Psalm 122 verses 4-5

The final verses of Psalm 122 describe that state of mind we have all surely felt at some point, of just having had enough!

4	V/NV	Miserére nostri, Dómine, miserére nostri: * quia multum repléti sumus despectióne:
	JH	Miserere nostri, Domine, miserere nostri : quoniam multum repleti sumus despectione.
	Sept	ἐλέησον ἡμᾶς κύριε ἐλέησον ἡμᾶς ὅτι ἐπὶ πολὺ ἐπλήσθημεν ἐξουδενώσεως

Text notes: Have mercy on us, Lord (Miserere nostri Domine) is a very familiar prayer, but here in the plural, not the singular as in Psalm 50 and elsewhere, giving the appearance of a communal plea.  The RSV perhaps best conveys the sense of the second phrase: ‘for we have had more than enough of contempt’.  The Knox translation provides a nice sense of the text of the second phrase and the next verse: "we have had our fill of man’s derision. Our hearts can bear no more to be the scorn of luxury, the derision of the proud".

multus, a, um, much; many, numerous; much, great.

despectio, onis, a looking down upon; fig., a despising, contempt, shame

repleo, plevi, pletum, ere 2, to fill, sate, satisfy.

DR	Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us: for we are greatly filled with contempt.
Brenton	Have pity upon us, O Lord, have pity upon us: for we are exceedingly filled with contempt.
MD	Have mercy on us, O Lord, be gracious to us, for we are overfilled with reproach.
RSV	Have mercy upon us, O LORD, have mercy upon us, for we have had more than enough of contempt.
Cover	Have mercy upon us, O Lord, have mercy upon us; for we are utterly despised.

The solution to the contempt of the world, the psalmist tells us, is to pray for God's mercy.  St John Chrysostom comments:

"Do you see a contrite mind? They beg to be saved for mercy's sake -and not even mercy deservedly, but for having paid a heavy pen­alty, as Daniel too said, "We are reduced in numbers by compari­son with all the nations on earth," which is exactly what they say in their petition. We have endured the ultimate tragedy: we were driven from homeland and freedom, made slaves of savages, passed our days in reproach, overcome by hunger and hardship and thirst, spending all the time spat upon and trampled under­foot. For these reasons, then, spare us and have mercy on us." 

The cultivation of this sense of contrition, and constant petition for God's help is vital, because the world will inevitably persecute those who embark on the pilgrimage to heaven, as Bellarmine reminds us:

Because man, created to God's image, placed over all created things by him, very often even adopted by him as a son, and predestined to enjoy the kingdom of heaven, is so despised in this our pilgrim­age, not only by men and demons, and so constantly annoyed, not only by the aforesaid, but even by animals, even to the minut­est of them, and even by the very elements, that the Prophet could say with the greatest truth, not only that we are despised, but that we are "greatly filled with contempt." For what is there that does not look down upon man, even on the just and the holy, in this valley of tears? However, the contempt principally meant by the Prophet here is that which the just suffer from the unjust, and the good from the bad; because most true and universal is that expression of the apostle, "And all who live piously in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution;" as well as those words of the Lord, "If you had been of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, therefore the world hateth you." This is easily understood; for good and evil, being essentially opposed to each other, they cannot possibly be at peace. And, as the just are patient and mild, and have learned of their Master to turn the other cheek to him who strikes on one, and thus to make no resistance to injuries, they are, in consequence, proudly despised, harassed, and ridiculed by the wicked.

5	V	Quia multum repléta est ánima nostra: * oppróbrium abundántibus, et despéctio supérbis.
	NV	quia multum repleta est anima nostra derisione abundantium et despectione superborum.
	JH	Multum repleta est anima nostra obprobrio abundantium, et despectione superborum.
	Sept	ἐπὶ πλεῖον ἐπλήσθη ἡ ψυχὴ ἡμῶν τὸ ὄνειδος τοῖς εὐθηνοῦσιν καὶ ἡ ἐξουδένωσις τοῖς ὑπερηφάνοις

Text notes: The first phrase repeats the sentiment of the previous verse.  The second phrase is rather ambiguous.  If one assumes a verb in the present tense, sumus, it could be either ‘we are filled with reproaches from the proud and carefree’, a line followed by the Diurnal, RSV and Coverdale translations, and adopted by the Neo-Vulgate.  But the Greek implies it is a curse, so the verb would be ‘sit’, the line taken by the Douay-Rheims.  Boylan translates it as ‘let there be contempt for the wealthy, and mockery for the proud’. The second interpretation seems a more satisfactory way of ending the psalm!

quia, conj. for, because, that. truly, surely, indeed;  nisi quia, unless, if not.

anima, ae soul

opprobrium, ii, n. a reproach, taunt, byword; an object of scorn, mockery, derision; a disgrace.

abundantia, ae, /.  greatness, abundance; prosperity, abundance.

superbus, a, um raising one's self above others, proud, haughty, arrogant, insolent.

DR	For our soul is greatly filled: we are a reproach to the rich, and contempt to the proud
Brenton	Yea, our soul has been exceedingly filled with it: let the reproach be to them that are at ease, and contempt to the proud.
MD	We are overfilled with the taunts of the rich, and with the contempt of the proud.
RSV	Too long our soul has been sated with the scorn of those who are at ease, the contempt of the proud.
Cover	Our soul is filled with the scornful reproof of the wealthy, and with the despitefulness of the proud.

St John Chrysostom provides a number of different versions of the text which perhaps help provide a better sense of it:

"...The reproach of the prosper­ous, the scorn of the arrogant. A different version, "Our soul has had its share of many things, the mockery of the prosperous, the dis­paragement of the arrogant;" another, "the sneering of the over­bearing;" another, "of reproach of those who are prosperous," whereas the Septuagint says something else, "Let these things change in their case, and let them have a taste of their actions, and their conceit and gall be checked." 

Disasters, he argues, a meant as a remedy for us:

"In fact, you could often see this happening: God is accustomed to do this without fail, repress­ing those who have fallen victim to conceit and bringing down those whose passions are out of control so as to remove them from the way leading to evil. Nothing, after all, is worse than arrogance: it is the reason for trials and tribulations, a body subject to death, and the many difficult situations; it is the reason for ailments and illnesses, so that many curbs may be applied to the soul easily car­ried away and lifted up to self-importance. Consequently, do not panic if temptation comes, dearly beloved; rather, recall the words of the inspired author, "It was good for me that you humbled me so that I might learn your decrees," accept disaster as a medicine, use temptation properly, and you will suc­ceed in attaining greater relief." 

Psalm 122 - Ad te levavi

Vulgate	Douay-Rheims
Canticum graduum
1  Ad te levávi óculos meos, * qui hábitas in cælis.	To you have I lifted up my eyes, who dwell in heaven.
2  Ecce sicut óculi servórum, * in mánibus dominórum suórum.	2 Behold as the eyes of servants are on the hands of their masters,
3  Sicut óculi ancíllæ in mánibus dóminæ suæ: * ita óculi nostri ad Dóminum, Deum nostrum, donec misereátur nostri.	As the eyes of the handmaid are on the hands of her mistress: so are our eyes unto the Lord our God, until he have mercy on us.
4  Miserére nostri, Dómine, miserére nostri: * quia multum repléti sumus despectióne:	3 Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us: for we are greatly filled with contempt.
5  Quia multum repléta est ánima nostra: * oppróbrium abundántibus, et despéctio supérbis.	4 For our soul is greatly filled: we are a reproach to the rich, and contempt to the proud

And for notes on Psalm 123, continue on here.

Psalm 121, verses 7-9

7	V	Fiat pax in virtúte tua: * et abundántia in túrribus tuis.
	NV	Fiat pax in muris tuis, et securitas in turribus tuis! ”.
	JH	Sit pax in muris tuis : abundantia in domibus tuis.
	Sept	γενέσθω δὴ εἰρήνη ἐν τῇ δυνάμει σου καὶ εὐθηνία ἐν ταῖς πυργοβάρεσίν σου

Text notes:  The Hebrew is closer to palaces here rather than towers in meaning.

virtus, utis, strength, power, might; an army, host; the angels.; the heavenly bodies, the sun, moon, and stars

turris, is,,  a tower; a palace.

DR	Let peace be in your strength: and abundance in your towers.
MD	Peace be within thy ramparts, and repose within they towers
Brenton	Let peace, I pray, be within thine host, and prosperity in thy palaces.
Cover	Peace be within thy walls, and plenteousness within thy palaces.
Grail	May peace reign in your walls, in your palaces, peace!"

St Robert Bellarmine interprets this verse as instructions on what we should pray for in relation to the Church:

He dictates the very words in which those who pray for peace and abundance to Jerusalem are to salute her. When you salute her say ye, "Let peace be in thy strength, and abundance in thy towers;" that is to say, may your walk be always secure and fortified, thereby ensuring perfect peace and quiet to all who dwell within them; "and abundance in thy towers;" no lack of meat or drink in your public buildings and private houses. 

8	V	Propter fratres meos, et próximos meos, * loquébar pacem de te:
	NV	Propter fratres meos et proximos meos loquar: “ Pax in te! ”.
	JH	Propter fratres meos et amicos meos loquar pacem tibi.
	Sept.	ἕνεκα τῶν ἀδελφῶν μου καὶ τῶν πλησίον μου ἐλάλουν δὴ εἰρήνην περὶ σοῦ

Text notes:  The Vulgate puts the second phrase in the imperfect (I was speaking peace of you); the Neo-Vulgate changes it to ‘Peace [be] within you’ to match the Hebrew.

propter, prep, with ace. In stating a cause: on account of, by reason of, because of, from, for, for the sake of.

frater, tris, m.  a brothe;  a fellow-man, kinsman, one of the same tribe; in the pi., usually rendered brethren. proximus, i, m., neighbor, friend, fellowman

loquor, locutus sum, loqui, to speak, utter, tell

DR	For the sake of my brethren, and of my neighbours, I spoke peace of you
MD	In behalf of my brother and my friends, I bespeak thee peace
Brenton	For the sake of my brethren and my neighbours, I have indeed spoken peace concerning thee.
Cover	For my brethren and companions’ sakes, I will wish thee prosperity.
Knox	For love of my brethren and my familiar friends, peace is still my prayer for thee;
Grail	For love of my brethren and friends I say: "Peace upon you."

This is a call to unity, Cassiodorus points out:

"He proclaims peace and denotes the signs of his peace as perfect men do. He says that he has proclaimed the peace of the Church for the sake of his brethren and neighbours, so that once instructed by this virtue of concord, they may love and seek unity. So he carried out his own teaching; through love of his brethren he proclaimed what he knew would be of benefit to all. So his message is that a person should not teach for his own praises or benefits, but should toil with merciful heart for the sake of brethren and neighbours."

St John Chrysostom's take on theme has a particularly contemporary relevance:

"After saying For the sake of my brethren and my neighbors, he wanted to show that he was praying for this not on account of their worthiness but rather that he might do them a favor, so he added For the sake of the house of the Lord our God, that is, I pray for peace for the sake of his glory so that his worship may once more return and instruction become more widespread."

9	V	Propter domum Dómini, Dei nostri, * quæsívi bona tibi.
	NV	Propter domum Domini Dei nostri exquiram bona tibi.
	JH	Propter domum Domini Dei nostri quaeram bona tibi.
	Sept	ἕνεκα τοῦ οἴκου κυρίου τοῦ θεοῦ ἡμῶν ἐξεζήτησα ἀγαθά σοι

domus, us,  a house, structure

quaeso, ivi or ii, ere 3 to beg, pray, beseech, entreat

bonus, a, um, good;  pleasant; upright  good things, possessions, prosperity.

DR	Because of the house of the Lord our God, I have sought good things for you.
MD	In behalf of the house of the Lord our God, I seek thee good.
Brenton	Because of the house of the Lord our God, I have diligently sought thy good.
Cover	Yea, because of the house of the Lord our God, I will seek to do thee good.
Grail	For love of the house of the Lord I will ask for your good.

St Augustine comments: 

"This solid city is the Church. Christ is the cement that binds it together. On earth, when the cement is poured, the walls are built up and the weight of the wall presses down to where the foundation has been laid. But if our foundation—Christ—is in heaven, then let us build up to heaven. In the basilica you see before you, in which we are gathered together today, the architects spread the cement to build from the ground up; but when we are re­made as a spiritual temple, the cement is poured upon us from on high. Let us make haste, then, to that place; let us run on until our feet are walking in your shadows, Jerusalem"

Psalm 121: Laetatus sum

Vulgate	Douay-Rheims
Canticum graduum.
1  Lætátus sum in his, quæ dicta sunt mihi: *  In domum Dómini íbimus.	I rejoiced at the things that were said to me: We shall go into the house of the Lord.
2  Stantes erant pedes nostri, * in átriis tuis, Jerúsalem.	2 Our feet were standing in your courts, O Jerusalem.
3  Jerúsalem, quæ ædificátur ut cívitas: * cujus participátio ejus in idípsum.	3 Jerusalem, which is built as a city, which is compact together.
4  Illuc enim ascendérunt tribus, tribus Dómini: * testimónium Israël ad confiténdum nómini Dómini.	4 For thither did the tribes go up, the tribes of the Lord: the testimony of Israel, to praise the name of the Lord.
5  Quia illic sedérunt sedes in judício, * sedes super domum David.	5 Because their seats have sat in judgment, seats upon the house of David.
6  Rogáte quæ ad pacem sunt Jerúsalem: * et abundántia diligéntibus te:	6 Pray for the things that are for the peace of Jerusalem: and abundance for them that love you.
7  Fiat pax in virtúte tua: * et abundántia in túrribus tuis.	7 Let peace be in your strength: and abundance in your towers
8  Propter fratres meos, et próximos meos, * loquébar pacem de te:	8 For the sake of my brethren, and of my neighbours, I spoke peace of you.
9  Propter domum Dómini, Dei nostri, * quæsívi bona tibi.	9 Because of the house of the Lord our God, I have sought good things for you.

And for notes on Psalm 122, go here.

Psalm 120 v 5-8

The previous post looked at the first half of Psalm 120; in this post, I'll take a look at the second half, verses 5-8.

5	V	Dóminus custódit te, Dóminus protéctio tua, * super manum déxteram tuam.
	NV	Dominus custodit te, Dominus umbraculum tuum ad manum dexteram tuam.
	JH	Dominus custodiet te : Dominus protectio tua super manum dexteram tuam.
		κύριος φυλάξει σε κύριος σκέπη σου ἐπὶ χεῖρα δεξιάν σου

Text notes: None of the standard translations are particularly literal here; instead they play the verse for poetic effect.  Literally, the Latin is ‘The Lord guards you (custodit te), the Lord [is] your protection (protectio): upon your right hand (manum dexteram tuam) ’. The change in the neo-Vulgate to ‘umbraculum’ in the first phrase more closely follows the Hebrew word ‘sel’ meaning shadow or shelter, and perhaps suggests shade from the hot sun of the desert during the day.  The point of the right hand reference is that warriors carried their shields in their left hand, so protection on their right side meant security, though some of the Fathers interpret the left hand as meaning material wealth, the right eternal happiness.

protectio, onis, f a covering, a protection.

manus, us,  hand

dexter, tera, terum; the right hand.

super on, upon, over

DR	The Lord is your keeper, the Lord is your protection upon your right hand.
MD	The Lord is thy protector and thy shelter, the Lord is at thy right hand.
Brenton	The Lord shall keep thee: the Lord is thy shelter upon thy right hand.
RSV	The LORD is your keeper; the LORD is your shade on your right hand.
Cover	The Lord himself is thy keeper; the Lord is thy defence upon thy right hand,
Knox	it is the Lord that guards thee, the Lord that stands at thy right hand to give thee shelter.
Grail	The Lord is your guard and your shade; at your right side he stands.

6	V	Per diem sol non uret te: * neque luna per noctem.
	NV/JH	Per diem sol non percutiet te, neque luna per noctem.
		ἡμέρας ὁ ἥλιος οὐ συγκαύσει σε οὐδὲ ἡ σελήνη τὴν νύκτα

Text notes: Per diem has the sense of all the long day.  The verb urere means to burn, cause sunstroke; the neo-Vulgate (and Diurnal) follows once again the Hebrew, which means to smite.  The inclusion of the moon as a danger is not just poetic license: the ancients believed that the moon’s rays had dangerous affects on mental (hence the term lunatic) and physical health, including causing eye diseases and epilepsy.

dies, ei, m&f  a day, the natural day

per diem, the livelong day

sol, solis, m., the sun.

uro, ussi, ustum, ere 3,  to burn;  to burn, scorch; to smite, i.e., to cause sun-stroke.

luna, ae, f, the moon.

nox, noctis, f night.

percuto, cussi, cussum, ere 3  to smite, strike; to kill, slay

DR	The sun shall not burn you by day: nor the moon by night.
MD	The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night
Brenton	The sun shall not burn thee by day, neither the moon by night.
RSV	The sun shall not smite you by day, nor the moon by night.
Cover	so that the sun shall not burn thee by day, neither the moon by night.
Knox	The sun’s rays by day, the moon’s by night, shall have no power to hurt thee.
Grail	By day the sun shall not smite you nor the moon in the night.

This verse can be interpreted literally as a reference to the idea that the pilgrim will be protected as he walks through the heat or the desert, or the cold of night.  But it can also be taken as another way of describing God's continuous protection of us against all that assails us.

7	V	Dóminus custódit te ab omni malo: * custódiat ánimam tuam Dóminus.
	NV	Dominus custodiet te ab omni malo; custodiet animam tuam Dominus.
	JH	Dominus custodiet te ab omni malo; custodiat animam tuam.
		κύριος φυλάξει σε ἀπὸ παντὸς κακοῦ φυλάξει τὴν ψυχήν σου

Text notes: The main issue with this verse is verb tense.  The Vulgate makes the first phrase present active (The Lord is guarding/protecting/keeping you from all evil), the second subjunctive (May the Lord protect your soul).  The Neo-Vulgate makes both phrases future active; Jerome offers yet a third variant, namely future/subjunctive; and the Diurnal makes both verbs present tense.

omnis, e, all, each, every; subst., all men, all things, everything

malus, a, um, , bad, evil, wicked; evil, sin;  woe, harm, misfortune.

anima, ae,  soul

DR	The Lord keeps you from all evil: may the Lord keep your soul.
MD	The Lord keepeth thee from all evil, the Lord protecteth thy life.
Brenton	May the Lord preserve thee from all evil: the Lord shall keep thy soul.
Cover	The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil; yea, it is even he that shall keep thy soul.
Grail	The Lord will guard you from evil, he will guard you soul.

Bellarmine comments that: 

"He now adds another consolation, a general one. Not only will the Lord guard you from falling and from fatigue, but he will protect you from every other evil that could possibly befall you on the journey, so that your soul or your life will be pre­served whole and intact through the whole journey."

God doesn't promise that we won't suffer from the slings and arrows of this life, Cassiodorus points out, but rather that he will protect us from the death of the soul:

"We must not understand this as the evil designated by mortal men such as the affliction of bereavements, the burden of very heavy losses, the oppression of poverty and the other tribulations which lovers of this world account as most crippling. He speaks of the evil which removes divine grace, destroys the soul, and renders void all the Lord's promises; and since he knew that in this world the saints have been tortured by great sufferings, and have attained the rewards of martyrdom at bodily cost, he added: May the Lord keep thy soul. He preserves the soul only in the case of the saints, who by loss of the body attain the rewards of eter­nal light."

8	V	Dóminus custódiat intróitum tuum, et éxitum tuum: * ex hoc nunc, et usque in sæculum.
	NV	Dominus custodiet introitum tuum et exitum tuum ex hoc nunc et usque in saeculum
	JH	Dominus custodiat exitum tuum et introitum tuum a modo et usque in aeternum.
		κύριος φυλάξει τὴν εἴσοδόν σου καὶ τὴν ἔξοδόν σου ἀπὸ τοῦ νῦν καὶ ἕως τοῦ αἰῶνος

Text notes: Britt translates the first phrase as ‘The Lord keepeth thy coming in and thy going out (from this day forth and forever)’.   He notes that “Coming in and going out signify all man's activities, all his doings, the whole course of his life. It is equivalent to: Thou shalt be protected always, everywhere, in all thy doings”. But it also conjures up the idea of a group of pilgrims travelling to and from Jerusalem.  Ex hoc et usque in saeculum means ‘from this time forth, and forevermore’.

introitus, us, m. a going in, entrance.

exitus –us m a going out, going forth, departure

ex hoc nunc ( = ex hoc tempore) et usque in saeculum, from this time forth, and forevermore.

usque, adv.,  to, up to, as far as

saeculum, i, n., a lifetime, generation, age; an indefinite period of time; forever, eternity

DR	May the Lord keep your coming in and your going out; from henceforth now and for ever.
MD	The Lord watches over thy coming and thy going, from henceforth now and forever.
Brenton	The Lord shall keep thy coming in, and thy going out, from henceforth and even for ever.
RSV	The LORD will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and for evermore.
Cover	The Lord shall preserve thy going out, and thy coming in, from this time forth for evermore.
Knox	the Lord will protect thy journeying and thy home-coming, henceforth and for ever.
Grail	The Lord will guard your going and coming both now and for ever.

Bellarmine summarises this final promise as follows:

"The Prophet concludes by promising the last and most desirable consolation of all. Not only will the pilgrim, "who in his heart hath disposed to ascend by steps," be so protected in any particular part of his journey, but he will be always pro­tected throughout the journey. Every journey consists of an entrance and exit; for, as we go along, we enter on one road, and when that is finished we leave it; then we enter on anoth­er, from which we also depart; so also we come into a city or a house, and we go out of them; we enter another and out we go again, until we finish the journey by arriving at our country. Thus it is that we get along on the road of life, entering on and completing good works; for to begin corresponds with coming into; completing with going out; "from henceforth now and for­ever;" from this day and forever, may the Lord guard thy com­ing in and thy going out, and protect and save thee."

Psalm 120: Levávi óculos meos in montes

Vulgate	Douay-Rheims
Canticum graduum.
1  Levávi óculos meos in montes, * unde véniet auxílium mihi.	I have lifted up my eyes to the mountains, from whence help shall come to me.
2  Auxílium meum a Dómino, * qui fecit cælum et terram.	2 My help is from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.
3  Non det in commotiónem pedem tuum: * neque dormítet qui custódit te.	3 May he not suffer your foot to be moved: neither let him slumber that keeps you.
4  Ecce, non dormitábit neque dórmiet, * qui custódit Israël.	4 Behold he shall neither slumber nor sleep, that keeps Israel.
5  Dóminus custódit te, Dóminus protéctio tua, * super manum déxteram tuam.	5 The Lord is your keeper, the Lord is your protection upon your right hand.
6  Per diem sol non uret te: * neque luna per noctem.	6 The sun shall not burn you by day: nor the moon by night.
7  Dóminus custódit te ab omni malo: * custódiat ánimam tuam Dóminus.	7 The Lord keeps you from all evil: may the Lord keep your soul.
8  Dóminus custódiat intróitum tuum, et éxitum tuum: * ex hoc nunc, et usque in sæculum.	8 May the Lord keep your coming in and your going out; from henceforth now and for ever.

For the next post in this series, on Psalm 121, go here.