Psalm 10 → 12
Reasoning: 5824 Output: 4977 Total: 10801
Argument
Here are lines of argument, moving from the strongest “logic-of-sequence” claims to stylistic and lexical links. Hebrew forms are quoted because identical forms and rarer words matter most. 1) Direct call–response between the psalms (formal/structural) - 10:12 issues the classic lament imperative קוּמָה יְהוָה “Arise, YHWH.” 12:6 contains the divine oracle answering that cry: עַתָּה אָקוּם יֹאמַר יְהוָה “Now I will arise, says YHWH.” Same root קום, with Psalm 12 explicitly framed as YHWH’s speech. That is exactly the lament → oracle-of-salvation sequence known from Israelite worship. - 10:12 “אַל־תִּשְׁכַּח עֲנָוִים ‘do not forget the afflicted’” is matched by 12:6 “מִשֹּׁד עֲנִיִּים … עַתָּה אָקוּם … אָשִׁית בְּיֵשַׁע” — God rises precisely “because of the plunder of the poor” to “set” them in safety. The object of the petition in 10 is the content of the divine response in 12. - 10 ends with confidence that God judges the vulnerable (10:16–18), and 12 continues with the same salvation logic (12:6–8) before acknowledging ongoing social rot (12:9). That’s a typical liturgical arc: complaint (10), assurance (12), realism about the present (12:9). 2) Rare/marked lexical ties (highest probative value) - יָפִיחַ appears in both and almost nowhere else: - 10:5 כָּל־צוֹרְרָיו יָפִיחַ בָּהֶם “he puffs/snorts at all his foes.” - 12:6 אָשִׁית בְּיֵשַׁע יָפִיחַ לוֹ “I will set him in safety for which he pants/longs” (or “about which he puffs”). Same uncommon verb, same form, bridging the arrogant breath of the wicked (10) and the needy breath/longing of the poor that God answers (12). - קום exactly as imperative (10:12) answered by 1cs imperfect in divine speech (12:6) is a marked formulaic pair. 3) Shared motif of speech as the instrument of oppression (lexeme clusters and identical forms) - Psalm 10 features the wicked’s mouth/tongue: “אָלָה פִיהוּ מָלֵא וּמִרְמוֹת וָתֹךְ; תַּחַת לְשׁוֹנוֹ עָמָל וָאָוֶן” (10:7). He “blesses the greedy, reviles YHWH” (10:3), and boasts “אָמַר בְּלִבּוֹ” (10:6, 11, 13). - Psalm 12 escalates this into a program of divine judgment against speech itself: “שִׂפְתֵי חֲלָקוֹת … לָשׁוֹן מְדַבֶּרֶת גְּדֹלוֹת” (12:4), with the plea that YHWH “יַכְרֵת” such lips (12:4). The rhetorical focus on lips/tongue, duplicity, and boasting carries straight over from 10 to 12. - Antithetical resolution: the wicked’s corrupt speech in 10–12 is set against “אִמֲרוֹת יְהוָה … טְהֹרוֹת” (12:7). Psalm 12 supplies the theological counter-speech (God’s pure words) that 10’s complaint begs for. 4) The poor and vulnerable as the shared center - Repeated, overlapping terms: עָנִי/עֲנָוִים (10:2, 9, 12, 17; 12:6), אֶבְיוֹנִים (12:6), יָתוֹם/דַּךְ (10:14, 18). Both psalms define the crisis as oppression of the socially weak. - 10:17 “תַּאֲוַת עֲנָוִים שָׁמַעְתָּ” matches 12:6 “אָשִׁית בְּיֵשַׁע יָפִיחַ לוֹ.” The afflicted’s longing (תַּאֲוָה) in 10 is answered by the “breathing/longing” verb (יפיח) and the promise to “set in safety” in 12. 5) Arrogance of the wicked and denial of divine oversight - 10:4 “בַּל־יִדְרֹשׁ; אֵין אֱלֹהִים” and 10:13 “אָמַר בְּלִבּוֹ לֹא תִדְרֹשׁ” are matched by 12:5 “מִי אָדוֹן לָנוּ.” Both psalms foreground the same theological insolence: no one rules us; God won’t call to account. - Both contain “אָמַר” formulas located “בְּלֵב” or “בְּלֵב וָלֵב” (10:6, 11, 13; 12:3), linking inner arrogance to destructive speech. 6) Matching time horizons and generational framing - 10:6 “לְדֹר וָדֹר” and 12:8 “מִן־הַדּוֹר זוּ לְעוֹלָם” use the same דור vocabulary to frame a social order over multiple generations. - 10:16 “יְהוָה מֶלֶךְ עוֹלָם וָעֶד” and 12:8 “לְעוֹלָם” share the עוֹלָם horizon; 10:11’s “לָנֶצַח” and 12:8’s “לְעוֹלָם” are paired temporal absolutes (never/forever) in the lament–assurance movement. 7) Parallel remedies aimed at the instruments of oppression - 10:15 “שְׁבֹר זְרוֹעַ רָשָׁע” targets the arm (power) of the wicked. - 12:4 “יַכְרֵת … שִׂפְתֵי חֲלָקוֹת” targets the lips (deceptive power) of the wicked. - Together they present a coherent, two-pronged picture: God dismantles both the violent arm (10) and the violent tongue (12). 8) Form-critical coherence within Israelite worship - Psalm 10 is an individual/community lament featuring complaint, description of the wicked, and the plea “Arise, YHWH” (קוּמָה). - Psalm 12 uniquely contains an embedded divine oracle (יֹאמַר יְהוָה … עַתָּה אָקוּם), which in temple settings could have been delivered by a cultic prophet/priest in response to lament. That makes 12 a natural “next step” after 10 in a liturgical sequence: plea → oracle → confidence. 9) Additional smaller lexical or thematic links - דור/לעולם/לנצח terms as noted; לב (10:6, 11, 13; 12:3) as interior source of speech. - Human social field: 12:2, 9 “בְּנֵי אָדָם” picks up 10’s broad “אֱנוֹשׁ … מִן־הָאָרֶץ” (10:18), i.e., the problem pervades humankind. - Elevation language with רוּם: 10:5 “מָרוֹם מִשְׁפָּטֶיךָ” and 12:9 “כְּרוּם זֻלוּת לִבְנֵי אָדָם” oppose God’s judgments “on high” to the perverse “exaltation” of what is vile among people. Conclusion On literary, lexical, and form-critical grounds, Psalm 12 reads like the intentional sequel to Psalm 10. The most decisive markers are: - the precise call–response with קוּמָה (10:12) → עַתָּה אָקוּם (12:6); - the rare shared verb יָפִיחַ in both psalms; - the tight continuities in speech imagery and the focus on the poor; - and the shift from petition (10) to divine oracle and promise of protection (12). These features make a strong case that Psalm 12 functions as the logical follow-up to Psalm 10 in an ancient Israelite lament–oracle sequence.
Evaluation
Score: 7.0
Evaluated at: 2025-12-08T03:51:35 (UTC)
Evaluator model: gpt-5
Evaluator version: v2
Reasoning: 3328 Output: 5811 Total: 9139
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
Compelling קוּמָה→עַתָּה אָקוּם call–response and shared rare יָפִיחַ, plus precise speech/poor motifs. But it ignores the strong Ps 9–10 acrostic unit, intervening Ps 11, and superscriptions; many links are common.
Prompt
Consider Psalm 10 and Psalm 12 (reproduced below). What arguments could you make to justify that Psalm 12 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 12:
Psalm 12
1. לַמְנַצֵּ֥חַ
עַֽל־
הַשְּׁמִינִ֗ית
מִזְמ֥וֹר
לְדָוִֽד׃
2. הוֹשִׁ֣יעָה
יְ֭הוָה
כִּי־
גָמַ֣ר
חָסִ֑יד
כִּי־
פַ֥סּוּ
אֱ֝מוּנִ֗ים
מִבְּנֵ֥י
אָדָֽם׃
3. שָׁ֤וְא ׀
יְֽדַבְּרוּ֮
אִ֤ישׁ
אֶת־
רֵ֫עֵ֥הוּ
שְׂפַ֥ת
חֲלָק֑וֹת
בְּלֵ֖ב
וָלֵ֣ב
יְדַבֵּֽרוּ׃
4. יַכְרֵ֣ת
יְ֭הוָה
כָּל־
שִׂפְתֵ֣י
חֲלָק֑וֹת
לָ֝שׁ֗וֹן
מְדַבֶּ֥רֶת
גְּדֹלֽוֹת׃
5. אֲשֶׁ֤ר
אָֽמְר֨וּ ׀
לִלְשֹׁנֵ֣נוּ
נַ֭גְבִּיר
שְׂפָתֵ֣ינוּ
אִתָּ֑נוּ
מִ֖י
אָד֣וֹן
לָֽנוּ׃
6. מִשֹּׁ֥ד
עֲנִיִּים֮
מֵאַנְקַ֢ת
אֶבְי֫וֹנִ֥ים
עַתָּ֣ה
אָ֭קוּם
יֹאמַ֣ר
יְהוָ֑ה
אָשִׁ֥ית
בְּ֝יֵ֗שַׁע
יָפִ֥יחַֽ
לֽוֹ׃
7. אִֽמֲר֣וֹת
יְהוָה֮
אֲמָר֢וֹת
טְהֹ֫ר֥וֹת
כֶּ֣סֶף
צָ֭רוּף
בַּעֲלִ֣יל
לָאָ֑רֶץ
מְ֝זֻקָּ֗ק
שִׁבְעָתָֽיִם׃
8. אַתָּֽה־
יְהוָ֥ה
תִּשְׁמְרֵ֑ם
תִּצְּרֶ֓נּוּ ׀
מִן־
הַדּ֖וֹר
ז֣וּ
לְעוֹלָֽם׃
9. סָבִ֗יב
רְשָׁעִ֥ים
יִתְהַלָּכ֑וּן
כְּרֻ֥ם
זֻ֝לּ֗וּת
לִבְנֵ֥י
אָדָֽם׃