Psalm 6 → 50
Reasoning: 9664 Output: 5179 Total: 14843
Argument
Here are lines of argument—moving from “strongest” textual ties to broader formal and thematic links—that make Psalm 50 read naturally as a response to, or continuation of, Psalm 6. Lexical/catchword links (by Hebrew root; rarer and more specific items first) - חלץ “deliver, pull out”: - Ps 6:5 חלְּצָה נַפְשִׁי “deliver my life” - Ps 50:15 אֲחַלֶּצְךָ “I will deliver you” - Same root, same semantic field, both verbs; this is a relatively distinctive verb for rescue in the Psalter. Psalm 50:15 sounds like a direct divine answer to the plea of Psalm 6:5. - יכח “rebuke, reprove”: - Ps 6:2 אַל־בְאַפְּךָ תּוֹכִיחֵנִי “do not rebuke me in your anger” - Ps 50:8 לֹא עַל־זְבָחֶיךָ אוֹכִיחֶךָ “I will not rebuke you about your sacrifices” - Ps 50:21 אוֹכִיחֲךָ “I will rebuke you” - Same hiphil root and judicial nuance. The plea “do not rebuke me” is met by God’s clarification of what He does/doesn’t rebuke. - יסר / מוּסר “chasten/discipline”: - Ps 6:2 וְאַל־בַּחֲמָתְךָ תְיַסְּרֵנִי “do not discipline me in your wrath” - Ps 50:17 שָׂנֵאתָ מוּסָר “you hate discipline” - Same root; Psalm 50 diagnoses the wicked attitude toward the very “discipline” the sufferer in Psalm 6 fears. - ידה “give thanks/praise”: - Ps 6:6 בִּשְׁאוֹל מִי יוֹדֶה־לָּךְ “in Sheol, who will give you thanks?” - Ps 50:14 זְבַח… תּוֹדָה “sacrifice thanksgiving” - Ps 50:23 זֹבֵחַ תּוֹדָה “the one who sacrifices thanksgiving” - Identical root with the same worship act (todah). Psalm 6’s fear of being cut off from giving thanks is answered in Psalm 50 by specifying todah as the proper offering. - ישע “save”: - Ps 6:5 הוֹשִׁיעֵנִי “save me” - Ps 50:23 בְּיֵשַׁע אֱלֹהִים “the salvation of God” - Same root (verb vs. noun), framing the crisis and its outcome. - שמע “hear”: - Ps 6:9–10 שָׁמַע יְהוָה… “YHWH has heard” - Ps 50:7 שִׁמְעָה עַמִּי “Hear, my people” - Reversal: in Psalm 6 the human begs to be heard; in Psalm 50 God demands that the people hear Him. - צר/צרר “distress/adversary”: - Ps 6:8 בְּכָל־צוֹרְרָי “because of all my adversaries” - Ps 50:15 בְּיוֹם צָרָה “in the day of trouble” - Same root field of “narrowness/pressure,” linking the personal foes of Ps 6 to the general “day of distress” in Ps 50. - חסד / חסיד “steadfast love/loyal”: - Ps 6:5 לְמַעַן חַסְדֶּךָ “for the sake of your hesed” - Ps 50:5 אִסְפוּ־לִי חֲסִידָי “gather my hasidim” - Same root; Psalm 6 appeals to God’s hesed, Psalm 50 identifies those marked by covenantal loyalty (hasidim). - “Come/Return” to judge/help: - Ps 6:5 שׁוּבָה יְהוָה “Return, YHWH” - Ps 50:3 יָבוֹא אֱלֹהֵינוּ “Our God will come” - The supplicant’s request for divine coming in Ps 6 is the theophanic arrival in Ps 50. Form and genre progression - From individual lament (Psalm 6) to covenant-lawsuit/theophany (Psalm 50): - Ps 6 has classic lament components: address, complaint (illness, enemies), petition, motivation (no praise in death), and confidence. - Ps 50 stages a divine court scene: God summons heaven and earth, addresses His people, differentiates faithful from wicked, clarifies proper worship, and issues verdicts. - This is a known editorial sequencing move in the Psalter: an individual plea is followed by an oracular response or didactic divine speech. Conceptual and theological continuities - What God wants from the living: - Ps 6 worries: “in Sheol who will thank you?” (worship jeopardized by death). - Ps 50 answers: God desires “thanksgiving” and “vows fulfilled” (todah and neder), i.e., the very worship the sufferer longs to render. - Divine coming and speech: - Ps 6 asks God to come/act; Ps 50 shows He comes “and does not keep silent” (וְאַל־יֶחֱרַשׁ), speaking to set terms right. - Rebuke/discipline reframed: - Ps 6 fears rebuke “in anger.” - Ps 50: God says He is not rebuking “about sacrifices,” but He does rebuke hypocrisy and ethical violations; i.e., the rebuke is redirected from ritual quantity to moral quality. - Enemies/wicked: - Ps 6: “Depart from me, all workers of iniquity” (סוּרוּ… פֹּעֲלֵי אָוֶן). - Ps 50: exposes the “wicked” (רָשָׁע) and catalogs their sins; God’s courtroom supplies the public separation the suppliant desired. Cultic-life sequence in ancient Israel - A typical sequence is: crisis → lament/prayer → vow → deliverance → thanksgiving offering (zevach todah). - Ps 6 = crisis and lament, with the logic of wanting to live in order to thank God. - Ps 50 = divine instruction that the proper response is “sacrifice thanksgiving and pay your vows” (זְבַח… תּוֹדָה; וְשַׁלֵּם נְדָרֶיךָ), plus a promise: “Call me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor me” (וְקְרָאֵנִי… אֲחַלֶּצְךָ וּתְכַבְּדֵנִי). That is precisely the post-deliverance act envisioned by laments like Psalm 6. Macro-structural logic - Ps 6 ends with confidence that enemies will be shamed and turn back “in a moment” (רָגַע). Ps 50 opens with a cosmic theophany that could be read as the decisive “moment” of God’s public intervention, now broadening from one sufferer to the whole covenant community. - Ps 6’s night of tears (לַיְלָה… דִּמְעָתִי) yields to Ps 50’s day: “from the rising of the sun to its setting” (מִמִּזְרַח־שֶׁמֶשׁ עַד־מְבוֹאוֹ) and the “day of trouble” in which God promises deliverance. Bottom line - The tightest lexical ties (חלץ; יכח; יסר/מוסר; ידה; ישע; שמע; צר; חסד/חסיד), plus the form-critical shift from plea to divine verdict, and the cultic sequence that moves from lament to thanksgiving-offering, all make Psalm 50 read naturally as God’s answer and liturgical clarification to Psalm 6. In short: the sufferer asks God to come, not rebuke in anger, deliver, and let him live to give thanks; God comes, rebukes rightly, promises “I will deliver you,” and directs the restored worshiper to bring a thanksgiving (todah) and keep his vows.
Evaluation
Score: 6.5
Evaluated at: 2025-11-19T04:28:41 (UTC)
Evaluator model: gpt-5
Evaluator version: v2
Reasoning: 2176 Output: 6008 Total: 8184
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
Accurate lexical links (חלץ; יכח; יסר/מוסר; ידה; ישע; שמע; צר; חסד/חסיד) with verse refs and a plausible “answer” rationale; but most are common, and distance/authorship counterpoints go unaddressed.
Prompt
Consider Psalm 6 and Psalm 50 (reproduced below). What arguments could you make to justify that Psalm 50 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 50:
Psalm 50
1. מִזְמ֗וֹר
לְאָ֫סָ֥ף
אֵ֤ל ׀
אֱֽלֹהִ֡ים
יְֽהוָ֗ה
דִּבֶּ֥ר
וַיִּקְרָא־
אָ֑רֶץ
מִמִּזְרַח־
שֶׁ֝֗מֶשׁ
עַד־
מְבֹאֽוֹ׃
2. מִצִיּ֥וֹן
מִכְלַל־
יֹ֗פִי
אֱלֹהִ֥ים
הוֹפִֽיעַ׃
3. יָ֤בֹ֥א
אֱלֹהֵ֗ינוּ
וְֽאַל־
יֶ֫חֱרַ֥שׁ
אֵשׁ־
לְפָנָ֥יו
תֹּאכֵ֑ל
וּ֝סְבִיבָ֗יו
נִשְׂעֲרָ֥ה
מְאֹֽד׃
4. יִקְרָ֣א
אֶל־
הַשָּׁמַ֣יִם
מֵעָ֑ל
וְאֶל־
הָ֝אָ֗רֶץ
לָדִ֥ין
עַמּֽוֹ׃
5. אִסְפוּ־
לִ֥י
חֲסִידָ֑י
כֹּרְתֵ֖י
בְרִיתִ֣י
עֲלֵי־
זָֽבַח׃
6. וַיַּגִּ֣ידוּ
שָׁמַ֣יִם
צִדְק֑וֹ
כִּֽי־
אֱלֹהִ֓ים ׀
שֹׁפֵ֖ט
ה֣וּא
סֶֽלָה׃
7. שִׁמְעָ֤ה
עַמִּ֨י ׀
וַאֲדַבֵּ֗רָה
יִ֭שְׂרָאֵל
וְאָעִ֣ידָה
בָּ֑ךְ
אֱלֹהִ֖ים
אֱלֹהֶ֣יךָ
אָנֹֽכִי׃
8. לֹ֣א
עַל־
זְ֭בָחֶיךָ
אוֹכִיחֶ֑ךָ
וְעוֹלֹתֶ֖יךָ
לְנֶגְדִּ֣י
תָמִֽיד׃
9. לֹא־
אֶקַּ֣ח
מִבֵּיתְךָ֣
פָ֑ר
מִ֝מִּכְלְאֹתֶ֗יךָ
עַתּוּדִֽים׃
10. כִּי־
לִ֥י
כָל־
חַיְתוֹ־
יָ֑עַר
בְּ֝הֵמ֗וֹת
בְּהַרְרֵי־
אָֽלֶף׃
11. יָ֭דַעְתִּי
כָּל־
ע֣וֹף
הָרִ֑ים
וְזִ֥יז
שָׂ֝דַ֗י
עִמָּדִֽי׃
12. אִם־
אֶ֭רְעַב
לֹא־
אֹ֣מַר
לָ֑ךְ
כִּי־
לִ֥י
תֵ֝בֵ֗ל
וּמְלֹאָֽהּ׃
13. הַֽ֭אוֹכַל
בְּשַׂ֣ר
אַבִּירִ֑ים
וְדַ֖ם
עַתּוּדִ֣ים
אֶשְׁתֶּֽה׃
14. זְבַ֣ח
לֵאלֹהִ֣ים
תּוֹדָ֑ה
וְשַׁלֵּ֖ם
לְעֶלְי֣וֹן
נְדָרֶֽיךָ׃
15. וּ֭קְרָאֵנִי
בְּי֣וֹם
צָרָ֑ה
אֲ֝חַלֶּצְךָ֗
וּֽתְכַבְּדֵֽנִי׃
16. וְלָ֤רָשָׁ֨ע ׀
אָ֘מַ֤ר
אֱלֹהִ֗ים
מַה־
לְּ֭ךָ
לְסַפֵּ֣ר
חֻקָּ֑י
וַתִּשָּׂ֖א
בְרִיתִ֣י
עֲלֵי־
פִֽיךָ׃
17. וְ֭אַתָּה
שָׂנֵ֣אתָ
מוּסָ֑ר
וַתַּשְׁלֵ֖ךְ
דְּבָרַ֣י
אַחֲרֶֽיךָ׃
18. אִם־
רָאִ֣יתָ
גַ֭נָּב
וַתִּ֣רֶץ
עִמּ֑וֹ
וְעִ֖ם
מְנָאֲפִ֣ים
חֶלְקֶֽךָ׃
19. פִּ֭יךָ
שָׁלַ֣חְתָּ
בְרָעָ֑ה
וּ֝לְשׁוֹנְךָ֗
תַּצְמִ֥יד
מִרְמָֽה׃
20. תֵּ֭שֵׁב
בְּאָחִ֣יךָ
תְדַבֵּ֑ר
בְּבֶֽן־
אִ֝מְּךָ֗
תִּתֶּן־
דֹּֽפִי׃
21. אֵ֤לֶּה
עָשִׂ֨יתָ ׀
וְֽהֶחֱרַ֗שְׁתִּי
דִּמִּ֗יתָ
הֱֽיוֹת־
אֶֽהְיֶ֥ה
כָמ֑וֹךָ
אוֹכִיחֲךָ֖
וְאֶֽעֶרְכָ֣ה
לְעֵינֶֽיךָ׃
22. בִּֽינוּ־
נָ֣א
זֹ֭את
שֹׁכְחֵ֣י
אֱל֑וֹהַּ
פֶּן־
אֶ֝טְרֹ֗ף
וְאֵ֣ין
מַצִּֽיל׃
23. זֹבֵ֥חַ
תּוֹדָ֗ה
יְֽכַבְּ֫דָ֥נְנִי
וְשָׂ֥ם
דֶּ֑רֶךְ
אַ֝רְאֶ֗נּוּ
בְּיֵ֣שַׁע
אֱלֹהִֽים׃