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Most Hebrew poetry
shows a characteristic called parallelism. This simply means that
two or (sometimes three) lines of the poetry are in some way parallel in
meaning.
The three most common kinds of parallelism are equivalent,
contrasting, and amplified.
In
equivalent parallelism
the second line
basically repeats the thought of the first.
Example:
"O
LORD, do not rebuke me in your anger
or discipline me in your wrath."
(Psalm 6:1)
In
contrasting
parallelism
the second line
gives an opposite truth which balances the first line.
Example:
"The LORD
examines the righteous,
but the wicked
and those who love violence his soul hates."
(Psalm 10:5)
In
amplified
parallelism
the second line
augments the thought of the first.
Example:
"And the words of
the LORD are flawless,
like silver
refined in a furnace of clay, purified seven times."
(Psalm 12:6)
Try recognizing the
different kinds of parallelisms in the Psalms. It is very
interesting to do and will lead to a greater understanding of how God
inspired these authors of psalms, and will leave no doubt as to His perfection
in every word.
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