TM221.5/ TM121.5 First Testament Texts: Psalms
TM221.5/TM121.5 Psalms is an occasional WEMTC module run for Accelerated students. It is therefore not often available. The following indicates what the course looked like when it was last run in 2003/2004. The material will be updated when the module is next run.
This module explores key themes, structures and poetic forms in the Book of Psalms and sample Psalms are studied. The use of the Psalms in worship and in forming Christian life today and within the Jewish and Christian traditions is explored.
TM221.5/ TM121.5 First Testament Texts: Psalms
Welcome to the TM221.5/TM121.5 Psalms web page. This page is designed to provide useful resources for those studying or about to study Psalms with WEMTC. If you have found useful resources or have questions you would like ask, please do contribute. As this module is taught at two levels please take note of those sections that apply to your track. TM221.5 is level two for ordinands and other students with permission to study at level two while TM121.5 is the Certificate level one version of this course. The primary differences are in the module descriptions and the assessment.
TM221.5/TM121.5 provides 10 lectures on the Book of Psalms, exploring historical issues (e.g. the origin and form of the Psalms, the compilation of the Psalter), literary issues (Hebrew poetry) and the liturgical issues of using the Psalter in worship. The class is taught at a mixed University Level One and Two and requires TM102.5 Introduction to the First Testament as a prerequisite. It is studied in a broadly academic environment acknowledging the various methods of modern scholarship but with a view to understanding how this greater knowledge can enhance our own faith and worship and that of our congregations.
Click here for:
Books
The following are core books for this subject:
- Bellinger Psalms Massachusetts, Hendrickson 1990
- Brueggemann, W. The Message of the PsalmsMinneapolis, Augsburg 1984
- Brueggemann, W. The Psalms and the Life of Faith Philadelphia, Fortress Press 1995
- Clines D. (ed) The Poetical Books: A Sheffield Reader Sheffield Academic Press 1997
- Day, J. Psalms, JSOT, Sheffield, 1990
- Fokkelman Reading Biblical Poetry Louisville, John Knox 2001
- Mays J. Psalms Interpretation Louisville John Knox Press 1994
For more detailed bibliographies see our Sample book lists.
Why not tell us of some books you have found useful? If the webmaster agrees we'll list them here.
You may find the following web sites helpful when studying the Psalms. Material on the net has no quality control making tutors very wary - and rightly so! Nevertheless there is a growing amount of first class academic work on line particularly coming from Religious Studies Departments of good Universities. Treat with care and you'll find it very useful for essays.
The Internet is not 100% reliable and documents move, disappear and change their names. If you find a link does not work, try again in an hour, a day, or a week. But do feel free to email us to report a link doesn't work. Don't forget to tell us the name of the link!
Online Bibles and Commentaries on the Psalms (usually older versions out of copyright but some web specific material)
- Bible.org's commentaries and articles
- Contains a growing set of online commentaries on the OT books by a variety of authors. Psalms included. Fairly conservative but engaging with academic subjects and the major scholars. Look around the home page for other useful articles.
- McGill University
- Links to online bibles, tools and resources for biblical studies
Gateways to OT sites (Sites of links to academic works)
- Old Testament Gateway
- Set up by Australians Roy and Sue Nicholson to mirror Mark Goodacre's New Testament Gateway it looks set to be an excellent starting point for all FT studies.
- iTanakh
- Another excellent Gateway to academic sites relating to the Hebrew Bible for undergraduate to doctoral level by C Heard of Pepperdine University.
- Rutger's Virtual Religion Index
- Rutger University's list of FT links - mostly to academic quality websites. Scroll down for Psalms (under Kethubim- Writings)
- Torrey Seland of Volda University, Norway
- Lots of good links to English material of reasonable quality.
- R Klein's list of Psalms links .
- His list of links includes some of his own well-respected work. Explore further and you'll find his translations of certain Psalms.
Historical Critical Studies of the Psalms
- Psalms by Genre
- Stephen Wiggen's list of psalms allocated to genres (form criticism). Dr Wiggins is Hebrew Professor at Nashotah House Episcopal Seminary, Wisconsin
- Patterns for Life:
Structure, Genre, and Theology in Psalms
- Dennis Bratcher's slightly simplified intro to form criticism and how such an academic study might be applied to faith. Good on application of historical critical study.
- The Psalms and the Cult
- David Clines' article on Psalms research from 1955 -1998 dealing with the relationship of the Psalms to the Cult (i.e. established religion)
- The Literary Genres
- David Clines' article on Psalms research from 1955-1998 dealing with form criticism
- Psalms and the King
- David Clines' article on Psalms and Kingship
Literary Critical Studies of the Psalms
- Understanding Parallelism
- Stephen Wiggen's explanation of different types of parallellism. Dr Wiggins is Hebrew Professor at Nashotah House Episcopal Seminary, Wisconsin
- Parallelism of Greater Precision
- David Clines' article on how Parallelism functions
Specific Psalms
- Universal Dominion in Psalm 2
- David Clines' article on Psalm 2
- The Tree of Knowledge and the Law of Yahweh Psalm 19
- David Clines' article on Psalm 19
- A World Established on Water Psalm 24
- David Clines' article on Psalm 24 sub titled: Reader Response, Deconstruction and Bespoke Interpretation
- Psalms Course on Psalms 2,19,22,23,24,42-43
- David Clines' 1998 module on the Psalms with documents for distance learning now a bit ancient but still interesting
Hymns and Psalms in the Ancient Near East
- The Dead Sea Scrolls
- The Orion Centre for the Study of the Dead Sea Scrolls - Scroll pictures, content and associated literature
- More Dead Sea Scrolls
- An exhibition of some of the scroll fragments. See especially the reconstructed non canonical psalm
Jewish Use of Psalms
- Praying Ashrei - Meditations on Psalm 145
- David Blumenthal Professor of Judaic Studies Emory's meditations on Psalm 145
See also our General Old Testament Links
And there are always the General Religion Links as a starting point.
Why not tell us of some sites you have found useful? If the webmaster agrees we'll list them here.
TM221.5 Psalms at Bristol
When run this module is taught at Bristol by Elizabeth Harper
Documents for this module online include:
TM221.5 Psalms at Cheltenham
When run this module is taught at Cheltenham by Elizabeth Harper
Documents for this module online include:
TM221.5 Psalms at Ludlow
When run this module is taught at Ludlow by Gill Sumner
Documents for this module online include:
The Student Spot
This spot is for contributions from those who are doing or have done TM221.5. It needs your contributions - books that have been helpful, questions you would like answered, adverts for things related to the module etc. Content is monitored by the webmaster with reference to the tutors and class reps if necessary. Click here to submit something for the page.
Go ahead - be the first to submit something
Code and title
TM121.5 First Testament Texts: Psalms
Tutor
Bristol: Elizabeth Harper
Gloucester: Elizabeth Harper
Ludlow: Gill Sumner
Brief description
This module explores key themes, structures and poetic forms in the Book of Psalms and sample Psalms are studied. The use of the Psalms in worship and in forming Christian life today and within the Jewish and Christian traditions is explored
Level and Credits
Level I 7.5 credits
Status
Optional
Type
Standard
Prerequisites
TM102.5 Introduction to the First Testament
Recommended prior study*
Nil
Restrictions*
Nil
Content summary
This course will cover:
- A study of Psalm texts as and their relationship to the modern form-critical study of the Psalms, and the commonly recognised psalm-types.
- Hebrew poetic forms as a key to the interpretation of the Psalms.
- Theology in and through the Psalms.
- The shape of the Psalter (and extra-canonical collections)
- The interpretation and use of the Psalms through the Ages
- The use of the Psalms in Christian worship, prayer and living
Learning outcomes
By the end of this half-module students should:
- Knowledge and Understanding
- Know the many form critical categories of Psalms, their chief structural and theological characteristics
- Have studied an overview history of Psalms interpretation and its lessons for interpretation today
- Have explored different ways of using the Psalms
- Skills
- Be able to make use of the Psalms in a variety of worship situations with sensitivity to their probable original contexts and to the messages they might convey today.
- Be able to use commentaries and other aids to biblical study.
- Have begun to make connections between their life-experience, their study of the Psalms and practical issues of ministry and mission.
- Be able to engage with empathy and integrity and to reproduce accurately the range of interpretations and debates concerning the Psalms.
- Be able to formulate and justify their own opinions and communicate them in appropriate ways clearly and cogently with appropriate evidence and support material.
Teaching and learning
60 hours
10 hours class contact
50 hours personal study (reading, assignments, class preparation)
Assessment
One assignment of 2000 words or equivalent.
Indicative resources
- Bellinger Psalms Massachusetts, Hendrickson 1990
- Brueggemann, W. The Message of the PsalmsMinneapolis, Augsburg 1984
- Brueggemann, W. The Psalms and the Life of Faith Philadelphia, Fortress Press 1995
- Day, J. Psalms, JSOT, Sheffield, 1990
- Fokkelman Reading Biblical Poetry Louisville, John Knox 2001
- Mays J. Psalms Interpretation Louisville John Knox Press 1994
Code and title
TM221.5 First Testament Texts: Psalms
Tutor
Bristol: Elizabeth Harper
Gloucester: Elizabeth Harper
Ludlow: Gill Sumner
Brief description
This module explores key themes, structures and poetic forms in the Book of Psalms and sample Psalms are studied. The use of the Psalms in worship and in forming Christian life today and within the Jewish and Christian traditions is explored.
Level and Credits
Level II 7.5 credits
Status
Optional
Type
Standard
Prerequisites
TM102.5 Introduction to the First Testament
Recommended prior study*
Nil
Restrictions*
Nil
Content summary
This course will cover:
- A study of Psalm texts as and their relationship to the modern form-critical study of the Psalms, and the commonly recognised psalm-types.
- Hebrew poetic forms as a key to the interpretation of the Psalms.
- Theology in and through the Psalms.
- The shape of the Psalter (and extra-canonical collections)
- The interpretation and use of the Psalms through the Ages
- The use of the Psalms in Christian worship, prayer and living
Learning outcomes
By the end of this half-module students should:
- Knowledge and Understanding
- Know the many form critical categories of Psalms, their chief structural and theological characteristics
- Have studied an overview history of Psalms interpretation and its lessons for interpretation today
- Have explored different ways of using the Psalms
- Skills
- Be able to make use of the Psalms in a variety of worship situations with sensitivity to their probable original contexts and to the messages they might convey today.
- Be able to make discriminating use commentaries and other aids to biblical study.
- Have begun to make connections between their life-experience, their study of the Psalms and practical issues of ministry and mission.
- Be able to engage with empathy and integrity and to reproduce accurately the range of interpretations and debates concerning the Psalms and reflect on the arguments..
- Be able to formulate and justify their own opinions and communicate them in appropriate ways clearly and cogently with appropriate evidence and support material.
- show critical self-awareness about their own beliefs, commitments, and prejudices in interpretation
Teaching and learning
60 hours
10 hours class contact
50 hours personal study (reading, assignments, class preparation)
Assessment
One assignment of 2000 words or equivalent.
Indicative resources
- Bellinger Psalms Massachusetts, Hendrickson 1990
- Brueggemann, W. The Message of the PsalmsMinneapolis, Augsburg 1984
- Brueggemann, W. The Psalms and the Life of Faith Philadelphia, Fortress Press 1995
- Clines D. (ed) The Poetical Books: A Sheffield Reader Sheffield Academic Press 1997
- Fokkelman Reading Biblical Poetry Louisville, John Knox 2001
- Mays J. Psalms Interpretation Louisville John Knox Press 1994
Sorry due to concerted spam attacks we have unfortunately had to remove our online forms
Please email the webmaster with your request (webmaster @ the wemtc address)
Sorry due to concerted spam attacks we have unfortunately had to remove our forms
Please email the webmaster with your contribution (webmaster @ the wemtc address)
WEMTCCourses Last updated: 26 December 2006 at 1:33pm Copyright 2007 E. Harper and W. McDougall
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