Psalm 56 — Hebrew and Greek compared
Disparate in this chapter: 56:1, 56:3, 56:5, 56:8, 56:9
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 56
Tears remembered before God
Verse 56:1 Disparate
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[56:1] For the director. According to “The mute dove far away.” Of David. A Miktam, when the Philistines seized him in Gath.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[55:1] For the end. Concerning the people far removed from the holy ones. Of David, for an inscription on a pillar, when the foreigners seized him in Gath.
Classification & Notes
Disparate. Text: The Hebrew dove heading becomes Greek people removed from holy ones; Miktam becomes pillar inscription. Reception: Rashi relates the mute dove to David's vulnerable silence far from Israel (RASHI-PS56, 1).
Verse 56:2 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[56:2] Be gracious to me, God, for a man pants to swallow me;
all day a warrior oppresses me.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[55:2] Have mercy on me, Lord, for a man trampled me;
fighting all day, he afflicted me.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew God and panting to swallow become Greek Lord and trampling. Reception: Rashi explains sha'aph as longing to swallow (RASHI-PS56, 2).
Verse 56:3 Disparate
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[56:3] Those watching for me pant to swallow me all day,
for many fight against me, O Most High.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[55:3] My enemies trampled me all day,
for many are those fighting me from a height.
Classification & Notes
Disparate. Text: Hebrew marom addresses God with Rashi; Greek locates the attackers above. Reception: Rashi identifies the addressee as God dwelling on high (RASHI-PS56, 3). Category basis: On the selected Hebrew address, the clause invokes the Most High; Greek instead locates the attacking enemies at a height. The divine addressee becomes an enemy position, not an addition.
Verse 56:4 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[56:4] On the day I fear,
I will trust in You.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[55:4] By day I will fear,
but I will hope in You.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew makes fear the occasion for trust; Greek explicitly says by day.
Verse 56:5 Disparate
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[56:5] In God I will praise His word;
in God I have trusted; I will not fear.
What can flesh do to me?
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[55:5] In God I will praise my words all day.
In God I have hoped; I will not fear.
What will flesh do to me?
Classification & Notes
Disparate. Text: Hebrew His word becomes Greek my words, with all day added. Category basis: Praising God's word becomes praising the speaker's own words, materially changing the object and religious force of praise. The added all day is secondary.
Verse 56:6 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[56:6] All day my words are grief;
all their thoughts against me are for evil.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[55:6] All day they detested my words;
all their thoughts against me are for evil.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew grief follows Rashi's explanation that pursuit makes every utterance sorrowful; alternatively the enemies distort the speaker's words. Greek explicitly detests them (RASHI-PS56, 6).
Verse 56:7 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[56:7] They lodge and hide;
they watch my heels,
as they wait for my soul.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[55:7] They will sojourn and conceal themselves;
they will watch my heel,
just as they waited for my soul.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: The ambush agrees. Hebrew follows read yitsponu, displayed separately from written yitspoinu by Chabad; Rashi explains lurking along David's expected route (RASHI-PS56, 7).
Verse 56:8 Disparate
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[56:8] For wrongdoing they expect escape;
in anger bring down peoples, God.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[55:8] For nothing You will save them;
in anger You will bring down peoples, God.
Classification & Notes
Disparate. Text: Hebrew anticipated gain from wrongdoing follows Rashi; Greek states salvation for nothing, then a future bringing down. Its compressed first clause is retained without inserting a negative (RASHI-PS56, 8).
Verse 56:9 Disparate
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[56:9] You Yourself have counted my wanderings;
put my tears in Your skin-bottle.
Are they not in Your reckoning?
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[55:9] I declared my life to You;
You set my tears before You, as also in Your promise.
Classification & Notes
Disparate. Text: Hebrew God counting wanderings, requested bottle and reckoning become the speaker recounting life and God setting tears before Himself in promise. Reception: Rashi understands counted flight, preserved tears and reckoning, while recording a book interpretation (RASHI-PS56, 9).
Verse 56:10 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[56:10] Then my enemies will turn back on the day I call.
This I know: God is for me.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[55:10] My enemies will turn backward on whatever day I call upon You.
Look, I know that You are my God.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew God for me becomes Greek direct confession You are my God.
Verse 56:11 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[56:11] In God I will praise a word;
in YHWH I will praise a word.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[55:11] In God I will praise an utterance;
in the Lord I will praise a word.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: Greek varies the nouns for utterance and word. Reception: Rashi connects the two divine names with justice and mercy (RASHI-PS56, 11).
Verse 56:12 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[56:12] In God I have trusted; I will not fear.
What can a human being do to me?
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[55:12] In God I have hoped; I will not fear.
What will a human being do to me?
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: The confession agrees.
Verse 56:13 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[56:13] God, vows to You are upon me;
I will pay thank offerings to You.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[55:13] Within me, God, are the vows of praise that I will pay to You,
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew obligation upon the speaker becomes Greek vows within him.
Verse 56:14 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[56:14] for You rescued my soul from death—
have You not also rescued my feet from stumbling?—
that I may walk before God in the light of the living.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[55:14] because You rescued my soul from death
and my feet from slipping,
that I may be pleasing before God in the light of the living.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew walking becomes Greek pleasing; the Hebrew second clause is a confirming question.