Each year I try and provide a Lenten series for reflection.
This year I thought I would use the opportunity to complete the set of notes on the repeated psalms of the Benedictine Office by taking a look at Psalm 90, which features heavily in the liturgy during Lent, most notably in the long Tract sung on the First Sunday of Lent.
If I have time, I will then look at some of the repeated psalms in other forms of the Office, but no guarantees!
Tomorrow I will provide a general introduction to Psalm 90, including in the context of its use at Compline in the Benedictine (and pre-1911 Roman) Office, where it is said daily.
Psalm 90 and the spiritual warfare of Lent
Today though, I thought I would get things started by providing a reflection on its relevance to Lent from Dom Gueranger:
...the Church views her children ...as an immense army, fighting day and night against their spiritual enemies. We remember how, on Ash Wednesday, she calls Lent a Christian warfare. In order that we may have that newness of life, which will make us worthy to sing once more our Alleluia, we must conquer our three enemies: the devil, the flesh and the world. We are fellow combatants with our Jesus, for He, too, submits to the triple temptation, suggested to Him by Satan in person.
And whereas it is of the utmost importance that our hearts be spirited and brave, the Church gives us a war-song of heaven's own making, which can fire even cowards with hope of victory and confidence in God's help: it is the ninetieth Psalm. She inserts the whole of it in the Mass of the first Sunday of Lent, and every day introduces several of its verses into the ferial Office.
She there tells us to rely on the protection, wherewith our heavenly Father covers us, as with a shield; to hope under the shelter of His wings; to have confidence in Him; for that He will deliver us from the snare of the hunter, who had robbed us of the holy liberty of the children of God; to rely upon the succour of the holy angels, who are our brothers, to whom the Lord has given charge that they keep us in all our ways, and who, when Jesus permitted Satan to tempt Him, were the adoring witnesses of His combat, and approached Him, after His victory, proffering to Him their service and homage.
Let us well absorb these sentiments wherewith the Church would have us to be inspired; and during our six weeks' campaign, let us often repeat this admirable canticle, which so fully describes what the soldiers of Christ should be and feel in this season of the great spiritual warfare. (The Liturgical Year, vol 5, pp 21-2)Scriptural interpretation and the devil
There is, though, it has to be said an implicit warning behind the reasons the psalm features at this time, for in the account of the temptations of Christ in Scripture, it is devil who quotes Psalm 90, not Christ:
Then Jesus was led by the spirit into the desert, to be tempted by the devil. And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterwards he was hungry. And the tempter coming said to him: If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. Who answered and said: It is written, Not in bread alone doth man live, but in every word that proceedeth from the mouth of God. Then the devil took him up into the holy city, and set him upon the pinnacle of the temple, And said to him: If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down, for it is written: That he hath given his angels charge over thee, and in their hands shall they bear thee up, lest perhaps thou dash thy foot against a stone. Jesus said to him: It is written again: Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. Again the devil took him up into a very high mountain, and shewed him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them, And said to him: All these will I give thee, if falling down thou wilt adore me. Then Jesus saith to him: Begone, Satan: for it is written, The Lord thy God shalt thou adore, and him only shalt thou serve. Then the devil left him; and behold angels came and ministered to him. (Mt 4)We must take care, then, to seek out orthodox interpretations of the text, and be guided by the Fathers and Theologians!
Psalm 90: Qui habitat
Vulgate
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Douay-Rheims
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Laus cantici David.
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The praise of a canticle for David
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Qui hábitat in adjutório Altíssimi, * in protectióne Dei cæli commorábitur.
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He that dwells in the aid of the most High, shall abide under the protection of the God of Jacob.
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2 Dicet Dómino : Suscéptor meus es tu, et refúgium meum: * Deus meus sperábo in eum.
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He shall say to the Lord: You are my protector, and my refuge: my God, in him will I trust.
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3 Quóniam ipse liberávit me de láqueo venántium, * et a verbo áspero.
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For he has delivered me from the snare of the hunters: and from the sharp word.
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4 Scápulis suis obumbrábit tibi: * et sub pennis ejus sperábis.
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He will overshadow you with his shoulders: and under his wings you shall trust.
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5 Scuto circúmdabit te véritas ejus: * non timébis a timóre noctúrno.
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His truth shall compass you with a shield: you shall not be afraid of the terror of the night.
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6 A sagítta volánte in die, a negótio perambulánte in ténebris: * ab incúrsu et dæmónio meridiáno.
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Of the arrow that flies in the day, of the business that walks about in the dark: of invasion, or of the noonday devil.
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7 Cadent a látere tuo mille, et decem míllia a dextris tuis: * ad te autem non appropinquábit.
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A thousand shall fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand: but it shall not come near you.
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8 Verúmtamen óculis tuis considerábis: * et retributiónem peccatórum vidébis.
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But you shall consider with your eyes: and shall see the reward of the wicked.
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9 Quóniam tu es, Dómine, spes mea: * Altíssimum posuísti refúgium tuum.
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Because you, O Lord, are my hope: you have made the most High your refuge.
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10 Non accédet ad te malum: * et flagéllum non appropinquábit tabernáculo tuo.
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There shall no evil come to you: nor shall the scourge come near your dwelling.
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11 Quóniam Angelis suis mandávit de te: * ut custódiant te in ómnibus viis tuis.
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For he has given his angels charge over you; to keep you in all your ways.
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12 In mánibus portábunt te: * ne forte offéndas ad lápidem pedem tuum.
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In their hands they shall bear you up: lest you dash your foot against a stone.
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13 Super áspidem et basilíscum ambulábis: * et conculcábis leónem et dracónem.
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You shall walk upon the asp and the basilisk: and you shall trample under foot the lion and the dragon.
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14 Quóniam in me sperávit, liberábo eum: * prótegam eum quóniam cognóvit nomen meum.
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Because he hoped in me I will deliver him: I will protect him because he has known my name.
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15 Clamábit ad me, et ego exáudiam eum : * cum ipso sum in tribulatióne : erípiam eum et glorificábo eum.
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He shall cry to me, and I will hear him: I am with him in tribulation, I will deliver him, and I will glorify him.
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16 Longitúdine diérum replébo eum: * et osténdam illi salutáre meum.
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I will fill him with length of days; and I will show him my salvation.
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You can find the next part in this series here.
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