Psalms 77
Old Testament · Brenton Septuagint with Greek parallel
Psalms chapter 77 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.
31 patristic excerpts are attached to this chapter, from Saint Augustine of Hippo. The translator's notes for this chapter (7) follow the text.
Psalms 77
1(78) A Psalm of * instruction for Asaph. Give heed, O my people, to my law: incline your ear to the words of my mouth.Συνέσεως τῷ Ἀσάφ. Προσέχετε λαός μου τὸν νόμον μου, κλίνατε τὸ οὖς ὑμῶν εἰς τὰ ῥήματα τοῦ στόματός μου.
2✡ I will open my mouth in parables: I will utter dark sayings which have been from the beginning.Ἀνοίξω ἐν παραβολαῖς τὸ στόμα μου, φθέγξομαι προβλήματα ἀπʼ ἀρχῆς.
3All which we have heard and known, and our fathers have declared to us.Ὅσα ἠκούσαμεν καὶ ἔγνωμεν αὐτὰ, καὶ οἱ πατέρες ἡμῶν διηγήσαντο ἡμῖν.
4They were not hid from their children to a second generations; the fathers declaring the praises of the Lord, and his mighty acts, and his wonders which he wrought.Οὐκ ἐκρύβη ἀπὸ τῶν τέκνων αὐτῶν εἰς γενεὰν ἑτέραν, ἀπαγγέλλοντες τὰς αἰνέσεις Κυρίου καὶ τὰς δυναστείας αὐτοῦ, καὶ τὰ θαυμάσια αὐτοῦ ἃ ἐποίησε.
5And he raised up a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers, to make it known to their children:Καὶ ἀνέστησε μαρτύριον ἐν Ἰακὼβ, καὶ νόμον ἔθετο ἐν Ἰσραήλ· ὃν ἐνετείλατο τοῖς πατράσιν ἡμῶν, γνωρίσαι αὐτὸν τοῖς υἱοῖς αὐτῶν,
6that another generation might know, even the sons which should be born; and they should arise and declare them to their children.ὅπως ἂν γνῷ γενεὰ ἑτέρα, υἱοὶ οἱ τεχθησόμενοι, καὶ ἀναστήσονται καὶ ἀπαγγελοῦσιν αὐτὰ τοῖς υἱοῖς αὐτῶν·
7That they might set their hope on God, and not forget the works of God, but diligently seek his commandments.ἵνα θῶνται ἐπὶ τὸν Θεὸν τὴν ἐλπίδα αὐτῶν, καὶ μὴ ἐπιλάθωνται τῶν ἔργων τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ τὰς ἐντολὰς αὐτοῦ ἐκζητήσωσιν.
8That they should not be as their fathers, a perverse and provoking generation; a generation which set not its heart aright, and its spirit was not † steadfast with God.Ἵνα μὴ γένωνται ὡς οἱ πατέρες αὐτῶν, γενεὰ σκολιὰ καὶ παραπικραίνουσα, γενεὰ ἥτις οὐ κατεύθυνεν ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ αὐτῆς, καὶ οὐκ ἐπιστώθη μετὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ τὸ πνεῦμα αὐτῆς.
9The children of Ephraim, bending and shooting with the bow, turned back in the day of battle.Υἱοὶ Ἐφραὶμ ἐντεινοντες καὶ βάλλοντες τόξον, ἐστράφησαν ἐν ἡμέρᾳ πολέμου.
10They kept not the covenant of God, and would not walk in his law.Οὐκ ἐφύλαξαν τὴν διαθήκην τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ ἐν τῷ νόμῳ αὐτοῦ οὐκ ἤθελον πορεύεσθαι.
11And they forgot his benefits, and his miracles which he had showed them;Καὶ ἐπελάθοντο τῶν εὐεργεσιῶν αὐτοῦ καὶ τῶν θαυμασίων αὐτοῦ, ὧν ἔδειξεν αὐτοῖς·
12the miracles which he wrought before their fathers, in the land of Egypt, in the plain of Tanes.ἐναντίον τῶν πατέρων αὐτῶν ἃ ἐποίησε θαυμάσια, ἐν γῇ Αἰγύπτῳ, ἐν πεδίῳ Τάνεως.
13He clave the sea, and led them through: he made the waters to stand as in a bottle.Διέῤῥηξε θάλασσαν, καὶ διήγαγεν αὐτοὺς· ἔστησεν ὕδατα ὡσεὶ ἀσκόν.
14And he guided them with a cloud by day, and all the night with a light of fire.Καὶ ὡδήγησεν αὐτοὺς ἐν νεφέλῃ ἡμέρας, καὶ ὅλην τὴν νύκτα ἐν φωτισμῷ πυρός.
15he clave a rock in the wilderness, and made them drink as in a great deep.Διέῤῥηξε πέτραν ἐν ἐρήμῳ, καὶ ἐπότισεν αὐτοὺς ὡς ἐν ἀβύσσῳ πολλῇ.
16And he brought water out of the rock, and caused waters to flow down as rivers.Καὶ ἐξήγαγεν ὕδωρ ἐκ πέτρας, καὶ κατήγαγεν ὡς ποταμοὺς ὕδατα.
17And they sinned yet more against him; they provoked the Most High in the wilderness.Καὶ προσέθεντο ἔτι τοῦ ἁμαρτάνειν αὐτῷ· παρεπικραναν τὸν ὕψιστον ἐν ἀνύδρῳ,
18And they tempted God in their hearts, in asking meat for the desire of their souls.καὶ ἐξεπείρασαν τὸν Θεὸν ἐν ταῖς καρδίαις αὐτῶν, τοῦ αἰτῆσαι βρώματα ταῖς ψυχαῖς αὐτῶν.
19They spoke also against God, and said, Will God be able to prepare a table in the wilderness?Καὶ κατελάλησαν τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ εἶπαν, μὴ δυνήσεται ὁ Θεὸς ἑτοιμάσαι τράπεζαν ἐν ἐρήμῳ;
20Forasmuch as he struck the rock, and the waters flowed, and the torrents ran abundantly; will he be able also to give bread, or prepare a table for his people?Ἐπεὶ ἐπάταξε πέτραν, καὶ ἐῤῥύησαν ὕδατα, καὶ χείμαῤῥοι κατεκλύσθησαν· μὴ καὶ ἄρτον δυνήσεται δοῦναι; ἢ ἑτοιμάσαι τράπεζαν τῷ λαῷ αὐτοῦ;
21Therefore the Lord heard, and was provoked: and fire was kindled in Jacob, and wrath went up against Israel.Διὰ τοῦτο ἤκουσε Κύριος καὶ ἀνεβάλετο, καὶ πῦρ ἀνήφθη ἐν Ἰακὼβ, καὶ ὀργὴ ἀνέβη ἐπὶ τὸν Ἰσραήλ.
22Because they believed not in God, and trusted not in his salvation.Ὅτι οὐκ ἐπίστευσαν ἐν τῷ Θεῷ, οὐδὲ ἤλπισαν ἐπὶ τὸ σωτήριον αὐτοῦ.
23Yet he commanded the clouds from above, and opened the doors of heaven,Καὶ ἐνετείλατο νεφέλαις ὑπεράνωθεν, καὶ θύρας οὐρανοῦ ἀνέῳξε·
24and rained upon them manna to eat, and gave them the bread of heaven.καὶ ἔβρεξεν αὐτοῖς μάννα φαγεῖν, καὶ ἄρτον οὐρανοῦ ἔδωκεν αὐτοῖς.
25Man ate angels' bread; ✡ he sent them provision to the full.Ἄρτον ἀγγέλων ἔφαγεν ἄνθρωπος, ἐπισιτισμὸν ἀπέστειλεν αὐτοῖς εἰς πλησμονήν.
26He removed the south wind from heaven; and by his might he brought in the southwest wind.Ἀπῇρε Νότον ἐξ οὐρανοῦ, καὶ ἐπήγαγεν ἐν τῇ δυναστείᾳ
27And he rained upon them flesh like dust, and feathered birds like the sand of the seas.αὐτοῦ Λίβα. Καὶ ἔβρεξεν ἐπ αὐτοὺς ὡσεὶ χοῦν σάρκας, καὶ ὡσεῖ ἄμμον θαλασσῶν πετεινὰ πτερωτά.
28And they fell into the midst of their camp, round about their tents.Καὶ ἐπέπεσον εἰς μέσον τῆς παρεμβολῆς αὐτῶν, κύκλῳ τῶν σκηνωμάτων αὐτῶν.
29So they ate, and were completely filled; and he gave them their desire.Καὶ ἐφάγοσαν καὶ ἐνεπλήσθησαν σφόδρα, καὶ τὴν ἐπιθυμίαν αὐτῶν ἤνεγκεν αὐτοῖς.
30They were not disappointed of their desire: but when their food was yet in their mouth,Οὐκ ἐστερήθησαν ἀπὸ τῆς ἐπιθυμίας αὐτῶν· ἔτι τῆς βρώσεως
31then the indignation of God rose up against them, and killed the fattest of them, and overthrew the choice men of Israel.αὐτῶν οὔσης ἐν τῷ στόματι αὐτῶν, καὶ ὀργὴ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἀνέβη ἐπʼ αὐτοὺς, καὶ ἀπέκτεινεν ἐν τοῖς πίοσιν αὐτῶν, καὶ τοὺς ἐκλεκτοὺς τοῦ Ἰσραὴλ συνεπόδισεν.
32In the midst of all this they sinned yet more, and believed not his miracles.ʼΕν πᾶσι τούτοις ἥμαρτον ἔτι, καὶ οὐκ ἐπίστευσαν τοῖς
33And their days were consumed in vanity, and their years with anxiety.θαυμασίοις αὐτοῦ. Καὶ ἐξέλιπον ἐν ματαιότητι αἱ ἡμέραι αὐτῶν, καὶ τὰ ἔτη αὐτῶν μετὰ σπουδῆς.
34When he killed them, they sought him: and they returned and called betimes upon God.Ὅταν ἀπέκτεινεν αὐτοὺς, ἐζήτουν αὐτὸν, καὶ ἐπέστρεφον καὶ
35And they remembered that God was their helper, and the most high God was their redeemer.ὤρθριζον πρὸς τὸν Θεόν. Καὶ ἐμνήσθησαν ὅτι ὁ Θεὸς βοηθὸς αὐτῶν ἐστι, καὶ ὁ Θεὸς ὁ ὕψιστος λυτρωτὴς αὐτῶν ἐστι.
36Yet they loved him only with their mouth, and lied to him with their tongue.Καὶ ἠγάπησαν αὐτὸν ἐν τῷ στόματι αὐτῶν, καὶ τῇ γλώσσῃ αὐτῶν
37For their heart was not right with him, neither were they steadfast in his covenant.ἐψεύσαντο αὐτῷ· ἡ δὲ καρδία αὐτῶν οὐκ εὐθεῖα μετʼ αὐτοῦ, οὐδὲ ἐπιστώθησαν ἐν τῇ διαθήκῃ αὐτοῦ.
38But he is compassionate, and will ‡ forgive their sins, and will not destroy them: yes, he will frequently turn away his wrath, and will not kindle all his anger.Αὐτὸς δέ ἐστιν οἰκτίρμων, καὶ ἱλάσεται ταῖς ἁμαρτίαις αὐτῶν, καὶ οὐ διαφθερεῖ· καὶ πληθυνεῖ τοῦ ἀποστρέψαι τὸν θυμὸν αὐτοῦ, καὶ οὐχὶ ἐκκαύσει πᾶσαν τὴν ὀργὴν αὐτοῦ.
39And he remembered that they are flesh; a wind that passes away, and returns not.Καὶ ἐμνήσθη ὅτι σάρξ εἰσι, πνεῦμα πορευόμενον καὶ οὐκ ἐπιστρέφον.
40How often did they provoke him in the wilderness, and anger him in a dry land!Ποσάκις παρεπίκραναν αὐτὸν ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ, παρώργισαν
41Yes, they turned back, and tempted God, and provoked the Holy One of Israel.αὐτὸν ἐν γῇ ἀνύδρῳ; Καὶ ἐπέστρεψαν καὶ ἐπείρασαν τὸν Θεὸν, καὶ τὸν ἅγιον τοῦ Ἰσραὴλ παρώξυναν.
42They remembered not his hand, the day in which he delivered them from the hand of the oppressor.Οὐκ ἐμνήσθησαν τῆς χειρὸς αὐτοῦ, ἡμέρας ἧς ἐλυτρώσατο αὐτοὺς ἐκ χειρὸς θλίβοντος·
43How he had wrought his signs in Egypt, and his wonders in the field of Tanes:Ὡς ἔθετο ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ τὰ σημεῖα αὐτοῦ, καὶ τὰ
44and had changed their rivers into blood; and their § streams, that they should not drink.τέρατα αὐτοῦ ἐν πεδίῳ Τάνεως· Καὶ μετέστρεψεν εἰς αἷμα τοὺς ποταμοὺς αὐτῶν, καὶ τὰ ὀμβρήματα αὐτῶν ὅπως μὴ πίωσιν·
45He sent against them the dog-fly, and it devoured them; and the frog, and it spoiled them.ἐξαπέστειλεν εἰς αὐτοὺς κυνόμυιαν καὶ κατέφαγεν αὐτοὺς, καὶ βάτραχον, καὶ διέφθειρεν αὐτούς·
46And he gave their fruit to the canker worm, and their labors to the locust.Καὶ ἔδωκε τῇ ἐρυσίβῃ τὸν καρπὸν αὐτῶν, καὶ τοὺς πόνους αὐτῶν τῇ ἀκρίδι.
47He killed their vines with hail, and their sycamores with frost.Ἀπέκτεινεν ἐν χαλάζῃ τὴν ἄμπελον αὐτῶν, καὶ τὰς συκαμίνους αὐτῶν ἐν
48And he gave up their cattle to hail, and their substance to the fire.τῇ πάχνῃ. Καὶ παρέδωκεν ἐν χαλάζῃ τὰ κτήνη αὐτῶν, καὶ τὴν ὕπαρξιν αὐτῶν τῷ πυρί.
49He sent out against them the fury of his anger, wrath, and indignation, and affliction, a message by evil angels.Ἐξαπέστειλεν εἰς αὐτοὺς ὀργὴν θυμοῦ αὐτοῦ, θυμὸν καὶ ὀργὴν καὶ θλίψιν, ἀποστολὴν διʼ
50He made a way for his wrath; he spared not their souls from death, but consigned their cattle to death;ἀγγέλων πονηρῶν. Ὡδοποίησε τρίβον τῇ ὀργῇ αὐτοῦ, οὐκ ἐφείσατο ἀπὸ θανάτου τῶν ψυχῶν αὐτῶν, καὶ τὰ κτήνη αὐτῶν
51and struck every firstborn in the land of Egypt; the first fruits of their labors in the tents of Cham.εἰς θάνατον συνέκλεισε. Καὶ ἐπάταξε πᾶν πρωτότοκον ἐν γῇ Αἰγυπτῳ, ἀπαρχὴν πόνων αὐτῶν ἐν τοῖς σκηνώμασι Χάμ.
52And he removed his people like sheep; he led them as a flock in the wilderness.Καὶ ἀπῇρεν ὡς πρόβατα τὸν λαὸν αὐτοῦ, ἤγαγεν αὐτοὺς ὡσεὶ
53And he guided them with hope, and they feared not: but the sea covered their enemies.ποίμνιον ἐν ἐρήμῳ. Καὶ ὡδήγησεν αὐτοὺς ἐν ἐλπίδι, καὶ οὐκ ἐδειλίασον, καὶ τοὺς ἐχθροὺς αὐτῶν ἐκάλυψε θάλασσα.
54And he brought them in to the mountain of his sanctuary, this mountain which his right hand had purchased.Καὶ εἰσήγαγεν αὐτοὺς εἰς ὄρος ἁγιάσματος αὐτοῦ, ὄρος τοῦτο ὃ
55And he cast out the nations from before them, and made them to inherit by a line of inheritance, and made the tribes of Israel to dwell in their tents.ἐκτήσατο ἡ δεξιὰ αὐτοῦ. Καὶ ἐξέβαλεν ἀπὸ προσώπου αὐτῶν ἔθνη, καὶ ἐκληροδότησεν αὐτοὺς ἐν σχοινίῳ κληροδοσίας, καὶ κατεσκήνωσεν ἐν τοῖς σκηνώμασιν αὐτῶν τὰς φυλὰς τοῦ Ἰσραήλ.
56Yet they tempted and provoked the most high God, and kept not his testimonies.Καὶ ἐπείρασαν καὶ παρεπίκραναν τὸν Θεὸν τὸν ὕψιστον, καὶ τὰ μαρτύρια αὐτοῦ οὐκ ἐφυλάξαντο.
57And they turned back, and broke covenant, even as also their fathers: they became like a crooked bow.Καὶ ἀπέστρεψαν, καὶ ἠσυνθέτησαν καθὼς καὶ οἱ πατέρες αὐτῶν, μετεστράφησαν εἰς τόξον στρεβλόν.
58And they provoked him with their high places, and moved him to jealousy with their graven images.Καὶ παρώργισαν αὐτὸν ἐπὶ τοῖς βουνοῖς αὐτῶν, καὶ ἐν τοῖς γλυπτοῖς αὐτῶν παρεζήλωσαν αὐτόν.
59God heard and ** lightly regarded them, and greatly despised Israel.Ἤκουσεν ὁ Θεὸς καὶ ὑπερεῖδε, καὶ ἐξουδένωσε σφόδρα τὸν
60And he rejected the tabernacle of Selom, his tent where he lived among men.ʼΙσραήλ. Καὶ ἀπώσατο τὴν σκηνὴν Σηλὼμ, σκήνωμα αὐτοῦ
61And he gave their strength into captivity, and their beauty into the enemy's hand.οὗ κατεσκήνωσεν ἐν ἀνθρώποις. Καὶ παρέδωκεν εἰς αἰχμαλωσίαν τὴν ἰσχὺν αὐτῶν, καὶ τὴν καλλονὴν αὐτῶν εἰς χεῖρα
62And he †† gave his people to the sword; and disdained his inheritance.ἐχθρου. Καὶ συνέκλεισεν εἰς ῥομφαίαν τὸν λαὸν αὐτοῦ, καὶ τὴν κληρονομίαν αὐτοῦ ὑπερεῖδε·
63Fire devoured their young men; and their virgins mourned not.Τοὺς νεανίσκους αὐτῶν κατέφαγε πῦρ, καὶ αἱ παρθένοι αὐτῶν οὐκ ἐπένθησαν. Οἱ
64Their priests fell by the sword; and their widows shall not be wept for.ἱερεῖς αὐτῶν ἐν ῥομφαίᾳ ἔπεσον, καὶ αἱ χῆραι αὐτῶν οὐ κλαυσθήσονται.
65So the Lord awaked as one out of sleep, and as a mighty man who has been heated with wine.Καὶ ἐξηγέρθη ὡς ὁ ὑπνῶν Κύριος, ὡς δυνατὸς κεκραιπαληκὼς
66And he struck his enemies in the hinder parts: he brought on them a perpetual reproach.ἐξ οἴνου. Καὶ ἐπάταξε τοὺς ἐχθροὺς αὐτοῦ εἰς τὰ ὀπίσω, ὄνειδος αἰώνιον ἔδωκεν αὐτοῖς.
67And he rejected the tabernacle of Joseph, and chose not the tribe of Ephraim;Καὶ ἀπώσατο τὸ σκήνωμα Ἰωσὴφ, καὶ τὴν φυλὴν Ἐφραὶμ
68but chose the tribe of Juda, the mount Sion which he loved.οὐκ ἐξελέξατο. Καὶ ἐξελέξατο τὴν φυλὴν Ἰούδα, τὸ ὄρος τὸ
69And he built his sanctuary as the place of unicorns; he founded it for ever on the earth.Σιὼν, ὃ ἠγάπησε. Καὶ ᾠκοδόμησεν ὡς μονοκερώτων τὸ ἁγίασμα αὐτοῦ, ἐν τῇ γῇ ἐθεμελίωσεν αὐτὴν εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα.
70He chose David also his servant, and took him up from the flocks of sheep.Καὶ ἐξελέξατο Δαυὶδ τὸν δοῦλον αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἀνέλαβεν αὐτὸν ἐκ τῶν
71He took him from following the ewes great with young, to be the shepherd of Jacob his servant, and Israel his inheritance.ποιμνίων τῶν προβάτων. Ἐξόπισθεν τῶν λοχευομένων ἔλαβεν αὐτὸν, ποιμαίνειν Ἰακὼβ τὸν δοῦλον αὐτοῦ, καὶ Ἰσραὴλ τὴν
72So he tended them in the innocency of his heart; and guided them by the skillfulness of his hands.κληρονομίαν αὐτοῦ. Καὶ ἐποίμανεν αὐτοὺς ἐν τῇ ἀκακίᾳ τῆς καρδίας αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐν τῇ συνέσει τῶν χειρῶν αὐτοῦ, ὡδήγησεν αὐτούς.
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✡Matt 13:35
- v. 8†Or, faithfully secured.
- v. 25✡Matt 6:31
- v. 38‡Gr. be propitious, or, merciful to.
- v. 44§Gr. rains, or, showers.
- v. 59**Lit. overlooked them. See Acts 17:30.
- v. 62††Gr. shut up.
The Fathers on Psalms 77
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 77:1Saint Augustine of Hippo2. “Hearken ye,” He saith, “My people, to My law” (ver. 1). Whom may we suppose to be here speaking, but God? For it was Himself that gave a law to His people, whom when delivered out of Egypt He gathered together, the which gathering together is properly named a Synagogue, which the word Asaph is interpreted to signify. Hath it then been said, “Understanding of Asaph,” in the sense that Asaph himself hath…
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On Psalms 77:2Saint Augustine of Hippo4. “I will open,” he saith, “in parables My mouth, I will declare propositions from the beginning” (ver. 2). From what beginning he meaneth, is very evident in the words following. For it is not from the beginning, what time the Heaven and earth were made, nor what time mankind was created in the first man: but what time the congregation that was led out of Egypt; in order that the sense may belong to Asaph,…
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On Psalms 77:2, 5Saint Augustine of Hippo6. “They have not been hidden from their sons in another generation” (ver. 4). This is our generation wherein there hath been given to us regeneration. “Telling forth the praises of the Lord and His powers, and His wonderful works which He hath done.” The order of the words is, “and our fathers have told unto us, telling forth the praises of the Lord.” The Lord is praised, in order that He may be loved. For what…
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On Psalms 77:3Saint Augustine of Hippo5. “How great things we have heard, and have known them, and our fathers have told them to us” (ver. 3). The Lord was speaking higher up. For of what other person could these words be thought to be, “Hearken ye, O My people, to My law”? Why is it then that now on a sudden a man is speaking, for here we have the words of a man, “our fathers have told them to us.” Without doubt God, now about to speak by a man’s…
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On Psalms 77:5–8Saint Augustine of Hippo7. “How great things,” he saith, “He hath commanded our fathers, to make the same known to their sons?” (ver. 5). “That another generation may know, sons who shall be born and shall rise up, and they may tell to their sons” (ver. 6). “That they may put their hope in God, and may not forget the works of God, and may seek out His commandments” (ver. 7). “That they may not become, like their fathers, a crooked and…
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On Psalms 77:9Saint Augustine of Hippo8. Lastly, “The sons of Ephrem bending and shooting bows, have been turned back in the day of war” (ver. 9). Following after the law of righteousness, unto the law of righteousness they have not attained. Why? Because they were not of faith. For they were that generation whereof the spirit hath not been trusted with God: but they were, so to speak, of works: because they did not, as they bended and shot their…
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On Psalms 77:10Saint Augustine of Hippo9. But what that is which he saith, “they have been turned back in the day of war,” the following words do teach, wherein he hath most clearly explained this: “they have not kept,” he saith, “the testament of God, and in His law they would not walk” (ver. 10). Behold what is, “they have been turned back in the day of war:” they have not kept the testament of God. When they were bending and shooting bows, they did…
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On Psalms 77:11–12Saint Augustine of Hippo10. “And they forgat His benefits, and the wonderful works of Him which He showed to them; before their fathers the wonderful things which He did” (ver. 11). What this is, is not a question to be negligently passed over. Concerning those very fathers he was speaking a little before, that they had been a generation crooked and embittering.…What fathers, inasmuch as these are the very fathers, whom he would not…
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On Psalms 77:13–16Saint Augustine of Hippo11. For He that “did burst asunder the sea and made them go through, did confine the waters as it were in bottles” (ver. 13), in order that the water might stand up first as if it were shut in, is able by His grace to restrain the flowing and ebbing tides of carnal desires, when we renounce this world, so that all sins having been thoroughly washed away, as if they were enemies, the people of the faithful may be…
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On Psalms 77:17Saint Augustine of Hippo12. And yet, “they,” like a generation crooked and embittering, “added yet to sin against Him” (ver. 17): that is, not to believe. For this is the sin, whereof the Spirit doth convict the world, as the Lord saith, “Of sin indeed because they have not believed on Me.” “And they exasperated the Most High in drought,” which other copies have, “in a place without water,” which is a more exact translation from the…
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On Psalms 77:18–20Saint Augustine of Hippo13. “And they tempted God in their hearts, in order that they might seek morsels for their souls” (ver. 18). It is one thing to ask in believing, another thing in tempting. Lastly there followeth, “And they slandered God, and said, Shall God be able to prepare a table in the desert?” (ver. 19). “For He smote the rock, and the waters flowed, and torrents gushed forth: will He be able to give bread also, or to…
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On Psalms 77:21Saint Augustine of Hippo14. “Wherefore the Lord heard, and He delayed, and fire was lighted in Jacob, and wrath went up into Israel” (ver. 21). He hath explained what he hath called fire. He hath called anger fire: although in strict propriety fire did also burn up many men. What is therefore this that he saith, “The Lord heard, and He delayed”? Did He delay to conduct them into the land of promise, whither they were being led: which…
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On Psalms 77:22–29, 32Saint Augustine of Hippo15. Lastly, when both these things have been briefly touched, afterwards he is evidently following out the order of the narrative. “Because they believed not in God, nor hoped in His saving health” (ver. 22). For when he had told why fire was lighted in Jacob, and anger went up upon Israel, that is to say, “because they believed not in God, nor hoped in His saving health:” immediately subjoining the evident…
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On Psalms 77:32–33Saint Augustine of Hippo17. But the generation crooked and embittering, “in all these things sinned yet more, and they believed not in His wonderful works” (ver. 32). “And in their days failed in vanity” (ver. 33). Though they might, if they had believed, have had days in truth without failing, with Him to whom hath been said, “Thy years shall not fail.” Therefore, “their days failed in vanity, and their years with haste.” For the whole…
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On Psalms 77:31Saint Augustine of Hippo16. But as to unbelievers, being a crooked and embittering generation, as it were, while the morsel was yet in their mouths, “the anger of God went up upon them, and it slew among the most of them” (ver. 31): that is, the most of them, or as some copies have it, “the fat ones of them,” which however in the Greek copies which we had, we did not find. But if this be the truer reading, what else must be understood…
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On Psalms 77:34–35Saint Augustine of Hippo18. Nevertheless, “when he slew them they sought Him:” not for the sake of eternal life, but fearing to end the vapour too soon. There sought Him then, not indeed those whom He had slain, but they that were afraid of being slain according to the example of them. But the Scripture hath so spoken of them as if they sought God who were slain; because they were one people, and it is spoken as if of one body: “and…
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On Psalms 77:36–37Saint Augustine of Hippo19. Lastly, here let us see the words following: “And they loved Him,” he saith, “in their mouth, and in their tongue they lied unto Him” (ver. 36). “But their heart was not right with Him, and they were not counted faithful in His Testament” (ver. 37). One thing on their tongue, another thing in their heart He found, unto whom the secret things of men are naked, and without any impediment He saw what they loved…
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On Psalms 77:38Saint Augustine of Hippo20. “But He is Himself merciful, and will become propitious to their sins, and He will not destroy them. And He will abound to turn away His anger, and He will not kindle all his anger” (ver. 38). By these words many men promise to themselves impunity for their iniquity from the Divine Mercy, even if they shall have persevered in being such, as that generation is described, “crooked and embittering; which hath…
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On Psalms 77:39Saint Augustine of Hippo22. “And He remembered that they are flesh, a spirit going and not returning” (ver. 39). Therefore calling them and pitying them through His grace, He called them back Himself, because of themselves they could not return. For how doth flesh return, “a spirit walking and not turning back,” while a weight of evil deserts doth weigh it down unto the lowest and far places of evil, save through the election of…
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On Psalms 77:40–49, 51Saint Augustine of Hippo23. I say then of these crooked and embittering persons, “How often they exasperated Him in the desert, and provoked Him to wrath in the waterless place!” (ver. 40). “And they turned themselves and tempted God, and exasperated the Holy One of Israel” (ver. 41). He is repeating that same unbelief of theirs, of which He had made mention above. But the reason of the repetition is, in order that there may be…
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On Psalms 77:49Saint Augustine of Hippo28. But as far as regardeth the present passage of this Psalm, if we dare not ascribe those things which were marvellously formed out of creatures, to evil angels; we have a thing which without doubt we can ascribe to them; the dyings of the beasts, the dyings of the first-born, and this especially whence all these things proceeded, namely, the hardening of heart, so that they would not let go the people of God.…
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On Psalms 77:51–53Saint Augustine of Hippo29. The Psalm proceedeth then after the commemoration of the plagues of the Egyptians (ver. 51) and saith, “And He took away like sheep His people, and He led them through like a flock in the desert” (ver. 52). “And He led them down in hope, and they feared not, and their enemies the sea covered” (ver. 53). This cometh to pass to so much the greater good, as it is a more inward thing, wherein being delivered from…
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On Psalms 77:54Saint Augustine of Hippo30. In the next place there followeth, “And He led them into the mountain of His sanctification” (ver. 54). How much better into Holy Church! “The mountain which His right hand hath gotten.” How much higher is the Church which Christ hath gotten, concerning whom has been said, “And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?” (ver. 55). “And He cast forth from the face of them the nations.” And from the face…
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On Psalms 77:56, 58Saint Augustine of Hippo31. “And He made to dwell in their tabernacles the tribes of Israel.” In the tabernacles, he saith, of the Gentiles He made the tribes of Israel to dwell, which I think can better be explained spiritually, inasmuch as unto celestial glory, whence sinning angels have been cast forth and cast down, by Christ’s grace we are being uplifted. For that generation crooked and embittering, inasmuch as for these corporal…
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On Psalms 77:59–60, 62–65Saint Augustine of Hippo32. “God heard, and He despised:” that is, He gave heed and took vengeance. “And unto nothing He brought Israel exceedingly” (ver. 60). For when God despised, what were they who by God’s help were what they were? But doubtless he is commemorating the doing of that thing, when they were conquered by the Philistines in the time of Heli the priest, and the Ark of the Lord was taken, and with great slaughter they…
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On Psalms 77:65–66Saint Augustine of Hippo33. “And He smote His enemies in the hinder parts” (ver. 66): those, to wit, who were rejoicing that they were able to take His Ark: for they were smitten in their back-parts. Which seemeth to me to be a sign of that punishment, wherewith a man will be tortured, if he shall have looked back upon things behind; which, as saith the Apostle, he ought to value as dung. For they that do so receive the Testament of…
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On Psalms 77:67–68Saint Augustine of Hippo34. “And He rejected,” he saith, “the tabernacle of Joseph, and the tribe of Ephraim He chose not” (ver. 68). “And He chose the tribe of Judah” (ver. 69). He hath not said, He rejected the tabernacle of Reuben, who was the first-born son of Jacob; nor them that follow, and precede Judah in order of birth; so that they being rejected and not chosen, the tribe of Judah was chosen. For it might have been said that…
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On Psalms 77:69Saint Augustine of Hippo35. Lastly there followeth, “and He builded like as of unicorns His sanctification” (ver. 70): or, as some interpreters have made thereof a new word, “His sanctifying.” The unicorns are rightly understood to be those, whose firm hope is uplifted unto that one thing, concerning which another Psalm saith, “One thing I have sought of the Lord, this I will require.” But the sanctifying of God, according to the…
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On Psalms 77:70Saint Augustine of Hippo36. “And He chose David His servant” (ver. 71). The tribe, I say, of Judah, for the sake of David: but David for the sake of Christ: the tribe then of Judah for the sake of Christ. At whose passing by blind men cried out, “Have pity on us, Son of David:” and forthwith by His pity they received light, because true was the thing which they cried out. This then the Apostle doth not cursorily speak of, but doth…
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On Psalms 77:71Saint Augustine of Hippo37. “And He took him from the flocks of sheep, from behind the teeming sheep He received him: to feed Jacob His servant, and Israel His inheritance” (ver. 72). This David indeed, of whose seed the flesh of Christ is, from the pastoral care of cattle was translated to the kingdom of men: but our David, Jesus Himself, from men to men, from Jews to Gentiles, was yet according to the parable from sheep to sheep taken…
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On Psalms 77:72Open Psalms 77 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 Hippo38. “And He fed them,” he saith, “in the innocence of His heart” (ver. 73). What can be more innocent than He, who not only had not any sin whereby to be conquered, but even not any to conquer? “And in the understanding of His hands He led them home:” or, as some copies have it, “in the understandings of His hands.” Any other man might suppose that it would have been better had it been said thus, “in innocence of…
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