Psalm 9 → 147
Reasoning: 8960 Output: 6454 Total: 15414
Argument
Short answer: you can read Psalm 147 as the realized answer and liturgical “next step” to Psalm 9. Psalm 9 pleads for and celebrates YHWH’s just rule over the nations and rescue of the humble, vowing to praise him “in the gates of Daughter Zion”; Psalm 147 depicts that rescue as accomplished: Jerusalem is rebuilt, her gates are strengthened, her people gathered and fed, and Zion/Jerusalem is summoned to sing. The linkage is reinforced by multiple shared words, forms, and motifs. Stronger lexical hooks (rarer or identical forms first) - Identical imperative “sing”: - Ps 9:12 זַמְּרוּ לַיהוָה - Ps 147:7 זַמְּרוּ לֵאלֹהֵינוּ - Same noun pair “judgments” + “knowing” (ידע + משפט), a relatively pointed collocation: - Ps 9:17 נוֹדַע יְהוָה מִשְׁפָּט עָשָׂה; 9:11 יוֹדְעֵי שְׁמֶךָ - Ps 147:19–20 מַגִּיד … מִשְׁפָּטָיו לְיִשְׂרָאֵל … לֹא עָשָׂה כֵן לְכָל־גּוֹי וּמִשְׁפָּטִים בַּל־יְדָעוּם - Logical step: Ps 9 says YHWH is “known by judgment” and blesses those “who know your name”; Ps 147 says he uniquely “declares his judgments to Israel”—the nations, by contrast, “do not know” them. - Same root נגד “declare/tell”: - Ps 9:12 הַגִּידוּ בָעַמִּים עֲלִילוֹתָיו - Ps 147:19 מַגִּיד דְּבָרָיו לְיַעֲקֹב - In Ps 9 the congregation is told to “declare” to the nations; in Ps 147, YHWH himself “declares” his word to Israel. That is, proclamation spreads outward in 9; revelation is given inward in 147. - “Humble/afflicted” versus “wicked” in the same forms: - Ps 9:10 מִשְׂגָּב לַדָּךְ; 9:13 לֹא־שָׁכַח צַעֲקַת עֲנִיִּים/עֲנָוִים; 9:18 יָשׁוּבוּ רְשָׁעִים - Ps 147:6 מְעוֹדֵד עֲנָוִים יְהוָה, מַשְׁפִּיל רְשָׁעִים עֲדֵי־אֶרֶץ - Same classes with the same nouns (עֲנָוִים / רְשָׁעִים), same polarity: raise the humble, bring down the wicked. - “Fear” terminology as the desired disposition: - Ps 9:21 שִׁיתָה … מוֹרָה לָהֶם “put dread upon them” - Ps 147:11 רוֹצֶה יְהוָה אֶת־יִרְאָיו “YHWH delights in those who fear him” - The prayer that the nations be made to fear (9) is complemented by praise for those who already fear YHWH (147). - Same “Zion/Jerusalem + gates” cluster, with the same noun שַׁעַר: - Ps 9:14–15 “מִשַּׁעֲרֵי מָוֶת … בְּשַׁעֲרֵי בַת־צִיּוֹן” (from “gates of death” to “gates of Zion”) - Ps 147:12–13 “שַׁבְּחִי יְרוּשָׁלִַם … חִזַּק בְּרִיחֵי שְׁעָרָיִךְ” - Psalm 9 vows to praise at Zion’s gates; Psalm 147 answers with those gates fortified and the city addressed to praise. - Demoting human/military strength (rare juxtaposition of human terms with strength words): - Ps 9:20 אַל־יָעֹז אֱנוֹשׁ “let not a mortal be strong/prevail” - Ps 147:10 לֹא בִגְבוּרַת הַסּוּס … לֹא־בְשׁוֹקֵי הָאִישׁ יִרְצֶה - Same thrust: human prowess is not decisive with YHWH. - Nations (גּוֹיִם) as the foil: - Ps 9:6, 16, 18, 20–21 multiple occurrences; judged, ensnared, returning to Sheol - Ps 147:20 לֹא עָשָׂה כֵן לְכָל־גּוֹי … בַּל־יְדָעֻם - Both end by contrasting Israel and the nations in relation to YHWH’s judgments. Form and stylistic parallels - Imperative to praise + “for/because” reason clauses: - Ps 9:12–13 זַמְּרוּ … הַגִּידוּ … כִּי־דוֹרֵשׁ דָּמִים … לֹא־שָׁכַח … - Ps 147:1–2 הַלְלוּ־יָהּ … כִּי־טוֹב … כִּי־נָעִים; 7–9 עֱנוּ … זַמְּרוּ … (reasons follow) - Same exhortation-reason style that drives both psalms. - Alternation of praise and rationale in strophes, moving from personal/community praise to Zion-focused summons and then to universal scope. - Heavy use of participles for God’s ongoing acts in 147 (בּוֹנֶה, הָרֹפֵא, מוֹנֶה, מְעוֹדֵד, מַשְׁפִּיל, הַמֵּכִין, הַמַּצְמִיחַ, נוֹתֵן, מַשְׁלִיךְ, מַגִּיד), answering the petitions/perfects in 9 (עָשִׂיתָ, גָּעַרְתָּ, אִבַּדְתָּ, מָחִיתָ, נָתַשְׁתָּ). In other words: what 9 asks/celebrates as acts of judgment and rescue, 147 strings out as the Lord’s now-ongoing providence. Thematic/narrative progression (a logical “next chapter”) - From judgment of enemies to restoration of Zion: - Ps 9: enemies retreat, are rebuked and perish; cities uprooted; the psalmist is lifted from “gates of death,” so he can praise in “gates of Zion.” - Ps 147: Jerusalem is being rebuilt (בּוֹנֵה יְרוּשָׁלִַם), exiles gathered (נִדְחֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל יְכַנֵּס), gates strengthened, borders at peace, grain abundant. - This is exactly the historical/liturgical sequence familiar in Israel’s life: divine judgment on hostile nations → return/ingathering → city restoration → temple song. - From universal kingship/judgment to cosmic providence that underwrites the restored order: - Ps 9: YHWH enthroned for judgment (יָשַׁבְתָּ לְכִסֵּא שׁוֹפֵט צֶדֶק; יִשְׁפֹּט־תֵּבֵל בְּצֶדֶק) - Ps 147: the cosmic Maker who counts and names the stars, sends snow and rain, feeds birds and beasts—creation’s order now serving Zion’s peace and plenty (vv. 4–9, 15–18, 14). - From “make them fear” (9:21) to “those who fear him” (147:11), and from “those who know your name” (9:11) to “he declares his word/judgments to Jacob/Israel” (147:19–20). The desired posture (fear/knowledge) becomes the marked identity of the restored community. Zion/Jerusalem as the hinge - Psalm 9 explicitly centers Zion as the place where praise must be voiced after deliverance (9:12, 15). - Psalm 147 begins and climaxes by summoning Zion/Jerusalem to that praise (147:12), and by detailing the very conditions that make that praise possible: fortified gates, blessed children, peace within borders, and wheat in abundance (147:13–14). This reads like the fulfilled vow of Psalm 9. Secondary but real links - Name-wordplay: Ps 9:6 “שְׁמָם מָחִיתָ” you blotted out “their name,” set beside Ps 147:4 “לְכֻלָּם שֵׁמוֹת יִקְרָא” he “calls names” to the stars—YHWH deletes the names of enemies but assigns names in his ordered cosmos. - Shared root כון “establish/prepare”: Ps 9:8 כּוֹנֵן לַמִּשְׁפָּט כִּסְאוֹ; Ps 147:8 הַמֵּכִין לָאָרֶץ מָטָר—his rule is established; he prepares rain that sustains the restored land. - “Before” motif: Ps 9:4 enemies stumble and perish “מִפָּנֶיךָ” before your face; Ps 147:17 “לִפְנֵי קָרָתוֹ מִי יַעֲמֹד” who can stand before his cold? Different settings, same portrayal of irresistible divine presence. Putting it together - Content: Psalm 9 calls for and celebrates just judgment over the nations, rescue of the oppressed, and vows praise in Zion’s gates. Psalm 147 shows Zion praising because God has in fact restored her: he gathers exiles, heals the brokenhearted, strengthens her gates, gives peace and grain, and declares his judgments/word to Israel. - Vocabulary/form: identical imperatives (זַמְּרוּ), the same Zion/gates lexemes, the same humble vs. wicked nouns, the same “judgment/knowing” nexus, the same nations foil at the close, and the same exhortation-plus-reasons style. - Liturgical/historical logic: a prayer in distress and a vow (Ps 9) is followed by a communal hymn at/for a rebuilt Jerusalem (Ps 147). In Israel’s temple life, that is exactly the sequence: deliverance → return → rebuilding → thanksgiving/Hallelujah. On that basis, you can argue that Psalm 147 “logically follows” Psalm 9 both lexically and thematically: it is the realized praise in Zion that Psalm 9 longs for, using many of the same words, classes, and motifs, and pushing the plot forward from judgment to restoration.
Evaluation
Score: 6.8
Evaluated at: 2025-12-07T03:53:31 (UTC)
Evaluator model: gpt-5
Evaluator version: v2
Reasoning: 3904 Output: 7282 Total: 11186
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
Multiple accurate, verse-anchored links (זמרו; Zion’s gates; ענוים/רשעים; ידע+משפט; נגד), with plausible progression (vow in 9 → restored Zion in 147). But overlaps are largely common across Psalms; no editorial signal.
Prompt
Consider Psalm 9 and Psalm 147 (reproduced below). What arguments could you make to justify that Psalm 147 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 147:
Psalm 147
1. הַ֥לְלוּ
יָ֨הּ ׀
כִּי־
ט֭וֹב
זַמְּרָ֣ה
אֱלֹהֵ֑ינוּ
כִּֽי־
נָ֝עִים
נָאוָ֥ה
תְהִלָּֽה׃
2. בּוֹנֵ֣ה
יְרוּשָׁלִַ֣ם
יְהוָ֑ה
נִדְחֵ֖י
יִשְׂרָאֵ֣ל
יְכַנֵּֽס׃
3. הָ֭רֹפֵא
לִשְׁב֣וּרֵי
לֵ֑ב
וּ֝מְחַבֵּ֗שׁ
לְעַצְּבוֹתָֽם׃
4. מוֹנֶ֣ה
מִ֭סְפָּר
לַכּוֹכָבִ֑ים
לְ֝כֻלָּ֗ם
שֵׁמ֥וֹת
יִקְרָֽא׃
5. גָּד֣וֹל
אֲדוֹנֵ֣ינוּ
וְרַב־
כֹּ֑חַ
לִ֝תְבוּנָת֗וֹ
אֵ֣ין
מִסְפָּֽר׃
6. מְעוֹדֵ֣ד
עֲנָוִ֣ים
יְהוָ֑ה
מַשְׁפִּ֖יל
רְשָׁעִ֣ים
עֲדֵי־
אָֽרֶץ׃
7. עֱנ֣וּ
לַיהוָ֣ה
בְּתוֹדָ֑ה
זַמְּר֖וּ
לֵאלֹהֵ֣ינוּ
בְכִנּֽוֹר׃
8. הַֽמְכַסֶּ֬ה
שָׁמַ֨יִם ׀
בְּעָבִ֗ים
הַמֵּכִ֣ין
לָאָ֣רֶץ
מָטָ֑ר
הַמַּצְמִ֖יחַ
הָרִ֣ים
חָצִֽיר׃
9. נוֹתֵ֣ן
לִבְהֵמָ֣ה
לַחְמָ֑הּ
לִבְנֵ֥י
עֹ֝רֵ֗ב
אֲשֶׁ֣ר
יִקְרָֽאוּ׃
10. לֹ֤א
בִגְבוּרַ֣ת
הַסּ֣וּס
יֶחְפָּ֑ץ
לֹֽא־
בְשׁוֹקֵ֖י
הָאִ֣ישׁ
יִרְצֶֽה׃
11. רוֹצֶ֣ה
יְ֭הוָה
אֶת־
יְרֵאָ֑יו
אֶת־
הַֽמְיַחֲלִ֥ים
לְחַסְדּֽוֹ׃
12. שַׁבְּחִ֣י
יְ֭רוּשָׁלִַם
אֶת־
יְהוָ֑ה
הַֽלְלִ֖י
אֱלֹהַ֣יִךְ
צִיּֽוֹן׃
13. כִּֽי־
חִ֭זַּק
בְּרִיחֵ֣י
שְׁעָרָ֑יִךְ
בֵּרַ֖ךְ
בָּנַ֣יִךְ
בְּקִרְבֵּֽךְ׃
14. הַשָּׂם־
גְּבוּלֵ֥ךְ
שָׁל֑וֹם
חֵ֥לֶב
חִ֝טִּ֗ים
יַשְׂבִּיעֵֽךְ׃
15. הַשֹּׁלֵ֣חַ
אִמְרָת֣וֹ
אָ֑רֶץ
עַד־
מְ֝הֵרָ֗ה
יָר֥וּץ
דְּבָרֽוֹ׃
16. הַנֹּתֵ֣ן
שֶׁ֣לֶג
כַּצָּ֑מֶר
כְּ֝פ֗וֹר
כָּאֵ֥פֶר
יְפַזֵּֽר׃
17. מַשְׁלִ֣יךְ
קַֽרְח֣וֹ
כְפִתִּ֑ים
לִפְנֵ֥י
קָ֝רָת֗וֹ
מִ֣י
יַעֲמֹֽד׃
18. יִשְׁלַ֣ח
דְּבָר֣וֹ
וְיַמְסֵ֑ם
יַשֵּׁ֥ב
ר֝וּח֗וֹ
יִזְּלוּ־
מָֽיִם׃
19. מַגִּ֣יד
דברו
דְּבָרָ֣יו
לְיַעֲקֹ֑ב
חֻקָּ֥יו
וּ֝מִשְׁפָּטָ֗יו
לְיִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
20. לֹ֘א
עָ֤שָׂה
כֵ֨ן ׀
לְכָל־
גּ֗וֹי
וּמִשְׁפָּטִ֥ים
בַּל־
יְדָע֗וּם
הַֽלְלוּ־
יָֽהּ׃