Psalm 137 in the context of Wednesday Vespers

Mercy and truth

The final psalm of Wednesday Vespers is Psalm 137, and as I've previously provided a series of notes on Psalm 137 in the context of the Office of the Dead, I'm just going to devote one post to it here, to point to some possible links to the themes of Wednesday in the Office.

This hymn of thanksgiving alternates between the personal concerns of the speaker, and a call for the praise of God to be spread amongst all nations.  God is to be worshipped, it argues, for his truth and mercy, for his help in times of tribulation and aid against enemies, and for his aid to the poor and marginalized.

So how does it fit into the Wednesday schema?

First, Wednesday's Vespers psalms have all focused on the issue of worshipping God in spirit and truth, and rejecting the allure of false substitutes such as power, wealth or pleasure.  Psalm 137's sentiments on praising God in the presence of the angels (verse 2) continues this theme, and reflects a point that St Benedict emphasizes in his Rule:

"We believe that the divine presence is everywhere and that "the eyes of the Lord are looking on the good and the evil in every place" (Prov. 15:3). But we should believe this especially without any doubt when we are assisting at the Work of God.  To that end let us be mindful always of the Prophet's words, "Serve the Lord in fear" and again "Sing praises wisely" and "In the sight of the Angels I will sing praise to You". Let us therefore consider how we ought to conduct ourselves in sight of the Godhead and of His Angels,  and let us take part in the psalmody in such a way that our mind may be in harmony with our voice." 

Secondly, the days psalms have been instructing us on resisting temptation, stopping us from becoming Judas' who will be cast out from the path of salvation.  Verses 4&8 in particular point to the aid that God will give us in difficult times to this end.

Finally, the psalms of Wednesday have been recalling for us key events in salvation history.  We now come to the most important of these, looking forward to the mini-Triduum of the Office, with the Passion.  The psalm points out in verse 9 that when we do fall, Christ is ready to pull us out again if we only repent, just as he rescued the Hebrews enslaved by Babylon whose lament we heard in the previous psalm.   We can never merit salvation through our own efforts, but as St Athanasius points out in his famous letter on the interpretation of the psalms, through Christ's sacrifice on the Cross, we can yet be saved:

"Having thus shown that Christ should come in human form, the Psalter goes on to show that He can suffer in the flesh He has assumed... For He did not die as being Himself liable to death: He suffered for us, and bore in Himself the wrath that was the penalty of our transgression, even as Isaiah says, Himself bore our weaknesses. [Mt 8:17] So in Psalm 137 we say, The Lord will make requital for me..."

The text of the psalm

Psalm 137 (138)– Confitebor tibi

Vulgate	Douay-Rheims
Ipsi David.	For David himself.
Confitébor tibi, Dómine, in toto corde meo: * quóniam audísti verba oris mei.	I will praise you, O Lord, with my whole heart: for you have heard the words of my mouth.
2  In conspéctu Angelórum psallam tibi: * adorábo ad templum sanctum tuum, et confitébor nómini tuo.	I will sing praise to you in the sight of the angels: 2 I will worship towards your holy temple, and I will give glory to your name.
3  Super misericórdia tua, et veritáte tua: * quóniam magnificásti super omne, nomen sanctum tuum.	For your mercy, and for your truth: for you have magnified your holy name above all.
4  In quacúmque die invocávero te, exáudi me: * multiplicábis in ánima mea virtútem.	3 In what day soever I shall call upon you, hear me: you shall multiply strength in my soul.
5  Confiteántur tibi, Dómine, omnes reges terræ: * quia audiérunt ómnia verba oris tui.	4 May all the kings of the earth give glory to you: for they have heard all the words of your mouth.
6  Et cantent in viis Dómini: * quóniam magna est glória Dómini.	5 And let them sing in the ways of the Lord: for great is the glory of the Lord.
7  Quóniam excélsus Dóminus, et humília réspicit: * et alta a longe cognóscit.	6 For the Lord is high, and looks on the low: and the high he knows afar off.
8  Si ambulávero in médio tribulatiónis, vivificábis me: * et super iram inimicórum meórum extendísti manum tuam, et salvum me fecit déxtera tua.	7 If I shall walk in the midst of tribulation, you will quicken me: and you have stretched forth your hand against the wrath of my enemies: and your right hand has saved me.
9  Dóminus retríbuet pro me: * Dómine, misericórdia tua in sæculum: ópera mánuum tuárum ne despícias.	8 The Lord will repay for me: your mercy, O Lord endures for ever: O despise not the works of your hands.

Scriptural and liturgical uses of the psalm

NT references	Lk 1:51-52, Jas 4:6, 1 Pet 5:5 (v7); Phil 1:6 (v9)
RB cursus	Wednesday Vespers
Monastic feasts etc	2 Vespers of St Michael the Archangel; Vespers of Dead AN 1812, 4159
Roman pre 1911	Friday Vespers
Responsories	St Michael, All Saints v 1-2 (6893, 6894, 7707 )
Roman post 1911	1911-62: Thurs Vespers 1970: Evening Prayer - Tuesday of the Fourth Week
Mass propers (EF)	Lent 3 Thurs OF (8); PP19, OF (3,7). St Raphael/Votive Mass of the Holy Angels AL (1-2) St Michael OF V (1-2) Dedication of a church AL (2)

And that is the last post in this series of posts on the psalms of Wednesday Vespers.

Psalm 137: Latin study hints Part B

By way of a tag to the mini-series on Psalm 137, some materials to help you with your Latin studies.

Grammar

If you are keeping up with the Simplicissimus Reading Latin Course (see link to the materials in the sidebar), you will hopefully have reached unit 8, which deals with the present indicative perfect tense ('I have _') . One thing to look out for in the Vulgate are contracted forms of the perfect tense (ie dropping a letter or two), of which there are a couple of examples in this psalm. There is no difference in meaning in these cases.

I’ve bolded the examples of the perfect to look out for in Psalm 137:

1. Confitébor tibi, Dómine, in toto corde meo: * quóniam audísti [audio, contracted form] verba oris mei.
2. In conspéctu Angelórum psallam tibi: * adorábo ad templum sanctum tuum, et confitébor nómini tuo.
3. Super misericórdia tua, et veritáte tua: * quóniam magnificásti [magnifico, contracted form] super omne, nomen sanctum tuum.
4. In quacúmque die invocávero te, exáudi [exaudio] me: * multiplicábis in ánima mea virtútem.
5 Confiteántur tibi, Dómine, omnes reges terræ: * quia audiérunt [contracted] ómnia verba oris tui.
6. Et cantent in viis Dómini: * quóniam magna est glória Dómini.
7. Quóniam excélsus Dóminus, et humília réspicit: * et alta a longe cognóscit.
8. Si ambulávero in médio tribulatiónis, vivificábis me: * et super iram inimicórum meórum extendísti [extendo] manum tuam, et salvum me fecit déxtera tua.
9. Dóminus retríbuet pro me: * Dómine, misericórdia tua in sæculum: ópera mánuum tuárum ne despícias.

Looking up words in the dictionary

And this seems a good point at which to point to a very handy online dictionary tool.

As you may have noticed, Latin words, especially (but not exclusively) verbs, sometimes change form in uses such that it is sometimes hard to recognize the root word, or find it in a dictionary.

A quick solution to this problem is the excellent Perseus Latin Headword Search Tool.
It allows you to type in any word, and searches for it in a dictionary (generally Lewis and Short). If the word is in its most common form, it will take you to straight to the dictionary entry. But if it is inflected, it gives you the option of using the ‘word study tool’: click on the word and it will parse the word for you.

So to use an example from the list above, type in audio, and you get a short definition (to hear), a link to the full dictionary entry, and some frequency statistics t tell you how common a verb it is.

Type in audierunt, however, and you will be told your search turned up no results, but you can try the word study tool. Do that, and it will link you to ‘audio’ and tell you that audierunt is [a] verb 3rd [person] pl [plural] perf[ect] ind[icative] act[ive].

It does require you to know a little grammar, but hopefully you will have picked that up from your reading of Simplicissimus in any case…

Vocabulary

And finally, here is the complete vocab list for Psalm 137, in alphabetical order:

adoro, avi, atum, are, to worship, adore
altus deep (=deceitful), high (=proud)
ambulo, avi, atum, are to walk; the manner in which one orders one's life;
angelus, i, m.an angel, spirit, messenger.
anima, ae, f soul
audio, ivi or li, Itum, ire to hear; to hear gladly; sound forth, utter, announce; hear favorably, to grant,
canto, avi, atum, are to sing, to praise in song
cognosco, gnovi, gnitum, ere 3, to know, see, learn, perceive, be come acquainted with.
confiteor, fessus sum, eri 2 to praise, give thanks; to confess, acknowledge one's guilt.
conspectus, us, m. sight, presence;
cor, cordis, n., the heart, regarded as the seat of the faculties, feelings, emotions, passions; the mind, the soul.
despicio, spexi, spectum, ere 3 to look away from, not to look at, to slight; to despise; to look down upon
dexter, tera, terum; the right hand.
dies, ei, m. and /.; fem. a day, the natural day
exaudio, ivi, Itum, ire, to hear, hearken to, listen to, give heed to; to regard, answer.
excelsus, a, um high, august, sublime, towering aloft ; uplifted; heights, high places; billows, high waves
extendo, tendi, tentum, ere 3, to stretch out or forth; to extend, prolong, protract, continue;
gloria, ae, /. glory, honor, majesty
humilia, the lowly, God's people and their affairs.
inimicus, i, m., a foe, enemy
invoco, avi, atum, are, to invoke, call upon (God); to put trust in
ira, ae, f., anger, wrath
longe, adv. far off, at a distance; as a substantive with a and de, afar off, from afar.
magnifico, avi, atum, are to praise, glorify, extol, magnify
magnus, a, um, great, mighty; elders
manus, us, f, the hand
medius, a, um in the middle, midst
misericordia, ae,, mercy, kindness, favor, compassion, loving-kindness.
multiplico, avi, atum, are to multiply, increase; to grow, flourish
nomen, mis, n. name; God himself; the perfections of God, His glory, majesty, wisdom, power, goodness
omnis, e, all, each, every; subst., all men, all things, everything
opus, eris, n., work.
os, oris, n., the mouth.
pro, prep, with abl., for; instead of, in lieu of; because of, on account of
psallo, ere 3 to sing to the accompaniment of a stringed instrument,; to sing the praises of God.
quacumque - by whatever way, wherever, wheresoever
quoniam, conj., for, because, since, seeing that, whereas.
respicio, spexi, spectum, ere 3 to look upon, behold, consider; take thought for, heed, have regard to;
retribuo, tribui, tributum, ere 3, to repay, requite, reward, recompense, render; give back, return; make requital for
rex, regis, m. a king, ruler, lawgiver
saeculum, i, n., a lifetime, generation, age; an indefinite period of time; forever, eternity; from of old, i.e., in ages past.
salvum facere, to save, keep safe, preserve from harm..
sanctus, a, um, holy, holy person
super +acc=above, upon, over, in, on;+abl= about, concerning; with, on, upon, for, because of.
templum, i, n. the Sanctuary or new Tabernacle on Mount Sion; a temple-like structure; heaven; a palace.
terra, ae, f. (1) the earth, in both a lit. and a fig. sense. (a) orbis terrae, the world. (2) a country, esp. the Land of Israel
totus a um, the whole, entire
tribulatio, onis, f. , trouble, distress, anguish, affliction, tribulation
verbum, i, n.,word, command, edict, also a promise; saying, speech; Law, the Eternal Son.
veritas, atis, truth. grace, kindness ,goodness, fidelity to promises, Faithfulness
via, ae, a way, road, path, street. God's way, God's policy, way of life
virtus, utis, f strength, power, might; an army, host; the angels.; the heavenly bodies, the sun, moon, and stars
vivifico, avi, atum, are to quicken, give life to, vivify.

Psalm 137/5: God's saving help

Death before his judge, c15th

Today a look at the last two verses of Psalm 137, which take us back to the central themes of the Office of the Dead. Pope Benedict comments on them:

“After calling into question national leaders worldwide, not only those of that time but of all times, the person praying returns to his personal prayer of praise. Turning his gaze to his future life, he implores God for help also for the trials that existence may still have in store for him. And we all pray like this, with this prayerful person of that time. He speaks in concise terms of the "anger of the foes", a sort of symbol of all the hostilities that may spring up before the righteous person on his way through history. But he knows, and with him we also know, that the Lord will never abandon him and will stretch out his hand to save and guide him.”

Here are the two verses in question:

8. Si ambulávero in médio tribulatiónis, vivificábis me: * et super iram inimicórum meórum extendísti manum tuam, et salvum me fecit déxtera tua.
If I shall walk in the midst of tribulation, you will quicken me: and you have stretched forth your hand against the wrath of my enemies: and your right hand has saved me.

9. Dóminus retríbuet pro me: * Dómine, misericórdia tua in sæculum: ópera mánuum tuárum ne despícias.
The Lord will repay for me: your mercy, O Lord endures for ever: O despise not the works of your hands.

In the midst of trouble

Verse 8 very much echoes that famous verse of Psalm 22, ye though I walk in the shadow of death:

Si ambulávero in médio tribulatiónis = if I [will] walk in the midst of tribulations

ambulo, avi, atum, are to walk; the manner in which one orders one's life;
medius, a, um in the middle, midst
tribulatio, onis, f. , trouble, distress, anguish, affliction, tribulation

vivificábis me = you will revive me (ie restore/keep me alive spiritually and/or physically)

vivifico, avi, atum, are to quicken, give life to, vivify.

et super iram =and upon/against the anger

super +acc=above, upon, over, in, on
ira, ae, f., anger, wrath

inimicórum meórum =of my enemies

inimicus, i, m., a foe, enemy

extendísti manum tuam = you have extended/stretched out your hand

extendo, tendi, tentum, ere 3, to stretch out or forth; to extend, prolong, protract, continue;
manus, us, f, the hand

et salvum me fecit déxtera tua = and your right hand saves me [=has saved me]

salvum facere, to save, keep safe, preserve from harm..
dexter, tera, terum; the right hand.

St John Chrysostom notes on this verse that the promise here is rescue, not freedom from trouble in the first place! He says:

“He did not say, You will get rid of the tribulation, but You will give me life while remaining in the very midst of troubles, you will succeed in rescuing me after falling into the dangers themselves - something really remarkable and unexpected, when harm is pressing and circumventing, to establish the one beset by it in a state of security…You will be able, in other words, he is saying, both to rescue me while in the midst of troubles, and also to humble and repress those seething and raging and breathing fire…that is, your power, your strength: God is well equipped with ways and means, and capable of leading to salvation from a desperate situation.”

The Lord redeems us

The final verse of the psalm reminds us that we can never merit salvation, but only be granted it through God’s goodness and mercy, and thus Christ’s saving sacrifice.

Dóminus retríbuet pro me = the Lord will make payment for me

retribuo, tribui, tributum, ere 3, to repay, requite, reward, recompense, render; give back, return; make requital for
pro + abl., for; instead of, in lieu of; because of, on account of

Dómine, misericórdia tua in sæculum = O Lord your mercy [is/endures] forever

misericordia, ae,, mercy, kindness, favor, compassion, loving-kindness.
saeculum, i, n., a lifetime, generation, age; an indefinite period of time; forever, eternity; from of old, i.e., in ages past.

ópera mánuum tuárum ne despícias =the works of your hands you will not despise

opus, eris, n., work.
despicio, spexi, spectum, ere 3 to look away from, not to look at, to slight; to despise; to look down upon

Psalm 137

1. Confitébor tibi, Dómine, in toto corde meo: * quóniam audísti verba oris mei.
2. In conspéctu Angelórum psallam tibi: * adorábo ad templum sanctum tuum, et confitébor nómini tuo.
3. Super misericórdia tua, et veritáte tua: * quóniam magnificásti super omne, nomen sanctum tuum.
4. In quacúmque die invocávero te, exáudi me: * multiplicábis in ánima mea virtútem.
5 Confiteántur tibi, Dómine, omnes reges terræ: * quia audiérunt ómnia verba oris tui.
6. Et cantent in viis Dómini: * quóniam magna est glória Dómini.
7. Quóniam excélsus Dóminus, et humília réspicit: * et alta a longe cognóscit.
8. Si ambulávero in médio tribulatiónis, vivificábis me: * et super iram inimicórum meórum extendísti manum tuam, et salvum me fecit déxtera tua.
9. Dóminus retríbuet pro me: * Dómine, misericórdia tua in sæculum: ópera mánuum tuárum ne despícias.

And that's the end of this mini-series, and indeed of this November series on the Office of the Dead.

There is one tag to the series still to come - tomorrow I'll put some more Latin learning notes on Psalm 137, including a consolidated vocabulary list for it.

But if you have any comments on the substance, content or other aspects of these notes, please do let me know.

Psalm 137/4: Let the kings of the earth praise God, but be humble

The first four verses of Psalm 137 talk of an individual praising God.

In verses 5 to 7, the focus becomes more universal, with the psalmist foreseeing the spread of the worship of God across the whole world.   They have a particularly Advent flavour, with their allusion to the kings of the earth coming to worship the true God, as the three kings of the East symbolised at Christ's birth.  And to keep the reference to the kings of the earth in perspective, the psalm reminds us that God is close to the humble, but far from the proud and mighty, a sentiment echoed in the Magnificat:

5 Confiteántur tibi, Dómine, omnes reges terræ: * quia audiérunt ómnia verba oris tui.
May all the kings of the earth give glory to you: for they have heard all the words of your mouth.

6. Et cantent in viis Dómini: * quóniam magna est glória Dómini.
And let them sing in the ways of the Lord: for great is the glory of the Lord.

7. Quóniam excélsus Dóminus, et humília réspicit: * et alta a longe cognóscit.
For the Lord is high, and looks on the low: and the high he knows afar off.

The Latin

The first phrase of verse 5 echoes the opening verse of the psalm, but now with the verb in the third person rather than the first person singular:

Confiteántur tibi, Dómine = let them/may they [the kings of the earth] give thanks to you/glory to you O Lord

confiteor, fessus sum, eri 2 to praise, give thanks; to confess, acknowledge one's guilt.

omnes reges terræ = all the kings of the earth

rex, regis, m. a king, ruler, lawgiver
terra, ae, f. the earth

quia audiérunt =for they have heard

audio, ivi or ii, itum, ire to hear; to hear gladly; sound forth, utter, announce; hear favorably, to grant,

ómnia verba oris tui. = all the words of your mouth

verbum, i, n.,word, command, edict, also a promise; saying, speech; Law, the Eternal Son.
os, oris, n., the mouth.

Et cantent in viis Dómini: = and let them/may they sing (subj) [in/of] the ways of the Lord

canto, avi, atum, are to sing, to praise in song
via, ae, a way, road, path, street. God's way, God's policy, way of life

quóniam magna est glória Dómini = for great is the glory of the Lord

magnus, a, um, great, mighty; elders
gloria, ae, f glory, honor, majesty

These verses should, I think, remind us that our duty is not just to worship God ourselves, though that clearly comes first, but also to spread his message to all, and to be joined to all in his worship.  But there is a catch to this injunction, namely the importance of preserving humility.  Here is the verse echoed in the Magnificat (Luke 1:52):

Quóniam excélsus Dóminus = for the Lord [is] high/exalted

excelsus, a, um high, august, sublime, towering aloft

et humília réspicit = yet he takes thought for the humble

humilia, the lowly, God's people and their affairs.
respicio, spexi, spectum, ere 3 to look upon, behold, consider; take thought for, heed, have regard to;

et alta a longe cognóscit = but the proud he knows from afar

altus, deep (=deceitful), high (=proud)
longe, adv. far off, at a distance; as a substantive with a and de, afar off, from afar.
cognosco, gnovi, gnitum, ere 3, to know, see, learn, perceive, be come acquainted with.

He exalts the humble

Pope Benedict XVI has commented on this psalm that:

“Thus, one discovers that God is certainly "exalted" and transcendent, but he looks on the "lowly" with affection while he turns his face away from the proud as a sign of rejection and judgment (cf. v. 6). As Isaiah proclaimed: "For thus says he who is high and exalted, living eternally, whose name is the Holy One: On high I dwell, and in holiness, and with the crushed and dejected in spirit, to revive the spirits of the dejected, to revive the hearts of the crushed" (Is 57: 15). God therefore chooses to take the side of the weak, victims, the lowliest: this is made known to all kings so that they will know what their option should be in the governing of nations. Naturally, this is not only said to kings and to all governments but also to all of us, because we too must know what choice to make, what the option is: to side with the humble and the lowliest, with the poor and the weak.”

Psalm 137

1. Confitébor tibi, Dómine, in toto corde meo: * quóniam audísti verba oris mei.
I will praise you, O Lord, with my whole heart: for you have heard the words of my mouth.

2. In conspéctu Angelórum psallam tibi: * adorábo ad templum sanctum tuum, et confitébor nómini tuo.
I will sing praise to you in the sight of the angels: I will worship towards your holy temple, and I will give glory to your name.

3. Super misericórdia tua, et veritáte tua: * quóniam magnificásti super omne, nomen sanctum tuum.
For your mercy, and for your truth: for you have magnified your holy name above all.

 4. In quacúmque die invocávero te, exáudi me: * multiplicábis in ánima mea virtútem.
In what day soever I shall call upon you, hear me: you shall multiply strength in my soul.

5 Confiteántur tibi, Dómine, omnes reges terræ: * quia audiérunt ómnia verba oris tui.
May all the kings of the earth give glory to you: for they have heard all the words of your mouth.

6. Et cantent in viis Dómini: * quóniam magna est glória Dómini.
And let them sing in the ways of the Lord: for great is the glory of the Lord.

7. Quóniam excélsus Dóminus, et humília réspicit: * et alta a longe cognóscit.
For the Lord is high, and looks on the low: and the high he knows afar off.

Si ambulávero in médio tribulatiónis, vivificábis me: * et super iram inimicórum meórum extendísti manum tuam, et salvum me fecit déxtera tua.
Dóminus retríbuet pro me: * Dómine, misericórdia tua in sæculum: ópera mánuum tuárum ne despícias.

The next part of this series of notes on Psalm 137 can be found here. 

Psalm 137/3: God's saving mercy and truth

Peterborough Psalter: mercy and truth
c1260

Today I want to pick up my lectio divina notes mini-series on Psalm 137, with a look at verses 3&4:

1. Confitébor tibi, Dómine, in toto corde meo: * quóniam audísti verba oris mei.
I will praise you, O Lord, with my whole heart: for you have heard the words of my mouth.

2. In conspéctu Angelórum psallam tibi: * adorábo ad templum sanctum tuum, et confitébor nómini tuo.
I will sing praise to you in the sight of the angels: I will worship towards your holy temple, and I will give glory to your name.

3. Super misericórdia tua, et veritáte tua: * quóniam magnificásti super omne, nomen sanctum tuum.
For your mercy, and for your truth: for you have magnified your holy name above all.

4. In quacúmque die invocávero te, exáudi me: * multiplicábis in ánima mea virtútem.
In what day soever I shall call upon you, hear me: you shall multiply strength in my soul.

Looking at the Latin

Super misericórdia tua = With your mercy

super +acc=above, upon, over, in, on; +abl= about, concerning; with, on, upon, for, because of.

misericordia, ae, mercy, kindness, favor, compassion, loving-kindness.

et veritáte tua = and your truth

veritas, atis, truth. grace, kindness ,goodness, fidelity to promises, Faithfulness

Mercy and truth and used here, though some translations change this to ‘mercy and faithfulness’ or other permutations in an effort to more closely reflect the shades of meaning in the Hebrew. But ‘mercy and truth’ have the weight of the Christian tradition behind them in both East and West, a combination of words used in the Latin of many of the psalms and elsewhere in Scripture, with many icons depicting the angels of mercy and truth going out before God, or alternatively as in the miniature above, as two of the four 'daughters of God' (with peace and justice).

quóniam magnificásti = for you have magnified

magnifico, avi, atum, are to praise, glorify, extol, magnify

super omne = over/above every/all = above all things

nomen sanctum tuum = your holy name

Note: ‘super’ is not governing ‘name’ here.

omnis, e, all, each, every; subst., all men, all things, everything
nomen, mis, n. name; God himself; the perfections of God, His glory, majesty, wisdom, power, goodness
sanctus, a, um, holy, holy person

In quacúmque die =in whatever day
invocávero te = I will call you
exáudi me = hear me

=whenever I call, you hear me

quacumque - by whatever way, wherever, wheresoever
dies, ei, m. and /.; fem. a day, the natural day
invoco, avi, atum, are, to invoke, call upon (God); to put trust in
exaudio, ivi, Itum, ire, to hear, hearken to, listen to, give heed to; to regard, answer.

multiplicábis = you have multiplied
in ánima mea =in my soul
virtútem = strength

=you will increase the strength of my soul

multiplico, avi, atum, are to multiply, increase; to grow, flourish
virtus, utis, f strength, power, might; an army, host; the angels.; the heavenly bodies, the sun, moon, and stars

God’s truth and mercy

The first two verses of Psalm 137 are about the speaker’s commitment to praising and adoring God with all his might. These two verses talk about why.

The first, and overarching reason, is that God exercises his mercy and truth towards us. St John Chrysostom comments that he is giving praise for his restoration to grace:

“What does this mean? I shall give thanks to you, he is saying, for enjoying great care: it is not for my own good deeds that I have gained repossession of my homeland and sight of the Temple, but from your mercy and your lovingkindness. For these I adore you, for these I confess to you, that though worthy of punishment and retribution and rightly deserving to languish constantly in foreign parts you have given me swift return…”

St Augustine takes the point further, and suggests that in this we must imitate God’s mercy and truth in our dealings with others:

“These also which You have given to me, do I according to my power give to You in return: mercy, in aiding others; truth, in judging. By these God aids us, by these we win God's favour. Rightly, therefore, All the ways of the Lord are mercy and truth. No other ways are there whereby He can come to us, no other whereby we can come to Him.”

A name above all others

The next few phrases are really elaborations of the forms that God's mercy and truth takes.  The second part of verse three points out that despite his position so far above us, God has reached down through history to aid his people. St Augustine says:

“He has magnified His holy Name over Abraham. Of Abraham was born Isaac; over that house God was magnified; then Jacob; God was magnified, who said, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. Then came his twelve sons. The name of the Lord was magnified over Israel. Then came the Virgin Mary. Then Christ our Lord, dying for our sins, rising again for our justification, Romans 4:25 filling the faithful with His Holy Spirit, sending forth men to proclaim throughout the Gentiles, Repent ye, etc. Matthew 3:2 Behold, He has magnified His holy Name above all things.”

Strength to the soul

And the third reason given for our praise is God’s aid to us individually in times of trouble, again a form of his mercy, or loving kindness. St Robert Bellarmine explains verse 4 as follows:

“From the fact of your having so magnified thy holy name, I ask you to hear me whenever I shall put my wants before you; for your Holy One has said, "Whatever you ask of the Father in my name he will give you." …What I earnestly beg of you is to multiply, which means to increase, not the number of my years, nor my wealth, nor my children, nor anything else of the sort; "but strength in my soul," so as to enable me to resist my evil desires, to bear all crosses with patience, to tread in the path of justice without fatigue, to offer violence to the kingdom of heaven, that thus I may ultimately come to him, "whom thou hast magnified."

Psalm 137

Confitébor tibi, Dómine, in toto corde meo: * quóniam audísti verba oris mei.
In conspéctu Angelórum psallam tibi: * adorábo ad templum sanctum tuum, et confitébor nómini tuo.
Super misericórdia tua, et veritáte tua: * quóniam magnificásti super omne, nomen sanctum tuum.
In quacúmque die invocávero te, exáudi me: * multiplicábis in ánima mea virtútem.
Confiteántur tibi, Dómine, omnes reges terræ: * quia audiérunt ómnia verba oris tui.
Et cantent in viis Dómini: * quóniam magna est glória Dómini.
Quóniam excélsus Dóminus, et humília réspicit: * et alta a longe cognóscit.
Si ambulávero in médio tribulatiónis, vivificábis me: * et super iram inimicórum meórum extendísti manum tuam, et salvum me fecit déxtera tua.
Dóminus retríbuet pro me: * Dómine, misericórdia tua in sæculum: ópera mánuum tuárum ne despícias.

The next part of this series can be found here.

Psalm 137/2 - In the presence of the angels

Today I want to start a more detailed look at Psalm 137, the last psalm of Vespers of the Dead, starting with a look at verses 1 and 2:

Confitébor tibi, Dómine, in toto corde meo: * quóniam audísti verba oris mei.
I will praise you, O Lord, with my whole heart: for you have heard the words of my mouth.

In conspéctu Angelórum psallam tibi: * adorábo ad templum sanctum tuum, et confitébor nómini tuo.
I will sing praise to you in the sight of the angels: I will worship towards your holy temple, and I will give glory to your name.

The duty of thanksgiving

Most of the psalms of this Office have focused primarily on the help that we need from God as we face death, and this is certainly a theme in this psalm too.

But this psalm adds a new element, asking us to remember to give thanks for all the good things God has given us in our lives, even as it draws to a close, and reminds us once again that we are not alone, but connected already to the heavenly court through the invisible presence of the angels.

Verse 1: An offering of thanksgiving and praise

Confitébor tibi Dómine = I will give praise to you O Lord

The deponent verb confiteor has two possible meanings in Latin: to praise or give thanks, as best fits this context; or to acknowledge one’s guilt (hence the ‘confiteor’ in the Mass).

St Augustine comments that most people know of the confession of sin, but few attend to the confession of praise. I suspect the revere is more true these days, but his remarks on this are still worth reading:

“But first I remind you, that the term confession in Scripture, when we speak of confession to God, is used in two senses, of sin, and of praise. But confession of sin all know, confession of praise few attend to. So well known is confession of sin, that, wherever in Scripture we hear the words, I will confess to You, O Lord, or, we will confess to You, immediately, through habitually understanding in this way, our hands hurry to beating our breast: so entirely are men wont not to understand confession to be of anything, save of sin. But was then our Lord Jesus Christ Himself too a sinner, who says in the Gospel, I confess to You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth? He goes on to say what He confesses, that we might understand His confession to be of praise, not of sin, I confess to You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because You have hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes. He praised the Father, he praised God, because He despises not the humble, but the proud. And such confession are we now going to hear, of praise of God, of thanksgiving.”

in toto corde meo = with all my heart

The heart (cor cordis) is often used in Scripture to mean the mind and the soul. Totus is an adjective meaning the whole, entire. What is being offered here is the person’s whole being, focused on thanksgiving.

quóniam audísti verba oris mei = because you have heard the words of my mouth

This phrase seems to have dropped out of the Hebrew Masoretic Text for some reason, but it is retained in the neo-Vulgate, probably because it links up nicely to verse 3.

audio, ivi or li, Itum, ire to hear; to hear gladly; sound forth, utter, announce; hear favorably, to grant,
verbum, i, n.,word, command, edict, also a promise; saying, speech; Law, the Eternal Son.
os, oris, n., the mouth.

Verse 2: In the presence of the angels

In conspéctu Angelórum =in the presence of the angels

conspectus, us, m. sight, presence;
angelus, i, m.an angel, spirit, messenger

The second verse is a crucial reminder that when the Church militant here on earth prays, it does so in union with the Church Triumphant, represented by the angels invisibly present at our liturgy. In the context of the Office of the Dead it is also a reminder, perhaps particularly of the aid available from our own guardian angels.  Curiously, although the Greek uses the word ‘messenger’ (angel) here, the Hebrew Masoretic Text talks about ‘the gods’ instead, particularly jarring in the context of the Temple!

psallam tibi = I will sing praises to you

psallo, ere 3 to sing to the accompaniment of a stringed instrument,; to sing the praises of God.

adorábo ad templum sanctum tuum =I will adore towards you holy temple

adoro, avi, atum, are, to worship, adore
templum, i, n. the Sanctuary or new Tabernacle on Mount Sion; a temple-like structure; heaven; a palace.
sanctus, a, um, holy, holy person

et confitébor nómini tuo = and I will give thanks to your name

nomen, mis, n. name; God himself; the perfections of God, His glory, majesty, wisdom, power, goodness,

St Benedict on the Divine Office

St Benedict, in his Rule, particularly focused on this second verse in his instructions on the correct performance of the Divine Office, urging us to be conscious of the presence of the angels while saying it:

“We believe that the divine presence is everywhere and that "the eyes of the Lord are looking on the good and the evil in every place" (Prov. 15:3). But we should believe this especially without any doubt when we are assisting at the Work of God. To that end let us be mindful always of the Prophet's words, "Serve the Lord in fear" (Ps. 2:11) and again "Sing praises wisely" and "In the sight of the Angels I will sing praise to You". Let us therefore consider how we ought to conduct ourselves in sight of the Godhead and of His Angels, and let us take part in the psalmody in such a way that our mind may be in harmony with our voice.”

Psalm 137

Confitébor tibi, Dómine, in toto corde meo: * quóniam audísti verba oris mei.
In conspéctu Angelórum psallam tibi: * adorábo ad templum sanctum tuum, et confitébor nómini tuo.
Super misericórdia tua, et veritáte tua: * quóniam magnificásti super omne, nomen sanctum tuum.
In quacúmque die invocávero te, exáudi me: * multiplicábis in ánima mea virtútem.
Confiteántur tibi, Dómine, omnes reges terræ: * quia audiérunt ómnia verba oris tui.
Et cantent in viis Dómini: * quóniam magna est glória Dómini.
Quóniam excélsus Dóminus, et humília réspicit: * et alta a longe cognóscit.
Si ambulávero in médio tribulatiónis, vivificábis me: * et super iram inimicórum meórum extendísti manum tuam, et salvum me fecit déxtera tua.
Dóminus retríbuet pro me: * Dómine, misericórdia tua in sæculum: ópera mánuum tuárum ne despícias.




This mini-series on Psalm 137 continues here.

Psalm 137: Latin study hints

Yesterday I gave a general introduction to Psalm 137.  Today, as usual, before I start on the verse by verse analysis of Psalm 137, I want to give a few pointers to help you absorb the Latin.

Grammar

If you are following the Simplicissimus Latin Reading Course (see the link in the sidebar), you are hopefully up to Unit 7, which deals with the passive subjunctive.

There is one example of this in Psalm 37, in the form of a deponent (so an active meaning even though it looks passive), namely verse 5:

Confiteántur tibi, Dómine, omnes reges terræ:
May all the kings of the earth give glory to you

If you look back at the last psalm, Psalm 114, you will find another example:

miséricors Dóminus, et justus, et Deus noster miserétur.
The Lord is merciful and just, and our God shows mercy.

But as well as absorbing the new grammar, it is also worth doing some revision.  So I strongly suggest going through and working out the case of some of those high frequency nouns we've previously noted, such as anima (soul), gloria (glory) and Dominus (Lord) on the various occasions they recur.  Look out too, for an important example of a third declension noun, nomen, nominis, n name:

Confitébor tibi, Dómine, in toto corde meo: quóniam audísti verba oris mei.
In conspéctu Angelórum psallam tibi: adorábo ad templum sanctum tuum, et confitébor nómini tuo.
Super misericórdia tua, et veritáte tua: quóniam magnificásti super omne, nomen sanctum tuum.
In quacúmque die invocávero te, exáudi me: multiplicábis in ánima mea virtútem.
Confiteántur tibi, Dómine, omnes reges terræ: quia audiérunt ómnia verba oris tui.
Et cantent in viis Dómini: quóniam magna est glória Dómini.
Quóniam excélsus Dóminus, et humília réspicit: et alta a longe cognóscit.
Si ambulávero in médio tribulatiónis, vivificábis me: et super iram inimicórum meórum extendísti manum tuam, et salvum me fecit déxtera tua.
Dóminus retríbuet pro me: Dómine, misericórdia tua in sæculum: ópera mánuum tuárum ne despícias.

Vocabulary revision

It is also worth taking a look through Psalm 137 to see how many of the words you already know.

First, look through and pick out the words you know (even if the endings are not the same).  Here are a few key ones I've previously highlighted:

ambulo, avi, atum, are to walk; the manner in which one orders one's life
est - he/she/it is
et - and
me – me (pronoun)
meus (mea, meum) – my, mine (adjective)
omnis, e, all, each, every; subst., all men, all things, everything
quoniam, conj., for, because, since, seeing that, whereas.
quia, conj. for, because, that. truly, surely, indeed;
sanctus, a, um, holy.
super, with, on, upon, for, because of.
tu (pronoun) - you
tuus (tuum, tua) – your, yours, referring to one person

Confitébor tibi (to you), Dómine, toto corde meo: quóniam audísti verba oris mei.
In conspéctu Angelórum psallam tibi: * adorábo ad templum sanctum tuum, et confitébor nómini tuo.
Super misericórdia tua, et veritáte tua: * quóniam magnificásti super omne (omnis), nomen sanctum tuum
In quacúmque die invocávero te, exáudi me: * multiplicábis in ánima mea virtútem.
Confiteántur tibi, Dómine, omnes reges terræ: * quia audiérunt ómnia (omnis) verba oris tui.
Et cantent in viis Dómini: * quóniam magna est glória Dómini.
Quóniam excélsus Dóminus, et humília réspicit: * et alta a longe cognóscit.
Si ambulávero (ambulo) in médio tribulatiónis, vivificábis me: * et super iram inimicórum meórum extendísti manum tuam, et salvum me fecit déxtera tua.
Dóminus retríbuet pro me: * Dómine, misericórdia tua in sæculum: ópera mánuum tuárum ne despícias.

Secondly, you may have also recognised a few words that we have already come across in the previously considered psalms, and appear often elsewhere in the psalter.  In particular:

exaudio, ivi, Itum, ire, to hear, hearken to, listen to, give heed to; to regard, answer.
misericordia, ae, mercy, kindness, favor, compassion, loving-kindness.
multiplico, avi, atum, are to multiply, increase; to grow, flourish.
medius, a, um in the middle, midst
conspectus, us, m. sight, presence

Here they are highlighted in the psalm:

Confitébor tibi, Dómine, in toto corde meo: * quóniam audísti verba oris mei.
In conspéctu Angelórum psallam tibi: * adorábo ad templum sanctum tuum, et confitébor nómini tuo.
Super misericórdia tua, et veritáte tua: * quóniam magnificásti super omne, nomen sanctum tuum.
In quacúmque die invocávero te, exáudi me: * multiplicábis in ánima mea virtútem.
Confiteántur tibi, Dómine, omnes reges terræ: * quia audiérunt ómnia verba oris tui.
Et cantent in viis Dómini: * quóniam magna est glória Dómini.
Quóniam excélsus Dóminus, et humília réspicit: * et alta a longe cognóscit.
Si ambulávero in médio tribulatiónis, vivificábis me: * et super iram inimicórum meórum extendísti manum tuam, et salvum me fecit déxtera tua.
Dóminus retríbuet pro me: * Dómine, misericórdia tua in sæculum: ópera mánuum tuárum ne despícias.

New vocabulary

Finally, a few key new words to look out for as we work through the psalm:

adoro, avi, atum, are, to worship, adore
confiteor, fessus sum, eri 2 to praise, give thanks; to confess, acknowledge one's guilt.
canto, avi, atum, are to sing, to praise in song
psallo, ere 3 to sing to the accompaniment of a stringed instrument,; to sing the praises of God.
audio, ivi or li, Itum, ire to hear; to hear gladly; sound forth, utter, announce; hear favorably, to grant,
(exaudio, ivi, Itum, ire, to hear, hearken to, listen to, give heed to; to regard, answer).
terra, ae, f. the earth
verbum, i, n.,word, command, edict, also a promise; saying, speech; Law, the Eternal Son.
veritas, atis, truth. grace, kindness ,goodness, fidelity to promises, Faithfulness
via, ae, a way, road, path, street. God's way, God's policy, way of life
manus, us, f, the hand
dexter, tera, terum; the right hand.

Finally, don't forget to take the time to listen to the psalm being read or sung aloud (see the links in the last post) and practise saying and singing it aloud yourself until you are fluent.

Introduction to Psalm 137 in the context of the Office of the Dead

The memento mori of René of Anjou, king of Naples.
(British Library, Egerton 1070 f. 53)
c1442-3

Through November I've been looking at some of the psalms of the Office of the Dead, and today I want to give a short introduction to the last psalm of Vespers of the Dead, Psalm 137(138), before embarking on a verse by verse look at it.

A psalm of thanksgiving and a last plea for help

This hymn of thanksgiving alternates between the personal concerns of the speaker, and a call for the praise of God to be spread amongst all nations.

Like most of the other psalms of this Office, it has a strong focus on the protection God offers in times of trouble, and preservation from the final death. God is to be worshipped, it argues, for his truth and mercy, for his help in times of tribulation and aid against enemies, and for his aid to the poor and marginalized. In the Office of the Dead, the last phrase of the last verse ‘the works of Thy hands O Lord, forsake not’ is used as the antiphon.

The psalm is also said at Wednesday Vespers in the Benedictine Rite (Thursday in the Roman).

Psalm 137: The text

First listen to be being read and/or or sung through in Latin so you can hear how it should sound:

Confitébor tibi, Dómine, in toto corde meo: * quóniam audísti verba oris mei.
2 In conspéctu Angelórum psallam tibi: * adorábo ad templum sanctum tuum, et confitébor nómini tuo.
3 Super misericórdia tua, et veritáte tua: * quóniam magnificásti super omne, nomen sanctum tuum.
4 In quacúmque die invocávero te, exáudi me: * multiplicábis in ánima mea virtútem.
5 Confiteántur tibi, Dómine, omnes reges terræ: * quia audiérunt ómnia verba oris tui.
6 Et cantent in viis Dómini: * quóniam magna est glória Dómini.
7 Quóniam excélsus Dóminus, et humília réspicit: * et alta a longe cognóscit.
8 Si ambulávero in médio tribulatiónis, vivificábis me: * et super iram inimicórum meórum extendísti manum tuam, et salvum me fecit déxtera tua.
9 Dóminus retríbuet pro me: * Dómine, misericórdia tua in sæculum: ópera mánuum tuárum ne despícias.



Next, in order to get a sense of the overall meaning, have a quick look at the English.  Here it is in the Coverdale translation so you can enjoy the lovely Anglican chant version sung for the Pope during his UK visit at Westminster Abbey in 2010 (warning: this is not a Catholic translation, and I will comment on some of the differences between it and one's based on the Vulgate and Neo-Vulgate as we go along in this mini-series):

I will give thanks unto thee, O Lord, with my whole heart;
even before the gods will I sing praise unto thee.
I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy Name,
because of thy loving-kindness and truth; for thou hast magnified thy Name, and thy word, above all things.
When I called upon thee, thou heardest me, and enduedst my soul with much strength.
All the kings of the earth shall praise thee, O Lord; for they have heard the words of thy mouth.
Yea, they shall sing of the ways of the Lord, that great is the glory of the Lord.
For though the Lord be high, yet hath he respect unto the lowly; as for the proud, he beholdeth them afar off.
Though I walk in the midst of trouble, yet shalt thou refresh me; thou shalt stretch forth thy hand upon the furiousness of mine enemies, and thy right hand shall save me.
The Lord shall make good his loving-kindness toward me. Yea, thy mercy, O Lord, endureth for ever; despise not then the works of thine own hands.



Pope Benedict XVI on Psalm 137

Pope Benedict XVI gave a General Audience on this psalm back in 2005. Here is an extract from his talk by way of introduction:

“Psalm 138[137], the hymn of thanksgiving that we have just heard, attributed by the Judaic tradition to the patronage of David although it probably came into being in a later epoch, opens with a personal hymn by the person praying… We must be sure that however burdensome and tempestuous the trials that await us may be, we will never be left on our own, we will never fall out of the Lord's hands, those hands that created us and now sustain us on our journey through life. As St Paul was to confess: "he who has begun the good work in you will carry it through to completion" (Phil 1: 6). Thus, we too have prayed with a psalm of praise, thanksgiving and trust. Let us continue to follow this thread of hymnodic praise through the witness of a Christian hymn-writer, the great Ephrem the Syrian (fourth century), the author of texts with an extraordinary poetic and spiritual fragrance: "However great may be our wonder for you, O Lord, your glory exceeds what our tongues can express", Ephrem sang in one hymn and in another: "Praise to you, to whom all things are easy, for you are almighty".  And this is a further reason for our trust: that God has the power of mercy and uses his power for mercy. And lastly, a final quote: "Praise to you from all who understand your truth" (General Audience, Wednesday, 7 December 2005)

If you are interested in using this psalm series to help brush up or learn your Latin, you can find some notes to aid you on this here.

Or you can go straight to the first part of the phrase by phrase notes on the psalm here.

Psalm propers for the Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost: Psalm 118

Today's psalm propers in the Extraordinary Form point strongly and obviously to the Gospel (Matthew 22:1-14, the parable of the wedding feast).

I want to look particularly at the Communio, which is from Psalm 118, but first a quick run down of the other psalms set for today.

The parable of the wedding feast

The Introit verse is particularly obvious in its message: the verse we are given is the opening of Psalm 77: Atténdite, pópule meus, legem meam: inclináte aurem vestram in verba oris mei, or Attend, O my people, to my law: incline your ears to the words of my mouth.  But this verse is really a cue for the next in the psalm, which is Apériam in parábolis os meum, or I will open my mouth in parables. The psalm then goes on to point out that God's message to us has not been hidden; the law is laid out for us to follow.

The Gradual (Psalm 140) points to the necessity of the proper, acceptable worship of God (starting with baptism, symbolised by the wedding garment):

Dirigátur orátio mea sicut incénsum in conspéctu tuo: * elevátio mánuum meárum sacrifícium vespertínum.
Let my prayer be directed as incense in your sight; the lifting up of my hands, as evening sacrifice.

The Alleluia (Psalm 104) goes to the importance of evangelization (salvation is opened to all, following the refusal of those originally invited to attend the wedding):

Confitémini Dómino, et invocáte nomen ejus: annuntiáte inter Gentes ópera ejus.
Give glory to the Lord, and call upon his name: declare his deeds among the Gentiles

The Offertory (Psalm 137) reminds us of God's continuing protection of us as we undertake this mission, and hints at the fate of those cast out from the wedding feast:

Si ambulávero in médio tribulatiónis, vivificábis me: et super iram inimicórum meórum extendes manum tuam, et salvum me faciet déxtera tua.
If I shall walk in the midst of tribulation, you will quicken me: and you have stretched forth your hand against the wrath of my enemies: and your right hand has saved me.

(Note: the text here is from the Roman psalter translation, not the Vulgate; I've used the translation from the Douay-Rheims which reflects the Vulgate).

Communio: Psalm 118

But I want to look particularly today at the Communio, which is verses 4 and 5 from the longest psalm in the psalter, Psalm 118. These verses point us back to the Introit psalm, and their basic message is that it is not enough just to turn up, not enough just to turn away from evil if we want to be saved: we also have to strive positively to keep the law and do good.

They also serve as a reminder that the law enjoined on us is not a manmade creation, that can be changed in ways to suit us as so many liberals in the Church appear to believe, but rather something set in stone by God.

The text is:

Tu mandasti mandata tua custodiri nimis. Utinam dirigantur viæ meæ ad custodiendas justificationes tuas. You have commanded your commandments to be kept most diligently.  O that my ways may be directed to keep your justifications. 

Understanding the Latin

Let's look at the Latin phrase by phrase.

Tu mandásti =you, you have commanded (mando, to enjoin, order, command)

mandáta tua =your commandments

custodíri nimis = to be kept in full/diligently (custodire is the passive infinitive of custodire, to keep, maintain, hold steadfastly; nimis literally means greatly, beyond measure)

Utinam = oh that!/would that!/ I wish that!

dirigántur viæ meæ = my life/ways may be directed (dirigere is to direct, guide set aright; via is life, but most translations change it to ‘ways’ given the context)

ad custodiéndas = to the keeping

justificatiónes tuas! = of your justifications/statutes/laws. (The underlying Hebrew word,Huqqim, translated as justificatio, literally means something engraved or cut in stone or a tablet).

Commentary from St Robert Bellarmine

St Robert Bellarmine comments on these verses, ending with a reminder that salvation is not just a matter of our own efforts, but requires the grace that is made available to us through Christ's sacrifice:

"He now draws another argument from the excellence of the legislator, as much as to say: These are not the commands of man, but of God; that God who requires implicit obedience from all his servants. To give greater weight to what he has to say thereon, he addresses God directly, saying, "Thou hast commanded thy commandments to be kept most diligently." O Lord, you who can freely command your servants, and punish them severely if they disobey, and who can neither forgive nor forget the transgressor, "thou hast commanded," not by way of advice, but by strict precept, "thy commandments to be kept," not negligently or carelessly, but "most diligently" and studiously. Who, then, will not, at once, give their mind to a thorough observance of them? God's commands should be most implicitly obeyed...The law for variety's sake gets different names in the Scripture, such as the precept, the command, the discourse, the speech, the word, sometimes the testimony, by reason of its bearing witness to what God's will is, sometimes the justification, as in this passage, because it is through it we are justified; that is, made more just, according to the apostle, who says, "the doers of the law shall be justified;" observe, though, that I said, they who observe the law shall be made more just, because the first justification, through which we are made just, from being sinners, cannot be ascribed to the law, but to grace, as the same apostle has it, "For if justice be by the law, then Christ died in vain."

The chant setting of these verses is well-worth listening to as they are particularly upbeat:

19th Sunday after Pentecost: Communion from Corpus Christi Watershed on Vimeo.