Psalms 104
Old Testament · Brenton Septuagint with Greek parallel
Psalms chapter 104 is given here in full, verse by verse, in Sir Lancelot Brenton's classic English translation of the Septuagint (LXX), with the Greek text of the Septuagint set beneath each verse. The text follows the Septuagint tradition received throughout the Orthodox Church.
32 patristic excerpts are attached to this chapter, from Saint Augustine of Hippo. The translator's notes for this chapter (3) follow the text.
Psalms 104
1(105) Alleluia. Give thanks to the Lord, and call upon his name; declare his works among the heathen.Ἀλληλούϊα. Ἐξομολογεῖσθε τῷ Κυρίῳ, καὶ ἐπικαλεῖσθε τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ· ἀπαγγείλατε ἐν τοῖς ἔθνεσι τὰ ἔργα αὐτοῦ.
2Sing to him, yes, sing praises to him: tell forth all his wonderful works.Ασατε αὐτῷ καὶ ψάλατε αὐτῷ. διηγήσασθε πάντα τὰ θαυμάσια αὐτοῦ.
3Glory in his holy name: let the heart of them that seek the Lord rejoice.Ἐπαινεῖσθε ἐν τῷ ὀνόματι τῷ ἁγίῳ αὐτοῦ· εὐφρανθήτω καρδία ζητούντων τὸν Κύριον.
4Seek you the Lord, and be strengthened; seek his face continually.Ζητήσατε τὸν Κύριον καὶ κραταιώθητε· ζητήσατε τὸ πρόσωπον αὐτοῦ διαπαντός.
5Remember his wonderful works that he has done; his wonders, and the judgments of his mouth;Μνήσθητε τῶν θαυμασίων αὐτον ὧν ἐποίησε, τὰ τέρατα αὐτοῦ, καὶ τὰ κρίματα τοῦ στόματος αὐτοῦ.
6you seed of Abraam, his servants, you children of Jacob, his chosen ones.Σπέρμα Ἁβραὰμ δοῦλοι αὐτοῦ, υἱοὶ Ἰακὼβ ἐκλεκτοὶ αὐτοῦ.
7He is the Lord our God; his judgments are in all the earth.Αὐτὸς Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς ἡμῶν, ἐν πάσῃ τῇ γῇ τὰ κρίματα αὐτοῦ.
8He has remembered his covenant for ever, the word which he commanded for a thousand generation:Ἐμνήσθη εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα διαθήκης αὐτοῦ, λόγου οὗ ἐνετείλατο εἰς χιλίας γενεὰς,
9which he established as a covenant to Abraam, and he remembered his oath to Isaac.ὃν διέθετο τῷ Ἁβραὰμ, καὶ τοῦ ὅρκου αὐτοῦ τῷ Ἰσαάκ·
10And he established it to Jacob for an ordinance, and to Israel for an everlasting covenant;Καὶ ἔστησεν αὐτὴν τῷ Ἰακὼβ εἰς πρόσταγμα, καὶ τῷ Ἰσραὴλ εἰς διαθήκην αἰώνιον,
11saying To you will I give the land of Chanaan, the line of your inheritance:λέγων, σοὶ δώσω τὴν γῆν Χαναὰν, σχοίνισμα κληρονομίας ὑμῶν.
12when they were few in number, very few, and sojourners in it.Ἐν τῷ εἶναι αὐτοὺς ἀριθμῷ βραχεῖς, ὀλιγοστοὺς καὶ παροίκους ἐν αὐτῇ,
13And they went from nation to nation, and from one kingdom to another people.καὶ διῆλθον ἐξ ἔθνους εἰς ἔθνος, καὶ ἐκ βασιλείας εἰς λαὸν ἕτερον,
14He suffered no man to wrong them; and he rebuked kings for their sakes:οὐκ ἀφῆκεν ἄνθρωπον ἀδικῆσαι αὐτοὺς, καὶ ἤλεγξεν ὑπὲρ αὐτῶν βασιλεῖς·
15saying, Touch not my anointed ones; and do my prophets no harm.Μὴ ἅψησθε τῶν χριστῶν μου, καὶ ἐν τοῖς προφήταις μου μὴ πονηρεύεσθε.
16Moreover he called for a famine upon the land; he broke the whole support of bread.Καὶ ἐκάλεσε λιμὸν ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν, πᾶν στήριγμα ἄρτου συνέτριψεν.
17He sent a man before them; Joseph was sold for a slave.Ἀπέστειλεν ἔμπροσθεν αὐτῶν ἄνθρωπον, εἰς δοῦλον ἐπράθη Ἰωσήφ.
18They * hurt his feet with fetters; † his soul passed into iron,Ἐταπείνωσαν ἐν πέδαις τοὺς πόδας αὐτοῦ, σίδηρον διῆλθεν ἡ ψυχὴ αὐτοῦ·
19until the time that his cause came on; the word of the Lord tried him as fire.Μέχρι τοῦ ἐλθεῖν τὸν λόγον αὐτοῦ· τὸ λόγιον τοῦ Κυρίου ἐπύρωσεν αὐτόν.
20The king sent and loosed him; even the prince of the people, and let him go free.Ἀπέστειλε βασιλεὺς καὶ ἔλυσεν αὐτὸν, ἄρχων λαῶν καὶ ἀφῆκεν αὐτόν.
21He made him Lord over his house, and ruler of all his substance;Κατέστησεν αὐτὸν κύριον τοῦ οἴκου αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἄρχοντα πάσης τῆς κτήσεως αὐτοῦ,
22to chastise his rulers at his pleasure, and to teach his elders wisdom.τοῦ παιδεῦσαι τοὺς ἄρχοντας αὐτοῦ ὡς ἑαυτὸν, καὶ τοὺς πρεσβυτέρους αὐτοῦ σοφίσαι.
23Israel also came into Egypt, and Jacob sojourned in the land of Cham.Καὶ εἰσῆλθεν Ἰσραὴλ εἰς Αἴγυπτον, καὶ Ἰακὼβ παρῴκησεν ἐν γῇ Χάμ.
24And he increased his people greatly, and made them stronger than their enemies.Καὶ ηὔξησε τὸν λαὸν αὐτοῦ σφόδρα, καὶ ἐκραταίωσεν αὐτὸν ὑπὲρ τοὺς ἐχθροὺς αὐτοῦ.
25And he turned their heart to hate his people, to deal craftily with his servants.Καὶ μετέστρεψε τὴν καρδίαν αὐτῶν τοῦ μισῆσαι τὸν λαὸν αὐτοῦ, τοῦ δολιοῦσθαι ἐν τοῖς δούλοις αὐτοῦ.
26He sent forth Moses his servant, and Aaron whom he had chosen.Ἐξαπέστειλε Μωυσῆν τὸν δοῦλον αὐτοῦ, Ἀαρὼν ὃν ἐξελέξατο αὐτόν.
27He established among them his signs, and his wonders in the land of Cham.Ἔθετο ἐν αὐτοῖς τοὺς λόγους τῶν σημείων αὐτοῦ, καὶ τῶν τεράτων ἐν γῇ Χάμ.
28He sent forth darkness, and made it dark; yet they ‡ rebelled against his words.Ἐξαπέστειλε σκότος καὶ ἐσκότασε, καὶ παρεπίκραναν τοὺς λόγους αὐτοῦ·
29He turned their waters into blood, and killed their fish.Μετέστρεψε τὰ ὕδατα αὐτῶν εἰς αἷμα, καὶ ἀπέκτεινε τοὺς ἰχθύας αὐτῶν.
30Their land produced frogs abundantly, in the chambers of their kings.Ἐξῆρψεν ἡ γῆ αὐτῶν βατράχους, ἐν τοῖς ταμείοις τῶν βασιλέων αὐτῶν.
31He spoke, and the dog-fly came, and lice in all their coasts.Εἶπε καὶ ἦλθε κυνόμυια, καὶ σκνίπες ἐν πᾶσι τοῖς ὁρίοις αὐτῶν.
32He turned their rain into hail, and sent flaming fire in their land.Ἔθετο τὰς βροχὰς αὐτῶν χάλαζαν, πῦρ καταφλέγον ἐν τῇ γῇ αὐτῶν.
33And he struck their vines and their fig trees; and broke every tree of their coast.Καὶ ἐπάταξε τὰς ἀμπέλους αὐτῶν καὶ τὰς συκὰς αὐτῶν, καὶ συνέτριψε πᾶν ξύλον ὁρίου αὐτῶν.
34He spoke, and the locust came, and caterpillars innumerable,Εἶπε καὶ ἦλθεν ἀκρὶς, καὶ βροῦχος οὗ οὐκ ἦν ἀριθμὸς,
35and devoured all the grass in their land, and devoured the fruit of the ground.καὶ κατέφαγε πάντα τὸν χόρτον ἐν τῇ γῇ αὐτῶν, καὶ κατέφαγε τὸν καρπὸν τῆς γῆς αὐτῶν.
36He struck also every firstborn of their land, the first fruits of all their labor.Καὶ ἐπάταξε πᾶν πρωτότοκον ἐκ τῆς γῆς αὐτῶν, ἀπαρχὴν παντὸς πόνου αὐτῶν.
37And he brought them out with silver and gold; and there was not a feeble one among their tribes.Καὶ ἐξήγαγεν αὐτοὺς ἐν ἀργυρίῳ καὶ χρυσίῳ, καὶ οὐκ ἦν ἐν ταῖς φυλαῖς αὐτῶν ὁ ἀσθενῶν.
38Egypt rejoiced at their departing; for the fear of them fell upon them.Εὐφράνθη Αἴγυπτος ἐν τῇ ἐξόδῳ αὐτῶν, ὅτι ἐπέπεσεν ὁ φόβος αὐτῶν ἐπʼ αὐτούς.
39He spread out a cloud for a covering to them, and fire to give them light by night.Διεπέτασε νεφέλην εἰς σκέπην αὐτοῖς, καὶ πῦρ τοῦ φωτίσαι αὐτοῖς τὴν νύκτα.
40They asked, and the quail came, and he satisfied them with the bread of heaven.Ἤτησαν, καὶ ἦλθεν ὀρτυγομήτρα, καὶ ἄρτον οὐρανοῦ ἐνέπλησεν αὐτούς.
41He clave the rock, and the waters flowed, rivers ran in dry places.Διέῤῥηξε πέτραν, καὶ ἐῤῥύησαν ὕδατα, ἐπορεύθησαν ἐν ἀνύδροις ποταμοί.
42For he remembered his holy word, which he promised to Abraam his servant.Ὅτι ἐμνήσθη τοῦ λόγου τοῦ ἁγίου αὐτοῦ, τοῦ πρὸς Ἀβραὰμ τὸν δοῦλον αὐτοῦ·
43And he brought out his people with exultation, and his chosen with joy;Καὶ ἐξήγαγε τὸν λαὸν αὐτοῦ ἐν ἀγαλλιάσει, καὶ τοὺς ἐκλεκτοὺς αὐτοῦ ἐν εὐφροσύνῃ·
44and gave them the lands of the heathen; and they inherited the labors of the people;Καὶ ἔδωκεν αὐτοῖς χώρας ἐθνῶν, καὶ πόνους λαῶν ἐκληρονόμησαν.
45that they might keep his ordinances, and diligently seek his law.Ὅπως ἂν φυλάξωσι τὰ δικαιώματα αὐτοῦ, καὶ τὸν νόμον αὐτοῦ ἐκζητήσωσιν.
Translator's Notes
These notes come from the printed edition of Sir Lancelot Brenton's classic English translation of the Septuagint (LXX), and record where the Greek differs from the English rendering or admits more than one reading.
- v. 18*Gr. humbled.
- v. 18†Or, his body, see Heb.
- v. 28‡Gr. embittered.
The Fathers on Psalms 104
Saint Augustine of Hippo comments on this chapter. Each excerpt below is drawn from the full text held in the Fathers Library; follow the link on any entry to read the whole work.
On Psalms 104:1Saint Augustine of Hippo1. This Psalm is the first of those to which is prefixed the word Allelujah; the meaning of which word, or rather two words, is, Praise the Lord. For this reason he beginneth with praises: “O confess unto the Lord, and call upon His Name” (ver. 1); for this confession is to be understood as praise, just as these words of our Lord, “I confess to Thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth.” For after commencing with…
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On Psalms 104:2Saint Augustine of Hippo2. “O sing unto Him, and play on instruments unto Him” (ver. 2). Praise Him both by word and deed; for we sing with the voice, while we play with an instrument, that is, with our hands. “Let your talking be of all His wondrous works. Be ye praise in His holy Name” (ver. 3). These two verses may without any absurdity seem paraphrases of the two words above; so that, “Let your talking be of all His wondrous works,”…
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On Psalms 104:4Saint Augustine of Hippo3. “Seek the Lord, and be strengthened” (ver. 4). This is very literally construed from the Greek, though it may seem not a Latin word: whence other copies have, “be ye confirmed;” others, “be ye corroborated.”…While these words, then, “Come unto Him, and be enlightened,” apply to seeing; those in the text relate to doing: “Seek the Lord, and be strengthened.”…But what meaneth, “Seek His face evermore”? I know…
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On Psalms 104:5Saint Augustine of Hippo4. “Remember,” he saith, “His marvellous works that He hath done, His wonders, and the judgments of His mouth” (ver. 5). This passage seemeth like that, “Thou shalt say unto the children of Israel, I Am hath sent me unto you:” an expression which, in ever so small part, scarce a mind taketh in. Then mentioning His own Name, He mercifully mingled in His grace towards men, saying, “I am the God of Abraham, the God…
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On Psalms 104:6–7Saint Augustine of Hippo5. Unto whom is it said, “O ye seed of Abraham His servant, ye children of Jacob, His chosen”? (ver. 6).…He next addeth, “He is the Lord our God: His judgments are in all the world” (ver. 7). Is He the God of the Jews only? God forbid! “He is the Lord our God:” because the Church, where His judgments are preached, is in all the world.…
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On Psalms 104:8, 10–11Saint Augustine of Hippo6. “He hath been alway mindful of His covenant” (ver. 8). Other copies read, “for evermore;” and this arises from the ambiguity of the Greek. But if we are to understand “alway” of this world and not of eternity, why, when he explaineth what covenant He was mindful of, doth he add, “The word that He made to a thousand generations”? Now this may be understood with a certain limitation; but he afterwards saith,…
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On Psalms 104:12Saint Augustine of Hippo7. He next followeth out the history well known in the truth of the holy Scriptures. “When they were in small numbers, very few, and they strangers in the land” (ver. 12); that is, in the land of Canaan.…But some copies have the words “very few, and they strangers,” in the accusative case, the translator having turned the Greek phrase too literally into Latin. If we were to render the whole clause in this way, we…
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On Psalms 104:13–15Saint Augustine of Hippo8. “What time as they went from one nation to another, from one kingdom to another people” (ver. 13). This is a repetition of what he had said, “from one nation to another.” “He suffered no man to do them harm: but reproved even kings for their sakes” (ver. 14). “Touch not,” He said, “Mine anointed, and do My prophets no harm” (ver. 15). He declareth the words of God chiding or reproving kings, that they might…
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On Psalms 104:16Saint Augustine of Hippo10. He then beginneth to relate how it happened that they went from one nation to another, from one kingdom to another people. “He calleth,” he saith, “for a famine upon the land: and brake all the staff of bread” (ver. 16). Thus it happened that they went from one nation to another, from one kingdom to another people. But the expressions of the holy Scriptures are not to be negligently passed by. “He called,” he…
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On Psalms 104:17Saint Augustine of Hippo11. “But He had sent a man before them” (ver. 17). What man? “Even Joseph.” How did He send him? “Joseph was sold to be a bond-servant.” When this happened, it was the sin of his brethren, and, nevertheless, God sent Joseph into Egypt. We should therefore meditate on this important and necessary subject, how God useth well the evil works of men, as they on the other hand use ill the good works of God.
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On Psalms 104:18–19Saint Augustine of Hippo12. Next he doth relate the story, mentioning what Joseph suffered in his low estate, and how he was raised on high. “His feet they hurt in the stocks: the iron entered into his soul, until his word came” (ver. 18). That Joseph was put in irons, we do not indeed read; but we ought no ways to doubt that it was so. For some things might be passed over in that history, which nevertheless would not escape the Holy…
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On Psalms 104:20–22Saint Augustine of Hippo13. “The king sent and loosed him, the prince of the peoples, and let him go free” (ver. 20). The “king” is the same as “the prince of the peoples:” he “loosed” him from his bonds “and let him go free” from his prison. “He made him lord also of his house: and ruler of all his substance” (ver. 21). “That he might inform his princes like unto himself, and teach his old men wisdom” (ver. 22). The Greek hath, “and…
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On Psalms 104:23Saint Augustine of Hippo14. “Joseph also came into Egypt, and Jacob was a stranger in the land of Ham” (ver. 23). Israel is the same with Jacob, as is Egypt with the land of Ham. Here it is very plainly shown, that the Egyptian race sprang from the seed of Chain, the son of Noah, whose first-born was Canaan. So that in those copies wherein in this passage Canaan is read, we must alter the reading. It is better construed, “was a…
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On Psalms 104:24Saint Augustine of Hippo15. Next is related what happened in Egypt. “And He increased,” he saith, “His people exceedingly, and made them stronger than their enemies” (ver. 24). Even the whole of this is briefly set forth, in order that the manner in which it took place may be afterwards related. For the people of God was not made stronger than their enemies the Egyptians, at the time when their male offspring were slain, or when they…
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On Psalms 104:25Saint Augustine of Hippo16. “And He turned their heart so, that they hated His people, and dealt untruly with His servants” (ver. 25). Is it to be in any wise understood or believed, that God turneth man’s heart to do sin?…For they were not good before they hated His people; but being malignant and ungodly, they were such as would readily envy their prosperous sojourners. And so, in that He multiplied His own people, this bountiful act…
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On Psalms 104:26Saint Augustine of Hippo17. The following verses, which are sung in praise of Him when Allelujah is chanted, show how He used this hatred of theirs, both for the trial of His own people, and for the glory of His Name, which is profitable for us. “He sent Moses His servant, and Aaron whom He had chosen him” (ver. 26). “Whom He had chosen,” would be sufficient; but there is no difficulty in the addition of “him.” It is a phrase of…
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On Psalms 104:27Saint Augustine of Hippo18. “He set forth in them the words of His tokens, and of His wonders in the land of Ham” (ver. 27). We ought not to understand by “the words of His tokens,” words literally, words with which the tokens and wonders were worked, that is, which they uttered, that these tokens and wonders might take place. For many were performed without words, either with a rod, or with outstretched hand, or by ashes sent towards…
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On Psalms 104:28Saint Augustine of Hippo19. “He sent darkness, and made it dark” (ver. 28). This is also written among the plagues with which the Egyptians were smitten. But what followeth, is variously read in different copies. For some have, “and they provoked His words;” while others read, “and they provoked not His words;” but the reading first mentioned we have found in most; while, where the negative particle is added, we could hardly discover…
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On Psalms 104:29–30Saint Augustine of Hippo20. “He turned their waters into blood, and slew their fish” (ver. 29). “He made their land frogs, yea, even in the king’s chambers” (ver. 30): as if he were to say, He turned their land into frogs. For there was so great a multitude of frogs, that this might well be said by hyperbole.
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On Psalms 104:31Saint Augustine of Hippo21. “He spake the word, and there came all manner of flies, and lice in all their quarters” (ver. 31). If it be asked when He spake, it was in His Word before it took place; and there it was, without time, at what time it should take place: although even then He commanded it to be done, when it was to be done, through Angels, and through his servants Moses and Aaron.
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On Psalms 104:32Saint Augustine of Hippo22. He made their rains hail” (ver. 32). It is a similar expression to the former, “He made their land frogs;” except that the whole land was not actually turned into frogs, though the whole of the rain may have been turned into hail. “A burning fire in their land:” understand, “He sent.”
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On Psalms 104:33Saint Augustine of Hippo23. “He smote their vines also and fig-trees; and brake every tree of their coasts” (ver. 33). This was done by the violence of the hail, and by lightnings; whence he spoke of the fire as “burning.”
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On Psalms 104:34Saint Augustine of Hippo24. “He spake the word, and the locust came, and the caterpillar, of which there was no number” (ver. 34). The locusts and the caterpillars are one plague: of which the one is the parent, the other the offspring.
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On Psalms 104:35Saint Augustine of Hippo25. “And did eat up all the grass in their land, and devoured the fruit of the ground” (ver. 35). Even grass is fruit, as Scripture is wont to speak, which calleth even the ripe corn grass; but it wished these two things to harmonize in number with the two which it had spoken of before, that is, the locust and the caterpillar. But the whole of this doth belong to the variety of speech, which is a remedy for…
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On Psalms 104:36Saint Augustine of Hippo26. “He smote every first-born in their land: even the first-fruits of all their strength” (ver. 36). This is the last plague, excepting the death in the Red Sea. “The first-fruits of all their strength,” I imagine to be an expression derived from the first-born of cattle. These plagues are ten in number, but they are not all mentioned, nor in the same order in which they are there read to have happened. For…
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On Psalms 104:37Saint Augustine of Hippo27. Now he addeth this also to the praises of God, that He led the Israelites out of Egypt enriched with silver and gold; because even they were then in such a condition, that they could not as yet despise the just and due, though temporal, reward of their toils.…“He brought them forth also in silver and gold” (ver. 37): this too is a Scripture idiom; for “in silver and gold” is said for the same as if it had…
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On Psalms 104:38Saint Augustine of Hippo28. “Egypt was glad at their departing: for their fear fell upon them” (ver. 38); that is, the fear of the Hebrews upon the Egyptians. For “their fear” is not that with which the Hebrews feared, but that with which they were feared. Some one will say, how then were the Egyptians unwilling to dismiss them? why did they let them go as if they expected them to return? why did they lend them gold and silver, as to…
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On Psalms 104:39Saint Augustine of Hippo29. He now proceedeth to the divine blessings which were conferred upon them as they wandered in the desert. “He spread out a cloud to be their covering: and fire to give them light in the night season” (ver. 39). This is as clear as it is well known.
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On Psalms 104:40Saint Augustine of Hippo30. “They asked, and the quail came” (ver. 40). They did not desire quails, but flesh. But since the quail is flesh, and in this Psalm he speaketh not of the provocation of those who did not please God, but of the faith of the elect, the true seed of Abraham; they are to be understood to have desired that that might come which might crush the murmurs of those who provoked. Then in the next line, “And He filled…
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On Psalms 104:41Saint Augustine of Hippo31. “He opened the rock of stone, and the waters flowed out: so that rivers ran in the dry places” (ver. 41). This fact too is understood as soon as read.
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On Psalms 104:42–44Saint Augustine of Hippo32. But in all these blessings of His, God doth commend in Abraham the merit of faith. For the Psalmist goeth on to say, “For why? He remembered His holy promise, which He made to Abraham His servant” (ver. 42). “And He brought forth His people with joy, and His chosen with gladness” (ver. 43). What he said, “His people,” he has repeated in, “His chosen.” So also what he said, “with joy,” he has repeated in,…
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On Psalms 104:45Open Psalms 104 in the interactive reader Switch translations, hear the chapter read aloud, tap any verse for its patristic commentary, and study the Greek word by word.Saint Augustine of Hippo33. …“That they may keep His statutes, and seek out His law” (ver. 45). Lastly, since by the seed of Abraham he wished those to be understood here, who were truly the seed of Abraham, such as were not wanting even in that people; as the Apostle Paul clearly showeth, when he saith, “But not in all of them was God well pleased;” for if He was not pleased with all, surely there were some in whom He was well pleased:…
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