The Psalms: Songs for all Times (BA9134B)

Postgraduate, 24.0 points

Content

The Psalms: Songs for all Times explores the book of Psalms within Israel’s historical, social and cultic environment and the broader Ancient Near East context. We will study how the psalms provided the people of Israel with prayers, songs and cries for God’s intervention, and the ways they have been woven into the fabric of Christian worship. We will explore the theological contribution of the Psalms and how they have informed and shaped the lives of people of faith across the centuries and continue to do so in our contemporary world, even beyond the bounds of the Church in popular culture.

Unit code: BA9134B

Unit status: Approved (New unit)

Points: 24.0

Unit level: Postgraduate Elective

Unit discipline: Old Testament

Delivery Mode: Face to Face

Proposing College: Eva Burrows College

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Learning outcomes

1.

Analyse the literary features of the psalms including their poetic form and type
2.

Interpret the psalms within the historical and socio-cultural context of ancient Israel and other ANE settings
3.

Prepare an exegesis on selected psalms.
4.

Assess the connections between the psalms located in the Psalter and psalms in other Old Testament materials.
5.

Illustrate the contribution of the psalms to personal and communal, contemporary Christian life.
6.

Critically evaluate and communicate the contribution of the Psalter to Christian theology and worship.

Pedagogy

The learning in this unit will be scaffolded by learning materials produced by the lecturer, together with readings. Learning activities may include: exegetical exercises to practice and develop skills, regular learning tasks, engagement through online forums, virtual classroom sessions and student collaboration.

Indicative Bibliography

  • Alter, Robert. The Art of Biblical Poetry, Rev ed. New York: Basic Books, 2011
  • Anderson, Bernhard W. Out of the depths: the Psalms speak for us today. 3rd edition. Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 2000.
  • Bellinger, William H. Psalms: A Guide to Studying the Psalter. 2 ed. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2012.
  • Brueggemann, Walter. The Psalms and the Life of Faith. Minnesota: Fortress Press, 1995.
  • Craigie, Peter, and Marvin E. Tate. Psalms 1-50 2nd ed. Waco: Word, 2004.
  • Foster, Robert L. and David M. Howard (eds). My Words are Lovely: Studies in the Rhetoric of the Psalms. New York: T&T Clark, 2008.
  • Goldingay, John. Psalms (three volumes) Grand Rapids: Baker Academic Press, 2006-2008.
  • Jacobson, Rolf A. Soundings in the Theology of the Psalms: Perspectives and Methods in Contemporary Scholarship. Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2011
  • Kraus, Hans-Joachim. Theology of the Psalms. Minneapolis: Fortress, 1992.
  • Wenham, Gordon J. Psalms as Torah: reading biblical songs ethically. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2012.

Assessment

Type Description Word count Weight (%)
Essay

Essay 3500 words

 3500 50.0
Exegesis

Exegesis 2000 words

 2000 25.0
Essay

Essay Creative work based upon exegesis (written word based) 2000 words

 2000 25.0
Approvals

Unit approved for the University of Divinity by John Capper on 30 Sep, 2019

Unit record last updated: 2019-11-08 14:11:46 +1100