Psalm 84 — Hebrew and Greek compared
Disparate in this chapter: 84:7, 84:8, 84:12
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 84
Longing for the courts of the living God
Verse 84:1 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[84:1] For the director; upon the Gittith.
Of the sons of Korah. A psalm.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[83:1] For the end; concerning the winepresses.
A psalm for the sons of Korah.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: The musical designation Gittith and Greek winepresses are kept distinct; both name the sons of Korah.
Verse 84:2 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[84:2] How beloved are Your dwelling places,
YHWH of hosts!
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[83:2] How beloved are Your dwellings,
Lord of powers!
Classification & Notes
Same. Text: Both express love for God's dwellings under corresponding divine titles.
Verse 84:3 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[84:3] My soul longs, indeed pines, for the courts of YHWH;
my heart and my flesh cry out to the living God.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[83:3] My soul longs and faints for the courts of the Lord;
my heart and my flesh exulted in the living God.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew kalah is rendered as pining, with Rashi on 84:3; he understands the heart's cry as prayer. Greek explicitly states past exultation (RASHI-PS84). The shared longing is retained without making the second clauses identical.
Verse 84:4 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[84:4] Even a bird has found a house,
and a swallow a nest for herself, where she has placed her young—
Your altars, YHWH of hosts,
my King and my God.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[83:4] For even a sparrow found itself a house,
and a turtledove a nest for herself, where she will place her young—
Your altars, Lord of powers,
my King and my God.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew's general bird and deror, provisionally swallow, differ from Greek sparrow and turtledove; placement is past in Hebrew, future in Greek. The compressed altar connection is retained. Saints: Augustine, Exposition on Psalm 84 §7, allegorizes the sparrow as the heart and the dove as embodied good works; these are reception identities (AUG-PS84).
Verse 84:5 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[84:5] Happy are those who dwell in Your house;
they will yet praise You.
Selah.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[83:5] Blessed are those who dwell in Your house;
they will praise You for ages of ages.
Diapsalma.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew od is rendered “yet”; Greek expressly gives perpetual praise with ages of ages. Both performance markers remain.
Verse 84:6 Divergent
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[84:6] Happy is the person whose strength is in You,
with highways in their heart.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[83:6] Blessed is the man whose support is from You, Lord;
he arranged ascents in his heart,
Classification & Notes
Divergent. Text: Greek adds “Lord” and an explicit act of arranging ascents, whereas Hebrew has highways in their heart, shifting from a singular person to a plural possessor. The Greek sentence continues into the next source unit.
Verse 84:7 Disparate
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[84:7] Those passing through the Valley of Baca make it a spring;
the teacher also is robed in blessings.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[83:7] in the valley of weeping, toward a place which he appointed;
for the lawgiver will also give blessings.
Classification & Notes
Disparate. Text: Hebrew has people making the valley a spring and the difficult moreh/blessings clause; Greek continues the arranged ascent to an appointed place and a lawgiver giving blessings. Hebrew moreh is provisionally “teacher,” with Rashi's interpretation of blessing the teacher; early rain is another possibility. Rashi also applies the valley to transgressors' tears in Gehinnom, an interpretation not inserted into the running text (RASHI-PS84). Saints: Augustine §§10–11 reads ascent through tears and the lawgiver's blessing through grace (AUG-PS84). Syntax and agency remain open.
Verse 84:8 Disparate
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[84:8] They go from strength to strength;
he will appear before God in Zion.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[83:8] They will go from power to power;
the God of gods will appear in Zion.
Classification & Notes
Disparate. Text: Hebrew's appearing person is presented before God; Greek makes the God of gods the One who appears. The changed subject and additional divine title substantially alter the final assertion. Saints: Augustine §11 identifies the appearing God of gods with Christ and contemplation of Him (AUG-PS84).
Verse 84:9 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[84:9] YHWH, God of hosts, hear my prayer;
listen, God of Jacob.
Selah.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[83:9] Lord, God of powers, hear my prayer;
give ear, God of Jacob.
Diapsalma.
Classification & Notes
Same. Text: The petition and both divine titles correspond, with each source's performance marker.
Verse 84:10 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[84:10] See our shield, God;
look upon the face of Your anointed.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[83:10] Our defender, look, God;
look upon the face of Your anointed.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew can make our shield the object of “see”; Greek explicitly addresses a defender. Rabbinic: Rashi on 84:10 identifies the shield as the Temple and the anointed with David (RASHI-PS84). Saints: Augustine §13 reads the anointed as Christ becoming known (AUG-PS84). These identities remain attributed rather than replacing source nouns.
Verse 84:11 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[84:11] For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand;
I choose to remain at the threshold in the house of my God
rather than dwell in tents of wickedness.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[83:11] For one day in Your courts is better than thousands;
I chose to be cast aside in the house of God
rather than dwell in the tents of sinners.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew gives a thousand and my God, Greek thousands and God. Hebrew histofef is rendered as threshold attendance with Rashi on 84:11; Greek pararriptesthai is being cast aside (RASHI-PS84). Both prefer the lowly place in God's house to wicked dwellings.
Verse 84:12 Disparate
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[84:12] For YHWH God is a sun and a shield;
YHWH gives favor and glory;
He withholds no good from those who walk in integrity.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[83:12] For the Lord God loves mercy and truth;
He will give grace and glory;
the Lord will not deprive those who walk in innocence of good things.
Classification & Notes
Disparate. Text: Hebrew portrays God as sun and shield; Greek instead asserts His love of mercy and truth. This is a major change of divine imagery and assertion, though both promise good gifts. Rabbinic: Rashi on 84:12 permits sun in its ordinary sense and separately reports an interpretation involving a wall's projections (RASHI-PS84). Saints: Augustine §16 applies mercy to forgiveness and truth to God's keeping His promise (AUG-PS84).
Verse 84:13 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[84:13] YHWH of hosts,
happy is the person who trusts in You.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[83:13] Lord of powers,
blessed is the person who hopes in You.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: The final blessing corresponds; Hebrew emphasizes trust and Greek hope.