Psalm 85 Inclina Domine - Say nothing without Christ

Psalm 85: Friday matins I, 1

Vulgate	Douay-Rheims
Oratio ipsi David.	A prayer for David himself.
Inclína, Dómine, aurem tuam, et exáudi me : * quóniam inops, et pauper sum ego.	Incline your ear, O Lord, and hear me: for I am needy and poor.
2  Custódi ánimam meam, quóniam sanctus sum : * salvum fac servum tuum, Deus meus, sperántem in te.	2 Preserve my soul, for I am holy: save your servant, O my God, that trusts in you.
3  Miserére mei, Dómine, quóniam ad te clamávi tota die : * lætífica ánimam servi tui, quóniam ad te, Dómine, ánimam meam levávi.	3 Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I have cried to you all the day. 4 Give joy to the soul of your servant, for to you, O Lord, I have lifted up my soul.
4  Quóniam tu, Dómine, suávis et mitis : * et multæ misericórdiæ ómnibus invocántibus te.	5 For you, O Lord, are sweet and mild: and plenteous in mercy to all that call upon you.
5  Auribus pércipe, Dómine, oratiónem meam : * et inténde voci deprecatiónis meæ.	6 Give ear, O Lord, to my prayer: and attend to the voice of my petition
6  In die tribulatiónis meæ clamávi ad te : * quia exaudísti me.	7 I have called upon you in the day of my trouble: because you have heard me.
7  Non est símilis tui in diis, Dómine : * et non est secúndum ópera tua.	8 There is none among the gods like unto you, O Lord: and there is none according to your works.
8  Omnes gentes quascúmque fecísti, vénient, et adorábunt coram te, Dómine : * et glorificábunt nomen tuum.	9 All the nations you have made shall come and adore before you, O Lord: and they shall glorify your name.
9  Quóniam magnus es tu, et fáciens mirabília : * tu es Deus solus.	10 For you are great and do wonderful things: you are God alone.
10  Deduc me, Dómine, in via tua, et ingrédiar in veritáte tua : * lætétur cor meum ut tímeat nomen tuum.	11 Conduct me, O Lord, in your way, and I will walk in your truth: let my heart rejoice that it may fear your name.
11  Confitébor tibi, Dómine, Deus meus, in toto corde meo, * et glorificábo nomen tuum in ætérnum.	12 I will praise you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart, and I will glorify your name for ever:
12  Quia misericórdia tua magna est super me : * et eruísti ánimam meam ex inférno inferióri.	13 For your mercy is great towards me: and you have delivered my soul out of the lower hell.
13  Deus iníqui insurrexérunt super me, et synagóga poténtium quæsiérunt ánimam meam : * et non proposuérunt te in conspéctu suo.	14 O God, the wicked are risen up against me, and the assembly of the mighty have sought my soul: and they have not set you before their eyes.
14  Et tu, Dómine, Deus miserátor et miséricors, * pátiens, et multæ misericórdiæ, et verax.	15 And you, O Lord, are a God of compassion, and merciful, patient, and of much mercy, and true.
15  Réspice in me, et miserére mei, * da impérium tuum púero tuo : et salvum fac fílium ancíllæ tuæ.	16 O look upon me, and have mercy on me: give your command to your servant, and save the son of your handmaid.
16  Fac mecum signum in bonum, ut vídeant qui odérunt me, et confundántur : * quóniam tu, Dómine, adjuvísti me, et consolátus es me.	17 Show me a token for good: that they who hate me may see, and be confounded, because you, O Lord, have helped me and have comforted me.

In Jewish tradition this psalm is said as part of the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) ceremonies; in Christian tradition it has long been interpreted as a psalm of the Passion hence its particular appropriateness to start off Friday in the Office.  

Cassidorus, for example suggests it as a source for meditation on the sacrifice of the cross: 

Let us ponder the humility of the prayer poured out to the Father by the Lord Saviour in His passion. He was wholly without sin, but in representing our weakness He asked to be delivered from the dangers of this world. So men's rashness should blush to be arrogant, for they have no doubt of their guilt. Christ prayed for His enemies, and patiently accepted death, whereas we wish to avenge our injuries if attacked by the comments of detractors. May He who afforded an example grant the gift of patience, so that by following His footsteps we may be able to avoid the errors which bring death.

Similarly, St Alphonsus Liguori suggests that we use this prayer ourselves in times of trouble:

We have in this psalm one of those fervent prayers that the royal prophet addressed to God in the midst of his tribulations. For, according to the common opinion, David is the author of this psalm.

Moreover, he initiates us into the sentiments that filled the soul of Jesus Christ during his Passion, and he prophesies the conversion of the Gentiles. Afflicted souls may use it during their trials to implore the help of God.

St Augustine's introduction to the psalm, though, I think is the most powerful, providing a mini-treatise on the relationship between the priesthood of Christ and our prayer:

No greater gift could God have given to men than in making His Word, by which He created all things, their Head, and joining them to Him as His members: that the Son of God might become also the Son of man, one God with the Father, one Man with men; so that when we speak to God in prayer for mercy, we do not separate the Son from Him; and when the Body of the Son prays, it separates not its Head from itself: and it is one Saviour of His Body, our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who both prays for us, and prays in us, and is prayed to by us.  He prays for us, as our Priest; He prays in us, as our Head; He is prayed to by us, as our God. 

Let us therefore recognise in Him our words, and His words in us. Nor when anything is said of our Lord Jesus Christ, especially in prophecy, implying a degree of humility below the dignity of God, let us hesitate to ascribe it to Him who did not hesitate to join Himself unto us....He is prayed to in the form of God, in the form of a servant He prays; there the Creator, here created; assuming unchanged the creature, that it might be changed, and making us with Himself one Man, Head and Body. Therefore we pray to Him, through Him, in Him; and we speak with Him, and He speaks with us; we speak in Him, He speaks in us the prayer of this Psalm, which is entitled, A Prayer of David. 

For our Lord was, according to the flesh, the son of David; but according to His divine nature, the Lord of David, and his Maker....Let no one then, when he hears these words, say, Christ speaks not; nor again say, I speak not; nay rather, if he own himself to be in the Body of Christ, let him say both, Christ speaks, and I speak. Be thou unwilling to say anything without Him, and He says nothing without you....

 Scriptural and liturgical uses of the psalm

NT references	Mk 9:27 (3); Rev 15:4 (8); 1 Cor 8:4 (9)
RB cursus	Friday Matins I, 1
Monastic feasts etc	Epiphany, Sacred Heart
Roman pre 1911	Friday Matins
Roman post 1911	1911-62: Friday Compline  . 1970: Lauds Wk 3 Wednesday;
Mass propers (EF)	Holy Name OF (4, 11), CO 8-9; Lent Ember Friday, GR (2, 5); Lent 3 Friday, IN (1, 16); PP 15, IN (1-3); NO: Ordinary Time 19A, Ps 85:9a+10, 11-12, 13-14

Psalm 94 - Hold fast!

c1420
W83, Digital Walters

Psalm 94 has a unique place in the Office musically as it is the only psalm normally performed responsorially.

In the Benedictine Office it is said at Matins each day with a short refrain, half or all of which is repeated after each group of verses.  There are refrains for each day of the week, and special ones for feasts and particular seasons of the year.  Friday's refrain is 'Let us adore the Lord, *for he himself made us', a reminder that man was created on the 'sixth day' - you can listen to a Cistercian chant setting of the refrain and the psalm sung responsorially below.

The verses themselves have a special set of chants that are used for them.

These chants are very ancient indeed, and explain why the translation of the psalm used is not the Vulgate, but the 'old Roman' that pre-dated it.

All this serves to emphasis the particular importance of this psalm.

 Psalm 94: Daily at Matins

Vulgate	Psalter (Vetus latina)	Douay-Rheims
Laus cantici ipsi David.		Praise of a canticle for David himself.
1 Venite, exsultemus Domino; jubilemus Deo salutari nostro;	1. Veníte, exsultémus Dómino, jubilémus Deo, salutári nostro:	Come let us praise the Lord with joy: let us joyfully sing to God our saviour.
2 præoccupemus faciem ejus in confessione, et in psalmis jubilemus ei	præoccupémus fáciem ejus in confessióne, et in psalmis jubilémus ei.	2 Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving; and make a joyful noise to him with psalms.
3 quoniam Deus magnus Dominus, et rex magnus super omnes deos.	2. Quóniam Deus magnus Dóminus, et Rex magnus super omnes deos	3 For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods.
4 Quia in manu ejus sunt omnes fines terræ, et altitudines montium ipsius sunt;	: quóniam non repéllet Dóminus plebem suam : quia in manu ejus sunt omnes fines terræ, et altitúdines móntium ipse cónspicit.	4 For in his hand are all the ends of the earth: and the heights of the mountains are his.
5 quoniam ipsius est mare, et ipse fecit illud, et siccam manus ejus formaverunt	3. Quóniam ipsíus est mare, et ipse fecit illud, et áridam fundavérunt manus ejus	5 For the sea is his, and he made it: and his hands formed the dry land.
6  Venite, adoremus, et procidamus, et ploremus ante Dominum qui fecit nos:	Veníte, adorémus, et procidámus ante Deum : plorémus coram Dómino, qui fecit nos,	6 Come let us adore and fall down: and weep before the Lord that made us.
7  quia ipse est Dominus Deus noster, et nos populus pascuæ ejus, et oves manus ejus.	quia ipse est Dóminus Deus noster ; nos autem pópulus ejus, et oves páscuæ ejus.	7 For he is the Lord our God: and we are the people of his pasture and the sheep of his hand.
8 Hodie si vocem ejus audieritis, nolite obdurare corda vestra	4. Hódie, si vocem ejus audiéritis, nolíte obduráre corda vestra,	8 Today if you shall hear his voice, harden not your hearts:
9 sicut in irritatione, secundum diem tentationis in deserto, ubi tentaverunt me patres vestri : probaverunt me, et viderunt opera mea.	sicut in exacerbatióne, secúndum diem tentatiónis in desérto : ubi tentavérunt me patres vestri, probavérunt et vidérunt ópera mea.	9 As in the provocation, according to the day of temptation in the wilderness: where your fathers tempted me, they proved me, and saw my works.
10 Quadraginta annis offensus fui generationi illi, et dixi : Semper hi errant corde.	5. Quadragínta annis próximus fui generatióni huic, et dixi : Semper hi errant corde ;	10 Forty years long was I offended with that generation, and I said: These always err in heart.
11 Et isti non cognoverunt vias meas : ut juravi in ira mea : Si introibunt in requiem meam.	ipsi vero non cognovérunt vias meas : quibus jurávi in ira mea : Si introíbunt in réquiem meam.	11 And these men have not known my ways: so I swore in my wrath that they shall not enter into my rest.

Why does St Benedict give it such a prominent place in the Office?

One reason, I would suggest, is the extended exegesis of it provided in Hebrews.  Here is the first section of that, Hebrews 3:7-16:

 Come, then, the Holy Spirit says, If you hear his voice speaking to you this day, do not harden your hearts, as they were hardened once when you provoked me, and put me to the test in the wilderness.  Your fathers put me to the test, made trial of me, and saw what I could do, all those forty years. So I became the enemy of that generation; These, I said, are ever wayward hearts, these have never learned my lessons. And I took an oath in my anger, They shall never attain my rest.

Take care, brethren, that there is no heart among you so warped by unbelief as to desert the living God. 

Each day, while the word To-day has still a meaning, strengthen your own resolution, to make sure that none of you grows hardened; sin has such power to cheat us.  

We have been given a share in Christ, but only on condition that we keep unshaken to the end the principle by which we are grounded in him. That is the meaning of the words, If you hear his voice speaking to you this day, do not harden your hearts, as they were hardened once when you provoked me; those who provoked him were the people (some, though not all of them) whom Moses had rescued from Egypt... 

Psalm 17 (pt 1) - Friday Prime No 3

Psalm 17/1: Diligam te Domine 

Vulgate	Douay-Rheims
In finem. Puero Domini David, qui locutus est Domino verba cantici hujus, in die qua eripuit eum Dominus de manu omnium inimicorum ejus, et de manu Saul, et dixit:	Unto the end, for David, the servant of the Lord, who spoke to the Lord the words of this canticle, in the day that the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul: and he said
Díligam te, Dómine, fortitúdo mea: * Dóminus firmaméntum meum, et refúgium meum, et liberátor meus.	I will love you, O Lord, my strength: The Lord is my firmament, my refuge, and my deliverer.
2 Deus meus adjútor meus, * et sperábo in eum.	My God is my helper, and in him will I put my trust.
3 Protéctor meus, et cornu salútis meæ, * et suscéptor meus.	My protector, and the horn of my salvation, and my support.
4  Laudans invocábo Dóminum: * et ab inimícis meis salvus ero.	Praising, I will call upon the Lord: and I shall be saved from my enemies.
5  Circumdedérunt me dolóres mortis: * et torréntes iniquitátis conturbavérunt me.	The sorrows of death surrounded me: and the torrents of iniquity troubled me.
6  Dolóres inférni circumdedérunt me: * præoccupavérunt me láquei mortis.	The sorrows of hell encompassed me: and the snares of death prevented me
7  In tribulatióne mea invocávi Dóminum, * et ad Deum meum clamávi.	In my affliction I called upon the Lord, and I cried to my God:
8  Et exaudívit de templo sancto suo vocem meam: * et clamor meus in conspéctu ejus, introívit in aures ejus.	And he heard my voice from his holy temple: and my cry before him came into his ears.
9  Commóta est, et contrémuit terra: * fundaménta móntium conturbáta sunt, et commóta sunt, quóniam irátus est eis.	The earth shook and trembled: the foundations of the mountains were troubled and were moved, because he was angry with them.
10  Ascéndit fumus in ira ejus: et ignis a fácie ejus exársit: * carbónes succénsi sunt ab eo.	There went up a smoke in his wrath: and a fire flamed from his face: coals were kindled by it.
11  Inclinávit cælos, et descéndit: * et calígo sub pédibus ejus.	He bowed the heavens, and came down, and darkness was under his feet.
12  Et ascéndit super Chérubim, et volávit: * volávit super pennas ventórum.	And he ascended upon the cherubim, and he flew; he flew upon the wings of the winds.
13  Et pósuit ténebras latíbulum suum, in circúitu ejus tabernáculum ejus: * tenebrósa aqua in núbibus áëris.	And he made darkness his covert, his pavilion round about him: dark waters in the clouds of the air.
14  Præ fulgóre in conspéctu ejus nubes transiérunt, * grando et carbónes ignis.	At the brightness that was before him the clouds passed, hail and coals of fire.
15  Et intónuit de cælo Dóminus, et Altíssimus dedit vocem suam: * grando et carbónes ignis.	And the Lord thundered from heaven, and the Highest gave his voice: hail and coals of fire.
16  Et misit sagíttas suas, et dissipávit eos: * fúlgura multiplicávit, et conturbávit eos.	And he sent forth his arrows, and he scattered them: he multiplied lightnings, and troubled them
17  Et apparuérunt fontes aquárum, * et reveláta sunt fundaménta orbis terrárum:	Then the fountains of waters appeared, and the foundations of the world were discovered:
18  Ab increpatióne tua, Dómine, * ab inspiratióne spíritus iræ tuæ.	At your rebuke, O Lord, at the blast of the spirit of your wrath.
19  Misit de summo, et accépit me: * et assúmpsit me de aquis multis.	He sent from on high, and took me: and received me out of many waters.
20  Erípuit me de inimícis meis fortíssimis, et ab his qui odérunt me: * quóniam confortáti sunt super me.	He delivered me from my strongest enemies, and from them that hated me: for they were too strong for me.
21  Prævenérunt me in die afflictiónis meæ: * et factus est Dóminus protéctor meus.	They prevented me in the day of my affliction: and the Lord became my protector.
22  Et edúxit me in latitúdinem: * salvum me fecit, quóniam vóluit me.	And he brought me forth into a large place: he saved me, because he was well pleased with me.
23 Et retríbuet mihi Dóminus secúndum justítiam meam: * et secúndum puritátem mánuum meárum retríbuet mihi :	And the Lord will reward me according to my justice; and will repay me according to the cleanness of my hands:
24  Quia custodívi vias Dómini, * nec ímpie gessi a Deo meo.	Because I have kept the ways of the Lord; and have not done wickedly against my God.
25 Quóniam ómnia judícia ejus in conspéctu meo: * et justítias ejus non répuli a me.	For all his judgments are in my sight: and his justices I have not put away from me.
26  Et ero immaculátus cum eo: * et observábo ab iniquitáte mea.	And I shall be spotless with him: and shall keep myself from my iniquity.
27 Et retríbuet mihi Dóminus secúndum justítiam meam: * et secúndum puritátem mánuum meárum in conspéctu oculórum ejus.	And the Lord will reward me according to my justice: and according to the cleanness of my hands before his eyes.

The sheer length of this psalm might appear sufficient in itself to explain why St Benedict splits it between Saturday and Sunday.  

There is though, an important thematic reason for this as well: the first half of this psalm is very much a psalm of Good Friday, for it can be read as describing the events from Christ’s trial, to the earthquake at his death and descent into hell.

Today’s section of the psalm focuses on the idea, following on directly from the previous psalm, that God has heard the psalmist’s prayer because he is blameless – as Christ became the perfect sacrifice for our sins. 

And the centrepiece of this part of the psalm is a dramatic theophany, a storm that shakes the earth with God’s anger, echoing the ‘terra tremuit’ verse in Psalm 75 at Lauds for Friday, and serving as a reminder of the earthquake that split the Temple in two at the moment of Our Lord’s death.  

St Augustine:

That is, for the strong of hand, Christ in His Manhood. The words of this song which he spoke to the Lord on the day when the Lord delivered him out of the hands of his enemies, and of the hand of Saul; and he said, On the day when the Lord delivered him out of the hands of his enemies and of the hand of Saul: namely, the king of the Jews, whom they had demanded for themselves. For as David is said to be by interpretation, strong of hand; so Saul is said to be demanding. Now it is well known, how that People demanded for themselves a king, and received him for their king, not according to the will of God, but according to their own will.

St Thomas Aquinas:

In the preceding psalm, the psalmist sought in prayer to be liberated from his enemies; here he has been liberated and is giving thanks. And first he gives thanks for the benefit of liberation. Second, he burst into praise of the liberator, where he says, "The heavens tell the glory of God. The title. To the end, for the boy of the Lord, David. And he spoke the words of this song on the day when the Lord rescued him from the hands of his enemies, and from the hand of Saul. And this psalm, word for word, is to be found in 2 Kings 22. The story is, as in 1 Kings 19, how Saul sought to kill him: and when Saul had died, 2 Kings 2: Again Abner and his son were against him In the end David was victorious over them. And on this account he made this psalm. And since Christ is signified by David, all these things can be referred to Christ, either according to the head, or according to the body, namely the Church, which is liberated from Saul, that is, from death: the name "Saul" is translated as "petition", because he was given, or rather extorted (from God) because the people asked for him, and he was not given so that he would remain for any length of time. Thus Christ first bore death, then there was a time of quiet, according to the gloss. He was also liberated from all his enemies, the Jews and demons, and with respect to his body, that is, the Church. In the first part he recalls the benefit of liberation in general terms. 

St Alphonse Liguori:

David gives thanks to God for having delivered him from the hands of his enemies, and especially from the hands of Saul. This psalm is applicable to the Christian soul that sees itself delivered, with God s help, from every grave persecution or every temptation of the devil.

Fr Pasch

David's hymn of thanks and victory: At the end of his life, David sings this Psalm as a sort of swan song, one of the most beautiful compositions in the Psalter.  He looks back over the battles of his life and his final victory over all his enemies―a note of courage for the coming conflicts of the week. God's Kingdom, too, must battle in Church and soul―but under God's sure guidance, it will be victorious.  Note particularly the magnificent description of God's apparition, in the figure of a thunder storm.

Liturgical and Scriptural uses of the psalm

NT references	Lk 1:69 (vs 3); Lk 1:71 (20)
RB cursus	Friday Prime
Monastic/(Roman) feasts etc	-
Roman pre 1911	Sunday Matins
Roman post 1911	1911-62: Monday Matins . 1970:
Mass propers (EF)	Passion Wed IN (1-2); Pentecost Monday, IN (14-16), PP2 IN (2, 3, 14, 20); PP4 CO (3);

Psalm 16 (Friday Prime no 2)

Walters Ms. W.721, Book of Hours, fol. 86v, c1450
Offices for Each Day of the Week, Friday: Cross
Digitilised Walter Manuscripts

Psalm 16 (17): Exaudi Domine justitiam meam 

Vulgate	Douay-Rheims
Oratio David	The prayer of David.
Exáudi, Dómine, justítiam meam: * inténde deprecatiónem meam.	Hear, O Lord, my justice: attend to my supplication.
2  Auribus pércipe oratiónem meam, * non in lábiis dolósis.	Give ear unto my prayer, which proceeds not from deceitful lips.
3   De vultu tuo judícium meum pródeat: * óculi tui vídeant æquitátes	Let my judgment come forth from your countenance: let your eyes behold the things that are equitable.
4  Probásti cor meum, et visitásti nocte: * igne me examinásti, et non est invénta in me iníquitas.	You have proved my heart, and visited it by night, you have tried me by fire: and iniquity has not been found in me.
5  Ut non loquátur os meum ópera hóminum: * propter verba labiórum tuórum ego custodívi vias duras.	That my mouth may not speak the works of men: for the sake of the words of your lips, I have kept hard ways
6  Pérfice gressus meos in sémitis tuis: * ut non moveántur vestígia mea.	Perfect my goings in your paths: that my footsteps be not moved.
7  Ego clamávi, quóniam exaudísti me, Deus: * inclína aurem tuam mihi, et exáudi verba mea.	I have cried to you, for you, O God, have heard me: O incline your ear unto me, and hear my words.
8  Mirífica misericórdias tuas, * qui salvos facis sperántes in te.	Show forth your wonderful mercies; you who save them that trust in you.
9  A resisténtibus déxteræ tuæ custódi me, * ut pupíllam óculi.	From them that resist your right hand keep me, as the apple of your eye.
10  Sub umbra alárum tuárum prótege me: * a fácie impiórum qui me afflixérunt.	Protect me under the shadow of your wings. From the face of the wicked who have afflicted me.
11  Inimíci mei ánimam meam circumdedérunt, ádipem suum conclusérunt : * os eórum locútum est supérbiam.	My enemies have surrounded my soul: They have shut up their fat: their mouth has spoken proudly.
12  Projiciéntes me nunc circumdedérunt me: * óculos suos statuérunt declináre in terram.	They have cast me forth, and now they have surrounded me: they have set their eyes bowing down to the earth.
13  Suscepérunt me sicut leo parátus ad prædam: * et sicut cátulus leónis hábitans in ábditis.	They have taken me, as a lion prepared for the prey; and as a young lion dwelling in secret places.
14  Exsúrge, Dómine, prǽveni eum, et supplánta eum: * éripe ánimam meam ab ímpio, frámeam tuam ab inimícis manus tuæ.	Arise, O Lord, disappoint him and supplant him; deliver my soul from the wicked one; your sword from the enemies of your hand.
15  Dómine, a paucis de terra dívide eos in vita eórum: * de abscónditis tuis adimplétus est venter eórum.	O Lord, divide them from the few of the earth in their life: their belly is filled from your hidden stores.
16  Saturáti sunt fíliis: * et dimisérunt relíquias suas párvulis suis.	They are full of children: and they have left to their little ones the rest of their substance.
17  Ego autem in justítia apparébo conspéctui tuo: * satiabor cum apparúerit glória tua.	But as for me, I will appear before your sight in justice: I shall be satisfied when your glory shall appear.

Psalm 16 can be read as a meditation on the Passion, hence its particular appropriateness for Friday in the Benedictine Office. 

In the first part (verses 1-5) the speaker asks for justice in the face of persecution and suffering, since his cause is just and he is without sin.  Our Lord is of course the only person who can truly say these verses without reservation, yet through the grace given to us in the sacraments he instituted we too can claim to be justified in the sight of God.

In the second part (verses 7-13) he asks for help in standing firm in the face of the enemy – and St Thomas Aquinas interprets the reference to wings as a symbolic allusion to the two arms of Our Lord stretched out on the Cross.  Verses 10-13 are explicitly interpreted for us in Matthew 23, when Our Lord castigated the Pharisees for their unfortunate habit of killing the prophets God sends to them.

In the third part (verses 14-17) the speaker asks for justice and the punishment of the enemy.  Note though, that, according to the last verse, the justice asked for here is above all the revelation of the glory of God, revealed in the Resurrection.  

You can hear the psalm read aloud here.

St Augustine:

This prayer must be assigned to the Person of the Lord, with the addition of the Church, which is His body

St Robert Bellarmine:

This psalm arises from prayer because in the midst of tribulations, prayer is an unparalleled refuge; Psalm 108: "Instead of making me a return of love, they detracted me: but I gave myself to prayer." This psalm, then, is divided into two parts. In the first, he prays for his own endurance. In the second, he asks for deliverance from evil, at I have cried....

St Alphonsus Liguori:

The just man prays to God to be delivered from the persecutions to which he sees himself exposed. Motives of his confidence: his innocence and rectitude, the mercy and justice of God, the malice and iniquity of the wicked.

Fr Pasch:

Battle in the Kingdom - After seeing the lines drawn up, friend and foe, we see the battle itself.  Innocency and justice fight with sin.  It is a fierce struggle, but God is the mighty champion.  The temptations of the devil are vividly portrayed.  This is the Psalm that St. Lawrence prayed while he was being martyred.

Scriptural and liturgical uses of the psalm

NT references	1 Pet 1:7 (v4), Mt 23:37 (v11- the Lord upbraids the scribes and Pharisees and castigates the persecution of God’s prophets and saints), 1 Jn 3:2, Rev 22:4 (v17 – shall behold his face)
RB cursus	Friday Prime
Monastic/(Roman) feasts etc	-
Roman pre 1911	: Sunday matins
Roman post 1911	1911-62: Monday Matins . 1970:
Mass propers (EF)	Lent I Thurs, GR (3, 9); Lent wk II  Friday, IN (1, 17), Lent III, Tues, IN (1, 7, 9); PP 6 OF (6-8), PP 10 GR (3, 9)