Psalms of the day in the liturgy of the Temple

One of the ongoing debates is the extent to which the Divine Office (and the liturgy more generally) represents a continuation of ancient Jewish practice.   Unfortunately, while there are passing references to the liturgy in the Old Testaments (such as King David's instigation of choirs of priests singing in the first temple) very little concrete evidence survives.

Still, those crumbs that do survive are interesting.  Consider this rationale for one of the psalms set for use each day, tied to the days of creation, an idea reflected in our Office today in the Vespers hymns (and arguably in certain other psalms set for the Benedictine Office at least).

The source for this daily service in the Temple  is theTamid, sect. vii, and Maimonides in Tamid:

On the first day of the week they sang Psalm 23, 'The earth is the Lord's,' etc., in commemoration of the first day of creation, when 'God possessed the world, and ruled in it.'

On the second day they sang Psalm 47, 'Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised,' etc., because on the second day of creation 'the Lord divided His works, and reigned over them.'

On the third day they sang Psalm 81, 'God standeth in the congregation of the mighty,' etc., 'because on that day the earth appeared, on which are the Judge and the judged.'

On the fourth day Psalm 93 was sung, 'O Lord God, to whom vengeance belongeth,' etc., 'because on the fourth day God made the sun, moon, and stars, and will be avenged on those that worship them.'

On the fifth day they sang Psalm 80, 'Sing aloud unto God our strength,' etc., 'because of the variety of creatures made that day to praise His name.'

On the sixth day Psalm 92 was sung, 'The Lord reigneth,' etc., 'because on that day God finished His works and made man, and the Lord ruled over all His works.'

Lastly, on the Sabbath day they sang Psalm 91, 'It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord,' etc., 'because the Sabbath was symbolical of the millennial kingdom at the end of the six thousand years' dispensation, when the Lord would reign over all, and His glory and service fill the earth with thanksgiving.'

Lectio notes on the propers for the Eighth Sunday - Psalm 47/2

Tres Riches Heures, Purification of the BVM

The Introit for this week in the Extraordinary Form (on days not displaced by feasts) is, like the Alleluia discussed in my last post, also from Psalm 47, verses 10, 11 and 2:

10 Suscépimus, Deus, misericórdiam tuam, * in médio templi tui.

11 Secúndum nomen tuum, Deus, sic et laus tua in fines terræ: * justítia plena est déxtera tua.

2 Magnus Dóminus, et laudábilis nimis * in civitáte Dei nostri, in monte sancto ejus.

A translation is 'We have received God (suscepimus Deus), your mercy (misericoridam tuam) in the midst (in medio) of your temple (templi tui). According to your name O God,(secundem nomen tuum Deus), so also is your praise (sic et laus tua) unto the ends of the earth (in fines terrae): your right hand (dextera tua) is full of justice (justitia plena est).

Commentary

The text points us to the Sunday Gospel story of the unjust steward, with its reminder that we will all be called to account before God at some point, and fall in need of his mercy. 

St Augustine points out that the wording of the verse suggests that while we have received mercy, others have not.  St Thomas Aquinas explains this idea further: we have received mercy, he suggests, in the form of faith; in the form of grace conferred through the sacraments; and in the form of Christ himself (note that the text and chant setting is also used on the feast of the Purification of the BVM), whose message has been spread by the Church to the ends of the earth.  Thus, he argues, those who receive the sacraments unworthily, or who do not accept the teaching of the Church do not receive God's mercy...

A tough, counter-cultural message to meditate on indeed, that should make us think and do something about our own sins, encourage us to give thanks and praise for the graces we have received, and encourage us to pray and work ever harder for the conversion of others.

Psalm 47 and the eighth Sunday after Pentecost Pt 1

I want to start a series today providing notes to support lectio divina on some of the psalm texts used in the Mass propers.

The Mass propers tend to be relatively neglected when it comes to sermons and Mass preparation.  But they are a rich source for lectio, particularly as the Gregorian chant settings of them provide an interesting supplement to the writings of the Fathers and Theologians as to their interpretation.

Psalm 47: The text

Vulgate	Douay-Rheims
Psalmus cantici. Filiis Core, secunda sabbati.	A psalm of a canticle, for the sons of Core, on the second day of the week.

Magnus Dóminus, et laudábilis nimis * in civitáte Dei nostri, in monte sancto eius.	Great is the Lord, and exceedingly to be praised in the city of our God, in his holy mountain.
Fundátur exsultatióne univérsæ terræ mons Sion, * látera Aquilónis, cívitas Regis magni.	With the joy of the whole earth is mount Sion founded, on the sides of the north, the city of the great king.
Deus in dómibus eius cognoscétur: * cum suscípiet eam.	In her houses shall God be known, when he shall protect her.
Quóniam ecce reges terræ congregáti sunt: * convenérunt in unum.	For behold the kings of the earth assembled themselves: they gathered together.
Ipsi vidéntes sic admiráti sunt, † conturbáti sunt, commóti sunt: * tremor apprehéndit eos.	So they saw, and they wondered, they were troubled, they were moved: Trembling took hold of them.
Ibi dolóres ut parturiéntis: * in spíritu veheménti cónteres naves Tharsis.	There were pains as of a woman in labour. With a vehement wind you shall break in pieces the ships of Tharsis.
Sicut audívimus, sic vídimus in civitáte Dómini virtútum, † in civitáte Dei nostri: * Deus fundávit eam in ætérnum.	As we have heard, so have we seen, in the city of the Lord of hosts, in the city of our God: God has founded it forever.
Suscépimus, Deus, misericórdiam tuam, * in médio templi tui.	We have received your mercy, O God, in the midst of your temple.
Secúndum nomen tuum, Deus, sic et laus tua in fines terræ: * iustítia plena est déxtera tua.	According to your name, O God, so also is your praise unto the ends of the earth: your right hand is full of justice.
Lætétur mons Sion, et exsúltent fíliæ Iudæ: * propter iudícia tua, Dómine.	Let mount Sion rejoice, and the daughters of Juda be glad; because of your judgments, O Lord.
Circúmdate Sion, et complectímini eam: * narráte in túrribus eius.	Surround Sion, and encompass her: tell lye in her towers.
Pónite corda vestra in virtúte eius: * et distribúite domus eius, ut enarrétis in progénie áltera.	Set your hearts on her strength; and distribute her houses, that you may relate it in another generation.
Quóniam hic est Deus, Deus noster in ætérnum et in sæculum sæculi: * ipse reget nos in sæcula.	For this is God, our God unto eternity, and for ever and ever: he shall rule us for evermore.

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.

The eighth Sunday after Pentecost and other liturgical uses of the psalm

As the table below shows, both the Introit and the Alleluia for the Eighth Sunday after Pentecost in the Extraordinary Form use verses from Psalm 47 (48 in the Hebrew Masoretic Text numbering) point to a theme of the heavenly city of God, presented to us in Christ; realized for us in the Church and her saints, especially Our Lady (hence the psalm's use on the feast of the Purification); and prefigured by the Temple. 

NT references	-
RB cursus	Tues Matins
Monastic/(Roman) feasts etc	Nativity, Epiphany, Christ the King, Pentecost, Trinity, Transfiguration, BVM, Assumption, Common of Virgins;
Roman pre 1911	Monday M
Thesauris schemas	A: ; B: ; C: ; D:
Roman post 1911	1911-62: Tuesday M  . 1970:
Mass propers (EF)	Purification, IN 1, 10-11; GR 7, 10-11; PP8 IN 1, 10-11; AL 1

In the Benedictine Office it is said on Tuesday at Matins as part of a group of psalms focused on the Temple and foreshadowing the revelation of Christ and his Church as the true Temple.

c16th Russian icon, the Church Militant

The text of  the Alleluia verse

The Alleluia uses the first verse of the psalm (which is also the verse of the Introit):

Magnus Dóminus, et laudábilis valde [nimis] * in civitáte Dei [nostri], in monte sancto ejus.

The Douay-Rheims translates it as 'Great is the Lord (magnus Dominus), and exceedingly to be praised (et laudabilis valde) in the city of God (in civitate Dei), in his holy mountain (in monte sancto ejus)'. Note that the Vulgate substitutes 'nimis' for 'valde' (both of which mean exceedingly) and adds 'nostri' (our) as indicated in square brackets. The Neo-Vulgate sticks with the Vulgate text for this verse.

Commentary

St Robert Bellarmine writes:

"The Prophet, being about to praise a certain edifice, commences by praising the architect, and says that in the holy city the wonderful skill and wisdom of God, who built it, is truly displayed. "Great is the Lord, and exceedingly to be praised;" and so he is, whether we look at his essence, his power, his wisdom, his justice, or his mercy, for all are infinite, everlasting, and incomprehensible; and thus, so much is God "exceedingly to be praised," that all the angels, all men, even all his own works would not suffice thereto; but of all things we have revealed, there is no one thing can give us a greater idea of his greatness, or for which we should praise and thank him more, than the establishment of his Church; and, therefore, the Prophet adds, "in the city of our God, in his holy mountain;" that is to say, the greatness of God, and for which he deserves so much praise, is conspicuous in the foundation and construction of his Church, which is "the city of our God, in his holy mountain;" that is, made as perfect as possible. For, it is said in Isaias 2, "The mountain of the house of the Lord shall be prepared on top of mountains." And the Lord himself calls his Church "a city placed on a mountain." To touch briefly on the remarkable points of this edifice, just consider, first, the incredible variety of nations, differing in language, manners, customs, and laws, so uniting in the profession of one faith, and the use of the same sacraments, as to form one people, nay, even one family. Consider, secondly, the same Church, founded on Peter, a poor, ignorant, rude fisherman; and yet founded so firmly, that the gates of hell cannot prevail against it; for, in spite of that world in which Christ's Church is spending its exile, in spite of all the powers of darkness, in spite of all the persecutions of the wicked, she will ultimately arrive in safety at the land of promise; and, placed, at length, above the highest heavens, will reign undisturbed in everlasting happiness. Such things, certainly, could not be accomplished, but by the great God; that is, by a most powerful and skillful architect who, therefore, "is exceedingly to be praised," or, rather, is beyond all praise."

You can find more on this psalm here.

There are also some excellent commentaries on the psalm online, including:

• St Augustine;
• St Thomas Aquinas;
• Text week links to pre-Nicene Fathers;
• Bibliaclerus links to Magisterial teaching and commentaries (follow the links to Psalm 48).