Psalm 68 — Hebrew and Greek compared
Disparate in this chapter: 68:7, 68:13, 68:16, 68:28, 68:31
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 68
The procession of the victorious God
Verse 68:1 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[68:1] For the director. Of David. A psalm. A song.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[67:1] For the end. Of David, a psalm of a song.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: The heading differs.
Verse 68:2 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[68:2] Let God arise; let His enemies scatter,
and let those hating Him flee from His presence.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[67:2] Let God arise, and let His enemies be scattered,
and let those hating Him flee from His presence.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: The dispersal agrees.
Verse 68:3 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[68:3] As smoke is driven away, You drive them away;
as wax melts before fire,
let the wicked perish before God.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[67:3] As smoke vanishes, let them vanish;
as wax melts before fire,
so may sinners perish before God.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew addresses God driving away; Greek petitions that they vanish.
Verse 68:4 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[68:4] Let the righteous rejoice and exult before God;
let them delight with joy.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[67:4] Let the righteous rejoice and exult before God;
let them delight in gladness.
Classification & Notes
Same. Text: The righteous rejoicing agrees.
Verse 68:5 Divergent
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[68:5] Sing to God; make music to His name.
Praise Him who rides in the heavens by His name Yah,
and exult before Him.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[67:5] Sing to God; make music to His name.
Make a road for Him who rides upon the west—Lord is His name—
and exult before Him.
They will be troubled before Him,
Classification & Notes
Divergent. Text: Hebrew praise and aravoth follow the heavenly reading; Greek has road-making and west, plus an additional disturbance clause. Reception: Rashi explains sullu as praise and connects Yah with reverent fear (RASHI-PS68, 5).
Verse 68:6 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[68:6] Father of orphans and judge of widows
is God in His holy dwelling.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[67:6] the Father of orphans and judge of widows,
God in His holy place.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: The protector of vulnerable people agrees; Greek continues the preceding genitive construction.
Verse 68:7 Disparate
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[68:7] God settles solitary people in a home,
brings prisoners out at a fitting time;
but the rebellious dwell in parched land.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[67:7] God settles those of one disposition in a house,
leading out the fettered with courage,
likewise the rebellious who dwell in tombs.
Classification & Notes
Disparate. Text: Hebrew solitary people, fitting conditions and rebellious people left in dryness become Greek common disposition, courage and rebels likewise led out from tombs. Reception: Rashi relates the fitting time to Israel's departure in travel-friendly weather (RASHI-PS68, 7).
Verse 68:8 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[68:8] God, when You went out before Your people,
when You marched through the wasteland—Selah—
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[67:8] God, when You went out before Your people,
when You passed through the wilderness—Diapsalma—
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: The wilderness march agrees.
Verse 68:9 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[68:9] the earth shook; indeed the heavens dripped before God;
this Sinai shook before God, the God of Israel.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[67:9] the earth shook, and indeed the heavens dripped
before God—this Sinai—
before the God of Israel.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: The theophany agrees. Hebrew repeats God before God of Israel; Greek does not. The Sinai clause remains elliptical in Greek.
Verse 68:10 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[68:10] You shower generous rain, God;
Your inheritance, when weary, You established.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[67:10] You will set apart willing rain, God, for Your inheritance;
it grew weak, but You restored it.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew showering becomes Greek setting apart; the inheritance's weakness and restoration agree.
Verse 68:11 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[68:11] Your congregation dwelt in it;
in Your goodness You prepare for the poor, God.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[67:11] Your living creatures dwell in it;
in Your kindness You prepared for the poor, God.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew congregation follows Rashi's collective interpretation of chayyah; Greek retains living creatures (RASHI-PS68, 11).
Verse 68:12 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[68:12] The Lord gives a word;
the women bearing good news are a great host.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[67:12] The Lord will give an utterance to those announcing good news with great power,
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew feminine heralds and a great host become Greek dative heralds and great power.
Verse 68:13 Disparate
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[68:13] Kings of armies flee, they flee,
and she who dwells at home divides spoil.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[67:13] the king of the powers of the beloved,
and for the beauty of the house to divide spoils.
Classification & Notes
Disparate. Text: Plural fleeing kings become a singular Greek king related to the beloved; the home-dwelling woman becomes the house's beauty. Greek syntax remains compressed rather than importing Hebrew actors.
Verse 68:14 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[68:14] If you lie between the borders—
a dove's wings covered in silver,
and its pinions in greenish gold.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[67:14] If you sleep between the allotted portions—
a dove's wings plated with silver,
and its back in the green sheen of gold. Diapsalma.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew borders follows Rashi; sheepfolds is an alternative. Greek has allotments and the dove's back, and adds Diapsalma.
Verse 68:15 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[68:15] When Shaddai scatters kings in it,
it snows in Zalmon.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[67:15] When the Heavenly One distinguishes kings upon it,
they will be covered with snow in Selmon.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew scattering and an impersonal snowfall become Greek distinguishing and plural people snow-covered. The difficult reference remains open.
Verse 68:16 Disparate
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[68:16] A mountain of God is the mountain of Bashan;
a mountain of peaks is the mountain of Bashan.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[67:16] A mountain of God, a rich mountain;
a curdled mountain, a rich mountain.
Classification & Notes
Disparate. Text: Hebrew Bashan and peaks become Greek richness and cheese-like curdling; the Greek image is retained.
Verse 68:17 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[68:17] Why do you lie in wait, mountains of peaks,
against the mountain God desired for His dwelling?
Indeed, YHWH will dwell there forever.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[67:17] Why do you suppose, curdled mountains,
that this is the mountain in which God was pleased to dwell?
For indeed the Lord will dwell to the end.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew lurking follows Rashi; Greek has supposing with a difficult interrogative attachment. Neither the geographical identity nor the Greek syntax is harmonized (RASHI-PS68, 17). Category basis: The Hebrew lurking and Greek supposing question differ in action and rhetorical construction. Because the Greek attachment remains uncertain and both concern the chosen divine dwelling, a major consequence is not yet established.
Verse 68:18 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[68:18] God's chariot is twice ten thousand, thousands of keen angels;
the Lord is among them, Sinai in holiness.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[67:18] God's chariot is ten-thousandfold,
thousands of flourishing ones;
the Lord is among them, in Sinai, in the holy place.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew dual myriads and shinan become Greek manifold myriads and flourishing ones. Keen angels follows Rashi's explanation; the Hebrew rare word remains uncertain (RASHI-PS68, 18).
Verse 68:19 Divergent
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[68:19] You ascended on high; you took captivity captive;
you received gifts among humankind,
even rebels, so that Yah God might dwell.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[67:19] You ascended on high; You took captivity captive;
You received gifts among humankind,
and indeed the disobedient, to establish a dwelling.
Blessed is the Lord God.
Classification & Notes
Divergent. Text: Greek ends with a blessing absent here in Hebrew; its disobedient/dwelling construction is difficult. Reception: Rashi addresses Moses receiving Torah; Ephesians 4:7–10 applies ascent to Christ and says gave gifts, distinct from received in both Psalm sources (RASHI-PS68, 19; SBL-EPH-PS). Category basis: The stated textual comparison principally identifies an added blessing and a difficult dwelling construction. The differing Moses/Christ applications are reception and cannot by themselves demonstrate a major textual difference.
Verse 68:20 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[68:20] Blessed is the Lord; day by day He loads us with salvation,
the God who is our salvation. Selah.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[67:20] Blessed is the Lord day by day;
the God of our salvations will prosper our way. Diapsalma.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew loading follows Rashi's abundant rescue interpretation; bearing our burden is an alternative. Greek makes our way prosper (RASHI-PS68, 20).
Verse 68:21 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[68:21] God is for us a God of deliverances,
and to YHWH the Lord belong ways to death.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[67:21] Our God is a God of saving,
and to the Lord, the Lord, belong the exits of death.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew ways to death follows Rashi; escape from death is another construal. Greek retains exits of death without resolving their direction (RASHI-PS68, 21).
Verse 68:22 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[68:22] Indeed, God will crush His enemies' head,
the hairy crown of one walking in his guilt.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[67:22] Nevertheless God will crush His enemies' heads,
the crown of hair of those walking in their offenses.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: Hebrew singular head and offender become Greek plurals.
Verse 68:23 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[68:23] The Lord said, “I will bring back from Bashan;
I will bring back from the depths of the sea,
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[67:23] The Lord said, “I will return from Bashan;
I will return in the depths of the sea,
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew is causative bringing back; Greek return is intransitive. The unstated Hebrew object is not forced to be either the people or the enemies.
Verse 68:24 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[68:24] so that your foot may wade in blood,
and the tongue of your dogs have its portion from enemies.”
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[67:24] so that your foot may be dipped in blood,
and the tongue of your dogs from enemies, from him.”
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew wading and the dogs' portion follow Rashi. Greek from him remains an unresolved final phrase; no unprinted portion is supplied there (RASHI-PS68, 24).
Verse 68:25 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[68:25] They have seen Your processions, God,
the processions of my God, my King, in holiness.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[67:25] Your processions were seen, God,
the processions of my God, the King in the holy place.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew active spectators and my King become Greek passive seeing and the King.
Verse 68:26 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[68:26] Singers went first, musicians afterward,
amid young women beating tambourines.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[67:26] Rulers went first, closely followed by musicians,
amid young women beating tambourines.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew singers become Greek rulers.
Verse 68:27 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[68:27] In assemblies bless God,
YHWH, from the fountain of Israel.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[67:27] In assemblies bless God,
the Lord, from Israel's springs.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: Hebrew singular fountain becomes Greek plural springs.
Verse 68:28 Disparate
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[68:28] There is Benjamin, the youngest, ruling them;
the princes of Judah pelting them with stones,
the princes of Zebulun, the princes of Naphtali.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[67:28] There is Benjamin, the younger, in ecstasy;
Judah's rulers, their leaders,
Zebulun's rulers, Naphtali's rulers.
Classification & Notes
Disparate. Text: Hebrew ruling and stoning follow Rashi, who also records embroidered clothing as an alternative to stoning; Greek has ecstasy and leaders (RASHI-PS68, 28).
Verse 68:29 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[68:29] Your God commanded your strength;
show strength, God, in what You have worked for us.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[67:29] Command Your power, God;
strengthen, God, this which You accomplished for us.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew past Your God commanded becomes Greek an imperative addressed to God.
Verse 68:30 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[68:30] From Your sanctuary above Jerusalem,
kings will bring You tribute.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[67:30] From Your sanctuary over Jerusalem,
kings will bring You gifts.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: The royal tribute agrees.
Verse 68:31 Disparate
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[68:31] Rebuke the beast of the reeds,
the company of mighty bulls among the calves of peoples,
submitting for pieces of silver;
he scattered peoples—they delight in battles.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[67:31] Rebuke the beasts of the reed,
the assembly of bulls among the heifers of peoples,
so that those tested by silver may not be shut out;
scatter nations that desire wars.
Classification & Notes
Disparate. Text: Hebrew submission for silver and past scattering by the hostile figure become Greek a negative purpose protecting the silver-tested and a command to scatter. Hebrew follows Rashi's hostile-agent reading; the sentence remains difficult (RASHI-PS68, 31).
Verse 68:32 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[68:32] Gifts will come from Egypt;
Cush will hasten its hands toward God.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[67:32] Envoys will come from Egypt;
Ethiopia will hasten its hand toward God.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew gifts follows the commentary's interpretation of chashmannim; nobles is an alternative. Greek envoys is explicit, with singular hand (RASHI-PS68, 32).
Verse 68:33 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[68:33] Kingdoms of the earth, sing to God;
make music to the Lord. Selah.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[67:33] Kingdoms of the earth, sing to God;
make music to the Lord. Diapsalma.
Classification & Notes
Same. Text: The summons agrees.
Verse 68:34 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[68:34] to Him who rides the heavens of heavens of old;
look, He gives with His voice a voice of strength.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[67:34] Make music to God, who rides upon the heaven of heaven toward the east;
look, He will give with His voice a voice of power.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Greek repeats the musical command and God, and interprets Hebrew of old as toward the east.
Verse 68:35 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[68:35] Ascribe strength to God;
His majesty is over Israel,
and His strength in the skies.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[67:35] Give glory to God;
His magnificence is over Israel,
and His power in the clouds.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Ascribing strength becomes giving glory; skies become clouds.
Verse 68:36 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[68:36] Awesome are You, God, from Your sanctuaries;
the God of Israel gives strength and powers to the people.
Blessed is God.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[67:36] Wondrous is God among His holy ones;
the God of Israel will give power and strengthening to His people.
Blessed is God.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew Your sanctuaries becomes Greek His holy ones; Greek sacred places is also grammatically possible. Hebrew plural sanctuaries remains distinct.