02_Booij_351_351_374 30/10/15 13:01 Pagina 373 373 PSALM 118 AND FORM CRITICISM 373 Isaiah 92. As we have seen, Psalms 98 and 118, too, are post-exilic texts; the confessional formulas in Psalm 118 may be regarded as typically post-exilic expressions of faith and devotion. Psalm 67 is strongly related to Psalm 98, not only by its content but also by its phraseology. Both texts mention the “nations” (~ywg) as bound to “know” ([dy) the powerful “help” (h[wvy) of Israel’s God (67,3; 98,2), the “ends of the earth” (#ra-yspa) as reverent witnesses (67,8; 98,3), the “jubilation” (!nr pi‘el) for YHWH “judging” (jpv) with “equity” (67,5: rwvym; 98,9: ~yrvym). These psalms may well reflect a similar historical situation. For Psalm 103 a relatively late date is indicated by the language of the text and its theology 93. Psalm 117, in view of its phraseology, is post-exilic in all probability 94. Psalms 124 and 129 belong to the collection “Songs of Ascents”, to which, as a collection, a similar dating applies; for the texts themselves such dating is confirmed by their linguistic usage 95. The edict of Cyrus ordering, in 538 BC, the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem (Ezra 6,3-5) initiated the restoration of the Judaean community in its homeland. However, due to factors such as economic misfortune, tensions between residents and immigrants, and friction with the authorities in Samaria, the people’s situation was difficult and unstable for a long time 96. It was only after the actions of Nehemiah and Ezra that substantial progress was made. Then, too, the situation was not very good (cf. Psalm 126), if only because the people had still to submit to a foreign rule which was often felt to be corrupt and unreliable (Ezra 9,7; see also Psalms 125; 141). Nevertheless there must have been feelings of relief. From a past full of threat, disaster and turmoil the present distinguished itself by a relative quiet. The people enjoyed protection and autonomy in the Persian Empire (Ezra 9,8-9), and in Judah matters had stabilized. Many exiled had returned, houses had been rebuilt, and prosperity increased. Israel felt it had not been forsaken by its God (Ezra 9,9; Neh 9,31; Ps 106,44-46). 92 V. 10: cf. Isa 48,10; v. 12: cf. Isa 43,2; 51,23. 93 See the suffix yk- in vv. 3-5; the phraseology in v. 1 (cf. Pss 96,2; 100,4; 145,1.21); the mention of YHWH’s covenant in v. 18; the picture of the heavenly beings in vv. 20-21. 94 V. 2: cf. Pss 103,11.17; 106,1. 95 See BOOIJ, “Psalms 120–136”, 250-252. 96 See Isa 61,4; 62,8; Hag 1,6.9-11; 2,15-19; Ps 85,5-6; Ezra 4; Neh 1,3.