Prayers That Form Us: Rhetoric and Psalms Interpretation

Abstract

Rhetorical criticism of the Psalms has been practiced in a variety of ways. Applying traditional rhetorical theory to the interpretation of the Psalms is a growing, but underdeveloped area of study. This article argues that a traditional approach to rhetorical criticism helps provide new perspectives on the interpretation of an individual psalm as a unit. Building on the work of George Kennedy, this article proposes a way of applying rhetorical criticism to the Psalms. Through applying this approach to Psalm 46, the psalm is analyzed as a type of epideictic rhetoric.