PSQL \x \l command issues

I just recently upgraded from 7.0.x to 7.2.1.  I installed from
postgresql-7.2.1-2PGDG.i386.rpm on a Linux Redhat 7.1 system.  I was
able to resolve most dependancies, except for it telling me that I
needed libreadline.so.4, which " ldconfig -p|grep readline" showed me I
already had, so forced a --nodeps on it.
Here's a self explanitory paste of what happens when I use \x  or \l in
PSQL
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

psql --version
psql (PostgreSQL) 7.2.1
contains support for: readline, history, multibyte
Portions Copyright (c) 1996-2001, PostgreSQL Global Development Group
Portions Copyright (c) 1996, Regents of the University of California
Read the file COPYRIGHT or use the command \copyright to see the
usage and distribution terms.
psql -E template1
********* QUERY **********
SELECT usesuper FROM pg_user WHERE usename = 'root'
**************************

Welcome to psql, the PostgreSQL interactive terminal.

Type:  \copyright for distribution terms      \h for help with SQL commands      \? for help on internal slash commands
    \g or terminate with semicolon to execute query      \q to quit
 

template1=# \z
********* QUERY **********
SELECT relname as "Table",      relacl as "Access privileges"
FROM   pg_class
WHERE  relkind in ('r', 'v', 'S') AND      relname NOT LIKE 'pg$_%' ESCAPE '$'
ORDER BY 1;
**************************

ERROR:  parser: parse error at or near "escape"
template1=# \l
********* QUERY **********
SELECT d.datname as "Name",      u.usename as "Owner",      pg_encoding_to_char(d.encoding) as "Encoding"
FROM pg_database d LEFT JOIN pg_user u ON d.datdba = u.usesysid
ORDER BY 1;
**************************

ERROR:  OUTER JOIN is not yet supported
template1=# \q
--------------------------------------------------------------------

As you can see, \x and \l in PSQL fail to work straight from
installation in my case.  Anybody have any ideas?