The Hymn (Praise of God & King)
To name a god's powers in order was itself an act of worship — praise as the binding of heaven and earth.
Praise — of gods, temples, and kings — is one of the largest genres in Mesopotamian literature. Hymns pile up a deity's titles, recount their cosmic powers, and exalt the temple as the navel of the world; royal hymns do the same for the king, presenting him as the gods' chosen and a paragon of strength, wisdom, and justice. Sumerian hymns came in many named sub-types (tigi, adab, balbale, shir-gida), each tied to its melody and cultic use. To praise rightly was itself an act of piety, binding the worshipper, the god, and the singing community together.
Key passages(20)
A balbale to Ninĝišzida (Ninĝišzida A)
A hymn to Bau's beneficent protective goddess (Bau A)
An adab to Suen for Ibbi-Suen (Ibbi-Suen C)
A tigi to Suen for Ibbi-Suen (Ibbi-Suen A)
A šir-namgala (?) to Inana for Ur-Ninurta (Ur-Ninurta A)
An adab to Nergal for Šu-ilīšu (Šu-ilīšu A)