same hymn there are at least twenty examples of scribal errors in the Hebrew text of Psalm 18, which fortunately may be corrected by means of II Samuel 22 as well as by the aid of the Greek and other versions. Like most of the books of the Old Testament, the psalms have not escaped the zeal of the later scribal revisers. As a rule these later explanatory or expansional revisions can be readily recognized; but to cut and hew the Hebrew lyrics to fit a theoretical strophic structure (as certain recent translators and commentators have done) is not only unscientific but in most cases reveals a failure to appreciate the logical and literary unity of the individual psalms. Equally fatal is the tendency to measure Oriental poetry by arbitrary Occidental standards. Another Oriental characteristic of the Psalter the fact that its prayers and hymns are not logically arrangedhas presented to many readers and students a most serious difficulty. In this volume the Hebrew lyrics are first classified according to their content and dominant motive and then, within each group, arranged as far as is possible in the order in which they were written. The translation also aims to reproduce the measured beat and the strophic rhythm of the original Hebrew, so that general students of literature, as well as special students of the Bible, may enjoy the matchless beauty both of the form and the thought of these Hebrew classics. YALE UNIVERSITY, C. F. K. CONTENTS AND CLASSIFICATION INTRODUCTION THE GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS AND HISTORY OF IV. THE ORIGIN AND INTERPRETATION OF THE SONG OF SONGS.... V. MUSIC AND SONG IN THE TEMPLE SERVICE...... VI. THE LITERARY AND HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF THE PSALTER.. 37 § 7. The Divine Judgment upon Man.. Gen. 317b-19. § 9. Jehovah's Blessing upon Abra- § 10. Jacob's Blessing upon the Tribes. § 11. Moses' Blessing upon the Tribes. |