Communicating with the Divine: Integrating the Past with our Lived Experiences

For thousands of years people have documented their communication with the divine. Archaeology has uncovered countless prayer texts written on papyrus or inscribed on stelae (upright stone slabs). A few weeks ago we looked at the Thanksgiving Hymns, a set of prayers similar to biblical Psalms, which were found among the Dead Sea Scrolls. These hymns, as well as the biblical Psalter attest to a rich tradition of “individual prayer” texts in ancient Israel. But, have you ever thought about the origins of this type of written communications?

The genre of “individual prayer” can actually be traced to ancient Mesopotamia over four thousand years ago in private letter-prayers written in Sumerian.The typical formula for a letter prayer included at least one salutation to the deity, an appeal for divine intervention, and often concluded with promises to praise the deity if the prayer was answered. Many psalms from the Old Testament, as well as the Thanksgiving hymns, also mimic this formula. 

Some rulers felt the need to commemorate their personal experience of deliverance with the divine. Royal prayers were often inscribed on expensive statues or other votive objects. There is no archeological evidence for biblical prayers taking monumental form, but that is not to say they did not exist. The closest affinities to this theory can be found in the Davidic Miktam Psalms (Psalms 16; 56-60). The term “miktam” is found in the superscription of these six psalms and is translated in the Septuagint as stelographia, (stela inscription).

It would not be surprising to find memorial inscriptions in Israel during the same centuries that so many other kings were setting up royal prayer inscriptions. Saul is reported to have erected a monument for himself in Carmel after his defeat of Amalek (1 Samuel 15: 12). It is not clear from the biblical text if the monument was ever completed, but there appears to have been knowledge of memorial monuments being erected during the time of Saul and David.

The stylized format of the letter-prayers indicate that the scribes had formalized training, possibly in a centralized scribal school. The scribes even labeled the compositions according to their subject matter. There were congregational and individual laments and within these categories they were classified according to the focus of the prayer. Over the years, the Psalms have also been categorized according to various themes. Consider reading the Psalms of Lament together, or purchase a commentary on the Psalms to dig deeper into their history. These are just a few suggestions to enrichen your Bible study.

The Psalms offer a unique portrait of individual prayer in ancient Israel, but these are not the only examples of this type of communication. Prayer texts found in ancient Mesopotamia and the Levant also attest to a genre of prayer texts. Communicating with the divine is something we share with prior civilizations. Reading the prayers and learning more about these cultures is a way to integrate the past with our present lived experiences.

                                                                              By Jennifer Metten Pantoja