Today's psalm concludes the first Nocturn of Tenebrae for Maundy Thursday.
Like its two predecessors it is a plea for help at a time when our strength threatens to fail us, and thus clearly belongs with this set of psalms representing the prayer in the Garden.
The call to obedience
But the other key to its inclusion in the psalms selected for Maundy Thursday surely lies in the title of the psalm given in the Septuagint, which lauds the pure obedience of a good son, as St Augustine's commentary on it explains:
"The title then of this Psalm is, as usual, a title intimating on the threshold what is being done in the house: To David himself for the sons of Jonadab, and for those that were first led captive.
Jonadab (he is commended to us in the prophecy of Jeremiah) was a certain man, who had enjoined his sons not to drink wine, and not to dwell in houses, but in tents. But the commandment of the father the sons kept and observed, and by this earned a blessing from the Lord. Now the Lord had not commanded this, but their own father. But they so received it as though it were a commandment from the Lord their God; for even though the Lord had not commanded that they should drink no wine and should dwell in tents; yet the Lord had commanded that sons should obey their father... God then blessed the sons of Jonadab because of their obedience, and thrust them in the teeth of His disobedient people, reproaching them, because while the sons of Jonadab were obedient to their father, they obeyed not their God..."
The call to mission
It is this perfect obedience to the will of God that we must strive to imitate.
Yet obedience is surely the hardest of the evangelical counsels for us to follow.
Pope Benedict XVI commented a few days ago we are not the authors of our own vocation. It is an important point: God ordains where and when we were born; and into what family and circumstances. He also calls each of us individually, firstly to a state of life, and secondly to particular missions within that life.
We can of course choose not to listen to those calls in the first place, not to discern what we are meant to be doing with our lives, what we are meant to be doing here and now. Indeed, few today are taught to properly discern their vocation in life, or to listen to the breath of the Holy Spirit as it blows in our hearts and minds.
And even if we do listen, we are left free to reject those calls - and most of us do many times a day, through sin or failure to act.
Yet the psalmist reminds us that it is never too late, that we must over and over again ask for God's aid to persevere, for God wants to save us: 'for turning you have brought me to life, and have brought me back again from the depths of the earth".
The text of the psalm
Tenebrae of Holy Thursday
Nocturn I: Psalms 68, 69, 70
Nocturn II: Psalms 71, 72, 73
Nocturn III: Psalms 74, 75, 76
Lauds: 50, 89, 35, [Ex 15], 146
And you can find the next part in this series here.
Other Scriptural and liturgical uses of the psalm
Like its two predecessors it is a plea for help at a time when our strength threatens to fail us, and thus clearly belongs with this set of psalms representing the prayer in the Garden.
The call to obedience
But the other key to its inclusion in the psalms selected for Maundy Thursday surely lies in the title of the psalm given in the Septuagint, which lauds the pure obedience of a good son, as St Augustine's commentary on it explains:
"The title then of this Psalm is, as usual, a title intimating on the threshold what is being done in the house: To David himself for the sons of Jonadab, and for those that were first led captive.
Jonadab (he is commended to us in the prophecy of Jeremiah) was a certain man, who had enjoined his sons not to drink wine, and not to dwell in houses, but in tents. But the commandment of the father the sons kept and observed, and by this earned a blessing from the Lord. Now the Lord had not commanded this, but their own father. But they so received it as though it were a commandment from the Lord their God; for even though the Lord had not commanded that they should drink no wine and should dwell in tents; yet the Lord had commanded that sons should obey their father... God then blessed the sons of Jonadab because of their obedience, and thrust them in the teeth of His disobedient people, reproaching them, because while the sons of Jonadab were obedient to their father, they obeyed not their God..."
The call to mission
It is this perfect obedience to the will of God that we must strive to imitate.
Yet obedience is surely the hardest of the evangelical counsels for us to follow.
Pope Benedict XVI commented a few days ago we are not the authors of our own vocation. It is an important point: God ordains where and when we were born; and into what family and circumstances. He also calls each of us individually, firstly to a state of life, and secondly to particular missions within that life.
We can of course choose not to listen to those calls in the first place, not to discern what we are meant to be doing with our lives, what we are meant to be doing here and now. Indeed, few today are taught to properly discern their vocation in life, or to listen to the breath of the Holy Spirit as it blows in our hearts and minds.
And even if we do listen, we are left free to reject those calls - and most of us do many times a day, through sin or failure to act.
Yet the psalmist reminds us that it is never too late, that we must over and over again ask for God's aid to persevere, for God wants to save us: 'for turning you have brought me to life, and have brought me back again from the depths of the earth".
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Vulgate
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Douay-Rheims
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Psalmus David, filiorum Jonadab,
et priorum captivorum.
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A psalm for David. Of the sons of Jonadab, and the former
captives.
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1
In te, Dómine, sperávi, non confúndar in ætérnum : in justítia tua líbera me,
et éripe me.
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In
you, O Lord, I have
hoped, let me never be put to confusion:
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2 Inclína ad me
aurem tuam, et salva me.
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2 Deliver
me in your justice,
and rescue me. Incline your ear unto me, and save me.
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3 Esto mihi in
Deum protectórem, et in locum munítum : ut salvum me fácias.
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3 Be
unto me a God, a
protector, and a place of strength: that you may make me safe.
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4 Quóniam
firmaméntum meum, * et refúgium meum es tu.
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For
you are my firmament
and my refuge.
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5 Deus meus, éripe me de manu peccatóris, * et de
manu contra legem agéntis et iníqui :
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4 Deliver
me, O my God, out of
the hand of the sinner, and out of the hand of the transgressor of the law and of the unjust.
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6 Quóniam tu es patiéntia mea, Dómine : * Dómine,
spes mea a juventúte mea.
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5 For
you are my patience, O Lord:
my hope, O Lord, from my youth.
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7 In te confirmátus sum ex útero : * de ventre
matris meæ tu es protéctor meus.
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6 By
you have I been confirmed from the womb: from my mother's womb you are my
protector.
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8 In te cantátio mea semper : * tamquam prodígium
factus sum multis : et tu adjútor fortis.
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Of
you I shall continually sing: 7 I have become unto many as a wonder, but
you are a strong helper.
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9
Repleátur os meum laude, ut cántem glóriam tuam : * tota die magnitúdinem
tuam.
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8 Let
my mouth be filled with praise, that I may sing your glory; your greatness
all the day long
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10
Ne projícias me in témpore senectútis : * cum defécerit virtus mea, ne
derelínquas me.
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9 Cast
me not off in the time of old age: when my strength shall fail, do not
forsake me.
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11
Quia dixérunt inimíci mei mihi : * et qui custodiébant ánimam meam, consílium
fecérunt in unum.
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10 For
my enemies have spoken against me; and they that watched my soul have consulted
together,
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12
Dicéntes : Deus derelíquit eum, persequímini, et comprehéndite eum : * quia
non est qui erípiat.
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11 saying:
God has forsaken
him: pursue and take him, for there is none to deliver him.
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13
Deus ne elongéris a me : * Deus meus, in auxílium meum réspice.
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12 O
God, be not far from
me: O my God, make
haste to my help.
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14
Confundántur, et defíciant detrahéntes ánimæ meæ : * operiántur confusióne, et
pudóre qui quærunt mala mihi.
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13 Let
them be confounded and come to nothing that detract my soul; let them be
covered with confusion and blame that seek my hurt.
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15
Ego autem semper sperábo : * et adjíciam super omnem laudem tuam.
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14 But
I will always hope;
and will add to all your praise.
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16
Os meum annuntiábit justítiam tuam : * tota die salutáre tuum.
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15 My
mouth shall show forth your justice; your salvation all the day
long.
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17
Quóniam non cognóvi litteratúram, introíbo in poténtias Dómini : *
Dómine, memorábor justítiæ tuæ solíus.
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Because
I have not known learning, 16 I
will enter into the powers of the Lord: O Lord, I will be mindful
of your justice
alone.
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18 Deus, docuísti me a juventúte mea : * et usque
nunc pronuntiábo mirabília tua.
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17 You
have taught me, O God,
from my youth: and till now I will declare your wonderful works.
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19
Et usque in senéctam et sénium : * Deus, ne derelínquas me,
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18 And
unto old age and grey hairs: O God, forsake me not,
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20
Donec annúntiem bráchium tuum * generatióni omni, quæ ventúra est
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Until
I show forth your arm to all the generation that is to
come:
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21
Poténtiam tuam, et justítiam tuam, Deus, usque in altíssima, quæ fecísti
magnália : * Deus, quis símilis tibi?
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Your
power, 19 and your justice,
O God, even to the
highest great things you have done: O God, who is like to
you?
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22 Quantas ostendísti mihi tribulatiónes multas et
malas : et convérsus vivificásti me : * et de abyssis terræ íterum reduxísti
me:
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20 How
great troubles have you shown me, many and grievous: and turning you have
brought me to life, and have brought me back again from the depths of the earth:
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23 Multiplicásti magnificéntiam tuam : * et
convérsus consolátus es me.
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21 You
have multiplied your magnificence; and turning to me you have comforted me.
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24
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22 For
I will also confess to you your truth with the
instruments of psaltery: O God, I will sing to you
with the harp, you holy
one of Israel.
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25
Exsultábunt lábia mea cum cantávero tibi : * et ánima mea, quam redemísti.
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23 My
lips shall greatly rejoice, when I shall sing to you; and my soul which you have redeemed.
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26
Sed et lingua mea tota die meditábitur justítiam tuam : * cum confúsi et
revériti fúerint, qui quærunt mala mihi.
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24 Yea
and my tongue shall meditate on your justice all the day;
when they shall be confounded and put to shame that seek evils to me.
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Tenebrae of Holy Thursday
Nocturn I: Psalms 68, 69, 70
Nocturn II: Psalms 71, 72, 73
Nocturn III: Psalms 74, 75, 76
Lauds: 50, 89, 35, [Ex 15], 146
And you can find the next part in this series here.
Other Scriptural and liturgical uses of the psalm
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NT references |
Gal 1:15 (7); Lk 1:49 (18); Rom 10:7 (22) |
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RB cursus |
Wednesday Matins II, 4 |
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Monastic feasts etc |
Christ the King; Maundy Thurs Tenebrae, I,3 AN 2174 (4) AN 5283 (18) AN 208 (19, 20) |
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Responsories |
6423 (1-3) Epiphanytide Thurs 7529 (8, 9, 23) – Epjnaytide thurs 6762 (23, 24, 28) Epiphanytide Thurs 6422 (1) 6899 (Psalm Sunday alt verse, 4) 7687 (5, 6) – H, day hours in Septuagesima 6325 (10-12) 7475 (10-12) Passion Sunday no 8 |
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Roman pre 1911 |
Thursday Matins |
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Roman post 1911 |
1911-62: Thursday Compline |
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Mass propers (EF) |
Quinquagesima
Sun IN 1-3 Lent 4 Thursday,
CO (17-19); Pentecost Ember
Friday, IN (1-2, 8, 23); PP 8, GR (1, 3) PP 16, IN (1-2),
CO (17-19) |
