Wisdom Epistemology in the Psalter : A Study of Psalms 1, 73, 90, and 107

There has been scant scholarship on the epistemology of the Psalter. This work presents a comparative epistemological analysis of the wisdom motifs in Psalms 1, 73, 90, and 107, selected on the basis of their epistemic content and canonical placement within the Psalter. An epistemological progression is found to develop across the canonical ordering of the four psalms, providing a helpful diagnostic for exploring the structure of the Psalter. Wisdom Epistemology in the Psalter: A Study of Psalms 1, 73, 90, and 107 4 Acknowledgements 6 Contents 8 Abbreviations 12 Introduction 14 Epistemology in the Bible 14 Focus of the Present Study 15 I. Basic Issues in Epistemology and the Sociology of Knowledge 17 Preliminaries 17 Theory of Knowledge 18 Foundationalism 20 Coherentism 22 The Sociology of Knowledge 24 Social Stock of Knowledge 25 Externalization 26 Objectivation 27 Internalization 30 How a Society Constructs and Understands Its Worldview: Epistemological Significance of Metaphor 33 Conceptual Metaphor Theory (CMT) 35 The Epistemological Structuring Power of Metaphors 38 Further Epistemological Influence of Metaphors 39 Methodology for Epistemological Textual Analysis 42 Epistemological Textual Analysis 43 II. Social Epistemology Case Study: Proverbs 1–9 45 Preliminaries 45 Case Study: Proverbs 1–9 47 Worldview: Defining Metaphors and Liminal Structure 48 Inculcating and Preserving the Worldview: Objectivation and Internalization 55 Justification for Belief: Foundationalism or Coherentism? 61 Conclusion 65 III. Wisdom Elements Within the Psalms: Prior Studies and Present Focus 66 Introduction 66 Wisdom Psalms as a Unique Genre 66 Prior Research 69 Weeks: Rethinking the “Wisdom Psalm” Criteria 69 Geller and Van Leeuwen: Function Over Form 70 Wisdom and Torah 73 Berlin: “Creation Wisdom” 74 Brown: Comparing Psalms to Proverbs 75 Kellenberger: “Realization Discovery” 77 Conclusion 80 Four Psalms: An Epistemological Approach 80 Preliminary Note on the Texts 82 IV. Psalm 1: Social Epistemology Within a Deuteronomistic Worldview 84 Translation and Text-Critical Issues 84 Verses 1–2 85 Verses 3–4 86 Verses 5–6 87 Structure, Unity, and Dating 88 Structure 88 Unity 88 Dating 90 Metaphor Analysis 90 Worldview and Epistemology 94 Epistemological Impact of the Canonical Placement of Psalm 1 98 Conclusion 102 V. Psalm 73: Mystical Knowledge 104 Text and Translation 104 Text-Critical Issues 107 Verse 4 107 Verse 7 109 Verse 9 109 Verse 10 110 Verse 17 111 Verse 18 111 Verse 20 111 Verse 24 112 Structure, Unity, and Dating 112 Psalm 73: Metaphor Analysis 114 Exegesis of Ps 73:17 116 Epistemological Analysis 119 Pedagogy 120 Epistemic Knowledge and Realization-Discovery 122 Social Epistemology 124 Conclusion 125 VI. Psalm 90: Seeking for Knowledge 126 Psalm 90 Translation and Text-Critical Issues 126 Verse 1 128 Verse 5 129 Verse 8 130 Verse 9 132 Verse 10 133 Verse 12 133 Verse 13 134 Structure, Unity, and Dating 134 Structure 134 Unity 134 Dating 136 Psalm 90: Metaphor and Worldview 137 Social Epistemology 139 Review of Exegesis of Ps 90:12 141 “To number our days rightly teach us” ( (למנות ימינו כן הודע 143 Conclusion 144 Appendix 145 VII. Psalm 107: The Epistemology of Salvation 151 Psalm 107 Translation and Text-Critical Issues 151 Verses 1–3 155 Verses 4–9 156 Verses 10–16 156 Verses 17–22 156 Verses 33–43 158 Structure, Unity, and Dating 158 Structure 158 Unity 159 Dating 161 Psalm 107: Metaphor Analysis 162 Strophe I (vv. 4–9): Desert Wanderings 163 Strophe II (vv. 10–16) Imprisonment 165 Strophe III (vv. 17–22) Illness 166 Strophe IV (vv. 23–32) Stormy Seas 166 Verses 33–41 168 Worldview 169 Epistemology 171 Social Epistemology 171 Epistemic Vagueness 173 Conclusion: New Knowledge for the Wise Person to Learn 176 Conclusion: Implications for the Canonical Study of the Psalter 178 Psalm Exegesis and Psalter Exegesis 178 Epistemological Comparison of Psalms 1, 73, 90, and 107 180 Psalm 1 180 Psalm 73 180 Psalm 90 181 Psalm 107 183 Epistemological Progression 184 Epistemology and the Canonical Structure of the Psalter 185 Bibliography 187 Primary Sources 187 Lexicons and Grammars 187 Commentaries 187 Articles and Monographs 189 Bible Reference Index 217 Author Name Index 224 Subject Index 229