Abstract:
Lament psalms of the individual that reflect a motif of violence are here
examined so as to determine whether or not the editors of the Psalter had a
pattern of instruction that they wished to inculcate with respect to the
experience of violence. An examination of prayers of the accused and
prayers of sickness as sub-groups within the Gattung indicates the presence
of such a pattern, and suggests that the editors wished to model a pattern
that rejects the right of human retribution. This pattern needs to be tested
further through an examination of a third sub-group, the prayers for
protection.
