Psalm 34: why heh and vav share a verse [duplicate]

Question

Psalms Chapter 34 is written in an acrostic, where every letter of the alef beis starts a verse. However, verse 6 starts with a ה, and the second half starts with a ו. The next verse starts with a ז, resuming the pattern.

דָּרַ֣שְׁתִּי אֶת־יְהוָ֣ה וְעָנָ֑נִי וּמִכָּל־מְ֝גוּרוֹתַ֗י הִצִּילָֽנִי׃

הִבִּ֣יטוּ אֵלָ֣יו וְנָהָ֑רוּ וּ֝פְנֵיהֶ֗ם אַל־יֶחְפָּֽרוּ׃

זֶ֤ה עָנִ֣י קָ֭רָא וַיהוָ֣ה שָׁמֵ֑עַ וּמִכָּל־צָ֝רוֹתָ֗יו הוֹשִׁיעֽוֹ׃

Why is this verse different than the others, containing two letters from the acrostic?

Note that this answer brings the source of my assumption being the Radak ad. loc.. That question and answer however doesn't address my question, which is why are they in one verse. That question is asking where the ו went, which I already addressed.

Answer 1

There are a few answers given to this question.

1. @Alex noted the Rav Pealim (hebrewbooks, sefaria), who suggests that the vav-verse is missing, to show that it was not written on the 6 days of the week.

2. This paper (end of page 3) cites a number of earlier sources that note that when one letter from the beginning is removed, and a final line beginning with פ is added ('פודה ה), the first, middle, and final letters spell out אלף, which is not only the first letter of the Aleph Bet, but also means to teach. As this paper notes (section 4), teaching is a central theme of this Mizmor:

   The theme of teaching picks up on the key words of Ps 25, למד or יורה in vv 4, 5, 8, 9, 12.

   (If that was the case, the choice of combining two into one sentence makes sense, and this was likely the easiest based on the vav already being in a correct position.)

3. Many (secular scholars) would tell you that the Radak was incorrect, and this is missing a letter just like many other Mizmorim/prayers, as noted here. Others add that it would be conceivable that a scribe would skip over it having already started the previous phrase with a vav.