In beginning the analysis of this text from a form critical stance it is important to identify the psalm into a genre type. ...
An analysis of the language of the psalm quickly reveals several references to Old Testament historical events, people, and theological ideas. ... ” Lines 8 and 9 of the Hodayot psalm utilizes this same illustration,
“You placed me like a sturdy tower,
like a high wall,
you founded my building upon rock,
and everlasting foundations as my base,
all my walls are like a tested wall
which will not shake.”
From this comparison, it can be assumed the author of the Hodayot psalm had access to the Old Testament scripture of Isaiah. ...
Other verses in this section of the Hodayot also reflect similar ideas and language as the Old Testament. ... This same principle can be found many times over in the Bible, but also in the particular section of the Hodayot Psalm, line 13,
“For you know the inclination of every creature,
and scrutinize every reply of the tongue. ... A second usage of this language is found a few lines further down the text, in line 16,
“And you, you know the inclination of your servant…”
This line also serves to illustrate the potential of the Hodayot author being familiar with Old Testament texts and the theology therein.
To continue this analysis of language and dependence on Old Testament texts, another example is the correlation between lines 18 and 19 with the text of Genesis 22:17 and 18. ... The occurrence of this idea in the Hodayot psalm is lines 18 and 19,
“[18] And I lean on […]
[…] and hope in your kindness,
to make salvation thrive,
[19] and make the shoot grow…”
To tie these two passages together, it is possible to assume that the word “shoot” would also refer to the planted seed of Abraham’s family. ...
A fourth correlation between the Hodayot passage and Old Testament texts is the similarities of lines 22 and 23 with the scripture of Job 21:17 and 18. ... This is perhaps another reference that the author of the Hodayot drew illustrations from Old Testament texts.
The fifth comparison, and the most compelling, can be found in the Hodayot text, lines 24 and 25, which read,
“[24] I am radiant with sevenfold light,
in the light prepared for your glory,
[25] for you are my everlasting luminary,
and have established my foot on the right path. ... ” The usage of the language “sevenfold light” in conjunction with the coming of the Lord in the Hodayot text as well as the Book of Isaiah illustrates a possible dependence on the Old Testament text by the Hodayot author.
It appears that the author of the Hodayot psalm drew heavily from the illustrations and metaphorical depictions in the Old Testament to correlate with the theology in the text. The Book of Isaiah seems to have been regarded highly by the Hodayot author, both authoritatively on a theological basis, but also as inspiration for poetic writings through the usage of metaphors and illustrations. ...
A single author can also be supported in the similarity and consistency of the writing style which has, as one author puts it, “peculiarities” that show up throughout the Hodayot. ... To differing degrees, the Hodayot does not appear to use these parallelisms quite as frequently, nor is the meter as regular, but parallelisms are present. ... That is to say the Hodayot psalms are less refined, possibly due to educational background.
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