Cultic Prophecy in the Psalms

Doubts about the contribution of cult-prophetic speech to psalmody remain in debate. Psalms containing first-person divine speech exhibit numerous features and suggest life settings that conform to actual prophetic speech. Alternative explanations lack comparable examples external to psalms. On the other hand, Assyrian cultic prophecies parallel the characteristics of prophetic speech found in psalms. The Assyrian sources support possible composition and performance scenarios that overcome objections raised against the compatibility of genuine prophecy with psalmody. A model of cultic prophecy remains the best explanation for the origin of psalms containing first-person divine speech.

Autorentext

Ph.D. dissertation under the supervision of Prof. Graham Davies, University of Cambridge, U.K., 2004. John Hilber is now Associate Professor of Old Testament Studies at Dallas Theological Seminary, Dallas, Texas/USA.

Klappentext

The series Beihefte zur Zeitschrift für die alttestamentliche Wissenschaft (BZAW) covers all areas of research into the Old Testament, focusing on the Hebrew Bible, its early and later forms in Ancient Judaism, as well as its branching into many neighboring cultures of the Ancient Near East and the Greco-Roman world. BZAW welcomes submissions that make an original and significant contribution to the field; demonstrate sophisticated engagement with the relevant secondary literature; and are written in readable, logical, and engaging prose.

Zusammenfassung

"[...] an important book that deserves to be considered carefully."
Lena-Sofia Tiemeyer in: Svensk Exegetisk Arsbook 73/2008

Inhalt
Chapter 1: Cultic Prophecy and Psalms: Issues Past and Present · Chapter 2: Assyrian Cultic Prophecy · Chapter 3: Royal Psalms · Chapter 4: Asaphite Psalms · Chapter 5: Laments, Hymns and Songs of Confidence · Chapter 6: Conclusion