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:
(divisio)
Scriptural and liturgical uses of the psalm
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
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Douay-Rheims
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Intellectus Asaph.
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Understanding for Asaph.
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1 Atténdite, pópule meus, legem meam: *
inclináte aurem vestram in verba oris mei.
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Attend,
O my people, to my law: incline your ears to the words of my mouth.
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2 Apériam
in parábolis os meum: * loquar propositiónes ab inítio.
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2 I will open my mouth in parables: I will utter
propositions from the beginning.
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3 Quanta
audívimus et cognóvimus ea: * et patres nostri narravérunt nobis.
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3 How great things have we heard and known, and our fathers
have told us.
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4 Non
sunt occultáta a fíliis eórum: * in generatióne áltera.
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4 They have not been hidden from their
children, in another generation.
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5
Narrántes laudes Dómini, et virtútes ejus: * et mirabília ejus, quæ fecit.
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Declaring
the praises of the Lord,
and his powers, and his wonders which he has done.
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6 Et
suscitávit testimónium in Jacob: * et legem pósuit in Israël
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5 And he set up a testimony in Jacob: and made a law
in Israel.
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7
Quanta mandávit pátribus nostris nota fácere ea fíliis suis: * ut cognóscat
generátio áltera.
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How
great things he commanded our fathers, that they should make the same known to their
children: 6 That another generation might know them.
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8
Fílii qui nascéntur, et exsúrgent, * et narrábunt fíliis suis.
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The
children that should be born and should rise up, and declare them to their
children.
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9 Ut
ponant in Deo spem suam, et non obliviscántur óperum Dei: * et mandáta ejus
exquírant.
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7 That they may put their hope in God and may not forget
the works of God:
and may seek his commandments
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10 Ne
fiant sicut patres eórum: * generátio prava et exásperans.
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8 That they may not become like their fathers,
a perverse and exasperating generation.
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11
Generátio, quæ non diréxit cor suum: * et non est créditus cum Deo spíritus
ejus.
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A
generation that set
not their heart aright: and whose spirit was not faithful to God.
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12 Fílii
Ephrem intendéntes et mitténtes arcum: * convérsi sunt in die belli.
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9 The sons of Ephraim who bend and shoot with
the bow: they have turned back in the day of battle.
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13 Non
custodiérunt testaméntum Dei: * et in lege ejus noluérunt ambuláre.
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10 They
kept not the covenant of God:
and in his law they would not walk
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14 Et
oblíti sunt benefactórum ejus: * et mirabílium ejus quæ osténdit eis.
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11 And
they forgot his benefits, and his wonders that he had shown them.
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15 Coram
pátribus eórum fecit mirabília in terra Ægypti: * in campo Táneos.
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12 Wonderful
things did he do in the sight of their fathers, in the
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16 Interrúpit
mare, et perdúxit eos: * et státuit aquas quasi in utre.
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13 He
divided the sea and brought them through: and he made the waters to stand as
in a vessel.
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17 Et
dedúxit eos in nube diéi: * et tota nocte in illuminatióne ignis.
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14 And
he conducted them with a cloud by day: and all the night with a light of
fire.
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18 Interrúpit
petram in erémo: * et adaquávit eos velut in abysso multa.
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15 He
struck the rock in the wilderness:
and gave them to drink, as out of the great deep.
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19 Et
edúxit aquam de
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16 He brought forth water out of the rock: and
made streams run down as rivers.
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20
Et apposuérunt adhuc peccáre ei: * in iram excitavérunt Excélsum in inaquóso.
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17 And they added yet more sin against him: they
provoked the most High
to wrath in the
place without water.
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21 Et
tentavérunt Deum in córdibus suis, * ut péterent escas animábus suis.
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18 And they tempted God in their hearts, by
asking meat for their desires
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22 Et
male locúti sunt de Deo: * dixérunt: Numquid póterit Deus paráre mensam in
desérto?
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19 And they spoke ill of God: they said: Can God furnish a table in
the wilderness?
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23 Quóniam
percússit petram, et fluxérunt aquæ: * et torréntes inundavérunt.
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20 Because he struck the rock, and the waters
gushed out, and the streams overflowed.
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24
Numquid et panem póterit dare, * aut paráre mensam pópulo suo?
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Can
he also give bread, or provide a table for his people?
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25 Ideo
audívit Dóminus, et dístulit: * et ignis accénsus est in Jacob, et ira
ascéndit in Israël.
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21 Therefore the Lord heard, and was angry: and a fire was
kindled against Jacob,
and wrath came up
against Israel.
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26 Quia
non credidérunt in Deo: * nec speravérunt in salutári ejus :
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22 Because they believed not in God: and trusted not in
his salvation.
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27 Et
mandávit núbibus désuper: * et jánuas cæli apéruit.
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23 And he had commanded the clouds from above,
and had opened the doors of heaven.
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28 Et
pluit illis manna ad manducándum: * et panem cæli dedit eis.
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24 And had rained down manna upon them to eat,
and had given them the bread of heaven.
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29 Panem
Angelórum manducávit homo, * cibária misit eis in abundántia.
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25 Man ate the bread of angels: he sent them
provisions in abundance.
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30 Tránstulit
Austrum de cælo: * et indúxit in virtúte sua Africum.
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26 He removed the south wind from heaven: and by his
power brought in the southwest wind.
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31 Et
pluit super eos sicut púlverem carnes: * et sicut arénam maris volatília
pennáta.
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27 And he rained upon them flesh as dust: and
feathered fowls like as the sand of the sea.
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32 Et
cecidérunt in médio castrórum eórum: * circa tabernácula eórum.
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28 And they fell in the midst of their camp,
round about their pavilions.
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33 Et
manducavérunt, et saturáti sunt nimis, et desidérium eórum áttulit eis:
* non sunt fraudáti a desidério suo.
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29 So they ate, and were filled exceedingly, and
he gave them their desire: 30 They were not
defrauded of that which they craved.
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34
Adhuc escæ eórum erant in ore ipsórum: * et ira Dei ascéndit super eos
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As
yet their meat was in their mouth: 31 And the wrath of God came upon them.
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35
Et occídit pingues eórum, * et eléctos Israël impedívit.
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And
he slew the fat ones amongst them, and brought down the chosen men of Israel.
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36 In ómnibus his peccavérunt adhuc: * et non
credidérunt mirabílibus ejus.
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32 In all these things they sinned still: and they
behaved not for his wondrous works.
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37 Et
defecérunt in vanitáte dies eórum: * et anni eórum cum festinatióne.
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33 And their days were consumed in vanity, and
their years in haste.
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38 Cum
occíderet eos, quærébant eum: * et revertebántur, et dilúculo veniébant ad
eum.
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34 When he slew them, then they sought him: and
they returned, and came to him early in the morning.
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39 Et
rememoráti sunt quia Deus adjútor est eórum: * et Deus excélsus redémptor
eórum est.
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35 And they remembered that God was their helper:
and the most high God
their redeemer.
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(divisio)
Psalm 77/2
Vulgate
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Douay-Rheims
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40 Et dilexérunt eum
in ore suo, * et lingua sua mentíti sunt ei.
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36 And they loved
him with their mouth, and with their tongue they lied unto him:
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41 Cor autem eórum
non erat rectum cum eo: * nec fidéles hábiti sunt in testaménto ejus.
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37 But their heart
was not right with him: nor were they counted faithful in his
covenant.
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42 Ipse autem est miséricors, et
propítius fiet peccátis eórum: * et non dispérdet eos.
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38 But he is
merciful, and will forgive their sins: and will not
destroy them.
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43 Et abundávit ut
avérteret iram suam: * et non accéndit omnem iram suam:
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And many a time did he turn away
his anger: and did
not kindle all his wrath.
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44 Et recordátus est
quia caro sunt: * spíritus vadens et non rédiens.
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39 And he
remembered that they are flesh: a wind that goes and returns not.
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45 Quóties
exacerbavérunt eum in desérto, * in iram concitavérunt eum in inaquóso?
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40 How often did
they provoke him in the desert:
and move him to wrath
in the place without water?
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46 Et convérsi sunt,
et tentavérunt Deum: * et Sanctum Israël exacerbavérunt
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41 And they turned
back and tempted God: and grieved the holy one of Israel.
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47 Non sunt recordáti manus
ejus, * die qua redémit eos de manu tribulántis.
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42 They remembered
not his hand, in the day that he redeemed them from the
hand of him that afflicted them:
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48 Sicut pósuit in
Ægypto signa sua, * et prodígia sua in campo Táneos.
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43 How he wrought
his signs in Egypt,
and his wonders in the field of Tanis.
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49 Et convértit in
sánguinem flúmina eórum: * et imbres eórum, ne bíberent.
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44 And he turned
their rivers into blood, and their showers that they might not drink.
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50 Misit in eos
cœnomyíam, et comédit eos: * et ranam, et dispérdidit eos.
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45 He sent amongst
them divers sorts of flies, which devoured them: and frogs which destroyed
them.
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51 Et dedit ærúgini
fructus eórum: * et labóres eórum locústæ.
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46 And he gave up
their fruits to the blast, and their labours to the locust.
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52 Et occídit in
grándine víneas eórum: * et moros eórum in pruína.
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47 And he
destroyed their vineyards with hail, and their mulberry trees with hoarfrost.
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53 Et trádidit
grándini juménta eórum: * et possessiónem eórum igni.
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48 And he gave up
their cattle to the hail, and their stock to the fire.
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54 Misit in eos
iram indignatiónis suæ: * indignatiónem, et iram, et tribulatiónem:
immissiónes per ángelos malos.
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49 And he sent
upon them the wrath
of his indignation: indignation and wrath and trouble,
which he sent by evil
angels.
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55 Viam fecit sémitæ
iræ suæ, non pepércit a morte animábus eórum: * et juménta eórum in morte
conclúsit.
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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.
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56 Et percússit omne
primogénitum in terra Ægypti: * primítias omnis labóris eórum in tabernáculis
Cham
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51 And he killed
all the firstborn in
the
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57 Et ábstulit sicut
oves pópulum suum: * et perdúxit eos tamquam gregem in desérto.
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52 And he took
away his own people as sheep: and guided them in the wilderness like a flock.
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58 Et dedúxit eos in
spe, et non timuérunt: * et inimícos eórum opéruit mare.
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53 And he brought
them out in hope and
they feared not: and the sea overwhelmed their enemies.
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59 Et indúxit eos in
montem sanctificatiónis suæ: * montem, quem acquisívit déxtera ejus.
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54 And he brought
them into the mountain of his sanctuary: the mountain which his right hand
had purchased.
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60 Et ejécit a fácie eórum
Gentes: * et sorte divísit eis terram in funículo distributiónis.
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And he cast out the Gentiles before them:
and by lot divided to them their land by a line of distribution.
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61 Et habitáre fecit
in tabernáculis eórum: * tribus Israël.
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55 And he made the
tribes of Israel to
dwell in their tabernacles.
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62 Et tentavérunt, et
exacerbavérunt Deum excélsum: * et testimónia ejus non custodiérunt.
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56 Yet they tempted, and provoked
the most high God:
and they kept not his testimonies.
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63 Et avertérunt se,
et non servavérunt pactum: * quemádmodum patres eórum convérsi sunt in arcum
pravum.
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57 And they turned
away, and kept not the covenant: even like their fathers they were turned
aside as a crooked bow.
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64 In iram
concitavérunt eum in cóllibus suis: * et in sculptílibus suis ad æmulatiónem
eum provocavérunt.
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58 They provoked
him to anger on
their hills: and moved him to jealousy with their
graven things.
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65 Audívit Deus, et
sprevit: * et ad níhilum redégit valde Israël.
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59 God heard, and despised them, and he
reduced Israel
exceedingly as it were to nothing.
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66 Et répulit
tabernáculum Silo: * tabernáculum suum, ubi habitávit in homínibus.
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60 And he put away
the tabernacle of
Silo, his tabernacle
where he dwelt among men.
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67 Et trádidit in
captivitátem virtútem eórum: * et pulchritúdinem eórum in manus inimíci.
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61 And he
delivered their strength into captivity: and their beauty into the hands of
the enemy.
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68 Et conclúsit in
gládio pópulum suum: * et hereditátem suam sprevit.
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62 And he shut up
his people under the sword: and he despised his inheritance.
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69 Júvenes eórum
comédit ignis: * et vírgines eórum non sunt lamentátæ.
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63 Fire consumed
their young men: and their maidens were not lamented.
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70 Sacerdótes eórum
in gládio cecidérunt: * et víduæ eórum non plorabántur.
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64 Their priests fell by the
sword: and their widows
did not mourn.
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71 Et excitátus est
tamquam dórmiens Dóminus: * tamquam potens crapulátus a vino.
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65 And the Lord was awaked as one
out of sleep, and like a mighty man that has been
surfeited with wine.
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72 Et percússit
inimícos suos in posterióra: * oppróbrium sempitérnum dedit illis.
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66 And he smote
his enemies on the hinder parts: he put them to an everlasting reproach.
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73 Et répulit
tabernáculum Joseph: * et tribum Ephraim non elégit.
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67 And he rejected
the tabernacle of Joseph:
and chose not the tribe of Ephraim:
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74 Sed elégit tribum
Juda, * montem Sion quem diléxit.
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68 But he chose
the tribe of Juda,
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75 Et ædificávit
sicut unicórnium sanctifícium suum in terra, * quam fundávit in sæcula.
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69 And he built
his sanctuary as of unicorns, in the land which he founded for ever.
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76 Et elégit David,
servum suum, et sústulit eum de grégibus óvium: * de post fœtántes accépit
eum,
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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,
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77 Páscere Jacob,
servum suum, * et Israël, hereditátem suam:
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71 to feed Jacob his servant and Israel his inheritance.
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78 Et pavit eos in
innocéntia cordis sui: * et in intelléctibus mánuum suárum dedúxit eos.
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72 And he fed them
in the innocence of his heart: and conducted them by the skilfulness of his
hands.
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Scriptural and liturgical uses of the psalm
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NT
references
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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)
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RB
cursus
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Thursday matins I, 4-5
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Monastic/(Roman)
feasts etc
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Responsories
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Lent 4 (&W/s):v 1-2
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Roman
pre 1911
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Thursday Matins
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Roman
post 1911
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1911-62:
Friday Matins . 1970: Advent, Christmas, Lent and Eastertide only.
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Mass
propers (EF)
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Lent 3 Thursday IN (1);
Easter Wednesday OF (27-29);
Whit Tuesday IN (1);
PP 19, IN (1)
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