Bringing Together and Setting Apart: The Theological Significance of Alternate Delimitations in the Hebrew and Greek Psalters
Abstract
In this dissertation, I have examined the phenomenon of delimitation as found in the alternate delimitations of Psalms 9, 10, 114, 115, 116, and 147 in the Hebrew and Greek psalters (Psalms 9, 113, 114, 115, 146, and 147 in the Greek). In my investigation of these psalms, I surveyed the textual evidence and prior scholarship on these psalms before moving to an analysis of the respective Greek and Hebrew delimitations. The textual evidence of alternate delimitation of these psalms points to a significant fluidity in the delimitation of the medieval Hebrew psalter (in which I build upon the work of Jean-Marie Auwers and William Yarchin). The main goal of my analysis of these psalms was to determine the literary, theological, and canonical significance of these alternate delimitations. A combined delimitation of the received Hebrew text of Psalms 9-10 and 114-115 creates interpretative possibilities that are not present without the combined interplay of the respective psalms. Similarly, the separate delimitation of the received Hebrew text of Psalms 116 and 147 creates other interpretative possibilities based upon linkages with adjacent psalms and a focus on the more specific aspects of the separately delimited psalms. The Greek lexical differences have literary and theological effects that correlate to varying degrees with the alternate Greek delimitations and open up new interpretative possibilities for the respective texts. Of particular interest is the relationship between the Greek thematic differences in Psalm 147 (Greek 146 and 147) and the larger canonical reshaping of Psalms 146-148 (Greek 145-148).
Subject Area
Biblical studies
Recommended Citation
Sander, Paul Joseph, "Bringing Together and Setting Apart: The Theological Significance of Alternate Delimitations in the Hebrew and Greek Psalters" (2017). ETD Collection for Fordham University. AAI10616804.
https://research.library.fordham.edu/dissertations/AAI10616804
