The Lord Ascends as King
Psalms 46
All nations are called to clap their hands and sing praises to the Lord, the great king over all the earth, who is described as going up amid shouts and the sound of a trumpet. He is praised as king over the nations, seated on his holy throne, with rulers gathered to the God of Abraham.
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
1
Thomson—
BrentonFor the end, a Psalm for the sons of Core.
GreekΕἰς τὸ τέλος, ὑπὲρ τῶν υἱῶν Κορὲ ψαλμός.
KJV—
JPSFor the Leader; a Psalm for the sons of Korah.
2
ThomsonO CLAP your hands, all ye nations; shout to God with a triumphant voice:
BrentonClap your hands, all ye nations; shout to God with a voice of exultation.
GreekΠαντὰ τὰ ἔθνη κροτήσατε χεῖρας, ἀλαλάξατε τῷ Θεῷ ἐν φωνῇ ἀγαλλιάσεως.
KJVO clap your hands, all ye people; shout unto God with the voice of triumph.
JPSO clap your hands, all ye peoples; shout unto God with the voice of triumph. .
3
Thomsonfor the Lord Most High is awful—a great king over all the earth.
BrentonFor the Lord most high is terrible; he is a great king over all the earth.
GreekὍτι Κύριος ὕψιστος, φοβερὸς, βασιλεὺς μέγας ἐπὶ πᾶσαν τὴν γῆν.
KJVFor the LORD most high is terrible; he is a great King over all the earth.
JPSFor the LORD is most high, awful; a great King over all the earth.
4
ThomsonHe hath subjected tribes to us, nations also under our feet.
BrentonHe has subdued the peoples under us, and the nations under our feet.
GreekὙπέταξε λαοὺς ἡμῖν, καὶ ἔθνη ὑπὸ τοὺς πόδας ἡμῶν·
KJVHe shall subdue the people under us, and the nations under our feet.
JPSHe subdueth peoples under us, and nations under our feet.
5
ThomsonHe hath chosen for us His inheritance the excellency of Jacob which He loved.
BrentonHe has chosen out his inheritance for us, the beauty of Jacob which he loved. Pause.
GreekἘξελέξατο ἡμῖν τὴν κληρονομίαν αὐτοῦ, τὴν καλλονὴν Ἰακὼβ, ἣν ἠγάπησε· διάψαλμα.
KJVHe shall choose our inheritance for us, the excellency of Jacob whom he loved. Selah.
JPS—
6
ThomsonGod ascended at the triumphant shout—the Lord, at the trumpet’s sounding.
BrentonGod is gone up with a shout, the Lord with a sound of a trumpet.
GreekἈνέβη ὁ Θεὸς ἐν ἀλαλαγμῷ, Κύριος ἐν φωνῇ σάλπιγγος.
KJVGod is gone up with a shout, the LORD with the sound of a trumpet.
JPSGod is gone up amidst shouting, the LORD amidst the sound of the horn.
7
ThomsonO sing praises to our God; sing praises. Sing praises to our king; sing praises.
BrentonSing praises to our God, sing praises: sing praises to our King, sing praises.
GreekΨάλατε τῷ Θεῷ ἡμῶν, ψάλατε· ψάλατε τῷ βασιλεῖ ἡμῶν, ψάλατε.
KJVSing praises to God, sing praises: sing praises unto our King, sing praises.
JPSSing praises to God, sing praises; sing praises unto our King, sing praises.
8
ThomsonSince God is king of the whole earth; O sing praises with understanding,
BrentonFor God is king of all the earth: sing praises with understanding.
GreekὍτι βασιλεὺς πάσης τῆς γῆς ὁ Θεὸς, ψάλατε συνετῶς.
KJVFor God is the King of all the earth: sing ye praises with understanding.
JPSFor God is the King of all the earth; sing ye praises in a skilful song.
9
ThomsonGod hath commenced His reign over the nations: God is seated on His holy throne.
BrentonGod reigns over the nations: God sits upon the throne of his holiness.
GreekἘβασίλευσεν ὁ Θεὸς ἐπὶ τὰ ἔθνη, ὁ Θεὸς κάθηται ἐπὶ θρόνου ἁγίου αὐτοῦ.
KJVGod reigneth over the heathen: God sitteth upon the throne of his holiness.
JPSGod reigneth over the nations; God sitteth upon His holy throne.
10
ThomsonThe heads of families assembled with the God of Abraham. Because the mighties of the land belong to God, they have been exceedingly exalted.
BrentonThe rulers of the people are assembled with the God of Abraam: for God's mighty ones of the earth have been greatly exalted.
GreekἌρχοντες λαῶν συνήχθησαν μετὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ Ἀβραὰμ, ὅτι τοῦ Θεοῦ οἱ κραταιοὶ τῆς γῆς σφόδρα ἐπῄρθησαν.
KJVThe princes of the people are gathered together, even the people of the God of Abraham: for the shields of the earth belong unto God: he is greatly exalted.
JPSThe princes of the peoples are gathered together, the people of the God of Abraham; for unto God belong the shields of the earth; He is greatly exalted.