Metaphors in Bible

Christian Alexander

I am trying to find all the metaphors in the Book of Psalms. Any advice or methodology?

A metaphor is a type of comparison: when you use a word or phrase metaphorically, you are using a meaning that has developed from the literal meaning and has some of the same features. 

MJ. Smith

The obvious place to start is Westbury, Joshua R., Jeremy Thompson, Jimmy Parks, and Kristopher A. Lyle, eds. Lexham Figurative Language of the Bible Glossary. Bellingham, WA: Faithlife, 2016. but you likely will find that its linguistic definition of metaphor is not quite what you want. It is available in the Bible Browser but I'm not sure that it covers the Old Testament. Bullinger is incomplete. You may be limited to reading the text to identify the metaphors OR scanning your commentaries on psalms for metaphors. These resources may provide some assistance:

Ryken, Leland, Jim Wilhoit, Tremper Longman, Colin Duriez, Douglas Penney, and Daniel G. Reid. Dictionary of Biblical Imagery. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2000.

Wiersbe, Warren W. Index of Biblical Images: Similes, Metaphors, and Symbols in Scripture. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2000.