Psalm 150 verses 1-2

The opening verses of Psalm 150 link together God and his people: he has worked on their behalf, and in them.

1	V	Laudáte Dóminum in sanctis ejus: * laudáte eum in firmaménto virtútis ejus
	NV	Laudate Dominum in sanctuario eius, laudate eum in firmamento virtutis eius.
	JH	Laudate Dominum in sancto eius : laudate eum in fortitudine potentiae eius.
		αἰνεῖτε τὸν θεὸν ἐν τοῖς ἁγίοις αὐτοῦ αἰνεῖτε αὐτὸν ἐν στερεώματι δυνάμεως αὐτοῦ

In Latin sanctis ejus could mean either holy place or holy persons, but the Septuagint really suggests 'the saints'.  The Hebrew Masoretic Text and the psalms tendency to use parallelism (repetition of the same sentiment in two words across the two phrases of a verse), on the other hand, favours the places interpretation, and that is reflected in most of the modern translations.  Most of the Fathers, however, including both St John Chrysostom and St Augustine, take the first phrase as a reference to either the people of the Church, or to Christ (his sanctified one). 

laudo, avi, atum, are  to praise, glorify

sanctus, a, um, adj., holy; a holy place or pious person.

firmamentum, i, n. a support, prop, stay; the firmament, the heavens, the vault or arch of the sky

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

DR	Praise ye the Lord in his holy places: praise ye him in the firmament of his power.
Brenton	Praise God in his holy places: praise him in the firmament of his power.
MD	Praise the Lord in his holy place, praise him in the fortress of his power
Coverdale	O praise God in his holiness; praise him in the firmament of his power.

Chrysostom's interpretation points to the Septuagint version of the verse:

"Praise the Lord in his saints: Another version, "in his saint;" another, "in his sanctified one." Here there is a reference either to the people, or to a holy life and holy men. Now, observe how in turn he brought the book to a close with thanks­giving, teaching us how this ought be both beginning and end of our actions and words. Hence Paul also says, "Whatever you do in word and deed, always give thanks to the God and Father through him." This is the way the opening phrase of our prayer also be­gins: the phrase "Our Father" is said on the part of those giving thanks for favors done and showing them all to be due to this name. In saying "Father," after all, you confessed sonship; but in confess­ing sonship you proclaimed righteousness, sanctification, redemp­tion, forgiveness of sins, involvement of the Spirit. All these had to be present beforehand, you see, for us to enjoy sonship in this way and be deemed worthy to call him Father. Now, he seems to me to be hinting at something else in speak­ing this way: the phrase in his saints means through his saints." 

Cassiodorus provides a possible means of reconciling the two interpretations of the first phrase, as well as the link between this psalm and Psalm 1:

"We must carefully observe the pleasurable sweetness with which this book of psalms ends, and how it looks back to its begin­ning. The prophet says that now that the saints have been received in the heavenly Jerusalem, it is right to praise the Lord, that is, it is right for those to whom He has revealed the shape of right behaviour. Earlier it was said of Him: Blessed is the man who has not walked in the counsel of the ungodly, and the rest; for the saints are those who by His generosity have deserved to imitate Him. There is a fitting explanation of the kind of reverence owed to the saints; it is the Lord who is to be praised because they are justified, and not they themselves, for His glory should be hymned first since He permits the deeds which are to be acclaimed. Veneration is however to be accorded to the just, because they have received divine gifts. Next follows: Praise him in the firmament of his power. The strength of his power lies in the fact that He endured destruction for the salvation of all, and by virtue of His power overcame death itself, together with its most wicked founder; He sundered the bars of hell, and led strong believers to the kingdom of heaven."

Pope St John Paul II  also points to the two levels of interpretation possible here:

The "sanctuary" is the first place where the musical and the prayerful theme unfolds (cf. v. 1). The original Hebrew speaks of the pure, transcendent "sacred" area in which God dwells. It is then a reference to the horizon of heaven and paradise where, as the Book of the Apocalypse will explain, the eternal, perfect liturgy of the Lamb is celebrated (cf. for example, Apoc 5,6-14). The mystery of God, in which the saints are welcomed for full communion, is a place of light and joy, of revelation and love. We can understand why the Septuagint translation and the Latin Vulgate use the word "saints" instead of "sanctuary":  "Praise the Lord in his saints!" General Audience, Wednesday 9 January 2002

2	V	Laudáte eum in virtútibus ejus: *laudáte eum secúndum multitúdinem magnitúdinis ejus.
	NV	Laudate eum in magnalibus eius, laudate eum secundum multitudinem magnitudinis eius.
	JH	Laudate eum in fortitudinibus eius : laudate eum iuxta multitudinem magnificentiae suae.
		αἰνεῖτε αὐτὸν ἐπὶ ταῖς δυναστείαις αὐτοῦ αἰνεῖτε αὐτὸν κατὰ τὸ πλῆθος τῆς μεγαλωσύνης αὐτοῦ

In virtútibus ejus=his acts of power, because of his mighty deeds; secúndum multitúdinem magnitúdinis ejus=by reason of the multitude of his power, for the greatness of his power

magnitudo, mis, greatness, power, majesty.

multitudo inis f  a large number, multitude; abundance, greatness; great, mighty.

DR	Praise him for his mighty acts: praise him according to the multitude of his greatness.
Brenton	Praise him on account of his mighty acts: praise him according to his abundant greatness.
MD	Praise Him for His deeds of valor, praise him for the greatness of His might
Cover	Praise him in his noble acts; praise him according to his excellent greatness.

The point here is that God is not far away from us, even when in his highest heaven, as St Augustine explains:

Why should not they also be called the works of God's strength, which He has done in them: yea rather, they themselves are the works of His strength; just as it is said, We are the righteousness of God in Him. For what more powerful than that He should reign for ever, with all His enemies put under His feet? Why should not they also be the multitude of His greatness? Not that whereby He is great, but whereby He has made them great, many as they are, that is, thousands of thousands. Just as righteousness too is understood in two ways, that whereby He is righteous, and that which He works in us, so as to make us His righteousness. 

Pope St John Paul II sees the verse as making the link between God's acts in history to the liturgy which helps us ascend to heaven:

Yet he is close to us:  he is present in the "holy place" of Zion and acts in history through his "mighty deeds" that reveal and enable one to experience "his surpassing greatness" (cf. vv. 1-2). Thus between heaven and earth a channel of communication is established in which the action of the Lord meets the hymn of praise of the faithful. The liturgy unites the two holy places, the earthly temple and the infinite heavens, God and man, time and eternity. During the prayer, we accomplish an ascent towards the divine light and together experience a descent of God who adapts himself to our limitations in order to hear and speak to us, meet us and save us. 

Psalm 150: Laudate Dominum

Vulgate	Douay-Rheims
Alleluja.	Alleluia
Laudáte Dóminum in sanctis ejus: * laudáte eum in firmaménto virtútis ejus.	Praise the Lord in his holy places: praise him in the firmament of his power.
2  Laudáte eum in virtútibus ejus: * laudáte eum secúndum multitúdinem magnitúdinis ejus.	2 Praise him for his mighty acts: praise him according to the multitude of his greatness.
3  Laudáte eum in sono tubæ: * laudáte eum in psaltério, et cíthara.	3 Praise him with the sound of trumpet: praise him with psaltery and harp.
4  Laudáte eum in tympano, et choro: * laudáte eum in chordis, et órgano	4 Praise him with timbrel and choir: praise him with strings and organs.
5  Laudáte eum in cymbalis benesonántibus: laudáte eum in cymbalis jubilatiónis: * omnis spíritus laudet Dóminum.	5 Praise him on high sounding cymbals: praise him on cymbals of joy: 6 Let every spirit praise the Lord. Alleluia

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

Introduction to Psalm 142 as a penitential psalm

David fleeing from Absalom, folio 72r
Belles Heures of Jean de France*
www.metmuseum.org

Today, I want to start the last stretch of this Lent series with an introduction to the last of the seven penitential psalms, Psalm 142 (143).

Psalm 142, like Psalm 129, the De Profundis, that proceeds it in this grouping, starts with the psalmist calling out from the last of his strength. Psalm 129 ended by looking forward to redemption through Our Lord; this psalm takes us a step further, to the coming of the Holy Spirit to guide us in God’s ways, and the eventual defeat of evil.

The text

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.

Context

Like Psalm 129, many modern commentators see Psalm 142 as reflecting the people of Israel at the time of the Exile, suggesting that it be thought of as Davidic in the sense of reflecting his ideas and style rather than strictly being of his authorship. The Hebrew Bible and the Septuagint, however, both clearly ascribe this psalm to David. And the Septuagint/Vulgate goes a step further, and adds a descriptor suggesting that it is set at the time described in 2 Kings 17, when King David took to the hills, pursued by his son Absalom and his rebellious army, as depicted in the picture above.

The possible specific context aside, the psalm can be seen as presenting David once more as a type of Our Lord. St Augustine, for example, sees the psalm primarily as a prophesy of Our Lord’s coming. The psalm is said at Lauds presumably because of its plea for mercy in the morning (verse 9) – but the morning reference is symbolic as well: the person dwelling in darkness, in the shadow of death (vs 4), looks to the light of Christ’s rising. Indeed, the psalm is used at the Ordinary Form Easter Vigil presumably for this very reason.

Key themes

Psalm 142, fittingly for the final psalm in the set, picks up a number of the themes that run through some or all of the penitential psalms: the dire nature of the psalmist’s personal situation; the sense of restlessness of a soul separated from God; and above all the sense that God has abandoned him on account of his sin.

The psalmist also develops further the idea set out in previous psalms that no one could truly withstand God’s judgment were it to be exercized strictly. As Pope John Paul II pointed out in his catechesis on this psalm:

“The text that we want to examine today was particularly dear to St Paul, who detected in it a radical sinfulness of every human creature: "for no man living is righteous before you, (O Lord)" (v. 2). This thought is used by the Apostle as the foundation of his teaching on sin and grace (cf. Gal 2: 16; Rm 3: 20).”

The last few verses, which pray for the defeat of the psalmist's enemies, can at first seem a little jarring to modern ears.  In fact the version of the Douay-Rheims I've quoted above makes them future tense rather than reflecting the subjunctive ('may he') of the Vulgate, and they are omitted altogether from the Liturgy of the Hours.  The key I think, is to interpret them in this context at least, primarily at least as a prayer for God's help in defeating our own personal demons, and overcoming sin, temptations and weaknesses with the help of God's grace.

The true core of the psalm, though, it seems to me, at least in the context of the penitential psalms, is the psalmist’s fervent desire to be with God, vividly expressed in verse 6, where he compares his soul to land parched dry by drought.

You can find verse by verse notes on this psalm starting here.

The Penitential Psalms - Psalm 50/6 verses 13-15

Verse 13 of Psalm 50, which speaks of the joy of salvation, is my absolute favourite.  The next two verses speak of the potential fruits of David's salvation - converting others, and offering praise to God.  He is not yet there, however, for he still needs God's pardon.

13	V	Redde mihi lætítiam salutáris tui: * et spíritu principáli confírma me.
	NV	Redde mihi laetitiam salutaris tui et spiritu promptissimo confirma me.
	JH	Redde mihi laetitiam lesu tui, et spiritu potenti confixma me.
		ἀπόδος μοι τὴν ἀγαλλίασιν τοῦ σωτηρίου σου καὶ πνεύματι ἡγεμονικῷ στήρισόν με

Text notes: Spiritu principali = princely or noble spirit. The Septuagint is more literally ruling or guiding, while the MT makes it a willing (generous) spirit, and St. Jerome offers powerful spirit.

reddo, didi, ditum, ere. to restore, return, give back; to requite, repay, reward, render;

laetitia, ae, f. joy, gladness

principalis, e It is variously rendered, noble, perfect

confirmo, avi, atum, are, to strengthen, confirm, establish; in the passive, to be sustained, supported, stayed.

DR	Restore unto me the joy of your salvation, and strengthen me with a perfect spirit.
Brenton	Restore to me the joy of thy salvation: establish me with thy directing Spirit.
Cover	O give me the comfort of thy help again, and stablish me with thy free Spirit.

The fruit of our reconciliation with God is the gift of Christ, through whom salvation comes, and the presence of the Spirit, as Irenaeus points out in Against Heresies:

"For [God] promised, that in the last times He would pour Him [the Spirit] upon [His] servants and handmaids, that they might prophesy; wherefore He did also descend upon the Son of God, made the Son of man, becoming accustomed in fellowship with Him to dwell in the human race, to rest with human beings, and to dwell in the workmanship of God, working the will of the Father in them, and renewing them from their old habits into the newness of Christ." (III.17.2)

The key point, though, is that Christianity is not a dour, miserable thing, but rather an occasion of joy.  St Thomas Aquinas points out in his commentary on this verse, that grace inevitably leads to cheerfulness:

"...it gives cheerfulness, for he who has grace has charity; and he who has charity loves God, and possesses him; and he who has what he loves, rejoices. Therefore, where charity is, there is joy. "

Pope John Paul II, in Pastores dabo vobis (1992), puts this verse in the context of the sacrament of penance:

"It is necessary and very urgent to rediscover within spiritual formation the beauty and joy of the sacrament of penance. In a culture which - through renewed and more subtle forms of self justification - runs the fatal risk of losing the "sense of sin" and, as a result, the consoling joy of the plea for forgiveness (cf. Ps 51,14) and of meeting God who is "rich in mercy" (Ep 2,4), it is vital to educate future priests to have the virtue of penance, which the Church wisely nourishes in her celebrations and in the seasons of the liturgical year, and which finds its fullness in the sacrament of reconciliation. From it flow the sense of asceticism and interior discipline, a spirit of sacrifice and self - denial, the acceptance of hard work and of the cross."

14	V/NV	Docébo iníquos vias tuas: * et ímpii ad te converténtur.
	JH	Docebo iniquos uias tuas, et peccatores ad te reuertentur.
		διδάξω ἀνόμους τὰς ὁδούς σου καὶ ἀσεβεῖς ἐπὶ σὲ ἐπιστρέψουσιν

doceo, docui, doctum, ere 2 to teach, instruct..

iniquus, a, um, unjust, godless, wicked; As a subst.  the wicked, the godless, the unjust (man or men); evil-doers.

impius, ii, m., sinners, the wicked, the godless,

converto, verti, versum, ere 3, to turn, change, alter, bring back; quicken, refresh; bring back; convert, turn from sin;

DR	I will teach the unjust your ways: and the wicked shall be converted to you.
Brenton	Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and ungodly men shall turn to thee.
Cover	Then shall I teach thy ways unto the wicked, and sinners shall be converted unto thee.

The fruit of our salvation is the desire to convert others as well; and indeed this too brings a reward, as James 5:20 makes clear: "Let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins."

David himself is testimony of this truth, as St Robert Bellarmine points out:

"The fruit of his justification, tending to the glory of God and the benefit of many. Having been taken into favor after so many grievous offenses, "I will teach," by word and example, "thy ways," mercy, and justice; "For all the ways of the Lord are mercy and truth;" and the consequence will be, that the wicked, following my example, will be converted to thee. David was a signal example to all posterity of God's justice and mercy; of his mercy, because, notwithstanding his grievous crimes, the moment he exclaimed, "I have sinned before the Lord," they were all forgiven; and of his justice, for the Lord inflicted more grievous temporal punishments on him, not only in the death of the son born in adultery, but soon after, in his expulsion from the kingdom, the public violation of his wives by his own son and the slaughter of his sons Amon and Absalom. His example was useful, not only to the people of his own time, but to a unto the end of the world; for this Psalm, composed by him is in use, and will be in use: so long as the Church militant shall be in existence."

15	V/NV	Líbera me de sanguínibus, Deus, Deus salútis meæ: * et exsultábit lingua mea justítiam tuam.
	JH	Libera me de sanguinibus, Deus Deus salutis meae; laudabit lingua mea iustitiam tuam.
		ῥῦσαί με ἐξ αἱμάτων ὁ θεὸς ὁ θεὸς τῆς σωτηρίας μου ἀγαλλιάσεται ἡ γλῶσσά μου τὴν δικαιοσύνην σου

Text notes: Libera me de sanguinibus   - literally from the bloods, but meaning from blood-guiltiness, ie David prays to be delivered from the guilt of having shed the blood of Urias.   The plural follows the Greek plural in imitation of the Hebrew plural of composition (stains or pools of blood).

liber, era, erum, free.

sanguis, mis, m., blood; sanguines, um, vir sanguinum, a blood thirsty man, a man of bloody

deeds.

exsulto, avi, atum, are ., to spring, leap, or jump up; to exult, to rejoice exceedingly

lingua, ae, f., the tongue; language, speech, tongue; plan, council

DR	Deliver me from blood, O God, you God of my salvation: and my tongue shall extol your justice.
Brenton	Deliver me from blood-guiltiness, O God, the God of my salvation: and my tongue shall joyfully declare thy righteousness
Cover	Deliver me from blood-guiltiness, O God, thou that art the God of my health; and my tongue shall sing of thy righteousness.

This verse brings us back to the obstacles that David still faced, in this verse, the guilt of his sin which is still on him.  As Bellarmine says:

"Having prayed shortly before for his sins to be washed away, and having promised that he would teach sinners the ways of the Lord, he now prays to be freed from the punishment which Urias' blood, unjustly spilt, called for, and promises to praise God's justice. "Deliver me;" save me from the void of Unas' blood, which, unjustly spilled by me, cries out to thee and calls for vengeance; "Deliver me," for he fancied he saw the blood, like a soldier in arms, staring him in the face; and, therefore, with great propriety, he adds, "O God, the God of my salvation;" for to deliver from imminent danger is the province of a Savior; and this, too, is a reason for his adding, "and my tongue shall extol thy justice;" for true deliverance and salvation was then had through the merits of Christ in prospective as the same is had now through the same merits as of the past. The merits of Christ have in them the very essence of justice and deserve the most unbounded praises both of lips and heart on our part."

Psalm 50: Miserere me Deus 

Vulgate	Douay-Rheims
In finem. Psalmus David cum venit ad eum Nathan propheta, quando intravit ad Bethsabee.	Unto the end, a psalm of David, 2 when Nathan the prophet came to him, after he had sinned with Bethsabee.
1 Miserére mei Deus, * secúndum magnam misericórdiam tuam.	Have mercy on me, O God, according to your great mercy.
2  Et secúndum multitúdinem miseratiónum tuárum, * dele iniquitátem meam.	And according to the multitude of your tender mercies blot out my iniquity.
3  Amplius lava me ab iniquitáte mea: * et a peccáto meo munda me.	Wash me yet more from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.
4  Quóniam iniquitátem meam ego cognósco: * et peccátum meum contra me est semper.	For I know my iniquity, and my sin is always before me.
5  Tibi soli peccávi, et malum coram te feci: * ut justificéris in sermónibus tuis, et vincas cum judicáris.	To you only have I sinned, and have done evil before you: that you may be justified in your words, and may overcome when you are judged.
6  Ecce enim in iniquitátibus concéptus sum: * et in peccátis concépit me mater mea.	For behold I was conceived in iniquities; and in sins did my mother conceive me.
7  Ecce enim veritátem dilexísti: * incérta et occúlta sapiéntiæ tuæ manifestásti mihi.	For behold you have loved truth: the uncertain and hidden things of your wisdom you have made manifest to me.
8  Aspérges me hyssópo, et mundábor: * lavábis me, et super nivem dealbábor.	You shall sprinkle me with hyssop, and I shall be cleansed: you shall wash me, and I shall be made whiter than snow.
9  Audítui meo dabis gáudium et lætítiam: * et exsultábunt ossa humiliáta.	To my hearing you shall give joy and gladness: and the bones that have been humbled shall rejoice.
10  Avérte fáciem tuam a peccátis meis: * et omnes iniquitátes meas dele.	Turn away your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities.
11  Cor mundum crea in me, Deus: * et spíritum rectum ínnova in viscéribus meis.	Create a clean heart in me, O God: and renew a right spirit within my bowels.
12  Ne projícias me a fácie tua: * et spíritum sanctum tuum ne áuferas a me.	Cast me not away from your face; and take not your holy spirit from me.
13  Redde mihi lætítiam salutáris tui: * et spíritu principáli confírma me.	Restore unto me the joy of your salvation, and strengthen me with a perfect spirit.
14  Docébo iníquos vias tuas: * et ímpii ad te converténtur.	I will teach the unjust your ways: and the wicked shall be converted to you.
15  Líbera me de sanguínibus, Deus, Deus salútis meæ: * et exsultábit lingua mea justítiam tuam.	Deliver me from blood, O God, you God of my salvation: and my tongue shall extol your justice.
16  Dómine, lábia mea apéries: * et os meum annuntiábit laudem tuam.	O Lord, you will open my lips: and my mouth shall declare your praise.
17  Quóniam si voluísses sacrifícium dedíssem útique: * holocáustis non delectáberis.	For if you had desired sacrifice, I would indeed have given it: with burnt offerings you will not be delighted.
18  Sacrifícium Deo spíritus contribulátus: * cor contrítum, et humiliátum, Deus non despícies.	A sacrifice to God is an afflicted spirit: a contrite and humbled heart, O God, you will not despise.
19  Benígne fac, Dómine, in bona voluntáte tua Sion: * ut ædificéntur muri Jerúsalem.	Deal favourably, O Lord, in your good will with Sion; that the walls of Jerusalem may be built up.
20  Tunc acceptábis sacrifícium justítiæ, oblatiónes, et holocáusta: * tunc impónent super altáre tuum vítulos.	Then shall you accept the sacrifice of justice, oblations and whole burnt offerings: then shall they lay calves upon your altar.

You can find the next part of this series on Psalm 50 here.