Psalm 10 → 70
Reasoning: 13504 Output: 4556 Total: 18060
Argument
Here are several ways to argue that Psalm 70 “follows on from” Psalm 10—stylistically, formally, lexically, thematically, and in plausible life-setting. 1) Time/Distance/Delay answered by Haste - Ps 10 opens with God’s distance and delay: “למה יהוה תעמוד ברחוק תעלים לעתות בצרה” (10:1). - Ps 70 answers that problem explicitly with urgency: “אלהים להצילני; יהוה לעזרתי חושה” (70:2), “יהוה אל תאחר” (70:6). - The lament over divine remoteness in 10 naturally yields to the make-haste plea in 70. In other words, 70 functions as the practical follow-up prayer to 10’s complaint about delay. 2) Forget vs Remember: an editorially neat hinge - Ps 10 asks: “אל תשכח” the afflicted (10:12). - Ps 70’s superscription is “להזכיר” (“for remembrance/reminder”). That is an unusually tight conceptual response: 10 fears divine forgetting; 70 is explicitly framed as a “reminder” to God. The pairing “אל תשכח” → “להזכיר” makes 70 look like the liturgical next step to 10. - Note also “תמיד” in 70:5 (“let them say continually”) answering 10:6 “לדור ודור”: both speak in time-language, but 70’s “continually” is the devotional practice that counters the wicked’s presumption of a trouble-free “generation to generation.” 3) Same addressee style: double divine name in vocative - Ps 10:12: “קומה יהוה; אל נשא ידך” combines יהוה and אל in a single appeal. - Ps 70:2: “אלהים ... יהוה ...” also pairs the divine names in one breath. - This double-vocative is relatively marked stylistically and suits a continuous prayer sequence. 4) The “poor” of Psalm 10 steps forward to speak in Psalm 70 - In Psalm 10 the victims are described in third person: עני (10:2, 10:9, repeated), יתום (10:14, 10:18), דך (10:18), חלכה (10:14). - Psalm 70 turns that into first person self-designation: “ואני עני ואביון” (70:6). - Logical progression: the oppressed portrayed in Ps 10 becomes the “I” who prays Ps 70. 5) Shared vocabulary and roots (rarer forms and identical forms noted) - Identical form עני (common but crucial to both psalms’ subject): - Ps 10:2 יִדְלַק עני; 10:9–10 לחטוף עני (x2); 10:12 עניים/ענוים (reading varies). - Ps 70:6 ואני עני ואביון. - Root עזר (“help”), with tight semantic continuity: - Ps 10:14 “יתום אתה היית עוזר” (participle; Helper of the orphan). - Ps 70:2 “לעזרתי חושה,” 70:6 “עזרי ומפלטי אתה” (noun forms). - The same root shifts from a remembered divine role (10:14) to an urgent request for that help now (70:2, 6). - “Seek” semantics linking two camps (wicked vs faithful): - Ps 10 uses דרש: 10:4 “בל ידרש” (the wicked will not seek God), 10:13 “לא תדרש” (he thinks God will not seek it), 10:15 “תדרש רשע” (prayer that God would “seek out” the wickedness). - Ps 70 uses בקש: 70:3 “מבקשי נפשי” (seekers of my life) vs 70:5 “כל מבקשיך” (all who seek you). - This creates a deliberate contrast: in Ps 10 the wicked refuse to seek God and presume God won’t “seek”; in Ps 70 there are two “seeking” groups—those seeking my life and those seeking God—now set in opposition, with the psalmist asking for the reversal of the former and joy for the latter. - Wicked speech vs righteous speech: - Ps 10: the wicked “הלל ... ניאץ יהוה” (10:3), “אמר בלבו” (10:6, 10:11), “פיהו מלא ... מרמות” (10:7). - Ps 70: the taunting “האח האח” (70:4) is the social face of that arrogance; the faithful answer with speech too: “ויאמרו תמיד: יגדל אלהים” (70:5). - Note how 70:5 “יגדל אלהים” specifically counters 10:4 “אין אלהים” (in all his schemes). The “no-God” of Ps 10 meets the congregational “May God be magnified” of Ps 70. - Legal/judicial frame: - Ps 10 is full of legal language: “משפטיך” (10:5), “לשפט יתום ודך” (10:18). - Ps 70 prays for the typical forensic outcomes on enemies: “יבשו ... יחפרו ... יכלמו” (70:3–4)—shame and disgrace—the expected consequence of losing one’s case when God judges (anticipated in Ps 10). 6) Movement from description to execution - Ps 10: long analysis of the wicked, a prayer for intervention (rise up, lift your hand, break the arm), and a confession of God’s kingship (10:16). - Ps 70: a compact “execution prayer”—make haste; turn back my pursuers; let the faithful rejoice; please don’t delay. - This suits a two-step liturgy: a full complaint and confidence (10), then a short emergency reminder (70) to trigger the action asked for in 10 (“שבר זרוע רשע” → “יסגו אחור … יכלמו”). 7) Doxological connection - Ps 10 climaxes: “יהוה מלך עולם ועד” (10:16). - Ps 70 sets the congregational refrain: “ויאמרו תמיד: יגדל אלהים” (70:5). - Enthronement/confession (10) naturally leads into an ongoing doxological refrain (70), a typical liturgical flow from proclamation to response. 8) Plausible life-setting and ritual sequence - Psalm 70’s superscription “להזכיר” (“for remembrance”) likely signals a liturgical “reminder” prayer (cf. the azkarah “memorial portion” in Lev 2; and Isa 62:6–7 “you who remind the Lord”). - Read in sequence, Ps 10 voices the grievance and faith that God will judge on behalf of the poor/orphan; Ps 70 is the brief “reminder” the worshiper brings to the sanctuary—“Hurry; don’t delay”—so that the courtroom verdict of Ps 10 is not merely theoretical but enacted now. - In life terms: after enduring the social violence mapped in Ps 10 (ambush, murder of the innocent, predation on the poor), the sufferer brings a memorial petition (Ps 70) seeking immediate deliverance and the public shaming of the aggressors. 9) Specific before/after reversals - Before (Ps 10): the wicked say “בל אמוט” (I shall not be moved, 10:6), think “בל יראה לנצח” (He will never see, 10:11), and “אין אלהים” guides their schemes (10:4). - After (Ps 70): “יסגו אחור” (let them retreat), “יכלמו/יבשו/יחפרו” (be confounded/ashamed), and the community counters with “יגדל אלהים.” The very arrogance of 10 is the target of 70’s reversals. In sum - The most decisive links are: (a) the forget/remember hinge (“אל תשכח” → “להזכיר”), (b) delay vs haste (“תעמוד ברחוק/תעלים” → “חושה/אל תאחר”), (c) the “poor” of Psalm 10 becoming the “I, poor and needy” of Psalm 70, and (d) the same helper-God (root עזר) invoked first as known (10:14) then as urgently needed (70:2,6). - Add to these the shared invocation style, the “seeking” polarity, the shift from analysis to execution, and the doxological response, and it is quite reasonable to read Psalm 70 as a compact, liturgical follow-on to Psalm 10.
Evaluation
Score: 6.0
Evaluated at: 2025-12-10T03:52:52 (UTC)
Evaluator model: gpt-5
Evaluator version: v2
Reasoning: 3520 Output: 5391 Total: 8911
Checklist
- Has verse refs: Yes
- Factual error detected: No
- Only generic motifs: No
- Counterargument considered: No
- LXX/MT numbering acknowledged: No
Vocabulary specificity: 3.5 / 10
Accurate, text-anchored links (אל תשכח→להזכיר; delay→haste; עני/עזר). Yet lexicon is common lament stock; ‘seek’ uses different roots; no engagement with key counterpoint: Ps 70 ≈ Ps 40:14–18 duplicate.
Prompt
Consider Psalm 10 and Psalm 70 (reproduced below). What arguments could you make to justify that Psalm 70 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 70:
Psalm 70
1. לַ֝מְנַצֵּ֗חַ
לְדָוִ֥ד
לְהַזְכִּֽיר׃
2. אֱלֹהִ֥ים
לְהַצִּילֵ֑נִי
יְ֝הוָ֗ה
לְעֶזְרָ֥תִי
חֽוּשָֽׁה׃
3. יֵבֹ֣שׁוּ
וְיַחְפְּרוּ֮
מְבַקְשֵׁ֢י
נַ֫פְשִׁ֥י
יִסֹּ֣גוּ
אָ֭חוֹר
וְיִכָּלְמ֑וּ
חֲ֝פֵצֵ֗י
רָעָתִֽי׃
4. יָ֭שׁוּבוּ
עַל־
עֵ֣קֶב
בָּשְׁתָּ֑ם
הָ֝אֹמְרִ֗ים
הֶ֘אָ֥ח ׀
הֶאָֽח׃
5. יָ֘שִׂ֤ישׂוּ
וְיִשְׂמְח֨וּ ׀
בְּךָ֗
כָּֽל־
מְבַ֫קְשֶׁ֥יךָ
וְיֹאמְר֣וּ
תָ֭מִיד
יִגְדַּ֣ל
אֱלֹהִ֑ים
אֹ֝הֲבֵ֗י
יְשׁוּעָתֶֽךָ׃
6. וַאֲנִ֤י ׀
עָנִ֣י
וְאֶבְיוֹן֮
אֱלֹהִ֢ים
חֽוּשָׁ֫ה־
לִּ֥י
עֶזְרִ֣י
וּמְפַלְטִ֣י
אַ֑תָּה
יְ֝הוָ֗ה
אַל־
תְּאַחַֽר׃