Wednesday, April 22, 2020

Psalm 104:Overview

In the Benedictine Office Psalm 104 is said on Saturdays at Matins.  It is, however, divided in two parts, making up the fifth and sixth psalms of the first Nocturn.

The work of redemption

The previous psalm praises God for his work of creation: this one focuses on his work of redemption.  It starts from Abraham and the promises made to him and takes us through Joseph; the second half in the Office starts 'And Israel went into Egypt' and describes the exit from Egypt under Moses.

It is also, as St Augustine notes, the first of the set of psalms prefixed by the word Alleluia (praise the Lord).  St Alphonsus Liguori remarked:
The prophet urges the Jews to praise God, and to thank him for all a benefits bestowed on their fathers. The first fifteen verses of this psalm form part of the Canticle of David (i Paral. xvi. 8-22), but with some differences of expression.
Cassiodorus summarised it as follows:
The Prophet, knowing that the people of Israel were accustomed to rest their hope in temporal blessings, warns the faithful in the first part, that they should ever seek it out spiritually. O give thanks unto the Lord, and call upon His Name. Secondly, he encourages them by the examples of the Patriarchs, for they were not forsaken by the LORD, because they obeyed His rule. Remember the marvellous works that He hath done. Thirdly, he details the great things He did for their fathers, and how He preserved Joseph and bestowed honours upon him; and commemorates the entrance of the He brews into Egypt. When there were yet but a few of them. Fourthly, he tells how Israel was avenged of his enemies, by the divers plagues of the Egyptians: Whose heart turned so. Fifthly, he describes what great things He did for them in the wilderness; that they should not rejoice in temporal good things, but softened by His bounties, keep His statutes and law. He brought them forth with silver and gold.

The text of the psalm

  Psalm 104/1
Vulgate
Douay-Rheims
Alleluja.
Alleluia
1  Confitémini Dómino, et invocáte nomen ejus: * annuntiáte inter Gentes ópera ejus.
Give glory to the Lord, and call upon his name: declare his deeds among the Gentiles.
2  Cantáte ei, et psállite ei: * narráte ómnia mirabília ejus.
2 Sing to him, yea sing praises to him: relate all his wondrous works.
3  Laudámini in nómine sancto ejus: * lætétur cor quæréntium Dóminum.
Glory in his holy name: let the heart of them rejoice that seek the Lord.
4  Quærite Dóminum, et confírmámini: * quærite fáciem ejus semper.
4 Seek the lord, and be strengthened: seek his face evermore.
5  Mementóte mirabílium ejus, quæ fecit: * prodígia ejus, et judícia oris ejus.
5 Remember his marvellous works which he has done; his wonders, and the judgments of his mouth.
6  Semen Abraham, servi ejus: * fílii Jacob, elécti ejus
6 O you seed of Abraham his servant; you sons of Jacob his chosen.
7  Ipse Dóminus Deus noster: * in univérsa terra judícia ejus.
7 He is the Lord our God: his judgments are in all the earth.
8  Memor fuit in sæculum testaménti sui: * verbi, quod mandávit in mille generatiónes:
8 He has remembered his covenant for ever: the word which he commanded to a thousand generations.
9  Quod dispósuit ad Abraham: * et juraménti sui ad Isaac:
9 Which he made to Abraham; and his oath to Isaac:
10  Et státuit illud Jacob in præcéptum: * et Israël in testaméntum ætérnum:
10 And he appointed the same to Jacob for a law, and to Israel for an everlasting testament:
11  Dicens: Tibi dabo terram Chánaan, * funículum hereditátis vestræ.
11 Saying: To you will I give the land of Chanaan, the lot of your inheritance.
12  Cum essent número brevi, * paucíssimi et íncolæ ejus:
12 When they were but a small number: yea very few, and sojourners therein:
13  Et pertransiérunt de gente in gentem, * et de regno ad pópulum álterum
13 And they passed from nation to nation, and from one kingdom to another people.
14  Non relíquit hóminem nocére eis: * et corrípuit pro eis reges.
14 He suffered no man to hurt them: and he reproved kings for their sakes.
15  Nolíte tángere christos meos: * et in prophétis meis nolíte malignári.
15 Touch not my anointed: and do no evil to my prophets.
16 Et vocávit famem super terram: * et omne firmaméntum panis contrívit.
16 And he called a famine upon the land: and he broke in pieces all the support of bread.
17  Misit ante eos virum: * in servum venúmdatus est Joseph.
17 He sent a man before them: Joseph, who was sold for a slave.
18  Humiliavérunt in compédibus pedes ejus,  ferrum pertránsiit ánimam ejus * donec veníret verbum ejus.
18 They humbled his feet in fetters: the iron pierced his soul, 19 until his word came.

19  Elóquium Dómini inflammávit eum: * misit rex, et solvit eum; princeps populórum, et dimísit eum.
The word of the Lord inflamed him. 20 The king sent, and he released him: the ruler of the people, and he set him at liberty.
20  Constítuit eum dóminum domus suæ: * et príncipem omnis possessiónis suæ:
21 He made him master of his house, and ruler of all his possession.
21  Ut erudíret príncipes ejus sicut semetípsum: * et senes ejus prudéntiam docéret.
22 That he might instruct his princes as himself, and teach his ancients wisdom.

(divisio)

Psalm 104/2
Vulgate
Douay-Rheims
22  Et intrávit Israël in Ægyptum: * et Jacob áccola fuit in terra Cham.
23 And Israel went into Egypt: and Jacob was a sojourner in the land of Cham.
23  Et auxit pópulum suum veheménter: * et firmávit eum super inimícos ejus.
24 And he increased his people exceedingly: and strengthened them over their enemies.
24  Convértit cor eórum ut odírent pópulum ejus: * et dolum fácerent in servos ejus.
25 He turned their heart to hate his people: and to deal deceitfully with his servants.
25  Misit Móysen, servum suum: * Aaron, quem elégit ipsum.
26 He sent Moses his servant: Aaron the man whom he had chosen.
26  Pósuit in eis verba signórum suórum: * et prodigiórum in terra Cham.
27 He gave them power to show them signs, and his wonders in the land of Cham.
27 Misit ténebras, et obscurávit: * et non exacerbávit sermónes suos.
28 He sent darkness, and made it obscure: and grieved not his words.
28  Convértit aquas eórum in sánguinem: * et occídit pisces eórum.
29 He turned their waters into blood, and destroyed their fish.
29  Edidit terra eórum ranas: * in penetrálibus regum ipsórum.
30 Their land brought forth frogs, in the inner chambers of their kings.
30  Dixit, et venit cœnomyía: * et cínifes in ómnibus fínibus eórum.
31 He spoke, and there came divers sorts of flies and sciniphs in all their coasts.
31  Pósuit plúvias eórum grándinem: * ignem comburéntem in terra ipsórum.
32 He gave them hail for rain, a burning fire in the land.
32  Et percússit víneas eórum, et ficúlneas eórum: * et contrívit lignum fínium eórum.

33 And he destroyed their vineyards and their fig trees: and he broke in pieces the trees of their coasts.
33  Dixit, et venit locústa, et bruchus, * cujus non erat númerus:
34 He spoke, and the locust came, and the bruchus, of which there was no number.
34  Et comédit omne fœnum in terra eórum: * et comédit omnem fructum terræ eórum.
35 And they devoured all the grass in their land, and consumed all the fruit of their ground.
35  Et percússit omne primogénitum in terra eórum: * primítias omnis labóris eórum
36 And he slew all the firstborn in their land: the firstfruits of all their labour.
36  Et edúxit eos cum argénto et auro: * et non erat in tríbubus eórum infírmus.
37 And he brought them out with silver and gold: and there was not among their tribes one that was feeble.
37  Lætáta est Ægyptus in profectióne eórum: * quia incúbuit timor eórum super eos.
38 Egypt was glad when they departed: for the fear of them lay upon them.
38  Expándit nubem in protectiónem eórum: * et ignem ut lucéret eis per noctem.
39 He spread a cloud for their protection, and fire to give them light in the night.
39  Petiérunt, et venit cotúrnix: * et pane cæli saturávit eos.
40 They asked, and the quail came: and he filled them with the bread of heaven.
40  Dirúpit petram et fluxérunt aquæ: * abiérunt in sicco flúmina;
41 He opened the rock, and waters flowed: rivers ran down in the dry land.
41  Quóniam memor fuit verbi sancti sui: * quod hábuit ad Abraham, púerum suum.
42 Because he remembered his holy word, which he had spoken to his servant Abraham.
42  Et edúxit pópulum suum in exsultatióne, * et eléctos suos in lætítia.
43 And he brought forth his people with joy, and his chosen with gladness.
43  Et dedit illis regiónes Géntium: * et labóres populórum possedérunt:
44 And he gave them the lands of the Gentiles: and they possessed the labours of the people:
44  Ut custódiant justificatiónes ejus, * et legem ejus requírant.
45 That they might observe his justifications, and seek after his law.

Scriptural and liturgical uses of the psalm

NT Refs
Lk 1:71-75 (8, 14); Acts 7:10 (22); Acts 7:17 (23); Acts 7:36 (26); 1 Cor 10:1 (38); Jn 6:31-34 (39)
RB cursus
Sat matins 1.5-6
Monastic/(Roman) feasts etc

Roman pre 1911
Sat Matins
Ambrosian
Friday Matins wk 2
Brigittine
Friday Sext
Maurist
Monday Matins
Thesauris schemas
A:Sat Matins; B Monday Matins; C: Saturday Matins; D: Monday Matins wk 2
Roman post 1911
1911-62: Sat Matins. 1970:
Byzantine
Kathisma /stasis
Mass propers (EF)
Lent 4 Friday, IN (1, 3-4);

Easter Monday, IN (1); 
Easter Tuesday In (1); 
Easter Saturday, In (1, 42);
PP 19, GR (1);
September Ember Friday, IN (1, 3-4)


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