Tenebrae/36 - Psalm 150

And to bring this series on the psalms of  Holy Week Tenebrae to a close, the last psalm of Tenebrae strikes an almost joyful note, for we wait now for the Easter Vigil to begin, with the last psalm of the psalter, Psalm 150.

Awaiting the Resurrection

Psalm 150 is sung daily in the Benedictine Office, as one of the concluding set of 'Laudate psalms' of Lauds, and in the pre-1911 version of Tenebrae, all three of the Laudate psalms were sung each night.  In the update version of the Tenebrae of Holy Saturday, it fulfills a similar function, for Christ has preached salvation to those in hell, who surely praised him; for those in  Hades the trumpet has indeed sounded, and they await their entry to heaven.

Yet this rejoicing is kept in perspective by the antiphon that goes with it: O all you who walk by on the road, pay attention and see if there be any sorrow like my sorrow (O vos omnes).  It is a reminder that suffering must come first.

And with this short psalm, I'll end up this series, hopefully just in time for you to either attend Tenebrae for Maundy Thursday, or perhaps sing or say it by yourself if that is impossible.  You can find the full text of Tenebrae in English and Latin here.  You can find the chant for it in the Liber Usualis.

May you have a happy and holy Triduum and Easter.

Psalm 150: Laudate Dominum

Vulgate	Douay-Rheims
Alleluja.	Alleluia
Laudáte Dóminum in sanctis ejus: * laudáte eum in firmaménto virtútis ejus.	Praise the Lord in his holy places: praise him in the firmament of his power.
2  Laudáte eum in virtútibus ejus: * laudáte eum secúndum multitúdinem magnitúdinis ejus.	2 Praise him for his mighty acts: praise him according to the multitude of his greatness.
3  Laudáte eum in sono tubæ: * laudáte eum in psaltério, et cíthara.	3 Praise him with the sound of trumpet: praise him with psaltery and harp.
4  Laudáte eum in tympano, et choro: * laudáte eum in chordis, et órgano	4 Praise him with timbrel and choir: praise him with strings and organs.
5  Laudáte eum in cymbalis benesonántibus: laudáte eum in cymbalis jubilatiónis: * omnis spíritus laudet Dóminum.	5 Praise him on high sounding cymbals: praise him on cymbals of joy: 6 Let every spirit praise the Lord. Alleluia

Tenebrae of Holy Saturday

Nocturn I: Psalms 4, 14, 15

Nocturn II: Psalms 23, 26, 29

Nocturn III: Psalms 53*, 75*, 87*

Lauds: 50*, 91, 63, [Is 38], 150 [pre-1911: 50, 42, Is 38, 148-150]

Here is a Victoria setting of the responsory using the same text as the antiphon.