02_VanWieringen_179_197 15/07/14 12:15 Pagina 197 PSALM 65 197 It is wise to keep this in mind for any modern re-reading of this Psalm as well 32. School of Catholic Theology A.L.H.M. van WIERINGEN Tilburg University 5037 AB Tilburg, NL SUMMARY The biblical perspective that a receiver of God’s promises is not al- lowed to claim these promises is called non-appropriation theology. Psalm 65 can be read as an example of this non-appropriation theology. The “I”- character does not claim the fertile Land but can only speak about the abundance of the harvest of their wheat (v. 10). The heading of Psalm 65, identifying the “I”-character as David, preserves the non-appropriation theology. This non-appropriation theology is retained in the reception- history of Psalm 65, as can be found in the Septuagint and the liturgical use of Psalm 65 in the funeral Mass. of the entire Christ, head and limbs, to the Father, in the Spirit”), which goes back to Augustine (354-430), has been largely succeeded by the model of praying psalmus vox monachorum ad Deum Patrem, Filium et Spiritum (“the psalm is the voice of the monks to God Father, Son and Spirit”), which orig- inates from Benedict (480-547). In the latter view, not only has the dynamics of the Trinity disappeared, but also a direct identification takes place between the voice of the persons praying and the voice of the psalm, which is at odds with the theology of non-appropriation found in Psalm 65. See also: B. FI- SCHER, Die Psalmen als Stimme der Kirche: Gesammelte Studien zur christ- lichen Psalmenfrömmigkeit (Trier 1982) especially 85-95. For the difference of the interpretation of the Psalms in the Christian tradition of the first three centuries and in the Christian tradition of the fourth and fifth century, see also M. COLLIN, “Comme un murmure de cithare”. Introduction aux Psaumes (Paris 2008) 55-68, 91. 32 I am greatly indebted to Drs. Maurits J. Sinninghe Damsté (Musselka- naal, Netherlands) for his correction of the English translation of this article.