Psalms 143
Old Testament · Brenton Septuagint with Greek parallel
Psalms chapter 143 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.
9 patristic excerpts are attached to this chapter, from Saint Augustine of Hippo. The translator's notes for this chapter (3) follow the text.
Psalms 143
1(144) A Psalm of David concerning Goliad. Blessed be the Lord my God, who instructs my hands for battle, and my fingers for war.Τῷ Δαυὶδ πρὸς τὸν Γολιάδ. Εὐλογήτος Κύριος ὁ Θεός μου, ὁ διδάσκων τὰς χεῖράς μου εἰς παράταξιν, τοὺς δακτύλους μου εἰς πόλεμον·
2My mercy, and my refuge; my helper, and my deliverer; my protector, in whom I have trusted; who subdues my people under me.Ἔλεός μου καὶ καταφυγή μου, ἀντιλήπτωρ μου καὶ ῥύστης μου, ὑπερασπιστής μου, καὶ ἐπʼ αὐτῷ ἤλπισα, ὁ ὑποτάσσων τὸν λαόν μου ὑπʼ ἐμέ.
3Lord, what is man, that you are made known to him? or the son of man, that you take account of him?Κύριε, τί ἐστιν ἄνθρωπος, ὅτι ἐγνώσθης αὐτῷ; ἢ υἱὸς ἀνθρώπου, ὅτι λογίζῃ αὐτόν;
4Man is like to vanity: his days pass as a shadow.Ἄνθρωπος ματαιότητι ὡμοιώθη, αἱ ἡμέραι αὐτοῦ ὡσεὶ σκιὰ παράγουσι.
5O Lord, bow your heavens, and come down: touch the mountains, and they shall smoke.Κύριε, κλῖνον οὐρανούς σου καὶ κατάβηθι, ἅψαι τῶν ὀρέων καὶ καπνισθήσονται.
6Send lightning, and you shall scatter them: send forth your arrows, and you shall discomfit them.Ἄστραψον ἀστραπὴν καὶ σκορπιεῖς αὐτοὺς, ἐξαπόστειλον τὰ βέλη σου καὶ συνταράξεις αὐτούς.
7Send forth your hand from on high; rescue me, and deliver me out of great * waters, out of the hand of strange children;Ἐξαπόστειλον τὴν χεῖρά σου ἐξ ὕψους, ἐξελοῦ με καὶ ῥῦσαί με ἐξ ὑδάτων πολλῶν, ἐκ χειρὸς υἱῶν ἀλλοτρίων·
8whose mouth has spoken vanity, and their right hand is a right hand of iniquity.ὧν τὸ στόμα ἐλάλησε ματαιότητα, καὶ ἡ δεξιὰ αὐτῶν δεξιὰ ἀδικίας.
9O God, I will sing a new song to you: I will play to you on a lute of ten strings.Ὁ Θεὸς, ᾠδὴν καινὴν ᾄσομαί σοι, ἐν ψαλτηρίῳ δεκαχόρδῳ ψαλῶ σοι·
10Even to him who gives † salvation to kings: who redeems his servant David from the hurtful sword.Τῷ διδόντι τὴν σωτηρίαν τοῖς βασιλεῦσι, τῷ λυτρουμένῳ Δαυὶδ τὸν δοῦλον αὐτοῦ ἐκ ῥομφαίας πονηρᾶς.
11Deliver me, and rescue me from the hand of strange children, whose mouth has spoken vanity, and their right hand is a right hand of iniquity;Ῥῦσαί με καὶ ἐξελοῦ με ἐκ χειρὸς υἱῶν ἀλλοτρίων, ὧν τὸ στόμα ἐλάλησε ματαιότητα, καὶ ἡ δεξιὰ αὐτῶν δεξιὰ ἀδικίας·
12whose children are as plants, strengthened in their youth: their daughters are beautiful, sumptuously adorned after the similitude of a temple.ὧν οἱ υἱοὶ ὡς νεόφυτα ἱδρυμένα ἐν τῇ νεότητι αὐτῶν· αἱ θυγατέρες αὐτῶν κεκαλλωπισμέναι, περικεκοσμημέναι ὡς ὁμοίωμα ναοῦ.
13Their garners are full, and bursting with one kind of store after another; their sheep are prolific, multiplying in their streets.Τὰ ταμεῖα αὐτῶν πλήρη, ἐξερευγόμενα ἐκ τούτου εἰς τοῦτο· τὰ πρόβατα αὐτῶν πολυτόκα, πληθύνοντα ἐν ταῖς ἐξόδοις αὐτῶν·
14Their oxen are fat: there is no falling down of a hedge, nor going out, nor cry in their ‡ folds.Οἱ βόες αὐτῶν παχεῖς· οὐκ ἔστι κατάπτωμα φραγμοῦ, οὐδὲ διέξοδος, οὐδὲ κραυγὴ ἐν ταῖς ἐπαύλεσιν αὐτῶν.
15Men bless the people to whom this lot belongs, but blessed is the people whose God is the Lord.Ἐμακάρισαν τὸν λαὸν ᾧ ταῦτά ἐστι· μακάριος ὁ λαὸς οὗ Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς 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. 7*Gr. many.
- v. 10†Or, victory.
- v. 14‡Or, habitations.
The Fathers on Psalms 143
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 143:1Saint Augustine of Hippo2. “Blessed be the Lord my God, who teacheth my hands for battle, my fingers for war” (ver. 1). These are our words, if we be the Body of Christ. It seems a repetition of sentiment; “our hands for battle,” and “our fingers for war,” are the same. Or is there some difference between “hands” and “fingers”? Certainly both hands and fingers work. Not then without reason do we take “fingers” as put for “hands.” But…
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On Psalms 143:2Saint Augustine of Hippo3. My Mercy and my Refuge, my Upholder and my Deliverer” (ver. 2). Much toileth this combatant, having his flesh lusting against his spirit. Keep what thou hast. Then shalt thou have in full what thou wishest, when “death shall have been swallowed up in victory;” when this mortal body has been raised, and is changed into the condition of the angels, and rises aloft to a heavenly quality.…There is life, there are…
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On Psalms 143:3Saint Augustine of Hippo4. “Lord, what is man, that Thou hast become known unto him?” (ver. 3). All is included in “that Thou hast become known unto him.” “Or the son of man, that Thou valuest him?” Thou valuest him, that is, Thou makest him of such importance, Thou countest him of such price, Thou knowest under what Thou placest him, over what Thou placest him. For valuing is considering the price of a thing. How greatly did He value…
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On Psalms 143:4Saint Augustine of Hippo5. “Man is made like unto vanity: his days pass away like a shadow” (ver. 4). What vanity? Time, which passeth on, and floweth by. For this “vanity” is said in comparison of the Truth, which ever abideth, and never faileth: for it too is a work of His Hand, in its degree. “For,” as it is written, “God filled the earth with His good things.” What is “His”? That accord with Him. But all these things, being earthly,…
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On Psalms 143:5–7Saint Augustine of Hippo6. “Lord, bow Thy heavens, and come down: touch the mountains, and they shall smoke” (ver. 5). “Flash Thy lightning, and Thou shalt scatter them; send forth Thine arrows, and Thou shalt confound them” (ver. 6). “Send forth Thy Hand from above, and deliver me, and draw me out of many waters” (ver. 7). The Body of Christ, the humble David, full of grace, relying on God, fighting in this world, calleth for the help…
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On Psalms 143:8–9Saint Augustine of Hippo7. But there are some that conspire, that “gather themselves together against the Lord, and against His Christ.” They have come together, they have conspired. “Flash forth Thy lightnings, and Thou shalt scatter them.” Abound with Thy miracles, and their conspiracy shall be broken.…“Send forth Thine arrows, and Thou shalt confound them.” Let the unsound be wounded, that, being well wounded, they may be made sound;…
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On Psalms 143:10–11Saint Augustine of Hippo8. “Who giveth salvation to kings, who redeemeth David His servant” (ver. 10). Ye know who David is; be yourselves David. Whence “redeemeth He David His servant”? Whence redeemeth He Christ? Whence redeemeth He the Body of Christ? “From the sword of ill intent deliver me.” “From the sword” is not sufficient; he addeth, “of ill intent.” Without doubt there is a sword of good intent. What is the sword of good…
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On Psalms 143:12–14Saint Augustine of Hippo9. “Whose sons are like young vines firmly planted in their youth” (ver. 12). He wisheth to recount their happiness. Observe, ye sons of light, sons of peace: observe, ye sons of the Church, members of Christ; observe whom he calleth “strangers,” whom he calleth “strange children,” whom he calleth “waters of contradiction,” whom he calleth a “sword of ill intent.” Observe, I beseech you, for among them ye are in…
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On Psalms 143:15Open Psalms 143 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. “They have called the people blessed who have these things” (ver. 15). O men that speak vanity! They have lost the true right hand, wicked and perverse, they have put on the benefits of God inversely. O wicked ones, O speakers of vanity, O strange children! What was on the left hand, they have set on the right. What dost thou, David? What dost thou, Body of Christ? What do ye, members of Christ? What do ye,…
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