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

Chapter 2: History of Psalms Studies2) Psalms 2-8 form a menorah pattern. Psalms 2 and 8 constitute theintroduction and conclusion to the group, while Psalm 5 stands at thefocal centre.3) Psalms 9-18 represent a group of 9 psalms (9/10 is counted as onepsalm).4) Psalms 19-31 form a group of 13 Davidic psalms. However, Psalms19-29 form a balanced unit of 11 with Psalm 24 in the focal centre, soPsalms 30-31 are deemed to have a “bridge function”.5) Psalms 32-41 are bracketed by the key word “happy” שְ‏ שֵ‏ י)‏ ‏(אַ‏ in theinitial position of both psalms. 1616 Labuschagne (2007) considers “happy” (Hebrew, שְ‏ שֵ‏ י ‏(אַ‏ to be a key word in the Psalter. It isthe opening word of the Book of Psalms. It both opens (Ps 1:1) and closes (Ps 2:12) theprogrammatic introductory psalms of the Psalter (Pss 1-2; cf. Jeppesen 2003:800; Cole2005:39; DeClaissé-Walford 2006:456). Significantly, occurs exactly 26 times in the Psalms.In Labuschagne’s numerical research, the numbers 17 and 26, representing respectively thevalues of the Hebrew words for God’s “name” and “presence”, are significant patterningdevices in the Psalter. McCann’s (2005:340-348) recent essay entitled “The Shape of Book Iof the Psalter and the Shape of Human Happiness” confirms the significance of the beatitudesin Book I.62