The study of the poetic literature of the Bible is one of the most rewarding endeavors in biblical hermeneutics.
Psalms, Proverbs, The Song of Solomon, much of Job and Ecclesiastes are all examples of Hebrew poetry.
Poems and songs are sprinkled throughout the Old Testament books of history and prophecy.
A right understanding of the principles behind interpreting biblical poetry is essential if one is to enjoy the benefits of these Hebrew sonnets.
They are jewels of theology set on fire by Hebrew creativity.
"Poetry to the modern mind and in the English language is primarily a matter of meter and rhyming.
This is not true of biblical poetry.
Although a poem in Hebrew may have elements of meter, those elements are not the major characteristics.
Rather, the distinguishing mark of Hebrew poetry is a a correspondence in thought, or parallelism, between one line and the following line; or between one section and the following section.
That is very helpful indeed, for it means that the poetic form of the Old Testament is almost fully accessible to us in the English language.
"1 R.
C.
Sproul says, ".
.
.
there are three basic kinds of parallelism: synonymous, antithetic and synthetic.
"2 Synonymous parallelism means that different lines or parts of the passage present the same thought in a slightly different way (Proverbs 14:13).
Proverbs 14:13 Even in laughter the heart is sorrowful; and the end of that mirth is heaviness.
Do you see that the subject is sorrow of the heart even when the sorrowful heart laughs? The second part of the verse is synonymous with the first because it says that the end of such mirth is itself heaviness.
When a verse has antithetic parallelism the two parts are set in contrast to one another (Proverbs 14:12).
KJV Proverbs 14:12 There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.
Man's ways seem right to him..
..
but the end of man's ways are death itself.
Though man's way seems right it is extremely wrong.
The first part is antithetical to the second part.
Synthetic parallelism is when the first part of the passage creates a sense of expectation which is completed by the second part.
There is progression of information (Psalm 92:9).
KJV Psalm 92:9 For, lo, thine enemies, O LORD, for, lo, thine enemies shall perish; all the workers of iniquity shall be scattered.
The first part of the verse declares that the subject of discussion is the enemies of the Lord.
The second part of the verse adds information and tells us that they will perish and that they all will be scattered.
3 It is important to recognize poetry for what it is.
It is not narrative.
It is not telling a story in a narrative form.
It is rather a powerful way to publish truth.
It catches the eye and captures the imagination.
That is what poetry is supposed to do.
In biblical terms, it is not for entertainment or to show the poetic gifts of the writer.
It is given to develop great truths about God and mankind in an imaginative way.
1.
Robertson McQuilkin.
Understanding and Applying the Bible (Chicago: Moody Press, 1942) 199.
2.
R.
C.
Sproul.
Knowing Scripture (Downers Grove Illinois: Intervarsity Press,1977), 85.
3.
Sproul.
, 85
Psalms, Proverbs, The Song of Solomon, much of Job and Ecclesiastes are all examples of Hebrew poetry.
Poems and songs are sprinkled throughout the Old Testament books of history and prophecy.
A right understanding of the principles behind interpreting biblical poetry is essential if one is to enjoy the benefits of these Hebrew sonnets.
They are jewels of theology set on fire by Hebrew creativity.
"Poetry to the modern mind and in the English language is primarily a matter of meter and rhyming.
This is not true of biblical poetry.
Although a poem in Hebrew may have elements of meter, those elements are not the major characteristics.
Rather, the distinguishing mark of Hebrew poetry is a a correspondence in thought, or parallelism, between one line and the following line; or between one section and the following section.
That is very helpful indeed, for it means that the poetic form of the Old Testament is almost fully accessible to us in the English language.
"1 R.
C.
Sproul says, ".
.
.
there are three basic kinds of parallelism: synonymous, antithetic and synthetic.
"2 Synonymous parallelism means that different lines or parts of the passage present the same thought in a slightly different way (Proverbs 14:13).
Proverbs 14:13 Even in laughter the heart is sorrowful; and the end of that mirth is heaviness.
Do you see that the subject is sorrow of the heart even when the sorrowful heart laughs? The second part of the verse is synonymous with the first because it says that the end of such mirth is itself heaviness.
When a verse has antithetic parallelism the two parts are set in contrast to one another (Proverbs 14:12).
KJV Proverbs 14:12 There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.
Man's ways seem right to him..
..
but the end of man's ways are death itself.
Though man's way seems right it is extremely wrong.
The first part is antithetical to the second part.
Synthetic parallelism is when the first part of the passage creates a sense of expectation which is completed by the second part.
There is progression of information (Psalm 92:9).
KJV Psalm 92:9 For, lo, thine enemies, O LORD, for, lo, thine enemies shall perish; all the workers of iniquity shall be scattered.
The first part of the verse declares that the subject of discussion is the enemies of the Lord.
The second part of the verse adds information and tells us that they will perish and that they all will be scattered.
3 It is important to recognize poetry for what it is.
It is not narrative.
It is not telling a story in a narrative form.
It is rather a powerful way to publish truth.
It catches the eye and captures the imagination.
That is what poetry is supposed to do.
In biblical terms, it is not for entertainment or to show the poetic gifts of the writer.
It is given to develop great truths about God and mankind in an imaginative way.
1.
Robertson McQuilkin.
Understanding and Applying the Bible (Chicago: Moody Press, 1942) 199.
2.
R.
C.
Sproul.
Knowing Scripture (Downers Grove Illinois: Intervarsity Press,1977), 85.
3.
Sproul.
, 85