151A [Hebrew]
A hallelujah of David, Jesse’s son.
1 I was the smallest of my brothers,
the youngest of my father’s sons.
He made me shepherd of his flock,
ruler over their young.
2 My hands made a flute,
my fingers a lyre.
Let me give glory to the Lord,
I thought to myself.
3 The mountains
cannot witness to God;
the hills cannot proclaim him.
But the trees have cherished
my words,
the flocks my deeds.
4 Who can proclaim,
who can announce,
who can declare the Lord’s deeds?
God has seen everything;
God has heard everything;
God has listened.
5 God sent his prophet to anoint me;
Samuel to make me great.
My brothers went out to meet him,
handsome in form and appearance:
6 Their stature tall,
their hair beautiful,
but the Lord God
did not choose them.
7 Instead, he sent and took me
from following the flock.
God anointed me with holy oil;
God made me leader for his people,
ruler over the children
of his covenant.
151B [Hebrew and Syriac][a]
At the beginning of David’s power after the prophet of God anointed him.
1 I went out to attack the Philistine,
who cursed me by his idols.
2 But after I uncovered his own sword,
I cut off his head.
So I removed the shame
from the Israelites.[b]
Psalm 151 [Greek]
This additional psalm is said to have been written by David when he fought Goliath in single combat.
1 I was small among my brothers,
and the youngest of my father’s sons.
I was shepherd of my father’s sheep.
2 My hands made a musical instrument;
my fingers strung a lap harp.
3 Who will tell my Lord?
The Lord himself, the Lord hears me.
4 The Lord himself sent his messenger,
and took me away
from my father’s sheep.
He put special oil on my forehead
to anoint me.
5 My brothers were good-looking and tall,
but the Lord didn’t take
special pleasure in them.
6 I went out to meet the Philistine,
who cursed me by his idols.
7 But I took his own sword out of its sheath
and cut off his head.
So I removed the shame
from the Israelites.[c]
Footnotes
- Psalm 151 1:8 The Heb manuscript is damaged. The translation here follows the Syriac.
- Psalm 151 1:9 Or children of Israel
- Psalm 151 1:16 Or children of Israel