Tenebrae/24 - Psalm 142: I stretch out my hands

Today's psalm, Psalm 142, the second of Lauds (after Psalm 50) for Good Friday, is the last of the Penitential Psalms.

Desolation on the Cross

Its inclusion in Good Friday Tenebrae (and Friday in the older version of the Roman Office) presumably depends above all on the verse 'I stretched forth my hands to you'.  But the whole dark tone of the psalm, a plea for help, is particularly apt for that dark time when Christ struggled on the Cross:

"For the enemy hath persecuted my soul; he hath smitten
my life down to the ground; he hath laid me in the darkness,
as the men that have been long dead. Therefore is my spirit
vexed within me, and my heart within me is desolate." (Coverdale)

Yet it is also a psalm that speaks of a deep longing to be with God, and foreshadows for us, the gift of the Holy Spirit, possibly why St Benedict places it at Saturday Lauds instead:

"Deliver me, O Lord, from mine enemies; for I flee unto thee to hide me. Teach me to do the thing that pleaseth thee; for thou art my God. Let thy loving Spirit lead me forth into the land of righteousness. Quicken me, O Lord, for thy Name’s sake; and for thy righteousness’ sake bring my soul out of trouble."

The psalm closes with a reminder that we at at war, not just with earthly forces and our own sinful inclinations, but also but with diabolic powers.  This is not one we can win for ourselves alone, but need God's aid to triumph:

"And of thy goodness slay mine enemies, and destroy all them that vex my soul; for I am thy servant."

Psalm 142

Psalm 142: Domine, exausi orationem meam

Vulgate	Douay-Rheims
Psalmus David, quando persequebatur eum Absalom filius ejus.	A psalm of David, when his son Absalom pursued him
1 Dómine, exáudi oratiónem meam: áuribus pércipe obsecratiónem meam in veritáte tua : * exáudi me in tua justítia.	Hear, O Lord, my prayer: give ear to my supplication in your truth: hear me in your justice.
2  Et non intres in judícium cum servo tuo: * quia non justificábitur in conspéctu tuo omnis vivens.	And enter not into judgment with your servant: for in your sight no man living shall be justified.
3  Quia persecútus est inimícus ánimam meam: * humiliávit in terra vitam meam.	For the enemy has persecuted my soul: he has brought down my life to the earth.
4  Collocávit me in obscúris sicut mórtuos sæculi : * et anxiátus est super me spíritus meus, in me turbátum est cor meum.	He has made me to dwell in darkness as those that have been dead of old: And my spirit is in anguish within me: my heart within me is troubled.
5  Memor fui diérum antiquórum, meditátus sum in ómnibus opéribus tuis: * in factis mánuum tuárum meditábar.	I remembered the days of old, I meditated on all your works: I meditated upon the works of your hands.
6  Expándi manus meas ad te: * ánima mea sicut terra sine aqua tibi.	I stretched forth my hands to you: my soul is as earth without water unto you.
7  Velóciter exáudi me, Dómine: * defécit spíritus meus.	Hear me speedily, O Lord: my spirit has fainted away.
8  Non avértas fáciem tuam a me: * et símilis ero descendéntibus in lacum.	Turn not away your face from me, lest I be like unto them that go down into the pit.
9  Audítam fac mihi mane misericórdiam tuam: * quia in te sperávi.	Cause me to hear your mercy in the morning; for in you have I hoped.
10  Notam fac mihi viam, in qua ámbulem: * quia ad te levávi ánimam meam.	Make the way known to me, wherein I should walk: for I have lifted up my soul to you.
11  Eripe me de inimícis meis, Dómine, ad te confúgi: * doce me fácere voluntátem tuam, quia Deus meus es tu.	Deliver me from my enemies, O Lord, to you have I fled: Teach me to do your will, for you are my God.
12  Spíritus tuus bonus dedúcet me in terram rectam: * propter nomen tuum, Dómine, vivificábis me, in æquitáte tua.	Your good spirit shall lead me into the right land: For your name's sake, O Lord, you will quicken me in your justice.
13  Edúces de tribulatióne ánimam meam: * et in misericórdia tua dispérdes inimícos meos.	You will bring my soul out of trouble: And in your mercy you will destroy my enemies.
14  Et perdes omnes, qui tríbulant ánimam meam, * quóniam ego servus tuus sum.	And you will cut off all them that afflict my soul: for I am your servant.

Tenebrae of Good Friday

Nocturn I: Psalms 2, 21, 26

Nocturn II: Psalms 37, 39, 53*

Nocturn III: Psalms 58, 87*, 93

Lauds: 50*, 142, 84, [Hab], 147

And you can find the next part in this series here.