Psalm 9 → 56
Reasoning: 8128 Output: 5760 Total: 13888
Argument
Here is a compact case for reading Psalm 56 as a logical sequel to Psalm 9. I group the evidence by strength and type, and when it matters I cite the Hebrew forms and verse numbers. 1) Near-verbatim reprises (highest weight: identical forms or almost-identical strings) - Enemies “turn back”: Ps 9:4 בְשׁוּב־אוֹיְבַי אָחוֹר “when my enemies turn back” // Ps 56:10 אָז יָשׁוּבוּ אוֹיְבַי אָחוֹר “then my enemies will turn back.” The collocation אוֹיְבַי אָחוֹר reappears almost exactly; only the temporal particle shifts (בְ־ “when” → אָז “then”), which reads like Psalm 56 consciously picking up Psalm 9’s language and turning it into a confident prediction. - The “foot” motif under enemy pressure: Ps 9:16 בְּרֶשֶׁת־זוּ טָמָנוּ נִלְכְּדָה רַגְלָם “in the net they hid, their foot was caught” // Ps 56:7 עֲקֵבַי יִשְׁמֹרוּ “they watch my heel,” and 56:14 רַגְלַי מִדֶּחִי “my feet from stumbling.” Same body-part (רֶגֶל / עָקֵב), same danger-of-falling semantics, but now focused on the psalmist’s own steps. 2) Clear lexical/motif continuities (strong weight: same roots or the same concrete images) - “Count/recount” (ספר): Ps 9:2, 15 אֲסַפְּרָה “I will recount” (piel of ספר) // Ps 56:9 סָפַרְתָּה “you have counted” (qal of ספר). Psalm 9 vows to recount God’s wonders; Psalm 56 says God has counted the psalmist’s wanderings and tears. The shared root ties testimony (9) to God’s meticulous record (56). - Death → life/gates → temple: Ps 9:14 מִשַּׁעֲרֵי מָוֶת “from the gates of death,” with the purpose “that I may recount … in the gates of Daughter Zion” (9:15) // Ps 56:14 כִּי הִצַּלְתָּ נַפְשִׁי מִמָּוֶת … לְהִתְהַלֵּךְ לִפְנֵי אֱלֹהִים בְּאוֹר הַחַיִּים “for you have delivered my soul from death … to walk before God in the light of life.” Same arc—rescued from death in order to appear before God. Psalm 9 asks to be lifted from death’s gate to praise in Zion; Psalm 56 states it as accomplished and promises thankful worship. - Divine accounting of suffering: Ps 9:13 דֹּרֵשׁ דָּמִים … זָכָר … לֹא־שָׁכַח צַעֲקַת עֲנָוִים (He who avenges blood remembers, does not forget their cry) // Ps 56:9 נֹדִי סָפַרְתָּה … שִׂימָה דִמְעָתִי בְּנֹאדֶךָ … הֲלֹא בְּסִפְרָתֶךָ (you counted my wanderings; put my tears in your bottle; are they not in your book?). “Not forgetting the cry” in Ps 9 becomes “counting tears and recording them” in Ps 56. - Trust/no fear refrain: Ps 9:10–11 YHWH as מִשְׂגָּב “stronghold” and “those who know your name will trust in you” // Ps 56:4–5, 11–12 “In God I trust; I shall not fear; what can flesh/what can man do to me?” (מַה־יַּעֲשֶׂה בָשָׂר/אָדָם לִי). Psalm 56 concretizes Psalm 9’s general claim about trusting the Name into a personal refrain. - Nations/peoples under judgment: Ps 9 is saturated with גּוֹיִם/לְאֻמִּים and God’s enthroned mishpat; Ps 56:8 echoes with עַמִּים (“bring down the peoples in anger, O God”). Psalm 56 keeps Psalm 9’s horizon of divine judgment on peoples, even within an individual lament. 3) Thematic/structural sequencing (form-critical logic) - Psalm 9 = hymn of praise for God’s just rule + plea for help and a vow (“raise me from the gates of death so I can praise in Zion’s gates,” 9:14–15). Psalm 56 = individual lament with confidence + vow to pay thank-offerings (56:13) and a concluding confession that deliverance from death has in fact been given (56:14). That is the standard ancient sequence: crisis → plea → vow → deliverance → public thanksgiving. Psalm 9 articulates the vow; Psalm 56 supplies the vow’s payment and the thanksgiving. That makes Psalm 56 a natural “next step” after Psalm 9. - Legal/judicial frame narrows to personal case: Psalm 9’s cosmic courtroom (YHWH enthroned, judging the nations; 9:5, 8–9) funnels into Psalm 56’s personal case that assumes those verdicts apply “on the day I call” (56:10). The macro-theology (9) is cashed out in micro-experience (56). 4) Historical/superscription links that let a reader hear 56 after 9 - Both begin Lamnatséach and both carry “al–” tune directives: 9 “עַלְמוּת לַבֵּן” and 56 “עַל־יוֹנַת אֵלֶם רְחֹקִים.” Even if these are musical terms, the near-homophony of עַלְמוּת (‘almût, “maidens/Alamoth” or, by another vocalization, “to the death of the son”) and אֵלֶם (‘elem, “silence/muteness”) creates a sonic bridge in the headers—uncommon words, heard back-to-back, cueing readers to connect the pieces. - A David–Philistine storyline plausibly runs: victory over the Philistines and their “champion” from Gath (1 Sam 17, often associated with “muth-labben,” “death of the son/champion” as one interpretation of Psalm 9’s title) → later danger in Gath (1 Sam 21), which is exactly Psalm 56’s superscription (“when the Philistines seized him in Gath”). That situates Psalm 56 as the next Philistine episode after the kind of victory celebrated in Psalm 9. 5) Additional lexical/thematic echoes (moderate weight) - “Return” (שׁוּב) governs both enemies and destinies: Ps 9:18 “Let the wicked return to Sheol” (יָשׁוּבוּ רְשָׁעִים לִשְׁאוֹלָה) and Ps 9:4 “when my enemies return backward”; Ps 56:10 “then my enemies will return backward.” Same root used programmatically. - Humanity terms at the climax: Ps 9:20–21 “אַל־יָעֹז אֱנוֹשׁ … אֱנוֹשׁ הֵמָּה” // Ps 56:2 “שְׁאָפַנִי אֱנוֹשׁ,” and refrain “what can flesh/man do to me?” The closing of Psalm 9 puts “man” in his place before God; Psalm 56 lives out that relativizing of human threat. - Praise vocabulary carries over: Ps 9 uses זמר (“I will sing,” “Sing to YHWH”) and the purpose clause “that I may recount all your praise” (9:15); Ps 56 answers with תּוֹדֹת “thank-offerings” (56:13) and repeated אֲהַלֵּל “I will praise.” 6) The logic of movement from request to realization - Psalm 9 requests: “Raise me from the gates of death, that I may recount your praise in the gates of Zion” (9:14–15). - Psalm 56 reports/anticipates realization: “You have delivered my soul from death … to walk before God in the light of life” (56:14), plus “I will pay my vows” (56:13). - Psalm 9 states a general principle: “Those who know your name trust you; you have not abandoned those who seek you” (9:11). Psalm 56 turns that into a mantra in the first person: “In God I have trusted; I will not fear” (56:5, 12). Summary - Strongest single hook: the rare, nearly verbatim collocation אוֹיְבַי אָחוֹר (Ps 9:4 // Ps 56:10). - Next-strongest cluster: the “from death to public praise” trajectory (gates of death → gates of Zion in Ps 9; delivered from death → walk before God/pay vows in Ps 56), with matching “foot/heel” and “count/recount” imagery that binds them. - Superscriptional and historical cues (Philistine/Gath line) make it easy to hear Psalm 56 as the next episode after the kind of Philistine defeat Psalm 9 celebrates. - Form-critical shape (lament/vow → thanksgiving) moves naturally from Psalm 9’s plea and vow to Psalm 56’s vow-payment and thanksgiving. All of that provides a coherent literary, lexical, and historical case that Psalm 56 can be read as a deliberate follow-on to Psalm 9.
Evaluation
Score: 7.8
Evaluated at: 2025-12-04T04:03:26 (UTC)
Evaluator model: gpt-5
Evaluator version: v2
Reasoning: 3584 Output: 6594 Total: 10178
Checklist
- Has verse refs: Yes
- Factual error detected: No
- Only generic motifs: No
- Counterargument considered: No
- LXX/MT numbering acknowledged: No
Vocabulary specificity: 7.0 / 10
Strong: near-verbatim אויבי אחור (Ps 9:4 // 56:10) plus multiple precise lexical arcs (ספר; gates-of-death→life; foot/heel). Weakness: ignores 9–10 linkage and Book division (9 in Book I; 56 in II). No factual errors.
Prompt
Consider Psalm 9 and Psalm 56 (reproduced below). What arguments could you make to justify that Psalm 56 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 56:
Psalm 56
1. לַמְנַצֵּ֤חַ ׀
עַל־
י֬וֹנַת
אֵ֣לֶם
רְ֭חֹקִים
לְדָוִ֣ד
מִכְתָּ֑ם
בֶּֽאֱחֹ֨ז
אֹת֖וֹ
פְלִשְׁתִּ֣ים
בְּגַֽת׃
2. חָנֵּ֣נִי
אֱ֭לֹהִים
כִּֽי־
שְׁאָפַ֣נִי
אֱנ֑וֹשׁ
כָּל־
הַ֝יּ֗וֹם
לֹחֵ֥ם
יִלְחָצֵֽנִי׃
3. שָׁאֲפ֣וּ
שׁ֭וֹרְרַי
כָּל־
הַיּ֑וֹם
כִּֽי־
רַבִּ֨ים
לֹחֲמִ֖ים
לִ֣י
מָרֽוֹם׃
4. י֥וֹם
אִירָ֑א
אֲ֝נִ֗י
אֵלֶ֥יךָ
אֶבְטָֽח׃
5. בֵּאלֹהִים֮
אֲהַלֵּ֢ל
דְּבָ֫ר֥וֹ
בֵּאלֹהִ֣ים
בָּ֭טַחְתִּי
לֹ֣א
אִירָ֑א
מַה־
יַּעֲשֶׂ֖ה
בָשָׂ֣ר
לִֽי׃
6. כָּל־
הַ֭יּוֹם
דְּבָרַ֣י
יְעַצֵּ֑בוּ
עָלַ֖י
כָּל־
מַחְשְׁבֹתָ֣ם
לָרָֽע׃
7. יָג֤וּרוּ ׀
יצפינו
יִצְפּ֗וֹנוּ
הֵ֭מָּה
עֲקֵבַ֣י
יִשְׁמֹ֑רוּ
כַּ֝אֲשֶׁ֗ר
קִוּ֥וּ
נַפְשִֽׁי׃
8. עַל־
אָ֥וֶן
פַּלֶּט־
לָ֑מוֹ
בְּ֝אַ֗ף
עַמִּ֤ים ׀
הוֹרֵ֬ד
אֱלֹהִֽים׃
9. נֹדִי֮
סָפַ֢רְתָּ֫ה
אָ֥תָּה
שִׂ֣ימָה
דִמְעָתִ֣י
בְנֹאדֶ֑ךָ
הֲ֝לֹ֗א
בְּסִפְרָתֶֽךָ׃
10. אָ֥֨ז
יָ֘שׁ֤וּבוּ
אוֹיְבַ֣י
אָ֭חוֹר
בְּי֣וֹם
אֶקְרָ֑א
זֶה־
יָ֝דַ֗עְתִּי
כִּֽי־
אֱלֹהִ֥ים
לִֽי׃
11. בֵּֽ֭אלֹהִים
אֲהַלֵּ֣ל
דָּבָ֑ר
בַּ֝יהוָ֗ה
אֲהַלֵּ֥ל
דָּבָֽר׃
12. בֵּֽאלֹהִ֣ים
בָּ֭טַחְתִּי
לֹ֣א
אִירָ֑א
מַה־
יַּעֲשֶׂ֖ה
אָדָ֣םt
לִֽי׃
13. עָלַ֣י
אֱלֹהִ֣ים
נְדָרֶ֑יךָ
אֲשַׁלֵּ֖ם
תּוֹדֹ֣ת
לָֽךְ׃
14. כִּ֤י
הִצַּ֪לְתָּ
נַפְשִׁ֡י
מִמָּוֶת֮
הֲלֹ֥א
רַגְלַ֗י
מִ֫דֶּ֥חִי
לְ֭הִֽתְהַלֵּךְ
לִפְנֵ֣י
אֱלֹהִ֑ים
בְּ֝א֗וֹר
הַֽחַיִּֽים׃