Rev Dr David Firth
BTh, MA, PhD, PG Cert HE
Director of Extension Studies
APPOINTMENTS
2010 Director of Extension Studies
DEGREES
BTh in Theology, Morling College (SCD) (1987)
MA in Aspects of Biblical Interpretation, London Bible College (1989)
PhD in Old Testament, University of Pretoria (1996)
PG Cert HE, Manchester University (2006)
Thesis title: ‘Responses to Violence in Lament Psalms of the Individual’
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PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE
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Lecturer in Old Testament, Cliff College, 2003 – 2010
Lecturer in Old Testament (part time), Wesley Institute, 2000 – 2003
Accountant (part time), Roussety & Co / Wesley Mission, 2000 - 2003
Evangelism Coordinator, Baptist Olympic Taskforce (temp), 2000
Minister, St Ives Baptist Church, 1997 - 2000
Missionary Theological Educator, Australian Baptist Missionary Society, 1989-1996
Student Minister, North Manly Baptist Church, 1987 – 88
Full time Studies, 1985 – 1988
Accountant, QUF Industries, 1984
Accountancy Studies, 1983
Accountant, GEC Digital, 1981 – 1982
Insurance Clerk, AMP, 1979 - 1981
MEMBERSHIP AND OTHER ACTIVITIES
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Chair, Old Testament Study Group, Tyndale Fellowship, 2010 – present (Secretary,
2004 – 2009)
General Editor, Tyndale Old Testament Commentary, 2005 - present
Member, International Advisory Board, Old Testament Essays, 2006 - present
Member of Old Testament Society of South Africa, Society of Biblical Literature,
Society of Old Testament Studies
Chair, Australian Baptist Missionary Society (NSW), 2000 – 2003, National Board
Member, 2002 – 2003
Member of Executive Committee, Baptist Union of NSW 2000 - 2003
PUBLICATIONS AND PAPERS
Books
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Hear, O Lord: A Spirituality of the Psalms (Calver: Cliff College Publishing, 2005)
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Interpreting the Psalms: Issues and Approaches (co-edited with Philip S. Johnston)
(Leicester: Apollos, 2005)
Surrendering Retribution in the Psalms: Approaches to Violence in the Individual
Complaints (Milton Keynes: Paternoster, 2005)
Words and the Word: Explorations in Biblical Interpretation and Literary Theory
(co-edited with Jamie A. Grant) (Nottingham: Apollos, 2008)
1 and 2 Samuel (Apollos Old Testament Commentary) (Nottingham: Apollos, 2009)
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Interpreting Isaiah: Issues and Approaches (co-edited with H. G. M. Williamson)
(Nottingham: Apollos 2009)
God Present but Unseen: The Message of Esther (BST) (Nottingham: IVP, 2010)
Presence, Power and Promise: The Role of the Spirit of God in the Old Testament
(co-edited with Paul D. Wegner) (Nottingham: Apollos, 2011)
Interpreting Deuteronomy: Issues and Approaches (co-edited with Philip S.
Johnston), Nottingham: Apollos, 2012
1 & 2 Samuel: A Kingdom Comes (Sheffield: Sheffield Phoenix, 2013)
Academic papers and articles:
 Covenant and Call: Jeremiah 1:4 – 19 as an Orientation to the Book of Jeremiah,
South African Baptist Journal of Theology 3, 1994, 61 – 73.
 Commentaries on Jeremiah: An Annotated Guide, South African Baptist Journal of
Theology 3, 1994, 134 – 142.
 Preaching Old Testament Narratives, South African Baptist Journal of Theology 4,
1995, 21 – 29.
 Promise as Polemic: Levels of Meaning in Amos 9:11 – 15, Old Testament Essays
9/3, 1996, 372 – 382
 Responses to Violence in Some Lament Psalms of the Individual, Skrif en Kerk
17/2, 1996, 317 – 328.
 The Book of Esther: A Neglected Paradigm for Political Engagement, Old
Testament Essays 10/1, 1997, 18 – 26.
 Context and Violence in Individual Prayers for Protection, Skrif en Kerk 18/1,
1997, 86 – 96.
 A Note on the Meaning of ‫ ׁשרר‬in the Psalms, Old Testament Essays 11/1, 1998, 40
– 49.
 Testimony as Instruction: Psalms that Share the Experience of Violence with the
Community, South African Baptist Journal of Theology 7, 1998, 12 – 22.
 Psalms of Testimony, Old Testament Essays 12/3 (1999), 440 - 454
 Backward Masking: Implicit Characterisation of Elijah in the Micaiah Narrative,
Old Testament Essays, 13/2 (2000), 174 – 185
 Stages of Prayer through the Psalms, South African Baptist Journal of Theology,
10 (2001), 1 – 9
 Shining the Lamp: The Rhetoric of 2 Samuel 5 – 24, Tyndale Bulletin 52/2 (2001),
203 – 224
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Standing with the Powerless: Poverty and Wealth in Amos, South African Baptist
Journal of Theology 11(2002), 36 – 47
Parallelismus Memborum (sic) in Prose Narrative: The Function of Repetition in 1
Samuel 5 – 6, Old Testament Essays 15/2 (2002), 647 – 656
The Third Quest for the Historical Mordecai and the Genre of the Book of Esther,
Old Testament Essays 16/2 (2003), 233 – 243
Speech Acts and Covenant in 2 Samuel 7:1 – 17, in J. A. Grant and A. I Wilson
(eds), The God of Covenant, Leicester: Apollos, 2005, 79 – 99
The Teaching of the Psalms, in Johnston & Firth (eds.), Interpreting the Psalms,
159 – 174
Play it Again Sam: The Poetics of Narrative Repetition in 1 Samuel 1 – 7, Tyndale
Bulletin 56/2 (2005), 1 – 18
‘“That the World Might Know.” Narrative Poetics in 1 Samuel 16 – 17’ in M.
Parsons (ed), Text & Task: Scripture & Mission, Milton Keynes: Paternoster, 2005,
20 – 32
‘What did Moses Do? Discipleship BC.’ In Mark Greene and Tracy Cotterell (eds),
Let My People Grow: Making Disciples who Make a Difference in Today’s World,
London: Authentic, 2006, 27 – 37
‘Testimonies True (?) and False (?) in 1 Samuel 21 – 22’, SABJT 15 (2006), 20 – 27
‘The Accession Narrative (1 Samuel 27 – 2 Samuel 1)’, Tyndale Bulletin 58/1
(2007), 61 – 81
‘Ambiguity’ in Tremper Longman III (ed) Dictionary of the Old Testament:
Wisdom, Poetry and Writings, Downer’s Grove: IVP Academic, 2008, 11 – 13
‘Asaph and the Sons of Korah’, in Tremper Longman III (ed) Dictionary of the Old
Testament: Wisdom, Poetry and Writings Downer’s Grove: IVP Academic, 2008, 24
– 27
‘Ambiguity’, in David G. Firth and Jamie A. Grant (eds) Words and the Word:
Explorations in Biblical Interpretation and Literary Theory, Nottingham: Apollos,
2008, 155 – 190
‘David and Uriah with an Occasional Appearance by Uriah’s Wife: Reading and ReReading 2 Samuel 11’, Old Testament Essays 21/2 (2008), 310 – 328
‘Home and Away: Worship in Deuteronomy’, South African Baptist Journal of
Theology 18 (2009), 73 – 82
‘Worship as Community Creation: Deuteronomy’s Vision’, in D. J. Cohen and M.
Parsons (eds.), In Praise of Worship: An Exploration of Text and Practice, Eugene:
Pickwick, 2010, 3 – 18
‘Narrative Voice and Chronology in the Books of Samuel’, Old Testament Essays
22/2 (2009), 302 – 320
‘Preaching Praise Poetry’ in Grenville J. R. Kent, Paul J. Kissling and Laurence A.
Turner (eds), He Began with Moses: Preaching the Old Testament Today,
Nottingham: IVP, 2010, 85 – 101
‘When Samuel met Esther: Narrative Focalisation, Intertextuality and Theology’,
Southeastern Journal of Theology 1/1 (2010), 3 – 14
‘Preaching the David Story’, Southeastern Journal of Theology 2/1 (2011), 1 – 10
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‘The Spirit and Leadership: Testimony, Empowerment and Purpose’, in David G.
Firth and Paul D. Wegner (eds.), Presence, Power and Promise: The Role of the
Spirit of God in the Old Testament, Nottingham: Apollos, 2011, 259 – 280
‘Is Saul also Among the Prophets? Saul’s Prophecy in 1 Samuel 19:23’, in David G.
Firth and Paul D. Wegner (eds.), Presence, Power and Promise: The Role of the
Spirit of God in the Old Testament, Nottingham: Apollos, 2011, 294 – 305
‘Messiah’ in Mark J. Boda and J. Gordon McConville (eds.), Dictionary of the Old
Testament: Prophets, Downers Grove: IVP Academic, 2012, 537 – 544
‘Leadership’ in Mark J. Boda and J. Gordon McConville (eds.), Dictionary of the
Old Testament: Prophets, Downers Grove: IVP Academic, 2012, 501 – 505
‘Passing on the Faith in Deuteronomy’, in David G. Firth and Philip S. Johnston
(eds.), Interpreting Deuteronomy: Issues and Approaches , Nottingham: Apollos,
2012, 157 – 176
‘The Spirit and the Renewal of Creation: An Old Testament Perspective’, in
Jonathan Moo and Robin Routledge (eds), As Long as the Earth Endures: The
Bible, Creation and the Environment (Nottingham: Apollos, forthcoming)
‘Spirit, Creation and Redemption in Isaiah’ in M. Zehnder (ed.), Festschrift for H.
Hagellia (Gorgias Press, forthcoming)
Articles on Absalom, Aram Maacah, Aram Naharaim, Aram Zobah, Bahurim,
Barzillai, Bathsheba, Cherethites, Chimham, City of David, Distaff, Doeg, Endor,
Ephes-Dammim, Forest of Ephraim, Gaash, Hachmoni or Hachmonite, Hannah,
Hophni and Phinehas, Hushai, Ishbibenob, Ishbosheth, Jashobeam, Mephibosheth,
Mighty Men, Paltiel, Pelethites, Ramathaim, Samuel (books of), Sibbecai,
Tachemonite or Tahkmonite, in Tremper Longman III, The Baker Illustrated Bible
Dictionary (Grand Rapids: Baker, 2013)