Psalm 10 → 146
Reasoning: 6720 Output: 5626 Total: 12346
Argument
Here are several lines of argument—formal, lexical, thematic, and cultural—that make a strong case that Psalm 146 is a logical sequel or answer to Psalm 10. 1) Form and movement (lament → praise) - Psalm 10 is an individual lament/complaint that culminates in a confession of YHWH’s kingship and a petition for justice (10:12–18). - Psalm 146 is a hymn of praise that itemizes the very acts of justice Psalm 10 asked for (146:7–9) and reaffirms YHWH’s eternal kingship (146:10). In Israelite liturgy this lament→praise movement is standard (cry for help followed by thanksgiving when help is experienced). Psalm 146 reads like the “answered prayer” to Psalm 10. 2) Kingship inclusio that links the two - Psalm 10’s climax: יהוה מלך עולם ועד “YHWH is king forever and ever” (10:16). - Psalm 146’s climax: ימלֹך יהוה לעלֹם … לדֹר וָדֹר “YHWH will reign forever … to all generations” (146:10). - The identical kingship claim (with the same temporal frame “forever” and even the rare pairing לדור ודור, “to generation and generation”) makes 146 a direct echo and expansion of 10’s conclusion. 3) Same social-justice agenda, now fulfilled Psalm 10’s petitions and assertions are matched almost point-for-point by Psalm 146’s participles (habitual divine actions): - “To judge the orphan and the crushed” לשפֹט יתֹום וָדך (10:18) ←→ “Who executes justice for the oppressed” עֹשֶׂה מִשְׁפָּט לָעֲשׁוּקִים (146:7). - “You have been a helper of the orphan” יתֹום אתה היית עֹזר (10:14) ←→ “Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob” אשרי … בעֶזְרוֹ (146:5) and “YHWH … upholds the orphan and widow” יתֹום וְאַלְמָנָה יְעודֵד (146:9). Note the identical root ע־ז־ר “help.” - The wicked ambush the weak and “bend them down” (10:8–10; esp. imagery of crushing/bending) ←→ “YHWH raises up the bowed” יהוה זֹקֵף כפופים (146:8). Thematic reversal: what 10 laments, 146 announces as being undone by YHWH. - The wicked trap the poor in their “schemes” מזִִמּוֹת (10:2, 4) ←→ human “plans” perish at death: אָבְדוּ עֶשְׁתֹּנֹתָיו (146:4). Same idea (plans/schemes), and the distinctive verb form אָבְדוּ appears in each psalm (10:16; 146:4). - “Break the arm of the wicked; seek out his wickedness till you find none” (10:15) ←→ “The way of the wicked He will twist/thwart” וְדֶרֶךְ רְשָׁעִים יְעַוֵּת (146:9). Different roots, same outcome: the wicked’s power and path are brought to nothing. 4) Direct lexical hooks (Hebrew roots and even identical forms) - Kingship/time: • 10:16 עוֹלָם וָעֶד vs. 146:10 לְעוֹלָם; 10:6 לְדֹר וָדֹר (wicked’s boast) vs. 146:10 לְדֹר וָדֹר (YHWH’s reign). The phrase לדור ודור is rare and, used in both, creates a rhetorical reversal: what the wicked arrogate in 10:6 is truly God’s in 146:10. - Help: • 10:14 עוֹזֵר (helper of the orphan) and 146:5 בְּעֶזְרוֹ (help of Jacob)—same root עזר. - Justice/judgment: • 10:18 לִשְׁפֹּט … (to judge) and 146:7 עֹשֶׂה מִשְׁפָּט (does justice)—same semantic field, justice for the oppressed. - Orphan: • 10:14; 10:18 יָתוֹם vs. 146:9 יָתוֹם—identical noun, same beneficiary of God’s care. - Vision/seeing: • 10:11 “He has hidden His face; He will never see” הִסְתִּיר פָּנָיו, בַּל־רָאָה לָנֶצַח (wicked man’s claim) is overturned by 10:14 רָאִיתָ (“You have seen”) and then reflected in 146:8 יהוה פֹּקֵחַ עִוְרִים (“YHWH opens the eyes of the blind”). God not only sees; He grants sight—an emphatic counter to “He will never see.” - Give: • 10:14 לָתֵת בְּיָדֶךָ (“to give into Your hand”) and 146:7 נֹתֵן לֶחֶם (“gives bread”)—same root נתן, shifting from the plea that God take matters in hand to the description of His giving provision. - Perishing: • 10:16 אָבְדוּ גוֹיִם (“nations have perished”) and 146:4 אָבְדוּ עֶשְׁתֹּנֹתָיו (“his plans perish”)—identical verbal form. 5) “Hallel” vs. “hallel of the wicked” (rhetorical inversion) - 10:3 הִלֵּל רָשָׁע עַל־תַּאֲוַת נַפְשׁוֹ—the wicked “praises” his own craving. - 146:1–2 הַֽלְלוּ־יָהּ … אֲהַלְלָה יְהוָה—the psalmist calls the congregation and his own soul to praise YHWH. Same root הלל, redirected from self/greed (10) to God (146). 6) Human insufficiency vs. divine sufficiency - 10 ends wanting the terrorizing “man” to cease: בַּל־יוֹסִיף עוֹד לַעֲרֹץ אֱנוֹשׁ מִן־הָאָרֶץ (10:18). - 146 warns: “Do not trust princes, a son of man in whom there is no salvation … his plans perish” אַל־תִּבְטְחוּ בִנְדִיבִים בְּבֶן־אָדָם שֶׁאֵין לוֹ תְשׁוּעָה … אָבְדוּ עֶשְׁתֹּנֹתָיו (146:3–4), and commends trust in YHWH alone (146:5). This neatly answers Psalm 10’s world where the “man” terrifies and boasts that “there is no God” (10:4, 6, 11) by re-centering reliance on God, not powerful mortals. 7) Eye-for-eye reversals (motif-by-motif) - Hiding vs. revealing: “Why do you stand far off, hide in trouble?” (10:1) ←→ “YHWH keeps truth forever” הַשֹּׁמֵר אֱמֶת לְעוֹלָם (146:6) and “opens eyes” (146:8). Distance/hiddenness is replaced by sustained, visible fidelity. - Entrapment vs. emancipation: The wicked “catches” the poor in nets (10:2, 9) ←→ “YHWH sets prisoners free” מַתִּיר אֲסוּרִים (146:7). - Bending down vs. raising up: The poor are crushed and bent (10:10; דך/דכּה) ←→ “YHWH straightens the bent” זֹקֵף כְּפוּפִים (146:8). 8) Creation and kingship as the theological ground of justice - Psalm 10 asserts kingship (10:16) as the basis for judging the earth (10:18). - Psalm 146 makes the same move, but explicitly roots justice in creation: “Maker of heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them” (146:6) → therefore He can “do justice for the oppressed” (146:7) and “reign forever” (146:10). That is a classic Israelite theological sequence: Creator → King → Judge of the weak. 9) Cultural-legal triad - Both psalms invoke Israel’s covenantal concern for the vulnerable triad—the orphan, widow, and stranger (Deut 10:18; 24:17): Psalm 10 names the orphan (10:14, 18) and the downtrodden; Psalm 146 completes the triad explicitly—גֵּר (stranger), יָתוֹם (orphan), אַלְמָנָה (widow) (146:9)—as if supplying the full legal/ethical picture after the plea of Psalm 10. 10) Stylistic linkage: Imperatives answered by participles - Psalm 10’s urgent imperatives: קוּמָה … נְשָׂא יָדֶךָ … שְׁבֹר זְרוֹעַ (10:12, 15). - Psalm 146’s present-tense participles: עֹשֶׂה … נֹתֵן … מַתִּיר … פֹּקֵחַ … זֹקֵף … אֹהֵב … שֹׁמֵר … יְעוֹדֵד … יְעַוֵּת (146:6–9). It reads like: “What you begged God to do (Ps 10), here is what He in fact does (Ps 146).” 11) Two striking “rare-ish” pointers - The exact phrase לדור ודור appears in both (10:6; 146:10), unusual enough to be noticed when read sequentially—first in the wicked’s deluded boast, then in God’s true reign. - The noun עֶשְׁתֹּנוֹת (“plans,” 146:4) is itself rare, and while Psalm 10 uses a different word for “schemes” (מְזִמּוֹת, 10:2, 4), the pairing with the shared verb form אָבְדוּ in both psalms (10:16; 146:4) underscores the outcome: human schemes and human powers “perish,” but YHWH’s reign endures. Taken together, these formal and lexical correspondences, thematic reversals, and covenantal motifs make Psalm 146 read like a deliberate, liturgical answer to Psalm 10: the hidden God who is implored to arise (10) is celebrated as already and always acting (146); the boast of the wicked and the terror of “man” (10) are countered by the futility of princes and the blessedness of trusting YHWH (146); the confession “YHWH is king forever” (10:16) becomes the doxological refrain “YHWH will reign forever … hallelujah” (146:10).
Evaluation
Score: 6.5
Evaluated at: 2025-12-13T03:49:53 (UTC)
Evaluator model: gpt-5
Evaluator version: v2
Reasoning: 4288 Output: 6455 Total: 10743
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
Many precise, verifiable links (10:16/146:10 kingship; orphan/justice; הלל/עזר; לדור ודור; אָבְדוּ; motif reversals). Yet much is common across Psalms; no editorial marker or counters. Hallel context suggests independence.
Prompt
Consider Psalm 10 and Psalm 146 (reproduced below). What arguments could you make to justify that Psalm 146 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 146:
Psalm 146
1. הַֽלְלוּ־
יָ֡הּ
הַלְלִ֥י
נַ֝פְשִׁ֗י
אֶת־
יְהוָֽה׃
2. אֲהַלְלָ֣ה
יְהוָ֣ה
בְּחַיָּ֑י
אֲזַמְּרָ֖ה
לֵֽאלֹהַ֣י
בְּעוֹדִֽי׃
3. אַל־
תִּבְטְח֥וּ
בִנְדִיבִ֑ים
בְּבֶן־
אָדָ֓ם ׀
שֶׁ֤אֵֽין
ל֥וֹ
תְשׁוּעָֽה׃
4. תֵּצֵ֣א
ר֭וּחוֹ
יָשֻׁ֣ב
לְאַדְמָת֑וֹ
בַּיּ֥וֹם
הַ֝ה֗וּא
אָבְד֥וּ
עֶשְׁתֹּנֹתָֽיו׃
5. אַשְׁרֵ֗י
שֶׁ֤אֵ֣ל
יַעֲקֹ֣ב
בְּעֶזְר֑וֹ
שִׂ֝בְר֗וֹ
עַל־
יְהוָ֥ה
אֱלֹהָֽיו׃
6. עֹשֶׂ֤ה ׀
שָׁ֘מַ֤יִם
וָאָ֗רֶץ
אֶת־
הַיָּ֥ם
וְאֶת־
כָּל־
אֲשֶׁר־
בָּ֑ם
הַשֹּׁמֵ֖ר
אֱמֶ֣ת
לְעוֹלָֽם׃
7. עֹשֶׂ֤ה
מִשְׁפָּ֨ט ׀
לָעֲשׁוּקִ֗ים
נֹתֵ֣ן
לֶ֭חֶם
לָרְעֵבִ֑ים
יְ֝הוָ֗ה
מַתִּ֥יר
אֲסוּרִֽים׃
8. יְהוָ֤ה ׀
פֹּ֘קֵ֤חַ
עִוְרִ֗ים
יְ֭הוָה
זֹקֵ֣ף
כְּפוּפִ֑ים
יְ֝הוָ֗ה
אֹהֵ֥ב
צַדִּיקִֽים׃
9. יְהוָ֤ה ׀
שֹׁ֘מֵ֤ר
אֶת־
גֵּרִ֗ים
יָת֣וֹם
וְאַלְמָנָ֣ה
יְעוֹדֵ֑ד
וְדֶ֖רֶךְ
רְשָׁעִ֣ים
יְעַוֵּֽת׃
10. יִמְלֹ֤ךְ
יְהוָ֨ה ׀
לְעוֹלָ֗ם
אֱלֹהַ֣יִךְ
צִ֭יּוֹן
לְדֹ֥ר
וָדֹ֗ר
הַֽלְלוּ־
יָֽהּ׃