Psalms 128
Old Testament · Brenton Septuagint with Greek parallel
Psalms chapter 128 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.
7 patristic excerpts are attached to this chapter, from Saint Augustine of Hippo. The translator's notes for this chapter (1) follow the text.
Psalms 128
1A Song of Degrees. Many a time have they warred against me from my youth, let Israel now say:Ὠδὴ τῶν ἀναβαθμῶν. Πλεονάκις ἐπολέμησάν με ἐκ νεότητός μου, εἰπάτω δὴ Ἰσραήλ·
2Many a time have they warred against me from my youth: and yet they prevailed not against me.Πλεονάκις ἐπολέμησάν με ἐκ νεότητός μου, καὶ γὰρ οὐκ ἠδυνήθησάν μοι.
3The sinners wrought upon my back: they prolonged their * iniquity.Ἐπὶ τὸν νῶτόν μου ἐτέκταινον οἱ ἁμαρτωλοὶ, ἐμάκρυναν τὴν ἀνομίαν αὐτῶν.
4The righteous Lord has cut asunder the necks of sinners.Κύριος δίκαιος συνέκοψεν αὐχένας ἁμαρτωλῶν.
5Let all that hate Sion be put to shame and turned back.Αἰσχυνθήτωσαν καὶ ἀποστραφήτωσαν εἰς τὰ ὀπίσω πάντες οἱ μισοῦντες Σιών.
6Let them be as the grass of the housetops, which withers before it is plucked up.Γενηθήτωσαν ὡσεὶ χόρτος δωμάτων, ὃς πρὸ τοῦ ἐκσπασθῆναι ἐξηράνθη·
7Wherewith the reaper fills not his hand, nor he that makes up the sheaves, his bosom.Οὗ οὐκ ἐπλήρωσεν τὴν χεῖρα αὐτοῦ ὁ θερίζων, καὶ τὸν κόλπον αὐτοῦ ὁ τὰ δράγματα συλλέγων.
8Neither do they that go by say, The blessing of the Lord be upon you: we have blessed you in the name of the Lord.Καὶ οὐκ εἶπαν οἱ παράγοντες, εὐλογία Κυρίου ἐφʼ ὑμᾶς, εὐλογήκαμεν ὑμᾶς ἐν ὀνόματι 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*שיך iniquity, easily read for שוכה a furrow.
The Fathers on Psalms 128
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 128:2Saint Augustine of Hippo2. “Many a time have they fought against me from my youth up” (ver. 1). The Church speaketh of those whom She endureth: and as if it were asked, “Is it now?” The Church is of ancient birth: since saints have been so called, the Church hath been on earth. At one time the Church was in Abel only, and he was fought against by his wicked and lost brother Cain. At one time the Church was in Enoch alone: and he was…
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On Psalms 128:2Saint Augustine of Hippo3. “Now may Israel say.” She now seemeth to be speaking of herself: for she seemed not to have commenced herself, but to have answered. But to whom hath she replied? To them that think and say, How great evils do we endure, how great are the scandals that every day thicken, as the wicked enter into the Church, and we have to endure them? But let the Church reply through some, that is, through the voice of the…
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On Psalms 128:3Saint Augustine of Hippo4. “Upon my back have sinners built; they have done their iniquity afar off” (ver. 3). Why have they fought against me? Because “they could not prevail upon me.” What is this? They could not build upon me. I consented not with them unto sin. For every wicked man persecuteth the good on this account, because the good man consenteth not with him to evil. Suppose he do some evil, and the Bishop censure him not, the…
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On Psalms 128:4Saint Augustine of Hippo7. “The righteous Lord shall hew the necks of the sinners” (ver. 4).…Which of us doth not fix his eyes upon the earth, like the Publican, and say, “Lord, be merciful unto me a sinner”? If therefore all are sinners, and none is found without sin; all must fear the sword that hangs above their neck, because “the righteous Lord shall hew the necks of the sinners.” I do not imagine, my brethren, of all sinners; but…
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On Psalms 128:5Saint Augustine of Hippo8. “Let them be confounded and turned backward, as many as have evil will at Sion” (ver. 5). They who hate Sion, hate the Church: Sion is the Church. And they who hypocritically enter into the Church, hate the Church. They who refuse to keep the Word of God, hate the Church: “Upon my back have they built:” what will the Church do, save endure the burden even unto the end?
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On Psalms 128:6–7Saint Augustine of Hippo9. But what saith he of them? The next words are, “Let them be even as the grass of the house tops: that withereth before it be plucked up” (ver. 6). The grass of the house tops is that which groweth on house tops, on a tiled roof: it is seen on high, and hath not a root. How much better would it be if it grew lower, and how much more joyfully would it bloom? As it is, it riseth higher to a quicker withering. It…
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On Psalms 128:8Open Psalms 128 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. “So that they who go by say not so much as, The blessing of the Lord be upon you: we have blessed you in the name of the Lord” (ver. 8). For ye know, brethren, when men pass by others at work, it is customary to address them, “The blessing of the Lord be upon you.” And this was especially the custom in the Jewish nation. No one passed by and saw any one doing any work in the field, or in the vineyard, or in…
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