'Whybray's recent book is a masterful review of all the options set out by critical scholarship since Wellhausen, i.e., over the last century. It is an exhaustive and up to date treatment, concise and highly readable.' E. Dyck, Crux 'Sensitive to standards of ancient historiography and parallels from the Greek sphere, Whybray proposes that the Pentateuch is the work of an ancient historian, possibly designed as a supplement or prologue to the deuteronomistic history. The analysis of the work of others and of the state of [CHECK REVIEW!] extremely valuable; the final suggestion makes it all the more engaging. Essential for all concerned with fundamentals of critical biblical studies.' W. Lee Humphreys, Religious Studies Review

Reading the Psalms as a Book

by R. N. Whybray

Published 7 January 1996
This book discusses the theory that the Psalter was compiled with the specific intention that it should be used as a book for private spiritual reading. It is argued that if this were so, the work of the final editors would not have been confined to arranging the psalms in a particular order but would have included additions and interpolations intended to give the whole book a new orientation. An investigation of selected psalms shows that although the Psalter may have become a book for private devotion not long after its compilation, there is little evidence that it was compiled for that purpose.