Unit 15:6 Study Lesson
Conclusion of Poetry
One thing we know for certain about God—he is not boring. He has decided to communicate his Word to us through several fascinating and interesting literary forms. Truly, poetry is one of the most dynamic and heart-impacting literary genres available. God wants to connect with our minds, but he also wants to connect with our hearts (“all my inmost being,” Ps. 103:1). Thus, we have seen how Old Testament poetry differs from New Testament letters. We are dealing with paintings instead of scientific exhibits. The stress of the poets is on the emotional impact that the poetry makes in the life of the reader. Poetry is characterized by terseness, a high degree of structure (parallelism), and figurative imagery.
Recognizing these elements will assist us greatly in appreciating and interpreting the powerful messages that the Old Testament poets present to us. In addition, to grasp these words fully, we must still travel along the Interpretive Journey, starting with their world and crossing over the river of differences on the principlizing bridge. Finally, we must open our hearts to the message and let it transform us and change us more and more into the image of Christ.