True happiness in the presence of YHWH : the literary and theological context for understanding Psalm 16

摘要

This article attempts to interpret Ps 16 as part of the cluster ofPsalms 15-24, but also as a Torah-wisdom psalm. Hossfeld andZenger have argued that Ps 16 was added to this cluster simultaneouslywith Pss 19 and 23, but that this happened quite some timebefore Ps 1 was composed to serve (together with Ps 2) as the prefaceto the whole Psalter. It is proposed here that Ps 16 is a Torahwisdomcomposition which exemplifies true blessedness as compliancewith the Torah of YHWH in contentedness with one’s lot in life.It thus represents the kind of piety also portrayed in other Torahwisdompsalms such as Pss 1, 19, 23 and 73. It is consequently suggestedthat Ps 16 is much closer to Ps 1 in time of origin andteaching as has been accepted until now. This does have implicationsfor its interpretation.