota yalmon kai o anhr sunetos kai o anhr polemisths kai sofos logw kai anhr agaqos tw eidei kai kurios met˘ autou
[And one of his young slaves answered him. "Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse, the Bethlemite. Knowing well the mastery of singing with the harp, a man of sagacity and integrity, wise of word so that all good men come to see him, for the Lord is with him]
kai apesteilen saoul aggelous pros iessai legwn aposteilon pros me ton
uion sou dauid ton en tw poimniw sou
[ Whereupon Saul sent a message to Jesse saying, "Send to me your son, David, who tends your sheep."]
Samuel 16:1.20/21 relates how Jesse sent David to Saul with offerings of bread and wine. When David arrived Saul ‘loved him greatly’ and made him his ‘armour-bearer’.
The following passage, Samuel 16:1.22, confirms the last line of Psalm 23, David is indeed in the house of the ‘Lord’ for ever.
kai apesteilen saoul pros iessai legwn paristasqw dh dauid enwpion emou
oti euren carin en ofqalmois mou
[And Saul sent to Jesse saying, "let David stand by my side for ever, for he has found favour in my eyes".]
ENVOI
In the 150 Psalms there are only thirteen direct references to historical events(See Endnote 5) recorded elsewhere in the OT. That David’s own anointing is not one of them is a surprising lapse. The author of this treatise begs that a fourteenth be added and that Psalm 23 be now recognised as such. In support of this, the following revised translation. Is suggested.
THE TWENTY-THIRD PSALM
By David
Stanza 1:
The Lord ‘Shepherds’ me!Stanza 2:
He calls me to rest, amongst ‘green pastures’,Stanza 3
He restores my self-esteem,Stanza 4:
Though I walked under death’s dark shadow,Stanza 5:
You have now set a table for me in the presence of my elders,Stanza 6:
Your favour shall be with me all the days of my life[Tr.Lou.Francis copyright 2007]
PSALMS TRADITION ON AUTHORSHIP
(1)
Jewish tradition is uncertain as to the authors of the Psalms. Baba Bathra (14 f) mentions ten; Pesachim (10) attributes all the Psalms to David.(2)
Christian tradition is alike uncertain. St. Ambrose, "In Ps. xliii and xlvii" (P.L., XIV, 923), makes David to be the sole author. St. Augustine, in "De Civitate Dei", XVII, 14 (P.L., XLI, 547), thinks that all the Psalms are Davidic and that the names of Aggeus and Zacharias were superscribed by the poet in prophetic spirit. St. Philastrius, Haer. 130 (P.L., XII, 1259), brands the opposite opinion as heretical. On the other hand, plurality of authorship was defended by Origen, "In Ps." (P.G., XII, 1066); St. Hilary, "In Ps. Procem. 2) (P.L., IX, 233); Eusebius, "In Ps. Procem. In Pss. 41, 72" (P.G., XXIII, 74, 368); and many others. St. Jerome, "Ad Cyprianum, Epist. 140, 4 (P.L., XXII, 1169), says that "they err who deem all the psalms are David's and not the work of those whose names are superscribed".(3) This disagreement, in matter of authorship of the Psalms, is carried from the Fathers to the
theologians. Davidic authorship is defended by St. Thomas, the converted Jew Archbishop Paul of Burgos, Bellarmine, Salmeron, S, Mariana; multiple authorship is defended by Nicholas of Lyra, Cajetan, Sixtus Senensis, Bonfrere, and Menochio.(4) The
Church has come to no decision in this matter. The Council of Trent (Sess. IV, 8 April, 1546), in its decrees on Sacred Scripture, includes "Psalterium Davidicum, 150 Psalmorum" among the Canonical Books. This phrase does not define Davidic authorship any more than the number 150, but only designates the book, which is defined to be canonical (cf. Pallavicino, "Istoria del Concilio di Trento", l. VI, 1591. Naples, 1853, I, 376). In the preliminary vota, fifteen Fathers were for the name "Psalmi David"; six for "Psalterium Davidicum"; nine for "Libri Psalmorum"; two for "Libri 150 Psalmorum"; sixteen for the name adopted, "Psalterium Davidicum 150 Psalmorum"; and two had no concern which of these names was chosen (cf. Theiner, "Acta Authentica Councilii Tridentini", I, 72 sq.). From the various vota it is clear that the Council had no intention whatsoever of defining Davidic authorship.NOTE 1A
(5) The recent
Decree of the Biblical Commission (1 May, 1910) decides the following points:Note 2
POETIC BEAUTY OF THE PRAISE SONG
The extravagant words of
Lamartine in "Voyage en Orient" are classic: "Lisez de l'Horace ou du Pindare apres un Psaume! Pour moi, je ne le peux plus". One wonders whether Lamartine ever read a psalm in the original. To criticise the Psalms as literature is very difficult. Their text has reached us with many losses in the matter of poetic form. The authors varied much in style. Their literary beauty should not be judged by comparison with the poetry of Horace and Pindar. It is with the hymns of ancient Egypt, Babylon, and Assyria that we should compare the songs of Israel. Those ancient hymns are crude and rude by the side of the Psalms. Even the imprecatory Pss. xviii, xxxv, lii, lix, lxix, cix, cxxxvii (xvii, xxxiv, li, lviii, lxviii, cviii, cxxxvi), those national anthems so full of love of Israel and almost startling in their hatred of the foes of Jahweh and of Israel, if read from the viewpoint of the writers, are sublime, vivid, glowing, enthusiastic, though exaggerated, poetic outbursts, instances of a "higher seriousness and a higher truthfulness", such as Aristotle never would have found ina song of Babylonia or of Sumeria. Whether their tones are those of praise or blame, of sorrow or of joy, of humiliation or of exaltation, of deep meditation or of didactic dogmatism, ever and everywhere the writers of the Psalms are dignified and grand, true to the ideals of Jahweh's chosen folk, spiritual and devotional. The range of thought is immense. It takes in Jahweh, His temple, cult, priests, creation; man, friend and foe; beasts, birds; all nature, animate and inanimate. The range of emotions is complete; every emotion of man that is pure and noble has been set to words in the Psalms.Note 2A
As an instance of poetic beauty, we subjoin the famous Ps. xxiii (xxii), translated from the Hebrew. The poet first speaks in his own
person, then in the guise of the sheep. The repetition of the first couplet as an envoi is suggested by Zenner and many commentators, to complete the envelope-form of the poem, or the introverted parallelism of the strophic structure:
The Poet:
1. Jahweh is my Shepherd;
I have no want,
The Sheep:
2. In pastures of tender grass he setteth me;
Unto still waters he leadeth me;
3. He turneth me back again;right paths for his
He guideth me along
4. Yea, though I walk through the vale offear no harm;
The shadow of death,
I
5. Thou settest food before me,
In the presence of my foes;
Thou has anointed my head with oil;
My trough runneth over.
The Poet:
6. Ah,goodness and mercy have followed me
Note 3:
HEBREW TEXTS
The Psalms were originally written in Hebrew letters, such as we see only on
coins and in a few lapidary inscriptions; the text has come down to us in square Aramaic letters. Only the versions give us any idea of the pre-Massoretic text. Thus far no pre-Massoretic manuscript of the Psalms has been discovered. The Massoretic text has been preserved in more than 3400 manuscripts, of which none is earlier than the ninth century and only nine or ten are earlier than the twelfth (see MANUSCRIPTS OF THE BIBLE). These Massoretic manuscripts represent two slightly variant families of one tradition -- the texts of Ben Asher and of Ben Naftali. Their variations are of little moment in the interpretation of the Psalms. The study of the rhythmic structure of the Psalms, together with the variations between Massorah and the versions, have made it clear that our Hebrew text is far from perfect, and that its points are often wrong. The efforts of critics to perfect the text are at times due to no more than a shrewd surmise. The metrical mould is chosen; then the psalm is forcibly adapted to it. It were better to leave the text in its imperfect condition than to render it worse by guess-work. The decree of the Biblical Commission is aimed at those to whom the imperfections in the Massoretic Text are an occasion, though no excuse, for countless conjectural emendations, at times wild and fanciful, which nowadays pass current as critical exegesis of the Psalms.
Note;4
GREEK TEXTS
The chief version of the Psalms is the
Septuagint. It is preserved to us in Cod. U, Brit. Mus. Pap. 37, seventh century, containing Pss. x-xxxiii; Leipzig Pap., fourth century, containing Pss. xxix-liv; Cod. Sinaiticus, fourth century, complete; B. Cod. Vaticanus, fourth century, complete, except, Pss. cv, 27-cxxxvii, 6; A, Cod. Alexandrinus, fifth century, complete except Pss. xlix, 19-lxxvi, 10; I, Cod. Bodleianus, ninth century, complete; and in many other later manuscripts The Septuagint Version is of great value in the exegesis of the Psalms. It provides pre-Massoretic readings which are clearly preferable to those of the Massoretes. It brings us back to a text at least of the second century B.C. In spite of a seeming servility to words and to Hebrew constructions, a servility that probably existed in the Alexandrian Greek of the Jews of the period, the Septuagint translator of psalms shows an excellent knowledge of Hebrew, and fears not to depart from the letter and to give the meaning of his original. The second-century A.D. Greek versions of Aquila, Symmachus, and Theodotion are extant in only a few fragments; these fragments are witnesses to a text pretty much the same as our MassoreticNote: 5
HISTORICAL REFERENCE
Thirteen Davidic psalms have such titles. Pss. vii, xviii, xxxiv, lii, liv, lvi, lvii, lix, cxlii (vii, xvii, xxxiii, li, liii, lv, lvi, lviii, cxli) are referred to the time of David's persecution by Saul; Ps. lx (lix) to that of the victories in Mesopotamia and Syria; Ps. li(l) to his sin; Pss. iii and lxiii (lxii) to his flight from Absalom.