Psalm 80: overview

Psalm 80 is said on Thursday at Matins in the Benedictine Office, and whether by coincidence or design, it was also said on that day in the ancient Jewish temple liturgy because, according to Maimonides it speaks of  'the variety of creatures made that day to praise His name.'

For the fifith day

The link to the fifth day is somewhat obscure, at least to modern eyes, but St Augustine provides some commentary on the reference to the fifth day in the title of psalm (which does not occur in modern versions of it, but evidently did in earlier ones!):

Wherefore also on the fifth of the sabbath? What is this? Let us go back to the first works of God, if perchance we may not there find somewhat in which we may also understand a mystery.

For the sabbath is the seventh day, on which God rested from all His works, intimating the great mystery of our future resting from all our works. First of the sabbath then is called that first day, which we also call the Lord's day; second of the sabbath, the second day;...and the sabbath itself the seventh day. 

See ye therefore to whom this Psalm speaks. For it seems to me that it speaks to the baptized. For on the fifth day God from the waters created animals: on the fifth day, that is, on the fifth of the sabbath, God said, Let the waters bring forth creeping things of living souls. See ye, therefore, you in whom the waters have already brought forth creeping things of living souls. For you belong to the presses, and in you, whom the waters have brought forth, one thing is strained out, another is thrown away. For there are many that live not worthily of the baptism which they have received. For how many that are baptized have chosen rather to be filling the Circus than this Basilica! How many that are baptized are either making booths in the streets, or complaining that they are not made!

But this Psalm, For the presses, and on the fifth of the sabbath, is sung unto Asaph. Asaph was a certain man called by this name, as Idithun, as Core, as other names that we find in the titles of the Psalms: yet the interpretation of this name intimates the mystery of a hidden truth. Asaph, in fact, in Latin is interpreted congregation. Therefore, For the presses, on the fifth of the sabbath, it is sung unto Asaph, that is, for a distinguishing pressure, to the baptized, born again of water, the Psalm is sung to the Lord's congregation. We have read the title on the lintel, and have understood what it means by these presses. Now if you please let us see the very house of the composition, that is, the interior of the press. Let us enter, look in, rejoice, fear, desire, avoid. For all these things you are to find in this inward house, that is, in the text of the Psalm itself, when we shall have begun to read, and, with the Lord's help, to speak what He grants us. 

And on verse 5 he says:

Observe that also here the fifth of the sabbath is signified: when Joseph went out from the land of Egypt, that is, the people multiplied through Joseph, he was caused to pass through the Red Sea. Therefore then also the waters brought forth creeping things of living souls. No other thing was it that there in figure the passage of that people through the sea foreshowed, than the passing of the Faithful through Baptism; the apostle is witness: for I would not have you ignorant, brethren, he said, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, and were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea. 1 Corinthians 10:1-2 Nothing else then the passing through the sea did signify, but the Sacrament of the baptized; nothing else the pursuing Egyptians, but the multitude of past sins.

An invitation to fervour

St Alphonsus Liguori provided a summary based on a more literal interpretation of the psalm:

The psalmist reproves the people for the negligence with which they celebrate the praises of the Lord, and urges them to celebrate them with devotion and in thanksgiving for the benefits received from the Lord; for this end the feasts are instituted. Every Christian can apply this psalm to himself.

Corpus Christi

The psalm is also used at Matins for the feast of Corpus Christi, presumably largely for verses 9&15:

9  Ego enim sum Dóminus Deus tuus, qui edúxi te de terra Ægypti: * diláta os tuum, et implébo illud.

11 For I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt: open your mouth wide, and I will fill it.

5  Et cibávit eos ex ádipe fruménti: * et de petra, melle saturávit eos.

17 And he fed them with the fat of wheat, and filled them with honey out of the rock

The text of the psalm

Vulgate	Douay-Rheims
In finem, pro torcularibus. Psalmus ipsi Asaph.	Unto the end, for the winepresses, a psalm for Asaph himself.
1 Exsultáte Deo, adjutóri nostro: * jubiláte Deo Jacob.	2 Rejoice to God our helper: sing aloud to the God of Jacob.
2  Súmite psalmum, et date tympanum: * psaltérium jucúndum cum cíthara.	3 Take a psalm, and bring hither the timbrel: the pleasant psaltery with the harp.
3  Buccináte in Neoménia tuba, * in insígni die solemnitátis vestræ.	4 Blow up the trumpet on the new moon, on the noted day of your solemnity.
4  Quia præcéptum in Israël est: * et judícium Deo Jacob.	5 For it is a commandment in Israel, and a judgment to the God of Jacob.
5  Testimónium in Joseph pósuit illud, cum exíret de terra Ægypti: * linguam, quam non nóverat, audívit.	6 He ordained it for a testimony in Joseph, when he came out of the land of Egypt: he heard a tongue which he knew not.
6  Divértit ab onéribus dorsum ejus: * manus ejus in cóphino serviérunt.	7 He removed his back from the burdens: his hands had served in baskets.
7  In tribulatióne invocásti me, et liberávi te: * exaudívi te in abscóndito tempestátis: probávi te apud aquam contradictiónis.	8 You called upon me in affliction, and I delivered you: I heard you in the secret place of tempest: I proved you at the waters of contradiction.
8  Audi, pópulus meus, et contestábor te: * Israël, si audíeris me, non erit in te deus recens, neque adorábis deum aliénum.	9 Hear, O my people, and I will testify to you: O Israel, if you will hearken to me, 10 there shall be no new god in you: neither shall you adore a strange god.
9  Ego enim sum Dóminus Deus tuus, qui edúxi te de terra Ægypti: * diláta os tuum, et implébo illud.	11 For I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt: open your mouth wide, and I will fill it.
10  Et non audívit pópulus meus vocem meam: * et Israël non inténdit mihi.	12 But my people heard not my voice: and Israel hearkened not to me.
11  Et dimísi eos secúndum desidéria cordis eórum: * ibunt in adinventiónibus suis.	13 So I let them go according to the desires of their heart: they shall walk in their own inventions.
12  Si pópulus meus audísset me: * Israël si in viis meis ambulásset:	14 If my people had heard me: if Israel had walked in my ways:
13  Pro níhilo fórsitan inimícos eórum humiliássem: * et super tribulántes eos misíssem manum meam.	15 I should soon have humbled their enemies, and laid my hand on them that troubled them.
14  Inimíci Dómini mentíti sunt ei: * et erit tempus eórum in sæcula.	16 The enemies of the Lord have lied to him: and their time shall be for ever.
15  Et cibávit eos ex ádipe fruménti: * et de petra, melle saturávit eos.	17 And he fed them with the fat of wheat, and filled them with honey out of the rock

Liturgical and Scriptural uses of the psalm

NT references	Acts 7:42, Romans 1: 24-26 (11); Lk 21:24 (14)
RB cursus	Thursday Matins II, 2
Monastic feasts etc	Corpus Christi
Responsories	Lent 3 (wk3, T/F) v6-7
Roman pre 1911	Friday Matins
Roman post 1911	1911-62: Friday Matins . 1970:
Mass propers (EF)	Pentecost Monday IN (1, 17); Corpus Christi, IN (1, 17); PP 11, AL (1-2); September Ember Wednesday, IN (1-5)

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.'