Psalms 129
Old Testament · Brenton Septuagint with Greek parallel
Psalms chapter 129 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.
5 patristic excerpts are attached to this chapter, from Saint Augustine of Hippo. The translator's notes for this chapter (2) follow the text.
Psalms 129
1(130) A Song of Degrees. Out of the depths have I cried to you, O Lord.Ὠδὴ τῶν ἀναβαθμῶν. Ἐκ βαθέων ἐκέκραξά σοι Κύριε.
2O Lord, listen to my voice; let your ears be attentive to the voice of my supplication.Κύριε εἰσάκουσον τῆς φωνῆς μου· γενηθήτω τὰ ὦτά σου προσέχοντα εἰς τὴν φωνὴν τῆς δεήσεώς μου.
3If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand?Ἐὰν ἀνομίας παρατηρήσῃς Κύριε, Κύριε, τίς ὑποστήσεται;
4For with you is * forgiveness: for your † name's sakeὍτι παρὰ σοὶ ὁ ἱλασμός ἐστιν· ἕνεκεν τοῦ ὀνόματός σου
5have I waited for you, O Lord, my soul has waited for your word.ὑπέμεινά σε Κύριε, ὑπέμεινεν ἡ ψυχή μου εἰς τὸν λόγον σου,
6My soul has hoped in the Lord; from the morning watch till night.ἤλπισεν ἡ ψυχή μου ἐπὶ τὸν Κύριον· ἀπὸ φυλακῆς πρωΐας μέχρι νυκτός,
7Let Israel hope in the Lord: for with the Lord is mercy, and with him is plenteous redemption.Ἐλπισάτω Ἰσραὴλ ἐπὶ τὸν Κύριον· ὅτι παρὰ τῷ Κυρίῳ τὸ ἔλεος, καὶ πολλὴ παρ αὐτῷ λύτρωσις.
8And he shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities.Καὶ αὐτὸς λυτρώσεται τὸν Ἰσραὴλ ἐκ πασῶν τῶν ἀνομιῶν αὐτοῦ.
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, propitiation.
- v. 4†See Gen 31:53. * 130: Alex. + 'for David.'
The Fathers on Psalms 129
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 129:1Saint Augustine of Hippo1. “Out of the deep have I called unto Thee, O Lord: Lord, hear my voice” (ver. 1). Jonas cried from the deep; from the whale’s belly. He was not only beneath the waves, but also in the entrails of the beast; nevertheless, those waves and that body prevented not his prayer from reaching God, and the beast’s belly could not contain the voice of his prayer. It penetrated all things, it burst through all things, it…
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On Psalms 129:2–3Saint Augustine of Hippo2. “Lord, hear my voice. O let Thine ears consider well the voice of my complaint” (ver. 2). Whence doth he cry? From the deep. Who is it then who crieth? A sinner. And with what hope doth he cry? Because He who came to absolve from sins, gave hope even to the sinner down in the deep. What therefore followeth after these words: “If Thou, Lord, wilt be extreme to mark what is amiss, O Lord, who may abide it?”…
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On Psalms 129:4Saint Augustine of Hippo3. But wherefore is there hope? “For there is propitiation with Thee” (ver. 4). And what is this propitiation, except sacrifice? And what is sacrifice, save that which hath been offered for us? The pouring forth of innocent blood blotted out all the sins of the guilty: so great a price paid down redeemed all captives from the hand of the enemy who captured them. “With Thee,” then, “there is propitiation.” For if…
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On Psalms 129:6Saint Augustine of Hippo4. We therefore trust without fear on the word of Him who cannot deceive. “My soul hath trusted in the Lord, from the morning watch even unto night” (ver. 5). This morning watch is the end of night. We must therefore understand it so that we may not suppose we are to trust in the Lord for one day only. What do you conceive to be the sense, then, brethren? The words mean this: that the Lord, through whom our sins…
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On Psalms 129:7–8Open Psalms 129 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 with the Lord there is mercy, and with Him is plenteous redemption” (ver. 7). Admirable! This could not have been better said in its own place, on account of the words, “From the morning watch.” Wherefore? Because the Lord rose again from the morning watch; and the body ought to hope for that which went before in the Head. But, lest this thought should be suggested: The Head might rise again, because It…
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