Weathering the Psalms

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The weather is all around us all the time. From ancient times people have attributed the weather to the work of the gods. Ancient Israel shared this perception. The book of Psalms reflects theologically significant views on the weather that have not, until now, been fully explored. In this meteorological survey of the Psalms, whimsically called "meteorotheology, " every reference to the weather is translated in accordance with the known climate and weather of ancient Israel. Each verse is discussed with particular attention to the function of the weather in the hymnal of ancient Israel. This book will be a resource for translators, clergy, and scholars with an interest in how the weather impacted religious outlooks in ancient Israel. Readers will learn that some expected associations, such as thunder and lightning, did not influence Israelite views on the natural world in the same way that they do today. Yahweh was God of the weather, and the Psalms frequently use this paradigm as a reason for both praise and fear of the Lord. "Steve Wiggins explores the nuances and subtleties of weather-related terms by applying meteorologically correct terminology to weather-related references in the psalms. He aptly demonstrates a theological understanding of how the weather was perceived by the psalmists and used in their texts. This well-organized monograph will be useful to students of Hebrew Scripture and those who regularly use the psalms in worship." --Joseph A. Kucharski, Professor of Church Music, Nashotah House Episcopal Seminary, Nashotah, WI "This immensely readable volume discusses climate in an ancient context, recognizing that in a prescientific Israel, 'always, in some way, (the weather) is indicative of Yahweh's relationship with humanity.' Every possible instance of a meteorological allusion in the psalms is considered, and with his usual caution and fine analytical skills, Wiggins carefully distinguishes in this important contribution to psalms scholarship, between the certain, the probable, and the dubious, and shows how the cosmic battle ('Chaoskampf') often lurks suggestively in the background, emphasizing Yahweh's victorious power." --Nick Wyatt, Professor emeritus, University of Edinburgh, Scotland, UK "Wiggins is a first-rate scholar and editor. In this long-awaited book, he offers an indispensable survey of weather imagery in the Psalter that covers everything from translation issues to palaeoclimatology to what he calls 'meteorotheology'--the theological understanding of the weather by the ancients. Throughout, Wiggins proves a central point: '[t]o understand the weather is somehow to glimpse the divine.' This is a treasure trove of a book (the bibliography alone is worth the price), underscoring the never-ending complexity of the Bible, and the countless ways it moves from its ancient contexts to the present-day scientific world. I will consult it often." --Brent A. Strawn, Professor of Old Testament, Emory University, Atlanta, GA Steve A. Wiggins is an independent scholar, and former Associate Professor of Hebrew Bible at Nashotah House Seminary in Wisconsin. He is the author of A Reassessment of Asherah (1993 and 2007).