Psalm 101

¹ I will sing of mercy and justice; to You, O LORD, I will sing praises. ² I will behave wisely in a perfect way. Oh, when will You come to me? I will walk within my house with a perfect heart. ³ I will set no wicked thing before my eyes; I hate the work of those who turn aside; it shall not cling to me. ⁴ A perverse heart shall depart from me; I will not know evil.

Notes on the Translation

Verse 1: The LXX uses eleos (mercy) and krisis (justice), aligning with the KJV’s “mercy and judgment.” The DSS (11QPs^a) support this focus on divine attributes.

Verse 2: The LXX’s sunēsō (I will understand/behave wisely) and en hodō amōmō (in a blameless way) are translated as “behave wisely in a perfect way,” echoing the KJV’s “behave myself wisely in a perfect way” but modernized. The DSS confirm the intent of moral integrity.

Verse 3: The LXX’s ou prosethēka (shall not cling) and paranomia (lawlessness) align with the KJV’s rejection of evil. “Turn aside” reflects the DSS’s emphasis on deviation from righteousness.

Verse 4: The LXX’s diestrammenē kardia (perverse heart) and ou ginōskō (I will not know) are directly translated, with “evil” modernizing the KJV’s “wickedness.” The DSS support this rejection of moral corruption.

⁵ Whoever secretly slanders their neighbor, I will silence; whoever has a haughty look and an arrogant heart, I will not tolerate. ⁶ My eyes shall be on the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with me; whoever walks in a perfect way shall serve me. ⁷ No one who practices deceit shall dwell in my house; no one who speaks falsehood shall remain in my presence. ⁸ Each morning I will silence all the wicked of the land, to cut off all evildoers from the city of the LORD.

Notes on the Translation

Verse 5: The LXX’s katalalōn (slandering) and hupsēlon ophthalmos (haughty eyes) align with the KJV’s “slandereth” and “high look.” “Silence” and “not tolerate” modernize the tone while preserving intent. The DSS are fragmentary but consistent.

Verse 6: The LXX’s pistous tēs gēs (faithful of the land) and hodō amōmō (blameless way) are retained, with “serve me” echoing the KJV’s “shall serve me.” The DSS support the focus on loyalty.

Verse 7: The LXX’s dolos (deceit) and pseudos (falsehood) align with the KJV, with “dwell” and “remain” modernizing “abide” and “continue.” The DSS confirm the rejection of deceit.

Verse 8: The LXX’s prōi prōi (morning by morning) and exolethreusō (destroy/silence) are translated as “each morning I will silence,” aligning with the KJV’s “early destroy.” The DSS (11QPs^a) support the purging of evildoers.

Psalm 102

Psalm 102 – Veritable King James Version (VKJV)

Psalm 102

¹ Hear my prayer, O LORD, and let my cry come to You. ² Do not hide Your face from me in the day of my distress; incline Your ear to me; in the day I call, answer me quickly. ³ For my days vanish like smoke, and my bones burn like a furnace. ⁴ My heart is stricken and withered like grass; I forget to eat my bread. ⁵ Because of my loud groaning, my bones cling to my flesh. ⁶ I am like a desert owl of the wilderness, like an owl among the ruins. ⁷ I lie awake; I am like a solitary bird on a housetop. ⁸ All day long my enemies taunt me; those who mock me swear against me. ⁹ For I eat ashes like bread and mingle my drink with tears, ¹⁰ because of Your indignation and Your wrath; for You have lifted me up and cast me down. ¹¹ My days are like a shadow that lengthens; I wither like grass.

Notes on the Translation

Verse 1: The LXX uses proseuchē (prayer) and kraugē (cry), aligning with the KJV’s “prayer” and “cry.” The DSS (11QPs^a) support this plea for divine attention.

Verse 2: The LXX’s mē apostrepsēs (do not turn away) is rendered as “do not hide Your face,” echoing the KJV’s phrasing for poetic continuity. The DSS are fragmentary but consistent.

Verse 3–4: The LXX’s exelipon hōs kapnos (vanish like smoke) and kardiā mou (my heart) are directly translated, with “furnace” and “withered” reflecting the KJV’s vivid imagery. The DSS align where preserved.

Verse 5–7: The LXX’s stenagmou (groaning) and animal imagery (pelikanō, strouthion) are retained, with “desert owl” and “solitary bird” for clarity, inspired by the KJV’s “pelican” and “sparrow.” The DSS (11QPs^a) support the desolate tone.

Verse 8–9: The LXX’s ōneidisān (taunt) and spodon (ashes) are translated directly, with “swear against me” reflecting the KJV’s “use me as a curse.” The DSS are incomplete but suggest similar imagery.

Verse 10–11: The LXX’s orgēs (wrath) and skia (shadow) align with the KJV, with “lengthens” modernizing the poetic tone. The DSS support the theme of divine judgment.

¹² But You, O LORD, endure forever, and Your name to all generations. ¹³ You will arise and have mercy on Zion, for it is time to show favor to her; the appointed time has come. ¹⁴ For Your servants take pleasure in her stones and cherish her dust. ¹⁵ The nations will fear Your name, O LORD, and all the kings of the earth Your glory. ¹⁶ For the LORD will build up Zion; He will appear in His glory. ¹⁷ He will regard the prayer of the destitute and not despise their plea. ¹⁸ This will be written for the generation to come, that a people yet to be created may praise the LORD. ¹⁹ For He looked down from His holy height; from heaven the LORD gazed upon the earth, ²⁰ to hear the groans of the prisoner, to set free those appointed to death, ²¹ to declare the name of the LORD in Zion and His praise in Jerusalem, ²² when the peoples and kingdoms gather together to serve the LORD.

Notes on the Translation

Verse 12: The LXX’s su de, kurie (but You, Lord) emphasizes God’s eternity, mirrored in the KJV’s “Thou, O LORD, shalt endure.” The DSS confirm this contrast.

Verse 13–14: The LXX’s eleēseis (have mercy) and lithous (stones) are directly translated, with “show favor” aligning with the KJV’s “have mercy.” The DSS (11QPs^a) support Zion’s restoration.

Verse 15–16: The LXX’s phobēthēsontai (fear) and doxan sou (Your glory) align with the KJV, with “build up” modernizing “buildeth.” The DSS are fragmentary but consistent.

Verse 17–18: The LXX’s tōn tapeinōn (the destitute) and graphēsetai (will be written) are retained, with “generation to come” echoing the KJV’s poetic phrasing.

Verse 19–22: The LXX’s ek diastēmatos (from height) and stenagmon (groans) are translated directly, with “appointed to death” reflecting the KJV’s “children of death.” The DSS support the focus on divine intervention.

²³ He weakened my strength in the way; He shortened my days. ²⁴ I said, “O my God, do not take me away in the midst of my days; Your years endure through all generations. ²⁵ In the beginning You laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of Your hands. ²⁶ They will perish, but You remain; they will all wear out like a garment. Like clothing You will change them, and they will pass away. ²⁷ But You are the same, and Your years will have no end. ²⁸ The children of Your servants will dwell secure; their offspring will be established before You.”

Notes on the Translation

Verse 23–24: The LXX’s ēsthenēsen (weakened) and eis meson (in the midst) are translated directly, with “shortened my days” echoing the KJV. The DSS are incomplete but suggest a similar lament.

Verse 25–26: The LXX’s kat’ archas (in the beginning) and hōs himation (like a garment) align with the KJV’s cosmic imagery, modernized for clarity. The DSS (11QPs^a) support this creation motif.

Verse 27–28: The LXX’s su de ho autos ei (You are the same) and paides sou (Your servants) are retained, with “dwell secure” modernizing the KJV’s “continue.” The DSS confirm the focus on God’s permanence.

The Psalms