Psalms 70
Old Testament · Brenton Septuagint with Greek parallel
Psalms chapter 70 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.
20 patristic excerpts are attached to this chapter, from Saint Augustine of Hippo. The translator's notes for this chapter (2) follow the text.
Psalms 70
1(71) By David, a Psalm sung by the sons of Jonadab, and the first that were taken captive. O Lord, I have hoped in you: let me never be put to shame.Τῷ Δαυὶδ υἱῶν Ἰωναδὰβ, καὶ τῶν πρώτων αἰχμαλωτισθέντων. Ἐπὶ σοὶ Κύριε ἤλπισα, μὴ καταισχυνθείην εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα.
2In your righteousness deliver me and rescue me: incline your ear to me, and save me.Ἐν τῇ δικαιοσύνῃ σου ῥῦσαί με καὶ ἐξελοῦ με, κλῖνον πρὸς μὲ τὸ οὖς σου καὶ σῶσόν με.
3Be to me a protecting God, and a strong hold to save me: for you are my fortress and my refuge.Γενοῦ μοι εἰς Θεὸν ὑπερασπιστὴν, καὶ εἰς τόπον ὀχυρὸν τοῦ σῶσαί με, ὅτι στερέωμά μου καὶ καταφυγή μου εἶ σύ.
4Deliver me, O my God, from the hand of the sinner, from the hand of the transgressor and unjust man.Ὁ Θεός μου ῥῦσαί με ἐκ χειρὸς ἁμαρτωλοῦ, ἐκ χειρὸς παρανομοῦντος καὶ ἀδικοῦντος.
5For you are my support, O Lord; O Lord, you are my hope from my youth.Ὅτι σὺ εἶ ἡ ὑπομονή μου Κύριε, Κύριε ἡ ἐλπίς μου ἐκ νεότητός μου·
6On you have I been stayed from the womb: from the belly of my mother you are my protector: of you is my * praise continually.Ἐπὶ σὲ ἐπεστηρίχθην ἀπὸ γαστρὸς, ἐκ κοιλίας μητρός μου σύ μου εἶ σκεπαστής. ἐν σοὶ ἡ ὕμνησίς μου διαπαντός.
7I am become as it were a wonder to many: but you are my strong helper.Ὡσεὶ τέρας ἐγενήθην τοῖς πολλοῖς, καὶ σὺ βοηθὸς κραταιός.
8Let my mouth be filled with praise, that I may hymn your glory, and your majesty all the day.Πληρωθήτω τὸ στόμα μου αἰνέσεως, ὅπως ὑμνήσω τὴν δόξαν σου, ὅλην τὴν ἡμέραν τὴν μεγαλοπρέπειάν σου.
9Cast me not off at the time of old age; forsake me not when my strength fails.Μὴ ἀποῤῥίψῃς με εἰς καιρὸν γήρους, ἐν τῷ ἐκλείπειν τὴν ἰσχύν μου μὴ ἐγκαταλίπῃς με.
10For my enemies have spoken against me; and they that lay wait for my soul have taken counsel together,Ὅτι εἶπαν οἱ ἐχθροί μου ἐμοὶ, καὶ οἱ φυλάσσοντες τὴν ψυχήν μου ἐβουλεύσαντο ἐπιτοαυτὸ,
11saying, God has forsaken him: persecute you and take him; for there is none to deliver him.λέγοντες, ὁ Θεὸς ἐγκατέλιπεν αὐτὸν, καταδιώξατε καὶ καταλάβετε αὐτὸν, ὅτι οὐκ ἔστιν ὁ ῥυόμενος.
12O God, go not far from me, O my God, draw near to my help.Ὁ Θεὸς μὴ μακρύνῃς ἀπʼ ἐμοῦ,
13Let those that plot against my soul be ashamed and utterly fail: let those that seek my hurt be clothed with shame and dishonor.ὁ Θεός μου εἰς τὴν βοήθειάν μου πρόσχες. Αἰσχυνθήτωσαν καὶ ἐκλιπέτωσαν οἱ ἐνδιαβάλλοντες τὴν ψυχήν μου, περιβαλλέσθωσαν αἰσχύνην καὶ ἐντροπὴν οἱ ζητοῦντες τὰ κακά μοι.
14But I will hope continually, and will praise you more and more.Ἐγὼ δὲ διαπαντὸς ἐλπιῶ, καὶ προσθήσω ἐπὶ πᾶσαν τὴν αἴνεσίν σου.
15My mouth shall declare your righteousness openly, and your salvation all the day; for I am not acquainted with the affairs of men.Τὸ στόμα μου ἐξαγγελεῖ τὴν δικαιοσύνην σου, ὅλην τὴν ἡμέραν τὴν σωτηρίαν σου· ὅτι οὐκ ἔγνων πραγματείας.
16I will go on in the might of the Lord: O Lord, I will make mention of your righteousness only.Εἰσελεύσομαι ἐν δυναστείᾳ Κυρίου, Κύριε μνησθήσομαι τῆς δικαιοσύνης σου μόνου.
17O God, you have taught me from my youth, and until now will I declare your wonders;Ἐδίδαξας με ὁ Θεὸς ἐκ νεότητός μου, καὶ μέχρι νῦν ἀπαγγελῶ τὰ θαυμάσιά σου,
18even until I am old and advanced in years. O God, forsake me not; until I shall have declared your arm to all the generation that is to come:καὶ ἕως γήρους καὶ πρεσβείου· ὁ Θεὸς μὴ ἐγκαταλίπῃς με, ἕως ἂν ἀπαγγείλω τὸν βραχίονά σου πάσῃ τῇ γενεᾷ τῇ ἐρχομένῃ· Τὴν δυναστείαν σου,
19even your power and your righteousness, O God, up to the highest heavens, even the mighty works which you have done: O God, who is like to you?καὶ τὴν δικαιοσύνην σου ὁ Θεὸς ἕως ὑψίστων, ἃ ἐποίησας μεγαλεῖα· ὁ Θεὸς τίς ὅμοιός σοι;
20What afflictions many and sore have you showed me! yet you did turn and quicken me, and brought me again from the depths of the earth.Ὅσας ἔδειξάς μοι θλίψεις πολλὰς καὶ κακάς; καὶ ἐπιστρέψας ἐζωοποίησάς με, καὶ ἐκ τῶν ἀβύσσων τῆς γῆς πάλιν ἀνήγαγές με.
21You did multiply your righteousness, and did turn and comfort me, and brought me again out of the depths of the earth.Ἐπλεόνασας τὴν δικαιοσύνην σου, καὶ ἐπιστρέψας παρεκάλεσάς με, καὶ ἐκ τῶν ἀβύσσων τῆς γῆς πάλιν ἀνήγαγές με.
22I will also therefore give thanks to you, O God, because of your truth, on an instrument of psalmody: I will sing psalms to you on the harp, O Holy One of Israel.Καὶ γὰρ ἐγὼ ἐξομολογήσομαί σοι ἐν σκεύει ψαλμοῦ τὴν ἀλήθειάν σου ὁ Θεὸς, ψαλῶ σοι ἐν κιθάρᾳ ὁ ἅγιος τοῦ Ἰσραήλ.
23My lips shall rejoice when I sing to you; and my soul, which you have redeemed.Ἀγαλλιάσονται τὰ χείλη μου ὅταν ψάλω σοι, καὶ ἡ ψυχή μου ἣν ἐλυτρώσω.
24Moreover also my tongue shall † dwell all the day upon your righteousness; when they shall be ashamed and confounded that seek my hurt.Ἔτι δὲ καὶ ἡ γλῶσσά μου ὅλην τὴν ἡμέραν μελετήσει τὴν δικαιοσύνην σου, ὅταν αἰσχυνθῶσι καὶ ἐντραπῶσιν οἱ ζητοῦντες τὰ κακά μοι.
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. hymn singing.
- v. 24†Lit. meditate.
The Fathers on Psalms 70
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 70:1Saint Augustine of Hippo3. “O God, in Thee I have hoped, O Lord, I shall not be confounded for everlasting” (ver. 1). Already I have been confounded, but not for everlasting. For how is he not confounded, to whom is said, “What fruit had ye in these things wherein ye now blush?” What then shall be done, that we may not be confounded for everlasting? “Draw near unto Him, and be ye enlightened, and your faces shall not blush.” Confounded…
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On Psalms 70:2Saint Augustine of Hippo4. “In Thine own righteousness deliver me, and save me” (ver. 2). Not in mine own, but in Thine own: for if in mine own, I shall be one of those whereof he saith, “Being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and their own righteousness willing to establish, to the righteousness of God they were not made subject.” Therefore, “in Thine own righteousness,” not in mine. For mine is what? Iniquity hath gone before. And…
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On Psalms 70:3Saint Augustine of Hippo5. “Be Thou unto me for a protecting God” (ver. 3). Let not the darts of the enemy reach unto me: for I am not able to protect myself. And a small thing is “protecting:” he hath added, “and for a walled place, that Thou mayest save me.” “For a walled place” be Thou to me, be Thou my walled place.…Behold, God Himself hath become the place of thy fleeing unto, who at first was the fearful object of thy fleeing…
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On Psalms 70:4Saint Augustine of Hippo6. “O God, deliver me from the hand of the sinner” (ver. 4). Generally, sinners, among whom is toiling he that is now to be delivered from captivity: he that now crieth, “Unhappy man I, who shall deliver me from the body of this death? The grace of God through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Within is a foe, that law in the members; there are without also enemies: unto what cryest thou? Unto Him, to whom hath been cried,…
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On Psalms 70:5–6Saint Augustine of Hippo7. Lastly, there followeth the reason why I say this: “for Thou art my patience” (ver. 5). Now if He is patience rightly, He is that also which followeth, “O Lord, my hope from my youth.” My patience, because my hope: or rather my hope, because my patience. “Tribulation,” saith the Apostle, “worketh patience, patience probation, but probation hope, but hope confoundeth not.” With reason in Thee I have hoped, O…
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On Psalms 70:7Saint Augustine of Hippo8. “As it were a monster I have become unto many” (ver. 7). Here in time of hope, in time of groaning, in time of humiliation, in time of sorrow, in time of infirmity, in time of the voice from the fetters—here then what? “As it were a monster I have become unto many.” Why, “As it were a monster”? Why do they insult me that think me a monster? Because I believe that which I see not. For they being happy in those…
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On Psalms 70:8Saint Augustine of Hippo9. “Let my mouth be fulfilled with praise, that with hymn I may tell of Thy glory, all the day long Thy magnificence” (ver. 8). What is “all the day long”? Without intermission. In prosperity, because Thou dost comfort: in adversity, because Thou dost correct: before I was in being, because Thou didst make; when I was in being, because Thou didst give health: when I had sinned, because Thou didst forgive; when I…
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On Psalms 70:9Saint Augustine of Hippo10. My hope from my youth, “cast me not away in time of old age” (ver. 9). What is this time of old age? “When my strength shall fail, forsake Thou not me.” Here God maketh this answer to thee, yea indeed let thy strength fail, in order that in thee mine may abide: in order that thou mayest say with the Apostle, “When I am made weak, then I am mighty.” Fear not, that thou be cast away in that weakness, in that…
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On Psalms 70:10Saint Augustine of Hippo11. Why do I say this? “For mine enemies have spoken against me, and they that were keeping watch for My soul, have taken counsel together (ver. 10): saying, God hath forsaken Him, persecute Him, and seize Him, for there is no one to deliver Him” (ver. 11). This hath been said concerning Christ. For He that with the great power of Divinity, wherein He is equal to the Father, had raised to life dead persons, on a…
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On Psalms 70:12–13Saint Augustine of Hippo12. “O Lord, my God, be not far from me” (ver. 12). So it is, and the Lord is not far off at all. For, “The Lord is nigh unto them that have bruised the heart.” “My God, unto my help look Thou.” “Be they confounded and fail that engage my soul” (ver. 13). What hath he desired? “Be they confounded and fail.” Why hath he desired it? “That engage my soul”? What is, “That engage my soul”? Engaging as it were unto…
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On Psalms 70:14Saint Augustine of Hippo13. “But I alway in Thee will hope, and will add to all Thy praise” (ver. 14). What is this? “I will add to all Thy praise,” ought to move us. More perfect wilt thou make the praise of God? Is there anything to be superadded? If already that is all praise, wilt thou add anything? God was praised in all His good deeds, in every creature of His, in the whole establishment of all things, in the government and…
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On Psalms 70:15Saint Augustine of Hippo14. “My mouth shall tell out Thy righteousness” (ver. 15): not mine. From thence I will add to all Thy praise: because even that I am righteous, if righteous I am, is Thy righteousness in me, not mine own: for Thou dost justify the ungodly. “All the day long Thy salvation.” What is, “Thy salvation”? Let no one assume to himself, that he saveth himself, “Of the Lord is Salvation.” Not any one by himself saveth…
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On Psalms 70:16Saint Augustine of Hippo18. With reason there followeth, “I will enter into the power of the Lord:” not mine own, but the Lord’s. For they gloried in their own power of the letter, therefore grace joined to the letter they knew not.…But because “the letter killeth, but the Spirit maketh alive:” “I have not known literature, and I will enter into the power of the Lord.” Therefore this verse following doth strengthen and perfect the…
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On Psalms 70:17Saint Augustine of Hippo19. “O God, Thou hast taught me from my youth” (ver. 17). What hast thou taught me? That of Thy righteousness alone I ought to be mindful. For reviewing my past life, I see what was owing to me, and what I have received instead of that which was owing to me. There was owing punishment, there hath been paid grace: there was owing hell, there hath been given life eternal. “O God, Thou hast taught me from my youth.”…
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On Psalms 70:18Saint Augustine of Hippo21. “And even unto oldness and old age” (ver. 18). These are two terms for old age, and are distinguished by the Greeks. For the gravity succeeding youth hath another name among the Greeks, and after that same gravity the last age coming on hath another name; for πρεσβύτης signifieth grave, and γ™ρων old. But because in the Latin language the distinction of these two terms holdeth not, both words implying old age…
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On Psalms 70:19Saint Augustine of Hippo22. “Thy power and Thy righteousness” (ver. 19). That is, that I may tell forth to every generation that is yet to come, Thine arm. And what hath Thine arm effected? This then let me tell forth, that same grace to every generation succeeding: let me say to every man that is to be born, nothing thou art by thyself, on God call thou, thine own are sins, merits are God’s: punishment to thee is owing, and when reward…
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On Psalms 70:20Saint Augustine of Hippo25. “How great troubles hast Thou shown to me, many and evil!” (ver. 20). Deservedly, proud servant. For thou hast willed perversely to be like thy God, who hadst been made after the image of thy Lord. Wouldest thou have it to be well with thee, when withdrawing from that good? Truly God saith to thee, if thou withdrawest from Me, and it is well with thee, I am not thy good. Again, if He is good, and in the…
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On Psalms 70:21Saint Augustine of Hippo26. But this was discipline; admonition, not desertion. Lastly, giving thanks, he saith what? “And being turned Thou hast made me alive, and from the bottomless places of the earth again Thou hast brought me back.” But when before? What is this “again”? Thou hast fallen from a high place, O man, disobedient slave, O thou proud against thy Lord, thou hast fallen. There hast come to pass in thee, “every one that…
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On Psalms 70:22Saint Augustine of Hippo28. “For I will confess to Thee in the vessels of a Psalm Thy truth” (ver. 22). The vessels of a Psalm are a Psaltery. But what is a Psaltery? An instrument of wood and strings. What doth it signify? There is some difference between it and a harp:…there seemeth to be signified by the Psaltery the Spirit, by the harp the flesh. And because he had spoken of two bringings back of ours from the bottomless places of…
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On Psalms 70:23–24Open Psalms 70 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 Hippo29. Again hear this because of that same “again” and “again.” “My lips shall exult when I shall psalm to Thee” (ver. 23). Because lips are wont to be spoken of both belonging to the inner and to the outward man, it is uncertain in what sense lips have been used: there followeth therefore, “And my soul which Thou hast redeemed.” Therefore regarding the inward lips having been saved in hope, brought back from the…
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