The Historical Psalms. A Study of Psalms 78; 105; 106; 135, and 136 as Key Hermeneutical Texts in the Psalter

In the late theology of the psalms, the main lines of Old Testament theology are focused like light through a magnifying glass. The »historical psalms« (Psalms 78; 105; 106; 135; and 136) emphasize the reflection of their own history. In its own way, each of the historical psalms creates memories of a »salvific primordial time,« which includes the exodus and the conquest, in order to reinterpret the present through prayer. This paper approaches the identity-forming function of history through the lens of »collective memory,« a notion from the field of cultural studies. From this interdisciplinary angle, the historical psalms are shown to be key hermeneutic texts in the composition and redaction of the Psalter.