An introduction to Psalm 64

As it is a psalm set for Wednesday in the Benedictine Office, I thought I'd provide this introduction to the psalm set for Lauds in the Office of the Dead, Psalm 64, on this day and come back to the remaining psalms of Matins thereafter.  

Psalm 64 is a prayer filled with hope at the coming of Our Lord, and at the prospect of our return to our heavenly home.  

On Holy Wednesday, Our Lord said that first the seed must die before it can spring up anew: this psalm takes up that thought and tells us that Christ’s suffering is necessary for an abundant harvest.

Vulgate	Douay-Rheims
In finem. Psalmus David, canticum Jeremiæ et Ezechielis populo transmigrationis, cum inciperent exire.	To the end, a psalm of David. The canticle of Jeremiah and Ezechiel to the people of the captivity, when they began to go out.
1 Te decet hymnus, Deus, in Sion: * et tibi reddétur votum in Jerúsalem.	A hymn, O God, becomes you in Sion: and a vow shall be paid to you in Jerusalem
2  Exáudi oratiónem meam: * ad te omnis caro véniet.	3 O hear my prayer: all flesh shall come to you.
3  Verba iniquórum prævaluérunt super nos: * et impietátibus nostris tu propitiáberis.	4 The words of the wicked have prevailed over us: and you will pardon our transgressions.
4  Beátus quem elegísti et assumpsísti: * inhabitábit in átriis tuis.	5 Blessed is he whom you have chosen and taken to you: he shall dwell in your courts.
5  Replébimur in bonis domus tuæ, sanctum est templum tuum: *  mirábile in æquitáte.	We shall be filled with the good things of your house; holy is your temple, 6 wonderful in justice.
6  Exáudi nos, Deus salutáris noster: * spes ómnium fínium terræ et in mari longe.	Hear us, O God our saviour, who is the hope of all the ends of the earth, and in the sea afar off
7  Præparans montes in virtúte tua, accínctus poténtia: * qui contúrbas profúndum maris sonum flúctuum ejus.	7 You who prepares the mountains by your strength, being girded with power: 8 Who troubles the depth of the sea, the noise of its waves.
8  Turbabúntur Gentes, et timébunt qui inhábitant términos a signis tuis: * éxitus matutíni, et véspere delectábis.	The Gentiles shall be troubled, 9 and they that dwell in the uttermost borders shall be afraid at your signs: you shall make the outgoings of the morning and of the evening to be joyful.
9  Visitásti terram, et inebriásti eam: * multiplicásti locupletáre eam.	10 You have visited the earth, and have plentifully watered it; you have many ways enriched it.
10  Flumen Dei replétum est aquis; parásti cibum illórum: * quóniam ita est præparátio ejus.	The river of God is filled with water, you have prepared their food: for so is its preparation.
11  Rivos ejus inébria multíplica genímina ejus: * in stillicídiis ejus lætábitur gérminans.	11 Fill up plentifully the streams thereof, multiply its fruits; it shall spring up and rejoice in its showers.
12  Benedíces corónæ anni benignitátis tuæ: * et campi tui replebúntur ubertáte.	12 You shall bless the crown of the year of your goodness: and your fields shall be filled with plenty.
13  Pinguéscent speciósa desérti: * et exsultatióne colles accingéntur.	13 The beautiful places of the wilderness shall grow fat: and the hills shall be girded about with joy,
14  Indúti sunt aríetes óvium et valles abundábunt fruménto: * clamábunt, étenim hymnum dicent.	14 the rams of the flock are clothed, and the vales shall abound with corn: they shall shout, yea they shall sing a hymn.

The theme of Wednesday in the Benedictine Office, I would suggest, is man's malice and betrayal of God, most importantly typified by Judas' betrayal on 'Spy Wednesday' of Holy Week.

The first of the variable psalms of Lauds on Wednesday, Psalm 63, dwells directly on the theme of betrayal, and serves to remind us that we are all Judas's at heart, and must repent wholeheartedly for as St Peter did. Psalm 64 however takes a rather more upbeat approach, focusing on the necessity of Christ's death in order for his people to come home, as indeed must we!

One of the features of St Benedict’s construction of Lauds is that he always gives it an upbeat note, consistent with the association of the hour itself with the resurrection/rising sun.  Where the first variable psalm of Lauds is darker, as for Wednesday to Friday, the second psalm is invariably more upbeat in its take on the events of Holy Week.  In this he perhaps takes his cue from this psalm, for amidst the warnings of coming disturbances and signs, the psalmist points firmly to the promise of good things to come, and notes that God ‘shall make the outgoings of the morning and of the evening to be joyful’.

The seed must die...

Some have suggested that today’s psalm was originally a hymn used for the harvest festival.  In Christian usage, however, that harvest has become the heavenly one, for verses 1 and 2 are used in the Introit of the Requiem Mass.

The harvest theme is appropriate though, for it is on Holy Wednesday that Our Lord is traditionally said to have prophesied his death to his disciples, reminding them that the seed has to die in order for new life to grow (Jn 12: 24). 

Similarly this psalm tells us that the Lord has ‘visited the earth, and have plentifully watered it; you have many ways enriched it’, such that the streams are full, and everything is set for a ripe harvest.  St John Chrysostom interprets the rain provided here as Christ’s teaching, and Cassiodorus’ interpretation of verse 7 complements this, suggesting that the ‘prepared mountains’ here refers to the apostles,

“So we fittingly interpret allegorically the prepared mountains as the apostles who were chosen to proclaim the word. They had strength of faith and height of sanctity; they were lowly in style of life, but deservedly ranked higher. The Lord prepared them by His strength because He performed great miracles through them, so that by the greatness of the Word they could convert unbelievers, and admiration at their deeds could soften the hardest hearts."

The title of the psalm in the Septuagint however that perhaps points us most clearly to the interpretation of the psalm St Benedict had in mind, for it recalls the ending of the Babylonian captivity: ‘To the end, a psalm of David. The canticle of Jeremiah and Ezechiel to the people of the captivity, when they began to go out’.   Cassiodorus, following St Augustine, notes that “when the Jewish people because of their disobe­dience were led captive by the Chaldean nation, the prophets Jeremiah and Ezechiel said that they would return to their native land seventy years later, and that they would restore Jerusalem to a better state after it had been overturned by the enemy.”  

Today we contemplate the end of those years of captivity, and our coming freedom, for despite the fact that ‘The words of the wicked have prevailed over us’, God ‘will pardon our transgressions’, for ‘Blessed is he whom you have chosen and taken to you’.  For his sake, ‘We shall be filled with the good things of your house’, for ‘holy is your temple’.

This is indeed the ‘crown of the year’ in our salvation.

Introduction to Psalm 7

c1360
Speculum Humanae Salvationis,
Westfalen oder Köln,
ULB Darmstadt, Hs 2505, fol. 27r

I want to finish up, for the moment, this gap filling exercize on the Office of the Dead with introductory notes for the couple of psalms of that Office that I haven't previously posted on here at all, viz Psalms 7, 40, 41 and 64.  I'll come back with verse by verse notes on these later.  

Today, Psalm 7, which is also said on Tuesday at Prime in the Benedictine Office.

In the context of the Office of the Dead, Psalm 7 can, perhaps, be read above all as a prayer for final perseverance in the face of attack from the devil.

In the context of Tuesday Prime the three psalms set for the hour arguably form a triptych that looks at our response to God’s call: in particular, they focus on God’s gift to us of intellect and free will, and the consequences thereof, both positive and negative.

Psalm 7: Dómine, Deus meus, in te sperávi

Vulgate	Douay-Rheims
Psalmus David, quem cantavit Domino pro verbis Chusi, filii Jemini.	The psalm of David, which he sung to the Lord, for the words of Chusi, the son of Jemini.
Dómine, Deus meus, in te sperávi : * salvum me fac ex ómnibus persequéntibus me, et líbera me.	Lord, my God, in you have I put my trust; save me from all them that persecute me, and deliver me.
2.  Nequándo rápiat ut leo ánimam meam, * dum non est qui rédimat, neque qui salvum fáciat.	Lest at any time he seize upon my soul like a lion, while there is no one to redeem me, nor to save.
3  Dómine, Deus meus, si feci istud. * si est iníquitas in mánibus meis :	O Lord, my God, if I have done this thing, if there be iniquity in my hands
4  Si réddidi retribuéntibus mihi mala, * décidam mérito ab inimícis meis inánis.	If I have rendered to them that repaid me evils, let me deservedly fall empty before my enemies.
5  Persequátur inimícus ánimam meam, et comprehéndat, et concúlcet in terra vitam meam, * et glóriam meam in púlverem dedúcat.	Let the enemy pursue my soul, and take it, and tread down my life, on the earth, and bring down my glory to the dust.
6  Exsúrge, Dómine, in ira tua : * et exaltáre in fínibus inimicórum meórum.	Rise up, O Lord, in your anger: and be exalted in the borders of my enemies.
7  Et exsúrge, Dómine Deus meus, in præcépto quod mandásti : * et synagóga populórum circúmdabit te.	And arise, O Lord, my God, in the precept which you have commanded: And a congregation of people shall surround you.
8  Et propter hanc in altum regrédere : * Dóminus júdicat pópulos.	And for their sakes return on high. The Lord judges the people.
9  Júdica me, Dómine, secúndum justítiam meam, * et secúndum innocéntiam meam super me.	Judge me, O Lord, according to my justice, and according to my innocence in me.
10  Consumétur nequítia peccatórum, et díriges justum, *  scrutans corda et renes Deus.	The wickedness of sinners shall be brought to nought; and you shall direct the just: the searcher of hearts and reins is God.
11 Justum adjutórium meum a Dómino, * qui salvos facit rectos corde.	Just is my help from the Lord; who saves the upright of heart
12  Deus judex justus, fortis, et pátiens : * numquid iráscitur per síngulos dies?	God is a just judge, strong and patient: is he angry every day?
13  Nisi convérsi fuéritis, gládium suum vibrábit : * arcum suum teténdit, et parávit illum.	Except you will be converted, he will brandish his sword; he has bent his bow, and made it ready.
14  Et in eo parávit vasa mortis : * sagíttas suas ardéntibus effécit.	And in it he has prepared to instruments of death, he has made ready his arrows for them that burn.
15  Ecce partúriit injustítiam : * concépit dolórem, et péperit iniquitátem.	Behold he has been in labour with injustice: he has conceived sorrow, and brought forth iniquity.
16  Lacum apéruit, et effódit eum : * et íncidit in fóveam quam fecit.	He has opened a pit and dug it: and he is fallen into the hole he made.
17  Convertétur dolor ejus in caput ejus : * et in vérticem ipsíus iníquitas ejus descéndet.	His sorrow shall be turned on his own head: and his iniquity shall come down upon his crown.
18  Confitébor Dómino secúndum justítiam ejus : * et psallam nómini Dómini altíssimi.	I will give glory to the Lord according to his justice: and will sing to the name of the Lord the most high.

Scriptural context

Because the titles of the psalm given in the Septuagint ('The psalm of David, which he sung to the Lord, for the words of Chusi, the son of Jemini') and Hebrew Masoretic ('A shiggaion of David, which he sang to the Lord concerning Cush the Benjaminite') texts differ, and are both in any case obscure, there are competing views as to which particular incident in King David’s life is referred to in this psalm.  The most likely reference seems to be to the rebellion of David’s son Absalom, aided by David’s trusted adviser Achitophel (Chusi .  Others however see it as a reference to Saul’s persecution of David much earlier in his career.

Either way, the psalm can be interpreted as presenting David as a ‘type’ of Our Lord, representing all who are calumniated and persecuted, including the Church itself.  The psalm is the plea of a man falsely accused and persecuted by a friend, and asks God to help him and to set things right.

The psalmist asks the Lord to attest to his innocence of the charges made against him, while speaking of his anguish at the attacks on his integrity.

The second half of the psalm sets out God’s role in rendering judgment: God knows what is in our hearts and minds; based on that, he saves the righteous and punishes the sinner.

In the Office of the Dead

The psalm's place in the Office of the Dead is surely due to its pleas for God’s redeeming power to be manifested, and emphasis on salvation through repentance.

The persecutors of the psalm can be read not just as people opposed to the psalmist, but also as referring to purely spiritual enemies, the temptations that we all face.  In particular, the image of the lion, who threatens to seize his soul (verse 2) is one that frequently is frequently used to refer to the devil (cf for example 1 Peter, used at Compline).

Similarly, the sword of justice (verse 13) symbolises the punishment at our deaths and at the final judgment, but which the psalmist points out can yet be avoided by repentance.

In the context of Tuesday Prime

Tuesday in the Benedictine Office is, I have argued elsewhere, is focused on the public ministry of Jesus, and particularly how his instruction and example can aid us in making progress in the pursuit of perfection, symbolised most obviously by the use of the Gradual psalms on this day.

This psalm sets out several important points to meditate on as we contemplate this ascent to the temple of heaven.

First, the psalm stresses his absolute trust and sense of dependence on God alone as the source of redemption and salvation.  The key takeout message is that instead of looking first to our own efforts to defeat attacks on us (whether from actual people, or in the form of temptations), we should rather ask God for help.

Secondly, St Benedict quotes verse 10 in his chapter on humility as a reminder that nothing can be hidden from God: God searches the ‘hearts and reins’ of a person, our hearts and minds; he knows all our inner thoughts.

Thirdly, the psalm reminds us that the struggle for perfection is not an easy one.  In this world, as we all know all too well, injustice frequently prevails, due to the effects of original sin and free will.  Those who do nothing wrong, nothing but stand up for the good, often face lies spread about them and other forms of persecution, as the lives of the saints.  Why does God allow this, allowing even his Son to be persecuted and die on the Cross?  The Church teaches that such events are the result of God allowing us to make our own decisions - to exercise our free will - about whether to do what is good, or to choose evil.  But we are also taught that even when we choose to do evil, God arranges events so as to bring good out of it.  Consider for example, St Benedict, who was forced to leave Subiaco due to the envy of a local priest.  Yet his move to Monte Cassino marked the start of a new missionary endeavour that was to have lasting consequences for Western civilization; and of course the Cross is the means of our redemption.

Fourthly we should be motivated by the fact that justice will ultimately prevail.  Those who suffer now from unfair attacks are able to bear it now secure in the knowledge that they will be rewarded in the next life; and because we know that in the end, God’s justice will catch up with the Hitler’s, Bin Laden’s and their petty imitators on a much smaller scale.  The psalmist makes the point that sin rebounds on the sinner one way or another (verse 16).

Finally we are enjoined to remember that mercy is always possible, at least as long as we live.  As in many psalms, the speaker asks God for vengeance on enemies.  This should not, however, be read too literally: what the psalmist actually wants, as he makes clear in the second half of the psalm, is for his persecutors to repent of their actions and be converted.  David says of himself in verse 4 that he actually tried to repay the evil done to him with good, as the Sermon the Mount urges Christians to do.  He also notes that God is patient (verse 12), and that although his punishments are prepared, they are conditional, applying only if the sinner rejects the chances God offers for conversion (verses 13-14).

St Alphonsus Liguori goes a step further, suggesting that the punishments David asks for in this context, are not eternal punishments but temporal ones, designed to persuade the sinner to change course before it is too late.  Some of the greatest sinners, after all, as St John Chrysostom points out in relation to the verse 12’s praise of God’s patience, strength and justness, have gone on to become the greatest saints.  And though David plead his innocence in this particular instance, he was certainly guilty of serious sins later on in his life!  All of us sin, all of us need to heed this call to conversion.

And it is to this call to strive to do better that the Psalm enjoins us.

Liturgical and Scriptural uses of the psalm

NT refs	Rev 2:23 (v10); Lk 13:3 (v13); James 1:15 (v15)
RB cursus	Tuesday Prime+2172 (12)
Monastic feasts etc	All Souls, Matins of Dead AN 2334 (2), 3875 (3), 2173 (9, 12), 4494 (11) 3530, 4831, 2172 (12)
Responsories	6490 (2) Holy Week Tues no 3-7747 (4, 8, 10)
Roman pre 1911	Sunday matins
Roman post 1911	1911-62: Sunday Compline. 1970:
Mass propers (EF)	Ember Sat Lent CO (2), Post Pentecost 2 (AL, 2), (CO,18) Post Pent. 3 (AL, 12) ? OF: (2-3), OF Triplex pg 185 Im Heart of Mary GR (18)

 

Psalm 6/6: Verses 7-10

The final section of Psalm 6 deals with our relationship to our enemies: on the one hand, we must do battle with the world, the devil and the flesh; yet on the other, we must pray for the conversion of all souls, even those who have hurt us and led us astray.  

7.	V	Turbátus est a furóre óculus meus : *  inveterávi inter omnes inimícos meos.
	NV	Turbatus est a maerore oculus meus, inveteravi inter omnes inimicos meos.
	JH	Caligauit prae amaritudine oculus meus; consumtus sum ab uniuersis hostibus meis.
		ἐταράχθη ἀπὸ θυμοῦ ὁ ὀφθαλμός μου ἐπαλαιώθην ἐν πᾶσιν τοῖς ἐχθροῖς μου

turbo, avi, atum, are, to trouble, disturb, dismay, throw into disorder or confusion

furor, oris, m.  rage, wrath, fury, indignation; grief, anger, vexation

oculus, i, the eye.. It is often used in a fig. sense

invetero, avi, atum, are (in and vetus), (1) to grow old, become old  (2) to be enfeebled, fail in strength.

omnis, e, all, each, every; subst., all men, all things, everything

inimicus, i, m. (in and amicus), a foe, enemy

DR	My eye is troubled through indignation: I have grown old amongst all my enemies.
Brenton	Mine eye is troubled because of my wrath; I am worn out because of all my enemies.
Cover	My beauty is gone for very trouble, and worn away because of all mine enemies.
Knox	Grief has dimmed my eyes, faded their lustre now, so many are the adversaries that surround me.

St John Chrysostom suggested, in speaking on this verse, that when speaking of enemies, we should recall that it is not other people (the world) that we must do battle with, but powers and principalities (the devil).  It is a theme that is often alluded to in the Monday Benedictine Office in which this psalm appears at Prime, in the context of Our Lord's temptation in the desert.

St Alphonus Liguouri adds the third element to the mix, commenting that:

"I have conceived great indignation against myself when considering the deformity of my sins, and when seeing myself growing old in the midst of my enemies, which are my vices and my bad habits."

8.	V/NV	Discédite a me, omnes, qui operámini iniquitátem : *  quóniam exaudívit Dóminus vocem fletus mei.
	JH	Recedite a me, omnes qui operamini iniquitatem; quia audiuit Dominus uocem fletus mei.
		ἀπόστητε ἀπ' ἐμοῦ πάντες οἱ ἐργαζόμενοι τὴν ἀνομίαν ὅτι εἰσήκουσεν κύριος τῆς φωνῆς τοῦ κλαυθμοῦ μου

discedo, cessi, cessum, ere 3,  to go away, depart;  to wander, deviate or swerve from

omnis, e, all, each, every; subst., all men, all things, everything

operor, atus sum, are (opus), to work, do.

lniquitas, atis, /. (iniquus), iniquity, injustice, sin.

quoniam, conj.,  for, because, since,seeing that, whereas

exaudio, ivi, Itum, ire, to hear, hearken to, listen to, give heed to; to regard, answer, granted

vox, vocis,  the voice of a person, or, the sound of an instrument, etc  vox Domini, the voice of the Lord, i.e., thunder. 

fletus, us, m.  a weeping, bewailing

DR	Depart from me, all you workers of iniquity: for the Lord has heard the voice of my weeping.
Brenton	Depart from me, all ye that work iniquity; for the Lord has heard the voice of my weeping.
MD	Depart from me, all ye evil-doers, for the Lord hath heard my tearful cry.
Cover	Away from me, all ye that work vanity; for the Lord hath heard the voice of my weeping.

There are two different ideas that can be taken out of this verse, reflected in the various traditional commentaries on it. Firstly, at the individual level the speaker attests to the operation of God's grace: his prayers have been heard, and the enemy will be repelled.  But secondly, Our Lord cites it to foreshadow the separation of the wheat from the chaff, the good from the evil when it comes to judgment.

In Matthew 7:21-23 he says: "Not every one who says to me, `Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, `Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?'  And then will I declare to them, `I never knew you; depart from me, you evildoers."  In Matthew 25:31-43, it points to the separation out of those who fail to do the corporal works of mercy.  And in St Luke (13:23-27) the citation is used int he context of the narrow gate to heaven.

9	V/NV	Exaudívit Dóminus deprecatiónem meam, *  Dóminus oratiónem meam suscépit.
	JH	Audiuit Dominus deprecationem meam; Dominus orationem meam suscipiet.
		εἰσήκουσεν κύριος τῆς δεήσεώς μου κύριος τὴν προσευχήν μου προσεδέξατο

exaudio, ivi, itum, ire, to hear, hearken to, listen to, give heed to; to regard, answer

deprecatio, onis,  prayer, supplication, entreaty.

suscipio, cepi, ceptum, ere 3 to guard, protect, uphold, support; to receive, accept ; to seize.

oratio, onis,  prayer, supplication.

DR	The Lord has heard my supplication: the Lord has received my prayer.
Brenton	The Lord has hearkened to my petition; the Lord has accepted my prayer.
Cover	The Lord hath heard my petition; the Lord will receive my prayer.
Knox	Here was a prayer divinely heard, a boon divinely granted.

The psalmist repeats that his prayer has been heard three times, a repetition St Augustine suggests reflects his great joy:

"For they that rejoice are wont so to speak, as that it is not enough for them to declare once for all the object of their joy. This is the fruit of that groaning in which there is labour, and those tears with which the couch is washed, and bed drenched: for, he that sows in tears, shall reap in joy: and, blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted."

But the repetition also serves to reinforce the idea that we must be persistent in prayer, for asking for things from God, provided they are proper things, is in itself an offering to him, as Cassiodorus explains:

"Supplication consists of frequent, devoted prayer; it is unique in its outstanding aptness, and it frequently appeases by its insistence.  By received he wishes to understand "taken up," as if something had been accepted by His hands.  Observe too the great and secret joy which makes him say that his prayer has both been heard by God's ears and received like some offering; for men who rejoice usually seek the same end in different ways, and this makes them exult with great vehemence..."

10	V/ NV	Erubéscant, et conturbéntur veheménter omnes inimíci mei : * convertántur et erubéscant valde velóciter.
	JH	Confundantur et conturbentur uehementer omnes inimici mei: reuertantur et confundantur subito.
		αἰσχυνθείησαν καὶ ταραχθείησαν σφόδρα πάντες οἱ ἐχθροί μου ἀποστραφείησαν καὶ καταισχυνθείησαν σφόδρα διὰ τάχους

erubesco, rubui, ere 3, to redden or blush with shame, to feel ashamed

conturbo, avi, atum, are, confuse, disturb, derange, disorder, confound  to trouble, disquiet, discomfit, dismay

vehementer, greatly, exceedingly, very much.

velociter,  swiftly, quickly, speedily, rapidly

inimicus, i, m. (in and amicus), a foe, enemy

converto, verti, versum, ere 3, in general, to turn, change, alter, bring back; L: Aug – conversion and repentance

DR	Let all my enemies be ashamed, and be very much troubled: let them be turned back, and be ashamed very speedily.
Brenton	Let all mine enemies be put to shame and sore troubled: let them be turned back and grievously put to shame speedily.
MD	Let my enemies be put to shame and sorely frightened: let them blush for shame and flee in haste.
RSV	All my enemies shall be ashamed and sorely troubled; they shall turn back, and be put to shame in a moment.
Cover	All mine enemies shall be confounded, and sore vexed; they shall be turned back, and put to shame suddenly.
Knox	All my enemies will be abashed and terrified; taken aback, all in a moment, and put to shame.

These phrases, calling for the defeat and conversion of our enemies, are a recurring motif in the Benedictine Office of Monday.  The psalms of Monday invite us, first and foremost, to consider our own need for conversion and renewal in Christ.  But the immediate impact of our own conversion must surely be concern for the fate of our souls, the impetus for mission.  As Cassiodorus puts it:

"Notice too that once the penitent is freed of his sins and obedient to the Church's rules, he then in holy awareness prays for the conversion of his enemies, that his enemies in the flesh  may return to God's grace as he himself has gained pardon.  When he says: Let them be ashamed, he wants them to be enlightened by such contrition as to be ashamed of their previous acts, and to realise that the deeds which they long considered beneficial are wicked...Let them be turned back, so that they are not allowed to go where they seek, but on retracing their steps may be delivered from the pit of hell..."

Psalm 6 (Prime Monday): Domine ne in furore tuo arguas me

Vulgate	Douay-Rheims
Magistro chori. Fidibus. Super octavam. PSALMUS. David.	Unto the end, in verses, a psalm for David, for the octave.
Dómine, ne in furóre tuo árguas me, * neque in ira tua corrípias me.	O Lord, rebuke me not in your indignation, nor chastise me in your wrath.
2  Miserére mei, Dómine, quóniam infírmus sum : * sana me, Dómine, quóniam conturbáta sunt ossa mea.	Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I am weak: heal me, O Lord, for my bones are troubled.
3  Et ánima mea turbáta est valde : * sed tu, Dómine, úsquequo?	And my soul is troubled exceedingly: but you, O Lord, how long?
4  Convértere, Dómine, et éripe ánimam meam : * salvum me fac propter misericórdiam tuam.	Turn to me, O Lord, and deliver my soul: O save me for your mercy's sake.
5.  Quóniam non est in morte qui memor sit tui : * in inférno autem quis confitébitur tibi?	For there is no one in death that is mindful of you: and who shall confess to you in hell?
6  Laborávi in gémitu meo, lavábo per síngulas noctes lectum meum : * lácrimis meis stratum meum rigábo.	I have laboured in my groanings, every night I will wash my bed: I will water my couch with my tears
7  Turbátus est a furóre óculus meus : * inveterávi inter omnes inimícos meos.	My eye is troubled through indignation: I have grown old amongst all my enemies.
8  Discédite a me, omnes, qui operámini iniquitátem : *  quóniam exaudívit Dóminus vocem fletus mei.	Depart from me, all you workers of iniquity: for the Lord has heard the voice of my weeping.
9  Exaudívit Dóminus deprecatiónem meam, *  Dóminus oratiónem meam suscépit.	The Lord has heard my supplication: the Lord has received my prayer.
10  Erubéscant, et conturbéntur veheménter omnes inimíci mei : * convertántur et erubéscant valde velóciter.	Let all my enemies be ashamed, and be very much troubled: let them be turned back, and be ashamed very speedily.

If you would like to read about the next psalm of Prime (Psalm 7 for Tuesday), continue on here.

Alternatively, for the next of the Seven Penitential Psalms, continue on here for an Introduction to Psalm 31.