Page 51 - The Poetic Books - Student Text

is robed in majesty (93:1).” “The LORD is a God who avenges (94:1).” “For the LORD is the great God, the
great King above all gods (95:3).” “Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among all
peoples (96:3).” “The Lord reigns (97:1, 99:1).” He “sits enthroned forever” (102:12)” and “has
established his throne in heaven” (104:19). Despite appearances and significant suffering by his people,
God’s King reigns now.

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Book V is sometimes identified as “the return of the king.” Yet the theme of pilgrimage is strong,
especially with eighteen psalms collected in “songs of ascent” (120-137). Given that Book IV emphasizes
the king, Book V might better be seen as a lifelong journey to the king, a “’spiritual pilgrimage’ to Zion
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which is the seat of the universal king YHWH and of the God of Sinai who teaches his Torah from Zion.”

The collection ends with a series of psalms written by David (138-145). The last two especially celebrate
the kingship of Yahweh and his Messiah. “I will sing a new song to you, my God; …to the One who gives
victory to kings, who delivers his servant David (144:9-10).” “I will exalt you, my God the King; I will
praise your name for ever and ever (145:1).”

Psalm 146-150 is the conclusion to the entire book. Each psalm begins and ends with “Praise the Lord”
or “Hallelujah.” In Psalm 1:1 and 2:12 the collection began with “Blessed is the one” and “Blessed are all
those who take refuge in him.” The very last expression invites “Let everything that has breath praise the
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Lord (150:6).” Such is a fitting conclusion to this vast book that struggles so much with the difference
between the promise of god and the reality of life.

We can only speculate as to when the different Books were added. Psalm 72:20 ends Book II with “This
concludes the prayers of David Son of David,” even though later books contain Davidic psalms. Was David
responsible for the first two books, leaving some of his psalms out? David assigned a division of the
Levites to musical services, a pattern that continued for quite some time (1 Chron. 15:16; 16:7; 23:2-6;
25:1). Could they be responsible for the seventeen psalms of Book III (73-89), some of which were
written after the destruction of the temple yet collected together (74:2-8)?

While we cannot link historical events to the other two sections, King Hezekiah led a revival that
included worship and the musical responsibilities of the Levites (2 Chron. 29:25-30). He was keenly
interested in God’s word and also found some lost proverbs of Solomon (Prov. 25:1). Book IV (90-106)
lists few authors (David-101, 103, and Moses-90). Might these songs have been added by Hezekiah or
during his reign? He was a remarkable king much blessed by Yahweh for his efforts to cleanse the nation
after long years of ungodly rule. “There was great joy in Jerusalem, for since the days of Solomon son of
David king of Israel there has been nothing like this in Jerusalem. The priests and Levites stood to bless
the people, and God heard them, for their prayer reached heaven, his holy dwelling place (2 Chron.
30:26-27).”

82 Howard, “Divine and Human Kingship,” 206.
83 Erich Zenger, “The Composition of the Fifth Book of Psalms, Psalms 107-145” in The Return of the King, Michael
K. Snearly (New York: T & T Clark, 2018), 73.
84 Snearly, The Return of the King, 179.

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