Psalms 44 and 45: I've been researching the psalms as music and today's readings provide a few clues on how the Hebrews sang or performed the psalms. Both psalms have superscriptions with cryptic directions for their use: "to the leader" and "of the Korahites." and "a Maskil." Not exactly the directions that current musicans can understand like Key of G and 4/4 time and Allegro. Some of these terms have been lost in time, but the Korahites, or sons of Korah were thought to be a guild of singers, possibly descended from Korah the Levite mentioned in Exodus 6.21 (Holliday: 29). Holliday also says that series of psalms with the superscription "of the Korahites" originated from the northern Kingdom , likely written before the fall of Jerusalem in 587 BCE. Not so different from today's hymnbooks, which collect material from various traditions.
"Maskil" is a bit more difficult to understand. Holliday says it could mean didactic song or artistic song or one that was new.
Selah. After verse 8 in Psalm 44, we find this term. Again, the definition is not precisely known, but it occurs 71 times in the Psalms. Holliday suggests several options: an instrumental interlude, a congregational response, or perhaps a pause for a recited prayer or story.
Another note on Psalm 45: This psalm is addressed to a king and queen on their wedding day, likely composed for Ahad and Jezebel around 869 BCE (Holliday: 28). And the superscription gives us another clue: "A love song."
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I had not considered before how these psalms would have sounded and you have raised my curiosity. The psalms were sung long before they were written down so it makes sense to ponder how they would have sounded. I look forward to the presentation. TC
ReplyDeleteI really like Psalm 44. I understand God in terms of intimacy and ultimacy, rather than immanence and trascendance, and the psalm is a combination of intimacy and ultimacy. The people are clearly in a relationship with God, pleading their cause (intimacy) and they clearly expect that God's actions are more significant than theirs -- God acts in their history of redemption, they did not redeem themselves (that is, ultimacy). I also find the imagery of sheep to the slaughter which appears in Psalm 44:11 and 44:22 interesting. It is the only reference to slaughter in the Psalms in the NRSV. It is also referenced in Romans 8:36 but I will have to pursue that another day.
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