Ritualistic use of religious music : a comparison between Old Testament and Psalms and Pedi Psalm-like songs of thanksgiving and lament
Author(s)
Lebaka, M.E.K. (Morakeng Edward Kenneth)Keywords
South Africa (SA)Pedi people
Biblical psalms
Pedi psalm-like songs
African musicology
Psalms in the Old Testament
African theology
African ethical values
Full record
Show full item recordOnline Access
http://hdl.handle.net/2263/42729Abstract
In both the culture of ancient Israel and that of the modern-day Pedi people of South Africa the medium of song plays a signifi-cant role in expressing personal and communal views on how life affects those born into it. In this article the author attempts to provide a descriptive and comparative assessment of the vari-ous types of psalms in the Old Testament Psalter vis-à-vis Pedi psalm-like songs. Such an investigation has hitherto not been at-tempted and this paper is meant to investigate the Pedi psalm-like texts as texts equivalent to the biblical psalms in quality, structure and content. I analyzed Pedi psalm-like songs search-ing for the African ethical values inherent in them. I also com-pared the Pedi psalm-like songs and the biblical psalms; search-ing for the similarities and differences; thus asserting the rele-vance of the psalms to the contemporary African peoples. This bi-disciplinary approach between music and theology is a grow-ing trend in African musicology and African theology. Inevita-bly, some of what I say is based on my own experience.Date
2013Type
ArticleIdentifier
oai:repository.up.ac.za:2263/42729http://hdl.handle.net/2263/42729
0378-4142
Lebaka, MEK 2013, 'Ritualistic use of religious music : a comparison between Old Testament and Psalms and Pedi Psalm-like songs of thanksgiving and lament', Theologia Viatorum : Journal of Theology and Religion in Africa, vol. 37, no. 2, pp. 50-70.
Copyright/License
Faculty of Theology and Religious Studies, University of LIMPOPOCollections
Related items
Showing items related by title, author, creator and subject.
-
Interpreting ‘Torah’ in Psalm 1 in the light of Psalm 119Philippus J. Botha (AOSIS, 2012-11-01)This article argued that Psalm 37 and Proverbs 1–4 served as sources for the composition of Psalm 1. The emphasis in both donor texts on the righteous people’s inheriting the Promised Land seems to have imprinted also on Psalm 1, a factor that could change our understanding of it. All three contexts in turn played a role in the composition of Psalm 119, but whilst the author of this long psalm also understood the ‘Torah’ of Yahweh as the incarnation of true wisdom, it seems that ‘Torah’ also subsumed the Promised Land for him. The investigation showed that ‘Torah’ in Psalm 1 should be understood as an arch-lexeme for all the religious texts its author used to compose, similar to what was the understanding of the author of Psalm 119 a little later.
-
Interpreting ‘Torah’ in Psalm 1 in the light of Psalm 119Philippus J. Botha (AOSIS, 2012-01-01)This article argued that Psalm 37 and Proverbs 1–4 served as sources for the composition of Psalm 1. The emphasis in both donor texts on the righteous people’s inheriting the Promised Land seems to have imprinted also on Psalm 1, a factor that could change our understanding of it. All three contexts in turn played a role in the composition of Psalm 119, but whilst the author of this long psalm also understood the ‘Torah’ of Yahweh as the incarnation of true wisdom, it seems that ‘Torah’ also subsumed the Promised Land for him. The investigation showed that ‘Torah’ in Psalm 1 should be understood as an arch-lexeme for all the religious texts its author used to compose, similar to what was the understanding of the author of Psalm 119 a little later.
-
Psalm 137: 'n (On)Christelike Psalm?L.P. Mar� (AOSIS, 2001-08-01)Christians tend to be horrified and embarrassed by the bloodthirstiness of Psalm 137, especially in the light of Jesus' command to forgive one's enemies. A prayer, which rejoices in the cold blooded murder of innocent children, seems totally unchristian. However, the psalm is part of the Christian canon, and therefore it cannot be ignored. It is the aim of this article to show that Psalm 137 can and should take its rightful place in the life and worship of the Christian Church.