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

Chapter 2: History of Psalms Studiesreferences to the Temple cult”, Zenger posited that these psalms are “postculticand meant to be recited/meditated upon as a ‘spiritual pilgrimage’ toZion”. The central position of Psalm 119 draws attention to living by the torah,reiterating the message of Psalms 1-2.In an unpublished doctoral dissertation at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School,Barry Davis (1996) conducted a detailed Contextual Analysis of Psalms 107-118. Although I have been unable to obtain a copy of the dissertation, in anarticle dealing with Psalm 110 Davis (2000:168) restates his conclusionsregarding Psalms 107-113 as follows:Psalm 110 is the linchpin psalm of the first seven psalms ofBook Five of the Psalter. Besides occurring in the middle of theseven psalms (Pss. 107-113), Psalm 110 joins two differentgroups of psalms together. Psalms 107-109 express anguishedpleas for deliverance; Psalms 111-113 overflow with praise forYahweh. Psalm 110, the connecting psalm, reveals that theMessiah is both a King and a Priest who gives victory to Hispeople. Thus because God more than meets the grief-strickencries of His people, He is to be praised.Commenting on Davis’ study, Aloisi (2005:112) confirms that the precedingquote is an accurate summary of his findings regarding Psalms 107-113:56