Psalm 80 is said on Thursday at Matins in the Benedictine Office, and whether by coincidence or design, it was also said on that day in the ancient Jewish temple liturgy because, according to Maimonides it speaks of 'the variety of creatures made that day to praise His name.'
For the fifith day
The link to the fifth day is somewhat obscure, at least to modern eyes, but St Augustine provides some commentary on the reference to the fifth day in the title of psalm (which does not occur in modern versions of it, but evidently did in earlier ones!):
St Alphonsus Liguori provided a summary based on a more literal interpretation of the psalm:
The psalm is also used at Matins for the feast of Corpus Christi, presumably largely for verses 9&15:
The text of the psalm
For the fifith day
The link to the fifth day is somewhat obscure, at least to modern eyes, but St Augustine provides some commentary on the reference to the fifth day in the title of psalm (which does not occur in modern versions of it, but evidently did in earlier ones!):
Wherefore also on the fifth of the sabbath? What is this? Let us go back to the first works of God, if perchance we may not there find somewhat in which we may also understand a mystery.
For the sabbath is the seventh day, on which God rested from all His works, intimating the great mystery of our future resting from all our works. First of the sabbath then is called that first day, which we also call the Lord's day; second of the sabbath, the second day;...and the sabbath itself the seventh day.
See ye therefore to whom this Psalm speaks. For it seems to me that it speaks to the baptized. For on the fifth day God from the waters created animals: on the fifth day, that is, on the fifth of the sabbath, God said, Let the waters bring forth creeping things of living souls. See ye, therefore, you in whom the waters have already brought forth creeping things of living souls. For you belong to the presses, and in you, whom the waters have brought forth, one thing is strained out, another is thrown away. For there are many that live not worthily of the baptism which they have received. For how many that are baptized have chosen rather to be filling the Circus than this Basilica! How many that are baptized are either making booths in the streets, or complaining that they are not made!
But this Psalm, For the presses, and on the fifth of the sabbath, is sung unto Asaph. Asaph was a certain man called by this name, as Idithun, as Core, as other names that we find in the titles of the Psalms: yet the interpretation of this name intimates the mystery of a hidden truth. Asaph, in fact, in Latin is interpreted congregation. Therefore, For the presses, on the fifth of the sabbath, it is sung unto Asaph, that is, for a distinguishing pressure, to the baptized, born again of water, the Psalm is sung to the Lord's congregation. We have read the title on the lintel, and have understood what it means by these presses. Now if you please let us see the very house of the composition, that is, the interior of the press. Let us enter, look in, rejoice, fear, desire, avoid. For all these things you are to find in this inward house, that is, in the text of the Psalm itself, when we shall have begun to read, and, with the Lord's help, to speak what He grants us.And on verse 5 he says:
Observe that also here the fifth of the sabbath is signified: when Joseph went out from the land of Egypt, that is, the people multiplied through Joseph, he was caused to pass through the Red Sea. Therefore then also the waters brought forth creeping things of living souls. No other thing was it that there in figure the passage of that people through the sea foreshowed, than the passing of the Faithful through Baptism; the apostle is witness: for I would not have you ignorant, brethren, he said, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, and were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea. 1 Corinthians 10:1-2 Nothing else then the passing through the sea did signify, but the Sacrament of the baptized; nothing else the pursuing Egyptians, but the multitude of past sins.An invitation to fervour
St Alphonsus Liguori provided a summary based on a more literal interpretation of the psalm:
The psalmist reproves the people for the negligence with which they celebrate the praises of the Lord, and urges them to celebrate them with devotion and in thanksgiving for the benefits received from the Lord; for this end the feasts are instituted. Every Christian can apply this psalm to himself.Corpus Christi
The psalm is also used at Matins for the feast of Corpus Christi, presumably largely for verses 9&15:
9 Ego enim sum Dóminus Deus tuus, qui edúxi te de terra Ægypti: * diláta os tuum, et implébo illud.
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11 For I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the
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5 Et cibávit eos ex ádipe fruménti: * et de
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17 And he fed them with the fat of wheat, and filled them with honey out of the rock
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The text of the psalm
Vulgate
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Douay-Rheims
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In
finem, pro torcularibus. Psalmus ipsi Asaph.
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Unto the end, for the
winepresses, a psalm for Asaph himself.
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1 Exsultáte Deo,
adjutóri nostro: * jubiláte Deo Jacob.
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2 Rejoice to God our helper: sing
aloud to the God of Jacob.
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2 Súmite psalmum, et
date tympanum: * psaltérium jucúndum cum cíthara.
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3 Take a psalm,
and bring hither the timbrel: the pleasant psaltery with the harp.
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3 Buccináte in
Neoménia tuba, * in insígni die solemnitátis vestræ.
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4 Blow up the
trumpet on the new moon, on the noted day of your solemnity.
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4 Quia præcéptum in
Israël est: * et judícium Deo Jacob.
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5 For it is a
commandment in Israel,
and a judgment to the God
of Jacob.
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5 Testimónium in
Joseph pósuit illud, cum exíret de terra Ægypti: * linguam, quam non nóverat,
audívit.
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6 He ordained it
for a testimony in Joseph,
when he came out of the
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6 Divértit ab onéribus
dorsum ejus: * manus ejus in cóphino serviérunt.
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7 He removed his
back from the burdens: his hands had served in baskets.
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| 7 In tribulatióne invocásti me, et
liberávi te: * exaudívi te in abscóndito tempestátis: probávi te apud aquam
contradictiónis. |
8 You called upon
me in affliction, and I delivered you: I heard you in the secret place of
tempest: I proved you at the waters of contradiction.
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8 Audi, pópulus meus,
et contestábor te: * Israël, si audíeris me, non erit in te deus recens,
neque adorábis deum aliénum.
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9 Hear, O my
people, and I will testify to you: O Israel, if you will
hearken to me, 10 there shall be no new god in
you: neither shall you adore
a strange god.
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9 Ego enim sum Dóminus
Deus tuus, qui edúxi te de terra Ægypti: * diláta os tuum, et implébo illud.
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11 For I am the Lord your God, who
brought you out of the
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10 Et non audívit
pópulus meus vocem meam: * et Israël non inténdit mihi.
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12 But my people
heard not my voice: and Israel
hearkened not to me.
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| 11 Et dimísi eos secúndum desidéria cordis
eórum: * ibunt in adinventiónibus suis. |
13 So I let them
go according to the desires of their heart: they shall walk in their own
inventions.
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12 Si pópulus meus
audísset me: * Israël si in viis meis ambulásset:
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14 If my people
had heard me: if Israel
had walked in my ways:
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13 Pro níhilo fórsitan
inimícos eórum humiliássem: * et super tribulántes eos misíssem manum meam.
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15 I should soon
have humbled their
enemies, and laid my hand on them that troubled them.
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14 Inimíci Dómini
mentíti sunt ei: * et erit tempus eórum in sæcula.
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16 The enemies of
the Lord have lied to him: and their
time shall be for ever.
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15 Et cibávit eos ex
ádipe fruménti: * et de
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17 And he fed them
with the fat of wheat, and filled them with honey out of the rock
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Liturgical and Scriptural uses of the psalm
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NT references
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Acts 7:42,
Romans 1: 24-26 (11);
Lk 21:24 (14)
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RB cursus
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Thursday Matins II, 2
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Monastic feasts etc
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Corpus Christi
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Responsories
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Lent 3 (wk3, T/F) v6-7
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Roman pre 1911
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Friday Matins
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Roman post 1911
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1911-62: Friday Matins . 1970:
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Mass propers (EF)
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Pentecost Monday IN
(1, 17);
Corpus Christi, IN
(1, 17);
PP 11, AL (1-2);
September Ember Wednesday,
IN (1-5)
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