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

Chapter 5: Concatenation in Psalms 3-8Psalm 5 Psalm 6לַ‏ מְ‏ נַ‏ for the director of music ַ ֵ לַ‏ מְ‏ נַ‏ for the director of music ַ ֵבִ‏ נְ‏ גִ‏ ינות with stringed instruments אֶ‏ ל־הַ‏ נְ‏ חִ‏ ילות for flutesףַ‏ ל־הַ‏ שְ‏ מִ‏ ינִ‏ ת according to sheminithמִ‏ זְ‏ מוש לְ‏ דָ‏ וִ‏ ד a psalm of David מִ‏ זְ‏ מוש לְ‏ דָ‏ וִ‏ ד a psalm of DavidIn the entire Psalter, there are only eight psalm headings that name aninstrument. The probability of three of the eight occurring consecutively bychance is remote. It seems likely that the similarities between the headingsprovided an initial basis for the close proximity of the two psalms.Are there any further links in the contents of the two psalms to provide a basisfor positioning Psalm 6 immediately after Psalm 5? There is no evidence thatboth psalms were written in response to similar historical circumstances orthat they were used in similar liturgical situations, but the verbal and thematiclinks are not as weak as they appear at first glance.The most significant linking term is לֵ‏ י אָ‏ וֶ‏ ן ‏.פֹףֲ‏ Although it occurs in twelvepsalms, only six of those belonged to the music director’s collection, and onlyPsalms 5, 6 and 64 are designed as מִ‏ זְ‏ מוש genre. Furthermore, the exactphrase כָ‏ ל־פֹףֲ‏ לֵ‏ י ףָ‏ וֶ‏ ן occurs only five times (Pss 5:6, 6:9, 14:4, 92:8 and 10). Its211