Smith DTh Thesis (final).pdf - South African Theological Seminary

Chapter 4: Analysis of Psalms 3-8chiastic structure. His outline (see below) remains truer to natural strophicdivisions, but still reflects (a) an unnatural division in the middle of verse 9 and(b) awkward descriptions of sections I and V. Therefore, I find it a strainedanalysis of the psalm’s structure. 74Prelude (vv. 2-3)I. The Enemies (vv. 4-6)II.Request for Trial (vv. 7-9a)III.(Core): Just God! (vv. 9b-11)IV. Retribution (vv. 12-14)V. The Enemies (vv. 15-17)Postlude (v. 18)Although commentaries vary widely in how they view its structure, I believethe clue to its structure seems to lie in recognising it as a legal lament. Makingclear thematic break in verse 6. He also treated verses 8 and 9 as separate units, but theirthematic unity favours keeping them together as one strophe.74 Christensen (2005e), using his logoprosodic method, agrees with Terrien’s overall view ofthe structure. He makes a few small adjustments, but concurs with Terrien’s chiastic view ofthe structure.156