Psalms 127
Old Testament · Brenton Septuagint with Greek parallel
Psalms chapter 127 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.
6 patristic excerpts are attached to this chapter, from Saint Augustine of Hippo. The translator's notes for this chapter (1) follow the text.
Psalms 127
1(128) A Song of Degrees. Blessed are all they that fear the Lord; who walk in his ways.Ὠδὴ τῶν ἀναβαθμῶν. Μακάριοι πάντες οἱ φοβούμενοι τὸν Κύριον, οἱ πορευόμενοι ἐν ταῖς ὁδοῖς αὐτοῦ.
2You shall eat the * labors of your hands: blessed are you, and it shall be well with you.Τοὺς πόνους τῶν καρπῶν σου φάγεσαι· μακάριος εἶ καὶ καλῶς σοι ἔσται.
3Your wife shall be as a fruitful vine on the sides of your house: your children as young olive-plants round about your table.Ἡ γυνή σου ὡς ἄμπελος εὐθηνοῦσα ἐν ταῖς κλίτεσι τῆς οἰκίας σου· οἱ υἱοί σου ὡς νεόφυτα ἐλαιῶν κύκλῳ τῆς τραπέζης σου.
4Behold, thus shall the man be blessed that fears the Lord.Ἰδοὺ οὕτως εὐλογηθήσεται ἄνθρωπος ὁ φοβούμενος τὸν Κύριον.
5May the Lord bless you out of Sion; and may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem all the days of your life.Εὐλογήσαι σε Κύριος ἐκ Σιὼν, καὶ ἴδοις τὰ ἀγαθὰ Ἱερουσαλὴμ πάσας τὰς ἡμέρας τῆς ζωῆς σου·
6And may you see your children's children. Peace be upon Israel.Καὶ ἴδοις υἱοὺς τῶν υἱῶν σου· εἰρήνη ἐπὶ τὸν Ἰσραήλ.
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. 2*Alex. fruits of your labors.
The Fathers on Psalms 127
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 127:1Saint Augustine of Hippo2. “Blessed are all they that fear the Lord, and walk in His ways” (ver. 1). He speaketh to many; but since these many are one in Christ, in the next words he speaketh in the singular: “For thou shalt eat the labours of thy fruits.”…When I speak of Christians in the plural, I understand one in the One Christ. Ye are therefore many, and ye are one; we are many, and we are one. How are we many, and yet one? Because…
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On Psalms 127:2Saint Augustine of Hippo3. “Thou shalt eat the labours of thy fruits” (ver. 2). And ye, O thou, ye many who are One, “Thou shalt eat of the labours of thy fruits.” He seemeth to speak perversely to those who understand not: for he should have said, thou shalt eat the fruit of thy labours. For many eat the fruit of their labours. They labour in the vineyard; they eat not the toil itself; but what ariseth from their labour they eat. They…
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On Psalms 127:3Saint Augustine of Hippo4. Let us now come to the words, “Thy wife” (ver. 3): it is said unto Christ. His wife, therefore, is the Church: His Church, His wife, we ourselves are. “As a fruitful vineyard.” But in whom is the vineyard fruitful? For we see many barren ones entering those walls; we see that many intemperate, usurious persons, slave dealers, enter these walls, and such as resort to fortune-tellers, go to enchanters and…
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On Psalms 127:4Saint Augustine of Hippo6. …Such children ought therefore to be “around” the Lord’s “table, like olive-branches.” A complete Vine it is, a great bliss: who would now refuse to be there? When thou seest any blasphemer have a wife, children, grandchildren, and thyself perchance without them, envy them not; discern that the promise hath been fulfilled in thee also, but spiritually. If therefore we have, why have we? Because we fear the…
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On Psalms 127:5Saint Augustine of Hippo7. “The Lord from out of Sion bless thee: and mayest thou see thee good things that are of Jerusalem” (ver. 5). Even to the birds was it said, “Be fruitful and multiply.” Dost thou wish to hold as a great blessing what was given unto birds? Who can be ignorant, that it was given indeed by the voice of God? But use these goods, if thou receive them; and rather think how thou mayest nourish those who have been…
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On Psalms 127:6Open Psalms 127 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 Hippo8. For, “if in this life only,” saith the Apostle, “we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.” For what reason were the Martyrs condemned to beasts? What is that good? Can it be declared? by what means, or what tongue can tell it? or what ears can hear it? That indeed, “Neither ear hath heard, nor hath it entered into man’s heart:” only let us love, only let us grow in grace: ye see, then, that…
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