(As a preface to this post, I’m currently working on my next book, which is a study of reading the book of Psalms eschatologically. As I conduct my research, I hope to share little nuggets of interesting data along the way! This is a start!)
The Psalms of the Septuagint (LXX) and the 150 Psalms of the Masoretic Text (MT) are largely the same in content, but they differ in numbering, order, and the inclusion of an additional psalm in some traditions. For those not familiar with the Septuagint and its importance for Bible-lovers, see here. Note that Eastern Orthodox Christians use the Septuagint for their Old Testament, and Roman Catholics and Protestants use the Masoretic Text (best preserved in the Leningrad Codex)). Here are the key differences:
1. Numbering Differences
The Septuagint (LXX) and the Masoretic Text (MT) contain the same psalms overall, but their numbering does not always align.
- Psalms 9 and 10 in the MT are combined as Psalm 9 in the LXX. That Psalms 9 and 10 are a single psalm with two parts is evident even in the Masoretic Text with the absence of a superscription. Only Psalms 1, 2, 10, and 33 are missing davidic superscriptions in book 1 (all for specific reasons).
- Psalms 114 and 115 in the MT are combined as Psalm 113 in the LXX. Note that all of these Psalms are a part of the Egyptian Hallel (Psalms 113–118) and its not always easy to delineate from the original documents where one psalm begins and one ends because of the call to praise “Hallelujah”.
- Conversely, Psalm 116 in the MT is split into Psalms 114 and 115 in the LXX.
- Psalms 146 and 147 in the MT are combined as Psalm 146 in the LXX. There’s a very interesting fact about Psalm 146 and that is that it’s the only Psalm that comprises the word “tehillah” in its superscription, which happens to be the title of the Psalter in Hebrew (tehillim). This has lead scholars to speculation about the possibility of Psalm 146 being the original last psalm of the collection before the addition of the last four psalms (147–150) to capstone the book with five doxologies, one for each book of the Psalter.
- This results in a shift in numbering that continues throughout the book, meaning that most psalms in the LXX appear one number behind their counterparts in the MT.
2. Psalm 151
The LXX includes an additional Psalm 151, which is not found in the MT. Psalm 151 is described as “outside the number” of the 150 Psalms and is attributed to David. It appears in some manuscripts of the Dead Sea Scrolls, suggesting it was known in ancient Jewish tradition.
3. Textual Variations
The Septuagint Psalms sometimes reflect different readings or variations compared to the MT. Some of these variations arise from differences in transmission history, theological emphases, or textual traditions preserved in Greek-speaking Jewish communities.
