Verses 24 and 25 of Psalm 113 takes us back to God as creator of heaven and earth:
Benedícti vos a Dómino, * qui fecit cælum, et terram.
Cælum cæli Dómino: * terram autem dedit fíliis hóminum.
or
Blessed be you of the Lord, who made heaven and earth.
The heaven of heaven is the Lord's: but the earth he has given to the children of men.
Benedicti (Blessed) [are/be] vos (you) a (by)
Domino (the Lord) qui (who) fecit (he has made) cælum
(heaven) et (and) terram (earth)
Cælum (The heaven) cæli (of heaven)[belongs] Domino
(to the Lord) terram (The earth) autem (but) dedit (he
gave) filiis(the sons/children) hominum (of men)
Studio/meditatio
Cassiodorus comments:
"Since heaven is the term for just men, the Lord Christ is aptly called the heaven of heavens, as He is called the Holy of the holy, the God of gods, and other grandiloquent expressions of this kind. Caelum (heaven) gets its name from concealing (celare) all things within itself. Whereas the heaven of heavens is attributed to the Lord—as we read in Psalm 67: Who mounteth above the heaven of heavens from the east'—the earth is allotted to the children of men, so that by the Lord's grace they may there purify themselves by manifold struggles and from the contest of the world attain eternal life. He has given has reference to Christ's humanity in the incarnation; for what could be given to the Word, who with the Father and the holy Spirit has always possessed and possesses all things?"
Oratio
Through your goodness you have created us Lord; perfect us in this world that we might be drawn up into your highest heavens through your grace, and dwell with you forever.
Contemplatio
St Augustine reminds us that we must co-operate with what God offers:
...But nevertheless since they derive the truth and richness of wisdom, not from man nor through man, but through God Himself, they have received little ones who shall be heaven, that they may know that they are heaven of heaven; as yet however earth, unto which they say, I have planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. 1 Corinthians 3:6 For to those very sons of men whom He made heaven, He who knows how to provide for the earth through heaven, has given earth upon which they work.
The final section of the Psalm:
17 Domus Israël sperávit in Dómino: * adjútor eórum et protéctor eórum est,
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17 The house of Israel has hoped in the Lord: he is their helper and their protector.
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18 Domus Aaron sperávit in Dómino: * adjútor eórum et protéctor eórum est,
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18 The house of Aaron has hoped in the Lord: he is their helper and their protector.
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19 Qui timent Dóminum, speravérunt in Dómino: * adjútor eórum et protéctor eórum est.
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19 They that fear the Lord have hoped in the Lord: he is their helper and their protector.
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20 Dóminus memor fuit nostri: * et benedíxit nobis:
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20 The Lord has been mindful of us, and has blessed us.
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21 Benedíxit dómui Israël: * benedíxit dómui Aaron.
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He has blessed the house of Israel: he has blessed the house of Aaron.
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22 Benedíxit ómnibus, qui timent Dóminum, * pusíllis cum majóribus.
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21 He has blessed all that fear the Lord, both little and great.
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23 Adjíciat Dóminus super vos: * super vos, et super fílios vestros.
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22 May the Lord add blessings upon you: upon you, and upon your children.
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24 Benedícti vos a Dómino, * qui fecit cælum, et terram.
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23 Blessed be you of the Lord, who made heaven and earth.
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25 Cælum cæli Dómino: * terram autem dedit fíliis hóminum.
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24 The heaven of heaven is the Lord's: but the earth he has given to the children of men
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26 Non mórtui laudábunt te, Dómine: * neque omnes, qui descéndunt in inférnum.
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25 The dead shall not praise you, O Lord: nor any of them that go down to hell.
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27 Sed nos qui vívimus, benedícimus Dómino, * ex hoc nunc et usque in sæculum.
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26 But we that live bless the Lord: from this time now and for ever.
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The final set of notes on the psalm can be found here.
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