Psalm 32 v 3-5

Verses 3-5 of Psalm 32 make clear the Messianic context of the psalm.

3	V/NV	Cantáte ei cánticum novum: * bene psállite ei in vociferatióne.
	OR	cantate ei canticum novum bene psallite ei in iubilatione
	JH	Cantate ei canticum nouum; diligenter psallite in iubilo;
		ᾄσατε αὐτῷ ᾆσμα καινόν καλῶς ψάλατε ἐν ἀλαλαγμῷ

Cantáte (sing) ei (to/for him) cánticum (a song) novum (new): * bene (well/rightly) psállite (sing) ei (to him) in (with) vociferatióne (jubilation/loud shouting).

The term 'new song' denotes a Messianic reference, as Eusebius of Caesaria pointed out (Bk I c iv) and endorsed in an opinion from the Pontifical Biblical Commission - the psalms that use it reference Rev 5:9, a people of God out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation.  This a psalm, then, that sings of the Messianic age.

canto, avi, atum, are to sing, to praise in song

canticum, i, n. a song, canticle

novus, a, um,  new.

bene, adv. well; rightly, uprightly.

psallo, ere 3 to sing to the accompaniment of a stringed instrument; to sing the praises of God.

in+abl = with, in, on among, by means of

vociferatio onis f outcry, clamor; loud shouting, jubilation

DR	Sing to him a new canticle, sing well unto him with a loud noise.
Brenton	Sing to him a new song; play skillfully with a loud noise.
Cover	Sing unto the Lord a new song; sing praises lustily unto him with a good courage.
Grail	O sing him a song that is new, play loudly, with all your skill.

When we read a psalm verse with the phrase sing 'a new song' (canticum novum), verse 3, we are liable to take it pretty literally, as 'compose a new hymn'.  Indeed, the Navarre commentary's take on the phrase in Psalm 39 (40) is "God inspires the psalmist to sing a "new" song as distinct from one of lamentation over his suffering..." (Psalms, p151).  There is certainly something useful to be gleaned from the literal approach to this text, for amongst the Theologians, St Thomas used it to comment on the appropriateness of various types of music in worship, while Bellarmine comments on the importance of appropriate devotion to the divine office, and the need for an appropriately manly tone when singing it.

All the same, the Fathers interpreted this phrase primarily in the context of its use in Isaiah 42, that makes clear its Messianic significance; and in the light of Revelation 5, that makes it clear that what follows is a song of the people formed by the New Covenant, the Church:

"...and they sang a new song, saying, "Worthy art thou to take the scroll and to open its seals, for thou wast slain and by thy blood didst ransom men for God from every tribe and tongue and people and nation, and hast made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on earth." 

When the monk read the phrase 'canticum novum' (new song), then, (as occurs in Psalms 32, 39, 95, 97, 143, and 149) he was likely to interpret what followed as a song about Messianic times, as the most popular medieval commentary on the psalms, that by St Benedict's contemporary Cassiodorus, makes clear:

"The new canticle means the Lord's incarnation, at which the world was filled with the exultation of salvation and the angels sounded forth with tuneful voices..."  That is, invoke God by good works; jubilation is joy expressed with warmth of spirit and the cry of intermingled voices.  In this jubilation only he who shows eagerness for goodly living can sing well.  Ponder the salutary teaching which forewarns us that we must sing with innocence before the Lord, who knows our passions and our hearts;  this is to prevent our sinning more seriously by appearing to approach such great mysteries with wickedness and guile."

4	V/NV	Quia rectum est verbum Dómini, * et ómnia ópera ejus in fide.
		quoniam rectus est sermo Domini et omnia opera eius in fide
	JH	quia rectum est uerbum Domini, et omne opus eius in fide.
		ὅτι εὐθὴς ὁ λόγος τοῦ κυρίου καὶ πάντα τὰ ἔργα αὐτοῦ ἐν πίστει

Quia (for) rectum (right/upright) est (he is) verbum (the word) Dómini (of the Lord) * et (and) ómnia (all) ópera (the works) ejus (his) in (with) fide (faithfulness).

The last verse gave a us the Messianic prompt 'new song'; this one is more direct referring to the word, or logos.  The Greek euthus means straight, direct, plain, honest in classical Greek, hence Brenton's 'right'; NETS renders it 'upright'.

rectus, a, um, part. adj. just, right, righteous, upright; the just, just men, the good; steadfast, stable, steady.

verbum, i, n.,word, command, edict, also a promise; saying, speech; Law, the Eternal Son.

opus, eris, n., work.

fides ei f faithfulness, trustworthiness

DR	For the word of the Lord is right, and all his works are done with faithfulness.
Brenton	For the word of the Lord is right; and all his works are faithful.
Cover	For the word of the Lord is true; and all his works are faithful.
Grail	For the word of the Lord is faithful and all his works to be trusted.

Why should we rejoice? The psalm now turns to giving us some reasons.  St Thomas links the first part of the verse to the opening line of Psalm 118 for Terce today, 'Thy word is a lamp to my feet' (Psalm 118:105), to God's teaching and doctrine.  The second phrase refers to his works of creation and providential plan for history. 

5	V/OR	Díligit misericórdiam et judícium: * misericórdia Dómini plena est terra.
	NV/JH	Diligit iustitiam et iudicium; misericordia Domini plena est terra.
		ἀγαπᾷ ἐλεημοσύνην καὶ κρίσιν τοῦ ἐλέους κυρίου πλήρης ἡ γῆ

Díligit (he loves) misericórdiam (mercy) et (and) judícium (justice/judgment): misericórdia (the mercy) Dómini (of the Lord) plena (filled) est (it is) terra (the earth).

diligo, lexi, lectum, ere 3  to love;  

misericordia, ae,, mercy, kindness, favor, compassion, loving-kindness

judicium, i, n.  judgment, decrees; law, commandment; the power, or faculty of judging wisely; justice.

plenus, a, um full, filled.

terra, ae, f the earth;  orbis terrae, the world; a country, esp. the Land of Israel

DR	He loves mercy and judgment; the earth is full of the mercy of the Lord.
Brenton	He loves mercy and judgment; the earth is full the mercy of the Lord.
RSV	He loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of the steadfast love of the LORD.
Knox	faithfulness he loves, and the just award, the whole earth overflows with the Lord’s goodness.
Cover	He loveth righteousness and judgement; the earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.
Grail	The Lord loves justice and right and fills the earth with his love.

The combination of mercy and justice is crucial for as St Basil points out, if justice alone prevailed, none of us would be saved:

"The Lord 'loveth mercy and judgment; the earth is full of the mercy of the Lord/ If the judgment of God, who renders precisely according to our deserts what is due to us for our deeds, should be by itself, what hope would there be? Who of all mankind would be saved? But, as it is, 'He loveth mercy and judgment.' It is as if He had made mercy a coadjutor to Himself, standing before the royal throne of His judgment, and thus He leads each one to judgment. 'If thou, O Lord, wilt mark iniquities: Lord, who shall stand it?' Neither is mercy without judgment, nor judgment without mercy. He loves mercy, therefore, before judgment, and after mercy He comes to judgment. However, these qualities are joined to each other, mercy and judgment, lest either mercy alone should produce presumption, or judgment alone cause despair."

Psalm 32: Exsultáte, justi in Dómino

Vulgate	Douay-Rheims
Psalmus David.	A psalm for David.
1 Exsultáte, justi in Dómino: * rectos decet collaudátio.	Rejoice in the Lord, O you just: praise becomes the upright.
2  Confitémini Dómino in cíthara: * in psaltério decem chordárum psállite illi.	2 Give praise to the Lord on the harp; sing to him with the psaltery, the instrument of ten strings
3  Cantáte ei cánticum novum: * bene psállite ei in vociferatióne.	3 Sing to him a new canticle, sing well unto him with a loud noise.
4  Quia rectum est verbum Dómini, * et ómnia ópera ejus in fide.	4 For the word of the Lord is right, and all his works are done with faithfulness.
5  Díligit misericórdiam et judícium: * misericórdia Dómini plena est terra.	5 He loves mercy and judgment; the earth is full of the mercy of the Lord.
6 Verbo Dómini cæli firmáti sunt: * et spíritu oris ejus omnis virtus eórum.	6 By the word of the Lord the heavens were established; and all the power of them by the spirit of his mouth:
7  Cóngregans sicut in utre aquas maris: * ponens in thesáuris abyssos.	7 Gathering together the waters of the sea, as in a vessel; laying up the depths in storehouses.
8  Tímeat Dóminum omnis terra: * ab eo autem commoveántur omnes inhabitántes orbem.	8 Let all the earth fear the Lord, and let all the inhabitants of the world be in awe of him.
9  Quóniam ipse dixit, et facta sunt: * ipse mandávit, et creáta sunt.	9 For he spoke and they were made: he commanded and they were created.
10  Dóminus díssipat consília Géntium: * réprobat autem cogitatiónes populórum et réprobat consília príncipum.	10 The Lord brings to nought the counsels of nations; and he rejects the devices of people, and casts away the counsels of princes.
11  Consílium autem Dómini in ætérnum manet: * cogitatiónes cordis ejus in generatióne et generatiónem.	11 But the counsel of the Lord stands for ever: the thoughts of his heart to all generations.
12 Beáta gens, cujus est Dóminus, Deus ejus: * pópulus, quem elégit in hereditátem sibi.	12 Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord: the people whom he has chosen for his inheritance.
13  De cælo respéxit Dóminus: * vidit omnes fílios hóminum.	13 The Lord has looked from heaven: he has beheld all the sons of men.
14  De præparáto habitáculo suo * respéxit super omnes, qui hábitant terram.	14 From his habitation which he has prepared, he has looked upon all that dwell on the earth.
15  Qui finxit sigillátim corda eórum: * qui intélligit ómnia ópera eórum.	15 He who has made the hearts of every one of them: who understands all their works.
16  Non salvátur rex per multam virtútem: * et gigas non salvábitur in multitúdine virtútis suæ.	16 The king is not saved by a great army: nor shall the giant be saved by his own great strength.
17  Fallax equus ad salútem: * in abundántia autem virtútis suæ non salvábitur.	17 Vain is the horse for safety: neither shall he be saved by the abundance of his strength.
18 Ecce óculi Dómini super metuéntes eum: * et in eis, qui sperant super misericórdia ejus :	18 Behold the eyes of the Lord are on them that fear him: and on them that hope in his mercy.
19  Ut éruat a morte ánimas eórum: * et alat eos in fame.	19 To deliver their souls from death; and feed them in famine.
20  Anima nostra sústinet Dóminum: * quóniam adjútor et protéctor noster est.	20 Our soul waits for the Lord: for he is our helper and protector.
21  Quia in eo lætábitur cor nostrum: * et in nómine sancto ejus sperávimus.	21 For in him our heart shall rejoice: and in his holy name we have trusted.
22  Fiat misericórdia tua, Dómine, super nos: * quemádmodum sperávimus in te.	22 Let your mercy, O Lord, be upon us, as we have hoped in you.

You can find the next set of notes on Psalm 32 here.

Psalm 122 verses 1-3

The opening verses of Psalm 122 instruct us to cultivate a sense of our total dependence on God.

1	V/NV/JH	Ad te levávi óculos meos, * qui hábitas in cælis.
	Septuagint	πρὸς σὲ ἦρα τοὺς ὀφθαλμούς μου τὸν κατοικοῦντα ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ

Text notes: ‘Ad te’ (To you) is emphatic, that is, ‘to you only’.  Lifting the eyes (levavi oculos) suggests an attitude of prayer.

levo, avi, atum, are  to rise, lift up, elevate.

oculus, i, , the eye.

habito, avi, atum, are  to dwell, abide, live.

caelum, i, n., or caeli, orum, m.  heaven, the abode of God; the heavens as opposed to the earth; the air;

DR	To you have I lifted up my eyes, who dwell in heaven.
Brenton’s Septuagint	Unto thee who dwellest in heaven have I lifted up mine eyes.
MD	Unto Thee I lift up mine eyes, Who art enthroned in heaven
RSV	To thee I lift up my eyes, O thou who art enthroned in the heavens!
Cover	Unto thee lift I up mine eyes, O thou that dwellest in the heavens.

St Augustine puts the text in the context of the pilgrimage of life:

"What makes the heart of a Christian heavy? Because he is a pilgrim, and longs for his country. If your heart be heavy on this score, although you have been prosperous in the world, still thou dost groan: and if all things combine to render you prosperous, and this world smile upon you on every side, thou nevertheless groanest, because you see that you are set in a pilgrimage; and feelest that you have indeed happiness in the eyes of fools, but not as yet after the promise of Christ: this you seek with groans, this you seek with longings, and by longing ascendest, and while you ascend dost sing the Song of Degrees..."

The saint pictures our ascent in terms of Jacob's ladder:

"Where then are the ladders? For we behold so great an interval between heaven and earth, there is so wide a separation, and so great a space of regions between: we wish to climb there, we see no ladder; do we deceive ourselves, because we sing the Song of Degrees, that is, the Song of ascent? We ascend unto heaven, if we think of God, who has made ascending steps in the heart. What is to ascend in heart? To advance towards God. As every man who fails, does not descend, but falls: so every one who profits does ascend: but if he so profit, as to avoid pride: if he so ascend as not to fall: but if while he profits he become proud, in ascending he again falls. But that he may not be proud, what ought he to do? Let him lift up his eyes unto Him who dwells in heaven, let him not heed himself…" 

Our ascent is, of course, spiritual, not literal.   Though we only truly dwell in heaven after we die, there is a sense in which heaven can dwell in us even now:

"If, my brethren, we understand by heaven the firmament which we see with our bodily eyes, we shall indeed so err, as to imagine that we cannot ascend there without ladders, or some scaling machines: but if we ascend spiritually, we ought to understand heaven spiritually: if the ascent be in affection, heaven is in righteousness. What is then the heaven of God? All holy souls, all righteous souls. For the Apostles also, although they were on earth in the flesh, were heaven; for the Lord, enthroned in them, traversed the whole world. He then dwells in heaven. How?...How long are they the temple according to faith? As long as Christ dwells in them through faith; as the Apostle says, That Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. But they are already heaven in whom God already dwells visibly, who see Him face to face; all the holy Apostles, all the holy Virtues, Powers, Thrones, Lordships, that heavenly Jerusalem, wanderers from whence we groan, and for which we pray with longing; and there God dwells."

2	V	Ecce sicut óculi servórum, * in mánibus dominórum suórum.
	NV	Ecce sicut oculi servorum ad manus dominorum suorum,
	JH	Ecce sicut oculi seruorum ad manum dominorum suorum,
	Sept	ἰδοὺ ὡς ὀφθαλμοὶ δούλων εἰς χεῖρας τῶν κυρίων αὐτῶν

ecce, adv.  lol see! behold

sicut, adv., as, just as, like.

servus, i, m., a slave, servant; servants of the Lord, devout men who keep the law; the people, i.e., the Israelites

in+abl - into , onto, against, for (the purpose of)

manus, us, ,  hand

Dominus, i, m. a master, lord, ruler, owner, possessor

DR	Behold as the eyes of servants are on the hands of their masters,
Brenton	Behold, as the eyes of servants are directed to the hands of their masters,
Cover	Behold, even as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their masters,

Pope Benedict XVI sought to explain the analogy for modern readers:

The gaze of the Most High who "looks down on the sons of men to see if any are wise, if any seek God" (Ps 14[13]: 2), is often mentioned in the Psalter. The Psalmist, as we have heard, uses an image, that of the servant and slave who look to their master, waiting for him to make a decision that will set them free. Even if this scene is connected with the ancient world and its social structures, the idea is clear and full of meaning: the image taken from the world of the ancient East is intended to exalt the attachment of the poor, the hope of the oppressed and the availability of the just to the Lord. The person of prayer is waiting for the divine hands to move because they will act justly and destroy evil. This is why, in the Psalter, the one praying raises his hope-filled eyes to the Lord. "My eyes are always on the Lord; for he rescues my feet from the snare" (Ps 25[24]: 15), while "My eyes are wasted away from looking for my God" (Ps 69[68]: 4).

3	V	Sicut óculi ancíllæ in mánibus dóminæ suæ: * ita óculi nostri ad Dóminum, Deum nostrum, donec misereátur nostri.
	NV	sicut oculi ancillae ad manus dominae suae, ita oculi nostri ad Dominum Deum nostrum, donec misereatur nostri.
	JH	sicut oculi ancillae ad manum dominae suae, sic oculi nostri ad Dominum Deum nostrum, donec misereatur nostri.
	Sept	ὡς ὀφθαλμοὶ παιδίσκης εἰς χεῖρας τῆς κυρίας αὐτῆς οὕτως οἱ ὀφθαλμοὶ ἡμῶν πρὸς κύριον τὸν θεὸν ἡμῶν ἕως οὗ οἰκτιρήσαι ἡμᾶς

Text notes: The sense is of complete dependence – just as the female slave (ancilla) is dependent (in the hands of) her mistresses’ whims, so we wait for God to have mercy on us.

ancilla, ae, a handmaid, maidservant.

ita – so, thus, even, in this manner

donec, conj., till, until

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

DR	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.
Brenton	and as the eyes of a maidservant to the hands of her mistress; so our eyes are directed to the Lord our God, until he have mercy upon us.
Cover	and as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistress, even so our eyes wait upon the Lord our God, until he have mercy upon us.

St John Chrysostom points to the importance of the reference to mercy:

Note how those who had previously been summoned to direct their steps to God, and had been halfhearted and recalcitrant, now were made so much better by the experience of disaster as to be unwilling to desert him, and instead persisted in his service and sought his interests until he has pity on us. The psalmist did not say, "Until he pays," or "Until he gives a reward," but until he has mercy. You for your part, then, human being that you are, persist without fail, whether you receive or do not receive, and if you do not re­ceive, do not give up and you will receive. After all, if the importu­nity of a widow wore down that inflexible official, what excuse would you have for giving in, losing heart and becoming supine? Do you not see how the maidservants hang on the words of their mistresses, not permitting thought or eye to be distracted? Do like­wise in your case, too: follow God alone, ignore everything else, be one of his, and in every respect you will receive everything you ask to your advantage.

Cassiodorus provides an interesting commentary on the feminine imagery:

Some com­mentators wish to attach this verse too to the Lord, to the point of identifying the mistress with the Lord God, because of the text: Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. But in case the difference of sex may alienate some people, the passage can perhaps be understood like this: earlier he made the comparison with servants and masters, and so that the female sex should not consider itself excluded, another parallel is provided for them, for the handmaid attends on the hands of her mistress as do male servants on the hands of their masters. Then follows the statement embracing both sexes, So are our eyes unto the Lord our God, until he have mercy on us. The preceding parallel is clarified by the use of so. Whether we seek some success from the Lord, or when we bear torments of mind or body, we always raise our eyes to the Lord. He also added our to eyes, so that both sexes could interpret this as spoken of themselves. He appended: Until he have mercy on us, to show that both men and women should patiently seek divine blessings, and continually make entreaty to Him. 

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