Psalms 149
Old Testament · Brenton Septuagint with Greek parallel
Psalms chapter 149 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 (2) follow the text.
Psalms 149
1Alleluia. Sing to the Lord a new song: his praise is in the assembly of the saints.Ἀλληλούϊα. Ἄσατε τῷ Κυρίῳ ᾆσμα καινόν· ἡ αἴνεσις αὐτοῦ ἐν ἐκκλησίᾳ ὁσίων.
2Let Israel rejoice in him that made him; and let the children of Sion exult in their king.Εὐφρανθήτω Ἰσραὴλ ἐπὶ τῷ ποιήσαντι αὐτὸν, καὶ υἱοὶ Σιὼν ἀγαλλιάσθωσαν ἐπὶ τῷ βασιλεῖ αὐτῶν.
3Let them praise his name in the dance: let them sings praises to him with timbrel and lute.Αἰνεσάτωσαν τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ ἐν χορῷ, ἐν τυμπάνῳ καὶ ψαλτηρίῳ ψαλάτωσαν αὐτῷ.
4For the Lord takes pleasure in his people; and will exalt the meek with salvation.Ὅτι εὐδοκεῖ Κύριος ἐν λαῷ αὐτοῦ, καὶ ὑψώσει πρᾳεῖς ἐν σωτηρίᾳ.
5The saints shall rejoice in glory; and shall exult on their beds.Καυχήσονται ὅσιοι ἐν δόξῃ, καὶ ἀγαλλιάσονται ἐπὶ τῶν κοιτῶν αὐτῶν.
6The * high praises of God shall be in their throat, and two-edged swords in their hands;Αἱ ὑψώσεις τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐν λάρυγγι αὐτῶν, καὶ ῥομφαῖαι δίστομοι ἐν ταῖς χερσὶν αὐτῶν·
7to execute vengeance on the nations, and punishments among the peoples;Τοῦ ποιῆσαι ἐκδίκησιν ἐν τοῖς ἔθνεσιν, ἐλεγμοὺς ἐν τοῖς λαοῖς·
8to bind their kings with fetters, and their nobles with manacles of iron; to execute on them the judgment † written: this honor have all his saints.Τοῦ δῆσαι τοὺς βασιλεῖς αὐτῶν ἐν πέδαις, καὶ τοὺς ἐνδόξους αὐτῶν ἐν χειροπέδαις σιδηραῖς·
9Τοῦ ποιῆσαι ἐν αὐτοῖς κρίμα ἔγγραπτον· δόξα αὕτη ἐστὶ πᾶσι τοῖς ὁσίοις 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. 6*Gr. exaltations, q.d. extollings.
- v. 8†Gr. inscribed, sc. in the scripture. * 151: Alex. Goliath
The Fathers on Psalms 149
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 149:1Saint Augustine of Hippo1. Let us praise the Lord both in voice, and in understanding, and in good works; and, as this Psalm exhorteth, let us sing unto Him a new song. It beginneth: “Sing ye to the Lord a new song. His praise is in the Church of the Saints” (ver. 1). The old man hath an old song, the new man a new song. The Old Testament is an old song, the New Testament a new song. In the Old Testament are temporal and earthly…
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On Psalms 149:2Saint Augustine of Hippo3. “Let Israel rejoice in Him who made Him” (ver. 2). What is, “Israel”? “Seeing God.” He who seeth God, rejoiceth in Him by whom he was made. What is it then, brethren? we have said that we belong to the Church of the saints: do we already see God? and how are we Israel, if we see not? There is one kind of sight belonging to this present time; there will be another belonging to the time hereafter: the sight…
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On Psalms 149:3Saint Augustine of Hippo4. “Let them praise His Name in chorus” (ver. 3). What meaneth “chorus”? Many know what a “chorus” is: nay, as we are speaking in a town, almost all know. A “chorus” is the union of singers. If we sing “in chorus,” let us sing in concord. If any one’s voice is out of harmony in a chorus of singers, it offendeth the ear, and throweth the chorus into confusion. If the voice of one echoing discordantly troubleth the…
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On Psalms 149:4Saint Augustine of Hippo5. “For the Lord hath dealt kindly among His people” (ver. 4). What dealing so kindly, as to die for the ungodly? What dealing so kindly, as with righteous Blood to blot out the handwriting against the sinner? What dealing so kindly, as to say, “I regard not what ye were, be ye now what ye were not”? He dealeth kindly in converting him that was turned away, in aiding him that is fighting, in crowning the…
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On Psalms 149:5Saint Augustine of Hippo6. “The saints shall exult in glory” (ver. 5). I would say somewhat important about the glory of the saints. For there is no one who loveth not glory. But the glory of fools, popular glory as it is called, hath snares to deceive, so that a man, influenced by the praises of vain men, shall be willing to live in such fashion as to be spoken of by men, whosoever they be, in whatsoever way. Hence it is that men,…
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On Psalms 149:6Saint Augustine of Hippo7. But the saints who “exult in glory,” no need is there for us to say how they exult: just hear the verse of the Psalm which followeth: “The saints shall exult in glory, they shall rejoice in their beds:” not in theatres, or amphitheatres, or circuses, or follies, or market places, but “in their chambers.” What is, “in their chambers”? In their hearts. Hear the Apostle Paul exulting in his closet: “For this is…
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On Psalms 149:8Open Psalms 149 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. “That they may bind their kings in fetters, and their nobles in bonds of iron” (ver. 8). “To execute upon them the judgment written” (ver. 9). The kings of the Gentiles are to be bound in fetters, “and their nobles in fetters,” and that “of iron.”…For these verses which we are beginning to explain are obscure. For for this purpose God willed to set down some of His verses obscurely, not that anything new…
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