I. Bible

In the Old Testament, amen expresses a self-committing “yes” (1 Kgs 1:36; Jer 11:5). It occurs most frequently in Deut 27 and the Psalter. The people affirm the curse (Deut 27:15, etc.) with amen; thus, they express solidarity with the divine judge and commit themselves to obedience. In Ps 41:14, etc., amen has the literary function of “scroll-concluding doxology” (Seybold, 114), but is also an enthusiastic participation in the praise of God (cf. 1 Chr 16:36; Neh 5:13; 8:6).…