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

Chapter 5: Concatenation in Psalms 3-8combines with יְהוָ‏ ה to form אַ‏ ָ ה יְהוָ‏ ה 42 times in the Hebrew Bible,including 20 times in the Psalter. 101Due to their rarity, the first four of these similarities provide striking verbalconnections between Psalms 3 and 4. The last two, due to their greaterfrequency, are not as significant in themselves but do strengthen the points ofsimilarity indicated by the first four. Taken together, these six verbal links pointto a strong relationship between the two psalms. Both begin with theשַ‏ בִ‏ ים ( speaking People are ‏.קַ‏ ש psalmists’ lament to the Lord regarding theirIn both, we find ‏.(כְ‏ בודִ‏ י)‏ against the Lord and dishonouring the psalmists ‏(אֹמְ‏ שִ‏ יםthe psalmists’ “calling” שָ‏ א)‏ ‏(רָ‏ to Yahweh and Him “answering” נָ‏ ה)‏ ‏(ףָ‏ them.Finally, both psalmists vow to “lie down and sleep” ( וישן ‏(שכב because “youLord” ָ ה יְהוָ‏ ה)‏ ‏(אַ‏ will protect them.5.1.2 Other linksBesides shared terminology, are there other similarities between the twopsalms that may have influenced the redactors of the Psalter to place them101 On one occasion, the pronoun is spelled ָ אַ‏ (Ps 6:4). In the other 41 instances, it is spelled‏.אַ‏ ָ ה187