Psalm 12 → 22
Reasoning: 7488 Output: 6408 Total: 13896
Argument
Here is a set of mutually reinforcing arguments (form-critical, lexical, and thematic) that make Psalm 22 read like a logical sequel to Psalm 12. Thesis-level fit: Psalm 12 frames a social world in which the arrogant rule by speech—flattery, boasts, and denial of any master (“Who is lord over us?”)—and God promises to “arise” for the poor and needy. Psalm 22 then dramatizes that promise at the level of a single afflicted sufferer: the malicious speech of the many turns into physical encirclement and near-death; the sufferer cries “save!”; God answers; and the end is public praise and the explicit assertion of YHWH’s kingship over all. In other words, Psalm 22 is the narrative working-out of the divine assurance in Psalm 12. 1) Form and superscription (low-to-moderate weight, but concrete) - Identical triad in both headings: לַמְנַצֵּחַ … מִזְמוֹר לְדָוִד (Ps 12:1; Ps 22:1), each with a performance directive “עַל־…” (12:1 הַשְּׁמִינִית; 22:1 אַיֶּלֶת הַשַּׁחַר). This marks both as closely related “to the choirmaster” Davidic laments intended for public worship—plausible neighbors or paired pieces in a liturgical sequence. 2) The “salvation” lexeme (high weight: same rare root across identical genre) - Root ישע appears prominently and at climactic moments in both: - Psalm 12:2 הוֹשִׁיעָה יְהוָה; 12:6 בְּיֵשַׁע (“in safety/deliverance”). - Psalm 22:2 רָחוֹק מִיְשׁוּעָתִי; 22:22 הוֹשִׁיעֵנִי. - The two psalms begin and peak with the same cry to “save,” then move from distance (22:2 “far from my deliverance”) to realized rescue (22:22; 22:25 “He heard”). 3) Lips, tongue, and speech as the arena of oppression (high weight: identical nouns, same motif) - Psalm 12 concentrates malice in speech: - שְׂפַת חֲלָקוֹת; שִׂפְתֵי חֲלָקוֹת; לָשׁוֹן מְדַבֶּרֶת גְּדֹלוֹת (12:3–4); “vanity … each to his neighbor” (12:3). - Psalm 22 shows the same hostility as mocking/malign speech surrounding the sufferer: - יַפְטִירוּ בְשָׂפָה (22:8); וּלְשׁוֹנִי מֻדְבָּק (22:16); also דִּבְרֵי שַׁאֲגָתִי (22:2). - Identical nouns שָׂפָה and לָשׁוֹן appear in both psalms. Psalm 22 turns the “word-war” of Psalm 12 into public derision and verbal assault. 4) The poor/afflicted whom YHWH promises to help (high weight: same semantic field with overlapping roots) - Psalm 12 announces God’s arising “from the plunder of the עֲנִיִּים and the groaning of the אֶבְיוֹנִים” (12:6). - Psalm 22 affirms the fulfillment: “He did not despise … the עֱנֻוֹת עָנִי … when he cried to Him He heard” (22:25); “יֹאכְלוּ עֲנָוִים וְיִשְׂבָּעוּ” (22:27). - The anaw/ani/evyon cluster links the two: 12 predicts help for the oppressed; 22 narrates the help given to the oppressed one and to the humble poor. 5) Encirclement of evildoers (moderate weight: shared phrasing and field) - Psalm 12 ends: סָבִיב רְשָׁעִים יִתְהַלָּכוּן (12:9)—the wicked circulate/strut all around. - Psalm 22 develops this into mortal threat with repeated סבב: - סְבָבוּנִי פָּרִים רַבִּים (22:13); כִּי סְבָבוּנִי כְּלָבִים … עֲדַת מְרֵעִים הִקִּיפוּנִי (22:17). - The “around” of Psalm 12 becomes the “encompassing pack” of Psalm 22. 6) Distance vs. divine nearness; the promised “arising” (moderate weight: thematic progression) - Psalm 12:6: “עַתָּה אָקוּם יֹאמַר יְהוָה”—God promises to arise now. - Psalm 22 opens with felt distance: “רָחוֹק מִיְשׁוּעָתִי” (22:2); repeated plea “אַל־תִּרְחַק מִמֶּנִּי” (22:12; cf. 22:20). - Resolution: “וּמִקַּרְנֵי רֵמִים עֲנִיתָנִי” (22:22, “you have answered me”), and public praise (22:23–31). Thus 22 dramatizes how the “I will arise” of 12 is experienced—from distance to divine action. 7) The contested question of rule answered by kingship (high thematic weight; sharp antiphonal answer) - Psalm 12 records the boast of the arrogant: “מִי אָדוֹן לָנוּ?” (12:5). - Psalm 22 answers it explicitly: “כִּי לַיהוָה הַמְּלוּכָה וּמֹשֵׁל בַּגּוֹיִם” (22:29). The defiant denial of any master in Psalm 12 is overturned by the global proclamation of YHWH’s rule in Psalm 22. 8) God’s words vs. human words, moving to public praise (medium weight: motif development around “speech”) - Psalm 12 pivots on speech-quality: “אִמֲרוֹת יְהוָה … טְהֹרוֹת … כֶּסֶף צָרוּף … מְזֻקָּק שִׁבְעָתָיִם” (12:7). God’s words are tested, unlike human lies. - Psalm 22 moves from the sufferer’s “words” (דִּבְרֵי שַׁאֲגָתִי, 22:2) and enemies’ lips (22:8) to God enthroned “יֹשֵׁב תְּהִלּוֹת יִשְׂרָאֵל” (22:4), culminating in public proclamation: “אֲסַפְּרָה שִׁמְךָ … בְּתוֹךְ קָהָל” (22:23) and “מֵאִתְּךָ תְּהִלָּתִי בְּקָהָל רָב” (22:26). The refined “word” of God in 12 yields a refined testimony in 22. 9) “Generation” as problem vs. audience (low-to-moderate weight, but neat closure) - Psalm 12:8: “תִּצְּרֶנּוּ … מִן־הַדּוֹר הַזּוּ לְעוֹלָם”—preservation “from this generation.” - Psalm 22:31: “יְסֻפַּר לַאדֹנָי לַדּוֹר … וְיַגִּידוּ צִדְקָתוֹ לְעַם נוֹלָד” (22:31–32). The “generation” that endangers in 12 becomes the “generation” that hears the praise in 22. 10) Social evil to global worship: a plausible life-setting sequence (form-critical logic) - Psalm 12 is a community lament about a corrupt social order (lying elites, exploitation of the poor). It ends with a divine oracle of intervention (12:6–8). - Psalm 22 is an individual lament that likely arises within precisely such an order: verbal violence becomes physical menace; the afflicted cries “save!”; God acts; vows are paid “before those who fear him” (22:26); the humble poor eat (22:27); and the outcome is universal worship (22:28–31). That is an organic narrative sequel to Psalm 12’s oracle. Notes on weighting and rarity - Highest significance: the repeated salvation root ישע (imperatives הוֹשִׁיעָה/הוֹשִׁיעֵנִי; nouns יְשׁוּעָה/יֶשַׁע), and the matched mouth/tongue lexemes שָׂפָה/לָשׁוֹן. These are identical roots and forms central to both psalms. - Strong thematic locks: the ani/evyon cluster; the “surrounding” motif; “distance” vs. God “arising/answering”; and the explicit rebuttal of “Who is lord over us?” with “To YHWH belongs the kingship.” - Formal echoes (lamnatzzeach + al- + mizmor leDavid) support the idea of curated juxtaposition or at least liturgical compatibility. Put together, Psalm 12 sets the terms—an age of lying lips and arrogant boasts, a divine promise to arise for the poor; Psalm 22 shows that promise realized: the afflicted one surrounded by slanderers and predators is saved, the community hears, vows are paid, the poor eat, and the world confesses YHWH’s rule. On literary, lexical, and thematic grounds, Psalm 22 reads like the narrative and doxological follow-on to Psalm 12.
Evaluation
Score: 6.0
Evaluated at: 2026-01-09T02:34:11 (UTC)
Evaluator model: gpt-5
Evaluator version: v2
Reasoning: 3520 Output: 7249 Total: 10769
Checklist
- Has verse refs: Yes
- Factual error detected: No
- Only generic motifs: No
- Counterargument considered: No
- LXX/MT numbering acknowledged: No
Vocabulary specificity: 3.0 / 10
Multiple specific links (ישע; שפה/לשון; סָבַב; עני/אביון; 12:5 ‘מי אדון לנו’ vs 22:29 ‘ליהוה המלוכה’) and a plausible progression. But lexemes are common, no editorial marker, and 22–23 linkage unaddressed. No caps.
Prompt
Consider Psalm 12 and Psalm 22 (reproduced below). What arguments could you make to justify that Psalm 22 logically follows on from Psalm 12? 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 12:
Psalm 12
1. לַמְנַצֵּ֥חַ
עַֽל־
הַשְּׁמִינִ֗ית
מִזְמ֥וֹר
לְדָוִֽד׃
2. הוֹשִׁ֣יעָה
יְ֭הוָה
כִּי־
גָמַ֣ר
חָסִ֑יד
כִּי־
פַ֥סּוּ
אֱ֝מוּנִ֗ים
מִבְּנֵ֥י
אָדָֽם׃
3. שָׁ֤וְא ׀
יְֽדַבְּרוּ֮
אִ֤ישׁ
אֶת־
רֵ֫עֵ֥הוּ
שְׂפַ֥ת
חֲלָק֑וֹת
בְּלֵ֖ב
וָלֵ֣ב
יְדַבֵּֽרוּ׃
4. יַכְרֵ֣ת
יְ֭הוָה
כָּל־
שִׂפְתֵ֣י
חֲלָק֑וֹת
לָ֝שׁ֗וֹן
מְדַבֶּ֥רֶת
גְּדֹלֽוֹת׃
5. אֲשֶׁ֤ר
אָֽמְר֨וּ ׀
לִלְשֹׁנֵ֣נוּ
נַ֭גְבִּיר
שְׂפָתֵ֣ינוּ
אִתָּ֑נוּ
מִ֖י
אָד֣וֹן
לָֽנוּ׃
6. מִשֹּׁ֥ד
עֲנִיִּים֮
מֵאַנְקַ֢ת
אֶבְי֫וֹנִ֥ים
עַתָּ֣ה
אָ֭קוּם
יֹאמַ֣ר
יְהוָ֑ה
אָשִׁ֥ית
בְּ֝יֵ֗שַׁע
יָפִ֥יחַֽ
לֽוֹ׃
7. אִֽמֲר֣וֹת
יְהוָה֮
אֲמָר֢וֹת
טְהֹ֫ר֥וֹת
כֶּ֣סֶף
צָ֭רוּף
בַּעֲלִ֣יל
לָאָ֑רֶץ
מְ֝זֻקָּ֗ק
שִׁבְעָתָֽיִם׃
8. אַתָּֽה־
יְהוָ֥ה
תִּשְׁמְרֵ֑ם
תִּצְּרֶ֓נּוּ ׀
מִן־
הַדּ֖וֹר
ז֣וּ
לְעוֹלָֽם׃
9. סָבִ֗יב
רְשָׁעִ֥ים
יִתְהַלָּכ֑וּן
כְּרֻ֥ם
זֻ֝לּ֗וּת
לִבְנֵ֥י
אָדָֽם׃
Psalm 22:
Psalm 22
1. לַ֭מְנַצֵּחַ
עַל־
אַיֶּ֥לֶת
הַשַּׁ֗חַר
מִזְמ֥וֹר
לְדָוִֽד׃
2. אֵלִ֣י
אֵ֭לִי
לָמָ֣ה
עֲזַבְתָּ֑נִי
רָח֥וֹק
מִֽ֝ישׁוּעָתִ֗י
דִּבְרֵ֥י
שַׁאֲגָתִֽי׃
3. אֱֽלֹהַ֗י
אֶקְרָ֣א
י֭וֹמָם
וְלֹ֣א
תַעֲנֶ֑ה
וְ֝לַ֗יְלָה
וְֽלֹא־
דֽוּמִיָּ֥ה
לִֽי׃
4. וְאַתָּ֥ה
קָד֑וֹשׁ
י֝וֹשֵׁ֗ב
תְּהִלּ֥וֹת
יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
5. בְּ֭ךָ
בָּטְח֣וּ
אֲבֹתֵ֑ינוּ
בָּ֝טְח֗וּ
וַֽתְּפַלְּטֵֽמוֹ׃
6. אֵלֶ֣יךָ
זָעֲק֣וּ
וְנִמְלָ֑טוּ
בְּךָ֖
בָטְח֣וּ
וְלֹא־
בֽוֹשׁוּ׃
7. וְאָנֹכִ֣י
תוֹלַ֣עַת
וְלֹא־
אִ֑ישׁ
חֶרְפַּ֥ת
אָ֝דָ֗ם
וּבְז֥וּי
עָֽם׃
8. כָּל־
רֹ֭אַי
יַלְעִ֣גוּ
לִ֑י
יַפְטִ֥ירוּ
בְ֝שָׂפָ֗ה
יָנִ֥יעוּ
רֹֽאשׁ׃
9. גֹּ֣ל
אֶל־
יְהוָ֣ה
יְפַלְּטֵ֑הוּ
יַ֝צִּילֵ֗הוּ
כִּ֘י
חָ֥פֵֽץ
בּֽוֹ׃
10. כִּֽי־
אַתָּ֣ה
גֹחִ֣י
מִבָּ֑טֶן
מַ֝בְטִיחִ֗י
עַל־
שְׁדֵ֥י
אִמִּֽי׃
11. עָ֭לֶיךָ
הָשְׁלַ֣כְתִּי
מֵרָ֑חֶם
מִבֶּ֥טֶן
אִ֝מִּ֗י
אֵ֣לִי
אָֽתָּה׃
12. אַל־
תִּרְחַ֣ק
מִ֭מֶּנִּי
כִּי־
צָרָ֣ה
קְרוֹבָ֑ה
כִּי־
אֵ֥ין
עוֹזֵֽר׃
13. סְ֭בָבוּנִי
פָּרִ֣ים
רַבִּ֑ים
אַבִּירֵ֖י
בָשָׁ֣ן
כִּתְּרֽוּנִי׃
14. פָּצ֣וּ
עָלַ֣י
פִּיהֶ֑ם
אַ֝רְיֵ֗ה
טֹרֵ֥ף
וְשֹׁאֵֽג׃
15. כַּמַּ֥יִם
נִשְׁפַּכְתִּי֮
וְהִתְפָּֽרְד֗וּ
כָּֽל־
עַצְמ֫וֹתָ֥י
הָיָ֣ה
לִ֭בִּי
כַּדּוֹנָ֑ג
נָ֝מֵ֗ס
בְּת֣וֹךְ
מֵעָֽי׃
16. יָ֘בֵ֤שׁ
כַּחֶ֨רֶשׂ ׀
כֹּחִ֗י
וּ֭לְשׁוֹנִי
מֻדְבָּ֣ק
מַלְקוֹחָ֑י
וְֽלַעֲפַר־
מָ֥וֶת
תִּשְׁפְּתֵֽנִי׃
17. כִּ֥י
סְבָב֗וּנִי
כְּלָ֫בִ֥ים
עֲדַ֣ת
מְ֭רֵעִים
הִקִּיפ֑וּנִי
כָּ֝אֲרִ֗י
יָדַ֥י
וְרַגְלָֽי׃
18. אֲסַפֵּ֥ר
כָּל־
עַצְמוֹתָ֑י
הֵ֥מָּה
יַ֝בִּ֗יטוּ
יִרְאוּ־
בִֽי׃
19. יְחַלְּק֣וּ
בְגָדַ֣י
לָהֶ֑ם
וְעַל־
לְ֝בוּשִׁ֗י
יַפִּ֥ילוּ
גוֹרָֽל׃
20. וְאַתָּ֣ה
יְ֭הוָה
אַל־
תִּרְחָ֑ק
אֱ֝יָלוּתִ֗י
לְעֶזְרָ֥תִי
חֽוּשָׁה׃
21. הַצִּ֣ילָה
מֵחֶ֣רֶב
נַפְשִׁ֑י
מִיַּד־
כֶּ֝֗לֶב
יְחִידָתִֽי׃
22. ה֭וֹשִׁיעֵנִי
מִפִּ֣י
אַרְיֵ֑ה
וּמִקַּרְנֵ֖י
רֵמִ֣ים
עֲנִיתָֽנִי׃
23. אֲסַפְּרָ֣ה
שִׁמְךָ֣
לְאֶחָ֑י
בְּת֖וֹךְ
קָהָ֣ל
אֲהַלְלֶֽךָּ׃
24. יִרְאֵ֤י
יְהוָ֨ה ׀
הַֽלְל֗וּהוּ
כָּל־
זֶ֣רַע
יַעֲקֹ֣ב
כַּבְּד֑וּהוּ
וְג֥וּרוּ
מִ֝מֶּ֗נּוּ
כָּל־
זֶ֥רַע
יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
25. כִּ֤י
לֹֽא־
בָזָ֨ה
וְלֹ֪א
שִׁקַּ֡ץ
עֱנ֬וּת
עָנִ֗י
וְלֹא־
הִסְתִּ֣יר
פָּנָ֣יו
מִמֶּ֑נּוּ
וּֽבְשַׁוְּע֖וֹ
אֵלָ֣יו
שָׁמֵֽעַ׃
26. מֵ֥אִתְּךָ֗
תְּֽהִלָּ֫תִ֥י
בְּקָהָ֥ל
רָ֑ב
נְדָרַ֥י
אֲ֝שַׁלֵּ֗ם
נֶ֣גֶד
יְרֵאָֽיו׃
27. יֹאכְל֬וּ
עֲנָוִ֨ים ׀
וְיִשְׂבָּ֗עוּ
יְהַֽלְל֣וּ
יְ֭הוָה
דֹּ֣רְשָׁ֑יו
יְחִ֖י
לְבַבְכֶ֣ם
לָעַֽד׃
28. יִזְכְּר֤וּ ׀
וְיָשֻׁ֣בוּ
אֶל־
יְ֭הוָה
כָּל־
אַפְסֵי־
אָ֑רֶץ
וְיִֽשְׁתַּחֲו֥וּ
לְ֝פָנֶ֗יךָ
כָּֽל־
מִשְׁפְּח֥וֹת
גּוֹיִֽם׃
29. כִּ֣י
לַ֭יהוָה
הַמְּלוּכָ֑ה
וּ֝מֹשֵׁ֗ל
בַּגּוֹיִֽם׃
30. אָכְל֬וּ
וַיִּֽשְׁתַּחֲוּ֨וּ ׀
כָּֽל־
דִּשְׁנֵי־
אֶ֗רֶץ
לְפָנָ֣יו
יִ֭כְרְעוּ
כָּל־
יוֹרְדֵ֣י
עָפָ֑ר
וְ֝נַפְשׁ֗וֹ
לֹ֣א
חִיָּֽה׃
31. זֶ֥רַע
יַֽעַבְדֶ֑נּוּ
יְסֻפַּ֖ר
לַֽאדֹנָ֣י
לַדּֽוֹר׃
32. יָ֭בֹאוּ
וְיַגִּ֣ידוּ
צִדְקָת֑וֹ
לְעַ֥ם
נ֝וֹלָ֗ד
כִּ֣י
עָשָֽׂה׃