Psalms 15
Old Testament · Brenton Septuagint with Greek parallel
Psalms chapter 15 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 15
1(16) A writing of David. Keep me, O Lord; for I have hoped in you.Στηλογραφία τῷ Δαυίδ. Φύλαξον με Κύριε, ὅτι ἐπὶ σοὶ ἤλπισα.
2I said to the Lord, You are my Lord; for you have no need of my * goodness.Εἶπα τῷ Κυρίῳ, Κύριός μου εἶ σὺ, ὅτι τῶν ἀγαθῶν μου οὐ χρείαν ἔχεις.
3On behalf of the saints that are in his land, he has magnified all his pleasure in them.Τοῖς ἁγίοις τοῖς ἐν τῇ γῇ αὐτοῦ, ἐθαυμάστωσε πάντα τὰ θελήματα αὐτοῦ ἐν αὐτοῖς.
4Their weaknesses have been multiplied; afterward they hasted. I will by no means assemble their bloody meetings, neither will I make mention of their names with my lips.Ἐπληθύνθησαν αἱ ἀσθένειαι αὐτῶν, μετὰ ταῦτα ἐτάχυναν· οὐ μὴ συναγάγω τὰς συναγωγὰς αὐτῶν ἐξ αἱμάτων, οὐδὲ μὴ μνησθῶ τῶν ὀνομάτων αὐτῶν διὰ χειλέων μου.
5The Lord is the portion of my inheritance and of my cup: you are he that restores my inheritance to me.Κύριος μερὶς τῆς κληρονομίας μου καὶ τοῦ ποτηρίου μου, σὺ εἶ ὁ ἀποκαθιστῶν τὴν κληρονομίαν μου ἐμοί.
6The lines have fallen to me in the best places, yes, I have a most excellent heritage.Σχοινία ἐπέπεσάν μοι ἐν τοῖς κρατίστοις, καὶ γὰρ ἡ κληρονομία μου κρατίστη μοι ἐστίν.
7I will bless the Lord who has instructed me; my reins too have chastened me even † till night.Εὐλογήσω τὸν Κύριον τὸν συνετίσαντά με, ἔτι δὲ καὶ ἕως νυκτὸς ἐπαίδευσάν με οἱ νεφροί μου.
8I foresaw the Lord always before my face; for he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved.Προωρώμην τὸν Κύριον ἐνώπιόν μου διαπαντὸς, ὅτι ἐκ δεξιῶν μου ἐστὶν ἵνα μὴ σαλευθῶ.
9Therefore my heart rejoiced and my tongue exulted; moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope:Διὰ τοῦτο ηὐφράνθη ἡ καρδία μου, καὶ ἠγαλλιάσατο ἡ γλῶσσά μου, ἔτι δὲ καὶ ἡ σάρξ μου κατασκηνώσει ἐπʼ ἐλπίδι·
10because you will not leave my soul in hell, neither ✡ will you suffer your Holy One to see corruption.Ὅτι οὐκ ἐγκαταλείψεις τὴν ψυχήν μου εἰς ᾅδην, οὐδὲ δώσεις τὸν ὅσιόν σου ἰδεῖν διαφθοράν.
11You have made known to me the ways of life; you will fill me with joy with your countenance: at your right hand there are delights for ever.Ἐγνώρισάς μοι ὁδοὺς ζωῆς, πληρώσεις με εὐφροσύνης μετὰ τοῦ προσώπου σου, τερπνότητες ἐν τῇ δεξιᾷ σου εἰς τέλος.
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. 2*Gr. good deeds, or things.
- v. 7†Possibly, during the night. q. d. as long as night lasted.
- v. 10✡Rom 13:35
The Fathers on Psalms 15
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 15:1–2Saint Augustine of Hippo2. Now He saith as follows; “Preserve me, O Lord, for in Thee have I hoped” (ver. 1): “I have said to the Lord, Thou art my God, for Thou requirest not my goods” (ver. 2): for with my goods Thou dost not look to be made blessed.
Read Expositions on the Psalms →
On Psalms 15:3Saint Augustine of Hippo3. “To the saints who are on His earth” (ver. 3): to the saints who have placed their hope in the land of the living, the citizens of the heavenly Jerusalem, whose spiritual conversation is, by the anchor of hope, fixed in that country, which is rightly called God’s earth; although as yet in this earth too they be conversant in the flesh. “He hath wonderfully fulfilled all My wishes in them.” To those saints then…
Read Expositions on the Psalms →
On Psalms 15:4Saint Augustine of Hippo4. “Their infirmities have been multiplied” (ver. 4): their infirmities have been multiplied not for their destruction, but that they might long for the Physician. “Afterwards they made haste.” Accordingly after infirmities multiplied they made haste, that they might be healed. “I will not gather together their assemblies by blood.” For their assemblies shall not be carnal, nor will I gather them together as one…
Read Expositions on the Psalms →
On Psalms 15:5Saint Augustine of Hippo5. “The Lord is the portion of Mine inheritance, and of My cup” (ver. 5). For together with Me they shall possess the inheritance, the Lord Himself. Let others choose for themselves portions, earthly and temporal, to enjoy: the portion of the Saints is the Lord eternal. Let others drink of deadly pleasures, the portion of My cup is the Lord. In that I say, “Mine,” I include the Church: for where the Head is,…
Read Expositions on the Psalms →
On Psalms 15:6Saint Augustine of Hippo6. “The lines have fallen to me in glorious places” (ver. 6). The boundaries of my possession have fallen in Thy glory as it were by lot, like as God is the possession of the Priests and Levites. “For Mine inheritance is glorious to Me.” “For Mine inheritance is glorious,” not to all, but to them that see; in whom because I am, “it is to Me.”
Read Expositions on the Psalms →
On Psalms 15:7Saint Augustine of Hippo7. “I will bless the Lord, who hath given Me understanding” (ver. 7): whereby this inheritance may be seen and possessed. “Yea moreover too even unto night my reins have chastened Me.” Yea besides understanding, even unto death, My inferior part, the assumption of flesh, hath instructed Me, that I might experience the darkness of mortality, which that understanding hath not.
Read Expositions on the Psalms →
On Psalms 15:8Saint Augustine of Hippo8. “I foresaw the Lord in My sight always” (ver. 8). But coming into things that pass away, I removed not Mine eye from Him who abideth ever, foreseeing this, that to Him I should return after passing through the things temporal. “For He is on My right hand, that I should not be moved.” For He favoureth Me, that I should abide fixedly in Him.
Read Expositions on the Psalms →
On Psalms 15:9Saint Augustine of Hippo9. “Wherefore My heart was glad, and My tongue exulted” (ver. 9). Wherefore both in My thoughts is gladness, and in my words exultation. “Moreover too My flesh shall rest in hope.” Moreover too My flesh shall not fail unto destruction, but shall sleep in hope of the resurrection.
Read Expositions on the Psalms →
On Psalms 15:10–11Open Psalms 15 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. “For Thou wilt not leave My soul in hell” (ver. 10). For Thou wilt neither give My soul for a possession to those parts below. “Neither wilt Thou grant Thine Holy One to see corruption.” Neither wilt Thou suffer that sanctified body, whereby others are to be also sanctified, to see corruption. “Thou hast made known to Me the paths of life” (ver. 11). Thou hast made known through Me the paths of humiliation,…
Read Expositions on the Psalms →