@article{ART003251609},
author={Kyung-Taek Ha},
title={From “Trembling” to “Dancing”: A Tradition‑Critical Reading of Psalm 114},
journal={Korean Journal of Old Testament Studies},
issn={1229-0521},
year={2025},
volume={31},
number={4},
pages={399-431}
TY - JOUR
AU - Kyung-Taek Ha
TI - From “Trembling” to “Dancing”: A Tradition‑Critical Reading of Psalm 114
JO - Korean Journal of Old Testament Studies
PY - 2025
VL - 31
IS - 4
PB - Korean Society of Old Testament Studies
SP - 399
EP - 431
SN - 1229-0521
AB - This study offers an interpretation of Psalm 114 through the lens of tradition criticism. Although brief, Psalm 114 exhibits remarkable literary artistry. Rooted in the “Exodus” tradition, it serves as an exemplary case of how a biblical text appropriates and re‑presents inherited tradition. Unlike transmission criticism, which focuses on tracing the process of transmission (traditio), tradition criticism is primarily concerned with identifying the content transmitted (traditum) within a given text. Broadly speaking, tradition criticism distinguishes between two key elements: traditions and motifs. In the Old Testament, the Exodus tradition encompasses the entire movement from the departure from Egypt (exodus) to the entry into Canaan (eisodus). Within Psalm 114, this tradition is expressed through three motifs: departure from Egypt, crossing of waters, and provision of water. The psalmist does not merely preserve or recall the Exodus tradition; rather, he actively re‑appropriates it, reshaping it into a message that addresses the needs of a new generation. This dynamic is aptly described by the terms “reception” and “actualization” of tradition. Psalm 114 portrays the outcome of the Exodus in terms of “sanctuary” and “territory,” and it highlights striking transformations: from fleeing to leaping, from splitting to overturning, and from trembling to dancing. These features reveal four significant theological implications:
(1) the reception and actualization of tradition;
(2) the portrayal of Israel as sanctuary and territory;
(3) the intensification of the message through personification; and
(4) the transformation from awe to a dance of joy.
Psalm 114 ultimately invites its readers to become children of tradition—those who both receive and actualize the Exodus tradition in their own time.
KW - tradition criticism;Psalm 114;Exodus tradition;reception and actualization;trembling and dancing
DO -
UR -
ER -
Kyung-Taek Ha. (2025). From “Trembling” to “Dancing”: A Tradition‑Critical Reading of Psalm 114. Korean Journal of Old Testament Studies, 31(4), 399-431.
Kyung-Taek Ha. 2025, "From “Trembling” to “Dancing”: A Tradition‑Critical Reading of Psalm 114", Korean Journal of Old Testament Studies, vol.31, no.4 pp.399-431.
Kyung-Taek Ha "From “Trembling” to “Dancing”: A Tradition‑Critical Reading of Psalm 114" Korean Journal of Old Testament Studies 31.4 pp.399-431 (2025) : 399.
Kyung-Taek Ha. From “Trembling” to “Dancing”: A Tradition‑Critical Reading of Psalm 114. 2025; 31(4), 399-431.
Kyung-Taek Ha. "From “Trembling” to “Dancing”: A Tradition‑Critical Reading of Psalm 114" Korean Journal of Old Testament Studies 31, no.4 (2025) : 399-431.
Kyung-Taek Ha. From “Trembling” to “Dancing”: A Tradition‑Critical Reading of Psalm 114. Korean Journal of Old Testament Studies, 31(4), 399-431.
Kyung-Taek Ha. From “Trembling” to “Dancing”: A Tradition‑Critical Reading of Psalm 114. Korean Journal of Old Testament Studies. 2025; 31(4) 399-431.
Kyung-Taek Ha. From “Trembling” to “Dancing”: A Tradition‑Critical Reading of Psalm 114. 2025; 31(4), 399-431.
Kyung-Taek Ha. "From “Trembling” to “Dancing”: A Tradition‑Critical Reading of Psalm 114" Korean Journal of Old Testament Studies 31, no.4 (2025) : 399-431.
