For very many of the Assyrian Hymnal Introductions there is no clear and certain way of determining whether the hymn is congregational or individual, although the general character of the titles and attributes ascribed to deity suggests in many instances the social rather than the individual hymn. However we do have two examples of the processional hymn. Above we quoted the first two lines of a twenty-five line Sumerian processional hymn to Enlil. In this case the worshippers are advancing into the sanctuary bringing with them their sacrificial gifts:
O lord of Sumer figs to thy dwelling we bring.
We have another splendid example of a processional hymn in the hymn to Marduk, No. 13. It is a hymn of thirty-seven lines, of which the first thirty lines welcome the god to his temple, while the last seven lines implore his favor for the cities of Nippur and Sippar and especially for Babylon and his temple Esagila:
Thy city Nippur cast not away let her cry to thee: O lord peace.
Sippar cast not away let her cry to thee: O lord peace.
Babylon the city of thy peace cast not away let her cry to thee: O lord peace.
Look graciously upon thy house look graciously upon thy city let them cry to thee: O lord peace.
This hymn was sung while the great god, Marduk was being conducted in triumphant procession to his temple:
Return lord, on thine entrance into thy house, may thy house rejoice in thee.
In the first thirty lines this pious wish is repeated with a succession of titles for the deity. Then not only the city, but the great Gods one by one greet Marduk, wishing him on his entrance into his house peace. But processional hymns were also sung when the god was carried forth from the temple: