Psalm 11 → 31
Reasoning: 9728 Output: 5197 Total: 14925
Argument
Here is a concise case for reading Psalm 31 as a deliberate continuation and development of Psalm 11. 1) Strong “catchwords” and rare/identical forms that tie the two together (rarer and tighter matches first) - Identical clause with the same verb form of “taking refuge”: - Ps 11:1 ביהוה חסיתי; Ps 31:2 בך יהוה חסיתי; plus 31:20 לחוסים בך. Same 1cs perfect חסיתי anchors both psalms and is thematically programmatic. - Identical orthographic phrase על־יתר (rare in the Psalter, and used differently in each): - Ps 11:2 חִצָּם על־יתר “their arrow upon the string” - Ps 31:24 ומשלם על־יתר “and (He) repays in full/abundantly” The exact string recurs but is resemanticized—from the wicked “stringing” their attack to God “paying back” fully. - Same rare root נוד “to flee/wander”: - Ps 11:1 נודו … הרכם “Flee… to your mountain” - Ps 31:12 נדדו ממני “they fled/wandered from me” This is not a common verb; its recurrence is striking. - Face/eyes cluster (highly marked in Ps 11, then developed in Ps 31): - Ps 11:4–7 God’s eyes see, eyelids test; the upright will behold His face (ישר יחזו פנימו). - Ps 31:8 “you have seen my affliction”; 31:16–17 “in your hand are my times… cause your face to shine on your servant”; 31:21 “you hide them in the secret of your face”; 31:23 “I am cut off from before your eyes” (but then heard). Psalm 31 explicitly works out the “seeing/face” theology asserted in Psalm 11. - “Righteous/wicked” lexemes recur and address the same moral polarity: - צדיק/צדקה: Ps 11:5,7; Ps 31:2 (בצדקתך), 31:19 (על־צדיק). - רשעים: Ps 11:2,6; Ps 31:18. - בני אדם as a phrase appears in both: - Ps 11:4; Ps 31:20. - שנא “hate” used on both the divine and human side: - Ps 11:5 “(He) hates the lover of violence” - Ps 31:7 “I hate those who regard vain idols” The psalmist in 31 aligns his ethical stance with God’s in 11. - רוח “spirit/wind”: - Ps 11:6 רוח זלעפות on the wicked; - Ps 31:6 בידך אפקיד רוחי the righteous entrusts his spirit. The same lexeme is redirected: what is ruinous breath for the wicked becomes the life committed to God by the righteous. 2) Formal and structural fit: how 31 “answers” 11 - Psalm 11: compressed “psalm of trust” that rebuffs bad counsel to flee (vv. 1–3), asserts God’s enthroned oversight/testing (vv. 4–5), predicts retribution (v. 6), and promises beatific vision (v. 7). - Psalm 31: full individual lament-trust-thanksgiving with: - the same opening trust (“בך יהוה חסיתי,” 31:2) but now enacted as plea—deliverance, guidance, protection (31:2–6); - a worked-out portrait of the hidden attack hinted in 11:2: nets, conspiracies, slander, “terror on every side,” siege (31:5, 13–14, 18–22); - explicit appeal to the “face” promised in 11:7 (“האירה פניך,” 31:17; “בסתר פניך,” 31:21). - a didactic close (31:24–25) that generalizes the lesson to the community—the kind of communal exhortation that a short confidence psalm like 11 points toward but does not itself provide. 3) Thematic progression (idea-to-application) - “If the foundations are destroyed…” (Ps 11:3) is answered by “Be my rock/fortress… for you are my rock and my fortress” (Ps 31:3–4). Psalm 31 replaces shattered “foundations” with God as immovable “סלע/מעוז/מצודה.” - “Flee to your mountain like a bird” (11:1) is inverted: rather than panicked escape, Psalm 31 chooses God as the secure stronghold and asks to be set in the “broad place” (31:9). - The “upright will behold His face” (11:7) becomes concrete petitions and assurances about God’s face: shine on me (31:17); hide your faithful in the secret of your face (31:21). Psalm 31 shows what it looks like to live under the promise of 11:7 in real distress. - The judgment announced in 11:6 (“He will rain…”) is paralleled by the shame/silencing of the wicked in 31:18–19. Both end with confident retribution against evildoers. - Ethical alignment: God hates the lover of violence (11:5); the psalmist hates vain idolatry and trusts YHWH (31:7). Psalm 31 internalizes the divine ethic of Psalm 11. 4) Life-setting plausibility in Israelite experience - Sequence common in laments and historical crises: - Stage 1 (Ps 11): counsel to flee amid covert attack; theologize: YHWH sees from His temple; refuse panic; trust. - Stage 2 (Ps 31): the crisis deepens into nets, slander, social isolation, and even a besieged city (31:22); the sufferer actively casts his spirit and times into God’s hand (31:6,16); deliverance is experienced and publicly blessed (31:22–23); the community is exhorted (31:24–25). This is a natural “next step” after the stance adopted in Psalm 11. - Mythic/judicial imagery coheres: sulfur/wind (11:6; Sodom-like judgment) corresponds to descent to Sheol/silencing the wicked (31:18–19). Both locate the crisis within YHWH’s cosmic justice. 5) Summary: why Psalm 31 can be read as following Psalm 11 - It repeats and amplifies the key refuge formula (חסיתי), develops the “face/eyes” motif, and reuses rare/marked material (על־יתר; נוד; בני אדם). - It supplies the narrative and liturgical outworking of the brief confidence of Psalm 11: refusing to flee (11) becomes entrusting one’s spirit, seeking the shining face, and blessing God after rescue (31), then exhorting the faithful. - It mirrors Psalm 11’s moral polarity (צדיק/רשע), ratifies its theology of divine sight/testing, and moves from principle to practice, from solitary trust to communal instruction. Taken together, these lexical hooks, formal affinities, and thematic developments make a strong case that Psalm 31 is an intentional “follow-on” that shows what Psalm 11’s trust looks like when the crisis intensifies and God delivers.
Evaluation
Score: 2.0
Evaluated at: 2025-12-15T03:34:37 (UTC)
Evaluator model: gpt-5
Evaluator version: v2
Reasoning: 3136 Output: 6015 Total: 9151
Checklist
- Has verse refs: Yes
- Factual error detected: Yes
- Only generic motifs: No
- Counterargument considered: Yes
- LXX/MT numbering acknowledged: No
Vocabulary specificity: 4.0 / 10
Flags: hallucination
Multiple specific links, but factual error: 31:12 uses נדדו (root נדד), not נוד; → MAX 2 cap. Many motifs (trust, face/eyes, righteous/wicked) are widespread and not dispositive.
Prompt
Consider Psalm 11 and Psalm 31 (reproduced below). What arguments could you make to justify that Psalm 31 logically follows on from Psalm 11? 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 11:
Psalm 11
1. לַמְנַצֵּ֗חַ
לְדָ֫וִ֥ד
בַּֽיהוָ֨ה ׀
חָסִ֗יתִי
אֵ֭יךְ
תֹּאמְר֣וּ
לְנַפְשִׁ֑י
נודו
נ֝֗וּדִי
הַרְכֶ֥ם
צִפּֽוֹר׃
2. כִּ֤י
הִנֵּ֪ה
הָרְשָׁעִ֡ים
יִדְרְכ֬וּן
קֶ֗שֶׁת
כּוֹנְנ֣וּ
חִצָּ֣ם
עַל־
יֶ֑תֶר
לִיר֥וֹת
בְּמוֹ־
אֹ֝֗פֶל
לְיִשְׁרֵי־
לֵֽב׃
3. כִּ֣י
הַ֭שָּׁתוֹת
יֵֽהָרֵס֑וּן
צַ֝דִּ֗יק
מַה־
פָּעָֽל׃
4. יְהוָ֤ה ׀
בְּֽהֵ֘יכַ֤ל
קָדְשׁ֗וֹ
יְהוָה֮
בַּשָּׁמַ֢יִם
כִּ֫סְא֥וֹ
עֵינָ֥יו
יֶחֱז֑וּ
עַפְעַפָּ֥יו
יִ֝בְחֲנ֗וּ
בְּנֵ֣י
אָדָֽם׃
5. יְהוָה֮
צַדִּ֢יק
יִ֫בְחָ֥ן
וְ֭רָשָׁע
וְאֹהֵ֣ב
חָמָ֑ס
שָֽׂנְאָ֥ה
נַפְשֽׁוֹ׃
6. יַמְטֵ֥ר
עַל־
רְשָׁעִ֗ים
פַּ֫חִ֥ים
אֵ֣שׁ
וְ֭גָפְרִית
וְר֥וּחַ
זִלְעָפ֗וֹת
מְנָ֣ת
כּוֹסָֽם׃
7. כִּֽי־
צַדִּ֣יק
יְ֭הוָה
צְדָק֣וֹת
אָהֵ֑ב
יָ֝שָׁ֗ר
יֶחֱז֥וּ
פָנֵֽימוֹ׃
Psalm 31:
Psalm 31
1. לַמְנַצֵּ֗חַ
מִזְמ֥וֹר
לְדָוִֽד׃
2. בְּךָֽ־t
יְהוָ֣ה
חָ֭סִיתִי
אַל־
אֵב֣וֹשָׁה
לְעוֹלָ֑ם
בְּצִדְקָתְךָ֥
פַלְּטֵֽנִי׃
3. הַטֵּ֤ה
אֵלַ֨י ׀
אָזְנְךָ֮
מְהֵרָ֢ה
הַצִּ֫ילֵ֥נִי
הֱיֵ֤ה
לִ֨י ׀
לְֽצוּר־
מָ֭עוֹז
לְבֵ֥ית
מְצוּד֗וֹת
לְהוֹשִׁיעֵֽנִי׃
4. כִּֽי־
סַלְעִ֣י
וּמְצוּדָתִ֣י
אָ֑תָּה
וּלְמַ֥עַן
שִׁ֝מְךָ֗
תַּֽנְחֵ֥נִי
וּֽתְנַהֲלֵֽנִי׃
5. תּוֹצִיאֵ֗נִי
מֵרֶ֣שֶׁת
ז֭וּ
טָ֣מְנוּ
לִ֑י
כִּֽי־
אַ֝תָּה
מָֽעוּזִּי׃
6. בְּיָדְךָ֮
אַפְקִ֢יד
ר֫וּחִ֥י
פָּדִ֖יתָה
אוֹתִ֥י
יְהוָ֗ה
אֵ֣ל
אֱמֶֽת׃
7. שָׂנֵ֗אתִי
הַשֹּׁמְרִ֥ים
הַבְלֵי־
שָׁ֑וא
וַ֝אֲנִ֗י
אֶל־
יְהוָ֥ה
בָּטָֽחְתִּי׃
8. אָגִ֥ילָה
וְאֶשְׂמְחָ֗ה
בְּחַ֫סְדֶּ֥ךָ
אֲשֶׁ֣ר
רָ֭אִיתָ
אֶת־
עָנְיִ֑י
יָ֝דַ֗עְתָּ
בְּצָר֥וֹת
נַפְשִֽׁי׃
9. וְלֹ֣א
הִ֭סְגַּרְתַּנִי
בְּיַד־
אוֹיֵ֑ב
הֶֽעֱמַ֖דְתָּ
בַמֶּרְחָ֣ב
רַגְלָֽי׃
10. חָנֵּ֥נִי
יְהוָה֮
כִּ֤י
צַ֫ר־
לִ֥י
עָשְׁשָׁ֖ה
בְכַ֥עַס
עֵינִ֗י
נַפְשִׁ֥י
וּבִטְנִֽי׃
11. כִּ֤י
כָל֪וּ
בְיָג֡וֹן
חַיַּי֮
וּשְׁנוֹתַ֢י
בַּאֲנָ֫חָ֥ה
כָּשַׁ֣ל
בַּעֲוֺנִ֣י
כֹחִ֑י
וַעֲצָמַ֥י
עָשֵֽׁשׁוּ׃
12. מִכָּל־
צֹרְרַ֨י
הָיִ֪יתִי
חֶרְפָּ֡ה
וְלִשֲׁכֵנַ֨י ׀
מְאֹד֮
וּפַ֢חַד
לִֽמְיֻדָּ֫עָ֥י
רֹאַ֥י
בַּח֑וּץ
נָדְד֥וּ
מִמֶּֽנִּי׃
13. נִ֭שְׁכַּחְתִּי
כְּמֵ֣ת
מִלֵּ֑ב
הָ֝יִ֗יתִי
כִּכְלִ֥י
אֹבֵֽד׃
14. כִּ֤י
שָׁמַ֨עְתִּי ׀
דִּבַּ֥ת
רַבִּים֮
מָג֢וֹר
מִסָּ֫בִ֥יב
בְּהִוָּסְדָ֣ם
יַ֣חַד
עָלַ֑י
לָקַ֖חַת
נַפְשִׁ֣י
זָמָֽמוּ׃
15. וַאֲנִ֤י ׀
עָלֶ֣יךָ
בָטַ֣חְתִּי
יְהוָ֑ה
אָ֝מַ֗רְתִּי
אֱלֹהַ֥י
אָֽתָּה׃
16. בְּיָדְךָ֥
עִתֹּתָ֑י
הַצִּ֘ילֵ֤נִי
מִיַּד־
א֝וֹיְבַ֗י
וּמֵרֹדְפָֽי׃
17. הָאִ֣ירָה
פָ֭נֶיךָ
עַל־
עַבְדֶּ֑ךָ
ה֖וֹשִׁיעֵ֣נִי
בְחַסְדֶּֽךָ׃
18. יְֽהוָ֗ה
אַל־
אֵ֭בוֹשָׁה
כִּ֣י
קְרָאתִ֑יךָ
יֵבֹ֥שׁוּ
רְ֝שָׁעִ֗ים
יִדְּמ֥וּ
לִשְׁאֽוֹל׃
19. תֵּ֥אָלַ֗מְנָה
שִׂפְתֵ֫י
שָׁ֥קֶר
הַדֹּבְר֖וֹת
עַל־
צַדִּ֥יק
עָתָ֗ק
בְּגַאֲוָ֥ה
וָבtוּז׃
20. מָ֤ה
רַֽב־
טוּבְךָ֮
אֲשֶׁר־
צָפַ֢נְתָּ
לִּֽירֵ֫אֶ֥יךָ
פָּ֭עַלְתָּ
לַחֹסִ֣ים
בָּ֑ךְ
נֶ֝֗גֶד
בְּנֵ֣י
אָדָם׃
21. תַּסְתִּירֵ֤ם ׀
בְּסֵ֥תֶר
פָּנֶיךָ֮
מֵֽרֻכְסֵ֫י
אִ֥ישׁ
תִּצְפְּנֵ֥ם
בְּסֻכָּ֗ה
מֵרִ֥יב
לְשֹׁנֽוֹת׃
22. בָּר֥וּךְ
יְהוָ֑ה
כִּ֥י
הִפְלִ֘יא
חַסְדּ֥וֹ
לִ֝֗י
בְּעִ֣יר
מָצֽוֹר׃
23. וַאֲנִ֤י ׀
אָ֘מַ֤רְתִּי
בְחָפְזִ֗י
נִגְרַזְתִּי֮
מִנֶּ֢גֶד
עֵ֫ינֶ֥יךָ
אָכֵ֗ן
שָׁ֭מַעְתָּ
ק֥וֹל
תַּחֲנוּנַ֗י
בְּשַׁוְּעִ֥י
אֵלֶֽיךָ׃
24. אֶֽהֱב֥וּ
אֶת־
יְהוָ֗ה
כָּֽל־
חֲסִ֫ידָ֥יו
אֱ֭מוּנִים
נֹצֵ֣ר
יְהוָ֑ה
וּמְשַׁלֵּ֥ם
עַל־
יֶ֝֗תֶר
עֹשֵׂ֥ה
גַאֲוָֽה׃
25. חִ֭זְקוּ
וְיַאֲמֵ֣ץ
לְבַבְכֶ֑ם
כָּל־
הַ֝מְיַחֲלִ֗ים
לַיהוָֽה׃