Psalm 12 → 72
Reasoning: 8192 Output: 5124 Total: 13316
Argument
Here are ways to argue that Psalm 72 “follows on from” Psalm 12—stylistically, lexically, thematically, and in terms of Israel’s royal-justice ideology—so that Ps 72 reads as the concrete answer and resolution to the crisis and divine promise voiced in Ps 12. 1) Narrative logic and macro-plot - Psalm 12 is a communal lament about a corrupt generation: truth has collapsed, the arrogant rule by their tongues, the poor and needy are preyed upon. It climaxes with God’s promise to “arise” and set the needy in safety (12:6–8). - Psalm 72 is a royal prayer that shows how God’s “arising” is realized in history: by granting his judgments and righteousness to the king (72:1–2), who then saves the needy, crushes the oppressor, and brings universal peace and blessing. - This is a classic ancient Near Eastern and Israelite sequence: cries of the oppressed → divine decision to act → the just king as God’s appointed agent of deliverance. So Ps 72 functions as the enacted solution to Ps 12. 2) Strongest lexical anchors (identical or near-identical forms; rarer items prioritized) - The “poor” and the “needy”: - Psalm 12:6 has both עֲנִיִּים and אֶבְיוֹנִים. - Psalm 72 repeatedly uses the same nouns, including the identical plural form אֶבְיוֹנִים (72:13), as well as singular אֶבְיוֹן (72:12, 4) and forms of עני (72:2, 4). This repeated pairing עני/אביון is a marked collocation in the Psalter, and the exact reprise—including the identical plural אביונים—directly ties the two psalms’ social focus. - Deliverance verbs from the same semantic field: - Psalm 12:6–8: “אשית בישַע” (I will set in safety), “תשמרם… תצרנו” (you will keep/guard). - Psalm 72: dense cluster of יושיע (save; 72:4, 13), יציל (rescue; 72:12), יִגְאַל (redeem; 72:14). The saving language that was promised in Ps 12 becomes programmatic policy under the king in Ps 72. - “Generation” and “forever” time-frames: - Psalm 12:8 “מִן־הַדּוֹר זוּ לְעוֹלָם”. - Psalm 72:5 “דּוֹר דּוֹרִים”; 72:17, 19 “לְעוֹלָם”. The “forever” protection promised in Ps 12 is matched by the king’s enduring, cosmic-scale reign in Ps 72. - The rare antonymic value-pair “cheap/vile” vs “precious”: - Psalm 12:9 “כְּרוּם זֻלּוּת לִבְנֵי אָדָם” (when what is “cheap/vile” is exalted among men). - Psalm 72:14 “וְיֵיקַר דָּמָם בְּעֵינָיו” (their blood is “precious” in his eyes). - This is not just similar vocabulary; it is a pointed reversal: Ps 12 laments a world where the worthless is exalted; Ps 72 depicts a ruler for whom the lives of the vulnerable have high value. - The defiant rejection of lordship vs the universal acknowledgment of lordship: - Psalm 12:5 “מִי אָדוֹן לָנוּ?” (Who is lord over us?). - Psalm 72:11 “וְיִשְׁתַּחֲווּ־לוֹ כָל־מְלָכִים; כָּל־גּוֹיִם יַעַבְדֻהוּ.” The arrogant self-lordship of Ps 12 is answered by global submission to the divinely endowed king. 3) Thematic and ideational continuities and reversals - Bad speech vs true speech/blessing: - Psalm 12 obsesses over speech pathology: “שפת חלקות”, “לשון מדברת גדולות”, duplicity “בלב ולב”. The only trustworthy speech is “אמרות יהוה… טהורות” (12:7). - Psalm 72 answers with the social order that true speech creates: justice (משפט), righteousness (צדקה), and a world filled not with boasts but with “ברכה” (72:15), culminating in communal doxology “ברוך… אמן ואמן” (72:18–19). Liturgically, the “Amen and Amen” functions as the congregation’s ratification of YHWH’s “אמרות” in Ps 12. - From divine promise (“עתה אקום… אשית בישע”) to royal policy: - Psalm 12:6–7 God himself promises to arise and set the needy in safety. - Psalm 72:1–4 shows how: God grants his “משפטים/צדקה” to the king, who “ישפוט… יושיע… ידכא עושק.” That is, YHWH’s pure words (Ps 12) become embodied as the king’s just judgments (Ps 72). - The social actors: - Psalm 12 features the “רשעים” who prowl and the “חסיד/אמונים” who have vanished, leaving the “עניים/אביונים” exposed. - Psalm 72 replaces prowling oppressors with a ruler who crushes the oppressor (ידכא עושק), rescues the needy, and elicits homage from enemies (72:9–11). It is a complete dramatic reversal of Ps 12’s power map. 4) Stylistic and formal affinities - Both psalms are carefully structured around speech acts: - Psalm 12 turns on God’s direct oracle (“עתה אקום… יאמר יהוה”). - Psalm 72 turns on intercessory prayer (“אלוהים משפטיך למלך תן…”) and ends with liturgical doxology and double Amen. Together they model complaint → oracle → intercession → doxology—a common liturgical arc. - Royal/imperial horizon as the answer to a local moral collapse: - Psalm 12’s crisis is “this generation” (הדור זו). Psalm 72 expands the horizon to world-embracing shalom (“מִיָּם עַד־יָם… עַד־אַפְסֵי־אָרֶץ”, 72:8; “וְיִמָּלֵא כְבוֹדוֹ אֶת־כָּל הָאָרֶץ”, 72:19). The local breakdown is redressed by a universal order. - Canonical frame: - Psalm 12 is “מִזְמוֹר לְדָוִד”. Psalm 72 closes with “כָּלוּ תְפִלּוֹת דָּוִד בֶּן־יִשָׁי” (72:20). Even though they are far apart in sequence, Ps 72 explicitly functions as a colophon to the Davidic prayers of which Ps 12 is one; this makes it a fitting literary “follow-up” and closure. 5) Concept clusters (shared or answering) - The poor/needy cluster: עני/אביון (12:6 ↔ 72:2, 4, 12–14). - The deliverance cluster: ישע/יציל/יגאל/שמר/צרר (12:6–8 ↔ 72:4, 12–14). - Time cluster: דור/לעולם (12:8 ↔ 72:5, 17, 19). - Value cluster: זלות (vileness/cheapness, 12:9) ↔ יקר (precious, 72:14). - Sovereignty cluster: “מי אדון לנו?” (12:5) ↔ “כל מלכים ישתחוו לו… יעבדוהו” (72:11). - Speech cluster: corrupt lips/tongue (12:3–5) ↔ blessing/doxology (72:15, 18–19). 6) Historical-ideological patterning - In Israelite royal theology, the king’s central vocation is to do justice for the poor and crush oppressors (cf. 2 Sam 8:15; Ps 72 itself). Psalm 12 articulates the social need (oppression, lies, predation) and contains God’s promise to act; Psalm 72 is the royal charter that specifies that action. This is exactly how royal enthronement prayers and justice-ideology function across the ANE: the god “arises,” and the king carries out the deity’s justice on earth. Bottom line - Psalm 72 reads as the realized, royal answer to Psalm 12’s lament and oracle. The most compelling links are the identical poverty terms (אביונים/עניים), the matching deliverance verbs, the antithetical value terms (זלות ↔ יקר), the sovereignty reversal (self-lordship ↔ universal homage), and the movement from corrupt speech to communal blessing. Structurally, Ps 12’s divine promise (“עתה אקום… אשית בישַע”) is operationalized in Ps 72 through a king endowed with God’s “משפטים/צדקה,” bringing the protection “from this generation forever” into a global, enduring shalom. The colophon “כָּלוּ תְפִלּוֹת דָוִד” seals that logic.
Evaluation
Score: 6.8
Evaluated at: 2026-01-19T02:36:44 (UTC)
Evaluator model: gpt-5
Evaluator version: v2
Reasoning: 3072 Output: 5951 Total: 9023
Checklist
- Has verse refs: Yes
- Factual error detected: No
- Only generic motifs: No
- Counterargument considered: No
- LXX/MT numbering acknowledged: No
Vocabulary specificity: 5.0 / 10
Solid text-anchored links (עניים/אביונים; ישע; 12:5 vs 72:11; זלות↔יקר) and plausible reversal arc, but much vocabulary is common, distance in sequence, no clear editorial marker, and counterpoints unaddressed.
Prompt
Consider Psalm 12 and Psalm 72 (reproduced below). What arguments could you make to justify that Psalm 72 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 72:
Psalm 72
1. לִשְׁלֹמֹ֨ה ׀
אֱֽלֹהִ֗ים
מִ֭שְׁפָּטֶיךָ
לְמֶ֣לֶךְ
תֵּ֑ן
וְצִדְקָתְךָ֥
לְבֶן־
מֶֽלֶךְ׃
2. יָדִ֣ין
עַמְּךָ֣
בְצֶ֑דֶק
וַעֲנִיֶּ֥יךָ
בְמִשְׁפָּֽט׃
3. יִשְׂא֤וּ
הָרִ֓ים
שָׁ֘ל֥וֹם
לָעָ֑ם
וּ֝גְבָע֗וֹת
בִּצְדָקָֽה׃
4. יִשְׁפֹּ֤ט ׀
עֲֽנִיֵּי־
עָ֗ם
י֭וֹשִׁיעַ
לִבְנֵ֣י
אֶבְי֑וֹן
וִֽידַכֵּ֣א
עוֹשֵֽׁק׃
5. יִֽירָא֥וּךָ
עִם־
שָׁ֑מֶשׁ
וְלִפְנֵ֥י
יָ֝רֵ֗חַ
דּ֣וֹר
דּוֹרִֽים׃
6. יֵ֭רֵד
כְּמָטָ֣ר
עַל־
גֵּ֑ז
כִּ֝רְבִיבִ֗ים
זַרְזִ֥יף
אָֽרֶץ׃
7. יִֽפְרַח־
בְּיָמָ֥יו
צַדִּ֑יק
וְרֹ֥ב
שָׁ֝ל֗וֹם
עַד־
בְּלִ֥י
יָרֵֽחַ׃
8. וְ֭יֵרְדְּ
מִיָּ֣ם
עַד־
יָ֑ם
וּ֝מִנָּהָ֗ר
עַד־
אַפְסֵי־
אָֽרֶץ׃
9. לְ֭פָנָיו
יִכְרְע֣וּ
צִיִּ֑ים
וְ֝אֹיְבָ֗יו
עָפָ֥ר
יְלַחֵֽכוּ׃
10. מַלְכֵ֬י
תַרְשִׁ֣ישׁ
וְ֭אִיִּים
מִנְחָ֣ה
יָשִׁ֑יבוּ
מַלְכֵ֥י
שְׁבָ֥א
וּ֝סְבָ֗א
אֶשְׁכָּ֥ר
יַקְרִֽיבוּ׃
11. וְיִשְׁתַּחֲווּ־
ל֥וֹ
כָל־
מְלָכִ֑ים
כָּל־
גּוֹיִ֥ם
יַֽעַבְדֽוּהוּ׃
12. כִּֽי־
יַ֭צִּיל
אֶבְי֣וֹן
מְשַׁוֵּ֑עַ
וְ֝עָנִ֗י
וְֽאֵין־
עֹזֵ֥ר
לֽוֹ׃
13. יָ֭חֹס
עַל־
דַּ֣ל
וְאֶבְי֑וֹן
וְנַפְשׁ֖וֹת
אֶבְיוֹנִ֣ים
יוֹשִֽׁיעַ׃
14. מִתּ֣וֹךְ
וּ֖dמֵחָמָס
יִגְאַ֣ל
נַפְשָׁ֑ם
וְיֵיקַ֖ר
דָּמָ֣ם
בְּעֵינָֽיו׃
15. וִיחִ֗י
וְיִתֶּן־
לוֹ֮
מִזְּהַ֢ב
שְׁ֫בָ֥א
וְיִתְפַּלֵּ֣ל
בַּעֲד֣וֹ
תָמִ֑יד
כָּל־
הַ֝יּ֗וֹם
יְבָרֲכֶֽנְהֽוּ׃
16. יְהִ֤י
פִסַּת־
בַּ֨ר ׀
בָּאָרֶץ֮
בְּרֹ֢אשׁ
הָ֫רִ֥ים
יִרְעַ֣שׁ
כַּלְּבָנ֣וֹן
פִּרְי֑וֹ
וְיָצִ֥יצוּ
מֵ֝עִ֗יר
כְּעֵ֣שֶׂב
הָאָֽרֶץ׃
17. יְהִ֤י
שְׁמ֨וֹ ׀
לְֽעוֹלָ֗ם
לִפְנֵי־
שֶׁמֶשׁ֮
ינין
יִנּ֢וֹן
שְׁ֫מ֥וֹ
וְיִתְבָּ֥רְכוּ
ב֑וֹ
כָּל־
גּוֹיִ֥ם
יְאַשְּׁרֽוּהוּ׃
18. בָּר֤וּךְ ׀
יְהוָ֣ה
אֱ֭לֹהִים
אֱלֹהֵ֣י
יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל
עֹשֵׂ֖ה
נִפְלָא֣וֹת
לְבַדּֽוֹ׃
19. וּבָר֤וּךְ ׀
שֵׁ֥ם
כְּבוֹד֗וֹ
לְע֫וֹלָ֥ם
וְיִמָּלֵ֣א
כְ֭בוֹדוֹ
אֶת־
כֹּ֥ל
הָאָ֗רֶץ
אָ֘מֵ֥ן ׀
וְאָמֵֽן׃
20. כָּלּ֥וּ
תְפִלּ֑וֹת
דָּ֝וִ֗ד
בֶּן־
יִשָֽׁי׃