The Penitential Psalms - Psalm 142: verses 10-12

The Descent of the Holy Spirit. Fresco Borgia Apartments,
Hall of the Mysteries of the Faith, 1492-4

Today's verses of Psalm 142 deal with how to be effective in meditation and contemplations.

Verses 10-12: Knowledge of God enkindled by his spirit

 In verse 10, the psalmist asks that God make known his ways to the genuine seeker after truth:

10	V/NV	Notam fac mihi viam, in qua ámbulem: * quia ad te levávi ánimam meam.
	JH	notam fac mihi uiam in qua ambulo; quoniam ad te leuaui animam meam.

 notum facere, to make known.

DR	Make the way known to me, wherein I should walk: for I have lifted up my soul to you.
Brenton	make known to me, O Lord, the way wherein I should walk; for I have lifted up my soul to thee.
MD	Make known to me the way which I must go, for to Thee have I lifted up my soul.
Cover	Show thou me the way that I should walk in; for I lift up my soul unto thee.

David Tenier the Younger, 1610-90,
Rocky Landscape with pilgrims

In verse 11, he asks for God to teach him the virtue of obedience:

11b	V/NV	doce me fácere voluntátem tuam, quia Deus meus es tu.
	JH	Doce me ut faciam uoluntatem tuam, quia tu Deus meus

confugio, fugi, ere 3, to flee for refuge or succor, to take sanctuary.

DR	Teach me to do your will, for you are my God.
Brenton	Teach me to do thy will; for thou art my God;
MD	Teach me to do Thy will, for Thou art my God
Cover	Teach me to do the thing that pleaseth thee; for thou art my God.

 Finally, and most crucially, in verse 12 he asks for the help of the Holy Ghost:

12	V	Spíritus tuus bonus dedúcet me in terram rectam: * propter nomen tuum, Dómine, vivificábis me, in æquitáte tua.
	NV	Spiritus tuus bonus deducet me in terram rectam; propter nomen tuum, Domine, vivificabis me. In iustitia tua
	JH	spiritus tuus bonus deducet me in terra recta. Propter nomen tuum, Domine, uiuificabis me: in iustitia tua

DR	Your good spirit shall lead me into the right land: For your name's sake, O Lord, you will quicken me in your justice.
Brenton	thy good Spirit shall guide me in the straight way. Thou shalt quicken me, O Lord, for thy name’s sake; in thy righteousness
MD	May Thy good spirit lead me on the right path, for Thy name’s sake O Lord, preserve my life.
RSV	Let thy good spirit lead me on a level path! For thy name's sake, O LORD, preserve my life!
Cover	Let thy loving Spirit lead me forth into the land of righteousness. Quicken me, O Lord, for thy Name’s sake; and for thy righteousness’ sake

The Holy Spirit in the Old Testament

Hildegarde von Bingen, creation

The existence of the Holy Ghost is of course foreshadowed in the Old Testament: in the spirit that hovers over the waters at the time of creation. The clearest prophesy of the life of grace that the psalmist is asking for here though, is surely those famous verses from Ezekiel, featured at the last World Youth Day.

St Robert Bellarmine comments:

“That good Spirit is the Holy Ghost, who is essentially good, and through whom "the charity of God is poured out into our hearts;" and this it is that makes us wish to work and carry out our wishes; and it is of it Ezechiel speaks when he says, "And I will put my Spirit in the midst of you, and I will cause you to walk in my commandments." This good Spirit "shall lead me into the right land;" in that plain and direct road, the Lord's law, which is most plain and direct The "right land" may also mean our country above, where all is right and straight, and nothing distorted or crooked. "For thy name's sake thou wilt quicken me in thy justice." To show us that justification, which is a sort of spiritual resuscitation, is not to be had from our own merits, but from the gratuitous gift of God, he adds, "For thy name's sake," for the glory that will accrue to you by the gift of so much grace, "thou wilt quicken me in thy justice."

Indeed, each of the seven penitential psalms can readily be associated with one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit, no doubt one of the reasons why the Catechism of the Catholic Church in fact cites this verse in relation to the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit:

CCC 1831: “The seven gifts of the Holy Spirit are wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord. They belong in their fullness to Christ, Son of David. They complete and perfect the virtues of those who receive them. They make the faithful docile in readily obeying divine inspirations. Let your good spirit lead me on a level path. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God . . . If children, then heirs, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ.”

Defeating our enemies with the help of grace

I deliberately skipped over the first half of verse 11 above, which is the lead in to the request to be taught obedience and given the guidance of the Holy Ghost. In fact, it says:

11a	V/NV	Eripe me de inimícis meis, Dómine, ad te confúgi:
	JH	Libera me de inimicis meis, Domine: a te protectus sum.

confugio, fugi, ere 3, to flee for refuge or succor, to take sanctuary.

DR	Deliver me from my enemies, O Lord, to you have I fled:
Brenton	Deliver me from mine enemies, O Lord; for I have fled to thee for refuge.
MD	Deliver me from my enemies of Lord to Thee I fly for refuge.
Cover	Deliver me, O Lord, from mine enemies; for I flee unto thee to hide me.

These gifts of the spirit, then, together with the virtues, most especially hope, are the key to escaping sin and defeating the temptations that beset us in the spiritual war that we must wage.

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.

And you can find the final post in this series on Psalm 142 and the Penitential Psalms here.

Psalm 142 verses 8-9

8	V	Non avértas fáciem tuam a me: * et símilis ero descendéntibus in lacum.
	NV	Non abscondas faciem tuam a me, ne similis fiam descendentibus in lacum.
	JH	ne abscondas faciem tuam a me, et comparabor descendentibus in lacum.

similis, e, like

descendo, scendi, scensum, ere 3  to descend, to come or go down.

lacus, us, m.  a pit.; pitfall, a trap;  the grave, the nether world, the kingdom of the dead, Sheol;

DR	Turn not away your face from me, lest I be like unto them that go down into the pit.
Brenton	turn not away thy face from me, else I shall be like to them that go down to the pit.
MD	Hide not Thy face from me, that I be not like those gone into the grave.
Cover	hide not thy face from me, lest I be like unto them that go down into the pit.

Cassiodorus sees this verse as a warning of hell:

Earlier God had turned away His face because of the arrogance of sinning, but the prophet now begs that He look upon him because he prostrated himself in remorseful entreaties; for it befits the Lord's mercy to look kindly on the humble since He despises the hearts of the proud. By pit we must understand the lower region of hell, where the wicked are to be plunged into eternal punishment. So such men are matched with those who spurned God's power, and who befouling the images in which they were created assumed the shape of the devil's condemnation. Go down is a good description, for those who deserve to enter that pit are plunged to the lowest depths. So he entreats that he should not be­come like the proud, by lamenting his sins with humble satisfaction.

9	V/NV	Audítam fac mihi mane misericórdiam tuam: * quia in te sperávi.
	JH	Fac me audire mane misericordiam tuam; quoniam in te confido :

auditum facere, to sound forth, utter, announce.

DR	Cause me to hear your mercy in the morning; for in you have I hoped.
Brenton	Cause me to hear thy mercy in the morning; for I have hoped in thee;
MD	Make me experience Thy mercy soon, for I trust in thee
Cover	O let me hear thy loving-kindness betimes in the morning; for in thee is my trust.

The morning here is symbolic, As Cassiodorus explains:

To hear thy mercy refers to the Lord's clemency widely known through the whole world, by which He lends help to suppliants, and kindness to the afflicted. The prophet seeks to hear the gospel words: Son, thy sins are forgiven thee.' The morning denotes the time of par­don, for it brings light to the mind when it descends on it with blessed outcome. It is rightly called the morning, for it comes after the dark­ness of sins, when guilt is forgiven. Alternatively it refers to the news of the resurrection, when the angel said to Mary: Go, tell his disciples and Peter that he has risen from the dead, as he said? The reason also follows, which must hold good: there was hope in Him who cannot deceive those who show praiseworthy trust in Him. Observe too that by such reasoning he strengthens his other requests that follow.

The text

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.

And you can find the next part in this series here.

The penitential Psalms - Psalm 142 v5 (On meditation)

Jacob's Ladder, Morgan Bible c1240s or 50s

In verse 5 of Psalm 142, the psalmist talks about meditating on God's works.  This verse is important from two perspectives.  First as a reminder of one of the key tools of our spiritual life, meditation.  But secondly to warn of some of the dangers in this area.

Meditating on God’s works: Creation and God’s providential plan for his people

In the earlier penitential psalms, the speaker worked though a series of steps to escape from the darkness that encompass his soul: he offered tears of contrition; confessed his sins; and did penance in various forms.  Verse 5 of this psalm though, adds another important rung to this ladder to heaven, namely seeking knowledge of God’s ways through meditation on God's works.

The starting point for knowledge, the psalmist asserts, is meditation on God’s works. Verse 5 states:

5	V	Memor fui diérum antiquórum, meditátus sum in ómnibus opéribus tuis: * in factis mánuum tuárum meditábar.
	NV	Memor fui dierum antiquorum, meditatus sum in omnibus operibus tuis, in factis manuum tuarum recogitabam.
	JH	Recordabar dierum antiquorum; meditabar omnia opera tua : facta manuum tuarum loquebar.

memor, oris mindful of, thoughtful of. to think of.; Thinks of, i.e., worships Thee, praises Thee.

antiquus, a, um old, ancient

meditor, atus sum, ari, to think, plan, devise, meditate

factum, i, n. (facio), work, deed

DR	I remembered the days of old, I meditated on all your works: I meditated upon the works of your hands.
MD	I call to mind the days of old, I ponder all Thy deeds and with the works of Thy hands.
Cover	Yet do I remember the time past; I muse upon all thy works. Yea, I exercise myself in the works of thy hands.

A reasonably literal translation is: 'I remembered (called to mind, memor fui) olden days (dierum antiquorum), I meditated (meditatus sum) on all your works (in omnibus operibus tuis): I meditated/pondered/think (meditabar) upon the works (factum=work, deed) of your hands (manuum tuarum).'

The neo-Vulgate has revises the text somewhat, to make the progression involved here clearer: from calling to mind, to meditating, and then contemplating or pondering (recogitare- consider, weigh, ponder or reflect) the implications.

The verse then reminds us of the path our lectio divina should take.

God's works as a source of hope

The first point to note is that the psalmist does not jump to the 'via negativa', or negative path, which seeks to clear the mind of all created things in order to reach heaven.  On the contrary, he starts from God's works.  And the psalmist makes it clear in the following verses that he is looking to the past as a source of hope: God has acted to help his people in the past, and has promised to do so again - and again and again.  If we simply look at the world around us without the perspective of the hope of heaven, we can easily lose our way; so too if try and we meditate on things seeking the 'via negativa' without first assimilating the important content of our faith.

Hildegarde von Bingen, Book of Divine Works

So when we come to meditate, by all means take the opportunities and things that come to us as our subject.  But try also and balance that with a focus on the events that really matter, such as Our Lord's birth, death and resurrection.

In pointing to God's deeds, the psalmist is, I think, inviting us to recall above all two kinds of God's works.  First, the work of creation itself, evident in nature, society and culture; and secondly God's ongoing providential care of his people down the ages, manifested in particular in the events of salvation history.

Meditating on the wonder of natural creation is important: through it we are reminded of God's power, his goodness and much more.  Through it we can reach knowledge of God's law.  And yes, it should humble us, put our lives into perspective.  For if we wish to escape from sin, we need to develop the true perspective that comes from the hope of heaven.

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.

And you can find the next part in this series here.


And you can find the next post in this series on Psalm 142 here.