Psalm 8 and Psalm 137 have many similarities and differences. They both contain multiple literary devices such as repetition and imagery to get the tones across. In this essay, I will show you the similarities and differences between the two psalms.
The tone best used to describe Psalm 8 is worshipful. The psalm begins and ends with the proclamation of God’s name. The statement “how excellent is thy name in all Earth!” (8:1) shows a tone of praise towards God, and the vastness and importance of him. “What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?” (8:4). This psalm continues to remind us that God is mindful and caring towards humans, and humans that praise God should help the rest of what he has created by worshipping him. Psalm 8 has an attitude of worshipfulness, Psalm 137 has a very sad tone. “By the rivers of Babylon, There we sat down and wept, When we remembered Zion.” (137:1). The words used in this line, especially “there we sat down and wept” truly reflect the tone of sadness in this Psalm. Reading this makes me feel the sorrow being conveyed throughout the story. While both hymns are very different in terms of tones, both use strong words that express the them very well.
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Psalm 8 shows repetition with the words, “O Lord, our Lord” in lines 1 and 9. The repetition of these words shows how the psalm is directly addressing God, and helps the reader better understand that the hymn is meant for him. In psalm 137, there is repetition of the words “O Lord,” “O Jerusalem,” and “O daughter of Babylon” throughout the entire hymn. Repetition of these words show not only how people spoke back then, but also helps show the reader the emotional depth of the psalm. Both Psalm 8 and Psalm 137 use repetition of certain words to get the tone of the story