The sacrifice of justice, the subject of today's verse of Psalm 4, is a key concept for that underpins monastic vows and oblation.
The English translations offer a wide spread of interpretations of the first part of this verse, as the table below illustrates.
Right intention
In the previous verse the psalmist urged repentance, or turning away from evil. In this verse here he urges us to move to the next stage of holiness, and do good.
The first step needed for this is the right intention to go along with our actions. Theodoret, for example, comments:
In the monastic context, it can obviously be taken as a reference to the renunciations the religious makes as a consequence of his or her vows.
The idea of the ‘sacrifice of justice’ is a key theme of several of the psalms, and one picked up by St Benedict in his choice of the Suscipe verse (from Psalm 118) said at profession/oblation.
But it can also, in a more limited way, surely mean fidelity to our marriage vows, our promises at oblation, and saying the Office itself. Cassiodorus, for example says:
St Robert Bellarmine summarises the argument thus:
For notes on the next verse, continue on here.
Looking at the Latin
The Vulgate of verse 6 of Psalm 4 is:
The Vulgate of verse 6 of Psalm 4 is:
Sacrificáte sacrifícium justítiæ, et speráte in Dómino, multi dicunt quis osténdit nobis bona?
The key words include:
A very literal, word by word translation of the verse, runs as follows:
sacrifico, avi, atum, are to offer something to God in atonement for sin, to
procure favors, to express thankfulness and the like; to sacrifice, to make an
offering of.
sacrificium,
ii, n. an offering, oblation, sacrifice.
ostendo,
tendi, tertum, ere 3 to show, display; to expose, lay open; to
show
quis – who; there is no one, there is scarcely anyone
Sacrificáte (make an offering, imperative) sacrifícium (sacrifice/justice) justítiæ (of justice) [a due offering, a righteous sacrifice, the offering prescribed by law], et (and) speráte (hope, imperative) in dómino (in the Lord), multi (the many) dicunt (they say) quis (who/there is no one) osténdit (he shows) nobis (to us) bona (the good [things])?The literal meaning?
The English translations offer a wide spread of interpretations of the first part of this verse, as the table below illustrates.
|
Douay-Rheims |
Offer up the sacrifice of justice,
and trust in the Lord: many say, Who shows us good things? |
|
Monastic Diurnal |
Offer a righteous sacrifice and put
your trust in the Lord. Many there are that say: Who will show us good
things. |
|
RSV |
Offer right sacrifices, and put your
trust in the LORD. There are many who say, "O that we might see some
good! |
|
Brenton |
Offer the sacrifice of
righteousness, and trust in the Lord. Many say, Who will shew us good things? |
|
Coverdale |
Offer the sacrifice of
righteousness, and put your trust in the Lord. There be many that say, Who
will show us any good? |
|
Knox |
Offer sacrifices with due
observance, and put your trust in the Lord. There are many that cry out for a
sight of better times; |
|
Grail |
Make justice your sacrifice, and
trust in the Lord. "What can bring us happiness?" many say. |
Both of these interpretations feature in the commentaries of the Fathers and Theologians, but most put the emphasis on right intention.
Right intention
In the previous verse the psalmist urged repentance, or turning away from evil. In this verse here he urges us to move to the next stage of holiness, and do good.
The first step needed for this is the right intention to go along with our actions. Theodoret, for example, comments:
In these words he dismisses as useless the worship according to the Law, and he obliges us to bring the offering of righteousness: the possession of righteousness is more acceptable to God than every sacrifice of a hundred or a thousand beasts...Similarly, St Augustine argues that the righteous sacrifice can reasonably be interpreted as our contrition, impelling us to offer ourselves up to God:
He says the same in another Psalm Psalm 50, the sacrifice for God is a troubled spirit. Wherefore that this is the sacrifice of righteousness which is offered through repentance it is not unreasonably here understood. For what more righteous, than that each one should be angry with his own sins, rather than those of others, and that in self-punishment he should sacrifice himself unto God?He also sees the psalm as tracing our path from repentance to renewal in Christ:
Or are righteous works after repentance the sacrifice of righteousness? ...the old man being destroyed or weakened by repentance, the sacrifice of righteousness, according to the regeneration of the new man, may be offered to God; when the soul now cleansed offers and places itself on the altar of faith, to be encompassed by heavenly fire, that is, by the Holy Ghost.Doing good works
Building on this, St John Chrysostom argues that the instruction to offer the ‘sacrifice of righteousness’
means actively seeking to do good:
Refraining from evil alone, you see, is not sufficient; instead, the practice of good must be there as well. Hence he moves to exhortation in the words, "Move away from evil and do good." Abstaining from virtue, after all, suffices to put one in danger of punishment, not simply committing evil...Seek after righteousness, make an offering of righteousness: this is the greatest gift to God, this an acceptable sacrifice, this an offering of great appeal, not sacrificing sheep and calves but doing righteous things...He also notes that anyone can offer this sacrifice, by acting in the everyday situations of life:
This sacrifice requires no money, no sword, no altar, no fire; it does not dissolve into smoke and ashes and smells - rather, the intention of the offerer suffices. Poverty is no impediment to it, nor indigence a problem, nor the place nor anything else like that; instead, wherever you are, you are fit to offer sacrifice, you are priest, and altar, and sword, and victim.Several commentators suggest that the idea of the sacrifice of justice, or righteous sacrifice, also implies a burnt offering, a total offering of our lives.
In the monastic context, it can obviously be taken as a reference to the renunciations the religious makes as a consequence of his or her vows.
The idea of the ‘sacrifice of justice’ is a key theme of several of the psalms, and one picked up by St Benedict in his choice of the Suscipe verse (from Psalm 118) said at profession/oblation.
But it can also, in a more limited way, surely mean fidelity to our marriage vows, our promises at oblation, and saying the Office itself. Cassiodorus, for example says:
If Christ Himself was sacrificed for us, how much more fitting it is to offer ourselves as sacrifice to Him, so that we can rejoice in imitating our King! The term she used was: Offer up, and in case this was interpreted as sacrificing beasts, she added: The sacrifice of justice. In other words: "Live an upright life, and always offer your hearts pure to God."Hope in the Lord
St Augustine interprets the injunction to hope in the Lord as our request for the help of grace:
So that this may be the meaning, Offer the sacrifice of righteousness, and hope in the Lord; that is, live uprightly, and hope for the gift of the Holy Ghost, that the truth, in which you have believed, may shine upon you.The identity of the 'many' seeking good things is ambiguous. Some commentator see the many as those following the ways of this world, and so linking up to the next verses claim to bounteous harvests.
St Robert Bellarmine summarises the argument thus:
"Many say, Who showeth us good things?" This is a common objection of the carnal, who are numerous, hence "many." When we preach to them the contempt of things here below, and exhort them to innocence and justice, many reply: Who will show us what is good, if the things we see and handle be not good? Who has come up from hell? Who has gone up to heaven?
Psalm 4: Cum invocarem
Vulgate
|
Douay-Rheims
|
In finem, in carminibus. Psalmus David.
|
Unto the end, in verses. A psalm for David.
|
1 Cum invocárem exaudívit me deus justítiæ meæ: * in
tribulatióne dilatásti mihi.
|
When I called upon him, the God of my justice heard me:
when I was in distress, you have enlarged me.
|
2 Miserére mei, * et exáudi oratiónem meam.
|
Have mercy on me: and hear my prayer.
|
3 Filii
hóminum, úsquequo gravi corde? * ut quid dilígitis vanitátem et
quæritis mendácium?
|
O you sons of men, how long will you be dull of heart? Why
do you love vanity, and seek after lying?
|
4 Et scitóte quóniam mirificávit dóminus sanctum suum: *
dóminus exáudiet me cum clamávero ad eum.
|
Know also that the Lord has made his holy one wonderful:
the Lord will hear me when I shall cry unto him.
|
5 Irascímini, et nolíte peccáre: * quæ dícitis in córdibus
vestris, in cubílibus vestris compungímini.
|
Be angry, and sin not: the things you say in your hearts,
be sorry for them upon your beds.
|
6 Sacrificáte sacrifícium justítiæ, et speráte in dómino,
* multi dicunt quis osténdit nobis bona?
|
Offer up the sacrifice of justice, and trust in the Lord:
many say, Who shows us good things?
|
7 Signátum est super nos lumen vultus tui, dómine: * dedísti
lætítiam in corde meo.
|
The light of your countenance, O Lord, is signed upon us:
you have given gladness in my heart.
|
8 A fructu fruménti, vini et ólei sui * multiplicáti sunt.
|
By the fruit of their corn, their wine, and oil, they rest
|
9 In pace in idípsum * dórmiam et requiéscam;
|
In peace in the self same I will sleep, and I will rest
|
10 Quóniam tu,
dómine, singuláriter in spe * constituísti me.
|
For you, O Lord, singularly have settled me in hope.
|
For notes on the next verse, continue on here.
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