Psalm 10 → 56
Reasoning: 10048 Output: 5829 Total: 15877
Argument
Below are ways to argue that Psalm 56 can be read as a logical follow‑on to Psalm 10. I’ve grouped the evidence and weighted it (strongest first) by the criteria you set: identical forms > identical lemmas/roots > rarer items > broader stylistic/structural links. 1) Identical or near‑identical Hebrew forms and rare/shared lexemes - Identical verbal form: יִצְפֹּנוּ “they lie hidden/they hide” (Qal 3mpl from צפן) • Ps 10:8 עֵינָיו לְחֵלְכָה יִצְפֹּנוּ “his eyes lie in wait for the helpless” • Ps 56:7 יָגוּרוּ יִצְפֹּנוּ … “they gather, they hide…” Significance: exact form match, same stalking/ambush context (rare to hit both the same way). - מָרוֹם “on high” • Ps 10:5 מָרוֹם מִשְׁפָּטֶיךָ “Your judgments are on high (out of his sight)” • Ps 56:3 רַבִּים לֹחֲמִים לִי מָרוֹם “Many are fighting me, O Most High” (or “from on high”) Significance: identical form; the “height” of God’s rule/judgment in 10 is invoked as the address-title for God in 56. - אָוֶן “iniquity” • Ps 10:7 תַּחַת לְשׁוֹנוֹ עָמָל וָאָוֶן • Ps 56:8 עַל־אָוֶן פַלֶּט־לָמוֹ (usually read “For their iniquity, let there be no escape for them”) Significance: same noun marking the moral ground for judgment in both psalms. - אֱנוֹשׁ “mortal/man” • Ps 10:18 בַּל־יוֹסִיף עוֹד לַעֲרֹץ אֱנוֹשׁ מִן־הָאָרֶץ • Ps 56:2 כִּי־שְׁאָפַנִי אֱנוֹשׁ Significance: the “man who terrifies” in Ps 10 becomes the concrete persecutor in Ps 56. - Root אף “anger/nostrils” • Ps 10:4 רָשָׁע כְּגֹבַהּ אַפּוֹ “the wicked, in the height of his ‘nose’ (anger/pride)” • Ps 56:8 בְּאַף עַמִּים הוֹרֵד אֱלֹהִים “in anger cast down peoples, O God” Significance: God’s “anger” in 56 answers the wicked’s “high nose” in 10. - רָחוֹק “far” (root רח״ק) • Ps 10:1 לָמָה יְהוָה תַּעֲמֹד בְּרָחוֹק “Why, O LORD, do you stand far away?” • Ps 56: title יוֹנַת אֵלֶם רְחֹקִים “Dove of the distant ones” (רְחֹקִים) Significance: the superscription’s “distant” (רְחֹקִים) resonates with Ps 10:1’s complaint that God is “far.” - הלל “to praise” • Ps 10:3 כִּי־הִלֵּל רָשָׁע עַל־תַּאֲוַת נַפְשׁוֹ “the wicked praises his own desire” • Ps 56:5,11 בֵּאלֹהִים אֲהַלֵּל דָּבָר; בַּיהוָה אֲהַלֵּל דָּבָר Significance: same root; Ps 56 corrects the misdirected praise of Ps 10 by redirecting praise to God’s word. - Temporal refrain echoes • Ps 10:5 דְּרָכָיו בְּכָל־עֵת “his ways prosper at all times” • Ps 56:2–3,6 כָּל־הַיּוֹם … כָּל־הַיּוֹם … כָּל־הַיּוֹם Significance: the “all the time/every day” pressure of the wicked in 10 reappears as “all day long” harassment in 56. 2) Image clusters and plot‑line continuity - Ambush/stalking motif • Ps 10:8–9: “sits in ambush,” “in the hiding places,” “like a lion,” “drags in his net” • Ps 56:7: “they gather,” “they hide,” “they watch my heels/steps” Continuity: same predatory profile of the wicked, now personalized against David. - From terror to fearlessness • Ps 10:18 “so that the man of the earth may no more terrify (לַעֲרֹץ)” • Ps 56:4–5,12 “When I am afraid, I will trust… In God I have trusted; I will not fear… What can flesh/man do to me?” Continuity: Ps 56 enacts the goal of Ps 10:18 — the end of being terrorized by “man.” - “God sees” → “God records and answers” • Ps 10:11: the wicked says, “He hides his face; he will never see.” • Ps 10:14: “You have seen (רָאִיתָ)… you behold (תַּבִּיט)…” • Ps 56:9: “You yourself have counted my wanderings; put my tears in your bottle — are they not in your book?” Continuity: Ps 56 explicitly reverses the denial of divine sight in Ps 10 with intensified “counting/recording” language. - Nations cast down • Ps 10:16 “Nations have perished from his land” • Ps 56:8 “In anger cast down peoples, O God” Continuity: a general claim in 10 becomes a petition against specific “peoples” in 56 (historically apt in Gath). 3) Structural/formal progression (lament → trust → vow) - Ps 10 is a complaint and imprecation: “Why do you stand far off? … Arise, O LORD… Break the arm of the wicked…” - Ps 56 is an individual lament that resolves in trust and vow: “When I call… my enemies turn back… In God I trust… Upon me are your vows; I will render thank‑offerings.” - This is the standard lament sequence in Israelite liturgy: crisis → plea → divine attentiveness → trust/vow. Ps 56 reads like the personal enactment of the communal plea of Ps 10. 4) Thematic inversions that look like deliberate “answers” - Ps 10: the wicked “praises” himself (הלל) and speaks “cursing, deceit and oppression” (אָלָה… וּמִרְמוֹת… עָמָל וָאָוֶן). - Ps 56: the psalmist “praises” God’s word (הלל), and asks God to trap the wicked in their own “iniquity” (אָוֶן) and cast down the peoples. - Ps 10: “Why do you stand far off… hide yourself?” (בְּרָחוֹק; תַּעְלִים) - Ps 56: despite being in the land of “the distant ones” (רְחֹקִים), God demonstrably “hears” and “records,” and enemies “turn back” on the day of calling (56:10). 5) Historical/life‑setting coherence - Ps 10 paints the generalized social reality of predatory elites (lying in wait, trapping the poor, boasting, denying divine oversight). - Ps 56 locates that reality in a concrete episode: David seized by Philistines in Gath. The “peoples/nations” language (10:16; 56:8) fits the foreign setting; the ambush/stalking language fits palace and border‑politics of pursuit; the shift to vow and thanksgiving fits deliverance after danger. 6) Stylistic congruities - Both heavily use second‑person address to God and quick alternations between reporting the enemy’s speech and addressing God. - Both rely on compact bicola/tricola with repeated temporal markers (כָּל־הַיּוֹם / בְּכָל־עֵת) and intensifiers (אָז “then” in 56:10 answering the appeals of Ps 10:12–15). - Both cluster juridical terms (מִשְׁפָּטֶיךָ “your judgments” in 10:5; “cast down peoples” in 56:8; “judge the orphan and the crushed” in 10:18), framing the conflict as a courtroom/royal‑rule issue. Cautions and clarifications - The title term אֵלֶם “silent” in Ps 56’s superscription is a different root from תַּעְלִים “you hide/conceal” (Ps 10:1); they are conceptually related (divine silence/hiddenness) but not the same root. - Some links (e.g., “praise,” “trust,” “man”) are common in Psalms; the argument rests on the cumulative pattern plus the stronger hooks (יִצְפֹּנוּ; מָרוֹם; אָוֶן; אֱנוֹשׁ; רָחוֹק). Bottom line - Lexically, the exact match יִצְפֹּנוּ, plus shared מָרוֹם, אָוֶן, אֱנוֹשׁ, and the רָחוֹק/רְחֹקִים hook from Ps 10:1 to Ps 56’s title, tie the poems tightly. - Thematically, Ps 56 reads like an enacted answer to Ps 10’s plea: God, once thought distant, is now proven attentive; the terror of “man” is replaced by fearless trust; predatory hiding is met by divine recording and casting‑down; communal appeal becomes individual vow and thanksgiving. - Historically, the “nations/peoples” dimension of Ps 10 naturally flows into David’s Philistine crisis in Ps 56. On these grounds, it is reasonable to argue that Psalm 56 can be read as a deliberate continuation and concrete realization of the hopes and charges voiced in Psalm 10.
Evaluation
Score: 7.0
Evaluated at: 2025-12-09T04:05:48 (UTC)
Evaluator model: gpt-5
Evaluator version: v2
Reasoning: 3968 Output: 6676 Total: 10644
Checklist
- Has verse refs: Yes
- Factual error detected: No
- Only generic motifs: No
- Counterargument considered: Yes
- LXX/MT numbering acknowledged: No
Vocabulary specificity: 4.0 / 10
Best hook: identical יִצְפֹּנוּ (10:8; 56:7) plus מָרוֹם, אָוֶן, אֱנוֹשׁ, and ambush imagery with verse refs. Weaknesses: many lexemes common; superscriptional רְחֹקִים is tenuous; psalms are distant in sequence.
Prompt
Consider Psalm 10 and Psalm 56 (reproduced below). What arguments could you make to justify that Psalm 56 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 56:
Psalm 56
1. לַמְנַצֵּ֤חַ ׀
עַל־
י֬וֹנַת
אֵ֣לֶם
רְ֭חֹקִים
לְדָוִ֣ד
מִכְתָּ֑ם
בֶּֽאֱחֹ֨ז
אֹת֖וֹ
פְלִשְׁתִּ֣ים
בְּגַֽת׃
2. חָנֵּ֣נִי
אֱ֭לֹהִים
כִּֽי־
שְׁאָפַ֣נִי
אֱנ֑וֹשׁ
כָּל־
הַ֝יּ֗וֹם
לֹחֵ֥ם
יִלְחָצֵֽנִי׃
3. שָׁאֲפ֣וּ
שׁ֭וֹרְרַי
כָּל־
הַיּ֑וֹם
כִּֽי־
רַבִּ֨ים
לֹחֲמִ֖ים
לִ֣י
מָרֽוֹם׃
4. י֥וֹם
אִירָ֑א
אֲ֝נִ֗י
אֵלֶ֥יךָ
אֶבְטָֽח׃
5. בֵּאלֹהִים֮
אֲהַלֵּ֢ל
דְּבָ֫ר֥וֹ
בֵּאלֹהִ֣ים
בָּ֭טַחְתִּי
לֹ֣א
אִירָ֑א
מַה־
יַּעֲשֶׂ֖ה
בָשָׂ֣ר
לִֽי׃
6. כָּל־
הַ֭יּוֹם
דְּבָרַ֣י
יְעַצֵּ֑בוּ
עָלַ֖י
כָּל־
מַחְשְׁבֹתָ֣ם
לָרָֽע׃
7. יָג֤וּרוּ ׀
יצפינו
יִצְפּ֗וֹנוּ
הֵ֭מָּה
עֲקֵבַ֣י
יִשְׁמֹ֑רוּ
כַּ֝אֲשֶׁ֗ר
קִוּ֥וּ
נַפְשִֽׁי׃
8. עַל־
אָ֥וֶן
פַּלֶּט־
לָ֑מוֹ
בְּ֝אַ֗ף
עַמִּ֤ים ׀
הוֹרֵ֬ד
אֱלֹהִֽים׃
9. נֹדִי֮
סָפַ֢רְתָּ֫ה
אָ֥תָּה
שִׂ֣ימָה
דִמְעָתִ֣י
בְנֹאדֶ֑ךָ
הֲ֝לֹ֗א
בְּסִפְרָתֶֽךָ׃
10. אָ֥֨ז
יָ֘שׁ֤וּבוּ
אוֹיְבַ֣י
אָ֭חוֹר
בְּי֣וֹם
אֶקְרָ֑א
זֶה־
יָ֝דַ֗עְתִּי
כִּֽי־
אֱלֹהִ֥ים
לִֽי׃
11. בֵּֽ֭אלֹהִים
אֲהַלֵּ֣ל
דָּבָ֑ר
בַּ֝יהוָ֗ה
אֲהַלֵּ֥ל
דָּבָֽר׃
12. בֵּֽאלֹהִ֣ים
בָּ֭טַחְתִּי
לֹ֣א
אִירָ֑א
מַה־
יַּעֲשֶׂ֖ה
אָדָ֣םt
לִֽי׃
13. עָלַ֣י
אֱלֹהִ֣ים
נְדָרֶ֑יךָ
אֲשַׁלֵּ֖ם
תּוֹדֹ֣ת
לָֽךְ׃
14. כִּ֤י
הִצַּ֪לְתָּ
נַפְשִׁ֡י
מִמָּוֶת֮
הֲלֹ֥א
רַגְלַ֗י
מִ֫דֶּ֥חִי
לְ֭הִֽתְהַלֵּךְ
לִפְנֵ֣י
אֱלֹהִ֑ים
בְּ֝א֗וֹר
הַֽחַיִּֽים׃