Summary Of Invitation To The Psalms

In Invitation to the Psalms: A Reader’s Guide for Discovery and Engagement, Rolf A. Jacobson and Karl N. Jacobson contend that the book of Psalms is a collection of Hebrew Poetry and provides an explanation as to why the Bible repeats itself. They also note that reading is logical and readers cannot approach the book of Psalms in this matter. If readers, according to Jacobson and Jacobson understand the “conventions and features” of Hebrew poetry, they will better understand Psalms. The first way described of such poetry in this chapter is parallelism: connecting words, sentences or clauses. The authors though, caution readers about categorization when paralleling scripture in the Psalms. Jacobson and Jacobson note that parallelism can
It is their claim that if one understands the genre in which the Psalm is written, the reader will understand the meaning of the words in the Psalm. In this chapter, the authors delve further in defining the types of biblical poems that make up the book of Psalms. In this chapter, authors remind readers that assumptions about speaker, who they are speaking to and what is taking place are made. The authors define genre as a category, type, or form of literature and a psalm is a genre of literature. Jacobson and Jacobson note that when reading the Psalms, one must “enter in”. In reading the Psalms, authors note that readers should look for similarities and differences. They argue that Psalms is composed of two types of genres; common forms and common themes. This chapter focuses of the forms such as how they begin and end, structure and the similarity among sentences. Most common type of prayer in the Psalms is a prayer of help also called psalms of lament which entails a crisis with the primary audience being God and the secondary audience being humanity. There is also trust and promise to praise God that many times accompany cries of help according to Jacobson and Jacobson. Hymns of Praise are the second most common Psalm including the call to praise and the reasons to praise. Another type of Psalm is that of trust even among danger
All of it has to deal with the complexity of God according to the authors. This chapter begs the question, “Who is the King of Glory?” and responds by answering, “God”. Interestingly enough, Jacobson and Jacobson name there is more that can be found among the pages throughout the Psalms by getting to know the Psalters, the God of Israel, the one they prayed to, trusted and testified about. They define this as faith seeking understanding, a definition of theology from Anselm. And invite readers to seek this type of understanding by determining ultimate norms and contentions that all 150 Psalms make. Jacobson and Jacobson’s assumptions are, “The Lord is a God of loving faithfulness.” They derived this from the Hebrew word hesed, which has no equivalent English translation, but has been self-disclosed by God. Jacobson and Jacobson, compellingly further contend, God’s character and nature are uncovered through the lens of the Psalters by way of the genres of the Psalms as well as its mentioning of Israel’s history with God and further claim God activity then and