Psalm 9 → 15
Reasoning: 9600 Output: 4928 Total: 14528
Argument
Here are several mutually reinforcing reasons Psalm 15 can be read as a logical follow‑on to Psalm 9. I group them by kind of evidence and indicate the level of closeness (identical form > same lemma/root > same semantic field/topos). Verses are in parentheses. 1) Zion/gates → tent/holy hill: a liturgical sequence - Concrete setting moves from the “gates” of Zion to residence on the holy hill. - Ps 9:14–15 “raise me up from the gates of death … so that I may recount … in the gates of Daughter Zion” (בשערי בת־ציון). - Ps 15:1 “Who may sojourn in your tent? Who may dwell on your holy hill?” (באהלך … בהר קדשך). - This lines up with real temple processions: a worshipper vows to praise God in Zion’s gates (Ps 9), then on arrival the gatekeeping liturgy asks for qualifications to enter/dwell (Ps 15; cf. Ps 24:3–6; Isa 33:14–16). Strong contextual continuity even though the nouns are not identical. 2) Enthroned God → dwelling worshipper (seat/dwell motif) - God “sits/enthroned” in Zion in Ps 9; the next question is who may “sojourn/dwell” with Him in Ps 15. - Ps 9:8 “YHWH sits forever” (לְעוֹלָם יֵשֵׁב); 9:12 “Sing to YHWH, enthroned in Zion” (יֹשֵׁב צִיּוֹן). - Ps 15:1 “Who may sojourn in your tent? who may dwell on your holy hill?” (מי־יגור … מי־ישכון). - Although ישב (sit) and שכן/גור (dwell/sojourn) are different roots, the dwelling/enthronement field is continuous: YHWH enthroned on Zion → criteria for living near Him. 3) Judge’s righteousness → citizen’s righteousness (צדק) - Identical lemma: צדק. - Ps 9 praises YHWH as “judge of righteousness” and one who “judges the world in righteousness” (שֹׁפֵט צֶדֶק; ישפֹט … בצדק; 9:5, 9). - Ps 15 requires the worshipper to be one who “does righteousness” (פֹּעֵל צֶדֶק; 15:2). - This is a tight conceptual handoff: the righteous Judge (Ps 9) is followed by the righteous resident (Ps 15). 4) Courtroom/forensic lexicon and ethics - Ps 9 is saturated with judicial language for God’s rule over nations: מִשְׁפָּט, דִּין, שֹׁפֵט (9:5, 8–9, 17). - Ps 15 lists courtroom/ethical behaviors required of the worshipper: “speaks truth” (דֹבֵר אֱמֶת; 15:2), “does not slander” (לֹא־רָגַל; 15:3), “does not take a bribe against the innocent” (שֹׁחַד … עַל־נָקִי; 15:5), “swears and does not change” (נִשְׁבַּע … וְלֹא יָמִיר; 15:4). - Rarer items here (esp. שֹׁחַד, נָקִי in Psalms) situate Ps 15 explicitly in a legal-ethical frame—the human analogue to God’s judicial activity in Ps 9. - A pointed linkage: Ps 9:13 calls YHWH “the one who avenges blood” (דֹרֵשׁ דָּמִים), i.e., protects the innocent; Ps 15:5 forbids taking a bribe “against the innocent” (עַל־נָקִי). Same judicial concern from two sides of the bench. 5) Concern for the vulnerable and social ethics - Ps 9: God is a high refuge for the crushed/poor (מִשְׂגָּב לַדָּךְ; 9:10); He does not forget the cry of the afflicted/poor (עֲנָוִים/אֶבְיוֹן; 9:13, 19). - Ps 15: the qualified worshipper refuses predatory economics (“does not put out his money at interest,” לֹא־נָתַן בְּנֶשֶׁךְ; 15:5) and harms no neighbor (לֹא עָשָׂה לְרֵעֵהוּ רָעָה; 15:3). - The ethical profile that protects the weak (Ps 15) matches the divine advocacy for the weak (Ps 9). 6) Speech theme: praise/public truth → private truth/social restraint - Ps 9 emphasizes public proclamation: “I will recount … I will sing … tell among the peoples” (אֲסַפְּרָה; אֲזַמְּרָה; הַגִּידוּ; 9:2–3, 12, 15). - Ps 15 focuses on truthful and restrained speech: “speaks truth in his heart … does not slander … does not lift up reproach” (דֹבֵר אֱמֶת בִּלְבָבוֹ; לֹא־רָגַל; וְחֶרְפָּה לֹא־נָשָׂא; 15:2–3). - The one who comes to the gates to “tell” God’s praises (Ps 9:15) must be one whose tongue is disciplined by truth (Ps 15:2–3). 7) Outcome/stability formulas (לעולם; not being uprooted vs. not being moved) - Identical adverb: לְעוֹלָם. - Ps 9: “YHWH sits forever” (9:8); “you blotted out their name forever” (9:6). - Ps 15 ends: “He who does these will not be moved forever” (לֹא יִמּוֹט לְעוֹלָם; 15:5). - Antithetic stability: Ps 9 depicts enemies/cities uprooted and destroyed (נָתַשְׁתָּ; אָבַד; 9:7), while the righteous resident in Ps 15 “will not be moved.” The same permanence vocabulary governs God’s throne (Ps 9) and the worshipper’s footing (Ps 15). 8) Nations judged → insiders admitted (universal → local concentric movement) - Ps 9 is international and cosmic: “He will judge the world/peoples” (יִשְׁפֹּט תֵּבֵל … יָדִין לְאֻמִּים; 9:9), “let the nations know they are but mortal” (9:21). - Ps 15 turns to Israel’s inner communal life: obligations toward “neighbor,” honoring “those who fear YHWH” (יראי יהוה; 15:4). - Editorially coherent: from God’s universal judgment to the covenant community’s entrance norms. 9) Zion theology and mythic pattern - Ps 9 portrays the enthronement/judgment of YHWH in Zion (“enthroned in Zion,” 9:12), classic Zion‑kingship imagery after victory (9:4–7). - In such festivals, an ascent/procession to the temple often culminates in an entrance dialogue (as in Ps 24; Isa 33). Ps 15 is precisely such an “entrance liturgy.” So historically/liturgically, Ps 15 follows naturally on the celebration in Ps 9. 10) Davidic frame and stylistic shift with purpose - Both bear “מִזְמוֹר לְדָוִד,” permitting editorial juxtaposition. - Stylistically Ps 9 is narrative/hymnic with finite verbs (God’s acts); Ps 15 is gnomic with participles (הוֹלֵךְ, פֹּעֵל, דֹבֵר) describing enduring character. That shift is not random—it moves from celebrating what God has done to specifying who we must be to remain with Him. Most probative textual hooks - Highest-weight lexical hooks: - Identical lemma: צֶדֶק (9:5, 9; 15:2). - Identical adverb: לְעוֹלָם (9:6, 8; 15:5). - Rare/marked collocation anchoring a liturgical setting: “in the gates of Daughter Zion” (בשערי בת־ציון; 9:15) naturally followed by a gate/entrance examination (“Who may sojourn in your tent?”; 15:1). - Forensic rare terms in Ps 15 (שֹׁחַד; נָקִי) resonate with Ps 9’s “avenger of blood” (דֹרֵשׁ דָּמִים; 9:13) and the judge’s courtroom (מִשְׁפָּט/דִּין). A concise synthesis - Psalm 9 culminates in Zion: God, enthroned there, has judged the nations and rescued the poor; the worshipper vows to praise Him “in the gates of Daughter Zion.” The next logical moment is arrival at those gates and the ensuing entrance examination: Who is morally fit to remain with the enthroned King on His holy hill? Psalm 15 supplies that answer, translating the Judge’s צדק into the citizen’s צדק, and promising to the one who “does these” the same permanence that characterized God’s throne in Psalm 9—“he shall not be moved forever.”
Evaluation
Score: 6.5
Evaluated at: 2025-12-03T04:10:17 (UTC)
Evaluator model: gpt-5
Evaluator version: v2
Reasoning: 3520 Output: 5753 Total: 9273
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 precise links: בשערי בת־ציון → entrance (15:1), צדק, לעולם; legal lexicon incl. דורש דמים ↔ נקי. Plausible sequence, but motifs common; no counterpoints addressed. No caps.
Prompt
Consider Psalm 9 and Psalm 15 (reproduced below). What arguments could you make to justify that Psalm 15 logically follows on from Psalm 9? 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 9:
Psalm 9
1. לַ֭מְנַצֵּחַ
עַלְמ֥וּת
לַבֵּ֗ן
מִזְמ֥וֹר
לְדָוִֽד׃
2. אוֹדֶ֣ה
יְ֭הוָה
בְּכָל־
לִבִּ֑י
אֲ֝סַפְּרָ֗ה
כָּל־
נִפְלְאוֹתֶֽיךָ׃
3. אֶשְׂמְחָ֣ה
וְאֶעֶלְצָ֣ה
בָ֑ךְ
אֲזַמְּרָ֖ה
שִׁמְךָ֣
עֶלְיֽוֹן׃
4. בְּשׁוּב־
אוֹיְבַ֥י
אָח֑וֹר
יִכָּשְׁל֥וּ
וְ֝יֹאבְד֗וּ
מִפָּנֶֽיךָ׃
5. כִּֽי־
עָ֭שִׂיתָ
מִשְׁפָּטִ֣י
וְדִינִ֑י
יָשַׁ֥בְתָּ
לְ֝כִסֵּ֗א
שׁוֹפֵ֥ט
צֶֽדֶק׃
6. גָּעַ֣רְתָּ
ג֭וֹיִם
אִבַּ֣דְתָּ
רָשָׁ֑ע
שְׁמָ֥ם
מָ֝חִ֗יתָ
לְעוֹלָ֥ם
וָעֶֽד׃
7. הָֽאוֹיֵ֨ב ׀
תַּ֥מּוּ
חֳרָב֗וֹת
לָ֫נֶ֥צַח
וְעָרִ֥ים
נָתַ֑שְׁתָּ
אָבַ֖ד
זִכְרָ֣ם
הֵֽמָּה׃
8. וַֽ֭יהוָה
לְעוֹלָ֣ם
יֵשֵׁ֑ב
כּוֹנֵ֖ן
לַמִּשְׁפָּ֣ט
כִּסְאֽוֹ׃
9. וְה֗וּא
יִשְׁפֹּֽט־
תֵּבֵ֥ל
בְּצֶ֑דֶק
יָדִ֥ין
לְ֝אֻמִּ֗ים
בְּמֵישָֽׁtרִים׃
10. וִ֘יהִ֤י
יְהוָ֣ה
מִשְׂגָּ֣ב
לַדָּ֑ךְ
מִ֝שְׂגָּ֗ב
לְעִתּ֥וֹת
בַּצָּרָֽה׃
11. וְיִבְטְח֣וּ
בְ֭ךָ
יוֹדְעֵ֣י
שְׁמֶ֑ךָ
כִּ֤י
לֹֽא־
עָזַ֖בְתָּ
דֹרְשֶׁ֣יךָ
יְהוָֽה׃
12. זַמְּר֗וּ
לַ֭יהוָה
יֹשֵׁ֣ב
צִיּ֑וֹן
הַגִּ֥ידוּ
בָ֝עַמִּ֗ים
עֲלִֽילוֹתָֽיו׃
13. כִּֽי־
דֹרֵ֣שׁ
דָּ֭מִים
אוֹתָ֣ם
זָכָ֑ר
לֹֽא־
שָׁ֝כַ֗ח
צַעֲקַ֥ת
עניים
עֲנָוִֽים׃
14. חָֽנְנֵ֬נִי
יְהוָ֗ה
רְאֵ֣ה
עָ֭נְיִי
מִשֹּׂנְאָ֑י
מְ֝רוֹמְמִ֗י
מִשַּׁ֥עֲרֵי
מָֽוֶת׃
15. לְמַ֥עַן
אֲסַפְּרָ֗ה
כָּֽל־
תְּהִלָּ֫תֶ֥יךָ
בְּשַֽׁעֲרֵ֥י
בַת־
צִיּ֑וֹן
אָ֝גִ֗ילָה
בִּישׁוּעָתֶֽךָ׃
16. טָבְע֣וּ
ג֭וֹיִם
בְּשַׁ֣חַת
עָשׂ֑וּ
בְּרֶֽשֶׁת־
ז֥וּ
טָ֝מָ֗נוּ
נִלְכְּדָ֥ה
רַגְלָֽם׃
17. נ֤וֹדַ֨ע ׀
יְהוָה֮
מִשְׁפָּ֢ט
עָ֫שָׂ֥ה
בְּפֹ֣עַל
כַּ֭פָּיו
נוֹקֵ֣שׁ
רָשָׁ֑ע
הִגָּי֥וֹן
סֶֽלָה׃
18. יָשׁ֣וּבוּ
רְשָׁעִ֣ים
לִשְׁא֑וֹלָה
כָּל־
גּ֝וֹיִ֗ם
שְׁכֵחֵ֥י
אֱלֹהִֽים׃
19. כִּ֤י
לֹ֣א
לָ֭נֶצַח
יִשָּׁכַ֣ח
אֶבְי֑וֹן
תִּקְוַ֥ת
ענוים
עֲ֝נִיִּ֗ים
תֹּאבַ֥ד
לָעַֽד׃
20. קוּמָ֣ה
יְ֭הוָה
אַל־
יָעֹ֣ז
אֱנ֑וֹשׁ
יִשָּׁפְט֥וּ
ג֝וֹיִ֗ם
עַל־
פָּנֶֽיךָ׃
21. שִׁ֘יתָ֤ה
יְהוָ֨ה ׀
מוֹרָ֗ה
לָ֫הֶ֥ם
יֵדְע֥וּ
גוֹיִ֑ם
אֱנ֖וֹשׁ
הֵ֣מָּה
סֶּֽלָה׃
Psalm 15:
Psalm 15
1. מִזְמ֗וֹר
לְדָ֫וִ֥ד
י֭הֹוָה
מִי־
יָג֣וּר
בְּאָהֳלֶ֑ךָ
מִֽי־
יִ֝שְׁכֹּ֗ן
בְּהַ֣ר
קָדְשֶֽׁךָ׃
2. הוֹלֵ֣ךְ
תָּ֭מִים
וּפֹעֵ֥ל
צֶ֑דֶק
וְדֹבֵ֥ר
אֱ֝מֶ֗ת
בִּלְבָֽבוֹ׃
3. לֹֽא־
רָגַ֨ל ׀
עַל־
לְשֹׁנ֗וֹ
לֹא־
עָשָׂ֣ה
לְרֵעֵ֣הוּ
רָעָ֑ה
וְ֝חֶרְפָּ֗ה
לֹא־
נָשָׂ֥א
עַל־
קְרֹֽבוֹ׃
4. נִבְזֶ֤ה ׀
בְּֽעֵ֘ינָ֤יו
נִמְאָ֗ס
וְאֶת־
יִרְאֵ֣י
יְהוָ֣ה
יְכַבֵּ֑ד
נִשְׁבַּ֥ע
לְ֝הָרַ֗ע
וְלֹ֣א
יָמִֽר׃
5. כַּסְפּ֤וֹ ׀
לֹא־
נָתַ֣ן
בְּנֶשֶׁךְ֮
וְשֹׁ֥חַד
עַל־
נָקִ֗י
לֹ֥א
לָ֫קָ֥ח
עֹֽשֵׂה־
אֵ֑לֶּה
לֹ֖א
יִמּ֣וֹט
לְעוֹלָֽם׃