Thy wagon, because of its thundering noise,
At its going shakes heaven and earth;
At the raising of thy hand darkness stretches itself out.
The Annunaki, the great gods are terrified.
Since the gods thus welcome the praise of gods and men, there is no reason why the Assyrian god should not appear to proclaim his greatness and to challenge the admiration of gods and men. In the hymn to Ishtar No. 6, which was studied in the preceding chapter, the goddess in response to the opening hymn of praise announced her appearance to give omens, and proclaimed in hymnal lines her own glory.
But there are other hymns sung by the gods in their own praise. Ninib No. 5 is a fragment of a hymn, fourteen lines in length, sung by Ninib in his own honor. Some of the lines are:
King who by day shines like Anu I am:
He whom Anu in her sovereign power hath chosen I am.
The warrior, who at the command of Ea into the terrible battle goes, I am.
He whose sovereignty shines to the borders of heaven and earth I am;