Wilson, the Qumran Psalms Scroll (11QPsa) and the Canonical Psalter

The Qumran Psalms Scro//(11 QPsa) and the Canonical Psalter: Comparison of Editorial Shaping

GERALD H. WILSON Western Evangelical Seminary Portland, OR 97281

DISCOVERY, early in 1956, of the Qumran Psalms Scroll (HQPsa), which contains apocryphal compositions interspersed with canonical psalms in a radically different order, has resulted in continuing debate concerning the scroll's status and authority, and concerning its relationship to the standard arrangement of 150 psalms known in the masoretic Psalter. Some have seen in the Psalms Scroll a "library edition" completely dependent on the masoretic arrangement and having no canonical authority of its own.1 For others, l lQPs a represents a "signpost in the multi-faceted history of the canonization" of the psalms, reflecting a time before the stabilization of the final third of the Psalter.2 It is not my present concern to debate these issues, since I have already done so elsewhere.3 My purpose here is to consider the editorial "shaping" of HQPs a as it relates to the growing body of

1 Patrick W. Skehan, "The Scrolls and the Old Testament Text," McCQ 21 (1968) 272-83.

See also M. H. Goshen-Gottstein, "The Psalms Scroll (1 lQPsa): A Problem of Canon and Text," Textus 5 (1966) 22-33.

2 James A. Sanders, The Dead Sea Psalms Scroll (Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press,

1967) 13. 3 Gerald H. Wilson, The Editing of the Hebrew Psalter (Chico, CA: Scholars, 1985) 63-

92; idem, "The Qumran Psalms Scroll Reconsidered: Analysis of the Debate," CBQ 47 (1985) 624-42.

448

QUMRAN PSALMS SCROLL 449

evidence for the purposeful editorial arrangement of the psalms in the canonical Psalter.

I. The Content of the Qumran Psalms Scroll The Qumran Psalms Scroll is composed of five connected leather sheets

with a combined length of almost thirteen feet.4 Together with a series of five related fragments,5 the scroll contains the remnants of thirty-four columns of text that preserve parts of fifty-one compositions: forty psalms known from the masoretic Psalter, and eleven other compositions of which seven were previously known to scholars, some in other parts of canonical Scripture (2 Sam 23:1-7; Catena; Sir 51:13-20,30), and others in related literature (the Syriac Psalms 151 A, 15IB, 154, and 155). The remaining four compositions (Plea for Deliverance; Apostrophe to Zion; Hymn to the Creator; David's Compositions) were completely unknown before the discovery of this scroll. As can be seen from table 1, the scroll intersperses these "apocryphal" compo-sitions with those known from the canonical Psalter and arranges the forty masoretic psalms in a new and unexpected order.6 In table 1, material included between square brackets, [ ] , is restored on the basis of the MT and con-firmed by considerations of space on the scroll. Material within parentheses, ( ), is restored on the basis of the MT alone, because at those places spatial considerations are impossible to make on the basis of the scroll.

4 Sanders, Dead Sea Psalms Scroll, 6.

5 Ibid., 6, 155-65. Four fragments, A, B, C, and D, were purchased along with the

connected scroll or were uncovered in archaeological investigation of Cave 11. One large frag-ment containing parts of three columns (fragment E) was purchased independently by Yigael Yadin, who first identified its relationship to the larger scroll.

6 I employ the term "masoretic psalms" (rather than "canonical psalms") to avoid making

value judgments regarding the canonical status of these psalms in the position which they have in 1 lQPsa. It is not clear that there was a fixed canon of this portion of the Psalter at this time. By my use of this term I imply nothing about the authority of these psalms but simply indicate that these are psalms which we now know as parts of the canonical Psalter. The sequence of four psalms included in this list (118, 104, 147, 105) is taken from the large fragment E published in Sanders, Dead Sea Psalms Scroll, 155-65, and collated in that volume (pp. 144-45), in Sanders's list of the contents of HQPsa. Fragment E does not appear in the standard reference volume, J. A. Sanders, The Psalm Scroll of Qumrn Cave 11 (DJD 4; London: Oxford University Press, 1965). For the inclusion of these psalms at this point of 1 lQPsa, see the comments of Sanders, Dead Sea Psalms Scroll, 156, and of Wilson, Editing of the Hebrew Psalter, 109. Fragment E concludes with Ps 105:11, while col. 1 of the Psalms Scroll begins with Ps 105:25.

450 THE CATHOLIC BIBLICAL QUARTERLY I 59, 1997

Table 1 Components of 11 QPsa (with Their Superscriptions and Postscripts) Psalm Superscription Postscript

101 [TIDT TITV] 102 o >ay[V nVon]

[ w v TiDtp 103 [mV] 109 (TIT TTTV nxaoV) 118 (aro "a nwV mn) aio *D mrrV [mn] 104 TTtV TiVVn 147 [?] [rnVVn] 105 aw *a mnV mn (TiVVn) 146 [?] TiVVn 148 No superscription (rnVVn) [120] (mVyan T V ) 121 mVyon T V 122 TTTV rnVyon T V 123 mVyaV TTTV T V 124 (TnV mVyon T V ) 125 [mVyon T V ] 126 mVyon T V 127 riDiVvV [mVyan T V ] 128 (mVyon T V ) 129 [mVyon T V ] 130 mVyon T V 131 [TTTV mVyon T V ] 132 (mVyan T V ) 119 No superscription No postscript 135 No superscription TiVVn 136 aio mrrV mn No postscript Catena mo *a mrrV mn aw a mrrV mn

TiVVn... 145 TnV nVon pnatV 154 ? ? Plea for Deliverance ? ? 139 (TIT TTTV nxaV) 137 No superscription No postscript 138 TTlV No postscript Sir 51:13-20,30 No superscription No postscript

Continued on next page


Table 1Continued

Psalm Superscription Postscript Apostrophe to Zion No superscription No postscript 93 TiVVn m 144 No superscription No postscript 155 No superscription [?] 142 rvrna TTTV VOV)

(nVsn myoa No postscript

143 THV TOT m 149 [?] rnVVn 150 No superscription " Hymn to the Creator No superscription [?] 2 Sam 23:1-7 m No postscript David's Compositions No superscription No postscript 140 TTTV TTJD nsaoV [?] 134 (mVyan T V ) No postscript 151A w TTTV n^ iVVn No postscript 151B m[i]aa nVnn

invv T[m]V D*mVx K^ aa

m

The fact that the masoretic psalms appearing in H Q P s a are all part of the final two books of the masoretic Psalter (book 4 with Psalms 90-106; book 5 with Psalms 107-50) is suggestive. The preponderance of evidence at Qumran for variation from the masoretic ordering of the psalms comes precisely in these latter books.7 Sanders was the first, to my knowledge, to describe the canonization of the Psalter as a gradual process from beginning to end. In his view, HQPs a represents a moment before final stabilization when the first three books (Psalms 1-89) were already fixed but the last two books were still in a state of flux.8 While this observation is somewhat over-simplified, it still has much merit, and it serves to focus our attention on the fact that H Q P s a is roughly parallel to masoretic Psalms 90-150.

With this idea of rough parity in mind, we realize that for our under-standing of the editorial purposes behind both these collections the list of masoretic psalms not included in the Psalm Scroll may assume as much significance as the list of apocryphal compositions not found in the masoretic Psalter. Certainly, for understanding an author's purposes, what she does not say can be as important as what she does say. What the editors of 1 lQPs a do include and what they do not include are both important indications of

7 Wilson, Editing of the Hebrew Psalter, 116-21; idem, "The Qumran Psalms Scrolls and

the Consecutive Arrangement of Psalms in the Hebrew Psalter," CBQ 45 (1983) 377-88. 8 Sanders, Dead Sea Psalms Scroll, 13-14.


intent, especially when the result is compared with the alternative selection and grouping of contents in the relatively contemporaneous masoretic Psalter. Table 2 indicates which psalms, of masoretic Psalms 90-150, are not included in the Qumran Psalms Scroll as well as those that are included.

Table 2 Masoretic Psalms 90-150 Not Included {and Included) in UQpsa

Not Included Included

(a) Psalms 90-92 (e) Psalm 93

(b) Psalms 94-100 (f) Psalms 101-5

(c) Psalms 106-8 (g) Psalm 109

(d) Psalms 110-17 (h) Psalms 118-50

Please remember that the masoretic psalms that are included in 1 lQPsa do not appear in their canonical order, and so the "omissions" (the masoretic psalms that are not included) are not as obvious as the table implies.

A. Masoretic Psalms Not Included in HQPsa As table 2 clearly shows, the masoretic psalms not included in the Psalms

Scroll fall into four groups, a, b, c, and d. Groups a and c are significant in that they fall precisely at the "seams"

marking the transition from the third to the fourth book of the Psalter and from the fourth to the fifth books. Since "seam" psalms are frequently employed to give editorial shape to collections, and since considerable evidence exists to suggest that the first three books of the masoretic Psal-ter developed independently of the last two books and only later were combined into their presently known form, the absence of these important psalms from the Psalms Scroll signals an editorial purpose different from that of the masoretic Psalter.9

Group b, Psalms 94-100, likewise relates to the fourth book of the Psalter and forms its central and thematic core: the yhwh mlak collection. David M. Howard has shown that Psalms 95 and 100 form an intentional inclusio around the central yhwh mlak psalms, and that numerous thematic and linguistic links serve to bind this group of psalms together into a coherent

9 Wilson, Editing of the Hebrew Psalter, 207-14; idem,"The Use of Royal Psalms at the

'Seams' of the Hebrew Psalter," JSOT 35 (1986) 85-94; idem, "The Shape of the Book of Psalms," Int 46 (1992) 129-42; idem, "Shaping the Psalter: A Consideration of Editorial Linkage in the Book of Psalms," The Shape and Shaping of the Psalter (JSOTSup 159; ed. J. C. McCann; Sheffield: JSOT Press, 1993) 72-82.


whole.10 Elsewhere I have suggested that exactly these psalms constitute the "editorial heart" of the final form of the masoretic Psalter.11

The yhwh mlak psalms celebrate the kingship of Yhwh who sits enthroned upon the praises of his people. He alone is eternal king, powerful to save. Human rulers are doomed to fail, and Israel is counseled to place her trust only in Yhwh. In the masoretic Psalter, this group of psalms is prefaced by the introductory Psalms 90-92 (missing in the Psalms Scroll) with their links to Moses and the premonarchical period of direct rulership of Yhwh, and the group is concluded by the transitional Psalms 106-8 (also missing) with their recognition of the failure of the Davidic kingship in the exile. The centrally placed yhwh mlak psalms offered a distinct challenge to any reader who would place exclusive hope in the restoration of the human Davidic kingship.

Without these important, central psalms, HQPsa takes on a character very different from that of the masoretic Psaltera character that de-empha-sizes one of the most dominant themes of the canonical Psalter: the kingship of Yhwh. I will return to this difference when I consider the effects of the shaping of the Psalms Scroll on its overall meaning.

Group d, Psalms 110-17, is also an important structural element in the final form of the masoretic Psalter. With the exception of Psalm 110, all the psalms in this group are hall-yah psalms.12 The bulk of this group (Psalms 113-17) was part of the Egyptian Hallel used in the Passover liturgy, in which Psalms 113-14 were recited before the meal and Psalms 115-18 afterwards. As I have argued elsewhere, hall-yah groupings like this were employed to mark the conclusion of segments within the last two books of the masoretic Psalter.13

These psalms, furthermore, share a set of common themes and verbal connections that link them together. These themes, reflecting "wisdom" con-cerns and introducing a hope for a new "exodus" from exile, are part of the final redactional layer shaping the masoretic Psalter.14 Once again, the absence of this group of psalms from HQPsa certainly gives that scroll a character distinct from that of the canonical Psalter.

B. Compositions Present in HQpsa That Are Not Present in the Masoretic Psalter

Within the constraints of this article it would be impossible to undertake a complete analysis of each of the eleven compositions included in HQPsa

10 David M. Howard, The Structure of Psalms 93-100 (Ph.D. diss., University of Michi-

gan, 1986; available from University Microfilms International, Ann Arbor, MI). 11

Wilson, Editing of the Hebrew Psalter, 214-19. 12

This assumes that Psalm 114 is to be read as part of Psalm 115 as I have argued, ibid., 132-33.

13 Wilson, "Shape of the Book of Psalms," 131-32.

14 Wilson, "Shaping the Psalter," 75-82.


that do not also appear in the masoretic Psalter. Rather, I will limit myself to a series of observations about the character of these compositions and about the ways in which our understanding of their character might illumine our understanding of the shaping of the Psalms Scroll in comparison to the Psalter of the MT.

First, it is clear that many of these works bear the marks of the sapien-tial tradition. Psalm 154, Sir 51:13-20,30, and the Hymn to the Creator are all manifestly wisdom psalms, while the Apostrophe to Zion employs the alphabetic acrostic form often associated with the biblical wisdom tradition. In addition, both 2 Sam 23:1-7 and the prose insert, David's Compositions, link wisdom inspiration and prowess to David as composer and prophet.15 In light of growing evidence of the significant roles given to psalms influ-enced by wisdom in the editorial framework of the masoretic Psalter,16 the appearance of so many "new" wisdom compositions in HQPsa is striking confirmation of the continued importance of sapiential compositions in giving shape to collections of psalms even at a late date.

Equally striking is the Davidic emphasis associated with these psalms. References to David pile up especially towards the end of the scroll. The final segment of the scroll both begins (2 Samuel 23; David's Compositions) and ends (Psalms 151 A; 15IB) with works attributed to David, son of Jesse, or concerned with him. In addition to these new compositions, at least two of the masoretic psalms that appear in HQPsa (Psalms 104 and 123) are provided with Davidic superscriptions which they do not have in their masoretic form.

These Davidic elements in 1 lQPsa are partially offset, since at least two of the masoretic psalms with Davidic superscriptions (Psalms 108 and 110) do not appear in the Psalms Scroll, and a third (Psalm 144) appears without its masoretic attribution to David. The result of these variations is that while the number of Davidic compositions in 1 lQPsa (sixteen) is only one less than their number in the last two books of the masoretic Psalter (seventeen), the overall Davidic character of the scroll is heightened, because it contains fewer compositions altogether (51 vs. 61). Davidic compositions make up 31.1 percent of the scroll's contents, in contrast to only 27.8 percent of the masoretic Psalter.

Two other significant themes characterize this group of additional psalms: an awareness of human sin and weakness, and the contrasted theme of Yhwh's powerful trustworthiness to save. The Catena of verses from Psalm 118 ap-pearing immediately after the conclusion of Psalm 136 with its repeated

15 See Sanders's remarks, Dead Sea Psalms Scroll, 134-35.

16 See Wilson, "Shaping the Psalter," 78-82.


refrain of Yhwh's enduring love drives both points home with frequent repe-tition: "The right hand of Yhwh does valiantly, the right hand of Yhwh is exalted, the right hand of Yhwh has wrought strength! It is better to trust in Yhwh than to put confidence in man. It is better to take refuge in Yhwh than to put confidence in princes. It is better to trust in Yhwh than to put confi-dence in a thousand people."

Human sinfulness figures prominently in the Plea for Deliverance and in Psalm 155; it also receives attention in Psalm 154, a wisdom psalm as well as in the Apostrophe to Zion, where the psalmist expresses hope for the removal of "violence,... falsehood, and evil" from the midst of Zion, acknowl-edging that "man is tested according to his way," and "every man is requited according to his deeds." These themes are well known in the masoretic Psalter, and they are especially important in the formative psalms of the last two books. I will return to consider how these themes are utilized in the final shaping of the Psalms Scroll.

II. Superscriptions and Postscripts in the Qumran Psalms Scroll Studies of the masoretic Psalter have shown how designations of author

and terms designating genre are employed in the first three books to mark boundaries between groups of psalms or, in some instances, to soften the transition between groups. In the last two books, to which the Psalms Scroll is roughly parallel, groupings by author and genre are infrequent (with the notable exception of the maclot psalms), and divisions are indicated by groups of hall-yah and hd psalms which conclude and open segments.17

A. Macalt and Davidic Psalms An examination of the superscriptions of the fifty-one compositions of

the Psalms Scroll reveals few significant groupings by genre or author. Two clear exceptions are the maclot psalms and those attributed to David.18 Even the macalt collection fails to achieve complete unity here, since Psalms 133 and 134, with their superscriptions intact, are far removed from the main collection as well as from one another.

Similarly, the eighteen psalms with Davidic superscriptions are scattered throughout the scroll rather than grouped all together. Davidic psalms stand at the scroll's beginning (Psalm 101) and ending (Psalms 151 A; 15IB). Occa-sional pairs and a single group of three consecutive psalms (122; 123; 124)

17 Wilson, Editing of the Hebrew Psalter, 163-67.

18 Other than David, only Solomon is mentioned in a superscription in 1 lQPsa, where he

appears (as in the MT) as the author of the maclt Psalm 127.


bear ledwid in their titles. Further clarity is impossible because of the deterioration of the bottom edge of the scroll and the resultant loss of the initial lines of many compositions. Nineteen superscriptions in 1 lQPsa have been restored on the basis of the MT. A little more than half (ten) can be confidently restored on the basis of spatial considerations. For the remaining nine, restoration is more problematic.

While caution should be observed in making too much of the arrange-ment of superscriptions dependent on such extensive restoration, the distri-bution of Davidic psalms throughout the scroll seems clear. Two apocryphal compositions with clear Davidic connections (2 Samuel 23 and David's Com-positions) bring the total to twenty-one. Sanders, in his first publication of the Psalms Scroll, strongly emphasized the Davidic character of the collec-tion,19 and it seems difficult to escape the conclusion that the intent of the editors was to cast an aura of Davidic authority over the whole text by expanding Davidic superscriptions, by distributing Davidic psalms through-out the collection, and above all by including the prose composition praising David's role as psalmist extraordinary.

B. Hall-yah and Hd Psalms One final group of psalms deserves comment: halelu-yh and hd

psalms. In the masoretic Psalter, groups of halelu-yh psalms serve to close segments of the last two books, while hd psalms open new segments. Here in 1 lQPsaa, groups of halelu-yh and hd psalms may also mark bounda-ries between segments of the scroll. There is no clear evidence, however, of a functional distinction between halelu-yh psalms (for closing segments) and hd psalms (for opening segments) in 1 lQPsa. In some groups no hd psalms appear, while in others, hd and halelu-yh psalms are indescrimi-nately mixed together.

The halelu-yh and hd groupings are apparent at significant points of the scroll. One such group, a hd psalm followed by five halelu-yh psalms, concludes the first segment just prior to the beginning of the maclot collec-tion (see this groupPsalm 118 followed by Psalms 104; 147; 105; 146; 148in table 1). Again, after the maclt psalms and Psalm 119 a group of three halelu-yh and hd psalms signals the conclusion of the second seg-ment (see this group of threePsalms 135; 136; Catenain table 1). In both these instances there is no clear distinction of function between halelu-yh and hd psalms, for some hd psalms also bear halelu-yh postscripts. In the 150 masoretic Psalms, such a combination within a single psalm occurs only in Psalm 106.

19 Sanders, Dead Sea Psalms Scroll, 14, 18, 134-35; see also Wilson, Editing of the

Hebrew Psalter, 130-31.


A third example is found in Psalms 149 and 150 just prior to the final segment of the scroll introduced by the Hymn to the Creator, 2 Samuel 23, and the prose piece David's Compositions. In this circumstance, I am per-suaded that the hymn originally possessed a halelu-yh postscript that has disappeared in the lacuna at the bottom of col. 26. The contents are com-patible with halelu-yh psalms, and the inclusion of the hymn as part of the preceding halelu-yh grouping would allow the final segment to begin most appropriately with the last words of David, son of Jesse, from 2 Sam 23:1-7.

Other halelu-yh psalms in the scroll stand singly and in somewhat anomalous conditions. A halelu-yh superscription appears with Psalm 93 (contrary to the MT and to the normal practice of using halelu-yh in post-scripts in HQPsa),20 and again with Psalm 151 A. In the former case, the superscription appears vaguely out of place in this yhwh mlak psalm, al-though the content in praise of the power of God does seem appropriate. Psalm 151A is even more unusual, since there the phrase halelu-yh ldawd seems to be a classification of genre rather than a communal call to worship.

C. Other Terms Designating Genre in the Superscriptions of HQpsa Designations of genre other than those mentioned in the previous dis-

cussion are meagre indeed in the Psalms Scroll The most common one, mizrnor, does occur six times, in the superscriptions of Psalms 101; 109; 139; 141; 143; 140 (never consecutively). Three instances of tpill are scattered widely through the scroll (in Psalms 102; 145; 142).21 Three occurrences of lamnassah are similarly distributed. The only other term designating genre, maskl appears but once. As a result, it seems that apart from the Davidic psalms, the macalot psalms, and the halelu-yh and hd psalms, genre plays little role in the organizational structure of the Psalms Scroll.

D. The Postscript of Psalm 145 Apart from the liturgical instruction to praise Yhwh appended at the

end of the halelu-yh psalms, only one true postscript appears in HQPsa. The fragmentary conclusion to Psalm 145 includes the phrase zwDt Izkrwn

20 It is interesting that in 1 lQPsa halelu-yh appears for the most part in postscripts rather

than superscriptions. The impression is strengthened by the fact that Psalms 135; 148; 150, the three psalms which in the masoretic Psalter bear halelu-yh superscriptions as well as post-scripts, appear in HQPsa with postscripts only. A fourth case, that of Psalm 149, is unclear, because the beginning of the psalm is lost in the lacuna at the bottom of col. 25. The two exceptions are the rather uncomfortable halelu-yh superscription appended to Psalm 93 and the halelu-yh superscription that has become a designation of genre in Psalm 151 A.

21 The occurrence in Psalm 142 is curious. It stands awkwardly in a superscription in

which the name of another genre appears {maskl at the beginning). Further, the position of the term following the historical note about David is unusual.


unknown in the masoretic version. Since the only true postscript in the masoretic Psalter (72:20, klw tplwt dwyd bn ysy) appears to conclude a preceding section, it would be reasonable to assume a similar function of Psalm 145's postscript in 1 lQPsa. Here, however, the psalm and its postscript follow a major grouping of halelu-yh and hd compositions (Psalms 135; 136; Catena) that also have a concluding function in the masoretic Psalter. It seems best to conclude that these halelu-yh and hd psalms and the postscript of Psalm 145 all participate in closing the preceding segment of the scroll.22

III. Segments Produced in HQPs a

In what follows, I offer a brief description of the segments produced in the Qumran Psalms Scroll by these various editorial indicators. A few re-marks are also in order concerning the thematic links and structural elements that provide shape and cohesion to the scroll.

Five groups of psalms are apparent, set off by halelu-yh or hd conclusions as indicated below. (In what follows, hi/ or hd\ = halelu-yh or hd as the psalm's superscription, hi or hd - halelu-yh or hd as the psalm's postscript, and ps = postscript.)

A. Segment One The first segment is composed of ten psalms which are structurally

subdivided into three groups of three psalms each, with each group con-cluded by one of three psalms (Psalms 103; 104; 146) that begin with similar lines ("Bless [or "praise"] Yhwh, O my soul"). The whole segment is con-cluded by Psalm 148, a halelu-yh psalm.

Group 1: Psalms 101; 102; 103 Group 2: Psalms 109; 118 (hd/hd); 104 (hi) Group 3: Psalms 147 (hl/hl); 105 (hd/hl); 146 (hl/hl) Conclusion of the segment: Psalm 148 (hl/hl)

22 In the masoretic Psalter, Psalm 145 marks the conclusion of the fifth book and the

whole Psalter, with the final hallel in Psalms 146-50 springing forth in response to 145:21. In some senses the postscript of Psalms 145 in HQPsa seems appropriate for such a concluding function. If we knew to what the "memorial" in this Qumran postscript referred (something lost forever in the lacuna at the bottom of the column), we would better understand, perhaps, why the postscript does not appear in the MT. In the MT's superscription, the use of the term nVnn, rather than 1 lQPsa's nVon, seems to be related both to the presence of the term in the final verse of the psalm ('D13T mrr nVnn) and to the Hebrew title of the whole collection of psalms (D*Vnn).


Thematically, the whole segment builds on the interplay of lament and praise for deliverance common to the first half of the masoretic psalter. Psalm 102 calls for divine deliverance and introduces the hope for Yhwh's ultimate restoration of the fortunes of Jerusalem, a theme that returns prominently throughout HQPsa. In the concluding Psalm 148, all creation praises Yhwh in response to the call of Psalm 146 that precedes. In addition, this final psalm sounds a hopeful theme with its assertion that "he [God] has raised up a horn for his people" (v 14). Stated here in general terms, this hope for a saving horn appears with more specificity in segment two (in Psalm 132) and is encountered again in segment three (in Psalm 154). The overall movement of this first segment is from lament for Jerusalem and pleading for deliverance, through confident thanksgiving for its ultimate restoration, to conclusion with the hope for the horn God is raising up for his people.

B. Segment Two The second segment is the largest segment of 1 lQpsa and is made up of

eighteen psalms, the first thirteen being the maclot Psalms 120-32 in their canonical order. These are then followed (rather than preceded, as in the canonical Psalter) by the long acrostic Psalm 119, which is itself followed by a concluding group of four psalms with halelu-yh or hd (Psalms 135; 136; Catena; 145). Once again further internal grouping is apparentthis time a fivefold division marked by psalms concerned with peace and restoration in Zion or Jerusalem (Psalms 122; 125; 128; 132).

Of maclt: Psalms 120; 121; 122 (Zion-Jerusalem psalm) Psalms 123; 124; 125 (Zion-Jerusalem psalm) Psalms 126; 127; 128 (Zion-Jerusalem psalm) Psalms 129; 130; 131; 132 (Zion-Jerusalem psalm)

Acrostic: Psalm 119 With halelu-yh or hd: Psalms 135 (hl/hl); 136 (hd/hd); Catena (hd/hl); 145 (ps)

While this focus on the peace and restoration of Zion or Jerusalem is part of the canonical collection omacalt psalms as well, its appearance in HQpsa is far from fortuitous. Similar concern has already been encountered in the first segment, is strongly present in the third segment, and is more lightly displayed in the fourth and fifth segments as well.

Thematically, the second segment begins with a lamenting cry for deliver-ance (Psalm 120). The psalmist is "dwelling among those who hate peace." Following a psalm of assurance of divine deliverance (Psalm 121), the first subsection concludes with a call to pray for the peace of Jerusalem (Psalm 122). A similiar pattern is followed in the three psalms of the second subsection.


Psalm 123 begins with a cry for deliverance; this is followed by an expression of confidence and trust in Yhwh (Psalm 124) and by additional assurance that Zion or Jerusalem will stand firm and be protected (Psalm 125). This second subsection concludes with the proclamation "peace be in Israel!"

The three psalms that follow in the third subsection continue this focus on peace in Zion. Psalm 126 is a celebration of the restoration of Zion, with a call for further restoration. In Psalm 127, Solomon models appropriate depen-dence on Yhwh, while Psalm 128 encourages those who "fear Yhwh" with assurance that the result of their obedience will be joy, prosperity, and blessing from Yhwh who resides in Zion or Jerusalem. Like the preceding subsection, this grouping concludes with the thematic phrase "peace be in Israel!"

A return to a cry for deliverance and a curse on "those who hate Zion" mark the beginning of the fourth subsection (Psalm 129). Psalm 130 modu-lates this opening cry into patient assurance and trust in Yhwh's unfailing love and great power to deliver. In the beautiful Psalm 131, David's childlike trust and dependence on Yhwh becomes the basis from which to call Israel to "hope in Yhwh, now and forevermore." The subsection concludes with a celebration of Yhwh's choice of Zion as his dwelling place and a resumption of the horn theme, now linked specifically with David.

The fifth and final subsection is composed of the extended acrostic meditation on the Torah, Psalm 119. The very size of this composition accords it a prominent role in the second segment of 1 lQPsa. The placement of this psalm after the maclt psalms rather than before them as in the canonical psalter has a significant effect. Rather than Torah precipitating pilgrimage to Jerusalem and the temple, pilgrimage, in effect, leads to the Torah.

The second segment concludes with an extended grouping of halelu-yh and hd psalms (Psalms 135; 136; Catena; 145). The group begins with praise and assurance from those standing in the house of Yhwh that Yhwh's power is effective against the nations, and with a blessing on "Yhwh from Zion," on him "who dwells in Jerusalem."

The hd Psalms 136 and Catena offer thanksgiving for divine resto-ration and assurance or trust in Yhwh. The repeated refrain of Psalm 136 drives home the message that Israel's hope rests firmly on the enduring love of God. The final psalm (Psalm 145) continues this theme of trust and assur-ance, grounding its hope in Yhwh's eternal kingdom. In 1 lQPsa, this psalm exhibits a recurring refrain that does not appear in the masoretic psalm. Like the refrain of Psalm 136, this phrase is repeated after each half verse: "Blessed be Yhwh, and blessed be his name for ever and ever." The psalm and the segment are concluded by the only postscript extant in the Psalms Scroll: "This is for a memorial." The meaning and purpose of this postscript remain


enigmatic, but it does seem to mark a shift toward a "wisdom coloring" in the last three segments of the scroll, as will be shown in what follows.

C. Segment Three The third segment consists of eight psalms, of which four are not found

in the masoretic Psalter. Of these four, two (Psalm 154; Sir 51:13-20,30) were already known from the Apocrypha and from Syriac translations of the Psalter, while the other two (Plea for Deliverance and Apostrophe to Zion) were completely unknown.23

Introduction: Psalm 154 Subsection 1: Plea for Deliverance; Psalms 139; 137 (Zion-Jerusalem psalm) Subsection 2: Psalm 138; Sir 51:13-20,30; Apostrophe to Zion Conclusion: Psalm 93 (hi/ )

Structurally, this segment begins with an introductory wisdom psalm (Psalm 154) reintroducing the horn theme first noted in the conclusion of segment 1 (Psalm 148) and continued in segment 2 (Psalm 132). In this psalm, the hope for a delivering horn is connected with another theme prominent in the Psalms Scroll, that of Jerusalem and Zion. We hear that "[God] establishes a horn out of Jacob," that "he [God] will spread his tent in Zion and abide forever in Jerusalem."

Segment three concludes with a halelu-yh composition (Psalm 93) cele-brating with assurance the establishment of Yhwh's reign and its stabilizing effects on the world. Because of God's kingly presence and firm decrees, the earth is immovable and the holiness of his house is assured "forevermore." The halelu-yh postscript is not part of the masoretic tradition of this psalm, but it appropriately fits this composition for its function as a conclusion.

Between the introduction and the conclusion, the segment is divided into two segments of three psalms each. The structural division is suggested by the return to the Jerusalem-Zion theme at the end of each subsection, the first time (Psalm 137) in bitter lament, but the second time in assurance of restora-tion (Apostrophe to Zion).

A more subtle element of structure in this segment is the appearance of compositions influenced by the wisdom tradition at the segment's beginning and toward its end. Psalm 154 recounts with approval the role of wisdom in revealing the glory of God and praises her righteous voice leading her fol-lowers to meditate on the Law. Toward the end of the segment, the acrostic

23 Sanders (Dead Sea Psalms Scroll, 91-137) discusses in detail the provenance of these

extracanonical psalms.


poem from Sirach 51 returns to the wisdom theme by sketching out the desirability of wisdom in almost erotic terms and encouraging readers to pursue her with diligence. Less clearly sapiential in content, but linked to Sirach 51 by the use of the acrostic form common to wisdom compositions, the Apostrophe to Zion pronounces blessings on Zion and calls for the purging of violence from her streets.

Thematically, the segment moves from opening assurance that God will restore Jerusalem-Zion and establish a delivering horn (Psalm 154) to reali-zation of dependence on Yhwh and a plea for deliverance from personal sin (Plea for Deliverance). Psalm 139 then stakes out a position in alignment with the integrity of Yhwh which enables the psalmist to rest assured of God's opposition to the wicked. The first subsection concludes in lament acknowledging the present reality of the destruction of Jerusalem (Psalm 137).

A Davidic psalm of thanksgiving (Psalm 138) opens the second sub-section with assurance that "all kings of the earth will praise Yhwh" and that "Yhwh will accomplish his purpose for [David]." Then Sir 51:13-20,30 coun-sels the single-minded pursuit of wisdom and the Apostrophe to Zion envi-sions a restored and blessed Jerusalem, or Zion, purged of violence. Coupled with the statements in the opening Psalm 154 that wisdom intends to reveal God's glory and might and that the righteous will pursue the Law, these last two compositions may be suggesting that single-minded devotion to the Law (which in Sirach is identified with wisdom) is the appropriate path to follow toward the restoration of the hopes of Israel and Jerusalem. The segment concludes on a positive note of assurance and stability (Psalm 93).

D. Segment Four The fourth segment is dominated by pleas for deliverance. Of the nine

compositions in this segment, five of the first six (Psalms 141; 144; 155; 142; 143) cry out for deliverance and mercy from Yhwh. The last three psalms form the halelu-yh conclusion of this segment, beginning with a call to the children of Zion to praise Yhwh for deliverance from their enemies (Psalm 149) and shifting quickly and decisively to universal praise for the creative power and ongoing sustenance of God (Psalm 150; a Hymn to the Creator).

Psalms 141; 133; 144; 155; 142; 143 Conclusion: Psalms 149 (/hi); 150 (/hi); Hymn to the Creator (/?) Beyond this, it is difficult to discern any structural elements organizing

this segment. The phrase "sing a new song" to Yhwh does appear in Psalms 144 and 149, with the first occurrence representing David's response to oppres-sion by his enemies, while the second may call Israel to follow David's example, thus precipitating the concluding praise in the final three psalms of the segment.


Additionally, throughout segment 4 it is stressed that Yhwh is Israel's "refuge" from her enemies (Psalms 141; 144; 142; 143), a theme appearing neither before nor after this group of psalms in the Psalms Scroll.

E. Segment Five The fifth segment brings together six literary works, four of them (2 Sam-

uel 23; David's Compositions; Psalms 151 A; 15IB) absent from the maso-retic Psalter. Structurally, four works (two at the beginning, and two at the end) which emphasize David's divine selection and gifting surround a Davi-dic plea for deliverance from evil men (Psalm 140) and an assurance of blessing by Yhwh from Zion (Psalm 134).

David's selection and gifting: 2 Samuel 23; David's Compositions Davidic plea for deliverance: Psalm 140 Yhwh's blessing from Zion: Psalm 134 David's selection and gifting: Psalms 151 A; 15IB

The first two of these six works are related by internal connections and expansions. The opening passage, though fragmentary, probably consisted of the "last words of David" taken from 2 Sam 23:1-7. There, David is described as God's anointed through whom the spirit of Yhwh spoke (an allusion to prophetic inspiration), as the singer of Israel's psalms, and as a man "like the light of morning at sunrise" because of his just rule. The second work (David's Compositions) picks up and expands the last two of these themes when it describes David as "wise," as "a light like the light of the sun," and goes on to enumerate the number of psalms and other songs that he had composed (a total of 4,050). The prophetic character of David and of his utterances is explicitly affirmed as well when we are told that David's compo-sitions were the result of "prophecy which was given him from before the Most High."

While the fragmentary nature of the end of the Psalms Scroll makes certainty impossible, this concluding segment seems to focus mainly on David as the foundation of Israel's hope for restoration.

IV. Conclusion A few concluding observations can be made about the effect produced

by the shaping of the Qumran Psalms Scroll as a whole. In the most general sense, the focus of the collection is on the lamentable situation of Jerusalem and the need for divine deliverance.

In the first two segments, lament over Jerusalem or Zion is resolved into hope in the horn that Yhwh is raising up. This hope is specifically identified with David in the second segment, which supports a nationalistic, messianic


interpretation of this hope. It is most interesting, on the one hand, that the central yhwh mlak psalms of the masoretic Psalter do not appear here. The result is that the status of the Davidic messiah is greatly enhanced in the scroll, since the kingship of Yhwh plays a much less prominent role in it. On the other hand, it is interesting to note that immediately after the identification of the "horn" with David in the second segment, the balancing focus on the Torah is introduced by the placement of Psalm 119as the culmination of fervent pilgrimage, so to speak, for in the scroll it follows the maclot psalms.

This tendency continues in the third segment, where initial mention of the horn is quickly modulated into encouragement to seek the wisdom or Torah through which the divine presence is revealed and mediated, with the result that bitter lament (Psalm 137) can be resolved in praise (Apostrophe to Zion). This refocusing seems to imply that the condition for deliverance by the horn is diligent commitment to the wise way of Torah. Obedience will lead to deliverance.

In the fourth segment, initial lament and plea for deliverance shift gradually to praise for deliverance realized, and finally to universal praise of the creator and sustainer of all (Psalms 149; 150; Hymn to the Creator).

The concluding segment of the scroll reaffirms the role of David in the deliverance of Jerusalem or Zion. In contrast to the masoretic Psalter, where we see David yielding finally to the kingship of Yhwh (Psalms 145; 146), and where the concluding focus (in Psalms 146-50) is clearly on the kingly rule of Yhwh grounded firmly in his creative power, the Qumran Psalms Scroll concludes with its vision and hopes firmly focused on the Davidic king. He is divinely selected and gifted, and he remains the sure foundation of Israel's hope for restoration.

This comparative investigation of the shape of the Qumran Psalms Scroll and its relation to the masoretic Psalter has demonstrated an interesting compatibility of methods employed to arrange and shape these collections. The use of halelu-yh and hd groupings, postscripts, repeated phrases, and thematic connections to provide structure and development draws these two collections of psalms together.

On the other hand, the motivating vision driving the shaping process sets the masoretic Psalter and the Psalms Scroll apart. A common hope for deliver-ance and restoration is resolved in distinctive ways. In the Qumran Psalms Scroll hopes are focused on the "horn" whom Yhwh will raise out of Jesse in response to his people's wise and diligent obedience to Torah. In the masoretic Psalter, though the place of Torah is acknowledged (Psalms 1; 19; 119) and David is honored, trust in the power of human kings and kingship is ultimately given up, and hopes rest solely on Yhwh, who rules forever, and who alone is able to save.

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Wilson, the Qumran Psalms Scroll (11QPsa) and the Canonical Psalter

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