Wednesday 22 June 2011

On comparing two psalms

This morning, I applied the keyword pattern I have developed to compare word usage between two psalms.  For example below is the comparison between psalms 2 and 149.  One can see that psalm 149 verse 2 uses words from psalm 2 and that the last 3 verses use five of the words in psalm 2 in the same sequence without interruption.  Compared with other psalms (I tried psalms 3, 4, 5, 6, 16) this is a more concentrated usage.  This perhaps confirms Cole's thesis. I need to do a bit more fishing.  This sort of analysis might uncover previously unsuspected inter-textual references.

Words in psalm 149 in the order of word usage in psalm 2 (Note - if I reverse the order, the coherence is lost. This means that psalm 149 is copying psalm 2 and not vice versa).

Word and gloss123456789VsStem
בני the children of
2בן
ציון Zion
2ציון
יגילו rejoice
2גיל
במלכם in their king
2מלך
בגוים on the many nations
7גוי
בלאמים for the tribes
7לאם
ברזל durable
8ברזל
משׁפט the judgment
9שׁפט
לכל to all
9כל

Let me know whether you would like me to compare two psalms for fun. Here is a comparison of paslms 14 and 53 (45 matching words but I don't have that many columns.)  I am also leaving out some ultra- common words.
Word and gloss * first usage12345678910123456789201234567893012345678940VsStem
למנצח For the leader
1נצח
לדוד of David
1דוד
אמר said
1אמר
נבל senseless
1נבל
בלבו in his heart
1לב
* אין nothing
1אין
השׁחיתו they destroy
1שׁחת
התעיבו they do abomination
1תעב
* אין there is none
1אין
עשׂה doing
1עשׂה
* טוב good
1טוב
משׁמים leaned over from the heavens
2שׁמים
השׁקיף to have a look
2שׁקף
בני the children of
2בן
אדם dust
2אדם
לראות to see
2ראה
הישׁ anyone with
2ישׁ
משׂכיל insight
2שׂכל
דרשׁ seeking
2דרשׁ
יחדו altogether
3יחד
נאלחו corrupt
3אלח
* אין there is none
3אין
עשׂה doing
3עשׂה
* טוב good
3טוב
* אין not
3אין
גם even
3גם
אחד a single one
3אחד
הלא did they not
4הלא
ידעו know
4ידע
כל all
4כל
פעלי these working
4פעל
און mischief
4און
* אכלי eating
4אכל
עמי my people
4עם
* אכלו as they eat
4אכל
לחם bread
4לחם
לא not
4לא
קראו they do call
4קרא
שׁם there
5שׁם
* פחדו they dread
5פחד
* פחד dread
5פחד
תבישׁו they shame
6בושׁ
מי when
7מי
יתן will gift
7נתן
מציון from Zion
7ציון
ישׁועת the salvation of
7ישׁע
* ישׂראל Israel
7ישׂראל
בשׁוב when turns
7שׁוב
שׁבות the captivity of
7שׁבה
עמו his people
7עם
יגל will rejoice
7גיל
יעקב Jacob
7עקב
ישׂמח will be glad
7שׂמח
* ישׂראל Israel
7ישׂראל


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