LECTURE XLI. THE POETRY OF THE HEBREWS. XLI. AMONG the various kinds of Poetry, which we LECT M 3 1 XLI. LECT. acquainted with this fubject. It is a work exceedingly valuable, both for the elegance of its Compofition, and for the juftness of the criticism which it contains. In this Lecture, as I cannot illuftrate the subject with more benefit to the Reader, than by following the track of that ingenious Author, I fhall make much ufe of his obfervations. I NEED not spend many words in showing, that among the books of the Old Teftament there is fuch an apparent diverfity in Style, as fufficiently discovers, which of them are to be confidered as Poetical, and which, as Profe Compofitions. While the historical books, and legislative writings of Mofes, are evidently Profaic in the compofition, the Book of Job, the Pfalms of David, the Song of Solomon, the Lamentations of Jeremiah, a great part of the Prophetical Writings, and feveral paffages fcattered occafionally through the historical books, carry the moft plain and diftinguishing marks of Poetical Writing. THERE is not the least reason for doubting, that originally these were written in verfe, or fome kind of measured numbers; though as the antient pronunciation of the Hebrew Language is now loft, we are not able to afcertain the nature of the Hebrew verse, or at most can ascertain it but imperfectly. Concerning this point there have been great controverfies among learned men, which it is unneceffary to our prefent purpose to difcufs. Taking the XLI. the Old Testament in our own Tranflation, which LE C T. is extremely literal, we find plain marks of many parts of the original being written in a measured Style; and the "disjecta membra poëtæ❞ often fhow themselves. Let any perfon read the Hiftorical Introduction to the book of Jób, contained in the first and second chapters, and then go on to Job's fpeech in the beginning of the third chapter, and he cannot avoid being fenfible, that he paffes all at once from the region of profe to that of Poetry. Not only the poetical fentiments, and the figured Style, warn him of the change; but the cadence of the fentence, and the arrangement of the words, are fenfibly altered; the change is as great as when he paffes from reading Cæfar's Commentaries, to read Virgil's Æneid. This is fufficient to fhow that the facred Scriptures contain, what must be called poetry in the strictest sense of that word; and I shall afterwards show, that they contain inftances of most of the different forms of Poetical Writing. It may be proper to remark, in paffing, that hence arifes a moft invincible argument in honour of Poetry. No perfon can imagine that to be a frivolous and contemptible art, which has been employed by Writers under divine inspiration, and has been chofen as a proper channel for conveying to the world the knowledge of divine truth. FROM the earliest times, Mufic and Poetry were cultivated among the Hebrews. In the days of LECT. the Judges, mention is made of the Schools or XLI. Colleges of the Prophets; where one part of the employment of the perfons trained in fuch schools was, to fing the praifes of God, accompanied with various inftruments. In the first book of Samuel (chap. x. 7.) we find, on a public occafion, a company of these Prophets coming down from the hill where their fchool was, " prophefying," it is faid, "with the pfaltery, tabret, and harp before "them." But in the days of King David, Music and Poetry were carried to their greatest height. For the fervice of the tabernacle, he appointed four thoufand Levites, divided into twenty-four courses, and marfhalled under feveral leaders, whose fole business it was to fing Hymns, and to perform the inftrumental Mufic in the public worship. Afaph, Heman, and Jeduthun, were the chief directors of the Mufic; and, from the titles of fome Pfalms, it would appear that they were also eminent compofers of Hymns or Sacred Poems. In chapter xxv. of the first book of Chronicles, an account is given of David's inftitutions, relating to the Sacred Mufic and Poetry; which were certainly more costly, more fplendid and magnificent, than ever obtained in the public fervice of any other nation. THE general construction of the Hebrew Poetry is of a fingular nature, and peculiar to itself. It confifts in dividing every period into correfpondent, for the most part into equal members, which an swer to one another, both in fenfe and found. In the XLI. the first member of the period a fentiment is LECT. expreffed; and in the fecond member, the fame fentiment is amplified, or is repeated in different terms, or sometimes contrafted with its oppofite; but in fuch a manner that the fame ftructure and nearly the fame number of words is preferved. This is the general strain of all the Hebrew Poetry. Inftances of it occur every where on opening the Old Testament. Thus, in Pfalm xcvi. "Sing "unto the Lord a new fong-Sing unto the Lord, "all the earth. Sing unto the Lord, and bless "his name shew forth his falvation from day to day. Declare his glory among the heathenhis wonders among all the people. For the “Lord is great, and greatly to be praised -He is "to be feared above all the Gods. Honour and "majefty are before him-Strength and beauty 66 are in his fanctuary." It is owing, in a great measure, to this form of Compofition that our yerfion, though in Profe, retains fo much of a poetical caft. For the verfion being strictly word for word after the original, the form and order of the original fentence are preferved; which by this artificial structure, this regular alternation and correfpondence of parts, makes the ear fenfible of a departure from the common Style and Tone of Profe, THE origin of this form of Poetical Compofition among the Hebrews, is clearly to be deduced from the manner in which their Sacred Hymns were |