Psalm 115 — Hebrew and Greek compared
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 115
Give glory to Your name
Verse 115:1 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[115:1] Not to us, YHWH, not to us,
but to Your name give glory,
because of Your steadfast love, because of Your faithfulness.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[113:9] Not to us, Lord, not to us,
but only to Your name give glory,
because of Your mercy and Your truth,
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: The appeal corresponds, with steadfast love and faithfulness rendered mercy and truth in Greek. Greek Psalm 113 continues without a new psalm heading.
Verse 115:2 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[115:2] Why should the nations say,
“Where, now, is their God?”
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[113:10] lest the nations say,
“Where is their God?”
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew asks why; Greek makes the taunt a result to be prevented by the preceding petition.
Verse 115:3 Divergent
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[115:3] But our God is in the heavens;
everything He delighted in, He has done.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[113:11] But our God is in heaven above;
in the heavens and on the earth
He has done everything He wished.
Classification & Notes
Divergent. Text: Greek adds above and the explicit sphere in the heavens and on the earth.
Verse 115:4 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[115:4] Their idols are silver and gold,
the work of human hands.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[113:12] The idols of the nations are silver and gold,
works of human hands.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: Greek identifies the nations already present in the context; the referent remains the same.
Verse 115:5 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[115:5] They have a mouth, but do not speak;
they have eyes, but do not see.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[113:13] They have a mouth and will not speak;
they have eyes and will not see.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: Greek future forms express the idols’ continuing incapacity.
Verse 115:6 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[115:6] They have ears, but do not hear;
they have a nose, but do not smell.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[113:14] They have ears and will not hear;
they have noses and will not smell.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: Greek plural noses corresponds to Hebrew singular nose in the collective description.
Verse 115:7 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[115:7] Their hands do not feel;
their feet do not walk;
they make no sound in their throat.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[113:15] They have hands and will not feel;
feet, and will not walk;
they will not sound with their throat.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: Both describe unresponsive limbs and a voiceless throat.
Verse 115:8 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[115:8] May those who make them become like them—
everyone who trusts in them.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[113:16] May those who make them become like them,
and all who have put their trust in them.
Classification & Notes
Same. Text: The wish extends the idols’ incapacity to makers and worshippers.
Verse 115:9 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[115:9] Israel, trust in YHWH;
He is their help and their shield.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[113:17] The house of Israel hoped in the Lord;
He is their helper and their defender.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew commands trust; Greek reports hope already placed. Greek house is explicit, and shield becomes defender.
Verse 115:10 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[115:10] House of Aaron, trust in YHWH;
He is their help and their shield.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[113:18] The house of Aaron hoped in the Lord;
He is their helper and their defender.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew exhortation becomes Greek past affirmation; shield becomes defender.
Verse 115:11 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[115:11] You who fear YHWH, trust in YHWH;
He is their help and their shield.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[113:19] Those who fear the Lord hoped in the Lord;
He is their helper and their defender.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew exhortation again becomes Greek past affirmation.
Verse 115:12 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[115:12] YHWH has remembered us; He will bless;
He will bless the house of Israel;
He will bless the house of Aaron.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[113:20] The Lord remembered us and blessed us;
He blessed the house of Israel;
He blessed the house of Aaron.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew anticipated blessing is past blessing in Greek, which supplies us as its explicit object.
Verse 115:13 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[115:13] He will bless those who fear YHWH,
the small together with the great.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[113:21] He blessed those who fear the Lord,
the small together with the great.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: The temporal difference continues without a change in beneficiaries.
Verse 115:14 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[115:14] May YHWH add to you,
to you and to your children.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[113:22] May the Lord add to you,
to you and to your sons.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: Both retain the open object of add; increase is implied without inserting a specific blessing.
Verse 115:15 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[115:15] You are blessed by YHWH,
Maker of heavens and earth.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[113:23] You are blessed by the Lord,
who made heaven and earth.
Classification & Notes
Same. Text: The Creator is the source of blessing in both.
Verse 115:16 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[115:16] The heavens are YHWH’s heavens,
but the earth He has given to humankind.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[113:24] The heaven of heaven belongs to the Lord,
but the earth He gave to the sons of human beings.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew emphatically repeats heavens; Greek has the nested expression heaven of heaven. Both give the earth to humanity.
Verse 115:17 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[115:17] The dead do not praise Yah,
nor any who descend into silence.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[113:25] The dead will not praise You, Lord,
nor any who descend into Hades,
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew silence becomes Greek Hades; Greek directly addresses the Lord.
Verse 115:18 Divergent
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[115:18] But we will bless Yah
from now and forever.
Praise Yah!
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[113:26] but we, the living, will bless the Lord
from now and forever.
Classification & Notes
Divergent. Text: Greek explicitly adds the living and lacks the closing Hebrew Praise Yah. Neither text here settles later resurrection teaching by itself.