168 READING DAVID IN THE PSALTER: A STUDY IN LITURGICAL HERMENEUTICS JAMES D. NOGALSKI Northern Baptist Theological Seminary, Lombard, IL 60148 Introduction In 1986, James Mays began his essay "The David of the Psalms" with the following statement: An essay on a subject like "The David of the Psalms" is a sign of what is going on in biblical studies in our time. The subject suggests that there is a David whose reality and importance lies in his con- nection with psalms and psalmody. The subject assumes that it is legitimate and useful to be interested in this figure who exists as a literary reality-and may never have existed in any other way. The subject is a way of claiming that such a figure is a proper matter for Old Testament study and research.' Indeed, Mays demonstrates that the association of "David" with psalms occurs differently in Samuel, Chronicles, and the Psalms. Mays concludes that the notion of the David of the Psalms is an intra-textual reality. The notion arises from looking at the text in terms of certain relations to . which the texts themselves guide the reader. It is a product of the Old Testament, not just separate books, and its function and effect is hermeneutic; its usefulness has to do with the interpretation of . the text as Scripture and in liturgy.2 2 The following analysis will evaluate several psalms, attempting to draw modern readers into conversation with ancient interpreters of David.3 3 lames Luther Mays, "The Davidof the Psalms." Interpretation 40 (1986): 143-155 (quote p. 143). 2Mays, "The Davidof the Psalms," 155. 3Thirteen psalms contain superscriptionsrelating the psalm to the life of David (3, 7, 18, 34, 51, 52, 54, 56, 57, 59, 60, 63, 142). Of these, only 7:1 refers to an episode not clearly related to the Samuel narratives. However,only one of these superscriptions(60: 1) points to an episode that also appears in the narratives of Chronicles. For reasons of space, only seven willbe treated.