Journal: Bibliotheca Sacra
Volume: BSAC 164:656 (Oct 2007)
Article: Singing The New Song: An Examination Of Psalms 33, 96, 98, And 149
Author: Richard D. Patterson

BSac 164:656 (October-December 2007) p. 416

Singing The New Song: An Examination Of Psalms 33, 96, 98, And 149

Richard D. Patterson

Richard D. Patterson is Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Semitics and Old Testament, Liberty University, Lynchburg, Virginia.

“Sing a new song to the Lord,” the psalmist called out (Ps. 98:1).1 The singing of a “new song” is mentioned six times in the Psalter (Pss. 33:3; 40:3 [Heb., v. 4]; 96:1; 98:1; 144:9; 149:1), each in connection with praise to Yahweh. In four of the psalms the call to praise Him with a new song occurs near or at the beginning of the psalm (33:3; 96:1; 98:1; 149:1). This study considers their relationship to the genre known as praise psalms.

What constitutes a genre has been the subject of some discussion.2 Perhaps it is simplest to follow Davies, who defines genre as “a kind of literature or literary species.. .. Each genre makes use of a particular style in its treatment of specific subjects and motifs within a structure whose unity gives meaning to its parts.”3

Though scholars differ on how to classify the generic type of a particular psalm, one may safely say with Ryken, “Lyric is the umbrella genre in the Psalms. All of the psalms are lyric poems.” Yet scholars have generally agreed that certain psalms should be termed praise psalms.4 Some psalms have been assigned this category on the basis of a prominent phrase or word such as “hallelujah” (“praise the Lord,” e.g., Pss. 146–150) or “hallel” (“praise,” e.g.,

BSac 164:656 (October-December 2007) p. 417

Ps. 145).5 Most of these psalms, however, are of a general nature, the praise of God constituting the prominent theme throughout the psalm. For example, “In Psalm 103 David expresses enthusiastic, even lavish, praise to Yahweh for who he is and...