Psalm 103: Overview

Psalm 103 is said at Saturday matins in the Benedictine Office, divided into two parts.

It is a poetic retelling of the days of creation, particularly appropriate for reflection on the seventh day, on which Cassiodorus said:

The Prophet, desiring to signify divine mysteries by the order of nature, first sings of the Sacraments of Christ and the Church under the type of the formation of heaven and earth: Praise the Lord, O my soul. In the second part, he enumerates the works of the Lord veiled under divers figures: O Lord, how manifold are Thy works. In the third place, he declares that in the everlasting world he will unceasingly utter the praises of the Lord, which he had made his song, even in his short life here: I will sing unto the Lord as long as I live; I will praise my God while I have my being.

St Alphonsus Liguori summarised it as follows:

According to the interpreters, this psalm presents a brilliant description of the glory of the Saviour as manifested in the works of nature. In it we find a eulogy of the wisdom and of the power that God has, shown forth in creating heaven and earth. The author of the arguments, placed at the head of the psalms in the Compilation of Venice, adds that we learn here how to see nature and the manifold variety of created things.

The text of the psalm 

Psalm 103/1

Vulgate	Douay-Rheims
Ipsi David.	For David himself.
1 Bénedic ánima mea, Dómino: * Dómine, Deus meus, magnificátus es veheménter.	1 Bless the Lord, O my soul: O Lord my God, you are exceedingly great.
2  Confessiónem, et decórem induísti: * amíctus lúmine sicut vestiménto.	You have put on praise and beauty: 2 And are clothed with light as with a garment.
3  Exténdens cælum sicut pellem: * qui tegis aquis superióra ejus.	Who stretches out the heaven like a pavilion: 3 Who covers the higher rooms thereof with water.
4  Qui ponis nubem ascénsum tuum: * qui ámbulas super pennas ventórum.	Who make the clouds your chariot: who walks upon the wings of the winds.
5  Qui facis ángelos tuos, spíritus: * et minístros tuos ignem uréntem.	4 Who make your angels spirits: and your ministers a burning fire
6  Qui fundásti terram super stabilitátem suam: * non inclinábitur in sæculum sæculi.	5 Who have founded the earth upon its own bases: it shall not be moved for ever and ever.
7  Abyssus, sicut vestiméntum, amíctus ejus: * super montes stabunt aquæ.	6 The deep like a garment is its clothing: above the mountains shall the waters stand.
8  Ab increpatióne tua fúgient: * a voce tonítrui tui formidábunt.	7 At your rebuke they shall flee: at the voice of your thunder they shall fear.
9  Ascéndunt montes: et descéndunt campi * in locum, quem fundásti eis.	8 The mountains ascend, and the plains descend into the place which you have founded for them.
10  Términum posuísti, quem non transgrediéntur: * neque converténtur operíre terram.	9 You have set a bound which they shall not pass over; neither shall they return to cover the earth.
11  Qui emíttis fontes in convállibus: * inter médium móntium pertransíbunt aquæ.	10 You send forth springs in the vales: between the midst of the hills the waters shall pass.
12  Potábunt omnes béstiæ agri: * exspectábunt ónagri in siti sua.	11 All the beasts of the field shall drink: the wild asses shall expect in their thirst.
13  Super ea vólucres cæli habitábunt: * de médio petrárum dabunt voces.	12 Over them the birds of the air shall dwell: from the midst of the rocks they shall give forth their voices.
14  Rigans montes de superióribus suis: * de fructu óperum tuórum satiábitur terra :	13 You water the hills from your upper rooms: the earth shall be filled with the fruit of your works:
15  Prodúcens fœnum juméntis: * et herbam servitúti hóminum :	14 Bringing forth grass for cattle, and herb for the service of men.
16  Ut edúcas panem de terra: * et vinum lætíficet cor hóminis :	That you may bring bread out of the earth: 15 And that wine may cheer the heart of man.
17  Ut exhílaret fáciem in óleo: * et panis cor hóminis confírmet.	That he may make the face cheerful with oil: and that bread may strengthen man's heart.
18  Saturabúntur ligna campi, et cedri Líbani, quas plantávit: * illic pásseres nidificábunt.	16 The trees of the field shall be filled, and the cedars of Libanus which he has planted: 17 There the sparrows shall make their nests.
19  Heródii domus dux est eórum: * montes excélsi cervis : petra refúgium herináciis.	The highest of them is the house of the heron.18 The high hills are a refuge for the harts, the rock for the irchins.
20  Fecit lunam in témpora: * sol cognóvit occásum suum.	19 He has made the moon for seasons: the sun knows his going down.
21  Posuísti ténebras, et facta est nox: * in ipsa pertransíbunt omnes béstiæ silvæ	20 You have appointed darkness, and it is night: in it shall all the beasts of the woods go about:
22  Cátuli leónum rugiéntes, ut rápiant: * et quærant a Deo escam sibi.	21 The young lions roaring after their prey, and seeking their meat from God.
23  Ortus est sol, et congregáti sunt: * et in cubílibus suis collocabúntur.	22 The sun arises, and they are gathered together: and they shall lie down in their dens.
24  Exíbit homo ad opus suum: * et ad operatiónem suam usque ad vésperum.	23 Man shall go forth to his work, and to his labour until the evening.
25  Quam magnificáta sunt ópera tua, Dómine! * ómnia in sapiéntia fecísti : impléta est terra possessióne tua.	24 How great are your works, O Lord? You have made all things in wisdom: the earth is filled with your riches.

(divisio)

Psalm 103/2

26  Hoc mare magnum, et spatiósum mánibus: * illic reptília, quorum non est númerus.	25 So is this great sea, which stretcheth wide its arms: there are creeping things without number.
27  Animália pusílla cum magnis: * illic naves pertransíbunt.	Creatures little and great: 26 There the ships shall go.
28  Draco iste, quem formásti ad illudéndum ei: * ómnia a te exspéctant ut des illis escam in témpore.	This sea dragon which you have formed to play therein. 27 All expect of you that you give them food in season.
29  Dante te illis, cólligent: * aperiénte te manum tuam, ómnia implebúntur bonitáte.	28 What you give to them they shall gather up: when you open your hand, they shall all be filled with good.
30  Averténte autem te fáciem, turbabúntur: * áuferes spíritum eórum, et defícient, et in púlverem suum reverténtur.	29 But if you turn away your face, they shall be troubled: you shall take away their breath, and they shall fail, and shall return to their dust.
31  Emíttes spíritum tuum, et creabúntur: * et renovábis fáciem terræ.	30 You shall send forth your spirit, and they shall be created: and you shall renew the face of the earth.
32  Sit glória Dómini in sæculum: * lætábitur Dóminus in opéribus suis :	31 May the glory of the Lord endure for ever: the Lord shall rejoice in his works.
33  Qui réspicit terram, et facit eam trémere: * qui tangit montes, et fúmigant.	32 He looks upon the earth, and makes it tremble: he troubles the mountains, and they smoke.
34  Cantábo Dómino in vita mea: * psallam Deo meo, quámdiu sum.	33 I will sing to the Lord as long as I live: I will sing praise to my God while I have my being.
35  Jucúndum sit ei elóquium meum: * ego vero delectábor in Dómino.	34 Let my speech be acceptable to him: but I will take delight in the Lord.
36  Defíciant peccatóres a terra, et iníqui ita ut non sint: * bénedic, ánima mea, Dómino.	35 Let sinners be consumed out of the earth, and the unjust, so that they be no more: O my soul, bless the Lord

Scriptural and liturgical uses of the psalm

NT references	Heb 1:7 (5); Mt 13:31-32; Mk 4:32, Lk 13:19 (13); Acts 14:17(13-17); Mt 24:45-46 (28); Acts 2:14 (31)
RB cursus	Sat matins
Monastic/(Roman) feasts etc	Transfiguration
Roman pre 1911	Sat matins
Ambrosian	Fri Matins wk 2
Brigittine	Friday Sext
Maurist	Monday Matins
Thesauris schemas	A: Sat matins; B: Monday Matins ; C: Wed Vespers; D: Tuesday V wk 2
Roman post 1911	1911-62: Sat Sext . 1970:
Byzantine	Kathisma 14/stasis 2
Mass propers (EF)	Pentecost, AL (31) PP 12, CO (14-17) Pentecost, AL (31)