Psalm 140 v3 - Into Great Silence

Verse 3 of Psalm 140 is arguably closely linked to the previous two, in going to the conditions necessary to effect pure prayer, but also more broadly to the circumcision of the spirit that we must practice under the new covenant instituted by Christ at the Last Supper. It is particularly important to the monastic tradition, given the tradition's emphasis on the value of both silence, and of care in speech.

 Looking at the Latin 

3	V/OR	Pone, Dómine, custódiam ori meo: * et óstium circumstántiæ lábiis meis.
	NV	Pone, Domine, custodiam ori meo et vigiliam ad ostium labiorum meorum.
	JH	Pone, Domine, custodiani ori meo; serua paupertatem labiorum meorum.
	Sept	θοῦ κύριε φυλακὴν τῷ στόματί μου καὶ θύραν περιοχῆς περὶ τὰ χείλη μου

 [Key: V=Vulgate; OR=Old Roman; NV=Neo-Vulgate; JH=St Jerome's translation from the Hebrew; Sept=Septuagint]

Phrase by phrase: 

Pone, Dómine, custódiam ori meo: et óstium circumstántiæ lábiis meis.

Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth: and a door round about my lips.

Word by word

Pone (put, set), Dómine (O Lord), custódiam (a watch/guard) ori (to the mouth) meo (my): * et (and) óstium (a door/gate/ entrance) circumstántiæ (of fortification) lábiis (the lips) meis (my).

Vocabulary 

pono, posui, itum, ere 3,  to put, place, lay, set.
custodia ae f a guard, watch; night watch; custody, prison
os, oris, n., the mouth.
ostium ii n door, gate, entrance
circumstantia ae f a standing around, fortification, surrounding with a wall
labium, ii, n., a lip By metonymy lips frequently stands for language, speech, thought, plan, design.

 Selected English translations

DR	Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth: and a door round about my lips.
Brenton	Set a watch, O Lord, on my mouth, and a strong door about by lips.
MD	Set a watch O Lord upon my mouth and a gate about my lips
RSV	Set a guard over my mouth, O LORD, keep watch over the door of my lips!
Cover	Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth, and keep the door of my lips
Knox	Lord, set a guard on my mouth, post a sentry before my lips;
Grail	Set, O Lord, a guard over my mouth; keep watch, O Lord, at the door of my lips!

[Key: DR=Douay-Rheims Challoner; MD=Monastic Diurnal; RSV=Revised Standard Version; Cover=Coverdale]

The new covenant of grace

Verse 3 of Psalm 140 presents us with the first of a series of requests for assistance from God to stay on the right path, covering our words, thoughts and actions.

These requests can readily be interpreted, I think, as about cultivating and preserving the correct intentions needed to effect the pure prayer described in the first two verses, and to stay on the path that leads to eternal life (Ps 138).

In looking at the last verse, though, we saw that a number of the Fathers saw it as a reference to the institution of the new covenant.  As I've previously noted, St John Cassian, for example, suggested that we should see the offering of incense and the lifting up of hands to God in prayer as "that true evening sacrifice which was given by the Lord our Saviour in the evening to the Apostles at the Supper, when He instituted the holy mysteries of the Church...".

Circumcision of the lips and mouth

In an important sermon on the circumcision of Abraham, Origen explored the distinction between the Old and New Covenants in terms of the need for our connection to God to be more than mere circumcision of the flesh, but rather, as St Paul describes it, 'circumcision of the heart'.  And one of the key dimensions of circumcision of the heart, he argues, is what might be called circumcision, or control of the tongue, lips and mouth.  

To be circumcised of tongue, Origen argued, has both positive and negative dimensions.  The positive is that the person "always speaks the word of God and brings forward sound doctrine fortified with evangelic and apostolic norms." 

By contrast the person with "uncircumcised lips" is he who:

has not yet ceased from silly talk, from scurrility, who disparages good men, who calumniates his neighbours, who instigates quarrels, who promotes false accusations, who sets brothers against themselves by making false statements, who utters vain words, inept words, profane words, shameless words, filthy words, injurious words, wanton words, blasphemous words, and other words that are unworthy of a Christian.

St John Chrysostom built on this, drawing on the analogy of the door used here, to explain that it is not just about what it is said, but also when:

Consequently, let us guard our mouth constantly, set reason on it to close it, not for it to be constantly closed but for it to open appropriately in season: there are times when silence is of more value than speech, as likewise speech more than silence. This is the reason why that most sage composer said, "A time for keeping silence, and a time for speaking. After all, if being open at all times was necessary, there would be no doors, while if being closed was required at all times, there would be no need of a guard. I mean, what would you guard if things were closed up? Door and guard are for this reason, however, for us to use each at the proper time. 

Guard of the tongue  in monastic practice

It is worth noting though, that the monastic tradition goes rather further, advocating not just control over what is said and when, but also actively advocating for silence as a means of spiritual progress.

St Benedict refers to the importance of control over speech in many places in his Rule, but key summaries of his teaching on the subject are contained in chapter 4 the tools of good work), 6 (On silence) and 7 (where he devotes three of the twelve steps of humility to the topic).

In these chapters St Benedict built on an already well established monastic tradition that taught that speech too often and easily constituted sin, but even where it did not, it could be an impediment to the receptive listening necessary to progress in the spiritual life. 

Both Chapters 4 and 6 include commentary that uses words that echo Psalm 140.  Chapter 4 contains a series of injunctions on the subject of control over what is said including 'Guard your lips from harmful or deceptive speech' (os suum a malo vel pravo eloquio custodire).  And chapter 6 opens with a quote from Psalm 38:

Let us do as saith the prophet: I said, I will take heed unto my ways, that I offend not with my tongue. I have set a guard to my mouth [posui ori meo custodiam]. I was dumb and was humbled, and kept silence even from good words.

The key distinction between Psalm 38's text and Psalm 140 goes to the role of grace: in Psalm 38 the speaker has made a deliberate decision not to speak, lest he stir up those who inevitably attack the good; in Psalm 140 we ask for God's help in withstanding such assaults.

Presumably because the verse corresponds well to the verse that opens each day in the monastic life, O Lord open my lips that I may announce your praise, a seventh century document describing Roman Benedictine practices of the time instructs it to be used as the last thing said each night after Compline, to mark the start of the Great Silence. 

Vulgate	Douay-Rheims
Psalmus David.	A psalm of David.
1 Dómine, clamávi ad te, exáudi me: * inténde voci meæ, cum clamávero ad te.	I have cried to you, O Lord, hear me: hearken to my voice, when I cry to you.
2  Dirigátur orátio mea sicut incénsum in conspéctu tuo: * elevátio mánuum meárum sacrifícium vespertínum.	2 Let my prayer be directed as incense in your sight; the lifting up of my hands, as evening sacrifice.
3  Pone, Dómine, custódiam ori meo: * et óstium circumstántiæ lábiis meis.	Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth: and a door round about my lips.
4  Non declínes cor meum in verba malítiæ: * ad excusándas excusatiónes in peccátis.	4 Incline not my heart to evil words; to make excuses in sins.
5  Cum homínibus operántibus iniquitátem: * et non communicábo cum eléctis eórum	With men that work iniquity: and I will not communicate with the choicest of them
6  Corrípiet me justus in misericórdia, et increpábit me: * óleum autem peccatóris non impínguet caput meum.	5 The just man shall correct me in mercy, and shall reprove me: but let not the oil of the sinner fatten my head.
7  Quóniam adhuc et orátio mea in beneplácitis eórum: * absórpti sunt juncti petræ júdices eórum.	For my prayer shall still be against the things with which they are well pleased: 6 Their judges falling upon the rock have been swallowed up.
8  Audient verba mea quóniam potuérunt: * sicut crassitúdo terræ erúpta est super terram.	They shall hear my words, for they have prevailed: 7 As when the thickness of the earth is broken up upon the ground:
9  Dissipáta sunt ossa nostra secus inférnum: * quia ad te, Dómine, Dómine, óculi mei: in te sperávi, non áuferas ánimam meam.	Our bones are scattered by the side of hell. 8 But to you, O Lord, Lord, are my eyes: in you have I put my trust, take not away my soul.
10  Custódi me a láqueo, quem statuérunt mihi: * et a scándalis operántium iniquitátem.	9 Keep me from the snare, which they have laid for me, and from the stumbling blocks of them that work iniquity.
11  Cadent in retiáculo ejus peccatóres: * singuláriter sum ego donec tránseam.	10 The wicked shall fall in his net: I am alone until I pass.

For notes on verse 4 of the psalm, continue on here.