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Topic 4 Poetic and Wisdom Literature

Topic 4 Poetic and Wisdom Literature . Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon Hebrew poetry Meter – a certain number of accented syllables per line. Parallelism – second line of a pair echoes/balances the first. Synonymous – line 2 restates line 1. (See BPJM, 36 for ex.)

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Topic 4 Poetic and Wisdom Literature

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  1. Topic 4 Poetic and Wisdom Literature Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon • Hebrew poetry • Meter – a certain number of accented syllables per line. • Parallelism – second line of a pair echoes/balances the first. • Synonymous – line 2 restates line 1. (See BPJM, 36 for ex.) • Antithetical – line 2 expresses contrasting thought. • Synthetic – line 2 completes thought of line 1. • Psalms • Israel’s hymnbook • Not written all at once; collection of ancient hymns used in Temple worship. • Some are attributed to David (portrayed in OT as musician); others derive from later periods. • Final collection in post-exilic period (c. 350 BC) • Types of psalms • Hymns – songs of praise (Ps. 33) • Laments – cries for help in crisis (Ps. 6) • Thanksgivings – thanking God for something specific (Ps. 30) • Songs of trust (Ps. 23) • Royal psalms (Ps. 2, 72)

  2. Wisdom • Practical wisdom • Practical advice for art of successful living. • Based on long observation of life; what works/what doesn’t. • Couched in form of witty sayings; passed down from one generation to next. • Book of Proverbs – complex collection of such material • Attributed to Solomon, but actually no single author; collection. • Advice for success: hard work; discipline; study; piety; generosity; careful use of tongue; sexual propriety; etc. (6:6-11; 10:3-4, 27-28, 30; 11:25). • Success: longevity; prosperity; good family/friends; respect in community. • Speculative wisdom – more skeptical; explores exceptions to the rule • Ecclesiastes • Wisdom teacher’s quest for meaning of life; finds little. • “Vanity of vanities, all is vanity.” • Job - story of protests of a suffering righteous man. • Challenges assumption that suffering is always proportional to one’s sin. • Does not explain undeserved suffering, but affirms that relationship with God can be maintained in midst of suffering.

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