Psalm 2 → 135
Reasoning: 9344 Output: 5472 Total: 14816
Argument
Here is a set of mutually reinforcing arguments that make it plausible to read Psalm 135 as a logical follow-on (a liturgical and theological “response”) to Psalm 2. 1) Lexical and root-level echoes (Hebrew) - גּוֹיִם / מְלָכִים / אֶרֶץ: - Ps 2:1–2, 8, 10: “גּוֹיִם … מַלְכֵי־אֶרֶץ … אַפְסֵי־אָרֶץ” - Ps 135:10–11, 15: “שֶׁהִכָּה גּוֹיִם רַבִּים … וְהָרַג מְלָכִים … עֲצַבֵּי הַגּוֹיִם” - Same nouns (including the uncommon pairing “goyim/kings”) recur; Ps 135 narrates what Ps 2 anticipates: YHWH (and his anointed) prevail over nations and kings. - נַחֲלָה “inheritance”: - Ps 2:8 “גּוֹיִם נַחֲלָתֶךָ; … אַפְסֵי־אָרֶץ” - Ps 135:12 “וְנָתַן אַרְצָם נַחֲלָה … לְיִשְׂרָאֵל עַמּוֹ” - This rare covenantal-legal term directly links the promise (Ps 2) to its historical realization (Ps 135). - “ends of the earth”: - Ps 2:8 “אַפְסֵי־אָרֶץ” - Ps 135:7 “מִקְצֵה הָאָרֶץ” - Not identical wording but same idea and unusual semantic field (geographical extremities). - צִיּוֹן / יְרוּשָׁלַם: - Ps 2:6 “עַל־צִיּוֹן הַר־קָדְשִׁי” - Ps 135:21 “בָּרוּךְ יְהוָה מִצִּיּוֹן … שֹׁכֵן יְרוּשָׁלָם” - Both psalms are Zion-centered; Ps 135 closes where Ps 2 enthrones. - עבד/ירא: - Ps 2:11 “עִבְדוּ אֶת־יְהוָה בְּיִרְאָה” - Ps 135:1 “עַבְדֵי יְהוָה”; 20 “יִרְאֵי יְהוָה” - The command in Ps 2 (“serve … with fear”) becomes the identity and summons in Ps 135 (“servants,” “you who fear YHWH”). - Trust/refuge antithesis: - Ps 2:12 “אַשְׁרֵי כָּל־חוֹסֵי בוֹ” - Ps 135:18 “כְּמוֹהֶם יִהְיוּ עֹשֵׂיהֶם … כָּל אֲשֶׁר־בֹּטֵחַ בָּהֶם” - Two mutually exclusive postures: refuge in YHWH vs. trust in idols. The contrast is sharpened by near-synonymous verbs (חסה vs בטח) plus opposite pronouns (“in him” vs “in them”). - Divine speech vs. mute idols: - Ps 2:4–5 “אֲדֹנָי יִלְעַג … אָז יְדַבֵּר אֵלֵימוֹ” - Ps 135:16–17 “פֶּה־לָהֶם וְלֹא יְדַבֵּרוּ … אֵין־יֶשׁ־רוּחַ בְּפִיהֶם” - The God who speaks (and laughs) in judgment (Ps 2) is set over against speechless idols (Ps 135). 2) Conceptual/theological continuities - Coronation promise realized in history: - Ps 2 promises dominion: “Ask of me, and I will give nations as your inheritance.” - Ps 135 rehearses how YHWH already executed this pattern: exodus, plagues, defeat of kings (Sihon, Og), and land-transfer “as an inheritance” (vv. 8–12). It is a concrete instantiation of Ps 2’s program. - Human and cosmic sovereignty: - Ps 2: YHWH installs his king on Zion; nations rebel, but the anointed receives the ends of the earth. - Ps 135: YHWH’s kingship is cosmic (creation, weather; vv. 6–7) and historical (exodus/conquest; vv. 8–12), and cultic (dwelling in Jerusalem; v. 21). The king under God (Ps 2) and God’s own kingship (Ps 135) are coordinated, not competitors. - Proper response: - Ps 2 ends by instructing rebels to “serve YHWH … kiss the son …” and by pronouncing blessing on those who take refuge in him. - Ps 135 opens by showing what faithful service looks like: priests/Levites/Israel “stand in the house of YHWH” and praise him (vv. 1–3, 19–21). It is the liturgical realization of Ps 2’s exhortation. - Judgment motif: - Ps 2 threatens smashing resistant nations with an iron rod (v. 9). - Ps 135 recounts YHWH “struck many nations and killed mighty kings” (v. 10) and affirms, “For YHWH will judge (יָדִין) his people” (v. 14). The courtroom vocabulary and outcome match Ps 2’s warning to “judges of the earth” (שֹׁפְטֵי־אָרֶץ). 3) Shared mytho-historical backbone - Sonship/firstborn: - Ps 2:7 “You are my son; today I have begotten you” (royal adoption echoing 2 Sam 7). - Ps 135:8 “He struck the firstborn (בְּכוֹרֵי) of Egypt,” invoking the exodus tradition where Israel is “my firstborn son” (Exod 4:22). Ps 135 thus narrates the foundational act by which YHWH claims a son-people, while Ps 2 applies the sonship idiom to the Davidic king; together they present royal and corporate sonship in one story. - Conquest exemplars: - Ps 135 names Sihon and Og—archetypal pre-Israelite rulers—whose overthrow secured Israel’s inheritance. This is exactly the kind of “giving of nations/lands” that Ps 2 predicts for YHWH’s anointed. - Zion/Jerusalem cult: - Ps 2’s enthronement “on Zion, my holy hill” fits naturally into a temple celebration where Levites call Israel to bless YHWH “from Zion … who dwells in Jerusalem” (Ps 135:21). Coronation and cult flow into one another in Israel’s ritual life. 4) Stylistic and formal affinities - Imperative + rationale style: - Ps 2: Imperatives to kings/judges (“הַשְׂכִּילוּ … הִוָּסְרוּ … עִבְדוּ … נַשְּׁקוּ”) followed by reasons/warnings. - Ps 135: Chains of imperatives to worshipers (“הַלְלוּ … זַמְּרוּ … בָּרֲכוּ”) followed by כִּי-clauses giving reasons (vv. 3–6, 14). Same exhortation-to-response logic. - Vocative lists: - Ps 2: “מְלָכִים … שֹׁפְטֵי־אָרֶץ” - Ps 135: “בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל … בֵּית אַהֲרֹן … בֵּית הַלֵּוִי … יִרְאֵי יְהוָה” - Both marshal social groups and address them directly. - Inclusio around Zion: - Ps 2 anchors the drama in Zion (v. 6); Ps 135 ends with Zion/Jerusalem (v. 21). Read consecutively, the frame remains unbroken. 5) A plausible liturgical sequence - In Israel’s cultic calendar and public life, the enthronement/coronation of the Davidic king (Ps 2 as a classic “royal psalm”) would naturally be followed by temple praise that: - affirms YHWH’s cosmic supremacy (Ps 135:5–7), - recites exodus/conquest as the basis for land-as-inheritance (vv. 8–12), - contrasts YHWH with idols (vv. 15–18), - and summons Israel’s houses (Israel, Aaron, Levi, fearers) to bless YHWH from Zion (vv. 19–21). - That is precisely the theological agenda Ps 2 sets: submit to YHWH’s rule from Zion and receive blessing; Ps 135 depicts the community doing so. 6) Macro-canonical logic within the Psalter - Psalm 2 functions programmatically at the Psalter’s front end (YHWH’s rule through his anointed; Zion as center; nations in view). Psalm 135 (near the Psalter’s close) reaffirms YHWH’s kingship over all gods, recounts how he gave “inheritance” to Israel, and climaxes in Zion. Read together, Ps 135 looks like a late-liturgical ratification of the early-royal claim of Ps 2. Bottom line - Strong lexical anchors (especially נַחֲלָה; the triad גּוֹיִם/מְלָכִים/אֶרֶץ; Zion/Jerusalem), matched exhortation formats, and a shared mytho-historical script (sonship, exodus, conquest, Zion) allow Psalm 135 to be read as the historical-liturgical realization and communal response to the royal theology announced in Psalm 2.
Evaluation
No evaluation has been recorded for this pair yet.
Prompt
Consider Psalm 2 and Psalm 135 (reproduced below). What arguments could you make to justify that Psalm 135 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 135:
Psalm 135
1. הַ֥לְלוּ
יָ֨הּ ׀
הַֽ֭לְלוּ
אֶת־
שֵׁ֣ם
יְהוָ֑ה
הַֽ֝לְלוּ
עַבְדֵ֥י
יְהוָֽה׃
2. שֶׁ֣֭עֹֽמְדִים
בְּבֵ֣ית
יְהוָ֑ה
בְּ֝חַצְר֗וֹת
בֵּ֣ית
אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ׃
3. הַֽ֭לְלוּ־
יָהּ
כִּי־
ט֣וֹב
יְהוָ֑ה
זַמְּר֥וּ
לִ֝שְׁמ֗וֹ
כִּ֣י
נָעִֽים׃
4. כִּֽי־
יַעֲקֹ֗ב
בָּחַ֣ר
ל֣וֹ
יָ֑הּ
יִ֝שְׂרָאֵ֗ל
לִסְגֻלָּתֽוֹ׃
5. כִּ֤י
אֲנִ֣י
יָ֭דַעְתִּי
כִּי־
גָד֣וֹל
יְהוָ֑ה
וַ֝אֲדֹנֵ֗ינוּ
מִכָּל־
אֱלֹהִֽים׃
6. כֹּ֤ל
אֲשֶׁר־
חָפֵ֥ץ
יְהוָ֗ה
עָ֫שָׂ֥ה
בַּשָּׁמַ֥יִם
וּבָאָ֑רֶץ
בַּ֝יַּמִּ֗ים
וְכָל־
תְּהוֹמֽוֹת׃
7. מַֽעֲלֶ֣ה
נְשִׂאִים֮
מִקְצֵ֢ה
הָ֫אָ֥רֶץ
בְּרָקִ֣ים
לַמָּטָ֣ר
עָשָׂ֑ה
מֽוֹצֵא־
ר֝וּחַ
מֵאֽוֹצְרוֹתָֽיו׃
8. שֶֽׁ֭הִכָּה
בְּכוֹרֵ֣י
מִצְרָ֑יִם
מֵ֝אָדָ֗ם
עַד־
בְּהֵמָֽה׃
9. שָׁלַ֤ח ׀
אֹת֣וֹת
וּ֖dמֹפְתִים
בְּתוֹכֵ֣כִי
מִצְרָ֑יִם
בְּ֝פַרְעֹ֗ה
וּבְכָל־
עֲבָדָֽיו׃
10. שֶֽׁ֭הִכָּה
גּוֹיִ֣ם
רַבִּ֑ים
וְ֝הָרַ֗ג
מְלָכִ֥ים
עֲצוּמִֽים׃
11. לְסִיח֤וֹן ׀
מֶ֤לֶךְ
הָאֱמֹרִ֗י
וּ֭לְעוֹג
מֶ֣לֶךְ
הַבָּשָׁ֑ן
וּ֝לְכֹ֗ל
מַמְלְכ֥וֹת
כְּנָֽעַן׃
12. וְנָתַ֣ן
אַרְצָ֣ם
נַחֲלָ֑ה
נַ֝חֲלָ֗ה
לְיִשְׂרָאֵ֥ל
עַמּֽוֹ׃
13. יְ֭הוָה
שִׁמְךָ֣
לְעוֹלָ֑ם
יְ֝הוָ֗ה
זִכְרְךָ֥
לְדֹר־
וָדֹֽר׃
14. כִּֽי־
יָדִ֣ין
יְהוָ֣ה
עַמּ֑וֹ
וְעַל־
עֲ֝בָדָ֗יו
יִתְנֶחָֽם׃
15. עֲצַבֵּ֣י
הַ֭גּוֹיִם
כֶּ֣סֶף
וְזָהָ֑ב
מַ֝עֲשֵׂ֗ה
יְדֵ֣י
אָדָֽם׃
16. פֶּֽה־
לָ֭הֶם
וְלֹ֣א
יְדַבֵּ֑רוּ
עֵינַ֥יִם
לָ֝הֶ֗ם
וְלֹ֣א
יִרְאֽוּ׃
17. אָזְנַ֣יִם
לָ֭הֶם
וְלֹ֣א
יַאֲזִ֑ינוּ
אַ֝֗ף
אֵין־
יֶשׁ־
ר֥וּחַ
בְּפִיהֶֽם׃
18. כְּ֭מוֹהֶם
יִהְי֣וּ
עֹשֵׂיהֶ֑ם
כֹּ֭ל
אֲשֶׁר־
בֹּטֵ֣חַ
בָּהֶֽם׃
19. בֵּ֣ית
יִ֭שְׂרָאֵל
בָּרֲכ֣וּ
אֶת־
יְהוָ֑ה
בֵּ֥ית
אַ֝הֲרֹ֗ן
בָּרֲכ֥וּ
אֶת־
יְהוָֽה׃
20. בֵּ֣ית
הַ֭לֵּוִי
בָּרֲכ֣וּ
אֶת־
יְהוָ֑ה
יִֽרְאֵ֥י
יְ֝הוָ֗ה
בָּרֲכ֥וּ
אֶת־
יְהוָֽה׃
21. בָּ֘ר֤וּךְ
יְהוָ֨ה ׀
מִצִיּ֗וֹן
שֹׁ֘כֵ֤ן
יְֽרוּשָׁלִָ֗ם
הַֽלְלוּ־
יָֽהּ׃