The Book Of Psalm By Daniel Estes

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Authorship and Date The book of Psalms, one of the Books of Wisdom, is a combination of songs and poems that express the joys of nature as well as exemplify praise and thanks to God. Daniel Estes believed that the book of Psalms was written by many different authors and “originated long before the extant collection was brought together” (Estes 141). The ideology behind Psalms was to keep it universal and general. This would allow readers to understand the deeper meanings behind each hymn. These songs were created to communicate by expressing worships and asking for forgiveness in God’s name. Delving into these songs, one observe the change in emotions as it shifts from praise to repent. The book of Psalms use of subscriptions depth to text …show more content…

Comprised of 150 songs, Psalms starts with a somber tone which then slowly progresses to commendation. When looking at the beginning of Psalms, it conveys a message of “precondition of life under the law of Yahweh” (Estes 146) meaning no matter what happens God’s plan will come to fruition in the end. When examining Psalm 2, the theme of God as ruler of all is very prevalent. But towards the end of Psalms, Psalms 150, the author amends God’s initial attributes by proclaiming Him in every way possible. As Psalms unravels, the gradual progression towards God’s praise is very …show more content…

Apostrophe is a figure of speech that is emphasized with the use of an exclamatory “O”. In Psalms 43:5, “Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; For I shall yet praise Him, The help of my countenance and my God.” (Psalms 43:5 NKJV) shows how the usage of “O” elevates the scenario as the man asked God why he allowed for tragedy to strike upon him. This shows how the dramatization of a scene can be heightened with the use of apostrophe.
Looking at merism, the use of conventional phrasing used to describe a single idea that stands for several ideas, is evident throughout Psalms. This is shown in Psalms 91: 5-6 when it states, “You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, Nor of the arrow that flies by day, 6 Nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness, Nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday.” (Psalms 91:5-6 NKJV). This showed how the Book of Psalms used the proceeding text to state fear should not envelope anyone because God will be there to protect them from