Psalm 22/2 - Dominus regit me

The first half of Psalm 22 goes as follows:


Psalmus David.
2. Dominus regit me, et nihil mihi deerit: in loco pascuæ, ibi me collocavit.
The Lord rules me: and I shall want nothing. He has set me in a place of pasture
3. Super aquam refectionis educavit me; animam meam convertit.
4. Deduxit me super semitas justitiæ propter nomen suum.
5. Nam etsi ambulavero in medio umbræ mortis, non timebo mala, quoniam tu mecum es.
6. Virga tua, et baculus tuus, ipsa me consolata sunt.

Today I want to look at the second verse, the first said in the Office, highlighted above.

Pope Benedict XVI introduces it as follows:

“The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want”: the beautiful prayer begins with these words, evoking the nomadic environment of sheep-farming and the experience of familiarity between the shepherd and the sheep that make up his little flock. The image calls to mind an atmosphere of trust, intimacy and tenderness: the shepherd knows each one of his sheep and calls them by name; and they follow him because they recognize him and trust in him (cf. Jn 10:2-4). He tends them, looks after them as precious possessions, ready to defend them, to guarantee their well-being and enable them to live a peaceful life. They can lack nothing as long as the shepherd is with them.”

The Latin phrase by phrase

Here is a look at the Latin, phrase by phrase:

Dominus regit me=the Lord leads/guides/directs me/rules me

Note that the neo-Vulgate changes regere (to rule, guide) to pascuere (to feed or pasture) to more vividly convey the shepherd metaphor.

et nihil mihi=and nothing to me
deerit= will be wanting/lacking

So,  Dominus regit me, et nihil mihi deerit =The Lord guideth me, and nothing is wanting to me.
Or, The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want or The Lord ruleth me, and I shall want nothing.

in loco páscuæ=in a place of pasture (land)
ibi me = there me
collocávit =he has placed/set/put

So, in loco pascuæ, ibi me collocavit = He has placed me in a place of pastureland

The shepherd image

The image of the good shepherd is of course one frequently used in the New Testament as well, and in this context it is worth rereading the Pope alluded to in his General Audience, from St John 10, in full:

“Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber; but he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the gatekeeper opens; the sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers." This figure Jesus used with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them. So Jesus again said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and robbers; but the sheep did not heed them. I am the door; if any one enters by me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. He who is a hireling and not a shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. He flees because he is a hireling and cares nothing for the sheep. I am the good shepherd; I know my own and my own know me, as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. And I have other sheep, that are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will heed my voice. So there shall be one flock, one shepherd.”

Vocab for the verse

rego, rexi, rectum, ere 3, to rule, govern, as a shepherd; to lead, guide; to rule..
nihil, n., nothing
me, me
et, and, but
desum, fui esse, to be wanting, lack.
locus, i, m. a place.
pascua, ae, f. a pasture, grass land for cattle to feed upon
colloco, avi, atum, are to set, place, put; to lie down, to rest.
ibi, adv. there, in that place. then

You can find the notes on the next here.