Abstract:
This paper focuses on the meaning of shaḥar ( ) in Psalm 139:7-12. A
comparison will be made between Psalm 139:7-12 in the Old Testament
and mythological imagery in the ancient Near East to get a better
understanding of the religious background of shaḥar in this text. The
investigation of the religious background of “dawn” helps to understand
how the negative feeling of the one praying in Psalm 139 is transformed
into positive imagery. Like the flying deity Shaḥar, YHWH is not bound
to one realm, emphasizing that one cannot hide from YHWH. The same
image can be used for the one praying in Psalm 139. Using spatial
orientation in Psalm 139:7-12, the idea is further illustrated by concluding
that God is present in all the realms. Ancient Near Eastern vertical and
horizontal orientation will be utilised to illustrate how the focus in the
psalm falls upon YHWH‟s omnipresence.
