Du sänder mörker: En jämförande studie av Psalm 104 och Akhenatons solhymn

Sammanfattning: Ever since archeologists opened the resting place of Pharao Akhenaton (14th century B.C.) at Tel el-Amarna in the late nineteenth century there has been discussions on whether “The Great Hymn to Aten” – which was discovered there – has in someway influenced Psalm 104 in the Psalter of the Old Testament. It was suggested that the Great Hymn to Aten has had an direct literal influence on the psalm, but today's scientists would rather say that the influence (if there is any) is more of a general nature. This essay focuses on each text's theological motifs and how they relate to their tradition history, but also how they relate to each other. The Great Hymn to Aten stands in a tradition of Egypt religion where worshiping of the sun is a common motive, and the psalm stands in the tradition of the Old Testament where worshipping of other deities than JHWH is forbidden and considered idolatry. Since it's considered almost an axiom that the hymn has made an impact on the psalm there is certainly a need for investigating how each texts theological motifs relate to each other, and not only to their own tradition. In conclusion, the theological motifs in the two texts are not consistent in their theological view of how the creator relates to his creation. There are several important differences that must be valued – if we assume that the hymn in one way or another influenced the psalm – as deliberate contrasting theological points of view in the psalm. The question whether these contrasts are polemics directed towards the Great Hymn or Akhenaton (from the psalmists point of view), or if they are more of general character depends on how the the two texts relate to each other. A general character of the influence is the more likely.