Psalm 10 → 75
Reasoning: 9792 Output: 5148 Total: 14940
Argument
Here are lines of argument—moving from macro-structure to word-level ties—that make it plausible to read Psalm 75 as a logical sequel or answer to Psalm 10. Macro-plot and genre (lament → oracle/thanksgiving) - Psalm 10 is a lament: God seems far, the wicked flourish, the poor are hunted; the psalmist petitions God to arise, judge, and break the power of the wicked. - Psalm 75 functions as an answer/oracle and thanksgiving: God (or a divinely inspired speaker) announces the set time for judgment, asserts his cosmic rule, rebukes the boastful, and promises the downfall of the wicked and the exaltation of the righteous. - This lament → divine response → praise sequence is a common liturgical arc in Israelite worship. Direct “reversal” of Psalm 10’s opening complaint - Ps 10:1 “Why, YHWH, do you stand far off? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?” (למה … תעמד ברחוק … תעלים לעתות בצרה) - Ps 75:2 “We give thanks … your name is near” (וקרוב שמך). “Far” (10) is answered by “near” (75), and “times of trouble” are answered by God’s chosen “appointed time” (מועד; 75:3). Time-of-judgment: from “When?” to “Now I choose the time” - Ps 10:1 “in times of trouble” (לעתות בצרה) and repeated doubts that God will “seek/inquire” (דרש; 10:4, 13). - Ps 75:3 “When I take the appointed time, I will judge with equity” (כי אקח מועד … מישרים אשפט). The uncertainty about God’s timing in 10 is explicitly resolved by God’s claim to choose the “moed.” God’s presence and action: hands, seeing, judging - Ps 10:12–14 imperatives: “Arise … lift your hand” (נשא ידך), “you see” (ראיתה), “you look to take it into your hand” (לתת בידך). - Ps 75:9 “A cup is in the hand of YHWH” (כוס ביד יהוה). The “raise your hand” plea (10) becomes the hand that actively dispenses judgment (75). Judicial vocabulary and theme (very strong conceptual and lexical link) - Ps 10:5 “Your judgments” (משפטיך); 10:18 “to judge” (לשפט) the orphan and crushed. - Ps 75:3 “I will judge” (אשפט); 75:8 “God is judge” (אלהים שפט). - The core dispute in 10 (“God won’t seek/judge”) is openly contradicted and resolved in 75 (“I will judge”). Wicked pride: same root ה-ל-ל and the exaltation vocabulary - Ps 10:3 “The wicked boasts/praises” (הלל רשע) of his own cravings; 10:4 “as his nose is high” (כגבה אפו). - Ps 75:5 “I said to the boasters” (אמרתי להוללים) “do not boast” (אל תהללו); 75:6 “Do not lift up your horn on high” (אל תריםו למרום קרנכם); 75:8 “This one he puts down, this one he lifts up” (זה ישפיל וזה ירים). - Shared root ה-ל-ל (boast), shared “height” lexeme מרום (10:5; 75:6), and the same pride theme reversed by divine action. Power imagery: from “break the arm” to “cut the horns” - Ps 10:15 “Break the arm of the wicked” (שבור זרוע רשע). - Ps 75:11 “All the horns of the wicked I will cut off” (וכל קרני רשעים אגדע); “the horns of the righteous will be exalted” (תרוממנה קרנות צדיק). - Arm and horn are stock metaphors for power; 75 answers 10’s request with a concrete execution of judgment. The wicked’s false security vs. God’s sovereign stability - Ps 10:6 “He says in his heart, ‘I shall not be moved’” (בל אמוט). - Ps 75:4 “The earth and all its inhabitants are melting; I myself have set firm its pillars” (נמגים ארץ … אנכי תכנתי עמודיה). 75:8 God alone humbles/raises. - The wicked’s claim of unshakeability (10) is refuted by the God who actually stabilizes/shakes the world (75). “Far/near,” “see/hide,” “seek/judge”: explicit counters to 10’s accusations - Ps 10:11 “He has hidden his face; he will never see” (הסתיר פניו בל ראה לנצח). - Ps 75 counters with presence (“your name is near”) and active judgment; the cup image (75:9) depicts God’s seen, public retribution. - Ps 10:13 “He says … ‘You will not seek’” (לא תדרש); Ps 75:8 “God is judge” (אלהים שפט), the functional equivalent of “God will indeed seek out and requite.” Shared lexemes and roots (from more probative to common) - Near vs far: ברחוק (10:1) ↔ קרוב (75:2) — a pointed thematic antonymy. - Judicial cluster: משפטיך (10:5), לשפט (10:18) ↔ אשפט (75:3), שפט (75:8) — same root ש-פ-ט, multiple identical forms. - Boast cluster: הלל (10:3) ↔ להוללים … אל תהללו (75:5) — same uncommon negative sense of ה-ל-ל “boast,” with the rare noun הוללים. - Height/exaltation cluster: מרום (10:5) ↔ למרום (75:6); plus ירים/תרוממנה (75:8, 11) — shared ר-ו-ם lexeme used antithetically. - Hand: נשא ידך; לתת בידך (10:12, 14) ↔ ביד יהוה (75:9) — identical noun and motif. - עולם/לעולם: יהוה מלך עולם ועד (10:16) ↔ אגיד לעולם (75:10) — “forever” frames both. - ארץ: מן הארץ; גוים מארצו (10:16, 18) ↔ רשעי־ארץ (75:9); נמגים ארץ (75:4) — shared stage and scope of judgment. - Rasha/Reshaim: רשע/רשעים saturate both psalms; 75 adds the concentrated “רשעי־ארץ.” From petition to praise (liturgical consequence) - Ps 10 ends in confidence: “YHWH is king forever and ever” and a resolve that the oppressed will be judged. - Ps 75 opens and closes in thanksgiving: “We give thanks … your name is near … we recount your wonders” (הודינו … סיפרו נפלאותיך), and “I will declare forever; I will sing” (אגיד לעולם … אזמרה). This is the expected liturgical sequel to an answered lament. Common life-setting and mythic motifs - Social-judicial crisis in 10 (ambush, deceit, oppression of poor/orphan) is the classic Sitz im Leben that leads to temple appeal and, at an appointed festival (מועד), an oracle of judgment (75:3–9). - 75’s “cup in YHWH’s hand” (כוס … ביד יהוה) is a standard prophetic judgment image (cf. Isa 51; Jer 25), fitting the outcome prayed for in 10 (the end of terror: 10:18). - 75:4’s cosmic-stability claim (“I set its pillars”) fits enthronement ideology; 10:16’s “YHWH is king forever” aligns the two in kingship theology. Rarer and more pointed links (greater probative value) - Negative boasting vocabulary: הוללים / אל תהללו (75:5) vis-à-vis הלל רשע (10:3). This use of ה-ל-ל for human arrogance (not praise of God) is comparatively marked. - The exact antonymy far/near (ברחוק ↔ קרוב) across psalms’ openings sharply signals “answering” structure. - Power-breaking imagery answered in kind but with fresh metaphor: “break the arm” (שבור זרוע, 10:15) → “cut off the horns” (אגדע קרני, 75:11). In sum: Psalm 10 petitions God to end the arrogant security of the wicked, to judge, and to break their power; Psalm 75 presents God’s near presence, announces the appointed time of judgment, rebukes the boasters, details the execution of judgment (the cup), and declares the cutting off of the wicked’s power and the exaltation of the righteous. The direct reversals (far/near; “you will not seek”/“I will judge”; “I shall not be moved”/“I set the pillars … I humble and raise”), the shared roots and lexemes (שפט; הלל/הוללים; מרום/רים; יד; עולם; ארץ; רשע), and the standard lament→oracle→thanksgiving movement together make a strong case that Psalm 75 can be read as a logical follow-on to Psalm 10.
Evaluation
Score: 7.5
Evaluated at: 2025-12-10T04:00:27 (UTC)
Evaluator model: gpt-5
Evaluator version: v2
Reasoning: 3456 Output: 6000 Total: 9456
Checklist
- Has verse refs: Yes
- Factual error detected: No
- Only generic motifs: No
- Counterargument considered: No
- LXX/MT numbering acknowledged: No
Vocabulary specificity: 5.5 / 10
Accurate, text-anchored reversals (10:1 far vs 75:2 near; 10:13 דרש vs 75:3–8 אשפט; 10:6 בל־אמוט vs 75:4 עמודיה; 10:15 זרוע vs 75:11 קרני). Strong oracle rationale, but motifs are common and cross-book sequencing unaddressed.
Prompt
Consider Psalm 10 and Psalm 75 (reproduced below). What arguments could you make to justify that Psalm 75 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 75:
Psalm 75
1. לַמְנַצֵּ֥חַ
אַל־
תַּשְׁחֵ֑ת
מִזְמ֖וֹר
לְאָסָ֣ף
שִֽׁיר׃
2. ה֘וֹדִ֤ינּוּ
לְּךָ֨ ׀
אֱֽלֹהִ֗ים
ה֭וֹדִינוּ
וְקָר֣וֹב
שְׁמֶ֑ךָ
סִ֝פְּר֗וּ
נִפְלְאוֹתֶֽיךָ׃
3. כִּ֭י
אֶקַּ֣ח
מוֹעֵ֑ד
אֲ֝נִ֗י
מֵישָׁרִ֥ים
אֶשְׁפֹּֽט׃
4. נְֽמֹגִ֗ים
אֶ֥רֶץ
וְכָל־
יֹשְׁבֶ֑יהָ
אָנֹכִ֨י
תִכַּ֖נְתִּי
עַמּוּדֶ֣יהָ
סֶּֽלָה׃
5. אָמַ֣רְתִּי
לַֽ֭הוֹלְלִים
אַל־
תָּהֹ֑לּוּ
וְ֝לָרְשָׁעִ֗ים
אַל־
תָּרִ֥ימוּ
קָֽרֶן׃
6. אַל־
תָּרִ֣ימוּ
לַמָּר֣וֹם
קַרְנְכֶ֑ם
תְּדַבְּר֖וּ
בְצַוָּ֣אר
עָתָֽק׃
7. כִּ֤י
לֹ֣א
מִ֭מּוֹצָא
וּמִֽמַּעֲרָ֑ב
וְ֝לֹ֗א
מִמִּדְבַּ֥ר
הָרִֽים׃
8. כִּֽי־
אֱלֹהִ֥ים
שֹׁפֵ֑ט
זֶ֥ה
יַ֝שְׁפִּ֗יל
וְזֶ֣ה
יָרִֽים׃
9. כִּ֤י
כ֪וֹס
בְּֽיַד־
יְהוָ֡ה
וְיַ֤יִן
חָמַ֨ר ׀
מָ֥לֵא
מֶסֶךְ֮
וַיַּגֵּ֢ר
מִ֫זֶּ֥ה
אַךְ־
שְׁ֭מָרֶיהָ
יִמְצ֣וּ
יִשְׁתּ֑וּ
כֹּ֝֗ל
רִשְׁעֵי־
אָֽרֶץ׃
10. וַ֭אֲנִי
אַגִּ֣יד
לְעֹלָ֑ם
אֲ֝זַמְּרָ֗ה
לֵאלֹהֵ֥י
יַעֲקֹֽב׃
11. וְכָל־
קַרְנֵ֣י
רְשָׁעִ֣ים
אֲגַדֵּ֑עַ
תְּ֝רוֹמַ֗מְנָה
קַֽרְנ֥וֹת
צַדִּֽ֥cיק׃