From Sinai to Jerusalem : a study of the Hebrew text of Psalm 68
This dissertation presents a study of one of the most difficult texts in the Psalter, Psalm 68. After an introduction setting out the distinctive features of my treatment and arguing for the need for a painstaking literary study, I divide my work into three sections. The first of these presents a translation with detailed notes on the text. The second explores this world of the text in more detail by examining the vocabulary of the Psalm (characterisation, semantic domains including geographical terms), its structural makeup (building from the smallest units to the largest), the central use and importance of intertextual connections, and the presence of ambiguity and 'underdeterminacy'. I examine each of these as being of interest in their own right, but the ultimate purpose is to use them to deduce what a good reading of the Psalm might be and to cast light on its meaning(s) both to an original audience and to subsequenrt eaders.B y the end of this section I will have argued for a an 'original' setting in the reigns of David or Solomon, one which is closely linked to the bringing of the ark to Zion and the building of the temple. My third section tackles the matter of writers and readers more explicitly.
Vincent, Mark Anthony
Poetry; Sacred geography; Deborah; Mountain of God; Ark; Covenant
From Sinai to Jerusalem : a study of the Hebrew text of Psalm 68. This dissertation presents a study of one of the most difficult texts in the Psalter, Psalm 68. After an introduction setting out the distinctive features of my treatment and arguing for the need for a painstaking literary study, I divide my work into three sections. The first of these presents a translation with detailed notes on the text. The second explores this world of the text in more detail by examining the vocabulary of the Psalm (characterisation, semantic domains including geographical terms), its structural makeup (building from the smallest units to the largest), the central use and importance of intertextual connections, and the presence of ambiguity and 'underdeterminacy'. I examine each of these as being of interest in their own right, but the ultimate purpose is to use them to deduce what a good reading of the Psalm might be and to cast light on its meaning(s) both to an original audience and to subsequenrt eaders.B y the end of this section I will have argued for a an 'original' setting in the reigns of David or Solomon, one which is closely linked to the bringing of the ark to Zion and the building of the temple. My third section tackles the matter of writers and readers more explicitly.
sinai jerusalem study hebrew text psalm present_study one_difficult text psalm introduction_set distinctive_feature treatment argue need literary study_divide work three_section first_present translation detail note text second explore world text detail examine vocabulary psalm characterisation semantic domain include geographical term structural makeup build small_unit large central use importance intertextual connection presence ambiguity underdeterminacy examine interest right ultimate purpose use deduce good reading psalm might cast_light meaning original audience end section argue original set reign closely_link bring building temple third_section tackle matter writer reader explicitly