Psalm 73 — Hebrew and Greek compared
Disparate in this chapter: 73:4, 73:10, 73:15, 73:20, 73:25, 73:26
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 73
God’s nearness is my good
Verse 73:1 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[73:1] A psalm of Asaph.
Surely God is good to Israel,
to those pure in heart.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[72:1] A psalm of Asaph.
How good God is to Israel,
to those upright in heart!
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: Hebrew stresses purity and Greek uprightness of heart; the opening Hebrew assurance corresponds to a Greek exclamation.
Verse 73:2 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[73:2] But as for me, my feet had almost turned aside;
my steps had nearly been poured away.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[72:2] But my feet were almost shaken;
my steps were nearly poured out.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: The Hebrew turning and Greek shaking both describe imminent instability. The Hebrew follows the displayed readings of the two verbs at 2; their written forms differ. Source verification: RASHI-PS73, verse display.
Verse 73:3 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[73:3] For I envied the perverse
when I saw the wicked at peace.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[72:3] For I envied the lawless,
beholding sinners’ peace,
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: Hebrew holelim is rendered perverse following Rashi’s explanation of confused ways; Greek names the lawless. Reception: RASHI-PS73, on 3.
Verse 73:4 Disparate
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[73:4] For there are no fetters at their death,
and their strength is sound.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[72:4] for there is no refusal at their death,
and firmness in their scourging.
Classification & Notes
Disparate. Text: Hebrew contrasts an unfettered death with bodily soundness; Greek uses refusal and scourging. Rashi explains the Hebrew fetters as death’s pains. The compressed Greek second clause and the reach of its first negation remain open; no bodily-health clause is substituted. RASHI-PS73, on 4.
Verse 73:5 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[73:5] They are not in mortals’ toil,
and they are not plagued with humankind.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[72:5] They are not in human toils,
and they will not be scourged with humans.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: Both describe exemption from ordinary human suffering; Greek explicitly makes the second clause future.
Verse 73:6 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[73:6] Therefore pride has become their necklace;
their violence wraps their hips.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[72:6] Therefore arrogance seized them;
they wrapped themselves in their injustice and ungodliness.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: The Hebrew necklace and hips follow Rashi’s reading of prosperity fattening the violent; Greek personifies arrogance as seizing and adds ungodliness to the clothing image. RASHI-PS73, on 6.
Verse 73:7 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[73:7] Their eyes bulge from fat;
they have surpassed their hearts’ imaginings.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[72:7] Their injustice will come out as though from fat;
they passed into a disposition of heart.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew names eyes and desires exceeded by prosperity, as Rashi explains; Greek names injustice and movement into a heart’s disposition. Its difficult latter expression remains close to the wording. RASHI-PS73, on 7.
Verse 73:8 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[73:8] They wear others away and speak wickedly of oppression;
they speak against the Most High.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[72:8] They devised and spoke in wickedness;
they spoke injustice against the height.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: The Hebrew wearing away supplies others as the affected persons, following Rashi’s neighbors; his explanation also takes the lofty speech as defiance of God. Greek has devising and speech against the height. RASHI-PS73, on 8; from on high remains an alternative Hebrew construal.
Verse 73:9 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[73:9] They have set their mouth against the heavens,
and their tongue walks through the earth.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[72:9] They set their mouth toward heaven,
and their tongue passed over the earth.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: Both images give their speech a heaven-and-earth reach; the Hebrew walking image and Greek completed passage differ slightly.
Verse 73:10 Disparate
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[73:10] Therefore His people return here,
and waters of the full stream are drained out for them.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[72:10] Therefore my people will return here,
and full days will be found for them.
Classification & Notes
Disparate. Text: Hebrew His people and waters contrast with Greek my people and days. Hebrew follows the displayed reading yashuv. Rashi understands a return to wicked ways and the waters as Torah treated like discarded drainage; this is interpretation of a difficult clause, not the Greek meaning. RASHI-PS73, on 10.
Verse 73:11 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[73:11] And they say, “How does God know?
Is there knowledge in the Most High?
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[72:11] And they said, “How did God know?
And is there knowledge in the Most High?”
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: Both question divine knowledge. The Hebrew quotation continues through 14 following Rashi’s reading of the people’s speech; the Greek explicitly introduces the speaker’s own words at 13. RASHI-PS73, on 13.
Verse 73:12 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[73:12] Look, these are wicked,
yet at ease in the world they have increased their wealth.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[72:12] Look, these are sinners, and they prosper;
for the age they took possession of wealth.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: The scandal of enduring wicked prosperity agrees, with differing temporal expressions.
Verse 73:13 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[73:13] Surely in vain I purified my heart
and washed my palms in innocence.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[72:13] And I said, “Then in vain I made my heart righteous
and washed my hands among the innocent;
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Greek adds “And I said,” explicitly identifying the speaker, and has among the innocent where Hebrew has in innocence.
Verse 73:14 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[73:14] I have been plagued all day,
and my correction comes every morning.”
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[72:14] and I became scourged all day,
and my rebuke comes in the mornings.”
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: The continuous affliction and renewed morning correction agree.
Verse 73:15 Disparate
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[73:15] If I had said, “I will recount it just so,”
look, I would have made Your children’s generation into traitors.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[72:15] If I were saying, “I will recount it thus,”
look, I would have broken faith with the generation of Your sons.
Classification & Notes
Disparate. Text: The Hebrew transitive judgment follows Rashi’s explanation of making them out to be faithless; Greek makes the speaker break faith with the generation. The alternative Hebrew reading “betrayed” remains possible. RASHI-PS73, on 15.
Verse 73:16 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[73:16] When I considered how to know this,
it appeared injustice in my eyes,
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[72:16] And I undertook to understand this;
it is toil before me,
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew amal is taken as apparent injustice following Rashi; Greek kopos is labor or toil. The Hebrew displayed read/written pronoun forms do not change English “it.” RASHI-PS73, on 16.
Verse 73:17 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[73:17] until I entered God’s sanctuaries
and understood their end.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[72:17] until I enter God’s sanctuary
and understand their last things.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: Hebrew sanctuaries is plural; Greek sanctuary singular. The Hebrew completed understanding follows the narrative construal explained by Rashi; Greek keeps its prospective subordinate verbs. RASHI-PS73, on 17.
Verse 73:18 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[73:18] Surely You set them in slippery places;
You cast them down to ruins.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[72:18] Nevertheless, because of their deceits You set things for them;
You cast them down when they were lifted up.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew locates them on slippery ground and names ruin; Greek gives deceit as cause and elevation as the occasion of downfall. “Things” only supplies the Greek verb’s unexpressed object; the precise construction remains open.
Verse 73:19 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[73:19] How they became desolate in a moment!
They came to an end, consumed by terrors.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[72:19] How they became desolate suddenly!
They failed; they perished through their lawlessness.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew terrors contrasts with Greek lawlessness as the cause of destruction.
Verse 73:20 Disparate
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[73:20] Like a dream without awakening,
Lord, in the city You will despise their image.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[72:20] Like the dream of someone awakening,
Lord, in Your city You will count their image as nothing.
Classification & Notes
Disparate. Text: Hebrew follows Rashi’s dream without an end or awakening and city interpretation; Greek has a waking dreamer and explicitly Your city. “On awakening” is an alternative Hebrew construal, kept open rather than silently substituted. RASHI-PS73, on 20.
Verse 73:21 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[73:21] For my heart fermented,
and I was sharpened in my kidneys,
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[72:21] For my heart was set ablaze,
and my kidneys were altered,
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: The Hebrew fermenting and sharpening images differ from Greek burning and alteration. Kidneys, the bodily image of inward thought and feeling, remains visible; Rashi explains the sharpening by the sword-root. RASHI-PS73, on 21.
Verse 73:22 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[73:22] and I was brutish and did not know;
I was like beasts with You.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[72:22] and I was counted as nothing and did not understand;
I became beastlike beside You.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew calls the speaker brutish before the beast comparison; Greek first calls him despised.
Verse 73:23 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[73:23] Yet I am continually with You;
You have grasped my right hand.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[72:23] And I am continually with You;
You grasped my right hand.
Classification & Notes
Same. Text: The persistent companionship and divine grasp agree.
Verse 73:24 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[73:24] With Your counsel You led me,
and afterward You took me for glory.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[72:24] In Your counsel You guided me,
and with glory You received me.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew afterward and for glory follow Rashi’s explanation of the accentual division and past narrative; Greek says with glory. A future Hebrew construal remains possible. RASHI-PS73, on 24.
Verse 73:25 Disparate
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[73:25] Whom have I in heaven?
With You, I have desired no one on earth.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[72:25] For what is there for me in heaven?
And what did I desire from You upon the earth?
Classification & Notes
Disparate. Text: Hebrew explicitly negates earthly desire alongside God; Greek asks what the speaker desired from Him, without that negative. Rashi excludes choosing any heavenly angel as a god. RASHI-PS73, on 25.
Verse 73:26 Disparate
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[73:26] My flesh and my heart yearn;
God is the rock of my heart and my portion forever.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[72:26] My heart and my flesh failed;
the God of my heart and my portion is God forever.
Classification & Notes
Disparate. Text: Hebrew kalah is rendered yearning following Rashi, with failure an alternative; Greek explicitly has failure. Hebrew rock contrasts with Greek God, and the order of heart and flesh differs. RASHI-PS73, on 26.
Verse 73:27 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[73:27] For look, those far from You will perish;
You have destroyed everyone who goes whoring away from You.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[72:27] For look, those distancing themselves from You will perish;
You destroyed everyone who goes whoring away from You.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: Greek explicitly makes the distancing an action; both retain the sexual metaphor for faithlessness.
Verse 73:28 Divergent
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[73:28] But for me, God’s nearness is good;
I have set my refuge in Lord YHWH,
to recount all Your messages.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[72:28] But for me, clinging to God is good,
to set my hope in the Lord,
to proclaim all Your praises
in the gates of the daughter of Zion.
Classification & Notes
Divergent. Text: Hebrew messages follows Rashi’s explanation of divine commissions; Greek has praises and adds the daughter of Zion’s gates. The divine title and refuge/hope images also differ. RASHI-PS73, on 28.