If Israel Had Listened
Psalms 80
Israel is called to rejoice with festive music at the new moon, and God recalls how he freed his people from bondage in Egypt, tested them at the water of Strife, and warned them against worshipping any strange god. He laments that his people did not listen and so were given over to their own devices, though he would have quickly subdued their enemies and fed them abundantly had they obeyed.
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 Asaph, concerning the wine-presses.
GreekΕἰς τὸ τέλος, ὑπὲρ τῶν ληνῶν ψαλμὸς τῷ Ἀσάφ.
KJV—
JPSFor the Leader; upon the Gittith. [A Psalm] of Asaph.
2
ThomsonEXULT with joy for God our helper! Shout triumphantly for the God of Jacob!
BrentonRejoice ye in God our helper; shout aloud to the God of Jacob.
GreekἈγαλλιᾶσθε τῷ Θεῷ τῷ βοηθῷ ἡμῶν, ἀλαλάξατε τῷ Θεῷ Ἰακώβ.
KJVSing aloud unto God our strength: make a joyful noise unto the God of Jacob.
JPSSing aloud unto God our strength; shout unto the God of Jacob.
3
ThomsonTake a psalm and bring a tympanum—the sweet sounding psaltery with a kithara.
BrentonTake a psalm, and produce the timbrel, the pleasant psaltery with the harp.
GreekΛάβετε ψαλμὸν καὶ δότε τύμπανον, ψαλτήριον τερπνὸν μετὰ κιθάρας.
KJVTake a psalm, and bring hither the timbrel, the pleasant harp with the psaltery.
JPSTake up the melody, and sound the timbrel, the sweet harp with the psaltery.
4
ThomsonSound the trumpet at the new moon—at the set day of your festival.
BrentonBlow the trumpet at the new moon, in the glorious day of your feast.
GreekΣαλπίσατε ἐν νεομηνίᾳ σάλπιγγι, ἐν εὐσήμῳ ἡμέρᾳ ἑορτῆς ὑμῶν.
KJVBlow up the trumpet in the new moon, in the time appointed, on our solemn feast day.
JPSBlow the horn at the new moon, at the full moon for our feast-day.
5
ThomsonFor it is a statute for Israel—a rite established by the God of Jacob—
BrentonFor this is an ordinance for Israel, and a statute of the God of Jacob.
GreekὍτι πρόσταγμα τῷ Ἰσραήλ ἐστι, καὶ κρίμα τῷ Θεῷ Ἰακώβ.
KJVFor this was a statute for Israel, and a law of the God of Jacob.
JPSFor it is a statute for Israel, an ordinance of the God of Jacob.
6
Thomsonas a testimony for Joseph; it pointed him out at the time of his coming out of the land of Egypt; he caused him to hear a tongue which he knew not:
BrentonHe made it to be a testimony in Joseph, when he came forth out of the land of Egypt: he heard a language which he understood not.
GreekΜαρτύριον ἐν τῷ Ἰωσὴφ ἔθετο αὐτὸν, ἐν τῷ ἐξελθεῖν αὐτὸν ἐκ γῆς Αἰγύπτου· γλῶσσαν ἣν οὐκ ἔγνω, ἤκουσεν.
KJVThis he ordained in Joseph for a testimony, when he went out through the land of Egypt: where I heard a language that I understood not.
JPSHe appointed it in Joseph for a testimony, when He went forth against the land of Egypt. The speech of one that I knew not did I hear:
7
Thomsonhe removed his back from burdens. His hands served at the basket.
BrentonHe removed his back from burdens: his hands slaved in making the baskets.
GreekἈπέστησεν ἀπὸ ἄρσεων τὸν νῶτον αὐτοῦ· αἱ χεῖρες αὐτοῦ ἐν τῷ κοφίνῳ ἐδούλευσαν.
KJVI removed his shoulder from the burden: his hands were delivered from the pots.
JPS'I removed his shoulder from the burden; His hands were freed from the basket.
8
ThomsonIn affliction thou didst call upon Me, and I delivered thee. I heard thee in the secret of a tempest. I proved thee at the water of strife.
BrentonThou didst call upon me in trouble, and I delivered thee; I heard thee in the secret place of the storm: I proved thee at the water of Strife. Pause.
GreekἘν θλίψει ἐπεκαλέσω με καὶ ἐῤῥυσάμην σε· ἐπήκουσά σου ἐν ἀποκρύφῳ καταιγίδος, ἐδοκίμασά σε ἐπὶ ὕδατος ἀντιλογίας· διάψαλμα.
KJVThou calledst in trouble, and I delivered thee; I answered thee in the secret place of thunder: I proved thee at the waters of Meribah. Selah.
JPSThou didst call in trouble, and I rescued thee; I answered thee in the secret place of thunder; I proved thee at the waters of Meribah. Selah
9
ThomsonHear O My people and I will speak to thee. O Israel, and I will testify to thee. If thou wilt hearken to Me,
BrentonHear, my people, and I will speak to thee, O Israel; and I will testify to thee: if thou wilt hearken to me;
GreekἌκουσον λαός μου καὶ λαλήσω σοι, Ἰσραὴλ, καὶ διαμαρτύρομαί σοι· ἐὰν ἀκούσῃς μου,
KJVHear, O my people, and I will testify unto thee: O Israel, if thou wilt hearken unto me;
JPSHear, O My people, and I will admonish thee: O Israel, if thou wouldest hearken unto Me!
10
Thomsonwith thee there must be no new-fangled god: nor shalt thou worship a strange god,
Brentonthere shall be no new god in thee; neither shalt thou worship a strange god.
Greekοὐκ ἔσται ἐν σοὶ θεὸς πρόσφατος, οὐδὲ προσκυνήσεις θεῷ ἀλλοτρίῳ.
KJVThere shall no strange god be in thee; neither shalt thou worship any strange god.
JPSThere shall no strange god be in thee; neither shalt thou worship any foreign god.
11
Thomsonfor I am the Lord thy God; Who brought thee up from the land of Egypt. Open thy mouth wide and I will fill it.
BrentonFor I am the Lord thy God, that brought thee out of the land of Egypt: open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it.
GreekἘγὼ γάρ εἰμι Κύριος ὁ Θεός σου, ὁ ἀναγαγών σε ἐκ γῆς Αἰγύπτου, πλάτυνον τὸ στόμα σου καὶ πληρώσω αὐτό.
KJVI am the LORD thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt: open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it.
JPSI am the LORD thy God, who brought thee up out of the land of Egypt; open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it.
12
ThomsonBut My people did not hearken to My voice; nor did Israel attend to Me.
BrentonBut my people hearkened not to my voice; and Israel gave no heed to me.
GreekΚαὶ οὐκ ἤκουσεν ὁ λαός μου τῆς φωνῆς μου, καὶ Ἰσραὴλ οὐ προσέσχε μοι.
KJVBut my people would not hearken to my voice; and Israel would none of me.
JPSBut My people hearkened not to My voice; And Israel would none of Me.
13
ThomsonTherefore I gave them up to the devices of their own hearts. Let them walk in their own devices.
BrentonSo I let them go after the ways of their own hearts: they will go on in their own ways.
GreekΚαὶ ἐξαπέστειλα αὐτοὺς κατὰ τὰ ἐπιτηδεύματα τῶν καρδιῶν αὐτῶν, πορεύσονται ἐν τοῖς ἐπιτηδεύμασιν αὐτῶν.
KJVSo I gave them up unto their own hearts’ lust: and they walked in their own counsels.
JPSSo I let them go after the stubbornness of their heart, That they might walk in their own counsels.
14
ThomsonHad My people hearkened to Me—had Israel walked in My ways:
BrentonIf my people had hearkened to me, if Israel had walked in my ways,
GreekΕἰ ὁ λαός μου ἤκουσέ μου, Ἰσραὴλ ταῖς ὁδοῖς μου εἰ ἐπορεύθη,
KJVOh that my people had hearkened unto me, and Israel had walked in my ways!
JPSOh that My people would hearken unto Me, That Israel would walk in My ways!
15
ThomsonI would have effectually humbled their enemies; and laid My hand on those who afflicted them.
BrentonI should have put down their enemies very quickly, and should have laid my hand upon those that afflicted them.
Greekἐν τῷ μηδενὶ ἂν τοὺς ἐχθροὺς αὐτῶν ἐταπείνωσα, καὶ ἐπὶ τοὺς θλίβοντας αὐτοὺς ἐπέβαλον ἂν τὴν χεῖρά μου.
KJVI should soon have subdued their enemies, and turned my hand against their adversaries.
JPS—
16
ThomsonThe enemies of the Lord should have submitted to Him; and their time would have been forever:
BrentonThe Lord's enemies should have lied to him: but their time shall be for ever.
GreekΟἱ ἐχθροὶ Κυρίου ἐψεύσαντο αὐτῷ, καὶ ἔσται ὁ καιρὸς αὐτῶν εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα,
KJVThe haters of the LORD should have submitted themselves unto him: but their time should have endured for ever.
JPSThe haters of the LORD should dwindle away before Him; And their punishment should endure for ever.
17
Thomsonand He would have fed them with the finest wheat; and satisfied them with honey from a rock.
BrentonAnd he fed them with the fat of wheat; and satisfied them with honey out of the rock.
Greekκαὶ ἐψώμισεν αὐτοὺς ἐκ στέατος πυροῦ, καὶ ἐκ πέτρας μέλι ἐχόρτασεν αὐτούς.
KJVHe should have fed them also with the finest of the wheat: and with honey out of the rock should I have satisfied thee.
JPSThey should also be fed with the fat of wheat; and with honey out of the rock would I satisfy thee.'