Psalms 106
Old Testament · Brenton Septuagint with Greek parallel
Psalms chapter 106 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.
9 patristic excerpts are attached to this chapter, from Saint Augustine of Hippo. The translator's notes for this chapter (5) follow the text.
Psalms 106
1(107) Alleluia. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his mercy endures for ever.Ἀλληλούϊα. Ἐξομολογεῖσθε τῷ Κυρίῳ, ὅτι χρηστὸς, ὅτι εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα τὸ ἔλεος αὐτοῦ.
2Let them say so who have been redeemed by the Lord, whom he has redeemed from the hand of the enemy;Εἰπάτωσαν οἱ λελυτρωμένοι ὑπὸ Κυρίου, οὓς ἐλυτρώσατο ἐκ χειρὸς ἐχθροῦ,
3and gathered them out of the countries, from the east, and west, and north, and * south.καὶ ἐκ τῶν χωρῶν συνήγαγεν αὐτούς· ἀπὸ ἀνατολῶν, καὶ δυσμῶν, καὶ βοῤῥᾶ, καὶ θαλάσσης.
4They wandered in the wilderness in a dry land; they found no way to a city of habitation.Ἐπλανήθησαν ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ ἐν ἀνύδρῳ· ὁδὸν πόλεως κατοικητηρίου οὐχ εὗρον·
5Hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted in them.Πεινῶντες καὶ διψῶντες, ἡ ψυχὴ αὐτῶν ἐν αὐτοῖς ἐξέλιπε.
6Then they cried to the Lord in their affliction, and he delivered them out of their distresses.Καὶ ἐκέκραξαν πρὸς Κύριον ἐν τῷ θλίβεσθαι αὐτοὺς, καὶ ἐκ τῶν ἀναγκῶν αὐτῶν ἐῤῥύσατο αὐτούς·
7And he guided them into a straight path, that they might go to a city of habitation.Καὶ ὡδήγησεν αὐτοὺς εἰς ὁδὸν εὐθεῖαν, τοῦ πορευθῆναι εἰς πόλιν κατοικητηρίου.
8Let them acknowledge to the Lord his mercies, and his wonderful works to the children of men.Ἐξομολογησάσθωσαν τῷ Κυρίῳ τὰ ἐλέη αὐτοῦ, καὶ τὰ θαυμάσια αὐτοῦ τοῖς υἱοῖς τῶν ἀνθρώπων.
9For he satisfies the empty soul, and fills the hungry soul with good things,Ὅτι ἐχόρτασε ψυχὴν κενὴν, καὶ πεινῶσαν ἐνέπλησεν ἀγαθῶν.
10even them that sit in darkness and the shadow of death, fettered in poverty and iron;Καθημένους ἐν σκότει καὶ σκιᾷ θανάτου, πεπεδημένους ἐν πτωχείᾳ καὶ σιδήρῳ·
11because they † rebelled against the words of God, and provoked the counsel of the Most High.Ὅτι παρεπίκραναν τὰ λόγια τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ τὴν βουλὴν τοῦ ὑψίστου παρώξυναν·
12So their heart was brought low with troubles; they were weak, and there was no helper.Καὶ ἐταπεινώθη ἐν κόποις ἡ καρδία αὐτῶν, ἠσθένησαν καὶ οὐκ ἦν ὁ βοηθῶν.
13Then they cried to the Lord in their affliction, and he saved them out of their distresses.Καὶ ἐκέκραξαν πρὸς Κύριον ἐν τῷ θλίβεσθαι αὐτοὺς, καὶ ἐκ τῶν ἀναγκῶν αὐτῶν ἔσωσεν αὐτούς.
14And he brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and broke their bonds asunder.Καὶ ἐξήγαγεν αὐτοὺς ἐκ σκότους καὶ σκιᾶς θανάτου, καὶ τοὺς δεσμοὺς αὐτῶν διέῤῥηξεν.
15Let them acknowledge to the Lord his mercies, and his wonders to the children of men.Ἐξομολογησάσθωσαν τῷ Κυρίῳ τὰ ἐλέη αὐτοῦ, καὶ τὰ θαυμάσια αὐτοῦ τοῖς υἱοῖς τῶν ἀνθρώπων.
16For he broke to pieces the brazen gates, and crushed the iron bars.Ὅτι συνέτριψε πύλας χαλκᾶς, καὶ μοχλοὺς σιδηροὺς συνέθλασεν.
17‡ He helped them out of the way of their iniquity; for they were brought low because of their iniquities.Ἀντελάβετο αὐτῶν ἐξ ὁδοῦ ἀνομίας αὐτῶν, διὰ γὰρ τὰς ἀνομίας αὐτῶν ἐταπεινώθησαν.
18Their soul abhorred all meat; and they drew near to the gates of death.Πᾶν βρῶμα ἐβδελύξατο ἡ ψυχὴ αὐτῶν, καὶ ἤγγισαν ἕως τῶν πυλῶν τοῦ θανάτου.
19Then they cried to the Lord in their affliction, and he saved them out of their distresses.Καὶ ἐκέκραξαν πρὸς Κύριον ἐν τῷ θλίβεσθαι αὐτοὺς, καὶ ἐκ τῶν ἀναγκῶν αὐτῶν ἔσωσεν αὐτούς.
20He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them out of their destructions.Ἀπέστειλε τὸν λόγον αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἰάσατο αὐτοὺς, καὶ ἐῤῥύσατο αὐτοὺς ἐκ τῶν διαφθορῶν αὐτῶν.
21Let them acknowledge to the Lord his mercies, and his wonderful works to the children of men.Ἐξομολογησάσθωσαν τῷ Κυρίῳ τὰ ἐλέη αὐτοῦ, καὶ τὰ θαυμάσια αὐτοῦ τοῖς υἱοῖς τῶν ἀνθρώπων·
22And let them offer to him the sacrifice of praise, and proclaim this works with exultation.Καὶ θυσάτωσαν αὐτῷ θυσίαν αἰνέσεως, καὶ ἐξαγγειλάτωσαν τὰ ἔργα αὐτοῦ ἐν ἀγαλλιάσει.
23They that go down to the sea in ships, doing business in many waters;Οἱ καταβαίνοντες εἰς θάλασσαν ἐν πλοίοις, ποιοῦντες ἐργασίαν ἐν ὕδασι πολλοῖς,
24these men have seen the works of the Lord, and his wonders in the deep.αὐτοὶ εἶδον τὰ ἔργα Κυρίου, καὶ τὰ θαυμάσια αὐτοῦ ἐν τῷ βυθῷ.
25He speaks, and the stormy wind arises, and its waves are lifted up.Εἶπε, καὶ ἔστη πνεῦμα καταιγίδος, καὶ ὑψώθη τὰ κύματα αὐτῆς.
26They go up to the heavens, and go down to the depths; their soul melts because of troubles.Ἀναβαίνουσιν ἕως τῶν οὐρανῶν, καὶ καταβαίνουσιν ἕως τῶν ἀβύσσων· ἡ ψυχὴ αὐτῶν ἐν κακοῖς ἐτήκετο,
27They are troubled, they stagger as a drunkard, and all their wisdom is swallowed up.ἐταράχθησαν, ἐσαλεύθησαν ὡς ὁ μεθύων, καὶ πᾶσα ἡ σοφία αὐτῶν κατεπόθη.
28Then they cry to the Lord in their affliction, and he brings them out of their distresses.Καὶ ἐκέκραξαν πρὸς Κύριον ἐν τῷ θλίβεσθαι αὐτοὺς, καὶ ἐκ τῶν ἀναγκῶν αὐτῶν ἐξήγαγεν αὐτούς.
29And he commands the storm, and it is calmed into a gentle breeze, and its waves are still.Καὶ ἐπέταξε τῇ καταιγίδι, καὶ ἔστη εἰς αὖραν, καὶ ἐσίγησαν τὰ κύματα αὐτῆς.
30And they are glad, because they are quiet; and he guides them to their desire haven.Καὶ εὐφράνθησαν, ὅτι ἡσύχασαν, καὶ ὡδήγησεν αὐτοὺς ἐπὶ λιμένα θελήματος αὐτῶν.
31Let them acknowledge to the Lord his mercies, and his wonderful works to the children of men.Ἐξομολογησάσθωσαν τῷ Κυρίῳ τὰ ἐλέη αὐτοῦ, καὶ τὰ θαυμάσια αὐτοῦ τοῖς υἱοῖς τῶν ἀνθρώπων.
32Let them exalt him in the congregation of the people, and praise him in the seat of the elders.Ὑψωσάτωσαν αὐτὸν ἐν ἐκκλησίᾳ λαοῦ, καὶ ἐν καθέδρᾳ πρεσβυτέρων αἰνεσάτωσαν αὐτόν.
33He turns rivers into a desert, and streams of § water into ** a dry land;Ἔθετο ποταμοὺς εἰς ἐρήμον, καὶ διεξόδους ὑδάτων εἰς δίψαν·
34a fruitful land into saltness, for the wickedness of them that dwell in it.Γῆν καρποφόρον εἰς ἅλμην, ἀπὸ κακίας τῶν κατοικούντων ἐν αὐτῇ.
35He turns a wilderness into pools of water, and a dry land into streams of water.Ἔθετο ἔρημον εἰς λίμνας ὑδάτων, καὶ γῆν ἄνυδρον εἰς διεξόδους ὑδάτων.
36And there he causes the hungry to dwell, and they establish for themselves cities of habitation.Καὶ κατῴκισεν ἐκεῖ πεινῶντας, καὶ συνεστήσαντο πόλεις κατοικεσίας·
37And they sow fields, and plant vineyards, and they yield fruit of increase.Καὶ ἔσπειραν ἀγροὺς, καὶ ἐφύτευσαν ἀμπελῶνας, καὶ ἐποίησαν καρπὸν γεννήματος.
38And he blesses them, and they multiply exceedingly, and he diminishes not the number of their cattle.Καὶ εὐλόγησεν αὐτοὺς, καὶ ἐπληθύνθησαν σφόδρα, καὶ τὰ κτήνη αὐτῶν οὐκ ἐσμίκρυνε.
39Again they become few, and are brought low, by the pressure of evils and pain.Καὶ ὠλιγώθησαν καὶ ἐκακώθησαν ἀπὸ θλίψεως κακῶν καὶ ὀδύνης.
40Contempt is poured upon their princes, and he causes them to wander in a desert and trackless land.Ἐξεχύθη ἐξουδένωσις ἐπʼ ἄρχοντας αὐτῶν, καὶ ἐπλάνησεν αὐτοὺς ἐν ἀβάτῳ καὶ οὐχ ὁδῷ.
41But he helps the poor out of poverty, and makes him families as a flock.Καὶ ἐβοήθησε πένητι ἐκ πτωχείας, καὶ ἔθετο ὡς πρόβατα πατριάς·
42The upright shall see and rejoice; and all iniquity shall stop her mouth.Ὄψονται εὐθεῖς καὶ εὐφρανθήσονται, καὶ πᾶσα ἀνομία ἐμφράξει τὸ στόμα αὐτῆς.
43Who is wise, and will observe these things, and understand the mercies of the Lord?Τίς σοφὸς καὶ φυλάξει ταῦτα, καὶ συνήσει τὰ ἐλέη τοῦ Κυρίου;
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. 3*Gr. sea.
- v. 11†Gr. embittered the oracles.
- v. 17‡see the Hebrew.
- v. 33§Gr. waters.
- v. 33**Gr. thirst.
The Fathers on Psalms 106
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 106:1Saint Augustine of Hippo2. “Confess unto the Lord that He is sweet, because for aye in His mercy” (ver. 1). This confess ye that He is sweet: if ye have tasted, confess. But he cannot confess, who hath not chosen to taste, for whence shall he say that that is sweet, which he knoweth not. But ye if ye have tasted how sweet the Lord is, “Confess ye to the Lord that He is sweet.” If ye have tasted with eagerness, break forth with…
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On Psalms 106:2–3Saint Augustine of Hippo3. “Let them say who are redeemed of the Lord, whom He hath redeemed from the hand of their enemies” (ver. 2). Redeemed indeed it seems was also the people of Israel from the land of Egypt, from the hand of slavery, from fruitless labours, from miry works; yet let us see whether those who say these things, are they who were freed by the Lord from Egypt. It is not so. But who are they? “Those whom He redeemed.”…
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On Psalms 106:4–9Saint Augustine of Hippo4. “They wandered in the wilderness, in a dry place, they found not the way of a city to dwell in” (ver. 4). We have heard a wretched wandering; what of want? “Hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted in them” (ver. 5). But wherefore did it faint? for what good? For God is not cruel, but He maketh Himself known, in that it is expedient for us, that He be entreated by us fainting, and that aiding us He be loved. And…
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On Psalms 106:10–17Saint Augustine of Hippo5. “Them that sit in darkness, and in the shadow of death, fast bound in beggary and iron” (ver. 10). Whence this, but that thou wast attributing things to thyself? that thou wast not owning the grace of God? that thou wast rejecting the counsel of God concerning thee? For see what He addeth: “Because they rebelled against the words of the Lord through pride” (ver. 11), not knowing the righteousness of God, and…
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On Psalms 106:18–22Saint Augustine of Hippo6. “Their soul abhorred all manner of meat” (ver. 18). Now they suffer satiety. They are sick of satiety. They are in danger from satiety. Unless perchance thou thinkest they could be killed with famine, but cannot with satiety. See what followeth. When he had said, “Their soul abhorred all manner of meat,” lest thou shouldest think them, as it were, safe of their fulness, and not rather see that they would die…
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On Psalms 106:23–31Saint Augustine of Hippo7. …“They who go down on the sea in ships, doing their business on the mighty waters” (ver. 23); that is, amongst many peoples. For that waters are often put for peoples, the Apocalypse of John is witness, when on John’s asking what those waters were, it was answered him, they are peoples. They then who do their business on mighty waters, “they have seen the works of the Lord, and His wonders in the deep” (ver.…
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On Psalms 106:32–38Saint Augustine of Hippo8. “And let them exalt Him in the assembly of the people, and praise Him in the seat of the elders” (ver. 32). Let them exalt, let them praise, peoples and elders, merchants and pilots. For what hath He done in this assembly? What hath He established? Whence hath He rescued it? What hath He granted it? Even as He resisted the proud, and gave grace to the humble: the proud, that is, the first people of the Jews,…
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On Psalms 106:39–42Saint Augustine of Hippo9. “And they became few, and were vexed” (ver. 39). Whence this? From athwart? Nay, from within. For that they should “become few,” “They went out from us, but they were not of us.” But therefore he speaketh as of these, of whom he spake before, that they may be discerned with understanding; because he speaketh as if of the same, because of the sacraments they have in common. For they belong to the people of God,…
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On Psalms 106:43Open Psalms 106 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 Hippo10. “Who is wise? and he will consider these things; and will understand the mercies of the Lord” (ver. 43).…Not his own deservings, not his own strength, not his own power; but “the mercies of the Lord;” who, when he was wandering and in want, led him back to the path, and fed him; who, when he was struggling against the difficulties of his sins, and bound down with the fetters of habit, released and freed him;…
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