Meals for the Soul — Orthodox Resources

The Old Testament · Psalms

Psalms 117

1 Alleluia.

Give thanks to the Lord; for he is good: for his mercy endures for ever. 2 Let now the house of Israel say, that he is good: for his mercy endures for ever. 3 Let now the house of Aaron say, that he is good: for his mercy endures for ever. 4 Let now all that fear the Lord say, that he is good: for his mercy endures for ever.

5 I called on the Lord out of affliction: and he hearkened to me, so as to bring me into a wide place. 6 [Heb. 13. 6.] The Lord is my helper; and I will not fear what man shall do to me. 7 The Lord is my helper; and I shall see my desire upon mine enemies. 8 It is better to trust in the Lord than to trust in man. 9 It is better to hope in the Lord, than to hope in princes.

10 All nations compassed me about: but in the name of the Lord I repulsed them. 11 They completely compassed me about: but in the name of the Lord I repulsed them. 12 They compassed me about as bees do a honeycomb, and they burst into flame as fire among thorns: but in the name of the Lord I repulsed them. 13 I was thrust, and sorely shaken, that I might fall: but the Lord helped me.

14 The Lord is my strength and my song, and is become my salvation. 15 The voice of exultation and salvation is in the tabernacles of the righteous: the right hand of the Lord has wrought mightily. 16 The right hand of the Lord has exalted me: the right hand of the Lord has wrought powerfully. 17 I shall not die, but live, and recount the works of the Lord. 18 The Lord has chastened me sore: but he has not given me up to death.

19 Open to me the gates of righteousness: I will go into them, and give praise to the Lord. 20 This is the gate of the Lord: the righteous shall enter by it. 21 I will give thanks to thee; because thou hast heard me, and art become my salvation. 22 [Mat. 21. 42.] The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner. 23 This has been done of the Lord; and it is wonderful in our eyes. 24 This is the day which the Lord has made: let us exult and rejoice in it. 25 O Lord, save now: O Lord, send now prosperity. 26 [Mat. 21. 9.] Blessed is he that comes in the name of the Lord: we have blessed you out of the house of the Lord.

27 God is the Lord, and he has shined upon us: celebrate the feast with 1thick branches, binding the victims even to the horns of the altar. 28 Thou art my God, and I will give thee thanks: thou art my God, and I will exalt thee. I will give thanks to thee, for thou hast heard me, and art become my salvation. 29 Give thanks to the Lord; for he is good: for his mercy endures for ever.

── BRENTON’S NOTES ──
  1. 1 v. 27 Possibly, the multitude, q. d. cœtu frequenti.

About this text. This is Sir Lancelot Brenton’s 1851 translation of the Septuagint — the Greek Old Testament the Orthodox Church reads, rather than the Hebrew text behind most English Bibles. It is in the public domain. Words in italics are ones Brenton supplied that the Greek does not have; he marked them so that a reader could tell the difference, and they are kept that way here. The numbered notes are his own. Its English is Victorian, and does not match the modern English of the New Testament pages on this site.

On the numbering. The Psalms are numbered here as the Septuagint numbers them, which is how Orthodox service books cite them. From Psalm 10 onward that is one behind a Hebrew-numbered Bible: Psalm 50 here is the Psalm 51 of most English Bibles. The Septuagint also carries a hundred and fifty-first Psalm, which those Bibles do not.