PLACE OF PSALMS

Evening Post, Volume CXVIII, Issue 114, 10 November 1934, Page 11

PLACE OF PSALMS

IN WORLD LITERATURE

While it is but right and fitting that the Psalms should be treated primarily as the product of Hebrew, religious thought, it must be recognised that the Psalter was part of a World-Litera-ture, says "The Scotsman." The Hebrews were in some notable respects unique, but they lived in contact with other peoples, and were, not influenced by'the world of their eurroundings. How far the Hebrews were affected ibl the composition, of their psalms-literature by external influences it would be difficult to" say; but in this and other respects they exhibited an. individuality which witnesses to a striking independence, even though they may, to somo extent, be indebted to others ( for thought jand literary structure. As is natural'enough, two opposing views are held regarding this matter; it is maintained, on' the one hand, that the Hebrew psalinisfs were largely indebted to Babylonia and Egypt, and, 'on the other, that no • external influence is to be discerned in the Psalms. Sacred poetry is a irieans of expressing the Relationship between man and the Deity—tho naturo of the Deity may, for tho moment," be left aside; the belief in this relationship was conf nion to the Babylonians, Assyrians, Egyptians,' and others, as well as to the Hebrews'; all alike felt impelled to approach their deities with petitions for wants, with' the thanksgiving fori petitions granted, with prayers for | help in time of need and for averting ■ ■ evil, With the offering of propitiatory gifts, and also for the purpose of honouring them with praise. With such a-background common to all there would seem to bo no reason for postulating'any borrowing of ono from the other; the initial impulse was /universal.

On the other hand, whilo each individual race would, according to its own genius, in course of time build up its own literature of sacred lyrics, contact between ,tho peoples would_ bring to each some knowledge of their respective literatures; in such circumstances influence of some kind, conscious of unconscious, could hardly fail to exercise itself. And when, as in the case of Babylonia and Egypt, their literatures' wcro much : older than that of the Hebrews, it is within the bounds of probability that, in somo respects, the early Hebrew psalmists would, have been indebted to the more ancient compositions. AYe have, moreover, the analogy of Babylonian sacred legends and of the Egyptian and Babylonian -wisdom literature to go upon. ,

These are factors which should be taken into' consideration.

AH tho li.ooks of the Old Testament are examined in the light of modern knowledge and thought.