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

Chapter 5: Concatenation in Psalms 3-8both terms. As the statistical analysis in the following chapter willdemonstrate, for both synonyms to feature so prominently in four consecutivepsalms is much more likely to be intentional than coincidental. These terms’presence seems to be a feature of the psalms that influenced the editors togroup them. Due to its frequency, I would not argue strongly for thisconclusion if only אָ‏ יַב occurred in four consecutive psalms. However, קשש is arelatively rare, so its presence in four consecutive psalms stands out. The‏.קשש in the same four psalms strengthens the link based on אָ‏ יַב presence of5.5.2 Other linksHistorical links. Psalm 8 is such a general, universal hymn of praise that itoffers no clues as to its implied occasion or purpose of composition.Therefore, it presents no grounds for comparison with Psalm 7.and Eshel 2001; Richard 2002; Wilson 2002; Terrien 2003; Miller 2004; Goldingay 2006;Labuschagne 2007) that they were originally a single composition. Strugnell and Eshel(2001:41-44) aver that, although their acrostic shows they were once a single composition,their content suggests their order may originally have been the reverse of the order found inthe Hebrew Bible, that is, the lament (Ps 10) may have preceded the thanksgiving (Ps 9).Thus, so to speak, the acrostic began with an l-m-n sequence, followed by the a-b-csequence.224