Psalm 141:9 - When the forces ranged against us are too strong

 

 Text notes and translations

9	V/NV	Líbera me a persequéntibus me: * quia confortáti sunt super me.
	R	Libera me a persequentibus me quoniam confortati sunt super me.
	JH	Libera me a persequentibus, quoniam confortati sunt super me.
		ῥῦσαί με ἐκ τῶν καταδιωκόντων με ὅτι ἐκραταιώθησαν ὑπὲρ ἐμέ

 Word by word:

Libera (free/deliver) me (me) a (from) persequentibus (persecuting/those who persecute) me, quia (because) confortati sunt (they are made strong) super (over) me.

libero, avi, atum, are (to free, set free, deliver, very common.

persequor, secutus sum, sequi to pursue, follow perseveringly, follow after/hard upon, persecute.

conforto, avi, atum, are to strengthen, make strong :as passive: to be strengthened, to be powerful, great, mighty.

DR	Deliver me from my persecutors; for they are stronger than I.
Brenton	deliver me from them that persecute me; for they are stronger than I.
MD	Deliver me from my persecutors, for they are too strong for me
RSV	Deliver me from my persecutors; for they are too strong for me!
Cover	O deliver me from my persecutors; for they are too strong for me.
Knox	Rescue me from persecutors who are too strong for me; restore liberty to a captive soul.
Grail	Rescue me from those who pursue me for they are stronger than I.

On the divinity of Christ

This verse of Psalm 141 can be readily interpreted in the context of Christ's prayer on the cross, as St Cassiodorus points out, and his words then are for our benefit:

When he says deliver me, he is not demonstrating the weakness of his own divinity, but revealing the love of the Father; for although he had the power, as he says, to lay down his life and to take it up again, he fittingly showed honour to his father’s majesty in order to represent us, maintaining the reverence of a beloved son, in whom the Father was well pleased. 

He goes on: 

In the Gospel he says Father, glorify me.  He also cries out from the cross: O God, my God, look upon me, why has though forsaken me?  This was to reveal clearly the lowliness of the flesh...

 Who do we need to be delivered from?

But it is also, of course, a model of prayer for us, in the face of overwhelming enemies, whether they be the rich and powerful of this world, our own weaknesses, or the devil, as St Augustine instructs:

Are merely men our enemies? We have other enemies, invisible, who persecute us in another way. Man persecutes, that he may slay the body; another persecutes, that he ensnare the soul. There are then other enemies of ours too, from whom we ought to pray God to deliver us, lest they lead us astray, either by crushing us with troubles of this world, or alluring us by its enticements.

Psalm 141 (142): Voce mea ad Dominum clamavi 

Vulgate	Douay-Rheims
Intellectus David, cum esset in spelunca, oratio	Of understanding for David, A prayer when he was in the cave.
1 Voce mea ad Dóminum clamávi: * voce mea ad dóminum deprecátus sum.	2 I cried to the Lord with my voice: with my voice I made supplication to the Lord.
2. Effúndo in conspéctu ejus oratiónem meam, * et tribulatiónem meam ante ipsum pronúntio	3 In his sight I pour out my prayer, and before him I declare my trouble:
3. In deficiéndo ex me spíritum meum: * et tu cognovísti sémitas meas.	4 When my spirit failed me, then you knew my paths.
4  In via hac, qua ambulábam, * abscondérunt láqueum mihi.	In this way wherein I walked, they have hidden a snare for me.
5 Considerábam ad déxteram, et vidébam: * et non erat qui cognósceret me.	5 I looked on my right hand, and beheld, and there was no one that would know me.
6. Périit fuga a me: * et non est qui requírat ánimam meam.	Flight has failed me: and there is no one that has regard to my soul.
7. Clamávi ad te, Dómine, * dixi: Tu es spes mea, pórtio mea in terra vivéntium.	6 I cried to you, O Lord: I said: You are my hope, my portion in the land of the living.
8.  Inténde ad deprecatiónem meam: * quia humiliátus sum nimis.	7 Attend to my supplication: for I am brought very low.
9.  Líbera me a persequéntibus me: * quia confortáti sunt super me.	Deliver me from my persecutors; for they are stronger than I.
10 Educ de custódia ánimam meam ad confiténdum nómini tuo: me exspéctant justi, donec retríbuas mihi.	8 Bring my soul out of prison, that I may praise your name: the just wait for me, until you reward me.