The enemy within - Psalm 128 (Gradual Psalm No 10)

The tenth Gradual Psalm, and final psalm of Monday Vespers in the Benedictine Office, is Psalm 128.

Psalm 128 (129) – Saepe expugnaverunt me

Vulgate	Douay-Rheims
Canticum graduum.	A gradual canticle.
1 Sæpe expugnavérunt me a juventúte mea, * dicat nunc Israël:	Often have they fought against me from my youth, let Israel now say.
2  Sæpe expugnavérunt me a juventúte mea: * étenim non potuérunt mihi.	2 Often have they fought against me from my youth: but they could not prevail over me.
3  Supra dorsum meum fabricavérunt peccatóres: * prolongavérunt iniquitátem suam.	3 The wicked have wrought upon my back: they have lengthened their iniquity.
4  Dóminus justus concídit cervíces peccatórum: * confundántur et convertántur retrórsum omnes, qui odérunt Sion.	4 The Lord who is just will cut the necks of sinners: 5 Let them all be confounded and turned back that hate Sion.
5  Fiant sicut fœnum tectórum: * quod priúsquam evellátur exáruit:	6 Let them be as grass upon the tops of houses: which withers before it be plucked up:
6  De quo non implévit manum suam qui metit: * et sinum suum qui manípulos cólligit.	7 Who with the mower fills not his hand: nor he that gathers sheaves his bosom.
7  Et non dixérunt qui præteríbant: Benedíctio Dómini super vos: * benedíximus vobis in nómine Dómini.	8 And they that passed by have not said: The blessing of the Lord be upon you: we have blessed you in the name of the Lord.

Arriving...

This psalm is generally interpreted as referring to the arrival of the pilgrims in Jerusalem, at the gates of heaven, or perhaps the point of the return of the Exiles, and so pause to reflect on their journey.

The journey has not been easy; it has been under constant assault from the enemy.  The opening verses announce, though, that though hard-pressed by enemies along the way, they have not been overcome.

If one interprets these psalms as following the events of the Passion, the devil has been confounded and turned back, as will all be who do his work in the world: we can now look forward to the freeing of the souls in Hades.

The enemy within

Many of the Fathers and Theologians interpret it also as referring to the ongoing struggle in this world against those who oppose Christ both within and outside the Church.  St Cassiodorus, for example, comments:

The prophet teaches us to endure the troubles of the world patiently, for he demonstrates that the Church's sufferings are numerous. The prophet is filled with the Holy Spirit, and in the first section he urges Israel to tell of the great struggles and the nature of the guile which they have endured from their enemies, so that none of the faithful may seem to despair because of their afflictions.

Similarly, St Robert Bellarmine comments:

 God's people, in trouble, console themselves by the reflection that troubles and difficulties are nothing new to them, and that, through God's assistance, they have always got through them. This applies to the Jews, and the repeated attacks of the neighboring nations, while the temple and the city were being rebuilt; and it also applies to the Church of Christ, that scarcely ever had a moment's respite from the assaults of pagans, heretics, or bad Christians. He, therefore, says, "Often have they fought against me from my youth, let Israel now say." Let not Israel, God's people, be surprised if her enemies assail her; for it is no new story with her; because, from her very infancy, at the first dawn of the Church, she suffered persecution from Cain, and similar persecutions have been going on to the present day.”

The cursing psalms 

This psalm presents difficulties for many modern readers by virtue of its imprecatory or cursing words. St Robert Bellarmine, however, notes that these should be viewed as prophecy or prediction, not curses: God will not ‘cut off the necks’ of the penitent, but only those sinners who refuse to repent.

Cassiodorus provides a useful discussion of the issue:

In the second section he inveighs with the spirit of prophecy against obstinate foes of the Church by means of certain comparisons, calling down on them what he knew would befall them at the future judgment…Let us observe that this psalm has mounted the tenth level, borne aloft, so to say, on twin wings; for its right wing is the proclaimed conversion of the proud after their manifold persecution of the Church, and the left is the desired confusion of those who hate Sion. The prophet utters this not because he is eager to curse, but out of feeling for the truth to come; for though we are bidden to pray even for our enemies, he revealed the nature of the truth concerning the obdurate who are doomed to perish. These words were not, however, uttered without fruit as the outcome of his great devotion, for many people save themselves by correction from the punishment which was foretold, once they realise the fate that overhangs the obstinate.

It is, then, meant to be a call to action, to conversion.

You can find notes on the individual verses of the psalm in the context of Monday Vespers as follows:

Introduction to Psalm 128 (Saepe expugnaverunt me) (2013)
Ps 128 v1-2
Psalm 128 v3
Psalm 128 v4
Ps 128 v5-6
Ps 128 v7

Or you can go to the next part in this Lenten series, on Psalm 129.

Psalm 128: Verse 7

Pissaro: The Harvest

Psalm 128

The final verse of Psalm 128 details the final punishment of the unrepentant sinner, in his exclusion from the blessings commonly exchanged within the community.

Psalm 128 (129) – Saepe expugnaverunt me

Vulgate	Douay-Rheims
Canticum graduum.	A gradual canticle.
1 Sæpe expugnavérunt me a juventúte mea, * dicat nunc Israël:	Often have they fought against me from my youth, let Israel now say.
2  Sæpe expugnavérunt me a juventúte mea: * étenim non potuérunt mihi.	2 Often have they fought against me from my youth: but they could not prevail over me.
3  Supra dorsum meum fabricavérunt peccatóres: * prolongavérunt iniquitátem suam.	3 The wicked have wrought upon my back: they have lengthened their iniquity.
4  Dóminus justus concídit cervíces peccatórum: * confundántur et convertántur retrórsum omnes, qui odérunt Sion.	4 The Lord who is just will cut the necks of sinners: 5 Let them all be confounded and turned back that hate Sion.
5  Fiant sicut fœnum tectórum: * quod priúsquam evellátur exáruit:	6 Let them be as grass upon the tops of houses: which withers before it be plucked up:
6  De quo non implévit manum suam qui metit: * et sinum suum qui manípulos cólligit.	7 Who with the mower fills not his hand: nor he that gathers sheaves his bosom.
7  Et non dixérunt qui præteríbant: Benedíctio Dómini super vos: * benedíximus vobis in nómine Dómini.	8 And they that passed by have not said: The blessing of the Lord be upon you: we have blessed you in the name of the Lord.

Notes on the verse

7. Et non dixerunt qui præteribant: Benedictio Domini super vos. Benediximus vobis in nomine Domini.

And they that have passed by have not said: The blessing of the Lord be upon you: we have blessed you in the name of the Lord.

Et (and) non (not) dixérunt (they have said) qui (who) præteríbant (they pass by) benedíctio (the blessing) Dómini (of the Lord) super (on/over) vos (you) benedíximus (we have blessed) vobis (you) in nómine (in the name) Dómini (of the Lord)

praetereo, li, ltum, ire,  Of place: to go by, pass by.

benedictio, onis, /.a blessing.

benedico, dixi, dictum, ere 3  to bless, to praise, bless, give thanks to (God);  to be well pleased with, to take pleasure in

nomen, mis, n. name

Cassiodorus explains the context of the blessing being denied:

It was a custom among the Jews that if passers-by came upon individuals working at some agricultural task, they bestowed grace and a blessing on them. So we read in the book of Ruth: And Booz said to the young man that was set over the reapers, The Lord be with you: and they answered him, The Lord bless thee. Here an implication contrary to this custom is assumed, for no blessing is bestowed on wicked men who work to no effect. 

St Augustine points out that those who reject Christ are owed no blessings, but rather condemnation. Because we are friends of the bridegroom, he argues, we must 'refuse to be adulterers of the bride'.

And that brings to an end our consideration of the psalms of Monday Vespers.  You can find an overview of Tuesday in the Benedictine Office here.

Psalm 128 verses 5-6

Today's verses of Psalm 128 take the form of a curse on the face of it, and so need to be considered in their proper context: these words a warning to repent, for repentance and salvation are always possible while we still have life!

Psalm 128 (129) – Saepe expugnaverunt me

Vulgate	Douay-Rheims
Canticum graduum.	A gradual canticle.
1 Sæpe expugnavérunt me a juventúte mea, * dicat nunc Israël:	Often have they fought against me from my youth, let Israel now say.
2  Sæpe expugnavérunt me a juventúte mea: * étenim non potuérunt mihi.	2 Often have they fought against me from my youth: but they could not prevail over me.
3  Supra dorsum meum fabricavérunt peccatóres: * prolongavérunt iniquitátem suam.	3 The wicked have wrought upon my back: they have lengthened their iniquity.
4  Dóminus justus concídit cervíces peccatórum: * confundántur et convertántur retrórsum omnes, qui odérunt Sion.	4 The Lord who is just will cut the necks of sinners: 5 Let them all be confounded and turned back that hate Sion.
5  Fiant sicut fœnum tectórum: * quod priúsquam evellátur exáruit:	6 Let them be as grass upon the tops of houses: which withers before it be plucked up:
6  De quo non implévit manum suam qui metit: * et sinum suum qui manípulos cólligit.	7 Who with the mower fills not his hand: nor he that gathers sheaves his bosom.
7  Et non dixérunt qui præteríbant: Benedíctio Dómini super vos: * benedíximus vobis in nómine Dómini.	8 And they that passed by have not said: The blessing of the Lord be upon you: we have blessed you in the name of the Lord.

Notes on the verses

5. Fiant sicut fœnum tectorum, quod priusquam evellatur exaruit:Let them be as grass on the tops of houses: which withered before it be plucked up

6. de quo non implevit manum suam qui metit, et sinum suum qui manipulos colligit. 

Wherewith the mower filleth not his hand: nor he that gathereth sheaves his bosom.  

Fiant (let them be) sicut (like) fœnum (grass) tectórum (on the rooftop) quod (that) priúsquam (before)

evellátur (it is pulled out) exáruit (it) withers

The image is of blades of wheat or corn growing on flat roofs that can never develop sufficient roots to harvest because the soil is too shallow and it lacks protection from the sun.

fio, factus sum, fieri (pass, of facio), to be made or done, to become, happen

foenum, i, n., grass.

tectum, i, n.  a roof, house top.

priusquam or prius quam, adv., before, before that.

evello, velli, vulsum, ere 3, to tear, pull, or pluck out.

exaresco, arm, escere 3, to become dry, to wither, dry up. 

De (from) quo (which) non (not) implévit (he does not fill) manum (hand) suam (his) qui (who/which) metit (he reaps et (and) sinum (breast) suum (his) qui (who/which) manípulos (sheaves) cólligit (he gathers)

The second phrase is difficult to translate. ‘Sinus’ normally means bosom or breast – some have suggested that the thought is probably that no bunch of grass is able to be gathered up against his breast in order to be tied into a sheaf.  Others though have suggested that sinus here refers to the fold of a garment where things can be tucked in, and the NETS Septuagint adopts this translation, making the verse 'With which no reaper filled his hand, and a gatherer of sheaves, the fold of his garment'.

impleo, plevi, pletum, ere 2  to fill, fill up, fill full;  to fill, to cover; to fill, satisfy.

manus, us, f.,  hand

meto, messiii, messum, ere 3, to reap, mow, gather harvest.

sinus, us, m.,  bosom, breast; the arm.

colligo, legi, lectum, ere 3 to gather, gather together, collect.

manipulus, i, m.  a small bundle, a handful; a sheaf. 

Isaiah's prophecy about the destruction of Sennacherib (2 Kings 19:26) uses the identical image of grass on a rooftop.  Bellarmine explains the extension of the metaphor:

Another imprecation, which, too, is to be read as a prediction, for it conveys to us the briefness of the happiness of the wicked, and, by a very happy idea, compares it to grass, a vile and fragile substance, and, as is said of it, "which is to day, and tomorrow will be cast into the fire;" and, not content with comparing it to grass, he adds, that it is like the grass that grows on the top of a house, a thing of no value, so much so that nobody ever thinks of cutting it, saving it, or making it into bundles, but leaves it where it grows to wither and to rot. 

He goes on to encourage us to ponder final judgment:

At present, we don't see the full extent of this comparison, though we know of nothing, perhaps, more worthless, or of less value than such grass; but when we shall all come to be judged we shall see that such a comparison, instead of being over the mark, is considerably under it. What will be, then, to see those who abounded in the riches and power of this world, and who imagined they had, through such riches, established themselves and their families in their kingdoms and empires, shoved out ignominiously, and hurled into the lowest pit? and, furthermore, to see those who had reveled in pleasures and enjoyments, who knew not how to put up with the slightest inconvenience, consigned to everlasting torments, without the slightest hope of the smallest relief for all eternity?

And you can find notes on the last verse of the psalm here.

Psalm 128 verse 4

Lochner, c15th

Verse 4 of Psalm 128 speaks of God's coming judgment of those who fail to repent.

Psalm 128

Vulgate	Douay-Rheims
Canticum graduum.	A gradual canticle.
1 Sæpe expugnavérunt me a juventúte mea, * dicat nunc Israël:	Often have they fought against me from my youth, let Israel now say.
2  Sæpe expugnavérunt me a juventúte mea: * étenim non potuérunt mihi.	2 Often have they fought against me from my youth: but they could not prevail over me.
3  Supra dorsum meum fabricavérunt peccatóres: * prolongavérunt iniquitátem suam.	3 The wicked have wrought upon my back: they have lengthened their iniquity.
4  Dóminus justus concídit cervíces peccatórum: * confundántur et convertántur retrórsum omnes, qui odérunt Sion.	4 The Lord who is just will cut the necks of sinners: 5 Let them all be confounded and turned back that hate Sion.
5  Fiant sicut fœnum tectórum: * quod priúsquam evellátur exáruit:	6 Let them be as grass upon the tops of houses: which withers before it be plucked up:
6  De quo non implévit manum suam qui metit: * et sinum suum qui manípulos cólligit.	7 Who with the mower fills not his hand: nor he that gathers sheaves his bosom.
7  Et non dixérunt qui præteríbant: Benedíctio Dómini super vos: * benedíximus vobis in nómine Dómini.	8 And they that passed by have not said: The blessing of the Lord be upon you: we have blessed you in the name of the Lord.

Notes on the verse

4. Dominus justus concidit cervices peccatorum: confundantur, et convertantur retrorsum omnes qui oderunt Sion.

The Lord who is just will cut the necks of sinners:  let them all be confounded and turned back that hate Sion (DR).

Dóminus (the Lord) justus (just) concídit (he cuts) cervíces (the necks) peccatórum (of sinners)

confundántur (let them be put to shame) et (and) convertántur (let them be converted/turned) retrórsum (back) omnes (all) qui (who) odérunt (hate) Sion

The Septuagint/Vulgate version of this verse suggests that sinners have been punished (their necks cut off); the surviving medieval Hebrew version (reflected in the RSV) gives a rather obscure allusion to ‘cutting the cords’, perhaps to the ploughs (of the foreign invaders?) mentioned in the previous verse.  

The Coverdale translation attempts to make sense of the received Hebrew version as follows: "But the righteous Lord hath hewn the snares of the ungodly in pieces. Let them be confounded and turned backward, as many as have evil will at Sion."

Knox, however, offers perhaps a more PC translation of the sense of the verse: "but the Lord proved faithful, and cut the bonds of tyranny asunder.Let them be dismayed and routed, all these enemies of Sion."

justus -a, um just.
concido, cidi, cisum, ere  to cut, cut in pieces; to cleave, hew asunder
cervix, icis, f., the neck.
peccator, oris, m. (pecco), a sinner, transgressor; the wicked, the godless.
confundo, fudi, fusum, ere 3, to put or bring to shame, to discomfit.
converto, verti, versum, ere 3,  to turn, change, alter, bring back, quicken, refresh, restore,  convert, turn from sin
retrorsum, back, backward,. behind
odi and odivi, odisse; other forms, odirem, odiens; to hate. 

Many of the Fathers and Theologians see this verse as an encouragement to those who are faithful to the Church.  St Robert Bellarmine, for example, summarises the sentiment as: 'cheer up', for eventually God's justice will catch up with the impenitent sinner!  St Augustine, however, approaches the verse as a warning to us all, and that seems to me to fit better with St Benedict's reasons for placing this psalm here:

Which of us does not fix his eyes upon the earth, like the Publican, and say, Lord, be merciful unto me a sinner? Luke 18:13 If therefore all are sinners, and none is found without sin; all must fear the sword that hangs above their neck, because the righteous Lord shall hew the necks of the sinners. 

And you can find notes on the next two verses here.

Psalm 128 verse 3

Rubens

Verse 3 of Psalm 128 speaks of the persecution the just often suffer.

Psalm 128: Saepe expugnaverunt 

Vulgate	Douay-Rheims
Canticum graduum.	A gradual canticle.
1 Sæpe expugnavérunt me a juventúte mea, * dicat nunc Israël:	Often have they fought against me from my youth, let Israel now say.
2  Sæpe expugnavérunt me a juventúte mea: * étenim non potuérunt mihi.	2 Often have they fought against me from my youth: but they could not prevail over me.
3  Supra dorsum meum fabricavérunt peccatóres: * prolongavérunt iniquitátem suam.	3 The wicked have wrought upon my back: they have lengthened their iniquity.
4  Dóminus justus concídit cervíces peccatórum: * confundántur et convertántur retrórsum omnes, qui odérunt Sion.	4 The Lord who is just will cut the necks of sinners: 5 Let them all be confounded and turned back that hate Sion.
5  Fiant sicut fœnum tectórum: * quod priúsquam evellátur exáruit:	6 Let them be as grass upon the tops of houses: which withers before it be plucked up:
6  De quo non implévit manum suam qui metit: * et sinum suum qui manípulos cólligit.	7 Who with the mower fills not his hand: nor he that gathers sheaves his bosom.
7  Et non dixérunt qui præteríbant: Benedíctio Dómini super vos: * benedíximus vobis in nómine Dómini.	8 And they that passed by have not said: The blessing of the Lord be upon you: we have blessed you in the name of the Lord.

Notes on the verse

3. Supra dorsum meum fabricaverunt peccatores; prolongaverunt iniquitatem suam.

The wicked have wrought upon my back: they have lengthened their iniquity (DR).

Supra (upon) dorsum (the back) meum (my) fabricavérunt (they have fashioned/made/devised/wrought) peccatóres (the sinners/the wicked) 

Ladouceur (The Latin Psalter Introduction, Selected Text and Commentary) notes that this phrase can be literally translated as ‘upon my back, sinner were framing (ie devising) schemes; the Hebrew Masoretic Text here uses the metaphor of  ‘ploughers ploughing upon my back’ (ie whipping), and the Monastic Diurnal and Knox translations follows this: 'I bent my back to the oppressor, and long was the furrow ere the plough turned' (Knox).  The Hebrew word is, however, ambiguous, and can also mean devising (in a bad sense), so the (more ancient) Greek (and Vulgate reflecting this) should probably be preferred.

supra, prep, with abl., and adv.  on, upon
dorsum, i, n.t the back.
fabrico(r), avi, atum, are to make, fashion, build; to forge anything out of hard material.

prolongavérunt (they have prolonged) iniquitátem (the sin/wickedness/iniquity) suam (his/her/its)

Note that suam here refers to iniquitatem, so in English is plural, so translated as their.

peccator, oris, m.  a sinner, transgressor; the wicked, the godless.
prolongo, avi, atum, are  to prolong, lengthen, draw out.
iniquitas, atis, f (iniquus), iniquity, injustice, sin. 

How do we resist the assaults of those who would attack us? St Benedict's tools of good works (RB 4) offer several defenses against such assaults:

To fear the Day of Judgement.

To dread hell.

To desire eternal life with all spiritual longing.

To keep death daily before one's eyes.

To keep constant guard over the actions of one's life.

To know for certain that God sees one everywhere.

When evil thoughts come into one's heart, to dash them at once on the rock of Christ and to manifest them to one's spiritual father.

And you can find on the next verses here.

Psalm 128: Verses 1-2

In the previous post I provided an introduction to Psalm 128.

The first two verses set the scene by pointing us to the enemy.  Here is the complete text of the psalm again for reference purposes, with the relevant verses bolded.

Vulgate	Douay-Rheims
Canticum graduum.	A gradual canticle.
1 Sæpe expugnavérunt me a juventúte mea, * dicat nunc Israël:	Often have they fought against me from my youth, let Israel now say.
2  Sæpe expugnavérunt me a juventúte mea: * étenim non potuérunt mihi.	2 Often have they fought against me from my youth: but they could not prevail over me.
3  Supra dorsum meum fabricavérunt peccatóres: * prolongavérunt iniquitátem suam.	3 The wicked have wrought upon my back: they have lengthened their iniquity.
4  Dóminus justus concídit cervíces peccatórum: * confundántur et convertántur retrórsum omnes, qui odérunt Sion.	4 The Lord who is just will cut the necks of sinners: 5 Let them all be confounded and turned back that hate Sion.
5  Fiant sicut fœnum tectórum: * quod priúsquam evellátur exáruit:	6 Let them be as grass upon the tops of houses: which withers before it be plucked up:
6  De quo non implévit manum suam qui metit: * et sinum suum qui manípulos cólligit.	7 Who with the mower fills not his hand: nor he that gathers sheaves his bosom.
7  Et non dixérunt qui præteríbant: Benedíctio Dómini super vos: * benedíximus vobis in nómine Dómini.	8 And they that passed by have not said: The blessing of the Lord be upon you: we have blessed you in the name of the Lord.

Notes on the verses

Sæpe expugnavérunt me a juventúte mea, * dicat nunc Israël Often have they fought against me from my youth, let Israel now say (DR)

sæpe expugnaverunt me a juventute mea: etenim non potuerunt mihi. 

Often have they fought against me from my youth: but they could not prevail over me. 

1a&2a:Sæpe (often) expugnavérunt (they have oppressed/fought against/afflicted) me (me) a (from) juventúte (youth) mea (my)

saepe, adv., often, oftentimes, frequently.

expugno are avi atum to fight against, to oppress, afflict
juventus, utis,. youth.

The Douay-Rheims translation (provided above) is fairly literal, and the Coverdale translation is similar; the (Farnborough edition) Monastic Diurnal makes it instead "They have hard pressed me from my youth...'  The Knox translation is more poetic: 'Sore have they beset me even from my youth'. 

1b:  dicat (let he/she/it say) nunc (now) Israël

This phrase can be interpreted two ways: firstly we can lament at the Church's constant persecution; but secondly, as the Knox ('let this be Israel’s boast') as a badge of honour.

dico, dixi, dictum, ere 3, to say, speak;  to sing; in the sense of to think, plan, desire; to command; to praise.

nunc, adv. at present, at this moment

2b: étenim (and/yet/truly) non (not) potuérunt (they have prevailed) mihi (to me/against me)

etenim, conj., a strong et; and, yea, indeed, truly;  as an adversative.

possum, potui, posse   to be able, can, to have power; +dat= prevail over, prevail against

The inclusion of 'let Israel say' suggests that these two verses can be viewed as a lament for the persecution that the people of Israel - and the Church - has always suffered, from its very beginnings.

Some claim we currently live in a time of emergency for the Church.

That is true in a sense.

Yet the Fathers remind us that this has more often been the case than a state of peace!  St Augustine for example, in his commentary on this verse provides a long list of struggles within the Church, starting with Abel and Cain.  Yet despite its torrid history of internal division and external persecution, the Church, founded on the rock, has always prevailed.

The verses can also be taken as a reference to the individual spiritual combat we must all engage in, modelled for us in the temptations Christ faced in the desert.

Notes on the next set of verses can be found here.