38 Cornelis Bennema use “messianic” rather loosely, namely as referring to an anointed (eschatological) figure who would act as God’s agent (in the last days) to liberate “Israel” (and to rule over her in justice and peace) (10). Hence, we shall examine those texts that evoke the concept of a messiah, even if the literal term jyvm or cristov" does not occur. We will neither elucidate Jewish messianism at large, nor attempt to homogenize the diverse messianic ideas, but merely examine the specific activities of a messianic liberator. 1. Psalms of Solomon The Psalms of Solomon is a collection of eighteen psalms which were almost certainly written in Palestine in the wake of Pompey’s conquest of Jerusalem in 63 B.C.E. Historical allusions to this event are found in 2,1-2; 8,15-21; 17,7-14. We also have in 2,26-27 in all probability an allusion to Pompey’s assassination in Egypt in 48 B.C.E. We cannot be certain how close in date the other Psalms are to the three that refer to Pompey, but scholars assume that the final collection of the Psalms took place before 40 B.C.E.(11). The Psalms are highly polemical in that they give a negative evaluation of both the Hasmonean dynasty and the subsequent Roman rule in Palestine. According to the psalmist, the reason for the Roman invasion by Pompey is the illegitimate usurpation of the priesthood and the Davidic throne by the Hasmoneans and their consequent defilement of the Jerusalem temple (2,1-3; 8,6-13; 17,4-6) (12). Consequently, God used Pompey/Rome to bring judgment on Israel (2,4-21; 8,15-21; 17,7-14), as he had done in the past by using foreign (10) Cf. Judaisms and Their Messiahs at the Turn of the Christian Era (eds. J. NEUSNER – W.S. GREEN – E.S. FRERICHS) (Cambridge 1987) ix; G.S. OEGEMA, The Anointed and his People. Messianic Expectations from the Maccabees to Bar Kochba (JSPSS 27; Sheffield 1998) 21-27; M.A. ELLIOTT, Survivors of Israel. A Reconsideration of the Theology of Pre-Christian Judaism (Grand Rapids – Cambridge 2000) 436. (11) M. DE JONGE, “The Psalms of Solomon”, Outside the Old Testament (ed. M. DE JONGE) (Cambridge 1985) 161; R.B. WRIGHT, “Psalms of Solomon”, The Old Testament Pseudepigrapha (ed. J.H. CHARLESWORTH) (New York 1985) II, 641. K.R. Atkinson, however, argues that PsSal 17 reflects the time of Herod the Great and puts its date between 37-30 B.C.E. (“On the Use of Scripture in the Development of Militant Davidic Messianism at Qumran: New Light from Psalm of Solomon 17”, The Interpretation of Scripture in Early Judaism and Christianity [ed. C.A. EVANS] [JSPSS 33; Sheffield 2000] 109). (12) Cf. WRIGHT, “Psalms”, II, 651; DE JONGE, “Psalms”, 163, 168.