Psalm 7 → 111
Reasoning: 8640 Output: 4830 Total: 13470
Argument
Here is a set of mutually reinforcing arguments—formal, lexical, thematic, and cultic—that make it plausible to read Psalm 111 as the logical follow‑on to Psalm 7. 1) Macro‑form and cultic logic (vow → public thanksgiving) - Psalm 7 ends with a vow of thanks/praise: “אוֹדֶה יהוה כְצִדְקוֹ, וַאֲזַמְּרָה שֵׁם־יהוה עֶלְיוֹן” (7:18). - Psalm 111 opens by fulfilling precisely that vow, and specifies the public venue typical of a thanksgiving offering: “הַלְלוּ־יָהּ; אוֹדֶה יהוה בְּכָל־לֵבָב, בְּסוֹד יְשָׁרִים וְעֵדָה” (111:1). The “council/assembly” (סוֹד/עֵדָה) is the place where a vow of praise is paid after deliverance (cf. Psalms 22:23–26; 35:18; 40:10). - In short: Psalm 7 = plea + vow; Psalm 111 = the vowed public thanksgiving. 2) Shared setting: “assembly” language - Psalm 7:8: “וַעֲדַת לְאֻמִּים תְּסוֹבְבֶךָּ”—God surrounded by an “assembly” (עֲדַת) of peoples. - Psalm 111:1: “בְּסוֹד יְשָׁרִים וְעֵדָה”—praise “in the council of the upright and the assembly” (עֵדָה). - The same root ע־ד־ה is activated, moving from a forensic/cosmic assembly (Ps 7) to the liturgical assembly of the upright (Ps 111). 3) High‑value lexical matches (rarer roots and near‑identical forms) - אוֹדֶה יהוה: exact collocation in both closural/apertural positions (7:18; 111:1). This is a rare and very pointed link. - צדק/צדקה with 3ms suffix for God: • 7:18 “אוֹדֶה יהוה כְצִדְקוֹ” • 111:3 “וְצִדְקָתוֹ עֹמֶדֶת לָעַד” The praise “according to his righteousness” (Ps 7) resolves into the declaration that “his righteousness stands forever” (Ps 111). - צוה (to command) + משפט: • 7:7: “מִשְׁפָּט צִוִּיתָ” (2ms perfect) • 111:9: “צִוָּה־לְעוֹלָם בְּרִיתוֹ” (3ms perfect), plus 111:7 “אֱמֶת וּמִשְׁפָּט” The plea that God execute the “commanded judgment” (Ps 7) is answered by the hymn that God’s commanded covenant stands forever and his judgments are reliable (Ps 111:7–9). - יָשָׁר/יְשָׁרִים: • 7:11 “מוֹשִׁיעַ יִשְׁרֵי־לֵב” • 111:1 “בְּסוֹד יְשָׁרִים”; 111:8 “בֶּאֱמֶת וְיָשָׁר” The “upright” whom God saves (Ps 7) are now the very assembly that publicly gives thanks (Ps 111). - לֵב/לֵבָב: • 7:10–11 “בּוֹחֵן לִבּוֹת... יִשְׁרֵי־לֵב” • 111:1 “בְּכָל־לֵבָב” The heart God examines (Ps 7) becomes the whole heart with which the vow of thanks is paid (Ps 111). - עֲדָה/עֲדַת: • 7:8 “וַעֲדַת לְאֻמִּים” • 111:1 “וְעֵדָה” Same root, closely related forms, same cultic/judicial arena now re‑purposed for praise. - טרף (rare and significant): • 7:3 “פֶּן־יִטְרֹף כְּאַרְיֵה נַפְשִׁי” (verb “to tear/prey on”) • 111:5 “טֶרֶף נָתַן לִירֵאָיו” (noun “prey/food”) The root ט־ר־ף flips from threat (a lion tearing life) to provision (“prey/food” given by God). This is a striking and uncommon semantic reversal signaling that the danger in Ps 7 has been turned into sustenance in Ps 111. - שֵׁם: • 7:18 “וַאֲזַמְּרָה שֵׁם־יהוה עֶלְיוֹן” • 111:9 “קָדוֹשׁ וְנוֹרָא שְׁמוֹ” The vow to sing the Name (Ps 7) is met by extolling the holiness and awesomeness of that Name (Ps 111). 4) Thematic continuities and resolutions - Justice/judgment: • Psalm 7 petitions God to judge (7:7, 7:9), end the wicked, and establish the righteous (7:10–12, 7:13–17). • Psalm 111 declares that God’s works are “אֱמֶת וּמִשְׁפָּט,” his decrees are “נֶאֱמָנִים,” and are “סְמוּכִים לָעַד לְעוֹלָם” (111:7–8). What was begged for in Ps 7 is affirmed as permanently operative in Ps 111. - Nations and outcome: • Ps 7:8–9 envisages the divine court over “peoples/nations.” • Ps 111:6 celebrates the historical result: God gave his people “נַחֲלַת גּוֹיִם.” Judgment of nations (Ps 7) coheres with giving Israel their inheritance (Ps 111), the classic exodus–conquest pattern. - Wrath versus mercy as complementary: • Ps 7 stresses divine anger against the wicked (“אֵל זֹעֵם בְּכָל־יוֹם,” 7:12). • Ps 111 balances the portrait with covenantal grace: “חַנּוּן וְרַחוּם יהוה” (111:4) and “פְּדוּת שָׁלַח לְעַמּוֹ” (111:9). The wrath that defends the righteous (Ps 7) becomes the redemption remembered in praise (Ps 111). 5) Stylistic arc: from turbulence to order - Psalm 7 is titled “שִׁגָּיוֹן” (often taken as a passionate, irregular lament form). - Psalm 111 is a tightly structured alphabetic acrostic. The move from the “shiggaion” of crisis to the acrostic’s A‑to‑Z order can be read as literary enactment of restored order after God’s intervention. 6) Further, lighter links (supporting but lower weight) - Support/establish imagery: • Ps 7:10 “וּתְכוֹנֵן צַדִּיק” (establish the righteous) • Ps 111:8 “סְמוּכִים לָעַד לְעוֹלָם” (his precepts are upheld) - Honor/glory: • Ps 7:6 fears “וּכְבוֹדִי לֶעָפָר יַשְׁכֵּן” • Ps 111:3 counters with “הוֹד וְהָדָר פָּעֳלוֹ” (God’s work radiates splendor). The threatened human “glory” is replaced by secure divine glory. Conclusion - Formally, Psalm 111 reads like the vowed public thanksgiving that Psalm 7 promises. - Lexically, several high‑value matches (אוֹדֶה יהוה; צדקו/צדקתו; צוה+משפט; עֲדָה/עֲדַת; יָשָׁר/יְשָׁרִים; לֵב/לֵבָב; rare טְרֶף/יִטְרֹף; שֵׁם) tie the two tightly. - Thematically, the judicial pleas of Psalm 7 (end the wicked, establish the righteous, judge the nations) are answered by Psalm 111’s proclamation that God’s righteous judgments are reliable, perpetual, gracious, and redemptive, yielding Israel’s inheritance. - Stylistically, the shift from a shiggaion to an acrostic signals the restoration of moral and liturgical order. All these lines of evidence justify reading Psalm 111 as a logical follow‑on to Psalm 7.
Evaluation
Score: 6.0
Evaluated at: 2025-11-26T04:19:43 (UTC)
Evaluator model: gpt-5
Evaluator version: v2
Reasoning: 3776 Output: 5688 Total: 9464
Checklist
- Has verse refs: Yes
- Factual error detected: No
- Only generic motifs: No
- Counterargument considered: No
- LXX/MT numbering acknowledged: No
Vocabulary specificity: 5.0 / 10
Concrete links (מִשְׁפָּט צִוִּיתָ; אוֹדֶה יהוה; טֶרֶף; עֲדָה/עֵדָה; צִדְקֹ/צִדְקָתוֹ) and vow→public thanks. But Book I vs V distance and 111’s acrostic pairing with 112 weaken deliberate sequencing. No caps.
Prompt
Consider Psalm 7 and Psalm 111 (reproduced below). What arguments could you make to justify that Psalm 111 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 111:
Psalm 111
1. הַ֥לְלוּ
יָ֨הּ ׀
אוֹדֶ֣ה
יְ֭הוָה
בְּכָל־
לֵבָ֑ב
בְּס֖וֹד
יְשָׁרִ֣ים
וְעֵדָֽה׃
2. גְּ֭דֹלִים
מַעֲשֵׂ֣י
יְהוָ֑ה
דְּ֝רוּשִׁ֗ים
לְכָל־
חֶפְצֵיהֶֽם׃
3. הוֹד־
וְהָדָ֥ר
פָּֽעֳל֑וֹ
וְ֝צִדְקָת֗וֹ
עֹמֶ֥דֶת
לָעַֽד׃
4. זֵ֣כֶר
עָ֭שָׂה
לְנִפְלְאֹתָ֑יו
חַנּ֖וּן
וְרַח֣וּם
יְהוָֽה׃
5. טֶ֭רֶף
נָתַ֣ן
לִֽירֵאָ֑יו
יִזְכֹּ֖ר
לְעוֹלָ֣ם
בְּרִיתֽוֹ׃
6. כֹּ֣חַ
מַ֭עֲשָׂיו
הִגִּ֣יד
לְעַמּ֑וֹ
לָתֵ֥ת
לָ֝הֶ֗ם
נַחֲלַ֥ת
גּוֹיִֽם׃
7. מַעֲשֵׂ֣י
יָ֭דָיו
אֱמֶ֣ת
וּמִשְׁפָּ֑ט
נֶ֝אֱמָנִ֗ים
כָּל־
פִּקּוּדָֽיו׃
8. סְמוּכִ֣ים
לָעַ֣ד
לְעוֹלָ֑ם
עֲ֝שׂוּיִ֗ם
בֶּאֱמֶ֥ת
וְיָשָֽׁר׃
9. פְּד֤וּת ׀
שָׁ֘לַ֤ח
לְעַמּ֗וֹ
צִוָּֽה־
לְעוֹלָ֥ם
בְּרִית֑וֹ
קָד֖וֹשׁ
וְנוֹרָ֣א
שְׁמֽוֹ׃
10. רֵ֘אשִׁ֤ית
חָכְמָ֨ה ׀
יִרְאַ֬ת
יְהוָ֗ה
שֵׂ֣כֶל
ט֭וֹב
לְכָל־
עֹשֵׂיהֶ֑ם
תְּ֝הִלָּת֗וֹ
עֹמֶ֥דֶת
לָעַֽד׃