Psalms 36
Old Testament · Brenton Septuagint with Greek parallel
Psalms chapter 36 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.
16 patristic excerpts are attached to this chapter, from Saint Augustine of Hippo. The translator's notes for this chapter (3) follow the text.
Psalms 36
1(37) A Psalm of David. Fret not yourself because of evil-doers, neither be envious of them that do iniquity.Τῷ Δαυίδ. Μὴ παραζήλου ἐν πονηρευομένοις, μηδὲ ζήλου τοὺς ποιοῦντας τὴν ἀνομίαν.
2For they shall soon be withered as the grass, and shall soon fall away as the green herbs.Ὅτι ὡσεὶ χόρτος ταχὺ ἀποξηρανθήσονται, καὶ ὡσεὶ λάχανα χλόης ταχὺ ἀποπεσοῦνται.
3Hope in the Lord, and do good; and dwell on the land, and you shall be fed with the wealth of it.Ἔλπισον ἐπὶ Κύριον, καὶ ποίει χρηστότητα, καὶ κατασκήνου τὴν γῆν, καὶ ποιμανθήσῃ ἐπὶ τῷ πλούτῳ αὐτῆς.
4Delight yourself in the Lord; and he shall grant you the requests of your heart.Κατατρύφησον τοῦ Κυρίου, καὶ δώσει σοι τὰ αἰτήματα τῆς καρδίας σου.
5Disclose your way to the Lord, and hope in him; and he shall bring it to pass.Ἀποκάλυψον πρὸς Κύριον τὴν ὁδόν σου, καὶ ἔλπισον ἐπʼ αὐτὸν, καὶ αὐτὸς ποιήσει.
6And he shall bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your judgment as the noon-day.Καὶ ἐξοίσει ὡς φῶς τὴν δικαιοσύνην σου, καὶ τὸ κρίμα σου ὡς μεσημβρίαν.
7Submit yourself to the Lord, and supplicate him: fret not yourself because of him that prospers in his way, at the man that does unlawful deeds.Ὑποτάγηθι τῷ Κυρίῳ, καὶ ἱκέτευσον αὐτόν· μὴ παραζήλου ἐν τῷ κατευοδουμένῳ ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ αὐτοῦ, ἐν ἀνθρώπῳ ποιοῦντι παρανομίας.
8ease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not yourself so as to do evil.Παῦσαι ἀπὸ ὀργῆς καὶ ἐνκατάλιπε θυμὸν, μὴ παραζήλου ὥστε πονηρεύεσθαι.
9For evil-doers shall be destroyed: but they that wait on the Lord, they shall inherit the land.Ὅτι οἱ πονηρευόμενοι ἐξολοθρευθήσονται, οἱ δὲ ὑπομένοντες τὸν Κύριον, αὐτοὶ κληρονομήσουσι τὴν γῆν.
10And yet a little while, and the sinner shall not be, and you shall seek for his place, and shall not find it.Καὶ ἔτι ὀλίγον καὶ οὐ μὴ ὑπάρξῃ ἁμαρτωλὸς, καὶ ζητήσεις τὸν τόπον αὐτοῦ, καὶ οὐ μὴ εὕρῃς.
11But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.Οἱ δὲ πρᾳεῖς κληρονομήσουσι γῆν, καὶ κατατρυφήσουσιν ἐπὶ πλήθει εἰρήνης.
12The sinner will watch for the righteous, and gnash his teeth upon him.Παρατηρήσεται ὁ ἁμαρτωλὸς τὸν δίκαιον, καὶ βρύξει ἐπʼ αὐτὸν τοὺς ὀδόντας αὐτοῦ.
13But the Lord shall laugh at him: for he foresees that his day will come.Ὁ δὲ Κύριος ἐκγελάσεται αὐτὸν, ὅτι προβλέτει ὅτι ἥξει ἡ ἡμέρα αὐτοῦ.
14Sinners have drawn their swords, they have bent their bow, to cast down the poor and needy one, and to kill the upright in heart.Ῥομφαίαν ἐσπάσαντο οἱ ἁμαρτωλοὶ ἐνέτειναν τόξον αὐτῶν, τοῦ καταβαλεῖν πτωχὸν καὶ πένητα, τοῦ σφάξαι τοὺς εὐθεῖς τῇ καρδίᾳ.
15Let their sword enter into their own heart, and their bows be broken.Ἡ ῥομφαία αὐτῶν εἰσέλθοι εἰς τὴν καρδίαν αὐτῶν, καὶ τὰ τόξα αὐτῶν συντριβείη.
16A little is better to the righteous than abundant wealth of sinners.Κρεῖσσον ὀλίγον τῷ δικαίῳ ὑπὲρ πλοῦτον ἁμαρτωλῶν πολύν.
17For the arms of sinners shall be broken; but the Lord supports the righteous.Ὅτι βραχίονες ἁμαρτωλῶν συντριβήσονται, ὑποστηρίζει δὲ τοὺς δικαίους ὁ Κύριος.
18The Lord knows the ways of the perfect; and their inheritance shall be for ever.Γινώσκει Κύριος τὰς ὁδοὺς τῶν ἀμώμων, καὶ ἡ κληρονομία αὐτῶν εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα ἔσται.
19They shall not be ashamed in an evil time; and in days of famine they shall be satisfied.Οὐ καταισχυνθήσονται ἐν καιρῷ πονηρῷ, καὶ ἐν ἡμέραις λιμοῦ χορτασθήσονται·
20For the sinners shall perish; and the enemies of the Lord at the moment of their being honored and exalted have utterly vanished like smoke.Ὅτι οἱ ἁμαρτωλοὶ ἀπολοῦνται, οἱ δὲ ἐχθροὶ τοῦ Κυρίου ἅμα τῷ δοξασθῆναι αὐτοὺς καὶ ὑψωθῆναι, ἐκλείποντες ὡσεὶ καπνὸς ἐξέλιπον.
21The sinner borrows, and will not pay again: but the righteous has compassion, and gives.Δανείζεται ὁ ἁμαρτωλὸς, καὶ οὐκ ἀποτίσει, ὁ δὲ δίκαιος οἰκτείρει καὶ διδοῖ.
22For they that bless him shall inherit the earth; and they that curse him shall be utterly destroyed.Ὅτι οἱ εὐλογοῦντες αὐτὸν κληρονομήσουσι γῆν, οἱ δὲ καταρώμενοι αὐτὸν ἐξολοθρευθήσονται.
23The steps of a man are rightly ordered by the Lord: and he will take pleasure in his way.Παρὰ Κυρίου τὰ διαβήματα ἀνθρώπου κατευθύνεται, καὶ τὴν ὁδὸν αὐτοῦ θελήσει.
24When he falls, he shall not be ruined: for the Lord supports his hand.Ὅταν πέσῃ οὐ καταῤῥαχθήσεται, ὅτι Κύριος ἀντιστηρίζει χεῖρα αὐτοῦ.
25I was once young, indeed I am now old; yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed seeking bread.Νεώτερος ἐγενόμην, καὶ γὰρ ἐγήρασα· καὶ οὐκ εἶδον δίκαιον ἐγκαταλελειμμένον, οὐδὲ τὸ σπέρμα αὐτοῦ ζητοῦν ἄρτους.
26He is merciful, and lends continually; and his seed shall be * blessed.Ὅλην τὴν ἡμέραν ἐλεεῖ καὶ δανείζει, καὶ τὸ σπέρμα αὐτοῦ εἰς εὐλογίαν ἔσται.
27Turn aside from evil, and do good; and dwell for ever.Ἔκκλινον ἀπὸ κακοῦ, καὶ ποίησον ἀγαθὸν, καὶ κατασκήνου εἰς αἰῶνα αἰῶνος.
28For the Lord loves judgment, and will not forsake his saints; they shall be preserved for ever: the blameless shall be † avenged, but the seed of the ungodly shall be utterly destroyed.Ὅτι Κύριος ἀγαπᾷ κρίσιν, καὶ οὐκ ἐγκαταλείψει τοὺς ὁσίους αὐτοῦ, εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα φυλαχθήσονται· ἄμωμοι ἐκδικηθήσονται, καὶ σπέρμα ἀσεβῶν ἐξολοθρευθήσεται.
29But the righteous shall inherit the earth, and dwell upon it for ever.Δίκαιοι δὲ κληρονομήσουσι γῆν, καὶ κατασκηνώσουσιν εἰς αἰῶνα αἰῶνος ἐπʼ αὐτῆς.
30The mouth of the righteous will meditate wisdom, and his tongue will speak of judgment.Στόμα δικαίου μελετήσει σοφίαν, καὶ ἡ γλῶσσα αὐτοῦ λαλήσει κρίσιν.
31The law of his God is in his heart; and his steps shall not ‡ slide.Ὁ νόμος τοῦ Θεοῦ αὐτοῦ ἐν καρδίᾳ αὐτοῦ, καὶ οὐχ ὑποσκελισθήσεται τὰ διαβήματα αὐτοῦ.
32The sinner watches the righteous, and seeks to kill him.Κατανοεῖ ὁ ἁμαρτωλὸς τὸν δίκαιον, καὶ ζητεῖ τοῦ θανατῶσαι αὐτόν.
33But the Lord will not leave him in his hands, nor by any means condemn him when he is judged.Ὁ δὲ Κύριος οὐ μὴ ἐγκαταλίπῃ αὐτὸν εἰς τὰς χεῖρας αὐτοῦ, οὐδὲ μὴ καταδικάσαι αὐτὸν, ὅταν κρίνηται αὐτῷ.
34Wait on the Lord, and keep his way, and he shall exalt you to inherit the land: when the wicked are destroyed, you shall see it.Ὑπόμεινον τὸν Κύριον, καὶ φύλαξον τὴν ὁδὸν αὐτοῦ, καὶ ὑψώσει σε τοῦ κατακληρονομῆσαι τὴν γῆν· ἐν τῷ ἐξολοθρεύεσθαι ἁμαρτωλοὺς, ὄψει.
35I saw the ungodly very highly exalting himself, and lifting himself up like the cedars of Libanus.Εἶδον τὸν ἀσεβῆ ὑπερυψούμενον, καὶ ἐπαιρόμενον ὡς τὰς κέδρους τοῦ Λιβάνου·
36Yet I passed by, and behold! he was not: and I sought him, but his place was not found.Καὶ παρῆλθον, καὶ ἰδοὺ οὐκ ἦν, καὶ ἐζήτησα αὐτόν, καὶ οὐχ εὑρέθη ὁ τόπος αὐτοῦ.
37Maintain innocence, and behold uprightness: for there is a remnant to the peaceful man.Φύλασσε ἀκακίαν καὶ ἴδε εὐθύτητα, ὅτι ἐστὶν ἐγκατάλειμμα ἀνθρώπῳ εἰρηνικῷ.
38But the transgressors shall be utterly destroyed together: the remnants of the ungodly shall be utterly destroyed.Οἱ δὲ παράνομοι ἐξολοθρευθήσονται ἐπιτοαυτὸ, τὰ ἐγκαταλείμματα τῶν ἀσεβῶν ἐξολοθρευθήσονται·
39But the salvation of the righteous is of the Lord; and he is their defender in the time of affliction.Σωτηρία δὲ τῶν δικαίων παρὰ Κυρίου, καὶ ὑπερασπιστὴς αὐτῶν ἐστιν ἐν καιρῷ θλίψεως.
40And the Lord shall help them, and deliver them: and he shall rescue them from sinners, and save them, because they have hoped in him.Καὶ βοηθήσει αὐτοῖς Κύριος, καὶ ῥύσεται αὐτοὺς, καὶ ἐξελεῖται αὐτοὺς ἐξ ἁμαρτωλῶν, καὶ σώσει αὐτοὺς; ὅτι ἤλπισαν ἐπʼ αὐτόν.
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. 26*Gr. for a blessing.
- v. 28†Or, cleared in judgement.
- v. 31‡Gr. be tripped up, or supplanted.
The Fathers on Psalms 36
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 36:1–2, 16Saint Augustine of Hippo3. “Be not envious because of evil-doers, neither be envious against the workers of iniquity” (ver. 1). “For they shall soon wither like the grass, and shall fade like the herbs of the meadow” (ver. 2). That which to thee seemeth long, is “soon” in the sight of God. Conform thou thyself to God; and it will be “soon” to thee. That which he here calls “grass,” that we understand by the “herbs of the meadow.” They…
Read Expositions on the Psalms →
On Psalms 36:4, 17Saint Augustine of Hippo4. What shouldest thou do then? “Trust in the Lord” (ver. 3). For they too trust, but not “in the Lord.” Their hope is perishable. Their hope is short-lived, frail, fleeting, transitory, baseless. “Trust thou in the Lord.” “Behold,” thou sayest, “I do trust; what am I to do?” “And do good.” Do not do that evil which thou beholdest in those men, who are prosperous in wickedness. “Do good, and dwell in the land.”…
Read Expositions on the Psalms →
On Psalms 36:5–6, 18Saint Augustine of Hippo6. “Behold” (you say), “I do long after it, I do ask for it, I do desire it. Shall I then accomplish it?” No. Who shall then? “Reveal thy way unto the Lord: trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass” (ver. 5). Mention to Him what thou sufferest, mention to Him what thou dost desire. For what is it that thou sufferest? “The flesh lusteth against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh.” What is it then…
Read Expositions on the Psalms →
On Psalms 36:5, 19, 28Saint Augustine of Hippo8. “What should I do then?” Hear what thou shouldest do. “Submit thee to the Lord, and entreat Him” (ver. 7). Be this thy life, to obey His commandments. For this is to submit thee to Him; and to entreat Him until He give thee what He hath promised. Let good works “continue;” let prayer “continue.” For “men ought always to pray, and not to faint.” Wherein dost thou show that thou art “submitted to Him”? In doing…
Read Expositions on the Psalms →
On Psalms 36:8–9, 20Saint Augustine of Hippo9. “See! I do so; I do ‘submit to the Lord, and I do entreat.’ But what do you think? That neighbour of mine is a wicked man, living a bad life, and prosperous! His thefts, adulteries, robberies, are known to me. Lifted up above every one, proud, and raised on high by wickedness, he deigns not to notice me. In these circumstances, how shall I hold out with patience?” This is a sickness; drink, by way of remedy.…
Read Expositions on the Psalms →
On Psalms 36:10, 20–21, 29Saint Augustine of Hippo10. “But how long is the sinner to flourish? How long shall I have to endure?” Thou art impatient; that which seems long to thee, will soon come to pass. It is infirmity makes that seem long, which is really short, as is found in the case of the longings of sick men. Nothing seems so long as the mixing of the potion for him when athirst. For all that his attendants are making all speed, lest haply the patient be…
Read Expositions on the Psalms →
On Psalms 36:11, 22, 30–32Saint Augustine of Hippo11. “But the meek shall inherit the land” (ver. 11). That land is the one of which we have often spoken, the holy Jerusalem, which is to be released from these her pilgrimages, and to live for ever with God, and on God. Therefore, “They shall inherit the land.” What shall be their delight? “And they shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.” Let the ungodly man delight himself here in the multitude of…
Read Expositions on the Psalms →
On Psalms 36:12–13, 25Saint Augustine of Hippo1. Then follow these words: “The wicked plotteth against the just, and gnasheth upon him with his teeth” (ver. 12): “But the Lord shall laugh at him” (ver. 13). At whom? Surely at the sinner, “gnashing upon” the other “with his teeth.” But wherefore shall the Lord “laugh at him”? “For He foreseeth that his day is coming.” He seems indeed full of wrath, while, ignorant of the morrow that is in store for him, he is…
Read Expositions on the Psalms →
On Psalms 36:14–15Saint Augustine of Hippo2. “The wicked have drawn out the sword, and have bent their bow, to cast down the poor and needy, and to slay such as be of upright heart” (ver. 14). “Their weapon shall enter into their own heart” (ver. 15). It is an easy thing for his weapon, that is, his sword, to reach thy body, even as the sword of the persecutors reached the body of the Martyrs, but when the body had been smitten, “the heart” remained…
Read Expositions on the Psalms →
On Psalms 36:18, 27Saint Augustine of Hippo7. “And their inheritance shall be for ever” (ver. 18). This we hold by faith. Doth the Lord too know it by faith? The Lord knoweth those things with as clear a manifestation, as we cannot speak of even when we shall be made equal to the Angels. For the things that shall be manifest to us, shall not be equally manifest to us as they are now to Him, who is incapable of change. Yet even of us ourselves what is…
Read Expositions on the Psalms →
On Psalms 36:22, 33Saint Augustine of Hippo12. Observe what follows: “The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord; and he delighteth in His way” (ver. 23). That man may himself “delight in the Lord’s way,” his steps are ordered by the Lord Himself. For if the Lord did not order the steps of man, so crooked are they naturally, that they would always be going through crooked paths, and by pursuing crooked ways, would be unable to return again. He…
Read Expositions on the Psalms →
On Psalms 36:24, 37Saint Augustine of Hippo14. “Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down; for the Lord upholdeth his hand” (ver. 24). See what it is “to delight in” Christ’s “way.” Should it happen that he suffers some tribulation; some forfeiture of honour, some affliction, some loss, some contumely, or all those other accidents incident to mankind frequently in this life, he sets the Lord before him, what kind of trials He endured! and, “though…
Read Expositions on the Psalms →
On Psalms 36:26Saint Augustine of Hippo5. “He is always merciful, and lendeth” (ver. 26). “Fœneratur” is used in Latin indeed, both for him who lendeth, and for him who borroweth. But in this passage the meaning is more plain, if we express it by “fœnerat.” What matters it to us, what the grammarians please to rule? It were better for us to be guilty of a barbarism, so that ye understand, than that in our propriety of speech ye be left unprovided.…
Read Expositions on the Psalms →
On Psalms 36:34–36Saint Augustine of Hippo13. “Wait on the Lord” (ver. 34). And while I am waiting upon Him, what am I to do?—“and keep His ways.” And if I keep them, what am I to receive? “And He shall exalt thee to inherit the land.” “What land”? Once more let not any estate suggest itself to your mind:—the land of which it is said, “Come, ye blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.” What of those who…
Read Expositions on the Psalms →
On Psalms 36:38Saint Augustine of Hippo15. “But the transgressors shall be destroyed in the self-same thing” (ver. 38). What is meant by, “in the self-same thing”? It means for ever: or all together in one and the same destruction. “The remainder of the wicked shall be cut off.” Now there is “(a remainder) for the man that maketh peace:” they therefore who are not peace-makers are ungodly. For, “Blessed are the peace-makers: for they shall be called…
Read Expositions on the Psalms →
On Psalms 36:39–40Open Psalms 36 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 Hippo16. “But the salvation of the righteous is of the Lord, and He is their strength in the time of trouble” (ver. 39). “And the Lord shall help them, and deliver them; He shall deliver them from the sinners” (ver. 40). At present therefore let the righteous bear with the sinner; let the wheat bear with the tares; let the grain bear with the chaff: for the time of separation will come, and the good seed shall be set…
Read Expositions on the Psalms →