Is Psalm 31 a Todah?

[Augustine3]

Since our Lord cried out from the cross “Into your hands I commit my spirit” quoting Psalm 31:5, I was wondering is Psalm 31 a Todah?

 

[patrick457]

Since our Lord cried out from the cross “Into your hands I commit my spirit” quoting Psalm 31:5, I was wondering is Psalm 31 a Todah?

Alright, let’s start with the important question first. What is a Todah?

 

[Augustine3]

Alright, let’s start with the important question first. What is a Todah?

I don’t know if you’re question is meant to be rhetorical, lol. I’m assuming it’s not so here’s a website that explains what a Todah is.

 

[Petaro]

Since, from the website a Todah is a thanksgiving ritual including sacrifice including bread I cannot see the connection with the Crucifixion. Of course, my next question is what relevance does the question have to my daily life? Silly me, I should realise that the study of pilpuls is so important.

 

[edward_george]

The Todah was a specific ritual containing the singing of Psalms and hymns, the slaughter of a lamb, and the ritual consumption of bread, and it was celebrated in thanksgiving for God having delivered someone–e.g. if you had gone out to battle with your clan, and everyone was killed but you, you would get the priest to offer the sacrifice according to this method. One Psalm would not be a Todah, but perhaps a part of it; although if you look at the language in the Letter to the Hebrews, there’s a strong implication that the “Sacrifice of Praise,” i.e. the zebach todah, is fulfilled in Christ–think of how the Last Supper plays out. Singing of Psalms and Hymns, the slaughter of the Lamb, the Eucharist–the ultimate Sacrifice of Praise.

-ACEGC

 

[patrick457]

I don’t know if you’re question is meant to be rhetorical, lol. I’m assuming it’s not so here’s a website that explains what a Todah is.

From Michael Barber’s Singing in the Reign: The Psalms and the Liturgy of God’s Kingdom (p. 80):

One final word about todah psalms. Since todah both referred to a particular type of offering and also can simply mean “thanksgiving,” it is difficult to classify a psalm as necessarily referring to a todah offering. There are some psalms of “thanksgiving” that are not todah psalms. 44 At the same time, other psalms seem to be clearly part of a todah, although the word “thanksgiving” is never used. 45
Thus there is much gray area when it comes to classifying specific psalms as todah psalms. Indeed, the one and only psalm that is explicitly labeled as “A Psalm for the thank offering,” Psalm 100, makes no account of a sacrifice, an ordeal, or any retelling of deliverance. Even so, the todah is clearly the principal cult of the Book of Psalms. 46 Thus, the todah always remains in the backdrop of the Psalter regardless of which individual psalms may be labeled as such.

44 Psalm 136, for example, is a kind of corporate thanksgiving, but since the todah was a sacrifice offered by an individual, Psalm 136 cannot be classified as a todah psalm.
45 For example, Psalm 66 contains the prayer of an individual who comes before the Lord with a sacrifice, recounting his deliverance, paying his vows, and making the offering he “promised when [he] was in trouble” (v. 14), which he promised to offer once delivered from his affliction.
46 Indeed, sin offerings are often condemned as insufficient in the Psalter (e.g., Ps. 40:6; 50:8-9; 51:16; and 69:30-31).

 

[TimothyH]

Jewish rabbinical tradition said that all offerings will cease except for the todah offering.

***According to Leviticus Rabbah 9:7 and Pesiqta Rabbati 12, several ancient Rabbis taught the following:

In the Age to Come all sacrifices will cease, but the thank offering will never cease; all songs will cease, but the songs of thanksgiving will never cease." (Cited in Hartmut Gese, Essays in Biblical Theology 133).

Read more…***

Todah means thanksgiving. In Greek it is eucharista.

-Tim-

 

[edward_george]

Jewish rabbinical tradition said that all offerings will cease except for the todah offering.

***According to Leviticus Rabbah 9:7 and Pesiqta Rabbati 12, several ancient Rabbis taught the following:

In the Age to Come all sacrifices will cease, but the thank offering will never cease; all songs will cease, but the songs of thanksgiving will never cease." (Cited in Hartmut Gese, Essays in Biblical Theology 133).

Read more…***

Todah means thanksgiving. In Greek it is eucharista.

-Tim-

I’m glad you mentioned Gese because it reminded me of another scholar who has done extensive work on the use of the “sacrifice of praise” as found in Hebrews, whose work may be found here–Fr. James Swetnam, SJ. I had the privilege of having a short course in Hebrews with him some time back, and it was a true joy.

 

[Dave_Noonan]

From Michael Barber’s Singing in the Reign: The Psalms and the Liturgy of God’s Kingdom (p. 80):

One final word about todah psalms. Since todah both referred to a particular type of offering and also can simply mean “thanksgiving,” it is difficult to classify a psalm as necessarily referring to a todah offering. There are some psalms of “thanksgiving” that are not todah psalms. 44 At the same time, other psalms seem to be clearly part of a todah, although the word “thanksgiving” is never used. 45
Thus there is much gray area when it comes to classifying specific psalms as todah psalms. Indeed, the one and only psalm that is explicitly labeled as “A Psalm for the thank offering,” Psalm 100, makes no account of a sacrifice, an ordeal, or any retelling of deliverance. Even so, the todah is clearly the principal cult of the Book of Psalms. 46 Thus, the todah always remains in the backdrop of the Psalter regardless of which individual psalms may be labeled as such.

44 Psalm 136, for example, is a kind of corporate thanksgiving, but since the todah was a sacrifice offered by an individual, Psalm 136 cannot be classified as a todah psalm.
45 For example, Psalm 66 contains the prayer of an individual who comes before the Lord with a sacrifice, recounting his deliverance, paying his vows, and making the offering he “promised when [he] was in trouble” (v. 14), which he promised to offer once delivered from his affliction.
46 Indeed, sin offerings are often condemned as insufficient in the Psalter (e.g., Ps. 40:6; 50:8-9; 51:16; and 69:30-31).

This seems completely made up to me.

 

[edward_george]

This seems completely made up to me.

On what basis? If you’re going to make an assertion, by all means, please back it up.

-ACEGC

 

[TimothyH]

I’m glad you mentioned Gese because it reminded me of another scholar who has done extensive work on the use of the “sacrifice of praise” as found in Hebrews, whose work may be found here–Fr. James Swetnam, SJ. I had the privilege of having a short course in Hebrews with him some time back, and it was a true joy.

I find Hebrews more enigmatic than Revelation. It is my favorite for many reasons and have been working through the Sacra Pagina commentary for some time.

Thank you for the link. I will study it well.

-Tim-

 

[Dave_Noonan]

On what basis? If you’re going to make an assertion, by all means, please back it up.

-ACEGC

What’s the evidence for the Todah ritual as described, much less that there are specific Psalms that accompanied the ritual?