Monday, February 18, 2013

Tenebrae Psalms/5: Psalm 71 and the kingship of Christ


The responsories for the second Nocturn of Tenebrae for Maundy Thursday, which we start on today with a look at Psalm 71 (72), focus on Judas' betrayal and subsequent horrible fate.

Today's psalm, though, first invites us to reflect on just how terrible a crime that betrayal was by reminding us just who Christ is, and why he came as man to us.

Who is Christ?

The sixth century commentator Cassiodorus provides a nice summary of the progression of the psalm in the light of the New Testament:

"The prophet speaks throughout the psalm, pointing to the coming of the Lord Saviour, and clearly manifesting alternately His humanity and His divinity in one and the same person. In the first section he addresses the Father, begging for His Son the role of judging the nations which is known to have been predestined before time began. In the second part he says that at the Lord's judgment the sons of the poor will be saved, and the pride of the devil undoubtedly brought low. He is also seen to indicate in marvellous fashion the birth from the Virgin, by means of certain parallels. In the third part he recounts what blessings have accrued from the holy Spirit and from the Lord Christ born of the virgin Mary. In the fourth section he says that He is to be adored by all kings because He has freed the human race from the power of the devil. In the fifth he proclaims that once seen by human eyes He was the mainstay of believers and an undoubted Source of progress for the just. In the sixth he relates that praises are to be delivered to the eternal Lord with the unanimity of the whole world. In the seventh he delivers with the sweetest devotion a hymn to the Lord Christ.  It is thus obvious that a clear and manifest beginning to the New Testament has been fashioned in the course of this psalm."

Meditation on the kingship of Christ should surely help us to put our own actions in perspective, and help dissuade us from those small betrayals of his we make each day.

Psalm 71
Deus, iudícium tuum regi da: * et iustítiam tuam fílio regis.
Give to the king your judgment, O God, and to the king's son your justice:
Iudicáre pópulum tuum in iustítia, * et páuperes tuos in iudício.
To judge your people with justice, and your poor with judgment.
Suscípiant montes pacem pópulo: * et colles iustítiam.
Let the mountains receive peace for the people: and the hills justice.
Iudicábit páuperes pópuli, et salvos fáciet fílios páuperum: * et humiliábit calumniatórem.
He shall judge the poor of the people, and he shall save the children of the poor: and he shall humble the oppressor
Et permanébit cum sole, et ante lunam, * in generatióne et generatiónem.
And he shall continue with the sun and before the moon, throughout all generations.
Descendet sicut plúvia in vellus: * et sicut stillicidia stillántia super terram.
He shall come down like rain upon the fleece; and as showers falling gently upon the earth.
Oriétur in diébus eius iustítia, et abundántia pacis: * donec auferátur luna.
In his days shall justice spring up, and abundance of peace, till the moon be taken away.
Et dominábitur a mari usque ad mare: * et a flúmine usque ad términos orbis terrárum.
And he shall rule from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth.
Coram illo prócident Æthíopes: * et inimíci eius terram lingent.
Before him the Ethiopians shall fall down: and his enemies shall lick the ground.
Reges Tharsis, et ínsulæ múnera ófferent: * reges Arabum et Saba dona addúcent.
The kings of Tharsis and the islands shall offer presents: the kings of the Arabians and of Saba shall bring gifts:
Et adorábunt eum omnes reges terræ: * omnes gentes sérvient ei:
And all kings of the earth shall adore him: all nations shall serve him.
Quia liberábit páuperem a poténte: * et páuperem, cui non erat adiútor.
For he shall deliver the poor from the mighty: and the needy that had no helper.
Parcet páuperi et ínopi: * et ánimas páuperum salvas fáciet.
He shall spare the poor and needy: and he shall save the souls of the poor.
Ex usúris et iniquitáte rédimet ánimas eórum: * et honorábile nomen eórum coram illo.
He shall redeem their souls from usuries and iniquity: and their names shall be honourable in his sight.
Et vivet, et dábitur ei de auro Arábiæ, † et adorábunt de ipso semper: * tota die benedícent ei.
And he shall live, and to him shall be given of the gold of Arabia, for him they shall always adore: they shall bless him all the day.
Et erit firmaméntum in terra in summis móntium, † superextollétur super Líbanum fructus eius: * et florébunt de civitáte sicut fœnum terræ.
And there shall be a firmament on the earth on the tops of mountains, above Libanus shall the fruit thereof be exalted: and they of the city shall flourish like the grass of the earth.
Sit nomen eius benedíctum in sæcula: * ante solem pérmanet nomen eius.
Let his name be blessed for evermore: his name continues before the sun.
Et benedicéntur in ipso omnes tribus terræ: * omnes Gentes magnificábunt eum.
And in him shall all the tribes of the earth be blessed: all nations shall magnify him.
Benedíctus Dóminus, Deus Israël, * qui facit mirabília solus.
Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, who alone does wonderful things.
Et benedíctum nomen maiestátis eius in ætérnum: † et replébitur maiestáte eius omnis terra: fiat, fiat.
And blessed be the name of his majesty for ever: and the whole earth shall be filled with his majesty. So be it. So be it.

Glória Patri, et Fílio, * et Spirítui Sancto.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.
And for the next part in this series, go here.

Tenebrae of Holy Thursday

Nocturn I: Psalms 68, 69, 70
Nocturn II: Psalms 71, 72, 73
Nocturn III: Psalms 74, 75, 76
Lauds: 50, 89, 35, [Ex 15], 146

And for the antiphon and a few verses of the psalm to listen to (note that it goes on with a setting of the responsories).

Other Scriptural and liturgical uses of the psalm

NT references
Lk 1:48 (17); Lk 1:68 (19)
RB cursus
Wednesday Matins
Monastic/(Roman) feasts etc
Nativity; Epiphany; Maundy Thurs Tenebrae, II, 1; Trinity
Roman pre 1911
Thursday Matins
Roman post 1911
1911-62: Thursday Prime 1970:
Mass propers (EF)
Christ the King, 8, 11


No comments:

Post a Comment