Interpreters vary on the nature and significance of the superscriptions in the Psalms. Some reject their validity completely, while others believe the titles are part of the canonical text of the Psalms and, therefore, necessary for interpretation. How one understands the headings of the Psalm even has consequences for understanding key NT passages, including the citation of Ps 110:1 in the synoptic gospels and Acts. However, before discussing the meaning of the lamed preposition and its implication for Jesus’s argument about David’s Lord, we must determine if the superscriptions are genuine and authoritative.
I will argue that the superscriptions in the Psalms, as attested in the Masoretic Text, are genuine and should be treated as part of the biblical text.
My paper will begin with a history of the interpretation of the role of the superscriptions. Gregory of Nyssa’s Commentary on the Inscriptions of the Psalms has often been neglected in this discussion. After dealing with patristic figures such as Gregory, Diodore of Tarsus, Theodore of Mopsuestia, Theodoret of Cyrus, Chrysostom, and Jerome, I investigate the medieval period, including Rashi, Ibn Ezra, and Aquinas. I will then move to the Reformation period, briefly dealing with Luther and Calvin. Finally, I will survey the modern period. The modern period seems to reveal three views of the role of the superscriptions: a rejection of the superscriptions as valid (Toy, Gunkel, Mowinckel), acceptance because they are part of the final text (Childs), and acceptance as biblical text at the composition stage (Waltke, Longman).
Finally, I will evaluate the arguments for the authenticity of the superscriptions, arguing that the titles should be taken as part of the biblical text and are, therefore, authoritative for interpretation at both the macro-level and micro-level. This section deals with the textual witnesses that reveal their antiquity, including the LXX, Dead Sea Scrolls, and Syriac versions of the Psalms, interacting with the work of Pietersma, Flint, and Van Rooy. With the ancient witnesses, I will also explore whether the variations of the titles, such as the extra headings in the LXX and the absence of the titles in the Peshitta, should raise concern about their attestation in the MT.
After showing the ancient nature of the headings, I will deal with features within the text that indicate that they are part of the text of Scripture rather than paratext. This section will also address how the editorial process and shaping of the Psalter relates to authorship and inspiration. Here, I will compare the work of Childs, Longman, and Waltke.
My paper will conclude with several practical implications for modern readers of the Psalms. First, the titles should never be omitted in our English translations. Second, I suggest that publishers should not put the superscriptions in a smaller font away from the rest of the biblical text, which could indicate to a reader unfamiliar with Hebrew that the publisher added these headings.