Psalm 3 → 135
Reasoning: 11328 Output: 4659 Total: 15987
Argument
Here are lines of argument that make it plausible to read Psalm 135 as the logical follow‑on to Psalm 3. Most weighty lexical ties (rarer or more specific, and/or identical forms) - Shared rare verb/root נכה “to strike” in the same binyan (Hifil), describing YHWH’s decisive acts: - Ps 3:8: כי־הכיתָ (2ms pf. Hif.) “for you have struck” my enemies. - Ps 135:8,10: שהכה (3ms pf. Hif.) “who struck” Egypt’s firstborn; “who struck many nations.” This is an uncommon but programmatic verb in Psalms; the semantic force is the same: YHWH’s saving blow. - Identical adjective form רבים “many” in the enemy context: - Ps 3:2–3: רבים קמים עלי; רבים אמרים - Ps 135:10: שהכה גוים רבים Psalm 135 universalizes what Psalm 3 localizes: the “many” who oppose the psalmist in 3 become the “many nations” YHWH has already overcome in 135. - Fear/”fearers” from the same root ירא, with purposeful reorientation: - Ps 3:7: לא אירא (Qal impf. 1cs) “I will not fear” myriads of people. - Ps 135:20: יראי יהוה “you who fear YHWH, bless YHWH.” The object of fear shifts: away from people (3) toward reverent fear of YHWH (135). Strong catchword chaining (same root, different forms; conceptually tight) - ברך “bless”: the last line of Ps 3 asks for God’s blessing on His people; Ps 135 enacts the people blessing God. - Ps 3:9: על־עמך ברכתך “Your blessing upon Your people” - Ps 135:19–21: ברכו את־יהוה (imperatives to “House of Israel/Aaron/Levi”; “you who fear YHWH”); ברוך יהוה מציון The symmetry is striking: Ps 3 closes with God→people blessing; Ps 135 answers with people→God blessing. - עם “people” with pronominal shift that fits the move from individual plea to communal praise: - Ps 3:9: עמך “Your people” - Ps 135:12,14: עמו “His people” Ps 3 ends with concern for the people; Ps 135 speaks of those people as the recipients of covenant favor and justice. - Zion/Jerusalem/cultic locale: - Ps 3:5: ויענני מהר קדשו “He answered me from His holy mountain” (Zion horizon) - Ps 135:2,21: עומדים בבית יהוה… ברוך יהוה מציון שכן ירושלם The holy mountain (3) resolves into the house/courts and the dwelling in Jerusalem (135). Same sacred geography; the scene moves from petition “from His holy hill” to praise “in His house/from Zion.” - “Rise/stand” motif inverted: - Ps 3:2: קמים עלי “rising against me” (enemies); 3:8 קומה יהוה “Arise, YHWH!” - Ps 135:2: שעֹמדים בבית יהוה “who stand in the house of YHWH” What stood against the psalmist (3) is answered by worshipers standing before YHWH (135); the imperative to God to “arise” (3) is followed by His servants already “standing” to praise (135). - Speech/hearing polemic, answering Ps 3:3’s taunt: - Ps 3:3: רבים אמרים לנפשי “Many say to me, ‘There is no salvation for him in God.’” - Ps 3:5: קולי… ויענני “I cried… and He answered me.” - Ps 135:15–18: Idols have mouths/eyes/ears and cannot speak/see/hear; there is no רוח “breath” in their mouths. 135 develops an apologetic: the “gods” who cannot save or speak are contrasted with YHWH who hears and answers (3). This directly counters “אין ישועתה לו באלוהים” (3:3). Form and genre logic - Lament to praise sequence: Ps 3 is a classic individual lament/confidence psalm (complaint → trust → petition → blessing). It ends with a communal horizon: “Your blessing upon Your people.” Ps 135 is a communal Hallelujah hymn that does what laments typically vow or imply as the next step—public praise in the assembly. So 135 functions as the liturgical outcome to the deliverance sought in 3. - Imperatives shift appropriately: - Ps 3:8 addresses YHWH (קומה… הושיעני). - Ps 135 opens by addressing the congregation (הללו… זמרו… ברכו). That is the standard movement from petition to fulfilled praise. Historical–mythic throughline (micro → macro) - From David’s crisis to Israel’s story: Psalm 3’s deliverance from immediate human foes (Absalom revolt context) is “scaled up” in Psalm 135 by recounting YHWH’s once-for-all acts against archetypal enemies (Egypt, Sihon, Og) and His grant of the land (נתן ארצם נחלה), the national template for all subsequent deliverances. The identical “he struck” (נכה, Hifil) links the individual’s experience to the nation’s salvation history. - Festival/temple plausibility: After a king’s safe return or personal deliverance (“I lay down and slept… I awoke… for YHWH sustains me,” Ps 3:6), the natural communal follow‑up is thanksgiving at the sanctuary. Psalm 135’s priestly levitical summons (בית אהרן; בית הלוי; יראי יהוה) fits that scene perfectly. Additional style/idea correspondences - First‑person confessions of confidence: - Ps 3:6–7: אני שכבתי… לא אירא - Ps 135:5: כי אני ידעתי כי גדול יהוה Both feature emphatic “אני” affirmations that convert fear into knowledge/confidence. - Name/glory focus: - Ps 3:4: כבודי ומרים ראשי “my glory and the lifter of my head” - Ps 135:1,3,13: את־שם יהוה… זמרו לשמו… יהוה שמך לעולם The deliverance that restores the psalmist’s “glory” (3) rightly leads to praising YHWH’s Name (135). A concise “seam” reading - Psalm 3:9 “ליהוה הישועה; על־עמך ברכתך סלה” is a near‑perfect launch pad for Psalm 135: - “Salvation belongs to YHWH” → “For I know YHWH is great… all that YHWH pleases He does” (135:5–6). - “Your blessing upon Your people” → “House of Israel/Aaron/Levi… you who fear YHWH: bless YHWH… Blessed be YHWH from Zion” (135:19–21). - “From His holy mountain” (3:5) → “from Zion… who dwells in Jerusalem” (135:21). - “You struck my enemies” (3:8) → “who struck Egypt… who struck many nations” (135:8,10). In sum: by catchwords (ברך/עם/ציון), a rare and decisive shared verb (נכה, Hifil), identical “רבים,” a reoriented ירא, and the movement from private lament to public Hallelujah at Zion with priests and Levites, Psalm 135 reads naturally as the communal, liturgical fulfillment of what Psalm 3’s final line requests and anticipates.
Evaluation
No evaluation has been recorded for this pair yet.
Prompt
Consider Psalm 3 and Psalm 135 (reproduced below). What arguments could you make to justify that Psalm 135 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 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׃