Christoph Schroeder, «Psalm 3 und das Traumorakel des von Feinden bedrängten Beters», Vol. 81 (2000) 243-251
Psalm 3 is not a morning hymn, but rather a prayer that was spoken by someone praying at night. It was through an oracle heard during a dream that the person who was in prayer and awakened from his sleep experienced YHWHs assistance. When awake the person calls upon Yhwh to allow that which he experienced in his dream to become a reality now (v. 8). Thus, there is no need to assume that the priests spoke an oracle of salvation to the petitioner between verses vv. 8aa-8ab (against Begrich and Beyerlin). The change of mood in the person who is praying does not occur between verses 8aa-8ab but rather takes place before the psalm itself and is based on the experience described in v. 6. Psalm 3 is not an example of incubation rite in the temple, but serves as a witness to the fact that YHWH could represent himself as saviour in various situations to a person asleep hard pressed by the enemy.
notwendig, to distinguish between incubation, which involves a purposeful visit to a shrine, and more general revelation through dreams24.
In der biblischen und altorientalischen Literatur erscheint Gott dem Schlafenden in der Nacht, an jedwedem Ort, gar nicht unbedingt im Tempel. Bei Ijob 33,14-15 heißt es:
Denn durch eines redet Gott
und durch zwei man achtets nicht.
Im Traum, im Nachtgesichte, wenn auf Menschen Tiefschlaf fällt,
im Schlummer auf dem Lager,
da öffnet er das Ohr der Menschen,
und erschreckt sie durch seine Verwarnung25.
In der akkadischen Dichtung ludlul be4l ne4meqi26 berichtet der Kranke, dass ein dreifacher Traum seine Heilung einleitete. Nichts deutet darauf hin, dass es sich hierbei um eine Inkubation handelte. Den dritten Traum beschreibt der Leidende so:
A third time I saw a dream.
In my dream I saw at night:
A remarkable young woman of shining countenance,
clothed like a person (?), being li[ke] a god,
A queen among peoples [ ]
She entered upon me and [sat down] ... [ ]
She ordered my deliverance [ ]
"Fear not!" she said, "I [will ]
"Whatever one sees (?) of a dream [ ]
She ordered my deliverance, "Most wre[tched] indeed is he,
"Whoever he might be, the one who saw the vision at night"27.
Eine Möglichkeit, der Frage nach dem Sitz im Leben von Ps 3 näherzukommen, besteht darin, ihn zu bestimmten biblischen Erzählungen in Beziehung zu setzen: "Looking backward into the text ... may be more