The Levitical Psalms of Book III: Intensifying Paradoxical Perceptions of the Divine Presence

Abstract

In Book III of the MT Psalter (Psalms 73-89), all of the psalms, save for one (Psalm 86, a Davidic poem), are Levitical. Building on recent approaches that emphasize a royal, Davidic frame to the whole Psalter, this essay makes the case that the Levitical psalms of Book III contribute to the major theme of intensifying paradoxical perceptions of God’s presence, rooted in three supportive sub-themes: (1) the presence of God is perceived as distant, and even absent; (2) the presence of God is perceived as proximal, via the theme of God’s sovereign rule over creation; and (3) the presence of God is perceived as proximal, via the themes of holy space and Zion. This analysis is worked out through four major groupings of Levitical psalms in Book III: (1) the framing psalms (73, 89); (2) the lament psalms (74, 77, 79, 80, 83, 85, 88); (3) the praise psalms (75, 76, 84, 87); and (4) the historical or prophetic psalms (78, 81, 82).