Numbering the Psalms in the Book of Psalms

When one opens the Book of Psalms in the Hebrew TaNaKh, one finds 150 psalms and each one has a number (*). However, often when one looks through Christian literature, the numbering of the psalms does not correspond to the numbering in the Hebrew TaNaKh. Why does this happen?

The confusing issue of the numbering of the psalms is connected to the fact that certain psalms were not always copied as singular literary units – sometimes one psalm according to one tradition was recorded as two psalms in another tradition. The TaNaKh in Hebrew (the Masorah) preserves one tradition and the Septuagint preserves a slightly different tradition. The Jews adopted the numbering of the psalms according to the Hebrew TaNaKh while the Christians adopted the numbering according to the Septuagint. The numbering of the Septuagint was taken up by the Vulgate (the translation into Latin, done by Saint Jerome in the fourth century.

Where is the difference in numbering when comparing the two linguistic traditions?

- Psalms 1 to 8 have the same numbering in Hebrew and in Greek.

- Psalm 9 and Psalm 10 in Hebrew constitute one psalm, Psalm 9, in Greek. From this psalm onwards, the Greek numbering is one less than the Hebrew: for example Psalm 23 in Hebrew is Psalm 22 in Greek.

- Psalm 114 and Psalm 115 in Hebrew constitute one psalm in Greek, Psalm 113. However, the next psalm, Psalm 116 in Hebrew, constitutes two psalms in Greek, Psalm 114 and Psalm 115.

- Psalm 147 in Hebrew constitutes two psalms in Greek, Psalm 146 and Psalm 147.

- Psalms 148 to 150 have the same numbering in Hebrew and in Greek.

In many new translations and contemporary Christian sources, the numbering used is that of the Hebrew tradition. This is also the case on our internet site.

(*) In the Greek tradition of the Septuagint there is a 151st psalm that is a poem about King David.