Psalm 5 → 7
Reasoning: 12224 Output: 5443 Total: 17667
Argument
Here are several ways to argue that Psalm 7 is a logical continuation of Psalm 5. 1) Lexical “hooks” that carry straight across - חסה “take refuge”: Ps 5:12 כָל־חוֹסֵי בָךְ; Ps 7:2 בְּךָ חָסִיתִי. The psalmist’s closing trust-formula in 5 is picked up verbatim as an opening confession in 7. - צדק/צדיק: Ps 5:13 תְּבָרֵךְ צַדִּיק; Ps 7:9 כְצִדְקִי; 7:10 צַדִּיק; 7:12 שׁוֹפֵט צַדִּיק; 7:18 כְּצִדְקוֹ. Psalm 7 expands the single “you bless the righteous” into an extended forensic meditation on righteousness. - ישר “upright/straight”: Ps 5:9 הַיְשַׁר לְפָנַי דַּרְכֶּךָ; Ps 7:11 מוֹשִׁיעַ יִשְׁרֵי־לֵב. The ethical “straight way” of 5 becomes the “upright of heart” whom God saves in 7. - אָוֶן “iniquity”: Ps 5:6 פֹּעֲלֵי אָוֶן; Ps 7:15 יְחַבֶּל־אָוֶן. The same noun is used—rare enough to be a meaningful link—shifting from “workers of iniquity” to the wicked “pregnant with iniquity.” - נפל “fall”: Ps 5:11 יִפְּלוּ מִמֹּעֲצוֹתֵיהֶם; Ps 7:16 וַיִּפֹּל בְּשַׁחַת יִפְעָל. In 5 the wish is stated; in 7 the fall is narrated. - “Name” of YHWH: Ps 5:12 אֹהֲבֵי שְׁמֶךָ; Ps 7:18 שֵׁם־יְהוָה עֶלְיוֹן. Loving the Name in 5 culminates in singing to the Name in 7. - Shield imagery: Ps 5:13 כַּצִּנָּה רָצוֹן תַּעְטְרֶנּוּ; Ps 7:11 מָגִנִּי עַל־אֱלֹהִים. Different nouns (צִנָּה/מָגֵן), same protective metaphor. - Death-pit imagery: Ps 5:10 קֶבֶר־פָּתוּחַ; Ps 7:16 בּוֹר…בְּשַׁחַת; 7:14 כְּלֵי־מָוֶת. Both depict the wicked in grave/pit terms. 2) The wicked’s self-destruction: wish in 5, realization in 7 - Ps 5 asks that the wicked be condemned and “fall by their counsels” (יִּפְּלוּ מִמֹּעֲצוֹתֵיהֶם; 5:11). Ps 7 shows that theology acted out: the evildoer “digs a pit…and falls” into it (בּוֹר…וַיִּפֹּל; 7:16); “his trouble returns on his own head” (7:17). This is an explicit narrative fulfillment of the imprecation in Psalm 5. 3) From praying for right order (5) to a convened court and verdict (7) - Forensic language in 5: הַאֲשִׁימֵם (declare them guilty, 5:11). In 7 the whole courtroom is set: מִשְׁפָּט (7:7), יָדִין עַמִּים (7:9), שָׁפְטֵנִי (7:9), אֱלֹהִים שׁוֹפֵט צַדִּיק (7:12). Psalm 7 thus stages the judgement Psalm 5 prays for. - The close of 5 (“you bless the righteous,” 5:13) is doctrinal; 7 explains the mechanism: “May the evil of the wicked come to an end, and you establish the righteous” (יִגְמָר־נָא רַע רְשָׁעִים וּתְכוֹנֵן צַדִּיק; 7:10). 4) Shared form and sequence within a lament pattern - Both are individual laments with the classic sequence: invocation/petition → description of the wicked → plea for divine action → confidence/praise. - Ps 5: morning appeal and temple orientation (5:4, 8), imprecation (5:11), trust/praise (5:12–13). - Ps 7: plea for rescue (7:2–3), protestation of innocence (7:4–6), summons to the court (7:7–9), verdict and retribution (7:10–17), praise (7:18). Psalm 7 reads like the full juridical outworking of Psalm 5’s requests. 5) Liturgical and life-setting coherence - Ps 5 is explicitly morning (“בֹּקֶר תִּשְׁמַע קוֹלִי… אֶעֱרָךְ־לְךָ,” 5:4), with temple approach (“אָבוֹא בֵיתֶךָ… אֶשְׁתַּחֲוֶה… הֵיכַל־קָדְשֶׁךָ,” 5:8). The verb אֶעֱרָךְ can allude to arranging the morning offering. - Ps 7 depicts the divine court convened: “וַעֲדַת לְאֻמִּים תְּסוֹבְבֶךָּ” (7:8), with YHWH enthroned “לַמָּרוֹם” and titled “עֶלְיוֹן” (7:18). In ancient Israel the morning cult could be followed by appeal to YHWH as the supreme judge; Psalm 7 matches that next step—a public, judicial vindication. - Thus one can imagine a devotional-judicial sequence: morning entry and plea (Ps 5) → divine court is convened and judgment issued (Ps 7). 6) Kingship into enthronement - Ps 5 addresses God as “מַלְכִּי וֵאלֹהָי” (5:3). - Ps 7 portrays the King-Judge returning “on high” over an encircling assembly (7:8) and judging the peoples (7:9), aligning with ANE divine-council imagery. It is a natural narrative expansion of “my King” into a full enthronement/judgment scene. 7) Adversary cluster continues and intensifies - Ps 5:9 “לְמַעַן שׁוֹרְרָי” (those who lie in wait/harass me). - Ps 7:2 “מִכָּל־רֹדְפַי,” 7:5 “צוֹרְרִי,” 7:7 “צוֹרְרָי.” Different lexemes, same semantic field, now with physical pursuit and courtroom antagonists spelled out—again a move from general danger (5) to concrete litigation and pursuit (7). 8) Interior vs. exterior diagnostics of evil - Ps 5 anatomizes the wicked by mouth/throat: “קֶבֶר־פָּתוּחַ גְּרוֹנָם… לְשׁוֹנָם יַחֲלִיקוּן” (5:10) and “קִרְבָּם הַוּוֹת.” - Ps 7 shifts to heart/kidneys and conception/birth: “בֹחֵן לִבּוֹת וּכְלָיוֹת אֱלֹהִים” (7:10); “יְחַבֶּל־אָוֶן… וְיָלַד שָׁקֶר” (7:15). The same moral diagnosis moves from speech to deep intent—fitting a courtroom where God probes inner truth. 9) From petition to performance - Ps 5: “הַקְשִׁיבָה… הַאֲזִינָה… נְחֵנִי… הַאֲשִׁימֵם” (imperatives asking God to hear, guide, judge). - Ps 7 answers with action imperatives that bring the court to life: “קוּמָה… הִנָּשֵׂא… וְעוּרָה” (7:7), followed by a vivid description of divine weaponry (7:13–14). The prayer of 5 is answered in 7’s mobilization. 10) Frame-to-frame: trust and praise - Ps 5 ends with communal joy and blessing for all who take refuge (5:12–13). - Ps 7 ends with an individual thanksgiving and song to the Name (7:18). The trust of 5 matures naturally into the vowed praise of 7. In short: Psalm 5 plants the themes—refuge in YHWH, plea for righteous guidance, demand that the wicked fall, confidence that YHWH blesses the righteous. Psalm 7 then stages those themes: the plea for refuge is renewed; a court is convened; the righteous are established; the wicked fall by their own devices; and the psalmist ends in thanksgiving to the Name. The repeated and relatively marked lexemes (חסה, צדק/צדיק, ישר, און, נפל), the move from temple approach (5) to divine-council judgment (7), and the common lament-to-praise arc together make a strong case that Psalm 7 can be read as the logical follow-on to Psalm 5.
Evaluation
Score: 7.2
Evaluated at: 2025-11-13T03:48:17 (UTC)
Evaluator model: gpt-5
Evaluator version: v2
Reasoning: 2880 Output: 6279 Total: 9159
Checklist
- Has verse refs: Yes
- Factual error detected: No
- Only generic motifs: No
- Counterargument considered: No
- LXX/MT numbering acknowledged: No
Vocabulary specificity: 4.0 / 10
Many correct, verse-anchored lexical hooks (e.g., חסה 5:12/7:2; נפל 5:11/7:16) and coherent judicial progression (5:11 → 7:7–12). Weakness: overlaps common to laments; ignores Ps 6 and superscription differences.
Prompt
Consider Psalm 5 and Psalm 7 (reproduced below). What arguments could you make to justify that Psalm 7 logically follows on from Psalm 5? 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 5:
Psalm 5
1. לַמְנַצֵּ֥חַ
אֶֽל־
הַנְּחִיל֗וֹת
מִזְמ֥וֹר
לְדָוִֽד׃
2. אֲמָרַ֖י
הַאֲזִ֥ינָה ׀
יְהוָ֗ה
בִּ֣ינָה
הֲגִֽיגִי׃
3. הַקְשִׁ֤יבָה ׀
לְק֬וֹל
שַׁוְעִ֗י
מַלְכִּ֥י
וֵאלֹהָ֑י
כִּֽי־
אֵ֝לֶ֗יךָ
אֶתְפַּלָּֽל׃
4. יְֽהוָ֗ה
בֹּ֭קֶר
תִּשְׁמַ֣ע
קוֹלִ֑י
בֹּ֥קֶר
אֶֽעֱרָךְ־
לְ֝ךָ֗
וַאֲצַפֶּֽה׃
5. כִּ֤י ׀
לֹ֤א
אֵֽל־
חָפֵ֘ץ
רֶ֥שַׁע ׀
אָ֑תָּה
לֹ֖א
יְגֻרְךָ֣
רָֽע׃
6. לֹֽא־
יִתְיַצְּב֣וּ
הֽ֭וֹלְלִים
לְנֶ֣גֶד
עֵינֶ֑יךָ
שָׂ֝נֵ֗אתָ
כָּל־
פֹּ֥עֲלֵי
אָֽוֶן׃
7. תְּאַבֵּד֮
דֹּבְרֵ֢י
כָ֫זָ֥ב
אִישׁ־
דָּמִ֥ים
וּמִרְמָ֗ה
יְתָ֘עֵ֥ב ׀
יְהוָֽה׃
8. וַאֲנִ֗י
בְּרֹ֣ב
חַ֭סְדְּךָ
אָב֣וֹא
בֵיתֶ֑ךָ
אֶשְׁתַּחֲוֶ֥ה
אֶל־
הֵֽיכַל־
קָ֝דְשְׁךָ֗
בְּיִרְאָתֶֽךָ׃
9. יְהוָ֤ה ׀
נְחֵ֬נִי
בְצִדְקָתֶ֗ךָ
לְמַ֥עַן
שׁוֹרְרָ֑י
הושר
הַיְשַׁ֖ר
לְפָנַ֣י
דַּרְכֶּֽךָ׃
10. כִּ֤י
אֵ֪ין
בְּפִ֡יהוּ
נְכוֹנָה֮
קִרְבָּ֢ם
הַ֫וּ֥וֹת
קֶֽבֶר־
פָּת֥וּחַ
גְּרוֹנָ֑ם
לְ֝שׁוֹנָ֗ם
יַחֲלִֽיקוּן׃
11. הַֽאֲשִׁימֵ֨ם ׀
אֱֽלֹהִ֗ים
יִפְּלוּ֮
מִֽמֹּעֲצ֢וֹתֵ֫יהֶ֥ם
בְּרֹ֣ב
פִּ֭שְׁעֵיהֶם
הַדִּיחֵ֑מוֹ
כִּי־
מָ֥רוּ
בָֽךְ׃
12. וְיִשְׂמְח֨וּ
כָל־
ח֪וֹסֵי
בָ֡ךְ
לְעוֹלָ֣ם
יְ֭רַנֵּנוּ
וְתָסֵ֣ךְ
עָלֵ֑ימוֹ
וְֽיַעְלְצ֥וּ
בְ֝ךָ֗
אֹהֲבֵ֥י
שְׁמֶֽךָ׃
13. כִּֽי־
אַתָּה֮
תְּבָרֵ֢ךְ
צַ֫דִּ֥יק
יְהוָ֑ה
כַּ֝צִּנָּ֗ה
רָצ֥וֹן
תַּעְטְרֶֽנּוּ׃
Psalm 7:
Psalm 7
1. שִׁגָּי֗וֹן
לְדָ֫וִ֥ד
אֲשֶׁר־
שָׁ֥ר
לַיהוָ֑ה
עַל־
דִּבְרֵי־
כ֝֗וּשׁ
בֶּן־
יְמִינִֽי׃
2. יְהוָ֣ה
אֱ֭לֹהַי
בְּךָ֣
חָסִ֑יתִי
הוֹשִׁיעֵ֥נִי
מִכָּל־
רֹ֝דְפַ֗י
וְהַצִּילֵֽנִי׃
3. פֶּן־
יִטְרֹ֣ף
כְּאַרְיֵ֣ה
נַפְשִׁ֑י
פֹּ֝רֵ֗ק
וְאֵ֣ין
מַצִּֽיל׃
4. יְהוָ֣ה
אֱ֭לֹהַי
אִם־
עָשִׂ֣יתִי
זֹ֑את
אִֽם־
יֶשׁ־
עָ֥וֶל
בְּכַפָּֽי׃
5. אִם־
גָּ֭מַלְתִּי
שֽׁוֹלְמִ֥י
רָ֑ע
וָאֲחַלְּצָ֖ה
צוֹרְרִ֣י
רֵיקָֽם׃
6. יִֽרַדֹּ֥ף
אוֹיֵ֨ב ׀
נַפְשִׁ֡י
וְיַשֵּׂ֗ג
וְיִרְמֹ֣ס
לָאָ֣רֶץ
חַיָּ֑י
וּכְבוֹדִ֓י ׀
לֶעָפָ֖ר
יַשְׁכֵּ֣ן
סֶֽלָה׃
7. ק֘וּמָ֤ה
יְהוָ֨ה ׀
בְּאַפֶּ֗ךָ
הִ֭נָּשֵׂא
בְּעַבְר֣וֹת
צוֹרְרָ֑י
וְע֥וּרָה
אֵ֝לַ֗י
מִשְׁפָּ֥ט
צִוִּֽיתָ׃
8. וַעֲדַ֣ת
לְ֭אֻמִּים
תְּסוֹבְבֶ֑ךָּ
וְ֝עָלֶ֗יהָ
לַמָּר֥וֹם
שֽׁוּבָה׃
9. יְהוָה֮
יָדִ֢ין
עַ֫מִּ֥ים
שָׁפְטֵ֥נִי
יְהוָ֑ה
כְּצִדְקִ֖י
וּכְתֻמִּ֣י
עָלָֽי׃
10. יִגְמָר־
נָ֬א
רַ֨ע ׀
רְשָׁעִים֮
וּתְכוֹנֵ֢ן
צַ֫דִּ֥יק
וּבֹחֵ֣ן
לִ֭בּ֗וֹת
וּכְלָי֗וֹת
אֱלֹהִ֥ים
צַדִּֽיק׃
11. מָֽגִנִּ֥י
עַל־
אֱלֹהִ֑ים
מ֝וֹשִׁ֗יעַ
יִשְׁרֵי־
לֵֽב׃
12. אֱ֭לֹהִים
שׁוֹפֵ֣ט
צַדִּ֑יק
וְ֝אֵ֗ל
זֹעֵ֥ם
בְּכָל־
יֽוֹם׃
13. אִם־
לֹ֣א
יָ֭שׁוּב
חַרְבּ֣וֹ
יִלְט֑וֹשׁ
קַשְׁתּ֥וֹ
דָ֝רַ֗ךְ
וַֽיְכוֹנְנֶֽהָ׃
14. וְ֭לוֹ
הֵכִ֣ין
כְּלֵי־
מָ֑וֶת
חִ֝צָּ֗יו
לְֽדֹלְקִ֥ים
יִפְעָֽל׃
15. הִנֵּ֥ה
יְחַבֶּל־
אָ֑וֶן
וְהָרָ֥ה
עָ֝מָ֗ל
וְיָ֣לַד
שָֽׁקֶר׃
16. בּ֣וֹר
כָּ֭רָֽה
וַֽיַּחְפְּרֵ֑הוּ
וַ֝יִּפֹּ֗ל
בְּשַׁ֣חַת
יִפְעָֽל׃
17. יָשׁ֣וּב
עֲמָל֣וֹ
בְרֹאשׁ֑וֹ
וְעַ֥ל
קָ֝דְקֳד֗וֹ
חֲמָס֥וֹ
יֵרֵֽד׃
18. אוֹדֶ֣ה
יְהוָ֣ה
כְּצִדְק֑וֹ
וַ֝אֲזַמְּרָ֗ה
שֵֽׁם־
יְהוָ֥ה
עֶלְיֽוֹן׃