Strength of inter psalm relationship

Still waiting for the next execution of my psalm comparison algortihm... Slow comparing every psalm with every other psalm... Specially when you are coding alone without anyone else much interested - this is off the wall research even in a research environment... and there is so much other work I should be doing... O well...

Finished - finally. Consider Psalms 14 and 53 which we know are practically the same except for a few sentences and the use of YY (Psalm 14) instead of Elohim (Psalm 53).

Psalm -14 and Psalm -53 have 77 connections over 7 verses, average 11

Really! Does this agree with inspection?

Here are the matches - note that there are some (like אֶת אֱלֹהִים) don't show since I deliberately excluded them from all psalm comparisons - though perhaps I should not have.

)MR )MR Psalm -14 Said אָמַר Psalm -53 Said אָמַר
NBL NBL Psalm -14 senseless נָבָל Psalm -53 senseless נָבָל
BLBV BLBV Psalm -14 in his heart בְּלִבּוֹ Psalm -53 in his heart בְּלִבּוֹ
)YN )YN Psalm -14 Nothing אֵין Psalm -53 Nothing אֵין
)YN )YN Psalm -14 Nothing אֵין Psalm -53 Nothing אֵין
)YN )YN Psalm -14 Nothing אֵין Psalm -53 nothing אֵין
)YN )YN Psalm -14 Nothing אֵין Psalm -53 Not אֵין
H$XYTV H$XYTV Psalm -14 They oppressed הִשְׁחִיתוּ Psalm -53 They oppressed הִשְׁחִיתוּ
H$XYTV H$QYP Psalm -14 They oppressed הִשְׁחִיתוּ Psalm -53 leaned over to look הִשְׁקִיף
H$XYTV HB$TH Psalm -14 They oppressed הִשְׁחִיתוּ Psalm -53 He shamed them הֱבִשֹׁתָה
HT`YBV HT`YBV Psalm -14 they made abomination הִתְעִיבוּ Psalm -53 they made abomination הִתְעִיבוּ
`LYLH P`LY Psalm -14 wantonness עֲלִילָה Psalm -53 these working iniquity פֹּעֲלֵי אָוֶן
)YN )YN Psalm -14 Nothing אֵין Psalm -53 Nothing אֵין
)YN )YN Psalm -14 Nothing אֵין Psalm -53 Nothing אֵין
)YN )YN Psalm -14 Nothing אֵין Psalm -53 nothing אֵין
)YN )YN Psalm -14 Nothing אֵין Psalm -53 Not אֵין
`WH `WH Psalm -14 doing good עֹשֵׂה טוֹב Psalm -53 doing good עֹשֵׂה טוֹב
`WH `WH Psalm -14 doing good עֹשֵׂה טוֹב Psalm -53 doing good עֹשֵׂה טוֹב
+VB +VB Psalm -14 doing good עֹשֵׂה טוֹב Psalm -53 doing good עֹשֵׂה טוֹב
+VB +VB Psalm -14 doing good עֹשֵׂה טוֹב Psalm -53 doing good עֹשֵׂה טוֹב
M$MYM M$MYM Psalm -14 from the heavens מִשָּׁמַיִם Psalm -53 from the heavens מִשָּׁמַיִם
H$QYP H$XYTV Psalm -14 leaned over to look הִשְׁקִיף Psalm -53 They oppressed הִשְׁחִיתוּ
H$QYP H$QYP Psalm -14 leaned over to look הִשְׁקִיף Psalm -53 leaned over to look הִשְׁקִיף
BNY BNY Psalm -14 at the children of dust עַל בְּנֵי אָדָם Psalm -53 at the children of dust עַל בְּנֵי אָדָם
)DM )DM Psalm -14 at the children of dust עַל בְּנֵי אָדָם Psalm -53 at the children of dust עַל בְּנֵי אָדָם
LR)VT LR)VT Psalm -14 to see לִרְאוֹת Psalm -53 to see לִרְאוֹת
HY$ HY$ Psalm -14 the being הֲיֵשׁ Psalm -53 the being הֲיֵשׁ
MWKYL MWKYL Psalm -14 understanding מַשְׂכִּיל Psalm -53 A song of insight מַשְׂכִּיל
MWKYL MWKYL Psalm -14 understanding מַשְׂכִּיל Psalm -53 understanding מַשְׂכִּיל
DR$ DR$ Psalm -14 seeking דֹּרֵשׁ Psalm -53 seeking דֹּרֵשׁ
YXDV YXDV Psalm -14 they together יַחְדָּו Psalm -53 they together יַחְדָּו
N)LXV N)LXV Psalm -14 corrupt נֶאֱלָחוּ Psalm -53 corrupt נֶאֱלָחוּ
)YN )YN Psalm -14 nothing אֵין Psalm -53 Nothing אֵין
)YN )YN Psalm -14 nothing אֵין Psalm -53 Nothing אֵין
)YN )YN Psalm -14 nothing אֵין Psalm -53 nothing אֵין
)YN )YN Psalm -14 nothing אֵין Psalm -53 Not אֵין
`WH `WH Psalm -14 doing good עֹשֵׂה טוֹב Psalm -53 doing good עֹשֵׂה טוֹב
`WH `WH Psalm -14 doing good עֹשֵׂה טוֹב Psalm -53 doing good עֹשֵׂה טוֹב
+VB +VB Psalm -14 doing good עֹשֵׂה טוֹב Psalm -53 doing good עֹשֵׂה טוֹב
+VB +VB Psalm -14 doing good עֹשֵׂה טוֹב Psalm -53 doing good עֹשֵׂה טוֹב
)YN )YN Psalm -14 Not אֵין Psalm -53 Nothing אֵין
)YN )YN Psalm -14 Not אֵין Psalm -53 Nothing אֵין
)YN )YN Psalm -14 Not אֵין Psalm -53 nothing אֵין
)YN )YN Psalm -14 Not אֵין Psalm -53 Not אֵין
)XD )XD Psalm -14 a single one גַּם אֶחָד Psalm -53 a single one גַּם אֶחָד
HL) HL) Psalm -14 Did they not הֲלֹא Psalm -53 Did they not הֲלֹא
YD`V YD`V Psalm -14 know יָדְעוּ Psalm -53 know יָדְעוּ
P`LY P`LY Psalm -14 these working iniquity פֹּעֲלֵי אָוֶן Psalm -53 these working iniquity פֹּעֲלֵי אָוֶן
)VN )VN Psalm -14 these working iniquity פֹּעֲלֵי אָוֶן Psalm -53 these working iniquity פֹּעֲלֵי אָוֶן
)KLY )KLY Psalm -14 eating אֹכְלֵי Psalm -53 eating אֹכְלֵי
)KLY )KLV Psalm -14 eating אֹכְלֵי Psalm -53 They ate אָכְלוּ
`MY `MY Psalm -14 my people עַמִּי Psalm -53 my people עַמִּי
)KLV KLV Psalm -14 They ate אָכְלוּ Psalm -53 For not כֻּלּוֹ
)KLV )KLY Psalm -14 They ate אָכְלוּ Psalm -53 eating אֹכְלֵי
)KLV )KLV Psalm -14 They ate אָכְלוּ Psalm -53 They ate אָכְלוּ
LXM LXM Psalm -14 bread לֶחֶם Psalm -53 bread לֶחֶם
QR)V QR)V Psalm -14 they did not call לֹא קָרָאוּ Psalm -53 they did not call לֹא קָרָאוּ
PXDV PXDV Psalm -14 they feared פָּחֲדוּ Psalm -53 they feared פָּחֲדוּ
PXDV PXD Psalm -14 they feared פָּחֲדוּ Psalm -53 fear פָחַד
PXDV PXD Psalm -14 they feared פָּחֲדוּ Psalm -53 fear פָחַד
PXD PXDV Psalm -14 fear פָחַד Psalm -53 they feared פָּחֲדוּ
PXD PXD Psalm -14 fear פָחַד Psalm -53 fear פָחַד
PXD PXD Psalm -14 fear פָחַד Psalm -53 fear פָחַד
YTN YTN Psalm -14 arise יִתֵּן Psalm -53 arise יִתֵּן
MCYVN MCYVN Psalm -14 from Zion מִצִּיּוֹן Psalm -53 from Zion מִצִּיּוֹן
Y$V`T Y$`VT Psalm -14 salvation יְשׁוּעַת Psalm -53 salvation יְשֻׁעוֹת
Y$V`T $BVT Psalm -14 salvation יְשׁוּעַת Psalm -53 the captivity of שְׁבוּת
YWR)L YWR)L Psalm -14 of Israel יִשְׂרָאֵל Psalm -53 of Israel יִשְׂרָאֵל
YWR)L YWR)L Psalm -14 of Israel יִשְׂרָאֵל Psalm -53 Israel יִשְׂרָאֵל
B$VB B$VB Psalm -14 In turning בְּשׁוּב Psalm -53 In turning בְּשׁוּב
$BVT $BVT Psalm -14 the captivity of שְׁבוּת Psalm -53 the captivity of שְׁבוּת
`MV `MV Psalm -14 his people עַמּוֹ Psalm -53 his people עַמּוֹ
YGL YGL Psalm -14 Will rejoice יָגֵל Psalm -53 Will rejoice יָגֵל
Y`QB Y`QB Psalm -14 Jacob יַעֲקֹב Psalm -53 Jacob יַעֲקֹב
YWMX YWMX Psalm -14 Will make glad יִשְׂמַח Psalm -53 Will make glad יִשְׂמַח
YWR)L YWR)L Psalm -14 Israel יִשְׂרָאֵל Psalm -53 of Israel יִשְׂרָאֵל
YWR)L YWR)L Psalm -14 Israel יִשְׂרָאֵל Psalm -53 Israel יִשְׂרָאֵל


Here are a few more obviously highly connected psalms - bits and pieces of Psalm 119 taken 5 or 6 sections at a time.

Psalm 119-K-* and Psalm 119-Ts-T have 2260 connections over 48 verses, average 47.08

Psalm 119-V-Y and Psalm 119-Ts-T have 2115 connections over 48 verses, average 44.06

Psalm 119-A-H and Psalm 119-Ts-T have 2046 connections over 48 verses, average 42.63

Psalm -89 and Psalm 119-Ts-T have 1578 connections over 53 verses, average 29.77

Psalm -78 and Psalm 106 have 2074 connections over 72 verses, average 28.81

Psalm 119-Ts-T and Psalm -18 have 1287 connections over 51 verses, average 25.24

At first the count seems high, but each word may connect to more than one word in the other section and each one counts. I am glad to say that the slightly eccentric algorithm agrees with itself, but I am sad to say that I will likely not find all the differing uses of lexical forms since I am comparing 3 consecutive letters per keyword and the keywords must be at least 3 consonants in length thus omitting 3265 keywords out of 19,548. I am also not including matches on the following: )LHYM, LMNCX, SLH, MZMVR, LDVD, another 466 occurrences. I also eliminate obvious plurals and some other random enclitic Vavs. My parsing is not very smart yet.

Psalm 136 is an interesting study since it has a repeated refrain (לְעוֹלָם חַסְדּוֹ) which will match many times. Will it act as a divider between those psalms that use - 'for his mercy endures for ever' and those that do not? It doesn't since many of the rest of the words in the psalm reflect words in other psalms - so its curve is quite smooth as seen in the following table.

Psalm 136 with
Psalm 118 : 383 connections over 29 verses, average 13.21
Psalm 106 : 627 connections over 48 verses, average 13.06
Psalm -89 : 674 connections over 53 verses, average 12.72
Psalm 103 : 327 connections over 26 verses, average 12.58
Psalm 147 : 289 connections over 26 verses, average 11.12
Psalm -31 : 278 connections over 26 verses, average 10.69
Psalm 145 : 277 connections over 26 verses, average 10.65
Psalm -35 : 290 connections over 28 verses, average 10.36
Psalm 125 : 264 connections over 26 verses, average 10.15
Psalm -73 : 282 connections over 28 verses, average 10.07
Psalm -25 : 257 connections over 26 verses, average 9.88
Psalm -68 : 353 connections over 36 verses, average 9.81
Psalm -72 : 250 connections over 26 verses, average 9.62
Psalm 107 : 401 connections over 43 verses, average 9.33
Psalm 104 : 324 connections over 35 verses, average 9.26
Psalm 135 : 240 connections over 26 verses, average 9.23
Psalm 109 : 285 connections over 31 verses, average 9.19
Psalm -86 : 227 connections over 26 verses, average 8.73
Psalm -33 : 226 connections over 26 verses, average 8.69
Psalm 119-Ts-T : 387 connections over 48 verses, average 8.06
Psalm -45 : 209 connections over 26 verses, average 8.04
Psalm -79 : 209 connections over 26 verses, average 8.04
Psalm 119-V-Y : 319 connections over 40 verses, average 7.98
Psalm 122 : 204 connections over 26 verses, average 7.85
Psalm -78 : 559 connections over 72 verses, average 7.76
Psalm -37 : 310 connections over 40 verses, average 7.75
Psalm -69 : 282 connections over 37 verses, average 7.62
Psalm 119-K-* : 357 connections over 48 verses, average 7.44
Psalm -85 : 191 connections over 26 verses, average 7.35
Psalm 132 : 190 connections over 26 verses, average 7.31
Psalm -59 : 184 connections over 26 verses, average 7.08
Psalm 111 : 182 connections over 26 verses, average 7
Psalm -77 : 181 connections over 26 verses, average 6.96
Psalm 116 : 181 connections over 26 verses, average 6.96
Psalm -41 : 178 connections over 26 verses, average 6.85
Psalm -44 : 184 connections over 27 verses, average 6.81
Psalm -50 : 173 connections over 26 verses, average 6.65
Psalm 105 : 299 connections over 45 verses, average 6.64
Psalm -18 : 338 connections over 51 verses, average 6.63
Psalm -90 : 171 connections over 26 verses, average 6.58
Psalm -52 : 171 connections over 26 verses, average 6.58
Psalm -48 : 168 connections over 26 verses, average 6.46
Psalm -66 : 163 connections over 26 verses, average 6.27
Psalm -40 : 159 connections over 26 verses, average 6.12
Psalm -57 : 159 connections over 26 verses, average 6.12
Psalm 115 : 158 connections over 26 verses, average 6.08
Psalm -81 : 155 connections over 26 verses, average 5.96
Psalm 102 : 169 connections over 29 verses, average 5.83
Psalm 137 : 149 connections over 26 verses, average 5.73
Psalm -55 : 148 connections over 26 verses, average 5.69
Psalm 143 : 148 connections over 26 verses, average 5.69
Psalm -71 : 146 connections over 26 verses, average 5.62
Psalm 148 : 145 connections over 26 verses, average 5.58
Psalm 144 : 141 connections over 26 verses, average 5.42
Psalm 149 : 139 connections over 26 verses, average 5.35
Psalm --5 : 138 connections over 26 verses, average 5.31
Psalm 146 : 138 connections over 26 verses, average 5.31
Psalm -74 : 137 connections over 26 verses, average 5.27
Psalm -17 : 136 connections over 26 verses, average 5.23
Psalm -22 : 163 connections over 32 verses, average 5.09
Psalm -21 : 132 connections over 26 verses, average 5.08
Psalm -30 : 132 connections over 26 verses, average 5.08
Psalm 141 : 132 connections over 26 verses, average 5.08
Psalm -92 : 129 connections over 26 verses, average 4.96
Psalm -32 : 126 connections over 26 verses, average 4.85
Psalm -49 : 123 connections over 26 verses, average 4.73
Psalm -24 : 120 connections over 26 verses, average 4.62
Psalm -29 : 120 connections over 26 verses, average 4.62
Psalm --9 : 117 connections over 26 verses, average 4.5
Psalm -34 : 117 connections over 26 verses, average 4.5
Psalm -36 : 116 connections over 26 verses, average 4.46
Psalm 138 : 115 connections over 26 verses, average 4.42
Psalm -19 : 113 connections over 26 verses, average 4.35
Psalm 112 : 113 connections over 26 verses, average 4.35
Psalm -88 : 110 connections over 26 verses, average 4.23
Psalm -51 : 109 connections over 26 verses, average 4.19
Psalm -42 : 109 connections over 26 verses, average 4.19
Psalm -61 : 108 connections over 26 verses, average 4.15
Psalm -10 : 106 connections over 26 verses, average 4.08
Psalm -28 : 105 connections over 26 verses, average 4.04
Psalm -75 : 105 connections over 26 verses, average 4.04
Psalm 139 : 104 connections over 26 verses, average 4
Psalm -83 : 102 connections over 26 verses, average 3.92
Psalm 140 : 99 connections over 26 verses, average 3.81
Psalm --7 : 98 connections over 26 verses, average 3.77
Psalm -38 : 98 connections over 26 verses, average 3.77
Psalm -16 : 97 connections over 26 verses, average 3.73
Psalm -94 : 94 connections over 26 verses, average 3.62
Psalm -97 : 94 connections over 26 verses, average 3.62
Psalm -26 : 90 connections over 26 verses, average 3.46
Psalm 119-A-H : 135 connections over 40 verses, average 3.38
Psalm --4 : 87 connections over 26 verses, average 3.35
Psalm -96 : 86 connections over 26 verses, average 3.31
Psalm -64 : 84 connections over 26 verses, average 3.23
Psalm 128 : 84 connections over 26 verses, average 3.23
Psalm -12 : 83 connections over 26 verses, average 3.19
Psalm 108 : 83 connections over 26 verses, average 3.19
Psalm -99 : 82 connections over 26 verses, average 3.15
Psalm -76 : 80 connections over 26 verses, average 3.08
Psalm --8 : 79 connections over 26 verses, average 3.04
Psalm -80 : 79 connections over 26 verses, average 3.04
Psalm 100 : 77 connections over 26 verses, average 2.96
Psalm 124 : 77 connections over 26 verses, average 2.96
Psalm 121 : 77 connections over 26 verses, average 2.96
Psalm 114 : 76 connections over 26 verses, average 2.92
Psalm -95 : 72 connections over 26 verses, average 2.77
Psalm 120 : 72 connections over 26 verses, average 2.77
Psalm -56 : 71 connections over 26 verses, average 2.73
Psalm -98 : 71 connections over 26 verses, average 2.73
Psalm -20 : 70 connections over 26 verses, average 2.69
Psalm 110 : 70 connections over 26 verses, average 2.69
Psalm --2 : 69 connections over 26 verses, average 2.65
Psalm -63 : 69 connections over 26 verses, average 2.65
Psalm 113 : 69 connections over 26 verses, average 2.65
Psalm -39 : 68 connections over 26 verses, average 2.62
Psalm -65 : 66 connections over 26 verses, average 2.54
Psalm -27 : 65 connections over 26 verses, average 2.5
Psalm -91 : 64 connections over 26 verses, average 2.46
Psalm -43 : 63 connections over 26 verses, average 2.42
Psalm -62 : 63 connections over 26 verses, average 2.42
Psalm 101 : 62 connections over 26 verses, average 2.38
Psalm -60 : 61 connections over 26 verses, average 2.35
Psalm -46 : 59 connections over 26 verses, average 2.27
Psalm -84 : 59 connections over 26 verses, average 2.27
Psalm -93 : 59 connections over 26 verses, average 2.27
Psalm 117 : 59 connections over 26 verses, average 2.27
Psalm -47 : 55 connections over 26 verses, average 2.12
Psalm 129 : 55 connections over 26 verses, average 2.12
Psalm --6 : 53 connections over 26 verses, average 2.04
Psalm 130 : 53 connections over 26 verses, average 2.04
Psalm --3 : 51 connections over 26 verses, average 1.96
Psalm -23 : 51 connections over 26 verses, average 1.96
Psalm -13 : 50 connections over 26 verses, average 1.92
Psalm -15 : 49 connections over 26 verses, average 1.88
Psalm -53 : 49 connections over 26 verses, average 1.88
Psalm -82 : 43 connections over 26 verses, average 1.65
Psalm -58 : 39 connections over 26 verses, average 1.5
Psalm 131 : 35 connections over 26 verses, average 1.35
Psalm 133 : 35 connections over 26 verses, average 1.35
Psalm -70 : 34 connections over 26 verses, average 1.31
Psalm 126 : 32 connections over 26 verses, average 1.23
Psalm -54 : 28 connections over 26 verses, average 1.08
Psalm 127 : 28 connections over 26 verses, average 1.08
Psalm 123 : 27 connections over 26 verses, average 1.04
Psalm -67 : 26 connections over 26 verses, average 1
Psalm 142 : 26 connections over 26 verses, average 1
Psalm -87 : 25 connections over 26 verses, average .96
Psalm -14 : 24 connections over 26 verses, average .92
Psalm --1 : 20 connections over 26 verses, average .77
Psalm 150 : 18 connections over 26 verses, average .69
Psalm -11 : 13 connections over 26 verses, average .5
Psalm 134 : 12 connections over 26 verses, average .46

And these are the details of the least match: 134 with 136
`BDY VH`BYR Psalm 134 all servants of כָּל עַבְדֵי Psalm 136 and made to pass through וְהֶעֱבִיר
`BDY `BDV Psalm 134 all servants of כָּל עַבְדֵי Psalm 136 his servant עַבְדּוֹ
BLYLVT BLYLH Psalm 134 in the nights בַּלֵּילוֹת Psalm 136 by night בַּלָּיְלָה
MCYVN LSYXVN Psalm 134 from Zion מִצִּיּוֹן Psalm 136 so Sihon לְסִיחוֹן
MCYVN MCRYNV Psalm 134 from Zion מִצִּיּוֹן Psalm 136 from our enemies מִצָּרֵינוּ
`WH L`WH Psalm 134 making עֹשֵׂה Psalm 136 to doing לְעֹשֵׂה
`WH L`WH Psalm 134 making עֹשֵׂה Psalm 136 to making לְעֹשֵׂה
`WH L`WH Psalm 134 making עֹשֵׂה Psalm 136 to making לְעֹשֵׂה
$MYM H$MYM Psalm 134 heaven שָׁמַיִם Psalm 136 the heavens הַשָּׁמַיִם
$MYM H$MYM Psalm 134 heaven שָׁמַיִם Psalm 136 of Heaven הַשָּׁמָיִם
V)RC H)RC Psalm 134 and earth וָאָרֶץ Psalm 136 the earth and the heavens הָאָרֶץ עַל הַמָּיִם
V)RC )RCM Psalm 134 and earth וָאָרֶץ Psalm 136 their lands אַרְצָם

Strong verbal relationships?

My wife and I just conducted a thought experiment. If two bodies of text share words, how could one begin to measure their relationships.

We used a three line poem -
Little Jack Horner
Sat in a corner
Eating his Christmas Pie

and
Little Miss Muffet
Sat on a tuffet
Eating her Curds and Whey

On inspection, these share 3 words in 3 lines not three words in 6 lines. As a result I think I must modify my match algorithm to divide by the greater of the number of verses rather than by the sum. I think I will also distinguish samech from sin by using w for sin. So previously recorded scores will change and can be read as x matches per verse.

Trying connectivity for psalms 1 and 2

Just what are the 'torah' and 'royal' psalms? I used a list I found here just for the test. It doesn't show that there is much in common with psalm 2 among the royal psalms. 118 for instance matches on only 26 items with psalm 2 - maybe they are concentrated in a few verses, but the size of 118 makes the score low.

These are the individual items - maybe I miss a few too in the algorithm since sometimes effective letter reversals or just matching on two letters might be of an equal lexical form. But the algorithm knows only what sounds. Note also that the algorithm working on a loose join between two lists will join as often as a word recurs in the list. So 'in the name' occurs 4 times in Psalm 118 and will match in the heavens in each case. Note also that Samech and Sin sound alike so they too match. (Curious isn't it - it's an alliterative match not a semantic or word equivalent match - but it does catch some equal lexical forms like the last one - rejoice in two of its conjugal forms).

I would be pleased to get serious mismatches out and missed matches in. Feedback - even so slight or so critical - is welcome. (I have not lost touch with my goal - how did the first century read the psalms, - but I am having fun.)

GVYM GVYM
Psalm --2 nations גוֹיִם
Psalm 118 All nations כָּל גּוֹיִם
MVSRVTYMV M`SY
Psalm --2 their bonds אֶת-מוֹסְרוֹתֵימוֹ
Psalm 118 the works of מַעֲשֵׂי
B$MYM B$M
Psalm --2 in the heavens בַּשָּׁמַיִם
Psalm 118 in the name of בְּשֵׁם
B$MYM B$M
Psalm --2 in the heavens בַּשָּׁמַיִם
Psalm 118 In the name of בְּשֵׁם
B$MYM B$M
Psalm --2 in the heavens בַּשָּׁמַיִם
Psalm 118 In the name of בְּשֵׁם
B$MYM B$M
Psalm --2 in the heavens בַּשָּׁמַיִם
Psalm 118 in the name of בְּשֵׁם
LMV VLMVT
Psalm --2 will mock them יִלְעַג-לָמוֹ
Psalm 118 but to death וְלַמָּוֶת
YDBR KDBVRYM
Psalm --2 he shall speak to them יְדַבֵּר אֵלֵימוֹ
Psalm 118 like a swarm of bees כִדְבוֹרִים
)LYMV )LY
Psalm --2 he shall speak to them יְדַבֵּר אֵלֵימוֹ
Psalm 118 My God אֵלִי
YBHLMV B)HLY
Psalm --2 he will dismay them יְבַהֲלֵמוֹ
Psalm 118 and salvation in the tents of וִישׁוּעָה בְּאָהֳלֵי
V)NY V)NY
Psalm --2 And I וַאֲנִי
Psalm 118 and I וַאֲנִי
)SPRH )SRV
Psalm --2 I will declare אֲסַפְּרָה
Psalm 118 Bind a sacrifice אִסְרוּ חַג
)MR Y)MR
Psalm --2 said to me אָמַר אֵלַי
Psalm 118 Will say then יֹאמַר נָא
)MR Y)MRV
Psalm --2 said to me אָמַר אֵלַי
Psalm 118 Will say then יֹאמְרוּ נָא
)MR Y)MRV
Psalm --2 said to me אָמַר אֵלַי
Psalm 118 will say then יֹאמְרוּ נָא
)LY )LY
Psalm --2 said to me אָמַר אֵלַי
Psalm 118 My God אֵלִי
)LY )LHY
Psalm --2 said to me אָמַר אֵלַי
Psalm 118 My God אֱלֹהַי
BNY BNDYBYM
Psalm --2 My son בְּנִי
Psalm 118 in princes בִּנְדִיבִים
)TH )TH
Psalm --2 are you אַתָּה
Psalm 118 you אַתָּה
)NY V)NY
Psalm --2 I this day אֲנִי הַיּוֹם
Psalm 118 and I וַאֲנִי
HYVM HYVM
Psalm --2 I this day אֲנִי הַיּוֹם
Psalm 118 This the day זֶה הַיּוֹם
YLDTYK DXYTNY
Psalm --2 have brought you forth יְלִדְתִּיךָ
Psalm 118 you push me דְחִיתַנִי
YLDTYK `NYTNY
Psalm --2 have brought you forth יְלִדְתִּיךָ
Psalm 118 you have answered me עֲנִיתָנִי
GVYM GVYM
Psalm --2 nations גוֹיִם
Psalm 118 All nations כָּל גּוֹיִם
NXLTK NPL)T
Psalm --2 your inheritance נַחֲלָתֶךָ
Psalm 118 is marvellous נִפְלָאת
VGYLV NGYLH
Psalm --2 and rejoice וְגִילוּ
Psalm 118 rejoice נָגִילָה

Psalm 1 scores over 2 against
Psalm -37 2.5
Psalm 112 2.06
Psalm 101 2
Psalm 140 1.9
and less than 2 against the other two Torah psalms
Psalm 119-A-H 1.61
Psalm 119-V-Y 1.26
Psalm 119-Ts-T 1.06
Psalm 119-K-* 1.04
Psalm -19 .62

The detail for psalm 19 is

)$RY )MRY
Psalm --1 Happy the man who אַשְׁרֵי הָאִישׁ אֲשֶׁר
Psalm -19 words of my mouth אִמְרֵי פִי
VBDRK `BDK
Psalm --1 and in the way of sinners וּבְדֶרֶךְ חַטָּאִים
Psalm -19 Yea your servant גַּם עַבְדְּךָ
VBDRK `BDK
Psalm --1 and in the way of sinners וּבְדֶרֶךְ חַטָּאִים
Psalm -19 your servant עַבְדֶּךָ
BTVRT VTQVPTV
Psalm --1 in the teaching of the LORD בְּתוֹרַת יְהוָה
Psalm -19 and a circuit וּתְקוּפָתוֹ
BTVRT TVRT
Psalm --1 in the teaching of the LORD בְּתוֹרַת יְהוָה
Psalm -19 The teaching of תּוֹרַת
VBTVRTV TVRT
Psalm --1 and in his teaching וּבְתוֹרָתוֹ
Psalm -19 The teaching of תּוֹרַת
YVMM YVM
Psalm --1 he meditates day and night יֶהְגֶּה יוֹמָם וָלָיְלָה
Psalm -19 Day יוֹם
VLYLH VLYLH
Psalm --1 he meditates day and night יֶהְגֶּה יוֹמָם וָלָיְלָה
Psalm -19 night וְלַיְלָה
MYM H$MYM
Psalm --1 by streams of water עַל-פַּלְגֵי-מָיִם
Psalm -19 The heavens הַשָּׁמַיִם
MYM H$MYM
Psalm --1 by streams of water עַל-פַּלְגֵי-מָיִם
Psalm -19 the heavens הַשָּׁמַיִם
MYM TMYMH
Psalm --1 by streams of water עַל-פַּלְגֵי-מָיִם
Psalm -19 is complete תְּמִימָה
CDYQYM CDQV
Psalm --1 in the company of the righteous בַּעֲדַת צַדִּיקִים
Psalm -19 righteoused צָדְקוּ
CDYQYM CDQV
Psalm --1 the righteous צַדִּיקִים
Psalm -19 righteoused צָדְקוּ

Psalm 2 against royal psalms using list
Psalm -59 1.93
Psalm -18 1.87
Psalm -89 1.83
Psalm -40 1.83
Psalm 105 1.82
Psalm 102 1.8
Psalm 145 1.79
Psalm 104 1.79
Psalm 143 1.79
Psalm -72 1.78
Psalm 119-A-H 1.75
Psalm -79 1.72
Psalm -67 1.7
Psalm 107 1.69
Psalm -55 1.69
Psalm -42 1.68
Psalm 135 1.64
Psalm -99 1.62
Psalm -88 1.61
Psalm -47 1.59
Psalm -69 1.59
Psalm -73 1.58
Psalm 106 1.58
Psalm -22 1.57
Psalm -35 1.55
Psalm -45 1.53
Psalm -71 1.53
Psalm -46 1.52
Psalm -48 1.52
Psalm -78 1.52
Psalm -68 1.52
Psalm -97 1.46
Psalm -86 1.45
Psalm 101 1.45
Psalm -44 1.44
Psalm 144 1.44
Psalm -74 1.43
Psalm 119-V-Y 1.42
Psalm -31 1.41
Psalm 115 1.4
Psalm 110 1.37
Psalm -96 1.36
Psalm -76 1.36
Psalm --5 1.35
Psalm -27 1.35
Psalm 119-K-* 1.33
Psalm -24 1.32
Psalm -50 1.31
Psalm -39 1.27
Psalm -41 1.27
Psalm 142 1.25
Psalm 147 1.25
Psalm -28 1.24
Psalm -10 1.23
Psalm -32 1.22
Psalm --9 1.21
Psalm -38 1.2
Psalm -94 1.2
Psalm -84 1.2
Psalm -25 1.18
Psalm -77 1.18
Psalm -33 1.18
Psalm -17 1.15
Psalm -65 1.15
Psalm -85 1.15
Psalm -37 1.13
Psalm -58 1.13
Psalm -56 1.12
Psalm 103 1.12
Psalm 148 1.12
Psalm -91 1.11
Psalm 139 1.11
Psalm -95 1.09
Psalm 146 1.09
Psalm -19 1.07
Psalm 132 1.07
Psalm -81 1.07
Psalm -51 1.06
Psalm -82 1.05
Psalm 141 1.05
Psalm -63 1.04
Psalm -90 1.03
Psalm 109 1.02
Psalm --7 1
Psalm -57 1
Psalm -75 1
Psalm 119-Ts-T .98
Psalm -49 .97
Psalm -66 .97
Psalm -30 .96
Psalm 138 .95
Psalm -12 .95
Psalm 114 .95
Psalm -98 .95
Psalm -61 .95
Psalm -43 .94
Psalm -26 .92
Psalm -60 .92
Psalm 149 .9
Psalm --1 .89
Psalm 126 .89
Psalm 140 .88
Psalm -20 .86
Psalm -83 .84
Psalm 116 .84
Psalm -36 .8
Psalm 136 .79
Psalm -29 .78
Psalm -64 .78
Psalm -34 .77
Psalm 127 .76
Psalm -52 .74
Psalm -62 .72
Psalm 108 .72
Psalm --4 .71
Psalm --6 .7
Psalm -21 .69
Psalm -80 .69
Psalm -53 .68
Psalm -54 .67
Psalm 131 .67
Psalm -16 .65
Psalm -70 .65
Psalm -93 .65
Psalm --8 .64
Psalm 112 .64
Psalm 118 .63
Psalm 123 .63
Psalm 113 .62
Psalm 122 .62
Psalm 137 .62
Psalm -87 .58
Psalm --3 .57
Psalm -23 .56
Psalm 128 .56
Psalm -13 .56
Psalm -92 .54
Psalm -11 .53
Psalm 120 .53
Psalm 100 .53
Psalm 134 .53
Psalm -14 .47
Psalm 121 .45
Psalm 124 .45
Psalm 129 .45
Psalm 111 .41
Psalm -15 .35
Psalm 133 .33
Psalm 125 .29
Psalm 117 .21
Psalm 130 .2
Psalm 150 .17

What is Significant Connectivity

There is a poetic and stylistic question in my mind. How do we hear significant connections in two poems? I think on retrospect that there is significant connection between psalms 1-2 and 149 effectively creating editorial open and close brackets around the 'hymn book'.

I will illustrate the thought with an assessment of connections between pairs of other psalms. For the sake of argument, I will not include common prepositions or the Tetragrammeton. But I will include words that have three consecutive consonants in the same sequence. This will result in some 'sounds like' matching as well as some exact matches and will give each consecutive pair of psalms a number of hits and a score per verse.

Some of the connections are really cool - the loose algorithm shows for psalms 1 and 2 that 'with sceptre' (בְּשֵׁבֶט) sounds like 'in the judgment' (בַּמִּשְׁפָּט) and 'its leaf' (וְעָלֵהוּ) sounds like 'against' (וְעַל) and indeed these do match with some precision.

Psalm 1 and 2 share 16 pieces in common 16; Psalm 2 and 149 share 25. (not high for 21 verses)
Psalm 2 and 3 share 12. On inspection they seem insignificant...
Psalm 3 and Psalm 4 share 17 - excluding common words that link all the Davidic psalms - e.g. MZMVR LDVD SELAH, and LMNCX.
Psalm 4 and 5 have 28 hits - Here's another cool link: TV$YBNY (you make me live - תּוֹשִׁיבֵנִי) HQ$YBH (Listen - הַקְשִׁיבָה)

Here are the rest of the consecutive psalm scores - a few of them really stand out with high scores - these are candidates for further analysis as to whether they have the same author, or are two parts of the same psalm, or if the algorithm needs refining. Update: I have refined it to eliminate matches on some plurals and I have split psalms 14 and 53 to their own diagrams and rebuilt my tables to allow them to take part in the comparisions.

I just noted that I have 153 diagrams in the series (apart from word studies, table of contents, etc - which might be termed the net for the fish).

The algorithm is beginning to behave as expected. I think I will try a few 'royal' psalms - I would expect them to have some similar vocabulary and sound. They should score better than 2 on a per verse basis. Note the astronomical numbers for the 119 diagrams.

Psalm --1 (6 vss) and Psalm --2 (12 vs) hits: 16, /vs .9
Psalm --2 (12 vss) and Psalm --3 (9 vs) hits: 12, /vs .6
Psalm --3 (9 vss) and Psalm --4 (9 vs) hits: 17, /vs .9
Psalm --4 (9 vss) and Psalm --5 (14 vs) hits: 28, /vs 1.2
Psalm --5 (14 vss) and Psalm --6 (11 vs) hits: 26, /vs 1
Psalm --6 (11 vss) and Psalm --7 (18 vs) hits: 38, /vs 1.3
Psalm --7 (18 vss) and Psalm --8 (10 vs) hits: 24, /vs .9
Psalm --8 (10 vss) and Psalm --9 (21 vs) hits: 27, /vs .9
Psalm --9 (21 vss) and Psalm -10 (18 vs) hits: 102, /vs 2.6
Psalm -10 (18 vss) and Psalm -11 (7 vs) hits: 29, /vs 1.2
Psalm -11 (7 vss) and Psalm -12 (9 vs) hits: 14, /vs .9
Psalm -12 (9 vss) and Psalm -13 (6 vs) hits: 16, /vs 1.1
Psalm -13 (6 vss) and Psalm -14 (7 vs) hits: 17, /vs 1.3
Psalm -14 (7 vss) and Psalm -15 (5 vs) hits: 6, /vs .5
Psalm -15 (5 vss) and Psalm -16 (11 vs) hits: 6, /vs .4
Psalm -16 (11 vss) and Psalm -17 (15 vs) hits: 46, /vs 1.8
Psalm -17 (15 vss) and Psalm -18 (51 vs) hits: 162, /vs 2.5
Psalm -18 (51 vss) and Psalm -19 (15 vs) hits: 104, /vs 1.6
Psalm -19 (15 vss) and Psalm -20 (10 vs) hits: 27, /vs 1.1
Psalm -20 (10 vss) and Psalm -21 (14 vs) hits: 21, /vs .9
Psalm -21 (14 vss) and Psalm -22 (32 vs) hits: 65, /vs 1.4
Psalm -22 (32 vss) and Psalm -23 (6 vs) hits: 40, /vs 1.1
Psalm -23 (6 vss) and Psalm -24 (10 vs) hits: 8, /vs .5
Psalm -24 (10 vss) and Psalm -25 (22 vs) hits: 32, /vs 1
Psalm -25 (22 vss) and Psalm -26 (12 vs) hits: 50, /vs 1.5
Psalm -26 (12 vss) and Psalm -27 (14 vs) hits: 41, /vs 1.6
Psalm -27 (14 vss) and Psalm -28 (9 vs) hits: 50, /vs 2.2
Psalm -28 (9 vss) and Psalm -29 (11 vs) hits: 29, /vs 1.5
Psalm -29 (11 vss) and Psalm -30 (13 vs) hits: 22, /vs .9
Psalm -30 (13 vss) and Psalm -31 (25 vs) hits: 112, /vs 2.9
Psalm -31 (25 vss) and Psalm -32 (11 vs) hits: 114, /vs 3.2
Psalm -32 (11 vss) and Psalm -33 (22 vs) hits: 47, /vs 1.4
Psalm -33 (22 vss) and Psalm -34 (23 vs) hits: 56, /vs 1.2
Psalm -34 (23 vss) and Psalm -35 (28 vs) hits: 107, /vs 2.1
Psalm -35 (28 vss) and Psalm -36 (13 vs) hits: 54, /vs 1.3
Psalm -36 (13 vss) and Psalm -37 (40 vs) hits: 91, /vs 1.7
Psalm -37 (40 vss) and Psalm -38 (23 vs) hits: 96, /vs 1.5
Psalm -38 (23 vss) and Psalm -39 (14 vs) hits: 101, /vs 2.7
Psalm -39 (14 vss) and Psalm -40 (18 vs) hits: 95, /vs 3
Psalm -40 (18 vss) and Psalm -41 (14 vs) hits: 80, /vs 2.5
Psalm -41 (14 vss) and Psalm -42 (13 vs) hits: 79, /vs 2.9
Psalm -42 (13 vss) and Psalm -43 (5 vs) hits: 79, /vs 4.4
Psalm -43 (5 vss) and Psalm -44 (27 vs) hits: 44, /vs 1.4
Psalm -44 (27 vss) and Psalm -45 (18 vs) hits: 99, /vs 2.2
Psalm -45 (18 vss) and Psalm -46 (13 vs) hits: 30, /vs 1
Psalm -46 (13 vss) and Psalm -47 (10 vs) hits: 49, /vs 2.1
Psalm -47 (10 vss) and Psalm -48 (15 vs) hits: 30, /vs 1.2
Psalm -48 (15 vss) and Psalm -49 (21 vs) hits: 52, /vs 1.4
Psalm -49 (21 vss) and Psalm -50 (23 vs) hits: 53, /vs 1.2
Psalm -50 (23 vss) and Psalm -51 (21 vs) hits: 104, /vs 2.4
Psalm -51 (21 vss) and Psalm -52 (11 vs) hits: 26, /vs .8
Psalm -52 (11 vss) and Psalm -53 (7 vs) hits: 13, /vs .7
Psalm -53 (7 vss) and Psalm -54 (9 vs) hits: 14, /vs .9
Psalm -54 (9 vss) and Psalm -55 (24 vs) hits: 48, /vs 1.5
Psalm -55 (24 vss) and Psalm -56 (14 vs) hits: 67, /vs 1.8
Psalm -56 (14 vss) and Psalm -57 (12 vs) hits: 27, /vs 1
Psalm -57 (12 vss) and Psalm -58 (12 vs) hits: 20, /vs .8
Psalm -58 (12 vss) and Psalm -59 (18 vs) hits: 30, /vs 1
Psalm -59 (18 vss) and Psalm -60 (14 vs) hits: 59, /vs 1.8
Psalm -60 (14 vss) and Psalm -61 (9 vs) hits: 21, /vs .9
Psalm -61 (9 vss) and Psalm -62 (13 vs) hits: 22, /vs 1
Psalm -62 (13 vss) and Psalm -63 (12 vs) hits: 26, /vs 1
Psalm -63 (12 vss) and Psalm -64 (11 vs) hits: 16, /vs .7
Psalm -64 (11 vss) and Psalm -65 (14 vs) hits: 24, /vs 1
Psalm -65 (14 vss) and Psalm -66 (20 vs) hits: 61, /vs 1.8
Psalm -66 (20 vss) and Psalm -67 (8 vs) hits: 29, /vs 1
Psalm -67 (8 vss) and Psalm -68 (36 vs) hits: 46, /vs 1
Psalm -68 (36 vss) and Psalm -69 (37 vs) hits: 304, /vs 4.2
Psalm -69 (37 vss) and Psalm -70 (5 vs) hits: 49, /vs 1.2
Psalm -70 (5 vss) and Psalm -71 (24 vs) hits: 59, /vs 2
Psalm -71 (24 vss) and Psalm -72 (20 vs) hits: 79, /vs 1.8
Psalm -72 (20 vss) and Psalm -73 (28 vs) hits: 79, /vs 1.6
Psalm -73 (28 vss) and Psalm -74 (23 vs) hits: 98, /vs 1.9
Psalm -74 (23 vss) and Psalm -75 (11 vs) hits: 37, /vs 1.1
Psalm -75 (11 vss) and Psalm -76 (13 vs) hits: 30, /vs 1.3
Psalm -76 (13 vss) and Psalm -77 (21 vs) hits: 45, /vs 1.3
Psalm -77 (21 vss) and Psalm -78 (72 vs) hits: 260, /vs 2.8
Psalm -78 (72 vss) and Psalm -79 (13 vs) hits: 202, /vs 2.4
Psalm -79 (13 vss) and Psalm -80 (20 vs) hits: 57, /vs 1.7
Psalm -80 (20 vss) and Psalm -81 (17 vs) hits: 29, /vs .8
Psalm -81 (17 vss) and Psalm -82 (8 vs) hits: 19, /vs .8
Psalm -82 (8 vss) and Psalm -83 (19 vs) hits: 21, /vs .8
Psalm -83 (19 vss) and Psalm -84 (13 vs) hits: 41, /vs 1.3
Psalm -84 (13 vss) and Psalm -85 (14 vs) hits: 29, /vs 1.1
Psalm -85 (14 vss) and Psalm -86 (17 vs) hits: 59, /vs 1.9
Psalm -86 (17 vss) and Psalm -87 (7 vs) hits: 11, /vs .5
Psalm -87 (7 vss) and Psalm -88 (19 vs) hits: 24, /vs .9
Psalm -88 (19 vss) and Psalm -89 (53 vs) hits: 225, /vs 3.1
Psalm -89 (53 vss) and Psalm -90 (17 vs) hits: 200, /vs 2.9
Psalm -90 (17 vss) and Psalm -91 (16 vs) hits: 48, /vs 1.5
Psalm -91 (16 vss) and Psalm -92 (16 vs) hits: 43, /vs 1.3
Psalm -92 (16 vss) and Psalm -93 (5 vs) hits: 10, /vs .5
Psalm -93 (5 vss) and Psalm -94 (23 vs) hits: 7, /vs .3
Psalm -94 (23 vss) and Psalm -95 (11 vs) hits: 40, /vs 1.2
Psalm -95 (11 vss) and Psalm -96 (13 vs) hits: 38, /vs 1.6
Psalm -96 (13 vss) and Psalm -97 (12 vs) hits: 61, /vs 2.4
Psalm -97 (12 vss) and Psalm -98 (9 vs) hits: 42, /vs 2
Psalm -98 (9 vss) and Psalm -99 (9 vs) hits: 25, /vs 1.4
Psalm -99 (9 vss) and Psalm 100 (5 vs) hits: 13, /vs .9
Psalm 100 (5 vss) and Psalm 101 (8 vs) hits: 7, /vs .5
Psalm 101 (8 vss) and Psalm 102 (29 vs) hits: 65, /vs 1.8
Psalm 102 (29 vss) and Psalm 103 (22 vs) hits: 102, /vs 2
Psalm 103 (22 vss) and Psalm 104 (35 vs) hits: 159, /vs 2.8
Psalm 104 (35 vss) and Psalm 105 (45 vs) hits: 247, /vs 3.1
Psalm 105 (45 vss) and Psalm 106 (48 vs) hits: 428, /vs 4.6
Psalm 106 (48 vss) and Psalm 107 (43 vs) hits: 366, /vs 4
Psalm 107 (43 vss) and Psalm 108 (13 vs) hits: 93, /vs 1.7
Psalm 108 (13 vss) and Psalm 109 (31 vs) hits: 58, /vs 1.3
Psalm 109 (31 vss) and Psalm 110 (7 vs) hits: 39, /vs 1
Psalm 110 (7 vss) and Psalm 111 (10 vs) hits: 18, /vs 1.1
Psalm 111 (10 vss) and Psalm 112 (10 vs) hits: 46, /vs 2.3
Psalm 112 (10 vss) and Psalm 113 (9 vs) hits: 14, /vs .7
Psalm 113 (9 vss) and Psalm 114 (8 vs) hits: 12, /vs .7
Psalm 114 (8 vss) and Psalm 115 (18 vs) hits: 19, /vs .7
Psalm 115 (18 vss) and Psalm 116 (19 vs) hits: 28, /vs .8
Psalm 116 (19 vss) and Psalm 117 (2 vs) hits: 6, /vs .3
Psalm 117 (2 vss) and Psalm 118 (29 vs) hits: 15, /vs .5
Psalm 118 (29 vss) and Psalm 119 (40 vs) hits: 97, /vs 3.3
Psalm 119-A-H (40 vss) and Psalm 119-V-Y (48 vs) hits: 745, /vs 18.6
Psalm 119-K-* (48 vss) and Psalm 119-Ts-T (40 vs) hits: 825, /vs 17.2
Psalm 119-Ts-T (48 vss) and Psalm 120 (7 vs) hits: 45, /vs .9
Psalm 119-V-Y (40 vss) and Psalm 119-K-* (48 vs) hits: 858, /vs 21.5
Psalm 120 (7 vss) and Psalm 121 (8 vs) hits: 5, /vs .3
Psalm 121 (8 vss) and Psalm 122 (9 vs) hits: 16, /vs .9
Psalm 122 (9 vss) and Psalm 123 (4 vs) hits: 13, /vs 1
Psalm 123 (4 vss) and Psalm 124 (8 vs) hits: 8, /vs .7
Psalm 124 (8 vss) and Psalm 125 (5 vs) hits: 6, /vs .5
Psalm 125 (5 vss) and Psalm 126 (6 vs) hits: 11, /vs 1
Psalm 126 (6 vss) and Psalm 127 (5 vs) hits: 10, /vs .9
Psalm 127 (5 vss) and Psalm 128 (6 vs) hits: 21, /vs 1.9
Psalm 128 (6 vss) and Psalm 129 (8 vs) hits: 7, /vs .5
Psalm 129 (8 vss) and Psalm 130 (8 vs) hits: 10, /vs .6
Psalm 130 (8 vss) and Psalm 131 (3 vs) hits: 12, /vs 1.1
Psalm 131 (3 vss) and Psalm 132 (18 vs) hits: 12, /vs .6
Psalm 132 (18 vss) and Psalm 133 (3 vs) hits: 13, /vs .6
Psalm 133 (3 vss) and Psalm 134 (3 vs) hits: 9, /vs 1.5
Psalm 134 (3 vss) and Psalm 135 (21 vs) hits: 26, /vs 1.1
Psalm 135 (21 vss) and Psalm 136 (26 vs) hits: 101, /vs 2.1
Psalm 136 (26 vss) and Psalm 137 (9 vs) hits: 22, /vs .6
Psalm 137 (9 vss) and Psalm 138 (8 vs) hits: 20, /vs 1.2
Psalm 138 (8 vss) and Psalm 139 (24 vs) hits: 46, /vs 1.4
Psalm 139 (24 vss) and Psalm 140 (14 vs) hits: 55, /vs 1.4
Psalm 140 (14 vss) and Psalm 141 (10 vs) hits: 45, /vs 1.9
Psalm 141 (10 vss) and Psalm 142 (8 vs) hits: 34, /vs 1.9
Psalm 142 (8 vss) and Psalm 143 (12 vs) hits: 58, /vs 2.9
Psalm 143 (12 vss) and Psalm 144 (15 vs) hits: 55, /vs 2
Psalm 144 (15 vss) and Psalm 145 (21 vs) hits: 66, /vs 1.8
Psalm 145 (21 vss) and Psalm 146 (10 vs) hits: 49, /vs 1.6
Psalm 146 (10 vss) and Psalm 147 (20 vs) hits: 54, /vs 1.8
Psalm 147 (20 vss) and Psalm 148 (14 vs) hits: 90, /vs 2.6
Psalm 148 (14 vss) and Psalm 149 (9 vs) hits: 46, /vs 2
Psalm 149 (9 vss) and Psalm 150 (6 vs) hits: 37, /vs 2.5

The Beginning and the End of the Psalter

The beginning of the Psalter is not one psalm but two with two unified but distinct themes, Torah and Messiah. The end is not the last psalm but Psalm 149. Psalm 150 is the doxology of Book 5 and of the whole Psalter. Each other Book has its own doxology also.

In the spirit of Hebrew poetic structures, one would expect an inclusio and one is not disappointed. Psalm 1 and 2 are, as I pointed out with thanks to Robert Cole in my last post, connected in language through 7 (or 8) connections. Psalm 1 and 2 are connected to Psalm 149 through 7 (or 8) connections. (You can see from the last post that I have updated the image to show both sets of connections.)

1. Psalm 1 begins with Happy (אַשְׁרֵי asheri), Psalm 2 ends with it, Psalm 149 begins and ends with Hallelu Yah.
2. Psalm 2 shows where the righteous of Psalm 1 sits (note also the last line of 149 re the honour of the saints in their role in judgment.)
3. The righteous meditates (יֶהְגֶּה) in the law, the peoples mutter in vain (יֶהְגּוּ-רִיק - you can see it is the same root).
4. The tree is planted, the king installed. The word is not the same, but the thought is parallel.
5. The tree gives (יִתֵּן) fruit 'in its time' (בְּעִתּוֹ). The anointed is given (וְאֶתְּנָה) an inheritance and the other kings are warned with 'now' (וְעַתָּה). This counts as two.
6. The wicked of Psalm 1 are more specifically described in Psalm 2 as the nations and their kings. The kings are warned as judges (שֹׁפְטֵי) - the wicked will not stand in the judgment (בַּמִּשְׁפָּט).
7. Their way (וְדֶרֶךְ) will perish (תֹּאבֵד) - this counts as two: in Psalm 2 the kings are warned about perishing in (וְתֹאבְדוּ) a way (דֶרֶךְ).
8. One of these connections - judgment (מִשְׁפָּט) - takes part in the set of connections to Psalm 149.
9. The righteous (צַדִּיקִים) appears in Psalms 1 (twice) and the saints (חֲסִידִים) in psalm 149 (3 times) - not quite a match.
10. The inheritance of the nations (גוֹיִם) are the same nations that suffer vengeance in Psalm 149.
11. The rebellious kings (מַלְכֵי-אֶרֶץ) of Psalm 2 are 'their kings' of Psalm 149 (מַלְכֵיהֶם) that are
12. bound (לֶאְסֹר) in Psalm 149 but wished to break their bonds (מוֹסְרוֹתֵימוֹ) in Psalm 2.
13. They are not without invitation to rejoice (וְגִילוּ) in Psalm 2 with the children of Zion of Psalm 149 - remarkable isn't it? Were you expecting this?
14. And finally the bonds of Psalm 149 are of iron (בַרְזֶל), the same material as the sceptre of Psalm 2.

Do you think such verbal connectivity is sufficient to establish that the Psalter was constructed with this inclusio in mind? How do you read vengeance along with an invitation to joy?
Psalm 110 and Psalm 119 are likewise significant milestones (on the same two themes) in the Psalter. Jinkyu Kim, at the recent SBL, suggested that the Royal Psalms have a 'strategic arrangement'. I hope to explore this in more detail in the future.

Addendum: these words are almost all very common throughout the psalter. The inclusio could have been happenstance. These few forays into the problems of search logic without a lexical form as anchor (in the database) are revealing. I don't think it can work - words like NTN for give appear in several forms and have little to catch the form since the N's are often dropped.

A Second Pass

I have begun a second pass at the psalms - it will be as random as the first and will gradually make navigation more complete, correct some translation infelicities but also introduce some new relationships as I discover them in reading and meditation. Today I read the Journal for the Study of the Old Testament - An Integrated Reading of Psalms 1 and 2 - by Robert Cole and I have prepared a brief diagram that illustrates the verbal parallels between the two psalms. They are substantial.

The article is available online through Sage Journals Online and is part of their current promotion (free till January 31). I really enjoyed this article which includes some nice recognition of links between Psalms 1 and 2, 110, and 149 and Joshua 1 and Malachi. Well worth reading. Given the blogabout on Psalm 2 last spring, it is interesting how Cole supports the reading of BAR in Psalm 2. He gives different support but confirms the conclusion I drew in May based only on repetition in the Psalm.

Brilliant online Lexicon

This is a brilliant economy of means. 2letterlookup.com

The easy mapping of letters is tempting - but I think I will forego the change from my mapping - my oddball special characters are OK for now.

Testing ideas again

90% of the text of the in the following sentences was written with a program. (So what - you might say). The query lets me confirm the most obvious verbal connections in the text.

[] indicates transcription. ) is aleph.

In psalm 19 compared to the psalter as a whole:

)L occurs 2/221 times. In the unpointed form alone, you can't tell the difference: אַל יִמְשְׁלוּ בִי [ )àl yimshlu bi] not ruling in me; and כְּבוֹד אֵל [kbod )él] the glory of God,

)MR occurs 2/22 times. אֹמֶר [ )omer] speech, and אֵין אֹמֶר [ )éyn )omer] there is no speech

BHM occurs 2/13 times. בָּהֶם [bahem] by them

GM occurs 2/28 times. גַּם [gàm] Also and in the phrase גַּם עַבְדְּךָ [gàm `àbdka] Yea, your servant

H$MYM occurs 2/17 times. הַשָּׁמַיִם [hàshamàyim] the heavens

RB occurs 3/18 times. רָב [rab] abundant (2x) and עֵקֶב רָב [`éqb rab] is great consequence

V)YN occurs 2/22 times. וְאֵין [v)éyn] and there is no

YC) occurs 2/7 times. יָצָא [yaca)] has gone out and יֹצֵא [yocé)] going forth

YY occurs 7/683 times. מִשְׁפְּטֵי יְהוָה [mishp+éy yy] the judgments of the LORD + 6 more occurrences of YY

`BDK occurs 2/20 times. גַּם עַבְדְּךָ [gàm `àbdka] Yea, your servant as noted above and again as עַבְדֶּךָ [`àbdeka] your servant

Searching by form - trouble.

Searching by form without a consistent lexical form is not easily solvable by me. I think it is possible to do something - but it would take a collaboration between programmer and lexical expert. All I can do without much more time and study is byte size analyses by hand - seeing the desired result but having to code the filter manually. E.g. in the following, the lexical form is YKX but the lexical form never occurs in the psalms. Instead the forms KYX (with a mater and the prefix dropped) and VKX (with substituted prefix and mater dropped) occur. The search also turns up some false positives since the same form occurring in the text may be a different word.

The search condition for this is: keyword contains 'KYX' or 'VKX'. Does it find all the occurrences of rebuke in the Psalms?

How could I improve on it? What did I miss?

The columns are
letters without consonants, Psalm, English, Masoretic form, transliteration

TVKYXNY Psalm --6 rebuke me תוֹכִיחֵנִי tokixéni
TVKYXNY Psalm -38 rebuke me תוֹכִיחֵנִי tokixéni
TVKXVT Psalm -38 any arguments תּוֹכָחוֹת tokaxot
BTVKXVT Psalm -39 with corrections בְּתוֹכָחוֹת btokaxot
)VKYXK Psalm -50 will I rebuke you אוֹכִיחֶךָ )okixka
)VKYXK Psalm -50 I will rebuke you אוֹכִיחֲךָ )okixaka
VTVKXTY Psalm -73 and my rebuke וְתוֹכַחְתִּי vtokàxti
VKXVL Psalm -78 and as the sand of וּכְחוֹל ukxol
YVKYX Psalm -94 be right יוֹכִיחַ yokiàx
VYVKX Psalm 105 and he rebuked וַיּוֹכַח vàyokàx
VYVKYXNY Psalm 141 let him rebuke me וְיוֹכִיחֵנִי viokixéni
TVKXVT Psalm 149 and corrections תּוֹכֵחוֹת tokéxot

Hebrew Verse Structure

I went to the library today and picked up a few new books. Among them is
Hebrew Verse Structure by M. O'Connor - looks interesting - begins with this poem by Marianne Moore (1967: 88)

The Past is the Present

If external action is effete
and rhyme is outmoded,
I shall revert to you,
Habakkuk, as when in a Bible class
the teacher was speaking of unrhymed verse.
He said - and I think I repeat his exact words -
"Hebrew poetry is prose
with a sort of heightened consciousness." Ecstacy affords
the occasion and expediency determines the form.

Testing a counter

This is not yet much of a test but I thought I would try to see if there are patterns in word usage other than the one noticed already re the Elohistic centre of the Psalter. Here is the usage of the letters )DM (אדם adam). Formatting is a problem but I will get better at it.

What this tells me is that in the long introductory psalm 107 to book 5, there is a potentially significant recurrence of the word - maybe warranting a look at this pattern.

If anyone has a special search or an idea for presenting data - let me know.

Psalm --8 אדם
Psalm -11 אדם
Psalm -12 [2 times] אדם
Psalm -14 / -53 אדם
Psalm -17 אדם
Psalm -21 אדם
Psalm -22 אדם
Psalm -31 אדם
Psalm -32 אדם
Psalm -33 האדם
Psalm -36 [2 times] אדם
Psalm -39 [2 times] אדם
Psalm -45 אדם
Psalm -49 ואדם
Psalm -49 אדמות
Psalm -49 [2 times] אדם
Psalm -52 האדמי
Psalm -56 אדם
Psalm -57 אדם
Psalm -58 [2 times] אדם
Psalm -60 אדם
Psalm -62 אדם
Psalm -64 אדם
Psalm -66 אדם
Psalm -68 באדם
Psalm -73 אדם
Psalm -76 אדם
Psalm -78 באדם
Psalm -80 אדם
Psalm -82 כאדם
Psalm -83 לאדמה
Psalm -84 [2 times] אדם
Psalm -89 אדם
Psalm -90 אדם
Psalm -94 [2 times] אדם
Psalm 104 אדם
Psalm 104 האדם
Psalm 104 אדמה
Psalm 105 אדם
Psalm 105 אדמתם
Psalm 107 [4 times] אדם
Psalm 108 אדם
Psalm 115 [2 times] אדם
Psalm 116 האדם
Psalm 118 אדם
Psalm 118 באדם
Psalm 119-Ts-T אדם
Psalm 124 אדם
Psalm 135 אדם
Psalm 135 מאדם
Psalm 137 אדמת
Psalm 140 מאדם
Psalm 144 [2 times] אדם
Psalm 145 האדם
Psalm 146 אדם
Psalm 146 לאדמתו

Counting

My psalms portrait is in a variety of stages:

• some translated over a year ago are coloured almost randomly - it wasn't intended to be random but there are so many subjects I quickly lost track of the colour coding.
• some have colour coding from my first gamatria formula and some from the second formula. (I think I will stick to the second formula and for the moment keep it - the colour then describes the word per the consonants - and words that add up to the same number have the same colour - it's fun if nothing else. The psalm heading colour is the colour of the total of all words in the psalm.)
• some have structure marked by connectors and some by colour of text and some by various combinations and some no structure marked. Eventually, I hope to have all psalms with verifiable structure marked somehow.
• a few have additional diagrams in prosodic form - I am still stumped as to exactly how I will accomplish this feat. Step 1 is to revise my rather accidental verset subdivisions. Eventually, I hope to have a prosodic version of all psalms but still showing somehow the inner verbal and conceptual recurrences.

I am also trying to count accurately. There are (assuming no errors in my program for counting and assuming that I am counting what I think I am counting) 19,528 words in the Psalter - at least in the version of the text I am using. There are 7834 distinct words - in their written form.

There is no easy way to ensure that I have the correct root (lexical form) for each of these words, so I am stumped for the moment on analysis by root - with accuracy and completeness. I suspect I might get 80% right with an algorithm. But the problem requires more information - when a suffix or a prefix swallows up a consonant, it is not possible to reverse the process and 'read' the root from the word - you have to decide which of several roots it might be.

(It is not different in any language - if I give you )ntrntnl in English - what is the root? ntn of course - nations are a given, eh? - but try doing that with a program. You have to decide what length root you are looking for, then match it against candidate roots, repeat for other lengths and then choose the probable meaning!)

I hope I can count easily based on each psalm - I will try a few and as I review each psalm will add a table to show which words are unique to that psalm, which repeated, etc.

I have several transcription variations. In the table I will have the Hebrew transliterated into a soundable form for those who do not read Hebrew. I will eventually have the Hebrew consonantal text in Hebrew for those who do. And I will sort and search by a Latin-based consonantal text so that the masoretic markings do not impede sort and search algorithms. Mater lexiones will still get in the way since sometimes they matter and sometimes and sometimes they obscure equivalence of words. (In English you can't avoid the spelling issues either - color, colour)

Here's an example in text: Line 1 is pointed text and the easy to read lower case transcription

) is a grunt - a glottal stop will do. ` is a deeper grunt - spit out the glottal. c does not occur in Hebrew so I have used it for Ts which does occur as a single letter frequently. + is a t. Hebrew has two t's and a different t means a different root so I have to transcribe to allow the difference to be seen. x is like Scottish ch.

Line 2 is consonants only and a reversable transcription: $ is shin, s is sin, S is samek.

Psalm 1 ( Words 67 / Phrases 39 / Verses 6) - using my current accidental division into prosodic words or versets.

Happy the man who אַשְׁרֵי הָאִישׁ אֲשֶׁר )àshréy ha)ish )asher
אשרי האיש אשר )$RY H)Y$ )$R

has not walked לֹא הָלַךְ lo) halàk
לא הלך L) HLk

in the advice of the wicked בַּעֲצַת רְשָׁעִים bà`acàt rsha`im
בּעצת רשעים B`Ct R$`Ym

and in the way of sinners וּבְדֶרֶךְ חַטָּאִים ubderek xà+a)im
ובדרךחטאים VbdRk X+)Ym

has not stood לֹא עָמָד lo) `amad
לא עמד L) `md

and in the seat of the scornful וּבְמוֹשַׁב לֵצִים ubmoshàb lécim
ובמושב לצים VbmV$b LCYm

has not sat לֹא יָשָׁב lo) yashab
לא ישב L) Y$b

In this case כִּי אִם ki )im
כּי אם KY )m

in the teaching of the LORD בְּתוֹרַת יְהוָה btoràt yy
בּתורת יי BtVRt YY

is his delight; חֶפְצוֹ xpco
חפצו XpCV

and in his teaching וּבְתוֹרָתוֹ ubtorato
ובתורתו VbtVRtV

he meditates day and night; יֶהְגֶּה יוֹמָם וָלָיְלָה yehgeh yomam valaylah
יהגּה יומםולילה YHGH YVmm VLYLH

then he shall be וְהָיָה vhayah
והיה VHYH

like a tree כְּעֵץ k`éc
כּעץ K`C

transplanted שָׁתוּל shatul
שתול $tVL

by streams of water, עַל-פַּלְגֵי-מָיִם `àl-pàlgéy-mayim
על-פּלגי-מים `L-PLgY-mYm

that is fruitful, reliable, אֲשֶׁר פִּרְיוֹ יִתֵּן )asher pirio yitén
אשר פּריו יתּן )$R PRYV YTn

in its time, בְּעִתּוֹ b`ito
בּעתּו B`TV

and its leaf וְעָלֵהוּ v`aléhu
ועלהו V`LHV

does not fade; לֹא-יִבּוֹל lo)-yibol
לא-יבּול L)-YBVL

and in all that it does וְכֹל אֲשֶׁר-יַעֲשֶׂה vkol )asher-yà`aseh
וכל אשר-יעשה VkL )$R-Y`sH

it shall prosper. יַצְלִיחַ yàcliàx
יצליח YCLYX

Not so the wicked ones; לֹא-כֵן הָרְשָׁעִים lo)-kén harsha`im
לא-כן הרשעים L)-kn HR$`Ym

in this case כִּי אִם ki )im
כּי אם KY )m

like debris כַּמֹּץ kàmoc
כּמּץ KMC

which scatters wind אֲשֶׁר-תִּדְּפֶנּוּ רוּחַ )asher-tidpenu ruàx
אשר-תּדּפנּו רוח )$R-TDpNV RVX

Therefore עַל-כֵּן `àl-kén
על-כּן `L-Kn

shall not stand לֹא-יָקֻמוּ lo)-yaqumu
לא-יקמו L)-YQmV

wicked ones רְשָׁעִים rsha`im
רשעים R$`Ym

in the judgment, בַּמִּשְׁפָּט bàmishpa+
בּמּשפּט BM$P+

nor sinners וְחַטָּאִים vxà+a)im
וחטאים VX+)Ym

in the company of the righteous. בַּעֲדַת צַדִּיקִים bà`adàt càdiqim
בּעדת צדּיקים B`dt CDYQYm

For knows כִּי-יוֹדֵעַ ki-yodéà`
כּי-יודע KY-YVd`

the LORD יְהוָה yy
יי YY

the way of דֶּרֶךְ derek
דּרך DRk

the righteous; צַדִּיקִים càdiqim
צדּיקים CDYQYm

and the way of וְדֶרֶךְ vderek
ודרך VdRk

wicked ones רְשָׁעִים rsha`im
רשעים R$`Ym

shall perish. תֹּאבֵד to)béd
תּאבד T)bd

Final 16 verses

I am more than 99% complete in my first draft. There are 16 verses of psalm 74 left to sketch. The next phase will be to examine the database and particularly differences in word usage to spot the most egregious blunders. Then I hope to add to each image selected word analysis - exactly what is to be determined. Probably nothing you couldn't find out by other means - but perhaps some striking patterns. Then I hope to produce translations over the next year and a half. Clearly I will have to expand my knowledge of other parts of the TNK. I will as a matter of course republish the images as I change them.

I am not going to hurry the last 16 verses - as I do each word, I am looking up in the database of my translations its related words by root - I wonder how refined I can make the search algorithm...

Psalm --1 August 2006 (71)
Psalm --2 August 2006 (108)
Psalm --3 September 2006 (70)
Psalm --4 October 2006 (77)
Psalm --5 October 2006 (111)
Psalm --6 November 2006 (84)
Psalm --7 November 2006 (142)
Psalm --8 September 2006 (77)
Psalm --9 November 2006 (165)
Psalm -10 November 2006 (162)
Psalm -11 November 2006 (68)
Psalm -12 November 2006 (79)
Psalm -13 January 2007 (55)
Psalm -14 / -53 January 2007 (93)
Psalm -15 January 2007 (55)
Psalm -16 January 2007 (97)
Psalm -17 February 2007 (124)
Psalm -18 May 2007 (397)
Psalm -19 January 2007 (126)
Psalm -20 May 2007 (70)
Psalm -21 May 2007 (104)
Psalm -22 April 2007 (253)
Psalm -23 September 2006 (52)
Psalm -24 May 2007 (89)
Psalm -25 May 2007 (159)
Psalm -26 June 2007 (85)
Psalm -27 July 2007 (149)
Psalm -28 September 2007 (96)
Psalm -29 June 2007 (91)
Psalm -30 September 2007 (97)
Psalm -31 October 2007 (220)
Psalm -32 September 2007 (110)
Psalm -33 November 2007 (161)
Psalm -34 September 2007 (165)
Psalm -35 November 2007 (229)
Psalm -36 November 2007 (100)
Psalm -37 September 2007 (298)
Psalm -38 November 2007 (168)
Psalm -39 October 2007 (129)
Psalm -40 November 2007 (185)
Psalm -41 December 2007 (119)
Psalm -42 January 2007 (132)
Psalm -43 February 2007 (59)
Psalm -44 June 2007 (197)
Psalm -45 June 2007 (160)
Psalm -46 September 2006 (101)
Psalm -47 May 2007 (77)
Psalm -48 June 2007 (111)
Psalm -49 November 2007 (167)
Psalm -50 October 2007 (178)
Psalm -51 December 2006 (153)
Psalm -52 July 2007 (90)
Psalm -54 July 2007 (62)
Psalm -55 July 2007 (193)
Psalm -56 December 2007 (119)
Psalm -57 December 2007 (108)
Psalm -58 December 2007 (102)
Psalm -59 October 2007 (159)
Psalm -60 December 2007 (113)
Psalm -61 December 2007 (68)
Psalm -62 December 2007 (117)
Psalm -63 October 2007 (93)
Psalm -64 December 2007 (82)
Psalm -65 October 2007 (109)
Psalm -66 December 2007 (154)
Psalm -67 December 2006 (53)
Psalm -68 September 2007 (310)
Psalm -69 October 2007 (291)
Psalm -70 October 2007 (47)
Psalm -71 December 2007 (204)
Psalm -72 December 2007 (162)
Psalm -73 December 2006 (193)
Psalm -74 December 2007 (195)
Psalm -75 December 2007 (89)
Psalm -76 December 2007 (90)
Psalm -77 November 2007 (154)
Psalm -78 November 2007 (530)
Psalm -79 September 2007 (132)
Psalm -80 September 2007 (141)
Psalm -81 December 2007 (125)
Psalm -82 October 2007 (61)
Psalm -83 December 2007 (130)
Psalm -84 June 2007 (116)
Psalm -85 June 2007 (96)
Psalm -86 August 2007 (147)
Psalm -87 June 2007 (54)
Psalm -88 December 2007 (142)
Psalm -89 December 2006 (384)
Psalm -90 May 2007 (140)
Psalm -91 May 2007 (112)
Psalm -92 May 2007 (112)
Psalm -93 October 2007 (45)
Psalm -94 December 2007 (169)
Psalm -95 October 2007 (89)
Psalm -96 December 2007 (112)
Psalm -97 December 2007 (95)
Psalm -98 December 2007 (75)
Psalm -99 October 2007 (83)
Psalm 100 December 2006 (44)
Psalm 101 November 2007 (83)
Psalm 102 October 2007 (212)
Psalm 103 August 2007 (167)
Psalm 104 December 2007 (271)
Psalm 105 December 2007 (294)
Psalm 106 October 2007 (331)
Psalm 107 January 2007 (278)
Psalm 108 September 2007 (98)
Psalm 109 October 2007 (228)
Psalm 110 September 2007 (65)
Psalm 111 September 2007 (74)
Psalm 112 September 2007 (79)
Psalm 113 September 2007 (60)
Psalm 114 September 2007 (52)
Psalm 115 May 2007 (135)
Psalm 116 August 2007 (131)
Psalm 117 March 2007 (17)
Psalm 118 March 2007 (198)
Psalm 119-A-H March 2007 (241)
Psalm 119-K-* July 2007 (305)
Psalm 119-Ts-T July 2007 (292)
Psalm 119-V-Y July 2007 (258)
Psalm 120 June 2007 (51)
Psalm 121 May 2007 (56)
Psalm 122 June 2007 (62)
Psalm 123 May 2007 (41)
Psalm 124 May 2007 (57)
Psalm 125 June 2007 (49)
Psalm 126 June 2007 (50)
Psalm 127 June 2007 (60)
Psalm 128 June 2007 (47)
Psalm 129 August 2007 (54)
Psalm 130 August 2007 (54)
Psalm 131 August 2007 (33)
Psalm 132 August 2007 (131)
Psalm 133 May 2007 (40)
Psalm 134 April 2007 (25)
Psalm 135 August 2007 (167)
Psalm 136 August 2007 (166)
Psalm 137 August 2007 (84)
Psalm 138 September 2006 (75)
Psalm 139 August 2007 (177)
Psalm 140 October 2007 (116)
Psalm 141 October 2007 (95)
Psalm 142 October 2007 (75)
Psalm 143 October 2007 (117)
Psalm 144 September 2007 (130)
Psalm 145 September 2006 (161)
Psalm 146 May 2007 (85)
Psalm 147 June 2007 (141)
Psalm 148 June 2007 (111)
Psalm 149 July 2007 (63)
Psalm 150 December 2006 (37)

Consonant analysis

The transcription of vowels is really problematic for a simple algorithm - and the transcription of consonants into similar sounding Latin text is likewise - so what do you think of this algorithm? (written simply with replace statement in pl/sql)

) aleph, ` ayin, C= tsade, $ shin, S sin, Y=yod, V=vav, +=teth, bgdkpt - without dagesh, BGDKPT - with dagesh. I don't know if it is important to keep the dagesh or not - I have one root derivation algorithm and I am looking for another without keeping a full online dictionary (which I don't think exists in a relational form yet).

What I 'see' in trying to read Hebrew without vowels is that one never quite knows when a mater is a vowel or when it is a consonant - and one never quite knows without fluency of word recognition whether a vav is a U an O or a Ve or Va or whatever - similarly Yod - when is it an I and when a Y?

Interesting to me when reading the following is that sometimes I can recognize the word and sometimes not. I am never going to read this way - but you know there are all sorts of old articles and books that do this for the lack of Hebrew characters. And further, in the absense of a unicode database, Latin based comparisons are much faster and easier and more likely to yield a match on a visual search. Equally well the reverse transformation is one-to-one so I can sort of check that I didn't omit anything (except the vowels).

)$RY H)Y$ )$R L) HLk B`Ct R$`Ym
VbdRk X+)Ym L) `md VbmV$b LCYm L) Y$b
KY )m BtVRt YY XpCV VbtVRtV YHGH YVmm VLYLH
VHYH K`C $tVL `L-PLgY-mYm )$R PRYV YTn
B`TV V`LHV L)-YBVL VkL )$R-Y`SH YCLYX
L)-kn HR$`Ym KY )m KMC )$R-TDpNV RVX
`L-Kn L)-YQmV R$`Ym BM$P+ VX+)Ym B`dt CDYQYm
KY-YVd` YY DRk CDYQYm VdRk R$`Ym T)bd

אשרי האיש אשר לא הלךבּעצת רשעים
ובדרך חטאים לא עמד ובמושב לצים לא ישב
כּי אם בּתורת יי חפצו ובתורתו יהגּה יומם ולילה
והיה כּעץ שתול על-פּלגי-מים אשר פּריו יתּן
וכל אשר-יעסה יצליח בּעתּו ועלהו לא-יבּול
לא-כן הרשעים כּי אם כּמּץ אשר-תּדּפנּו רוח
על-כּן לא-יקמו רשעים בּמּשפּט וחטאים בּעדת צדּיקים
כּי-יודע יי דּרך צדּיקים ודרך רשעים תּאבד

Psalm 58 - a curious note

At a delightful performance of Ahmal and the Night Visitors, I was looking through the prayer book to examine the text of psalm 58 and noted that psalm 58 is deliberately omitted. I don't have the publication history to hand - but it seems it was omitted from the Canada 1959 prayer book, but not from the 1918 version (the only two I have at home). A quick Google shows that Canada was not alone in similar decisions.

Psalm 66

Psalms 61, 62, 64, 66 take their places in the draft images. My psalm-o-meter reads 90% drafted.

Psalm 66 repeats a word from psalm 23 - my vessel is full - כּוֹסִי רְוָיָה (v4). When the psalmist reveals the journey through fire and water (why else is Tamino called Tamino - is it a play on complete?), the poet writes: you have delivered us into fulness לָרְוָיָה. This word is used only in these two psalms. In psalm 23 - it is the individual, in psalm 66, it is the people. It is I think a satisfactory word. We can take strength and hope from it.

Psalm 58

Some Psalms are over the top - worse than Psalm 137 if you can believe it. Here is a rough cut translation of psalm 58. It is one of the 3 Do-not-destroy psalms and one of 6 miktamim (enscription perhaps). I expect do-not-destroy was written - yes written - on some autographed manuscript for its own protection since one's first impulse is to compost it. (But say you, Christian, whether you cannot find some redemption in the blood - surely the inscription do-not-destroy is intriguing.)

For the Leader, Do not destroy
of David, An Inscription

Truly the mute speak righteousness
With equity, you judge the children of dust
"Indeed, by heart you plan injustice
the violence of your hands you treasure."

Estranged are the wicked from the womb
they err from the belly speaking a lie
their venom in the spirit of the snake's venom
as a deaf cobra stops his ear
and does not listen to the voice of the conjurer
charming charms with wisdom.

O God, bash their teeth in their mouths
the fangs on the young cubs destroy
refuse them as their waste water
(he will aim his darts as when they were circumcised)

As a slug melting along his path,
a woman's miscarriage,
let them not see the sun
before briers see thorns as life
as burning let them be swept away.

The righteous will rejoice when he sees vengeance
his feet he will wash in the blood of the wicked
and the human will say
"surely there is fruit for the righteous,
surely there is a God judging in the earth."

Recent drafts
Psalm -58 December 2007 (102)
Psalm -57 December 2007 (108)
Psalm -56 December 2007 (119)
Psalm -60 December 2007 (113)
Psalm 101 November 2007 (83)
Psalm -77 November 2007 (154)
Psalm -78 November 2007 (530)
Psalm -49 November 2007 (167)
Psalm -40 November 2007 (185)
Psalm -36 November 2007 (100)
Psalm -35 November 2007 (229)
Psalm -38 November 2007 (168)
Psalm -33 November 2007 (161)

Psalm 78

Psalm 78 resolves better into five sections than 9. I have put the section boundaries as follows:

1-12 - Theme
13-27 - The temptation in the wilderness part 1
28-43 - The temptation in the wilderness part 2
Verse 43 has a direct repetition of verse 12
44-58 - Remembering the Exodus
59-72 - Rejecting Shiloh, the choice of Judah and David

There are innumerable connections between the parts. In the diagram, (3.6M) I have marked a number of relationships which show me that I am not totally off base. But there is much to ponder. Weiser's decomposition agrees with my first cut - that 1-8 is a section. But I doubt it. The minimizing of inter-section connections and the maximizing of recurrence within a single section seem to indicate that the first section is longer. The repetition of verse 12 in verse 43 seems to indicate the poet's clue that the first section ends at 12, not earlier. Dahood gives no structural clues and I could spend a lifetime on every psalm so I will leave this one for a while.

Two things to note: the repetitions of verbs and nouns seem to occur in pairs. And there is a significant sense from God of the difficulty of the exodus and the settlement: 'he' against 'them'. It reads a bit like the reproaches. A number of words indicate the cost of redemption and the love of God for his recalcitrant peoples.

My colour coding of connections is significant in the diagram. Black indicates that a connection begins and ends in the same section (=column). Blue indicates a connection starting in column 1 but ending in a later column. Red starts in column 2 and ends in a later column. A darker red starts in column 3 and ends in 4 (or 5 but I have not noted any connection here). And gold starts in 4 and ends in 5. It is really easy to get tired doing this even with super software. I will leave my wondering on how the poet worked to build this poem in my subconscious.

I have marked the he stress-units with a forecolour of gold, and the they stress-units with a forecolour of muddy green. If I had to choose, I chose based on the actor of the verb. The red border colour indicates first person, for the psalmist is owning this history and the invitation is to 'my people'.

Psalm 78 - section 1

Psalm 78 is very long - 72 verses. I have not found its structure yet but I have found a large number of repeated verbs. I am going on the thesis that I will isolate candidate cells / stanzas / sections through concentric or sequential-overlapping circles, and distinguish these from recurrence indicating interlocking themes through the repetitions that are not within such circles. There is ambiguity in my method since a circle based on a repeated root can be as large as one wishes - so the difference is really in scope. Yet I maintain that in the human perception of form, some repeated words define sections and others link sections. Repetitions that define sections are more plausible if they form a set of related circles. (For the clearest example so far see Psalm 51. The English only version is a little more developed than the Hebrew-English diagram.)

Here is a list of some of the repeated words of Psalm 78 - section 1. This is a step towards finding structure based on word usage patterns at the macro level rather than observing and bulding up lines, strophes, and stanzas from consecutive prosodic elements at the micro level.

hear (שָׁמַע) - with three subjects: we, the Lord, and God. Hearing is a linking theme.
know (ידע) - with three occurrences all in the first section - knowing defines section 1.
follow / behind (אַחֲרוֹן -'axaron) occurs 4 times - twice in section 1 and twice in the last section - maybe bookends.
establish / stand (יָּקֶם) - twice in section 1 - the testimony and the children.
set (שָׂם) - twice in section 1 - Torah that God set, the children to set their hope in God.
prepare - (הֵכִין) Prepare is a linking theme.

Section 1 is thus defined by three different verbs repeated in sequence: know, establish, set. These words are not used again in the rest of the psalm. Section 1 links to other sections in the psalm through two other words: hear and the root אַחֲר which is a candidate for unifying the psalm as a whole and in the last verse, prepare.

There are other verbs in section 1 (verses 1-8, column 1 in the diagram) that are used only once in the psalm and 1 verb that is used three times in section 1 (ספר) but not in sequence: the verbs are repeated as declare-declare-establish::stand-declare and are therefore concentric rather than sequential. The nucleus surrounded by these circles is the intergenerational requirement of Torah and testimony laid on the chosen people - clearly announcing the subject of the psalm.

There are additional noun repetitions in section 1 that confirm its status as a section. Curiously, considering the intergenerational aspect of the psalm, only 'fathers' is repeated in other sections. Children, generation, repeated in section 1, are not used again.

Blogging In

Well - I never really blogged out - my alter-bloggo did. But I will blog in - just enough to say that my wife, Diana, and I have returned safe and sound if a little saturated from SBL. I cannot count the number of papers I heard - somewhere around 30. I expect them to inform a few comments for me on the psalms over the next several months, and also to inform a few story fragments for the deaf Secundus on the gospels.

It was good to meet several e-acquaintances in the flesh. Now connected are at least some names and forms. On my way home, puddle jumping from San Diego to San Francisco to Vancouver to Victoria, I asked Rikk Watts about what an old man should do. He said - "Go sailing. On your death bed you won't be lamenting that you didn't do another 100 hours of Hebrew study!" Diana agreed. And as for me, I don't imagine I will be thinking about sailing either. Who knows the time of his departure? Suffer us not for any pains of death to fall from thee. But an equally suitable question: Who can say on what errand the insolent emu walks between morning and night on the edge of the plain?

If I can, I will continue the pursuit of my joy which is to communicate with those ancient poets and their first century readers. What SBL taught me is the extent of my ignorance, but that is no more depressing than my usual unnecessary worries.

I started out Friday afternoon with April DeConick on the New Testament Mysticism Project Seminar. For me, the initial subject continued the lectionary from the previous week (Luke 20:27-38 - the Sadducees and the resurrection and parallels). I thought this was a happy co-incidence. I remember that still small voice saying to me 5 days earlier - pay attention - and look up the parallels. O yes, I thought, I remember this is where you said that they know neither the scriptures nor the power of God (omitted by Luke). I expect Secundus may get to this reflection sooner than later. He will also benefit from hearing the discussion over Bauckham's Jesus and the Eyewitnesses, and a forum on John where I picked up Mary Coloe's second book, Dwelling in the Household of God. In spite of Rikk's advice, I read some of this on the plane and I really like where she is going with the intense symbolism and extended metaphor in John of the Marriage customs in the first century. The consummation of my death in the Bridegroom of blood is dowry and promise, and the dowry (the Spirit) reverts to me if the engagement is broken off. Not only is God bound to us by this self gift, but the Spirit is given without reservation because God in this New Creation has no need to repent. All this is lost in the move from Hebrew נחמ (naham, repent - used of God only, sigh, comfort) to Greek Paraclete (Comforter, Advocate) to English - just consider the word play.

Two papers by Jewish scholars stood out for me: Joshua Berman on Lamentations 1 as the Drama of Spiritual Rehabilitation. His translation of מְנַחֵם as the Comforter (his capital) was a surprise to me. But I see that the JPS version translates it with definite article but without the capital. It is such a direct connection to John's Gospel. But that may just be my own short-circuiting thought process. The second paper was on Psalm 119 by Naama Zahavi-Eli who pointed out that the words used only once in Psalm 119 are 50% of the text and they are commonly repeated words in non-poetic sections of Scripture. It may be that poetry statistics are important both for repetition and for unique uses also.

I took in most of the groups on Psalms and Biblical Poetry. My last paper was Monday evening, delivered by John Hobbins on Parallelism in Ancient Hebrew Verse - a Review of Recent and Ongoing Research. But I missed one of John's papers - the one on teaching Hebrew. I will cite the papers that impact analysis of the Psalms as I review the subject psalms. One by Jinkyu Kim, Strategic Arrangement of Royal Psalms in the last two Books of the Psalter, has some potential to help organize the psalms table of contents.

List of drafts in the last month

It has been a while - 26 days - since my last update on status. I am 83% drafted by psalm. On the next draft - psalm 78 - I will catch the verse (79.9) and phrase (80.1) percentages up to the psalm percentage since psalm 78 is very large - 456 phrases, 530 words, 72 verses. Considering I divided psalm 119 into 4, psalm 78 is the largest diagram I am working with: 1002 nodes.

Many of my drafts are quite incomplete as to interesting structure. In some I have hardly touched the circles and internal references. If anyone wants to help - feel free. One way is to print the diagram and draw your own lines and then somehow tell me about it.

I continue to draft. I will be presenting psalm 51 at a Bible study on November 26 in Victoria.

I will be presenting technical issues at the Bibletech conference in Seattle in January. I would be happy to hear technical questions that interest you.

You can reach me at bobmacdonald /\ gx.ca

Here's the list since my last update.

Psalm -31 October 2007 (220)
Psalm -33 November 2007 (161)
Psalm -35 November 2007 (229)
Psalm -36 November 2007 (100)
Psalm -38 November 2007 (168)
Psalm -49 November 2007 (167)
Psalm -50 October 2007 (178)
Psalm -63 October 2007 (93)
Psalm 102 October 2007 (212)
Psalm 106 October 2007 (331)
Psalm 109 October 2007 (228)
Psalm 140 October 2007 (116)
Psalm 141 October 2007 (95)
Psalm 142 October 2007 (75)
Psalm 143 October 2007 (117)

Rebuke me not

After psalm 6 comes psalm 38, a reminder. No wonder I have been fearful these past two weeks - preparation for meditation on the wounds of folly.

My comptroller and I were meditating briefly on what people expect of each other. They may expect perfection, or we may feel that it is so expected and therefore even expect or demand it of ourselves. But what is this 'perfection'. Hey - if we can't do it, let's redefine the objective. Not perfection in the sense of flawless, but rather perfection in the sense of useful and a sufficient completeness. While there remain spots and wrinkles, and while there are burdens, we need, in that meanwhile, an inscrutable quality of grace in order to be able to live with each other.

Is it a reflection of original sin that we impose an unachievable expectation on others for we imagine we could have or have achieved it ourselves? Or is it better to think of it as part of the price of our wounds (the link to Isaiah 53 is in the psalm) that we learn to bear for each other as part of our emerging wholeness?

I am of the opinion that no human should say 'never' - as in 'he will never be ...'. (And let those who think they stand take care lest they fall.)

This trade-off between completion as usefulness and unachievable perfection is contained in the French proverb: Le meilleur est l'enemie du bon. Likewise it spans the tension between - If it ain't broke, don't fix it, and Does this company ever deliver anything?

Verbs and Grammar

I imagine one should never try to learn a language by studying grammar first. But eventually, one has to study grammar. I have postponed really really studying verb forms but I have had to feel my way into them as it were gradually. Is there anyone out there who will answer a simple question?

The third person plural feminine of the imperfect - tiqtolnah - appears to be identical with the second person plural. Why isn't the third person plural yiqtolnah? (like the 3pp masculine)

The paradigm looked like a misprint to me - but it was the same in my Lambdin. After 15 months of slogging, you would think I would not have such a dumb question - but there you are. I do.

Presenting complexity simply

Most people don't read by imagining the shape of the text 'visually' - they read and internalize whatever is in front of them. They will also hear internally and when a psalm is sung, they will hear and be en-chanted. Here is my first attempt to say a little about Reading a Psalm.

The Issue of Translating

Lingamish and Aristotle (a.k.a. J.K.Gayle) have raised some nice questions about our wordy communications. Lingamish rightly shows us why word order should not be followed. For me for the moment, I slavishly follow word order as an experience of learning a foreign tongue. When I move into 'real' translation, and not this basic learning process, I may become freed from some voluntary restrictions. J.K.Gayle has a brilliant post on Aristotle - so fast moving, so undermining of assumption, so secure in his study - what a delight to try and catch the wind in his wild ride.

He also asked me some questions best answered in a separate post.

The questions: I see the work with patterns (in the text). Do you believe God had agency with translators (even with their reversals) AS he was inspiring the scriptures? If so, do you believe God has any agency with your translating the scriptures now? As you see the patterns and transpose them into the wonderful prosodic images, is he inspiring his scriptures still in that? ... One more thing: I think Aristotle has no Christian translation theory. But I do think we translators get theory and practice in translation from Jesus. Would you agree?

The first clarification has to do with canon. Canon is sufficient and inspired is a word that canon applies to itself - as in that usual citation from Timothy somewhere. But canon is not exhaustive. The work of the Spirit, and God is Spirit, is not confined to the book. (The canon also says this in John's Gospel towards the end.)

Secondly, does God have agency with translators? Of course. And with the citations of the LXX in the NT? We assume so. And with my vision and drafting? (Hiatus) Translation is too big a word for what I do at present. I feel I have only 'translated' perhaps 2 or 3 of the 115 I have drafted so far. I am translating first to my own framework. Then I will refine and correct my drafts. Then, if possible, I will attempt some translations. But is God in it?

God in a sentence is like null in an expression. Unqualified, null means "I don't know". In any well-formed expression, a programmer must qualify a potential null value, or the result of the expression is also "I don't know". So it is with God in a sentence.

But as with C. S. Lewis whose book Surprised by Joy J.K.Gayle cites, I work on the basis that my surprise is from God - because I learned what I think I know, and the name of the one by whom I am known, through the obedience of the faith of Jesus Christ. What my end is, I do not know, but the beginning and the continuing is - Taste and see that the LORD is good, blessed is the one who trusts in him.

The qualification of God in the sentence is the human. As Rambam said of his work (thank you John for the hard work) - "... should you have been the only one during my lifetime it would have satisfied me".

Finally, do I think translators get theory and practice in translation from Jesus? Just considering the historical aspects of the written words that we have from the NT:

1. The NT in testifying to the faithfulness of Jesus uses the Psalms more than any other book of Scripture.
2. The writer of the epistle to the Hebrews uses the Psalms exclusively to document the dialogue between the Father and the Son.

Quite apart from the personal experience of being human in the presence of his faithfulness, these observable facts of the textual record invite a serious reading of the Psalms. How indeed, did Jesus read them? How does he read them with us today?