The Dead Sea scrolls were found in the caves at Qumran. The scroll from Qumran cave 11 is one of the best preserved and most interesting of the Dead Sea scrolls. Some 200 of the scrolls from Qumran, about a third of the total, are of biblical books. Only one biblical scroll (Isaiah), however, has survived in its entirety, and only a few others are as well preserved as the Psalms scroll. This scroll contains 41 canonical psalms (mostly complete, but some fragmentary), as well as seven non-canonical psalms (that is, psalms not included in the Bible).
Among the seven non-canonical psalms, four are known from early translations (in Greek or Syriac), and their original text. The three other psalms are otherwise unknown. The linguistic characteristics of these non-canonical psalms point to a date of composition later than that of the canonical psalter. The four previously known non-canonical psalms are Ps. 151, 154, 155 and a part of Ecclesiasticus (Sirach) 51. The three new psalms have been named, the "Plea for Deliverance," the "Hymn to the Creator", and the "Apostrophe to Zion."
The book of Psalms is the most common book of the Bible found at Qumran, with some thirty different copies represented. Four of these copies -- the largest of which is our scroll -- have town main features in common: the order of the psalms is unlike that of the Masoretic text, and the presence of non-canonical psalms. Many scholars regard these scrolls as having served a liturgical purpose.
(Copyright "The Israel Museum," 1993.)
A Hallelujah of David the Son of Jesse
| 1. Smaller was I than my brothers and the youngest of the sons of my father, So he made me shepherd of his flock and ruler over his kids; 2. My hands have made an instrument and my fingers a lyre; And (so) have I rendered glory to the Lord, thought I within my soul 3. The mountains do not witness to him, nor do the hills proclaim; The trees have cherished my words and the flock my works. 4. For who can proclaim and who can bespeak and who can recount the deeds of the Lord? Everything has God seen everything has he heard and he has heeded. 5. He sent his prophet to anoint me; Samuel to make me great; My brothers went out to meet him handsome of figure and appearance. 6. Though they were tall of stature and handsome by their hair, The Lord God chose them not 7. But he sent and took me from behind the flock and anointed me with holy oil, And he made me leader of his people and ruler over the sons of his covenant. |
