Psalm 5 → 85
Reasoning: 11200 Output: 5052 Total: 16252
Argument
Here are multiple, independent lines of argument that Psalm 85 can be read as following on logically from Psalm 5. I’ve grouped them by type and weighted them, giving the heaviest weight to identical forms and rarer collocations, then to shared roots and structural/formal links, then to broader thematic/liturgical plausibility. A. Direct verbal hooks (identical forms or near-identical phrasing) - Identical collocation “ישמחו בך”: - Ps 5:12: “וְיִשְׂמְחוּ כָל־חוֹסֵי בָךְ” - Ps 85:7: “וְעַמְּךָ יִשְׂמְחוּ־בָךְ” Significance: exact verb + prepositional phrase; same semantic role (joy located “in you”). This is a strong seam joining the two. - Identical form “חַסְדֶּךָ”: - Ps 5:8: “בְּרֹב חַסְדְּךָ” - Ps 85:8: “הַרְאֵנוּ יְהוָה חַסְדֶּךָ” Significance: same lexeme and pronominal suffix; both place divine hesed at the center of hope. - The “path”/“before” cluster: - Ps 5:9: “בְצִדְקָתֶךָ … הַיְשַׁר לְפָנַי דַּרְכֶּךָ” - Ps 85:14: “צֶדֶק לְפָנָיו יְהַלֵּךְ וְיָשֵׂם לְדֶרֶךְ פְּעָמָיו” Shared nouns and particles: צֶדֶק/צִדְקָה; דֶּרֶךְ; לְפָנַי/לְפָנָיו; movement verbs (“הַיְשַׁר”, “יְהַלֵּךְ/וְיָשֵׂם”). The final verse of Ps 85 reads like the promised answer to Ps 5:9’s petition. B. Hearing–speaking chain (question then answer) - Ps 5:4: “בֹּקֶר תִּשְׁמַע קוֹלִי … וַאֲצַפֶּה” (I lay out my prayer and “watch/wait”) - Ps 85:9: “אֶשְׁמְעָה מַה־יְדַבֵּר הָאֵל יְהוָה כִּי יְדַבֵּר שָׁלוֹם” The watcher of Ps 5 receives the oracle of Ps 85. Same speech–hearing field, now with explicit divine reply (“He will speak shalom”). C. Shared roots and collocations (same word-class or tightly linked semantic fields) - צ־ד־ק: - Ps 5:9: “בְצִדְקָתֶךָ” - Ps 85:11–12, 14: “צֶדֶק … צֶדֶק … צֶדֶק” In Ps 5 it is requested; in Ps 85 it dominates the divine response and processional imagery. - דֶּרֶךְ: - Ps 5:9: “דַּרְכֶּךָ” - Ps 85:14: “לְדֶרֶךְ” The “straightened way” asked for becomes the prepared way of God. - י־ר־א: - Ps 5:8: “בְּיִרְאָתֶךָ” - Ps 85:10: “לִירֵאָיו” The same God-fearing constituency stands at the center in both. - ר־צ־ה (favor): - Ps 5:13: “כַּצִּנָּה רָצוֹן תַּעְטְרֶנּוּ” - Ps 85:2: “רָצִיתָ יְהוָה אַרְצֶךָ” Individual “favor” (רָצוֹן) becomes national “You have shown favor” (רָצִיתָ). - ד־ב־ר (speak): - Ps 5:7: “דֹּבְרֵי כָזָב” (speakers of lies) - Ps 85:9: “יְדַבֵּר שָׁלוֹם” (God speaks peace) The false speech opposed in Ps 5 is answered by God’s truthful speech in Ps 85. D. Evil excluded vs. Glory indwelling (mirrored dwelling motif) - Ps 5:5: “לֹא יְגֻרְךָ רָע” (evil cannot dwell/sojourn with you) - Ps 85:10: “לִשְׁכֹּן כָּבוֹד בְּאַרְצֵנוּ” (glory to dwell in our land) The negative exclusion in 5 is answered by positive indwelling in 85 (different roots—גּוּר vs שָׁכַן—but a tight conceptual antithesis). E. Joy of the faithful (petition then fulfillment) - Ps 5:12: “וְיִשְׂמְחוּ כָל־חוֹסֵי בָךְ … וְיַעְלְצוּ בְךָ” - Ps 85:7: “וְעַמְּךָ יִשְׂמְחוּ־בָךְ” Same promise realized at the communal scale. F. Form and structure (lament → guidance request → oracle/assurance → blessing) - Ps 5 (individual morning lament): 1) Invocation and plea to be heard (vv. 2–4) 2) Confidence in God’s moral order (vv. 5–7) 3) Temple approach and guidance request (vv. 8–9) 4) Judgment on the wicked (vv. 10–11) 5) Joy/blessing for the faithful (vv. 12–13) - Ps 85 (communal restoration psalm with oracle): 1) Recollection of past favor/forgiveness (vv. 2–4) 2) Plea for renewed turning and end of wrath (vv. 5–8) 3) Oracle formula and divine speech of peace (vv. 9–10) 4) Vision of covenant virtues ruling the world (vv. 11–13) 5) Closing processional/path image (v. 14) Sequencing logic: Ps 5 asks for guidance, judgment on deceit, joy for the faithful, and favor; Ps 85 delivers God’s peace-oracle, depicts truth/righteousness overcoming deceit/violence, grants joy, and ends with the very “way” God prepares. G. Liturgical plausibility (temple dialogue) - Ps 5 is explicitly a morning prayer (“בֹּקֶר תִּשְׁמַע קוֹלִי … וַאֲצַפֶּה”) with cultic coloring (“אָעֱרָךְ”—arrange, a verb used for arranging offerings). - Ps 85 includes an oracle formula (“אֶשְׁמְעָה מַה־יְדַבֵּר הָאֵל יְהוָה”), typical of priest/levite proclamation. - Performative scenario: an individual (Davidic voice) prays Ps 5 at dawn; the Korahite guild (Ps 85 superscription) answers with an oracle of shalom and a vision of righteousness establishing the way. This matches known ancient Israelite worship patterns: lament/petition → priestly/levitical oracle → assurance of salvation. H. Thematic antitheses resolved by Ps 85 - Ps 5 highlights “דֹּבְרֵי כָזָב … אִישׁ־דָּמִים וּמִרְמָה”; Ps 85 answers with “חֶסֶד וֶאֱמֶת … צֶדֶק וְשָׁלוֹם” and “אֱמֶת מֵאֶרֶץ תִּצְמָח.” - Ps 5 petitions “הַיְשַׁר … דַּרְכֶּךָ”; Ps 85 ends “צֶדֶק לְפָנָיו יְהַלֵּךְ … לְדֶרֶךְ פְּעָמָיו.” I. Historical/life-cycle coherence - Ps 5’s focus on morning approach to the sanctuary and moral sorting of the community naturally precedes a larger communal moment of atonement/renewal depicted in Ps 85: “נָשָׂאתָ עֲוֹן עַמֶּךָ … כִּסִּיתָ כָּל־חַטָּאתָם … הֱשִׁיבוֹתָ מֵחֲרוֹן אַפֶּךָ … תְּחַיֵּנוּ.” The personal request for guidance becomes a national renewal, even harvest/blessing (“תִּתֵּן יְבוּלָהּ”). J. Relative significance of the overlaps - Highest significance (identical forms/collocations): “ישמחו בך”; “חסדך”; the “צדק–דרך–לפני(ו)” nexus that is petitioned in Ps 5 and realized in Ps 85. - High significance (same roots/word-class across both): צ־ד־ק; י־ר־א; ר־צ־ה; ד־ב־ר; דֶּרֶךְ. - Medium (conceptual/aesthetic symmetries): dwelling motif (לא-יגורך רע vs לשכון כבוד); deceit/violence answered by truth/peace; individual → communal; morning prayer → oracle of shalom. Bottom line Read this way, Psalm 85 functions as the liturgical and theological “answer” to Psalm 5: the waiting worshiper (Ps 5) finally “hears” (Ps 85) God’s oracle of peace; the plea for a straight way in God’s righteousness becomes the vision of righteousness going before God and laying out the path; the prayer that the faithful rejoice “in you” becomes the communal joy “in you”; and the request for divine favor to crown the righteous is expanded into national favor, forgiveness, glory’s indwelling, and fruitful land.
Evaluation
Score: 6.5
Evaluated at: 2025-11-15T03:40:31 (UTC)
Evaluator model: gpt-5
Evaluator version: v2
Reasoning: 3136 Output: 5885 Total: 9021
Checklist
- Has verse refs: Yes
- Factual error detected: No
- Only generic motifs: No
- Counterargument considered: No
- LXX/MT numbering acknowledged: No
Vocabulary specificity: 3.5 / 10
Multiple precise overlaps: ישמחו בך (5:12; 85:7) and the צדק–דרך–לפני(ו) cluster (5:9; 85:14) plus hearing–oracle link. Yet lexemes are common, no editorial signal, and Ps 4–5 pair better.
Prompt
Consider Psalm 5 and Psalm 85 (reproduced below). What arguments could you make to justify that Psalm 85 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 85:
Psalm 85
1. לַמְנַצֵּ֬חַ ׀
לִבְנֵי־
קֹ֬רַח
מִזְמֽוֹר׃
2. רָצִ֣יתָ
יְהוָ֣ה
אַרְצֶ֑ךָ
שַׁ֝֗בְתָּ
שבות
שְׁבִ֣ית
יַעֲקֹֽב׃
3. נָ֭שָׂאתָ
עֲוֺ֣ן
עַמֶּ֑ךָ
כִּסִּ֖יתָ
כָל־
חַטָּאתָ֣ם
סֶֽלָה׃
4. אָסַ֥פְתָּ
כָל־
עֶבְרָתֶ֑ךָ
הֱ֝שִׁיב֗וֹתָ
מֵחֲר֥וֹן
אַפֶּֽךָ׃
5. שׁ֭וּבֵנוּ
אֱלֹהֵ֣י
יִשְׁעֵ֑נוּ
וְהָפֵ֖ר
כַּֽעַסְךָ֣
עִמָּֽנוּ׃
6. הַלְעוֹלָ֥ם
תֶּֽאֱנַף־
בָּ֑נוּ
תִּמְשֹׁ֥ךְ
אַ֝פְּךָ֗
לְדֹ֣ר
וָדֹֽר׃
7. הֲֽלֹא־
אַ֭תָּה
תָּשׁ֣וּב
תְּחַיֵּ֑נוּ
וְ֝עַמְּךָ֗
יִשְׂמְחוּ־
בָֽךְ׃
8. הַרְאֵ֣נוּ
יְהוָ֣ה
חַסְדֶּ֑ךָ
וְ֝יֶשְׁעֲךָ֗
תִּתֶּן־
לָֽנוּ׃
9. אֶשְׁמְעָ֗ה
מַה־
יְדַבֵּר֮
הָאֵ֢ל ׀
יְה֫וָ֥ה
כִּ֤י ׀
יְדַבֵּ֬ר
שָׁל֗וֹם
אֶל־
עַמּ֥וֹ
וְאֶל־
חֲסִידָ֑יו
וְֽאַל־
יָשׁ֥וּבוּ
לְכִסְלָֽה׃
10. אַ֤ךְ ׀
קָר֣וֹב
לִירֵאָ֣יו
יִשְׁע֑וֹ
לִשְׁכֹּ֖ן
כָּב֣וֹד
בְּאַרְצֵֽנוּ׃
11. חֶֽסֶד־
וֶאֱמֶ֥ת
נִפְגָּ֑שׁוּ
צֶ֖דֶק
וְשָׁל֣וֹם
נָשָֽׁקוּ׃
12. אֱ֭מֶת
מֵאֶ֣רֶץ
תִּצְמָ֑ח
וְ֝צֶ֗דֶק
מִשָּׁמַ֥יִם
נִשְׁקָֽף׃
13. גַּם־
יְ֭הוָה
יִתֵּ֣ן
הַטּ֑וֹב
וְ֝אַרְצֵ֗נוּ
תִּתֵּ֥ן
יְבוּלָֽהּ׃
14. צֶ֭דֶק
לְפָנָ֣יו
יְהַלֵּ֑ךְ
וְיָשֵׂ֖ם
לְדֶ֣רֶךְ
פְּעָמָֽיו׃