Psalm 100: Overview

Psalm 100 is the last psalm of Friday Matins in the Benedictine Office, as well as the last psalm in the Common of Apostles.

St Alphonsus Liguori summarised it as being one of instruction to those in positions of authority:

David here gives excellent instructions to those that govern, and particularly to princes how they should live well. Also, every father of a family will find in this psalm rules for his conduct.

The text of the psalm

Vulgate	Douay-Rheims
Psalmus ipsi David.	A psalm for David himself

Psalm 100

Misericórdiam, et iudícium * cantábo tibi, Dómine:	Mercy and judgment I will sing to you, O Lord:
Psallam, et intélligam in via immaculáta, * quando vénies ad me.	I will sing, and I will understand in the unspotted way, when you shall come to me.
Perambulábam in innocéntia cordis mei: * in médio domus meæ.	I walked in the innocence of my heart, in the midst of my house.
Non proponébam ante óculos meos rem iniústam: * faciéntes prævaricatiónes odívi.	I will not set before my eyes any unjust thing: I hated the workers of iniquities
Non adhæsit mihi cor pravum: * declinántem a me malígnum non cognoscébam.	The perverse heart did not cleave to me: and the malignant, that turned aside from me, I would not know.
Detrahéntem secréto próximo suo, * hunc persequébar.	The man that in private detracted his neighbour, him did I persecute.
Supérbo óculo, et insatiábili corde, * cum hoc non edébam.	With him that had a proud eye, and an unsatiable heart, I would not eat.
Oculi mei ad fidéles terræ ut sédeant mecum: * ámbulans in via immaculáta, hic mihi ministrábat.	My eyes were upon the faithful of the earth, to sit with me: the man that walked in the perfect way, he served me.
Non habitábit in médio domus meæ, qui facit supérbiam: * qui lóquitur iníqua, non diréxit in conspéctu oculórum meórum.	He that works pride shall not dwell in the midst of my house: he that speaks unjust things did not prosper before my eyes.
In matutíno interficiébam omnes peccatóres terræ: * ut dispérderem de civitáte Dómini omnes operántes iniquitátem.	In the morning I put to death all the wicked of the land: that I might cut off all the workers of iniquity from the city of the Lord.
Glória Patri, et Fílio, * et Spirítui Sancto.	Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.
Sicut erat in princípio, et nunc, et semper, * et in sǽcula sæculórum. Amen.	As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Liturgical and scriptural uses of the psalm

NT references	James 4:11 (v6)
RB cursus	Matins Friday II, 6
Monastic/(Roman) feasts etc	Common of Apostles
Roman pre 1911	Saturday Matins
Roman post 1911	1911-62: Wednesday Lauds . 1970:
Mass propers (EF)	-