Psalm 134 verses 5-8a

In this age when so many refuse to acknowledge God as creator, refuse to worship him, and instead seek instead to claim that man has power to make and remake himself, these verses of Psalm 134provide a salutary statement of reality!

Verses 5-8a of Psalm 134 elaborate on a number of attributes of God to justify the call to praise of him, particularly focusing on God as creator and provider of all good things to men.  Its content is echoed in the next psalm of Vespers, Psalm 135 in verses 1-9.

Notes on the verses

5	V/NV	Quia ego cognóvi quod magnus est Dóminus, * et Deus noster præ ómnibus diis.
	JH	Quia ego scio quod magnus Dominus, et Dominus noster prae omnibus diis.
		ὅτι ἐγὼ ἔγνων ὅτι μέγας κύριος καὶ ὁ κύριος ἡμῶν παρὰ πάντας τοὺς θεούς

Quia (for) ego (I) cognovi (I have known/learnt) quod (that) magnus (great) est ( is) Dominus (the Lord), et (and) Deus (God) noster (our) præ (above) omnibus (all) diis (gods).

cognosco, gnovi, gnitum, ere 3, to know, see, learn, perceive, be come acquainted with.

prae, prep, with abl.,  through, from, for, because of, on account of; above, beyond, more than, in comparison with.

DR	For I have known that the Lord is great, and our God is above all gods.
Brenton	For I know that the Lord is great, and our Lord is above all gods;
Cover	For I know that the Lord is great, and that our Lord is above all gods.

The first of the attributes of God described here is his greatness, separating him from all other things.  The verse is not, of course, intended to suggest that other gods are real - it is simply intended as a lead in to why the claims of false gods - those things that man esteems over reality - should be rejected.

6	V/NV	Omnia quæcúmque vóluit, Dóminus fecit in cælo, et in terra, * in mari, et in ómnibus abyssis.
	JH	Omnia quae uoluit Dominus fecit in caelo et in terra, in mari et incunctis abyssis.
		πάντα ὅσα ἠθέλησεν ὁ κύριος ἐποίησεν ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ καὶ ἐν τῇ γῇ ἐν ταῖς θαλάσσαις καὶ ἐν πάσαις ταῖς ἀβύσσοις

Omnia (all) quæcumque (whatsoever) voluit (he has wished) Dominus (the Lord) fecit (he has done), in cælo (in heaven), in terra (on earth), in mari (in the sea) et (and) in omnibus (in all) abyssis (the deeps).

quacumque - by whatever way, wherever, wheresoever

volo, volui, velle, to will, wish, desire; to have pleasure or delight in, to love, hold dear, desire.

abyssus, i, f  the deep, i.e., the primitive chaos mentioned in Gen. 1,2; the depths of the sea

DR	Whatsoever the Lord pleased he has done, in heaven, in earth, in the sea, and in all the deeps.
Brenton	all that the Lord willed, he did in heaven, and on the earth, in the sea, and in all deeps.
Cover	Whatsoever the Lord pleased, that did he in heaven, and in earth, and in the sea, and in all deep places.

 The second attribute of God cited is his omnipotence - God has the power to do whatsoever he wants, creating the heavens and earth merely by desiring it to be so.  The sentiments mirror those of Psalm 113 v11.

7	V/NV	Edúcens nubes ab extrémo terræ: * fúlgura in plúviam fecit.
	JH	Leuans nubes de summitatibus terrae, fulgura in pluuiam fecit,
		ἀνάγων νεφέλας ἐξ ἐσχάτου τῆς γῆς ἀστραπὰς εἰς ὑετὸν ἐποίησεν

Educens (leading forth) nubes (the clouds) ab extremo (from the end) terræ (of the earth), fulgura (thunderbolts/lightning) in pluviam (for/with the rain) fecit (he has made)

educo, duxi, ductum, ere 3,  to lead out or forth.

nubes, is, a cloud

extremus i n (substantive of extremus a um) the end, that which is outermost

fulgur, uris, n, lightning, a thunderbolt

pluvia ae f rain

DR	He brings up clouds from the end of the earth: he has made lightnings for the rain.
Brenton	Who brings up clouds from the extremity of the earth: he has made lightnings for the rain:
Cover	He bringeth forth the clouds from the ends of the world, and sendeth forth lightnings with the rain,
Knox	summoning clouds from the ends of the earth, rain-storm wedding to lightning-flash,

8a	V/NV	Qui prodúcit ventos de thesáuris suis
	JH	educens uentos de thesauris suis
		ὁ ἐξάγων ἀνέμους ἐκ θησαυρῶν αὐτοῦ

qui (who) producit (he brings forth) ventos  (winds) de thesauris (from the storehouse) suis (his)

produco, duxi, ductum, ere 3, to bring forth; Maketh to grow:

ventus, i, m., the wind

thesaurus i m treasure, a treasury, storehouse

DR	He brings forth winds out of his stores:
Brenton	he brings winds out of his treasures.
Cover	bringing the winds out of his treasures.

The Fathers interpret these verses as setting out that God is not only creator of all things, but also its sustainer, the source of the laws of nature, and a God who arranges it so that man benefits from the good things of nature.

Psalm 134 (135) – Laudate nomen Domini

Vulgate	Douay-Rheims
Alleluja.	Alleluia
1 Laudáte nomen Dómini, * laudáte, servi Dóminum.	Praise the name of the Lord: O you his servants, praise the Lord:
2  Qui statis in domo Dómini, * in átriis domus Dei nostri.	2 You that stand in the house of the Lord, in the courts of the house of our God.
3  Laudáte Dóminum, quia bonus Dóminus: * psállite nómini ejus, quóniam suáve.	3 Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good: sing to his name, for it is sweet.
4  Quóniam Jacob elégit sibi Dóminus, * Israël in possessiónem sibi.	4 For the Lord has chosen Jacob unto himself: Israel for his own possession.
5  Quia ego cognóvi quod magnus est Dóminus, * et Deus noster præ ómnibus diis.	5 For I have known that the Lord is great, and our God is above all gods.
6  Omnia quæcúmque vóluit, Dóminus fecit in cælo, et in terra, * in mari, et in ómnibus abyssis.	6 Whatsoever the Lord pleased he has done, in heaven, in earth, in the sea, and in all the deeps.
7  Edúcens nubes ab extrémo terræ: * fúlgura in plúviam fecit.	7 He brings up clouds from the end of the earth: he has made lightnings for the rain. He brings forth winds out of his stores:
8  Qui prodúcit ventos de thesáuris suis: * qui percússit primogénita Ægypti ab hómine usque ad pecus.	8 He slew the firstborn of Egypt from man even unto beast.
9  Et misit signa, et prodígia in médio tui, Ægypte: * in Pharaónem, et in omnes servos ejus.	9 He sent forth signs and wonders in the midst of you, O Egypt: upon Pharao, and upon all his servants.
10  Qui percússit gentes multas: * et occídit reges fortes:	10 He smote many nations, and slew mighty kings:
11  Sehon, regem Amorrhæórum, et Og, regem Basan, * et ómnia regna Chánaan.	11 Sehon king of the Amorrhites, and Og king of Basan, and all the kingdoms of Chanaan.
12  Et dedit terram eórum hereditátem, * hereditátem Israël, pópulo suo.	12 And gave their land for an inheritance, for an inheritance to his people Israel.
13  Dómine, nomen tuum in ætérnum: * Dómine, memoriále tuum in generatiónem et generatiónem.	13 Your name, O Lord, is for ever: your memorial, O Lord, unto all generations.
14  Quia judicábit Dóminus pópulum suum: * et in servis suis deprecábitur	14 For the Lord will judge his people, and will be entreated in favour of his servants.
15  Simulácra Géntium argéntum et aurum: * ópera mánuum hóminum.	15 The idols of the Gentiles are silver and gold, the works of men's hands.
16  Os habent, et non loquéntur: * óculos habent, et non vidébunt.	16 They have a mouth, but they speak not: they have eyes, but they see not.
17  Aures habent, et non áudient: * neque enim est spíritus in ore ipsórum.	17 They have ears, but they hear not: neither is there any breath in their mouths.
18  Símiles illis fiant qui fáciunt ea: * et omnes qui confídunt in eis.	18 Let them that make them be like to them: and every one that trusts in them.
19  Domus Israël,  benedícite Dómino: * domus Aaron, benedícite Dómino.	19 Bless the Lord, O house of Israel: bless the Lord, O house of Aaron.
20  Domus Levi, benedícite Dómino: * qui timétis Dóminum, benedícite Dómino.	20 Bless the Lord, O house of Levi: you that fear the Lord, bless the Lord.
21  Benedíctus Dóminus ex Sion, * qui hábitat in Jerúsalem.	21 Blessed be the Lord out of Sion, who dwells in Jerusalem.

And for the next part in this series go on to here.