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

Chapter 6: Composition of Psalms 3-8at other times have been woven together into a secondaryframework in order to address a particular subject. It is thereforereadily admitted that there may be little correlation between thePsalm titles, which convey information about an earlier Sitz imLeben, and the incidents to which the Psalms are applied in theircantata context (Walton 1991:24).Turning to the content of the Psalter, Walton regarded Psalms 1-2 as anintroduction to the collection. Thereafter, he proposed that Book I (Pss 3-41)coheres around the theme of “David’s conflict with Saul” (1991:24). Observingthat Psalms 3-13 all “make at least passing reference to the enemies of thepsalmist” (p. 24), he believed they “could be tied thematically to the beginningof David’s troubles with Saul recorded in 1 Samuel 19-23” (pp. 24-25). Thefact that “these laments are full of petitions for deliverance, protection,vindication and help of various kinds” (p. 25) reinforces his argument. Hisargument is also consistent with my observations regarding the significance ofreferences to “enemies” and “adversaries” in Psalms 3-10.6.3.2 Brueggemann’s wisdom theoryIn an insightful article entitled “Bounded by Obedience and Praise: the Psalmsas Canon”, Walter Brueggemann (1991a; cf. Brueggemann and Miller 1996)271