Psalm 6 → 31
Reasoning: 6720 Output: 6229 Total: 12949
Argument
Here are lines of argument—organized from “strongest/most specific” to “broader/formal”—that justify reading Psalm 31 as a logical sequel to Psalm 6. A) High‑value lexical/morphological echoes (rare or near‑verbatim phrases) - The “wasting eyes” line (virtually verbatim): - Ps 6:8 עָשְׁשָׁה מִכַּעַס עֵינִי - Ps 31:10 עָשְׁשָׁה בְכַעַס עֵינִי Same verb (עשש), same noun (עין) and same causation (כעס), differing only by preposition. This collocation is strikingly rare and specific, strongly suggesting deliberate echo/continuation of the same speaker/situation. - The “bones” + wasting motif: - Ps 6:3–4 נִבְהֲלוּ עֲצָמָי … וְנַפְשִׁי נִבְהֲלָה מְאֹד - Ps 31:11 … וַעֲצָמַי עָשֵׁשׁוּ Same body‑level lexicon (עצם) and decay verb עשש; Ps 31 advances the condition from panic in the bones (בהל) to decay of the bones (עשש), i.e., the illness has progressed or left after‑effects. - “Be gracious to me, YHWH” as the petition refrain: - Ps 6:3 חָנֵּנִי יְהוָה - Ps 31:10 חָנֵּנִי יְהוָה Identical vocative plea frames both laments; Ps 31 reads like the same suppliant returning to prayer. - The “shame” verdict against enemies (and protection from shame for the suppliant): - Ps 6:11 יֵבֹשׁוּ… כָּל־אֹיְבַי - Ps 31:2 אַל־אֵבוֹשָׁה; 31:18 יֵבֹשׁוּ רְשָׁעִים Psalm 6 ends by projecting shame onto foes; Psalm 31 opens by asking not to be shamed and later assigns shame to the wicked—explicitly carrying forward Ps 6’s closing outcome. - The “hearing” of the plea: - Ps 6:9–10 שָׁמַע יְהוָה קוֹל בִּכְיִי … תְּחִנָּתִי - Ps 31:23 אָכֵן שָׁמַעְתָּ קוֹל תַּחֲנוּנַי Same root set (שמע + קול + תחנ-). Ps 31 explicitly confirms what Ps 6 anticipated: YHWH has heard. - Sheol in the horizon both times: - Ps 6:6 בִּשְׁאוֹל מִי יוֹדֶה־לָּךְ - Ps 31:18 יִדְּמוּ לִשְׁאוֹל Both psalms stage the crisis in relation to Sheol; Ps 6 argues “if I die, I can’t praise,” while Ps 31 now redirects “silence” (ידמו) to the wicked—another sequel‑like development. B) Medium‑value overlaps (shared roots/lexemes, same word class, closely matched ideas) - Sighing/anguish vocabulary: - Ps 6:7 יָגַעְתִּי בְּאַנְחָתִי - Ps 31:11 וּשְׁנוֹתַי בַּאֲנָחָה; 31:23 קוֹל תַּחֲנוּנַי The same lament lexicon (אנח/תחן) and bodily depletion (יגע/כשׁל כוחי). - Enemies/oppressors: - Ps 6:8, 11 בְּכָל־צֹרְרָי … כָּל־אֹיְבַי - Ps 31:9, 12, 16 צֹרְרַי … אוֹיֵב … אֹיְבַי The same social threat persists; Psalm 31 elaborates it (slander, conspiracy, terror on every side). - “Steadfast love” as the basis for rescue: - Ps 6:5 הוֹשִׁיעֵנִי לְמַעַן חַסְדֶּךָ - Ps 31:8, 17 אגילה…בְחַסְדֶּךָ … הוֹשִׁיעֵנִי בְחַסְדֶּךָ Same theological ground for salvation; Psalm 31 turns the appeal (Ps 6) into praise (Ps 31:8) and renewed petition (31:17). - The soul in distress: - Ps 6:4–5 וְנַפְשִׁי נִבְהֲלָה… חַלְּצָה נַפְשִׁי - Ps 31:8–9 … בְּצָרוֹת נַפְשִׁי … הִסְגַּרְתַּנִי בְיַד־אוֹיֵב (vs. protection from it) The same “nephesh-in-distress” frame; Psalm 31 reports a widening of God’s protection (“בַמֶּרְחָב רַגְלָי”). - Ideational antiphony: “How long?” answered by “my times are in your hand.” - Ps 6:4 עַד־מָתָי - Ps 31:16 בְּיָדְךָ עִתֹּתָי Psalm 31 conceptually resolves Psalm 6’s temporal anxiety by trusting God with one’s “times.” C) Form and structural logic (genre and movement) - Both are individual laments addressed to YHWH, sharing the superscription למנצח מזמור לדוד and the typical lament components: address, complaint (physical and social), petition, confidence, and—especially in Psalm 31—thanksgiving/exhortation. - Psalm 6 ends with a confidence turn: “שָׁמַע יְהוָה … יֵבֹשׁוּ וְיִבָּהֲלוּ מְאֹד כָּל־אֹיְבָי” (vv. 9–11). Psalm 31 reads exactly like the continuation of that resolved stance: it opens in trust (31:2 “בְּךָ יְהוָה חָסִיתִי”), states deliverance motifs (31:9 “הֶעֱמַדְתָּ בַמֶּרְחָב רַגְלָי”), and closes with public exhortation (31:24–25), which is the liturgical sequel to a heard lament. - Psalm 31’s robust “refuge/fortress” imagery (צור, מצודה, סלע, בית מצודות) functions as the stabilized answer to Psalm 6’s fluid, tear‑soaked bed imagery: from nightly weeping (Ps 6:7) to a firm place and fortified security (Ps 31:3–5, 9). D) Narrative/life‑cycle plausibility in ancient Israelite terms - Illness-to-restoration-to-public‑vindication sequence: - Psalm 6 centers on severe illness and near‑death (bones and soul in panic; Sheol on the horizon; bed drenched with tears), culminating in the conviction that God has heard. - Psalm 31 plausibly follows as the post‑crisis phase: the psalmist, recovering, faces social fallout—slander, reproach, conspiracies (31:12–14)—but now speaks from greater trust, publicly blesses YHWH (31:22), and exhorts the community (31:24–25). This matches a temple/thanksgiving logic: after healing (Ps 6’s outcome), one returns to the sanctuary to testify and to instruct others in hope (Ps 31’s conclusion). - Mythic frame (Sheol/barrenness vs. presence/praise): - Psalm 6 argues that death halts praise (6:6), urging God to act. Psalm 31 answers by restoring the petitioner to the sphere of praise (“בָרוּךְ יְהוָה,” 31:22; communal exhortation, 31:24–25) while consigning silence to the wicked (“יִדְּמוּ לִשְׁאוֹל,” 31:18). E) Additional interlocks and reversals - Social memory: Ps 6:6 “בַמָּוֶת זִכְרֶךָ” contrasts with Ps 31:13 “נִשְׁכַּחְתִּי כְּמֵת מִלֵּב.” In Ps 6 the issue is God’s remembrance in death; in Ps 31 the psalmist experiences being forgotten “like the dead” by people—an artful sequel‑twist of the “remember/forget” motif. - Separation motifs: Ps 6:9 “סוּרוּ מִמֶּנִּי כָּל־פֹּעֲלֵי אָוֶן” vs. Ps 31:12 “רֹאַי בַּחוּץ נָדְדוּ מִמֶּנִּי”—a movement from commanding evildoers to depart to reporting that even neighbors withdraw; Psalm 31 then petitions God to counteract this with protection and vindication. Summary: Read as a sequence, Psalm 6 voices the acute crisis of illness and mortal fear, ending with the assurance that God has heard and will shame the enemies. Psalm 31 picks up with that assurance, re‑uses rare and distinctive phrases (especially עָשְׁשָׁה … עֵינִי … ב/מִכַּעַס), expands the “shame” and “hearing” motifs, transforms “How long?” into “my times are in your hand,” and moves from private lament to public praise and exhortation. The lexical echoes (notably עשש + עין + כעס; עשש + עצם; שׁמע + קול + תחנ/תחן; יבושׁו/בושה; שׁאול), the form‑critical trajectory, and the life‑situation logic together make a strong case that Psalm 31 can be read as a logical continuation of Psalm 6.
Evaluation
Score: 7.8
Evaluated at: 2025-11-19T04:04:35 (UTC)
Evaluator model: gpt-5
Evaluator version: v2
Reasoning: 3904 Output: 7072 Total: 10976
Checklist
- Has verse refs: Yes
- Factual error detected: No
- Only generic motifs: No
- Counterargument considered: No
- LXX/MT numbering acknowledged: No
Vocabulary specificity: 7.5 / 10
Distinctive echo עָשְׁשָׁה (מ/ב)כַּעַס עֵינִי plus multiple precise overlaps (שמע קול תחנונַי; יבושו; שאול) and coherent sequel logic. Many motifs are common across laments, but the rare phrase is strong. No errors.
Prompt
Consider Psalm 6 and Psalm 31 (reproduced below). What arguments could you make to justify that Psalm 31 logically follows on from Psalm 6? 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 6:
Psalm 6
1. לַמְנַצֵּ֣חַ
בִּ֭נְגִינוֹת
עַֽל־
הַשְּׁמִינִ֗ית
מִזְמ֥וֹר
לְדָוִֽד׃
2. יְֽהוָ֗ה
אַל־
בְּאַפְּךָ֥
תוֹכִיחֵ֑נִי
וְֽאַל־
בַּחֲמָתְךָ֥
תְיַסְּרֵֽנִי׃
3. חָנֵּ֥נִי
יְהוָה֮
כִּ֤י
אֻמְלַ֫ל
אָ֥נִי
רְפָאֵ֥נִי
יְהוָ֑ה
כִּ֖י
נִבְהֲל֣וּ
עֲצָֽtמָי׃
4. וְ֭נַפְשִׁי
נִבְהֲלָ֣ה
מְאֹ֑ד
ואת
וְאַתָּ֥ה
יְ֝הוָ֗ה
עַד־
מָתָֽי׃
5. שׁוּבָ֣ה
יְ֭הוָה
חַלְּצָ֣ה
נַפְשִׁ֑י
ה֝וֹשִׁיעֵ֗נִי
לְמַ֣עַן
חַסְדֶּֽךָ׃
6. כִּ֤י
אֵ֣ין
בַּמָּ֣וֶת
זִכְרֶ֑ךָ
בִּ֝שְׁא֗וֹל
מִ֣י
יֽוֹדֶה־
לָּֽךְ׃
7. יָגַ֤עְתִּי ׀
בְּֽאַנְחָתִ֗י
אַשְׂחֶ֣ה
בְכָל־
לַ֭יְלָה
מִטָּתִ֑י
בְּ֝דִמְעָתִ֗י
עַרְשִׂ֥י
אַמְסֶֽה׃
8. עָֽשְׁשָׁ֣ה
מִכַּ֣עַס
עֵינִ֑י
עָֽ֝תְקָ֗ה
בְּכָל־
צוֹרְרָֽי׃
9. ס֣וּרוּ
מִ֭מֶּנִּי
כָּל־
פֹּ֣עֲלֵי
אָ֑וֶן
כִּֽי־
שָׁמַ֥ע
יְ֝הוָ֗ה
ק֣וֹל
בִּכְיִֽי׃
10. שָׁמַ֣ע
יְ֭הוָה
תְּחִנָּתִ֑י
יְ֝הוָ֗ה
תְּֽפִלָּתִ֥י
יִקָּֽח׃
11. יֵבֹ֤שׁוּ ׀
וְיִבָּהֲל֣וּ
מְ֭אֹד
כָּל־
אֹיְבָ֑י
יָ֝שֻׁ֗בוּ
יֵבֹ֥שׁוּ
רָֽגַע׃
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׃