Showing posts with label Ps 77. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ps 77. Show all posts

Saturday, May 9, 2020

Psalm 77: Overview

Psalm 77 is a very long psalm, and so is split into two parts in the Benedictine Office of Thursday Matins.

It has a particular appropriateness to the day of the week on which we celebrate the institution of the Eucharist though, since its focus is on the history of the liberation of the people of Israel from Egypt, and the first half in particular focuses on the miraculous feeding in the desert, a type of the Eucharist.  The second half of the psalm tells mostly of Israel's ingratitude, thus forshadowing the exit of God's presence from the Temple, and presence henceforward in Christian churches instead.

Cassiodorus broke down the psalm into several sections:
In the first part of the psalm, two short verses are seen to be ascribed to the Lord's person; the purpose of this is that respect for the ensuing words may be enhanced when the King himself was seen to speak the exordium. 
In the second part Asaph speaks more expansively, rebuking the Jews because they have shown themselves ungrateful for the Lord's great benefits. They were deformed by wickedness, and utterly refused to submit their hearts to the Lord's commands. 
In the third part are enumerated all the gifts which God's power bestowed on the people of Israel, yet they did not cease grumbling. 
The fourth section states the nature of the vengeance which rose up among them, and tells how that sentence was softened by the Lord's pity. 
In the fifth part they were punished for their murmurings, but they returned to entreat the Lord in recognition of His great works. 
In the sixth section they again spoke with guile and pursued their customary errors, but the Lord's mercy did not permit them to be scattered, though this penalty could have been justly imposed on their evil deeds. 
The seventh part describes how they roused the Lord in the desert, when on their account the Egyptians were sorely afflicted by ten plagues. 
In the eighth the kindnesses of the Lord are recounted, and again the guilt of Jewish obduracy is appended. 
In the ninth the most stern vengeance follows, resulting in His consigning the people to captivity and abandoning the tabernacle of Silo, in which He was seen to dwell among men; and subsequently He chose Mount Sion, and David His servant, so that from his seed Christ the Lord should be born to come as saving Physician  of the world. Thus in the psalm there is the description from the beginning of the choice of the Jewish race right up to the coming of the Lord Saviour.
The text of the psalm

 Psalm 77/1
Vulgate
Douay-Rheims
Intellectus Asaph.
Understanding for Asaph.
1  Atténdite, pópule meus, legem meam: * inclináte aurem vestram in verba oris mei.
Attend, O my people, to my law: incline your ears to the words of my mouth.
2  Apériam in parábolis os meum: * loquar propositiónes ab inítio.
2 I will open my mouth in parables: I will utter propositions from the beginning.
3  Quanta audívimus et cognóvimus ea: * et patres nostri narravérunt nobis.
3 How great things have we heard and known, and our fathers have told us.
4  Non sunt occultáta a fíliis eórum: * in generatióne áltera.
4 They have not been hidden from their children, in another generation.
5  Narrántes laudes Dómini, et virtútes ejus: * et mirabília ejus, quæ fecit.
Declaring the praises of the Lord, and his powers, and his wonders which he has done.
6  Et suscitávit testimónium in Jacob: * et legem pósuit in Israël
5 And he set up a testimony in Jacob: and made a law in Israel.
7  Quanta mandávit pátribus nostris nota fácere ea fíliis suis: * ut cognóscat generátio áltera.
How great things he commanded our fathers, that they should make the same known to their children: 6 That another generation might know them.
8  Fílii qui nascéntur, et exsúrgent, * et narrábunt fíliis suis.
The children that should be born and should rise up, and declare them to their children.
9  Ut ponant in Deo spem suam, et non obliviscántur óperum Dei: * et mandáta ejus exquírant.
7 That they may put their hope in God and may not forget the works of God: and may seek his commandments
10  Ne fiant sicut patres eórum: * generátio prava et exásperans.
8 That they may not become like their fathers, a perverse and exasperating generation.
11  Generátio, quæ non diréxit cor suum: * et non est créditus cum Deo spíritus ejus.
A generation that set not their heart aright: and whose spirit was not faithful to God.
12  Fílii Ephrem intendéntes et mitténtes arcum: * convérsi sunt in die belli.
9 The sons of Ephraim who bend and shoot with the bow: they have turned back in the day of battle.
13  Non custodiérunt testaméntum Dei: * et in lege ejus noluérunt ambuláre.
10 They kept not the covenant of God: and in his law they would not walk
14  Et oblíti sunt benefactórum ejus: * et mirabílium ejus quæ osténdit eis.
11 And they forgot his benefits, and his wonders that he had shown them.
15  Coram pátribus eórum fecit mirabília in terra Ægypti: * in campo Táneos.
12 Wonderful things did he do in the sight of their fathers, in the land of Egypt, in the field of Tanis.
16  Interrúpit mare, et perdúxit eos: * et státuit aquas quasi in utre.
13 He divided the sea and brought them through: and he made the waters to stand as in a vessel.
17  Et dedúxit eos in nube diéi: * et tota nocte in illuminatióne ignis.
14 And he conducted them with a cloud by day: and all the night with a light of fire.
18  Interrúpit petram in erémo: * et adaquávit eos velut in abysso multa.
15 He struck the rock in the wilderness: and gave them to drink, as out of the great deep.
19  Et edúxit aquam de petra: * et dedúxit tamquam flúmina aquas.
16 He brought forth water out of the rock: and made streams run down as rivers.
20 Et apposuérunt adhuc peccáre ei: * in iram excitavérunt Excélsum in inaquóso.
17 And they added yet more sin against him: they provoked the most High to wrath in the place without water.
21  Et tentavérunt Deum in córdibus suis, * ut péterent escas animábus suis.
18 And they tempted God in their hearts, by asking meat for their desires
22  Et male locúti sunt de Deo: * dixérunt: Numquid póterit Deus paráre mensam in desérto?
19 And they spoke ill of God: they said: Can God furnish a table in the wilderness?
23  Quóniam percússit petram, et fluxérunt aquæ: * et torréntes inundavérunt.
20 Because he struck the rock, and the waters gushed out, and the streams overflowed.
24  Numquid et panem póterit dare, * aut paráre mensam pópulo suo?
Can he also give bread, or provide a table for his people?
25  Ideo audívit Dóminus, et dístulit: * et ignis accénsus est in Jacob, et ira ascéndit in Israël.
21 Therefore the Lord heard, and was angry: and a fire was kindled against Jacob, and wrath came up against Israel.
26  Quia non credidérunt in Deo: * nec speravérunt in salutári ejus :
22 Because they believed not in God: and trusted not in his salvation.
27  Et mandávit núbibus désuper: * et jánuas cæli apéruit.
23 And he had commanded the clouds from above, and had opened the doors of heaven.
28  Et pluit illis manna ad manducándum: * et panem cæli dedit eis.
24 And had rained down manna upon them to eat, and had given them the bread of heaven.
29  Panem Angelórum manducávit homo, * cibária misit eis in abundántia.
25 Man ate the bread of angels: he sent them provisions in abundance.
30  Tránstulit Austrum de cælo: * et indúxit in virtúte sua Africum.
26 He removed the south wind from heaven: and by his power brought in the southwest wind.
31  Et pluit super eos sicut púlverem carnes: * et sicut arénam maris volatília pennáta.
27 And he rained upon them flesh as dust: and feathered fowls like as the sand of the sea.
32  Et cecidérunt in médio castrórum eórum: * circa tabernácula eórum.
28 And they fell in the midst of their camp, round about their pavilions.
33  Et manducavérunt, et saturáti sunt nimis, et desidérium eórum áttulit eis: * non sunt fraudáti a desidério suo.
29 So they ate, and were filled exceedingly, and he gave them their desire: 30 They were not defrauded of that which they craved.
34  Adhuc escæ eórum erant in ore ipsórum: * et ira Dei ascéndit super eos
As yet their meat was in their mouth: 31 And the wrath of God came upon them.
35  Et occídit pingues eórum, * et eléctos Israël impedívit.
And he slew the fat ones amongst them, and brought down the chosen men of Israel.
36  In ómnibus his peccavérunt adhuc: * et non credidérunt mirabílibus ejus.
32 In all these things they sinned still: and they behaved not for his wondrous works.
37  Et defecérunt in vanitáte dies eórum: * et anni eórum cum festinatióne.
33 And their days were consumed in vanity, and their years in haste.
38  Cum occíderet eos, quærébant eum: * et revertebántur, et dilúculo veniébant ad eum.
34 When he slew them, then they sought him: and they returned, and came to him early in the morning.
39  Et rememoráti sunt quia Deus adjútor est eórum: * et Deus excélsus redémptor eórum est.
35 And they remembered that God was their helper: and the most high God their redeemer.


(divisio)

 Psalm 77/2
Vulgate
Douay-Rheims
40  Et dilexérunt eum in ore suo, * et lingua sua mentíti sunt ei.
36 And they loved him with their mouth, and with their tongue they lied unto him:
41  Cor autem eórum non erat rectum cum eo: * nec fidéles hábiti sunt in testaménto ejus.
37 But their heart was not right with him: nor were they counted faithful in his covenant.
42 Ipse autem est miséricors, et propítius fiet peccátis eórum: * et non dispérdet eos.
38 But he is merciful, and will forgive their sins: and will not destroy them.
43  Et abundávit ut avérteret iram suam: * et non accéndit omnem iram suam:
And many a time did he turn away his anger: and did not kindle all his wrath.
44  Et recordátus est quia caro sunt: * spíritus vadens et non rédiens.
39 And he remembered that they are flesh: a wind that goes and returns not.
45  Quóties exacerbavérunt eum in desérto, *  in iram concitavérunt eum in inaquóso?
40 How often did they provoke him in the desert: and move him to wrath in the place without water?
46  Et convérsi sunt, et tentavérunt Deum: * et Sanctum Israël exacerbavérunt
41 And they turned back and tempted God: and grieved the holy one of Israel.
47 Non sunt recordáti manus ejus, * die qua redémit eos de manu tribulántis.
42 They remembered not his hand, in the day that he redeemed them from the hand of him that afflicted them:
48  Sicut pósuit in Ægypto signa sua, * et prodígia sua in campo Táneos.
43 How he wrought his signs in Egypt, and his wonders in the field of Tanis.
49  Et convértit in sánguinem flúmina eórum: * et imbres eórum, ne bíberent.
44 And he turned their rivers into blood, and their showers that they might not drink.
50  Misit in eos cœnomyíam, et comédit eos: * et ranam, et dispérdidit eos.
45 He sent amongst them divers sorts of flies, which devoured them: and frogs which destroyed them.
51  Et dedit ærúgini fructus eórum: * et labóres eórum locústæ.
46 And he gave up their fruits to the blast, and their labours to the locust.
52  Et occídit in grándine víneas eórum: * et moros eórum in pruína.
47 And he destroyed their vineyards with hail, and their mulberry trees with hoarfrost.
53  Et trádidit grándini juménta eórum: * et possessiónem eórum igni.
48 And he gave up their cattle to the hail, and their stock to the fire.
54  Misit  in eos iram indignatiónis suæ: * indignatiónem, et iram, et tribulatiónem: immissiónes per ángelos malos.
49 And he sent upon them the wrath of his indignation: indignation and wrath and trouble, which he sent by evil angels.
55  Viam fecit sémitæ iræ suæ, non pepércit a morte animábus eórum: * et juménta eórum in morte conclúsit.
50 He made a way for a path to his anger: he spared not their souls from death, and their cattle he shut up in death.
56  Et percússit omne primogénitum in terra Ægypti: * primítias omnis labóris eórum in tabernáculis Cham
51 And he killed all the firstborn in the land of Egypt: the firstfruits of all their labour in the tabernacles of Cham.
57  Et ábstulit sicut oves pópulum suum: * et perdúxit eos tamquam gregem in desérto.
52 And he took away his own people as sheep: and guided them in the wilderness like a flock.
58  Et dedúxit eos in spe, et non timuérunt: * et inimícos eórum opéruit mare.
53 And he brought them out in hope and they feared not: and the sea overwhelmed their enemies.
59  Et indúxit eos in montem sanctificatiónis suæ: * montem, quem acquisívit déxtera ejus.
54 And he brought them into the mountain of his sanctuary: the mountain which his right hand had purchased.
60  Et ejécit a fácie eórum Gentes: * et sorte divísit eis terram in funículo distributiónis.
And he cast out the Gentiles before them: and by lot divided to them their land by a line of distribution.
61  Et habitáre fecit in tabernáculis eórum: * tribus Israël.
55 And he made the tribes of Israel to dwell in their tabernacles.
62  Et tentavérunt, et exacerbavérunt Deum excélsum: * et testimónia ejus non custodiérunt.
56 Yet they tempted, and provoked the most high God: and they kept not his testimonies.
63  Et avertérunt se, et non servavérunt pactum: * quemádmodum patres eórum convérsi sunt in arcum pravum.
57 And they turned away, and kept not the covenant: even like their fathers they were turned aside as a crooked bow.
64  In iram concitavérunt eum in cóllibus suis: * et in sculptílibus suis ad æmulatiónem eum provocavérunt.
58 They provoked him to anger on their hills: and moved him to jealousy with their graven things.
65  Audívit Deus, et sprevit: * et ad níhilum redégit valde Israël.
59 God heard, and despised them, and he reduced Israel exceedingly as it were to nothing.
66  Et répulit tabernáculum Silo: * tabernáculum suum, ubi habitávit in homínibus.
60 And he put away the tabernacle of Silo, his tabernacle where he dwelt among men.
67  Et trádidit in captivitátem virtútem eórum: * et pulchritúdinem eórum in manus inimíci.
61 And he delivered their strength into captivity: and their beauty into the hands of the enemy.
68  Et conclúsit in gládio pópulum suum: * et hereditátem suam sprevit.
62 And he shut up his people under the sword: and he despised his inheritance.
69  Júvenes eórum comédit ignis: * et vírgines eórum non sunt lamentátæ.
63 Fire consumed their young men: and their maidens were not lamented.
70  Sacerdótes eórum in gládio cecidérunt: * et víduæ eórum non plorabántur.
64 Their priests fell by the sword: and their widows did not mourn.
71  Et excitátus est tamquam dórmiens Dóminus: * tamquam potens crapulátus a vino.
65 And the Lord was awaked as one out of sleep, and like a mighty man that has been surfeited with wine.
72  Et percússit inimícos suos in posterióra: * oppróbrium sempitérnum dedit illis.
66 And he smote his enemies on the hinder parts: he put them to an everlasting reproach.
73  Et répulit tabernáculum Joseph: * et tribum Ephraim non elégit.
67 And he rejected the tabernacle of Joseph: and chose not the tribe of Ephraim:
74  Sed elégit tribum Juda, * montem Sion quem diléxit.
68 But he chose the tribe of Juda, mount Sion which he loved.
75  Et ædificávit sicut unicórnium sanctifícium suum in terra, * quam fundávit in sæcula.
69 And he built his sanctuary as of unicorns, in the land which he founded for ever.
76  Et elégit David, servum suum, et sústulit eum de grégibus óvium: * de post fœtántes accépit eum,
70 And he chose his servant David, and took him from the flocks of sheep: he brought him from following the ewes great with young,
77  Páscere Jacob, servum suum, * et Israël, hereditátem suam:
71 to feed Jacob his servant and Israel his inheritance.
78  Et pavit eos in innocéntia cordis sui: * et in intelléctibus mánuum suárum dedúxit eos.
72 And he fed them in the innocence of his heart: and conducted them by the skilfulness of his hands.

Scriptural and liturgical uses of the psalm

NT references
Mt 13:34-5 (2); Acts 2: 40  (10-11); 1 Cor 10:1-4 (18); 1 Cor 10:9 (21); 1 Cor 10:3  (29); 1 Cor 9-10  (34-5); Jn 6: 30-33 (28)
RB cursus
Thursday matins I, 4-5
Monastic/(Roman) feasts etc

Responsories
Lent 4 (&W/s):v 1-2
Roman pre 1911
Thursday Matins
Roman post 1911
1911-62: Friday Matins . 1970: Advent, Christmas, Lent and Eastertide only.       
Mass propers (EF)
Lent 3 Thursday IN (1);
Easter Wednesday OF (27-29);
Whit Tuesday IN (1);
PP 19, IN (1)


Sunday, October 23, 2011

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.