Psalm 140 — Hebrew and Greek compared
Disparate in this chapter: 140:9
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 140
Protection from violent speech and hidden traps
Verse 140:1 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[140:1] For the music director. A psalm of David.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[139:1] For the end. A psalm for David.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: The superscription occupies its own numbered verse in both sources; the music-director/end wording remains distinct.
Verse 140:2 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[140:2] Pull me free, YHWH, from an evil person;
guard me from a violent man,
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[139:2] Rescue me, Lord, from an evil person;
deliver me from an unjust man,
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew violent man differs from Greek unjust man; both ask for deliverance from human wrongdoing.
Verse 140:3 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[140:3] who devise evils in their heart
and gather for wars all day.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[139:3] those who devised injustices in their heart
and arrayed wars all day.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: The singular-to-plural transition follows both texts. Hebrew gathering or stirring war and Greek battle-array language differ slightly.
Verse 140:4 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[140:4] They sharpened their tongue like a serpent;
viper venom is beneath their lips. Selah.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[139:4] They sharpened their tongue like a serpent’s;
asp venom is beneath their lips. Diapsalma.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: The poisonous-speech image corresponds; reptile labels are conventional, not a species determination. Hebrew Selah and Greek diapsalma are retained as distinct performance markers, whose precise execution is uncertain.
Verse 140:5 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[140:5] Keep me, YHWH, from wicked hands;
guard me from the violent man,
those who devise ways to push aside my steps.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[139:5] Guard me, Lord, from a sinner’s hand;
rescue me from unjust people,
those who devised to trip my steps.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Greek plural unjust people differs from Hebrew a violent man; pushing and tripping express related threats. The texts’ changes of number remain visible.
Verse 140:6 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[140:6] The proud hid a trap for me, and cords;
they spread a net beside the track;
they set snares for me. Selah.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[139:6] The proud hid a trap for me
and stretched cords, traps for my feet;
along the path they set a stumbling block for me. Diapsalma.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Greek makes my feet explicit and uses traps and a stumbling block where Hebrew has net and snares. The multiple trapping images are retained rather than reduced to one.
Verse 140:7 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[140:7] I said to YHWH, “You are my God.”
Listen, YHWH, to the voice of my pleas for favor.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[139:7] I said to the Lord, “You are my God.”
Listen, Lord, to the voice of my petition.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: The confession and request correspond; Hebrew pleas is plural and Greek petition singular.
Verse 140:8 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[140:8] YHWH, my Lord, strength of my salvation,
You sheltered my head on the day of weapons.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[139:8] Lord, Lord, power of my salvation,
You overshadowed my head on the day of war.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew divine titles occur in the order YHWH then Adonai; Greek has Lord twice. Hebrew weapons differs from Greek war, and the protective covering image remains.
Verse 140:9 Disparate
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[140:9] Do not grant the wicked man’s desires, YHWH;
do not advance his scheme—they would rise high. Selah.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[139:9] Do not hand me over to a sinner, Lord, through my desire;
they schemed against me; do not abandon me, lest they rise high. Diapsalma.
Classification & Notes
Disparate. Text: Greek my desire and the speaker being handed over differs substantially from Hebrew the wicked man’s desires being granted. Greek through or from my desire is difficult; against my will is an interpretive alternative, not silently inserted. Greek additionally asks not to be abandoned.
Verse 140:10 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[140:10] The head of those surrounding me—
may the trouble of their lips cover them.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[139:10] The head of their encirclement—
the trouble of their lips will cover them.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Both begin with a compressed head phrase; Hebrew those surrounding me differs from Greek their circle or encirclement. The relationship of the opening fragment to cover them remains uncertain, and heads has not been silently substituted for singular head.
Verse 140:11 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[140:11] May coals fall upon them;
may He cast them into fire,
into deep pits, so they do not rise.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[139:11] Coals will fall upon them;
in fire You will cast them down;
in miseries they will certainly not withstand.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew third-person casting and deep pits differs from Greek second-person casting and miseries. Hebrew rising and Greek standing firm also differ. Hebrew the casting agent is understood as God, but no separate source noun is supplied.
Verse 140:12 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[140:12] May a man of malicious speech not be established in the land;
may evil hunt the violent man, thrusting him down.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[139:12] A talkative man will not be set straight on the earth;
evils will hunt an unjust man to destruction.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew man of tongue is construed as malicious speech in context; Greek talkative is less specific. Violence/injustice, establishment/direction, and thrusting/destruction remain distinguishable.
Verse 140:13 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[140:13] I know that YHWH will act for the afflicted person’s cause,
for justice for the needy.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[139:13] I knew that the Lord will act for the poor person’s judgment
and the needy people’s cause.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: Both affirm divine justice for the vulnerable; Hebrew afflicted and Greek poor differ slightly, as do present and completed knowing.
Verse 140:14 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[140:14] Surely the righteous will thank Your name;
the upright will dwell in Your presence.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[139:14] Indeed, the righteous will thank Your name,
and the upright will dwell with Your presence.
Classification & Notes
Same. Text: The final thanksgiving and dwelling before God correspond; presence renders face in both.