B — Hymns and Poems

Apocryphal Psalms (III) (11QapPsa=11Q11)

1Badly worn remains of five columns of a Scroll with apocryphal psalms, at least partly devoted to exorcism, have survived in Cave 11. Most of the columns are so poorly preserved that no continuous reading is possible. In col. I, where the name of Solomon implies that this was one of the poems attributed to him, the repeated use of the term 'demons' and mention of 'healing' suggest the genre of the composition. In col. III a 'powerful angel' is mentioned who seems to be charged with defeating the demon and casting it to the 'great abyss' and the 'nethermost [hell]'. Col. v, 3—13 has been recognized as the canonical Psalm xci, preceded by small remains of the exorcistic poem of col. IV and followed by a liturgical formula, 'And they shall an[swer, Amen, amen.] Selah.' All the lacunae of col. IV have been conjecturally filled by E. Puech in a French rendering. His presentation will be reproduced here in English; it provides a possible general understanding of the text, but with no guarantee that any of the restored details is correct. For preliminary editions, see J. P. M. van der Ploeg, 'Un petit rouleau de psaumes apocryphes (IIQPsApa)', in G. Jeremias et al., eds., Tradition und Glaube (K. G. Kuhn Festschrift) (Göttingen, 1971), 128-39; E. Puech, 'Les deux derniers psaumes davidiques du rituel d'exorcisme, IIQPsApa IV 4-v 14', in D. Dimant and U. Rappaport, eds., The Dead Sea Scrolls: Forty Years of Research (Leiden, 1992), 64-89; cf. esp. pp. 68-9. For the editio princeps, see F. García Martinez et al., DJD, XXIII, 181-205.

2III ... Who [has] pe[rformed these signs] and marv[els on] the earth?

3The Lord is the one [who] performed th[ese through] His [might]. He adjures all [His] a[ngels] and all the see[d of holiness] who stand before [Him, and makes all the hea]vens testify and the whole earth [against those] who sinned against [all men], and acted [wickedly] against every hu[man. And] they know [the mysteries of] His m[arvels] which they do not... [and they fear] the Lord... to kill... ... the Lord... the Lord... and they will fear that great blow.

4IV ... The Lord will strike you with a [grea]t b[low] for your destruction... and in His anger He will send against you a mighty angel [to execute] all His decisions, who will be [without] mercy on you... against all these, who [will take] you [down] to the great abyss, [and to] the nethermost [hell.] ... dark [in the gr]eat abyss... no more on the earth. ... for ever, and... by the curse of Abaddon (the bottom of hell) ...the furious anger of the L[ord]....

5V... [Ra]phael healed them. Amen, amen. Selah. Of David ... [an incan]tation in the name of the Lor[d. Call an]y time on heav[en], for He will come to you in the ni[ght, and] you will say to Him: Who are you, [one born of] man And of the seed of the ho[ly on]es? Your face is a face of in[anity] And your horns are horns of dream. You are darkness and not light, Injustice and not righteousness. The Prince of the host, the Lord,

6[will send] you [down to the lowest he]ll, [and will close the ga]tes of bronze through [which n]o light [passes] and [the] sun wh[ich rises on the] righteous [will] not [enlighten you] ... And you will say...

7VI ... To David. O[n words of incanta]tion. [Cry out al]l the time in the name of the Lor[d] towards heave[n when] Beli[al] comes to you. [And sa]y to him: Who are you? [Be afraid of] man and of the seed of the ho[ly ones]. Your face is a face of [nothin]g and your horns are horns of dr[eam]. [You ar]e [d]arkness and not light; [injustic]e and not righteousness. [The prin]ce of the h[os]t [is against you]; the Lord [will cast] you [to] the nethermost [hell], [closed by] bronze ga[tes] through [which n]o light [shall pass]; nor [shall shine there the light of the] sun which [will rise] over the righteous to il[lumine his face. And] you will say: Is [there not an angel with the ri]ghteous when [judgement] comes [for] S[atan for] he caused him evil? [And the spirit of t]ruth [will save him] from dar[kness because right]eousness is for him. ... for ever [all the] son of Bel[ial. Amen, amen.] Selah.