In his book, Words of Delight, Leland Ryken said, “… the ability to interpret poetry is a requirement, not an option, when we read the Bible” (pg. 160). Considering roughly one-third of the Bible is poetry, Ryken’s statement is absolutely true. There are 150 Psalms, 31 chapters of Proverbs, poetic prophecy sprinkled throughout the major and minor prophets, and poetry can even be found in the teachings of Jesus Christ and other places in the New Testament. If we want to be good Bible students, we need to learn how to study and interpret Biblical poetry. If you are like me, you might be intimidated by such language. This is likely because poetry is not the primary way we speak, nor is it the most common way we write. For these reasons, we shy away from it altogether. Brethren, we sell ourselves short and hinder ourselves from knowing God and His word, as He desires, if we do not challenge ourselves to study poetry. So, here are several keys and figures of speech to look for as you study poetry in the Bible.
Images
Images are the heartbeat of poetry. They help us to “feel” and “see’ what the author is trying to convey. When a poet writes, they write in pictures. This is the first clue to look for. For example, consider Psalm 1. As you read this Psalm, there are two images given: a tree and chaff. As we look at the picture painted of the tree in verse 3, the author conveys the idea of stability (“planted”), nourishment (“streams of water”), productivity (“yields its fruit”), persistence (“leaf does not wither”), and prosperity (“In whatever he does…”). The chaff in verse 4 brings to mind the direct opposite of the tree (“which the wind drives away…”). In a narrative – the most common form of literature in the Bible – the writer might use a character to convey what stability and prosperity look like, but in poetry, you will see pictures like a tree. If you can find these images, you are one step closer to interpreting Biblical poetry.
Metaphors and Similes
Often within painted pictures of poetry, we find metaphors and similes. These figures of speech are identical; their purpose is comparison. A simile will use the words “like” or “as” to show comparison – “I am poured out like water” (Psalm 22:14, NASB 95). A metaphor more boldly asserts a comparison – “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Psalm 119:105). When studying similes and metaphors, Ryken offers a two-step process that I submit to you for consideration (a more detailed explanation of this process begins on page 166 of Words of Delight). First, one must identify the literal reference being made. In Psalm 119:105, the reference is to a lamp and light. The picture is someone using light to guide their walk down a dark path. The light reveals the direction in which the traveler should go. With that image in mind, step two of the process is interpretation. Now that we have identified the image of light, we interpret the text by connecting the picture painted to the object it is being compared to. According to Psalm 119:105, God’s Word (object) is our guide (picture). It directs us in the waythat we should go. It provides “light” in a world of “darkness.” When we learn to identify the reference and then interpret it, we learn to study and apply comparisons made in poetry.
Other Figures of Speech
Unfortunately, word count hinders me from discussing all the figures of speech used in poetry. We could spend much time discussing hyperbole, apostrophe, personification, parallelism, and many others. I leave that to you and your continued study of Biblical poetry. Why did God decide to use poetry in His Word? In reality, we do not know. God decided to, and that is enough to conclude it is important. However, as humans, we have two sides to our brains. These sides play different roles in how we think and act. Some of us use our left side more (logic and reason), and others tend to use the right (creativity and imagination). While narrative causes us to use the left side more, poetry appeals to the right side of our brain. In other words, there is writing in the Bible that appeals to every single one of us. Poetry may be difficult for some of us, but we ought to be thankful to God because His Word appeals to and challenges all of us! May we never neglect parts of His Word, for every word will bless us all.
Source: Ryken, Leland. Words of Delight. Baker Books, 1993.
-Bryce Mayfield