The purpose of this thesis is exploring how Psalm 82 functioned within the monotheistic Yahwistic faith of the post-exilic ancient Israel. This research aims to analyze the process through which Psalm 82 was reinterpreted and adopted within the religi...
The purpose of this thesis is exploring how Psalm 82 functioned within the monotheistic Yahwistic faith of the post-exilic ancient Israel. This research aims to analyze the process through which Psalm 82 was reinterpreted and adopted within the religious and cultural context based on the motif of a divine council from a polytheistic background. To this end, it analyzes ancient Near Eastern literature and the Melchizedek Midrash from a historical-critical perspective, and employs the 'theology of Han(恨)', which has been well known as the unique Korean emotion Han(恨), as a hermeneutical tool.
According to the study, Psalm 82 functioned as a strategic theological device that strengthened Yahweh's theodicean justification by transferring the responsibility for the evil in real life onto divine beings who failed to fulfill their duties. Furthermore, in the Qumran community, Psalm 82 was reinterpreted as a message of eschatological judgment, for a theological justification on the presence of evil and an offer of hope for “the Day of Yahweh” amid suffering.
It was also discovered that the Elohistic Psalter, in which Elohim was only used as the divine name of Yahweh, was used in the post-exilic community to educate and fortify monotheistic Yahwistic faith. Psalm 82, as part of this psalter, played a crucial role in shaping the faith of community members through its recitation during regular weekly services. Additionally, in the Qumran community's Melchizedek Midrash(11QMelchizedek), Psalm 82 was reinterpreted and used to express hope for eschatological judgment. This demonstrates that the psalm not only provided theological justification but also served an apocalyptic literary function, focusing on future hope by its familiar mythological narrative.
Finally, it was examined how these functions of Psalm 82 were related to the "Han-puri"(alleviation of Han) function, which served to resolve the theodical crisis and the emotion of Han(恨) that arose in the post-exilic community after the nation's destruction. By entrusting their national Han to the sovereign Yahweh through prayer and praise, it served as a tool for sublimation, allowing them to actively experience the ecstasy of the judgment of the unjust gods. This suggests that the psalm helped them to solidify their eschatological hope through active religious practice, rather than succumbing to passive despair.