Psalm 10 → 72
Reasoning: 9728 Output: 5655 Total: 15383
Argument
Short answer: Psalm 72 reads like an intentional, point‑by‑point answer to the crisis posed in Psalm 10. Psalm 10 laments a world in which the wicked crush the poor, mocks God, and evades God’s “judgments.” Psalm 72 prays that those very divine judgments be given to the king, who will use them to defend the poor and crush the oppressor. The two psalms share (a) rare and/or identical Hebrew lexemes and forms, (b) the same justice vocabulary and judicial frame, (c) mirrored actions with reversed agents, and (d) a natural life-setting sequence (lament in oppression → enthronement prayer for a just king). Most probative lexical links (rarer/identical forms first) - דכא “crush”: Ps 10:10 יִדְכֶּה (“crushes”—of the wicked crushing the weak); Ps 72:4 וִידַכֵּא (“may he crush”—the king crushing the oppressor). Same root (ד־כ־א), same stem family and yiqtol/jussive shape, but with agent reversed. This is the clearest hinge. - עֹזֵר “helper”: Ps 10:14 אַתָּה הָיִיתָ עֹזֵר (“you have been a helper” to the orphan); Ps 72:12 וְעָנִי וְאֵין־עֹזֵר לוֹ (“the poor man with no helper”), which the king will now help. Same noun/participle form. - מִשְׁפָּטֶיךָ “your judgments” (2ms): Ps 10:5 מָרוֹם מִשְׁפָּטֶיךָ מִנֶּגְדּוֹ (“your judgments are on high, out of his sight”); Ps 72:1 מִשְׁפָּטֶיךָ לְמֶלֶךְ תֵּן (“give your judgments to the king”). In 10 the wicked ignore God’s mishpat; in 72 those same mishpatim are transferred to the king to enforce. - שׁפט “judge”: Ps 10:18 לִשְׁפֹּט יָתוֹם וָדָךְ (“to judge the orphan and the crushed”); Ps 72:4 יִשְׁפֹּט עַנִיֵּי־עָם (“may he judge the poor of the people”). Same legal root and courtroom agenda directed to the same social group. - עָנִי “poor/afflicted”: Ps 10:2, 9, 12 (multiple); Ps 72:2, 4, 12–13 (multiple). Exact noun repeats across both psalms. - “Generation” formula: Ps 10:6 לְדֹר וָדֹר; Ps 72:5 דּוֹר דּוֹרִים. Not identical morphology but same idiom of perpetuity in both conclusions. - Kingship vocabulary concentrated and contrasted: Ps 10:16 יְהוָה מֶלֶךְ עוֹלָם וָעֶד; Ps 72:1–2 “to the king … to the king’s son,” 72:11 “all kings,” ending with 72:18–19 doxology to YHWH. Psalm 10 asserts YHWH’s eternal kingship; Psalm 72 is the mechanism—God’s kingship expressed through the just Davidic king. - גּוֹיִם “nations”: Ps 10:16 אָבְדוּ גּוֹיִם מֵאַרְצוֹ (“nations perish from his land”); Ps 72:11, 17 כָּל־גּוֹיִם (“all nations”) serve/bless. Same noun; the hostile nations of 10 become the submissive/blessing nations of 72. - אֶרֶץ “earth/land”: Ps 10:18 …מִן־הָאָרֶץ; Ps 72:8, 19 אַפְסֵי־אָרֶץ; כֹּל הָאָרֶץ. Same arena, now universally pacified. Mirrored actions and reversed agents (problem in Psalm 10 → answer in Psalm 72) - The wicked crush the weak (10:10, דכא) → The king crushes the oppressor (72:4, דכא). - The innocent are murdered in ambush (10:8–9) → The king rescues and values their blood (72:12–14; “precious is their blood in his eyes”). - The wicked say, “God does not seek/require” (10:13; cf. 10:4–5) → God’s mishpat is now operationalized in the king (72:1–2). - Petition: “Arise, YHWH … do not forget the lowly” (10:12) and “Break the arm of the wicked” (10:15) → Royal jussives: “May he judge … save … crush the oppressor” (72:2–4). - Aim: “to judge the orphan and the crushed, so that man of the earth may no longer terrify” (10:18) → Outcome: “abundance of shalom” (72:7) and universal service to the king (72:11), i.e., no more terror. Shared legal/ethical frame - Courtroom lexicon: מִשְׁפָּט, צֶדֶק/צְדָקָה, שָׁפַט/דִּין dominate both psalms. Psalm 10 asks for true adjudication against predatory elites; Psalm 72 sketches the ideal royal court that delivers exactly that justice. - Social targets: יָתוֹם, דַּךְ/נִדְכָּא, עָנִי, אֶבְיוֹן, דַּל (across the pair) – the “quartet of the vulnerable” central to Israelite law/prophets. Psalm 72 expands Psalm 10’s “orphan and crushed” into a full portfolio of protected classes. Stylistic and formal echoes - Both open with direct second-person address to God and feature a sequence of imperatives/jussives. - Both move from petition to confidence/confession: Ps 10 culminates in YHWH’s reign and hearing of the humble (10:16–18); Ps 72 culminates in blessing and universal fullness (72:18–19). - Perpetuity formulas in both (דור…; עולם ועד), tying the plea (10) to an enduring solution (72). Historical/life-setting logic - In Israel’s royal ideology (cf. Deut 17; 2 Sam 8, 1 Kgs 3; Isa 11), the king’s primary public task is to administer God’s mishpat on behalf of the poor and to break oppressors. Psalm 10 voices the people’s lament when that mandate is being flouted; Psalm 72 is the coronation/inauguration prayer that installs the remedy—God’s justice entrusted to the Davidic king (here, “לִשְׁלֹמֹה”). - Festival/liturgical plausibility: a lament under oppression followed by a royal prayer for a just reign is a natural ritual sequence. Summary claim - Lexically, the shared and rarer items—especially דכא, עֹזֵר, and the identical form מִשְׁפָּטֶיךָ—link the two psalms tightly. - Conceptually and formally, Psalm 72 answers every major grievance of Psalm 10: what the wicked did to the poor, the king now undoes; what the wicked denied about God’s mishpat, the king now embodies. On these grounds, Psalm 72 can be read as a logical and intentional continuation of Psalm 10.
Evaluation
Score: 6.5
Evaluated at: 2025-12-10T03:55:59 (UTC)
Evaluator model: gpt-5
Evaluator version: v2
Reasoning: 4288 Output: 6481 Total: 10769
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
Accurate, verse-anchored parallels (דכא, עֹזֵר, מִשְׁפָּטֶיךָ, judge/poor) and reversal logic; but vocabulary largely common and no engagement with editorial distance or alternatives. Moderate evidence; no caps triggered.
Prompt
Consider Psalm 10 and Psalm 72 (reproduced below). What arguments could you make to justify that Psalm 72 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 72:
Psalm 72
1. לִשְׁלֹמֹ֨ה ׀
אֱֽלֹהִ֗ים
מִ֭שְׁפָּטֶיךָ
לְמֶ֣לֶךְ
תֵּ֑ן
וְצִדְקָתְךָ֥
לְבֶן־
מֶֽלֶךְ׃
2. יָדִ֣ין
עַמְּךָ֣
בְצֶ֑דֶק
וַעֲנִיֶּ֥יךָ
בְמִשְׁפָּֽט׃
3. יִשְׂא֤וּ
הָרִ֓ים
שָׁ֘ל֥וֹם
לָעָ֑ם
וּ֝גְבָע֗וֹת
בִּצְדָקָֽה׃
4. יִשְׁפֹּ֤ט ׀
עֲֽנִיֵּי־
עָ֗ם
י֭וֹשִׁיעַ
לִבְנֵ֣י
אֶבְי֑וֹן
וִֽידַכֵּ֣א
עוֹשֵֽׁק׃
5. יִֽירָא֥וּךָ
עִם־
שָׁ֑מֶשׁ
וְלִפְנֵ֥י
יָ֝רֵ֗חַ
דּ֣וֹר
דּוֹרִֽים׃
6. יֵ֭רֵד
כְּמָטָ֣ר
עַל־
גֵּ֑ז
כִּ֝רְבִיבִ֗ים
זַרְזִ֥יף
אָֽרֶץ׃
7. יִֽפְרַח־
בְּיָמָ֥יו
צַדִּ֑יק
וְרֹ֥ב
שָׁ֝ל֗וֹם
עַד־
בְּלִ֥י
יָרֵֽחַ׃
8. וְ֭יֵרְדְּ
מִיָּ֣ם
עַד־
יָ֑ם
וּ֝מִנָּהָ֗ר
עַד־
אַפְסֵי־
אָֽרֶץ׃
9. לְ֭פָנָיו
יִכְרְע֣וּ
צִיִּ֑ים
וְ֝אֹיְבָ֗יו
עָפָ֥ר
יְלַחֵֽכוּ׃
10. מַלְכֵ֬י
תַרְשִׁ֣ישׁ
וְ֭אִיִּים
מִנְחָ֣ה
יָשִׁ֑יבוּ
מַלְכֵ֥י
שְׁבָ֥א
וּ֝סְבָ֗א
אֶשְׁכָּ֥ר
יַקְרִֽיבוּ׃
11. וְיִשְׁתַּחֲווּ־
ל֥וֹ
כָל־
מְלָכִ֑ים
כָּל־
גּוֹיִ֥ם
יַֽעַבְדֽוּהוּ׃
12. כִּֽי־
יַ֭צִּיל
אֶבְי֣וֹן
מְשַׁוֵּ֑עַ
וְ֝עָנִ֗י
וְֽאֵין־
עֹזֵ֥ר
לֽוֹ׃
13. יָ֭חֹס
עַל־
דַּ֣ל
וְאֶבְי֑וֹן
וְנַפְשׁ֖וֹת
אֶבְיוֹנִ֣ים
יוֹשִֽׁיעַ׃
14. מִתּ֣וֹךְ
וּ֖dמֵחָמָס
יִגְאַ֣ל
נַפְשָׁ֑ם
וְיֵיקַ֖ר
דָּמָ֣ם
בְּעֵינָֽיו׃
15. וִיחִ֗י
וְיִתֶּן־
לוֹ֮
מִזְּהַ֢ב
שְׁ֫בָ֥א
וְיִתְפַּלֵּ֣ל
בַּעֲד֣וֹ
תָמִ֑יד
כָּל־
הַ֝יּ֗וֹם
יְבָרֲכֶֽנְהֽוּ׃
16. יְהִ֤י
פִסַּת־
בַּ֨ר ׀
בָּאָרֶץ֮
בְּרֹ֢אשׁ
הָ֫רִ֥ים
יִרְעַ֣שׁ
כַּלְּבָנ֣וֹן
פִּרְי֑וֹ
וְיָצִ֥יצוּ
מֵ֝עִ֗יר
כְּעֵ֣שֶׂב
הָאָֽרֶץ׃
17. יְהִ֤י
שְׁמ֨וֹ ׀
לְֽעוֹלָ֗ם
לִפְנֵי־
שֶׁמֶשׁ֮
ינין
יִנּ֢וֹן
שְׁ֫מ֥וֹ
וְיִתְבָּ֥רְכוּ
ב֑וֹ
כָּל־
גּוֹיִ֥ם
יְאַשְּׁרֽוּהוּ׃
18. בָּר֤וּךְ ׀
יְהוָ֣ה
אֱ֭לֹהִים
אֱלֹהֵ֣י
יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל
עֹשֵׂ֖ה
נִפְלָא֣וֹת
לְבַדּֽוֹ׃
19. וּבָר֤וּךְ ׀
שֵׁ֥ם
כְּבוֹד֗וֹ
לְע֫וֹלָ֥ם
וְיִמָּלֵ֣א
כְ֭בוֹדוֹ
אֶת־
כֹּ֥ל
הָאָ֗רֶץ
אָ֘מֵ֥ן ׀
וְאָמֵֽן׃
20. כָּלּ֥וּ
תְפִלּ֑וֹת
דָּ֝וִ֗ד
בֶּן־
יִשָֽׁי׃