A Song for the Sabbath
Psalms 91
A song appointed for the Sabbath day gives thanks for the Lord's works and the depth of his thoughts, contrasting the fool who cannot understand them with the eventual scattering of the wicked. It ends by picturing the righteous flourishing like a palm tree and a cedar, planted in the house of the Lord even in old age.
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—
BrentonA Psalm of a Song for the Sabbath-day.
GreekΨαλμὸς ᾠδῆς εἰς τὴν ἡμέραν τοῦ σαββάτου.
KJV—
JPSA Psalm, a Song. For the sabbath day.
2
ThomsonIT is good to give thanks to the Lord; and with instrumental music sing to Thy name, O Most High—
BrentonIt is a good thing to give thanks to the Lord, and to sing praises to thy name, O thou Most High;
GreekἈγαθὸν τὸ ἐξομολογεῖσθαι τῷ Κυρίῳ, καὶ ψάλλειν τῷ ὀνόματί σου, ὕψιστε·
KJVIT IS A GOOD THING TO GIVE THANKS UNTO THE LORD, AND TO SING PRAISES UNTO THY NAME, O MOST HIGH:
JPSIt is a good thing to give thanks unto the LORD, And to sing praises unto Thy name, O Most High;
3
Thomsonto proclaim Thy loving kindness every morning; and Thy faithfulness every night:
Brentonto proclaim thy mercy in the morning, and thy truth by night,
Greekτοῦ ἀναγγέλλειν τοπρωῒ τὸ ἔλεός σου, καὶ τὴν ἀλήθειάν σου κατὰ νύκτα,
KJVTo shew forth thy lovingkindness in the morning, and thy faithfulness every night,
JPSTo declare Thy lovingkindness in the morning, And Thy faithfulness in the night seasons,
4
Thomsonwith a ten-stringed psaltery; with an ode on the kithara.
Brentonon a psaltery of ten strings, with a song on the harp.
Greekἐν δεκαχόρδῳ ψαλτηρίῳ, μετʼ ᾠδῆς ἐν κιθάρᾳ.
KJVUpon an instrument of ten strings, and upon the psaltery; upon the harp with a solemn sound.
JPSWith an instrument of ten strings, and with the psaltery; With a solemn sound upon the harp.
5
ThomsonBecause Thou, Lord, with Thy work hast made me glad: therefore in the works of Thy hands I will triumph.
BrentonFor thou, O Lord, hast made me glad with thy work: and in the operations of thy hands will I exult.
GreekὍτι εὔφρανάς με, Κύριε, ἐν τῷ ποιήματί σου, καὶ ἐν τοῖς ἔργοις τῶν χειρῶν σου ἀγαλλιάσομαι.
KJVFor thou, LORD, hast made me glad through thy work: I will triumph in the works of thy hands.
JPSFor Thou, LORD, hast made me glad through Thy work; I will exult in the works of Thy hands.
6
ThomsonHow great are Thy works, O Lord! How very deep are Thy designs!
BrentonHow have thy works been magnified, O Lord! thy thoughts are very deep.
GreekὩς ἐμεγαλύνθη τὰ ἔργα σου, Κύριε; σφόδρα ἐβαθύνθησαν οἱ διαλογισμοί σου.
KJVO LORD, how great are thy works! and thy thoughts are very deep.
JPSHow great are Thy works, O LORD! Thy thoughts are very deep.
7
ThomsonA senseless man cannot know; nor can the foolish comprehend them.
BrentonA foolish man will not know, and a senseless man will not understand this.
GreekἈνὴρ ἄφρων οὐ γνώσεται, καὶ ἀσύνετος οὐ συνήσει ταῦτα.
KJVA brutish man knoweth not; neither doth a fool understand this.
JPSA brutish man knoweth not, Neither doth a fool understand this.
8
ThomsonWhen the wicked sprang up like grass; all the workers of iniquity had a glimpse that they should be destroyed forever.
BrentonWhen the sinners spring up as the grass, and all the workers of iniquity have watched; it is that they may be utterly destroyed for ever.
GreekἘν τῷ ἀνατεῖλαι τοὺς ἁμαρτωλοὺς ὡσεὶ χόρτον, καὶ διέκυψαν πάντες οἱ ἐργαζόμενοι τὴν ἀνομίαν, ὅπως ἂν ἐξολοθρευθῶσιν εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα τοῦ αἰῶνος.
KJVWhen the wicked spring as the grass, and when all the workers of iniquity do flourish; it is that they shall be destroyed for ever:
JPSWhen the wicked spring up as the grass, And when all the workers of iniquity do flourish; It is that they may be destroyed for ever.
9
ThomsonAs for Thee, Thou, O Lord, art Most High forever.
BrentonBut thou, O Lord, art most high for ever.
GreekΣὺ δὲ ὕψιστος εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα, Κύριε.
KJVBut thou, LORD, art most high for evermore.
JPSBut Thou, O LORD, art on high for evermore.
10
ThomsonFor lo! Thine enemies shall perish: and all the workers of iniquity shall be scattered.
BrentonFor, behold, thine enemies shall perish; and all the workers of iniquity shall be scattered.
GreekὍτι ἰδοὺ οἱ ἐχθροί σου ἀπολοῦνται, καὶ διασκορπισθήσονται πάντες οἱ ἐργαζόμενοι τὴν ἀνομίαν.
KJVFor, lo, thine enemies, O LORD, for, lo, thine enemies shall perish; all the workers of iniquity shall be scattered.
JPSFor, lo, Thine enemies, O LORD, For, lo, Thine enemies shall perish: All the workers of iniquity shall be scattered.
11
ThomsonBut my horn shall be exalted like that of the oryx; and mine old age invigorated with fresh oil.
BrentonBut my horn shall be exalted as the horn of a unicorn; and mine old age with rich mercy.
GreekΚαὶ ὑψωθήσεται ὡς μονοκέρωτος τὸ κέρας μου, καὶ τὸ γῆράς μου ἐν ἐλέῳ πίονι.
KJV—
JPSBut my horn hast Thou exalted like the horn of the wild-ox; I am anointed with rich oil.
12
ThomsonMine eye hath looked on among mine enemies: and among the wicked who rise against me, mine ear will hear.
BrentonAnd mine eye has seen mine enemies, and mine ear shall hear the wicked that rise up against me.
GreekΚαὶ ἐπεῖδεν ὁ ὀφθαλμός μου ἐν τοῖς ἐχθροῖς μου, καὶ ἐν τοῖς ἐπανισταμένοις ἐπʼ ἐμὲ πονηρευομένοις ἀκούσεται τὸ οὖς μου.
KJVMine eye also shall see my desire on mine enemies, and mine ears shall hear my desire of the wicked that rise up against me.
JPSMine eye also hath gazed on them that lie in wait for me, Mine ears have heard my desire of the evil-doers that rise up against me.
13
ThomsonThe righteous shall bloom like a palm tree; and be multiplied like a cedar on Lebanon.
BrentonThe righteous shall flourish as a palm-tree: he shall be increased as the cedar in Libanus.
GreekΔίκαιος ὡς φοῖνιξ ἀνθήσει, ὡς ἡ κέδρος ἡ ἐν τῷ Λιβάνῳ πληθυνθήσεται·
KJVThe righteous shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon.
JPSThe righteous shall flourish like the palm-tree; He shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon.
14
ThomsonBeing planted by the house of the Lord they shall flourish in the courts of our God.
BrentonThey that are planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God.
GreekΠεφυτευμένοι ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ Κυρίου, ἐν ταῖς αὐλαῖς τοῦ Θεοῦ ἡμῶν ἐξανθήσουσι.
KJVThose that be planted in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of our God.
JPSPlanted in the house of the LORD, They shall flourish in the courts of our God.
15
ThomsonIn a vigorous old age they shall still multiply; and continue prosperous;
BrentonThen shall they be increased in a fine old age; and they shall be prosperous; that they may declare
GreekΤότε πληθυνθήσονται ἐν γήρει πίονι, καὶ εὐπαθοῦντες ἔσονται
KJV—
JPS—
16
Thomsonthat they may declare that the Lord my God is righteous; and that in Him there is no injustice.
Brentonthat the Lord my God is righteous, and there is no iniquity in him.
Greekτοῦ ἀναγγεῖλαι· ὅτι εὐθὴς Κύριος ὁ Θεός μου, καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν ἀδικία ἐν αὐτῷ.
KJVTo shew that the LORD is upright: he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him.
JPSTo declare that the LORD is upright, My Rock, in whom there is no unrighteousness.