The Psalms of David and the Higher Criticism. By the
Rev. Alexander Wright. (Oliphant, Anderson, and Ferrier.)— Mr. Wright seeks to make a via media in the matter of the criticism of the Psalms. One extreme is represented by the patristic interpreters, who held that even such psalms as "By the waters of Babylon" were of Davidic authorship, written, they said, prophetically. The other extreme we find in Professor Cheyne, who practically denies the Davidic authorship in foto. It should not he difficult to find some reasonable compromise. About details there will always be differences of opinion, but a generally acceptable scheme, with a certain liberty as to particulars, is quite possible. And such may be found, we think, in Mr. Wright's book. The
general conclusion to which he comes is that there are five groups of Psalms of David, " Nature Psalms " (viii., xis., xxix.) ; "Psalms of the Outlaw" (lix., vii., xxxi.) ; " Psalms of the King, Dedication and Messianic Psalms, S:c." (xxiv., xv., ci., ex., xviii., xvi., cx.) ; " Psalms of the Penitent " (li., xxxii.) ;
"Psalms of the Exile King" iv., xxiii.) This makes a total of twenty. For every one of them a strong case is made out, and some would certainly lose almost all their meaning unless they can be included in this special canon. There is Psalm ci., for instance. Its place in the Psalter is certainly strange. It seems out of place in Book IV. Yet what does it mean if it does not set forth David's ideal of a righteous ruler?
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