Description:
Explores the social audience of lament psalms in the Hebrew Bible and considers their rhetorical significance. Examines how lament psalms are directed not only at God but at people, demanding recognition, solidarity, and change.
Brief description: W. Derek Suderman is Associate Professor of Religious Studies and Theological Studies at Conrad Grebel University College at the University of Waterloo. He is also an Associate Member of the Graduate Centre for Theological Studies at the Toronto School of Theology.
Review Quotes:
"Suderman's monograph is a significant contribution to psalm studies. Expanding on his earlier work, he offers a compelling, book-length argument for considering not just the speaker in a psalm but also the audience being addressed. His analysis of jussive verbs is especially insightful, showing how they engage a broader social context indirectly. Rich in exegetical depth, this study is thought-provoking and well worth your attention."
--Andrew C. Witt, author of A Voice Without End: The Role of David in Psalms 3-14