Preview

Akhenaten's Hymn to the Sun

Better Essays
Open Document
Open Document
1030 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Akhenaten's Hymn to the Sun
Akhenaten’s “Hymn to the Sun” and several of the Psalms found in the Holy Bible show similarities through the worship and exaltation of the god/God each of the works are focused on. Monotheistic tendencies are evident in all of the works and the belief that the one who has power over the earth controls the destiny of its’ inhabitants is a theme that is presented several times throughout the course of the material. Psalms 8, 19, and 104 display the sovereignty and power that is found in the name of the Lord. “How excellent is thy name in all the earth” (David 150); “The heavens declare the glory of God” (David 151); “Bless the Lord, O my soul” (David 152); each of these excerpts displays the magnitude and importance of giving God the glory for the magnificent creation that inhabitants of the earth are privileged to enjoy along with projecting the authority of the Lord and his dominion over the earth. The purpose of these Psalms is to evoke a sense of fearing the Lord and respecting the regard of his name and abilities. “The glory of the Lord shall endure for ever” (David 153), and it is of upmost importance that those who choose to follow the will of God and live a life of honor, proclaiming his name to the nations, represent His kingdom with civility and obedience. David was writing to the Hebrew people and to His father in Heaven. David’s life professed a heartfelt love for his Lord as he vowed to “sing unto the Lord as long as I live” (David 153). He desired for his witness to bring the attention back to God and win people over for the cause of Christ. Living a life of service to the Lord and devotion to blessings his name and declaring his majestic abilities and might was the sole purpose in the writing of Psalms 8, 19, and 104. Akhenaten’s “Hymn to the Sun” displays similar characteristics to the Psalms. However, Pharaoh Akhenaten is elevating the worship of the sun god, Aten, above the other gods and Amun-Re (Knox 82). Universal supremacy of the sun
Continue Reading
View Writing Issues

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    HSC study notes:- Egypt from Amenhotep III to the death of Ramesses II
    • 1057 Words
    • 6 Pages

    HSC study notes:- Egypt from Amenhotep III to the death of Ramesses II

    Akhenaten(Amenhotep IV)Neferkheperure Wa'enre 1349-33 · The cult of Aten the Sun disc, established as the state religion, replacing that of Amun of Thebes· The state capital moved to Akentaten, where a new city is built· The Great Royal Wife Nefertiti seems to wield unprecedented power as queen, and possible co-regent· All forms of art characterised by a revolutionary new style…

    • 1057 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Explain the Religious Reforms of Akhenaten During the Amarna Period and Analyse Their Impact on Egyptian Society Essay Example
    • 1232 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Explain the Religious Reforms of Akhenaten During the Amarna Period and Analyse Their Impact on Egyptian Society Essay Example

    For centuries, the god Amun served as the pre-eminent god in New Kingdom Egypt, and his priests enjoyed privileges and power. However, Akhenaten revolutionised religious life with his adoption of the cult of Aten and the introduction of monotheism to Egypt. Along with this religious change came many others, Akhenaten changed Egypt’s foreign policy, art and architecture.…

    • 1232 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Better Essays

    Akhenaten: Radical Success Or Dismal Failure?
    • 1337 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Akhenaten: Radical Success Or Dismal Failure?

    With these newfound religious ideas came new beginnings. Again throwing away Egyptian traditions he decided to build a completely different capitol city and abandon Thebes. This idea began the construction of Amarna or horizon of the sun which was built in a desolate land about 200 miles north of Thebes. Akhenaten’s justification for doing so was to escape the influences of the high priests. In the capitol he built the temple of Aten, a very open space that was built to embrace and spread the rays of Aten. In this new settlement he again defies ancient traditions and marries a commoner, Nefertiti. Together they ruled almost equally. Within his regime to further embrace Aten he created the hymn of Aten which praises the sun as the creator of the natural world. This hymn had an overall general message which is life comes from the sun god and is distributed equally. Suddenly, Nefertiti vanished out of existence and historians today still don’t know what became of her. Along with this his mother died as well as one of his daughters sending him into a downward spiral of persecution. Akhenaten went so far as to blame all the gods besides Aten for his…

    • 1337 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More
  • Better Essays

    Compare Akhenaten's Worship Of/Devotion To Aten
    • 1873 Words
    • 8 Pages

    Compare Akhenaten's Worship Of/Devotion To Aten

    They each use different mediums. Akhenaten with Nefertiti and their Children is a relief sculpture that gives a distinct visual worship of Aten. The sun God is blessing Akhenaten, Nefertiti, and their Children. The Great Hymn to the Aten is a hymn-poem praising Aten throughout the artwork in literary form, though uncertain if this was meant to be through a song, or reading. Akhenaten is preaching praise to Aten and the world he is providing starting in the first verse, “You rise beautiful from the horizon on heaven, living disk, origin of life” (Belief in on god in ancient Egypt). Both artworks show praise and devotion to Aten however, Akhenaten with Nefertiti and their Children only show the blessings from the sun God on their family, whereas The Great Hymn to Aten praises the sun God for the world in its…

    • 1873 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Psalm 139: The Omnipresence Of God
    • 1308 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Psalm 139: The Omnipresence Of God

    Generally considered to be one of the most notable of the sacred hymns contained within the book of Psalms, Psalm 139 is perhaps one of the most sublime declarations of the omnipresence of God found in the Bible. Attested to David, Psalm 139 is classified as an “Individual Hymn of Thanksgiving” 1 a genre in which God is praised for the singers’ delivery from oppression and various life-threatening illnesses while also acting as a “Wisdom” psalm, celebrating the creative goodness of God. While the actual date of the text remains unclear as it is notoriously difficult to determine a date and historical context for every psalm, most scholars agree that the hymn was written during the time of King David’s reign, there is however, some dispute among…

    • 1308 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Psalm 22 Analysis
    • 100 Words
    • 1 Page

    Psalm 22 Analysis

    The book of Psalms is a clear acceptance of wisdom and poetry unto God, the Creator of heavens and earth. David, his Sons, and others expressly write their human’s emotions in prayers and hymns to convey a message from their hearts in many ways. The book of Psalms is also equivalent to the New Testament as well, the Old Testament , example, Psalm 22:1 where David cries in agony, just as Jesus Christ did in the Gospel of Matthew 27:46 and Mark 15:34 collectively describing in Scriptures a separation from God. Nevertheless, God is only prayer away in every…

    • 100 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Hammurabi Dbq
    • 1211 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Hammurabi Dbq

    Why would a pharaoh, already acknowledged as divine, attempt a religious revolution? Why did he fail? In the passage of “Hymn to the Aten” monotheism is expressed as one sun and God. It talks of how the sun gives life and light. It expresses God as the sun which gives live during the day and in the sunset we die. I do not really understand why a pharaoh would attempt a religious revolution but maybe he wanted power for one man. I think he was comparing himself to the one God and he wanted to become that one God. In my opinion he failed because he lacked power and control. He lacked followers and there were many who believed in many gods in ancient times. Many people saw Akhenaten as the…

    • 1211 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Akhenaten: Ruler Of Egypt
    • 231 Words
    • 1 Page

    Akhenaten: Ruler Of Egypt

    Akhenaten, the so called "Heretic Pharaoh  was a Ruler of Egypt during the period known as the 18th Dynasty. He ascended to the throne as Amenhotep IV, succeeding his father Amenhotep III. Akhenaten's brief reign, of hardly more than sixteen years, happened at a difficult time in Egyptian history; a period in which the decline of the previously unparalleled Egyptian empire seemed inevitable. Many scholars maintain that Akhenaten was responsible for this decline, but evidence suggests that it had already started. Whatever his connection with the decline of the Empire, one aspect of Akhenaten's reign is indisputable: his religious reforms. Effectively discarding the beliefs of an Empire, Akhenaten denounced the existing polytheist religious…

    • 231 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
    Read More
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Summary Of The Betrayal Of History
    • 344 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Summary Of The Betrayal Of History

    After reading the article “The Betrayal of History” I was surprise to know the role of textbooks. I never thought that our school textbooks would play a major role in learning history. Texas and California are the two major states, which participate in printing the books and made it all the worse. These two states sold 20% of total accounts.…

    • 344 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    The Rise And Fall Of Akhenaten's Ruling Egypt
    • 324 Words
    • 2 Pages

    The Rise And Fall Of Akhenaten's Ruling Egypt

    Akhenaten, while only ruling Egypt for 14 years, brought uncertainty and instability that lasted past his time. Known as the “Heretic Pharaoh”, Akhenaten introduced a new religious system centered on the sun god Aten. At first, Aten was presented as a variant to the god of mystery and secrets, Amun-Re, (who interestingly enough was a merger between the gods Amun and Ra), but this would change later in Akhenaten’s rule. Originally, Akhenaten was fairly tolerant of people worshipping the other gods of the previous Egyptian religious system, but in year 9 of his reign, he decided to end that. Akhenaten declared himself the sole intermediary between the people and Aten. People became so scared of Akhenaten that they destroyed all references to…

    • 324 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    King Tut
    • 438 Words
    • 2 Pages

    King Tut

    Akhenaten changed many things during his campaign. Akhenaten’s name was previously Amenhotep IV before he changed it to signify the transition to Aten. Sun god, Ra, according to the cult, created himself from a primeval mound in the shape of a pyramid and then created all other gods. He was invoked as Aten or the Great Disc that illuminated the world of…

    • 438 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Akhenaten's Monotheistic Beliefs
    • 793 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Akhenaten's Monotheistic Beliefs

    Akhenaten is viewed as one of the most controversial Pharaohs of Ancient Egypt. The introduction of Akhenaten’s monotheistic views attributed to the decline of the Egyptian empire during his reign in the 18th dynasty. Akhenaten believed that Aten, the sun disk, was the one true god. This ideology was then adopted, though not willingly, throughout Egypt. Akhenaten focused the majority of his time into building temples and enforcing his new regime that he neglected his duties as Pharaoh. Consequently, Egypt’s boarders shrank and the citizens initiated revolts. Despite this, Akhenaten is seen as a revolutionary, being the starting point for major monotheistic religions such as Christianity.…

    • 793 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Satisfactory Essays

    How Did Egypt Change
    • 906 Words
    • 4 Pages

    How Did Egypt Change

    Akhenaten was to transform Egypt from being a polytheistic society, to a monotheistic society in a few short years. Everyone was to worship his god, and anybody who said or thought otherwise would not be tolerated by the new ruling system. As much as people seemed to dislike their leader, what he did actually makes sense for what he was trying to accomplish, however, the way he went about it wasn’t the best. Polytheism doesn’t have a focus on one particular god or religion, and each has its own followers. The monotheistic concept meant that everyone would be worshipping the same deity, which would allow for unification of the citizens, and for the power to no longer be separated.…

    • 906 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Themes In The Masque Of The Red Death
    • 787 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Themes In The Masque Of The Red Death

    “Psalm” is the longest book in the bible and is written in prayers, poems, and hymns. It is about God and His creation, war, worship, wisdom, sin, evil, judgement, and the coming of the Messiah. “Psalm 89” talks about Ethan’s realizations about God, the great things that God has done, and the promises that He has made. It also explains that God is angry with the Israelites for sinning, so a psalmist asks The Lord to have mercy on them. After he asks for mercy, he says, “Remember how short my life is, how empty and futile this human existence! No one can live forever; all will die. No one can escape the power of the grave” (Psalm 89.47-48). The people wanted forgiveness but nobody knew how long they would have to live and they knew that death will take over eventually. In other words, they wanted to be forgiven before they…

    • 787 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Akkadian Prayers And Argumens
    • 104 Words
    • 1 Page

    Akkadian Prayers And Argumens

    Reading Akkadian prayers & hymns helps Akkadian students learn more in-depth of Akkadian prayers and hymns that occurred in Mesopotamia. This piece modernly translated the prayers so it would be painless for students to understand, and to fill in the hole for their Akkadian studies. Every individual has their own set of beliefs. One either believes in one or many Gods. There’s people who don’t believe in anything. The people who do worship a God have to rely on them for utterly everything. A prayer is a religious service where an earnest request for help or appreciation is said to their God or object.…

    • 104 Words
    • 1 Page
    Good Essays
    Read More

Related Topics