Psalms 120–136: Songs for a Great Festival Psalms 120–134 are a functional unity, to which Psalms 135 and 136 are closely connected. This article is intended to analyse the relationship between the texts and to elucidate their nature and background. 1. Psalms 120–134 The title twl[mh ryv of Psalms 120–134 1 gives the impression that in a sense these texts are special in the Book of Psalms. There are several data confirming this. In their phraseology Psalms 120–134 are somewhat un- common 2. Among these texts Psalm 132 appears to be the most traditional one, as five of its terms at least are characteristic psalm words : twnkvm, “dwelling place” (of YHWH: vv. 5, 7); dysj, “ faithful ” (vv. 9, 16); Èrb pi., “bless” (v. 15) ; [vy, “salvation” (v. 16) ; and –nr pi. as “shout for joy” (vv. 9, 16). Psalm 130 has four elements typical of psalm language: arq, “cry”, as connected with [mv, “hear, listen” (vv. 1-2) ; μynwnjt, “supplications” (v. 2) ; Hy (v. 3) ; and ljy pi., “hope” (v. 7). In Psalm 125 there are at least two of them: the verb fwm ni., “be moved” (v. 1) ; and htlw[, “ injustice ”, with the archaic ending htA (v. 3) ; to these might be added the phrases μtwblb μyrvy, “those who are upright in their hearts ” (v. 4), and –wah yl[p, “those causing mischief” (v. 5), although their form is not the usual one. The opening line of the collection, too, has typical psalm phraseology, as it testifies the speaker’s “distress” (htrx), his “crying” (arq), and YHWH’s “ answering ” (hn[). The continuation of Psalm 120, however, is idiomatically different. Of the fourteen texts that will follow, two In Ps 121,1 twl[ml ryv. 1 For the criteria see M. TSEVAT, A Study of the Language of the Biblical 2 Psalms (Philadelphia, PE 1955), esp. 7-9. In the present article, as a departure from Tsevat, late usage is left out of consideration.