Psalm 11 → 73
Reasoning: 5440 Output: 4855 Total: 10295
Argument
Here is a concise case for reading Psalm 73 as a logical sequel to Psalm 11, with attention to form, theme, and Hebrew diction. 1) Plot-level continuation (theological thesis → crisis → sanctuary resolution) - Psalm 11 states the principle: trust in YHWH despite predatory wicked; YHWH is enthroned in heaven/in his temple; he tests; he hates violence; judgment will fall; the upright will see his face (vv. 4–7). - Psalm 73 narrates the experiential crisis that Psalm 11 anticipates: the wicked actually prosper and mock God (vv. 3–12), the righteous nearly fall (vv. 2, 13–14), the tension is resolved “until I came into the sanctuaries of God” (v. 17), where the psalmist discerns the wicked’s end (אַחֲרִית, vv. 17–20) and renews refuge/closeness in God (vv. 23–28). - In short: Psalm 11 asserts the theology; Psalm 73 shows the lived struggle and temple-based resolution of that very theology. 2) Sanctuary/heaven vantage point (direct bridge) - Ps 11:4 “YHWH in His holy temple; YHWH—His throne is in the heavens.” - Ps 73:17 “until I entered the sanctuaries of God”; Ps 73:25 “Who is for me in the heavens?” - Psalm 73 can be read as the worshiper stepping into the very “temple/heaven” perspective Psalm 11 proclaimed, to gain the same conclusion about the wicked’s end. 3) Refuge language (same root חסה) - Ps 11:1 ביהוה חָסִיתִי “In YHWH I take refuge” (verb, חסה). - Ps 73:28 …אדני יהוה מַחְסִי “the Lord YHWH my refuge” (noun, מחסי, from חסה). - This is a rare and distinctive bridge: the “refuge” motif is explicitly opened in Ps 11 and reaffirmed as the conclusion in Ps 73. 4) Righteous–wicked polarity with heart language (shared lexemes and frames) - Righteous/straighthearted versus wicked: - Ps 11:2 לְיִשְׁרֵי־לֵב “the upright of heart”; צדיק (vv. 3, 5, 7); רשעים (vv. 2, 6). - Ps 73:1 לְבָרֵי לֵבָב “the pure in heart”; לבב saturates the psalm; רשעים (vv. 3, 12). - Both organize around moral categories defined at the level of the heart. 5) Violence word חמס (rarer shared noun) - Ps 11:5 “and the one who loves חָמָס violence His soul hates.” - Ps 73:6 “חָמָס covers them like a garment.” - This uncommon lexeme directly ties the two psalms’ portrayal of the wicked. 6) Heaven–earth axis and “seeing”/“eyes” - Ps 11:4 “in heaven is His throne; His eyes behold…” - Ps 73:9 “they set (שַׁתּוּ) their mouth in the heavens and their tongue walks in the earth”; v. 7 “their eyes bulge from fatness”; v. 25 “Who is for me in the heavens… and beside You I desire none on earth.” - Both stage the conflict on the heaven/earth axis and feature “eyes/seeing,” contrasting God’s evaluative gaze (Ps 11) with the wicked’s brazen gaze (Ps 73). 7) Rare but pointed rhetorical markers shared - הִנֵּה + רְשָׁעִים: - Ps 11:2 הִנֵּה הָרְשָׁעִים - Ps 73:12 הִנֵּה־אֵלֶּה רְשָׁעִים - אֵיךְ: - Ps 11:1 אֵיךְ תֹּאמְרוּ לְנַפְשִׁי - Ps 73:11 אֵיכָה יָדַע־אֵל; v. 19 אֵיךְ הָיוּ לְשַׁמָּה - These identical discourse cues amplify the impression of dialogic continuity. 8) Foundations versus setting (root שׁית/שׁתת) - Ps 11:3 הַשָּׁתוֹת יֵהָרֵסוּן “the foundations are being destroyed” (שׁת/שׁתת). - Ps 73:9 שַׁתּוּ בַשָּׁמַיִם פִיהֶם “they have set (שׁית) their mouth in the heavens.” - The rare “foundations/setting” lexeme reappears cleverly: in Ps 11 the cosmic moral foundations wobble; in Ps 73 the wicked “set” their mouth in the heavens, usurping the sphere of divine speech—precisely the crisis that requires the sanctuary perspective. 9) Judgment endgame: from asserted to discerned - Ps 11:6 judgment “fire and brimstone… scorching wind… the portion of their cup.” - Ps 73:17–20 discernment of their אַחֲרִית; ruin “in a moment,” swept away by “terrors” (בַּלָּהוֹת); God despises their “image” on waking (v. 20). - Psalm 73’s “end” is the narrative confirmation of Psalm 11’s promised judgment. 10) Portion/cup motif (conceptual echo) - Ps 11:6 “מְנַת כּוֹסָם” their allotted cup (of wrath) for the wicked. - Ps 73:26 “וְחֶלְקִי אֱלֹהִים לְעוֹלָם” “God is my portion forever.” - Both use allotment imagery; Psalm 11 assigns the wicked a cup; Psalm 73 culminates with the righteous claiming God as portion. 11) Form-critical arc - Ps 11 is a compact trust/confidence psalm that rebuts counsel to flee and re-centers on God’s temple/throne. - Ps 73 is a wisdom-lament that moves from disorientation to reorientation in the sanctuary, ending with trust language (מחסי), matching Ps 11’s opening stance. - Thus, Psalm 73 reads as the experiential working-out of Psalm 11’s confidence claim in real life. 12) Life-setting plausibility - A believable Israelite sequence: threatened by wicked (Ps 11), the faithful refuse to flee, seek clarity in the temple liturgy (Ps 73:17), and emerge reaffirming refuge in YHWH (Ps 73:28) and the fate of the wicked (Ps 73:18–20), aligning with Ps 11:6–7. Summary: The sanctuary/heaven vantage, the shared חסה refuge language, the moral polarity around “heart,” the rare shared lexemes (חמס; שׁית/שׁתת; rhetorical הִנֵּה/אֵיךְ), and the movement from asserted judgment (Ps 11) to discerned end (Ps 73) make a strong case that Psalm 73 can be read as a deliberate, logical follow-on to Psalm 11.
Evaluation
Score: 6.5
Evaluated at: 2025-12-18T02:43:54 (UTC)
Evaluator model: gpt-5
Evaluator version: v2
Reasoning: 3648 Output: 5698 Total: 9346
Checklist
- Has verse refs: Yes
- Factual error detected: No
- Only generic motifs: No
- Counterargument considered: No
- LXX/MT numbering acknowledged: No
Vocabulary specificity: 3.5 / 10
Strong, accurate verse-level ties (חמס; שׁית; מחסי; הִנֵּה הָרְשָׁעִים; sanctuary/heaven axis). But distance (Ps 11 Book I; Ps 73 Book III), different collections/authors, and commonly shared motifs weaken deliberate-sequence claim. No caps.
Prompt
Consider Psalm 11 and Psalm 73 (reproduced below). What arguments could you make to justify that Psalm 73 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 73:
Psalm 73
1. מִזְמ֗וֹר
לְאָ֫סָ֥ף
אַ֤ךְ
ט֖וֹב
לְיִשְׂרָאֵ֥ל
אֱלֹהִ֗ים
לְבָרֵ֥י
לֵבָֽב׃
2. וַאֲנִ֗י
כִּ֭מְעַט
נטוי
נָטָ֣יוּ
רַגְלָ֑י
כְּ֝אַ֗יִן
שפכה
שֻׁפְּכ֥וּ
אֲשֻׁרָֽי׃
3. כִּֽי־
קִ֭נֵּאתִי
בַּֽהוֹלְלִ֑ים
שְׁל֖וֹם
רְשָׁעִ֣ים
אֶרְאֶֽה׃
4. כִּ֤י
אֵ֖ין
חַרְצֻבּ֥וֹת
לְמוֹתָ֗ם
וּבָרִ֥יא
אוּלָֽם׃
5. בַּעֲמַ֣ל
אֱנ֣וֹשׁ
אֵינֵ֑מוֹ
וְעִם־
אָ֝דָ֗ם
לֹ֣א
יְנֻגָּֽעוּ׃
6. לָ֭כֵן
עֲנָקַ֣תְמוֹ
גַאֲוָ֑ה
יַעֲטָף־
שִׁ֝֗ית
חָמָ֥ס
לָֽמוֹ׃
7. יָ֭צָא
מֵחֵ֣לֶב
עֵינֵ֑מוֹ
עָ֝בְר֗וּ
מַשְׂכִּיּ֥וֹת
לֵבָֽב׃
8. יָמִ֤יקוּ ׀
וִידַבְּר֣וּ
בְרָ֣ע
עֹ֑שֶׁק
מִמָּר֥וֹם
יְדַבֵּֽרוּ׃
9. שַׁתּ֣וּ
בַשָּׁמַ֣יִם
פִּיהֶ֑ם
וּ֝לְשׁוֹנָ֗ם
תִּֽהֲלַ֥ךְ
בָּאָֽרֶץ׃
10. לָכֵ֤ן ׀
ישיב
יָשׁ֣וּב
עַמּ֣וֹ
הֲלֹ֑ם
וּמֵ֥י
מָ֝לֵ֗א
יִמָּ֥צוּ
לָֽמוֹ׃
11. וְֽאָמְר֗וּ
אֵיכָ֥ה
יָדַֽע־
אֵ֑ל
וְיֵ֖שׁ
דֵּעָ֣ה
בְעֶלְיֽוֹן׃
12. הִנֵּה־
אֵ֥לֶּה
רְשָׁעִ֑ים
וְשַׁלְוֵ֥י
ע֝וֹלָ֗ם
הִשְׂגּוּ־
חָֽיִל׃
13. אַךְ־
רִ֭יק
זִכִּ֣יתִי
לְבָבִ֑י
וָאֶרְחַ֖ץ
בְּנִקָּי֣וֹן
כַּפָּֽי׃
14. וָאֱהִ֣י
נָ֭גוּעַ
כָּל־
הַיּ֑וֹם
וְ֝תוֹכַחְתִּ֗י
לַבְּקָרִֽים׃
15. אִם־
אָ֭מַרְתִּי
אֲסַפְּרָ֥ה
כְמ֑וֹ
הִנֵּ֤ה
ד֭וֹר
בָּנֶ֣יךָ
בָגָֽדְתִּי׃
16. וָֽ֭אֲחַשְּׁבָה
לָדַ֣עַת
זֹ֑את
עָמָ֖ל
היא
ה֣וּא
בְעֵינָֽי׃
17. עַד־
אָ֭בוֹא
אֶל־
מִקְדְּשֵׁי־
אֵ֑ל
אָ֝בִ֗ינָה
לְאַחֲרִיתָֽם׃
18. אַ֣ךְ
בַּ֭חֲלָקוֹת
תָּשִׁ֣ית
לָ֑מוֹ
הִ֝פַּלְתָּ֗ם
לְמַשּׁוּאֽוֹת׃
19. אֵ֤יךְ
הָי֣וּ
לְשַׁמָּ֣ה
כְרָ֑גַע
סָ֥פוּ
תַ֝֗מּוּ
מִן־
בַּלָּהֽוֹת׃
20. כַּחֲל֥וֹם
מֵהָקִ֑יץ
אֲ֝דֹנָי
בָּעִ֤יר ׀
צַלְמָ֬ם
תִּבְזֶֽה׃
21. כִּ֭י
יִתְחַמֵּ֣ץ
לְבָבִ֑י
וְ֝כִלְיוֹתַ֗י
אֶשְׁתּוֹנָֽן׃
22. וַאֲנִי־
בַ֭עַר
וְלֹ֣א
אֵדָ֑ע
בְּ֝הֵמ֗וֹת
הָיִ֥יתִי
עִמָּֽךְ׃
23. וַאֲנִ֣י
תָמִ֣יד
עִמָּ֑ךְ
אָ֝חַ֗זְתָּ
בְּיַד־
יְמִינִֽי׃
24. בַּעֲצָתְךָ֥
תַנְחֵ֑נִי
וְ֝אַחַ֗ר
כָּב֥וֹד
תִּקָּחֵֽנִי׃
25. מִי־
לִ֥י
בַשָּׁמָ֑יִם
וְ֝עִמְּךָ֗
לֹא־
חָפַ֥צְתִּי
בָאָֽרֶץ׃
26. כָּלָ֥ה
שְׁאֵרִ֗י
וּלְבָ֫בִ֥י
צוּר־
לְבָבִ֥י
וְחֶלְקִ֗י
אֱלֹהִ֥ים
לְעוֹלָֽם׃
27. כִּֽי־
הִנֵּ֣ה
רְחֵקֶ֣יךָ
יֹאבֵ֑דוּ
הִ֝צְמַ֗תָּה
כָּל־
זוֹנֶ֥ה
מִמֶּֽךָּ׃
28. וַאֲנִ֤י ׀
קִֽרֲבַ֥ת
אֱלֹהִ֗ים
לִ֫י־
ט֥וֹב
שַׁתִּ֤י ׀
בַּאדֹנָ֣י
יְהֹוִ֣ה
מַחְסִ֑י
לְ֝סַפֵּ֗ר
כָּל־
מַלְאֲכוֹתֶֽיךָ׃