The Lord My Light and Salvation

Psalms 26

David declares the Lord his light, salvation, and defender, unafraid even if an army rises against him, and names his one desire as dwelling in the Lord's house all his days. He prays for the Lord's guidance against his enemies and encourages himself, and others, to wait courageously on the Lord.

About these editions

The Septuagint (LXX) in Greek, with Charles Thomson’s 1808 and Sir Lancelot Brenton’s 1851 English translations, set beside the King James Version and the Jewish Masoretic text (JPS 1917) where they align, so you can compare the Greek and the Hebrew. All public domain; choose which to show with the controls above.

Thomson 1808Septuagint

Brenton 1851Septuagint

Greek · BrentonSeptuagint

KJV 1769Masoretic

JPS 1917Masoretic

ThomsonTHE Lord is my Light and my Saviour. Whom shall I fear? The Lord is the Defender of my life. Of whom shall I be afraid?

BrentonA Psalm of David, before he was anointed. The Lord is my light and my Saviour; whom shall I fear? the Lord is the defender of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?

GreekΤοῦ Δαυὶδ, πρὸ τοῦ χρισθῆναι. Κύριος φωτισμός μου καὶ σώτηρ μου, τίνα φοβηθήσομαι; Κύριος ὑπερασπιστὴς τῆς ζωῆς μου, ἀπὸ τίνος δειλιάσω;

KJVThe LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?

JPS[A Psalm] of David. The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?

ThomsonWhen evil doers approached me, to devour my flesh; they, who afflicted me, even mine enemies fainted and fell.

BrentonWhen evil-doers drew nigh against me to eat up my flesh, my persecutors and mine enemies, they fainted and fell.

GreekἘν τῷ ἐγγίζειν ἐπʼ ἐμὲ κακοῦντας, τοῦ φαγεῖν τὰς σάρκας μου, οἱ θλίβοντες με καὶ οἱ ἐχθροί μου, αὐτοὶ ἠσθένησαν καὶ ἔπεσαν.

KJVWhen the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell.

JPSWhen evil-doers came upon me to eat up my flesh, Even mine adversaries and my foes, they stumbled and fell.

ThomsonThough a host be drawn up against me, my heart will not be dismayed; though war rise up against me, still I exercise hope.

BrentonThough an army should set itself in array against me, my heart shall not be afraid: though war should rise up against me, in this am I confident.

GreekἘὰν παρατάξηται ἐπʼ ἐμὲ παρεμβολὴ, οὐ φοβηθήσεται ἡ καρδία μου· ἐὰν ἐπαναστῇ ἐπʼ ἐμὲ πόλεμος, ἐν ταύτῃ ἐγὼ ἐλπιζω.

KJVThough an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident.

JPSThough a host should encamp against me, My heart shall not fear; Though war should rise up against me, Even then will I be confident.

ThomsonOne favour I have asked of the Lord; and this I will earnestly seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life—that I may contemplate the delight of the Lord and visit His temple.

BrentonOne thing have I asked of the Lord, this will I earnestly seek: that I should dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, that I should behold the fair beauty of the Lord, and survey his temple.

GreekΜίαν ᾐτησάμην παρὰ Κυρίου, ταύτην ἐκζητήσω, τοῦ κατοικεῖν με ἐν οἴκῳ Κυρίου πάσας τὰς ἡμέρας τῆς ζωῆς μου, τοῦ θεωρεῖν με τὴν τερπνότητα Κυρίου, καὶ ἐπισκέπτεσθαι τὸν ναὸν αὐτοῦ.

KJVOne thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple.

JPSOne thing have I asked of the LORD, that will I seek after: That I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, To behold the graciousness of the LORD, and to visit early in His temple.

ThomsonBecause in His pavilion He hid me, in the day of my calamities—in the secret of His tabernacle He covered me; He set me upon a rock;

BrentonFor in the day of mine afflictions he hid me in his tabernacle: he sheltered me in the secret of his tabernacle; he set me up on a rock.

GreekὍτι ἔκρυψέ με ἐν σκηνῇ αὐτοῦ ἐν ἡμέρᾳ κακῶν μου, ἐσκέπασέ με ἐν ἀποκρύφῳ τῆς σκῆνης αὐτοῦ· ἐν πέτρᾳ ὕψωσέ με,

KJVFor in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock.

JPS—

Thomsonand now, behold! He hath raised up my head against mine enemies: I have gone round and offered at His tent a sacrifice of thanksgiving: with music vocal and instrumental I will praise the Lord.

BrentonAnd now, behold, he has lifted up mine head over mine enemies: I went round and offered in his tabernacle the sacrifice of joy; I will sing, even sing psalms to the Lord.

Greekκαὶ νῦν ἰδοὺ ὕψωσε τὴν κεφαλήν μου ἐπʼ ἐχθρούς μου· ἐκύκλωσα καὶ ἔθυσα ἐν τῇ σκηνῇ αὐτοῦ θυσίαν ἀλαλαγμοῦ, ᾄσομαι καὶ ψαλῶ τῷ Κυρίῳ·

KJVAnd now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me: therefore will I offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the LORD.

JPSAnd now shall my head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me; And I will offer in His tabernacle sacrifices with trumpet-sound; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the LORD.

ThomsonHear, O Lord, my voice when I cry; have mercy on me and hearken to me.

BrentonHear, O Lord, my voice which I have uttered aloud: pity me, and hearken to me.

GreekΕἰσάκουσον, Κύριε, τῆς φωνῆς μου ἧς ἐκέκραξα, ἐλέησόν με, καὶ εἰσάκουσόν μου.

KJVHear, O LORD, when I cry with my voice: have mercy also upon me, and answer me.

JPSHear, O LORD, when I call with my voice, And be gracious unto me, and answer me.

ThomsonTo Thee my heart said, I have sought Thy face; Thy face, O Lord, I will seek.

BrentonMy heart said to thee, I have diligently sought thy face: thy face, O Lord, I will seek.

GreekΣοὶ εἶπεν ἡ καρδία μου, ἐξεζήτησα τὸ πρόσωπόν σου, τὸ πρόσωπόν σου Κύριε ζητήσω.

KJVWhen thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, LORD, will I seek.

JPSIn Thy behalf my heart hath said: ‘Seek ye My face'; Thy face, LORD, will I seek.

ThomsonTurn not away Thy face from me; withdraw not in anger from Thy servant. Be Thou my helper: leave me not, nor forsake me, O God, my saviour.

BrentonTurn not thy face away from me, turn not thou away from thy servant in anger: be thou my helper, forsake me not; and, O God my Saviour, overlook me not.

GreekΜὴ ἀποστρέψῃς τὸ πρόσωπόν σου ἀπʼ ἐμοῦ, μὴ ἐκκλίνῃς ἐν ὀργῇ ἀπὸ τοῦ δούλου σου· βοηθός μου γενοῦ, μὴ ἐγκαταλίπῃς με, καὶ μὴ ὑπερίδῃς με ὁ Θεὸς ὁ σωτήρ μου.

KJVHide not thy face far from me; put not thy servant away in anger: thou hast been my help; leave me not, neither forsake me, O God of my salvation.

JPSHide not Thy face far from me; Put not Thy servant away in anger; Thou hast been my help; Cast me not off, neither forsake me, O God of my salvation.

ThomsonSince my father and my mother have left me; and the Lord hath taken me to Himself:

BrentonFor my father and my mother have forsaken me, but the Lord has taken me to himself.

GreekὍτι ὁ πατήρ μου καὶ ἡ μήτηρ μου ἐγκατέλιπόν με, ὁ δὲ Κύριος προσελάβετό με.

KJVWhen my father and my mother forsake me, then the LORD will take me up.

JPSFor though my father and my mother have forsaken me, The LORD will take me up.

Thomsoninstruct me in Thy way and lead me in the right path, because of mine enemies.

BrentonTeach me, O Lord, in thy way, and guide me in a right path, because of mine enemies.

GreekΝομοθέτησόν με, Κύριε, ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ σου, καὶ ὁδήγησόν με ἐν τρίβῳ εὐθείᾳ ἕνεκα τῶν ἐχθρῶν μου.

KJVTeach me thy way, O LORD, and lead me in a plain path, because of mine enemies.

JPSTeach me Thy way, O LORD; And lead me in an even path, Because of them that lie in wait for me.

ThomsonDeliver me not up to the will of them who are afflicting me. Because false witnesses have risen up against me and injustice hath belied itself;

BrentonDeliver me not over to the desire of them that afflict me; for unjust witnesses have risen up against me, and injustice has lied within herself.

GreekΜὴ παραδῷς με εἰς ψυχὰς θλιβόντων με, ὅτι ἐπανέστησάν μοι μάρτυρες ἄδικοι, καὶ ἐψεύσατο ἡ ἀδικία ἑαυτῇ.

KJVDeliver me not over unto the will of mine enemies: for false witnesses are risen up against me, and such as breathe out cruelty.

JPSDeliver me not over unto the will of mine adversaries; For false witnesses are risen up against me, and such as breathe out violence.

ThomsonI am confident of seeing the goodness of the Lord, in the land of the living.

BrentonI believe that I shall see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.

GreekΠιστεύω τοῦ ἰδεῖν τὰ ἀγαθὰ Κυρίου ἐν γῇ ζώντων.

KJVI had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.

JPSIf I had not believed to look upon the goodness of the LORD In the land of the living!—

ThomsonWait for the Lord and be of good courage; let thy heart be strengthened and wait for the Lord.

BrentonWait on the Lord: be of good courage, and let thy heart be strengthened: yea, wait on the Lord.

GreekὙπόμεινον τὸν Κυριον, ἀνδρίζου, καὶ κραταιούσθω ἡ καρδία σου, καὶ ὑπόμεινον τὸν Κύριον.

KJVWait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.

JPSWait on the LORD; Be strong, and let thy heart take courage; Yea, wait thou for the LORD.