Psalm 10 → 125
Reasoning: 8320 Output: 4834 Total: 13154
Argument
Short thesis: Psalm 125 reads naturally as the “answer” to the lament of Psalm 10. The prayer of Psalm 10 asks God to end the impunity of the rashaʿ (wicked), to draw near, to secure the dal/ʿani/yatom (crushed, poor, orphan), and to establish lasting order in God’s land. Psalm 125 depicts that order as realized: Zion is stable, YHWH encircles his people forever, the rashaʿ’s scepter no longer rests on the righteous, the crooked are removed with “workers of iniquity,” and peace rests on Israel. High‑value lexical and formal links (rarer or more exact forms first) - Arm/rod imagery for wicked power: - Ps 10:15 שְׁבֹר זְרוֹעַ רָשָׁע “break the arm of the wicked.” - Ps 125:3 לֹא יָנוּחַ שֵׁבֶט הָרֶשַׁע “the scepter/rod of wickedness will not rest.” - Both use concrete instruments of rule/violence for the rashaʿ; Psalm 125 presupposes Psalm 10’s petition as accomplished: the arm broken → the rod no longer rests. - “Not be moved” (root מוט) reversal: - Ps 10:6 אָמַר בְּלִבּוֹ בַּל אֶמּוֹט “he (the wicked) says in his heart, ‘I shall not be moved.’” - Ps 125:1 לֹא יִמּוֹט “(the one) who trusts in YHWH… shall not be moved,” likened to Mount Zion. - Same root and negative; Psalm 125 relocates immovability from the boastful rashaʿ to those “trusting in YHWH.” - “Forever” formulae (עולם/נצח) concentrated in both: - Ps 10:11 בַּל־רָאָה לָנֶצַח “he will never see,” Ps 10:16 יְהוָה מֶלֶךְ עוֹלָם וָעֶד. - Ps 125:1–2 לֹא יִמּוֹט… לְעוֹלָם יֵשֵׁב; מֵעַתָּה וְעַד־עוֹלָם. - The wicked’s “forever” in Ps 10 is a (false) claim of impunity; Ps 125 reassigns “forever” to Zion’s stability and YHWH’s encircling presence. - Identical noun אוֶן “iniquity/mischief” (rarer than רשע): - Ps 10:7 תַּחַת לְשׁוֹנוֹ עָמָל וָאָוֶן. - Ps 125:5 אֶת־פֹּעֲלֵי הָאָוֶן “workers of iniquity.” - Psalm 125 closes by separating the people from the very אוֶן that filled the wicked’s speech in Psalm 10. - Identical 3ms form יֵשֵׁב “he/it sits/abides”: - Ps 10:8 יֵשֵׁב בְּמַאְרַב “he sits in ambush” (predatory posture of the wicked). - Ps 125:1 לְעוֹלָם יֵשֵׁב “(Mount Zion) abides forever.” - The “sitting” shifts from ambush to abiding; the posture of the wicked is replaced by the permanence of Zion. - Distance vs nearness of YHWH (strong thematic and verbal resonance): - Ps 10:1 לָמָּה יְהוָה תַּעֲמֹד בְּרָחוֹק תַּעְלִים… “Why, O YHWH, do you stand far off? Hide yourself in times of trouble?” - Ps 125:2 וַיהוָה סָבִיב לְעַמּוֹ “and YHWH is around his people.” - Direct antithesis: complaint of distance (10:1) answered by encircling presence (125:2). - “Hand” motif (agency/force): - Ps 10:12 נְשָׂא יָדֶךָ “raise your hand”; 10:14 לָתֵת בְּיָדֶךָ “…to put into your hand.” - Ps 125:3 לֹא־יִשְׁלְחוּ… יְדֵיהֶם “lest the righteous send forth their hands into iniquity.” - God’s hand is invoked to act in 10; in 125 the righteous are spared the temptation to use their own hands for wrong because oppressive rule is removed. - “Heart” (לב) focus and reorientation: - Ps 10 thrice: אָמַר בְּלִבּוֹ (vv. 6, 11, 13) describing the wicked’s inner presumption. - Ps 125:4 וְלִישָׁרִים בְּלִבּוֹתָם “and to the upright in their hearts.” - The interior space (לב) is retuned from presumption to uprightness. - Land/inheritance line: - Ps 10:16–18 “nations perish from His land”; the goal: secure justice “in the earth” so man no longer terrifies. - Ps 125:3 עַל גּוֹרַל הַצַּדִּיקִים “upon the lot/inheritance of the righteous.” - The outcome of 10 (YHWH reasserts his rule in the land) matches 125’s protection of the righteous “lot” (gôral evokes Joshua‑style land allotment). Imagery and storyline that make 125 a logical sequel to 10 - From crisis‑lament to answered confidence: - Psalm 10 is an individual/community lament against a predatory rashaʿ who hunts the ʿani/helpless, assumes God will not see, and tyrannizes “the land.” It pleads for God to rise, break the wicked’s arm, and judge the orphan and crushed. - Psalm 125 is a communal trust song (Shir ha‑Maʿalot) depicting the situation post‑deliverance: stability like Mount Zion, God’s permanent nearness, the rashaʿ’s scepter no longer resting on the inheritance, and a moral sorting where the crooked are led away with “workers of iniquity,” yielding “shalom on Israel.” - Spatial reversal: - Psalm 10: hiddenness, ambushes in “hiding places,” the wicked lurking “like a lion in his covert.” - Psalm 125: open, elevated geography—Zion and the surrounding mountains—transposed to theology: “YHWH surrounds his people.” The encircling that once belonged to ambushers now belongs to divine protection. - Power symbolism reversed: - The rashaʿ in Ps 10 boasts “I shall not be moved” and “puffs at all his foes,” relying on his “arm.” - In Ps 125 the only thing not moved is Mount Zion, and the only enduring power is YHWH’s encompassing presence; the wicked’s arm/scepter is neutralized. - Ethical stabilization: - Ps 10 fears the wicked will continue unchallenged; Ps 125:3 adds the prudential reason for curbing oppression—“lest the righteous put forth their hands to iniquity.” Social order is preserved when oppressive rule is checked, precisely the aim of Ps 10’s prayer. - Kingship and peace: - Ps 10:16 proclaims “YHWH is king forever and ever.” - Ps 125 closes with “Peace upon Israel.” In royal psalm language, the king’s effective reign yields shalom; 125 reads as the societal fruit of 10:16’s enthronement affirmation. Form and setting coherence - Genre sequence common in Israelite worship and life: lament under oppression → divine intervention → pilgrimage/thanksgiving. Psalm 125’s heading (Shir ha‑Maʿalot) fits a post‑deliverance ascent to Jerusalem to celebrate the security of Zion that Psalm 10 prayed for. - The communal scope widens: Psalm 10 begins with the plight of the poor/orphan in “the land,” ends with a universalizing line (“that man of the earth no more terrify”). Psalm 125 applies that deliverance to the national body—“YHWH around his people… Peace upon Israel.” Summary of the strongest links - Direct thematic answer: “Why stand far?” (10:1) ⇔ “YHWH surrounds his people” (125:2). - Reassignment of “not be moved”: rashaʿ’s boast (10:6) ⇔ trusters/Zion (125:1). - Same rare noun אוֶן and the rashaʿ’s power imagery: arm broken (10:15) ⇔ rod will not rest (125:3). - “Forever” formulas and kingship security: YHWH king forever (10:16) ⇔ YHWH’s forever encirclement and Zion’s permanence (125:1–2). - Land/inheritance continuity: “from his land” (10:16) ⇔ “upon the lot of the righteous” (125:3). - Identical form יֵשֵׁב with a moral reversal: wicked “sits” in ambush (10:8) ⇔ Zion “abides” forever (125:1). Taken together, these lexical ties, mirrored images, and genre progression make a coherent case that Psalm 125 can be read as the liturgical and theological sequel to Psalm 10: the lament’s petitions are answered in the trust psalm’s vision of Zion under YHWH’s perpetual protection, with wicked power neutralized and peace established for Israel.
Evaluation
Score: 6.0
Evaluated at: 2025-12-12T03:52:17 (UTC)
Evaluator model: gpt-5
Evaluator version: v2
Reasoning: 3712 Output: 5667 Total: 9379
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
Many precise links (מוט, arm/rod, אוון, יֵשֵב, “far” vs “surround,” “forever,” land/גורל) are correctly cited. Yet these motifs are common and there’s no structural/editorial signal; psalms are far apart (Books I vs V).
Prompt
Consider Psalm 10 and Psalm 125 (reproduced below). What arguments could you make to justify that Psalm 125 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 125:
Psalm 125
1. שִׁ֗יר
הַֽמַּ֫עֲל֥וֹת
הַבֹּטְחִ֥ים
בַּיהוָ֑ה
כְּֽהַר־
צִיּ֥וֹן
לֹא־
יִ֝מּ֗וֹט
לְעוֹלָ֥ם
יֵשֵֽׁב׃
2. יְֽרוּשָׁלִַ֗ם
הָרִים֮
סָבִ֢יב
לָ֥הּ
וַ֭יהוָה
סָבִ֣יב
לְעַמּ֑וֹ
מֵ֝עַתָּ֗ה
וְעַד־
עוֹלָֽם׃
3. כִּ֤י ׀t
לֹ֪א
יָנ֡tוּחַ
שֵׁ֤בֶט
הָרֶ֗שַׁע
עַל֮
גּוֹרַ֢ל
הַֽצַּדִּ֫יקִ֥ים
לְמַ֡עַן
לֹא־
יִשְׁלְח֖וּ
הַצַדִּיקִ֨ים
בְּעַוְלָ֬תָה
יְדֵיהֶֽם׃
4. הֵיטִ֣יבָה
יְ֭הוָה
לַטּוֹבִ֑ים
וְ֝לִֽישָׁרִ֗ים
בְּלִבּוֹתָֽם׃
5. וְהַמַּטִּ֤ים
עַֽקַלְקַלּוֹתָ֗ם
יוֹלִיכֵ֣ם
יְ֭הוָה
אֶת־
פֹּעֲלֵ֣י
הָאָ֑וֶן
שָׁ֝ל֗וֹם
עַל־
יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃