The Penitential Psalms - Psalm 142: verses 10-12

The Descent of the Holy Spirit. Fresco Borgia Apartments,
Hall of the Mysteries of the Faith, 1492-4

Today's verses of Psalm 142 deal with how to be effective in meditation and contemplations.

Verses 10-12: Knowledge of God enkindled by his spirit

 In verse 10, the psalmist asks that God make known his ways to the genuine seeker after truth:

10	V/NV	Notam fac mihi viam, in qua ámbulem: * quia ad te levávi ánimam meam.
	JH	notam fac mihi uiam in qua ambulo; quoniam ad te leuaui animam meam.

 notum facere, to make known.

DR	Make the way known to me, wherein I should walk: for I have lifted up my soul to you.
Brenton	make known to me, O Lord, the way wherein I should walk; for I have lifted up my soul to thee.
MD	Make known to me the way which I must go, for to Thee have I lifted up my soul.
Cover	Show thou me the way that I should walk in; for I lift up my soul unto thee.

David Tenier the Younger, 1610-90,
Rocky Landscape with pilgrims

In verse 11, he asks for God to teach him the virtue of obedience:

11b	V/NV	doce me fácere voluntátem tuam, quia Deus meus es tu.
	JH	Doce me ut faciam uoluntatem tuam, quia tu Deus meus

confugio, fugi, ere 3, to flee for refuge or succor, to take sanctuary.

DR	Teach me to do your will, for you are my God.
Brenton	Teach me to do thy will; for thou art my God;
MD	Teach me to do Thy will, for Thou art my God
Cover	Teach me to do the thing that pleaseth thee; for thou art my God.

 Finally, and most crucially, in verse 12 he asks for the help of the Holy Ghost:

12	V	Spíritus tuus bonus dedúcet me in terram rectam: * propter nomen tuum, Dómine, vivificábis me, in æquitáte tua.
	NV	Spiritus tuus bonus deducet me in terram rectam; propter nomen tuum, Domine, vivificabis me. In iustitia tua
	JH	spiritus tuus bonus deducet me in terra recta. Propter nomen tuum, Domine, uiuificabis me: in iustitia tua

DR	Your good spirit shall lead me into the right land: For your name's sake, O Lord, you will quicken me in your justice.
Brenton	thy good Spirit shall guide me in the straight way. Thou shalt quicken me, O Lord, for thy name’s sake; in thy righteousness
MD	May Thy good spirit lead me on the right path, for Thy name’s sake O Lord, preserve my life.
RSV	Let thy good spirit lead me on a level path! For thy name's sake, O LORD, preserve my life!
Cover	Let thy loving Spirit lead me forth into the land of righteousness. Quicken me, O Lord, for thy Name’s sake; and for thy righteousness’ sake

The Holy Spirit in the Old Testament

Hildegarde von Bingen, creation

The existence of the Holy Ghost is of course foreshadowed in the Old Testament: in the spirit that hovers over the waters at the time of creation. The clearest prophesy of the life of grace that the psalmist is asking for here though, is surely those famous verses from Ezekiel, featured at the last World Youth Day.

St Robert Bellarmine comments:

“That good Spirit is the Holy Ghost, who is essentially good, and through whom "the charity of God is poured out into our hearts;" and this it is that makes us wish to work and carry out our wishes; and it is of it Ezechiel speaks when he says, "And I will put my Spirit in the midst of you, and I will cause you to walk in my commandments." This good Spirit "shall lead me into the right land;" in that plain and direct road, the Lord's law, which is most plain and direct The "right land" may also mean our country above, where all is right and straight, and nothing distorted or crooked. "For thy name's sake thou wilt quicken me in thy justice." To show us that justification, which is a sort of spiritual resuscitation, is not to be had from our own merits, but from the gratuitous gift of God, he adds, "For thy name's sake," for the glory that will accrue to you by the gift of so much grace, "thou wilt quicken me in thy justice."

Indeed, each of the seven penitential psalms can readily be associated with one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit, no doubt one of the reasons why the Catechism of the Catholic Church in fact cites this verse in relation to the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit:

CCC 1831: “The seven gifts of the Holy Spirit are wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord. They belong in their fullness to Christ, Son of David. They complete and perfect the virtues of those who receive them. They make the faithful docile in readily obeying divine inspirations. Let your good spirit lead me on a level path. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God . . . If children, then heirs, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ.”

Defeating our enemies with the help of grace

I deliberately skipped over the first half of verse 11 above, which is the lead in to the request to be taught obedience and given the guidance of the Holy Ghost. In fact, it says:

11a	V/NV	Eripe me de inimícis meis, Dómine, ad te confúgi:
	JH	Libera me de inimicis meis, Domine: a te protectus sum.

confugio, fugi, ere 3, to flee for refuge or succor, to take sanctuary.

DR	Deliver me from my enemies, O Lord, to you have I fled:
Brenton	Deliver me from mine enemies, O Lord; for I have fled to thee for refuge.
MD	Deliver me from my enemies of Lord to Thee I fly for refuge.
Cover	Deliver me, O Lord, from mine enemies; for I flee unto thee to hide me.

These gifts of the spirit, then, together with the virtues, most especially hope, are the key to escaping sin and defeating the temptations that beset us in the spiritual war that we must wage.

Psalm 142: Domine, exaudi orationem meam

Vulgate	Douay-Rheims
Psalmus David, quando persequebatur eum Absalom filius ejus.	A psalm of David, when his son Absalom pursued him
1 Dómine, exáudi oratiónem meam: áuribus pércipe obsecratiónem meam in veritáte tua : * exáudi me in tua justítia.	Hear, O Lord, my prayer: give ear to my supplication in your truth: hear me in your justice.
2  Et non intres in judícium cum servo tuo: * quia non justificábitur in conspéctu tuo omnis vivens.	And enter not into judgment with your servant: for in your sight no man living shall be justified.
3  Quia persecútus est inimícus ánimam meam: * humiliávit in terra vitam meam.	For the enemy has persecuted my soul: he has brought down my life to the earth.
4  Collocávit me in obscúris sicut mórtuos sæculi : * et anxiátus est super me spíritus meus, in me turbátum est cor meum.	He has made me to dwell in darkness as those that have been dead of old: And my spirit is in anguish within me: my heart within me is troubled.
5  Memor fui diérum antiquórum, meditátus sum in ómnibus opéribus tuis: * in factis mánuum tuárum meditábar.	I remembered the days of old, I meditated on all your works: I meditated upon the works of your hands.
6  Expándi manus meas ad te: * ánima mea sicut terra sine aqua tibi.	I stretched forth my hands to you: my soul is as earth without water unto you.
7  Velóciter exáudi me, Dómine: * defécit spíritus meus.	Hear me speedily, O Lord: my spirit has fainted away.
8  Non avértas fáciem tuam a me: * et símilis ero descendéntibus in lacum.	Turn not away your face from me, lest I be like unto them that go down into the pit.
9  Audítam fac mihi mane misericórdiam tuam: * quia in te sperávi.	Cause me to hear your mercy in the morning; for in you have I hoped.
10  Notam fac mihi viam, in qua ámbulem: * quia ad te levávi ánimam meam.	Make the way known to me, wherein I should walk: for I have lifted up my soul to you.
11  Eripe me de inimícis meis, Dómine, ad te confúgi: * doce me fácere voluntátem tuam, quia Deus meus es tu.	Deliver me from my enemies, O Lord, to you have I fled: Teach me to do your will, for you are my God.
12  Spíritus tuus bonus dedúcet me in terram rectam: * propter nomen tuum, Dómine, vivificábis me, in æquitáte tua.	Your good spirit shall lead me into the right land: For your name's sake, O Lord, you will quicken me in your justice.
13  Edúces de tribulatióne ánimam meam: * et in misericórdia tua dispérdes inimícos meos.	You will bring my soul out of trouble: And in your mercy you will destroy my enemies.
14  Et perdes omnes, qui tríbulant ánimam meam, * quóniam ego servus tuus sum.	And you will cut off all them that afflict my soul: for I am your servant.

And you can find the final post in this series on Psalm 142 and the Penitential Psalms here.

Psalm 6/3: Verse 2** - God the physician

The first verse of Psalm 6 alluded to God as a judge, expressed as showing his 'anger' as a response to sin. But today’s verse, verse 2, points to the side of God we are brought to know especially through Our Lord’s mission on earth, namely, God as the physician of our souls.

Verse 2: Have mercy on me Lord...heal me

2.	V/NV/JH	Miserére mei, Dómine, quóniam infírmus sum: * sana me, Dómine, quóniam conturbáta sunt ossa mea.
		ἐλέησόν με κύριε ὅτι ἀσθενής εἰμι ἴασαί με κύριε ὅτι ἐταράχθη τὰ ὀστᾶ μου

misereor, sertus sum, eri 2 (miser), to pity, have mercy on.

infirmo, avi, atum, are  to make physically weak, deprive of strength; to weaken, enfeeble.

conturbo, avi, atum, are, to trouble, disquiet, discomfit, dismay; to disturb in mind, cause anxiety

sano, avi, atum, are to heal, cure, restore to health; to aid, help.

os, ossis, n., a bone, a member of the body, or, the members, one's whole being, one's spirit, strength

DR	Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I am weak: heal me, O Lord, for my bones are troubled.
Brenton	Pity me, O Lord; for I am weak: heal me, O Lord; for my bones are vexed.
MD	Have mercy on me, Lord for I am weak, heal me Lord for my bones are grown frail
Cover	Have mercy upon me, O Lord, for I am weak; O Lord, heal me, for my bones are vexed.
Knox	Lord, pity me; I have no strength left; Lord, heal me; my limbs tremble;

The verb misereri, familiar to us perhaps from the start of the Psalm 50, means to pity, have mercy on, so the first phrase is ‘have pity on me, Lord’.

King David then gives the reason why he is asking for mercy: because he is ill (infirmare, to make physically weak, deprive of strength; to weaken, enfeeble). He asks to be healed (sanare, to heal, cure, restore to health; to aid, help) because his bones, or indeed whole spirit (os, ossis) are troubled (conturbare, to trouble, disquiet, discomfit, dismay; to disturb in mind, cause anxiety). The Hebrew here is actually stronger than the Latin, suggesting more than just troubled or disturbed bones, but positive agony.  The psalmist is making a link in these first two verses between the health of mind, soul and body.

Illness as a path to redemption

King David refers to aching bones in several of the psalms so I suspect there is a good case for taking this literally: sometimes illnesses and other providential events in our lives which can serve to bring about conversion, and which if accepted willingly can remit some or all of the ‘temporal’ punishments due to sin (noting of course that illnesses occur for many reasons, not just sin, as the book of Job makes clear). Anyone who has had a fracture, or suffers from arthritis, will emphasize with the psalmist's pain!

The Catechism of the Catholic Church (1502) comments on this:

"The man of the Old Testament lives his sickness in the presence of God. It is before God that he laments his illness, and it is of God, Master of life and death, that he implores healing. Illness becomes a way to conversion; God's forgiveness initiates the healing. It is the experience of Israel that illness is mysteriously linked to sin and evil, and that faithfulness to God according to his law restores life: "For I am the Lord, your healer." The prophet intuits that suffering can also have a redemptive meaning for the sins of others. Finally Isaiah announces that God will usher in a time for Zion when he will pardon every offense and heal every illness"

God the physician

Nonetheless, many of the Fathers and Theologians also interpret this verse metaphorically. St Augustine for example says: "that is, the support of my soul, or strength: for this is the meaning of bones. The soul therefore says, that her strength is troubled, when she speaks of bones. For it is not to be supposed, that the soul has bones, such as we see in the body."

What the soul is asking for then, as St Robert Bellarmine explains, is for God not to: "punish me not as a judge, but as a physician heal me."

The two verses of this psalm then, remind us to keep in mind that God is both judge and healer, and we must keep both these aspects in mind: for if we only repent now, he is ready to send his saving grace.

Psalm 6 (Prime Monday): Domine ne in furore tuo arguas me 

Vulgate	Douay-Rheims
Magistro chori. Fidibus. Super octavam. PSALMUS. David.	Unto the end, in verses, a psalm for David, for the octave.
Dómine, ne in furóre tuo árguas me, * neque in ira tua corrípias me.	O Lord, rebuke me not in your indignation, nor chastise me in your wrath.
2  Miserére mei, Dómine, quóniam infírmus sum : * sana me, Dómine, quóniam conturbáta sunt ossa mea.	Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I am weak: heal me, O Lord, for my bones are troubled.
3  Et ánima mea turbáta est valde : * sed tu, Dómine, úsquequo?	And my soul is troubled exceedingly: but you, O Lord, how long?
4  Convértere, Dómine, et éripe ánimam meam : * salvum me fac propter misericórdiam tuam.	Turn to me, O Lord, and deliver my soul: O save me for your mercy's sake.
5.  Quóniam non est in morte qui memor sit tui : * in inférno autem quis confitébitur tibi?	For there is no one in death that is mindful of you: and who shall confess to you in hell?
6  Laborávi in gémitu meo, lavábo per síngulas noctes lectum meum : * lácrimis meis stratum meum rigábo.	I have laboured in my groanings, every night I will wash my bed: I will water my couch with my tears
7  Turbátus est a furóre óculus meus : * inveterávi inter omnes inimícos meos.	My eye is troubled through indignation: I have grown old amongst all my enemies.
8  Discédite a me, omnes, qui operámini iniquitátem : *  quóniam exaudívit Dóminus vocem fletus mei.	Depart from me, all you workers of iniquity: for the Lord has heard the voice of my weeping.
9  Exaudívit Dóminus deprecatiónem meam, *  Dóminus oratiónem meam suscépit.	The Lord has heard my supplication: the Lord has received my prayer.
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 you can find the next set of notes here.

**Reposted from Australia Incognita

Psalm 129: Verses 1-2

El Greco The Repentance of St Peter

The first two verses of Psalm 129 above all justify its inclusion as one of the Seven Penitential Psalms.  But they also have other lessons to offer us on the nature of prayer in general.

Notes on the verses

1	V/NV/JH*	De profúndis clamávi ad te, Dómine: * Dómine, exáudi vocem meam :
	Sept	ἐκ βαθέων ἐκέκραξά σε κύριε κύριε εἰσάκουσον τῆς φωνῆς μου

De (from/out of) profúndis (the deeps) clamávi (I have called) ad (to) te (you) Dómine (O Lord) Dómine (O Lord) exáudi (hear) vocem (the voice) meam (my)

The depths (profundis) can mean literally the depths of the sea, or the depths of misfortune and sin. The Monastic Diurnal's translation, along the RSV, makes this verse present tense to reflect the Hebrew perfect (action occurring simultaneously).   

profundum, i, n., the depth, the sea, any deep water;  the depths, deep

clamo, avi, atum, are  to call, cry out; to call to or upon for aid.

exaudio, ivi, Itum, ire, to hear, hearken to, listen to, give heed to; to regard, answer

vox, vocis, f., the voice of a person, or, the sound of an instrument, thunder. 

DR	Out of the depths I have cried to you, O Lord: I have cried to you, Lord, hear my voice.
Brenton	Out of the depths have I cried to thee, O Lord. 2 O Lord, hearken to my voice
Cover	Out of the deep have I called unto thee, O Lord; Lord, hear my voice.
KJV 1769	Out of the depths have I cried unto thee, O LORD.

To obtain God's mercy, according to this verse, requires two things: intensity in prayer (a cry) and a recognition of the depths of our sin.  the Catechism of the Catholic Church (2559) notes that:

"Prayer is the raising of one's mind and heart to God or the requesting of good things from God." But when we pray, do we speak from the height of our pride and will, or "out of the depths" of a humble and contrite heart? He who humbles himself will be exalted; humility is the foundation of prayer, Only when we humbly acknowledge that "we do not know how to pray as we ought," are we ready to receive freely the gift of prayer. "Man is a beggar before God."

The Fathers' commentaries on this verse point us to examples of great sinners who repented deeply, such as Jonah in the whale, St Peter, and the tax-collector.

2	V/NV	Fiant aures tuæ intendéntes: * in vocem deprecatiónis meæ.
	JH	fiant aures tuae intendentes ad uocem deprecationis meae.
	Sept	γενηθήτω τὰ ὦτά σου προσέχοντα εἰς τὴν φωνὴν τῆς δεήσεώς μου

Fiant (let them be) aures (the ears) tuae (your) intendéntes (being attentive = be attentive) in vocem (to the voice) deprecatiónis (supplications) meæ (my supplications)

The Coverdale translation renders the last phrase as 'the voice of my complaint', but 'complaint' here is really meant in the Old English sense of a petition or request for mercy or pardon.

fio, factus sum, fieri , to be made or done, to become, happen

auris, is, f the ear.

intendo, tendi, tentum, ere 3 to give heed to, pay attention to.

vox, vocis, f., the voice of a person, or, the sound of an instrument, thunder. 

deprecatio, onis, prayer, supplication, entreaty.

DR	Let your ears be attentive to the voice of my supplication.
Brenton	let thine ears be attentive to the voice of my supplication.
Cover	O let thine ears consider well the voice of my complaint.
KJV	Lord, hear my voice: let thine ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications

Prayer is communication between two people.  The opening verse demands that we say 'I', that we acknowledge our sin individually.  This verse turns to the other side of the conversation, namely God, and  asks that he listens to us.  Yet since God sees and hears everything anyway, why do we need to do that?  First we need to be clear that we are not just talking to ourselves but seeking to engage directly with our creator and redeemer!  Secondly, we do need to be insistent when we really want something.  St Robert Bellarmine comments:

"However loud one may cry, he will not be heard, unless the person to whom he cries attend to him. People are often so absorbed in other mat­ters, that they pay no heed to one talking to them, and then one talks to them in vain. Now, God always sees and hears every­thing, but when he does not grant what we ask, he is like one that does not attend to us, as if he were thinking of something else, and, therefore, David, being most anxious for a hearing, and not content with having called out with a loud voice, asks, furthermore, that God may deign to attend to him; that is, to receive his prayer, and grant what it asked."

*For a key to the abbreviations and links to full texts see the Notes on the psalm notes post.  

Those used here are: V=Vulgate; NV=Neo-Vulgate; JH=St Jerome's translation from the Hebrew; Sept=Septuagint; DR=Douay-Rheims; Brenton=Brenton's translation from the Septuagint; Cover=Coverdale; KJV=King James Bible

Psalm 129: De Profundis

Vulgate	Douay-Rheims
Canticum graduum.	Canticum graduum.
De profúndis clamávi ad te, Dómine: Dómine, exáudi vocem meam	Out of the depths I have cried to you, O Lord:
2  Fiant aures tuæ intendéntes: * in vocem deprecatiónis meæ.	2 Lord, hear my voice. Let your ears be attentive to the voice of my supplication.
3  Si iniquitátes observáveris, Dómine: * Dómine, quis sustinébit?	3 If you, O Lord, will mark iniquities: Lord, who shall stand it.
4  Quia apud te propitiátio est: * et propter legem tuam sustínui te, Dómine.	4 For with you there is merciful forgiveness: and by reason of your law, I have waited for you, O Lord.
5  Sustinuit ánima mea in verbo ejus: * sperávit ánima mea in Dómino.	My soul has relied on his word: 5 My soul has hoped in the Lord.
6  A custódia matutína usque ad noctem: * speret Israël in Dómino.	6 From the morning watch even until night, let Israel hope in the Lord.
7  Quia apud Dóminum misericórdia: * et copiósa apud eum redémptio.	7 Because with the Lord there is mercy: and with him plentiful redemption.
8  Et ipse rédimet Israël: * ex ómnibus iniquitátibus ejus.	8 And he shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities

And for notes on the next set of verses of this psalm, continue on here.