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

Chapter 5: Concatenation in Psalms 3-85.2.2 Other linksHistorical links. Neither psalm’s heading contains any historical information.We know nothing about the circumstances of writing for either of them.However, the implied occasion of both psalms portrays the writer takingrefuge in the Lord to escape the lying accusations of his critics.Functional links. The headings of Psalms 4 and 5 are almost identical. Eachpsalm’s heading contains three pieces of information: an indication that thepsalm belonged to the music director’s collection, the kind of instruments thatwere to accompany it and the designation “a psalm of David”. The onlyvariation is that Psalm 4 was to be sung to the accompaniment of stringedinstruments, but Psalm 5 to flutes. In short, these psalms belonged to all thesame groups. Both were among (a) the 73 Davidic דָ‏ וִ‏ ד)‏ ‏(לְ‏ psalms, (b) the 57designated as “psalms” זְ‏ מוש)‏ ‏(מִ‏ by genre, (c) the 55 psalms belonging to themusic director’s collection ( ַ ֵ מְ‏ נַ‏ ‏(לַ‏ and (d) the 8 psalms with musicalכִ‏ י־אַ‏ ָ ה you, O Lord, bless the righteous” or “for you bless the righteous, O Lord”, the force ofunchanged. remains יְהוָ‏ ה200