Psalm 34:Overview

The opening verses of Psalm 34 are a cry for God to defend the psalmist, and they include a plea for the defeat of his enemies that resound throughout the psalms of Monday.

St Alphonus Liguori summarises this  psalm as follows:

This psalm is suitable to the just man who, seeing himself exposed here below to the temptations of the devil and to bad treatment on the part of impious men, seeks help from God.  This psalm is admirably suited to Jesus Christ, the Just by excellence. 

In the Benedictine Office

The placement of Psalm 34 at Monday Matins in the Benedictine Office seems to be important, because some of its key themes are picked up in several other psalms of the day.  

The content of verses 4&5 are recapitulated first of all in verses 29&30:

34: 4  Confundántur et revereántur,  * quæréntes ánimam meam.	4 Let them be confounded and ashamed that seek after my soul.
5  Avertántur retrórsum, et confundántur * cogitántes mihi mala.	Let them be turned back and be confounded that devise evil against me.

34: 29  Erubéscant et revereántur simul, * qui gratulántur malis meis.	26 Let them blush: and be ashamed together, who rejoice at my evils.
30  Induántur confusióne et reveréntia * qui magna loquúntur super me.	Let them be clothed with confusion and shame, who speak great things against me.

But the words of verses 4&5 reappear in virtually identical form in Psalm 39 at Matins:

39: 19 confundántur et revereántur simul, qui quærunt ánimam meam, * ut áuferant eam.		15 Let them be confounded and ashamed together, that seek after my soul to take it away.
20  convertántur retrórsum et revereántur: * qui volunt mihi mala.	15 Let them be confounded and ashamed together, that seek after my soul to take it away.

The sentiments are also echoed at Prime in Psalm 6:

6: 10  Erubéscant, et conturbéntur veheménter omnes inimíci mei : * convertántur et erubéscant valde velóciter.

Let all my enemies be ashamed, and be very much troubled: let them be turned back, and be ashamed very speedily.

And at Vespers in Psalm 128:

128: 4  Dóminus justus concídit cervíces peccatórum: * confundántur et convertántur retrórsum omnes, qui odérunt Sion.

4 The Lord who is just will cut the necks of sinners: 5 Let them all be confounded and turned back that hate Sion.

The dust  imagery of verse 6 is echoed at Prime in Psalm 1:

34: 6  Fiant tamquam pulvis ante fáciem venti: * et Angelus Dómini coárctans eos.

5 Let them become as dust before the wind: and let the angel of the Lord straiten them.

6: 5  Non sic ímpii, non sic: * sed tamquam pulvis, quem prójicit ventus a fácie terræ.

Not so the wicked, not so: but like the dust, which the wind drives from the face of the earth.

The text of the psalm

Vulgate	Douay-Rheims
Ipsi David	For David himself
Júdica, Dómine, nocéntes me, * expúgna impugnántes me.	Judge, O Lord, them that wrong me: overthrow them that fight against me.
Apprehénde arma et scutum: * et exsúrge in adjutórium mihi.	Take hold of arms and shield: and rise up to help me.
Effúnde frámeam, et conclúde advérsus eos, qui persequúntur me: * dic ánimæ meæ: Salus tua ego sum.	Bring out the sword, and shut up the way against them that persecute me: say to my soul: I am your salvation.
Confundántur et revereántur,  * quæréntes ánimam meam.	Let them be confounded and ashamed that seek after my soul.
Avertántur retrórsum, et confundántur * cogitántes mihi mala.	Let them be turned back and be confounded that devise evil against me.
Fiant tamquam pulvis ante fáciem venti: * et Angelus Dómini coárctans eos.	Let them become as dust before the wind: and let the angel of the Lord straiten them.
Fiat via illórum ténebræ et lúbricum: * et Angelus Dómini pérsequens eos.	Let their way become dark and slippery; and let the angel of the Lord pursue them.
Quóniam gratis abscondérunt mihi intéritum láquei sui: * supervácue exprobravérunt ánimam meam.	For without cause they have hidden their net for me unto destruction: without cause they have upbraided my soul
Véniat illi láqueus, quem ignórat: et cáptio, quam abscóndit, apprehéndat eum: * et in láqueum cadat in ipsum.	Let the snare which he knows not come upon him: and let the net which he has hidden catch him: and into that very snare let them fall.
Anima autem mea exsultábit in Dómino: * et delectábitur super salutári suo.	But my soul shall rejoice in the Lord; and shall be delighted in his salvation.
Omnia ossa mea dicent: * Dómine, quis símilis tibi?	All my bones shall say: Lord, who is like to you?
Erípiens ínopem de manu fortiórum ejus: * egénum et páuperem a diripiéntibus eum.	Who delivers the poor from the hand of them that are stronger than he; the needy and the poor from them that strip him.
Surgéntes testes iníqui, * quæ ignorábam interrogábant me.	Unjust witnesses rising up have asked me things I knew not.
Retribuébant mihi mala pro bonis: * sterilitátem ánimæ meæ.	They repaid me evil for good: to the depriving me of my soul.
Ego autem cum mihi molésti essent, * induébar cilício.	But as for me, when they were troublesome to me, I was clothed with haircloth.
Humiliábam in jejúnio ánimam meam: * et orátio mea in sinu meo convertétur.	I humbled my soul with fasting; and my prayer shall be turned into my bosom.
Quasi próximum, et quasi fratrem nostrum, sic complacébam: * quasi lugens et contristátus, sic humiliábar.	As a neighbour and as an own brother, so did I please: as one mourning and sorrowful so was I humbled.
Et advérsum me lætáti sunt, et convenérunt: * congregáta sunt super me flagélla, et ignorávi.	But they rejoiced against me, and came together: scourges were gathered together upon me, and I knew not.
Dissipati sunt, nec compúncti, tentavérunt me, subsannavérunt me subsannatióne: * frenduérunt super me déntibus suis.	They were separated, and repented not: they tempted me, they scoffed at me with scorn: they gnashed upon me with their teeth.
Dómine, quando respícies? * restítue ánimam meam a malignitáte eórum, a leónibus únicam meam.	Lord, when will you look upon me? Rescue my soul from their malice: my only one from the lions.
Confitébor tibi in ecclésia magna, * in pópulo gravi laudábo te.	I will give thanks to you in a great church; I will praise you in a strong people.
Non supergáudeant mihi qui adversántur mihi iníque: * qui odérunt me gratis et ánnuunt óculis.	Let not them that are my enemies wrongfully rejoice over me: who have hated me without cause, and wink with the eyes.
Quóniam mihi quidem pacífice loquebántur: * et in iracúndia terræ loquéntes, dolos cogitábant.	For they spoke indeed peaceably to me; and speaking in the anger of the earth they devised guile.
Et dilatavérunt super me os suum: * dixérunt: Euge, euge, vidérunt óculi nostri.	And they opened their mouth wide against me; they said: Well done, well done, our eyes have seen it.
Vidísti, Dómine, ne síleas: * Dómine, ne discédas a me.	You have seen, O Lord, be not silent: O Lord, depart not from me.
Exsúrge et inténde judício meo: * Deus meus, et Dóminus meus in causam meam.	Arise, and be attentive to my judgment: to my cause, my God, and my Lord.
Júdica me secúndum justítiam tuam, Dómine, Deus meus, * et non supergáudeant mihi.	Judge me, O Lord my God according to your justice, and let them not rejoice over me.
Non dicant in córdibus suis: Euge, euge, ánimæ nostræ: * nec dicant: Devorávimus eum.	Let them not say in their hearts: It is well, it is well, to our mind: neither let them say: We have swallowed him up.
Erubéscant et revereántur simul, * qui gratulántur malis meis.	Let them blush: and be ashamed together, who rejoice at my evils.
Induántur confusióne et reveréntia * qui magna loquúntur super me.	Let them be clothed with confusion and shame, who speak great things against me.
Exsúltent et læténtur qui volunt justítiam meam: * et dicant semper: Magnificétur Dóminus qui volunt pacem servi ejus.	Let them rejoice and be glad, who are well pleased with my justice, and let them say always: The Lord be magnified, who delights in the peace of his servant.
Et lingua mea meditábitur justítiam tuam, * tota die laudem tuam.	And my tongue shall meditate your justice, your praise all the day long.

Scriptural and liturgical uses of the psalm

NT references	Rom 1:9, 1 Thess 5:1-3 (9); Lk 1:46 (10); Mt 26:59ff (11); Jn 10:32 (14); Jn 15:25 (22); Jn 20:28 (26)
RB cursus	Monday I, 3
Monastic/(Roman) feasts etc
Roman pre 1911	Monday Matins
Roman post 1911	1911-62: Tuesday Matins  . 1970:
Mass propers (EF)	Passion Friday GR (23, 25); Holy Monday, IN (1-3), GR (3, 26), CO (29); Holy Tuesday, GR (1-2, 15)