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| Illustration from a Speculum Virginum ("Mirror of Virgins") from ca 1200. Source: Wikicommons |
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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Verse 7 of Psalm 90 has a particular poignancy in the context of the Office as it echoes and responds to the other psalm of the spiritual warfare said each day in the Office, the first psalm of the day at Matins, Psalm 3.
Looking at the
Latin
The Vulgate of
verse 7 is:
Cadent a látere tuo mille, et decem míllia a dextris tuis: ad te autem non appropinquábit
Key vocab
cado,
cecidi,
casum, ere 3 to fall, esp. in battle; to bow down, fall down,
prostrate one's self; to happen, fall
latus, eris, n., the side or flank of men or animals; A
latere, on or at the side of; The side or lateral surface of a thing.
mille, num. adj., a
thousand; pi. subst.,
millia,
mm,
n., thousands; used generally in the sense of an indefinitely large
number,a host, multitude.
dexter, tera, terum; the
right hand.
appropinquo, avi, atum, are to draw
near, approach.
Word by word then:
Cadent (they fall) a (from/on) látere (the side/flank of) tuo (you) mille (a thousand), et (and) decem (ten) míllia (million) a (from) dextris (the right hand) tuis (your): ad (to) te (you) autem (but) non (not) appropinquábit (he will draw near).
The spiritual warfare
There is a key link between this psalm and Psalm 3 at the start of each day in verse 7 of the psalms, in the allusion to thousands of enemies surrounding the psalmist, who is nonetheless protected by God:
Ps 3: 7 Non timébo míllia pópuli circumdántis me: * exsúrge, Dómine, salvum me fac, Deus meus.
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I will not fear thousands of the people, surrounding me: arise, O Lord; save me, O my God.
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Ps 90:7 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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The verse represents a powerful promise indeed.
But the Fathers and Theologians point out however that though the person who trusts in God is promised protection, it is also made clear that many will fall: few indeed will make it through safely.
The side of Christ
St Augustine's commentary on the verse starts by suggesting that this part of the psalm refers primarily to Christ and religious, who will sit in judgment of the world at the end:
To whom, brethren, but to Christ Jesus, is this said?...For the members, the body, and the head, are not separate from one another: the body and the head are the Church and her Saviour...to some He promised that they should judge with Him, namely, to the Apostles, who left all things, and followed Him....Those judges then are the heads of the Church, the perfect. To such He said, If you will be perfect, go and sell that you have, and give to the poor.Those who stand at the right hand, St Cassiodorus suggests, are those who offer counsel to the king:
The side of the Lord Saviour is the circle of just persons who as He promised the apostles will pass judgment with him at the resurrection. Even today when as judges we make a request of the emperor or the king, we say to him: "Set us at your right hand"; the phrase suggests: "We offer you counsel with the most faithful devotion." Lotus (side) is so named because it lurks (lateat) beneath the arm.Who then falls?
St Augustine's commentary on the psalm goes on to argue that those who fall are those who did not persevere in the face of trials. St Cassiodorus adds to this the particular risk of those who thing they deserve more than their deeds merit - religious who assume that because they have made vows that is enough, without seeking to attain true holiness for example, and those who delude themselves.
A salutary reminder.
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 of this series here.
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