Psalm 6 → 72
Reasoning: 9152 Output: 5327 Total: 14479
Argument
Here are ways to argue that Psalm 72 “follows on” from Psalm 6—textually, lexically, thematically, and in terms of Israel’s life-history and cult—weighted roughly by the criteria you gave. High‑weight lexical/formal links (same lexeme/root, distinctive collocations) - “Prayer” as a framing lexeme that closes a sequence: - Ps 6:10: יהוה תְּפִלָּתִי יִקָּח “YHWH will take/accept my prayer.” The collocation לקח + תפלה is strikingly rare; the verse asserts definitive acceptance. - Ps 72:20: כָּלוּ תְפִלּוֹת דָּוִד בֶּן־יִשָׁי “The prayers of David… are ended.” The same noun תְּפִלָּה concludes the Davidic prayer-cycle. The move from “my prayer will be accepted” (6:10) to “the prayers… are ended” (72:20) reads naturally as closure. This is the single strongest formal-linguistic bridge. - The salvation verb ישע in the same stem: - Ps 6:5: הוֹשִׁיעֵנִי “save me” (Hifil). - Ps 72:4, 13: יוֹשִׁיעַ “he will save” (Hifil). Same root, same binyan, in both psalms—personal plea in 6 answered as royal policy in 72. - Enemies terminology: - Ps 6:11: כָּל־אֹיְבָי “all my enemies.” - Ps 72:9: וְאֹיְבָיו “his enemies.” Same lexeme/root (אויב), shifting from the individual sufferer (1cs suffix) to the king (3ms suffix): the threat of enemies in 6 is universalized and subdued in 72. - “Soul” as the object of rescue: - Ps 6:5: חַלְּצָה נַפְשִׁי “deliver my soul.” - Ps 72:13–14: וְנַפְשׁוֹת אֶבְיוֹנִים יוֹשִׁיעַ … יִגְאַל נַפְשָׁם “he will save the souls of the needy… he will redeem their soul.” The same noun נֶפֶשׁ sits in direct object position of rescue verbs in both psalms; in 72 the king extends to many what 6 seeks for one. Medium‑weight lexical/thematic links (close roots/phrases; common but patterned) - “Until…?” answered by “until… forever”: - Ps 6:4: עַד־מָתָי “How long?” - Ps 72:7–8: עַד־בְּלִי יָרֵחַ “until there is no moon,” and repeated spatial-temporal spans מִיָּם עַד־יָם, עַד־אַפְסֵי־אָרֶץ. The anguished open-ended “how long?” of 6 is answered by a piling up of ‘ad-phrases in 72 that signal permanence and universality. - Praise/Name–Memory axis: - Ps 6:6: אֵין בַּמָּוֶת זִכְרֶךָ; בִּשְׁאוֹל מִי יוֹדֶה־לָּךְ “In death there is no remembrance of you; in Sheol who will give you thanks?” - Ps 72:15, 17–19: וְיִתְפַּלֵּל בַּעֲדוֹ תָמִיד … כָּל־הַיּוֹם יְבָרֲכֶנְהוּ; יְהִי שְׁמוֹ לְעוֹלָם … וְיִתְבָּרְכוּ בוֹ כָל־גּוֹיִם; בָּרוּךְ יְהוָה … בָּרוּךְ שֵׁם כְּבוֹדוֹ לְעוֹלָם. The fear in 6 that death silences praise is answered in 72 by constant prayer for the king, global blessing through him, and doxology to YHWH whose Name endures forever. Conceptually, 72 supplies the praise 6 longs to offer. - Removal of evildoers vs. crushing the oppressor: - Ps 6:9: סוּרוּ מִמֶּנִּי כָּל־פֹּעֲלֵי אָוֶן. - Ps 72:4: וִידַכֵּא עוֹשֵׁק. Different roots, same role in the plot: the agents of injustice are expelled/crushed as part of the resolution. - Enemies shamed vs. enemies prostrate: - Ps 6:11: יֵבֹשׁוּ וְיִבָּהֲלוּ … כָּל־אֹיְבָי. - Ps 72:9: לְפָנָיו יִכְרְעוּ … וְאֹיְבָיו עָפָר יְלַחֵכוּ. Different verbs, same outcome—public humiliating subjugation of the foes. Macro‑structural and genre/logical links - Lament → assurance → praise/doxology: - Ps 6 is a classic individual lament (rebuke/discipline, sickness, tears, enemies), moving to assurance (vv. 9–11). It implies a vow/expectation of praise once heard (cf. v. 6’s logic). - Ps 72 reads like the communal/royal realization of that assurance: justice established, salvation for the needy, enemies subdued, abundance, and then an explicit doxology (vv. 18–19) plus the colophon that closes a collection (v. 20). Reading 72 after 6 turns the individual’s rescue into public, cosmic praise—the expected trajectory of lament in Israel’s liturgy. - David → Solomon succession as narrative logic: - Ps 6: מִזְמוֹר לְדָוִד. - Ps 72: לִשְׁלֹמֹה; and the closing, “kalu tefillot David ben Yishai.” This father-to-son handoff is precisely the life-historical sequence: from David’s embattled, prayerful experience (Ps 6) to the ideal of Solomon’s shalom-kingship (Ps 72), whose very name (שְׁלֹמֹה) resonates with the psalm’s שָׁלוֹם (vv. 3, 7). The “end of David’s prayers” fits as the narrative capstone after the petitions embodied by psalms like 6. - From private distress to public order: - Ps 6 focuses on personal illness and divine anger: “אַל־בְּאַפְּךָ תּוֹכִיחֵנִי … רְפָאֵנִי” (vv. 2–3). - Ps 72 transposes the need for healing/mercy into social-royal categories—מִשְׁפָּט/צֶדֶק, compassionate protection of עָנִי/אֶבְיוֹן, redemption from חָמָס. The king becomes YHWH’s instrument for the very rescue 6 seeks. - Question → answer: - Ps 6: “עַד־מָתָי?” and “בִּשְׁאוֹל מִי יוֹדֶה־לָּךְ?” - Ps 72: “יִירָאוּךָ עִם־שָׁמֶשׁ … דּוֹר דּוֹרִים,” “יְהִי שְׁמוֹ לְעוֹלָם,” and global doxology. The temporal and worship questions of 6 are answered in 72 by permanence and worldwide praise. Cultural-historical plausibility - Ancient Israelite life-pattern: supplication in distress → divine response → public thanksgiving. Psalm 6 is the supplication; Psalm 72 functions as the communal, even imperial, thanksgiving and proclamation of order. The doxology and double “Amen” (72:19) match the liturgical closure one expects after answered prayer. - Historical mythos: From David’s wars/tears to Solomon’s peace. Psalm 6’s world of tears (vv. 7–8) and enemies (vv. 8, 11) accords with Davidic struggle; Psalm 72’s shalom, international homage, and justice match the remembered ideal of Solomon’s reign. Minor stylistic parallels - Both exploit synonymous parallelism heavily and feature anaphoric repetition (e.g., repeated יהוה in Ps 6; repeated royal/judicial terms and עד/לפני spans in Ps 72). - Both end with climactic closure: Ps 6 with enemies’ sudden shame; Ps 72 with doxology and collection-closure. Summary - High-significance ties: the shared noun תְּפִלָּה as a frame (6:10 → 72:20), the shared Hifil of יש״ע (6:5; 72:4,13), the shared lexeme אויב (6:8,11; 72:9), and נֶפֶשׁ as the object of rescue (6:5; 72:13–14). - Medium/idea ties: “How long?” answered by “forever/until no moon,” death’s silence of praise answered by worldwide doxology, and the removal/subjugation of evildoers. - Narrative/cultic logic: individual lament in David’s voice moves to royal/communal praise and closure in Solomon’s and the editor’s. Taken together, these create a coherent reading in which Psalm 72 is the large-scale, public resolution of the petitions and tensions raised in Psalm 6.
Evaluation
Score: 2.0
Evaluated at: 2025-11-20T04:11:53 (UTC)
Evaluator model: gpt-5
Evaluator version: v2
Reasoning: 2112 Output: 6150 Total: 8262
Checklist
- Has verse refs: Yes
- Factual error detected: Yes
- Only generic motifs: No
- Counterargument considered: No
- LXX/MT numbering acknowledged: No
Vocabulary specificity: 4.0 / 10
Flags: misquote
Factual error: claims אויב in Ps 6:8 (it reads צוררי) → MAX 2. Other links (תפלה closure; ישע Hifil; עד-phrases; doxology) are plausible yet common; no counterpoints addressed.
Prompt
Consider Psalm 6 and Psalm 72 (reproduced below). What arguments could you make to justify that Psalm 72 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 72:
Psalm 72
1. לִשְׁלֹמֹ֨ה ׀
אֱֽלֹהִ֗ים
מִ֭שְׁפָּטֶיךָ
לְמֶ֣לֶךְ
תֵּ֑ן
וְצִדְקָתְךָ֥
לְבֶן־
מֶֽלֶךְ׃
2. יָדִ֣ין
עַמְּךָ֣
בְצֶ֑דֶק
וַעֲנִיֶּ֥יךָ
בְמִשְׁפָּֽט׃
3. יִשְׂא֤וּ
הָרִ֓ים
שָׁ֘ל֥וֹם
לָעָ֑ם
וּ֝גְבָע֗וֹת
בִּצְדָקָֽה׃
4. יִשְׁפֹּ֤ט ׀
עֲֽנִיֵּי־
עָ֗ם
י֭וֹשִׁיעַ
לִבְנֵ֣י
אֶבְי֑וֹן
וִֽידַכֵּ֣א
עוֹשֵֽׁק׃
5. יִֽירָא֥וּךָ
עִם־
שָׁ֑מֶשׁ
וְלִפְנֵ֥י
יָ֝רֵ֗חַ
דּ֣וֹר
דּוֹרִֽים׃
6. יֵ֭רֵד
כְּמָטָ֣ר
עַל־
גֵּ֑ז
כִּ֝רְבִיבִ֗ים
זַרְזִ֥יף
אָֽרֶץ׃
7. יִֽפְרַח־
בְּיָמָ֥יו
צַדִּ֑יק
וְרֹ֥ב
שָׁ֝ל֗וֹם
עַד־
בְּלִ֥י
יָרֵֽחַ׃
8. וְ֭יֵרְדְּ
מִיָּ֣ם
עַד־
יָ֑ם
וּ֝מִנָּהָ֗ר
עַד־
אַפְסֵי־
אָֽרֶץ׃
9. לְ֭פָנָיו
יִכְרְע֣וּ
צִיִּ֑ים
וְ֝אֹיְבָ֗יו
עָפָ֥ר
יְלַחֵֽכוּ׃
10. מַלְכֵ֬י
תַרְשִׁ֣ישׁ
וְ֭אִיִּים
מִנְחָ֣ה
יָשִׁ֑יבוּ
מַלְכֵ֥י
שְׁבָ֥א
וּ֝סְבָ֗א
אֶשְׁכָּ֥ר
יַקְרִֽיבוּ׃
11. וְיִשְׁתַּחֲווּ־
ל֥וֹ
כָל־
מְלָכִ֑ים
כָּל־
גּוֹיִ֥ם
יַֽעַבְדֽוּהוּ׃
12. כִּֽי־
יַ֭צִּיל
אֶבְי֣וֹן
מְשַׁוֵּ֑עַ
וְ֝עָנִ֗י
וְֽאֵין־
עֹזֵ֥ר
לֽוֹ׃
13. יָ֭חֹס
עַל־
דַּ֣ל
וְאֶבְי֑וֹן
וְנַפְשׁ֖וֹת
אֶבְיוֹנִ֣ים
יוֹשִֽׁיעַ׃
14. מִתּ֣וֹךְ
וּ֖dמֵחָמָס
יִגְאַ֣ל
נַפְשָׁ֑ם
וְיֵיקַ֖ר
דָּמָ֣ם
בְּעֵינָֽיו׃
15. וִיחִ֗י
וְיִתֶּן־
לוֹ֮
מִזְּהַ֢ב
שְׁ֫בָ֥א
וְיִתְפַּלֵּ֣ל
בַּעֲד֣וֹ
תָמִ֑יד
כָּל־
הַ֝יּ֗וֹם
יְבָרֲכֶֽנְהֽוּ׃
16. יְהִ֤י
פִסַּת־
בַּ֨ר ׀
בָּאָרֶץ֮
בְּרֹ֢אשׁ
הָ֫רִ֥ים
יִרְעַ֣שׁ
כַּלְּבָנ֣וֹן
פִּרְי֑וֹ
וְיָצִ֥יצוּ
מֵ֝עִ֗יר
כְּעֵ֣שֶׂב
הָאָֽרֶץ׃
17. יְהִ֤י
שְׁמ֨וֹ ׀
לְֽעוֹלָ֗ם
לִפְנֵי־
שֶׁמֶשׁ֮
ינין
יִנּ֢וֹן
שְׁ֫מ֥וֹ
וְיִתְבָּ֥רְכוּ
ב֑וֹ
כָּל־
גּוֹיִ֥ם
יְאַשְּׁרֽוּהוּ׃
18. בָּר֤וּךְ ׀
יְהוָ֣ה
אֱ֭לֹהִים
אֱלֹהֵ֣י
יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל
עֹשֵׂ֖ה
נִפְלָא֣וֹת
לְבַדּֽוֹ׃
19. וּבָר֤וּךְ ׀
שֵׁ֥ם
כְּבוֹד֗וֹ
לְע֫וֹלָ֥ם
וְיִמָּלֵ֣א
כְ֭בוֹדוֹ
אֶת־
כֹּ֥ל
הָאָ֗רֶץ
אָ֘מֵ֥ן ׀
וְאָמֵֽן׃
20. כָּלּ֥וּ
תְפִלּ֑וֹת
דָּ֝וִ֗ד
בֶּן־
יִשָֽׁי׃