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Journey of a Passage

Psalm 97:7

"Worship him, all ye gods" or "all his angels"

Hebrew: "Worship him, all you gods (elohim)." The Greek and Latin read "Worship him, all his angels." Hebrews 1:6 has "And let all the angels of God worship him," which matches the Greek of Deuteronomy 32:43 more closely but may echo this verse.

Same letters, different readings: the consonants agree, but ancient readers vocalized or interpreted them differently

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.

✓ contains it · ✕ does not · ❝ quotes part of it · ⓘ reports on manuscripts · ▢ pages lost · – no copy survives

  • Same line, through lost copies
  • Translation
  • Uncertain connection
Hebrew
  1. The psalm as first composedPsalms composed over centuries (c. 10th–4th century BC; debated)
  2. 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
  1. Jerome's Gallican Psalter (Clementine Vulgate)c. AD 386–392, revised from the GreekTranslated from the Greek Psalter (Origen's Hexapla)
English
  1. King James Bible1611Translated from printed Masoretic Hebrew
New Testament quotation
  1. Greek New Testament (library: Statistical Restoration text)1st century AD; edition 2010sUncertain relationship to the psalm (which wording it followed is the question)

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; edition 2010s

    Greek New Testament (library: Statistical Restoration text)

    ✓ Contains this passageUncertain relationship to the psalm (which wording it followed is the question)

    How the site knows this: Read in the site's library text: the Greek New Testament editions in the library (Textus Receptus, Byzantine Textform, Statistical Restoration).

    Ὅταν δὲ πάλιν εἰσαγάγῃ τὸν πρωτότοκον εἰς τὴν οἰκουμένην, λέγει, “Καὶ προσκυνησάτωσαν αὐτῷ πάντες ἄγγελοι ˚Θεοῦ.”

    And again, when he brings the firstborn into the world, he says, And let all the angels of God worship him.

    Hebrews 1:6. KJV: "And again, when he bringeth in the firstbegotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him."

  3. c. AD 386–392, revised from the Greek

    Jerome's Gallican Psalter (Clementine Vulgate)

    ✓ Contains this passageTranslated from the Greek Psalter (Origen's Hexapla)

    How the site knows this: Read in the site's library text: Clementine Vulgate (1592 edition).

    Confundantur omnes qui adorant sculptilia, et qui gloriantur in simulacris suis. Adorate eum omnes angeli ejus.

    Latin numbering: Psalm 96:7. Jerome revised this Latin Psalter from the Greek, so it is a witness to the Greek, not to the Hebrew.

  4. AD 1008

    Masoretic Text (Leningrad Codex)

    ✓ Contains this passageDescends, 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.

    יֵבֹ֤שׁוּ ׀ כָּל־עֹ֬בְדֵי פֶ֗סֶל הַמִּֽתְהַלְלִ֥ים בָּאֱלִילִ֑ים הִשְׁתַּחֲווּ־ל֝וֹ כָּל־אֱלֹהִֽים׃

    Ashamed be all who serve images, who boast in idols; bow down to him, all gods

    Hebrew numbering: Psalm 97:7.

  5. 1611

    King James Bible

    ✓ Contains this passageTranslated from printed Masoretic Hebrew

    How the site knows this: Read in the site's library text: King James Version (1769 text).

    Confounded be all they that serve graven images, that boast themselves of idols: worship him, all ye gods.

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

    Greek Psalter (library: Giguet's French)

    ✓ Contains this passageTranslated from the Old Greek Psalter

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

    Que tous ceux qui adorent des sculptures, et se glorifient dans leurs idoles, soient confondus! Et vous tous, ses anges, adorez-le!

    Greek numbering: Psalm 96:7. Giguet's 1872 French of a printed Greek text (D check); not checked against Rahlfs' critical edition (C check).

What changed, and why

The Greek translators often rendered elohim as "angels" when it referred to heavenly beings (Psalm 8:5; 138:1). Hebrews' wording ("all the angels of God," pantes angeloi theou) is found in the longer Greek Deuteronomy 32:43, which also has a Qumran Hebrew counterpart (4QDeut-q, reported). Which passage Hebrews quotes, or whether it blends them, is debated.

Hebrews is shown here from the library's Greek New Testament (D check).

What the evidence shows

  • Independently documentedThe Greek/Latin read "angels" in 97:7.
  • DisputedHebrews 1:6 quotes Psalm 97:7. Deuteronomy 32:43 (Greek) is the closer match.

Sources

    Related lessons

    • Psalm 97: Clouds and Darkness Surround Him →"The LORD reigneth; let the earth rejoice; let the multitude of isles be glad thereof. Clouds and darkness are round about him: righteousness and judgment are the habitation of his throne." Fire goes before him, lightnings light the world, the hills melt like wax. "Confounded be all they that serve graven images… worship him, all ye gods." "Light is sown for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart."