Weathering the Psalms
Subtitle: a meteorotheological survey
By: Steve A. Wiggins
Publisher: Cascade Books
Published: 2014
Place of publication: Eugene, Oregon
Language: eng
Number of pages: 187
ISBN-13: 9781625647771
Copyright date: 2014
Subjects: Criticism, interpretation; Bible; Weather in the Bible
Description: The weather is all around us all the time. From ancient times people have attributed the weather to the work of the gods. Ancient Israel shared this perception. The book of Psalms reflects theologically significant views on the weather that have not, until now, been fully explored. In this meteorological survey of the Psalms, whimsically called meteorotheology, every reference to the weather is translated in accordance with the known climate and weather of ancient Israel. Each verse is discussed with particular attention to the function of the weather in the hymnal of ancient Israel. This book will be a resource for translators, clergy, and scholars with an interest in how the weather impacted religious outlooks in ancient Israel. Readers will learn that some expected associations, such as thunder and lightning, did not influence Israelite views on the natural world in the same way that they do today. Yahweh was God of the weather, and the Psalms frequently use this paradigm as a reason for both praise and fear of the Lord.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references (pages 163-182) and index.