<P> In his book Reflections on the Psalms, C.S. Lewis compared the Hymn to the Psalms of the Judaeo - Christian canon, as did Breasted (who broke them up into stanzas to resemble Western poems). Miriam Lichtheim commented about an alleged resemblance with Psalm 104 saying that "The resemblances are, however, more likely to be the result of the generic similarity between Egyptian hymns and biblical psalms . A specific literary interdependence is not probable ." Biblical scholar Mark S. Smith has commented that "Despite enduring support for the comparison of the two texts, enthusiasm for even indirect influence has been tempered in recent decades . In some quarters, the argument for any form of influence is simply rejected outright . Still some Egyptologists, such as Jan Assmann and Donald Redford, argue for Egyptian influence on both the Amarna correspondence (especially in EA 147) and on Psalm 104 ." Egyptologist Dominic Montserrat discusses the terminology used to describe these texts, describing them as formal poems or royal eulogies . He views the word' hymn' as suggesting "outpourings of emotion" while he sees them as "eulogies, formal and rhetorical statements of praise" honoring Aten and the royal couple . He credits James Henry Breasted with the popularisation of them as hymns saying that Breasted (erroneously) saw them as "a gospel of the beauty and beneficence of the natural order, a recognition of the message of nature to the soul of man" (quote from Breasted). </P> <P> Montserrat argues that all the versions of the hymns focus on the king and suggests that the real innovation is to redefine the relationship of god and king in a way that benefited Akhenaten, quoting the statement of Egyptologist John Baines that "Amarna religion was a religion of god and king, or even of king first and then god ." </P> <P> Donald B. Redford argued that while Akhenaten called himself the son of the Sun - Disc and acted as the chief mediator between god and creation, kings for thousands of years before Akhenaten's time had claimed the same relationship and priestly role . However Akhenaten's case may be different through the emphasis placed on the heavenly father and son relationship . Akhenaten described himself as "thy son who came forth from thy limbs", "thy child", "the eternal son that came forth from the Sun - Disc", and "thine only son that came forth from thy body". The close relationship between father and son is such that only the king truly knows the heart of "his father", and in return his father listens to his son's prayers . He is his father's image on earth and as Akhenaten is king on earth his father is king in heaven . As high priest, prophet, king and divine he claimed the central position in the new religious system . Since only he knew his father's mind and will, Akhenaten alone could interpret that will for all mankind with true teaching coming only from him . </P> <P> Redford concluded: </P>

According to the hymn to the aton who is the son of the aton