Psalms 47
Old Testament · Brenton Septuagint with Greek parallel
Psalms chapter 47 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.
11 patristic excerpts are attached to this chapter, from Saint Augustine of Hippo.
Psalms 47
1(48) A Psalm of * praise for the sons of Core on the second day of the week.Ψαλμὸς ᾠδῆς τοῖς υἱοῖς Κορὲ δευτέρᾳ σαββάτου.
2Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, in his holy mountain.Μεγὰς Κύριος, καὶ αἰνετὸς σφόδρα ἐν πόλει τοῦ Θεοῦ ἡμῶν, ἐν ὄρει ἁγίῳ αὐτοῦ.
3The city of the great King is well planted on the mountains of Sion, with the joy of the whole earth, on the sides of the north.Εὐρίζων, ἀγαλλιάματι πάσης τῆς γῆς, ὄρη Σιὼν τὰ πλευρὰ τοῦ βοῤῥᾶ, ἡ πόλις τοῦ βασιλέως τοῦ μεγάλου.
4God is known in her palaces, when he undertakes to help her.Ὁ Θεὸς ἐν ταῖς βάρεσιν αὐτῆς γινώσκεται, ὅταν ἀντιλαμβάνηται αὐτῆς.
5For, behold the kings of the earth were assembled, they came together.Ὅτι ἰδοὺ οἱ βασιλεῖς τῆς γῆς συνήχθησαν, ἤλθοσαν ἐπὶ τὸ αὐτό.
6They saw, and so they wondered: they were troubled, they were moved.Αὐτοὶ ἰδόντες οὕτως ἐθαύμασαν, ἐταράχθησαν, ἐσαλεύθησαν,
7Trembling took hold on them: there were the pangs as of a woman in travail.τρόμος ἐπελάβετο αὐτῶν· ἐκεῖ ὠδῖνες ὡς τικτούσης.
8You will break the ships of Tharsis with a vehement wind.Ἐν πνεύματι βιαίῳ συντρίψεις πλοῖα Θάρσις.
9As we have heard, so have we also seen, in the city of the Lord of hosts, in the city of our God: God has founded it for ever. Pause.Καθάπερ ἠκούσαμεν, οὕτως καὶ εἴδομεν, ἐν πόλει Κυρίου τῶν δυνάμεων, ἐν πόλει τοῦ Θεοῦ ἡμῶν, ὁ Θεὸς ἐθεμελίωσεν αὐτὴν εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα· διάψαλμα.
10We have thought of your mercy, O God, in the midst of your people.Ὑπελάβομεν ὁ Θεὸς τὸ ἔλεός σου ἐν μέσῳ τοῦ λαοῦ σου.
11According to your name, O God, so is also your praise to the ends of the earth: your right hand is full of righteousness.Κατὰ τὸ ὄνομά σου ὁ Θεὸς, οὕτως καὶ ἡ αἴνεσίς σου ἐπὶ τὰ πέρατα τῆς γῆς, δικαιοσύνης πλήρης ἡ δεξιά σου.
12Let mount Sion rejoice, let the daughters of Judaea exult, because of your judgments, O Lord.Εὐφρανθήτω τὸ ὄρος Σιὼν, ἀγαλλιάσθωσαν αἱ θυγατέρες τῆς Ἰουδαίας ἕνεκα τῶν κριμάτων σου Κύριε.
13Go round about Sion, and encompass her: tell you her towers.Κυκλώσατε Σιὼν, καὶ περιλάβετε αὐτὴν, διηγήσασθε ἐν τοῖς πύργοις αὐτῆς.
14Mark you well her strength, and observe her palaces; that you may tell the next generation.Θέσθε τὰς καρδίας ὑμῶν εἰς τὴν δύναμιν αὐτῆς, καὶ καταδιέλεσθε τὰς βάρεις αὐτῆς, ὅπως ἂν διηγήσησθε εἰς γενεὰν ἑτέραν.
15For this is our God for ever and ever: he will be our guide for evermore.Ὅτι οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ Θεὸς ἡμῶν εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα καὶ εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα τοῦ αἰῶνος, αὐτὸς ποιμανεῖ ἡμᾶς εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας.
The Fathers on Psalms 47
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 47:2Saint Augustine of Hippo2. “Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised” (ver. 1).…That is, “in the city of our God, in His holy mountain.” This is the city set upon an hill, which cannot be hid: this is the candle which is not hidden under a bushel, to all known, to all proclaimed. Yet are not all men citizens thereof, but they in whom “great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised.” What then is that city: let us see whether perhaps,…
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On Psalms 47:3Saint Augustine of Hippo3. Further,…when he had said, “in the city of our God, in His holy mountain,” what added he? “Spreading abroad the joys of the whole earth, the mountains of Sion” (ver. 2). Sion is one mountain, why then “mountains”? Is it that to Sion belonged also those which came from the other side, so as to meet together on the Corner Stone, and become two walls, as it were two mountains, one of the circumcision, the other…
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On Psalms 47:5–6Saint Augustine of Hippo5. “For, lo, the kings of the earth are gathered together” (ver. 3). Behold now those sides of the North, see how they come, see how they say, “Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord: and He will teach us His way, and we will walk in it.” “And have come together in one.” In what one, but that “corner-stone”? “They saw it, and so they marvelled” (ver. 4). After their marvelling at the miracles and…
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On Psalms 47:8Saint Augustine of Hippo6. “With a strong wind Thou shalt break the ships of Tarshish” (ver. 6). Briefly understood, this is, Thou shalt overthrow the pride of the nations. But where in this history is mentioned the overthrowing of the pride of the nations? Because of “the ships of Tarshish.” Learned men have enquired for Tarshish a city, that is, what city was signified by this name: and to some it has seemed that Cilicia is called…
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On Psalms 47:9Saint Augustine of Hippo7. “As we have heard, so have we seen” (ver. 7). Blessed Church! at one time thou hast heard, at another time thou hast seen. She heard in promises, seeth in performance: heard in Prophecy, seeth in the Gospel. For all things which are now fulfilled were before prophesied. Lift up thine eyes then, and stretch them over the world; see now His “inheritance even to the uttermost parts of the earth:” see now is…
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On Psalms 47:10Saint Augustine of Hippo8. “We have received Thy mercy, O God, in the midst of Thy people” (ver. 8). Who have received, and where received? Hath not the same Thy people received Thy mercy. If Thy people hath received Thy mercy, how then, “in the midst of Thy people”? As if they who received were one party, they in the midst of whom they received another. A great mystery, but yet well known. When hence also, that is, out of these verses,…
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On Psalms 47:11Saint Augustine of Hippo9. For when he had said, “We have received Thy mercy in the midst of Thy people,” he signified that there is a people not receiving the mercy of God, in the midst of whom some do receive the mercy of God: and then lest it should occur to men that there are so few, as to be nearly none, how did He console them in the words following? “According to Thy Name, O God, so is Thy praise unto the ends of the earth” (ver.…
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On Psalms 47:12Saint Augustine of Hippo10. “Let mount Zion rejoice, and the daughters of Judah be glad, because of Thy judgments, O Lord” (ver. 10). O mount Zion, O daughters of Judah, ye labour now among tares, among chaff, among thorns ye labour: yet be glad because of God’s judgments. God erreth not in judgment. Live ye separate, though separate ye were not born; not vainly hath a voice gone forth from your mouth and heart, “Destroy not my soul…
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On Psalms 47:12Saint Augustine of Hippo12. “Set your hearts upon her might” (ver. 12). Not that ye may have the form of godliness, deny the power thereof, but, “upon her might set your hearts. Speak ye in her towers.” What is the might of this city? Whoso would understand the might of this city, let him understand the force of love. That is a virtue which none conquereth. Love’s flame no waves of the world, no streams of temptation, extinguish. Of…
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On Psalms 47:13Saint Augustine of Hippo11. “Walk about Zion, and embrace her” (ver. 11). Be it said to them who live ill, in the midst of whom is the people, which hath received the mercy of God. In the midst of you is a people living well, “Walk about Zion.” But how? “embrace her.” Not with scandals, but with love go round about her: that so those who live well in the midst of you ye may imitate, and by imitation of them, be incorporate with Christ,…
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On Psalms 47:15Open Psalms 47 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 Hippo14. Tell what? “For this is God, even our God” (ver. 13). The earth was seen, the earth’s Creator was not seen; the flesh was held, God in the flesh was not acknowledged. For the flesh was held by those from whom had been taken the same flesh, for of the seed of Abraham was the Virgin Mary. At the flesh they stayed, the Divinity they did not understand. O Apostles, O mighty city, preach thou on the towers, and…
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