Psalm 85 — Hebrew and Greek compared
Disparate in this chapter: 85:9
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 85
Mercy and truth meet
Verse 85:1 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[85:1] For the director.
Of the sons of Korah. A psalm.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[84:1] For the end.
A psalm for the sons of Korah.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: The respective opening directions differ; both name the sons of Korah and a psalm.
Verse 85:2 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[85:2] You favored Your land, YHWH;
You restored Jacob's captivity.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[84:2] You took pleasure in Your land, Lord;
You turned back Jacob's captivity.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: Both connect divine favor with restored captivity; the Hebrew written/read spelling of the captivity term is separately displayed by Chabad without changing this rendering (RASHI-PS85). Saints: Augustine, Exposition on Psalm 85 §§2–4, interprets these past forms prophetically and captivity through release from sins; that reading is not substituted for the source's past forms (AUG-PS85).
Verse 85:3 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[85:3] You lifted away Your people's guilt;
You covered all their sin.
Selah.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[84:3] You forgave Your people their acts of lawlessness;
You covered all their sins.
Diapsalma.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: Hebrew's lifted guilt corresponds to Greek forgiveness, with singular collective guilt/sin versus plural lawless acts/sins. Both markers remain.
Verse 85:4 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[85:4] You gathered away all Your fury;
You turned from Your burning anger.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[84:4] You stopped all Your wrath;
You turned away from the anger of Your fury.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: Both describe the removal of wrath, retaining their respective gathering and cessation expressions.
Verse 85:5 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[85:5] Restore us, God of our salvation;
break off Your anger toward us.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[84:5] Turn us back, God of our deliverances,
and turn Your fury away from us.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew names singular salvation and asks the breaking off of anger; Greek has plural deliverances and repeats turning away.
Verse 85:6 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[85:6] Will You be angry with us forever?
Will You stretch Your anger from generation to generation?
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[84:6] Surely You will not be angry with us forever,
or extend Your wrath from generation to generation?
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: Both question unending wrath, with Greek mē framing an expected negative answer.
Verse 85:7 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[85:7] Will You not return and give us life,
so that Your people may rejoice in You?
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[84:7] God, You will turn back and give us life,
and Your people will rejoice in You.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew asks a question anticipating restoration; Greek adds an address to God and states future revival and joy.
Verse 85:8 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[85:8] Show us Your steadfast love, YHWH,
and give us Your salvation.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[84:8] Show us Your mercy, Lord,
and may You give us Your salvation.
Classification & Notes
Same. Text: The plea to see divine love/mercy and receive salvation corresponds.
Verse 85:9 Disparate
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[85:9] Let me hear what God, YHWH, will speak,
for He will speak peace to His people and His faithful ones;
but let them not return to folly.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[84:9] I will hear what the Lord God will speak within me,
for He will speak peace upon His people
and upon His holy ones
and upon those who turn their heart toward Him.
Classification & Notes
Disparate. Text: Greek includes “within me” and ends with an additional group receiving peace, those turning their heart to God. Hebrew instead ends by forbidding a return to folly. This changes an admonition into a description of recipients. Rabbinic: Rashi on 85:9 explains folly as sin before God (RASHI-PS85). Saints: Augustine §7 develops the Greek inward hearing as attention to God's peace amid worldly noise (AUG-PS85).
Verse 85:10 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[85:10] Surely His salvation is near those who fear Him,
so that glory may dwell in our land.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[84:10] Nevertheless His salvation is near those who fear Him,
so that glory may dwell in our land.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: The same nearness and indwelling glory follow; the opening particles differ in emphasis.
Verse 85:11 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[85:11] Steadfast love and truth have met;
righteousness and peace have kissed.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[84:11] Mercy and truth met;
righteousness and peace kissed.
Classification & Notes
Same. Text: Both personify the meeting and kiss of corresponding virtues. Rabbinic: Rashi on 85:11 connects Israel's truthful speech and charity with heavenly kindness and peace (RASHI-PS85). Saints: Augustine §9 urges the hearer to practice righteousness in order to share peace (AUG-PS85).
Verse 85:12 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[85:12] Truth will spring from the earth,
and righteousness has looked down from heaven.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[84:12] Truth sprang up from the earth,
and righteousness looked down from heaven.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew presents truth's sprouting prospectively; Greek states it as past. Both retain righteousness looking from heaven. Saints: Augustine §§10–11 offers both an incarnational reading, Christ born from Mary, and a penitential reading, truthful confession from a human being. These are distinguished interpretations of the same image (AUG-PS85).
Verse 85:13 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[85:13] YHWH also will give what is good,
and our land will give its produce.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[84:13] For the Lord will also give goodness,
and our land will give its fruit.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: Divine goodness and the land's produce correspond, with Greek explicitly linking the statement by “for.”
Verse 85:14 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[85:14] Righteousness will go before Him,
and He will place it in the way of His footsteps.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[84:14] Righteousness will go ahead before Him
and set His footsteps on a path.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: The Hebrew's compressed second clause is rendered with God placing righteousness along His steps, following Rashi on 85:14; Greek is provisionally read with righteousness continuing as the subject that sets His steps (RASHI-PS85). Both permit syntactic debate; no missing object or subject is claimed as printed wording.