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Psalm 151 (Greek) and 11QPs-a 151A–B

Psalm 151: one Greek psalm, two Hebrew poems

Greek Bibles end the Psalter with a short psalm "outside the number": David, the youngest shepherd, made an instrument, was anointed in place of his handsome brothers, and cut off the Philistine's head. It is not in the Masoretic Text, the Latin Vulgate or Protestant and Catholic Bibles; it is in Orthodox Bibles. In 1956 the great Psalms Scroll from Qumran Cave 11 (11QPs-a) turned up two Hebrew poems on the same subjects, now called Psalm 151A and 151B. They are related to the Greek psalm, but they are not a word-for-word Hebrew original of it.

Read Psalm 151 (Greek) and 11QPs-a 151A–B in every edition

Disputed addition: some witnesses include it, some do not

The family tree

Each row is a language or text tradition. Witnesses in the same row may share ancestry, revise one another, or have an uncertain relationship; the line under each box says which. A solid arrow appears only where direct copying or a documented revised edition is established. Order by date never implies copying. Scroll sideways on a phone.

✓ includes the disputed words · ✕ does not include them · ❝ quotes part of them · ⓘ reports on manuscripts · ▢ pages lost · – no copy survives

  • Same line, through lost copies
  • Translation
Hebrew
  1. The psalm as first composedPsalms composed over centuries (c. 10th–4th century BC; debated)
  2. Qumran Psalms Scroll, 151A (11QPs-a, 11Q5, col. XXVIII)1st century ADDescends, through lost copies, from The psalm as first composed
  3. Qumran Psalms Scroll, 151B (11QPs-a, 11Q5, col. XXVIII)1st century ADDescends, through lost copies, from The psalm as first composed
  4. Masoretic Text (Leningrad Codex)AD 1008Descends, through lost copies, from The psalm as first composed
Greek
  1. Greek Psalter (library: Giguet's French)Old Greek c. 2nd century BC; French 1872Translated from the Old Greek Psalter
Latin
    Coptic
    1. Sahidic Coptic Psalter (library)translated from Greek, c. 3rd–4th century ADTranslated from the Greek Psalter
    English

      Every witness, in order

      1. Psalms composed over centuries (c. 10th–4th century BC; debated)

        The psalm as first composed

        – No copy survives

        No original survives. About forty Psalms manuscripts from Qumran, Masada and Nahal Hever (c. 2nd century BC – 1st century AD) are the oldest copies.

      2. 1st century AD

        Qumran Psalms Scroll, 151A (11QPs-a, 11Q5, col. XXVIII)

        ⓘ Reports what manuscripts containedDescends, through lost copies, from The psalm as first composed

        How the site knows this: Reported in scholarship; not checked by the site.

        Reported (Sanders, DJD IV; not yet checked by the site): a complete Hebrew poem headed "Hallelujah of David son of Jesse": the youngest shepherd, his pipe and lyre, the mountains and hills that do not testify, the prophet who passes over the brothers and anoints David. Longer than Greek vv. 1–5.

        Source: P. W. Flint, "Contents of the Psalms Scrolls and Related Manuscripts," Oxford Handbook of the Psalms ↗

      3. 1st century AD

        Qumran Psalms Scroll, 151B (11QPs-a, 11Q5, col. XXVIII)

        ⓘ Reports what manuscripts containedDescends, through lost copies, from The psalm as first composed

        How the site knows this: Reported in scholarship; not checked by the site.

        Reported (Sanders, DJD IV; not yet checked by the site): a fragmentary Hebrew poem headed "The beginning of David's power after the prophet of God had anointed him," breaking off as David sees the Philistine. The subject of Greek vv. 6–7.

        Source: P. W. Flint, "Contents of the Psalms Scrolls and Related Manuscripts," Oxford Handbook of the Psalms ↗

      4. translated from Greek, c. 3rd–4th century AD

        Sahidic Coptic Psalter (library)

        ✓ Contains this passage (the disputed words)Translated from the Greek Psalter

        How the site knows this: Reported in scholarship; not checked by the site.

        ⲛⲉⲯⲁⲗⲙⲟⲥ ⲛⲇⲁⲩⲉⲓⲇ ⲡⲉⲓⲯⲁⲗⲙⲟⲥ ⲛⲧⲁⲇⲁⲩⲉⲓⲇ ⲥⲁϩϥ ⲉⲧⲥⲟⲧϥ ⲉϥⲙⲡⲃⲟⲗ ⲛⲧⲏⲡⲉⲛⲧⲉⲣⲉϥⲙⲓϣⲉ ⲙⲛ ⲅⲟⲗⲟⲁⲑ ⲛⲉ ⲁⲛⲅ ⲟⲩⲕⲟⲩⲓ ϩⲛ ⲛⲁⲥⲛⲏⲩ ⲉⲓⲥⲟⲃⲕ ϩⲙ ⲡⲏⲓ ⲙⲡⲁⲉⲓⲱⲧ ⲉⲓⲙⲥⲟⲛⲉ ⲛⲛⲉⲥⲟⲟⲩ ⲙⲡⲁⲉⲓⲱⲧ ⲛⲁϭⲓϫ ⲁⲩⲧⲁⲙⲓⲟ ⲛⲟⲩⲟⲣⲅⲁⲛⲟⲛ ⲛⲁⲧⲏⲏⲃⲉ ⲁⲩⲧⲱϣ ⲛⲟⲩⲯⲁⲗⲧⲏⲣⲓⲟⲛ ⲛⲓⲙ ⲡⲉⲧⲛⲁϫⲓⲡⲟⲩⲱ ⲙⲡϫⲟⲉⲓⲥ ⲛⲧⲟϥ ⲡⲉ ⲡϫⲟⲉⲓⲥ ⲛⲧⲟϥ ⲉⲧⲥⲱⲧⲙ ⲛⲧⲟϥ ⲡⲉⲛⲧⲁϥⲧⲛⲛⲟⲟⲩ ⲙⲡⲉϥⲁⲅⲅⲉⲗⲟⲥ ⲁϥϥⲓⲧ ϩⲛ ⲛⲉⲥⲟⲟⲩ ⲙⲡⲁⲉⲓⲱⲧ ⲁϥⲧⲁϩⲥⲧ ⲙⲡⲛⲉϩ ⲙⲡⲉϥⲧⲱϩⲥ ⲛⲁⲥⲛⲏⲩ ⲛⲉ ϩⲉⲛⲛⲟϭ ⲛⲉ ⲉⲛⲉⲥⲱⲟⲩ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲙⲡⲉⲡϫⲟⲉⲓⲥ ⲟⲩⲁϣⲟⲩ ⲁⲓⲉⲓ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ⲉⲧⲱⲙⲛⲧ ⲉⲡⲁⲗⲗⲟⲫⲩⲗⲟⲥ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲁϥⲥⲁϩⲟⲩ ⲙⲙⲟⲓ ϩⲛ ⲛⲉϥⲉⲓⲇⲱⲗⲟⲛ ⲁⲛⲟⲕ ⲇⲉ ⲁⲓⲧⲉⲕⲙⲧⲉϥⲥⲏϥⲉ ⲛⲧⲟⲟⲧϥ ⲁⲓϥⲓ ⲛⲧⲉϥⲁⲡⲉ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲁⲓϥⲓ ⲛⲟⲩⲛⲟϭⲛⲉϭ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ ϩⲛ ⲛϣⲏⲣⲉ ⲙⲡⲓⲥⲣⲁⲏⲗ ⲡϫⲱⲱⲙⲉ ⲛⲛⲉⲯⲁⲗⲙⲟⲥ

        This psalm David wrote himself, outside the number, when he fought with Goliath. I was small among my brothers… (all seven verses)

        Psalm 151:1–7 in the library's Sahidic edition; the heading stands inside verse 1. A translation of the Greek, not of the Hebrew.

      5. AD 1008

        Masoretic Text (Leningrad Codex)

        ✕ Passage not in this witness (the disputed words)Descends, through lost copies, from The psalm as first composed

        How the site knows this: Read in the site's library text: Westminster Leningrad Codex, a digital transcription of the Leningrad Codex.

        The Masoretic Psalter ends at Psalm 150; there is no Psalm 151.

      6. Old Greek c. 2nd century BC; French 1872

        Greek Psalter (library: Giguet's French)

        ✓ Contains this passage (the disputed words)Translated from the Old Greek Psalter

        How the site knows this: Known here only through a translation.

        J’étais petit entre mes frères et le plus jeune dans la maison de mon père; je gardais ses brebis. Mes mains ont fait un instrument, et mes doigts ont accordé un psaltérion. Et qui invoquera le Seigneur, que le Seigneur lui-même ne l’exauce. Lui-même il a envoyé son ange; il m’a tiré des troupeaux de mon père et m’a oint de l’huile de son onction. Mes frères étaient beaux et grands; et le Seigneur ne s’est point plu en eux. Je me suis avancé à la rencontre de l’étranger; il m’a maudit par ses idoles. Mais moi lui ayant arraché son épée je lui ai coupé la tête, et j’ai l’opprobre de dessus les enfants d’Israël.

        I was small among my brothers, the youngest in my father's house; I kept his sheep. My hands made an instrument, my fingers tuned a psaltery… He sent his angel, took me from my father's flocks and anointed me… I went out to meet the foreigner… I cut off his head.

        Greek numbering: Psalm 151:1–7. Giguet's 1872 French of a printed Greek text (D check); not checked against Rahlfs' critical edition (C check). Greek Psalm 151:1–7. Giguet does not print the heading.

      What changed, and why

      What the library shows (D checks). The Greek psalm is in the library in three translations of the Greek: Giguet's French (7 verses), the Sahidic Coptic (7 verses) and the Church Slavonic Elizabeth Bible (7 verses). The Sahidic copy keeps the Greek heading inside its first verse: "This psalm David wrote himself, outside the number, when he fought with Goliath." No Hebrew, Latin Vulgate or English King James edition in the library has the psalm.

      What the Cave 11 scroll is reported to contain (C check: DJD IV, Sanders 1965). In its last column, 11QPs-a has a complete poem headed "Hallelujah of David son of Jesse" (151A): David was smallest among his brothers and a shepherd; he made a pipe and a lyre; he says the mountains and hills do not bear witness for him, but the trees and flock valued his songs; God sent his prophet Samuel, who passed over the tall, handsome brothers and anointed David. A second poem (151B) begins "The beginning of David's power after the prophet of God had anointed him" and breaks off as David sees a Philistine uttering defiances. The Hebrew of 151A is longer than the matching Greek verses and has lines the Greek lacks.

      How the Greek and the Hebrew line up. Greek vv. 1–5 (shepherd, instrument, God hears, the angel or messenger who anoints, the handsome brothers) correspond roughly to 151A, though shorter and in places reordered; Greek vv. 6–7 (going out against the foreigner, beheading him) correspond to the subject of 151B, most of which is lost. So the Greek is one psalm covering what the scroll treats as two. The Greek calls the anointer "his angel" (aggelos, which also means messenger); 151A names "his prophet."

      Which came first? This is genuinely debated. J. A. Sanders, the scroll's editor, and P. W. Flint argued that the Hebrew 151A and 151B are the older poems and the Greek is a condensed merger of them. Others (for example M. Haran, M. Smith, M. Segal) argue the reverse: a shorter Hebrew psalm close to the Greek came first, and the Qumran poems are an expanded reworking. A proposal that 151A's lines about the mountains and the instruments reflect the Greek legend of Orpheus is also disputed. The site does not choose: the evidence shows two related forms of the David-psalm in the last centuries BC, not which is the parent.

      Why it matters for the history of the Psalter. Psalm 151 shows that ancient Jewish communities kept collections of psalms whose contents and endings differed. The Greek Psalter ends at 151 and labels it "outside the number"; the Masoretic Psalter ends at 150; 11QPs-a, as reported in its edition, closes with David's Last Words, a prose note on David's Compositions, Psalms 140 and 134, and then 151A–B. Syriac Psalters later include Psalms 151–155, and Psalms 154 and 155 also appear in Hebrew in 11QPs-a. See How Psalms Came to Us.

      What the evidence shows

      • Independently documentedThe library's Greek (Giguet), Sahidic Coptic and Church Slavonic Psalters contain a 7-verse Psalm 151.
      • Independently documentedThe Sahidic copy calls the psalm David's own, 'outside the number,' written when he fought Goliath. Read in the library's Sahidic text; the Greek heading itself is a C check against Rahlfs.
      • Strongly supported11QPs-a contains two Hebrew David poems, 151A and 151B, in its last column. Reported from Sanders' edition (DJD IV); not yet checked by the site (C).
      • DisputedThe Qumran poems are the Hebrew original of the Greek Psalm 151. Related but not word for word; the direction of development is debated.
      • Matter of faithPsalm 151 is canonical Scripture. In the Orthodox canon; not in the Jewish, Catholic or Protestant canons.

      Sources

        Related lessons

        • How Psalms Came to Us →The Psalms were sung before they were collected, collected before they were finished, and translated before the Hebrew Psalter was fixed. They survive in about 40 manuscripts from the Judean Desert (c. 2nd century BC – 1st century AD), in the Greek Psalter and its 151st psalm, in Latin, Syriac, Coptic and Aramaic, and in the medieval Masoretic codices behind modern Hebrew Bibles. Ancient Jewish communities did not all keep identical collections: the Masoretic Psalter ends at 150, the Greek adds 151 "outside the number," the great Psalms Scroll from Qumran has a different order and extra songs, and Syriac Psalters later include 151–155. This lesson traces that history and marks what is known, what is debated and what cannot be determined.
        • Investigation: The Psalms of the Dead Sea Scrolls →Psalms is the book most often found among the Dead Sea Scrolls: about 40 manuscripts from Qumran, Masada and Nahal Hever, copied between about the 2nd century BC and the 1st century AD. Most are small fragments. The great Psalms Scroll from Cave 11 (11QPs-a) is different: it has dozens of psalms from Books IV–V in an unfamiliar order, mixed with compositions not in the Hebrew Bible, including Psalms 151A, 151B, 154 and 155, a Hymn to Zion, and a note crediting David with 4,050 songs. Scholars still debate whether it is a different edition of the Psalter or a liturgical collection drawn from it.