- Historical Setting
Meditations from the Perspective of the Exile (722-540 BC)
Book IV Psalms 90-106
In the Absence of a Davidic King, people of Israel turn to earlier covenant mediators while living in literal and metaphorical exile (Bergsma & Pitre)
NB the 6 Covenants (A&E/ Couple, Noah/Family, Abraham/Tribe, Moses/Nation, David/Kingdom, Jesus/Church- Universal)
In particular Moses and Abraham
Alternative Historical setting
1051 BC
On the removal of the ark from Obed-edom’s house[1]
This historical Psalm was evidently composed by King David, for Psalm 105:1-15 of it were used as a hymn at the carrying up of the ark from the house of Obed-edom, and we read in 1 Chronicles 16:7. “Then on that day David delivered first this Psalm, to thank the Lord, into the hand of Asaph and his brethren.” Such a song was suitable for the occasion, for it describes the movements of the Lord’s people and his guardian care over them in every place, and all this on account of the covenant of which the ark; then removing, was a symbol. Our last Psalm sang the opening chapters of Genesis, and this takes up its closing chapters and conducts us into Exodus and Numbers.[2]
- Authorship Depends on the Scholarship Unknown or David
The first 15 verses of Psalm 105 are also found in 1 Chronicles 16:8-22 and presented there as a composition of David, written and sung for the bringing of the ark of the covenant into Jerusalem. We can therefore conclude that though this psalm is not here specifically attributed to King David, he is the author of it.[3] Well worth a comparison reading.
NB 1&2 Chronicles is a retelling of history of God’s people from a more optimistic view intending to encourage the people of Judah in their task of rebuilding and restoring national life in the post exilic period.[4] Both Patristic & Modern scholarship do not know the author. Speculation but no firm consensus.
Don’t through baby out with bath water. Value of doing own research. Do not need to agree on everything. All exact same mind would be boring. Most important to agree on the core, Gospel message sinners in need of a Savior. Room for grace.
[1] https://www.blueletterbible.org/study/parallel/paral18.cfm accessed August 8, 2022
[2] https://biblehub.com/commentaries/tod/psalms/105.htm accessed August 8, 2022
[3] https://enduringword.com/bible-commentary/psalm-105/ accessed August 8, 2022
[4] John Bergsma & Brant Pitre, A Catholic Introduction to the Bible, The Old Testament (Ignatius: San Francisco 2018) 431
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