Psalms 50
Old Testament · Brenton Septuagint with Greek parallel
Psalms chapter 50 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.
18 patristic excerpts are attached to this chapter, from Saint Augustine of Hippo. The translator's notes for this chapter (2) follow the text.
Psalms 50
1(51) For the end, a Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet came to him, when he had gone to Bersabee. Have mercy upon me, O God, according to your great mercy; and according to the multitude of your compassions blot out my transgression.Εἰς τὸ τέλος, ψαλμὸς τῷ Δαυὶδ,
2Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.ἐν τῷ ἐλθεῖν πρὸς αὐτὸν Νάθαν τὸν προφήτην, ἡνίκα εἰσῆλθε πρὸς Βηρσαβεέ.
3For I am conscious of my iniquity; and my sin is continually before me.Ἐλέησον με ὁ Θεὸς κατὰ τὸ μέγα ἔλεός σου, καὶ κατὰ τὸ πλῆθος τῶν οἰκτιρμῶν σου ἐξάλειψον τὸ ἀνόμημά μου.
4Against you only have I sinned, and done evil before you: that you might be justified in your sayings, and might overcome when you are judged.Ἐπιπλεῖον πλῦνόν με ἀπὸ τῆς ἀνομίας μου, καὶ ἀπὸ τῆς ἁμαρτίας μου καθάρισόν με.
5For, behold, I was conceived in iniquities, and in sins did my mother conceive me.Ὅτι τὴν ἀνομίαν μου ἐγὼ γινώσκω, καὶ ἡ ἁμαρτία μου ἐνώπιόν μου ἐστὶ διαπαντός·
6For, behold, you love truth: you have manifested to me the secret and hidden things of your wisdom.Σοὶ μόνῳ ἥμαρτον, καὶ τὸ πονηρὸν ἐνώπιόν σου ἐποίησα· ὅπως ἂν δικαιωθῇς ἐν τοῖς λόγοις σου, καὶ νικήσῃς ἐν τῷ κρίνεσθαί σε.
7You shall sprinkle me with hyssop, and I shall be purified: you shall wash me, and I shall be made whiter than snow.Ἰδοὺ γὰρ ἐν ἀνομίαις συνελήφθην, καὶ ἐν ἁμαρτίαις ἐκίσσησέ με ἡ μήτηρ μου.
8You shall cause me to hear gladness and joy: the afflicted bones shall rejoice.Ἰδοὺ γὰρ ἀλήθειαν ἠγάπησας, τὰ ἄδηλα καὶ τὰ κρύφια τῆς σοφίας σου ἐδήλωσάς μοι.
9Turn away your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities.Ῥαντιεῖς με ὑσσώπῳ καὶ καθαρισθήσομαι, πλυνεῖς με καὶ ὑπὲρ χιόνα λευκανθήσομαι.
10Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit in my inward parts.Ἀκουτιεῖς με ἀγαλλίασιν καὶ εὐφροσύνην, ἀγαλλιάσονται ὀστᾶ τεταπεινωμένα.
11Cast me not away from your presence; and remove not your holy Spirit from me.Ἀπόστρεψον τὸ πρόσωπόν σου ἀπὸ τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν μου, καὶ πάσας τὰς ἀνομίας μου ἐξάλειψον.
12Restore to me the joy of your salvation: establish me with your * directing Spirit.Καρδίαν καθαρὰν κτίσον ἐν ἐμοὶ ὁ Θεὸς, καὶ πνεῦμα εὐθὲς ἐγκαίνισον ἐν τοῖς ἐγκάτοις μου.
13Then will I teach transgressors your ways; and ungodly men shall turn to you.Μὴ ἀποῤῥίψῃς με ἀπὸ τοῦ προσώπου σου, καὶ τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιόν σου μὴ ἀντανέλῃς ἀπʼ ἐμοῦ.
14Deliver me from blood-guiltiness, O God, the God of my salvation: and my tongue shall joyfully declare your righteousness.Ἀπόδος μοι τὴν ἀγαλλίασιν τοῦ σωτηρίου σου, πνεύματι ἡγεμονικῷ στήριξόν με.
15O Lord, you shall open my lips; and my mouth shall declare your praise.Διδάξω ἀνόμους τὰς ὁδούς σου, καὶ ἀσεβεῖς ἐπὶ σὲ ἐπιστρέψουσι.
16For if you desired sacrifice, I would have given it: you will not take pleasure in whole burnt offerings.Ῥῦσαί με ἐξ αἱμάτων ὁ Θεὸς, ὁ Θεὸς τῆς σωτηρίας μου, ἀγαλλιάσεται ἡ γλῶσσά μου τὴν δικαιοσύνην σου.
17Sacrifice to God is a broken spirit: a broken and humbled heart God will not despise.Κύριε, τὰ χείλη μου ἀνοίξεις, καὶ τὸ στόμα μου ἀναγγελεῖ τὴν αἴνεσίν σου.
18Do good, O Lord, to Sion in your good pleasure; and let the walls of Jerusalem be built.Ὅτι εἰ ἠθέλησας θυσίαν, ἔδωκα ἄν· ὁλοκαυτώματα οὐκ εὐδοκήσεις.
19Then shall you be pleased with a sacrifice of righteousness, † offering, and whole burnt sacrifices: then shall they offer calves upon your altar.Θυσία τῷ Θεῷ πνεῦμα συντετριμμένον, καρδίαν συντετριμμένην καὶ τεταπεινωμένην ὁ Θεὸς οὐκ ἐξουδενώσει.
20Ἀγάθυνον, Κύριε, ἐν τῇ εὐδοκίᾳ σου τὴν Σιὼν, καὶ οἰκοδομηθήτω τὰ τείχη Ἱερουσαλήμ.
21Τότε εὐδοκήσεις θυσίαν δικαιοσύνης, ἀναφορὰν, καὶ ὁλοκαυτώματα· τότε ἀνοίσουσιν ἐπὶ τὸ θυσιαστήριόν σου μόσχους.
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. 12*Gr. governing.
- v. 19†Properly, a heave or wave-offfering. * 51: Gr. governing.
The Fathers on Psalms 50
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 50:1Saint Augustine of Hippo6. Hear therefore these words, and say thou with him: “Have pity upon me, O God, after Thy great mercy” (ver. 1). He that imploreth great mercy, confesseth great misery. Let them seek a little mercy of Thee, that have sinned in ignorance: “Have pity,” he saith, “upon me, after Thy great mercy.” Relieve a deep wound after Thy great healing. Deep is what I have, but in the Almighty I take refuge. Of my own so…
Read Expositions on the Psalms →
On Psalms 50:2Saint Augustine of Hippo7. “More and more wash me from mine unrighteousness” (ver. 2). What is, “More and more wash”? One much stained. More and more wash the sins of one knowing. Thou that hast washed off the sins of one ignorant. Not even thus is it to be despaired of Thy mercy. “And from my delinquency purge Thou me.” According to the manner in which He is physician, offer a recompense. He is God, offer sacrifice. What wilt thou give…
Read Expositions on the Psalms →
On Psalms 50:3Saint Augustine of Hippo8. “For mine iniquity I acknowledge, and my delinquency is before me ever” (ver. 3). I have not put behind my back what I have done, I look not at others, forgetful of myself, I pretend not to pull out a straw from my brother’s eye, when there is a beam in my eye; my sin is before me, not behind me. For it was behind me when to me was sent the Prophet, and set before me the parable of the poor man’s sheep. For…
Read Expositions on the Psalms →
On Psalms 50:4Saint Augustine of Hippo9. “Against Thee alone have I sinned, and before Thee an evil thing have I done” (ver. 4). What is this? For before men was not another’s wife debauched and husband slain? Did not all men know what David had done? What is, “Against Thee alone have I sinned, and before Thee an evil thing have I done.” Because Thou alone art without sin. He is a just punisher that hath nothing in Him to be punished; He is a just…
Read Expositions on the Psalms →
On Psalms 50:5Saint Augustine of Hippo10. “For, behold, in iniquities I was conceived” (ver. 5). As though he were saying, They are conquered that have done what thou, David, hast done: for this is not a little evil and little sin, to wit, adultery and man-slaying. What of them that from the day that they were born of their mother’s womb, have done no such thing? even to them dost thou ascribe some sins, in order that He may conquer all men when He…
Read Expositions on the Psalms →
On Psalms 50:6Saint Augustine of Hippo11. “For, behold, truth Thou hast loved: uncertain and hidden things of Thy wisdom, Thou hast manifested to me” (ver. 6). That is, Thou hast not left unpunished even the sins of those whom Thou dost pardon. “Truth Thou hast loved:” so mercy Thou hast granted first, as that Thou shouldest also preserve truth. Thou pardonest one confessing, pardonest, but only if he punisheth himself: so there are preserved mercy…
Read Expositions on the Psalms →
On Psalms 50:7Saint Augustine of Hippo12. “Thou shalt sprinkle me,” he saith, “with hyssop, and I shall be cleansed” (ver. 7). Hyssop we know to be a herb humble but healing: to the rock it is said to adhere with roots. Thence in a mystery the similitude of cleansing the heart has been taken. Do thou also take hold, with the root of thy love, on thy Rock: be humble in thy humble God, in order that thou mayest be exalted in thy glorified God. Thou…
Read Expositions on the Psalms →
On Psalms 50:8Saint Augustine of Hippo13. But where is humility from hyssop? Hear what followeth: “To my hearing Thou shall give exultation and gladness, and bones humbled shall exult” (ver. 8). I will rejoice in hearing Thee, not in speaking against Thee. Thou hast sinned, why defendest thou thyself? Thou wilt speak: suffer thou; hear, yield to divine words, lest thou be put to confusion, and be still more wounded: sin hath been committed, be it not…
Read Expositions on the Psalms →
On Psalms 50:9Saint Augustine of Hippo14. “Turn Thou away Thy face from my sins, and all mine iniquities blot out” (ver. 9). For now bones humbled exult, now with hyssop cleansed, humble I have become. “Turn Thou away Thy face,” not from me, but “from my sins.” For in another place praying he saith, “Turn not away Thy face from me.” He that would not that God’s face be turned away from himself, would that God’s face be turned away from his sins. For…
Read Expositions on the Psalms →
On Psalms 50:10Saint Augustine of Hippo15. “A clean heart create in me, O God” (ver. 10). “Create”—he meant to say, “as it were begin something new.” But, because repentant he was praying (that had committed some sin, which before he had committed, he was more innocent), after what manner he hath said “create” he showeth. “And a right spirit renew in my inner parts.” By my doing, he saith, the uprightness of my spirit hath been made old and bowed. For…
Read Expositions on the Psalms →
On Psalms 50:11Saint Augustine of Hippo16. “Cast me not forth from Thy face” (ver. 11). Turn away Thy face from my sins: and “cast me not forth from Thy face.” Whose face he feareth, upon the face of the Same he calleth. “And Thy Holy Spirit take not away from me.” For in one confessing there is the Holy Spirit. Even now, to the gift of the Holy Spirit it belongeth, that what thou hast done displeaseth thee. The unclean spirit sins do please; the Holy…
Read Expositions on the Psalms →
On Psalms 50:12Saint Augustine of Hippo17. “Give back to me the exultation of Thy salvation” (ver. 12). “Give back” what I had; what by sinning I had lost: to wit, of Thy Christ. For who without Him can be made whole? Because even before that He was Son of Mary, “In the beginning He was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God;” and so, by the holy fathers a future dispensation of flesh taken upon Him, was looked for; as is believed…
Read Expositions on the Psalms →
On Psalms 50:13Saint Augustine of Hippo18. But see what he annexeth: “With Principal Spirit,” he saith, “confirm Thou me.” Wherein “confirm”? Because Thou hast pardoned me, because I am secure, that what Thou hast forgiven is not to be ascribed, on this being made secure and with this grace confirmed, therefore I am not ungrateful. But I shall do what? “I would teach unrighteous men Thy ways” (ver. 13). Being myself of the unrighteous (that is, one…
Read Expositions on the Psalms →
On Psalms 50:14Saint Augustine of Hippo19. “Deliver me from bloods, O God, God of my health” (ver. 14). The Latin translator hath expressed, though by a word not Latin, yet an accuracy from the Greek. For we all know that in Latin, sanguines (bloods) are not spoken of, nor yet sanguina (bloods in the neuter), nevertheless because the Greek translator hath thus used the plural number, not without reason, but because he found this in the original…
Read Expositions on the Psalms →
On Psalms 50:15Saint Augustine of Hippo20. “O Lord, my lips Thou shalt open, and my mouth shall tell of Thy praise” (ver. 15). “Thy praise,” because I have been created: “Thy praise,” because sinning I have not been forsaken: “Thy praise,” because I have been admonished to confess: “Thy praise,” because in order that I might be secured I have been cleansed.
Read Expositions on the Psalms →
On Psalms 50:16–17Saint Augustine of Hippo21. “Because if Thou hadst willed sacrifice, I would have given it surely” (ver. 16). David was living at that time when sacrifices of victim animals were offered to God, and he saw these times that were to be. Do we not perceive ourselves in these words? Those sacrifices were figurative, foretelling the One Saving Sacrifice. Not even we have been left without a Sacrifice to offer to God. For hear what he saith,…
Read Expositions on the Psalms →
On Psalms 50:18Saint Augustine of Hippo22. See who this is: David as one man was seeming to implore; see ye here our image and the type of the Church. “Deal kindly, O Lord, in Thy good will with Sion” (ver. 18). With this Sion deal kindly. What is Sion? A city holy. What is a city holy? That which cannot be hidden, being upon a mountain established. Sion in prospect, because it hath prospect of something which it hopeth for. For Sion is interpreted…
Read Expositions on the Psalms →
On Psalms 50:19Open Psalms 50 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 Hippo23. “Then Thou shalt accept the sacrifice of righteousness” (ver. 19). But now sacrifice for iniquity, to wit, a spirit troubled, and a heart humbled; then the sacrifice of righteousness, praises alone. For, “Blessed they that dwell in Thy house, for ever and ever they shall praise Thee:” for this is the sacrifice of righteousness. “Oblations and holocausts.” What are “holocausts”? A whole victim by fire…
Read Expositions on the Psalms →