Psalm 6 → 139

Reasoning: 10752 Output: 6134 Total: 16886

Argument

Here are ways to argue that Psalm 139 “follows on” from Psalm 6—stylistically, formally, lexically (with attention to roots and exact forms), thematically, and with plausible life-setting/ritual sequencing.

1) Formal/stylistic framing
- Shared superscription formula: both are Davidic psalms addressed “למנצח … מזמור לדוד” (Ps 6 title; Ps 139:1). This is common, but it does mark them as pieces meant for similar liturgical performance.
- Direct address to YHWH at the outset: Ps 6:2 “יהוה …”; Ps 139:1 “יהוה חקרתני ותדע.” Both are first-person prayers.
- Rhetorical question style: Ps 6 has “עד־מתי?” (6:4); Ps 139 develops this with place-questions “אנה אלך … ואנה מפניך אברח?” (139:7). Same rhetorical device, now broadened from time to space.

2) Very strong lexical links (identical or near-identical forms; rarer words highlighted)
- The exact dismissal formula “ס֣וּרוּ … מִ(מ)נִּי”
  • Ps 6:9 “ס֣וּרוּ מִ֭מֶּנִּי כָּל־פֹּעֲלֵי אָוֶן”
  • Ps 139:19 “וְאַנְשֵׁי דָמִים ס֣וּרוּ מֶנִּי”
  This imperative + preposition collocation is unusually specific; it marks the same ritual/moral move (separation from the wicked) and is a strong intertext.
- Sheol (rare and weighty)
  • Ps 6:6 “בִּשְׁאוֹל מִי יוֹדֶה־לָּךְ”
  • Ps 139:8 “וְאַצִּיעָה שְּׁאוֹל הִנֶּךָּ”
  The same rare term anchors a theological progression (see §4 below).
- Praise/thank (root ידה, Hifil)
  • Ps 6:6 “מִי יוֹדֶה־לָּךְ” (who will praise/thank you?)
  • Ps 139:14 “אוֹדְךָ” (I praise/thank you)
  Same root, same semantic field, now answering the earlier lament’s question (see §4).
- Bed imagery (unusual in psalms outside laments)
  • Ps 6:7 “מִטָּתִי … עַרְשִׂי”
  • Ps 139:8 “וְאַצִּיעָה שְּׁאוֹל” (root י-צ-ע “spread/make a bed”)
  Both psalms locate existential crisis on a “bed,” but Ps 139 radically relocates that bed “in Sheol”—a deliberate echo and deepening.
- Bones/frame (root עצם)
  • Ps 6:3 “נִבְהֲלוּ עֲצָמָי”
  • Ps 139:15 “לֹא נִכְחַד עָצְמִי מִמֶּךָּ”; 139:17 “מֶה־עָצְמוּ”
  Same root appears across bodily distress (Ps 6) and bodily formation/structure (Ps 139).
- Eye motif (same lexeme עין)
  • Ps 6:8 “עֵינִי עָֽשְׁשָׁה”
  • Ps 139:16 “גָּלְמִי רָאוּ עֵינֶיךָ”
  The failing human eye is matched by God’s all-seeing eye.
- Root צרר
  • Ps 6:8 “צֹרְרָי” (my adversaries)
  • Ps 139:5 “צַרְתָּנִי …” (you hemmed me in)
  Same root; what constricts in Ps 6 (enemies) becomes God’s protective encirclement in Ps 139.

3) Thematic correspondences that look like resolution/completion
- Night/darkness transformed:
  • Ps 6:7 “בְכָל־לַיְלָה מִטָּתִי … בְּדִמְעָתִי” (nights of tears)
  • Ps 139:11–12 “אַךְ־חֹשֶׁךְ יְשֻׁפֵנִי … וְלַיְלָה כַּיּוֹם יָאִיר” (night cannot hide; it becomes light)
  • Ps 139:18 “הֱקִיצֹתִי וְעוֹדִי עִמָּךְ” (I awake, still with you)
  The long nights of weeping in Ps 6 culminate in the “waking” of Ps 139, where night is no longer threatening.
- From fear of discipline to inviting examination:
  • Ps 6:2 “אַל … תּוֹכִיחֵנִי … תְיַסְּרֵנִי” (don’t rebuke/discipline me in wrath)
  • Ps 139:23–24 “חָקְרֵנִי … בְּחָנֵנִי … וּנְחֵנִי” (search me, test me, lead me)
  The stance changes from recoiling under anger to welcoming God’s searching and guidance.
- Separation from the wicked intensifies:
  • Ps 6:9 “סורו … פֹּעֲלֵי אָוֶן”
  • Ps 139:19–22 “סורו … אַנְשֵׁי דָמִים … הֲלֹא־מְשַׂנְאֶיךָ … תַּכְלִית שִׂנְאָה שְׂנֵאתִים”
  The same act (banishing evildoers) becomes more explicit and theologically aligned with God’s own enemies.
- Assurance replaces panic:
  • Ps 6:3–4, 11 “נִבְהֲלוּ … נִבְהֲלָה … וְיִבָּהֲלוּ מְאֹד” (panic)
  • Ps 139 centers on God’s inescapable presence and guiding hand: 139:5 “וַתָּשֶׁת עָלַי כַּפֶּכָה,” 139:10 “גַּם־שָׁם יָדְךָ תַנְחֵנִי”
  Emotional trajectory moves from disintegration to settled trust.

4) A specific theological “answer” sequence
- Can God be praised from Sheol?
  • Ps 6:6: “בַּמָּוֶת זִכְרֶךָ … בִּשְׁאוֹל מִי יוֹדֶה־לָּךְ?” (implied: no)
  • Ps 139:8: “וְאַצִּיעָה שְּׁאוֹל הִנֶּךָּ” (God is there)
  • Ps 139:14: “אוֹדְךָ” (I do praise you)
  Psalm 139 overturns the despairing logic of Psalm 6: Sheol is not beyond God’s presence, and praise is indeed possible—because God’s knowledge and care span womb to death and beyond (139:13–16).
- From “Return, O YHWH” to “You are already everywhere”
  • Ps 6:5 “שׁוּבָה יְהוָה חַלְּצָה נַפְשִׁי”
  • Ps 139:7–10 “אנה אלך מרוחך … גם־שם ידך תנחני”
  The perceived absence in Ps 6 is corrected by the omnipresence of Ps 139.

5) Shared imagery that matures across the pair
- Body vocabulary:
  • Ps 6: bones (עצמות), eye (עין), soul (נפש) in pain
  • Ps 139: frame/bone (עצמי), kidneys/womb (כליות, בטן), soul “knows very well” (נפשי יודעת מאד)
  The same semantic field (body/self) moves from breakdown to wonder at God’s craftsmanship.
- “נפשי … מאד” as a pivot:
  • Ps 6:4 “וְנַפְשִׁי נִבְהֲלָה מְאֹד”
  • Ps 139:14 “וְנַפְשִׁי יוֹדַעַת מְאֹד”
  Identical collocation (נפשי + מאד), but with opposite predicates—terror becomes knowledge.

6) Life-setting and ritual logic
- A common Israelite liturgical arc is: individual lament in illness or danger → divine hearing/assurance → thanksgiving/teaching/trust. Psalm 6 is a classic individual lament that ends with assurance (“שָׁמַע יְהוָה” 6:9–10) and banishment of evildoers (6:9). Psalm 139 reads naturally as the reflective thanksgiving/teaching piece that follows recovery: it praises God (139:14), teaches about God’s omniscience/omnipresence, renews moral resolve against the wicked (139:19–22), and asks for ongoing guidance (139:23–24).
- Night-to-morning sequence fits lived experience: Ps 6’s “every night my bed” with tears finds its dawn in Ps 139’s “הקיצֹתי” (I awake) and the assertion that “night is as day” to God—precisely the spiritual insight one might articulate after deliverance.
- The Sheol motif reflects a theological development often noted in Israelite religion: earlier laments treat Sheol as a region where praise ceases (Ps 6; cf. Ps 30:10; 88:11–13); later reflections emphasize YHWH’s reach even there (Ps 139). Reading 139 after 6 enacts that development.

7) Summary of the strongest “follows on” signals (weighted by rarity/identity)
- Exact phrase reuse: “סורו … מני/ממני” (Ps 6:9; 139:19) — very strong.
- Same rare theological locus: “שְׁאוֹל” (Ps 6:6; 139:8) — strong, with explicit reversal.
- Same praise root (ידה, Hifil): “מי יוֹדֶה־לָךְ” (Ps 6:6) answered by “אוֹדְךָ” (Ps 139:14) — strong.
- Bed/night complex: “מִטָּתִי/עַרְשִׂי” (Ps 6:7) matched by “אֲצִיעָה שְּׁאוֹל” (Ps 139:8) and “לַיְלָה … יָאִיר … הֱקִיצֹתִי” (139:11–12, 18) — strong thematic continuity.
- Root עצם (bones/frame): “עֲצָמוֹתַי” (Ps 6:3) and “עָצְמִי … מֶה־עָצְמוּ” (Ps 139:15, 17) — solid lexical link.
- Root צרר: “צֹרְרָי” (Ps 6:8) vs “צַרְתָּנִי” (Ps 139:5) — notable root echo with role reversal (enemies vs God’s encirclement).
- “נַפְשִׁי … מְאֹד” (Ps 6:4; Ps 139:14) — same collocation with antithetical predicates, signaling resolution.

Taken together, these markers make a compelling case that Psalm 139 is an intentional “answer” to Psalm 6: the night of tears gives way to the morning of praise; the fear that death ends communion yields to the assurance that even Sheol is within God’s presence; the plea to avoid harsh rebuke becomes a prayer to be searched and led; the dismissal of evildoers is renewed with deeper moral clarity. Even if the canonical order places them far apart, their language, images, and theology interlock in a way that justifies reading Psalm 139 as logically following Psalm 6.

Evaluation

Score: 8.0

Evaluated at: 2025-11-22T04:06:38 (UTC)

Evaluator model: gpt-5

Evaluator version: v2

Reasoning: 3520 Output: 6986 Total: 10506

Vocabulary specificity: 6.0 / 10

Multiple precise links: exact “סורו … מ(מ)ני” (6:9; 139:19), Sheol + ידה reversal (6:6 ↔ 139:8,14), bed motif via אציעה (139:8) echoing 6:7, and “נפשי … מאד” antithesis (6:4; 139:14). No caps.

Prompt

Consider Psalm 6 and Psalm 139 (reproduced below). What arguments could you make to justify that Psalm 139 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 139:
Psalm 139
1. לַ֭מְנַצֵּחַ
        לְדָוִ֣ד
        מִזְמ֑וֹר
        יְהוָ֥ה
        חֲ֝קַרְתַּ֗נִי
        וַתֵּדָֽע׃
2. אַתָּ֣ה
        יָ֭דַעְתָּ
        שִׁבְתִּ֣י
        וְקוּמִ֑י
        בַּ֥נְתָּה
        לְ֝רֵעִ֗י
        מֵרָחֽוֹק׃
3. אָרְחִ֣י
        וְרִבְעִ֣י
        זֵרִ֑יתָ
        וְֽכָל־
        דְּרָכַ֥י
        הִסְכַּֽנְתָּה׃
4. כִּ֤י
        אֵ֣ין
        מִ֭לָּה
        בִּלְשׁוֹנִ֑י
        הֵ֥ן
        יְ֝הוָ֗ה
        יָדַ֥עְתָּ
        כֻלָּֽהּ׃
5. אָח֣וֹר
        וָקֶ֣דֶם
        צַרְתָּ֑נִי
        וַתָּ֖שֶׁת
        עָלַ֣י
        כַּפֶּֽכָה׃
6. פלאיה
        פְּלִ֣יאָֽה
        דַ֣עַת
        מִמֶּ֑נִּי
        נִ֝שְׂגְּבָ֗ה
        לֹא־
        א֥וּכַֽל
        לָֽהּ׃
7. אָ֭נָ֥ה
        אֵלֵ֣ךְ
        מֵרוּחֶ֑ךָ
        וְ֝אָ֗נָה
        מִפָּנֶ֥יךָ
        אֶבְרָֽח׃
8. אִם־
        אֶסַּ֣ק
        שָׁ֭מַיִם
        שָׁ֣ם
        אָ֑תָּה
        וְאַצִּ֖יעָה
        שְּׁא֣וֹל
        הִנֶּֽךָּ׃
9. אֶשָּׂ֥א
        כַנְפֵי־
        שָׁ֑חַר
        אֶ֝שְׁכְּנָ֗ה
        בְּאַחֲרִ֥ית
        יָֽם׃
10. גַּם־
        שָׁ֭ם
        יָדְךָ֣
        תַנְחֵ֑נִי
        וְֽתֹאחֲזֵ֥נִי
        יְמִינֶֽךָ׃
11. וָ֭אֹמַר
        אַךְ־
        חֹ֣שֶׁךְ
        יְשׁוּפֵ֑נִי
        וְ֝לַ֗יְלָה
        א֣וֹר
        בַּעֲדֵֽנִי׃
12. גַּם־
        חֹשֶׁךְ֮
        לֹֽא־
        יַחְשִׁ֢יךְ
        מִ֫מֶּ֥ךָ
        וְ֭לַיְלָה
        כַּיּ֣וֹם
        יָאִ֑יר
        כַּ֝חֲשֵׁיכָ֗ה
        כָּאוֹרָֽה׃
13. כִּֽי־
        אַ֭תָּה
        קָנִ֣יתָ
        כִלְיֹתָ֑י
        תְּ֝סֻכֵּ֗נִי
        בְּבֶ֣טֶן
        אִמִּֽי׃
14. אֽוֹדְךָ֗
        עַ֤ל
        כִּ֥י
        נוֹרָא֗וֹת
        נִ֫פְלֵ֥יתִי
        נִפְלָאִ֥ים
        מַעֲשֶׂ֑יךָ
        וְ֝נַפְשִׁ֗י
        יֹדַ֥עַת
        מְאֹֽד׃
15. לֹא־
        נִכְחַ֥ד
        עָצְמִ֗י
        מִ֫מֶּ֥ךָּ
        אֲשֶׁר־
        עֻשֵּׂ֥יתִי
        בַסֵּ֑תֶר
        רֻ֝קַּ֗מְתִּי
        בְּֽתַחְתִּיּ֥וֹת
        אָֽרֶץ׃
16. גָּלְמִ֤י ׀
        רָ֘א֤וּ
        עֵינֶ֗יךָ
        וְעַֽל־
        סִפְרְךָ֮
        כֻּלָּ֢ם
        יִכָּ֫תֵ֥בוּ
        יָמִ֥ים
        יֻצָּ֑רוּ
        ולא
        וְל֖וֹ
        אֶחָ֣ד
        בָּהֶֽם׃
17. וְלִ֗י
        מַה־
        יָּקְר֣וּ
        רֵעֶ֣יךָ
        אֵ֑ל
        מֶ֥ה
        עָ֝צְמוּ
        רָאשֵׁיהֶֽם׃
18. אֶ֭סְפְּרֵם
        מֵח֣וֹל
        יִרְבּ֑וּן
        הֱ֝קִיצֹ֗תִי
        וְעוֹדִ֥י
        עִמָּֽךְ׃
19. אִם־
        תִּקְטֹ֖ל
        אֱל֥וֹהַּ ׀
        רָשָׁ֑ע
        וְאַנְשֵׁ֥י
        דָ֝מִ֗ים
        ס֣וּרוּ
        מֶֽנִּי׃
20. אֲשֶׁ֣ר
        יֹ֭אמְרֻךָ
        לִמְזִמָּ֑ה
        נָשֻׂ֖א
        לַשָּׁ֣וְא
        עָרֶֽיךָ׃
21. הֲלֽוֹא־
        מְשַׂנְאֶ֖יךָ
        יְהוָ֥ה ׀
        אֶשְׂנָ֑א
        וּ֝בִתְקוֹמְמֶ֗יךָ
        אֶתְקוֹטָֽט׃
22. תַּכְלִ֣ית
        שִׂנְאָ֣ה
        שְׂנֵאתִ֑ים
        לְ֝אוֹיְבִ֗ים
        הָ֣יוּ
        לִֽי׃
23. חָקְרֵ֣נִי
        אֵ֭ל
        וְדַ֣ע
        לְבָבִ֑י
        בְּ֝חָנֵ֗נִי
        וְדַ֣ע
        שַׂרְעַפָּֽי׃
24. וּרְאֵ֗ה
        אִם־
        דֶּֽרֶךְ־
        עֹ֥צֶב
        בִּ֑י
        וּ֝נְחֵ֗נִי
        בְּדֶ֣רֶךְ
        עוֹלָֽם׃