Psalm 6 → 35
Reasoning: 11968 Output: 6395 Total: 18363
Argument
Here are several ways to argue that Psalm 35 is a logical follow‑up to Psalm 6. 1) High‑significance lexical links (identical or near‑identical Hebrew forms) - יֵבֹשׁוּ “let them be ashamed”: Ps 6:11; Ps 35:4, 26. Exact same jussive form; Ps 35 elaborates the same wish with added verbs (יכלמו, יחפרו). - תְּפִלָּתִי “my prayer”: Ps 6:10; Ps 35:13. Same noun + 1cs suffix, showing continuity of the praying voice. - נֶפֶשׁ/נַפְשִׁי “soul”: Ps 6:4–5; Ps 35:3, 7, 9, 13, 17. The same focal term for the self is repeatedly addressed/defended. - עֶצֶם “bone(s)”: Ps 6:3 עֲצָמַי; Ps 35:10 עַצְמוֹתַי. Same lexeme; in Ps 6 bones are “terrified,” in Ps 35 they “say” praise—an intentional reversal. - יֵשַׁע/הוֹשִׁיעַ (root ישׁע): Ps 6:5 הוֹשִׁיעֵנִי; Ps 35:3 יְשֻׁעָתֵךְ, 35:9 בִּישׁוּעָתוֹ. Same salvation root moves from request (Ps 6) to God’s avowed identity as savior (Ps 35:3 “Say to my soul, ‘I am your salvation’”). - שׁוּב (return/restore): Ps 6:5 שׁוּבָה יְהוָה; Ps 6:11 יָשֻׁבוּ; Ps 35:17 הָשִׁיבָה נַפְשִׁי. Same root marks the turn from plea to restoration. - “How long?” motif: Ps 6:4 עַד־מָתָי; Ps 35:17 אֲדֹנָי כַּמָּה תִרְאֶה. Different adverbs, same lament convention escalated by “will you look on?” (sight). - “Eye” motif: Ps 6:8 עֵינִי “my eye is wasted”; Ps 35:19–21 עַיִן occurs in “they wink the eye,” “our eyes have seen,” then countered by “You have seen (רָאִיתָה), YHWH” (v22). The failing eye in Ps 6 becomes the hostile eyes in Ps 35, answered by God’s seeing. 2) Shared roots with meaningful development - חנן: Ps 6:3 חָנֵּנִי “be gracious to me”; Ps 35:7, 7, 19 חִנָּם “without cause.” Same root; the grace the psalmist seeks in Ps 6 contrasts with enemies’ causeless hostility in Ps 35, intensifying the appeal for divine action. - רגע: Ps 6:11 רָגַע “in a moment/suddenly”; Ps 35:20 רִגְעֵי־אֶרֶץ “the quiet/peaceable ones of the land.” Same root with different senses; the “momentary” reversal wished in Ps 6:11 expands to a concern for the “peaceable” community beset by deceit in Ps 35. 3) Form and stylistic continuity (with intensification) - Same genre family: Both are individual laments (invocation → complaint → petition → confidence/imprecation → vow/praise). Ps 35 repeats the pattern but at larger scale, with explicit lawsuit and warfare imagery. - Imperative density toward YHWH: Ps 6 has “רְפָאֵנִי… שׁוּבָה… חַלְּצָה… הוֹשִׁיעֵנִי”; Ps 35 piles up forensic/martial imperatives: “רִיבָה… לָחֵם… הַחֲזֵק… רוּם/קוּמָה… הָרֵק חֲנִית… אֱמֹר לְנַפְשִׁי… הָעִירָה וְהָקִיצָה… שָׁפְטֵנִי.” The plea of Ps 6 expands into a full covenant‑lawsuit and divine‑warrior summons in Ps 35. - Enemy outcome formulas: Ps 6:11 closes with “יֵבֹשׁוּ… וְיִבָּהֲלוּ… יָשֻׁבוּ… רָגַע.” Ps 35 distributes and intensifies this: “יֵבֹשׁוּ וְיִכָּלְמוּ” (v4), “יֵבֹשׁוּ וְיַחְפְּרוּ” (v26), plus reversals (“יסגו אחור”), snares, and the angel of YHWH driving/pursuing (vv5–6). - Private to public praise: Ps 6 argues, “In death there is no remembrance of you; in Sheol who will praise you?” (v6), implying a vow if spared. Ps 35 states the vowed act: “I will thank you in the great assembly; in a mighty people I will praise you” (v18; cf. vv27–28). 4) Narrative/life‑setting sequence (plausible ancient Israelite scenario) - Stage 1 (Ps 6): An acute sickness/near‑death lament—“I am languishing… heal me… my bones are terrified… my soul is very terrified… I drench my bed with tears… because of all my adversaries.” This fits the “sickness lament” setting where illness invites social suspicion. - Stage 2 (Ps 35): After (or alongside) physical weakness (cf. “וּבְצַלְעִי ‘when I limped/stumbled,’” v15), the social fallout intensifies: false witnesses (v11), malicious repayment (v12), mockers (vv15–16), legal/forensic language (“רִיבָה,” “עֵדֵי חָמָס,” “שָׁפְטֵנִי”). This matches the typical movement from private affliction to public contention and the need for vindication/re‑integration in the assembly (vv18, 27). - Divine role development: In Ps 6 the psalmist begs God not to discipline in anger and to return/save (תִּסָּרֵנִי… שׁוּבָה… הוֹשִׁיעֵנִי). In Ps 35, having asserted that YHWH “heard” (Ps 6:9–10), he now asks God to appear as advocate and warrior: “Say to my soul, ‘I am your salvation’” (35:3), “plead my cause… fight my fighters… judge me according to your righteousness” (35:1, 24). The fear of divine anger (Ps 6) matures into confidence in divine righteousness (Ps 35). - Ritual follow‑through: Ps 6’s logic (“the living praise you, not Sheol”) anticipates a thank‑offering; Ps 35 explicitly vows public thanksgiving (“בְּקָהָל רָב… בְּעַם עָצוּם,” v18) and frames the situation as a covenant lawsuit, both standard cultic responses to rescue and slander. 5) Thematic and imagistic arcs that “answer” Ps 6 in Ps 35 - Bones: from panic (Ps 6:3 “נִבְהֲלוּ עֲצָמַי”) to chorus (Ps 35:10 “כָּל עַצְמוֹתַי תֹּאמַרְנָה…”). - Soul: from “נַפְשִׁי נִבְהֲלָה מְאֹד” (Ps 6:4) to “וְנַפְשִׁי תָּגִיל… תָּשִׂישׂ בִּישׁוּעָתוֹ” (Ps 35:9). - Hearing vs seeing: Ps 6 climaxes with “יְהוָה שָׁמַע” (vv9–10). Ps 35 confronts the enemies’ claim “רָאֲתָה עֵינֵינוּ” (v21) with “רָאִיתָה יְהוָה” (v22). God’s “hearing” in Ps 6 is complemented by God’s “seeing” and acting in Ps 35. - Enemy shame: Ps 6’s compact imprecation (6:11) unfolds into Ps 35’s sustained reversals (35:4–8, 26), including the “angel of YHWH” driving/pursuing—an escalated realization of the wished outcome. 6) Rarer or distinctive items that still cohere across the two - חִנָּם (Ps 35:7, 7, 19) vs חָנֵּנִי (Ps 6:3): same root חנ״נ, pointedly reworked. - שַׁחַת, שְׁאוֹל: Ps 35:7 “שַׁחַת” (the pit) and Ps 6:6 “שְׁאוֹל” (the underworld) are cognate images of death; both psalms argue rescue from death’s domain. - “בְּצַלְעִי” (Ps 35:15, rare) matches the physical debility strand begun in Ps 6 (“אֻמְלַל,” “רְפָאֵנִי”). Bottom line - Read as a sequence, Ps 6 narrates the inner, bodily crisis and its initial hearing by God; Ps 35 then broadens to the social-legal crisis sparked by that weakness, asking God to convert the earlier private deliverance into public vindication. The shared lexemes (especially יֵבֹשׁוּ; תְּפִלָּתִי; נֶפֶשׁ; עֶצֶם; ישׁע; שׁוּב), the “how long” refrain, and matched images (eyes, bones, soul) provide strong textual glue. Formally, both are Davidic individual laments, with Ps 35 intensifying Ps 6’s closing wishes into a full covenant‑lawsuit and vow of public praise. In terms of life‑setting, this maps onto a plausible ancient Israelite sequence: sickness → divine hearing → hostile social fallout → sanctuary lawsuit and thanksgiving—exactly the move from Psalm 6 to Psalm 35.
Evaluation
Score: 6.0
Evaluated at: 2025-11-19T04:09:30 (UTC)
Evaluator model: gpt-5
Evaluator version: v2
Reasoning: 3200 Output: 7250 Total: 10450
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
Many accurate, verse-anchored links (יֵבֹשׁוּ; תְּפִלָּתִי; עֲצָמַי/עַצְמוֹתַי; ישע; שוב) and a coherent “hearing→seeing,” private→public praise progression. Yet vocabulary is common in laments; no editorial marker; counterarguments unaddressed.
Prompt
Consider Psalm 6 and Psalm 35 (reproduced below). What arguments could you make to justify that Psalm 35 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 35:
Psalm 35
1. לְדָוִ֨ד ׀
רִיבָ֣ה
יְ֭הוָה
אֶת־
יְרִיבַ֑י
לְ֝חַ֗ם
אֶת־
לֹֽחֲמָֽי׃
2. הַחֲזֵ֣ק
מָגֵ֣ן
וְצִנָּ֑ה
וְ֝ק֗וּמָה
בְּעֶזְרָתִֽי׃
3. וְהָ֘רֵ֤ק
חֲנִ֣ית
וּ֭סְגֹר
לִקְרַ֣את
רֹדְפָ֑י
אֱמֹ֥ר
לְ֝נַפְשִׁ֗י
יְֽשֻׁעָתֵ֥ךְ
אָֽנִי׃
4. יֵבֹ֣שׁוּ
וְיִכָּלְמוּ֮
מְבַקְשֵׁ֢י
נַ֫פְשִׁ֥י
יִסֹּ֣גוּ
אָח֣וֹר
וְיַחְפְּר֑וּ
חֹ֝שְׁבֵ֗י
רָעָתִֽי׃
5. יִֽהְי֗וּ
כְּמֹ֥ץ
לִפְנֵי־
ר֑וּחַ
וּמַלְאַ֖ךְ
יְהוָ֣ה
דּוֹחֶֽה׃
6. יְֽהִי־
דַרְכָּ֗ם
חֹ֥שֶׁךְ
וַחֲלַקְלַקּ֑וֹת
וּמַלְאַ֥ךְ
יְ֝הוָ֗ה
רֹדְפָֽם׃
7. כִּֽי־
חִנָּ֣ם
טָֽמְנוּ־
לִ֭י
שַׁ֣חַת
רִשְׁתָּ֑ם
חִ֝נָּ֗ם
חָפְר֥וּ
לְנַפְשִֽׁי׃
8. תְּבוֹאֵ֣הוּ
שׁוֹאָה֮
לֹֽא־
יֵ֫דָ֥ע
וְרִשְׁתּ֣וֹ
אֲשֶׁר־
טָמַ֣ן
תִּלְכְּד֑וֹ
בְּ֝שׁוֹאָ֗ה
יִפָּל־
בָּֽהּ׃
9. וְ֭נַפְשִׁי
תָּגִ֣יל
בַּיהוָ֑ה
תָּ֝שִׂישׂ
בִּישׁוּעָתֽוֹ׃
10. כָּ֥ל
עַצְמוֹתַ֨י ׀
תֹּאמַרְנָה֮
יְהוָ֗ה
מִ֥י
כָ֫מ֥וֹךָ
מַצִּ֣יל
עָ֭נִי
מֵחָזָ֣ק
מִמֶּ֑נּוּ
וְעָנִ֥י
וְ֝אֶבְי֗וֹן
מִגֹּזְלֽוֹ׃
11. יְ֭קוּמוּן
עֵדֵ֣י
חָמָ֑ס
אֲשֶׁ֥ר
לֹא־
יָ֝דַ֗עְתִּי
יִשְׁאָלֽוּנִי׃
12. יְשַׁלְּמ֣וּנִי
רָ֭עָה
תַּ֥חַת
טוֹבָ֗ה
שְׁכ֣וֹל
לְנַפְשִֽׁי׃
13. וַאֲנִ֤י ׀
בַּחֲלוֹתָ֡ם
לְב֬וּשִׁי
שָׂ֗ק
עִנֵּ֣יתִי
בַצּ֣וֹם
נַפְשִׁ֑י
וּ֝תְפִלָּתִ֗י
עַל־
חֵיקִ֥י
תָשֽׁוּב׃
14. כְּרֵֽעַ־
כְּאָ֣ח
לִ֭י
הִתְהַלָּ֑כְתִּי
כַּאֲבֶל־
אֵ֝֗ם
קֹדֵ֥ר
שַׁחֽוֹתִי׃
15. וּבְצַלְעִי֮
שָׂמְח֢וּ
וְֽנֶאֱ֫סָ֥פוּ
נֶאֶסְפ֬וּ
עָלַ֣י
נֵ֭כִים
וְלֹ֣א
יָדַ֑עְתִּי
קָֽרְע֥וּ
וְלֹא־
דָֽמּוּ׃
16. בְּ֭חַנְפֵי
לַעֲגֵ֣י
מָע֑וֹג
חָרֹ֖ק
עָלַ֣י
שִׁנֵּֽימוֹ׃
17. אֲדֹנָי֮
כַּמָּ֢ה
תִ֫רְאֶ֥ה
הָשִׁ֣יבָה
נַ֭פְשִׁי
מִשֹּׁאֵיהֶ֑ם
מִ֝כְּפִירִ֗ים
יְחִידָתִֽי׃
18. א֭וֹדְךָ
בְּקָהָ֣ל
רָ֑ב
בְּעַ֖ם
עָצ֣וּם
אֲהַֽלְלֶֽךָּ׃
19. אַֽל־
יִשְׂמְחוּ־
לִ֣י
אֹיְבַ֣י
שֶׁ֑קֶר
שֹׂנְאַ֥י
חִ֝נָּ֗ם
יִקְרְצוּ־
עָֽיִן׃
20. כִּ֤י
לֹ֥א
שָׁל֗וֹם
יְדַ֫בֵּ֥רוּ
וְעַ֥ל
רִגְעֵי־
אֶ֑רֶץ
דִּבְרֵ֥י
מִ֝רְמוֹת
יַחֲשֹׁבֽוּן׃
21. וַיַּרְחִ֥יבוּ
עָלַ֗י
פִּ֫יהֶ֥ם
אָ֭מְרוּ
הֶאָ֣ח ׀
הֶאָ֑ח
רָאֲתָ֥ה
עֵינֵֽינוּ׃
22. רָאִ֣יתָה
יְ֭הוָה
אַֽל־
תֶּחֱרַ֑שׁ
אֲ֝דֹנָ֗י
אֲל־
תִּרְחַ֥ק
מִמֶּֽנִּי׃
23. הָעִ֣ירָה
וְ֭הָקִיצָה
לְמִשְׁפָּטִ֑י
אֱלֹהַ֖י
וַֽאדֹנָ֣י
לְרִיבִֽי׃
24. שָׁפְטֵ֣נִי
כְ֭צִדְקְךָ
יְהוָ֥ה
אֱלֹהָ֗י
וְאַל־
יִשְׂמְחוּ־
לִֽי׃
25. אַל־
יֹאמְר֣וּ
בְ֭לִבָּם
הֶאָ֣ח
נַפְשֵׁ֑נוּ
אַל־
יֹ֝אמְר֗וּ
בִּֽלַּעֲנֽוּהוּ׃
26. יֵ֘בֹ֤שׁוּ
וְיַחְפְּר֨וּ ׀
יַחְדָּו֮
שְׂמֵחֵ֢י
רָעָ֫תִ֥י
יִֽלְבְּשׁוּ־
בֹ֥שֶׁת
וּכְלִמָּ֑ה
הַֽמַּגְדִּtילִ֥ים
עָלָֽי׃
27. יָרֹ֣נּוּ
וְיִשְׂמְחוּ֮
חֲפֵצֵ֢י
צִ֫דְקִ֥י
וְיֹאמְר֣וּ
תָ֭מִיד
יִגְדַּ֣ל
יְהוָ֑ה
הֶ֝חָפֵ֗ץ
שְׁל֣וֹם
עַבְדּֽוֹ׃
28. וּ֭לְשׁוֹנִי
תֶּהְגֶּ֣ה
צִדְקֶ֑ךָ
כָּל־
הַ֝יּוֹם
תְּהִלָּתֶֽךָ׃