Psalms 135
Old Testament · Brenton Septuagint with Greek parallel
Psalms chapter 135 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.
Psalms 135
1(136) Alleluia. Give thanks to the Lord: for he is good: for his mercy endures for ever.Ἀλληλούϊα. Ἐξομολογεῖσθε τῷ Κυρίῳ, ὅτι ἀγαθὸς, ὅτι εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα τὸ ἔλεος αὐτοῦ.
2Give thanks to the God of gods; for his mercy endures for ever.Ἐξομολογεῖσθε τῷ Θεῷ τῶν θεῶν, ὅτι εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα τὸ ἔλεος αὐτοῦ.
3Give thanks to the Lord of lords: for his mercy endures for ever.Ἐξομολογεῖσθε τῷ Κυρίῳ τῶν κυρίων, ὅτι εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα τὸ ἔλεος αὐτοῦ.
4To him who alone has wrought great wonders: for his mercy endures for ever.Τῷ ποιήσαντι θαυμάσια μεγάλα μόνῳ, ὅτι εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα τὸ ἔλεος αὐτοῦ.
5To him who made the heavens by understanding; for his mercy endures for ever.Τῷ ποιήσαντι τοὺς οὐρανοὺς ἐν συνέσει, ὅτι εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα τὸ ἔλεος αὐτοῦ.
6To him who established the earth on the waters; for his mercy endures for ever.Τῷ στερεώσαντι τὴν γῆν ἐπὶ τῶν ὑδάτων, ὅτι εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα τὸ ἔλεος αὐτοῦ.
7To him who alone made great lights; for his mercy endures for ever.Τῷ ποιήσαντι φῶτα μεγάλα μόνῳ, ὅτι εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα τὸ ἔλεος αὐτοῦ.
8The sun to rule by day; for his mercy endures for ever.Τὸν ἥλιον εἰς ἐξουσίαν τῆς ἡμέρας, ὅτι εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα τὸ ἔλεος αὐτοῦ·
9The moon and the stars to rule the night; for his mercy endures for ever.Τὴν σελήνην καὶ τοὺς ἀστέρας εἰς ἐξουσίαν τῆς νυκτός, ὅτι εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα τὸ ἔλεος αὐτοῦ.
10To him who struck Egypt with their firstborn; for his mercy endures for ever.Τῷ πατάξαντι Αἴγυπτον σὺν τοῖς πρωτοτόκοις αὐτῶν, ὅτι εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα τὸ ἔλεος αὐτοῦ.
11And brought Israel out of the midst of them; for his mercy endures for ever:Καὶ ἐξαγαγόντι τὸν Ἰσραὴλ ἐκ μέσου αὐτῶν, ὅτι εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα τὸ ἔλεος αὐτοῦ·
12with a strong hand, and a high arm: for his mercy endures for ever.Ἐν χειρὶ κραταιᾷ καὶ ἐν βραχίονι ὑψηλῷ, ὅτι εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα τὸ ἔλεος αὐτοῦ.
13To him who divided the Red Sea into parts: for his mercy endures for ever:Τῷ καταδιελόντι τὴν ἐρυθρὰν θάλασσαν εἰς διαιρέσεις, ὅτι εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα τὸ ἔλεος αὐτοῦ·
14and brought Israel through the midst of it: for his mercy endures for ever:Καὶ διαγαγόντι τὸν Ἰσραὴλ διὰ μέσου αὐτῆς, ὅτι εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα τὸ ἔλεος αὐτοῦ·
15and overthrew Pharao and his host in the Red Sea: for his mercy endures for ever.Καὶ ἐκτινάξαντι Φαραὼ καὶ τὴν δύναμιν αὐτοῦ εἰς θάλασσαν ἐρυθράν, ὅτι εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα τὸ ἔλεος αὐτοῦ.
16To him who led his people through the wilderness: for his mercy endures for ever.Τῷ διαγαγόντι τὸν λαὸν αὐτοῦ ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ, ὅτι εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα τὸ ἔλεος αὐτοῦ.
17To him who struck great kings: for his mercy endures for ever:Τῷ πατάξαντι βασιλεῖς μεγάλους, ὅτι εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα τὸ ἔλεος αὐτοῦ.
18and killed mighty kings; for his mercy endures for ever:Καὶ ἀποκτείναντι βασιλεῖς κραταιούς, ὅτι εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα τὸ ἔλεος αὐτοῦ.
19Seon king of the Amorites: for his mercy endures for ever:Τὸν Σηὼν βασιλέα τῶν Ἀμοῤῥαίων, ὅτι εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα τὸ ἔλεος αὐτοῦ.
20and Og king of Basan: for his mercy endures for ever:Καὶ τὸν Ὢγ βασιλέα τῆς Βασάν, ὅτι εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα τὸ ἔλεος αὐτοῦ.
21and gave their land for an inheritance: for his mercy endures for ever:Καὶ δόντι τὴν γῆν αὐτῶν κληρονομίαν, ὅτι εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα τὸ ἔλεος αὐτοῦ·
22even an inheritance to Israel his servant: for his mercy endures for ever.κληρονομίαν Ἰσραὴλ δούλῳ αὐτοῦ, ὅτι εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα τὸ ἔλεος αὐτοῦ.
23For the Lord remembered us in our low estate; for his mercy endures for ever:Ὅτι ἐν τῇ ταπεινώσει ἡμῶν ἐμνήσθη ἡμῶν ὁ Κύριος, ὅτι εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα τὸ ἔλεος αὐτοῦ.
24and redeemed us from our enemies; for his mercy endures for ever.Καὶ ἐλυτρώσατο ἡμᾶς ἐκ τῶν ἐχθρῶν ἡμῶν, ὅτι εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα τὸ ἔλεος αὐτοῦ.
25Who gives food to all flesh; for his mercy endures for ever.Ὁ διδοὺς τροφὴν πάσῃ σαρκὶ, ὅτι εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα τὸ ἔλεος αὐτοῦ.
26Give thanks to the God of heaven; for his mercy endures for ever.Ἐξομολογεῖσθε τῷ Θεῷ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, ὅτι εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα τὸ ἔλεος αὐτοῦ.
The Fathers on Psalms 135
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 135:1Saint Augustine of Hippo1. “Give thanks unto the Lord, for He is good, for His mercy endureth for ever” (ver. 1). This Psalm contains the praise of God, and all its verses finish in the same way. Wherefore although many things are related here in praise of God, yet His mercy is most commended; for without this plain commendation, he, whom the Holy Spirit used to utter this Psalm, would have no verse be ended. Although after the…
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On Psalms 135:2–3Saint Augustine of Hippo2. Then follows, “Give thanks to the God of gods, for His mercy endureth for ever” (ver. 2). “Give thanks to the Lord of lords, for His mercy endureth for ever” (ver. 3). We may well enquire, Who are these gods and lords, of whom He who is the true God is God and Lord? And we find written in another Psalm, that even men are called gods. The Lord even takes note of this testimony in the Gospel, saying, “Is it not…
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On Psalms 135:4Saint Augustine of Hippo4. Let us therefore “give thanks to the God of gods, and the Lord of lords, for His mercy,” etc. “Who alone did wonderful things” (ver. 4). As at the last part of every verse, it is written, “For His mercy endureth for ever,” so we must understand at the beginning of each, though it be not written, “Give thanks.” Which indeed in the Greek is very plain. It would be so in Latin, if our translators had been able to…
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On Psalms 135:5–10Saint Augustine of Hippo5. But what meaneth, “who alone doeth great wonders”? Is it because many wonderful things He hath done by means of angels and men? Some wonderful things there are which God doeth alone, and these he enumerates, saying, “who by His wisdom made the heavens” (ver. 5), “who stretched out the earth above the waters” (ver. 6), “who alone made great lights” (ver. 7). For this reason did he add “alone” in this verse…
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On Psalms 135:11–26Open Psalms 135 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 Hippo9. “Who brought out Israel from the midst of them” (ver. 11). He brought out also His saints and faithful ones from the midst of the wicked. “With a mighty Hand and stretched-out Arm” (ver. 12). What more powerful, what more out-stretched, than that of which is said “To whom is the Arm of the Lord revealed?” “Who divided the Red Sea in two parts” (ver. 13). He divided also in such wise, that the same baptism…
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