Tenebrae/21 - Psalm 58

Today's psalm, Psalm 58, opens the third Nocturn of Tenebrae for Good Friday.

It is the prayer of the innocent, the unblemished man who takes on himself our sin, and thus holds out to us the hope of mercy.

Cassiodorus commented:

At the outset of the psalm the Lord Christ prays, not as one born God of the Father, but as One made man from the virgin Mary, that His enemies should not succeed in harming Him. He rises from the depths like a star of the material world, gradually mounting to the transcendent summit of His resurrection...Lord Christ, we have understood how numerous were Your sufferings in the flesh, and that You always prayed for Your persecutors. What a truly loving Judge, beneath whose eye none of those who make confession need despair! Your kindness matches Your power. Since You pray for Your enemies, which of Your own can fear that he may perish? Grant us to do what You command, grant us to fulfil what is of benefit, for just as we are nothing save what You are, so with You we can fulfil all the good for which we strive.

Let us strive indeed.

Psalm 58 (59)

Vulgate	Douay-Rheims
In finem, ne disperdas. David in tituli inscriptionem, quando misit Saul et custodivit domum ejus ut eum interficeret.	Unto the end, destroy not, for David  for an inscription of a title, when Saul sent and watched his house to kill him.
Eripe me de inimícis meis, Deus meus: * et ab insurgéntibus in me líbera me.	Deliver me from my enemies, O my God; and defend me from them that rise up against me.
Eripe me de operántibus iniquitátem: * et de viris sánguinum salva me.	Deliver me from them that work iniquity, and save me from bloody men.
Quia ecce cepérunt ánimam meam: * irruérunt in me fortes.	For behold they have caught my soul: the mighty have rushed in upon me:
Neque iníquitas mea, neque peccátum meum, Dómine: * sine iniquitáte cucúrri, et diréxi.	Neither is it my iniquity, nor my sin, O Lord: without iniquity have I run, and directed my steps.
Exsúrge in occúrsum meum, et vide: * et tu, Dómine, Deus virtútum, Deus Israël.	Rise up to meet me, and behold: even you, O Lord, the God of hosts, the God of Israel.
Inténde ad visitándas omnes Gentes: * non misereáris ómnibus, qui operántur iniquitátem.	Attend to visit all the nations: have no mercy on all them that work iniquity.
Converténtur ad vésperam: et famem patiéntur ut canes: * et circuíbunt civitátem.	They shall return at evening, and shall suffer hunger like dogs: and shall go round about the city.
Ecce loquéntur in ore suo, et gládius in lábiis eórum: * quóniam quis audívit?	Behold they shall speak with their mouth, and a sword is in their lips: for who, say they, has heard us?
Et tu, Dómine, deridébis eos: * ad níhilum dedúces omnes Gentes.	But you, O Lord, shall laugh at them: you shall bring all the nations to nothing.
Fortitúdinem meam ad te custódiam, quia, Deus, suscéptor meus es: * Deus meus, misericórdia ejus prævéniet me.	I will keep my strength to you: for you are my protector: My God, his mercy shall prevent me.
Deus osténdet mihi super inimícos meos, ne occídas eos: * nequándo obliviscántur pópuli mei.	God shall let me see over my enemies: slay them not, lest at any time my people forget.
Dispérge illos in virtúte tua: * et depóne eos, protéctor meus, Dómine :	Scatter them by your power; and bring them down, O Lord, my protector:
Delíctum oris eórum, sermónem labiórum ipsórum: * et comprehendántur in supérbia sua.	For the sin of their mouth, and the word of their lips: and let them be taken in their pride.
Et de exsecratióne et mendácio annuntiabúntur in consummatióne: * in ira consummatiónis, et non erunt.	And for their cursing and lying they shall be talked of, when they are consumed: when they are consumed by your wrath, and they shall be no more.
Et scient quia Deus dominábitur Jacob: * et fínium terræ.	And they shall know that God will rule Jacob, and all the ends of the earth.
Converténtur ad vésperam : et famem patiéntur ut canes, * et circuíbunt civitátem.	They shall return at evening and shall suffer hunger like dogs: and shall go round about the city.
Ipsi dispergéntur ad manducándum: * si vero non fúerint saturáti, et murmurábunt.	They shall be scattered abroad to eat, and shall murmur if they be not filled.
Ego autem cantábo fortitúdinem tuam: * et exsultábo mane misericórdiam tuam.	But I will sing your strength: and will extol your mercy in the morning.
Quia factus es suscéptor meus, * et refúgium meum, in die tribulatiónis meæ.	For you have become my support, and my refuge, in the day of my trouble.
Adjútor meus, tibi psallam, quia, Deus, suscéptor meus es: * Deus meus, misericórdia mea.	Unto you, O my helper, will I sing, for you are God my defence: my God my mercy.

 Tenebrae of Good Friday

Nocturn I: Psalms 2, 21, 26*

Nocturn II: Psalms 37, 39, 53*

Nocturn III: Psalms 58, 87*, 93

Lauds: 50*, 142, 84, [Hab], 147

And you can find the next part in this series here.

Other Scriptural and liturgical uses of the psalm 

NT references	-
RB cursus	Tuesday Matins II, 6
Monastic feasts etc	Good Friday Tenebrae, III, 1 AN 1201
Responsories	6036 (Passiontide tues add verse not used currently) 6427 (Passiontide Sunday ad verse not used) 6326 (Sundays in Oct no 3 v12) 6038 (Wednesday Epiphanytide v2, 18)
Roman pre 1911	Wednesday Matins
Roman post 1911	1911-62 Wednesday None
Mass propers (EF)	Passion Wednesday, OF (1);  PP 9, AL (1)