New Books Network S. D. Ellison, "Hope for a New David in the Psalter's Narrative Impulse: Reading the Psalms as Utopian Literature" (Fortress Academic, 2025)
Mar 25, 2026
Davy Ellison, director of training and Old Testament lecturer from Northern Ireland and author of Hope for a New David, argues the Psalter is a crafted narrative promising a renewed Davidic future. He traces a five-book shape, reads lament and restoration as stages, and highlights Psalms 110 and 132 as anchors for Zionic and royal hope.
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Scholar Journey From Pastoral Training To Psalter Redaction
- Ellison's interest in the Psalter began with undergraduate teaching and a master's on Royal Messianic Psalms leading to a doctoral focus on editorial shaping.
- He credits Morris Darling and Gerald Wilson's Editing of the Hebrew Psalter as formative influences.
Psalms 1 And 2 Act As An Editorial Introduction
- Psalms 1–2 function as a two-part introduction presenting a righteous king figure and setting expectations of protection and enthronement.
- Ellison notes shared motifs (no superscriptions, blessed inclusio, meditation/plotting imagery, 'the way') linking the two opening psalms.
Book One Centers David's Righteous Kingship
- Book 1 privileges Davidic voice to portray a king battling wickedness and affirmed as established in Zion.
- Ellison treats superscriptions seriously and reads the majority of Book 1 as Davidic testimony culminating in Psalm 41.
