Psalms 78
Old Testament · Brenton Septuagint with Greek parallel
Psalms chapter 78 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.
13 patristic excerpts are attached to this chapter, from Saint Augustine of Hippo. The translator's notes for this chapter (1) follow the text.
Psalms 78
1(79) A Psalm for Asaph. O God, the heathen are come into your inheritance; they have polluted your holy temple; they have made Jerusalem a storehouse of fruits.Ψαλμὸς τῷ Ἀσάφ. Ὁ Θεὸς, ἤλθοσαν ἔθνη εἰς τὴν κληρονομίαν σου, ἐμίαναν τὸν ναὸν τὸν ἅγιόν σου· ἔθεντο Ἱερουσαλὴμ εἰς ὀπωροφυλάκιον.
2They have given the dead bodies of your servants to be food for the birds of the sky, the flesh of your holy ones for the wild beasts of the earth.Ἔθεντο τὰ θνησιμαῖα τῶν δούλων σου βρώματα τοῖς πετεινοῖς τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, τὰς σάρκας τῶν ὁσίων σου τοῖς θηρίοις τῆς γῆς.
3They have shed their blood as water, round about Jerusalem; and there was none to bury them.Ἐξέχεαν τὸ αἷμα αὐτῶν ὡς ὕδωρ, κύκλῳ Ἱερουσαλὴμ, καὶ οὐκ ἦν ὁ θάπτων.
4We are become a reproach to our neighbors, a scorn and derision to them that are round about us.Ἐγενήθημεν εἰς ὄνειδος τοῖς γείτοσιν ἡμῶν, μυκτηρισμὸς καὶ χλευασμὸς τοῖς κύκλῳ ἡμῶν.
5How long, O Lord? will you be angry for ever? shall your jealousy burn like fire?Ἕως πότε, Κύριε, ὀργισθήσῃ εἰς τέλος; ἐκκαυθήσεται ὡς πῦρ ὁ ζῆλός σου;
6Pour out your wrath upon the heathen that have not known you, and upon the kingdoms which have not called upon your name.Ἔκχεον τὴν ὀργήν σου ἐπὶ ἔθνη τὰ μὴ ἐπεγνωκότα σε, καὶ ἐπὶ βασιλείας αἳ τὸ ὄνομά σου οὐκ ἐπεκαλέσαντο.
7For they have devoured Jacob, and laid his place waste.Ὅτι κατέφαγον τὸν Ἰακὼβ, καὶ τὸν τόπον αὐτοῦ ἠρήμωσαν.
8Remember not our old transgressions; let your tender mercies speedily prevent us; for we are greatly impoverished.Μὴ μνησθῇς ἡμῶν ἀνομιῶν ἀρχαίων, ταχὺ προκαταλαβέτωσαν ἡμᾶς οἱ οἰκτιρμοί σου, ὅτι ἐπτωχεύσαμεν σφόδρα.
9Help us, O God our Saviour; for the glory of your name, O Lord, deliver us; and be merciful to our sins, for your name's sake.Βοήθησον ἡμῖν ὁ Θεὸς ὁ σωτὴρ ἡμῶν, ἕνεκα τῆς δόξης τοῦ ὀνόματός σου Κύριε ῥῦσαι ἡμᾶς, καὶ ἱλάσθητι ταῖς ἁμαρτίαις ἡμῶν ἕνεκα τοῦ ὀνόματός σου·
10Lest haply they should say among the heathen, Where is their God? and let the avenging of your servant's blood that has been shed be known among the heathen before our eyes.Μή ποτε εἴπωσιν ἐν τοῖς ἔθνεσι, ποῦ ἐστιν ὁ Θεὸς αὐτῶν; καὶ γνωσθήτω ἐν τοῖς ἔθνεσιν ἐνώπιον τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν ἡμῶν ἡ ἐκδίκησις τοῦ αἵματος τῶν δούλων σου τοῦ ἐκκεχυμένου.
11Let the groaning of the prisoners come in before you; according to the greatness of your arm preserve the * sons of the slain ones.Εἰσελθέτω ἐνώπιόν σου ὁ στεναγμὸς τῶν πεπεδημένων, κατὰ τὴν μεγαλωσύνην τοῦ βραχίονός σου περιποίησαι τοὺς υἱοὺς τῶν τεθανατωμένων.
12Repay to our neighbors sevenfold into their bosom their reproach, with which they have reproached you, O Lord.Ἀπόδος τοῖς γείτοσιν ἡμῶν ἑπταπλάσια εἰς τὸν κόλπον αὐτῶν τὸν ὀνειδισμὸν αὐτῶν, ὃν ὠνείδισάν σε Κύριε.
13For we are your people and the sheep of your pasture; we will give you thanks for ever; we will declare your praise throughout all generations.Ἡμεῖς γὰρ λαός σου καὶ πρόβατα νομῆς σου, ἀνθομολογησόμεθά σοι εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα, εἰς γενεὰν καὶ γενεὰν ἐξαγγελοῦμεν τὴν αἴνεσίν σου.
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. 11*i.e. men appointed to die. * 79: See Ps 44, and 68, titles.
The Fathers on Psalms 78
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 78:1Saint Augustine of Hippo1. Over the title of this Psalm, being so short and so simple, I think we need not tarry. But the prophecy which here we read sent before, we know to be evidently fulfilled. For when these things were being sung in the times of King David, nothing of such sort, by the hostility of the Gentiles, as yet had befallen the city Jerusalem, nor the Temple of God, which as yet was not even builded. For that after the…
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On Psalms 78:2–3Saint Augustine of Hippo2. “They have defiled Thy holy Temple, they have made Jerusalem for a keeping of apples.” “They have made the dead bodies of Thy servants morsels for the fowls of heaven, the fleshes of Thy saints for the beasts of the earth” (ver. 2). “They have poured forth their blood like water in the circuit of Jerusalem, and there was no one to bury them” (ver. 3). If in this prophecy any one of us shall have thought that…
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On Psalms 78:2Saint Augustine of Hippo5. “They have made,” he saith, “the dead bodies of Thy servants morsels for the fowls of heaven, the fleshes of Thy saints for the beasts of the earth” (ver. 2). The expression, “dead bodies,” hath been repeated in “fleshes:” and the expression, “of Thy servants,” hath been repeated in, “of Thy saints.” This only hath been varied, “to the fowls of heaven, and to the beasts of the earth.” Better have they…
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On Psalms 78:3Saint Augustine of Hippo6. “They have poured forth their blood like water,” that is, abundantly and wantonly, “in the circuit of Jerusalem” (ver. 3). If we herein understand the earthly city Jerusalem, we perceive the shedding of their blood in the circuit thereof, whom the enemy could find outside the walls. But if we understand it of that Jerusalem, concerning whom hath been said, “many more are the sons of her that was forsaken, than…
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On Psalms 78:4Saint Augustine of Hippo7. “We have become,” he saith, “a reproach to our neighbours” (ver. 4). Therefore precious not in the sight of men, from whom this reproach was, but “precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints.” “A scoffing and derision:” or, as some have interpreted it, “a mockery to them that are in our circuit.” It is a repetition of the former sentence. For that which above hath been called, “a reproach,”…
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On Psalms 78:5Saint Augustine of Hippo8. In the second place now giving utterance to an evident prayer, whence it may be perceived that the calling to remembrance of former affliction is not by way of information but prayer; “How long,” he saith, “O Lord, wilt Thou be angry, unto the end? shall Thy jealousy burn like fire?” (ver. 5). He is evidently asking God not to be angry unto the end, that is, that this so great oppression and tribulation and…
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On Psalms 78:6Saint Augustine of Hippo9. But that which he addeth, “Pour forth Thine anger upon the nations which have not known Thee, and upon the kingdoms which have not called upon Thy name” (ver. 6); this too is a prophecy, not a wish. Not in the imprecation of malevolence are these words spoken, but foreseen by the Spirit they are predicted: just as in the case of Judas the traitor, the evil things which were to befall him have been so…
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On Psalms 78:7Saint Augustine of Hippo10. Lastly, there followeth, “For they have eaten up Jacob, and his place they have made desolate” (ver. 7).…How we should view “the place” of Jacob, must be understood. For rather the place of Jacob may be supposed to be that city, wherein was also the Temple, whither-unto the whole of that nation for the purpose of sacrifice and worship, and to celebrate the Passover, the Lord had commanded to assemble. For if…
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On Psalms 78:8Saint Augustine of Hippo11. …He subjoineth, “Remember not our iniquities of old” (ver. 8). He saith not bygone, which might have even been recent; but “of old,” that is, coming from parents. For to such iniquities judgment, not correction, is owing. “Speedily let Thy mercies anticipate us.” Anticipate, that is, at Thy judgment. For “mercy exalteth above in judgment.” Now there is “judgment without mercy,” but to him that hath not showed…
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On Psalms 78:9Saint Augustine of Hippo12. Therefore there followeth, “Help us, O God, our healing One” (ver. 9). By this word which he saith, “our healing One,” he doth sufficiently explain what sort of poverty he hath willed to be understood, in that which he had said, “for we have become exceeding poor.” For it is that very sickness, to which a healer is necessary. But while he would have us to be aided, he is neither ungrateful to grace, nor doth…
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On Psalms 78:10Saint Augustine of Hippo13. But that which he addeth, “lest at any time they should say among the Gentiles, Where is their God?” (ver. 10) must be taken as rather for the Gentiles themselves. For to a bad end they come that have despaired of the true God, thinking that either He is not, or doth not help His own, and is not merciful to them. But this which followeth, “and that there may be known among the nations before our eyes the…
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On Psalms 78:12Saint Augustine of Hippo16. “Render,” he saith, “to our neighbours seven times so much into their bosoms” (ver. 13). Not any evil things he is wishing, but things just he is foretelling and prophesying as to come. But in the number seven, that is, in sevenfold retribution, he would have the completeness of the punishment to be perceived, for with this number fulness is wont to be signified. Whence also there is this saying for the good,…
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On Psalms 78:13Open Psalms 78 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 Hippo17. “But we Thy people” (ver. 14), must be taken generally of all the race of godly and true Christians. “We,” then, whom they thought they had power to destroy, “Thy people, and the sheep of thy flock:” in order that he that glorieth may glory in the Lord, “will confess to Thee for an age.” But some copies have it, “will confess to Thee for everlasting.” Out of a Greek ambiguity this diversity hath arisen. For…
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