Psalm 103 — Compassion for those formed from dust — 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 103 — Compassion for those formed from dust
Verse 103:1 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[103:1] Of David.
Bless YHWH, my soul,
and all that is within me, His holy name.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[102:1] Of David.
Bless the Lord, my soul,
and all that is within me, His holy name.
Classification & Notes
Same. Text: The heading and summons to the whole inner self correspond.
Verse 103:2 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[103:2] Bless YHWH, my soul,
and do not forget all His benefits:
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[102:2] Bless the Lord, my soul,
and do not forget all His repayments:
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: Greek repayments preserves the recompense term; benefits is the contextual Hebrew sense within praise.
Verse 103:3 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[103:3] who forgives all your iniquities,
who heals all your diseases;
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[102:3] who is gracious toward all your lawless deeds,
who heals all your diseases;
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: Greek the gracious/atoning verb is retained as gracious toward, alongside Hebrew explicit forgiveness. Your addresses the soul in both.
Verse 103:4 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[103:4] who redeems your life from the Pit,
who crowns you with steadfast love and compassion;
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[102:4] who redeems your life from corruption,
who crowns you with mercy and compassion;
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Greek corruption differs from Hebrew the Pit; the redeeming and crowning correspond.
Verse 103:5 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[103:5] who satisfies your adornment with good,
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[102:5] who fills your desire with good things;
your youth will be renewed like an eagle's.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Hebrew edyekh is literally associated with adornment but its meaning here is disputed; the deliberately provisional rendering is not silently replaced with desire, mouth, or old age. Greek explicitly has desire. A specialist should review the Hebrew clause before final publication. Reception: Rashi explains the eagle image through annual feather renewal and separately reports an aggadic account of renewed youth; this is received interpretation, not a zoological assertion by this draft (RASHI-PS103-ROOT, five).
Verse 103:6 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[103:6] YHWH does righteous deeds
and judgments for all the oppressed.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[102:6] The Lord does deeds of mercy
and judgment for all who are wronged.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Greek deeds of mercy differs from Hebrew righteous deeds; both act for the wronged.
Verse 103:7 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[103:7] He made His ways known to Moses,
His deeds to the sons of Israel.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[102:7] He made His ways known to Moses,
His wishes to the sons of Israel.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Greek wishes differs from Hebrew deeds.
Verse 103:8 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[103:8] YHWH is compassionate and gracious,
slow to anger and abundant in steadfast love.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[102:8] The Lord is compassionate and merciful,
patient and abundant in mercy.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: The divine compassion formula corresponds, with each tradition's mercy vocabulary retained.
Verse 103:9 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[103:9] He will not contend forever,
nor keep anger perpetually.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[102:9] He will not be angry to the end,
nor maintain wrath forever.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Greek anger differs from Hebrew contending in the first clause; the limit on wrath corresponds.
Verse 103:10 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[103:10] He has not dealt with us according to our sins,
nor repaid us according to our iniquities.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[102:10] He has not dealt with us according to our sins,
nor repaid us according to our lawless deeds,
Classification & Notes
Same. Text: The refusal of proportionate punishment corresponds.
Verse 103:11 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[103:11] For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
His steadfast love is strong over those who fear Him.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[102:11] for according to heaven's height above the earth,
the Lord strengthened His mercy toward those who fear Him.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Greek explicitly names the Lord as strengthening mercy; Hebrew makes His steadfast love strong. The heavenly comparison corresponds.
Verse 103:12 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[103:12] As far as east is from west,
He has removed our rebellions from us.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[102:12] As far as the east is distant from the west,
He removed our lawless deeds from us.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: The distance image agrees; rebellions and lawless deeds retain their vocabulary.
Verse 103:13 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[103:13] As a father has compassion on children,
YHWH has compassion on those who fear Him.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[102:13] As a father has compassion on children,
the Lord had compassion on those who fear Him,
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: The paternal compassion image corresponds.
Verse 103:14 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[103:14] For He knows our formation;
He remembers that we are dust.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[102:14] for He knew our formation.
Remember that we are dust.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Greek changes the remembering clause into an imperative; its addressee is not specified. Hebrew presents remembrance as God's awareness. Reception: Rashi explicitly takes the Hebrew clause as God remembering, not forgetting, our dust and grass-like mortality (RASHI-PS103-ROOT, fourteen).
Verse 103:15 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[103:15] A human's days are like grass;
like a flower of the field, so he flowers.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[102:15] A human—his days are like grass;
like a flower of the field, so he will flower,
Classification & Notes
Same. Text: The mortal grass-and-flower comparison corresponds.
Verse 103:16 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[103:16] For a wind passes over it, and it is gone;
its place recognizes it no more.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[102:16] for a wind passed through him, and he will not exist,
and he will no longer recognize his place.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Greek the mortal no longer recognizes his place, while Hebrew his place no longer recognizes him. The subject reversal is retained.
Verse 103:17 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[103:17] But YHWH's steadfast love is from eternity to eternity over those who fear Him,
and His righteousness to children's children,
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[102:17] But the Lord's mercy is from eternity to eternity toward those who fear Him,
and His righteousness toward children's children,
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: The enduring covenant mercy and descendants correspond.
Verse 103:18 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[103:18] to those who keep His covenant
and remember His precepts to do them.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[102:18] to those who keep His covenant
and remember His commandments to do them.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: The covenant keepers and enacted remembrance correspond.
Verse 103:19 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[103:19] YHWH has established His throne in the heavens,
and His kingdom rules over all.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[102:19] The Lord prepared His throne in heaven,
and His kingdom has dominion over all.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: The heavenly throne and universal rule correspond.
Verse 103:20 Different
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[103:20] Bless YHWH, His messengers,
mighty in strength, doing His word,
heeding the voice of His word.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[102:20] Bless the Lord, all His angels,
mighty in strength, doing His word,
so as to hear the voice of His words.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Greek adds all and has plural words at the close. Angels is the contextual celestial sense of Greek messengers; the Hebrew messenger designation is retained.
Verse 103:21 Similar
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[103:21] Bless YHWH, all His hosts,
His ministers who do His will.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[102:21] Bless the Lord, all His powers,
His ministers who do His will.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: Hebrew hosts and Greek powers name the heavenly retinue without importing a later angelic hierarchy.
Verse 103:22 Same
Hebrew–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
[103:22] Bless YHWH, all His works,
in all the places of His dominion.
Bless YHWH, my soul.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
[102:22] Bless the Lord, all His works,
in every place of His dominion.
Bless the Lord, my soul.
Classification & Notes
Same. Text: The universal and personal closing summonses correspond.