Psalms 96
Old Testament · Brenton Septuagint with Greek parallel
Psalms chapter 96 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.
12 patristic excerpts are attached to this chapter, from Saint Augustine of Hippo. The translator's notes for this chapter (1) follow the text.
Psalms 96
1(97) For David, when his land is established. The Lord reigns, let the earth exult, let many islands rejoice.Τῷ Δαυὶδ, ὅτε ἡ γῆ αὐτοῦ καθίσταται. Ὁ Κύριος ἐβασίλευσεν, ἀγαλλιάσθω ἡ γῆ, εὐφρανθήτωσαν νῆσοι πολλαί.
2Cloud, and darkness are round about him; righteousness and judgment are the establishment of his throne.Νεφέλη καὶ γνόφος κύκλῳ αὐτοῦ, δικαιοσύνη καὶ κρίμα κατόρθωσις τοῦ θρόνου αὐτοῦ.
3Fire shall go before him, and burn up his enemies round about.Πῦρ ἐναντίον αὐτοῦ προπορεύσεται, καὶ φλογιεῖ κύκλῳ τοὺς ἐχθροὺς αὐτοῦ.
4His lightnings appeared to the world; the earth saw, and trembled.Ἔφαναν αἱ ἀστραπαὶ αὐτοῦ τῇ οἰκουμένῃ, εἶδε καὶ ἐσαλεύθη ἡ γῆ·
5The mountains melted like wax at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the Lord of the whole earth.τὰ ὄρη ὡσεὶ κηρὸς ἐτάκησαν ἀπὸ προσώπου Κυρίου, ἀπὸ προσώπου Κυρίου πάσης τῆς γῆς.
6The heavens have declared his righteousness, and all the people have seen his glory.Ἀνήγγειλαν αἱ οὐρανοὶ τὴν δικαιοσύνην αὐτοῦ, καὶ εἴδοσαν πάντες οἱ λαοὶ τὴν δόξαν αὐτοῦ.
7Let all that worship graven images be ashamed, who boast of their idols; ✡ worship him, all you his angels.Αἰσχυνθήτωσαν πάντες οἱ προσκυνοῦντες τοῖς γλυπτοῖς, οἱ ἐγκαυχώμενοι ἐν τοῖς εἰδώλοις αὐτῶν· προσκυνήσατε αὐτῷ πάντες ἄγγελοι αὐτοῦ.
8Sion heard and rejoiced; and the daughters of Judea exulted, because of your judgments, O Lord.Ἤκουσε καὶ εὐφράνθη Σιὼν, καὶ ἠγαλλιάσαντο αἱ θυγατέρες τῆς Ἰουδαίας, ἕνεκεν τῶν κριμάτων σου Κύριε.
9For you are Lord most high over all the earth; you are greatly exalted above all gods.Ὅτι σὺ εἶ Κύριος ὁ ὕψιστος ἐπὶ πᾶσαν τὴν γῆν, σφόδρα ὑπερυψώθης ὑπὲρ πάντας τοὺς θεούς.
10You that love the Lord, hate evil; the Lord preserves the souls of his saints; he shall deliver them from the hand of sinners.Οἱ ἀγαπῶντες τὸν Κύριον, μισεῖτε πονηρόν· φυλάσσει Κύριος τὰς ψυχὰς τῶν ὁσίων αὐτοῦ, ἐκ χειρὸς ἁμαρτωλῶν ῥύσεται αὐτούς.
11Light is sprung up for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart.Φῶς ἀνέτειλε τῷ δικαίῳ, καὶ τοῖς εὐθέσι τῇ καρδίᾳ εὐφροσύνη.
12Rejoice in the Lord, you righteous; and give thanks for a remembrance of his holiness.Εὐφράνθητε δίκαιοι ἐν τῷ Κυρίῳ, καὶ ἐξομολογεῖσθε τῇ μνήμῃ τῆς ἁγιωσύνης αὐτοῦ.
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. 7✡Heb 1:6
The Fathers on Psalms 96
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 96:1Saint Augustine of Hippo3. …“The Lord is King, let the earth be glad: yea, let the multitude of the isles be joyous” (ver. 1). It is so indeed, because the word of God hath been preached not in the continent alone, but also in those isles which lie in mid sea: even these are full of Christians, full of the servants of God. For the sea doth not retard Him who made it. Where ships can approach, cannot the words of God? The isles are…
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On Psalms 96:2Saint Augustine of Hippo4. “Clouds and darkness are round about Him: righteousness and judgment are the direction of His seat” (ver. 2).…The Lord Himself saith: “For judgment I am come into this world; that they which see not might see, and that they which see might be made blind.” They who seem unto themselves to see, who think themselves wise, who think healing not needful for them, that they may be made blind, may not understand. And…
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On Psalms 96:3Saint Augustine of Hippo5. “There shall go a fire before Him, and burn up His enemies on every side” (ver. 3). We remember having read in the Gospel, He shall say, “Depart into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels.” I do not think it is said of that fire. Why do I not? Because he speaketh of some fire, which shall go before Him, before He cometh to judgment. For it is said, that the fire goeth before Him, and burneth…
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On Psalms 96:4Saint Augustine of Hippo6. “His lightnings gave shine unto the world” (ver. 4). This is great joy. Do we not see? is it not clear? His lightnings have shined unto the whole world: His enemies have been set on fire, and burnt. All that gainsaid hath been burnt, and “His lightnings have given shine unto the world.” How have they shone? That the world might at length believe. Whence were the lightnings? From the clouds. What are the clouds…
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On Psalms 96:5Saint Augustine of Hippo7. “The hills melted like wax at the presence of the Lord” (ver. 5). Who are the hills? The proud. Every high thing raising itself against God, at the deeds of Christ and of the Christians, trembled, yielded, and when I say, what hath been already said, “melted,” a better word cannot be found. “The hills melted like wax at the presence of the Lord.” Where is the elevation of powers? where the hardness of the…
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On Psalms 96:6Saint Augustine of Hippo8. “The heavens have declared His righteousness: and all the people have seen His glory” (ver. 6). What heavens have declared? “The heavens declare the glory of God.” Who are the heavens? Those who have become His seat; for as God sitteth in the heavens, so doth He sit in the Apostles, so doth He sit in the preachers of the Gospel. Even thou, if thou wilt, shalt be a heaven. Dost thou wish to be so? Purge from…
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On Psalms 96:7Saint Augustine of Hippo9. “Confounded be all they that worship carved images” (ver. 7). Hath not this come to pass? Have they not been confounded? Are they not daily confounded? For carved images are images wrought by the hand. Why are all who worship carved images confounded? Because all people have seen His glory. All nations now confess the glory of Christ: let those who worship stones be ashamed. Because those stones were dead, we…
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On Psalms 96:8Saint Augustine of Hippo11. “Sion heard of it, and rejoiced” (ver. 8). What did Sion hear? That all His Angels worship Him.…For the Church was not as yet among the Gentiles; in Judæa the Jews had some of them believed, and the very Jews who believed thought that they only belonged to Christ: the Apostles were sent to the Gentiles, Cornelius was preached to; Cornelius believed, was baptized, and they who were with Cornelius were also…
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On Psalms 96:9Saint Augustine of Hippo12. See if this be not the reason for the joy of the daughters of Judah. “For Thou, Lord, art most high over all the earth” (ver. 9). Not in Judæa alone, but over Jerusalem; not over Sion only, but over all the earth. To this whole earth the judgments of God prevailed, so that it assembled its nations from every quarter: judgments with which they who have cut themselves off have no communion: they neither hear…
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On Psalms 96:10Saint Augustine of Hippo13. What then do we all, who have assembled before Him, before Him who is exalted far above all gods? He hath given us a brief commandment, “O ye that love the Lord, see that ye hate the thing which is evil!” (ver. 10). Christ doth not deserve that with Him thou shouldest love avarice. Thou lovest Him: thou shouldest hate what He hateth. There is a man who is thine enemy, he is what thou art; ye are the work of…
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On Psalms 96:11Saint Augustine of Hippo15. But perhaps thou wilt say, I lose this light. “There is sprung up a light for the righteous” (ver. 11). What light fearest thou thou mayest lose? fearest thou thou mayest be in darkness? Fear not thou mayest lose light; nay, fear lest while thou art guarding against the loss of this light, thou mayest lose that true light. For we see to whom that light is given which thou fearest losing, and with whom it is…
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On Psalms 96:12Open Psalms 96 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 Hippo16. “Be glad, ye righteous” (ver. 12). Perhaps already the faithful hearing the word, “Be glad,” are thinking of banquets, preparing cups, waiting for the season of roses; because it is said, “Be glad, ye righteous!” See what followeth, “Be glad in the Lord.” Thou art waiting for the season of spring, that thou mayest be glad: thou hast the Lord for joyful gladness, the Lord is always with thee, He hath no…
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