Psalms 122
Old Testament · Brenton Septuagint with Greek parallel
Psalms chapter 122 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.
4 patristic excerpts are attached to this chapter, from Saint Augustine of Hippo. The translator's notes for this chapter (1) follow the text.
Psalms 122
1(123) A Song of Degrees. To you who dwell in heaven have I lifted up my eyes.Ὠδὴ τῶν ἀναβαθμῶν. Πρὸς σὲ ᾖρα τοὺς ὀφθαλμούς μου, τὸν κατοικοῦντα ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ.
2Behold, as the eyes of servants are directed to the hands of their masters, and as the eyes of a maidservant to the hands of her mistress; so our eyes are directed to the Lord our God, until he have mercy upon us.Ἰδοὺ ὡς ὀφθαλμοὶ δούλων εἰς χεῖρας τῶν κυρίων αὐτῶν, ὡς ὀφθαλμοὶ παιδίσκης εἰς χεῖρας τῆς κυρίας αὐτῆς, οὕτως οἱ ὀφθαλμοὶ ἡμῶν πρὸς Κύριον τὸν Θεὸν ἡμῶν, ἕως οὗ οἰκτειρῆσαι ἡμᾶς.
3Have pity upon us, O Lord, have pity upon us: for we are exceedingly filled with contempt.Ἐλέησον ἡμᾶς Κύριε, ἐλέησον ἡμᾶς, ὅτι ἐπὶ πολὺ ἐπλήσθημεν ἐξουδενώσεως.
4Yes, our soul has been exceedingly filled with it: * let the reproach be to them that are at ease, and contempt to the proud.Ἐπὶ πλεῖον ἐπλήσθη ἡ ψυχὴ ἡμῶν· τὸ ὄνειδος τοῖς εὐθηνοῦσι καὶ ἡ ἐξουδένωσις τοῖς ὑπερηφάνοις.
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. 4*Or, we are the reproach of them that are at ease.
The Fathers on Psalms 122
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 122:1Saint Augustine of Hippo1. …Let this singer ascend; and let this man sing from the heart of each of you, and let each of you be this man, for when each of you saith this, since ye are all one in Christ, one man saith this; and saith not, “Unto Thee, O Lord, have” we “lift up” our “eyes;” but, “Unto Thee, O Lord, have I lift up mine eyes” (ver. 1). Ye ought indeed to imagine that every one of you is speaking; but that One in an especial…
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On Psalms 122:1Saint Augustine of Hippo4. What then followeth, since he hath said, “Unto Thee do I lift up mine eyes”? (ver. 2). How hast thou lifted up thine eyes? “Behold, even as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their masters, and as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistress: even so our eyes wait upon the Lord our God, until He have mercy upon us.” We are both servants, and a handmaiden: He is both our Master and our Mistress.…
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On Psalms 122:3Saint Augustine of Hippo5. “For we have been much filled with contempt” (ver. 3). All that will live piously according to Christ, must needs suffer reproof, must needs be despised by those who do not choose to live piously, all whose happiness is earthly. They are derided who call that happiness which they cannot see with their eyes, and it is said to them, What believest thou, madman? Dost thou see what thou believest? Hath any one…
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On Psalms 122:4Open Psalms 122 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 Hippo6. “Our soul is filled exceedingly; a reproach to the wealthy, and a contempt to the proud” (ver. 4). We were asking who were “the wealthy:” he hath expounded to thee, in that he hath said, “the proud.” “Reproach” and “contempt” are the same: and “wealthy” is the same with “proud.” It is a repetition of the sentence, “a reproach to the wealthy, and a contempt to the proud.” Why are the proud wealthy? Because they…
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