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• Poetic and Musical Features of the Psalms (Biblical)

Poetic and Musical Features of the Psalms (Biblical)

The Psalms are first of all poetic song. As such, they incorporate many of the features of poetry and music, including picturesque language, a principle of the correspondence of lines, metrical patterns, and instructions for performance.

Metaphorical Language

Psalmic poetry shares with other biblical poetry, and indeed with that of all cultures and eras, the use of picturesque and metaphorical language. "The Lord God is a sun and shield" (Ps. 84:11); "He makes the clouds his chariot and...

 

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