Psalm 72 — Hebrew and Greek compared
Disparate in this chapter: 72:5, 72:14, 72:15, 72:16, 72:17
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 72
The king’s righteousness and peace
Verse 72:1 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[72:1] For Solomon.
God, give Your judgments to the king,
and Your righteousness to the king’s son.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[71:1] For Solomon.
God, give Your judgment to the king,
and Your righteousness to the king’s son,
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: Hebrew judgments is plural and Greek judgment singular. Reception: Rashi reads a prayer for Solomon, who is both king and king’s son; Augustine reads Solomon figuratively as Christ the peacemaker and the King’s Son. Lowercase royal titles and pronouns leave the immediate human or uncertain referent open. English capitalization does not settle the historical or Christological reading. RASHI-PS72, on 1; AUG-PS72, §§1–2.
Verse 72:2 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[72:2] May he judge Your people with righteousness,
and Your poor with justice.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[71:2] to judge Your people in righteousness,
and Your poor in justice.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: Hebrew is a finite petition; the Greek infinitive gives the purpose of the preceding gift.
Verse 72:3 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[72:3] May the mountains bear peace for the people,
and the hills through righteousness.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[71:3] Let the mountains take up peace for Your people,
and the hills in righteousness.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: Greek explicitly calls the people Yours. Reception: Rashi explains the mountains’ peace through fruitful abundance that ends envy. RASHI-PS72, on 3.
Verse 72:4 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[72:4] May he judge the poor of the people,
save the children of the needy,
and crush the oppressor.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[71:4] He will judge the poor of the people,
and save the children of the needy,
and humble the false accuser,
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew crushes an oppressor; Greek humbles a false accuser. The Hebrew prayer is rendered as petition and the Greek future as prediction.
Verse 72:5 Disparate
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[72:5] May they fear You as long as the sun endures,
and before the moon, generation after generation.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[71:5] and he will endure alongside the sun,
and before the moon, through generations of generations.
Classification & Notes
Disparate. Text: Hebrew has plural people fearing God; Greek has the singular king enduring. Rashi explains the sun and moon as the duration of reverence; Augustine relates the endurance to Christ and His Church. RASHI-PS72, on 5; AUG-PS72, §8. Category basis: People's continuing fear of God becomes the singular king's continuing endurance. This materially changes the agent and the enduring action.
Verse 72:6 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[72:6] May his word descend like rain upon mown vegetation,
like showers dripping upon the earth.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[71:6] And he will descend like rain upon a fleece,
and like drops dripping upon the earth.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew gez is rendered mown vegetation and “his word” supplies the subject following Rashi’s explanation; fleece remains a lexical alternative. Greek explicitly has a fleece. Augustine connects the rain-and-fleece image with Gideon and Christ. RASHI-PS72, on 6; AUG-PS72, §9. Category basis: The supplied Hebrew word-subject and vegetation/fleece image differ, but both picture a beneficent descent as rain. The selected Hebrew subject and lexical alternatives are qualified, so no major consequence is established.
Verse 72:7 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[72:7] May a righteous person flourish in his days,
and abundant peace until the moon is no more.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[71:7] Righteousness will arise in his days,
and abundant peace until the moon is taken away.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew has a righteous person; Greek has righteousness. Reception: Rashi says the prayer’s perpetual peace was not fulfilled in Solomon because he sinned. Augustine discusses both removal and exaltation as interpretations of the Greek verb; this draft retains “taken away.” RASHI-PS72, on 7; AUG-PS72, §10.
Verse 72:8 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[72:8] And may he rule from sea to sea,
and from the river to the ends of the land.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[71:8] And he will rule from sea to sea,
and from the river to the ends of the inhabited world.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew arets can mean land or earth; Greek explicitly names the inhabited world. Rashi relates the geography to Solomon’s rule; Augustine reads worldwide proclamation beginning from the Jordan. RASHI-PS72, on 8; AUG-PS72, §11.
Verse 72:9 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[72:9] Let desert-dwellers kneel before him,
and let his enemies lick dust.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[71:9] Ethiopians will fall before him,
and his enemies will lick dust.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew tsiyyim is provisionally rendered desert-dwellers; Greek identifies Ethiopians. The exact Hebrew group remains a lexical question; no unverified ethnic identification is imposed.
Verse 72:10 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[72:10] May the kings of Tarshish and the islands return tribute;
may the kings of Sheba and Seba bring a gift.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[71:10] kings of Tarshish and the islands will offer gifts;
kings of the Arabians and Saba will bring gifts.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: The place and people designations differ: Hebrew Sheba and Seba correspond to Greek Arabians and Saba. Both distinct Hebrew names are preserved.
Verse 72:11 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[72:11] And may all kings bow before him;
may all nations serve him.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[71:11] And all kings will bow before him;
all nations will serve him.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: The universal royal homage and national service agree; the Hebrew petition and Greek prediction differ in force.
Verse 72:12 Divergent
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[72:12] For he will rescue a needy person crying out,
and a poor person who has no helper.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[71:12] For he rescued a poor person from a powerful man’s hand,
and a needy person who had no helper.
Classification & Notes
Divergent. Text: Hebrew describes the needy person’s cry and future rescue; Greek explicitly introduces the powerful man’s hand and accomplished rescue.
Verse 72:13 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[72:13] He will pity the weak and needy,
and save the souls of the needy.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[71:13] He will spare the poor and needy,
and save the souls of the needy.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: The compassion and salvation agree; weak and poor describe the first recipient differently.
Verse 72:14 Disparate
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[72:14] From blows and violence he will redeem their soul,
and their blood will be precious in his eyes.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[71:14] From interest-taking and injustice he will redeem their souls,
and their name is honored before him.
Classification & Notes
Disparate. Text: Hebrew blows follows Rashi, who also records an interpretation involving plots; Greek has interest-taking. Hebrew blood in his eyes contrasts with Greek their name before him. RASHI-PS72, on 14. Category basis: Rescue from blows/violence and preservation of precious blood become rescue from interest-taking/injustice and honor for a name. The oppression and protected interest change cumulatively from bodily life to economic/status concerns.
Verse 72:15 Disparate
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[72:15] May he live, and may He give him some of Sheba’s gold;
may He pray for him continually,
and bless him all day.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[71:15] And he will live, and some of Arabia’s gold will be given to him;
and they will pray concerning him continually,
and bless him all day.
Classification & Notes
Disparate. Text: The Hebrew subject shifts follow Rashi: Solomon lives, and God gives and blesses; he explains God’s prayer as His blessing. Greek gives gold passively and has plural people praying and blessing. Augustine discusses prayer concerning Christ’s kingdom or for His body, the Church. RASHI-PS72, on 15; AUG-PS72, §17. Category basis: Under the explicitly attributed Hebrew subject sequence, God gives, prays and blesses; Greek gives gold passively and makes plural people pray and bless. The devotional agency differs materially; Rashi's explanation of divine prayer remains explicit.
Verse 72:16 Disparate
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[72:16] May there be abundant grain in the land on the mountain tops;
may its fruit rustle like Lebanon,
and may people blossom from the city like the earth’s grass.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[71:16] There will be a firm support in the land upon the mountain summits;
his fruit will be raised far above Lebanon,
and they will blossom from the city like the earth’s grass.
Classification & Notes
Disparate. Text: Hebrew abundant grain differs from Greek firm support; rustling like Lebanon differs from exaltation above it. Rashi also reports a messianic reading of this verse and the entire psalm, alongside his Solomon interpretation. RASHI-PS72, on 16. Category basis: Abundant grain rustling like Lebanon becomes a firm support with fruit elevated beyond Lebanon. The central blessing image and comparison change substantially rather than through added text.
Verse 72:17 Disparate
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[72:17] May his name endure forever;
as long as the sun endures, may his name grow great.
May people bless themselves by him;
may all nations call him blessed.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[71:17] Let his name be blessed through the ages;
before the sun his name will endure.
And all the tribes of the earth will be blessed in him;
all nations will call him blessed.
Classification & Notes
Disparate. Text: Greek adds blessed to the first clause and explicitly names all earth’s tribes. Hebrew yinnon follows the displayed reading, with greatness and solar duration explained by Rashi; the written form differs. Augustine takes the Greek before the sun as eternity preceding time. RASHI-PS72, on 17; AUG-PS72, §19.
Verse 72:18 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[72:18] Blessed be YHWH God, the God of Israel,
who alone does wonders!
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[71:18] Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel,
who alone does wonders!
Classification & Notes
Same. Text: The divine name/title convention is the only substantive English difference.
Verse 72:19 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[72:19] And blessed be His glorious name forever;
may His glory fill the whole earth.
Amen and amen!
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[71:19] And blessed be His glorious name for the age and for the age of the age;
and the whole earth will be filled with His glory.
May it be! May it be!
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Greek expands the duration expression and predicts the earth’s filling; Hebrew permits the prayer retained here. The Hebrew amen and Greek genoito receive their own renderings.
Verse 72:20 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[72:20] The prayers of David son of Jesse have ended.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[71:20] The hymns of David son of Jesse have ended.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: The collection-ending statement says prayers in Hebrew and hymns in Greek. It is retained as the Book II colophon; it does not assert that no later psalm bears David’s name. Rashi explicitly allows a nonchronological arrangement. RASHI-PS72, on 20.