Psalm 21 — Hebrew and Greek compared
Disparate in this chapter: 21:13
Each card keeps the independently rendered source readings above their shared comparison and reception notes. The badge records the source’s governing classification; disparate readings are marked in red. Each reading retains its original reference.
Psalm 21
The king’s joy and the defeat of his enemies
Verse 21:1 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[21:1] For the director. A psalm of David.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[20:1] For the end. A psalm of David.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: The Davidic attribution agrees; the introductory direction differs as elsewhere.
Verse 21:2 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[21:2] YHWH, the king rejoices in Your strength;
how greatly he exults in Your salvation!
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[20:2] Lord, the king will rejoice in Your power
and exult greatly in Your salvation.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: Both celebrate the king’s joy in divine strength and deliverance.
Verse 21:3 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[21:3] You gave him his heart’s desire
and did not withhold the request of his lips.
Selah.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[20:3] You gave him the desire of his soul
and did not deprive him of the wish of his lips.
Diapsalma.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: The fulfilled desire and spoken request agree; Hebrew heart differs from Greek soul.
Verse 21:4 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[21:4] For You meet him with good blessings;
You place a crown of refined gold upon his head.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[20:4] For You met him with blessings of kindness;
You placed upon his head a crown of precious stone.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: The material of the royal crown differs: Hebrew refined gold, Greek precious stone.
Verse 21:5 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[21:5] He asked You for life; You gave it to him,
length of days forever and ever.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[20:5] He asked You for life, and You gave it to him,
length of days for the age of the age.
Classification & Notes
Same. Text: Both affirm an enduring gift of life in response to the king’s petition.
Verse 21:6 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[21:6] His glory is great through Your salvation;
You bestow splendor and majesty upon him.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[20:6] His glory is great in Your salvation;
You will bestow glory and magnificence upon him.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: The king’s received glory agrees; the paired honor terms vary without changing their function.
Verse 21:7 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[21:7] For You make him blessings forever;
You gladden him with joy in Your presence.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[20:7] For You will give him blessing for the age of the age;
You will gladden him with joy in Your presence.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew makes the king himself blessings; Greek gives blessing to him. Both locate his joy in divine presence.
Verse 21:8 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[21:8] For the king trusts in YHWH,
and through the Most High’s steadfast love he will not be shaken.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[20:8] For the king hopes in the Lord,
and through the Most High’s mercy he will certainly not be shaken.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: Trust or hope, divine faithful mercy, and royal stability correspond.
Verse 21:9 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[21:9] Your hand will find all your enemies;
your right hand will find those who hate you.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[20:9] May your hand be found by all your enemies;
may your right hand find all who hate you.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew makes the hand actively find enemies; Greek’s first verb is passive, may it be found, and both verbs are wishes. The address may now be to the king; lower-case pronouns avoid deciding a disputed divine or royal referent.
Verse 21:10 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[21:10] You will make them like a fiery oven at the time of your presence;
YHWH in His anger will swallow them,
and fire will consume them.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[20:10] You will make them like a fiery furnace at the time of your presence;
the Lord in His anger will throw them into turmoil,
and fire will devour them.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: The furnace and devouring fire agree; Hebrew says YHWH will swallow them, Greek that He will confound them. The source’s face is rendered presence in the opening temporal expression.
Verse 21:11 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[21:11] You will destroy their fruit from the earth
and their seed from the sons of humankind,
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[20:11] You will destroy their fruit from the earth
and their seed from the sons of humankind,
Classification & Notes
Same. Text: Both extend the announced destruction to the enemies’ fruit and descendants; the harsh scope is neither expanded nor softened.
Verse 21:12 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[21:12] for they stretched evil against you;
they devised a scheme they could not accomplish.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[20:12] because they directed evils against you;
they devised a counsel they will certainly be unable to establish.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: Both explain the judgment by hostile plotting that cannot succeed.
Verse 21:13 Disparate
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[21:13] For you will make them turn their backs;
with your bowstrings you will aim at their faces.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[20:13] For you will make them turn their backs;
among your remaining ones you will prepare their face.
Classification & Notes
Disparate. Text: The common rout is followed by different images: Hebrew aiming bowstrings at faces, Greek preparing their face among the addressee’s remaining ones. The compressed Greek is uncertain and is not rewritten as an archery scene.
Verse 21:14 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[21:14] Be exalted, YHWH, in Your strength;
we will sing and make music of Your might.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[20:14] Be exalted, Lord, in Your power;
we will sing and make music of Your mighty acts.
Classification & Notes
Same. Text: Both end with exaltation of the Lord and a communal promise of musical praise.