The final verse of Psalm 139 is a joyful affirmation of our hope in God.
Looking at the Latin
As is often the case, the Pian changes some of the verbs for no obvious gain in comprehensibility:
[Abbreviations: DR=Douay-Rheims Challoner; MD=Monastic Diurnal; RSV=Revised Standard Version; Cover=Coverdale]
Looking at the Latin
Verúmtamen justi
confitebúntur nómini tuo:
et habitábunt recti
cum vultu tuo
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But as for the just,
they shall give glory to thy name:
and the upright shall dwell
with thy countenance.
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Word by word:
Verúmtamen (surely) justi (the just)
confitebúntur (they will confess/praise) nómini (to the name) tuo (your): et (and)
habitábunt (they will dwell) recti (the just) cum (with) vultu (the
face/countenance) tuo (your).
verumtamen, surely, indeed, verily, in truth.
confiteor,
fessus sum, eri 2 to
praise, give thanks; to confess, acknowledge one's guilt.
habito, avi, atum, are to dwell, abide, live.
rectus, a, um, just, right, righteous,
upright; the just, just men, the good; steadfast, stable, steady
vultus, us, m., the face, countenance;
As is often the case, the Pian changes some of the verbs for no obvious gain in comprehensibility:
14
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V/OR
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Verúmtamen
justi confitebúntur nómini tuo: *
et habitábunt recti cum vultu tuo.
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NV
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Verumtamen iusti confitebuntur nomini tuo,
et habitabunt recti in conspectu tuo
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Pian
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Profecto iusti celebrabunt nomen tuum,
Recti habitabunt in conspectu tuo
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JH
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Attamen iusti confitebuntur nomini tuo :
habitabunt recti cum vultu tuo.
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Sept
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πλὴν δίκαιοι ἐξομολογήσονται τῷ ὀνόματί
σου
καὶ κατοικήσουσιν εὐθεῖς σὺν τῷ προσώπῳ σου
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[Key: V=Vulgate; OR=Old Roman; NV=Neo-Vulgate; JH=St Jerome's translation from the Hebrew; Sept=Septuagint]
The Knox translation takes the most poetic license:
DR
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But as for the
just, they shall give glory to thy name:
and the upright shall dwell with thy
countenance.
|
Brenton
|
Surely the
righteous shall give thanks to thy name:
the upright shall dwell in thy
presence.
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MD
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Therefore the
just shall praise thy name,
and the upright shall dwell before thy face
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RSV
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Surely the
righteous shall give thanks to thy name;
the upright shall dwell in thy
presence.
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Cover
|
The righteous
also shall give thanks unto thy Name;
and the just shall continue in thy
sight.
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Knox
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Honest men will
yet live to praise thy name;
upright hearts to enjoy the smile of thy favour.
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Grail
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Truly the just
will praise your name
the upright shall live in your presence.
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[Abbreviations: DR=Douay-Rheims Challoner; MD=Monastic Diurnal; RSV=Revised Standard Version; Cover=Coverdale]
The happiness of heaven
The key sense of the verse is clear: as St Liguori summarises it, our hope is to dwell 'In that blessed kingdom where they shall see Thy beautiful face.'
How shall we reach it? St Augustine instructed that those who reach it are those who attribute nothing to their own merits, but rather all to God's mercy.
The key sense of the verse is clear: as St Liguori summarises it, our hope is to dwell 'In that blessed kingdom where they shall see Thy beautiful face.'
How shall we reach it? St Augustine instructed that those who reach it are those who attribute nothing to their own merits, but rather all to God's mercy.
Vulgate
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Douay-Rheims
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In finem. Psalmus David.
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Unto the end, a psalm of David.
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1 Eripe me, Dómine, ab hómine malo: * a viro iníquo éripe me.
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Deliver me, O Lord, from the evil man: rescue me from the unjust man.
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2 Qui cogitavérunt iniquitátes in corde: * tota die constituébant prælia.
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3 Who have devised iniquities in their hearts: all the day long they designed battles.
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3 Acuérunt linguas suas sicut serpéntis: * venénum áspidum sub lábiis eórum.
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4 They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent: the venom of asps is under their lips.
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4 Custódi me, Dómine, de manu peccatóris: * et ab homínibus iníquis éripe me.
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5 Keep me, O Lord, from the hand of the wicked: and from unjust men deliver me.
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5 Qui cogitavérunt supplantáre gressus meos: * abscondérunt supérbi láqueum mihi:
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Who have proposed to supplant my steps: 6 The proud have hidden a net for me.
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6 Et funes extendérunt in láqueum: * juxta iter scándalum posuérunt mihi.
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And they have stretched out cords for a snare: they have laid for me a stumbling block by the wayside.
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7. Dixi Dómino : Deus meus es tu: * exáudi, Dómine, vocem deprecatiónis meæ.
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7 I said to the Lord: You are my God: hear, O Lord, the voice of my supplication.
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8 Dómine, Dómine, virtus salútis meæ: * obumbrásti super caput meum in die belli.
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8 O Lord, Lord, the strength of my salvation: you have overshadowed my head in the day of battle.
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9 Ne tradas me, Dómine, a desidério meo peccatóri: * cogitavérunt contra me, ne derelínquas me, ne forte exalténtur.
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9 Give me not up, O Lord, from my desire to the wicked: they have plotted against me; do not forsake me, lest they should triumph.
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10 Caput circúitus eórum: * labor labiórum ipsórum opériet eos.
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10 The head of them compassing me about: the labour of their lips shall overwhelm them.
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11 Cadent super eos carbónes, in ignem dejícies eos: * in misériis non subsístent.
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11 Burning coals shall fall upon them; you will cast them down into the fire: in miseries they shall not be able to stand.
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12 Vir linguósus non dirigétur in terra: * virum injústum mala cápient in intéritu.
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12 A man full of tongue shall not be established in the earth: evil shall catch the unjust man unto destruction.
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13 Cognóvi quia fáciet Dóminus judícium ínopis: * et vindíctam páuperum.
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13 I know that the Lord will do justice to the needy, and will revenge the poor.
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14 Verúmtamen justi confitebúntur nómini tuo: * et habitábunt recti cum vultu tuo.
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14 But as for the just, they shall give glory to your name: and the upright shall dwell with your countenance.
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This the final post in this series on Psalm 139, but verse by verse notes on Psalm 140 can be found starting here.
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