Showing posts with label Ps 93. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ps 93. Show all posts

Friday, June 10, 2016

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.'

Monday, March 11, 2013

Tenebrae/23 - Psalm 93



The last psalm of the third Nocturn of Matins for Good Friday, Psalm 93 (94), is a warning: the God who died on the Cross for us will return in judgment.

God intervenes in the world

This psalm is a warning to all those who seem to think that God does not actually care about what we do and think.  In fact the opposite is true: "The Lord knows the thoughts of men, that they are vain".

The psalm deals with the issue of those who do evil and seem to get away with it.

In particular it focuses on the all too common problem today of those who may believe there is a God, but seem to think he is indifferent to our affairs, or so all-forgiving as to counter our free will choices, and save everyone regardless of what they say, think or do.

The truth, the psalm teaches, is that God does care, does take note.  He helps those who seek his aid and accept his guidance.  But he is also the 'God of vengeance', the 'judge of the world' who metes out justice.

Though the wicked attacked Our Lord, God held him up:
"In the multitude of the sorrows that I had in my heart, thy comforts have refreshed my soul....They gather them together against the soul of the righteous, and condemn the innocent blood. But the Lord is my refuge, and my God is the strength of my confidence." (Coverdale)
And in the end, justice will be done:
"He shall recompense them their wickedness, and destroy them in their own malice; yea, the Lord our God shall destroy them."

Psalm 93

Vulgate
Douay-Rheims
Psalmus ipsi David, quarta sabbati
A psalm for David himself on the fourth day of the week.
1  Deus ultiónum Dóminus: * Deus ultiónum líbere egit.
The Lord is the God to whom revenge belongs: the God of revenge has acted freely.
2  Exaltáre, qui júdicas terram: * redde retributiónem supérbis.
2 Lift up yourself, you that judge the earth: render a reward to the proud.
3  Usquequo peccatóres, Dómine: * úsquequo peccatóres gloriabúntur:
3 How long shall sinners, O Lord: how long shall sinners glory?
4  Effabúntur, et loquéntur iniquitátem: * loquéntur omnes, qui operántur injustítiam?
3 How long shall sinners, O Lord: how long shall sinners glory?
5  Pópulum tuum, Dómine humiliavérunt: * et hereditátem tuam vexavérunt.
5 Your people, O Lord, they have brought low: and they have afflicted your inheritance.
6  Víduam et ádvenam interfecérunt: * et pupíllos occidérunt.
6 They have slain the widow and the stranger: and they have murdered the fatherless.
7  Et dixérunt: Non vidébit Dóminus: * nec intélliget Deus Jacob.
7 And they have said: The Lord shall not see: neither shall the God of Jacob understand.
8  Intellígite, insipiéntes in pópulo: * et stulti, aliquándo sápite.
8 Understand, you senseless among the people: and, you fools, be wise at last.
9  Qui plantávit aurem, non áudiet? * aut qui finxit óculum, non consíderat?
9 He that planted the ear, shall he not hear? Or he that formed the eye, does he not consider?
10  Qui córripit Gentes, non árguet: * qui docet hóminem sciéntiam?
10 He that chastises nations, shall he not rebuke: he that teaches man knowledge?
11  Dóminus scit cogitatiónes hóminum, * quóniam vanæ sunt.
11 The Lord knows the thoughts of men, that they are vain.
12 Beátus homo, quem tu erudíeris, Dómine, * et de lege tua docúeris eum.
12 Blessed is the man whom you shall instruct, O Lord: and shall teach him out of your law.
13  Ut mítiges ei a diébus malis: * donec fodiátur peccatóri fóvea.
13 That you may give him rest from the evil days: till a pit be dug for the wicked.
14  Quia non repéllet Dóminus plebem suam: * et hereditátem suam non derelínquet.
14 For the Lord will not cast off his people: neither will he forsake his own inheritance.
15  Quoadúsque justítia convertátur in judícium: * et qui juxta illam omnes qui recto sunt corde.
15 Until justice be turned into judgment: and they that are near it are all the upright in heart.
16  Quis consúrget mihi advérsus malignántes? * aut quis stabit mecum advérsus operántes iniquitátem?
16 Who shall rise up for me against the evildoers? Or who shall stand with me against the workers of iniquity?
17  Nisi quia Dóminus adjúvit me: * paulo minus habitásset in inférno ánima mea.
17 Unless the Lord had been my helper, my soul had almost dwelt in hell.
18  Si dicébam: Motus est pes meus: * misericórdia tua, Dómine, adjuvábat me.
18 If I said: My foot is moved: your mercy, O Lord, assisted me.
19  Secúndum multitúdinem dolórum meórum in corde meo: * consolatiónes tuæ lætificavérunt ánimam meam.
19 According to the multitude of my sorrows in my heart, your comforts have given joy to my soul.
20 Numquid adhæret tibi sedes iniquitátis: * qui fingis labórem in præcépto?
20 Does the seat of iniquity stick to you, who frames labour in commandment?
21  Captábunt in ánimam justi: * et sánguinem innocéntem condemnábunt.
21 They will hunt after the soul of the just, and will condemn innocent blood.
22  Et factus est mihi Dóminus in refúgium: * et Deus meus in adjutórium spei meæ.
22 But the Lord is my refuge: and my God the help of my hope.
23  Et reddet illis iniquitátem ipsórum: et in malítia eórum dispérdet eos: * dispérdet illos Dóminus Deus noster.
23 And he will render them their iniquity: and in their malice he will destroy them: the Lord our God will destroy them.

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 of this series here.

Other Scriptural and liturgical uses of the psalm

The title of the psalm reflects its use in the Temple on Wednesdays, according to the Talmid.  Selected Christian uses of the psalm are summarised below:
NT references
Heb 10:26-31 (1); Romans 1:20, Romans 2:14-16 (10); 1 Cor 3:19-20 (11); 1 Cor 11:28-32 ; Heb 12:6 (13); Romans 11:2 (14); Mt 27:4 (21)
RB cursus
Friday Matins I, 6
Monastic feasts etc
Good Friday Tenebrae III, 3; Sacred Heart II, 3
Roman pre 1911
Friday Matins
Roman post 1911
1911-62: Saturday Prime . 1970:
Mass propers (EF)
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