Psalm 102

Psalm 102 is the second psalm of Matins on Saturday in the Benedictine office, and its exhortation  to praise stands in stark contrast to the previous penitential psalm that opens the day.

It does however build on it, and the verses proclaiming God's mercy and forgiveness feature in a Tract  and Offertory used during Lent

The text of the psalm

Psalm 102

Bénedic, ánima mea, Dómino: * et ómnia, quæ intra me sunt, nómini sancto eius.	Bless the Lord, O my soul: and let all that is within me bless his holy name.
Bénedic, ánima mea, Dómino: * et noli oblivísci omnes retributiónes eius.	Bless the Lord, O my soul, and never forget all he has done for you.
Qui propitiátur ómnibus iniquitátibus tuis: * qui sanat omnes infirmitátes tuas.	Who forgives all your iniquities: who heals all your diseases.
Qui rédimit de intéritu vitam tuam: * qui corónat te in misericórdia et miseratiónibus.	Who redeems your life from destruction: who crowns you with mercy and compassion.
Qui replet in bonis desidérium tuum: * renovábitur ut áquilæ iuvéntus tua.	Who satisfies your desire with good things: your youth shall be renewed like the eagle's.
Fáciens misericórdias Dóminus: * et iudícium ómnibus iniúriam patiéntibus.	The Lord does mercies, and judgment for all that suffer wrong.
Notas fecit vias suas Móysi, * fíliis Israël voluntátes suas.	He has made his ways known to Moses: his wills to the children of Israel.
Miserátor, et miséricors Dóminus: * longánimis et multum miséricors.	The Lord is compassionate and merciful: longsuffering and plenteous in mercy.
Non in perpétuum irascétur: * neque in ætérnum comminábitur.	He will not always be angry: nor will he threaten forever.
Non secúndum peccáta nostra fecit nobis: * neque secúndum iniquitátes nostras retríbuit nobis.	He has not dealt with us according to our sins: nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.
Quóniam secúndum altitúdinem cæli a terra: * corroborávit misericórdiam suam super timéntes se.	For according to the height of the heaven above the earth: he has strengthened his mercy towards them that fear him.
Quantum distat ortus ab occidénte: * longe fecit a nobis iniquitátes nostras.	As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our iniquities from us.
Quómodo miserétur pater filiórum, misértus est Dóminus timéntibus se: * quóniam ipse cognóvit figméntum nostrum.	As a father has compassion on his children, so has the Lord compassion on them that fear him: For he knows our frame.
Recordátus est quóniam pulvis sumus: * homo, sicut fœnum dies eius, tamquam flos agri sic efflorébit.	He remembers that we are dust: Man's days are as grass, as the flower of the field so shall he flourish.
Quóniam spíritus pertransíbit in illo, et non subsístet: * et non cognóscet ámplius locum suum.	For the spirit shall pass in him, and he shall not be: and he shall know his place no more.
Misericórdia autem Dómini ab ætérno, * et usque in ætérnum super timéntes eum.	But the mercy of the Lord is from eternity and unto eternity upon them that fear him:
Et iustítia illíus in fílios filiórum, * his qui servant testaméntum eius.	And his justice unto children's children, to such as keep his covenant,
Et mémores sunt mandatórum ipsíus, * ad faciéndum ea.	And are mindful of his commandments to do them.
Dóminus in cælo parávit sedem suam: * et regnum ipsíus ómnibus dominábitur.	The lord has prepared his throne in heaven: and his kingdom shall rule over all.
Benedícite Dómino, omnes Angeli eius: * poténtes virtúte, faciéntes verbum illíus, ad audiéndam vocem sermónum eius.	Bless the Lord, all you his angels: you that are mighty in strength, and execute his word, hearkening to the voice of his orders.
Benedícite Dómino, omnes virtútes eius: * minístri eius, qui fácitis voluntátem eius.	Bless the Lord, all you his hosts: you ministers of his that do his will.
Benedícite Dómino, ómnia ópera eius: * in omni loco dominatiónis eius, bénedic, ánima mea, Dómino.	Bless the Lord, all his works: in every place of his dominion, O my soul, bless the Lord.

Interpretation of the psalm

St Cassiodorus commented:

After the enfolding of those most humble pryers of the blessed pauper, and of the groans of such great repentance, the whole of this psalm is filled with the praise of the Lord, so that the joys of proclamation may through devoted arrangement follow upon the preceding tears...

Throughout the whole Psalm the Prophet is speaking. In the first part he enjoins his soul to bless the LORD and to remember His benefits. Bless the Lord, O my soul. In the second place, he tells what things He did for Moses and His other faithful ones, that He may be understood to have been ever bountiful from all ages. He showed His ways unto Moses. Thirdly, he directs his words to the Angels and heavenly powers, and summons the other rational creatures to busy themselves constantly in the praise of the LORD. Bless the Lord, all ye angels of His.

St Aloysius Liguori added:

The psalmist extols the divine mercy; but finding himself incapable of praising and thanking God as his benefits deserve, he invites the angels and all creatures to do so in his name.

Liturgical and Scriptural uses of the psalm

NT Refs: Eph 1-5(3-5); Lk 1:50 (11)

RB cursus	Sat Matins I.2
Monastic feasts etc	Matins of Ascension; Sacred Heart
Roman pre 1911	Sat matins
Ambrosian	Friday wk 2 Matins
Brigittine	Friday Terce
Maurist	Thursday None
Thesauris schemas	A: Sat matins; B:Wed Vespers ; C: Sat Vespers wk 1; D: Lauds Monday wk 2
Roman post 1911	1911-62: Sat Compline; . 1970:
Mass propers (EF)	Ash Wednesday, Friday after Ash Wednesday, Monday Lent 1, Ember Friday of Lent, Monday Lent 2, Friday Lent 2; Monday Lent 4; Friday Lent 4; Passion Monday, Holy Monday - TR (10); Ember Friday of Lent, Ember Saturday in September, OF (1, 5)

Psalm 142 - Christ and the harrowing of hell

St Alban's Psalter

Saturday Lauds has only one variable psalm in the Benedictine Office, Psalm 142, due to the length of the traditional canticle of the day, Deuteronomy 13:1-43 (reduced to verses 1-27 in the 1963 Monastic Breviary; verses 1-18 in the Monastic Diurnal, and to verses 1-12 in the 1980 Psalterium Monasticum).

Psalm 142 is also the last of the seven penitential psalms.

Psalm 142: Domine, exaudi orationem meam

Vulgate	Douay-Rheims
Psalmus David, quando persequebatur eum Absalom filius ejus.	A psalm of David, when his son Absalom pursued him
1 Dómine, exáudi oratiónem meam: áuribus pércipe obsecratiónem meam in veritáte tua : * exáudi me in tua justítia.	Hear, O Lord, my prayer: give ear to my supplication in your truth: hear me in your justice.
2  Et non intres in judícium cum servo tuo: * quia non justificábitur in conspéctu tuo omnis vivens.	And enter not into judgment with your servant: for in your sight no man living shall be justified.
3  Quia persecútus est inimícus ánimam meam: * humiliávit in terra vitam meam.	For the enemy has persecuted my soul: he has brought down my life to the earth.
4  Collocávit me in obscúris sicut mórtuos sæculi : * et anxiátus est super me spíritus meus, in me turbátum est cor meum.	He has made me to dwell in darkness as those that have been dead of old: And my spirit is in anguish within me: my heart within me is troubled.
5  Memor fui diérum antiquórum, meditátus sum in ómnibus opéribus tuis: * in factis mánuum tuárum meditábar.	I remembered the days of old, I meditated on all your works: I meditated upon the works of your hands.
6  Expándi manus meas ad te: * ánima mea sicut terra sine aqua tibi.	I stretched forth my hands to you: my soul is as earth without water unto you.
7  Velóciter exáudi me, Dómine: * defécit spíritus meus.	Hear me speedily, O Lord: my spirit has fainted away.
8  Non avértas fáciem tuam a me: * et símilis ero descendéntibus in lacum.	Turn not away your face from me, lest I be like unto them that go down into the pit.
9  Audítam fac mihi mane misericórdiam tuam: * quia in te sperávi.	Cause me to hear your mercy in the morning; for in you have I hoped.
10  Notam fac mihi viam, in qua ámbulem: * quia ad te levávi ánimam meam.	Make the way known to me, wherein I should walk: for I have lifted up my soul to you.
11  Eripe me de inimícis meis, Dómine, ad te confúgi: * doce me fácere voluntátem tuam, quia Deus meus es tu.	Deliver me from my enemies, O Lord, to you have I fled: Teach me to do your will, for you are my God.
12  Spíritus tuus bonus dedúcet me in terram rectam: * propter nomen tuum, Dómine, vivificábis me, in æquitáte tua.	Your good spirit shall lead me into the right land: For your name's sake, O Lord, you will quicken me in your justice.
13  Edúces de tribulatióne ánimam meam: * et in misericórdia tua dispérdes inimícos meos.	You will bring my soul out of trouble: And in your mercy you will destroy my enemies.
14  Et perdes omnes, qui tríbulant ánimam meam, * quóniam ego servus tuus sum.	And you will cut off all them that afflict my soul: for I am your servant.

St Augustine makes it clear that this psalm should be read as referring to Christ:

The title of the Psalm is, To David himself, when his son was pursuing him. We know from the Books of Kings that this happened:...but we must recognise here another David, truly strong in hand, which is the explanation of David, even our Lord Jesus Christ. For all those events of past time were figures of things to come. 

Let us seek then in this Psalm our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, announcing Himself beforehand in His prophecy, and foretelling what should happen at this time by things which were done long ago. For He Himself foretold Himself in the Prophets: for He is the Word of God... Let then our Lord speak; let Christ with us, whole Christ, speak.

The references to them that go down into the pit, then, and bringing souls out of trouble in particular, surely account for its allocation to Saturday in our weekly mini-Triduum.  It's placement at Lauds, though, is surely in part due to its reference to the entry to heaven meme:

Your good spirit shall lead me into the right land: For your name's sake, O Lord, you will quicken me in your justice.

Cassiodorus adds an extra level to this, seeing an important significance in its position as the seventh of the penitential psalms:

It is perhaps the case that just as we sin in the seven days which represent the extent of a week in the world, so we may be saved by the gift of healing repentance through this same number. 

This psalm also arguably completes a cycle of the first variable psalm of Lauds pointing us to our entry to heaven, with the line:

Your good spirit shall lead me into the right land

Word study: darkness

Darkness is often used to contrast the light of God in the psalms, and in today's psalm the word used to convey this is the adjective obscurus, (dark, obscure; fig., sinful, the dark, darkness), used as a substantive:

 Collocávit me in obscúris sicut mórtuos sæculi :  et anxiátus est super me spíritus meus, in me turbátum est cor meum. He has made me to dwell in darkness as those that have been dead of old: And my spirit is in anguish within me: my heart within me is troubled.

There is also related verb, obscurare, to make dark or darken.

The more common word for darkness though is tenebrae,( arum, f.  darkness; ignorancey; Sheol; misfortune. danger; horror, shuddering) with its wn related adjective, tenebrosus, a, um (dark).  So in Psalm 87 we have:

Posuérunt me in lacu inferióri : in tenebrósis, et in umbra mortis. They have laid me in the lower pit: in the dark places, and in the shadow of death.

and

Numquid cognoscéntur in ténebris mirabília tua, et justítia tua in terra obliviónis? Shall your wonders be known in the dark; and your justice in the land of forgetfulness?

Other words that suggest darkness include umbra, as used above ('the shadow of death) and caligo, inis, which literally means a fog or mist mist.

Liturgical and Scriptural uses of the psalm

NT references	Rom 3:20; Gal 2: 16 (v2)
RB cursus	Lauds Saturday+AN  3309 (1)
Monastic feasts etc	Penitential Good Friday Tenebrae Lauds AN 1442 (4), 1255 (8, 9)
Roman pre 1911	Lauds Friday
Responsories	6148 (8); Epiphanytide Wed v2, 7208
Roman post 1911	1911-62: Lauds Friday. 1970: Thursday MP & Night Prayer: Tuesday omitting v12-13 (imprecatory)
Mass propers (EF)	Passion Sunday GR (9, 10), Holy Monday OF (2,7, 10); vs 2 burial service

More on the psalm

The next part of this series is on Psalm 62.

You can find also verse by verse notes on the psalm starting here.

And you can find my previous notes on the psalm in the context of Saturday here and in the context of Tenebrae here.

Psalm 101 - That Christ might release those in fetters

Les Très Riches Heures du duc de Berry,
Folio 34r - the Musée Condé

Psalm 101: Penitential psalm no 5/ Saturday Matins I, 1

Vulgate	Douay-Rheims
Oratio pauperis, cum anxius fuerit, et in conspectu Domini effuderit precem suam.	The prayer of the poor man, when he was anxious, and poured out his supplication before   the Lord.
1 Dómine, exáudi oratiónem meam: * et clamor meus ad te véniat.	Hear, O Lord, my prayer: and let my cry come to you.
2  Non avértas fáciem tuam a me: * in quacúmque die tríbulor, inclína ad me aurem tuam.	Turn not away your face from me: in the day when I am in trouble, incline your ear to me.
3  In quacúmque die invocávero te: * velóciter exáudi me.	In what day soever I shall call upon you, hear me speedily.
4  Quia defecérunt sicut fumus dies mei: * et ossa mea sicut crémium aruérunt.	4 For my days are vanished like smoke, and my bones are grown dry like fuel for the fire.
5  Percússus sum ut fœnum, et áruit cor meum: * quia oblítus sum comédere panem meum.	5 I am smitten as grass, and my heart is withered: because I forgot to eat my bread.
6  A voce gémitus mei: * adhæsit os meum carni meæ.	6 Through the voice of my groaning, my bone has cleaved to my flesh.
7  Símilis factus sum pellicáno solitúdinis: * factus sum sicut nyctícorax in domicílio.	7 I have become like to a pelican of the wilderness: I am like a night raven in the house.
8  Vigilávi, * et factus sum sicut passer solitárius in tecto.	8 I have watched, and have become as a sparrow all alone on the housetop.
9  Tota die exprobrábant mihi inimíci mei: * et qui laudábant me, advérsum me jurábant.	9 All the day long my enemies reproached me: and they that praised me did swear against me.
10  Quia cínerem tamquam panem manducábam, * et potum meum cum fletu miscébam.	10 For I ate ashes like bread, and mingled my drink with weeping.
11  A fácie iræ et indignatiónis tuæ: * quia élevans allisísti me.	11 Because of your anger and indignation: for having lifted me up you have thrown me down.
12  Dies mei sicut umbra declinavérunt: * et ego sicut fœnum árui.	12 My days have declined like a shadow, and I am withered like grass.
13  Tu autem, Dómine, in ætérnum pérmanes: * et memoriále tuum in generatiónem et generatiónem.	13 But you, O Lord, endure for ever: and your memorial to all generations.
14  Tu exsúrgens miseréberis Sion: * quia tempus miseréndi ejus, quia venit tempus.	14 You shall arise and have mercy on Sion: for it is time to have mercy on it, for the time has come.
15  Quóniam placuérunt servis tuis lápides ejus: * et terræ ejus miserebúntur.	15 For the stones thereof have pleased your servants: and they shall have pity on the earth thereof.
16  Et timébunt gentes nomen tuum, Dómine: * et omnes reges terræ glóriam tuam.	16 All the Gentiles shall fear your name, O Lord, and all the kings of the earth your glory.
17  Quia ædificávit Dóminus Sion: * et vidébitur in glória sua.	17 For the Lord has built up Sion: and he shall be seen in his glory.
18  Respéxit in oratiónem humílium: * et non sprevit precem eórum.	18 He has had regard to the prayer of the humble: and he has not despised their petition.
19  Scribántur hæc in generatióne áltera: * et pópulus qui creábitur, laudábit Dóminum.	19 Let these things be written unto another generation: and the people that shall be created shall praise the Lord:
20  Quia prospéxit de excélso sancto suo: * Dóminus de cælo in terram aspéxit:	20 Because he has looked forth from his high sanctuary: from heaven the Lord has looked upon the earth.
21  Ut audíret gémitus compeditórum: * ut sólveret fílios interemptórum.	21 That he might hear the groans of them that are in fetters: that he might release the children of the slain:
22  Ut annúntient in Sion nomen Dómini: * et laudem ejus in Jerúsalem.	22 That they may declare the name of the Lord in Sion: and his praise in Jerusalem;
23  In conveniéndo pópulos in unum: * et reges ut sérviant Dómino.	23 when the people assemble together, and kings, to serve the Lord.
24  Respóndit ei in via virtútis suæ: * Paucitátem diérum meórum núntia mihi.	24 He answered him in the way of his strength: Declare unto me the fewness of my days.
25  Ne révoces me in dimídio diérum meórum: * in generatiónem et generatiónem anni tui.	25 Call me not away in the midst of my days: your years are unto generation and generation.
26  Inítio tu, Dómine, terram fundásti: * et ópera mánuum tuárum sunt cæli.	26 In the beginning, O Lord, you founded the earth: and the heavens are the works of your hands.
27  Ipsi peribunt, tu autem pérmanes: * et omnes sicut vestiméntum veteráscent.	27 They shall perish but you remain: and all of them shall grow old like a garment:
28  Et sicut opertórium mutábis eos, et mutabúntur: * tu autem idem ipse es, et anni tui non defícient.	And as a vesture you shall change them, and they shall be changed. 28 But you are always the selfsame, and your years shall not fail.
29  Fílii servórum tuórum habitábunt: * et semen eórum in sæculum dirigétur.	29 The children of your servants shall continue and their seed shall be directed for ever.

Psalm 101 as a Penitential psalm

The first psalm of Matins each week is Psalm 101, probably best known as the fifth of the penitential psalms. As St Liguori says:

In this psalm, which is one of the seven penitential psalms, we see one humbling himself before God, praying for himself and for all the people.

The first half of the psalm (verses 1-18) in particular paints a picture of the penitent person who fasts and prays, shedding tears of penitence while hoping for God's mercy.

The second half reminds us that Christ calls us to penitence that we might live with him forever.

Christ as the poor man

There is another interpretation to the psalm though, as St Liguori goes on to point out:

According to St. Augustine, it is Jesus Christ who prays for us; in fact, it cannot be denied that in certain verses the Messias and his coming are spoken of. The very title of the psalm in the Hebrew as well as in the Greek and the Latin clearly indicates its subject: Prayer of the poor man when he is in anxiety, and when he pours out his prayer in the presence of the Lord.

Indeed, St Augustine develops the Christological dimension of the psalm at length:

Behold, one poor man prays, and prays not in silence. We may therefore hear him, and see who he is: whether it be not perchance He, of whom the Apostle says, Though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might be rich. 

If it is He, then, how is He poor? For in what sense He is rich, who sees not? What then is richer than He, by whom riches were made, even those which are not true riches? For through Him we have even these riches, ability, memory, character, health of body, the senses, and the conformation of our limbs: for when these are safe, even the poor are rich. Through Him also are those greater riches, faith, piety, justice, charity, chastity, good conduct: for no man has these, except through Him who justifies the ungodly... 

Reflect also upon these words: I am Your servant, and the Son of Your handmaid. Observe, this handmaid, chaste, a virgin, and a mother: for there He received our poverty, when He was clothed in the form of a servant, emptying Himself; lest you should dread His riches, and in your beggarly state should not dare approach Him. There, I say, He put on the form of a servant, there He was clothed with our poverty; there He made Himself poor, and us rich....

Read in this light, the contrast between earthly mortality and God's unchanging state drawn out in the psalm becomes a commentary on the two natures of Christ.

Christ and the harrowing of hell

In the context of the weekly mini-Triduum of the Office, the key focus St Benedict is perhaps pointing us to is surely the contrast between the mortality of sinful man, and the promise of eternal life.  

In verse 14 we hear that the time for the Resurrection has come:

14  Tu exsúrgens miseréberis Sion: * quia tempus miseréndi ejus, quia venit tempus.

14 You shall arise and have mercy on Sion: for it is time to have mercy on it, for the time has come.

The climax of the psalm, though, is verse 21, which in the context of Holy Saturday can perhaps be seen as referring to the harrowing of hell: 

21  Ut audíret gémitus compeditórum: * ut sólveret fílios interemptórum.

21 That he might hear the groans of them that are in fetters: that he might release the children of the slain:

In the verses that follow, psalm looks forward to the new creation that will replace the old, an age whose first light is seen with the Resurrection.

Psalm 19 - Saturday, Prime No 3

Ceiling of St. Michael's Church, Hildesheim

Psalm 19 (20) : Exaudiet te Dominus in die tribulationis 

Vulgate (numbering follows psalter)	Douay-Rheims (numbering follows Bible)
In finem. Psalmus David.	1 Unto the end. A psalm for David.
1 Exáudiat te Dóminus in die tribulatiónis: * prótegat te nomen Dei Jacob.	2 May the Lord hear you in the day of tribulation: may the name of the God of Jacob protect you.
2  Mittat tibi auxílium de sancto: * et de Sion tueátur te.	3 May he send you help from the sanctuary: and defend you out of Sion.
3  Memor sit omnis sacrifícii tui: * et holocáustum tuum pingue fiat.	4 May he be mindful of all your sacrifices: and may your whole burnt offering be made fat.
4  Tríbuat tibi secúndum cor tuum: * et omne consílium tuum confírmet.	5 May he give you according to your own heart; and confirm all your counsels.
5  Lætábimur in salutári tuo: * et in nómine Dei nostri magnificábimur.	6 We will rejoice in your salvation; and in the name of our God we shall be exalted.
6  Impleat Dóminus omnes petitiónes tuas: * nunc cognóvi quóniam salvum fecit Dóminus Christum suum.	7 The Lord fulfil all your petitions: now have I known that the Lord has saved his anointed.
7  Exáudiet illum de cælo sancto suo: * in potentátibus salus déxteræ ejus	He will hear him from his holy heaven: the salvation of his right hand is in powers.
8  Hi in cúrribus, et hi in equis: * nos autem in nómine Dómini, Dei nostri invocábimus.	8 Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will call upon the name of the Lord, our God.
9  Ipsi obligáti sunt, et cecidérunt: * nos autem surréximus et erécti sumus.	9 They are bound, and have fallen: but we are risen, and are set upright.
10  Dómine salvum fac regem: * et exáudi nos in die, qua invocavérimus te.	10 O Lord, save the king: and hear us in the day that we shall call upon you.

In its historic setting this psalm is a call by the people for God to grant David victory in battle, and therefore could be used before any battle in wartime.  It can also of course, be read as a plea for help before the spiritual battles that face us everyday.

The Fathers and theologians, however, have consistently interpreted it as also looking forward to the coming celebration of the Resurrection, thus it provides a fitting conclusion to the Holy Saturday theme of Prime.  St Augustine, for example, says in his commentary on the opening verses:  “And turn the cross, whereon You were wholly offered up to God, into the joy of the resurrection.”  Verses 6-7 and 9 contain the most explicit prophesies of the Resurrection, saying, for example, “now have I known that the Lord has saved his anointed…”

St Augustine:

It is not Christ who speaks; but the prophet speaks to Christ, under the form of wishing, foretelling things to come.

Cassiodorus:

The most holy prophet has taught us with what devotedness we must serve Christ the Lord.  He seeks for Him the blessings which he knew would come to pass, for it is the habit of believers to pray for what we long to happen.  So in the Lord's prayer we are likewise forewarned Thy kingdom come,...So let us be oppressed at his passion, and rejoice at His resurrection, for we can be called His if we deserve to be associated with His dispensation. 

St Alphonsus Liguori:

This psalm is a prayer which the people address to God for the success of the arms of David. But Bellarmine and Rotigni think that this psalm and the two following psalms, that is, the XX. and the XXI. Of the psalter, refer to the victories of Jesus Christ over the devil and the persecutors of the Church.

Fr Pasch:

This Psalm is a plea to the Father before the day's battle, the week's conflict, of the kingdom of God―a plea which expresses at the same time great confidence of victory.

 Liturgical uses of the psalm

NT references	-
RB cursus	Saturday Prime
Monastic/(Roman) feasts etc	Corpus Christi
Roman pre 1911	Sunday Matins
Roman post 1911	1911-62: Monday Matins . 1970:
Mass propers (EF)	Lent 4 Tues CO (5)