Divine Metaphors in Selected Hebrew Psalms of Lamentation

In this book, Alec Basson examines the divine metaphors in a selection of biblical Hebrew Psalms of Lamentation from a cognitive-anthropological perspective. The study signals a move beyond the more traditional approaches to the Psalms and argues that the textual information in these poems is more than literary information as such; it is also a cognitive representation of the psalmist's world. The divine portrayals arise from the supplicant's cognitive organisation and utilisation of cultural information, which include the everyday experiences. In situations of affliction, the poet employs various cognitive strategies viz. cultural models, image-schemas and conceptual metaphors as a means of portraying the deity. The exploration illustrates the link between the psalmist's cultural experience, cognitive construal of reality and the metaphorical representations. The utilisation of the different cognitive tools gives rise to new and recurring images of the deity and accounts for the multiple depictions of Yahweh. The investigation arrives at the conclusion that, to appreciate fully the divine metaphors used in the Psalms of Lamentation, one has to examine the cognitive world of the poet.

Born 1973; studies at the University of Stellenbosch; 2005 Doctorate of Literature (biblical Hebrew); currently post doctoral research fellow in the Department of Ancient Studies at the University of Stellenbosch.