Biblical Hebrew Forum

[ben.crick AT argonet.co.uk (Ben Crick)]

On Mon 27 Mar 2006 (23:30:19), smille10 AT sbcglobal.net wrote:
> 1. In the psalm title, the word house has the definite article, and the
> name "David" is prefixed by the preposition lamed. [snip]

 Dear Steve,

 The heading to the Psalm indicates that it is a Chanukkah Psalm. If so,
 it is an anachronism because Chanukkah was in the 2nd century BCE.
 L:DaWiD indicates that it is a Psalm "of David", or ascribed "to David".
 This genuine Davidic Psalm was quite likely recited at the time of the
 rededication of the Temple after the desecration by Antiochus Epiphanes,
 and the Chanukkah heading inserted. Artur Weiser supports this suggestion
 in his /Die Psalmen/, ET /The Psalms/ SCM Press 1962, p266f.
 A Feast of Dedication was instituted by Judas Maccabaeus in 165 BCE
 (1 Maccabees 4:52ff; 2 Maccabees 10:1ff; John 10:22).

> 2. "Of David" is separated from "A Psalm". In all the psalms the author
> is never separated from the various words for psalm: mizmor, shigaion,
> tefilah, michtam. However if the word  Song  is used for the psalm
> without one of the other psalm words, the author is separated from 
> song  (Ps. 46, 122, 124, 127, 131, 133)

 The "original" header probably had MiZ:MoWR L:DaWiD only; then later
 $iYR-Xa:NuKKaT HaBBaYiT was interpolated, rather awkwardly. See Weiser,
 ibid.
 
> 3. Which understanding does the content of Psalm 30 support? The temple
> was not yet built, but it could refer to dedicating the site of Ornan's
> threshing floor.

 Ornan's threshing-floor was bought by David and dedicated in 1 Chronicles
 21:26 - 22:1. David had wanted to build a Temple to the LORD, but was
 disqualified by his life of making war. His son Solomon $:LoMoH "His Peace"
 had the honour of designing and constructing the Temple (2 Chronicles
 22:2-16). However, this Psalm seems to be a thanksgiving for deliverance
 from a grave illness, not a political or religious crisis; nor a dedication
 of a new House of God. David did have built for himself a house of cedar as
 his personal palace WaYYiB:NuW-BaYiT L:DaWiD (2 Samuel 5:11); but there is
 no indication that he had suffered a serious bout of illness at that time.

 In Gunkel's /Gattungen/, Psalm 30 is categorised as an Individual
 Thanksgiving. This would not make it very germane to the dedication of
 a new Temple or even the Temple site. It is intensely personal, even if
 he does call upon the whole congregation to join in collective thanksgiving
 for his deliverance.

 HTH
 Ben
-- 
 Revd Ben Crick, BA CF                                       ZFC Hf
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