The literary analyses of the Psalms are written by Dr. Victoria Rosenberg. They come out of discussions between Rabbi Amram Maccabi and Dr. Rosenberg who weekly study a particular Psalm which inspires the analysis then posted on the website. Victoria Hammerling Rosenberg holds a PhD in English literature and has taught at Dalhousie and Mount St. Vincent universities.
A variation of Song 42 but with one essential change: the imagery of Song 42, of water and sound, is replaced in Song 43 by the metaphor of a court of law. Thus the song begins, “Grant me justice, O God, take up my case….” (v. 1). The singer’s advocates are, or so he …
Continue reading ‘Literary analysis of Psalm 43 – God, my keenest joy’ »
Central to Song 42 are the images of water and of sound. Through these images, the singer creates the means of bringing himself into the presence of God Whom he seeks. As the song begins, verse 2 declares an analogy between the speaker and a deer, and between God and …
Continue reading ‘Literary analysis of Psalm 42 – When shall I come and see the presence of God?’ »
Although the majority of verses of Song 41 recount the singer’s illness and his enemies’ gloating at his suffering, the imagery in the song is, nonetheless, powerful, physical, as though belying any weakness or infirmity in the singer while, at the same time, pointing out the enemies’ aggressiveness. Thus: “his enemies’ maw” (v. 3); “his …
Both a plea and a praisesong, Song 40 describes a relationship between the singer and God based upon God’s compassion; the singer is, accordingly, renewed in strength and dedicates himself to sharing God’s teachings with his fellows. Nonetheless, he remembers the evils that surround him –he attributes their presence to both his own crimes and …
Intended to be played by the lead musician (v. 1), Song 39 is a melody of one note: five times does it sound the transitoriness of human life– “how fleeting I am”, v. 5 …
Continue reading ‘Literary analysis of Psalm 39 – O Master, my hope is in You.’ »
A dirge. A lament. A description of physical suffering that the singer –the sufferer– believes to be the consequence of his moral offenses. Thus his bodily ills –depicted vividly in verses 6 through 9– act as metaphors for his unnamed but obviously vile moral offenses. Appropriately, then, it is the idea of an offense that …
Continue reading ‘Literary analysis of Psalm 38 – Adonai, all my desire is before You’ »
Click here to read “Psalm Thirty-seven: Translation of the Song” Song 37, a song of comfort; seemingly composed by a parent for his children, a grandparent for his grandchildren –certainly by an old man (one who identifies himself in verse 25 as “A youth I was, and have become old”) whose purpose is to instill hope …
The opening line of the song juxtaposes the master or conductor of the musicians and the servant of God. This implied contrast contains no rebuke, no moral judgement. It simply denotes that even the most eminent among those who sing God’s praises are but servants of their divine ruler. However, the contrast that follows, …
Song 35 is a wail more than a song, one rising out of the singer’s hurt and frustration at having been not only betrayed but vilified by the very friends he had supported and believed in. The idea inspiring the song is not difficult –the singer calls on God for support and rescue and asks, …
Continue reading ‘Literary analysis of Psalm 35 – All my bones say, ‘Adonai, who is like You?’’ »
Song 34 is a praisesong that celebrates God Who offers shelter, not only to the holy ones but to the lowly and the broken-hearted. So that, while the song professes to be a means of teaching righteousness, it also emulates God by providing comfort. Though the 23 verses of the song divide easily into 2 …