The Seven Penitential Psalms - Psalm 31/2: The grace of forgiveness

 

The first verse of Psalm 131 points us to the idea of happiness, or blessedness.

	V	Beáti quorum remíssæ sunt iniquitátes: * et quorum tecta sunt peccáta.
	NV	Beatus, cui remissa est iniquitas, et obtectum est peccatum.
	JH	Beatus cui dimissa est iniquitas, et absconditum est peccatum.
		συνέσεως μακάριοι ὧν ἀφέθησαν αἱ ἀνομίαι καὶ ὧν ἐπεκαλύφθησαν αἱ ἁμαρτίαι

remitto, misi, missum, ere 3,  to forgive, pardon, remit; to send or give back, return

tego, texi, tectum, ere 3,  to cover, covered, taken away altogether.

DR	Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.
MD	Blessed are they whose guilt is forgiven, and whose sins are pardoned.
RSV	Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.
NETS	Happy are those whose lawless behaviour was forgiven and whose sins were covered over.
Brenton	Blessed are they whose transgressions are forgiven, and who sins are covered.
Coverdale	Blessed is he whose unrighteousness is forgiven, & whose sin is covered.
Knox	Blessed are they who have their faults forgiven, their transgressions buried deep;

The idea of beatitude

Beatus simply means happy, or blessed.  It has the same meaning in the (New Testament) beatitudes.  In the first verse, it is in the plural; in the second verse, the psalmist continues with the same ideas, bringing it back to the individual.
 
Why is the psalmist happy?  Because his sins (iniquitas=iniquity, sin, or rebellion against God's authority; peccatum=sin, failure, error, going astray) are forgiven or pardoned (the verb is from remittere), 'covered' (tegere) or taken away altogether (the Hebrew suggests something more like 'offend the eye no longer').  The whole thrust of the verse is that sense of a lightening of one's burden experienced (hopefully) when one emerges from the confessional.
 
Scripture interprets Scripture?
 
It always important to look at how the New Testament in particular interprets passages from the Old, since the New fulfills and explains the Old.  In the case, St Paul quotes this verse in Romans 4, in his discussion on salvation:

"Now to one who works, his wages are not reckoned as a gift but as his due. And to one who does not work but trusts him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is reckoned as righteousness.  So also David pronounces a blessing upon the man to whom God reckons righteousness apart from works: "Blessed are those whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not reckon his sin."… No distrust made him [Abraham] waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. That is why his faith was "reckoned to him as righteousness." But the words, "it was reckoned to him," were written not for his sake alone, but for ours also. It will be reckoned to us who believe in him that raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, who was put to death for our trespasses and raised for our justification."

 Real remission of sin

This passage by St Paul, though, is one of those passages that demonstrate the importance of reading Scripture with the guidance of the Church, for the verses are also used by Luther in his theory of the non-imputation, rather than real forgiveness of sin.
 
Pope John Paul II puts the text in its orthodox context:

"In the Letter to the Romans St Paul refers explicitly to the beginning of our Psalm to celebrate Christ's liberating grace (cf. Rom 4: 6-8). We could apply this to the sacrament of Reconciliation.  In light of the Psalm, this sacrament allows one to experience the awareness of sin, often darkened in our day, together with the joy of forgiveness. The binomial "sin-punishment" is replaced by the binomial "sin-forgiveness", because the Lord is a God who "forgives iniquity and transgression and sin" (cf. Ex 34: 7)."

You can find the next part in this series on Psalm 31 here. 

The Penitential Psalms: No. 2 - Psalm 31/1

The second of the Seven Penitential Psalms, Psalm 31 (32), Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, is a timely reminder of why we undertake Lenten penances, namely the joy that comes when we confess our sins and have them forgiven.  It is a prayer to overcome our resistance to doing just that.

In the traditional Benedictine Office, it is the last psalm of Sunday Matins.

Psalm 31: Beati quorum remissae sunt iniquitates

Vulgate	Douay-Rheims
Ipsi David intellectus.	To David himself, understanding
1 Beáti quorum remíssæ sunt iniquitátes: * et quorum tecta sunt peccáta.	Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.
2  Beátus vir, cui non imputávit Dóminus peccátum, * nec est in spíritu ejus dolus.	2 Blessed is the man to whom the Lord has not imputed sin, and in whose spirit there is no guile.
3  Quóniam tácui, inveteravérunt ossa mea, * dum clamárem tota die.	3 Because I was silent my bones grew old; whilst I cried out all the day long
4  Quóniam die ac nocte graváta est super me manus tua: * convérsus sum in ærúmna mea, dum confígitur spina.	4 For day and night your hand was heavy upon me: I am turned in my anguish, whilst the thorn is fastened.
5  Delíctum meum cógnitum tibi feci: * et injustítiam meam non abscóndi.	5 I have acknowledged my sin to you, and my injustice I have not concealed.
6  Dixi: Confitébor advérsum me injustítiam meam Dómino: * et tu remisísti impietátem peccáti mei.	I said I will confess against my self my injustice to the Lord: and you have forgiven the wickedness of my sin.
7  Pro hac orábit ad te omnis sanctus, * in témpore opportúno.	6 For this shall every one that is holy pray to you in a seasonable time.
8  Verúmtamen in dilúvio aquárum multárum, * ad eum non approximábunt.	And yet in a flood of many waters, they shall not come near unto him.
9  Tu es refúgium meum a tribulatióne, quæ circúmdedit me: * exsultátio mea, érue me a circumdántibus me.	7 You are my refuge from the trouble which has encompassed me: my joy, deliver me from them that surround me.
10  Intelléctum tibi dabo, et ínstruam te in via hac, qua gradiéris: * firmábo super te óculos meos.	8 I will give you understanding, and I will instruct you in this way, in which you shall go: I will fix my eyes upon you.
11  Nolíte fíeri sicut equus et mulus, * quibus non est intelléctus.	9 Do not become like the horse and the mule, who have no understanding.
12  In camo et freno maxíllas eórum constrínge: * qui non appróximant ad te.	With bit and bridle bind fast their jaws, who come not near unto you.
13  Multa flagélla peccatóris, * sperántem autem in Dómino misericórdia circúmdabit.	10 Many are the scourges of the sinner, but mercy shall encompass him that hopes in the Lord
14  Lætámini in Dómino et exsultáte, justi, * et gloriámini, omnes recti corde.	11 Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice, you just, and glory, all you right of heart.

Psalm 31 in the Vulgate numbering, or 32 in the Hebrew, starts with a reminder that ‘penitential’ does not mean gloom and doom!

Instead, this psalm reminds us that penitence is, paradoxically, the key to true happiness.

The main focus of this psalm is the grace of conversion, and how God brings it about in us, as its opening lines suggest:

"Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord has not imputed sin, and in whose spirit there is no guile...."

Context

The setting for the psalm is generally accepted to be after David has confessed his sins and been punished for it through the death of his child, as described in 2 Samuel 12. That chapter tells how when the child becomes sick, David fasted and wept for seven days, imploring God to spare the child.  But when the child died despite his entreaties, David scandalized his servants by putting on his normal clothes and eating as normal again rather than mourning, since there was nothing he could then do to change the outcome. Instead he went out to worship God, and comforted his wife.

The psalm helps fill out Samuel's account by giving us some insight into King David's state of mind, taking us through several stages of the process of his conversion, including his stubborn resistance, until he at last reaches the joy that comes when he finally accepts God’s mercy, grace and guidance.  Perhaps the most graphic verses are the early ones describing the psalmist's torment before he achieves that realization however, as  Pope John Paul II commented:

"Above all, the person praying describes his very distressful state of conscience by keeping it "secret" (cf. v. 3): having committed grave offences, he did not have the courage to confess his sins to God. It was a terrible interior torment, described with very strong images. His bones waste away, as if consumed by a parching fever; thirst saps his energy and he finds himself fading, his groan constant. The sinner felt God's hand weighing upon him, aware as he was that God is not indifferent to the evil committed by his creature, since he is the guardian of justice and truth.

Unable to hold out any longer, the sinner made the decision to confess his sin with a courageous declaration that seems a prelude to that of the prodigal son in Jesus' parable (cf. Lk 15: 18)...In this way, a horizon of security, trust and peace unfolds before "every believer" who is repentant and forgiven, regardless of the trials of life (cf. Ps 32[31]: 6-7)."

Sin and punishment

The punishments we incur for sin in this life at least are rarely as horrific and direct as David's loss of a child.  Indeed, when bad things happen to us, they are not necessarily meant as punishments at all.

Still, David's example is given to us for a reason, and St John Fisher's commentary on this psalm points out that while contrition and confession are important, voluntarily doing penance to make up for the evil of what we have done is equally important.  The sacrament of confession, he points out requires that we do 'satisfaction', make amends, ideally accepting our penance with good grace.  And if the penance given is merely tokenistic, and does not 'cover' us as the psalm suggests, then we would do well to do more now, so as to avoid having to do it in purgatory later! St John argues that:  "There are many who wail, are contrite, and confess their sins, but there is scarce one in a thousand who does due satisfaction."

Lent then, is a good time to address any deficit in penance we may have to our charge.  Nor should this weigh us down: on the contrary, St John argues, doing penance expels sin and leads to the joy the psalmist eventually arrives at.

New Testament citations and liturgical uses

NT Refs	Roman 4: esp 7-8; James 5:16 (v1); Jn 1:47, Rev 14:5 (v2); 1 John 9 (v5); Jas 3:3 (v11)
RB cursus	Sunday II, 6
Monastic/(Roman) feasts etc	All Saints; Penitential psalms AN 3563 (11)
Roman pre 1911	Monday matins
Responsories	7066 (11), 6063 (11)
Roman post 1911	1911-62: Monday None .
Mass propers (EF)	Common of several martyrs, Fabian and Sebastian (Jan 20) OF (11)

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

Psalm 134 verses 3-4

Blake: Jacob's Ladder

Verses 3&4 of Psalm 134 explain why we should praise God, namely his goodness to us, reflected in his election of his Church.  Verse 4 in particular takes us to the central theme of Wednesday in the Benedictine Office: God's deliberate choice of us as his people.

3	V/NV	Laudáte Dóminum, quia bonus Dóminus: * psállite nómini ejus, quóniam suáve.
	JH	Laudate Dominum ; quoniam bonus Dominus : cantate nomini eius ; quoniam decens.
		αἰνεῖτε τὸν κύριον ὅτι ἀγαθὸς κύριος ψάλατε τῷ ὀνόματι αὐτοῦ ὅτι καλόν

 Laudate (praise) Dominum (the Lord), quia (for/because) bonus (good) Dominus (the Lord); psallite (sing) nomini (to the name) ejus (his), quoniam (because) [it is] suave (kind/good/sweet)

Note that the object of the sweetness is slightly ambiguous: it could either be the name of God, as most translations propose, or the act of praising him.  St Robert Bellarmine, however, adopts the second interpretation.

suavis, e , kind, good, gracious

DR	Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good: sing to his name, for it is sweet.
Brenton	Praise ye the Lord; for the Lord is good: sing praises to his name; for it is good.
Cover	O praise the Lord, for the Lord is gracious; O sing praises unto his Name, for it is lovely.
Knox	Praise to the Lord, a Lord so gracious, praise to his name, a name so well beloved.

We are now presented with a number of reasons why we should praise God, starting with one of his key attributes, namely his goodness.  Bellarmine explains that God is absolute good, and to the extent that we experience goodness, it is through him:

"Now, God is so good, that he alone is absolutely good, and so good in every respect, because he does not derive his goodness from anyone or anything  but himself, and nothing can be good except by his gift and favour.  Other things are good to a certain extent, such as a good man, house, or clothes; but God is goodness itself, having in him all the attributes of goodness." 

To the extent that we experience this good, this sweetness, we should give thanks for it then.  Nut Bellarmine's alternative reading of the text draws out an important issue in relation to the act of singing God's praises, and the reasons we have difficulty visualising the happiness of heaven:

"The saints in heaven know how sweet it is to sing to the Lord, and thus, they never desist a moment from his praise, and that by reason of their constantly tasting of his sweetness at the very source of it; we find it sometimes sweet enough, and at other times irksome enough, because it is not always that we taste of God's sweetness; it is only, when through the grace of God, and previous meditation, we come to know him, and burn to love him."

4	V	Quóniam Jacob elégit sibi Dóminus, * israël in possessiónem sibi.
	NV	Quoniam Iacob elegit sibi Dominus, Israel in peculium sibi.
	JH	Quia lacob elegit sibi Dominus, Israhel in peculium suum
		ὅτι τὸν Ιακωβ ἐξελέξατοἑαυτῷ ὁ κύριος Ισραηλ εἰς περιουσιασμὸν αὐτοῦ

Quoniam (for) Jacob elegit (he has chosen) sibi (to himself) Dominus (the Lord); Israël in possessionem (for the possession) sibi (to himself).

eligo, legi, lectum, ere 3  to choose, pick out, select.

possessio, onis, f  possession, property, substance. creatures, creations

DR	For the Lord has chosen Jacob unto himself: Israel for his own possession.
Brenton	For the Lord has chosen Jacob for himself, and Israel for his peculiar treasure.
Cover	For why? the Lord hath chosen Jacob unto himself, and Israel for his own possession.
Knox	Has not the Lord made choice of Jacob, claimed Israel for his own?

cf Deuteronomy 7:6; 10:15 Exodus 19:5

St Robert Bellarmine points out that God guides all nations and peoples; gifts all with the light of reason and the natural law written on their hearts; entrusts every soul with a guardian angel.  All in other words, are invited to accept salvation.  Alas, the majority do not respond to this invitation.  Yet through no merits of our won God has chosen a special people for himself.  He has given us a law and instructions for his worship; sent prophets to guide us; and continues to guide us still through his Church.

Pope John Paul II's Redemptionis Donum reminds us how grateful we should be:

"...renew...your awareness of your special sharing in the Redeemer's death on the cross--that sharing through which you have risen with Him, and continually rise with Him to a new life. The Lord speaks to each of you, just as He once spoke through the prophet Isaiah: "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine." 

Psalm 134 (135) – Laudate nomen Domini

Vulgate	Douay-Rheims
Alleluja.	Alleluia
1 Laudáte nomen Dómini, * laudáte, servi Dóminum.	Praise the name of the Lord: O you his servants, praise the Lord:
2  Qui statis in domo Dómini, * in átriis domus Dei nostri.	2 You that stand in the house of the Lord, in the courts of the house of our God.
3  Laudáte Dóminum, quia bonus Dóminus: * psállite nómini ejus, quóniam suáve.	3 Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good: sing to his name, for it is sweet.
4  Quóniam Jacob elégit sibi Dóminus, * Israël in possessiónem sibi.	4 For the Lord has chosen Jacob unto himself: Israel for his own possession.
5  Quia ego cognóvi quod magnus est Dóminus, * et Deus noster præ ómnibus diis.	5 For I have known that the Lord is great, and our God is above all gods.
6  Omnia quæcúmque vóluit, Dóminus fecit in cælo, et in terra, * in mari, et in ómnibus abyssis.	6 Whatsoever the Lord pleased he has done, in heaven, in earth, in the sea, and in all the deeps.
7  Edúcens nubes ab extrémo terræ: * fúlgura in plúviam fecit.	7 He brings up clouds from the end of the earth: he has made lightnings for the rain. He brings forth winds out of his stores:
8  Qui prodúcit ventos de thesáuris suis: * qui percússit primogénita Ægypti ab hómine usque ad pecus.	8 He slew the firstborn of Egypt from man even unto beast.
9  Et misit signa, et prodígia in médio tui, Ægypte: * in Pharaónem, et in omnes servos ejus.	9 He sent forth signs and wonders in the midst of you, O Egypt: upon Pharao, and upon all his servants.
10  Qui percússit gentes multas: * et occídit reges fortes:	10 He smote many nations, and slew mighty kings:
11  Sehon, regem Amorrhæórum, et Og, regem Basan, * et ómnia regna Chánaan.	11 Sehon king of the Amorrhites, and Og king of Basan, and all the kingdoms of Chanaan.
12  Et dedit terram eórum hereditátem, * hereditátem Israël, pópulo suo.	12 And gave their land for an inheritance, for an inheritance to his people Israel.
13  Dómine, nomen tuum in ætérnum: * Dómine, memoriále tuum in generatiónem et generatiónem.	13 Your name, O Lord, is for ever: your memorial, O Lord, unto all generations.
14  Quia judicábit Dóminus pópulum suum: * et in servis suis deprecábitur	14 For the Lord will judge his people, and will be entreated in favour of his servants.
15  Simulácra Géntium argéntum et aurum: * ópera mánuum hóminum.	15 The idols of the Gentiles are silver and gold, the works of men's hands.
16  Os habent, et non loquéntur: * óculos habent, et non vidébunt.	16 They have a mouth, but they speak not: they have eyes, but they see not.
17  Aures habent, et non áudient: * neque enim est spíritus in ore ipsórum.	17 They have ears, but they hear not: neither is there any breath in their mouths.
18  Símiles illis fiant qui fáciunt ea: * et omnes qui confídunt in eis.	18 Let them that make them be like to them: and every one that trusts in them.
19  Domus Israël,  benedícite Dómino: * domus Aaron, benedícite Dómino.	19 Bless the Lord, O house of Israel: bless the Lord, O house of Aaron.
20  Domus Levi, benedícite Dómino: * qui timétis Dóminum, benedícite Dómino.	20 Bless the Lord, O house of Levi: you that fear the Lord, bless the Lord.
21  Benedíctus Dóminus ex Sion, * qui hábitat in Jerúsalem.	21 Blessed be the Lord out of Sion, who dwells in Jerusalem.

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

Introduction to Psalm 10

Psalm 10 (11 in most modern Bibles), is the second psalm said at Prime on Wednesday in the Benedictine Office, and is an exhortation to spiritual heroism.

Psalm 10(11): In Domino confido

Vulgate	Douay-Rheims
In finem. Psalmus David.	Unto the end. A psalm to David.
In Dómino confído : quómodo dícitis ánimæ meæ: * Tránsmigra in montem sicut passer?	In the Lord I put my trust: how then do you say to my soul: Get you away from hence to the mountain, like a sparrow.
2  Quóniam ecce peccatóres intendérunt arcum, paravérunt sagíttas suas in pháretra, * ut sagíttent in obscúro rectos corde.	For, lo, the wicked have bent their bow: they have prepared their arrows in the quiver, to shoot in the dark the upright of heart.
3  Quóniam quæ perfecísti, destruxérunt: * justus autem quid fecit?	For they have destroyed the things which you have made: but what has the just man done
4  Dóminus in templo sancto suo, * Dóminus in cælo sedes ejus.	The Lord is in his holy temple, the Lord's throne is in heaven
5  Oculi ejus in páuperem respíciunt: * pálpebræ ejus intérrogant fílios hóminum.	His eyes look on the poor man: his eyelids examine the sons of men
6  Dóminus intérrogat justum et ímpium: * qui autem díligit iniquitátem, odit ánimam suam.	The Lord tries the just and the wicked: but he that loves iniquity, hates his own soul
7  Pluet super peccatóres láqueos: * ignis, et sulphur, et spíritus procellárum pars cálicis eórum.	He shall rain snares upon sinners: fire and brimstone, and storms of winds, shall be the portion of their cup.
8  Quóniam justus Dóminus, et justítias diléxit: * æquitátem vidit vultus ejus.	For the Lord is just, and has loved justice: his countenance has beheld righteousness.

When to stand and when to flee?

The original historical context for this psalm is probably David’s time at the court of mad King Saul, when he was constantly under suspicion, and was in fact forced to flee and live in the caves in the mountainous regions several times during this period.  On this particular occasion, however, although anxious friends concerned about his safety urge him to flee, he rejects the advice, confident that God  wishes him to stay.

The first two verses have an obvious Christological application as we ponder the events of Wednesday in Holy Week in today's Office,  for they warn that ‘unless you flee, they will kill you’.  Yet Our Lord, knowing the coming betrayal he faced, chose not to flee, not to shirk the cup.

A society in turmoil

The psalm is also, though, a commentary on the corrupt state of a society in turmoil.  The Fathers and Theologians accordingly read it as being primarily  about the threat posed by heresy.   Cassiodorus, for example, in commenting on the structure of the psalm says:

"In the first section he tells heretics in ambush who strive to seduce Catholics into their own wickedness.  In the second he speaks threateningly of the Lord's judgment, clearly revealing what they are to endure at the time of retribution, so that they may fear the Lord's justice and abandon superstitious falsehoods."

But there is another possible allusion in these verses of particular contemporary relevance, namely to the fate of Sodom, as Pope John Paul II pointed out in his catechesis on it:

The righteous person foresees that, as happened in Sodom (cf. Gn 19: 24), the Lord makes "rain upon the wicked fiery coals and brimstone" (Ps 11[10]: 6), symbols of God's justice that purifies history, condemning evil. The wicked man, struck by this burning rain - a prefiguration of his final destiny - finally experiences that "there is a God who is judge on earth!" (Ps 58[57]: 12). 

The ultimate triumph of justice

In fact the key message of this psalm seems to be that no matter how things may seem at a particular point of time, God is not indifferent, and justice will ultimately prevail.  Pope John  Paul II, for example, commented:

Now, the turning point comes in sight, outlined in the second scene (cf. vv. 4-7). The Lord, seated on the heavenly throne, takes in the entire human horizon with his penetrating gaze. From that transcendent vantage point, sign of the divine omniscience and omnipotence, God is able to search out and examine every person, distinguishing the righteous from the wicked and forcefully condemning injustice (cf. vv. 4-5). 

The image of the divine eye whose pupil is fixed and attentive to our actions is very evocative and consoling. The Lord is not a distant king, closed in his gilded world, but rather is a watchful Presence who sides with goodness and justice. He sees and provides, intervening by word and action. 

Indeed the Pope suggested that:

The spiritual key of the entire psalm is well-expressed in the concluding verse:  "For the Lord is just, he loves just deeds". This is the root of all trust and the source of all hope on the day of darkness and trial. God is not indifferent to right and wrong:  he is a good God and not a dark, incomprehensible, mysterious destiny.