Psalm 9 → 79
Reasoning: 8192 Output: 6173 Total: 14365
Argument
Short thesis: Psalm 79 reads like the historical “test case” and prayerful implementation of the claims and petitions that climax Psalm 9. Psalm 9 declares that YHWH judges the nations, avenges blood, remembers the oppressed, and should make the nations know their mortality; Psalm 79 describes a concrete national calamity (foreign invasion and desecration) and then asks God to do, in public view, exactly what Psalm 9 promised and prayed for. The linkage shows up in identical and rare vocabulary, parallel phrases, shared roots, and a matching flow of ideas. Most significant verbal links (rarer/identical or near-identical forms and phrases) - “Tell/recount … your praise” (same lexeme, near-identical phrase): - Ps 9:15 אֲסַפְּרָה כָּל־תְּהִלָּתֶךָ - Ps 79:13 נְסַפֵּר תְּהִלָּתֶךָ - Same root ספר (Piʿel), identical object תְּהִלָּתֶךָ. Weight: high (identical object + same verbal stem). - “Known … among the nations” (ידע in Niphal/Qal passive/jussive, same concept and collocation with גּוֹיִם): - Ps 9:17 נוֹדַע יְהוָה מִשְׁפָּט עָשָׂה - Ps 9:12 הַגִּידוּ בָעַמִּים עֲלִילוֹתָיו (make known among the peoples his deeds) - Ps 79:10 יִוָּדַע בַּגּוֹיִם לְעֵינֵינוּ … (let it be known among the nations before our eyes) - Weight: high (same root; same public/for-the-nations frame; 79:10 reads like an explicit enactment of 9:12, 17). - Avenging “blood” (דָּם/דָּמִים) with judicial language: - Ps 9:13 כִּי־דֹרֵשׁ דָּמִים … זָכָר; לֹא־שָׁכַח צַעֲקַת עֲנָוִים - Ps 79:3 שָׁפְכוּ דָמָם כַּמַּיִם; 79:10 נִקְמַת דַּם־עֲבָדֶיךָ הַשָּׁפוּךְ - The rare forensic collocation “avenger/requirer of blood” in Ps 9:13 is thematically matched by “vengeance for blood” (נִקְמַת דָּם) in Ps 79:10, and the explicit “spilling” (שָׁפַךְ). 79 thus asks God to do what 9 said God does. Weight: very high (shared judicial frame + blood-requital language). - “Name” (שֵׁם) as the theological basis of appeal and recognition: - Ps 9:3 אֲזַמְּרָה שִׁמְךָ עֶלְיוֹן; 9:11 יוֹדְעֵי שְׁמֶךָ - Ps 79:6 … אֲשֶׁר בְּשִׁמְךָ לֹא קָרָאוּ; 79:9 עַל־דְּבַר כְּבוֹד־שְׁמֶךָ … לְמַעַן שְׁמֶךָ - Weight: high (same root and governing idea: public reputation of the divine Name before the nations). - Mortality/Death domain: - Ps 9:14 מִשַּׁעֲרֵי מָוֶת (gates of death) - Ps 79:11 … הוֹתֵר בְּנֵי תְמוּתָה (spare those appointed to death) - Both are rare idioms marking proximity to death and plea for deliverance. Weight: medium-high (same semantic field with rare expressions). - “The poor/lowly” lexeme: - Ps 9 is rich with דַּל/דָּךְ/אֶבְיוֹן/עֲנִיִּים/עֲנָוִים (vv. 10–11, 13, 19). - Ps 79:8 כִּי דַלּוֹנוּ מְאֹד (we have become very low). - Same root דלל; weight: medium (shared root and social-theological theme). - Zion/Jerusalem focal point: - Ps 9:12 זַמְּרוּ לַיהוָה יֹשֵׁב צִיּוֹן; 9:15 בְּשַׁעֲרֵי בַת־צִיּוֹן - Ps 79:1 … שָׂמוּ אֶת־יְרוּשָׁלִַם לְעִיִּים; defilement of the הֵיכָל - The dwelling of YHWH in Zion (Ps 9) stands in stark contrast to the desecration of his sanctuary and the ruin of Jerusalem (Ps 79)—a deliberate tension that motivates 79’s petitions. Weight: medium (shared cultic locus; different but interlocking perspectives). Petitions and outcomes that match in sequence (form and logic) - Psalm 9 ends with a double petition regarding the nations (9:20–21): - “Arise, YHWH … let the nations be judged before you” (יִּשָּׁפְטוּ גוֹיִם עַל־פָּנֶיךָ). - “Set dread upon them; let the nations know they are but mortal” (שִׁיתָה … מוֹרָה; יֵדְעוּ גוֹיִם אֱנוֹשׁ הֵמָּה). - Psalm 79 opens with the crisis that precisely requires that judgment (79:1–3) and then asks for the Psalm‑9 outcome: - “Pour out your wrath on the nations … who do not call on your name” (79:6)—functionally the judicial action Ps 9 called for. - “Let it be known among the nations, before our eyes, the vengeance for the blood of your servants that was shed” (79:10)—an explicit public demonstration that matches Ps 9’s “YHWH is known by judgment” (9:17) and “make it known among the peoples” (9:12). - The “before our eyes” (לְעֵינֵינוּ) balances Ps 9’s “before your face” (עַל־פָּנֶיךָ) in 9:20; both seek an open-court, visible adjudication. Form-critical and stylistic fit - Genre progression: - Psalm 9 is a praise/thanksgiving hymn with a final communal-imprecatory turn (vv. 20–21) that universalizes judgment to “the nations.” - Psalm 79 is a communal lament that takes those very imprecatory themes and turns them into concrete petitions in a national emergency. - Logical follow-on: 79 reads like “the day after” 9’s prayer—when the nations have in fact invaded, the community prays for the very judgment and public recognition that Psalm 9 envisioned. - Vow of praise after deliverance: - Ps 9:15 “that I may recount all your praise … rejoice in your salvation” - Ps 79:13 “we … will give thanks forever … we will recount your praise to generation and generation” - Same rhetorical arc: petition for justice → vow to publicize praise; 79 pluralizes and communalizes 9’s individual promise. Shared theological motifs that tighten the link - YHWH as universal judge of nations (Ps 9:8–9) versus “pour out your wrath on the nations” (Ps 79:6): same courtroom theology, with 79 demanding execution of the verdict. - God the avenger of blood (Ps 9:13) versus a scene of unburied corpses and spilled blood (Ps 79:2–3) and an explicit call for vengeance (נִקְמַת דָּם, 79:10). - The “Name” as the basis of trust (Ps 9:11) and petition (Ps 79:6, 9), insisting that God’s reputation be vindicated in the sight of the nations. - Zion/Jerusalem as the stage on which divine justice must be displayed (dwelling in Zion in 9; desecration of the temple/city in 79). Historical-life setting that makes the sequence plausible - Psalm 9 proclaims a theology of God’s kingship and just rule over the nations and prays for its public enactment. - Psalm 79 reflects a catastrophe like the 586 BCE destruction: nations have entered the inheritance, defiled the sanctuary, and turned Jerusalem to ruins. Given such a crisis, Psalm 79 naturally “follows” Psalm 9 by demanding that God do what Psalm 9 promised—judge the nations, avenge blood, and thereby be “known” among them. - This mirrors Israel’s liturgical cycle: proclamation of YHWH’s kingship/justice (cf. festival hymns) followed by communal lament in disaster, with vows of praise upon deliverance. Summary of highest-value parallels (by your weighting) - Exact object and same verbal stem: תְּהִלָּתֶךָ with ספר in both psalms. - Forensic-blood vocabulary: דֹּרֵשׁ דָּמִים (Ps 9) → נִקְמַת דָּם … הַשָּׁפוּךְ (Ps 79); coupled with the request for public knowledge among the nations (ידע Niphal). - Knowledge made public among the nations: נוֹדַע/יִּוָּדַע + גּוֹיִם. - Death-domain idioms: שַׁעֲרֵי־מָוֶת ↔ בְּנֵי תְּמוּתָה. - Name-theology: יוֹדְעֵי שְׁמֶךָ; עַל־דְּבַר כְּבוֹד־שְׁמֶךָ/לְמַעַן שְׁמֶךָ; “who do not call on your name.” Taken together, Psalm 79 reads as a direct, logical continuation of Psalm 9: the latter states and prays; the former suffers and asks God to enact, in history and before the nations’ eyes, the very justice Psalm 9 celebrates.
Evaluation
Score: 6.5
Evaluated at: 2025-12-05T03:49:23 (UTC)
Evaluator model: gpt-5
Evaluator version: v2
Reasoning: 4736 Output: 7034 Total: 11770
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
Strong lexical links (ספר תְהִלָּתֶךָ; נוֹדַע/יִוָּדַע בַגּוֹיִם; דֹרֵשׁ דָּמִים ↔ נִקְמַת דָּם) and sequence logic. But themes are widespread; no editorial markers; ignores Ps 9–10 acrostic unit and Book separation.
Prompt
Consider Psalm 9 and Psalm 79 (reproduced below). What arguments could you make to justify that Psalm 79 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 79:
Psalm 79
1. מִזְמ֗וֹר
לְאָ֫סָ֥ף
אֱֽלֹהִ֡ים
בָּ֤אוּ
גוֹיִ֨ם ׀
בְּֽנַחֲלָתֶ֗ךָ
טִ֭מְּאוּ
אֶת־
הֵיכַ֣ל
קָדְשֶׁ֑ךָ
שָׂ֖מוּ
אֶת־
יְרוּשָׁלִַ֣ם
לְעִיִּֽים׃
2. נָֽתְנ֡וּ
אֶת־
נִבְלַ֬ת
עֲבָדֶ֗יךָ
מַ֭אֲכָל
לְע֣וֹף
הַשָּׁמָ֑יִם
בְּשַׂ֥ר
חֲ֝סִידֶ֗יךָ
לְחַיְתוֹ־
אָֽרֶץ׃
3. שָׁפְכ֬וּ
דָמָ֨ם ׀
כַּמַּ֗יִם
סְֽבִ֘יב֤וֹת
יְֽרוּשָׁלִָ֗ם
וְאֵ֣ין
קוֹבֵֽר׃
4. הָיִ֣ינוּ
חֶ֭רְפָּה
לִשְׁכֵנֵ֑ינוּ
לַ֥עַג
וָ֝קֶ֗לֶס
לִסְבִיבוֹתֵֽינוּ׃
5. עַד־
מָ֣ה
יְ֭הוָה
תֶּאֱנַ֣ף
לָנֶ֑צַח
תִּ֭tבְעַ֥ר
כְּמוֹ־
אֵ֝֗שׁ
קִנְאָתֶֽךָ׃
6. שְׁפֹ֤ךְ
חֲמָתְךָ֗
אֶֽל־
הַגּוֹיִם֮
אֲשֶׁ֢ר
לֹא־
יְדָ֫ע֥וּךָ
וְעַ֥ל
מַמְלָכ֑וֹת
אֲשֶׁ֥ר
בְּ֝שִׁמְךָ֗
לֹ֣א
קָרָֽאוּ׃
7. כִּ֭י
אָכַ֣ל
אֶֽת־
יַעֲקֹ֑ב
וְֽאֶת־
נָוֵ֥הוּ
הֵשַֽׁמּוּ׃
8. אַֽל־
תִּזְכָּר־
לָנוּ֮
עֲוֺנֹ֢ת
רִאשֹׁ֫נִ֥ים
מַ֭הֵר
יְקַדְּמ֣וּנוּ
רַחֲמֶ֑יךָ
כִּ֖י
דַלּ֣וֹנוּ
מְאֹֽד׃
9. עָזְרֵ֤נוּ ׀
אֱלֹ֘הֵ֤י
יִשְׁעֵ֗נוּ
עַל־
דְּבַ֥ר
כְּבֽוֹד־
שְׁמֶ֑ךָ
וְהַצִּילֵ֥נוּ
וְכַפֵּ֥ר
עַל־
חַ֝טֹּאתֵ֗ינוּ
לְמַ֣עַן
שְׁמֶֽךָ׃
10. לָ֤מָּה ׀
יֹאמְר֣וּ
הַגּוֹיִם֮
אַיֵּ֢ה
אֱֽלֹהֵ֫יהֶ֥ם
יִוָּדַ֣ע
בגיים
בַּגּוֹיִ֣ם
לְעֵינֵ֑ינוּ
נִ֝קְמַ֗ת
דַּֽם־
עֲבָדֶ֥יךָ
הַשָּׁפֽוּךְ׃
11. תָּ֤ב֣וֹא
לְפָנֶיךָ֮
אֶנְקַ֢ת
אָ֫סִ֥יר
כְּגֹ֥דֶל
זְרוֹעֲךָ֑
ה֝וֹתֵ֗ר
בְּנֵ֣י
תְמוּתָֽה׃
12. וְהָ֘שֵׁ֤ב
לִשְׁכֵנֵ֣ינוּ
שִׁ֭בְעָתַיִם
אֶל־
חֵיקָ֑ם
חֶרְפָּ֘תָ֤ם
אֲשֶׁ֖ר
חֵרְפ֣וּךָ
אֲדֹֽcנָי׃
13. וַאֲנַ֤חְנוּ
עַמְּךָ֨ ׀
וְצֹ֥אן
מַרְעִיתֶךָ֮
נ֤וֹדֶ֥ה
לְּךָ֗
לְע֫וֹלָ֥ם
לְדֹ֥ר
וָדֹ֑ר
נְ֝סַפֵּ֗ר
תְּהִלָּתֶֽךָ׃