Psalm 118 (119) Shin: Rebuilding the walls of the city of God

Today we come to the penultimate stanza of Psalm 118.  There is a lot that could be said on this stanza, but I just want to briefly touch on three not entirely unrelated points, namely the peace offered through Christ; the law as a stumbling block (v165); and the importance of symbolism in worship.

The text of the stanza

But first the text of the stanza in the Knox, Vulgate and Douay-Rheims translations:

161 Vexed by the causeless malice of princes, my heart still dreads thy warnings.
162 Victors rejoice not more over rich spoils, than I in thy promises.
163 Villainy I abhor and renounce; thy law is all my love.
164 Votive thanks seven times a day I give thee for the just awards thou makest.
165 Very great peace is theirs who love thy law; their feet never stumble.
166 Valiantly, Lord, I wait on thee for succour, keeping ever true to thy charge.
167 Vanquished by great love, my heart is ever obedient to thy will.
168 Vigilantly I observe precept and bidding of thine, living always as in thy sight.

Vulgate	Douay-Rheims
161  Príncipes persecúti sunt me gratis: * et a verbis tuis formidávit cor meum.	Princes have persecuted me without cause: and my heart has been in awe of your words.
162  Lætábor ego super elóquia tua: * sicut qui invénit spólia multa.	162 I will rejoice at your words, as one that has found great spoil.
163  Iniquitátem ódio hábui, et abominátus sum: * legem autem tuam diléxi.	163 I have hated and abhorred iniquity; but I have loved your law.
164  Sépties in die laudem dixi tibi, * super judícia justítiæ tuæ.	164 Seven times a day I have given praise to you, for the judgments of your justice
165  Pax multa diligéntibus legem tuam: * et non est illis scándalum.	165 Much peace have they that love your law, and to them there is no stumbling block
166  Exspectábam salutáre tuum, Dómine: * et mandáta tua diléxi.	166 I looked for your salvation, O Lord: and I loved your commandments.
167  Custodívit ánima mea testimónia tua: * et diléxit ea veheménter.	167 My soul has kept your testimonies and has loved them exceedingly.
168  Servávi mandáta tua, et testimónia tua: * quia omnes viæ meæ in conspéctu tuo.	168 I have kept your commandments and your testimonies: because all my ways are in your sight.

The peace of Christ

The psalm opens with a reminder that princes – or these days perhaps we should speak of Prime Ministers and Presidents – will persecute the Church without reason. But it goes on to assert that the person who loves the law will nevertheless enjoy peace:

161 Príncipes persecúti sunt me gratis: Princes have persecuted me without cause…
165 Pax multa diligéntibus legem tuam: Much peace have they that love your law

What does he mean here by peace? It is not the false peace of toleration of sin that the psalmist is pointing to here, but rather the peace of mind that comes from the hope of salvation. As Cassiodorus comments:

“Much peace is to be understood as purity of mind and abundance of faith, which we aptly set against vices. But the person who proclaims himself the servant of the Lord is subject in this world to hardships and dangers. The Lord says to the apostles who were to be ravaged by various forms of persecution: My peace I give to you, my peace I leave to you, so that it may become clear that the Lord's servants always enjoy peace of mind in spite of appearing to be molested by various physical tribulations.”

When the law seems a stumbling block…

The second half of verse 165 deals with a subject of particular contemporary relevance, namely the idea that God’s law can be a stumbling block to some. Today many Catholics stumble indeed at the law as passed down to us, often deeming it as scandalous for example in its requirements around sexual morality.  Yet the psalmist asserts that the law can never be a stumbling block to one who looks to God for salvation:

et non est illis scándalum = and to them there is no stumbling block/scandal

St Augustine provides an important explanation of just why this should be the case, arguing that one who truly loves the law of God, when confronted with a law that seems absurd to him, must assume not that the law is a bad one, but rather that his own reaction is due to a lack of understanding on his part:

“Does this mean that the law itself is not an offense to them that love it, or that there is no offense from any source unto them that love the law? But both senses are rightly understood. For he who loves the law of God, honours in it even what he does not understand; and what seems to him to sound absurd, he judges rather that he does not understand, and that there is some great meaning hidden: thus the law of God is not an offense to him...”

This approach has of course been echoed down the centuries by the Magisterium of the Church, and applied to areas such as Scriptural interpretation and more. It is a counsel of humility, of appreciating that we are limited beings who can never hope, at any particular point in time to know everything, whereas God is infinite and all-knowing…

Seven times a day I have praised you….

Thirdly, I wanted to draw attention to a key verse in this psalm from the point of view of the Divine Office:

164 Sépties in die laudem dixi tibi, * super judícia justítiæ tuæ.
Seven times a day I have given praise to you, for the judgments of your justice.

Seven is a number symbolizing completeness (viz the creation of the world), perfection (viz metal refined seven times), or an infinite number of times (viz the number of times we should forgive sins). St Benedict cites this verse as the reason for the seven day hours of his Office, and the Roman Office followed him on this.

It is true of course that the verse can also be interpreted spiritually, as a call to continuous praise.

But one does not have to be a traditionalist to appreciate that the seven day hours of the Office, particularly in monastic usage where it was said in choir at set times each and every day, served symbolically to convey the spiritual message, and in a way far more effective than just saying that we are called to pray constantly. Fr Michael Casey of Tarrawarra Abbey, for example, certainly no traditionalist, suggests in his book Strangers to the City that it is regrettable that ‘secularization theology’ was unthinkingly incorporated in the ‘process of reformation and renewal’ following Vatican II (p174). Certainly the new ‘Liturgy of the Hours’ achieved what the fourteenth century heretic Wycliff and the reformation’s Luther could not, namely the abandonment of this long ecclesial tradition. Haydock comments:

“The Church has enjoined matins to be said at night, lauds in the morning, prime, tierce, sext, none, vespers and complin, in the course of the day. (St. Benedict, reg. 8., and 16.) (Calmet) --- This ecclesiastical office consists of hymns, psalms, &c. (St. Isidore) --- Against it some have risen up, particularly against that part which was said in the night, pretending that God had made the night for rest; and hence they were called nuctazontes, or "drowsy" heretics. (St. Isidore, Of. i. 22.) --- St. Jerome styles Vigilantius Dormitantius, for the same reason; as if it were better to sleep than to watch. Wycliff (Wald. iii. Tit. iii. 21.) and Luther have oppugned the same holy practice, though it be so conformable to Scripture and to the fathers. (St. Basil, reg. fus. 37.; St. Gregory, dial. iii. 14.; Ven. Bede, Hist. iv. 7., &c.)”

The Office, the law and genuine peace

Is there a connection between these three threads? Well yes, I would argue that there is.

I would argue that the drastic reduction in the number of times of prayer each day, and the length of those times of prayer - and above all consequent reduction of what was once a weekly cycle of saying all the psalms to a monthly one omitting all the 'hard bits' - has undermined the spiritual lives of priests and religious. It has weakened the walls of what Catherine Pickstock has called the 'liturgical city' to the point where they are but ruins.

And the consequences we see all around us.

We see it in the bishops and priests who no longer accept the natural law as a starting point for Christian morality, who see God's law as a stumbling block, not a means to salvation, but think in their arrogance that they know best.

We see it in the bishops and priests who faced with the persecution of princes have continued to compromise and crumble rather than standing up for the faith, able to draw on a true inner peace.

We see it in the many who left the priesthood and religious life despite their promises and vows, no longer sufficiently nourished in their lives by Sacred Scripture.

Recovery will take a long time. But it has to start from somewhere.

Verse by verse

161 Príncipes persecúti sunt me gratis: et a verbis tuis formidávit cor meum.
Princes have persecuted me without cause: and my heart has been in awe of your words.

Príncipes persecúti sunt me gratis = Princes/the mighty have persecuted me without cause

Old Testament history contains numerous examples of persecution without good reason that foreshadow Our Lord’s own persecution. And in our own age, Western Christians are once more starting to feel the heat…

gratis – without cause, unjustly

et a verbis tuis formidávit cor meum = and/but from/at your words my heart has trembled/been afraid

Note that formido takes a with the ablative; most translations make it of.

But all facing persecution should remember the words of the Gospel, as Cassiodorus points out: Fear not them that kill the body and are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him that can destroy both body and soul in hell.

formido, avi, atum, are. to fear, be afraid, tremble at. (formido +a)

162 Lætábor ego super elóquia tua: sicut qui invénit spólia multa.
I will rejoice at your words, as one that has found great spoil.

Lætábor ego super elóquia tua = I will rejoice/exult over your words/promises

sicut qui invénit spólia multa = like [one] who has found great spoils/riches

The comparison here is to the victors of an earthly battle. The spoils found include our reward in heaven, but also the conversion of persecutors moved to pity as occurred so often in the early years of Christianity (Augustine).

spolium, ii, booty, spoil.

163 Iniquitátem ódio hábui, et abominátus sum:  legem autem tuam diléxi.
I have hated and abhorred iniquity; but I have loved your law.

Iniquitátem ódio hábui, et abominátus sum (deponent) = Sin/iniquity/evil-doing I have hated and detested/abhorred

The neo-Vulgate changes sin (iniquitatem) to lies (mendacium) which reflects the Masoretic Hebrew Text’s flavour of falsehood/lies in particular rather than evil-doing in general.

iniquitas, atis, f iniquity, injustice, sin.
odio habere, to have hatred towards, to entertain hatred against, to hate
abominor, atus sum, ari to abhor, loathe, detest.

legem autem tuam diléxi = but your law I have loved

St Augustine’s commentary on this verse draws attention to the tension between fear and love of something or someone, arguing that we can and should do both: the wife loves her husband for example, but fears losing him. He quotes Hebrews 12:6: Let the Father's judgments therefore be praised even in the scourge, if His promises be loved in the reward.

164 Sépties in die laudem dixi tibi, super judícia justítiæ tuæ.
Seven times a day I have given praise to you, for the judgments of your justice.

Sépties in die laudem dixi tibi = Seven times in the day I have given [literally said] praise to you

Seven is a number symbolizing completeness (viz the creation of the world), perfection (viz metal refined seven times), or an infinite number of times (viz the number of times we should forgive sins). St Benedict cites this verse as the reason for the seven day hours of his Office. Interestingly, his contemporary Cassiodorus has to stretch things a little to achieve a similar literal interpretation, for his monastery evidently didn’t include Prime in its regime:

“Should we wish to interpret this number literally, it denotes the seven offices with which monks in their devoted piety console themselves, namely, matins, terce, sext, none, vespers, compline, nocturn; the hymn of saint Ambrose, sung at the sixth hour, also attests this.”

St Benedict, like some of the prophets of old such as Hosea, modelled this literally.  Cassiodorus, however, points to the spiritual interpretation of the verse:

“But if you seek a spiritual significance, you more wisely interpret this as the expression of continuing activity, like: I shall bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall be ever in my mouth.”

septies, num. adv. seven times.

super judícia justítiæ tuæ = for/because of the judgments of your justice/righteous judgments

165 Pax multa diligéntibus legem tuam: et non est illis scándalum.
Much peace have they that love your law, and to them there is no stumbling block.

Pax multa diligéntibus legem tuam = Much peace loving the law = those who love the law have much peace

What do we mean by peace? Cassiodorus suggests this is about our state of mind, not the external state of affairs: Much peace is to be understood as purity of mind and abundance of faith, which we aptly set against vices. But the person who proclaims himself the servant of the Lord is subject in this world to hardships and dangers. The Lord says to the apostles who were to be ravaged by various forms of persecution: My peace I give to you, my peace I leave to you, so that it may become clear that the Lord's servants always enjoy peace of mind in spite of appearing to be molested by various physical tribulations.

et non est illis scándalum = and to them there is no stumbling block/scandal

Today many Catholics stumble indeed at the law as passed down to us, often deeming it as scandalous for example in its requirements around sexual morality. St Augustine comments: Does this mean that the law itself is not an offense to them that love it, or that there is no offense from any source unto them that love the law? But both senses are rightly understood. For he who loves the law of God, honours in it even what he does not understand; and what seems to him to sound absurd, he judges rather that he does not understand, and that there is some great meaning hidden: thus the law of God is not an offense to him...

scandalum, i, n. lit., a trap, snare, that which causes one to stumble, a stumbling-block.

166 Exspectábam salutáre tuum, Dómine: et mandáta tua diléxi.
I looked for your salvation, O Lord: and I loved your commandments.

Exspectábam salutáre tuum, Dómine = I was waiting/looked for/waited/hoped for your salvation O Lord

The Fathers see this as a reference to the two comings of Christ, first in the Incarnatin, and next in the Second Coming.

exspecto, avi, atum, are, to wait for a person or thing, to await, trust; to look for, expect

et mandáta tua diléxi = and I have loved your commandments

The neo-Vulgate changes mandata to praecepta and dilexi to feci (ie I have kept your precepts) to reflect the MT.

167 Custodívit ánima mea testimónia tua: et diléxit ea veheménter.
My soul has kept your testimonies and has loved them exceedingly

Custodívit ánima mea testimónia tua = My soul has kept your testimonies

et diléxit ea veheménter = and it has loved them greatly/exceedingly

vehementer, adv. greatly, exceedingly, very much.

168 Servávi mandáta tua, et testimónia tua: * quia omnes viæ meæ in conspéctu tuo.
I have kept your commandments and your testimonies: because all my ways are in your sight.

Servávi mandáta tua, et testimónia tua = I have observed your commandments and your testimonies

servo – preserve, protect, guard; keep, obey, observe

quia omnes viæ meæ in conspéctu tuo = for all of my ways in your sight

Bellarmine comments:

Whatever I did was done as if your eyes were fixed on me, being fully satisfied of your seeing and knowing everything. Such thoughts have a wonderful effect in controlling men's actions; for, if the presence of a prince of this world has the effect of preventing the subject from transgressing, nay, even more, of making them blush to be found lazy or careless, timid or fearful, what must not the effect be of having constantly before one's eyes the presence of a heavenly and all-powerful ruler? Hence the Lord said to Abraham, "Walk before me, and be perfect." And Elias and Eliseus said, "The Lord liveth, in whose sight I stand."

Scriptural and liturgical uses of the psalm

NT references	-
RB cursus	Monday None/2
Monastic feasts etc	-
Roman pre 1911	Sunday None
Responsories	7639 (Lent 1)
Roman post 1911	1911-62: Daily None  1970:
Mass propers (EF)	Common of female martyr CO v161-2

And you can find the final part in this series here.

Psalm 118 Heth/3: On why our 'worship space' should be an isoceles triangle...

Continuing my series on Psalm 118, today a look at the last two verses of the Heth stanza, which I think neatly link together my previous two posts on the Psalm.

Pie chart vs triangle?

I read, recently, a comment from a Mr Walsh over at Cath News, attacking the New Liturgical Movement blog and attempting to justify the wreckovation and monstrosities of churches that arose out of the spirit of Vatican IIism. The commenter suggested that "The geometric icon of the worship group should be that of a pie chart, not an isosceles triangle."

I have to say I haven't actually seen too many isosceles triangles in pre-Vatican II Church designs! Still, the point he was trying to make, I suppose, was that the older style Church reflected a hierarchical theology where one looks up to an altar, rather than downwards into a central 'well' (as in some of our unfortunate new cathedrals); where the sanctuary where the Blessed Sacrament was reserved was separated out from the rest of the Church; and where no one would ever stand around in a semi-circle around the table (rather than altar) as occurs in some modern monasteries.

Mr Walsh wants instead to have a "worship space expresses in design, and celebration the work of all in worship."

But does Scripture support this interesting reconceptualization of the nature of worship? Does it ever suggest liturgy should be about 'celebrating the work of all' as opposed to celebrating the work of God for example! I think not!

O God my portion...

In fact these verses of Psalm 118 set out quite clearly firstly the importance of the vertical dimension of our spiritual life: our relationship to God, who is ‘our portion’, our inheritance that we receive because of God's goodness and our obedience to his will. Consider again the opening verse of the stanza in the RSV translation: 'The LORD is my portion; I promise to keep thy words'.

The subsequent verses deal with our response to his call: the psalmist talks about reflecting on our own past actions and beliefs, makes a renewed commitment to God, prays for the aid of grace. The climax of the stanza, that I talked about yesterday, is his commitment to ‘rising’ even at the darkest times, when under attack from fierce enemies, to praise God steadfastly.

There is certainly a circular element to this (kind of like a piechart?!), but only in the sense of evildoers trying to tie us up!

The last verses of the stanza, that I want to focus on today do however turn to the horizontal communion with other believers. But there is no piechart at work here! Rather, we are joined together first and foremost through our relationship to God.

We are partakers with those who fear God and keep his commandments

Here are the verses:

63 Particeps ego sum omnium timentium te, et custodientium mandata tua.
I am a partaker with all them that fear you, and that keep your commandments

64 Misericordia tua, Domine, plena est terra; justificationes tuas doce me.
The earth, O Lord, is full of your mercy: teach me your justifications.

Verse 63 is in effect a statement of the unity of the Church: we are not just a random collection of individuals, but rather joined in communion 'with all those who fear God'.

Fear of the Lord is an important concept in Scripture, even if one out of favour with many in the Church today. Fortunately the newly released paper from the International Theological Commission provides some corrective points on this, noting that:

"In the Old Testament, the central message of wisdom theology appears three times: ‘The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom’ (Ps 111:10; cf. Prov 1:7; 9:10). The basis of this motto is the insight of the sages of Israel that God’s wisdom is at work in creation and in history and that those who appreciate that will understand the meaning of the world and of events (cf. Prov 7ff., Wis 7ff.). ‘Fear of God’ is the right attitude in the presence of God (coram Deo). Wisdom is the art of understanding the world and of orientating one’s life in devotion to God…"(Theology today, 87)

But the key point to note here is that communion with other believers comes about not through horizontal “community building” activities, not through our 'exercize of ministry in community', and not through superficial conformity in external gestures or action, but is established by our faith in God.

It doesn’t matter, from this perspective, whether we are hearing Mass in the Mozarabic Rite, the Sarum, the Maronite, the Extraordinary Form or the Novus Ordo. It doesn’t matter whether we are ‘ministers’ or not.

All that matters is our shared faith and our shared commitment to obeying God, that we each, in ways appropriate to our state in life, 'rise' to praise God.

And the traditional understanding of what it means to be a 'partaker' refers, first and foremost to spiritual benefits. As Haydock puts it “The true living members of Christ enjoy the great benefit of partaking in the prayers and good works of the whole Church militant and triumphant, in the communion of saints.”

The social life of a parish, and concrete activities are not really means of building a community, but rather of making the invisible bonds visible, bonds flowing vertically from our relationship to God who must always come first, and then horizontally to love of neighbour. Kind of like three points of a triangle really, with God at the top...

And yet in reality, we stand not at different points of a triangle, but next to one another, part of the cloud of believers stretching down the generations. And it is indeed on this note that the stanza ends, with a paen of praise for God’s mercy in offering redemption to us all, for his mercy that fills the earth even though we are but sinners.

Verse notes

63 Particeps ego sum omnium timentium te, et custodientium mandata tua.
I am a partaker with all them that fear you, and that keep your commandments.

particeps, cipis sharing, participating in. Subst., a sharer, partaker, companion, friend.
ego , pers. pro., I.
omnis, e, all, each, every; subst., all men, all things, everything
timeo, ere 2, to fear, be afraid of.
custodio, ivi or li, itum, ire to guard, watch, keep;to maintain, to hold steadfastly
mandatum, i, n. law, precept, command, commandment (of God); commandments, precepts, decrees

Particeps ego sum = I am sharing/joining/a partaker/companion

omnium (gen pl) timentium (participle) te = of all fearing you = with all who fear you

et custodientium mandata tua = and keeping your commandments = and who keep your commandments

64 Misericordia tua, Domine, plena est terra; justificationes tuas doce me.
The earth, O Lord, is full of your mercy: teach me your justifications.

misericordia, ae,, mercy, kindness, favor, compassion, loving-kindness
plenus, a, um full, filled.
terra, ae, f the earth; orbis terrae, the world; a country, esp. the Land of Israel
doceo, docui, doctum, ere 2 to teach, instruct.

Misericordia tua, Domine = your mercy O Lord

plena est terra = the earth is full

=the earth is full of your mercy O Lord

justificationes tuas doce (imperative) me = teach me your justifications/statutes/law

And to continue on to the next set of notes in this series, click here.

Psalm 118 Vau: The duty to speak up for Christ

Today’s section of Psalm 118 (119), verses 41 to 48, enjoin us to move beyond merely contemplating the law to action: in particular, to testifying publicly to our faith.

Here they are first of all in the Knox translation:

41 For me too, Lord, thy mercy, for me too the deliverance thou hast promised!
42 Fit answer for those who taunt me, that I rely on thy truth.
43 Faithful thy promise, let me not boast in vain; in thy covenant lies my hope.
44 For ever and for evermore true to thy charge thou shalt find me.
45 Freely shall my feet tread, if thy will is all my quest.
46 Fearlessly will I talk of thy decrees in the presence of kings, and be never abashed.
47 Fain would I have all my comfort in the law I love.
48 Flung wide my arms to greet thy law, ever in my thoughts thy bidding.

The promise of redemption

The stanza opens by reminding us of the promise of salvation: it prophesies firstly the coming of Christ, to fulfill God’s promises in the Old Testament, and secondly invites us individually to make it our own.

It should remind us of Christ’s promise to be with us always, able to draw on grace when we are confronted by those speaking heresy or otherwise attacking us.

Be brave!

We all, be we laymen or laywomen, priests, bishops or religious, have a duty to speak up, these verses instruct.

As Cassiodorus commented:

“We must not be silent before those able to listen to reason, but we must respond bravely so that the audacity of men of ill-will does not appear victorious in their eyes…. They spoke of the Lord's testimonies because they had sought and accepted them so as to reply to those who reproached them with the word. With the strength of this support, they say that they were not confused in the presence of earthly kings who could inspire terror with their proud power, but with fearless speech uttered the truth which they had conceived in mind. It is the person whose words are refuted by reasoning who is confounded, whereas no-one can be embarrassed who is strengthened by the testimony of truth. Whatever the pressure of circumstances, we must not deny Him who says: He that shall deny me before men, I will deny him also before my Father who is in heaven.”

The text of the psalm

Vulgate	Douay-Rheims
41  Et véniat super me misericórdia tua, Dómine: * salutáre tuum secúndum elóquium tuum.	Let your mercy also come upon me, O Lord: your salvation according to your word.
42  Et respondébo exprobrántibus mihi verbum: * quia sperávi in sermónibus tuis.	42 So shall I answer them that reproach me in anything; that I have trusted in your words
43  Et ne áuferas de ore meo verbum veritátis usquequáque: * quia in judíciis tuis supersperávi.	43 And take not the word of truth utterly out of my mouth: for in your words, I have hoped exceedingly.
44  Et custódiam legem tuam semper: * in sæculum et in sæculum sæculi.	44 So shall I always keep your law, for ever and ever.
45  Et ambulábam in latitúdine: * quia mandáta tua exquisívi.	45 And I walked at large: because I have sought after your commandments.
46  Et loquébar in testimóniis tuis in conspéctu regum: * et non confundébar.	46 And I spoke of your testimonies before kings: and I was not ashamed.
47  Et meditábar in mandátis tuis, * quæ diléxi.	47 I meditated also on your commandments, which I loved.
48  Et levávi manus meas ad mandáta tua, quæ diléxi: * et exercébar in justificatiónibus tuis.	48 And I lifted up my hands to your commandments, which I loved: and I was exercised in your justifications.

Verse by verse - Vau/Vav/waw

41 Et veniat super me misericordia tua, Domine; salutare tuum secundum eloquium tuum.
Let your mercy also come upon me, O Lord: your salvation according to your word

Et veniat (subj) super me = And let it [your mercy] come over me

venio, veni, ventum, ire, to come.
super +acc=above, upon, over, in, on;+abl= about, concerning; with, on, upon, for, because of.

misericordia tua, Domine = your mercy O Lord

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

salutare tuum =your salvation

salutaris, e Savior, Helper, used of God; help, saving help, rescue, salvation,

secundum eloquium tuum = according to your word/promise

secundus, a, um following in time or order; the next, the second.
eloquium, ii, n. , a word, oracle, speech, utterance, promise.

We are, the Fathers point out, the children of God’s promise: his promise first to send salvation to his people in the form of a Messiah, and secondly, of the promise of his saving help offered to anyone who prays in the name of Christ. Here we are once more invited to make the salvation God offers our own.

42 Et respondebo exprobrantibus mihi verbum, quia speravi in sermonibus tuis.
So shall I answer them that reproach me in anything; that I have trusted in your words.

Et respondebo= And/So I will respond/answer

respondeo, spondi, sponsum, ere 2, to answer, respond

exprobrantibus mihi verbum = reviling/upbraiding/reproach to me to me the word = to those who reproach me a word/answer

These two phrases are difficult to translate. The use of the ‘verbum’ (and λόγον in the Greek, making it accusative) suggests that the correct translation is “And I will give an answer to those who revile me”.

St Augustine, however, comments: “It is doubtful whether it be ‘reproach me with a word’; or, ‘I will answer with a word’; but either signifies Christ. The Douay-Rheims favours the first interpretation; Brenton, the New English Translation of the Septuagint, and translations based on the Hebrew the second. The RSV, for example, translates the phrase as “then shall I have an answer for those who taunt me”.

exprobo are avi atum – to upbraid, reproach, revile

quia speravi in sermonibus tuis = that I have hoped/trusted in your words

verbum, i, n.,word, command, edict, also a promise; saying, speech
spero, avi, atum, are, to hope or trust in
sermo, onis, m. words; a command, edict word, speech, saying, discourse; scheme, plan, proposal

Those ignorant of Christ are not content just to tolerate; rather they attack. But we are told not to keep silent, but to respond, for we have Christ with us to help us do so. Cassiodorus insists that when confronted by heresy and error, when we are confronted by the guile of adversaries:“We must not be silent before those able to listen to reason, but we must respond bravely so that the audacity of men of ill-will does not appear victorious in their eyes.”

43 Et ne auferas de ore meo verbum veritatis usquequaque, quia in judiciis tuis supersperavi.
And take not the word of truth utterly out of my mouth: for in your words, I have hoped exceedingly

Et ne auferas = And do not destroy/take away

aufero, abstuli, ablatum, auferre to take or bear away; to destroy.

de ore meo = from my mouth

os, oris, n., the mouth.

verbum veritatis = the word of truth

verbum, i, n.,word, command, edict, also a promise; saying, speech; Law
veritas, atis, truth. grace, kindness ,goodness, fidelity to promises, Faithfulness

usquequaque = utterly

usquequaque, adv., utterly, altogether, exceedingly

quia in judiciis tuis supersperavi = because in your justice I have hoped greatly

quia, conj. for, because, that. truly, surely, indeed;
judicium, i, n. judgment, decrees; law, commandment; the power, or faculty of judging wisely; justice.
superspero, avi, atum, are, with prep, in with the ace. or abl., to hope or trust in greatly.

This verse is a prayer for constancy: that we may not fail for a want of courage or pride that causes God to withdraw his grace.

44 Et custodiam legem tuam semper, in sæculum et in sæculum sæculi.
So shall I always keep your law, for ever and ever.

Et custodiam legem tuam semper= And I will keep your law always

custodio, ivi or li, itum, ire to guard, watch, keep;to maintain, to hold steadfastly.
lex, legis, a law; the Law of God. the will of God
semper, adv., ever, always, at all times.

in sæculum et in sæculum sæculi = forever and ever into eternity

saeculum, i, n., a lifetime, generation, age; an indefinite period of time; forever, eternity; from of old, i.e., in ages past.

Bellarmine comments: “He now tells us the effect of the mercy that so heals the soul, and that is the perpetual observance of God's law.”

45 Et ambulabam in latitudine, quia mandata tua exquisivi.
And I walked at large: because I have sought after your commandments

Et ambulabam (impf) = And I was walking

Note that the neo-Vulgate changes the verb to future tense (ambulabo)

ambulo, avi, atum, are to walk; the manner in which one orders one's life;

in latitudine = in freedom/at liberty/at large

latitudo, inis, f breadth, wideness, spaciousness, freedom, gladness With verbs of motion it implies freedom from restraint, and conveys the additional idea of gladness.

quia mandata tua exquisivi = because I have sought your commandments

mandatum, i, n. law, precept, command, commandment (of God); commandments, precepts, decrees
exquiro quaesivi itum ere 3, to seek, seek after

Here we come to the true sense of the term ‘freedom’: true freedom means not the option of rejecting of God’s way, but through the power of love, the ability to do God’s will easily.

46 Et loquebar in testimoniis tuis in conspectu regum, et non confundebar.
And I spoke of your testimonies before kings: and I was not ashamed.

Et loquebar = And I spoke

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

in testimoniis tuis = in your testimonies

testimonium, ii, n. witness, testimony; the Law; precepts, commandments, ordinances, statutes, judgments, testimonies.

in conspectu regum = in the presence of kings

conspectus, us, m. sight, presence;
rex, regis, m. a king, ruler, lawgiver

et non confundebar (impf passive) = and I was not discomforted

confundo, fudi, fiisum, ere 3, to put or bring to shame, to discomfit.

Haydock’s Catholic Commentary notes that: “Thus many even of the female sex have professed their faith boldly, with St. Agnes, St. Catharine, St. Winefrid, &c., answering the reproachful objections that were put to them, as if it were dishonourable to be a Christian, Catholic or Papist.”

47 Et meditabar in mandatis tuis, quæ dilexi.
I meditated also on your commandments, which I loved.

Et meditabar = and I was meditating/thinking

meditor, atus sum, ari, to think, plan, devise, meditate

in mandatis tuis = on your commandments

mandatum, i, n. law, precept, command, commandment (of God); commandments, precepts, decrees

quæ dilexi= which I have loved

Note that the Septuagint adds ‘exceedingly’ to the phrase, to reinforce the sense of fervour suggested here.

diligo, lexi, lectum, ere 3 to love;

Cassiodorus comments:

“A person can never neglect what he loves. Then, in case you perhaps regarded even this love as lukewarm, they added: Exceedingly; no love can be found greater than this. Love of the Lord's commandments cannot be modest like any other love; it must be enthusiastic, as is the aim here. So they rightly loved the Lord's commandments exceedingly, for they walked trustingly in breadth of heart.”

48 Et levavi manus meas ad mandata tua, quæ dilexi, et exercebar in justificationibus tuis.
And I lifted up my hands to your commandments, which I loved: and I was exercised in your justifications.

Et levavi manus meas = And I lifted up my hands

The commentaries suggest that lifting up hands means taking on an active role. Cassidorus for example says:

“In the previous verse they said I meditated on thy commandments, which relates to contemplative virtue, but now they say: I will lift up my hands, which relates to the active role, for raising the hands denotes being occupied in good works, whereas the person detained in evil actions lowers rather than raises his hands.”

levo, avi, atum, are to rise, lift up, elevate.
manus, us, f, the hand

ad mandata tua quæ dilexi =to your commandments which I loved

mandatum, i, n. law, precept, command, commandment (of God); commandments, precepts, decrees
diligo, lexi, lectum, ere 3 to love;

et exercebar in justificationibus tuis =and was pondering your precepts

exerceo, cui, citum, ere 2 to exercise, work at, employ one's self about a thing; ponder, to meditate on, be occupied or employed
justificatio, onis, f precepts, decrees, statutes, ordinances;

We are called upon here to put our meditation into action, through good works: we must join together heart, mind, word, and deed.

Scriptural and liturgical uses of the stanza

NT references	Jas 1:18(43); Mt 10:18 (46)
RB cursus	Sunday Terce
Monastic feasts etc	-
Roman pre 1911	Terce daily
Responsories	-
Roman post 1911	1911-62: Sunday Terce
Mass propers (EF)	Lent II, Lent/Sept Ember Wed OF (47-48); Friday Passion wk OF PP20 CO (49-50) Common of a virgin martyr: IN (v46) St Agatha: AL, (46) St Justin, IN (46)

And you can find notes on the next stanza of the psalm here.