02_Booij_351_351_374 30/10/15 13:01 Pagina 365 365 PSALM 118 AND FORM CRITICISM 365 on account of (l[) divine benefactions (Ps 18,50; see also 119,62), so he may praise him on account of (l[) his own transgressions (Ps 32,5; cf. hdy hitpa. in Neh 1,6; 9,2) 63. Concrete events and their recognition, apparently, are the reason for speech as indicated by hdy hif‘il. The notions of hymnic praise and thankful praise are not completely separated since both terminologies are used in the same context and in parallel formulations 64. In principle, however, two forms of praise can be distinguished. The difference between hymnic praise and thankful praise finds expression in the use of pronouns, too. In Psalm 118, as we have seen, verses 14.21b agree with Exod 15,2a, while v. 28 is reminiscent of Exod 15,2b. The formula in Exod 15,2a is also found, remarkably, in Isa 12,2b, while a statement reminiscent of Exod 15,2b also occurs in Isa 25,1a. It is noteworthy that, with respect to YHWH, Ps 118,21.28 and Isa 25,1a differ from Exod 15,2 in using not the third but the second person. The Song of the Sea, in its present context a victory song (see Exod 15,20-21; cf. Judg 11,34; 1 Sam 18,6-7), is essentially a hymnic text 65. In hymns, reference to YHWH is often in the third person 66. Voicing the people’s thankfulness, a speaker would sooner address his God directly. The use of similar formulas in four different contexts points to an historical reason. Psalm 118, as we have seen, belongs to the post-exilic era. The same applies to Isaiah 12, which is taken to be a late redactional text. Isa 25,1-5 is part of the so-called Isaiah apocalypse, which is assumed to be post-exilic as well. As for the Song of the Sea, in view of vv. 13 and 17, it can hardly have been composed when the sanctuary on Zion was in ruins. At the same time, on account of data mentioned by M.L. Brenner, pre-exilic dating is unadvisable 67. Brenner points out that, in view of Num 63 hdy hif‘il, without l[, is used in the same sense in 1 Kgs 8,33.35 (object: YHWH’s name); Prov 28,13. See also hdwt !tn in Josh 7,19; Ezr 10,11. In Pentateuchal texts and Dan 9,20 hdy hitpa‘el simply means “confess”, the thing confessed being the object. See also Dan 9,4; Ezra 10,1. 64 See Pss 33,1-2; 44,9; 69,31; 79,13; 100,4; 106,1-2.47; 107,31-32; 109,30. 65 Thus e.g. GUNKEL, Einleitung, 32. Exod 15,19, recapitulating events, gives the impression that the song is a later insertion. 66 Cf. GUNKEL, Einleitung, 47. 67 See BRENNER, Song, 88-91, 126-130. There is no reason for dating the text in the twelfth or eleventh century BC, as proposed in F.M. CROSS – D.N.