Psalm 7 → 143
Reasoning: 10752 Output: 5341 Total: 16093
Argument
Here are the strongest ways to argue that Psalm 143 is crafted as a logical follow‑on (a literary “answer”) to Psalm 7. 1) High‑value verbal hooks (rare, near‑unique, or identical collocations) - “Enemy pursuing my soul” (identical collocation with the same verb): - Ps 7:6 יִרַדֹּף אוֹיֵב נַפְשִׁי - Ps 143:3 רָדַף אוֹיֵב נַפְשִׁי This three‑word string (אוֹיֵב נַפְשִׁי) plus the verb רדף appears in both and is very rare; it functions as a deliberate echo. - “To the earth my life” (same two‑word kernel with same semantics and same preposition): - Ps 7:6 וְיִרְמֹס לָאָרֶץ חַיָּי - Ps 143:3 דִכָּא לָאָרֶץ חַיָּתִי The pairing לָאָרֶץ + חַיָּ[י/תִי] is striking and uncommon. Even though the verbs differ (רמס vs דכא), the line‑core is the same: my life is being driven “to the earth.” - The pit (shared death/Sheol imagery via the same noun): - Ps 7:16 בּוֹר כָּרָה … וַיִּפֹּל בְּשַׁחַת - Ps 143:7 עִם־יֹרְדֵי בּוֹר In Ps 7 the wicked fall into the “pit” they dug; in Ps 143 the speaker fears becoming “like those who go down to the pit.” That is an elegant sequel move: what Ps 7 pronounced as the fate of the wicked threatens the psalmist himself unless God intervenes. - Identical imperative “rescue me”: - Ps 7:2 הוֹשִׁיעֵנִי … וְהַצִּילֵנִי - Ps 143:9 הַצִּילֵנִי מֵאֹיְבַי Same verb, same imperative form, same enemy context. - Judicial vocabulary (משפט) in mirrored positions: - Ps 7:7 מִשְׁפָּט צִוִּיתָ; 7:9 יְהוָה יָדִין עַמִּים - Ps 143:2 וְאַל־תָּבוֹא בְמִשְׁפָּט אֶת־עַבְדֶּךָ Psalm 143 explicitly picks up the forensic scene of Psalm 7 but reverses the request: formerly “bring judgment,” now “do not enter into judgment.” That rhetorical reversal sounds like a conscious sequel. - Righteousness cluster (צדק) with a meaningful shift of reference: - Ps 7:9–10, 18 “כְצִדְקִי … וְתְכּוֹנֵן צַדִּיק … אֱלֹהִים צַדִּיק … אוֹדֶה יְהוָה כְּצִדְקוֹ” - Ps 143:1, 11 “בְּצִדְקָתֶךָ … בְּצִדְקָתְךָ תּוֹצִיא” Ps 7 leans on “my righteousness” (כְצִדְקִי); Ps 143 leans on “your righteousness” (בְּצִדְקָתֶךָ). That’s a natural sequel: from self‑vindication to reliance on divine righteousness. - The Name motif (שֵׁם): - Ps 7:18 וַאֲזַמְּרָה שֵׁם־יְהוָה עֶלְיוֹן - Ps 143:11 לְמַעַן־שִׁמְךָ יְהוָה Vow to praise the Name (Ps 7) is answered by plea “for the sake of your Name” (Ps 143). - The “straight/upright” root (ישר) in cognate forms: - Ps 7:11 מוֹשִׁיעַ יִשְׁרֵי־לֵב - Ps 143:10 בְּאֶרֶץ מִישׁוֹר תַּנְחֵנִי Same root (ישר), different forms (adjective vs noun), same ethical/topographical image of straightness/levelness. - Heart vocabulary (לב): - Ps 7:10–11 לִבּוֹת … יִשְׁרֵי־לֵב - Ps 143:4 יִשְׁתּוֹמֵם לִבִּי The “heart” that God tests (Ps 7) is now stunned and failing (Ps 143), cohering with the movement from confidence to contrition. 2) Form/genre and structural continuities - Both are first‑person individual laments with: - Direct address to YHWH - Description of a mortal threat from “enemies/persecutors” - Forensic appeal (judge, righteousness, judgment) - Petition for deliverance - Outcome line (Ps 7: a vow of praise; Ps 143: a pledge of allegiance, “I am your servant”) - Both mark a hinge before/after the crisis with Selah (Ps 7:6; Ps 143:6), bracketing the life‑and‑death peril. 3) Thematic/narrative progression that makes Ps 143 a plausible sequel to Ps 7 - Courtroom arc: - Ps 7 convenes the court (משפט), denies guilt, and asks to be judged “according to my righteousness,” expecting retribution against the wicked (pit imagery). - Ps 143 revisits the very court, but—having reflected—pleads, “Do not bring your servant into judgment, for no one living is righteous before you” (143:2). That is a theologically coherent next step: from protestation of innocence to awareness of universal guilt. - Fate of the pit: - In Ps 7 the pit is for the wicked; in Ps 143 the psalmist fears joining “those who go down to the pit” if God hides his face. The sequel reframes the same imagery existentially. - Daily rhythm: - Ps 143 adds a morning horizon (“In the morning let me hear your steadfast love,” 143:8), naturally read as the next‑day prayer after the nocturnal danger behind Ps 7’s crisis. - From retribution to formation: - Ps 7 emphasizes the collapsing plots of the wicked. - Ps 143 moves to pedagogy: “Teach me to do your will… lead me in level land” (143:10), a fitting continuation once the court scene has sobered the speaker. 4) Broader mythic/liturgical coherence - Divine council/judgment (Ps 7:8 “the assembly of nations surrounds you”) and underworld (pit) imagery (both psalms) are standard mythic poles. Ps 7 sets God on the cosmic bench; Ps 143 pleads for guidance back on the “level land” of the living, away from the underworld. That is a coherent mythic trajectory: court→salvation→path. - Life‑cycle plausibility (Davidic frame): - Ps 7’s superscription ties to slander/persecution (Cush the Benjaminite), an “innocence psalm.” - Ps 143 is among the penitential prayers, suitable as a mature, reflective response: from “vindicate me” to “do not enter into judgment with your servant.” 5) Summary of linkage strength (roughly ordered by significance) - Highest: identical collocation+verb רדף אוֹיֵב נַפְשִׁי; the לָאָרֶץ חַיָּ[י/תִי] kernel; the PIT (בּוֹר) used as fate marker in both. - Strong: shared judicial lexicon (משפט), righteousness cluster (צדק) with the “my vs your” shift, identical הַצִּילֵנִי imperative, Name motif (שֵׁם). - Supporting: ישר/מישור root, heart motif, shared “soul” focus, Selah positioning, trust/refuge posture (Ps 7:2 בְּךָ חָסִיתִי; Ps 143:8 בְךָ בָּטָחְתִּי; 143:9 אֵלֶיךָ כִסִּתִּי—very likely intended as the “seek refuge” formula). Read this way, Psalm 143 reads like an intentional, reflective sequel to Psalm 7: it reuses rare phrases and core images, revisits the same courtroom but reverses the request (from judgment to mercy), transfers “righteousness” from the self to God, and moves from the collapse of the wicked to the formation of the servant on a level path.
Evaluation
Score: 7.5
Evaluated at: 2025-11-27T03:57:38 (UTC)
Evaluator model: gpt-5
Evaluator version: v2
Reasoning: 3264 Output: 6158 Total: 9422
Checklist
- Has verse refs: Yes
- Factual error detected: No
- Only generic motifs: No
- Counterargument considered: No
- LXX/MT numbering acknowledged: No
Vocabulary specificity: 6.5 / 10
Multiple precise overlaps (רדף אויב נפשי; לָאָרֶץ חַיָּ[י/תִי]; משפט reversal; בור), correct refs, coherent progression. Many motifs are common; no structural marker.
Prompt
Consider Psalm 7 and Psalm 143 (reproduced below). What arguments could you make to justify that Psalm 143 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 143:
Psalm 143
1. מִזְמ֗וֹר
לְדָ֫וִ֥ד
יְהוָ֤ה ׀
שְׁמַ֬ע
תְּפִלָּתִ֗י
הַאֲזִ֥ינָה
אֶל־
תַּחֲנוּנַ֑י
בֶּאֱמֻנָתְךָ֥
עֲ֝נֵ֗נִי
בְּצִדְקָתֶֽךָ׃
2. וְאַל־
תָּב֣וֹא
בְ֭מִשְׁפָּט
אֶת־
עַבְדֶּ֑ךָ
כִּ֤י
לֹֽא־
יִצְדַּ֖ק
לְפָנֶ֣יךָ
כָל־
חָֽי׃
3. כִּ֥י
רָ֘דַ֤ף
אוֹיֵ֨ב ׀
נַפְשִׁ֗י
דִּכָּ֣א
לָ֭אָרֶץ
חַיָּתִ֑י
הוֹשִׁיבַ֥נִי
בְ֝מַחֲשַׁכִּ֗ים
כְּמֵתֵ֥י
עוֹלָֽם׃
4. וַתִּתְעַטֵּ֣ף
עָלַ֣י
רוּחִ֑י
בְּ֝תוֹכִ֗י
יִשְׁתּוֹמֵ֥ם
לִבִּֽי׃
5. זָ֘כַ֤רְתִּי
יָמִ֨ים ׀
מִקֶּ֗דֶם
הָגִ֥יתִי
בְכָל־
פָּעֳלֶ֑ךָ
בְּֽמַעֲשֵׂ֖ה
יָדֶ֣יךָ
אֲשׂוֹחֵֽחַ׃
6. פֵּרַ֣שְׂתִּי
יָדַ֣י
אֵלֶ֑יךָ
נַפְשִׁ֓י ׀
כְּאֶֽרֶץ־
עֲיֵפָ֖ה
לְךָ֣
סֶֽלָה׃
7. מַ֘הֵ֤ר
עֲנֵ֨נִי ׀
יְהוָה֮
כָּלְתָ֢ה
ר֫וּחִ֥י
אַל־
תַּסְתֵּ֣ר
פָּנֶ֣יךָ
מִמֶּ֑נִּי
וְ֝נִמְשַׁ֗לְתִּי
עִם־
יֹ֥רְדֵי
בֽוֹר׃
8. הַשְׁמִ֘יעֵ֤נִי
בַבֹּ֨קֶר ׀
חַסְדֶּךָ֮
כִּֽי־
בְךָ֢
בָ֫טָ֥חְתִּי
הוֹדִיעֵ֗נִי
דֶּֽרֶךְ־
ז֥וּ
אֵלֵ֑ךְ
כִּֽי־
אֵ֝לֶיךָ
נָשָׂ֥אתִי
נַפְשִֽׁי׃
9. הַצִּילֵ֖נִי
מֵאֹיְבַ֥י ׀
יְהוָ֗ה
אֵלֶ֥יךָ
כִסִּֽתִי׃
10. לַמְּדֵ֤נִי ׀
לַֽעֲשׂ֣וֹת
רְצוֹנֶךָ֮
כִּֽי־
אַתָּ֢ה
אֱל֫וֹהָ֥י
רוּחֲךָ֥
טוֹבָ֑ה
תַּ֝נְחֵ֗נִי
בְּאֶ֣רֶץ
מִישֽׁוֹר׃
11. לְמַֽעַן־
שִׁמְךָ֣
יְהוָ֣ה
תְּחַיֵּ֑נִי
בְּצִדְקָתְךָ֓ ׀
תּוֹצִ֖יא
מִצָּרָ֣ה
נַפְשִֽׁי׃
12. וּֽבְחַסְדְּךָ֮
תַּצְמִ֢ית
אֹ֫יְבָ֥י
וְֽ֭הַאֲבַדְתָּ
כָּל־
צֹרֲרֵ֣י
נַפְשִׁ֑י
כִּ֝֗י
אֲנִ֣י
עַבְדֶּֽךָ׃