Psalm 136 as an Interpretive Text

Psalm 136 interprets Deut 10:17–11:5. It is cognizant of other material now found in the Bible, but, contrary to common opinion, it is not heavily influenced by P and may not know the Torah in its complete form. A careful examination of the psalm in relation to its sources shows in detail the complex ways that late texts rework their base texts, offering one important model for inner-biblical interpretation. Such an examination also highlights the importance of asking why certain early texts are selected over others for interpretation, the importance of looking at the entire interpreted and interpreting compositions in relation to each other, and how finding interpretive links help us better understand the later text.