Psalm 94 v1-2

The opening verses of Psalm 94 are a joyful call to worship, and to sing psalms.  In the Office, the first two verses are said together before the antiphon of the day is repeated.

NB: The notes on the notes post contains a list of all abbreviations and sets out the main sources used to compile these notes.

1	Vetus Latin/ VULGATE/Neo-Vulgate	Veníte, exsultémus Dómino, jubilémus Deo, salutári nostro
	JH (Jerome from the Hebrew)	Uenite, laudemus Dominum: iubilemus petrae lesu nostro.
	Septuagint	ἀγαλλιασώμεθα τῷ κυρίῳ ἀλαλάξωμεν τῷ θεῷ τῷ σωτῆρι ἡμῶν

Many commentators view this is a processional or pilgrimage hymn, with the first five verses being the words of the community chanting a hymn to the might and glory of God.

Veníte (come) exsultémus (let us give praise) Dómino (to the Lord) jubilémus (let us sing/shout joyfully) Deo (to God) salutári (savour) nostro (our)

venio, veni, ventum, ire,  to come.

exsulto, avi, atum, are  to spring, leap, or jump up; to exult, to rejoice exceedingly

jubilo, avi, atum, are  to rejoice, exult, to sing or shout joyfully

salutaris, e  a Savior, Helper, used of God;  help, saving help, rescue, salvation,

DR	Come let us praise the Lord with joy: let us joyfully sing to God our saviour.
Brenton	Come, let us exult in the Lord; let us make a joyful noise to God our Saviour.
RSV	O come, let us sing to the LORD; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation!
Cover	O come, let us sing unto the Lord; let us heartily rejoice in the strength of our salvation.

As the Catechism points out, adoration is our first duty towards God:  


“Adoration is the first attitude of man acknowledging that he is a creature before his Creator. It exalts the greatness of the Lord who made us and the almighty power of the Savior who sets us free from evil. Adoration is homage of the spirit to the "King of Glory" respectful silence in the presence of the "ever greater" God. Adoration of the thrice-holy and sovereign God of love blends with humility and gives assurance to our supplications.” (CCC 2628)

Our joy comes from our knowledge of what God has done for us, and the promise of salvation he offers to us and gives assurance to our supplications.

2	VL/V/NV	Præoccupémus fáciem ejus in confessióne, et in psalmis jubilémus ei.
	JH	Praeoccupemus uultum eius in actione gratiarum,  in canticis iubilemus ei.
	Sept	προφθάσωμεν τὸ πρόσωπον αὐτοῦ ἐν ἐξομολογήσει καὶ ἐν ψαλμοῖς ἀλαλάξωμεν αὐτῷ

St Augustine notes that ‘confessione’ can have two meanings: “There is a confession of him who praises, there is that of him who groans. The confession of praise pertains to the honour of Him who is praised: the confession of groaning to the repentance of him who confesses.”   Though the word may include this subtext, the parallelism with the second half of the verse suggests that the more positive meaning is the most important in this context.

praeoccupemus  (let us come early/without delay/eagerly) faciem ejus ( [before] his face/presence) in confessione (with/in thanksgiving /acknowledgment) et in psalmis (and with psalms) jubilémus ei (let us sing joyfully to him)

praeoccupo, avi, atum, are,  seize unexpectedly, take by surprise;  come before early or with eagerness,  prevent, anticipate

facies, ei, face, countenance, appearance;  presence

confessio, onis, Prayer, praise, thanksgiving

psalmus, i, m. a sacred song to be sung to the accompaniment of a stringed instrument, a psalm

DR	Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving; and make a joyful noise to him with psalms.
Brenton	Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise to him with psalms.
Cover	Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and show ourselves glad in him with psalms.

Bellarmine comments:

"This verse may be understood in two ways — one making the Prophet summon us to rise early in the morning to praise God, as if he said: Before others rise let us be first before God and in such spirit does the Church put this Psalm in the begin­ning of matins. The second explanation makes the Prophet tell us to unite an avowal of our own misery with God's mercy making us come before him by acknowledging our sins, previ­ous to his sitting in judgment on them, and punishing us for them; "and make a joyful noise with psalms," in praising the great mercy so extended to us."

Psalm 94: Venite Exultemus Domino

Vulgate	Psalter (Vetus latina)	Douay-Rheims
Laus cantici ipsi David.		Praise of a canticle for David himself.
1 Venite, exsultemus Domino; jubilemus Deo salutari nostro;	1. Veníte, exsultémus Dómino, jubilémus Deo, salutári nostro:	Come let us praise the Lord with joy: let us joyfully sing to God our saviour.
2 præoccupemus faciem ejus in confessione, et in psalmis jubilemus ei	præoccupémus fáciem ejus in confessióne, et in psalmis jubilémus ei.	2 Let us come before his presence   with thanksgiving; and make a joyful noise to him with psalms.
3 quoniam Deus magnus Dominus, et rex magnus super omnes deos.	2. Quóniam Deus magnus Dóminus, et Rex magnus super omnes deos	3 For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods.
4 Quia in manu ejus sunt omnes fines terræ, et altitudines montium ipsius sunt;	: quóniam non repéllet Dóminus plebem suam : quia in manu ejus sunt omnes fines terræ, et altitúdines móntium ipse cónspicit.	4 For in his hand are all the ends of the earth: and the heights of the mountains are his.
5 quoniam ipsius est mare, et ipse fecit illud, et siccam manus ejus formaverunt	3. Quóniam ipsíus est mare, et ipse fecit illud, et áridam fundavérunt manus ejus	5 For the sea is his, and he made it: and his hands formed the dry land.
6  Venite, adoremus, et procidamus, et ploremus ante Dominum qui fecit nos:	Veníte, adorémus, et procidámus ante Deum :plorémus coram Dómino, qui fecit nos,	6 Come let us adore and fall down: and weep before the Lord that made us.
7  quia ipse est Dominus Deus noster, et nos populus pascuæ ejus, et oves manus ejus.	quia ipse est Dóminus Deus noster ; nos autem pópulus ejus, et oves páscuæ ejus.	7 For he is the Lord our God: and we are the people of his pasture and the sheep of his hand.
8 Hodie si vocem ejus audieritis, nolite obdurare corda vestra	4. Hódie, si vocem ejus audiéritis, nolíte obduráre corda vestra,	8 Today if you shall hear his voice, harden not your hearts:
9 sicut in irritatione, secundum diem tentationis in deserto, ubi tentaverunt me patres vestri : probaverunt me, et viderunt opera mea.	sicut in exacerbatióne, secúndum diem tentatiónis in desérto : ubi tentavérunt me patres vestri, probavérunt et vidérunt ópera mea.	9 As in the provocation, according to the day of temptation in the wilderness: where your fathers tempted me, they proved me, and saw my works.
10 Quadraginta annis offensus fui generationi illi, et dixi : Semper hi errant corde.	5. Quadragínta annis próximus fui generatióni huic, et dixi : Semper hi errant corde ;	10 Forty years long was I offended with that generation, and I said: These always err in heart.
11 Et isti non cognoverunt vias meas : ut juravi in ira mea : Si introibunt in requiem meam.	ipsi vero non cognovérunt vias meas : quibus jurávi in ira mea : Si introíbunt in réquiem meam.	11 And these men have not known my ways: so I swore in my wrath that they shall not enter into my rest.

You can find the next set of notes in this series here.