Journey Through the Psalms

Journey Through the Psalms. Revised edition. By Denise Dombkowski Hopkins. St. Louis: Chalice Press, 2002. 176 pages.

The focus of this volume is Christian praxis. For this reason, some of the most seminal academic analyses of Psalms are rarely referred to (for example, Gunkel's contributions to the Psalms). Moreover, there are no detailed discussions of the composite nature of the Psalms, the diverse Sitz im Leben of the Psalms, or various attempts at dating this diverse corpus (although Hopkins does refer briefly to all of these issues). Furthermore, there are no indices of subjects, authors, or scripture. However, it would not be accurate to state that this volume is bereft of solid scholarship; there are indeed references to (and dependence upon) some of the finest contemporary biblical scholars (for example, James Crenshaw, Walter Brueggemann, Shaye Cohen, Patrick Miller, and Jon Levenson).

During the initial components of this volume, Hopkins aptly notes that the New Testament writers frequently cited Psalms. She affirms that the Book of Psalms is cited more often in the canonical gospels than any other book of the Hebrew Bible. In addition, she argues that the canonical psalms were frequently used within early Christian worship (cf, 1 Cor 14:26; Col 3:16-17). One of the most welcome (if perforce brief) components of this volume is the discussion of the use of the biblical Psalms during the Patristic period. For example, she notes that Tertullian described early Christian worship with the following words: "the scriptures are read and the psalms sung, sermons are delivered and petitions offered" (18). She states that Clement of Alexandria and Origen made similar statements. Moreover, she refers to the fact that Jerome advised some early Christians to learn Hebrew so that they could read and sing the Psalms in their original language (18). Finally, she also noljes that throughout subsequent Christian and Jewish history, the Psalms have continued to have an integral component in the liturgy.

Significantly, she critiques the church for its selective use of the Book of Psalms. For example, she argues that Christian tradition has drawn heavily from seven penitential Psalms (Pss 6, 32, 51, 102, 130, 143), but rarely from the Psalms of lament. Because the Psalms of lament often impugn God and consist of trenchant questions about the human condition, Hopkins argues that Christian praxis has been remiss and that this has been detrimental in various ways (1-15, 77-104). That is, Christianity has often blunted the "honesty" of holy writ, and this must be rectified (for congregants and clergy both struggle with the human condition and should be provided with models that reveal holy writ's candid critique of celestial and terrestrial "justice" and "injustice"). In short, she argues that the church must embrace the "lost art of complaining in faith to God" (that is, Roland Murphy's plea).

This volume also contains a fine discussion of the Psalms of thanksgiving (133-153), and concludes with an appendix consisting of a service for Good Friday or Holy Thursday (154-161). Confessional communities within judaism and Christianity will find numerous valuable components in this volume, and for this reason I recommend it.

Christopher A. Rollston

Emmanuel School of Religion

Copyright Christian Theological Seminary Winter 2004
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