Psalm 7 → 16
Reasoning: 8768 Output: 4918 Total: 13686
Argument
Here are the strongest ways to argue that Psalm 16 “follows on” from Psalm 7, moving from the most probative (rare and/or identical Hebrew) to broader formal and thematic continuities. Verse references are to the Hebrew text as you provided. Lexical hooks (rare/identical forms first) - “I have taken refuge in you” (identical lexeme and pronominal form): - Ps 7:2 בך חסיתי - Ps 16:1 חסיתי בך The identical 1cs perfect חסיתי with 2ms pronominal בך, in adjacent cola at each psalm’s opening, is a strong verbal hinge. Same words, same forms, just reversed order. - “Kidneys” (כליות) — very rare in Psalms: - Ps 7:10 ובֹחן לבות וכליות - Ps 16:7 לילות ייסרוני כליותי The shared noun כליות (rare; in the Psalter only Ps 7; 16; 26; 73) is striking. Ps 7 frames God as examiner of “hearts and kidneys”; Ps 16 then shows the psalmist’s “kidneys” instructing him. The divine testing of 7 becomes internalized moral-cognitive instruction in 16—precisely the sort of “after-judgment” interior formation one would expect if 16 follows 7. - “Pit” (שחת) — same noun: - Ps 7:16 ויפול בשחת יפעל - Ps 16:10 לא תתן חסידך לראות שחת In 7 the wicked falls into the pit he made; in 16 the faithful speaker is preserved from seeing the pit. The reversal (wicked → pit; righteous → not-pit) is a classic sequel logic. - “To dwell” (שכן) used with 1cs pronominal body/honor nouns: - Ps 7:6 וכבודי לעפר ישכן - Ps 16:9 בשרי ישכון לבטח Same verb (yiqtol 3ms), same syntactic pattern (subject with 1cs suffix + ישכן/ישכון), but opposite outcomes: in 7, “my glory” is in danger of “dwelling” in the dust; in 16, “my flesh” will “dwell” securely. The resolution in 16 directly answers the threat in 7. - “My glory” (כבודי) — identical form: - Ps 7:6 וכבודי לעפר ישכן - Ps 16:9 ויגל כבודי The same noun with 1cs suffix frames the move from threatened humiliation (glory in the dust) to restored honor (glory exults). - “Right/Right-hand” (ימיני): - Superscription, Ps 7:1 כוש בן־ימיני - Ps 16:8 כי מימיני בל אמוט Although “Benjamite” (ימיני) is ethnonymic and Ps 16 has the prepositional form “from my right,” the repeated ימיני string invites an editorial or associative hook: the Benjamite threat (7) answered by the stability of YHWH “at my right hand” (16). - Imperatives of deliverance at the opening (closely parallel diction): - Ps 7:2 הושיעני … והצילני … בך חסיתי - Ps 16:1 שמרני … כי חסיתי בך Both open with urgent 2ms imperatives and the same “refuge” confession. Ps 16 modifies the plea from “save/deliver” to “guard/keep,” as if the crisis of 7 has moved into an ongoing protected state in 16. Form-critical and structural continuities - Genre sequence typical of Israelite prayer: individual lament with protestation of innocence and vow of praise (Psalm 7) → individual psalm of trust/thanksgiving (Psalm 16). - Ps 7 contains: protestations of integrity (7:4–6), summons to divine judgment (7:7–9), depiction of divine weaponry against the wicked (7:12–14), retribution on the evildoer (7:15–17), vow of praise (7:18). - Ps 16 reads like the fulfillment and interior stabilization that follows deliverance: renewed confession of exclusive allegiance (16:2–4), gratitude and contentment with one’s allotted “portion” (16:5–6), ongoing divine counsel (16:7–8), resulting joy and security of life (16:9–11). This lament → trust/thanksgiving arc is one of the most common liturgical/life sequences in the Psalter. - Superscriptions with rare labels: - Ps 7: שגיון לדוד (unique) - Ps 16: מכתם לדוד (rare; otherwise only 16, 56–60) While different, both rare superscription types paired with לדוד leave the impression of editorially marked, “special” Davidic pieces. A redactor could easily juxtapose them to signal a two-part crisis-and-resolution. Thematic/logical links (idea-level) - Divine judgment in 7 → preservation from death in 16: - 7 calls for YHWH to arise and judge, and asserts that the wicked fall into their own pit (7:12–17). - 16 declares that the faithful will not be abandoned to Sheol nor see the pit (16:10) and will be shown the “path of life” (16:11). The outcome desired in 7 (vindication of the righteous, ruin of the wicked) is stated as realized confidence in 16. - Integrity under scrutiny (7) → inner formation and praise (16): - 7: God tests hearts and kidneys (7:10). - 16: the kidneys instruct the psalmist at night (16:7), and he blesses YHWH (16:7) and sets YHWH continually before him (16:8). The divine examination of 7 produces the inward guidance that anchors 16. - Threat of humiliation vs. restoration of honor: - 7: “my glory” at risk of dwelling in the dust (7:6). - 16: “my glory” rejoices (16:9). A neat rhetorical reversal. - “Pit/Sheol” motif integrated with retribution: - 7: the evildoer’s devices recoil (pit, head, crown; 7:15–17). - 16: the loyal one is kept from Sheol and the pit; instead of death, he receives fullness of joy and “pleasures at your right hand forever” (16:11). Same death-imagery field; opposite destinies. - Exclusive allegiance: - 7: protestation of innocence and refusal of violent reciprocity (7:4–6). - 16: explicit renunciation of idolatrous libations and names (16:4). Both mark the psalmist off from the wicked by ethical/cultic integrity. Potential life-setting continuity - A plausible historical-mythic arc: Psalm 7’s superscription names a Benjamite adversary (Cush), often read in the orbit of David’s conflicts with Saul’s house. In such a setting, 7 is a plea for forensic vindication; 16 then reads as the post-crisis confession of trust and contentment in one’s divinely granted “portion” (חֶלֶק, גּוֹרָל, נַחֲלָה; 16:5–6), the very goods threatened by enemies in royal struggle. The shift from emergency verbs (save/deliver) to tenure verbs (keep/guard; dwell; allotted lines) fits the move from crisis to secured inheritance. Weaker but still suggestive ties - Group imagery: - 7: עדת לאמים “assembly of nations” around YHWH (7:8). - 16: לקדושים … ואדירי “the holy ones … the noble ones” in the land (16:3). Both psalms set the speaker within a wider assembly, but in 7 amid judicial cosmos-wide assembly; in 16 among the righteous community—another “after-judgment” normalization. - Closing praise in 7 (אודה … ואזמרה; 7:18) followed by opening blessing in 16 (אברך; 16:7). The vow of praise in 7 is effectively being carried out in 16. Summary: the tightest “follow-on” anchors are (a) the repeated opening refuge formula חסיתי בך, (b) the rare, shared noun כליות and its development from divine testing (7) to inner instruction (16), (c) the shared noun שחת (“pit”) with reversed destinies, and (d) the paired use of שכן + כבודי/בשרי with opposite outcomes. These, together with the standard lament→trust/thanksgiving progression and the inheritance/security language of Psalm 16 answering the mortal peril and honor-threat in Psalm 7, make a strong case that Psalm 16 can be read as the logical sequel—an internal, liturgical, and lexical “answer” to the plea and courtroom scene of Psalm 7.
Evaluation
Score: 2.0
Evaluated at: 2025-11-23T03:54:52 (UTC)
Evaluator model: gpt-5
Evaluator version: v2
Reasoning: 3136 Output: 5745 Total: 8881
Checklist
- Has verse refs: Yes
- Factual error detected: Yes
- Only generic motifs: No
- Counterargument considered: No
- LXX/MT numbering acknowledged: No
Vocabulary specificity: 4.5 / 10
Factual error: כליות is not limited to Ps 7,16,26,73 (also Ps 139:13), triggering MAX 2. Otherwise several accurate, specific links (חסיתי בך; שחת; שכן/כבודי), but many motifs recur elsewhere.
Prompt
Consider Psalm 7 and Psalm 16 (reproduced below). What arguments could you make to justify that Psalm 16 logically follows on from Psalm 7? 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 7:
Psalm 7
1. שִׁגָּי֗וֹן
לְדָ֫וִ֥ד
אֲשֶׁר־
שָׁ֥ר
לַיהוָ֑ה
עַל־
דִּבְרֵי־
כ֝֗וּשׁ
בֶּן־
יְמִינִֽי׃
2. יְהוָ֣ה
אֱ֭לֹהַי
בְּךָ֣
חָסִ֑יתִי
הוֹשִׁיעֵ֥נִי
מִכָּל־
רֹ֝דְפַ֗י
וְהַצִּילֵֽנִי׃
3. פֶּן־
יִטְרֹ֣ף
כְּאַרְיֵ֣ה
נַפְשִׁ֑י
פֹּ֝רֵ֗ק
וְאֵ֣ין
מַצִּֽיל׃
4. יְהוָ֣ה
אֱ֭לֹהַי
אִם־
עָשִׂ֣יתִי
זֹ֑את
אִֽם־
יֶשׁ־
עָ֥וֶל
בְּכַפָּֽי׃
5. אִם־
גָּ֭מַלְתִּי
שֽׁוֹלְמִ֥י
רָ֑ע
וָאֲחַלְּצָ֖ה
צוֹרְרִ֣י
רֵיקָֽם׃
6. יִֽרַדֹּ֥ף
אוֹיֵ֨ב ׀
נַפְשִׁ֡י
וְיַשֵּׂ֗ג
וְיִרְמֹ֣ס
לָאָ֣רֶץ
חַיָּ֑י
וּכְבוֹדִ֓י ׀
לֶעָפָ֖ר
יַשְׁכֵּ֣ן
סֶֽלָה׃
7. ק֘וּמָ֤ה
יְהוָ֨ה ׀
בְּאַפֶּ֗ךָ
הִ֭נָּשֵׂא
בְּעַבְר֣וֹת
צוֹרְרָ֑י
וְע֥וּרָה
אֵ֝לַ֗י
מִשְׁפָּ֥ט
צִוִּֽיתָ׃
8. וַעֲדַ֣ת
לְ֭אֻמִּים
תְּסוֹבְבֶ֑ךָּ
וְ֝עָלֶ֗יהָ
לַמָּר֥וֹם
שֽׁוּבָה׃
9. יְהוָה֮
יָדִ֢ין
עַ֫מִּ֥ים
שָׁפְטֵ֥נִי
יְהוָ֑ה
כְּצִדְקִ֖י
וּכְתֻמִּ֣י
עָלָֽי׃
10. יִגְמָר־
נָ֬א
רַ֨ע ׀
רְשָׁעִים֮
וּתְכוֹנֵ֢ן
צַ֫דִּ֥יק
וּבֹחֵ֣ן
לִ֭בּ֗וֹת
וּכְלָי֗וֹת
אֱלֹהִ֥ים
צַדִּֽיק׃
11. מָֽגִנִּ֥י
עַל־
אֱלֹהִ֑ים
מ֝וֹשִׁ֗יעַ
יִשְׁרֵי־
לֵֽב׃
12. אֱ֭לֹהִים
שׁוֹפֵ֣ט
צַדִּ֑יק
וְ֝אֵ֗ל
זֹעֵ֥ם
בְּכָל־
יֽוֹם׃
13. אִם־
לֹ֣א
יָ֭שׁוּב
חַרְבּ֣וֹ
יִלְט֑וֹשׁ
קַשְׁתּ֥וֹ
דָ֝רַ֗ךְ
וַֽיְכוֹנְנֶֽהָ׃
14. וְ֭לוֹ
הֵכִ֣ין
כְּלֵי־
מָ֑וֶת
חִ֝צָּ֗יו
לְֽדֹלְקִ֥ים
יִפְעָֽל׃
15. הִנֵּ֥ה
יְחַבֶּל־
אָ֑וֶן
וְהָרָ֥ה
עָ֝מָ֗ל
וְיָ֣לַד
שָֽׁקֶר׃
16. בּ֣וֹר
כָּ֭רָֽה
וַֽיַּחְפְּרֵ֑הוּ
וַ֝יִּפֹּ֗ל
בְּשַׁ֣חַת
יִפְעָֽל׃
17. יָשׁ֣וּב
עֲמָל֣וֹ
בְרֹאשׁ֑וֹ
וְעַ֥ל
קָ֝דְקֳד֗וֹ
חֲמָס֥וֹ
יֵרֵֽד׃
18. אוֹדֶ֣ה
יְהוָ֣ה
כְּצִדְק֑וֹ
וַ֝אֲזַמְּרָ֗ה
שֵֽׁם־
יְהוָ֥ה
עֶלְיֽוֹן׃
Psalm 16:
Psalm 16
1. מִכְתָּ֥ם
לְדָוִ֑ד
שָֽׁמְרֵ֥נִי
אֵ֝֗ל
כִּֽי־
חָסִ֥יתִי
בָֽךְ׃
2. אָמַ֣רְתְּ
לַֽ֭יהוָה
אֲדֹנָ֣י
אָ֑תָּה
ט֝וֹבָתִ֗י
בַּל־
עָלֶֽיךָ׃
3. לִ֭קְדוֹשִׁים
אֲשֶׁר־
בָּאָ֣רֶץ
הֵ֑מָּה
וְ֝אַדִּירֵ֗י
כָּל־
חֶפְצִי־
בָֽם׃
4. יִרְבּ֥וּ
עַצְּבוֹתָם֮
אַחֵ֢ר
מָ֫הָ֥רוּ
בַּל־
אַסִּ֣יךְ
נִסְכֵּיהֶ֣ם
מִדָּ֑ם
וּֽבַל־
אֶשָּׂ֥א
אֶת־
שְׁ֝מוֹתָ֗ם
עַל־
שְׂפָתָֽי׃
5. יְֽהוָ֗ה
מְנָת־
חֶלְקִ֥י
וְכוֹסִ֑י
אַ֝תָּ֗ה
תּוֹמִ֥יךְ
גּוֹרָלִֽי׃
6. חֲבָלִ֣ים
נָֽפְלוּ־
לִ֭י
בַּנְּעִמִ֑ים
אַף־
נַ֝חֲלָ֗ת
שָֽׁפְרָ֥ה
עָלָֽי׃
7. אֲבָרֵ֗ךְ
אֶת־
יְ֭הוָה
אֲשֶׁ֣ר
יְעָצָ֑נִי
אַף־
לֵ֝יל֗וֹת
יִסְּר֥וּנִי
כִלְיוֹתָֽי׃
8. שִׁוִּ֬יתִי
יְהוָ֣ה
לְנֶגְדִּ֣י
תָמִ֑יד
כִּ֥י
מִֽ֝ימִינִ֗י
בַּל־
אֶמּֽוֹט׃
9. לָכֵ֤ן ׀
שָׂמַ֣ח
לִ֭בִּי
וַיָּ֣גֶל
כְּבוֹדִ֑י
אַף־
בְּ֝שָׂרִ֗י
יִשְׁכֹּ֥ן
לָבֶֽטַח׃
10. כִּ֤י ׀
לֹא־
תַעֲזֹ֣ב
נַפְשִׁ֣י
לִשְׁא֑וֹל
לֹֽא־
תִתֵּ֥ן
חֲ֝סִידְךָ֗
לִרְא֥וֹת
שָֽׁחַת׃
11. תּֽוֹדִיעֵנִי֮
אֹ֤רַח
חַ֫יִּ֥ים
שֹׂ֣בַע
שְׂ֭מָחוֹת
אֶת־
פָּנֶ֑יךָ
נְעִמ֖וֹת
בִּימִינְךָ֣
נֶֽצַח׃