|
Psalms came into being from a long tradition of Hebrew poetry. Most Hebrew poetry shows a characteristic called parallelism. This simply means that two or (sometimes three) lines of the poetry are in some way parallel in meaning. The three most common kinds of parallelism are equivalent, contrasting, and amplified. In equivalent parallelism the second line basically repeats the thought of the first. Example: "O LORD, do not rebuke me in your anger or discipline me in your wrath." (Psalms 6:1)
In contrasting parallelism the second line gives an opposite truth which balances the first line. Example: "The LORD examines the righteous, but the wicked and those who love violence his soul hates." (Psalms 10:5)
In amplified parallelism the second line augments the thought of the first.
Example: "And the words of the LORD are flawless, like silver refined in a furnace of clay, purified seven times." (Psalms 12:6)
Try recognizing the different kinds of parallelisms in the Psalms. It is a lot of fun and very interesting--will lead to a greater understanding of how God inspired these authors of psalms, and will leave no doubt as to His perfection in every word.
|
