Psalm 12 → 25
Reasoning: 9536 Output: 4633 Total: 14169
Argument
Short thesis: Psalm 25 can be read as a personal, wisdom‑tinged response to the crisis and divine oracle of Psalm 12. Psalm 12 defines the problem—social disintegration through deceitful speech, oppression of the poor, and the boast that “no lord is over us”—and contains God’s promise to arise and preserve the afflicted. Psalm 25 then voices the prayer of the faithful sufferer who embodies those “afflicted/poor,” waits for that promised rescue, and asks to be taught the pure “ways” that match YHWH’s pure “utterances.” Key lexical links (roots in Hebrew; rarer/shared roots weighted higher): - ישע “salvation”: - Ps 12:6 אשית בישׁע (“I will set [him] in safety/salvation”). - Ps 25:5 אתה אלהי ישׁעי (“you are the God of my salvation”). Same noun; the divine oracle of 12 becomes the petitioner’s confession in 25. - נצר “guard, preserve” + שמר “keep” (the pairing is striking because both verbs occur together in both psalms): - Ps 12:8 אתה־יהוה תשׁמרם תצרנו (“You, YHWH, will keep them; you will preserve him”). - Ps 25:10 לנצרי בריתו (“for the keepers of his covenant”); 25:21 תום־וישׁר יצרוני (“may integrity and uprightness preserve me”); 25:20 שׁמרה נפשׁי (“guard my life”). The oracle “You will keep/preserve” (12) is answered by the plea “keep/preserve me” (25), and by identifying the faithful as “keepers of his covenant.” - עני/עֹני “poor/afflicted” (identity of the beneficiary in 12 becomes the speaker in 25): - Ps 12:6 משׁוד עניים ... מאנקת אביונים (“from the oppression of the poor and the groaning of the needy”). - Ps 25:16 כי־יחיד ועני אני; 25:18 ראה עניי (“I am lonely and afflicted; see my affliction”). - אמן/אמת and חסד/חסיד (fidelity/truth and loyal love): - Ps 12:2 גמר חסיד; פַסּוּ אמונים (“the faithful/loyal have ceased; the trustworthy have vanished”). - Ps 25:6–7,10 רחמיך ... וחסדיך; כל־ארחות יהוה חסד ואמת (“your mercies and your loyal loves; all YHWH’s paths are loyal love and truth”). The loss of the “faithful” (אמונים) in 12 is answered by the disclosure of YHWH’s own “loyal love and truth” (חסד ואמת) and by the existence of a remnant defined as “keepers of his covenant.” - הלך/דרך/אֹרַח “walking/path” field: - Ps 12:9 רשעים יתהלכון סביב (“the wicked walk around”). - Ps 25:4–5 דרכיך ... אורחותיך ... הדריכני; 25:8–9 יורה חטאים בדרך; ידרך ענוים במשפט (“your ways/paths; lead me; he instructs sinners in the way; he guides the humble”). Psalm 25 redirects “walking about” (12) into being led on YHWH’s way. - Shame/hope vs boast: - Ps 12:5 לשון מדברת גדלות; “מי אדון לנו” (arrogant boast). - Ps 25:2–3,20–21 אל־אבושה ... גם כל־קויך לא יבשו (“let me not be ashamed; all who hope for you will not be ashamed”). The proud claim “who is lord over us?” (12) meets the humble’s repeated “I hope/wait” (קו־ה, 25:3,5,21), a close semantic answer to 12:6 “I will set him in the salvation for which he longs/pants” (יפיח). - Heart and speech: - Ps 12:3 בלב ולב ידברו; שפת חלקות (“with a double heart they speak; smooth lips”). - Ps 25:17 צרות לבבי הרחיבו; 25:21 תום־וישר יצרוני (“the troubles of my heart enlarge; integrity and uprightness preserve me”). The double heart of deceit (12) is mirrored by a heart in distress seeking integrity (25). - Violence/oppression semantics: - Ps 12:6 משׁוד (“plunder/oppression”). - Ps 25:19 שנאת חמס שנאוני (“hatred of violence has hated me”). Different words, same field. Structural and stylistic continuities: - Both are Davidic individual laments that move from complaint to confidence, with a strong “preserve/keep me” refrain (12:8; 25:20–21). - Psalm 12 contains a brief divine oracle (12:6–7) promising action; Psalm 25 is the worshipful response of the afflicted who take up that promise in prayer, framed as a wisdom‑acrostic to model the faithful posture in a corrupt generation. - Psalm 12 highlights “YHWH’s utterances are pure” (אמרות ... טהרות). Psalm 25 translates that purity into lived “ways” and “truth” (דרכיך ... באמיתך; חסד ואמת), moving from pure speech to pure path and character (תום; ישר). Narrative logic from 12 to 25 (a plausible life‑setting sequence): - Social crisis: deceitful elites oppress the poor; faithful people have vanished (Ps 12:2–5,9). - Divine pledge: YHWH arises to set the panting/longing one in safety and to keep/preserve him from “this generation” (12:6–8). - The afflicted believer steps forward: “I am that poor/afflicted one; I lift up my soul to you” (25:1,16,18), “I have hoped for you all day” (25:5), “keep/preserve me” (25:20–21). - Positive identity replaces the loss in 12: the “faithful” (אמונים) who had vanished are now defined as “keepers of his covenant and testimonies” (לנצרי בריתו ועדתיו, 25:10) and “those who fear YHWH” (25:12,14). - Outcome sought: the very preservation and deliverance promised in 12 (שמר/נצר; ישע) is requested and extended to the whole people (25:22 “redeem Israel from all his troubles”), matching 12’s communal horizon (“from this generation”). Additional conceptual echoes: - The boast “מי אדון לנו” (12:5) is countered by “מי־זה האיש ירא יהוה” (25:12): a rival “מי” that reframes true lordship as fearing YHWH rather than self‑rule through the tongue. - 12 ends with wicked circling “around” (סביב); 25 pictures the snare those circles create (“he will bring my feet out of the net,” 25:15) and prays for release. Bottom line: On the level of roots (ישע; נצר; שמר; עני), semantic fields (oppression/violence; deceit vs truth; walking/paths), formulas (keep/preserve; shame/hope), and storyline (divine promise to guard the afflicted → the afflicted’s prayer of trust and instruction), Psalm 25 can be read as the deliberate, logical follow‑on to Psalm 12. It shows how the “pure utterances” of YHWH (12) become the “paths of loyal love and truth” walked by the one who waits for him (25).
Evaluation
Score: 6.0
Evaluated at: 2026-01-10T02:40:01 (UTC)
Evaluator model: gpt-5
Evaluator version: v2
Reasoning: 4480 Output: 5476 Total: 9956
Checklist
- Has verse refs: Yes
- Factual error detected: No
- Only generic motifs: No
- Counterargument considered: No
- LXX/MT numbering acknowledged: No
Vocabulary specificity: 4.5 / 10
Best evidence: shared, paired verbs שמר/נצר (12:8; 25:10,20–21) alongside ישע (12:6; 25:5) and עני (12:6; 25:16,18). Yet these motifs are common; no cross-psalm editorial marker; counterpoints unaddressed.
Prompt
Consider Psalm 12 and Psalm 25 (reproduced below). What arguments could you make to justify that Psalm 25 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 25:
Psalm 25
1. לְדָוִ֡ד
אֵלֶ֥יךָ
יְ֝הוָ֗ה
נַפְשִׁ֥י
אֶשָּֽׂא׃
2. אֱֽלֹהַ֗י
בְּךָ֣
בָ֭טַחְתִּי
אַל־
אֵב֑וֹשָׁה
אַל־
יַֽעַלְצ֖וּ
אֹיְבַ֣י
לִֽי׃
3. גַּ֣ם
כָּל־
ק֭וֹיֶtךָ
לֹ֣א
יֵבֹ֑שׁוּ
יֵ֝בֹ֗שׁוּ
הַבּוֹגְדִ֥ים
רֵיקָֽם׃
4. דְּרָכֶ֣יךָ
יְ֭הוָה
הוֹדִיעֵ֑נִי
אֹ֖רְחוֹתֶ֣יךָ
לַמְּדֵֽנִי׃
5. הַדְרִ֘יכֵ֤נִי
בַאֲמִתֶּ֨ךָ ׀
וְֽלַמְּדֵ֗נִי
כִּֽי־
אַ֭תָּה
אֱלֹהֵ֣י
יִשְׁעִ֑י
אוֹתְךָ֥
קִ֝וִּ֗יתִי
כָּל־
הַיּֽוֹם׃
6. זְכֹר־
רַחֲמֶ֣יךָ
יְ֭הוָה
וַחֲסָדֶ֑יךָ
כִּ֖י
מֵעוֹלָ֣ם
הֵֽמָּה׃
7. חַטֹּ֤אות
נְעוּרַ֨י ׀
וּפְשָׁעַ֗י
אַל־
תִּ֫זְכֹּ֥ר
כְּחַסְדְּךָ֥
זְכָר־
לִי־
אַ֑תָּה
לְמַ֖עַן
טוּבְךָ֣
יְהוָֽה׃
8. טוֹב־
וְיָשָׁ֥ר
יְהוָ֑ה
עַל־
כֵּ֤ן
יוֹרֶ֖ה
חַטָּאִ֣ים
בַּדָּֽרֶךְ׃
9. יַדְרֵ֣ךְ
עֲ֭נָוִים
בַּמִּשְׁפָּ֑ט
וִֽילַמֵּ֖ד
עֲנָוִ֣ים
דַּרְכּֽוֹ׃
10. כָּל־
אָרְח֣וֹת
יְ֭הוָה
חֶ֣סֶד
וֶאֱמֶ֑ת
לְנֹצְרֵ֥י
בְ֝רִית֗וֹ
וְעֵדֹתָֽיו׃
11. לְמַֽעַן־
שִׁמְךָ֥
יְהוָ֑ה
וְֽסָלַחְתָּ֥
לַ֝עֲוֺנִ֗י
כִּ֣י
רַב־
הֽוּא׃
12. מִי־
זֶ֣ה
הָ֭אִישׁ
יְרֵ֣א
יְהוָ֑ה
י֝וֹרֶ֗נּוּ
בְּדֶ֣רֶךְ
יִבְחָֽר׃
13. נַ֭פְשׁוֹ
בְּט֣וֹב
תָּלִ֑ין
וְ֝זַרְע֗וֹ
יִ֣ירַשׁ
אָֽרֶץ׃
14. ס֣וֹד
יְ֭הוָה
לִירֵאָ֑יו
וּ֝בְרִית֗וֹ
לְהוֹדִיעָֽם׃
15. עֵינַ֣י
תָּ֭מִיד
אֶל־
יְהוָ֑ה
כִּ֤י
הֽוּא־
יוֹצִ֖יא
מֵרֶ֣שֶׁת
רַגְלָֽי׃
16. פְּנֵה־
אֵלַ֥י
וְחָנֵּ֑נִי
כִּֽי־
יָחִ֖יד
וְעָנִ֣י
אָֽנִי׃
17. צָר֣וֹת
לְבָבִ֣י
הִרְחִ֑יבוּ
מִ֝מְּצֽוּקוֹתַ֗י
הוֹצִיאֵֽנִי׃
18. רְאֵ֣ה
עָ֭נְיִי
וַעֲמָלִ֑י
וְ֝שָׂ֗א
לְכָל־
חַטֹּאותָֽי׃
19. רְאֵֽה־
אוֹיְבַ֥י
כִּי־
רָ֑בּוּ
וְשִׂנְאַ֖ת
חָמָ֣ס
שְׂנֵאֽוּנִי׃
20. שָׁמְרָ֣ה
נַ֭פְשִׁי
וְהַצִּילֵ֑נִי
אַל־
אֵ֝ב֗וֹשׁ
כִּֽי־
חָסִ֥יתִי
בָֽךְ׃
21. תֹּם־
וָיֹ֥שֶׁר
יִצְּר֑וּנִי
כִּ֝֗י
קִוִּיתִֽיךָ׃
22. פְּדֵ֣ה
אֱ֭לֹהִים
אֶת־
יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל
מִ֝כֹּ֗ל
צָֽרוֹתָיו׃