Psalm 3 → 31

Reasoning: 9600 Output: 6363 Total: 15963

Argument

Below are ways to argue that Psalm 31 can be read as a logical sequel to Psalm 3, grouped by type of evidence. I point out the strongest links first (rarer words/identical forms), then roots and motifs, then historical/life-setting continuities.

1) Identical or near-identical Hebrew forms that recur with the same function
- רבים “many”: Ps 3:2–3 מה־רבו … רבים; Ps 31:14 דִּבַּת רַבִּים. In both, “the many” are not merely numerous but vocal and threatening.
- עלי “against me/on me”: Ps 3:2–3, 7; Ps 31:14 עָלַי. Same prepositional phrase marking hostile pressure.
- אויבי “my enemies”: Ps 3:8 אֹיְבַי; Ps 31:16 אֹיְבַי. Identical form and function.
- הושיעני “save me”: Ps 3:8 הוֹשִׁיעֵנִי; Ps 31:17 הוֹשִׁיעֵנִי (and 31:3 לְהוֹשִׁיעֵנִי). Same Hifil form with 1cs suffix.
- אלהי “my God”: Ps 3:8 אֱלֹהַי; Ps 31:15 אֱלֹהַי. Same vocative confession.
- נפשי “my life/soul”: Ps 3:3 לְנַפְשִׁי; Ps 31:8, 14 נַפְשִׁי. Same lexeme in the locus of threat.
- סביב “around, on every side”: Ps 3:7 סָבִיב; Ps 31:14 מִסָּבִיב. Same spatial motif of encirclement.
- קול + קרא “voice/call” answered by divine response: Ps 3:5 קוֹלִי … אֶקְרָא וַיַּעֲנֵנִי; Ps 31:2–3 הַטֵּה אָזְנְךָ … הַצִּילֵנִי; 31:23 שָׁמַעְתָּ קוֹל תַּחֲנוּנַי. Same prayer dynamic of calling, being heard/answered.
- ברך root: Ps 3:9 בִרְכָתֶךָ; Ps 31:22 בָּרוּךְ יְהוָה. Same root shifting from noun (your blessing) to doxology (blessed be YHWH), consistent with movement from petition to praise.

2) Rarer or distinctive expressions that carry weight
- Speech-centered hostility:
  - Ps 3:3 רבים אֹמְרִים לְנַפְשִׁי “many say of me…”
  - Ps 31:14 דִּבַּת רַבִּים “the slander/report of many”; 31:19 שִׂפְתֵי שָׁקֶר … בְּגַאֲוָה וָבוּז “lying lips … with pride and contempt”; 31:21 מֵרִיב לְשֹׁנוֹת “from the strife of tongues.”
  This is a tight thematic and lexical mesh: hostile speech in the mouth of “the many” develops from Ps 3’s taunt (“אין ישועתה לו באלהים”) into Ps 31’s full dossier of slander, contempt, and tongue-warfare.
- מגור מסביב “terror on every side” (Ps 31:14). While common in Jeremiah, it is unusual in Psalms; it sharpens Ps 3’s general “סָבִיב” encirclement into a stereotyped phrase for public panic.
- בעיר מצור (Ps 31:22). The phrase is uncommon in the Psalter and fits a fortified/besieged-city setting, sharpening the military frame already implicit in Ps 3 (“רבבות עם”).

3) Root-level echoes that extend the same problem-solution arc
- ישע “save”: Ps 3:3, 8–9 ישועה/הושיעני/לַיהוָה הַיְשׁוּעָה; Ps 31:3, 17 לְהוֹשִׁיעֵנִי/הוֹשִׁיעֵנִי. The same salvation lexeme moves from plea (Ps 3) to reiterated plea and confident praise (Ps 31).
- קרא/ענה/שמע “call/answer/hear”: Ps 3:5 “I call … and he answers me”; Ps 31:2–3, 18, 23 “incline your ear … I have called you … you have heard.” Same prayer grammar, expanded.
- בטח/חסה “trust/take refuge”: Ps 3’s confidence statements (e.g., לא אירא) are developed in Ps 31 with explicit חסיתי/בָּטַחְתִּי (31:2, 7, 15).
- בוש/חרפה “shame/reproach”: Ps 3 presents the public claim “אין ישועתה לו באלהים” (a shaming taunt); Ps 31 answers it directly with “אַל־אֵבוֹשָׁה … יֵבֹשׁוּ רְשָׁעִים” (31:2, 18) and “חֶרְפָּה” (31:12). That is precisely the honor–shame reversal one expects in a sequel.
- סבב “surround”: Ps 3:7; Ps 31:14 as above; the encirclement intensifies from military crowding to social panic and conspiracy.
- מגן/מעוז–מצודה–סלע “protection imagery”: Ps 3:4 “מָגֵן בעדי” (mobile protection for a fugitive); Ps 31:3–5 “צוּר מָעוֹז … מְצוּדָה … סֶלַע … מָעוּזִּי” (fixed fortification imagery), signaling the next phase of the crisis: from being shielded while fleeing to being secured in a stronghold.

4) Scene-by-scene narrative development that fits the Absalom rebellion (2 Sam 15–18)
- Immediate flight and encirclement → nighttime trust (Ps 3:1–6). “I lay down and slept; I awoke, for YHWH sustains me.” That sounds like the first night of the flight.
- Escalation to a longer, organized conspiracy with propaganda and legal-social pressure (Ps 31:10–14, 19–21). “דִּבַּת רַבִּים … בְּהִוָּסְדָם יַחַד עָלַי … מֵרִיב לְשֹׁנוֹת.” This maps well onto Absalom’s program of winning hearts at the gate, Ahithophel’s counsel, and coordinated plots (“בהִוָּסְדָם יחד”).
- Change of shelter: from wilderness bivouac (Ps 3) to a fortified refuge (Ps 31:22 בעיר מצור). Historically, David’s base at Mahanaim was a fortified city (2 Sam 17:24). The lexical shift from מגן to מעוז/מצודה/סלע matches that move from field to fortress.
- Threat to “נפש” → entrusting “רוּחַ”: Ps 3’s taunt targets his נֶפֶשׁ (3:3); Ps 31 answers with “בְיָדְךָ אַפְקִיד רוּחִי” (31:6), a deepened entrustment consistent with a protracted life-and-death crisis.
- Military danger → judicial/social vindication. Ps 3 asks God to “arise” and smash hostile power (שִׁנֵּי רְשָׁעִים שִׁבַּרְתָ); Ps 31 asks God to silence lying lips and reverse shame (תֵּאָלַמְנָה שִׂפְתֵי שָׁקֶר … אַל־אֵבוֹשָׁה). That move from battlefield to courtroom/public square fits the Absalom saga’s dual nature (swords and speeches).

5) Form and stylistic continuity
- Superscriptions: both are “מִזְמוֹר לְדָוִד.” Ps 31 adds לַמְנַצֵּחַ, i.e., it is prepared for public performance, logical once the immediate panic of Ps 3 has passed and the king can hand a liturgized testimony to the choirmaster.
- Classic lament pattern in both: complaint → petition → trust → praise. Ps 3 is compact; Ps 31 is the expanded, reflective counterpart with a pronounced thanksgiving section (31:22–23) and an exhortation to the faithful (31:24–25).
- Singular “I” to communal horizon. Ps 3 ends with a communal benediction, “עַל־עַמְּךָ בִרְכָתֶךָ”; Ps 31 ends with communal exhortation, “אֶהֱבוּ אֶת־יְהוָה כָּל־חֲסִידָיו … חִזְקוּ וְיַאֲמֵץ לְבַבְכֶם כָּל־הַמְיַחֲלִים לַיהוָה.” Both broaden from the king’s crisis to the people’s faith, but Ps 31 pushes this further—appropriate for a “follow-up” psalm.

6) Theological motif development
- Divine action verbs: Ps 3: “arise … save … you struck … you broke” (perfects of confidence); Ps 31: “redeemed me … you have heard … you set my feet in a broad place … you showed your wondrous hesed” (31:6, 9, 22–23). The perfects of deliverance in Ps 31 function as the realized answer to Ps 3’s petitions.
- Light/face vs lifting head: Ps 3:4 “וּמֵרִים רֹאשִׁי”; Ps 31:17 “הָאִירָה פָנֶיךָ עַל־עַבְדֶּךָ.” The priestly-blessing idiom (shine your face) reads naturally as God’s public vindication of the head He raised in Ps 3.

7) Putting it together as a plausible sequence
- Phase 1 (Ps 3): The initial shock of Absalom’s revolt—many enemies, taunts that God will not save him, encirclement; David lies down in faith and survives the night; he prays for decisive divine arising and victory.
- Phase 2 (Ps 31): The crisis lengthens and deepens—coordinated plots, public slander, panic “on every side,” and a shift to life behind walls in a “city of siege/fortification.” David entrusts his spirit and his times to God, experiences protection and hearing, and then turns his deliverance into public liturgy and exhortation.

In sum: identical forms (רבים, אויבי, עלי, הושיעני, אלהי, נפשי), shared roots (ישע, קרא/שמע/ענה, בוש/חרפה, בטח/חסה, סבב), and tightly overlapping themes (encirclement → protection; taunt/shame → vindication; battlefield → courtroom; shield → fortress; personal trust → communal exhortation) all support reading Psalm 31 as a deliberate, fuller follow-on to Psalm 3, especially against the historical backdrop of David’s Absalom crisis. The rarer speech-oriented terms in Psalm 31 (דִּבָּה, שִׂפְתֵי שָׁקֶר, מֵרִיב לְשֹׁנוֹת) answer Psalm 3’s taunt directly, while 31:22 “בְּעִיר מָצוֹר” and the fortress lexicon give the concrete next stage after the night-on-the-run confidence of Psalm 3.

Evaluation

No evaluation has been recorded for this pair yet.

Prompt

Consider Psalm 3 and Psalm 31 (reproduced below). What arguments could you make to justify that Psalm 31 logically follows on from Psalm 3? 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 3:
Psalm 3
1. מִזְמ֥וֹר
        לְדָוִ֑ד
        בְּ֝בָרְח֗וֹ
        מִפְּנֵ֤י ׀
        אַבְשָׁל֬וֹם
        בְּנֽוֹ׃
2. יְ֭הוָה
        מָֽה־
        רַבּ֣וּ
        צָרָ֑י
        רַ֝בִּ֗ים
        קָמִ֥ים
        עָלָֽי׃
3. רַבִּים֮
        אֹמְרִ֢ים
        לְנַ֫פְשִׁ֥י
        אֵ֤ין
        יְֽשׁוּעָ֓תָה
        לּ֬וֹ
        בֵֽאלֹהִ֬ים
        סֶֽלָה׃
4. וְאַתָּ֣ה
        יְ֭הוָה
        מָגֵ֣ן
        בַּעֲדִ֑י
        כְּ֝בוֹדִ֗י
        וּמֵרִ֥ים
        רֹאשִֽׁtי׃
5. ק֖dוֹלִי
        אֶל־
        יְהוָ֣ה
        אֶקְרָ֑א
        וַיַּֽעֲנֵ֨נִי
        מֵהַ֖ר
        קָדְשׁ֣וֹ
        סֶֽלָה׃
6. אֲנִ֥י
        שָׁכַ֗בְתִּי
        וָֽאִ֫ישָׁ֥נָה
        הֱקִיצ֑וֹתִי
        כִּ֖י
        יְהוָ֣ה
        יִסְמְכֵֽנִי׃
7. לֹֽא־
        אִ֭ירָא
        מֵרִבְב֥וֹת
        עָ֑ם
        אֲשֶׁ֥ר
        סָ֝בִ֗יב
        שָׁ֣תוּ
        עָלָֽtי׃
8. ק֘וּמָ֤ה
        יְהוָ֨ה ׀
        הוֹשִׁ֘יעֵ֤נִי
        אֱלֹהַ֗י
        כִּֽי־
        הִכִּ֣יתָ
        אֶת־
        כָּל־
        אֹיְבַ֣י
        לֶ֑חִי
        שִׁנֵּ֖י
        רְשָׁעִ֣ים
        שִׁבַּֽרְתָּ׃
9. לַיהוָ֥ה
        הַיְשׁוּעָ֑ה
        עַֽל־
        עַמְּךָ֖
        בִרְכָתֶ֣ךָ
        סֶּֽלָה׃

Psalm 31:
Psalm 31
1. לַמְנַצֵּ֗חַ
        מִזְמ֥וֹר
        לְדָוִֽד׃
2. בְּךָֽ־t
        יְהוָ֣ה
        חָ֭סִיתִי
        אַל־
        אֵב֣וֹשָׁה
        לְעוֹלָ֑ם
        בְּצִדְקָתְךָ֥
        פַלְּטֵֽנִי׃
3. הַטֵּ֤ה
        אֵלַ֨י ׀
        אָזְנְךָ֮
        מְהֵרָ֢ה
        הַצִּ֫ילֵ֥נִי
        הֱיֵ֤ה
        לִ֨י ׀
        לְֽצוּר־
        מָ֭עוֹז
        לְבֵ֥ית
        מְצוּד֗וֹת
        לְהוֹשִׁיעֵֽנִי׃
4. כִּֽי־
        סַלְעִ֣י
        וּמְצוּדָתִ֣י
        אָ֑תָּה
        וּלְמַ֥עַן
        שִׁ֝מְךָ֗
        תַּֽנְחֵ֥נִי
        וּֽתְנַהֲלֵֽנִי׃
5. תּוֹצִיאֵ֗נִי
        מֵרֶ֣שֶׁת
        ז֭וּ
        טָ֣מְנוּ
        לִ֑י
        כִּֽי־
        אַ֝תָּה
        מָֽעוּזִּי׃
6. בְּיָדְךָ֮
        אַפְקִ֢יד
        ר֫וּחִ֥י
        פָּדִ֖יתָה
        אוֹתִ֥י
        יְהוָ֗ה
        אֵ֣ל
        אֱמֶֽת׃
7. שָׂנֵ֗אתִי
        הַשֹּׁמְרִ֥ים
        הַבְלֵי־
        שָׁ֑וא
        וַ֝אֲנִ֗י
        אֶל־
        יְהוָ֥ה
        בָּטָֽחְתִּי׃
8. אָגִ֥ילָה
        וְאֶשְׂמְחָ֗ה
        בְּחַ֫סְדֶּ֥ךָ
        אֲשֶׁ֣ר
        רָ֭אִיתָ
        אֶת־
        עָנְיִ֑י
        יָ֝דַ֗עְתָּ
        בְּצָר֥וֹת
        נַפְשִֽׁי׃
9. וְלֹ֣א
        הִ֭סְגַּרְתַּנִי
        בְּיַד־
        אוֹיֵ֑ב
        הֶֽעֱמַ֖דְתָּ
        בַמֶּרְחָ֣ב
        רַגְלָֽי׃
10. חָנֵּ֥נִי
        יְהוָה֮
        כִּ֤י
        צַ֫ר־
        לִ֥י
        עָשְׁשָׁ֖ה
        בְכַ֥עַס
        עֵינִ֗י
        נַפְשִׁ֥י
        וּבִטְנִֽי׃
11. כִּ֤י
        כָל֪וּ
        בְיָג֡וֹן
        חַיַּי֮
        וּשְׁנוֹתַ֢י
        בַּאֲנָ֫חָ֥ה
        כָּשַׁ֣ל
        בַּעֲוֺנִ֣י
        כֹחִ֑י
        וַעֲצָמַ֥י
        עָשֵֽׁשׁוּ׃
12. מִכָּל־
        צֹרְרַ֨י
        הָיִ֪יתִי
        חֶרְפָּ֡ה
        וְלִשֲׁכֵנַ֨י ׀
        מְאֹד֮
        וּפַ֢חַד
        לִֽמְיֻדָּ֫עָ֥י
        רֹאַ֥י
        בַּח֑וּץ
        נָדְד֥וּ
        מִמֶּֽנִּי׃
13. נִ֭שְׁכַּחְתִּי
        כְּמֵ֣ת
        מִלֵּ֑ב
        הָ֝יִ֗יתִי
        כִּכְלִ֥י
        אֹבֵֽד׃
14. כִּ֤י
        שָׁמַ֨עְתִּי ׀
        דִּבַּ֥ת
        רַבִּים֮
        מָג֢וֹר
        מִסָּ֫בִ֥יב
        בְּהִוָּסְדָ֣ם
        יַ֣חַד
        עָלַ֑י
        לָקַ֖חַת
        נַפְשִׁ֣י
        זָמָֽמוּ׃
15. וַאֲנִ֤י ׀
        עָלֶ֣יךָ
        בָטַ֣חְתִּי
        יְהוָ֑ה
        אָ֝מַ֗רְתִּי
        אֱלֹהַ֥י
        אָֽתָּה׃
16. בְּיָדְךָ֥
        עִתֹּתָ֑י
        הַצִּ֘ילֵ֤נִי
        מִיַּד־
        א֝וֹיְבַ֗י
        וּמֵרֹדְפָֽי׃
17. הָאִ֣ירָה
        פָ֭נֶיךָ
        עַל־
        עַבְדֶּ֑ךָ
        ה֖וֹשִׁיעֵ֣נִי
        בְחַסְדֶּֽךָ׃
18. יְֽהוָ֗ה
        אַל־
        אֵ֭בוֹשָׁה
        כִּ֣י
        קְרָאתִ֑יךָ
        יֵבֹ֥שׁוּ
        רְ֝שָׁעִ֗ים
        יִדְּמ֥וּ
        לִשְׁאֽוֹל׃
19. תֵּ֥אָלַ֗מְנָה
        שִׂפְתֵ֫י
        שָׁ֥קֶר
        הַדֹּבְר֖וֹת
        עַל־
        צַדִּ֥יק
        עָתָ֗ק
        בְּגַאֲוָ֥ה
        וָבtוּז׃
20. מָ֤ה
        רַֽב־
        טוּבְךָ֮
        אֲשֶׁר־
        צָפַ֢נְתָּ
        לִּֽירֵ֫אֶ֥יךָ
        פָּ֭עַלְתָּ
        לַחֹסִ֣ים
        בָּ֑ךְ
        נֶ֝֗גֶד
        בְּנֵ֣י
        אָדָם׃
21. תַּסְתִּירֵ֤ם ׀
        בְּסֵ֥תֶר
        פָּנֶיךָ֮
        מֵֽרֻכְסֵ֫י
        אִ֥ישׁ
        תִּצְפְּנֵ֥ם
        בְּסֻכָּ֗ה
        מֵרִ֥יב
        לְשֹׁנֽוֹת׃
22. בָּר֥וּךְ
        יְהוָ֑ה
        כִּ֥י
        הִפְלִ֘יא
        חַסְדּ֥וֹ
        לִ֝֗י
        בְּעִ֣יר
        מָצֽוֹר׃
23. וַאֲנִ֤י ׀
        אָ֘מַ֤רְתִּי
        בְחָפְזִ֗י
        נִגְרַזְתִּי֮
        מִנֶּ֢גֶד
        עֵ֫ינֶ֥יךָ
        אָכֵ֗ן
        שָׁ֭מַעְתָּ
        ק֥וֹל
        תַּחֲנוּנַ֗י
        בְּשַׁוְּעִ֥י
        אֵלֶֽיךָ׃
24. אֶֽהֱב֥וּ
        אֶת־
        יְהוָ֗ה
        כָּֽל־
        חֲסִ֫ידָ֥יו
        אֱ֭מוּנִים
        נֹצֵ֣ר
        יְהוָ֑ה
        וּמְשַׁלֵּ֥ם
        עַל־
        יֶ֝֗תֶר
        עֹשֵׂ֥ה
        גַאֲוָֽה׃
25. חִ֭זְקוּ
        וְיַאֲמֵ֣ץ
        לְבַבְכֶ֑ם
        כָּל־
        הַ֝מְיַחֲלִ֗ים
        לַיהוָֽה׃