The first section of Psalm 113 is arguably a reminder of the life-changing, even world-shattering, power of our baptism, for through Christ we are brought from death to life.
The second section, verses 9-16, I think, takes us to the content of our baptismal promises. In particular, it expounds the first commandment's duty to worship God and not ourselves or the false gods constructed by human hands.
Above all though, it is a reminder not to be tricked into thinking of the things of the earth, crafted by man, as having any real power: our God may not be visible, but he is all-powerful. This is also, of course, also the subject of the second of Jesus' temptations in the desert following his baptism by John:
"Once more, the devil took him to the top of an exceedingly high mountain, from which he shewed him all the kingdoms of the world and the glory of them, and said, I will give thee all these if thou wilt fall down and worship me. Then Jesus said to him, Away with thee, Satan; it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and serve none but him."
Here is the Douay-Rheims translation of the next set of verses:
9 Not to us, O Lord, not to us; but to your name give glory. For your mercy, and for your truth's sake: lest the Gentiles should say: Where is their God? But our God is in heaven: he has done all things whatsoever he would. The idols of the Gentiles are silver and gold, the works of the hands of men. They have mouths and speak not: they have eyes and see not. They have ears and hear not: they have noses and smell not. They have hands and feel not: they have feet and walk not: neither shall they cry out through their throat. Let them that make them become like unto them: and all such as trust in them.
Verses 9-10a
The section opens with surely the best known verse of this psalm, Non nobis Domine, set to great effect in the film Henry VI:
Non nobis, Dómine, non nobis: sed nómini tuo da glóriam.
The first half of the next verses in the liturgical version of the text can useful be joined to it when looking at the meaning:
Super misericórdia tua, et veritáte tua
Lectio
Non (not) nobis (to us), Domine (O Lord), non (not) nobis (to us) sed (but) nomini (to the name) tuo (your) da (give) gloriam (the glory)
Meditatio
St Benedict comments in the Prologue to his Rule:
"It is they who, fearing the Lord, do not pride themselves on their good observance; but, convinced that the good which is in them cannot come from themselves and must be from the Lord, glorify the Lord's work in them, using the words of the Prophet, "Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to Your name give the glory".
A chilling reminder of the importance of this injunction is provided by the story of Herod's end in Acts 12:21-23:
"On an appointed day Herod put on his royal robes, took his seat upon the throne, and made an oration to them. And the people shouted, "The voice of a god, and not of man!"Immediately an angel of the Lord smote him, because he did not give God the glory; and he was eaten by worms and died."
Second section of Psalm 113:
Notes on the next verses can be found here.
The second section, verses 9-16, I think, takes us to the content of our baptismal promises. In particular, it expounds the first commandment's duty to worship God and not ourselves or the false gods constructed by human hands.
Above all though, it is a reminder not to be tricked into thinking of the things of the earth, crafted by man, as having any real power: our God may not be visible, but he is all-powerful. This is also, of course, also the subject of the second of Jesus' temptations in the desert following his baptism by John:
"Once more, the devil took him to the top of an exceedingly high mountain, from which he shewed him all the kingdoms of the world and the glory of them, and said, I will give thee all these if thou wilt fall down and worship me. Then Jesus said to him, Away with thee, Satan; it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and serve none but him."
Here is the Douay-Rheims translation of the next set of verses:
9 Not to us, O Lord, not to us; but to your name give glory. For your mercy, and for your truth's sake: lest the Gentiles should say: Where is their God? But our God is in heaven: he has done all things whatsoever he would. The idols of the Gentiles are silver and gold, the works of the hands of men. They have mouths and speak not: they have eyes and see not. They have ears and hear not: they have noses and smell not. They have hands and feel not: they have feet and walk not: neither shall they cry out through their throat. Let them that make them become like unto them: and all such as trust in them.
The section opens with surely the best known verse of this psalm, Non nobis Domine, set to great effect in the film Henry VI:
Non nobis, Dómine, non nobis: sed nómini tuo da glóriam.
The first half of the next verses in the liturgical version of the text can useful be joined to it when looking at the meaning:
Super misericórdia tua, et veritáte tua
Lectio
Non (not) nobis (to us), Domine (O Lord), non (not) nobis (to us) sed (but) nomini (to the name) tuo (your) da (give) gloriam (the glory)
nomen - inis n name
super (Because of) misericordia (mercy/steadfast love) tua (your) et (and) veritate (truth) tua (your)
super +abl= about, concerning; with, on, upon,
for, because of.
The Douay-Rheims makes the verses: Not to us, O Lord, not to us; but to your name give glory for your mercy, and for your truth's sake. Brenton's translation from the Septuagint I think is better though: Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to thy name give glory, because of thy mercy and thy truth.
St Benedict comments in the Prologue to his Rule:
"It is they who, fearing the Lord, do not pride themselves on their good observance; but, convinced that the good which is in them cannot come from themselves and must be from the Lord, glorify the Lord's work in them, using the words of the Prophet, "Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to Your name give the glory".
A chilling reminder of the importance of this injunction is provided by the story of Herod's end in Acts 12:21-23:
"On an appointed day Herod put on his royal robes, took his seat upon the throne, and made an oration to them. And the people shouted, "The voice of a god, and not of man!"Immediately an angel of the Lord smote him, because he did not give God the glory; and he was eaten by worms and died."
Second section of Psalm 113:
9 Non nobis, Dómine, non nobis: * sed nómini tuo da glóriam.
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9 Not to us, O Lord, not to us; but to your name give glory.
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10 Super misericórdia tua, et veritáte tua: * nequándo dicant gentes: Ubi est Deus eórum?
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10 For your mercy, and for your truth's sake: lest the Gentiles should say: Where is their God?
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11 Deus autem noster in cælo: * ómnia quæcúmque vóluit, fecit.
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11 But our God is in heaven: he has done all things whatsoever he would.
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12 Simulácra géntium argéntum, et aurum, * ópera mánuum hóminum.
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12 The idols of the Gentiles are silver and gold, the works of the hands of men.
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13 Os habent, et non loquéntur: * óculos habent, et non vidébunt.
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14 They have ears and hear not: they have noses and smell not.
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14 Aures habent, et non áudient: * nares habent, et non odorábunt.
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14 They have ears and hear not: they have noses and smell not.
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15 Manus habent, et non palpábunt: pedes habent, et non ambulábunt: * non clamábunt in gútture suo.
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15 They have hands and feel not: they have feet and walk not: neither shall they cry out through their throat.
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16 Símiles illis fiant qui fáciunt ea: * et omnes qui confídunt in eis.
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16 Let them that make them become like unto them: and all such as trust in them.
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Notes on the next verses can be found here.
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