Psalms 78:2

“I will open my mouth with a proverb; I will pour out riddles from of old,”
Psalms 78:2 · direct translation from the Hebrew

Study it in the app

One generation tells the next what God has doneParents and Children

With the Hebrew beneath

I will openאֶפְתְּחָהmy mouthפִּיwith a proverb;בְמָשָׁלI will pour outאַבִּיעָהriddlesחִידוֹתfrom of old,מִנִּי קֶדֶם

Quotation · Matthew 13:35

Go to Matthew 13:35

Matthew attributes the quotation to “the prophet”; Psalm 78 bears in its title the name of Asaph, whom 2 Chronicles 29:30 calls “the seer.” Where the Hebrew says “riddles from of old,” Matthew says “things hidden since the foundation of the world.”

Formula: ὅπως πληρωθῇ τὸ ῥηθὲν διὰ τοῦ προφήτου λέγοντος “so that what was spoken through the prophet might be fulfilled” (Matthew 13:35)

See the original texts

Greek of the New Testament: ὅπως πληρωθῇ τὸ ῥηθὲν διὰ τοῦ προφήτου λέγοντος Ἀνοίξω ἐν παραβολαῖς τὸ στόμα μου ἐρεύξομαι κεκρυμμένα ἀπὸ καταβολῆς

Hebrew (Masoretic text): אֶפְתְּחָה בְמָשָׁל פִּי אַבִּיעָה חִידוֹת מִנִּי קֶדֶם

Septuagint (Psalms 77:2 in the Septuagint numbering): ἀνοίξω ἐν παραβολαῖς τὸ στόμα μου, φθέγξομαι προβλήματα ἀπʼ ἀρχῆς.

The Greek of the NT matches the Septuagint word for word in 6 consecutive words: “Ἀνοίξω ἐν παραβολαῖς τὸ στόμα μου.”

Septuagint, Swete’s text, First1KGreek transcription (with reading errors), CC BY-SA 4.0

Psalms 78:2, word by word

I will openאֶפְתְּחָהeftcha

open

To open a door, mouth or eyes.

Where else “eftcha” appears

my mouthפִּpi

mouth

The part of the face with which one speaks, eats and kisses.

Where else “pi” appears

with a proverbמָשָׁלmashal

proverb

A short, wise saying.

Where else “mashal” appears

I will pour outאַבִּיעָהabia

pour out

To gush, like words or praise.

Where else “abia” appears

riddlesחִידוֹתchidot

riddle

Riddle: an obscure saying that must be worked out; a puzzle.

Where else “chidot” appears

from of oldקֶדֶםkedem

of old

Times long ago, from far back.

Where else “kedem” appears

Translation note

Matthew 13:35 quotes this verse: “I will open my mouth in parables.”

Parallel passages

Other books that tell the same thing or quote these words.

Quotation · Matthew 13:35

See them side by side

Psalms 78:2

²I will open my mouth with a proverb; I will pour out riddles from of old,

Matthew 13:35

³⁵so that what was spoken through the prophet might be fulfilled, when he says, “I will open my mouth in parables; I will pour out things hidden since the foundation of the world.”

The context

1A maskil of Asaph. Give ear, my people, to my instruction; incline your ear to the sayings of my mouth.

2 · This verse (above)

3which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us.

Read all of Psalms 78

How to use it