Texts in Conversation
Psalm 69 follows ancient Near Eastern lament traditions by portraying a righteous person in distress who calls for help to his deity but receives no reply, echoing a common theological background where the divine will is difficult to determine.
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The Poem of the Righteous Sufferer
Ludlul Bēl Nēmeqi
Ancient Near East
Day was sighing, night lamentation. Like a dove I moaned all my days, like a singer I wailed my lament. My eyes burned with tears. Year followed year and misery increased. I called to my god, but he did not answer; I implored my goddess, but she did not heed. The diviner could not clarify my case, the dream interpreter found no answer. The exorcist did not release the divine anger. I was treated like one who neglected the gods, like one who abandoned offerings and festivals,
Date: 1300 B.C.E. (based on scholarly estimates)
Psalm 69:3
Hebrew Bible
1 For the music director, according to the tune of “Lilies”; by David. Deliver me, O God, for the water has reached my neck. 2 I sink into the deep mire where there is no solid ground; I am in deep water, and the current overpowers me. 3 I am exhausted from shouting for help. My throat is sore; my eyes grow tired from looking for my God. 4 Those who hate me without cause are more numerous than the hairs of my head. Those who want to destroy me, my enemies for no reason, outnumber me. They make me repay what I did not steal.
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Notes and References
"... The Poem of the Righteous Sufferer is a poetic monologue, opening and concluding with hymns, that tells how a certain noble gentleman, once important and prosperous, for no apparent reason was driven to disgrace and disease by the god Marduk. His story is set forth as exemplary of the two sides to divine character, anger and forgiveness, and as exemplary of the unfathomable will of the gods ..."
* The use of references are not endorsements of their contents. Please read the entirety of the provided reference(s) to understand the author's full intentions regarding the use of these texts.
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