Details

Autor(en) / Beteiligte

• Sutton, Lodewyk

Titel

Darkness as an anthropological space : perspectives induced by Psalms 88 and 139 on the themes of death, life and the presence of YHWH

Ist Teil von

• Old Testament essays, 2019, Vol.32 (2), p.556-577

Ort / Verlag

Old Testament Society of South Africa (OTSSA)

Erscheinungsjahr

2019

Link zum Volltext

Quelle

EZB-FREE-00999 freely available EZB journals

Beschreibungen/Notizen

• In this article an intertextual comparison is made between Pss 88 and 139 on the theme and use of the concept of “darkness.” In the meta-narrative of the shape and shaping of the Psalter, these two psalms are counterpointed to each other. Psalm 88 is traditionally viewed as an individual lament of a person who is sick, dying or facing death. Darkness is a prominent theme in this psalm, with a situation of hopelessness in the exilic period. In contrast, darkness is portrayed differently in Psalm 139, where a different message for the post-exilic period is presented in the meta-narrative. Psalm 139, from the perspective of YHWH as creator, can be interpreted as a ritual or individual meditative confession after some sort of possible trial period. To gain a better understanding on the use of darkness in these two psalms, the theme is analysed from the perspective of anthropological space.