Psalm 7 → 47
Reasoning: 11136 Output: 4378 Total: 15514
Argument
Here are lines of argument—moving from strongest/rarest signals to broader thematic ones—that make Psalm 47 a logical “next step” after Psalm 7. A. High‑value lexical links (rarer items; same forms or same lemmas) - “YHWH Elyon” - Ps 7:18: ואזמרה שם־יהוה עליון - Ps 47:3: כי־יהוה עליון נורא - The exact collocation יהוה + עליון is uncommon; seeing it at the close of Ps 7 and near the opening of Ps 47 makes a tight hinge. - לְאֻמִּים “peoples” (rarer than עַמִּים/גּוֹיִם) - Ps 7:8: ועדת לְאֻמִּים תְּסוֹבְבֶךָּ - Ps 47:4: וּלְאֻמִּים תּחת רגלינו - Same noun, same number; in both psalms it is the multinational horizon that surrounds YHWH and is then subdued. - זמר “to sing/play praise” - Ps 7:18: ואזמרה (1cs cohortative: “I will sing”) - Ps 47:7–8: זמרו … זמרו … זמרו (plural imperatives: “Sing!”) - The vow of praise at the end of 7 morphs into a communal summons in 47—precisely what a lament‑to‑hymn sequence does. - מגן “shield” - Ps 7:11: מָגִנִּי עַל־אֱלֹהִים - Ps 47:10: לֵאלֹהִים מָגִנֵּי־אֶרֶץ - Same noun; the individual’s “shield” (7) widens into the “shields/rulers of the earth” belonging to God (47), matching the shift from personal to universal scope. - Peoples/nations lexemes recur and intensify - Ps 7:8–9: לְאֻמִּים; יָדִין עַמִּים - Ps 47:2, 4, 9–10: כָּל־הָעַמִּים; עַמִּים; לְאֻמִּים; גּוֹיִם; נְדִיבֵי עַמִּים - 47 amplifies the horizon already opened in 7 from “judge the peoples” to “rule over the nations.” B. Event‑sequence and cultic logic (ark/procession; battle to enthronement) - The “Arise/Return” formula answered by “has ascended” - Ps 7:7–8: קומה יהוה … הִנָּשֵׂא … ושובה למרום (“Arise… be exalted… return to the heights”) - This echoes the ark‑torah of Num 10:35–36 (“קומה יהוה… שובה יהוה”). - Ps 47:6: עָלָה אֱלֹהִים בִּתְרוּעָה יהוה בְּקוֹל שׁוֹפָר (“God has gone up with a shout, YHWH with the sound of a shofar”) - Liturgically, 47 is the realized answer to 7’s plea: YHWH, called to rise and return to the high place, now “goes up” amidst teru‘ah and shofar—the exact soundscape of ark processions/royal enthronement (cf. 2 Sam 6:15). - Assembly language carried forward and concretized - Ps 7:8: ועדת לְאֻמִּים תְּסוֹבְבֶךָּ (“the assembly of peoples surrounds you”) - Ps 47:10: נְדִיבֵי עַמִּים נֶאֱסָפוּ (“the princes of the peoples have gathered”) - 7 imagines a cosmic court; 47 shows its earthly/political realization as international leaders assemble around YHWH’s throne. - From judgment to kingship (two sides of one ANE royal ideology) - Ps 7 (esp. vv. 7–13): forensic/judicial imperatives—קום/שׁוּב/משׁפט; “YHWH judges the peoples” (יָדִין עַמִּים) - Ps 47:9: מָלַךְ אֱלֹהִים עַל־גּוֹיִם … יָשַׁב עַל־כִּסֵּא קָדְשׁוֹ - In ANE idiom the king’s enthronement entails judging; 47’s enthronement scene is the liturgical fulfillment of 7’s plea for judgment. C. Thematic progression (lament to victory hymn; individual to corporate) - Form: Individual lament with a praise‑vow (7) → Enthronement/Victory hymn (47). - Scope: “Save me from my pursuers” (7:2) → “He subdues peoples under us” (47:4). - Climax of 7: thanksgiving intent “I will praise the name YHWH Elyon” (7:18) → Opening of 47: universalized praise orders “Clap… shout… sing!” centered on “YHWH Elyon” (47:2–3, 7–8). D. Shared semantic fields (not identical words but reinforcing the link) - Height/exaltation: 7: הִנָּשֵׂא; לַמָּרוֹם שׁוּבָה; 47: עָלָה; נַעֲלָה (47:10); כִּסֵּא קָדְשׁוֹ. - Awe/anger to awe/sovereignty: 7 stresses divine wrath at injustice (זֹעֵם) that will end wickedness; 47 calls him נוֹרָא and celebrates the accomplished rule. E. Historical/mythic frame in Israelite life - Pre‑battle/legal appeal → Victory procession → Enthronement: - 7 reads like a pre‑battle or pre‑verdict plea invoking the ark‑formula (“Arise… Return”). - 47 matches the post‑victory ascent of the ark to Zion with teru‘ah and shofar (2 Sam 6:15), and the international recognition of YHWH’s kingship in Zion (princes gathered; throne). - Abrahamic horizon: - 47:10 “עם אלהי אברהם” connects the universal rule to the ancestral promise that all nations are implicated; this universal horizon is already implicit in 7’s “judge the peoples” and “assembly of peoples.” Summary - High‑value lexical hooks (יהוה עליון; לְאֻמִּים; זמר; מגן), the ark “rise/return → ascent” sequence (Num 10:35–36 ~ Ps 47:6), parallel assembly/judgment→throne motifs, and the formal move from personal lament with praise‑vow (7) to communal enthronement hymn (47) together make a strong case that Psalm 47 logically follows Psalm 7 as the liturgical and historical realization of what Psalm 7 petitions: YHWH rises, judges the nations, returns to the heights, and is acclaimed as Elyon, King over all the earth.
Evaluation
Score: 6.5
Evaluated at: 2025-11-24T04:03:42 (UTC)
Evaluator model: gpt-5
Evaluator version: v2
Reasoning: 3712 Output: 5227 Total: 8939
Checklist
- Has verse refs: Yes
- Factual error detected: No
- Only generic motifs: No
- Counterargument considered: No
- LXX/MT numbering acknowledged: No
Vocabulary specificity: 5.5 / 10
Multiple exact links (יהוה עליון; לְאֻמִּים; זמר; מגן) plus Num 10’s קומה/שובה echoed (Ps 7:7–8) and answered by עלה בתרועה (47:6). Weakness: common lexemes, no superscriptional/adjacent linkage; counterpoints unaddressed.
Prompt
Consider Psalm 7 and Psalm 47 (reproduced below). What arguments could you make to justify that Psalm 47 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 47:
Psalm 47
1. לַמְנַצֵּ֬חַ ׀
לִבְנֵי־
קֹ֬רַח
מִזְמֽוֹר׃
2. כָּֽל־
הָ֭עַמִּים
תִּקְעוּ־
כָ֑ף
הָרִ֥יעוּ
לֵ֝אלֹהִ֗ים
בְּק֣וֹל
רִנָּֽה׃
3. כִּֽי־
יְהוָ֣ה
עֶלְי֣וֹן
נוֹרָ֑א
מֶ֥לֶךְ
גָּ֝דוֹל
עַל־
כָּל־
הָאָֽרֶץ׃
4. יַדְבֵּ֣ר
עַמִּ֣ים
תַּחְתֵּ֑ינוּ
וּ֝לְאֻמִּ֗ים
תַּ֣חַת
רַגְלֵֽינוּ׃
5. יִבְחַר־
לָ֥נוּ
אֶת־
נַחֲלָתֵ֑נוּ
אֶ֥ת
גְּא֨וֹן
יַעֲקֹ֖ב
אֲשֶׁר־
אָהֵ֣ב
סֶֽלָה׃
6. עָלָ֣ה
אֱ֭לֹהִים
בִּתְרוּעָ֑ה
יְ֝הֹוָ֗ה
בְּק֣וֹל
שׁוֹפָֽר׃
7. זַמְּר֣וּ
אֱלֹהִ֣ים
זַמֵּ֑רוּ
זַמְּר֖וּ
לְמַלְכֵּ֣נוּ
זַמֵּֽרוּ׃
8. כִּ֤י
מֶ֖לֶךְ
כָּל־
הָאָ֥רֶץ
אֱלֹהִ֗ים
זַמְּר֥וּ
מַשְׂכִּֽיל׃
9. מָלַ֣ךְ
אֱ֭לֹהִים
עַל־
גּוֹיִ֑ם
אֱ֝לֹהִ֗ים
יָשַׁ֤ב ׀
עַל־
כִּסֵּ֬א
קָדְשֽׁוֹ׃
10. נְדִ֘יבֵ֤י
עַמִּ֨ים ׀
נֶאֱסָ֗פוּ
עַם֮
אֱלֹהֵ֢י
אַבְרָ֫הָ֥ם
כִּ֣י
לֵֽ֭אלֹהִים
מָֽגִנֵּי־
אֶ֗רֶץ
מְאֹ֣ד
נַעֲלָֽה׃