PSALMS, SIRIUS (APOCRIPHAL). The apocryphal Syriac psalms are numbered consecutively from 151 to 155, later than the canonical psalms, in a 12th-century Nestorian manuscript of the Syriac Psalter. In all later Syriac mss where all five psalms appear together, these psalms are found in a different order from that of the oldest extant manuscript: 151 (also designated as Psalm I), 154 (II), 155 (III), 152 ( IV) and 153 (V). These psalms are also found as filler material between parts one and two of the Book of Discipline, a theological treatise by Bishop Elijah, a Syrian church father who lived during the first half of the 10th century A.D. Three of these psalms (151, 154 and 155) are also found in the Qumran Cave 11 Psalm Scroll (11QPs a). Additionally, Psalm 151 is found in Greek, Latin, Coptic, Arabic, Armenian, and Ethiopic versions.
Psalm 151 is found in Hebrew (11QPs a) as two separate psalms known as 151A and 151B. The Psalms scroll is badly damaged where 151B is found, so that all that remains is the heading, half of verse 1, and some letters of verse 2. Verses 6 and 7 in Greek and Syriac seem to correspond in subject to the 151B header; however, Psalm 151B was probably much longer than these two Syriac and Greek verses indicate. Psalm 151 in later versions depends on the Greek. The Greek is an obvious combination and condensation of the Hebrew 151A and 151B, thus portraying a drastic change in text from the Hebrew. This change probably occurred in the Hebrew version.
Psalm 151A has undergone considerable controversy regarding its translation and theology. Two verses of Hebrew 151A are missing in the Syriac and Greek versions. Some scholars posit that these lines were intentionally edited from the original work due to Orphic influences. From this perspective, the translation proclaims that the hills and mountains do not bear witness to God, an unbiblical statement. Other scholars view the psalm as highly biblical in style and theology. In this view, the psalm forms a chiasmus in structure and theme, providing a key to its translation and interpretation. The disputed verses read thus: “Do not the mountains bear witness to me?” Or “Oh, that the mountains bear witness to me.” It is an autobiographical psalm recounting the praise of David after his election as king of Israel. The Greek and Syriac versions are not completely consistent. This psalm could be dated to the 6th century BCE, or earlier, for stylistic reasons; but it contains certain phrases which suggest a later date.
Psalm 152, an individual lament, and Psalm 153, a hymn of thanksgiving, are both chiasms and recount the psalmist’s cries and thanks, respectively, of crisis and deliverance from the threat of death. The psalms mimic the autobiographical style of Psalm 151A and deal heavily with the themes of death and thanksgiving. The psalms may have had Hebrew originals, but it is more likely that they were originally composed in Syriac in imitation of the Hebrew style. Therefore, they can be dated much later than Psalm 151A.
Psalm 154 may originally have been two separate psalms (a call to worship and a hymn of thanksgiving) that were combined by one redactor. If this is the case, there was a remarkable cohesion between the two psalms, allowing them to form a final psalm with a significant degree of internal integrity. Some scholars defend the unity of the composition of Psalm 154. If this is the case, the author took great care in composing a psalm that could easily have been two individual psalms of integrity. An editor may have composed a second psalm around or within a pre-existing psalm. This alternative allows for the integrity of a smaller individual composition without haphazardly relegating the unifying elements. In this psalm the “wisdom” is personified and the faithful praise of God is exhorted. Although the psalm does not contain elements unique to Qumran, several phrases and themes are consistent with Qur’anic ideas. The psalm may be of Protoessene origin. This psalm probably arose in the second quarter of the 2nd century BC. c.
Some scholars argue that Psalm 155 is the combination of two smaller psalms. Within the psalm is an alphabetical acrostic from him to pe. According to this view, the original acrostic portion of ˒alep to him was mutilated and later inserted into another psalm. Other scholars provide a convincing argument for a unified psalm and hold that the acrostic can be seen from ˒alep to hewith minor reconstructions of the text, if the first stanza is considered to contain shorter metrical units. The psalm contains three stanzas, ranging from breathy cries for deliverance in the first stanza to the psalmist’s repentant desire to learn God’s ways in the second stanza. The third stanza is a praise of thanksgiving to God for the deliverance sought in section one and experienced in section two. The psalm is biblical in style and theology and is difficult to date. This psalm probably arose during the second century BC. c.
These psalms and their presence within the Scroll of Psalms (11QPs a) have been important to the discussion of the formation of the Psalter canon. Some scholars see the Qumran Psalm Scroll as evidence of the slow formation and canonization of the last third of the Psalter. Others see the scroll as an example of an ancient hymnal or liturgical Psalter that existed apart from the history of the Psalter’s formation. The psalms are also important in determining the characteristics of late Jewish psalmody. During this period one can see the collapse in the conventional forms of the psalms, and the use of borrowed biblical materials is evident. Traditional structuring devices were still in use, such as the alphabetic acrostic and chiasmus.
Bibliography
Baars, W. 1972. “Apocryphal Psalms.” In the Old Testament in Syriac according to the Peshitta version. Pt. IV, fas. 6. The Peshitta Institute. Leiden.
Pigué, S. 1988. The Syriac apocryphal psalms: text, texture and commentary. Doctor. say , Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.
Sanders, JA 1965. The Psalms Scroll of Qumran Cave 11. DJD 4. Oxford.
—. 1967. Dead Sea Psalms Scroll. Ithaca, New York.
STANLEY C. PIGUE