Psalm 86 — Hebrew and Greek compared
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 86
A servant's prayer for mercy
Verse 86:1 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[86:1] A prayer of David.
Incline Your ear, YHWH; answer me,
for I am afflicted and needy.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[85:1] A prayer for David.
Incline Your ear, Lord, and hear me,
for I am poor and needy.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: Both begin David's prayer from need, with Hebrew asking an answer and Greek a hearing.
Verse 86:2 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[86:2] Guard my soul, for I am faithful;
save Your servant—You, my God—
who trusts in You.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[85:2] Guard my soul, for I am holy;
save Your servant, my God,
who hopes in You.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: The prayer for preservation corresponds; ḥasid/hosios and trust/hope keep their respective emphases. Rabbinic: Rashi on 86:2 connects David's faithfulness with restraint when insulted despite having power to retaliate, and separately reports another explanation (RASHI-PS86).
Verse 86:3 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[86:3] Be gracious to me, Lord,
for I call to You all day.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[85:3] Have mercy on me, Lord,
for to You I will cry all day.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: Both appeal throughout the day; Hebrew Adonai and Greek kyrios are both Lord.
Verse 86:4 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[86:4] Gladden the soul of Your servant,
for to You, Lord, I lift my soul.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[85:4] Gladden the soul of Your servant,
for to You, Lord, I lifted my soul.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: The same lifted soul and request for joy appear, with Greek stating the lifting as past.
Verse 86:5 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[86:5] For You, Lord, are good and forgiving,
abundant in steadfast love to all who call on You.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[85:5] For You, Lord, are kind and forbearing,
abundant in mercy to all who call on You.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew explicitly calls God forgiving; Greek epieikēs emphasizes gentleness or forbearance. Both extend abundant mercy to all who call.
Verse 86:6 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[86:6] Listen, YHWH, to my prayer;
attend to the voice of my pleas for grace.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[85:6] Give ear, Lord, to my prayer,
and attend to the voice of my petition.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: The paired hearing requests correspond; Hebrew has plural pleas, Greek a singular petition.
Verse 86:7 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[86:7] On the day of my distress I will call to You,
for You will answer me.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[85:7] On the day of my affliction I cried to You,
for You heard me.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew anticipates calling and an answer; Greek recounts a past cry and hearing.
Verse 86:8 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[86:8] There is none like You among the gods, Lord,
and there are no works like Yours.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[85:8] There is none like You among gods, Lord,
and nothing is like Your works.
Classification & Notes
Same. Text: The incomparability of God and His works corresponds.
Verse 86:9 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[86:9] All the nations You have made will come
and bow down before You, Lord,
and glorify Your name.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[85:9] All the nations You made will come
and bow down before You, Lord,
and glorify Your name,
Classification & Notes
Same. Text: The nations' coming, worship, and glorification correspond. Saints: Revelation 15:3–4 reuses the nations-coming-and-worshipping wording in the song of Moses and the Lamb; the corresponding Greek passage was read directly (SBL-REV-PS).
Verse 86:10 Divergent
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[86:10] For You are great and do wonders;
You alone are God.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[85:10] for You are great and do wondrous things;
You alone are the great God.
Classification & Notes
Divergent. Text: Greek repeats greatness in the final divine designation; Hebrew ends simply with God alone.
Verse 86:11 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[86:11] Teach me Your way, YHWH;
I will walk in Your truth.
Unite my heart to fear Your name.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[85:11] Guide me in Your way, Lord,
and I will walk in Your truth;
let my heart rejoice to fear Your name.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: The final request is for a united heart in Hebrew and a rejoicing heart in Greek. Both retain walking in divine truth and fearing the name; the differing disposition is not replaced with a common paraphrase.
Verse 86:12 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[86:12] I will thank You, Lord my God, with all my heart,
and glorify Your name forever,
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[85:12] I will give You thanks, Lord my God, with all my heart,
and glorify Your name forever,
Classification & Notes
Same. Text: Wholehearted thanksgiving and enduring glorification correspond.
Verse 86:13 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[86:13] for Your steadfast love toward me is great,
and You rescued my soul from lowest Sheol.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[85:13] for Your mercy toward me is great,
and You delivered my soul from lowest Hades.
Classification & Notes
Same. Text: Both recount rescue from the deepest realm of the dead, retaining the respective Sheol/Hades names.
Verse 86:14 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[86:14] God, presumptuous people have risen against me,
and an assembly of ruthless men has sought my soul;
they have not set You before them.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[85:14] God, lawless people rose up against me,
and an assembly of strong men sought my soul;
they did not set You before them.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew characterizes the attackers as presumptuous and ruthless; Greek as lawless and strong. Their threat and disregard of God correspond.
Verse 86:15 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[86:15] But You, Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God,
slow to anger and abundant in steadfast love and truth.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[85:15] And You, Lord God, are compassionate and merciful,
long-suffering, abundant in mercy, and true.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: The corresponding divine attributes retain differences in gracious/merciful wording and truth as noun/adjective.
Verse 86:16 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[86:16] Turn toward me and be gracious to me;
give Your strength to Your servant
and save the son of Your maidservant.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[85:16] Look upon me and have mercy on me;
give Your might to Your servant
and save the son of Your maidservant.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: The petitions and household-servant image correspond. Rabbinic: Rashi on 86:16 explains the maidservant's son through a servant born and raised within the master's household (RASHI-PS86).
Verse 86:17 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[86:17] Work a sign for good with me;
let those who hate me see and be ashamed,
for You, YHWH, have helped and comforted me.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[85:17] Work a sign for good with me,
and let those who hate me see and be ashamed,
for You, Lord, helped and comforted me.
Classification & Notes
Same. Text: Both ask a favorable sign that exposes the divine help to the speaker's enemies. Rabbinic: Rashi on 86:17 understands the sign as making David's forgiveness apparent to others (RASHI-PS86).