Psalm 2 → 124
Reasoning: 8384 Output: 4244 Total: 12628
Argument
Short thesis: Psalm 2 describes a world-wide revolt against YHWH and his Davidic king and promises decisive divine intervention; Psalm 124 is the communal thanksgiving that would naturally follow such an attempted uprising once YHWH has delivered “us.” The two psalms can be read as cause (Ps 2) and result (Ps 124), and that link is reinforced by multiple stylistic, lexical, and imagistic echoes. How Psalm 124 “follows” Psalm 2 1) Scene-to-scene logic (rebellion → deliverance → praise) - Psalm 2: Nations and rulers rise up “against YHWH and against his anointed” (עַל־יְהוָה וְעַל־מְשִׁיחוֹ), but God counters and installs his king on Zion, warning the rebels. - Psalm 124: “If not for YHWH who was for us” (לוּלֵי יְהוָה שֶׁהָיָה לָנוּ)… “when a man rose up against us” (בְּקוּם עָלֵינוּ אָדָם), we would have been swallowed. But the snare is broken and we escape, so “Blessed be YHWH” and “Our help is in the name of YHWH.” - Logical flow: The revolt (Ps 2) becomes a real threat against YHWH’s people (“against us,” Ps 124), but YHWH’s intervention (promised in Ps 2) yields communal rescue and doxology (Ps 124). 2) Direct “attack” language in both - Against + rise/stand verbs: - Ps 2:2: “The kings of the earth take their stand … against (עַל) YHWH and his anointed” (יִתְיַצְּבוּ … עַל־יְהוָה). - Ps 124:2: “when a man rose up against us” (בְּקוּם עָלֵינוּ אָדָם). - The same preposition עַל with aggressive posture verbs (יתיצבו/קום) underscores a common conflict frame. 3) Temporal markers “then” as hinge of the drama - Ps 2:5 begins the divine counterstroke with אָז (“Then he will speak to them in his anger”). - Ps 124:3–5 builds the hypothetical disaster with thrice-repeated אֲזַי (“Then … would have swallowed us,” “Then the waters would have overwhelmed us,” “Then … the proud waters”). - The “then” of judgment (Ps 2) cancels the “then” of disaster (Ps 124). This is an elegant structural rhyme. 4) Anger lexeme and imagery on both sides of the conflict - Ps 2 emphasizes YHWH’s anger: בְאַפּוֹ; חֲרוֹנוֹ; אַפּוֹ (vv. 5, 12). - Ps 124 has the attackers’ anger: בַּחֲרוֹת אַפָּם בָּנוּ (v. 3). - The rare-to-middling anger morphology from the root חרה/אַף appears in both; in Ps 2 God’s anger undoes the rebels, in Ps 124 the enemies’ anger would have undone Israel—had not YHWH intervened. 5) Nations as floodwaters: a standard biblical metaphor links the two scenes - Ps 2:1: “Why do the nations rage?” (לָמָּה רָגְשׁוּ גוֹיִם). The rarer verb רג”ש suggests tumult, hubbub. - Ps 124:4–5: “Then the waters would have overwhelmed us … the proud waters” (הַמַּיִם שְׁטָפוּנוּ … הַמַּיִם הַזֵּידוֹנִים). - Elsewhere, roaring seas = tumultuous nations (e.g., Ps 65:8; Isa 17:12–13). So the “raging” nations of Ps 2 map naturally onto the floodwaters of Ps 124. The rare adjective/noun זֵידוֹנִים (“arrogant/proud,” v. 5) intensifies the parallel to the arrogant conspiracy of Ps 2:1–3. 6) “Bonds/cords” vs “snare” — same semantic field of restraint, but inverted - Ps 2:3: The rebels say, “Let us tear off their bonds (מוֹסְרוֹתֵימוֹ) and cast away their cords (עֲבֹתֵימוֹ).” - Ps 124:7: “The snare (הַפַּח) is broken, and we have escaped.” Also “fowlers” (יוֹקְשִׁים, from יקש “ensnare”). - Both use uncommon restraint imagery (מוסרות/עבות vs פח/יקש). In Ps 2 the wicked want freedom from YHWH’s rule; in Ps 124 Israel wants freedom from the wicked’s trap. The mirror inversion strengthens the narrative link: YHWH does not let rebels break his rule; rather he breaks their snare. 7) Breaking verbs: violent rupture as the turning point - Ps 2:9: “You shall shatter them (תְּנַפְּצֵם) like a potter’s vessel.” - Ps 124:7: “The snare is broken (נִשְׁבָּר).” - Different roots (נפ”ץ vs שב”ר), same decisive break motif resolving the crisis. 8) Shared heaven–earth frame of reference and cosmic sovereignty - Ps 2:4: “He who sits in the heavens” (יוֹשֵׁב בַּשָּׁמַיִם); 2:8: “the ends of the earth” (אַפְסֵי־אָרֶץ, a rarer collocation). - Ps 124:8: “Our help is in the name of YHWH, maker of heaven and earth” (עֹשֵׂה שָׁמַיִם וָאָרֶץ). - The one enthroned in heaven (Ps 2) is the very Maker of heaven and earth (Ps 124). The heaven–earth pairing in both underscores that the political deliverance of Ps 124 flows from the cosmic kingship of Ps 2. 9) Refuge → escape: the promised stance becomes the experienced outcome - Ps 2 ends: “Happy are all who take refuge in him” (אַשְׁרֵי כָּל־חוֹסֵי בוֹ). - Ps 124 climaxes with: “Our soul … has escaped” (נַפְשֵׁנוּ … נִמְלְטָה; וַאֲנַחְנוּ נִמְלָטְנוּ), and “Our help is in the name of YHWH.” - Taking refuge (חסה) in Ps 2 becomes concrete deliverance (ימ”לט) in Ps 124. 10) Zion and ascent: enthronement on the holy hill → pilgrimage songs up to that hill - Ps 2:6: “I have installed my king on Zion, my holy mountain.” - Ps 124 superscription: “A Song of Ascents of David” (שִׁיר הַמַּעֲלוֹת לְדָוִד), i.e., for going up to Zion. - Liturgical logic: after YHWH’s victory for his anointed (Ps 2), the community “goes up” (מעלות) to Zion with thanksgiving (Ps 124). 11) Davidic frame and Israel vs the nations - Psalm 2 is Davidic in Jewish and early Christian tradition; Psalm 124 is explicitly “of David.” - Ps 2: the Gentiles (גּוֹיִם) and peoples (לְאֻמִּים) rage; Ps 124: “Let Israel say” (יֹאמַר־נָא יִשְׂרָאֵל). The same two parties appear on opposite sides of the conflict, “they” vs “we.” - Note the pronoun contrast: Ps 2 uses the archaic 3mp object “לָמוֹ/אֲלֵימוֹ/יְבַהֲלֵמוֹ” (“to them/at them”), while Ps 124 repeats “לָנוּ” (“for us”)—a neat rhetorical antiphony of them vs us. 12) Shared rhetorical shape: admonition → response - Ps 2: Admonition to kings/judges (“serve … with fear … kiss the son”), promising safety to those who seek refuge. - Ps 124: The community’s responsive praise formula (“בָּרוּךְ יְהוָה … עֶזְרֵנוּ בְּשֵׁם יְהוָה”), which is exactly what the “refuge” stance looks like in communal liturgy. Why these particular links are strong - Rare or distinctive items carry weight: רג”ש (Ps 2:1), אַפְסֵי־אָרֶץ (2:8), the triple אֲזַי (Ps 124:3–5), זֵידוֹנִים (124:5), the fowler/snare lexemes (פח; יקש, 124:7). While not the same words across both psalms, they cluster around the same conflict-and-deliverance field and pair well with the exact overlaps (אז/אזי; אַף/אַפּוֹ; שָׁמַיִם/אָרֶץ). - Identical grammatical patterns in key spots: עַל + verb of rising/standing (יתיצבו/קום) against YHWH/us; temporal אָז/אֲזַי as hinge; concluding blessing/trust formulas. In sum: Psalm 2 sets the theological and political premise—YHWH’s cosmic kingship, Zion’s Davidic rule, and guaranteed defeat of rebellion—while Psalm 124 narrates the communal experience that matches that premise: enemies rose up, their wrath flared, the flood pressed in, but YHWH broke the trap and we escaped. Stylistic cues (אז/אזי, אַף), semantic fields (bonds/snares; raging nations/floodwaters), cosmic markers (שָׁמַיִם/אָרֶץ), and liturgical setting (Zion ↔ Ascents) combine to make Psalm 124 a natural, even artful, “next chapter” after Psalm 2.
Evaluation
No evaluation has been recorded for this pair yet.
Prompt
Consider Psalm 2 and Psalm 124 (reproduced below). What arguments could you make to justify that Psalm 124 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 124:
Psalm 124
1. שִׁ֥יר
הַֽמַּעֲל֗וֹת
לְדָ֫וִ֥ד
לוּלֵ֣י
יְ֭הוָה
שֶׁהָ֣יָה
לָ֑נוּ
יֹֽאמַר־
נָ֝א
יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
2. לוּלֵ֣י
יְ֭הוָה
שֶׁהָ֣יָה
לָ֑נוּ
בְּק֖וּם
עָלֵ֣ינוּ
אָדָֽם׃
3. אֲ֭זַי
חַיִּ֣ים
בְּלָע֑וּנוּ
בַּחֲר֖וֹת
אַפָּ֣ם
בָּֽנוּ׃
4. אֲ֭זַי
הַמַּ֣יִם
שְׁטָפ֑וּנוּ
נַ֗֜cחְלָה
עָבַ֥ר
עַל־
נַפְשֵֽׁנוּ׃
5. אֲ֭זַי
עָבַ֣ר
עַל־
נַפְשֵׁ֑נוּ
הַ֝מַּ֗יִם
הַזֵּֽידוֹנִֽים׃
6. בָּר֥וּךְ
יְהוָ֑ה
שֶׁלֹּ֥א
נְתָנָ֥נוּ
טֶ֝֗רֶף
לְשִׁנֵּיהֶֽם׃
7. נַפְשֵׁ֗נוּ
כְּצִפּ֥וֹר
נִמְלְטָה֮
מִפַּ֢ח
י֫וֹקְשִׁ֥ים
הַפַּ֥ח
נִשְׁבָּ֗ר
וַאֲנַ֥חְנוּ
נִמְלָֽטְנוּ׃
8. עֶ֭זְרֵנוּ
בְּשֵׁ֣ם
יְהוָ֑ה
עֹ֝שֵׂ֗ה
שָׁמַ֥יִם
וָאָֽרֶץ׃