Psalm 7 → 85

Reasoning: 11008 Output: 5696 Total: 16704

Argument

Short answer: Psalm 85 can be read as the resolution to what Psalm 7 asks for. Psalm 7 summons YHWH to rise in anger, judge, and end the wickedness; Psalm 85 describes what it looks like when that anger has subsided, judgment has established righteousness, and glory returns to dwell in the land. The link is tightened by multiple Hebrew catchwords and rare collocations.

Stronger lexical links (rarer or identical)
- כבוד + שכן + ארץ cluster:
  - Ps 7:6 “וכבודי לעפר יַשְׁכֵּן … לָאָרֶץ” (my “glory/honor” would “dwell” in the dust; “to the earth”).
  - Ps 85:10 “לִשְׁכּוֹן כָּבוֹד בְּאַרְצֵנוּ” (for “glory” to “dwell” in “our land”).
  - The same noun “כבוד,” the same verb root שכן, and the land focus (ארץ) recur in both, but with opposite valence: in Ps 7 glory is threatened with burial in dust; in Ps 85 glory positively dwells in the land. This is a rare and pointed collocation.
- עֶבְרָה “wrath, outburst”:
  - Ps 7:7 “הִנָּשֵׂא בְּעַבְרוֹת צוררַי” (be exalted over the rages/outbursts of my foes).
  - Ps 85:4 “אָסַפְתָּ כָּל־עֶבְרָתֶךָ” (you gathered up all your wrath).
  - The noun עברה is not common; its appearance in both psalms binds the “anger” scene in Ps 7 to the “anger-removed” scene in Ps 85.
- אַף “nose/anger” with 2ms suffix:
  - Ps 7:7 “בְאַפֶּךָ” (in your anger).
  - Ps 85:4, 6 “מֵחֲרוֹן אַפֶּךָ … תִּמְשֹׁךְ אַפְּךָ” (from the heat of your anger … will you prolong your anger?).
  - Identical form with suffix (אַפך) and the same theme; Ps 7 calls it forth, Ps 85 pleads for it to subside.
- צֶדֶק/צַדִּיק family:
  - Ps 7:9–12 dense with “צדק/צדיק”: “שָׁפְטֵנִי … כְצִדְקִי … אֱלֹהִים צַדִּיק … שׁוֹפֵט צַדִּיק.”
  - Ps 85:11–14 climaxes with “צֶדֶק” 3x: “חֶסֶד וֶאֱמֶת נִפְגָּשׁוּ; צֶדֶק וְשָׁלוֹם נָשָׁקוּ … וְצֶדֶק מִשָּׁמַיִם נִשְׁקָף … צֶדֶק לְפָנָיו יְהַלֵּךְ.”
  - Ps 7 asks for judgment “according to my righteousness” and for the righteous to be established; Ps 85 pictures righteousness now permeating heaven-and-earth and “going before” YHWH. Same root, same semantic field, in parallel places of prominence.
- יֵשַׁע “salvation”:
  - Ps 7:11 “מוֹשִׁיעַ יִשְׁרֵי־לֵב” (saves the upright in heart).
  - Ps 85:5, 8, 10 “אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׁעֵנוּ … וִישְׁעֲךָ תִתֵּן־לָנוּ … קָרוֹב לִירֵאָיו יִשְׁעוֹ.”
  - Same root anchors both the courtroom plea (Ps 7) and the restoration oracle (Ps 85).
- שׁוּב “turn/return/restore” cluster, repeated on both sides:
  - Ps 7:8 “לַמָּרוֹם שׁוּבָה”; 7:13 “אִם־לֹא יָשׁוּב”; 7:17 “יָשׁוּב עֲמָלוֹ בְּרֹאשׁוֹ.”
  - Ps 85:4 “הֱשִׁיבוֹתָ מֵחֲרוֹן אַפֶּךָ”; 85:5 “שׁוּבֵנוּ”; 85:7 “הֲלֹא־אַתָּה תָּשׁוּב תְּחַיֵּנוּ”; 85:9 “וְאַל־יָשׁוּבוּ לְכִסְלָה.”
  - This is the dominant verbal thread tying the crisis (need for God to “turn back” to judge; sinners to “turn back” from evil) to the resolution (God “turns back” wrath; he “restores” and the people must not “return” to folly).

Moderate lexical/thematic links
- Judgment to oracle:
  - Ps 7:7 “מִשְׁפָּט צִוִּיתָ” (you have commanded judgment).
  - Ps 85:9 “אֶשְׁמְעָה מַה־יְדַבֵּר … יְדַבֵּר שָׁלוֹם” (I will hear what YHWH will speak … he will speak peace).
  - The legal plea in Ps 7 is followed by the divine oracle of peace in Ps 85.
- Peoples/assembly:
  - Ps 7:8 “וַעֲדַת לְאֻמִּים תְּסוֹבְבֶךָּ …” courtroom-over-assembly scene.
  - Ps 85:9 “שָׁלוֹם אֶל־עַמּוֹ וְאֶל־חֲסִידָיו” peace addressed to “his people/his faithful.” The global assembly of Ps 7 yields to a focused word for Israel in Ps 85.
- Land/earth imagery:
  - Ps 7:6 “וְיִרְמֹס לָאָרֶץ חַיָּי” (to the earth).
  - Ps 85:2, 10, 13 “אַרְצֶךָ … בְּאַרְצֵנוּ … אַרְצֵנוּ תִּתֵּן יְבוּלָהּ.” The trampled “earth” of the threatened individual becomes the blessed, yielding “land” of the restored community.
- From weapons to harvest:
  - Ps 7:13–14 divine warrior imagery (sword, bow, arrows, “כְּלֵי־מָוֶת”).
  - Ps 85:13 agrarian blessing (“יִתֵּן הַטּוֹב … אַרְצֵנוּ תִּתֵּן יְבוּלָהּ”).
  - The cessation of conflict leads to fertility—classic covenantal reversal (Deut 28–30).

Form and stylistic affinities
- Both are petition-to-confidence structures and both end with assurance:
  - Ps 7 ends with a vow of praise: “אוֹדֶה … וַאֲזַמְּרָה” (7:18).
  - Ps 85 ends with confident promises: “גַּם־יְהוָה יִתֵּן הַטּוֹב … צֶדֶק לְפָנָיו יְהַלֵּךְ” (85:13–14).
- Imperatives to YHWH in both:
  - Ps 7: “קוּמָה … הִנָּשֵׂא … וְעוּרָה … שׁוּבָה.”
  - Ps 85: “שׁוּבֵנוּ … הַרְאֵנוּ.”
  - The second reads like the communal liturgical follow-up to the individual’s urgent summons.
- Selah appears in both at key hinge points (7:6; 85:3).

A plausible narrative flow (life setting, history, mythic pattern)
- Lawsuit to oracle of peace:
  - Ps 7 is an individual “lawsuit” lament with self-imprecation (7:4–6), summoning God to judge the nations and vindicate the righteous.
  - Ps 85 contains a priestly/prophetic oracle (85:9–14) that answers such laments: “he will speak peace,” with righteousness and peace embracing.
- Anger invoked, anger withdrawn:
  - Ps 7 calls on YHWH to act “in your anger” (7:7) and affirms “God is angry every day” (7:12).
  - Ps 85 celebrates that God has “withdrawn [returned from]” his wrath (85:4), then asks, “Will you be angry forever?” (85:6)—answer: no; peace and fertility follow (85:9–13).
- From threatened loss of “glory” to return of “glory”:
  - Ps 7: the supplicant’s “כבוד” is about to “dwell in the dust.”
  - Ps 85: “כבוד” will “dwell in our land.” Read canonically, this evokes the Shekinah motif: from the prospect of honor entombed to glory reinhabiting the land/temple.
- Deuteronomic covenant reversal:
  - Ps 7 depicts the curse trajectory for the wicked (pit, weapons, violence returning on the head).
  - Ps 85 shows the blessing trajectory once sin is forgiven and wrath turned: forgiveness (85:3), removal of anger (85:4–6), renewed life (85:7), moral exhortation (85:9), shalom (85:9–11), heaven-earth alignment (85:11–12), agricultural plenty (85:13).
- Liturgical sequence in Israelite life:
  - Personal deliverance (like David’s in Ps 7) is often followed by communal thanksgiving and a priestly oracle affirming covenantal peace and fertility (Ps 85, a Korahite, “for the choirmaster”), likely at the sanctuary.

Relative weight (per your criteria)
- Strongest: identical/rare collocations and forms
  - “כבוד” + שכן + ארץ (7:6 ~ 85:10).
  - עֶבְרָה (7:7 ~ 85:4).
  - אַפֶּךָ (7:7 ~ 85:4,6).
- Strong: same root in prominent, repeated use
  - שׁוּב across both psalms.
  - צֶדֶק/צַדִּיק clusters in climactic positions of both.
  - יֵשַׁע in both.
- Supportive: thematic/procedural continuity
  - Courtroom plea → divine oracle.
  - Anger as instrument of judgment → anger withdrawn and shalom.
  - Weapons/curse → harvest/blessing.
  - Threat of “glory” buried → “glory” dwelling.

Conclusion
If one were arranging a reading sequence, Ps 85 can plausibly be placed after Ps 7 as the communal, liturgical realization of what Ps 7 pleads for: God rises to judge, turns back wrath, establishes righteousness, and causes glory to dwell again in the land. The link is not only thematic but is stitched with multiple Hebrew catchwords—especially the rare or striking collocations of עֶבְרָה and the כבוד–שכן–ארץ triad, plus the heavy reuse of שׁוּב, צֶדֶק/צַדִּיק, אַף, יֵשַׁע.

Evaluation

Score: 6.5

Evaluated at: 2025-11-25T04:04:20 (UTC)

Evaluator model: gpt-5

Evaluator version: v2

Reasoning: 2880 Output: 6518 Total: 9398

Vocabulary specificity: 4.0 / 10

Solid, accurate verse-level links (כבוד–שכן–ארץ; עברה; אַפֶּךָ; שוב; צדק) and coherent resolution rationale, but vocabulary is largely common, no editorial markers or adjacency; different collections/authors. No caps.

Prompt

Consider Psalm 7 and Psalm 85 (reproduced below). What arguments could you make to justify that Psalm 85 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 85:
Psalm 85
1. לַמְנַצֵּ֬חַ ׀
        לִבְנֵי־
        קֹ֬רַח
        מִזְמֽוֹר׃
2. רָצִ֣יתָ
        יְהוָ֣ה
        אַרְצֶ֑ךָ
        שַׁ֝֗בְתָּ
        שבות
        שְׁבִ֣ית
        יַעֲקֹֽב׃
3. נָ֭שָׂאתָ
        עֲוֺ֣ן
        עַמֶּ֑ךָ
        כִּסִּ֖יתָ
        כָל־
        חַטָּאתָ֣ם
        סֶֽלָה׃
4. אָסַ֥פְתָּ
        כָל־
        עֶבְרָתֶ֑ךָ
        הֱ֝שִׁיב֗וֹתָ
        מֵחֲר֥וֹן
        אַפֶּֽךָ׃
5. שׁ֭וּבֵנוּ
        אֱלֹהֵ֣י
        יִשְׁעֵ֑נוּ
        וְהָפֵ֖ר
        כַּֽעַסְךָ֣
        עִמָּֽנוּ׃
6. הַלְעוֹלָ֥ם
        תֶּֽאֱנַף־
        בָּ֑נוּ
        תִּמְשֹׁ֥ךְ
        אַ֝פְּךָ֗
        לְדֹ֣ר
        וָדֹֽר׃
7. הֲֽלֹא־
        אַ֭תָּה
        תָּשׁ֣וּב
        תְּחַיֵּ֑נוּ
        וְ֝עַמְּךָ֗
        יִשְׂמְחוּ־
        בָֽךְ׃
8. הַרְאֵ֣נוּ
        יְהוָ֣ה
        חַסְדֶּ֑ךָ
        וְ֝יֶשְׁעֲךָ֗
        תִּתֶּן־
        לָֽנוּ׃
9. אֶשְׁמְעָ֗ה
        מַה־
        יְדַבֵּר֮
        הָאֵ֢ל ׀
        יְה֫וָ֥ה
        כִּ֤י ׀
        יְדַבֵּ֬ר
        שָׁל֗וֹם
        אֶל־
        עַמּ֥וֹ
        וְאֶל־
        חֲסִידָ֑יו
        וְֽאַל־
        יָשׁ֥וּבוּ
        לְכִסְלָֽה׃
10. אַ֤ךְ ׀
        קָר֣וֹב
        לִירֵאָ֣יו
        יִשְׁע֑וֹ
        לִשְׁכֹּ֖ן
        כָּב֣וֹד
        בְּאַרְצֵֽנוּ׃
11. חֶֽסֶד־
        וֶאֱמֶ֥ת
        נִפְגָּ֑שׁוּ
        צֶ֖דֶק
        וְשָׁל֣וֹם
        נָשָֽׁקוּ׃
12. אֱ֭מֶת
        מֵאֶ֣רֶץ
        תִּצְמָ֑ח
        וְ֝צֶ֗דֶק
        מִשָּׁמַ֥יִם
        נִשְׁקָֽף׃
13. גַּם־
        יְ֭הוָה
        יִתֵּ֣ן
        הַטּ֑וֹב
        וְ֝אַרְצֵ֗נוּ
        תִּתֵּ֥ן
        יְבוּלָֽהּ׃
14. צֶ֭דֶק
        לְפָנָ֣יו
        יְהַלֵּ֑ךְ
        וְיָשֵׂ֖ם
        לְדֶ֣רֶךְ
        פְּעָמָֽיו׃