Psalm 10 → 5
Reasoning: 10176 Output: 5578 Total: 15754
Argument
Here are cumulative reasons a reader could argue that Psalm 5 is a natural sequel to Psalm 10, grouped by type of evidence and noting especially rarer, tighter matches. Hinges and macro-movement (situation → response) - Kingship hinge: Ps 10 ends, “YHWH is King forever” (10:16), and Ps 5 immediately addresses God as “my King and my God” (5:3). The public enthronement confession in 10 becomes the worshiper’s personal address in 5. - From “times of trouble” to “morning watch”: Ps 10 laments that God seems hidden “in times of trouble” (10:1). Ps 5 is a morning liturgy (“In the morning you hear my voice … I set [my prayer] in order … and watch,” 5:4), i.e., the next dawn after the lament, waiting for the answer just prayed for in Ps 10:12–18. - From “God doesn’t see/hear” to confident hearing: In Ps 10 the wicked say God won’t “seek/call to account” or “see” (10:4, 11, 13), but the psalm counters, “You have heard … you incline your ear” (10:17). Ps 5 opens by doubling the same sensory verbs as imperatives: “Give ear” (הַאֲזִינָה), “Give heed” (הַקְשִׁיבָה), “you hear my voice” (5:2–4). Same lexeme קשב occurs: תַקְשִׁיב (10:17) ~ הַקְשִׁיבָה (5:3). Lexical/phrase-level ties (strongest are identical forms/roots) - Mouth–tongue–deceit cluster (tight, repeated, and relatively distinctive): - Identical form with suffix: בְּפִיהוּ “in his mouth” appears in both (10:7; 5:10). - Same body-part set and deceit vocabulary: “His mouth is full of oaths, deceit and fraud; under his tongue trouble and iniquity” (10:7) ~ “There is no faithfulness in his mouth … their throat is an open grave … their tongue smooths/flutters” (5:10); plus “a man of bloods and deceit” (5:7). Roots and nouns shared: לשון, פה, מרמה/מרמות, און. - Wickedness terms (shared roots, same word classes): - רשע (10:2–4, 13, 15) ~ “not a God who delights in wickedness” and “evil will not dwell with you” (5:5). - און “iniquity” (10:7) ~ פֹּעֲלֵי אָוֶן “workers of iniquity” (5:6). - מרמה/מרמות “deceit” (10:7 ~ 5:7). - כזב “lies” (5:7) echoes the deceit cluster of 10:7. - Hearing verbs (identical root, near-identical forms): - תקשיב (10:17) ~ הקשיבה (5:3); both Hiphil of קשב. - Path/justice vocabulary, with a striking spatial reversal: - “Your judgments are high, out of his sight” מִשְׁפָּטֶיךָ … מִנֶּגְדוֹ (10:5) contrasts with “Make your way straight before me” הַיְשַׁר לְפָנַי דַּרְכֶּךָ (5:9). God’s moral order absent from the wicked’s view (10) becomes present and straight in front of the petitioner (5). - דרכיו (10:5) ~ דַּרְכֶּךָ (5:9) maintains the “way” motif while shifting from the wicked’s way to God’s. - Judicial action vocabulary: - “You will seek out his wickedness” תִּדְרוֹשׁ (10:15) aligns conceptually with “Declare them guilty” הַאֲשִׁימֵם (5:11), “cause them to fall” (5:11), “you destroy” תְאַבֵּד (5:7). The root אבד even appears in both: “nations have perished” אָבְדוּ (10:16) ~ “you will destroy liars” תְאַבֵּד (5:7). - Fall/reversal motif (same verb, opposite subject): - In Ps 10 the oppressed “falls” (וְנָפַל, 10:10) into the wicked’s trap; in Ps 5 the wicked “fall by their own counsels” יִפְּלוּ מִמֹּעֲצוֹתֵיהֶם (5:11). That is a clean narrative reversal of the same action. - Blessing reversal, with shared root ברך: - “The greedy he blesses” בֵּרֵךְ בֹּצֵעַ (10:3) vs. “You bless the righteous” תְבָרֵךְ צַדִּיק (5:13). Ps 5 restores blessing to its proper target. - Name orientation, direct antithesis: - The wicked “spurns YHWH” (נִאֵץ יְהוָה, 10:3) and “rebels against you” (מָרוּ בָךְ, 5:11), contrasted with “those who love your Name” (אֹהֲבֵי שְׁמֶךָ, 5:12). - Adversary terms and “watchers”/ambushers: - Ps 10’s “ambush” scene—מַאְרָב, מִסְתָּרִים, יֶאֱרֹב (10:8–9)—matches the need in 5:9 “Lead me … because of my שׁוֹרְרַי (‘those who watch/lie in wait for me’).” The term שׁוֹרְרַי is relatively rare (cf. Ps 27:11) and suits 10’s ambush imagery. Ps 10:5 also uses צֹרְרָיו “his adversaries,” a near-synonym that resonates with 5:9. - “Forever” frame: - Ps 10:16 “forever and ever” עוֹלָם וָעֶד; Ps 5:12 “they will rejoice forever” לְעוֹלָם יְרַנֵּנוּ. The “forever” horizon of kingship (10) becomes the “forever” joy of the protected faithful (5). Liturgical/setting links - Domain movement: Ps 10 asserts YHWH’s rule over the land—“nations perish from his land” (מֵאַרְצוֹ, 10:16); Ps 5 moves into the King’s house—“I will enter your house … bow toward your holy temple” (5:8). From realm to palace: enthroned King (10) → audience in His sanctuary (5). - Daily cultic logic: After the urgent “Arise, YHWH; lift your hand” (10:12) and the assurance “you have heard … you incline your ear” (10:17), the petitioner appears at the morning service (5:4), “sets in order” (אֶעֱרָךְ) his prayer—verb also used for arranging offerings—and “watches” for the response. Conceptual resolutions (problem in 10 → answer in 5) - “God is far/hidden” (10:1, 11) → “In the morning you hear my voice … I will watch” (5:4). - “The wicked prosper and speak violence” (10:2–11) → “You are not a God who delights in evil … you destroy liars … YHWH abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful” (5:5–7). - “Let God break the arm of the wicked; seek out his wickedness” (10:15) → “Declare them guilty … make them fall … banish them for their many transgressions” (5:11). - “You have heard the desire of the humble; you will strengthen their heart” (10:17) → “Let all who take refuge in you rejoice … you cover them … you bless the righteous, you encircle him with favor like a shield” (5:12–13). Notes on relative weight - Highest-weight correspondences by the criteria you gave include identical lexemes and forms: בְּפִיהוּ (10:7; 5:10), the root קשב in near-identical forms (תַקְשִׁיב ~ הַקְשִׁיבָה), the repeated roots און/מרמה/ברך/אבד, the “fall” verb used on different subjects (נפל), and the kingship address (מלך/מלכי). - The ambush/watchers line is strengthened by the rarity of שׁוֹרְרַי and its perfect fit with Ps 10’s ambush scene. Bottom line Read together, Psalm 10 raises the lament and plea in a time of oppression, ends by reasserting YHWH’s kingship and his hearing ear; Psalm 5 is the very next-morning, temple-facing prayer that expects that hearing, asks for straight guidance “before me” (countering 10’s “out of his sight”), applies God’s kingship to the courtroom (convict them) and to sanctuary protection (cover, bless). The dense lexical overlap—especially in the mouth/tongue/deceit set, hearing verbs, path/justice language, fall and bless/curse reversals—and the liturgical logic of “night trouble → morning watch” together make a strong case that Psalm 5 can be read as the logical continuation of Psalm 10.
Evaluation
Score: 6.5
Evaluated at: 2025-12-08T03:45:12 (UTC)
Evaluator model: gpt-5
Evaluator version: v2
Reasoning: 3328 Output: 6402 Total: 9730
Checklist
- Has verse refs: Yes
- Factual error detected: No
- Only generic motifs: No
- Counterargument considered: No
- LXX/MT numbering acknowledged: No
Vocabulary specificity: 4.0 / 10
Rich, specific lexeme links (בפיהו; תקשיב~הקשיבה; נפל; ברך) and kingship/morning hinge; but ignores obvious 9–10 acrostic pairing and Book I morning-lament clustering; many items are common.
Prompt
Consider Psalm 10 and Psalm 5 (reproduced below). What arguments could you make to justify that Psalm 5 logically follows on from Psalm 10? 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 10:
Psalm 10
1. לָמָ֣ה
יְ֭הוָה
תַּעֲמֹ֣ד
בְּרָח֑וֹק
תַּ֝עְלִ֗ים
לְעִתּ֥וֹת
בַּצָּרָֽה׃
2. בְּגַאֲוַ֣ת
רָ֭שָׁע
יִדְלַ֣ק
עָנִ֑י
יִתָּפְשׂ֓וּ ׀
בִּמְזִמּ֖וֹת
ז֣וּ
חָשָֽׁבוּ׃
3. כִּֽי־
הִלֵּ֣ל
רָ֭שָׁע
עַל־
תַּאֲוַ֣ת
נַפְשׁ֑וֹ
וּבֹצֵ֥עַ
בֵּ֝רֵ֗ךְ
נִ֘אֵ֥ץ ׀
יְהוָֽה׃
4. רָשָׁ֗ע
כְּגֹ֣בַהּ
אַ֭פּוֹ
בַּל־
יִדְרֹ֑שׁ
אֵ֥ין
אֱ֝לֹהִ֗ים
כָּל־
מְזִמּוֹתָֽיו׃
5. יָ֘חִ֤ילוּ
דרכו
דְרָכָ֨יו ׀
בְּכָל־
עֵ֗ת
מָר֣וֹם
מִ֭שְׁפָּטֶיךָ
מִנֶּגְדּ֑וֹ
כָּל־
צ֝וֹרְרָ֗יו
יָפִ֥יחַ
בָּהֶֽם׃
6. אָמַ֣ר
בְּ֭לִבּוֹ
בַּל־
אֶמּ֑וֹט
לְדֹ֥ר
וָ֝דֹ֗ר
אֲשֶׁ֣ר
לֹֽא־
בְרָֽע׃
7. אָלָ֤ה ׀
פִּ֣יהוּ
מָ֭לֵא
וּמִרְמ֣וֹת
וָתֹ֑ךְ
תַּ֥חַת
לְ֝שׁוֹנ֗וֹ
עָמָ֥ל
וָאָֽוֶן׃
8. יֵשֵׁ֤ב ׀
בְּמַאְרַ֬ב
חֲצֵרִ֗ים
בַּֽ֭מִּסְתָּרִים
יַהֲרֹ֣ג
נָקִ֑י
עֵ֝ינָ֗יו
לְֽחֵלְכָ֥ה
יִצְפֹּֽנוּ׃
9. יֶאֱרֹ֬ב
בַּמִּסְתָּ֨ר ׀
כְּאַרְיֵ֬ה
בְסֻכֹּ֗ה
יֶ֭אֱרֹב
לַחֲט֣וֹף
עָנִ֑י
יַחְטֹ֥ף
עָ֝נִ֗י
בְּמָשְׁכ֥וֹ
בְרִשְׁתּֽוֹ׃
10. ודכה
יִדְכֶּ֥ה
יָשֹׁ֑חַ
וְנָפַ֥ל
בַּ֝עֲצוּמָּ֗יו
חלכאים
חֵ֣יל
כָּאִֽים׃
11. אָמַ֣ר
בְּ֭לִבּוֹ
שָׁ֣כַֽח
אֵ֑ל
הִסְתִּ֥יר
פָּ֝נָ֗יו
בַּל־
רָאָ֥ה
לָנֶֽצַח׃
12. קוּמָ֤ה
יְהוָ֗ה
אֵ֭ל
נְשָׂ֣א
יָדֶ֑ךָ
אַל־
תִּשְׁכַּ֥ח
עניים
עֲנָוִֽים׃
13. עַל־
מֶ֤ה ׀
נִאֵ֖ץ
רָשָׁ֥ע ׀
אֱלֹהִ֑ים
אָמַ֥ר
בְּ֝לִבּ֗וֹ
לֹ֣א
תִדְרֹֽשׁ׃
14. רָאִ֡תָה
כִּֽי־
אַתָּ֤ה ׀
עָ֘מָ֤ל
וָכַ֨עַס ׀
תַּבִּיט֮
לָתֵ֢ת
בְּיָ֫דֶ֥ךָ
עָ֭לֶיךָ
יַעֲזֹ֣ב
חֵלֶ֑כָה
יָ֝ת֗וֹם
אַתָּ֤ה ׀
הָיִ֬יתָ
עוֹזֵֽר׃
15. שְׁ֭בֹר
זְר֣וֹעַ
רָשָׁ֑ע
וָ֝רָ֗ע
תִּֽדְרוֹשׁ־
רִשְׁע֥וֹ
בַל־
תִּמְצָֽא׃
16. יְהוָ֣ה
מֶ֭לֶךְ
עוֹלָ֣ם
וָעֶ֑ד
אָבְד֥וּ
ג֝וֹיִ֗ם
מֵֽאַרְצֽוֹ׃
17. תַּאֲוַ֬ת
עֲנָוִ֣ים
שָׁמַ֣עְתָּ
יְהוָ֑ה
תָּכִ֥ין
לִ֝בָּ֗ם
תַּקְשִׁ֥יב
אָזְנֶֽךָ׃
18. לִשְׁפֹּ֥ט
יָת֗וֹם
וָ֫דָ֥ךְ
בַּל־
יוֹסִ֥יף
ע֑וֹד
לַעֲרֹ֥ץ
אֱ֝נ֗וֹשׁ
מִן־
הָאָֽרֶץ׃
Psalm 5:
Psalm 5
1. לַמְנַצֵּ֥חַ
אֶֽל־
הַנְּחִיל֗וֹת
מִזְמ֥וֹר
לְדָוִֽד׃
2. אֲמָרַ֖י
הַאֲזִ֥ינָה ׀
יְהוָ֗ה
בִּ֣ינָה
הֲגִֽיגִי׃
3. הַקְשִׁ֤יבָה ׀
לְק֬וֹל
שַׁוְעִ֗י
מַלְכִּ֥י
וֵאלֹהָ֑י
כִּֽי־
אֵ֝לֶ֗יךָ
אֶתְפַּלָּֽל׃
4. יְֽהוָ֗ה
בֹּ֭קֶר
תִּשְׁמַ֣ע
קוֹלִ֑י
בֹּ֥קֶר
אֶֽעֱרָךְ־
לְ֝ךָ֗
וַאֲצַפֶּֽה׃
5. כִּ֤י ׀
לֹ֤א
אֵֽל־
חָפֵ֘ץ
רֶ֥שַׁע ׀
אָ֑תָּה
לֹ֖א
יְגֻרְךָ֣
רָֽע׃
6. לֹֽא־
יִתְיַצְּב֣וּ
הֽ֭וֹלְלִים
לְנֶ֣גֶד
עֵינֶ֑יךָ
שָׂ֝נֵ֗אתָ
כָּל־
פֹּ֥עֲלֵי
אָֽוֶן׃
7. תְּאַבֵּד֮
דֹּבְרֵ֢י
כָ֫זָ֥ב
אִישׁ־
דָּמִ֥ים
וּמִרְמָ֗ה
יְתָ֘עֵ֥ב ׀
יְהוָֽה׃
8. וַאֲנִ֗י
בְּרֹ֣ב
חַ֭סְדְּךָ
אָב֣וֹא
בֵיתֶ֑ךָ
אֶשְׁתַּחֲוֶ֥ה
אֶל־
הֵֽיכַל־
קָ֝דְשְׁךָ֗
בְּיִרְאָתֶֽךָ׃
9. יְהוָ֤ה ׀
נְחֵ֬נִי
בְצִדְקָתֶ֗ךָ
לְמַ֥עַן
שׁוֹרְרָ֑י
הושר
הַיְשַׁ֖ר
לְפָנַ֣י
דַּרְכֶּֽךָ׃
10. כִּ֤י
אֵ֪ין
בְּפִ֡יהוּ
נְכוֹנָה֮
קִרְבָּ֢ם
הַ֫וּ֥וֹת
קֶֽבֶר־
פָּת֥וּחַ
גְּרוֹנָ֑ם
לְ֝שׁוֹנָ֗ם
יַחֲלִֽיקוּן׃
11. הַֽאֲשִׁימֵ֨ם ׀
אֱֽלֹהִ֗ים
יִפְּלוּ֮
מִֽמֹּעֲצ֢וֹתֵ֫יהֶ֥ם
בְּרֹ֣ב
פִּ֭שְׁעֵיהֶם
הַדִּיחֵ֑מוֹ
כִּי־
מָ֥רוּ
בָֽךְ׃
12. וְיִשְׂמְח֨וּ
כָל־
ח֪וֹסֵי
בָ֡ךְ
לְעוֹלָ֣ם
יְ֭רַנֵּנוּ
וְתָסֵ֣ךְ
עָלֵ֑ימוֹ
וְֽיַעְלְצ֥וּ
בְ֝ךָ֗
אֹהֲבֵ֥י
שְׁמֶֽךָ׃
13. כִּֽי־
אַתָּה֮
תְּבָרֵ֢ךְ
צַ֫דִּ֥יק
יְהוָ֑ה
כַּ֝צִּנָּ֗ה
רָצ֥וֹן
תַּעְטְרֶֽנּוּ׃