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Q&A Home > P > Holy Book of Psalms
Regarding the psalms numbering, I understand that the NKJV has a different Psalms numbering compared to the Septuagint. Firstly, I noticed that the on-line Septuagint (http://www.ecmarsh.com/lxx/) has different numbering compared to our Agpeya. I thought that the Agpeya books were numbered according to the Septuagint.
When comparing the Agpeya to the New King James Version, this is what I noticed:- Psalm 114 plus 115 in the Agpeya is equivalent to the entire Psalm 116 in NKJV.
- Also Psalm 146 plus 147 in the Agpeya are collectively found as Psalm 147 in NKJV.
The deviation starts at Psalm 11 when comparing the Agpeya and NKJV; it could be earlier than Psalm 11 because the Agpeya in the First Hour has Psalm 8 then jumps to Psalm 11. Psalm 8 matches in both versions, but beyond this there are no Psalms in the Agpeya between 8 and 11. What is then the correct way to number the the psalms?
Both the NKJV and the online Septuagint version that you have cited follow the current Hebrew numbering. Whoever posted the online Septuagint simply chose to use the current Hebrew numbering instead of that of the Septuagint. Not only is this a mistake, but Psalm 151 is listed under the number 151, whereas in the Septuagint this psalm is printed after Psalm 150 with a preface stating that it is "outside the number". This shows that at some point the Fathers chose to restrict the Psalter to 150 psalms, after which the Greek-speaking Fathers added another psalm of King David but chose not to actually number it. Whoever posted the online version made another mistake, though, by adding the Prayer of Manassah as Psalm 152. This is not found in any LXX mss. These are minor mistakes, if one even chooses to call them that.
The Agpeya follows the actual Septuagint numbering as you described. The current Hebrew and the Septuagint are the same up to Psalm 8. Psalm 9 in the Septuagint corresponds to Psalms 9 and 10 in the Hebrew. It cannot be proven whether the Hebrew currently separates an original one psalm or if the Septuagint combines two. The same can be said for the other two examples cited. Apostolic Christians, however, have always followed the Septuagint. The only psalms that match up in the two numbering systems are 1-8 and 148-150.
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