Psalms of Solomon

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Set against the backdrop of the Second Century BC, the work reflects the turmoil faced by Jews during King Antiochus IV Epiphanes' reign, including the desecration of the Jerusalem Temple. The author, a Zadokite, expresses anguish over the loss of traditional leadership following the Maccabean victory and the rededication of the Temple without Zadokite priests. Through metaphorical language, the poet subtly protests the usurpation of power by the Hasmoneans, advocating for the restoration of the Zadokite lineage in the Temple's leadership, which had been upheld for centuries.