Introduction to Psalm 148

Psalm 148 has been described as Genesis 1 in poetic form, because it invites all creation to give God in an order that mirrors the days of creation.  

But it goes further than this, containing a call to our own conversion and intensification of efforts in seeking holiness. 

The content and structure of Psalm 148 is echoed in a number of other Old Testament canticles, including the Benedicite (Daniel 3) said at Lauds on Sunday, Job 28, and Sirach 43.  Read in the light of the New Testament however, the call to praise is not just for creation, but more particularly for our redemption through the Resurrection of Christ.  St Augustine explains the context:

"This is the Halleluia which we sing, which, as you know, means (in Latin), Praise ye the Lord...this, after His Resurrection: by which time is signified the future hope which as yet we have not: for what we represent after the Lord's Resurrection, we shall have after our own. For in our Head both are figured, both are set forth. The Baptism of the Lord sets forth to us this present life of trial, for in it we must toil, be harassed, and, at last, die; but the Resurrection and Glorification of the Lord sets forth to us the life which we are to have hereafter, when He shall come to recompense due rewards, evil to the evil, good to the good."

Similarly, St Alphonsus Liguori notes that:

In this psalm, as well as in the two following, all creatures are called upon to praise and thank the Lord for the victory gained over the enemies of his holy name.

The praises of creation

Psalm 148 can be interpreted both literally and metaphorically.

At the literal level, the psalm calls on all creation to praise God, for all are equal before God, praising in their own way either with our hearts, minds and voices, or by our very being.  The psalm is in essence a call to redouble our efforts, to intensify our praise of God, and to join others to our work of praise, as St John Chrysostom's explains:

"The practice of the saints in their deep gratitude was like this, when on the point of giving thanks to God, to invite many to share in the praise and exhort them to be associated with them in this lovely ritual...."

There is, moreover, a particularly monastic dimension to the psalm, for the work of heaven, and of the angels, as the opening verses attest, is the constant praise of God, and on earth, the monastery is the pre-eminent place where this is imitated.  Indeed, Pope Benedict XVI made this very point:

"In the patristic period the monastic life was likened to the life of the angels. It was considered the essential mark of the angels that they are worshippers. Their very life is worship. This should hold true also for monks. Monks pray first and foremost not for any specific intention, but simply because God is worthy of being praised. “Confitemini Domino, quoniam bonus! – Praise the Lord, for he is good, for his mercy is eternal!”: so we are urged by a number of Psalms (e.g. Ps 106:1). Such prayer for its own sake, intended as pure divine service, is rightly called officium. It is “service” par excellence, the “sacred service” of monks. It is offered to the triune God who, above all else, is worthy “to receive glory, honour and power” (Rev 4:11), because he wondrously created the world and even more wondrously renewed it." Visit To Heiligenkreuz Abbey, 9 September 2007

The celestial hierarchy

Verses 5 and 6 explain why we should praise him, namely because is the creator - and recreator - of all, effecting the work of creation out of nothing with ease, and continuing to govern it.

Though all are part of creation and therefore called to respond to the creator with praise, the psalm sets out  a hierarchy in creation. 

Verses 1-4 start with the heavens and all therein, including the angels, to praise God more intensively.

Verses 7-10 extend the call to the things of earth, including the good and the bad; the beautiful and the scary, for everything created plays a role in God's providential plan for the world.  These verses also perhaps service to put humanity in its place, for we are but one part of this divine creation, a part of it, not something above it.

Verses 11-12 set out the hierarchy amongst men: rulers and judges and ruled; young and old; men and women.  They illustrate perhaps that all are equally called to God's praise yet the hierarchical construction of society is also part of God's creation, a protection against chaos.

The final verses attest to the special place of the Church in this hierarchy: through it God grants his people grace, and thus allows us to share in his glory.

The spiritual interpretation

The Fathers though, also constructed allegorical interpretations of each of the elements mentioned in the psalm.  Dragons, for example, dragons, can be seen as representing the more abrasive and strong-minded amongst us, while the stormy winds that fulfil his word are those who have turned from evil and been converted.

St Alphonsus Liguori summarises the meaning at this level as follows:

In an allegorical sense all Christians are invited to bless God for the victory that he helped them to gain over the devil, the world, and the flesh; a victory so great that for it they will be honored by being appointed judges at the day of judgment.

Liturgical uses of the psalm

NT references	-
RB cursus	Lauds daily+3585, 4116, 1836
Monastic/(Roman) feasts etc	AN 3232, 3720 (1), 4116 (1,13); 4976, 4977 (3) 3584 (4) 5001 (5) 5020 (6) 4593 (7, 11) 3219 (cf13) 3155 (9, 14)
Roman pre 1911	Lauds daily
Responsories	?6826 (Hic est Michael)
Roman post 1911	1911-62: Sunday Lauds 1970: Lauds for Sunday of the third week;
Mass propers (EF)	Second Sunday after Epiphany, AL (2) Votive Mass of the Holy Angels, GR (1-2)

Psalm 148: Laudate Dominum de caelis

Vulgate	Douay-Rheims
Alleluia
1 Laudáte Dóminum de cælis: * laudáte eum in excélsis.	Praise the Lord from the heavens: praise him in the high places.
2  Laudáte eum, omnes Angeli ejus: * laudáte eum, omnes virtútes ejus.	2 Praise him, all his angels, praise him, all his hosts.
3  Laudáte eum, sol et luna: * laudáte eum, omnes stellæ et lumen.	3 Praise him, O sun and moon: praise him, all you stars and light
4  Laudáte eum, cæli cælórum: * et aquæ omnes, quæ super cælos sunt, laudent nomen Dómini.	4 Praise him, you heavens of heavens: and let all the waters that are above the heavens 5 praise the name of the Lord.
5 Quia ipse dixit, et facta sunt: * ipse mandávit, et creáta sunt.	For he spoke, and they were made: he commanded, and they were created
6  Státuit ea in ætérnum, et in sæculum sæculi: * præcéptum pósuit, et non præteríbit.	6 He has established them for ever, and for ages of ages: he has made a decree, and it shall not pass away.
7  Laudáte Dóminum de terra, * dracónes, et omnes abyssi.	7 Praise the Lord from the earth, you dragons, and all you deeps:
8  Ignis, grando, nix, glácies, spíritus procellárum: * quæ fáciunt verbum ejus:	8 Fire, hail, snow, ice, stormy winds, which fulfil his word:
9  Montes, et omnes colles: * ligna fructífera, et omnes cedri.	9 Mountains and all hills, fruitful trees and all cedars:
10  Béstiæ, et univérsa pécora: * serpéntes, et vólucres pennátæ:	10 Beasts and all cattle: serpents and feathered fowls:
11  Reges terræ, et omnes pópuli: * príncipes, et omnes júdices terræ.	11 Kings of the earth and all people: princes and all judges of the earth:
12  Júvenes, et vírgines : senes cum junióribus laudent nomen Dómini: * quia exaltátum est nomen ejus solíus.	12 Young men and maidens: let the old with the younger, praise the name of the Lord: 13 For his name alone is exalted.
13  Conféssio ejus super cælum et terram: * et exaltávit cornu pópuli sui.	14 The praise of him is above heaven and earth: and he has exalted the horn of his people.
14  Hymnus ómnibus sanctis ejus: * fíliis Israël, pópulo appropinquánti sibi.	A hymn to all his saints to the children of Israel, a people approaching to him. Alleluia

You can find the first set of verse by verse notes on this psalm here.

Psalm 136 verses 3-4

Eduard Bendemann: Die trauernden Juden im Exil.

Verses 3&4 of Psalm 136 have the Babylonians demanding a song: is this genuine interest, or just mockery?

3	V/NV	Quia illic interrogavérunt nos, qui captívos duxérunt nos, * verba cantiónum.
	JH	Quoniam ibi interrogauerunt nos qui captiuos duxerunt nos uerba carminis,
		ὅτι ἐκεῖ ἐπηρώτησαν ἡμᾶς οἱ αἰχμαλωτεύσαντες ἡμᾶς λόγους

quia (for) illic (there) interrogaverunt (they asked/demanded) nos (us), qui (who) captivos (captured) duxerunt (they had led) nos (us), verba (the words) cantionum (of songs)

interrogo, avi, atum, are, (1) to ask, to question. (2) to request, demand (3) to examine, try, test

captivus a um captured, taken

cantio ionis f a song

DR	For there they that led us into captivity required of us the words of songs.
Cover	For they that led us away captive required of us then a song, and melody, in our heaviness:
Brenton	For there they that had taken us captive asked of us the words of a song

4	V	Et qui abduxérunt nos: * hymnum cantáte nobis de cánticis sion.
	NV	et, qui affligebant nos, laetitiam: “ Cantate nobis de canticis Sion ”.
	JH	et qui adfligebant nos laeti, Canite nobis de canticis Sion.
		ᾠδῶν καὶ οἱ ἀπαγαγόντες ἡμᾶς ὕμνον ᾄσατε ἡμῖν ἐκ τῶν ᾠδῶν Σιων

et (and) qui (who) abduxerunt (they lead/took away) nos (us): Hymnum (a hymn) cantate (sing) nobis (to us) de (from) canticis (of the songs) Sion.

What is being demanded is not just a folk song, but a liturgical piece or psalm in praise of God.  

abduco duxi ductum ere 3 to lead or take away

hymnus, i, m.  a hymn, a song of praise to God.

canto, avi, atum, are to sing, to praise in song

canticum, i, n. a song, canticle.

DR	And they that carried us away, said: Sing to us a hymn of the songs of Sion.
Cover	Sing us one of the songs of Sion.
Brenton	and they that had carried us away asked a hymn, saying, Sing us one of the songs of Sion.

The most obvious interpretation of these verses is that their captors are taunting the exiles: sing to us the songs about how your city is so perfectly protected by your God, when we have in fact reduced it to rubble.

Yet there is a possible positive interpretation as well, namely that mixed amongst those who wish to mock the people of God are some who are genuinely curious, who are genuinely seeking the truth.  Pope Benedict XVI commented:

"Let us entrust ourselves to St Augustine for a further meditation on our Psalm. The great Father of the Church introduces a surprising and very timely note:  he knows that there are also people among the inhabitants of Babylon who are committed to peace and to the good of the community, although they do not share the biblical faith; the hope of the Eternal City to which we aspire is unknown to them. Within them they have a spark of desire for the unknown, for the greater, for the transcendent:  for true redemption. And Augustine says that even among the persecutors, among the non-believers, there are people who possess this spark, with a sort of faith or hope, as far as is possible for them in the circumstances in which they live. With this faith, even in an unknown reality, they are truly on their way towards the true Jerusalem, towards Christ. And with this openness of hope, Augustine also warns the "Babylonians" - as he calls them -, those who do not know Christ or even God and yet desire the unknown, the eternal, and he warns us too, not to focus merely on the material things of the present but to persevere on the journey to God."

Psalm 136 – Super flumina

Vulgate	Douay-Rheims
Psalmus David, Jeremiæ
1 Super flúmina Babylónis, illic sédimus et flévimus: * cum recordarémur Sion:	Upon the rivers of Babylon, there we sat and wept: when we remembered Sion:
2  In salícibus in médio ejus, * suspéndimus órgana nostra.	2 On the willows in the midst thereof we hung up our instruments.
3  Quia illic interrogavérunt nos, qui captívos duxérunt nos, * verba cantiónum.	3 For there they that led us into captivity required of us the words of songs.
4  Et qui abduxérunt nos: * Hymnum cantáte nobis de cánticis Sion.	And they that carried us away, said: Sing to us a hymn of the songs of Sion.
5  Quómodo cantábimus cánticum Dómini * in terra aliéna?	4 How shall we sing the song of the Lord in a strange land?
6  Si oblítus fúero tui, Jerúsalem, * oblivióni detur déxtera mea.	5 If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand be forgotten.
7  Adhæreat lingua mea fáucibus meis, * si non memínero tui.	6 Let my tongue cleave to my jaws, if I do not remember you:
8  Si non proposúero Jerúsalem, * in princípio lætítiæ meæ.	If I make not Jerusalem the beginning of my joy.
9  Memor esto, Dómine, filiórum Edom, * in die Jerúsalem.	7 Remember, O Lord, the children of Edom, in the day of Jerusalem:
10  Qui dicunt: Exinaníte, exinaníte * usque ad fundaméntum in ea.	Who say: Rase it, rase it, even to the foundation thereof.
11  Fília Babylónis mísera: * beátus, qui retríbuet tibi retributiónem tuam, quam retribuísti nobis.	8 O daughter of Babylon, miserable: blessed shall he be who shall repay you your payment which you have paid us.
12  Beátus qui tenébit, * et allídet párvulos tuos ad petram.	9 Blessed be he that shall take and dash your little ones against the rock.

And for the next set of notes on this psalm click here.

Psalm 135: God's providential interventions in history (verses 10-20)

Crossing the Red Sea, a wall painting from the 1640s in Yaroslavl, Russia

Verses 10 to 20 of Psalm 135 provide accounts of God's governance of history that are virtually identical to those of Psalm 134 (see the table below).  

Repetition between the psalms

Accordingly, I won't go over the same ground again (you can read the notes on Psalm 134 here), but will just provide notes on the additional material contained in verses 12-16.  I've included verses 21 and 22 in the table for reference purposes, since they fit into this narrative and are practically identical in both psalms, but I will come back to them briefly in the next post in this series.

Table 1: Repetition of material between Psalms 134 and 135 on salvation history

Psalm 134	Psalm 135
8 Qui percussit primogenita Ægypti, ab homine usque ad pecus. 9 Et misit signa et prodigia in medio tui, Ægypte : in Pharaonem, et in omnes servos ejus. 10 Qui percussit gentes multas,  et occidit reges fortes: 11 Sehon, regem Amorrhæorum, et Og, regem Basan, et omnia regna Chanaan: [12 et dedit terram eorum hæreditatem, hæreditatem Israël populo suo.]	10  Qui percússit Ægyptum cum primogénitis eórum [quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus] 11  Qui edúxit Israël de médio eórum [] [12-16 contain additional material] 17  Qui percússit reges magnos [] . 18  Et occídit reges fortes [] 19  Sehon, regem Amorrhæórum.[] 20  Et Og, regem Basan [] [21  Et dedit terram eórum hereditátem [] 22  Hereditátem Israël, servo suo []]

*Note: Italics and [] indicate additional material.

Notes on the verses

 There is of course, also some commonality between the verses that follow and others in Psalm 113 and 134.  Nonetheless, this is the more unique material:

12	V	In manu poténti, et bráchio excélso : * quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus.
	NV	in manu potenti et brachio extento* quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus.
	JH	In manu ualida et in brachio extento : quoniam in aeternum misericordia eius.
		ἐν χειρὶ κραταιᾷ καὶ ἐν βραχίονι ὑψηλῷ ὅτι εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα τὸ ἔλεος αὐτοῦ

In manu (With the hand) poténti (of might/strength), et (and) bráchio ([strong] arm) excélso (uplifted/outstretched)

manus, us, f, the hand

potens, entis, p. adj.  powerful, mighty, strong.

brachium, ii, n.  the arm; a symbol of power, might, strength.

excelsus, a, um  (1) high, august, sublime, towering aloft (2) with Deus, the most high (3) uplifted (said of the arm) (4) as a neuter substantive, a)heights, high places  b) billows, high waves

DR	With a mighty hand and with a stretched out arm: for his mercy endures for ever.
Brenton	with a strong hand, and a high arm: for his mercy endures for ever.
MD	With strong hand and outstretched arm for his mercy endureth forever
Cover	with a mighty hand and stretched-out arm (for his mercy endureth for ever);
Knox	with constraining power, with his arm raised on high, his mercy is eternal.

13	V/NV/JH	Qui divísit mare rubrum in divisiónes: * quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus.
		τῷ καταδιελόντι τὴν ἐρυθρὰν θάλασσαν εἰς διαιρέσεις ὅτι εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα τὸ ἔλεος αὐτοῦ

Qui (who) divísit (divides) Mare Rubrum (the Red Sea) in divisiónes (into parts)

divisio onis f a part, division, portion

divido, visi, visum, ere 3,  to separate, divide, part

DR	Who divided the Red Sea into parts: for his mercy endures for ever.
Brenton	To him who divided the Red Sea into parts: for his mercy endures for ever:
RSV	to him who divided the Red Sea in sunder, for his steadfast love endures for ever;
Cover	who divided the Red Sea in two parts (for his mercy endureth forever),
Knox	Eternal the mercy that divided the Red Sea in two,

14	V	Et edúxit israël per médium ejus: * quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus.
	NV	Et traduxit Israel per medium eius,quoniam in aeternum misericordia eius.
	JH	Et eduxit Israhel in medio eius : quoniam in aeternum misericordia eius.
		καὶ διαγαγόντι τὸν Ισραηλ διὰ μέσου αὐτῆς ὅτι εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα τὸ ἔλεος αὐτοῦ

Et (and) edúxit (led) Israël per (through) médium (the middle) ejus (of it)

educo, duxi, ductum, ere 3,  to lead out or forth.

medius, a, um in the middle, midst

DR	And brought out Israel through the midst thereof: for his mercy endures for ever.
Brenton	and brought Israel through the midst of it: for his mercy endures for ever:
MD	And he made Israel pass through it, for his mercy endures forever
Cover	and made Israel to go through the midst of it (for his mercy endureth for ever),
Knox	eternal the mercy that led Israel through its waters,

15	V/NV	Et excussit pharaónem, et virtútem ejus in mari rubro: * quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus.
	JH	Et conuoluit Pharao et exercitum eius in mari rubro: quoniam in aeternum misericordia eius.
		καὶ ἐκτινάξαντι Φαραω καὶ τὴν δύναμιν αὐτοῦ εἰς θάλασσαν ἐρυθράν ὅτι εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα τὸ ἔλεος αὐτοῦ

Et (and) excussit (he overthrew/shook off) Pharaónem (Pharaoh), et (and) virtútem (the army) ejus (his) in Mari Rubro (in the Red Sea)

excutio ere cussi cussum  to shake off, shake out; overthrow

virtus, utis, f   strength, power, might; an army, host; the angels.; the heavenly bodies, the sun, moon, and stars

DR	And overthrew Pharao and his host in the Red Sea: for his mercy endures for ever.
Brenton	and overthrew Pharao and his host in the Red Sea: for his mercy endures for ever.
MD	And he buried Pharao and his army in the Red Sea for his mercy endureth forever
RSV	but overthrew Pharaoh and his host in the Red Sea, for his steadfast love endures for ever;
Cover	but as for Pharaoh and his host, he overthrew them in the Red Sea (for his mercy endureth for ever);
Knox	eternal the mercy that drowned in the Red Sea Pharao and Pharao’s men.

16	V/NV/JH	Qui tradúxit pópulum suum per desértum: * quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus.
		τῷ διαγαγόντι τὸν λαὸν αὐτοῦ ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ ὅτι εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα τὸ ἔλεος αὐτοῦ τῷ ἐξαγαγόντι ὕδωρ ἐκ πέτρας ἀκροτόμου ὅτι εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα τὸ ἔλεος αὐτοῦ

Qui (who)  tradúxit (led) pópulum (the people) suum (his) per (through) desértum (the desert)

traduco ere duxi ducturm to lead, bring or conudct across, to lead or bring over

populus, i, people;  the chosen people; a heathen nation

desertus, a, um, part. adj.  desert, arid, waste, solitary, desolate  subst., desertum, i, n., a desert, wilderness.

DR	Who led his people through the desert: for his mercy endures for ever.
Brenton	To him who led his people through the wilderness: for his mercy endures for ever.
MD	He led his people through the desert, for his mercy endures forever
RSV	to him who led his people through the wilderness, for his steadfast love endures for ever;
Cover	who led his people through the wilderness (for his mercy endureth for ever);
Knox	And so he led his people through the wilderness, his mercy is eternal.

The significance of salvation history

Pope Benedict XVI's commentary on the psalm draws out the significance of this history for us:

"We know that biblical Revelation repeatedly proclaims that the presence of God the Saviour is manifested in particular in the history of salvation (cf. Dt 26:5-9; Jos 24:1-13). Thus, the Lord's liberating actions, the heart of the fundamental event of the Exodus from Egypt, pass before the psalmist's eyes. Closely connected with the Exodus is the gruelling journey through the Sinai Desert, whose ultimate destination is the Promised Land, the divine gift that Israel continues to experience in all the pages of the Bible.

The famous crossing of the Red Sea, "divided in two", split as it were in two and subdued like a defeated monster (cf. Ps 136[135]:13), brings forth the free people called to a mission and a glorious destiny (cf. vv. 14-15; Ex 15:1-21), who will have a new Christian interpretation in their full liberation from evil by baptismal grace (cf. I Cor 10:1-4).

The journey then begins through the desert: there the Lord is portrayed as a warrior who, by continuing the work of liberation begun in the Red Sea crossing, stands by his people to defend them by striking down their enemies. The desert and the sea thus represent the passage through evil and oppression, to receive the gift of freedom and the Promised Land (cf. Ps 136[135]:16-20)."

Vulgate	Douay-Rheims
Alleluja.
1 Confitémini Dómino, quóniam bonus: * quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus.	Praise the Lord, for he is good: for his mercy endures for ever.
2  Confitémini Deo deórum: * quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus.	2 Praise the God of gods: for his mercy endures for ever.
3  Confitémini Dómino dominórum: * quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus.	3 Praise the Lord of lords: for his mercy endures for ever.
4  Qui facit mirabília magna solus: * quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus.	4 Who alone does great wonders: for his mercy endures for ever.
5  Qui fecit cælos in intelléctu: * quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus.	5 Who made the heavens in understanding: for his mercy endures for ever.
6  Qui firmávit terram super aquas: * quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus.	6 Who established the earth above the waters: for his mercy endures for ever.
7  Qui fecit luminária magna: * quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus.	7 Who made the great lights: for his mercy endures for ever.
8  Solem in potestátem diéi : * quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus	8 The sun to rule the day: for his mercy endures for ever.
9  Lunam et stellas in potestátem noctis: * quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus.	9 The moon and the stars to rule the night: for his mercy endures for ever.
10  Qui percússit Ægyptum cum primogénitis eórum: * quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus.	10 Who smote Egypt with their firstborn: for his mercy endures for ever.
11  Qui edúxit Israël de médio eórum: * quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus.	11 Who brought out Israel from among them: for his mercy endures for ever.
12  In manu poténti, et bráchio excélso : * quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus.	12 With a mighty hand and with a stretched out arm: for his mercy endures for ever.
13  Qui divísit Mare Rubrum in divisiónes: * quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus.	13 Who divided the Red Sea into parts: for his mercy endures for ever.
14  Et edúxit Israël per médium ejus: * quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus.	14 And brought out Israel through the midst thereof: for his mercy endures for ever.
15  Et excussit Pharaónem, et virtútem ejus in Mari Rubro: * quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus.	15 And overthrew Pharao and his host in the Red Sea: for his mercy endures for ever.
16  Qui tradúxit pópulum suum per desértum: * quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus.	16 Who led his people through the desert: for his   mercy endures for ever.
17  Qui percússit reges magnos: * quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus.	17 Who smote great kings: for his mercy endures for ever.
18  Et occídit reges fortes : * quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus.	18 And slew strong kings: for his mercy endures for ever.
19  Sehon, regem Amorrhæórum: * quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus.	19 Sehon king of the Amorrhites: for his mercy endures for ever.
20  Et Og, regem Basan: * quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus.	20 And Og king of Basan: for his mercy endures for ever.
21  Et dedit terram eórum hereditátem : * quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus.	21 And he gave their land for an inheritance: for his mercy endures for ever.
22  Hereditátem Israël, servo suo : * quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus.	22 For an inheritance to his servant Israel: for his mercy endures for ever.
23  Quia in humilitáte nostra memor fuit nostri: * quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus.	23 For he was mindful of us in our affliction: for his mercy endures for ever
24  Et redémit nos ab inimícis nostris: * quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus.	24 And he redeemed us from our enemies: for his mercy endures for ever.
25  Qui dat escam omni carni: * quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus	25 Who gives food to all flesh: for his mercy endures for ever.
26  Confitémini Deo cæli: * quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus.	26 Give glory to the God of heaven: for his mercy endures for ever.
27  Confitémini Dómino dominórum: * quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus.	Give glory to the Lord of lords: for his mercy endures for ever

The final part in this series of notes on Psalm 135 can be found here.