Saturday, 22 September 2007

• Question 18 – Psalm Numbering

  Question 18 – Psalm Numbering

   

  Robert,
  Why do Catholics and “Jews” number the Psalms differently?
  Edgar

  R. Sungenis: Edgar, Catholics go by the Septuagint (LXX) version and the Jews and Protestants go by the Hebrew version. After Psalm 9, the LXX version is always one Psalm behind the Hebrew. One reason for this is that the Hebrew version has 20 verses for Psalm 9 and the LXX version has 39 verses. At Psalm 9:22 of the LXX version it is becomes Pslam 10:1 in the Hebrew version. So Psalm 9:22-39 of the LXX is Psalm 10:1-18 of the Hebrew version. Psalm 10:1 of the LXX is thus Psalm 11:1 of the Hebrew version, and the respective numbering persists until Psalm 150.

   

  Following this numbering, logically, the LXX will have 151 Psalms and so does the Latin Vulgate but the Hebrew versions will have 150 Psalms, which Protestant Bibles follow. Interestingly enough, however, the Douay Rheims, which is supposed to be following the Vulgate, has only 150 Psalms. You'll notice that the DR's Psalm 145 is the RSV's 146. But after Psalm 146, the DR chose to divide the Hebrew Psalm 147 into Psalm 146 and Psalm 147. The change occurs at the Herbew Bible's Psalm 147:12. So after Psalm 147, the DR matches the Hebrew count so both the DR and the Hebrew end up at 150 Psalms.

   

  The difficulty in deciding which is proper is that the Gospels and Epistles quote quite often from the LXX. Fortunately (or unfortunately) the New Testament does not give the numbers of the Psalms from which it quotes.

   

  Of course, this may be the same reason why Catholics and Protestants divine the Ten Commandments differently. Catholics say the Third Commandment is to honor the Sabbath. Protestants say that it is to Honor Father and Mother. All the other commandments are thus affected in their numbering. Hence the Catholics will divind the commandment against coventing into two different commandments: one prohibiting coveting a neighbor's goods, and another prohibiting coventing the neighbor's wife, whereas Protestants make one commandment of the two. The Bible doesn't give us the numbering of the commandments, just as it doesn't give us the numbering of the Psalms. In Bible times, the Psalms were divided on their titles, except the LXX is missing a title at Psalm 9:22, so it continues the Psalm until 9:39.

   

  • 7:48 PM
  • 607 Views
  • 2 eProps
  • 1 Comment