There are three basic types of literature in the Bible: narrative, poetry, and discourse, and each type communicates in a different way. Last month we talked about reading Bible stories; this week we’re talking about poetry.
Did you know that one out of every three chapters in the Bible is poetry? When you think of poetry in the Bible, you probably think
of the Psalms, or maybe the Song of Solomon—but there’s a lot more poetry in the Bible than that. In fact, Hebrew prophets tended to also be poets. You can’t tell as easily once it’s been translated into English, but when the prophets wrote down their prophecies from God they were writing deep, sophisticated poetry. Even the Apostle Paul incorporates some poetry into his writings! (I’m glad we don’t expect that from our pastors now—I can’t imagine writing an entire sermon in verse!)
So why do we care that there is so much poetry in the Bible? Because poetry is read differently from other kinds of writing. When you see a passage of scripture that is broken up into lines (instead of block text, like this page), you should read that passage differently than you read other passages. So how is poetry different?
Poetry is defined by the fact that it communicates through imagery and emotion, rather than simple statements of fact. The purpose of poetry is to access our emotions, so it uses word pictures and emotional language to communicate. Metaphors, similes, exaggeration, contradiction, these are all tools that poets use to get their point across.
Consider, for example, “The Song of Moses and Miriam” in Exodus 15.* It’s a song sung to praise God after he brought the Israelites safely through the Red Sea. Here are verses 8 through 10:
The trick is to remember that this principle is true for all poetry. Every psalm, every poetic prophecy, is using imagery and emotion to communicate. The message of the passage is not in the “facts” it provides, but in the emotions it makes you feel. This is crucial because a lot of Christians, churches, and denominations have gotten into some really strange ideas by treating poetry as if it were an encyclopedia article. To find the truth in the Bible, you have to read scripture on its own terms.
*This example comes from The Bible Project Podcast, June 23rd, 2017.
Did you know that one out of every three chapters in the Bible is poetry? When you think of poetry in the Bible, you probably think
of the Psalms, or maybe the Song of Solomon—but there’s a lot more poetry in the Bible than that. In fact, Hebrew prophets tended to also be poets. You can’t tell as easily once it’s been translated into English, but when the prophets wrote down their prophecies from God they were writing deep, sophisticated poetry. Even the Apostle Paul incorporates some poetry into his writings! (I’m glad we don’t expect that from our pastors now—I can’t imagine writing an entire sermon in verse!)
So why do we care that there is so much poetry in the Bible? Because poetry is read differently from other kinds of writing. When you see a passage of scripture that is broken up into lines (instead of block text, like this page), you should read that passage differently than you read other passages. So how is poetry different?
Poetry is defined by the fact that it communicates through imagery and emotion, rather than simple statements of fact. The purpose of poetry is to access our emotions, so it uses word pictures and emotional language to communicate. Metaphors, similes, exaggeration, contradiction, these are all tools that poets use to get their point across.
Consider, for example, “The Song of Moses and Miriam” in Exodus 15.* It’s a song sung to praise God after he brought the Israelites safely through the Red Sea. Here are verses 8 through 10:
“By the blast of your nostrilsNotice how the poet describes the parting of the Red Sea: God moved the waters by the “blast of his nostrils.” The waters “congeal” (In Hebrew, the word refers to curdling milk). When God releases the waters to cover up the Egyptians, he “blew with [his] breath.” Now, in this case we can compare the poem in Exodus 15 with the story in Exodus 14 to see the difference between the two approaches. We know from Exodus 14 that the poem is using non-literal imagery. There was no giant head hovering over the Red Sea that blew the waters apart with its nostrils. The waters did not curdle like milk. But the imagery is effective, isn’t it? And, on its own terms, the poetry is absolutely true, because it highlights God’s incredible power—he parted the waters with his mere breath, and he made water curdle. You can’t help but see the majesty and power of God!
the waters piled up.
The surging waters stood up like a wall;
the deep waters congealed in the heart of the sea.
The enemy boasted,
‘I will pursue, I will overtake them.
I will divide the spoils;
I will gorge myself on them.
I will draw my sword
and my hand will destroy them.’
But you blew with your breath,
and the sea covered them.
They sank like lead
in the mighty waters.
(Exodus 15:8-10, NIV)
The trick is to remember that this principle is true for all poetry. Every psalm, every poetic prophecy, is using imagery and emotion to communicate. The message of the passage is not in the “facts” it provides, but in the emotions it makes you feel. This is crucial because a lot of Christians, churches, and denominations have gotten into some really strange ideas by treating poetry as if it were an encyclopedia article. To find the truth in the Bible, you have to read scripture on its own terms.
*This example comes from The Bible Project Podcast, June 23rd, 2017.
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