Psalm 10 → 143
Reasoning: 7424 Output: 5451 Total: 12875
Argument
Here are concise, evidence‑based ways to argue that Psalm 143 can be read as a logical follow‑on to Psalm 10. I start with the strongest lexical signals (rarer or more marked items and identical collocations), then move to medium‑strength root/motif links, and finally to form and storyline. Strongest lexical/collocational ties (rare words, identical or near‑identical collocations) - The rare verb דכה “crush”: Ps 10:10 יִדְכֶּה “he crushes” vs Ps 143:3 דִכָּא “he crushed.” Same root, same semantic field, both describing the afflicted being crushed to the ground (10:10; 143:3 לָאָרֶץ). This is a marked, uncommon verb linking the two scenes. - The collocation “hide + face” (סתר + פנים): Ps 10:11 הִסְתִּיר פָּנָיו “he has hidden his face” (what the wicked think) vs Ps 143:7 אַל־תַּסְתֵּר פָּנֶיךָ מִמֶּנִּי “do not hide your face from me.” Identical root/collocation; 143 pointedly answers the godless claim of 10:11. - Noun for “adversary” from צרר: Ps 10:5 כָּל־צוֹרְרָיו vs Ps 143:12 כָּל־צוֹרְרֵי נַפְשִׁי. Same root, same word class, same plural construct pattern, both in a judicial/deliverance context. - The noun צָרָה “distress/trouble”: Ps 10:1 לְעִתּוֹת בַּצָּרָה vs Ps 143:11 מִצָּרָה נַפְשִׁי. Exact noun and distress frame in both openings/closings (10:1, 143:11). - מִשְׁפָּט “judgment”: Ps 10:5 מָרוֹם מִשְׁפָּטֶיךָ (God’s judgments are “on high,” out of the wicked’s sight) vs Ps 143:2 וְאַל־תָּבוֹא בְמִשְׁפָּט אֶת־עַבְדֶּךָ (the suppliant pleads not to be brought into judgment). Identical noun used in complementary ways. Medium‑strength lexical/motif links (shared roots, repeated images) - יָשַׁב “sit/dwell”: Ps 10:8 יֵשֵׁב בְּמַאְרַב “he sits in ambush” (the predator) vs Ps 143:3 הוֹשִׁיבַנִי בְמַחֲשַׁכִּים “he made me dwell in darkness” (the victim). Same root in opposed roles within the oppression scenario. - דֶּרֶךְ “way”: Ps 10:5 דְרָכָיו; Ps 143:8 הוֹדִיעֵנִי דֶּרֶךְ־זוּ אֵלֵךְ. Both frame “ways/way” as morally freighted paths—wicked “ways” in Ps 10 vs God‑guided “way” in Ps 143. - “Lift/carry” language with יד/נפש: Ps 10:12 נְשָׂא יָדֶךָ “lift your hand” (call for divine action); Ps 143:6 פֵּרַשְׂתִּי יָדַי אֵלֶיךָ “I stretch out my hands to you,” and 143:8 נָשָׂאתִי נַפְשִׁי “I lift up my soul.” Same embodied prayer posture mirrored on human/divine sides. - Pursuit motif: Ps 10:2 יִדְלַק עָנִי “hotly pursues the poor” vs Ps 143:3 רָדַף אוֹיֵב נַפְשִׁי “the enemy pursued my life.” Different verbs (דלק/רדף) but identical scenario: the vulnerable are hunted. - Hearing/ear prayer formulas: Ps 10:17 תַּאֲוַת עֲנָוִים שָׁמַעְתָּ … תַּקְשִׁיב אָזְנֶךָ; Ps 143:1 יְהוָה שְׁמַע תְּפִלָּתִי הַאֲזִינָה אֶל־תַּחֲנוּנַי. Same twofold “hear/give ear” petition; Ps 143 enacts the very “humble desire” God is said to hear in Ps 10. - Destruction of enemies: Ps 10:15–18 שְׁבֹר זְרוֹעַ רָשָׁע … בַּל־יוֹסִיף עוֹד לַעֲרֹץ; Ps 143:12 וּבְחַסְדְּךָ תַּצְמִית אֹיְבַי וְהַאֲבַדְתָּ כָּל־צוֹרְרֵי נַפְשִׁי. Same judicial outcome requested, with overlapping lexemes (צורר; אבד). - “Forever/everlasting” frame: Ps 10:16 יְהוָה מֶלֶךְ עוֹלָם וָעֶד; Ps 143:3 כְּמֵתֵי עוֹלָם (everlasting dead). Not identical semantics, but the “everlasting” horizon brackets God’s kingship (Ps 10) and the suppliant’s fear of descending to irrevocable death (Ps 143:7 “עם־יורדי בור”). Form and stylistic continuities - Both are individual lament/prayer psalms heavy with imperatives and direct address to YHWH, moving from complaint to petition to anticipated deliverance. Ps 10:12–18 and Ps 143:7–12 share the same cadence of urgent imperatives culminating in confident judicial outcomes. - Ps 10 contains rhetorical questions (“לָמָה יְהוָה תַּעֲמֹד בְּרָחוֹק”), and Ps 143 answers the distance/hiding complaint by repeatedly seeking immediacy (“מַהֵר עֲנֵנִי … אַל־תַּסְתֵּר פָּנֶיךָ”). - Both center on God’s moral attributes as the basis for help: Ps 10 on divine kingship/justice; Ps 143 on divine faithfulness and righteousness (“בֶּאֱמֻנָתְךָ … בְּצִדְקָתֶךָ”), which functionally ground the same hope. Narrative/logical progression you can propose - Scene 1 (Psalm 10): A public complaint exposes the godless oppressor who says, “God hides his face” (10:11), hunts the poor (vv. 2, 8–10), and imagines impunity. The psalmist pleads for decisive judgment (10:12–15) and concludes that God hears the humble and will do justice for the orphan and crushed (10:17–18). - Scene 2 (Psalm 143): One of those “humble/crushed” now steps forward as an individual suppliant. He uses the same lexicon of being “crushed” (דכה), “in trouble” (צרה), pursued by foes (רדף), and asks God to overturn the wicked’s taunt by not hiding his face. He enacts the promised hearing of Ps 10:17—“hear my prayer … give ear to my supplications”—and asks God to complete the judicial work described at the end of Psalm 10 by destroying “all my adversaries” (צוררי, 143:12), but this time explicitly “for your name’s sake” (143:11), countering the blasphemy of 10:3. - The movement is thus: communal diagnosis and judicial petition (Ps 10) → personal morning prayer for guidance, life, and the final extirpation of enemies (Ps 143), with repeated hooks in rare/shared vocabulary and signature collocations. In short, the two psalms share marked vocabulary (especially דכה; הסתיר + פנים; צורר; צרה; משפט), parallel imagery (ambush/dwelling; pursuit), and the same lament‑to‑justice trajectory. Psalm 143 reads naturally as the individual, morning enactment of the plea and assurance articulated at the close of Psalm 10.
Evaluation
Score: 6.0
Evaluated at: 2025-12-13T03:46:52 (UTC)
Evaluator model: gpt-5
Evaluator version: v2
Reasoning: 4160 Output: 6272 Total: 10432
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
Multiple accurate, verse-anchored links (דכה; הסתיר פנים; צורר; צרה; משפט). But most are common lament formulas; no editorial signal; ignores 9–10 pairing and book-distance (I vs V). Plausible, not decisive.
Prompt
Consider Psalm 10 and Psalm 143 (reproduced below). What arguments could you make to justify that Psalm 143 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 143:
Psalm 143
1. מִזְמ֗וֹר
לְדָ֫וִ֥ד
יְהוָ֤ה ׀
שְׁמַ֬ע
תְּפִלָּתִ֗י
הַאֲזִ֥ינָה
אֶל־
תַּחֲנוּנַ֑י
בֶּאֱמֻנָתְךָ֥
עֲ֝נֵ֗נִי
בְּצִדְקָתֶֽךָ׃
2. וְאַל־
תָּב֣וֹא
בְ֭מִשְׁפָּט
אֶת־
עַבְדֶּ֑ךָ
כִּ֤י
לֹֽא־
יִצְדַּ֖ק
לְפָנֶ֣יךָ
כָל־
חָֽי׃
3. כִּ֥י
רָ֘דַ֤ף
אוֹיֵ֨ב ׀
נַפְשִׁ֗י
דִּכָּ֣א
לָ֭אָרֶץ
חַיָּתִ֑י
הוֹשִׁיבַ֥נִי
בְ֝מַחֲשַׁכִּ֗ים
כְּמֵתֵ֥י
עוֹלָֽם׃
4. וַתִּתְעַטֵּ֣ף
עָלַ֣י
רוּחִ֑י
בְּ֝תוֹכִ֗י
יִשְׁתּוֹמֵ֥ם
לִבִּֽי׃
5. זָ֘כַ֤רְתִּי
יָמִ֨ים ׀
מִקֶּ֗דֶם
הָגִ֥יתִי
בְכָל־
פָּעֳלֶ֑ךָ
בְּֽמַעֲשֵׂ֖ה
יָדֶ֣יךָ
אֲשׂוֹחֵֽחַ׃
6. פֵּרַ֣שְׂתִּי
יָדַ֣י
אֵלֶ֑יךָ
נַפְשִׁ֓י ׀
כְּאֶֽרֶץ־
עֲיֵפָ֖ה
לְךָ֣
סֶֽלָה׃
7. מַ֘הֵ֤ר
עֲנֵ֨נִי ׀
יְהוָה֮
כָּלְתָ֢ה
ר֫וּחִ֥י
אַל־
תַּסְתֵּ֣ר
פָּנֶ֣יךָ
מִמֶּ֑נִּי
וְ֝נִמְשַׁ֗לְתִּי
עִם־
יֹ֥רְדֵי
בֽוֹר׃
8. הַשְׁמִ֘יעֵ֤נִי
בַבֹּ֨קֶר ׀
חַסְדֶּךָ֮
כִּֽי־
בְךָ֢
בָ֫טָ֥חְתִּי
הוֹדִיעֵ֗נִי
דֶּֽרֶךְ־
ז֥וּ
אֵלֵ֑ךְ
כִּֽי־
אֵ֝לֶיךָ
נָשָׂ֥אתִי
נַפְשִֽׁי׃
9. הַצִּילֵ֖נִי
מֵאֹיְבַ֥י ׀
יְהוָ֗ה
אֵלֶ֥יךָ
כִסִּֽתִי׃
10. לַמְּדֵ֤נִי ׀
לַֽעֲשׂ֣וֹת
רְצוֹנֶךָ֮
כִּֽי־
אַתָּ֢ה
אֱל֫וֹהָ֥י
רוּחֲךָ֥
טוֹבָ֑ה
תַּ֝נְחֵ֗נִי
בְּאֶ֣רֶץ
מִישֽׁוֹר׃
11. לְמַֽעַן־
שִׁמְךָ֣
יְהוָ֣ה
תְּחַיֵּ֑נִי
בְּצִדְקָתְךָ֓ ׀
תּוֹצִ֖יא
מִצָּרָ֣ה
נַפְשִֽׁי׃
12. וּֽבְחַסְדְּךָ֮
תַּצְמִ֢ית
אֹ֫יְבָ֥י
וְֽ֭הַאֲבַדְתָּ
כָּל־
צֹרֲרֵ֣י
נַפְשִׁ֑י
כִּ֝֗י
אֲנִ֣י
עַבְדֶּֽךָ׃