Psalm 4 - verse 9 - Seek after peace and pursue it

The concluding verses of Psalm 4 take us to that state of peace that allows us to go to sleep - and to face death - in the tranquility of a clear conscience supported by the grace of the sacraments.

Understanding the Latin

The Vulgate for verse 9 of Psalm 4 runs:

In pace in idípsum dórmiam et requiéscam

The key words are:

pax, pacis,  peace

dormio, ivi or ii, itum, ire, to sleep, to lie down to rest.

requiesco, quievi, quietum, ere 3, to rest, be at rest; to sleep.

idipsum, at once, forthwith; together, at the same time.

A word by word translation gives a rough sense of it:

In (in) pace (peace/peacefully) in idípsum (at once/the self-same) dórmiam (I will sleep) et (and) requiéscam (I will rest).

The English translations broadly separate into two camps.  The first camp treats sleep and rest as two separate things, providing a hint that the verse is perhaps intended to suggest both the peace we hope for now in sleep, and our hope of the peace of eternal rest.  The Monastic Diurnal perhaps captures this approach best, translating the verse as 'In peace then, shall I sleep and rest'.

The second camp treats requiescam as related to the sleep.  The Grail translation, for example renders it as 'I will lie down in peace and sleep comes at once', while Knox makes it 'Even as I lie down, sleep comes, and with sleep tranquility'.  The problem with this approach is that it downplays the use of the words peace and requiescam, the first of which has some obvious resonances for Benedictines in particular, and the second with obvious links to the Office for the Dead.

True and false peace

To take the importance of the concept of peace first, the Benedictine motto is, of course, ‘pax’ or peace, and derives from St Benedict's instruction in the Prologue to the rule to 'seek after peace and pursue it'.  But the concept is often misapplied, for the peace alluded to here is not freedom conflict with the outside world, for as Our Lord said, ‘I came not to bring peace but a sword’ (Mt 10:34).

St Thomas Aquinas, for example comments on the verse that:

 For the kingdom of God does not mean food and drink, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit." (Romans: 14: 17).

The peace sought and offered here, then, consists in inner tranquility and joy, not freedom from external conflict. St John Chrysostom, for example, notes that:

Lo, another manifestation of providence of great value: enjoyment of peace by those devoted to God. "Peace comes to those who love your Law," Scripture says, remember, "nothing can ensnare them." Nothing, you see, is so calculated to bring peace as knowledge of God and possession of virtue, banishing afar conflict of the passions and not allowing one to be at odds with oneself…If you have the fear of God, however, you will assiduously allay this conflict and calm your passions, suffocating those varied beasts that are your unruly thoughts instead of encouraging them to lurk in your den. Thus you will enjoy the purest and deepest peace.

 Sleep and death

The second key concept embedded in the verse is that while we must seek after this inner peace, we cannot wholly achieve it in this world.  Rather, St Augustine for example argues, sleep serves to remind us of our ultimate end:

For such men justly hope for all manner of estrangement of mind from things mortal, and forgetfulness of this world's miseries; which is beautifully and prophetically signified under the name of sleep and rest, where the most perfect peace cannot be interrupted by any tumult. But this is not had now in this life, but is to be hoped for after this life. This even the words themselves, which are in the future tense, show us. For it is not said, either, I have slept, and taken rest; or, I do sleep, and take rest; but, I will sleep, and take rest.

In union with Christ

There is also meaning, some commentators argue, in the words  'ín idpsum', which the Douay-Rheims translates as 'in the self-same', for St Robert Bellarmine sees it as pointing to our hope of union with God:

David's conclusion then is, whatever the conduct of those whom I have been exhorting may be, my desire is to confide entirely in God, and rest altogether in him. "In peace," that is, in the most perfect tranquility; "in the selfsame" that is, in union, along with "I will sleep and rest," that is, I will secure­ly lie down, and profoundly sleep. Observe the word "selfsame," a word of frequent use in the Psalms, and signifies with, or in union with.

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 the final part of this series, click here.