Psalm Research Since 1955: II. The Literary Genres -- By: D. J. A. Clines

Journal: Tyndale Bulletin
Volume: TYNBUL 20:1 (NA 1969)
Article: Psalm Research Since 1955: II. The Literary Genres
Author: D. J. A. Clines


Psalm Research Since 1955: II. The Literary Genres

D. J. A. Clines

*The author’s irregular footnote numbering has been retained at the beginning of each footnote to acknowledge how it appeared in print.

This article forms a sequel to that published two years ago in the Tyndale Bulletin reviewing literature between 1955 and 1966 on the relationship of the Psalms to the Israelite cult.1 The present survey concerns the literary genres (Gattungen) of the Psalms, and extends the period under review down to 1968.

Reports on this aspect of Psalm study between 1930 and 1954 may be found in an article of J. J. Stamm,2 while the course of research from the time of H. Gunkel down to the 1960s has been traced by A. Descamps3 and J. P. M. van der Ploeg4 in useful critical accounts. Gunkel’s arrangement of the Psalms5 has been conveniently tabulated in another article

by A. Descamps,6 who comments on the criteria by which the existence of a Gattung may be established, while L. Sabourin7has given details of the structure of all Gunkel’s Gattungen together with many bibliographical references to more recent studies, especially Catholic.

Gunkel’s classification continues to be accepted with only minor modifications by many commentators and writers on the Psalms,8 among whom we may mention G. W. Anderson,9 D. Anders-Richards,10 P. Auvray,11 C. Barth,12 G. Castellino,13 J. Coppens,14 M. Dahood,15 J. H. Eaton,16 G. Fohrer, 17 H. H. Guthrie,18 T. Henshaw,19 E. G. Kraeling,

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