Lag. Lag.BN

= his Bildung der No- Tisch. = C. Tischendorf.

NHWB.

= Levy, Neuhebr. Wör- ZAW. = Zeitschrift f. alttest. Wis

prefixed indicates all passages in the root, or stem.

=

= sign of abbreviation in Hebrew words.

= Yahweh.

Indicates that Massoretic text has not been followed, but either Vrss. or conjectural emendations.

VI. REMARKS.

Biblical passages are cited according to the verses of the Hebrew text. Numerals raised above the line (1) after numerals designating chapters indicate verses (Gn. 63); (2) after numerals designating lines of strophe indicate measures (2 Str. 64); (3) after proper names refer to sections of grammars or pages of books (Ges,§ 42).

Proper names usually refer to works upon the Psalter given in the History of Interpretation.

In notes numbers in italics (Ps. 12) indicate passages in which the word has been fully discussed.

INTRODUCTION.

§ 1. The Psalter belongs to the third division of the Hebrew Canon, entitled Hymns or Prayers, from its chief contents. The Greek Version named it Psalms from the most frequent sub-title, and in this has been followed by other Versions.

The Hebrew OT. consists of three divisions, the Law, the Prophets, and the Writings, representing three layers of successive canonical recognition. The Writings were of indefinite extent until their limits were defined by the Synod of Jamnia. Prior to that time there were disputes as to several of the Writings, such as Chronicles, Song of Songs, and Ecclesiastes; but, so far as we are able to discover, there never was any dispute as to the canonicity of the Psalter as a whole, or as to any one of the Psalms. In the Greek Septuagint () these divisions of the Canon were broken up and the books were rearranged on topical principles. The Apocrypha were mingled with the books of the Hebrew Canon, doubtless from a wider and looser view of its character and extent (Br.S SHS. 124-130). EV. follow the order of the books of the Latin Vulgate () of the sixteenth century, which was based on, but with several important differences. This order for the three great poetical books is Job, Psalter, Proverbs.

The most ancient order of the Writings, preserved in Literature, is that of the Baba Bathra of the Talmud (f. 14), which placed Ruth first, because of the theory that it gave the genealogy of David, and therefore should precede the Psalms of David (v. Br.SHS. 252). The modern Hebrew Bibles follow the order of the German codd., which, though of comparatively late date, doubtless preserve the original order in putting the Psalter () first. The breaking up of the triple division of the Canon in ✪, followed by other Vrss. ancient and modern, occasioned various other rearrangements of the books in accordance with different theories about them. The books which were supposed to be historical, Ch., Ezr., Ne., and Est., were arranged with