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LXX Psalms

Septuagint

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Psalm 13

1 For the end, a Psalm of David. The fool has said in his heart, There is no God. They have corrupted themselves, and become abominable in their devices; there is none that does goodness, there is not even so much as one. 2 The Lord looked down from heaven upon the sons of men, to see if there were any that understood, or sought after God. 3 They have all gone out of the way, they have together become good for nothing, there is none that does good, no not one.⁠ Their throat is an open tomb; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips:⁠ whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness; their feet are swift to shed blood:⁠ destruction and misery are in their ways; and the way of peace they have not known:⁠ there is no fear of God before their eyes. 4 Will not all the workers of iniquity know, who eat up my people as they would eat bread? they have not called upon the Lord. 5 There were they alarmed with fear, where there was no fear; for God is in the righteous generation. 6 You have shamed the counsel of the poor, because the Lord is his hope. 7 Who will bring the salvation of Israel out of Zion? when the Lord brings back the captivity of his people, let Jacob exult, and Israel be glad.

Texts in conversation

Compare Isaiah 59:7 and LXX Psalm 13:3

Hebrew Bible · Septuagint

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Summary

Isaiah 59 accuses Israel of violence and injustice, a complaint directed only to them. The Greek Septuagint translation of Psalm 13 echoes and reshapes that language, now applying it to the entire human race.

Passages

Isaiah 59:7

Hebrew Bible
6 Their webs cannot be used for clothing; they cannot cover themselves with what they make. Their deeds are sinful; they commit violent crimes. 7 They are eager to do evil, quick to shed innocent blood. Their thoughts are sinful; they crush and destroy. 8 They are unfamiliar with peace; their deeds are unjust. They use deceitful methods, and whoever deals with them is unfamiliar with peace.
740–450 BCE (scholarly estimate) Read in Isaiah

LXX Psalm 13:3

Septuagint
1 For the end, a Psalm of David. The fool has said in his heart, There is no God. They have corrupted themselves, and become abominable in their devices; there is none that does goodness, there is not even so much as one. 2 The Lord looked down from heaven upon the sons of men, to see if there were any that understood, or sought after God. 3 They have all gone out of the way, they have together become good for nothing, there is none that does good, no not one. Their throat is an open tomb; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness; their feet are swift to shed blood: destruction and misery are in their ways; and the way of peace they have not known: there is no fear of God before their eyes.
100–1 BCE (scholarly estimate) Read in LXX Psalms

References

“... This tricola is adapted from Isa 59:7-8 and Prov 1:16. [...] While all three passages refer to “the feet” of those who “shed blood,” the catena is more vivid in using the adjective [...] (“swift”) in place of the cumbersome Hebraism “run quickly to wickedness/evil.” This detail suggests that the creators of the original catena had a well developed sensitivity to Greek style. It seems likely that the association between feet and bloodshed derived from stalking others (LXX Prov 1:11-16; 6:18). Rom 3:16 and LXX Ps 13:3h: [...] (“ruin and misery are in their paths”) Isa 59:7c: [...] (“ruin and misery are in their paths”) Here the psalmist exactly quotes Isaiah, who laments that Israel’s sins have brought such social disaster upon the population. ...”
Robert Jewett, Romans: A Commentary (Minneapolis: Fortress, 2007), 262.

References are not endorsements of their contents. Read each reference in full to understand its author's intentions in using these texts.

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Isaiah 59:7 and LXX Psalm 13:3

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