Psalm 109 — 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 109
Accusation, judgment, and the poor person’s defender
Verse 109:1 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[109:1] For the director. Of David. A psalm.
God of my praise, do not be silent.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[108:1] For the end. Of David. A psalm.
God, do not pass over my praise in silence,
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Greek makes my praise the object not to be passed over; Hebrew addresses God of my praise. The heading's director/end distinction is retained.
Verse 109:2 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[109:2] For a wicked mouth and a deceitful mouth have opened against me;
they speak with me with a lying tongue.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[108:2] for a sinner's mouth and a deceitful person's mouth were opened against me;
they spoke against me with a deceitful tongue,
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: The hostile false speech corresponds; Greek against me differs from Hebrew with me in the second clause.
Verse 109:3 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[109:3] They surround me with words of hatred
and fight me without cause.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[108:3] and surrounded me with words of hatred
and fought me without cause.
Classification & Notes
Same. Text: The causeless hostility corresponds.
Verse 109:4 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[109:4] In return for my love they accuse me,
but I am prayer.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[108:4] Instead of loving me, they slandered me,
but I prayed.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Greek instead of loving me can make me the object of love, unlike Hebrew in return for my love; an alternative Greek accusative-subject construal would align them. Hebrew the compressed I am prayer differs from Greek the explicit action prayed.
Verse 109:5 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[109:5] They repay me evil for good
and hatred for my love.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[108:5] They set evils against me in exchange for good things
and hatred in exchange for my love.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: The exchanged good/evil and love/hatred correspond.
Verse 109:6 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[109:6] Appoint a wicked man over him;
let an accuser stand at his right hand.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[108:6] Appoint a sinner over him,
and let a slanderer stand at his right hand.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: Hebrew satan and Greek diabolos are rendered as accuser/slanderer without forcing a supernatural proper name. The abrupt change to a singular adversary is retained; whether this begins a quotation of hostile speech is an interpretive question, not settled by inserted quotation marks.
Verse 109:7 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[109:7] When he is judged, let him come out guilty;
let his prayer become sin.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[108:7] When he is judged, may he come out condemned,
and let his prayer become sin.
Classification & Notes
Same. Text: The adverse verdict and prayer-as-sin petition correspond.
Verse 109:8 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[109:8] Let his days be few;
let another take his office.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[108:8] Let his days become few,
and may another take his oversight.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: Greek episkope is oversight, corresponding to Hebrew charge/office; a later church office is not inserted into the psalm's base wording. Reception — Acts 1:20 cites the clause about another taking his oversight within Peter’s argument about replacing Judas. This later apostolic application is recorded without naming Judas in the psalm’s translation. [NA28-ACT1-PSROOT]
Verse 109:9 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[109:9] Let his children be orphans
and his wife a widow.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[108:9] Let his sons become orphans
and his wife a widow.
Classification & Notes
Same. Text: The family-directed imprecation is retained in both.
Verse 109:10 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[109:10] Let his children wander continually and beg,
and seek from their ruined dwellings.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[108:10] Let his sons be shaken and migrate, and let them beg;
let them be cast out from their house sites.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Greek eviction from house sites differs from Hebrew the difficult seeking-from-ruins clause, whose missing object is not supplied as bread with unwarranted certainty.
Verse 109:11 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[109:11] Let a creditor ensnare all he has,
and let strangers plunder his toil.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[108:11] Let a lender search out everything he possesses;
let strangers plunder his toils.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Greek searching out differs from Hebrew ensnaring; the seizure of labor's fruit corresponds.
Verse 109:12 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[109:12] Let no one extend steadfast love to him,
and let no one show favor to his orphans.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[108:12] Let no helper exist for him,
nor anyone compassionate toward his orphans.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Greek helper differs from Hebrew one extending steadfast love; the denial of aid corresponds.
Verse 109:13 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[109:13] Let his posterity be cut off;
in a following generation let their name be erased.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[108:13] Let his children be destroyed;
in one generation let his name be erased.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Greek children, one generation, and his name differs from Hebrew posterity, a following generation, and their name.
Verse 109:14 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[109:14] Let his fathers' iniquity be remembered before YHWH,
and let his mother's sin not be erased.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[108:14] May his fathers' lawlessness be remembered before the Lord,
and may his mother's sin not be erased.
Classification & Notes
Same. Text: The remembered ancestral wrongdoing corresponds.
Verse 109:15 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[109:15] Let them be before YHWH continually,
and let Him cut their memory off from the earth,
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[108:15] Let them be before the Lord continually,
and may their memorial be destroyed from the earth,
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: Greek passive destruction differs from Hebrew the active divine cutting off; the remembered wrongs and erased family memory remain distinct.
Verse 109:16 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[109:16] because he did not remember to show steadfast love
but pursued the afflicted and needy man,
and the brokenhearted, to put him to death.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[108:16] because he did not remember to show mercy
and pursued a poor and needy person
and one pierced in heart, to put him to death.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: The stated failure of mercy and deadly persecution correspond.
Verse 109:17 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[109:17] He loved cursing, and it came upon him;
he did not delight in blessing, and it stayed far from him.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[108:17] He loved a curse, and it will come to him;
he did not desire blessing, and it will be far from him.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Greek future curse and distance differs from Hebrew the completed presentation; the Hebrew sequence can also be heard within the ongoing imprecation.
Verse 109:18 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[109:18] He put on cursing as his garment;
it entered his inward parts like water
and his bones like oil.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[108:18] He clothed himself in a curse like a garment;
it entered his innards like water
and his bones like oil.
Classification & Notes
Same. Text: The clothing and bodily penetration imagery corresponds.
Verse 109:19 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[109:19] Let it be to him like a garment he wraps around himself
and a belt he wears continually.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[108:19] Let it become for him like a garment he puts around himself
and like a belt he continually fastens.
Classification & Notes
Same. Text: The permanent clothing image corresponds.
Verse 109:20 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[109:20] Let this be my accusers' payment from YHWH,
and that of those speaking evil against my life.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[108:20] This is the work of those slandering me, from the Lord,
and of those speaking evil against my soul.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Greek ergon, work, is preserved rather than silently replaced with Hebrew payment; in context it may refer to the resulting recompense. The difficult relation of from the Lord is retained and requires review.
Verse 109:21 Divergent
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[109:21] But You, YHWH my Lord, act for me for Your name's sake;
for Your steadfast love is good, rescue me.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[108:21] But You, Lord, Lord, show mercy with me for Your name's sake,
for Your mercy is good.
Classification & Notes
Divergent. Text: Greek explicitly supplies mercy as the requested action and places rescue me at the start of the next verse. Hebrew the reversed YHWH/Adonai order is retained as YHWH my Lord rather than standardized to Lord YHWH.
Verse 109:22 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[109:22] For I am afflicted and needy,
and my heart is wounded within me.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[108:22] Rescue me, for I am poor and needy,
and my heart is troubled within me.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Greek begins with the rescue petition corresponding to Hebrew the preceding verse and has troubled rather than wounded heart.
Verse 109:23 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[109:23] Like a shadow as it lengthens, I pass away;
I am shaken off like a locust.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[108:23] Like a shadow as it declines, I was taken away;
I was shaken off like locusts.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: The passing shadow and shaken locust imagery correspond, with singular/plural locust retained.
Verse 109:24 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[109:24] My knees stumble from fasting,
and my flesh has grown lean for lack of fat.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[108:24] My knees grew weak from fasting,
and my flesh was altered because of oil.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Greek altered because of oil differs from Hebrew lean from fat/oil, contextually lack of nourishment. Greek is not silently changed to lack of oil to smooth the difference; its causal relation remains difficult.
Verse 109:25 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[109:25] I have become a reproach to them;
they see me and shake their heads.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[108:25] I became a reproach to them;
they saw me and shook their heads.
Classification & Notes
Same. Text: The derision and head shaking correspond.
Verse 109:26 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[109:26] Help me, YHWH my God;
save me according to Your steadfast love.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[108:26] Help me, Lord my God;
save me according to Your mercy,
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: The rescue appeal corresponds.
Verse 109:27 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[109:27] Let them know that this is Your hand,
that You, YHWH, have done it.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[108:27] and let them know that this is Your hand
and that You, Lord, did it.
Classification & Notes
Same. Text: The requested recognition of divine action corresponds.
Verse 109:28 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[109:28] Let them curse, but You bless;
they rise up and are ashamed,
but Your servant will rejoice.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[108:28] They will curse, but You will bless;
let those rising against me be ashamed,
but Your servant will rejoice.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Greek explicitly says against me and marks the shame as a wish; Hebrew the rising/shame sequence is terse. The blessing and servant's joy correspond.
Verse 109:29 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[109:29] Let my accusers wear disgrace
and wrap themselves in their shame like a robe.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[108:29] Let those slandering me wear humiliation
and wrap themselves in their shame like a double cloak.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: The shame-clothing image corresponds; Greek specifies a double cloak.
Verse 109:30 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[109:30] I will greatly thank YHWH with my mouth,
and praise Him among many,
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[108:30] I will greatly thank the Lord with my mouth
and praise Him among many,
Classification & Notes
Same. Text: The public thanksgiving corresponds.
Verse 109:31 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[109:31] for He stands at the needy person's right hand,
to save him from those judging his life.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[108:31] for He stood at a poor person's right hand,
to save from those pursuing my soul.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Greek my soul and pursuers differs from Hebrew his life and judges. The right-hand defender contrasts with the accuser's position in verse six without requiring the two figures to be identical.