Arguing with God : a theological anthropology of the Psalms / Bernd Janowski ; translated by Armin Siedlecki.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Janowski, Bernd, 1943-

Contributor:

Siedlecki, Armin, translator.

Standardized Title:

Konfliktgespräche mit Gott. English

Language:

English

German

Subjects (All):

Bible. Psalms--Criticism, interpretation, etc.

Bible.

Bible. Psalms.

Theological anthropology.

Physical Description:

xxii, 430 pages : illustrations ; 23 cm

Edition:

First [edition].

Place of Publication:

Louisville, Kentucky : Westminster John Knox Press, 2013.

Contents:

1 Fundamental Questions of Old Testament Anthropology 3

a The Image of the Human Being 3

α Historical Anthropology 4

β Theological Anthropology 8

b The Language of Human Beings 14

α Stereometry 14

β Metaphors 22

2 The Psalms as Fundamental Anthropological Texts 36

a The Structure of the Psalms of Lament and Thanksgiving 39

b The Anthropology of Lament and Thanksgiving 46

Part 1 From Life to Death 55

3 "How long will you hide your face?" (Ps. 13:172): The Complaining Human Being 57

a The Hiddenness of God 57

α God Near and Distant 57

β Psalm 13 as a Case Study 59

γ Change of Mood 77

b Anthropological Keyword 1: Seeing and Hearing 85

α Primacy of Hearing? 86

β Seeing God 90

4 "Swords are on their lips" (Ps. 59:7/8): The Hostile Human Being 97

a The Incomprehensibility of Evil 97

α The Enemies of the Supplicant 97

β Psalm 59 as an Example 100

γ Animal Similes in the Enemy-Complaint 114

b Anthropological Keyword 2: Revenge 120

α Love for Enemy and Neighbor 122

β Revenge and Renunciation of Revenge 124

5 "Establish justice for me according to my righteousness, YHWH!" (Ps. 7:8/9): The Persecuted Human Being 128

a The Justification of the Righteous 128

α The God of Justice 128

β Psalm 7 as an Example 134

γ God as Judge among Israel's Neighbors 146

b Anthropological Keywords 3: Heart and Kidneys 155

α The Listening Heart 156

β "Who Tests Heart and Kidneys" 159

6 "When will he die and his name perish?" (Ps. 41:5/6): The Human Being in Sickness 163

a The Affliction of the Sick 163

α Sickness as Conflict 163

β Psalm 41 as a Case Study 169

γ Social Contempt in Ancient Israel 183

b Anthropological Keyword 4: Vitality 188

α The Living Nepeš 190

β The Nepeš of the Dead 197

Interlude: The Gate to the Abyss 199

1 Paul Klee, Outbreak of Fear 200

2 Paul Celan, "Psalm" 203

3 Paul Klee, The Gate to the Abyss 205

4 Franz Schubert, "With My Hot Tears" 207

Part 2 From Death to Life 209

7 "My life has touched the underworld" (Ps. 88:3/4): The Transitory Human Being 211

a The Experience of Death 211

α The End of Life 211

β Psalm 88 as a Case Study 218

γ Death Metaphors in the I-Complaint 236

b Anthropological Keyword 5: This Life and Afterlife 240

α From This Life to the Afterlife 242

β Return to This Life 244

8 "You have girded me with gladness" (Ps. 30:11/12): The Praising Human Being 248

a The Presence of Salvation 248

α The Meaning of Life 248

β Psalm 30 as a Case Study 251

γ Sacrifice and Cult in Ancient Israel 266

b Anthropological Keyword 6: Gratitude 275

α Acting for One Another 276

β Thanksgiving Song and Thanksgiving Sacrifice 278

9 "You show me the path of life" (Ps. 16:11): The Gifted Human Being 285

a The God of Life 285

α The Happiness of Nearness to God 285

β Psalm 16 as a Case Study 291

γ Old Testament Metaphors for Life 305

b Anthropological Keyword 7: Immortality 312

α Crossing the Boundary of Death 315

β The Immortality of the Relation with God 318

10 "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" (Ps. 22:1/2): God's Human Being 322

a Disputes with God 322

α Paradigmatic Experiences of Suffering 322

β Psalm 22 as a Paradigmatic Prayer 323

γ Jesus and the Psalms of Israel 329

b Anthropological Keyword 8: Psalm-Prayer 339

α The "Little Biblia" 341

β The "Book of Pure Spirituality" 344.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 351-416) and indexes.

ISBN:

9780664233235

0664233236

OCLC:

855263692