AbstractPsalm 100 is one of the most popular psalms of praise and thanksgiving. Almost every scholar accepts this psalm as a hymn commanding the congregation to praise Yahweh in thanksgiving. This song is so vital because to praise and worship Yahweh is to live and to live is to praise and worship him for his majesty and all the things he has done for ancient Israel. Psalm 100 is also called the imperative psalm because of the seven imperative verbs that seem to dictate its structure. The content of this psalm not only resembles ancient Israelite worship but also typical African worship. This article aims to apply an Africentric interpretation to Psalm 100 in order to demonstrate how the praise and worship in African churches reflect the description of Psalm 100 (without saying that they are the same). This article aims to demonstrate how African religion and culture can be used to understand Psalm 100 without condemning Eurocentric approaches.

AbstractPsalm 8 is one of the most important psalms of praise to YHWH. Unlike other psalms of praise, this psalm begins with the name of God, Yahweh, which clearly and unmistakeably expresses that he is glorious throughout his creation. Psalm 8 not only expresses the glory of Yahweh, but also the value and responsibility of humanity. This article examines how Psalm 8 is read and interpreted in an African/Yoruba religious and cultural tradition as a psalm of protection, healing, and success. Some archaeological evidence seems to support the use of the Bible that way. The effectiveness of such use in the African/Yoruba Christian tradition is not doubted because a strong faith is behind it. Such use represents an African/Yoruba affirmation of faith in Yahweh who will repeat the miracles of healing, protection, and success that he had performed in ancient Israel in their present lives.

AbstractPsalms 65–68 constitute an editorially arranged and adapted cluster of psalms expressing universal praise and thanksgiving near the end of Book II of the Psalms. The article describes the theological purpose of the four psalms. There is a strong emphasis on God’s presence in the temple in Zion as a source of blessing for his elected people, the cosmos he created and all humanity. Through his magnificent involvement in creation and the history of his people, his fame as creator, righteous judge, and supreme ruler of the world will spread to the ends of the earth. By linking the cluster through keywords with Pss 1–2, the editors demonstrated how God’s benevolent and just involvement with his people would lead to his being universally recognised as the only God.

AbstractPsalms 65–68 form a tight collection or “cluster” of psalms close to the conclusion of Book II of the Psalter. The implied redactors’ purpose with this cluster was to offer thanksgiving and praise to God for manifesting his eschatological rule over the entire world. This article investigates the function of spatial descriptions in defining God’s rule over the cosmos in these four psalms. After establishing harmony in the world, God is present as King in his temple in Zion. To dwell in his vicinity is the pinnacle of his people’s blessing and privilege. Further away from Jerusalem, all nations, even to the ends of the earth, worship and praise God and bring him gifts. There is a centripetal movement of joy, worship, praise, and tribute toward God from all who accept his benevolent rule over the world, but also a centrifugal movement away from him by those who oppose his rule and refuse to accept it.

AbstractThe proposition underlying this research is that interested isiZulu-speakers could use a systematic methodology to translate selected praise psalms in a poetically-beautiful and rhetorically-powerful way. The methodology has three elements: first the poetic features in the Hebrew text (and their functions) are analysed, using the literary-rhetorical approach of Wendland. Second, for an empirical study, isiZulu-speakers interested in poetry are invited to participate in a workshop to learn the basics of Bible-translation and typical features of Zulu poetry and music. They then compose their own translations of some praise psalms (using Zulu poetic features achieving a similar function to those in the source text) and perform their poems as songs or spoken-poetry items. Third, the success of the exercise is evaluated on the basis of functional translation, using the traditional criteria of accuracy, naturalness, and clarity, as well as the additional criteria of artistry, aurality, and acceptability.

AbstractThere is a strong history among the Zulu community of performing praise poetry, and a passion for composing and performing poetry continues among Zulu youth today. On the other hand, the current Zulu Bible is considered by many young people to be irrelevant or difficult to read and understand. With these two factors in mind, I conducted a study in which Zulu youth were invited to participate in basic training, after which they made their own translations of various praise psalms and then performed them before a community audience using song, rap, or spoken poetry. This paper looks at the process and benefits of inviting “ordinary speakers” to participate in the translation process, and of communicating the message through oral performance. The results are encouraging and suggest the methodology could be extended to other genres of biblical text and other language groups.

AbstractMany young isiZulu speakers find the 1959 Bible translation difficult to read and understand. However, they are interested in getting inside the black box of Bible translation, and being participants in the process. Moreover, they have a culture of composing and performing poetry, which lends itself to their involvement in the translation and performance of biblical poetry. An experimental study sought to see if Zulu youth could compose translations of some praise psalms and perform them such that the community would accept them as ‘biblical material’, and relevant and engaging for young people. The methodology was to invite interested persons to participate in workshops that provided basic training in Bible translation, features of oral communication and performance, Zulu and biblical poetry and Zulu music. The participants then made their own translations of some short psalms, and performed them as songs, rap or spoken poetry items. The results suggest several benefits that could be replicated in other situations and with other language groups. These include new, vibrant ways to share Scripture, and a means for individuals to engage with the Scriptures and ‘own’ the translation. In conclusion, there is an open door for ‘ordinary’ members of the community (especially those interested in poetry and music) to contribute significantly to poeticallybeautiful and rhetorically-powerful translations of biblical psalms. Moreover, the experience they gain will not only support the discipleship ministry of the church, but also its outreach to other young people, drawing them in by engaging and relevant performances of the biblical message. Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: This study challenges the traditional perspectives of Bible translation and Practical Theology, suggesting that ‘ordinary’ members of the community can enrich the translation of biblical poetry, and their engagement in the process can have many positive outcomes in terms of church ministry.

AbstractThis empirical study explores whether indigenous Zulu praise-poetry can inform the translation of biblical praise-psalms. Zulu youth (“poetry fans”) were invited to learn about Hebrew and Zulu poetics as well as the process of Bible translation. Then they made their own translations and performances of biblical praise-psalms, following the Literary-rhetorical approach of Ernst Wendland. The results show a strong Zulu imprint from the source to the receptor text, although the original message is retained along with some of the poetic features. The literary and rhetorical power of the Hebrew is transformed into images and thought patterns that come alive to the Zulu mind while still being acceptable (to them) in terms of biblical accuracy. The performances of the translated texts (using rap, song, or spoken poetry) utilise prosody to deliver the message, thus requiring some adjustment to the texts. The audience enters into the experience, impacting the performers. Thus, there are four “voices” apparent: those of the original author, the Zulu translator, the Zulu performer, and the audience. A rich texture of cultural beauty emerges as the Hebrew and Zulu horizons merge in a panorama of literary beauty and rhetorical power.

AbstractBible translation needs to communicate the original message in a form that is accessible and acceptable to the local community. This requires utilizing the communication media and forms the people use in everyday life. In the case of translating psalms into isiZulu, this involves using oral media and forms of Zulu poetry and music, to produce a translation that communicates effectively.

AbstractWithout doubt the final hymn of the Psalter can be described as the climax, or grand finale, of the Israelite faith’s most known hymnbook. In this psalm, sound and action are blended into a picture of ecstatic joy. The whole universe is called upon to magnify Yah(weh), the God of Israel. The text poses various exegetical challenges. In the past, Psalm 150 was traditionally analysed as a single text; but with the advent of the canonical and redactionhistorical approaches to the interpretation of the Book of Psalms, Psalm 150 can be interpreted as part of the final Hallel (Pss 146–150), or Book V (Pss 107–150) of the Psalter. This view opens up new possibilities for reading the psalm in broader contexts and its broader literary context(s) illuminate its theological significance. This article is an attempt at reflecting on the psalm’s context(s), structure, Gattung and dates of origin, tradition-historical relations to the Pentateuch, Psalms and other Old Testament texts. Ultimately some reflections on the psalm’s theological significance will be suggested.

AbstractPsalm 100 contains poetry of the highest quality. Although it is a very short psalm, it carries a great message. Yahweh is glorified because he is God, because he is good, and because he is great. The psalmist makes ues of several poetical features in his structuring of the psalm to convey this message. The praise offered to God in this psalm is not the 'easy' praise of prosperity theology, but it is offered by people who are familiar with pain and suffering. The divine nature, goodness, and greatness of Yahweh is experienced through the trials of this life.

AbstractA new psalm had to be composed for new circumstances. It made use of a well-known oracle of God, but in a new political, social, religious, and/or historical context, that oracle had a new message. In a context of praise, it opened a perspective to the future. It emphasized in a new way that God had to bring about the new dispensation, and that he would. They gave the faithful a new historical and cosmological perspective.