Psalm 2 → 118
Reasoning: 8512 Output: 5445 Total: 13957
Argument
Here are several converging lines of argument that make Psalm 118 read naturally as the narrative, liturgical, and theological “follow‑on” to Psalm 2. 1) Macro‑plot: Psalm 118 as the story that Psalm 2 anticipates - Psalm 2: A royal enthronement scenario. The nations and their rulers rise against YHWH and his anointed; God installs the king on Zion; the king proclaims YHWH’s decree of sonship; the nations are warned to submit, serve with fear, and seek refuge in YHWH. - Psalm 118: A royal/victory thanksgiving and processional. “All nations surrounded me,” but in YHWH’s name they are cut off; the king/leader enters the gates of righteousness; the gathered worshipers bless “the one who comes in the name of YHWH”; the feast is bound to the altar. - Logical flow: Psalm 2’s enthronement plus international opposition is “realized” in Psalm 118’s report of encirclement by the nations and the triumph granted by YHWH, culminating in a temple‑festal celebration appropriate to a victorious, YHWH‑affirmed monarchy. 2) Cultic‑historical scenario - Psalm 2 fits a coronation/enthronement rite on Zion (cf. “I have installed my king on Zion, my holy hill,” 2:6). - Psalm 118 fits a victory/thanksgiving procession at the temple (open the gates; festal binding to the altar; repeated “in the name of YHWH”; communal refrains), widely associated with major feasts (later Jewish use at Sukkot/Hoshanot). - Sequence: Enthronement under threat (Ps 2) → YHWH gives victory over hostile nations → king and people process to the temple to thank YHWH (Ps 118). 3) Rare or distinctive lexical bridges (higher significance) - עֲבֹתִים “cords”: - Psalm 2:3 the rebels say, “let us cast away their cords (עֲבֹתֵימוֹ) from us.” - Psalm 118:27 “Bind the festival with cords (בַּעֲבֹתִים) up to the horns of the altar.” - Force of the link: identical root and plural form. Psalm 118 inverts Psalm 2: the rebellious “throw off” YHWH’s cords; the faithful “bind” themselves and their festal sacrifice to YHWH. This reversal is both lexical and theological. - ס־פ־ר “to recount/proclaim”: - Psalm 2:7 אֲסַפְּרָה “I will declare” the decree. - Psalm 118:17 וַאֲסַפֵּר “I will recount” the deeds of Yah. - Same root, same person, same stem (Pi‘el); the king in both psalms publicly proclaims YHWH’s decisive action. - יֹום “today/this day”: - Psalm 2:7 “Today (הַיּוֹם) I have begotten you.” - Psalm 118:24 “This is the day (זֶה הַיּוֹם) YHWH has made; let us rejoice…” - The “adoption day”/enthronement day in Psalm 2 finds its liturgical echo as “the day YHWH made” for public rejoicing in Psalm 118. - ג־י־ל “rejoice”: - Psalm 2:11 “rejoice (גִּילוּ) with trembling.” - Psalm 118:24 “let us rejoice (נָגִילָה) and be glad in it.” - Same root and shared mood of commanded/communal rejoicing; Psalm 118 supplies the communal fulfillment of Psalm 2’s imperative. 4) Thematic and lexical parallels (medium–high significance) - גּוֹיִם “nations”: - Psalm 2 opens with the nations raging; Psalm 118:10–12 “all nations surrounded me… in the name of YHWH I cut them off” (thrice). Psalm 118 reads like the narrative answer to Psalm 2’s initial tumult. - ח־ס־ה “to take refuge”: - Psalm 2:12 “Blessed are all who take refuge (חוֹסֵי) in him.” - Psalm 118:8–9 “Better to take refuge (לַחֲסוֹת) in YHWH than to trust in man/princes.” - Same root; Psalm 118 generalizes Psalm 2’s beatitude into practical wisdom in a royal/communal setting. - י־ר־א “fear”: - Psalm 2:11 “Serve YHWH with fear (בְּיִרְאָה).” - Psalm 118:4 “Let those who fear YHWH (יִרְאֵי יְהוָה) say…” - The group summoned in Psalm 118 is precisely those obeying Psalm 2’s charge. - Rulers vs princes: - Psalm 2: “kings of the earth” and “rulers” (רוֹזְנִים). - Psalm 118:9 contrasts YHWH with “princes” (נְדִיבִים). - Both psalms relativize human rule before YHWH’s kingship and support of his anointed/servant. - Building/foundation imagery: - Psalm 2:2 “the rulers were ‘founded/established together’” (נֹסְדוּ, Niphal of יסד), an unusual, architectonic verb for “conspiring.” - Psalm 118:22–23 the cornerstone stanza (builders, stone, head of the corner). - The conspiratorial “foundation” of Psalm 2 is answered by YHWH’s true foundation-building in Psalm 118, where the rejected “stone” becomes chief—the perfect image for the vindicated king. 5) Rhetorical and structural complements - Psalm 2 structure: They (nations) → He (YHWH) → I (the king) → You (warning to rulers). - Psalm 118 structure: I (the delivered king/leader) → YHWH’s mighty right hand → They (the nations encircling) → We/You (community and priests at the gates blessing). - Both are highly performative: imperatives to audiences (serve, rejoice; give thanks, say now), antiphonal refrains, and a public proclamation by the royal/representative “I.” - Both end with a beatitude/doxology that commends proper alignment to YHWH: Psalm 2 with “happy are all who take refuge in him,” Psalm 118 with its enveloping “Give thanks to YHWH, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever.” 6) Image‑level reversals and fulfillments - Cords: “cast off their cords from us” (rebellion, Ps 2) vs “bind the festival with cords” (willing devotion, Ps 118). - Against vs in the name of YHWH: “against YHWH and his anointed” (Ps 2:2) vs “in the name of YHWH I cut them off” (Ps 118:10–12) and “blessed is the one who comes in the name of YHWH” (118:26). - Death vs life: “lest he be angry and you perish in the way” (Ps 2:12) vs “I shall not die but live” (Ps 118:17). - Rod/Right hand: the king’s delegated crushing power in Psalm 2 (“rod of iron”) is matched by the repeated exaltation of “the right hand of YHWH” that “does valiantly” in Psalm 118, narrating how that promised might was experienced. 7) Royal‑messianic thread - Psalm 2’s “You are my son; today I have begotten you” and promise of rule over the nations sets a Davidic/messianic frame. - Psalm 118’s “Blessed is the one who comes in the name of YHWH,” the rejected‑stone‑made‑cornerstone, and the temple blessing from “the house of YHWH” are classic royal/messianic entry motifs. Read together, the despised anointed of Psalm 2 becomes the vindicated cornerstone of Psalm 118. Bottom line - Stylistically: both are performative, antiphonal, and liturgically suited; both feature direct imperatives and first‑person royal proclamation. - Lexically: multiple shared and distinctive roots (especially עֲבֹתִים; ח־ס־ה; ג־י־ל; י־ר־א; גּוֹיִם; ס־פ־ר; הַיּוֹם), and architectonic vocabulary linking Psalm 2’s conspiratorial “foundation” to Psalm 118’s cornerstone. - Thematically: Psalm 118 reads as the narrative, cultic, and theological fulfillment of Psalm 2—rebellion answered by victory; enthronement confirmed by temple thanksgiving; warning to rulers counterbalanced by blessing for the one who comes in YHWH’s name and for all who take refuge in him.
Evaluation
No evaluation has been recorded for this pair yet.
Prompt
Consider Psalm 2 and Psalm 118 (reproduced below). What arguments could you make to justify that Psalm 118 logically follows on from Psalm 2? Consider stylistic similarities, similarities of form, similarities of vocab or ideas, shared roots (if you're doing the search in Hebrew), connections to sequences of events common in ancient Israelite life, mythology or history shared by the two psalms.
Rarer words are more significant than commoner words. Identical forms are more significant than similar forms. The same word class is more significant than different word classes formed from the same root. Identical roots are more significant than suppletive roots.
Psalm 2:
Psalm 2
1. לָ֭מָּה
רָגְשׁ֣וּ
גוֹיִ֑ם
וּ֝לְאֻמִּ֗ים
יֶהְגּוּ־
רִֽtיק׃
2. יִ֥תְיַצְּב֨וּ ׀
מַלְכֵי־
אֶ֗רֶץ
וְרוֹזְנִ֥ים
נֽוֹסְדוּ־
יָ֑חַד
עַל־
יְ֝הוָה
וְעַל־
מְשִׁיחֽtוֹ׃
3. נְֽ֭נַתְּקָה
אֶת־
מֽוֹסְרוֹתֵ֑ימוֹ
וְנַשְׁלִ֖יכָה
מִמֶּ֣נּוּ
עֲבֹתֵֽימוֹ׃
4. יוֹשֵׁ֣ב
בַּשָּׁמַ֣יִם
יִשְׂחָ֑ק
אֲ֝דֹנָ֗י
יִלְעַג־
לָֽמוֹ׃
5. אָ֤ז
יְדַבֵּ֣ר
אֵלֵ֣ימוֹ
בְאַפּ֑וֹ
וּֽבַחֲרוֹנ֥וֹ
יְבַהֲלֵֽמוֹ׃
6. וַ֭אֲנִי
נָסַ֣כְתִּי
מַלְכִּ֑י
עַל־
צִ֝יּ֗וֹן
הַר־
קָדְשִֽׁי׃
7. אֲסַפְּרָ֗ה
אֶֽ֫ל
חֹ֥ק
יְֽהוָ֗ה
אָמַ֘ר
אֵלַ֥י
בְּנִ֥י
אַ֑תָּה
אֲ֝נִ֗י
הַיּ֥וֹם
יְלִדְתִּֽיךָ׃
8. שְׁאַ֤ל
מִמֶּ֗נִּי
וְאֶתְּנָ֣ה
ג֭וֹיִם
נַחֲלָתֶ֑ךָ
וַ֝אֲחֻזָּתְךָ֗
אַפְסֵי־
אָֽרֶץ׃
9. תְּ֭רֹעֵם
בְּשֵׁ֣בֶט
בַּרְזֶ֑ל
כִּכְלִ֖י
יוֹצֵ֣ר
תְּנַפְּצֵֽם׃
10. וְ֭עַתָּה
מְלָכִ֣ים
הַשְׂכִּ֑ילוּ
הִ֝וָּסְר֗וּ
שֹׁ֣פְטֵי
אָֽרֶץ׃
11. עִבְד֣וּ
אֶת־
יְהוָ֣ה
בְּיִרְאָ֑ה
וְ֝גִ֗ילוּ
בִּרְעָדָֽה׃
12. נַשְּׁקוּ־
בַ֡ר
פֶּן־
יֶאֱנַ֤ף ׀
וְתֹ֬אבְדוּ
דֶ֗רֶךְ
כִּֽי־
יִבְעַ֣ר
כִּמְעַ֣ט
אַפּ֑וֹ
אַ֝שְׁרֵ֗י
כָּל־
ח֥וֹסֵי
בֽוֹ׃
Psalm 118:
Psalm 118
1. הוֹד֣וּ
לַיהוָ֣ה
כִּי־
ט֑וֹב
כִּ֖י
לְעוֹלָ֣ם
חַסְדּֽוֹ׃
2. יֹֽאמַר־
נָ֥א
יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל
כִּ֖י
לְעוֹלָ֣ם
חַסְדּֽוֹ׃
3. יֹֽאמְרוּ־
נָ֥א
בֵֽית־
אַהֲרֹ֑ן
כִּ֖י
לְעוֹלָ֣ם
חַסְדּֽוֹ׃
4. יֹֽאמְרוּ־
נָ֭א
יִרְאֵ֣י
יְהוָ֑ה
כִּ֖י
לְעוֹלָ֣ם
חַסְדּֽוֹ׃
5. מִֽן־
הַ֭מֵּצַ֥ר
קָרָ֣אתִי
יָּ֑הּ
עָנָ֖נִי
בַמֶּרְחָ֣ב
יָֽהּ׃
6. יְהוָ֣ה
לִ֭י
לֹ֣א
אִירָ֑א
מַה־
יַּעֲשֶׂ֖ה
לִ֣י
אָדָֽם׃
7. יְהוָ֣ה
לִ֭י
בְּעֹזְרָ֑י
וַ֝אֲנִ֗י
אֶרְאֶ֥ה
בְשֹׂנְאָֽי׃
8. ט֗וֹב
לַחֲס֥וֹת
בַּיהוָ֑ה
מִ֝בְּטֹ֗חַ
בָּאָדָֽם׃
9. ט֗וֹב
לַחֲס֥וֹת
בַּיהוָ֑ה
מִ֝בְּטֹ֗חַ
בִּנְדִיבִֽים׃
10. כָּל־
גּוֹיִ֥ם
סְבָב֑וּנִי
בְּשֵׁ֥ם
יְ֝הוָ֗ה
כִּ֣י
אֲמִילַֽם׃
11. סַבּ֥וּנִי
גַם־
סְבָב֑וּנִי
בְּשֵׁ֥ם
יְ֝הוָ֗ה
כִּ֣י
אֲמִילַֽם׃
12. סַבּ֤וּנִי
כִדְבוֹרִ֗ים
דֹּ֭עֲכוּ
כְּאֵ֣שׁ
קוֹצִ֑ים
בְּשֵׁ֥ם
יְ֝הוָ֗ה
כִּ֣י
אֲמִילַֽם׃
13. דַּחֹ֣ה
דְחִיתַ֣נִי
לִנְפֹּ֑ל
וַ֖יהוָ֣ה
עֲזָרָֽנִי׃
14. עָזִּ֣י
וְזִמְרָ֣ת
יָ֑הּ
וַֽיְהִי־
לִ֝֗י
לִֽישׁוּעָֽה׃
15. ק֤וֹל ׀
רִנָּ֬ה
וִֽישׁוּעָ֗ה
בְּאָהֳלֵ֥י
צַדִּיקִ֑ים
יְמִ֥ין
יְ֝הוָה
עֹ֣שָׂה
חָֽיִל׃
16. יְמִ֣ין
יְ֭הוָה
רוֹמֵמָ֑ה
יְמִ֥ין
יְ֝הוָה
עֹ֣שָׂה
חָֽיִל׃
17. לֹֽא
אָמ֥וּת
כִּי־
אֶֽחְיֶ֑ה
וַ֝אֲסַפֵּ֗ר
מַֽעֲשֵׂ֥י
יָֽהּ׃
18. יַסֹּ֣ר
יִסְּרַ֣נִּי
יָּ֑הּ
וְ֝לַמָּ֗וֶת
לֹ֣א
נְתָנָֽנִי׃
19. פִּתְחוּ־
לִ֥י
שַׁעֲרֵי־
צֶ֑דֶק
אָֽבֹא־
בָ֝ם
אוֹדֶ֥ה
יָֽהּ׃
20. זֶֽה־
הַשַּׁ֥עַר
לַיהוָ֑ה
צַ֝דִּיקִ֗ים
יָבֹ֥אוּ
בֽוֹ׃
21. א֭וֹדְךָ
כִּ֣י
עֲנִיתָ֑נִי
וַתְּהִי־
לִ֝֗י
לִֽישׁוּעָֽה׃
22. אֶ֭בֶן
מָאֲס֣וּ
הַבּוֹנִ֑ים
הָ֝יְתָ֗ה
לְרֹ֣אשׁ
פִּנָּֽה׃
23. מֵאֵ֣ת
יְ֭הוָה
הָ֣יְתָה
זֹּ֑את
הִ֖יא
נִפְלָ֣את
בְּעֵינֵֽינוּ׃
24. זֶה־
הַ֭יּוֹם
עָשָׂ֣ה
יְהוָ֑ה
נָגִ֖ילָה
וְנִשְׂמְחָ֣ה
בֽוֹ׃
25. אָֽנָּ֣א
יְ֭הוָה
הוֹשִׁ֘יעָ֥ה
נָּ֑א
אָֽנָּ֥א
יְ֝הוָ֗ה
הַצְלִ֘יחָ֥ה
נָּֽא׃
26. בָּר֣וּךְ
הַ֭בָּא
בְּשֵׁ֣ם
יְהוָ֑ה
בֵּ֝רַֽכְנוּכֶ֗ם
מִבֵּ֥ית
יְהוָֽה׃
27. אֵ֤ל ׀
יְהוָה֮
וַיָּ֢אֶ֫ר
לָ֥נוּ
אִסְרוּ־
חַ֥ג
בַּעֲבֹתִ֑ים
עַד־
קַ֝רְנ֗וֹת
הַמִּזְבֵּֽחַ׃
28. אֵלִ֣י
אַתָּ֣ה
וְאוֹדֶ֑ךָּ
אֱ֝לֹהַ֗י
אֲרוֹמְמֶֽךָּ׃
29. הוֹד֣וּ
לַיהוָ֣ה
כִּי־
ט֑וֹב
כִּ֖י
לְעוֹלָ֣ם
חַסְדּֽוֹ׃