Psalm 10 → 7
Reasoning: 9728 Output: 6051 Total: 15779
Argument
Short answer: Psalm 7 reads like an immediate, concrete answer to the plea of Psalm 10. The same calls to God reappear in stronger form; the same enemies and images recur; and the outcome Psalm 10 asks for is enacted in Psalm 7. Below are the main lines of evidence, starting with the strongest lexical and formal links and moving to motifs and Sitz im Leben. 1) Identical or near-identical formulae (high weight) - קוּמָה יְהוָה “Arise, YHWH”: Ps 10:12; Ps 7:7. Exact formula, same addressee, same imperative. - נָשָׂא “lift/be exalted”: Ps 10:12 “נְשָׂא יָדֶךָ” (Qal impv.) vs. Ps 7:7 “הִנָּשֵׂא” (Nifal impv.). Same root and imperative address to God; Psalm 7 intensifies the elevation (“be exalted”). - מָרוֹם “on high”: Ps 10:5 “מָרוֹם מִשְׁפָּטֶיךָ” vs. Ps 7:8 “לַמָּרוֹם שׁוּבָה.” Same noun; in 10 God’s “judgments are on high” (out of sight to the wicked), in 7 God “returns” to the high place to judge—an explicit narrative resolution. - צֹרֵר “adversary”: Ps 10:5 “כָּל־צֹרְרָיו” vs. Ps 7:6–7 “צוֹרְרִי/צוֹרְרַי.” Same noun and same conflict setting. - הִפְעִיל of כּוּן with 2ms subject (God) “establish”: Ps 10:17 “תָּכִין לִבָּם” vs. Ps 7:10 “וּתְכוֹנֵן צַדִּיק.” Same root and function (God stabilizes/establishes the inner life/the righteous), now generalized from the humble (10) to the righteous (7). 2) Shared rare or distinctive vocabulary/imagery (medium–high weight) - דלק “pursue hotly”: Ps 10:2 “יִדְלַק עָנִי” vs. Ps 7:14 “חִצָּיו לְדֹלְקִים יִפְעָל” (“for the pursuers”). Same root; in 10 the wicked “hotly pursues” the poor, in 7 God’s arrows are prepared “for the pursuers.” This is both lexical and thematic reversal. - כְּאַרְיֵה “like a lion”: Ps 10:9 “כְּאַרְיֵה בְסֻכּוֹ” vs. Ps 7:3 “פֶּן־יִטְרֹף כְּאַרְיֵה נַפְשִׁי.” Same comparison; the predator in 10 becomes the threat David fears in 7. - עָמָל // אָוֶן “mischief/trouble”: Ps 10:7 “תַּחַת לְשׁוֹנוֹ עָמָל וָאָוֶן” and 10:14 “עָמָל וָכַעַס” vs. Ps 7:15 “יְחַבֶּל־אָוֶן … הָרָה עָמָל.” Both psalms cluster these otherwise less common “trouble/iniquity” nouns to define the wicked’s inner production. - אַף “nose/anger”: Ps 10:4 “רָשָׁע כְּגֹבַהּ אַפּוֹ” (the wicked’s “high nose/anger”) vs. Ps 7:7 “קוּמָה יְהוָה בְאַפֶּךָ.” The arrogant “high nose” of the wicked (10) is answered by God’s own anger (7). 3) Thematic “problem–solution” links (very strong) - “God will not see/inquire” vs. “God examines/judges” - Ps 10:11 “בַּל־רָאָה לָנֶצַח” (He will not see), 10:13 “לֹא תִדְרֹשׁ” (You will not require/inquire). - Ps 7:9–10 “יְהוָה יָדִין עַמִּים … שָׁפְטֵנִי יְהוָה … וּבֹחֵן לִבּוֹת וּכְלָיוֹת” (God judges; He is the examiner of hearts and kidneys). - Psalm 7 directly contradicts the wicked’s creed in Psalm 10 by stressing God’s ongoing forensic scrutiny. - Predation imagery reversed into retribution - Ps 10:8–10: the wicked lies in ambush, catches the poor in his net. - Ps 7:16–17: the wicked falls into the pit he dug; his violence returns on his head. The trap motif is answered by measure-for-measure justice. - From “God far away” to “God awake/exalted” - Ps 10:1 “לָמָּה … תַּעֲמֹד בְּרָחוֹק? תַּעְלִים?” (Why do you stand far off? Hide?) - Ps 7:7 “קוּמָה … הִנָּשֵׂא … וְע֥וּרָה אֵלַי” (Arise… be exalted… awake to me). Psalm 7 performs the very theophanic response Psalm 10 requests. 4) Judicial language and structure (form-critical continuity) - Psalm 10 moves from complaint (vv. 1–11) to petition for judgment (vv. 12–18): “שְׁבֹר זְרוֹעַ רָשָׁע … לִשְׁפֹּט יָתוֹם וָדַךְ.” - Psalm 7 opens as a personal lawsuit/oath of innocence (vv. 4–6 “אִם־עָשִׂיתִי זֹאת …”) and then calls the court to session (vv. 7–9 “מִשְׁפָּט צִוִּיתָ … יְהוָה יָדִין עַמִּים”), culminating in sentence and doxology (vv. 10–18). - Thus, 7 is the courtroom enactment of what 10 prays for: God convenes judgment, vindicates the righteous, and brings the wicked’s evil to an end (7:10 “יִגְמָר־נָא רַע רְשָׁעִים”). 5) Kingship/assembly frame (mythic-cosmic continuity) - Ps 10:16 “יְהוָה מֶלֶךְ עוֹלָם וָעֶד … אָבְדוּ גוֹיִם מֵאַרְצוֹ.” Divine kingship is asserted as the answer to injustice. - Ps 7:8–9 “וַעֲדַת לְאֻמִּים תְּסוֹבְבֶךָּ … יְהוָה יָדִין עַמִּים.” The nations are summoned to God’s court; the King judges from “the heights” (לַמָּרוֹם). - Ps 7:18 closes with praise to “יְהוָה עֶלְיוֹן,” matching the “on high” thread (מָרוֹם) and answering Ps 10’s kingship claim with worship. 6) Predation to protection (life-setting continuity) - Ps 10 characterizes the wicked as a hunter in ambush (villages, hiding places, net, lion). - Ps 7 transposes the same threat into David’s personal experience of being hunted by a Benjamite (title: “על דברי־כוש בן־ימיני”), matching the pursuit language (דלק/רדף) and lion imagery, and turning it into a legal prayer for deliverance and vindication. This fits Israelite life: a generic lament (10) followed by a specific oath-litigation (7) as one moves from communal grievance to a royal/personal case before YHWH. 7) Further smaller correspondences - “Judge/justice” lexicon: מִשְׁפָּט (Ps 10:5; Ps 7:7), שָׁפַט/יָדִין (Ps 10:18; Ps 7:9). - “End the wickedness” motif: Ps 10:15 “תִּדְרוֹשׁ רִשְׁעוֹ בַּל־תִּמְצָא” complements Ps 7:10 “יִגְמָר־נָא רַע רְשָׁעִים” (bring the evil of the wicked to an end). - “Earth/dust” end-state: Ps 10:18 “לַעֲרֹץ אֱנוֹשׁ מִן־הָאָרֶץ” vs. Ps 7:6 “כְּבוֹדִי לֶעָפָר יַשְׁכֵּן” (both locate the conflict’s termini in the dust/earth). Putting it together - Psalm 10 poses the problem: the arrogant predator flourishes; God seems distant; the poor are hunted. It petitions: Arise, lift Your hand, judge, break the arm of the wicked, establish the humble. - Psalm 7 enacts the answer: Arise, be exalted, awake; convene the peoples’ court; examine hearts; end the wickedness; make the wicked’s violence recoil; establish the righteous; and close with praise to YHWH Most High. - The tightest links are the exact formula קומה יהוה, the rare/shared root דלק, the twin “on high” thread (מרום / עליון), the matching noun צורר, the Hiphil 2ms of כון, the lion/predator imagery, and the paired nouns עמל/און. These give both lexical and structural reasons to read Psalm 7 as a direct, logical sequel to Psalm 10.
Evaluation
Score: 2.0
Evaluated at: 2025-12-08T03:47:11 (UTC)
Evaluator model: gpt-5
Evaluator version: v2
Reasoning: 3264 Output: 6870 Total: 10134
Checklist
- Has verse refs: Yes
- Factual error detected: Yes
- Only generic motifs: No
- Counterargument considered: No
- LXX/MT numbering acknowledged: No
Vocabulary specificity: 4.0 / 10
Factual error: Ps 7:10 תכונֵן is Piel, not Hiphil → MAX 2. Despite multiple specific links, many motifs are common; ignores the strong Ps 9–10 acrostic/editorial pairing counterpoint.
Prompt
Consider Psalm 10 and Psalm 7 (reproduced below). What arguments could you make to justify that Psalm 7 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 7:
Psalm 7
1. שִׁגָּי֗וֹן
לְדָ֫וִ֥ד
אֲשֶׁר־
שָׁ֥ר
לַיהוָ֑ה
עַל־
דִּבְרֵי־
כ֝֗וּשׁ
בֶּן־
יְמִינִֽי׃
2. יְהוָ֣ה
אֱ֭לֹהַי
בְּךָ֣
חָסִ֑יתִי
הוֹשִׁיעֵ֥נִי
מִכָּל־
רֹ֝דְפַ֗י
וְהַצִּילֵֽנִי׃
3. פֶּן־
יִטְרֹ֣ף
כְּאַרְיֵ֣ה
נַפְשִׁ֑י
פֹּ֝רֵ֗ק
וְאֵ֣ין
מַצִּֽיל׃
4. יְהוָ֣ה
אֱ֭לֹהַי
אִם־
עָשִׂ֣יתִי
זֹ֑את
אִֽם־
יֶשׁ־
עָ֥וֶל
בְּכַפָּֽי׃
5. אִם־
גָּ֭מַלְתִּי
שֽׁוֹלְמִ֥י
רָ֑ע
וָאֲחַלְּצָ֖ה
צוֹרְרִ֣י
רֵיקָֽם׃
6. יִֽרַדֹּ֥ף
אוֹיֵ֨ב ׀
נַפְשִׁ֡י
וְיַשֵּׂ֗ג
וְיִרְמֹ֣ס
לָאָ֣רֶץ
חַיָּ֑י
וּכְבוֹדִ֓י ׀
לֶעָפָ֖ר
יַשְׁכֵּ֣ן
סֶֽלָה׃
7. ק֘וּמָ֤ה
יְהוָ֨ה ׀
בְּאַפֶּ֗ךָ
הִ֭נָּשֵׂא
בְּעַבְר֣וֹת
צוֹרְרָ֑י
וְע֥וּרָה
אֵ֝לַ֗י
מִשְׁפָּ֥ט
צִוִּֽיתָ׃
8. וַעֲדַ֣ת
לְ֭אֻמִּים
תְּסוֹבְבֶ֑ךָּ
וְ֝עָלֶ֗יהָ
לַמָּר֥וֹם
שֽׁוּבָה׃
9. יְהוָה֮
יָדִ֢ין
עַ֫מִּ֥ים
שָׁפְטֵ֥נִי
יְהוָ֑ה
כְּצִדְקִ֖י
וּכְתֻמִּ֣י
עָלָֽי׃
10. יִגְמָר־
נָ֬א
רַ֨ע ׀
רְשָׁעִים֮
וּתְכוֹנֵ֢ן
צַ֫דִּ֥יק
וּבֹחֵ֣ן
לִ֭בּ֗וֹת
וּכְלָי֗וֹת
אֱלֹהִ֥ים
צַדִּֽיק׃
11. מָֽגִנִּ֥י
עַל־
אֱלֹהִ֑ים
מ֝וֹשִׁ֗יעַ
יִשְׁרֵי־
לֵֽב׃
12. אֱ֭לֹהִים
שׁוֹפֵ֣ט
צַדִּ֑יק
וְ֝אֵ֗ל
זֹעֵ֥ם
בְּכָל־
יֽוֹם׃
13. אִם־
לֹ֣א
יָ֭שׁוּב
חַרְבּ֣וֹ
יִלְט֑וֹשׁ
קַשְׁתּ֥וֹ
דָ֝רַ֗ךְ
וַֽיְכוֹנְנֶֽהָ׃
14. וְ֭לוֹ
הֵכִ֣ין
כְּלֵי־
מָ֑וֶת
חִ֝צָּ֗יו
לְֽדֹלְקִ֥ים
יִפְעָֽל׃
15. הִנֵּ֥ה
יְחַבֶּל־
אָ֑וֶן
וְהָרָ֥ה
עָ֝מָ֗ל
וְיָ֣לַד
שָֽׁקֶר׃
16. בּ֣וֹר
כָּ֭רָֽה
וַֽיַּחְפְּרֵ֑הוּ
וַ֝יִּפֹּ֗ל
בְּשַׁ֣חַת
יִפְעָֽל׃
17. יָשׁ֣וּב
עֲמָל֣וֹ
בְרֹאשׁ֑וֹ
וְעַ֥ל
קָ֝דְקֳד֗וֹ
חֲמָס֥וֹ
יֵרֵֽד׃
18. אוֹדֶ֣ה
יְהוָ֣ה
כְּצִדְק֑וֹ
וַ֝אֲזַמְּרָ֗ה
שֵֽׁם־
יְהוָ֥ה
עֶלְיֽוֹן׃