e) Alphabetic Acrostics
i)
Psalms built around the Hebrew alphabet order in the
opening letter of their succeeding lines, verses or stanzas.
ii)
Perhaps used to aid the memory for learning or
reciting.
iii)
Psalms 9,10,25,34,37,111,112,119,145
(1)
25 & 34 are the only ones building the acrostic on
22 letters.
(2)
9 & 10 are joined by an irregular acrostic that
runs through both.
(3)
111 & 112 each have 10 verses w/22 lines on which
each builds.
(4)
145 has 21 verses, leaving out the nun (betw. vs.13 and 14)
(5)
119 is the most elaborate having 22 stanzas of 8 verses
each, all 8 verses begin with the same letter, a structural orderliness
stressing the theme which is the Law of
God.
f) "Selah" and
"Hallelujah"
i)
Selah:
(1)
71 times in Psalms, (17 in Book 1, 30 in
Book 2, 20 in Book 3, 4 in Book 5) and
(2)
End of a verse in all cases except 4.
(3) Meaning uncertain.
(a) May
derive from salah, to pause, or salal, to lift up.
(b)
Delitzsch: an interlude played by stringed instruments
(c) Aquila:
as meaning "always, forever"
(d)
Jerome: classed it with "amen" or
"peace" (Shalom)
(e) General
view is that it calls for a pause or interlude of some kind.
(f) Archer:
(i)
Most plausible: from root word meaning "lift
up."
(ii)
So it is not a word to be read aloud but a notice that
the reciter should pause.
(iii)
Perhaps the musical instruments would strike up or
perhaps the singer would raise the pitch????
ii)
Hallelujah:
(1)
This term is not found in most English versions of the
OT. In Rev. 19:1-6 it appears as
"alleluia."
(2)
Compound of 2 words: hallel and Yah (shortened
form of Yahweh), meaning "praise the Lord."
(3)
35 times in the Psalms.
(4)
These groups of psalms are known as "hallel"
or "hallelujah" Psalms.
(i)
111-113: each psalm begins, Praise the Lord.
(ii)
115-117: each concludes with Praise the Lord.
(iii)
146-150: each begins & ends with Praise the Lord.
(iv)
105-106 also begin & end with Praise the Lord (if the last line of 104 is made the first of 105
as it apparently should be.)
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