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This dissertation is an exploration of the relationship of wisdom to salvation history in the book of Psalms. The notional starting point of this thesis is a conviction that there might be a juncture at which the two themes converge because in certain psalms such as Psalm 78, the Israelite concept of salvation appears to have a close relationship with the wisdom theme. In the history of Psalm interpretation so far, the concept of wisdom psalm has not been properly dealt with due to scholastic difficulty in ascertaining the clear criteria of a genre. The process of scrutinizing the history of interpretation showed that the Psalms in their final form were far more purposeful than were previously understood. The major guiding principles of the method employed are: (1) 'the canonical approach' of Brevard Childs; (2) 'the canonical criticism' of James Sanders; (3) 'the canonical process approach' of Bruce Waltke; (4) 'the Christo-canonical approach' of Jerry E. Shepherd; and (5) 'the communito-canonical approach' of deClaissé-Walford. This thesis made use of these methodological principles by attempting to read the Psalter from the beginning to the end, and by focusing mainly on the final stage of the Psalter proposed by B. Waltke as the third stage, or the final and complete Old Testament canon associated with the Second Temple, and by purposefully limiting the scope of our study to around the post-exilic period. Having dealt with the issue of classifying the wisdom psalm, the presence of the wisdom motif in many psalms which do not fall into the wisdom category serves to add a didactic dimension to the entire Psalter. In so doing, we reach a conclusion that what we are dealing with is not merely the wisdom psalms within the Psalms, but 'the wisdom Psalter' as a literary unit. Then, it can be said that the Psalter is not merely an anthology of individual psalms used for cult, but was meant to be read also as a source of min , an instruction. This means that every psalm in the Psalter has pedagogical potential, which may have been the ostensible intent of the editor(s) at the final stage of the formation of the Psalter. On this premise, this study attempts to set up a strategy to read the Psalms from the beginning to the end from book I up to book V as a wisdom Psalter, with a particular focus on how the wisdom motif relates to the salvation history motif. The question did not merely concern their interpretation as disjointed pieces, but also what their presence in the book of Psalter meant in terms of the relationship between wisdom and salvation history. This means that the study is influenced less by a historical and form critical approach, but more from a literary and canonical perspective. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Old Testament))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2008.

This dissertation is an exploration of the relationship of wisdom to salvation history in the book of Psalms. The notional starting point of this thesis is a conviction that there might be a juncture at which the two themes converge because in certain psalms such as Psalm 78, the Israelite concept of salvation appears to have a close relationship with the wisdom theme. In the history of Psalm interpretation so far, the concept of wisdom psalm has not been properly dealt with due to scholastic difficulty in ascertaining the clear criteria of a genre. The process of scrutinizing the history of interpretation showed that the Psalms in their final form were far more purposeful than were previously understood. The major guiding principles of the method employed are: (1) 'the canonical approach' of Brevard Childs; (2) 'the canonical criticism' of James Sanders; (3) 'the canonical process approach' of Bruce Waltke; (4) 'the Christo-canonical approach' of Jerry E. Shepherd; and (5) 'the communito-canonical approach' of deClaissé-Walford. This thesis made use of these methodological principles by attempting to read the Psalter from the beginning to the end, and by focusing mainly on the final stage of the Psalter proposed by B. Waltke as the third stage, or the final and complete Old Testament canon associated with the Second Temple, and by purposefully limiting the scope of our study to around the post-exilic period. Having dealt with the issue of classifying the wisdom psalm, the presence of the wisdom motif in many psalms which do not fall into the wisdom category serves to add a didactic dimension to the entire Psalter. In so doing, we reach a conclusion that what we are dealing with is not merely the wisdom psalms within the Psalms, but 'the wisdom Psalter' as a literary unit. Then, it can be said that the Psalter is not merely an anthology of individual psalms used for cult, but was meant to be read also as a source of min , an instruction. This means that every psalm in the Psalter has pedagogical potential, which may have been the ostensible intent of the editor(s) at the final stage of the formation of the Psalter. On this premise, this study attempts to set up a strategy to read the Psalms from the beginning to the end from book I up to book V as a wisdom Psalter, with a particular focus on how the wisdom motif relates to the salvation history motif. The question did not merely concern their interpretation as disjointed pieces, but also what their presence in the book of Psalter meant in terms of the relationship between wisdom and salvation history. This means that the study is influenced less by a historical and form critical approach, but more from a literary and canonical perspective. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Old Testament))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2008.

The diploma thesis consists of three parts. The first one describes the historical role of psalms during masses from their origin until presence. It illuminates the new role of psalms in the Cathlolic liturgy after the second Vatican council and outlines how these liturgical changes projected into Czech Catholic enviroments. The second part introduces significant Czech psalters and their authors. The psalters were created for liturgical needs and in reaction to the conclusions of the 2VC for liturgical needs. The third, main part of the thesis consists of detailed analysis of 1992 Karel Sklenička's psalter Responsoriální žalmy pro neděle a významné dny liturgického roku. The analysis of harmonic and melodic procedures of individual tones serves as a basis for the practival part of the thesis which is an extension of existing Sklenička's psalter to all days of liturgical year. The new psalter preserves the music component composed by Karel Sklenička and also preserves the way of work with the liturgical text in new psalms following the pattern of Karel Sklenička. The new psalter keeps strictly to the liturgically prescribed texts for individual liturgical occasions like the psalter from 1992.

The specific thesis that is tested in this study is that there is continual interaction between the sanctuary cult and personal religious experience in the Book of Psalms. The main theoretical argument is that the sanctuary cult had a formative role in creating the piety of the psalmists. The study attempts to explore the specific nature of that relationship and to benefit from the contributions of three major approaches to the Psalms, i.e., the form critical approach (Hermann Gunkel), the cultic approach (Sigmund Mowinckel) and the Psalter-shaping approach (Gerald H. Wilson, James L. Mays, Jerome F. D. Creach, Mark D. Futato, J. Clinton McCann and Walter Brueggemann). The study suggests that the ongoing interaction between the sanctuary cult and personal piety in the Psalms is the result of the creative power of cult. It offers evidence of the possible shaping of the Psalter around the sanctuary motif. It also offers a unique perspective on the piety of the psalmists, suggesting that the psalmists, and particularly the editor(s) of the present shape of the Psalter, promoted the eschatological hope of Israel in the new temple and the heavenly aspect of Israel’s sanctuary. / Thesis (PhD (Old Testament))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus in association with Greenwich School of Theology, U.K., 2013.

The specific thesis that is tested in this study is that there is continual interaction between the sanctuary cult and personal religious experience in the Book of Psalms. The main theoretical argument is that the sanctuary cult had a formative role in creating the piety of the psalmists. The study attempts to explore the specific nature of that relationship and to benefit from the contributions of three major approaches to the Psalms, i.e., the form critical approach (Hermann Gunkel), the cultic approach (Sigmund Mowinckel) and the Psalter-shaping approach (Gerald H. Wilson, James L. Mays, Jerome F. D. Creach, Mark D. Futato, J. Clinton McCann and Walter Brueggemann). The study suggests that the ongoing interaction between the sanctuary cult and personal piety in the Psalms is the result of the creative power of cult. It offers evidence of the possible shaping of the Psalter around the sanctuary motif. It also offers a unique perspective on the piety of the psalmists, suggesting that the psalmists, and particularly the editor(s) of the present shape of the Psalter, promoted the eschatological hope of Israel in the new temple and the heavenly aspect of Israel’s sanctuary. / Thesis (PhD (Old Testament))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus in association with Greenwich School of Theology, U.K., 2013.

In the history of the Reformed Churches of South Africa (RCSA) great emphisis was placed on the notion to make decisions on the basis, and in accordance to the Scriptures. In spite of this notion, the church community of the RCSA stand in the midst of great tension regarding some decisions. In the fifty year period from the centenary festival in 1959 to the 150 year festival in 2009, assemblies of the church community were confronted with many objections to decisions regarding racial relations, the acceptance of the 1983-translation of the Bible in Afrikaans, the acceptance of the 2001-Psalter, the use of small cups in the Holy Communion and the role of women in the offices of deacon, elder and minister. The question that’s being addressed in this study is, if a shift in the RCSA’s view of Scripture took place. Chapter 2 gives an historical overview of the decisions that gave way to to the differences mentioned above. From the historical overview the aspects regarding the view of Scripture can be formulated. In chapter 3 the relation between the differences and the view of Scripture are examined. At first a short definition of the reformed view of Scripture are formulated. Hermeneutical and view of Scripture aspects of the raports of deputies and decisions of assemblies are tested according to the formulated definition of a reformed view of Scripture. Chapter 4 examines the influence that paradigm shifts had on the differences in the RCSA. Focus is placed on the influence of postmodernism on the one hand and fundamentalism on the other. Attention is also given to the stance of the RCSA on these two paradigms of thought with relation to the view of Scripture. In light of the reformed view of Scripture the postmodern approach to hermeneutics is discarded as well as the the fundamentalist view of Scripture. In spite of the reality of paradigmshifts, the raports of deputies and the decisions of assemblies does not reflect this reality. Chapter 5 tries to point a way out to handle the differences in the ligt of the Reformed view of Scripture. Focus is placed on the place the sociohistorical context holds in the revelationhistorical exegetical process. The chapter further investigates the relation between desicions on Scriptural grounds and the right to protest according to artical 31 of the Reformed Chrurchorder. Attention in given to so called ordinary cases ans essential cases. The notion that differences can be solved when dessicions is based on Scripture alone is put forward in this chapter. / Thesis (M.Th. (Church and Dogma History))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011

In the history of the Reformed Churches of South Africa (RCSA) great emphisis was placed on the notion to make decisions on the basis, and in accordance to the Scriptures. In spite of this notion, the church community of the RCSA stand in the midst of great tension regarding some decisions. In the fifty year period from the centenary festival in 1959 to the 150 year festival in 2009, assemblies of the church community were confronted with many objections to decisions regarding racial relations, the acceptance of the 1983-translation of the Bible in Afrikaans, the acceptance of the 2001-Psalter, the use of small cups in the Holy Communion and the role of women in the offices of deacon, elder and minister. The question that’s being addressed in this study is, if a shift in the RCSA’s view of Scripture took place. Chapter 2 gives an historical overview of the decisions that gave way to to the differences mentioned above. From the historical overview the aspects regarding the view of Scripture can be formulated. In chapter 3 the relation between the differences and the view of Scripture are examined. At first a short definition of the reformed view of Scripture are formulated. Hermeneutical and view of Scripture aspects of the raports of deputies and decisions of assemblies are tested according to the formulated definition of a reformed view of Scripture. Chapter 4 examines the influence that paradigm shifts had on the differences in the RCSA. Focus is placed on the influence of postmodernism on the one hand and fundamentalism on the other. Attention is also given to the stance of the RCSA on these two paradigms of thought with relation to the view of Scripture. In light of the reformed view of Scripture the postmodern approach to hermeneutics is discarded as well as the the fundamentalist view of Scripture. In spite of the reality of paradigmshifts, the raports of deputies and the decisions of assemblies does not reflect this reality. Chapter 5 tries to point a way out to handle the differences in the ligt of the Reformed view of Scripture. Focus is placed on the place the sociohistorical context holds in the revelationhistorical exegetical process. The chapter further investigates the relation between desicions on Scriptural grounds and the right to protest according to artical 31 of the Reformed Chrurchorder. Attention in given to so called ordinary cases ans essential cases. The notion that differences can be solved when dessicions is based on Scripture alone is put forward in this chapter. / Thesis (M.Th. (Church and Dogma History))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011

Wie die Dur-Moll-Tonalität in die Modalität der ›Kirchentöne‹ vordrang, gehört zu den Kernfragen des 17. Jahrhunderts. Ein aufschlussreiches Beispiel dafür gibt Heinrich Schütz in seinem 1628 erschienen, 1661 überarbeiteten und komplettierten Becker-Psalter mit insgesamt 158 Sätzen, die meisten mit eigener Melodie. Nicht erst in der Dur-Moll-Tonalität, sondern bereits bei den Kirchentönen existieren jeweils 24 ›Dur‹- und ›Moll‹-Tonarten, jedoch in grundverschiedener Ausprägung, wobei die kirchentonale Ordnung die generelle Verwendung von b-durum (Tonstufe h) bzw. b-molle (b) betrifft, nicht wie im Spätbarock und später die Anzahl der b- oder Kreuz-Vorzeichen. Schütz Musik gründet sich noch gänzlich auf die 24 Modi, die in seinem Becker-Psalter nahezu vollständig vertreten sind mit deutlichem Übergewicht der dorischen und jonischen Modi. Während Schütz den äußeren Rahmen der durum- und molle-Vorzeichnung beibehält, erweitert er diesen jedoch teils mit Hilfe eingefügter Akzidentien bis as, so dass dadurch faktisch weitere Transpositionen wie c-Dorisch und B-Jonisch entstehen. Wesentliche Bedeutung zur tonalen Einordnung kommt den angestrebten Kadenzstufen zu, seit Zarlino den traditionellen ›Hauptstufen‹ I, V und III als erst-, zweit- und drittrangige regulares. Zahlreiche Sätze auch bei Schütz halten sich an diese Rangordnung. Ergänzend können als weitere Kadenzstufen die IV. und VI., ausnahmsweise auch die II. oder VII. Stufe als irregulares oder gar peregrinae (fremde) hinzukommen, wobei die hexachordale Ordnung (Hexachorde auf c und f) prinzipiell nicht überschritten wird. Eine Statistik der im Becker-Psalter angestrebten Kadenzstufen zeigt, dass sich Schütz zwar an diesen Stufen orientiert, sie aber auch um individuelle Varianten ergänzt. Wer die Sätze näher untersucht, stößt unweigerlich auf wesentliche Differenzen ›duraler‹ und ›mollarer‹ Modi, also solchen mit großer bzw. kleiner Terz über dem Modus-Grundton. Zum einen tritt in ›mollaren‹ Sätzen, vornehmlich im Dorischen und Äolischen, die III. Stufe als Kadenzziel deutlich hervor, während in den ›duralen‹ Sätzen, allen voran im Jonischen, die VI. Stufe weitaus überwiegt. Man kann, modern gesprochen, jeweils eine Präferenz der ›Paralleltonart‹ konstatieren, im späteren ›Dur‹ die VI., in ›Moll‹ die III. Stufe. Zum andern spielt im Jonischen die V. Stufe eine der I. nahezu gleichberechtigte Rolle, so dass ›durale‹ Klänge vorherrschen. In ›mollaren‹ Modi rangiert die III. Stufe (›Paralleltonart‹) weit oben. Im Jonischen existiert eine auf Dur-Stufen zentrierte Abstufung des hexachordalen Gefüges, im Dorischen und Äolischen eher eine Durchmischung der Moll- und Dur-Stufen. Überspitzt formuliert: Jonische Sätze wirken nicht selten wie reines ›Dur‹, dorische oder äolische keineswegs wie reines ›Moll‹ − sie verfügen über den größeren Reichtum an ›Klangfarben‹. Dass es auch in Schütz’ Becker-Psalter weit mehr dorische als äolische Sätze gibt, dafür dürfte vor allem die Kadenzierung zur V. Stufe verantwortlich sein, die im Dorischen problemlos über E-Dur nach a-Moll erfolgen kann, was zur äolischen V. Stufe der fehlenden H-Dur-Stufe wegen zu unterbleiben hat. Noch bei Schütz wird dieser Schritt kaum gewagt. Sein Werk befindet sich in einem Übergang, den erst das 18. Jh. hin zur geregelten Dur-Moll-Tonalität endgültig vollzieht und dabei auch die Schranken zu höherer Vorzeichnung durchbricht. / One of the key issues of the 17th century is the question of how major-minor tonality entered the system of church modes. It was not only in major-minor tonality that 24 “major” and “minor” keys came into being, but already in the church modes, albeit in a fundamentally different guise. The system of church modes revolves around the general use of b-durum (starting from B natural) and b-molle (B flat), not the number of flat or sharp accidentals used from the late Baroque onwards. Schütz’s music was still based entirely on the 24 modes, almost all of which appear in his Becker Psalter, with a clear emphasis on the Dorian and Ionian. While Schütz retains the outer framework of the durum and molle keys, however, he expands it by inserting accidentals extending to A flat, resulting in further transpositions such as C Dorian and B flat Ionian. For tonal classification, the cadential scale degrees aimed for take on central significance: since Zarlino, the traditional “main degrees” I, V and III as primary, secondary and tertiary regulares. In Schütz’s music too, many movements follow this hierarchy. These are sometimes supplemented by further cadential degrees: IV and VI, in exceptional cases also II or VII as irregulares or even peregrinae (“alien” degrees), though the hexachordal framework (hexachords on C and F) remains fundamentally in place. A statistical analysis of the cadential degrees aimed for in the Becker Psalter shows that Schütz takes these degrees as points of reference, but also adds to them with individual variants. If one examines the movements closely, one inevitably encounters considerable differences between durum and molle modes, i.e. those with major or minor thirds above the root note. Firstly, in molle movements, primarily in the Dorian and Aeolian modes, III stands out clearly as a cadential goal, whereas in the durum movements, especially the Ionian ones, VI is obviously predominant. To use modern terms, one could say that each case shows a preference for the “relative key”: in the later “major” it is VI, in “minor” it is III. Secondly, in the Ionian, the fifth degree has almost the same standing as the first, which means that durum harmonies predominate. In molle modes, the third degree (the “relative key”) is very important. In the Ionian, there is a gradation of the hexachordal structure centred on major degrees, while in the Dorian and Aeolian it is more of a mixture of minor and major degrees. To exaggerate a little, Ionian movements not infrequently seem like pure “major”, while Dorian or Aeolian ones are not at all like pure “minor”; the latter have a greater wealth of “tone colours”. The fact that there are far more Dorian than Aeolian movements in Schütz’s Becker Psalter is most likely due to cadences towards the fifth degree, which are easily carried out in the Dorian via E major to A minor, while cadences towards V in the Aeolian are impermissible on account of the missing B major degree. Even Schütz was barely bold enough to take this step. His work is located in a transition to regular major-minor tonality that would only be finally completed in the 18th century, also breaking the barrier to more complex key signatures.

This study examines the figures of theיקדִּ צַ and עשָׁ רָ in psalms. Drawing on both semantics and poetics, this study argues that the contrast between the figures represented by these terms is part of the conventions of Hebrew psalmody and, as such, can serve various discursive functions within an individual psalm. Using insights from the field of lexical semantics, the study clarifies the possible uses of the words Justand עשָׁ רָ, emphasizing a wider range of uses than is typically offered within a broad behavioral domain for these terms. The study summarizes ways that various books in the Hebrew Bible use the contrast of these figures to develop a description of the literary features related to their presentations. The analysis of 18 psalms that include both figures utilizes insights from narratological theories of character to explore the functions of the contrast between קידִּ צַ and עשָׁ רָ as literary figures within the overall discourse of the psalm. Focusing on the setting of an individual psalm and embracing the possibility of variation reveals that קידִּ צַ and עשָׁ רָ are not only, or even usually, employed to describe the “prototypically good” or “prototypically bad” person in psalms. Rather, the עשָׁ רָ is often a designation for an antagonist, and the קידִּ צַ is often understood as one who is innocently wronged. As such, the literary pattern of their contrast does not focus on the moral character of these figures but on the fairness or justice of God to eventually elevate the position of the קידִּ צַ and destroy the עשָׁ רָ.