Showing posts with label Basil. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Basil. Show all posts

Saturday, March 21, 2020

Praying the psalms with St Benedict 5D - St Benedict on the liturgy as prayer Pt 2

Given that today is the feast of St Benedict, I thought this would be a good moment to tease out a few key points on the relationship of the Divine Office in St Benedict's Rule to ceaseless prayer.

Good works as prayer

In the last post in this series I suggested that St Benedict generally talks mostly about frequent, or short and fervent prayer, rather than continuous prayer, as the objective of the monk; and followed a line of Scriptural interpretation that interpreted 'prayer' very broadly, as a state of mind as much as a formal act, so that prayer encompasses, even requires good works beyond formal and informal prayer.

In this he was surely following the monastic model of St Basil, with its emphasis on good works, and the line of exegesis sumarised by St Augustine, who, rather than insisting on the monk or nun be constantly ruminating on Scripture while they worked, ate, or even slept, provided an alternative solution to the problem by defining good works as prayer:

Praise the Lord, you say to your neighbour, he to you: when all are exhorting each other, all are doing what they exhort others to do. But praise with your whole selves: that is, let not your tongue and voice alone praise God, but your conscience also, your life, your deeds. For now, when we are gathered together in the Church, we praise: when we go forth each to his own business, we seem to cease to praise God. Let a man not cease to live well, and then he ever praises God....But God has willed that it should be in your choice for whom you will prepare room, for God, or for the devil: when you have prepared it, he who is occupant will also rule.  Therefore, brethren, attend not only to the sound; when you praise God, praise with your whole selves: let your voice, your life, your deeds, all sing. [1]

But in saying this, I don't want to suggest, as some have done, either that the Office (or at least the psalmic component of it), was not actually seen as constituting prayer at all (a theory propounds by some in the past); nor do I want to suggest that the Office does not play an absolutely crucial role in sustaining our ability to, as Psalm 1 puts it, 'meditate on the law of the Lord day and night.'

It is quite clear, I think, that  even though St Benedict took a much wider view of what constituted  good works appropriate to a monastic than others of his time such as Caesarius of Arles, the Divine Office was, for him, clearly the supreme good work: what after all could be preferred or put before the good work that is the Work of God. [2]?

Is the Office prayer at all?!

Before I go on, I thought I should briefly touch on the argument, popular in the 1970s and which still has its advocates today [3], following the work of Gabriel Bunge and others, that in late antiquity singing the psalms was not seen as prayer as such; instead the psalms were viewed as as akin to other Scriptural readings, that had to be turned into prayer through pauses between psalms, use of psalm collects, and other such devices. [4]

It is certainly true that some of St Benedict's contemporaries employed practices that have been seen as fitting this model. Most of the psalmody at the monastery of Arles that we have briefly looked at, for example, was responsorial rather than antiphonal; psalm collects do seem to have been employed there; and Scripture reading in general featured much more heavily in the Arles Office than in the Roman or Benedictine. [5]

But even if these practices reflect a view of psalms more as Scripture than as the prayerbook of the Church (a view I rather doubt), it was certainly not the only tradition.

 Athanasius' famous Letter to Marcellinus for example, makes it clear that the psalter not only services as Scripture and a personal spiritual guide, but also gives us words we can use as our own prayers, identifying particular ones as appropriate to our various needs.

Similarly St Basil the Great, in his sermon on Psalm 1, highlights not only their ability to teach us doctrine; to calm and soothe out souls; but also represent a means of asking for help, and bind us together:
A psalm forms friendships, unites those separated, conciliates those at enmity. Who, indeed, can still consider as an enemy him With whom he has uttered the same prayer to God? So that psalmody, bringing about choral singing, a bond, as it were, toward unity, and joining the people into a harmonious union of one choir, produces also the greatest of blessings, charity. A psalm is a city of refuge from the demons; a means of inducing help from the angels, a weapon in fears by night, a rest from toils by day, a safeguard for infants, an adornment for those at the height of their vigor, a consolation for the elders, a most fitting ornament for women... [6]
And it is this tradition, I would suggest, that St Benedict's Office follows: the psalmody is antiphonal, not responsorial; there is no mention of pauses or prostrations between psalms; nor is there any mention of psalm collects. [7]

The psalms, it is true, had a special status in St Benedict's Office, but I don't think we should assume, as some argue, that Chapter 20 of the Rule, on prayer, is only referring to prayer outside the Office. [8]  Rather, it seems to me that St Benedict's comments on the importance of reverence, fervour, and short but pure prayer, is something of a defence of his Office in the face of  other contemporary traditions, as well as instruction on prayer more generally.

Short but fervent?

That emphasis on frequent, rather than literally continual prayer becomes even clearer ione compares the Benedictine Office to the two other contemporary Offices we've talked about in this series, those of Agaune and Arles.

The table below shows just how much shorter the Benedictine Office is compared to that of the two contemporary offices we've been looking at: the Benedictine is around half the length of that of Arles, and a third of that of Agaune.

As a consequence, the Benedictine psalter spread the psalms over a much longer period, a week compared to the day or couple of days of the others.

Moreover, St Benedict's Office wasn't just lighter on psalmody; at least compared to the Arles Office, it seems to have been much lighter on Scripture reading as well.

Table: The liturgies of the three monasteries [9]

Agaune
Arles
Benedictine
Foundation details
Monks

Royal foundation (Sigismond)
Dedicated to St Maurice and the Theban legion.


Located in Burgundy.
Refounded c515.

Nuns (though similar rule for monks).

Episcopal foundation (Caesarius of Arles).

Dedicated to St John the Evangelist and St John the Baptist.




Located in Gaul (Ostrogoth Kingdom), c510.
Monks (and nuns).

Lay foundation (St Benedict with lay patrons).

MC dedicated to St Martin of Tours and St John the Baptist.

Located in Italy.




Foundation dates Subiaco c505, Monte Cassino, c529; 
?Plombariola; 
Terracina, c545.
Length of Office

24/7 in shifts


12-16 hours per day
4-8 hrs per day
Extended/all night vigils
Always
Yes – Fridays and Saturdays, feasts; some seasons

No
Psalter said over…
Day+
?2-3 days, depending on season

Week
Psalms per day
Unknown – estimated 450?

60-80+
40
Psalm order
Unknown
Some fixed psalm for each hour; at Vigils, numerical order

Selected for each hour
Scriptural readings (other than psalms)
Unknown
Readings at all of the hours except lucernarium + vigils of readings interspersed with prayers and psalms Sat&Sun plus winter.
Scripture light – short verse only at all hours except Night Office on Sundays and winter weekdays. Summer weekdays:  short verses at all hours only
Winter: three readings and responsories at weekday Nocturns
Hymns, antiphons, prayers

yes
yes
Yes – but no collects
Divided into x ‘hours’ per day

[?7]
[7-9] Nocturns/Vigils, Lauds, Prime (S&S only), Terce, Sext, None, Lucernarium, Duodecima,
8 – Matins, Lauds, Prime, Terce, Sext, None, Vespers, Compline

Liturgy sustains us

One possible explanation for St Benedict's very different balance between liturgy and other good works to Agaune and Arles lies perhaps in St Augustine's argument that liturgy is needed to sustain us as we do good works.  And in St Augustine's view, the amount of time needed for formal prayer is not minimal or minimalist.  In Letter 130 the saint explained:
When we cherish uninterrupted desire along with the exercise of faith and hope and charity, we pray always. 
But at certain stated hours and seasons we also use words in prayer to God, that by these signs of things we may admonish ourselves, and may acquaint ourselves with the measure of progress which we have made in this desire, and may more warmly excite ourselves to obtain an increase of its strength. 
For the effect following upon prayer will be excellent in proportion to the fervour of the desire which precedes its utterance. And therefore, what else is intended by the words of the apostle: Pray without ceasing, than, Desire without intermission, from Him who alone can give it, a happy life, which no life can be but that which is eternal? This, therefore, let us desire continually from the Lord our God; and thus let us pray continually. 
But at certain hours we recall our minds from other cares and business, in which desire itself somehow is cooled down, to the business of prayer, admonishing ourselves by the words of our prayer to fix attention upon that which we desire, lest what had begun to lose heat become altogether cold, and be finally extinguished, if the flame be not more frequently fanned. 
Completeness...

There was also a certain symbolism in St Benedict's insistence on praying seven times a day (and again in the night), given the association between the 'sacred number seven', as meaning completeness due to the connection (which the saint alludes to in his explanation) to the number of days of creation, and eight, as symbolism the new age inaugurated by Christ. [10] St Augustine, for example, interpreted seven times as signifying continuously or always:

For whence is that which is said, seven times in a day will I praise you? Does a man sin who does not praise the Lord so often? What then is seven times will I praise, but I will never cease from praise? For he who says seven times, signifies all time. [11]

In the next post I will explore the importance of short but fervent prayer more, in the context of the Office and intercessory prayer.

Notes

[1] St Augustine, Expositions on the Pslams, Psalm 148, J.E. Tweed, trans, From Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, First Series, Vol. 8. Edited by Philip Schaff. (Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Publishing Co., 1888.

[2] RB 43.3: Ergo nihil operi Dei praeponatur.

[3]  See for example Columba Stewart, Benedictine Monasticism and Mysticism in Wiley-Blackwell Companion to Christian Mysticism, 2013.

[4] Gabriel Bunge, Earthen Vessels: The Practice of Personal Prayer According to the Patristic Tradition, trans Michael J Miller, Ignatius Press 2002 (original  German ed, 1996).

[5] See chapters 66-68 of the Rule for nuns of Caesarius of Arles (for the full text of the Rule itself, see Caesarius of Arles, Oeuvres Monastique, de Vogue and Courreau ed and trans, 2 vols, Sources Chretienne 345, 398).

[6] St Basil the Great, Exegetical Homilies, Sr Agnes Clare Way, trans, Fathers of the Church no 46, Homily on Psalm 1.

[7] Joseph Dyer, in the The Singing of Psalms in the Early-Medieval Office, Speculum, Vol. 64, No. 3 (Jul., 1989), pp. 535-578 (and subsequent articles) argued that the switch to unison singing and alternating choirs happened rather later than Benedict's time.  More recent studies, however, have challenged this view, pointing to descriptions of alternating choirs in the sixth century monastic literature, including in St Gregory's Dialogues (IV:15), and in the Rule of Paul and Stephen.

[8]  See in particular Adalbert De Vogue, The Rule Of Saint Benedict: A Doctrinal and Spiritual Commentary (Cistercian Studies) 1999.

[9]  Based on the Rule of St Benedict, chapters 8-19; Rule of Caesarius of Arles, chapters 66-72; Laurent Ripart, De lérins à agaune: Le monachisme rhodanien reconsidéré, in Fondazione Centro italiano di studi sull’alto medioevo, Monachesimi d’oriente e d’occidente nell’alto medioevo, Spoleto, 2016, pp123-193.

[10] St Benedict cites two verses of Psalm 118 in support of his construction of the hours in  RB 16: Ut ait propheta: septies in die laudem dixi tibi. Qui septenarius sacratus numerus a nobis sic implebitur...quia de his diurnis horis dixit: Septies in die laudem dixi tibi. [4] Nam de nocturnis vigiliis idem ipse propheta ait: Media nocte surgebam ad confitendum tibi.Ergo his temporibus referamus laudes Creatori nostro super iudicia iustitiae suae...

[11] Sermon 45.

Tuesday, September 6, 2016

St Basil on Psalm 33: Many are the tribulations of the just



St Basil the Great's Homily on Psalm 33 is, I think, one of the great ones and it seems to me to be one of the two commentaries (the other being St Augustine) St Benedict drew on in constructing the Prologue to his Rule.

I may provide some more extracts from it in due course, but for now, as I was reading this commentary this morning, some of it seemed to me particularly helpful in relation to something someone said to me yesterday.

Psalm 33
15  Oculi Dómini super justos : * et aures ejus in preces eórum...
16 The eyes of the Lord are upon the just: and his ears unto their prayers...
17  Clamavérunt justi, et Dóminus exaudívit eos : * et ex ómnibus tribulatiónibus eórum liberávit eos.
18 The just cried, and the Lord heard them: and delivered them out of all their troubles...

18  Juxta est Dóminus iis, qui tribuláto sunt corde : * et húmiles spíritu salvábit.
19 The Lord is near unto them that are of a contrite heart: and he will save the humble of spirit.
19  Multæ tribulatiónes justórum : * et de ómnibus his liberábit eos Dóminus.
20 Many are the afflictions of the just; but out of them all will the Lord deliver them.
20  Custódit Dóminus ómnia ossa eórum : * unum ex his non conterétur...
The Lord keepeth all their bones, not one of them shall be broken..
22  Rédimet Dóminus ánimas servórum suórum : * et non delínquent omnes qui sperant in eo.
23 The Lord will redeem the souls of his servants: and none of them that trust in him shall offend.

St Basil: 

...the Lord also says to His disciples: 'In the world you have affliction. But take courage, I have overcome the world´. 

So that, whenever you see the just with diseases, with maimed bodies, suffering loss of possessions, enduring blows, disgraces, all defect and need of the necessities of life, remember that, 'Many are the afflictions of the just; but out of them all will the Lord deliver them. 

Overcoming adversity

And he who says the affliction is not proper to a just man says nothing else than that an adversary is not proper for the athlete. But, what occasions for crowns will the athlete have who does not struggle? 

Four times already in this Psalm it has been told in what manner the Lord delivers from affliction whomever He wishes to deliver. First, 'I sought the Lord, and he heard me; and he delivered me from all my troubles´. Second, 'This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him: and saved him out of all his troubles Third, 'The just cried, and the Lord heard them: and delivered them out of all their troubles.' And lastly, 'Many are the afflictions of the just; but out of them all will the Lord deliver them.

Is it necessary to hold fast to the word and to be satisfied with the thought which readily falls upon our ears, that these bones of the just, the props of the flesh, will not be broken because of the protection given to them by the Lord? Or, will only the bones of the just man who is alive and engaged in life be guarded unbroken? Or, when the bonds of the body have been loosened, will it happen that there will be no cause of breaking for the just man? 

Physical bodies vs spiritual bones

And truly, we have learned by experience that many bones of the just have been broken, when some among them handed themselves over to all forms of punishment for the sake of giving testimony for Christ. Already the persecutors have broken the legs of some and have frequently pierced hands and heads with nails. 

And yet, who will deny that of all, it is the most just who were brought to perfection in the testimony? 

Perhaps, just as the term man is used for the soul and the human mind, so also his members are similarly named in accordance with the members of the flesh; thus, frequently Scripture names the members of the inner man, for example, 'The eyes of a wise man are in his head that is, the hidden part of the wise man is foreseeing and farseeing. And again, it means equally the eyes both of the soul and of the flesh, not only in that saying which we have set forth, but also in the statement that 'the commandment of the Lord is lightsome and enlightening the eyes.'  

But, what should we say concerning this: 'He who has ears to hear, let him hear'?  It is evident, indeed, that some possess ears better able to hear the words of God. 

But, to those who do not have those ears, what does he say? 'Hear, ye deaf, and, ye blind, behold´ Also I opened my mouth, and panted’ and Thou hast broken the teeth of sinners.'  All these things were said in reference to the faculties which render service for spiritual food and spiritual doctrines. Such also is this saying, 'My bowels, my bowels are in pain’ and this, 'And the foot' of the wise man 'shall not stumble’. All such expressions are used in reference to the inner man.

According to the same reasoning there should also be certain bones of the inner man in which the bond of union and harmony of spiritual powers is collected. Just as the bones by their own firmness protect the tenderness of the flesh, so also in the Church there are some who through their own constancy are able to carry the infirmities of the weak. 

And as the bones are joined to each other through articulations by sinews and fastenings which have grown upon them, so also would be the bond of charity and peace, which achieves a certain natural junction and union of the spiritual bones in the Church of God. 

Heal me O Lord for my bones are troubled

Concerning those bones which have been loosened from the frame and have become, as it were, dislocated, the prophet says: 'Our bones are scattered by the side of hell.'  And, if at any time disturbance and agitation seizes upon them, he says in prayer: 'Heal me, O Lord, for my bones are troubled’.

When, however, they preserve their own systematic arrangement, protected by the Lord, not one of them will be broken, but they will be worthy to offer glory to God. For, he says: 'All my bones shall say: Lord, Lord, who is like to thee?' Do you know the nature of intellectual bones? Perhaps, in reference to the mystery of our resurrection, the Church might use this expression, 'All my bones shall say.' 

Indeed, it is said: 'Thus saith the Lord to these bones: Behold, I will send spirit of life into you, and I will lay sinews upon you, and will cause flesh to grow over you, and you shall live, and you shall know that I am the Lord’ So, these bones, having taken on life and giving thanks for their resurrection, will say, 'Lord, Lord, who is like to thee?'...

The Lord will redeem the souls of his servants

 'The Lord will redeem the souls of his servants: and none of them that trust in him shall offend. 'Since those who were created to serve the Lord were being held fast by the captivity of the enemy, He will redeem their souls by His precious blood. Therefore, no one of those who hope in Him will be found in sin. 

Psalm 33


Psalm 33
Benedícam Dóminum in omni témpore: * semper laus eius in ore meo.
I will bless the Lord alway; * his praise shall ever be in my mouth.
In Dómino laudábitur ánima mea : * áudiant mansuéti, et læténtur.
My soul shall make her boast in the Lord; * the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad.
Magnificáte Dóminum mecum : * et exaltémus nomen eius in idípsum.
O praise the Lord with me, * and let us magnify his Name together.
Exquisívi Dóminum, et exaudívit me : * et ex ómnibus tribulatiónibus meis erípuit me.
I sought the Lord, and he heard me; * yea, he delivered me out of all my troubles.
Accédite ad eum, et illuminámini : * et fácies vestræ non confundéntur.
Come ye unto him, and be enlightened; * and your faces shall not be ashamed.
Iste pauper clamávit, et Dóminus exaudívit eum : * et de ómnibus tribulatiónibus ejus salvávit eum.
Lo, the poor hath cried out, and the Lord heard him; * yea, and hath saved him out of all his troubles.
Immíttet Angelus Dómini in circúitu timéntium eum : * et erípiet eos.
The angel of the Lord shall tarry round about them that fear him, * and he shall deliver them.
Gustáte, et vidéte quóniam suávis est Dóminus : * beátus vir, qui sperat in eo.
O taste, and see that the Lord is gracious: * blessed is the man that trusteth in him.
Timéte Dóminum, omnes sancti eius : * quóniam non est inópia timéntibus eum.
O fear the Lord, ye that are his saints; * for they that fear him lack nothing.
Dívites eguérunt et esuriérunt : * inquiréntes autem Dóminum non minuéntur omni bono.
The rich have wanted, and have suffered hunger; * but they who seek the Lord shall want no manner of thing that is good.
Veníte, fílii, audíte me : * timórem Dómini docébo vos.
Come, ye children, and hearken unto me; * I will teach you the fear of the Lord.
Quis est homo qui vult vitam: * díligit dies vidére bonos?
What man is he that lusteth to live, * and would fain see good days?
Próhibe linguam tuam a malo : * et lábia tua ne loquántur dolum.
Keep thy tongue from evil, * and thy lips, that they speak no guile.
Divérte a malo, et fac bonum : * inquire pacem, et perséquere eam.
Eschew evil, and do good; * seek peace, and ensue it.
Oculi Dómini super iustos: * et aures eius in preces eórum.
The eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, * and his ears are open unto their prayers.
Vultus autem Dómini super faciéntes mala : * ut perdat de terra memóriam eórum.
The countenance of the Lord is against them that do evil, * to root out the remembrance of them from the earth.
Clamavérunt iusti, et Dóminus exaudívit eos: * et ex ómnibus tribulatiónibus eórum liberávit eos.
The righteous have cried out, and the Lord heard them, * and hath delivered them out of all their troubles.
Iuxta est Dóminus iis, qui tribuláto sunt corde : * et húmiles spíritu salvábit.
The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a contrite heart, * and will save such as be of an humble spirit.
Multæ tribulatiónes iustórum : * et de ómnibus his liberávit eos Dóminus.
Great are the troubles of the righteous; * but the Lord delivereth him out of all.
Custódit Dóminus ómnia ossa eórum : * unum ex his non conterétur.
He keepeth all his bones, * so that not one of them is broken.
Mors peccatórum péssima : * et qui odérunt iustum, delínquent.
But the death of the ungodly is most evil; * and they that hate the righteous shall be desolate.
Redimet Dóminus ánimas servórum suórum : * et non delínquent omnes qui sperant in eo.
The Lord shall redeem the souls of his servants; * and all they that put their trust in him shall not be destitute.
Glória Patri, et Fílio, * et Spirítui Sancto.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, * and to the Holy Ghost.
Sicut erat in princípio, et nunc, et semper, * et in sǽcula sæculórum. Amen.
As it was in the beginning, is now, * and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.



NT references
Heb 13:15 (1); Lk 1:46 (2); 1 Pet 2:3 (9); [??NV - Lk 1:53 (10)]; 1 Pet 3:10-12 (12); Jas 1:26 (13); Mt 5:9, Heb 12:14 (14);Mt 11:29-30 (18); 2 Tim 3:11, 12 (19); [ ??NV  - Jn 19:36 (v21)]
RB cursus
Monday Matins I, 2;
Monastic/(Roman) feasts etc
Sacred Heart I, 2; All Saints II, 3;Common of Several martyrs, apostles
Roman pre 1911
Monday Matins
Ambrosian

Brigittine

Maurist
Thesauris schemas
A: ; B: ; C: ; D:
Roman post 1911
1911-62: Wednesday Compline . 1970:
Mass propers (EF)
Lent Thurs I OF 7-8; 
PP7, GR 5, 11; PP8, CO 8; 
PP12, GR 1-2; PP 14, 7-8



Tuesday, September 30, 2014

Psalm 32 v13-15



13
V
De cælo respéxit Dóminus: * vidit omnes fílios hóminum.

de caelo prospexit Dominus et vidit omnes filios hominum
JH
De caelo prospexit Dominus ; uidit omnes filios Adam;


ἐξ οὐρανοῦ ἐπέβλεψεν ὁ κύριος εἶδεν πάντας τοὺς υἱοὺς τῶν ἀνθρώπων


DR
The Lord has looked from heaven: he has beheld all the sons of men.
Brenton
The Lord looks out of heaven; he beholds all the sons of men. 
Cover
The Lord looked down from heaven, and beheld all the children of men;
Grail
From the heavens the Lord looks forth, he sees all the children of men.

This verse reminds us of God's omniscience, as St Basil reminds us:

"The Lord looks from above on those who stand fast in their proper dignity and perform the duties that belong to human nature. But, He regards differently those who fall into the utmost evils because He Himself came down. 'Because/ He said, 'the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and their sin is very grave, I will go down to see whether they have done all that the outcry which has come to me indicates. And again, 'He came down to see the city and the tower which men had built.'  But here it says, 'The Lord hath looked from heaven: he hath beheld all the sons of men.' Consider the lofty spectator; consider Him who is bending down regarding the affairs of mankind. Wherever you may go, whatever you may do, whether in the darkness or in the daytime, you have the eye of God watching."
  
14
V
De præparáto habitáculo suo * respéxit super omnes, qui hábitant terram.
OR
de praeparato habitaculo suo respexit super omnes qui habitant orbem
NV
De loco habitaculi sui respexit super omnes, qui habitant terram,
JH
de firmissimo solio suo prospexit ad uniuersos habitatores terrae.


ἐξ ἑτοίμου κατοικητηρίου αὐτοῦ ἐπέβλεψεν ἐπὶ πάντας τοὺς κατοικοῦντας τὴν γῆν

habitaculum i n a dwelling place, habitation

DR
From his habitation which he has prepared, he has looked upon all that dwell on the earth.
Brenton
He looks from his prepared habitation on all the dwellers on the earth;
Cover
from the habitation of his dwelling, he considereth all them that dwell on the earth.
Grail
From the place where he dwells he gazes on all the dwellers on the earth;

St Augustine links this verse back to the Incarnation: 

"From His prepared habitation: from His habitation of assumed Humanity, which He prepared for Himself. He looks upon all the inhabitants of the earth: He looks mercifully upon all who live in the flesh, that He may be over them in ruling them."

Cassio: When he look on faults, He punishes, but when He gazes on man He pardons...
  
15
V
Qui finxit sigillátim corda eórum: * qui intélligit ómnia ópera eórum.
JH
fingens pariter cor eorum, intellegens omnia opera eorum.


ὁ πλάσας κατὰ μόνας τὰς καρδίας αὐτῶν ὁ συνιεὶς εἰς πάντα τὰ ἔργα αὐτῶν

fingo ere finxi fictum 3 to give shape to anything, to make, frame, form, fashion
sigillatim, one by one, singly

DR
He who has made the hearts of every one of them: who understands all their works.
Brenton
who fashioned their hearts alone; who understands all their works.
RSV
he who fashions the hearts of them all, and observes all their deeds.
Knox
he has fashioned each man’s nature, and weighs the actions of each. 
Cover
He fashioneth all the hearts of them, and understandeth all their works.
Grail
he who shapes the hearts of them all; and considers all their deeds.

God creates each soul individually, granting to gifts appropriate to each, as St Augustine explains:

"He fashions their hearts singly: He gives spiritually to their hearts their proper gifts, so that neither the whole body may be eye, nor the whole hearing; 1 Corinthians 12:17 but that one in this manner, another in that manner, may be incorporated with Christ. He understands all their works."


Psalm 32: Exsultáte, justi in Dómino
Vulgate
Douay-Rheims
Psalmus David.
A psalm for David.
1 Exsultáte, justi in Dómino: * rectos decet collaudátio.
Rejoice in the Lord, O you just: praise becomes the upright.
2  Confitémini Dómino in cíthara: * in psaltério decem chordárum psállite illi.
2 Give praise to the Lord on the harp; sing to him with the psaltery, the instrument of ten strings
3  Cantáte ei cánticum novum: * bene psállite ei in vociferatióne.
3 Sing to him a new canticle, sing well unto him with a loud noise.
4  Quia rectum est verbum Dómini, * et ómnia ópera ejus in fide.
4 For the word of the Lord is right, and all his works are done with faithfulness.
5  Díligit misericórdiam et judícium: * misericórdia Dómini plena est terra.
5 He loves mercy and judgment; the earth is full of the mercy of the Lord.
6 Verbo Dómini cæli firmáti sunt: * et spíritu oris ejus omnis virtus eórum.
6 By the word of the Lord the heavens were established; and all the power of them by the spirit of his mouth:
7  Cóngregans sicut in utre aquas maris: * ponens in thesáuris abyssos.
7 Gathering together the waters of the sea, as in a vessel; laying up the depths in storehouses.
8  Tímeat Dóminum omnis terra: * ab eo autem commoveántur omnes inhabitántes orbem.
8 Let all the earth fear the Lord, and let all the inhabitants of the world be in awe of him.
9  Quóniam ipse dixit, et facta sunt: * ipse mandávit, et creáta sunt.
9 For he spoke and they were made: he commanded and they were created.
10  Dóminus díssipat consília Géntium: * réprobat autem cogitatiónes populórum et réprobat consília príncipum.
10 The Lord brings to nought the counsels of nations; and he rejects the devices of people, and casts away the counsels of princes.
11  Consílium autem Dómini in ætérnum manet: * cogitatiónes cordis ejus in generatióne et generatiónem.
11 But the counsel of the Lord stands for ever: the thoughts of his heart to all generations.

12 Beáta gens, cujus est Dóminus, Deus ejus: * pópulus, quem elégit in hereditátem sibi.
12 Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord: the people whom he has chosen for his inheritance.
13  De cælo respéxit Dóminus: * vidit omnes fílios hóminum.
13 The Lord has looked from heaven: he has beheld all the sons of men.
14  De præparáto habitáculo suo * respéxit super omnes, qui hábitant terram.
14 From his habitation which he has prepared, he has looked upon all that dwell on the earth.
15  Qui finxit sigillátim corda eórum: * qui intélligit ómnia ópera eórum.
15 He who has made the hearts of every one of them: who understands all their works.
16  Non salvátur rex per multam virtútem: * et gigas non salvábitur in multitúdine virtútis suæ.
16 The king is not saved by a great army: nor shall the giant be saved by his own great strength.
17  Fallax equus ad salútem: * in abundántia autem virtútis suæ non salvábitur.
17 Vain is the horse for safety: neither shall he be saved by the abundance of his strength.
18 Ecce óculi Dómini super metuéntes eum: * et in eis, qui sperant super misericórdia ejus :
18 Behold the eyes of the Lord are on them that fear him: and on them that hope in his mercy.
19  Ut éruat a morte ánimas eórum: * et alat eos in fame.
19 To deliver their souls from death; and feed them in famine.
20  Anima nostra sústinet Dóminum: * quóniam adjútor et protéctor noster est.
20 Our soul waits for the Lord: for he is our helper and protector.
21  Quia in eo lætábitur cor nostrum: * et in nómine sancto ejus sperávimus.
21 For in him our heart shall rejoice: and in his holy name we have trusted.
22  Fiat misericórdia tua, Dómine, super nos: * quemádmodum sperávimus in te.
22 Let your mercy, O Lord, be upon us, as we have hoped in you.

You can find the next set of notes in this series on Psalm 32 here.