Overview

Jews and Christians alike have made Psalm 91 one of the most commonly used and cited parts of the Bible. For over two thousand years, the psalm has played a pivotal role in discussions of theology and politics, of medicine and mysticism. In He Will Save You from the Deadly Pestilence, acclaimed religion scholar Philip Jenkins illustrates how the evolving uses of Psalm 91 map developing ideas about religion and the supernatural. Depending on the era, Psalm 91 is protective; it is triumphalist; it is messianic; it is millenarian and apocalyptic; it is therapeutic. It has shaped theories of politics and government. In different ages, it has borne many different names: the Song of Evil Spirits, the Soldier's Psalm, and most broadly, the Protection Psalm. As the Song of Plagues, it has gained a whole new relevance in an age of global pandemic. In the New Testament, Satan himself quotes the psalm, and ever since, that text has both reflected and shaped changing concepts of evil and the demonic. It can be read as a lesson in exalted monotheistic theology, but it was and is used for magical purposes, including for exorcism and demon-fighting. As threats have evolved in various societies, so interpretations of Psalm 91 have developed to accommodate each new reality. The psalm's language about demons and evil forces has repeatedly come into play when Christianity encounters other religious traditions. At every stage, interpretations have to be understood in the larger context of social, spiritual, and practical concernsDLindeed, a biography of Psalm 91 is also a history of critical themes in Western religion.

Full Product Details

Author:   Philip Jenkins (Distinguished Professor of History, Distinguished Professor of History, Baylor University)
Publisher:   Oxford University Press Inc
Imprint:   Oxford University Press Inc
Dimensions:   Width: 23.80cm , Height: 2.40cm , Length: 16.40cm
Weight:   0.499kg
ISBN:  

9780197605646

ISBN 10:   0197605648
Pages:   256
Publication Date:   23 February 2023
Audience:   Professional and scholarly ,  Professional & Vocational
Format:   Hardback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   To order  
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Table of Contents

Acknowledgments Note on Usage 1. Under The Shadow Of The Almighty Discovering Psalm 91 2. A Thousand Shall Fall At Thy Side How A Plague Prayer Became A Song Against Evil Spirits 3. Lest You Dash Your Foot Against A Stone Finding Christ in the Psalm 4. The Terror By Night A World Full Of Demons And Enchanters 5. Tread Upon The Lion And Adder The Psalm as a Manifesto of Christendom 6. My Refuge And My Fortress The Psalm Divides Christendom 7. Neither Shall Any Plague Come Nigh Thy Dwelling The Plague Psalm, Once More 8. There Shall No Evil Befall Thee? Modernity and Reaction 9. But It Shall Not Come Nigh Thee Demons and Plagues Persist 10. Under His Wings Shalt Thou Trust Global South Readings of Psalm 91 11. To Keep Thee In All Thy Ways How Can We Pray Psalm 91?

Reviews

Early Christians 'thought in psalms', writes Philip Jenkins. Few psalms were as important for them and their Jewish contemporaries as Psalm 91, and it has remained central to both Jews and Christians. This study of the psalm's use down to the present day is a model of how to present the reception history of biblical texts. * John Barton, Emeritus Oriel & Laing Professor of the Interpretation of Holy Scripture, University of Oxford, and Senior Research Fellow of Campion Hall, Oxford * This remarkably informative 'biography' of Psalm 91 describes the many communities of Jews and Christians who have found solace, encouragement, challenge, inspiration, and more from this one biblical text. Jenkins moves rapidly from the psalm's use before the Common Era to the help believers have found in it during catastrophes of the twenty-first century, but always with insightful attention to the circumstances in which it has been read (and prayed). It is a book of unusual encouragement. * Mark Noll, author of America's Book: The Rise and Decline of a Bible Civilization, 1794-1911 * Is Psalm 91 an encouragement for peace or military action? Are its words a comfort during a pandemic or incantations against an enemy? Is it a central part of monastic prayer or designed for occult practice? Philip Jenkins helps us to see this psalm as a many-sided jewel, skilfully highlighting its multiple refractions as a 'prayer of protection'. * The Revd. Canon Susan Gillingham, Emeritus Professor of the Hebrew Bible, University of Oxford *

With a gentle and lucid style, offering just enough data to demonstrate the substantial scholarship that underlies this study, Jenkins succeeds in reintroducing Psalm 91 to readers through many fresh lenses. * Robert C. Fennell, Robert C. Fennell teaches at the Atlantic School of Theology., The Christian Century * Early Christians 'thought in psalms', writes Philip Jenkins. Few psalms were as important for them and their Jewish contemporaries as Psalm 91, and it has remained central to both Jews and Christians. This study of the psalm's use down to the present day is a model of how to present the reception history of biblical texts. * John Barton, Emeritus Oriel & Laing Professor of the Interpretation of Holy Scripture, University of Oxford, and Senior Research Fellow of Campion Hall, Oxford * This remarkably informative 'biography' of Psalm 91 describes the many communities of Jews and Christians who have found solace, encouragement, challenge, inspiration, and more from this one biblical text. Jenkins moves rapidly from the psalm's use before the Common Era to the help believers have found in it during catastrophes of the twenty-first century, but always with insightful attention to the circumstances in which it has been read (and prayed). It is a book of unusual encouragement. * Mark Noll, author of America's Book: The Rise and Decline of a Bible Civilization, 1794-1911 * Is Psalm 91 an encouragement for peace or military action? Are its words a comfort during a pandemic or incantations against an enemy? Is it a central part of monastic prayer or designed for occult practice? Philip Jenkins helps us to see this psalm as a many-sided jewel, skilfully highlighting its multiple refractions as a 'prayer of protection'. * The Revd. Canon Susan Gillingham, Emeritus Professor of the Hebrew Bible, University of Oxford *

Author Information

"Philip Jenkins is Distinguished Professor of History at Baylor University, where he serves in the Institute for Studies of Religion. He has published thirty books, including The Next Christendom: The Coming Of Global Christianity (2002) and The Lost History of Christianity (2008). His most recent book is Climate, Catastrophe, and Faith: How Changes in Climate Drive Religious Upheaval (2021). The Economist has called him ""one of America's best scholars of religion."" His books have been translated into sixteen languages."

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