Originally published in parts, the first of our two works is Dr. Daniel Gurden Stevens’ doctoral thesis. The fifteen Psalms from 120-134 have been titled "Songs of Ascent" or "Degrees," and "Pilgrim psalms"—all interpretations of their common heading Shîr Ha-ma‘alôth. Our author critically reviews the several different historical approaches to understanding this heading settling on the solution that the historical setting of the return from exile is the most salient. In this regard the “ascent” is that one made by the returning captives up to Jerusalem. The Greek and Syriac versions of the Psalms are utilized along with such church fathers as John Chrysostom, Theodoret of Cyrrus and Theodore of Mopsuestia as supporters of this position. Further support for his argument comes from a masterful review of the history of the nation of Israel during their exile in and return from Babylon. Finally, Stevens provides a superb translation with an adept critical commentary. Appended to this thesis is a short work, which stood in place of a proposed work on the precise topic of Stevens’ thesis. The shorter piece, by Professor Paul Haupt focuses specifically on Psalm 130.

Daniel Gurden Stevens, Jr. earned a PhD from Johns Hopkins University in 1894. His other publications include “The Tower of Babel: History in Picture,” The First Hundred Years of the American Baptist Publication Society and Luther Rice: Pioneer in Missions and Education.

Paul Haupt (1858-1926) was a renowned biblical scholar and Assyriologist. He wrote works on many of the books of the Jewish Scriptures and matters of Semitic linguistic import. He received his doctorate degree in Semitic Languages from the University of Leipzig. He taught at the University of Göttingen and Johns Hopkins University.