Psalm 64 - You have visited the earth O Lord

Psalm 64 is said at Lauds on Wednesday in The Benedictine Office, and St Benedict noted that in this he was following the Roman office.

Psalm 64: Te Decet hymnus Deus in Sion - Lauds, Wednesday

Vulgate	Douay-Rheims
In finem. Psalmus David, canticum Jeremiæ et Ezechielis populo transmigrationis, cum inciperent exire.	To the end, a psalm of David. The canticle of Jeremiah and Ezechiel to the people of the captivity, when they began to go out.
1 Te decet hymnus, Deus, in Sion: * et tibi reddétur votum in Jerúsalem.	A hymn, O God, becomes you in Sion: and a vow shall be paid to you in Jerusalem
2  Exáudi oratiónem meam: * ad te omnis caro véniet.	3 O hear my prayer: all flesh shall come to you.
3  Verba iniquórum prævaluérunt super nos: * et impietátibus nostris tu propitiáberis.	4 The words of the wicked have prevailed over us: and you will pardon our transgressions.
4  Beátus quem elegísti et assumpsísti: * inhabitábit in átriis tuis.	5 Blessed is he whom you have chosen and taken to you: he shall dwell in your courts.
5  Replébimur in bonis domus tuæ, sanctum est templum tuum: *  mirábile in æquitáte.	We shall be filled with the good things of your house; holy is your temple, 6 wonderful in justice.
6  Exáudi nos, Deus salutáris noster: * spes ómnium fínium terræ et in mari longe.	Hear us, O God our saviour, who is the hope of all the ends of the earth, and in the sea afar off
7  Præparans montes in virtúte tua, accínctus poténtia: * qui contúrbas profúndum maris sonum flúctuum ejus.	7 You who prepares the mountains by your strength, being girded with power: 8 Who troubles the depth of the sea, the noise of its waves.
8  Turbabúntur Gentes, et timébunt qui inhábitant términos a signis tuis: * éxitus matutíni, et véspere delectábis.	The Gentiles shall be troubled, 9 and they that dwell in the uttermost borders shall be afraid at your signs: you shall make the outgoings of the morning and of the evening to be joyful.
9  Visitásti terram, et inebriásti eam: * multiplicásti locupletáre eam.	10 You have visited the earth, and have plentifully watered it; you have many ways enriched it.
10  Flumen Dei replétum est aquis; parásti cibum illórum: * quóniam ita est præparátio ejus.	The river of God is filled with water, you have prepared their food: for so is its preparation.
11  Rivos ejus inébria multíplica genímina ejus: * in stillicídiis ejus lætábitur gérminans.	11 Fill up plentifully the streams thereof, multiply its fruits; it shall spring up and rejoice in its showers.
12  Benedíces corónæ anni benignitátis tuæ: * et campi tui replebúntur ubertáte.	12 You shall bless the crown of the year of your goodness: and your fields shall be filled with plenty.
13  Pinguéscent speciósa desérti: * et exsultatióne colles accingéntur.	13 The beautiful places of the wilderness shall grow fat: and the hills shall be girded about with joy,
14  Indúti sunt aríetes óvium et valles abundábunt fruménto: * clamábunt, étenim hymnum dicent.	14 the rams of the flock are clothed, and the vales shall abound with corn: they shall shout, yea they shall sing a hymn.

The claim for this psalm's place at Lauds presumably comes from verse 8's reference to morning; although Hildemar's commentary on the Rule also sees a reference to dawn in the poetic image of verse 13.  It also contains multiple allusions to heaven (Sion, Jerusalem, the house of God, the halls of God), though instead of the 'leading us in' motif, it highlights God's choice and action in bringing us up to him.

The psalm though, has much stronger resonances with the overall themes of the day, viz Judas' betrayal paving the way for the establishment of the Church.  Accordingly, perhaps Christ's mission of bringing truth and mercy can be seen as being referred to implicitly in the psalm, in the promises of the new Jerusalem described here.

The new Jerusalem

St Augustine, for example, explains the psalm's title, 'Unto the end, a Psalm of David, a song of Jeremiah and Ezekiel, on account of the people of transmigration when they were beginning to go forth' as referring to the destruction of Jerusalem following our Lord's crucifixion, and the promise of its being rebuilt in the form of the Church Triumphant in heaven:

...For the captive people Israel from the city of Jerusalem was led into slavery unto Babylon.  But holy Jeremiah prophesied, that after seventy years the people would return out of captivity, and would rebuild the very city Jerusalem, which they had mourned as having been overthrown by enemies. But at that time there were prophets in that captivity of the people dwelling in Babylon, among whom was also the prophet Ezekiel. But that people was waiting until there should be fulfilled the space of seventy years, according to the prophecy of Jeremiah. 

It came to pass, when the seventy years had been completed, the temple was restored which had been thrown down: and there returned from captivity a great part of that people. But whereas the Apostle says, these things in figure happened unto them, but they have been written for our sakes, upon whom the end of the world has come: we also ought to know first our captivity, then our deliverance: we ought to know the Babylon wherein we are captives, and the Jerusalem for a return to which we are sighing. For these two cities, according to the letter, in reality are two cities... 

That they might not lose their place, they killed the Lord; and they lost it [Jerusalem], even because they killed. Therefore that city, being one earthly, did bear the figure of a certain city everlasting in the Heavens: but when that which was signified began more evidently to be preached, the shadow, whereby it was being signified, was thrown down: for this reason in that place now the temple is no more, which had been constructed for the image of the future Body of the Lord. We have the light, the shadow has passed away....

The psalm then, according to Cassiodorus, tells us that:

The people who have abandoned worldly sinning and returned to the Lord Saviour are liberated, and at the outset of the psalm acknowledge their Creator. They ask that their prayer be heard, and say that only he who has deserved to attain God's courts is blessed.

 In the second section they call the Lord the hope of all the ends of the earth. They enunciate His various praises and His power by allegorical comparison. They say that His holy ones rejoice in hymns of joy sung to Him...With remarkable brevity he has described the glory of His incarnation. This faithful teacher has informed us what Christ conferred on the world. Finally he tells us that at the future resurrection all His saints will rejoice in Him with joyful hymns of praise. Thus the psalmist has recounted the present with marvellous brevity and has promised us future rewards to rouse the greatest hope. Heavenly King, grant that we too may be rescued from the barrenness of sin and more abundantly watered by the river of Your mercy. May we deserve to grow fat, so that in the company of Your saints we can sing continually to You a hymn of praise.

The heavenly harvest

 Some have suggested that today’s psalm was originally a hymn used for the harvest festival.  In Christian usage, however, that harvest has become the heavenly one, for verses 1 and 2 are used in the Introit of the Requiem Mass.

The harvest theme is appropriate though, for it is on Holy Wednesday that Our Lord is traditionally said to have prophesied his death to his disciples, reminding them that the seed has to die in order for new life to grow (Jn 12: 24).  Similarly this psalm tells us that the Lord has ‘visited the earth, and have plentifully watered it; you have many ways enriched it’, such that the streams are full, and everything is set for a ripe harvest.

In the weekly mini-cycle on the life of Christ, Wednesday marks the end of Our Lord's three year period of preaching, and the beginning of the Passion cycle.  This fits neatly with St John Chrysostom's interpretation of the rain provided here as Christ’s teaching, and Cassiodorus’ interpretation of verse 7 as suggesting that the ‘prepared mountains’ here refers to the apostles:

So we fittingly interpret allegorically the prepared mountains as the apostles who were chosen to proclaim the word. They had strength of faith and height of sanctity; they were lowly in style of life, but deservedly ranked higher. The Lord prepared them by His strength because He performed great miracles through them, so that by the greatness of the Word they could convert unbelievers, and admiration at their deeds could soften the hardest hearts.

Word study: coronasti

In terms of words to look at more closely, I want to focus today on corona, meaning a crown or wreath or garland:

12  Benedíces corónæ anni benignitátis tuæ: * et campi tui replebúntur ubertáte.

12 You shall bless the crown of the year of your goodness: and your fields shall be filled with plenty.

The related verb corono, (avi, atum, are, to crown, to bestow some thing on as a mark of honor, to adorn; to surround, encompass) is used in the last verse of Psalm 5:

15  Dómine, ut scuto bonæ voluntátis tuæ * coronásti nos.

O Lord, you have crowned us, as with a shield of your good will.

The verb also occurs in Psalm 8:

6  Minuísti eum paulo minus ab Angelis, glória et honóre coronásti eum: * et constituísti eum super ópera mánuum tuárum.

Thou hast made him a little less than the angels, thou hast crowned him with glory and honour: And hast set him over the works of thy hands.

Most often, though, it is used in Scripture to mark those blessed with gifts from God, such as wisdom, or the saints in heaven in Revelation 4:4:

Et in circuitu sedis sedilia viginti quatuor: et super thronos viginti quatuor seniores sedentes, circumamicti vestimentis albis, et in capitibus eorum coronæ aureæ.

Round it were twenty-four seats, and on these sat twenty-four elders, clothed in white garments, with crowns of gold on their heads.

Liturgical and Scriptural uses of the psalm

First the text of the psalm, arranged for liturgical use.

Psalm 64

Te decet hymnus, Deus, in Sion: * et tibi reddétur votum in Ierúsalem.	A hymn, O God, becomes you in Sion: and a vow shall be paid to you in Jerusalem
Exáudi oratiónem meam: * ad te omnis caro véniet.	O hear my prayer: all flesh shall come to you.
Verba iniquórum prævaluérunt super nos: * et impietátibus nostris tu propitiáberis.	The words of the wicked have prevailed over us: and you will pardon our transgressions.
Beátus quem elegísti et assumpsísti: * inhabitábit in átriis tuis.	Blessed is he whom you have chosen and taken to you: he shall dwell in your courts.
Replébimur in bonis domus tuæ, sanctum est templum tuum: * mirábile in æquitáte.	We shall be filled with the good things of your house; holy is your temple, wonderful in justice.
Exáudi nos, Deus salutáris noster: * spes ómnium fínium terræ et in mari longe.	Hear us, O God our saviour, who is the hope of all the ends of the earth, and in the sea afar off
Præparans montes in virtúte tua, accínctus poténtia: * qui contúrbas profúndum maris sonum flúctuum eius.	You who prepares the mountains by your strength, being girded with power: Who troubles the depth of the sea, the noise of its waves.
Turbabúntur Gentes, et timébunt qui inhábitant términos a signis tuis: * éxitus matutíni, et véspere delectábis.	The Gentiles shall be troubled, and they that dwell in the uttermost borders shall be afraid at your signs: you shall make the outgoings of the morning and of the evening to be joyful.
Visitásti terram, et inebriásti eam: * multiplicásti locupletáre eam.	You have visited the earth, and have plentifully watered it; you have many ways enriched it.
Flumen Dei replétum est aquis; † parásti cibum illórum: * quóniam ita est præparátio eius.	The river of God is filled with water, you have prepared their food: for so is its preparation.
Rivos eius inébria multíplica genímina eius: * in stillicídiis eius lætábitur gérminans.	Fill up plentifully the streams thereof, multiply its fruits; it shall spring up and rejoice in its showers.
Benedíces corónæ anni benignitátis tuæ: * et campi tui replebúntur ubertáte.	You shall bless the crown of the year of your goodness: and your fields shall be filled with plenty.
Pinguéscent speciósa desérti: * et exsultatióne colles accingéntur.	The beautiful places of the wilderness shall grow fat: and the hills shall be girded about with joy,
Indúti sunt aríetes óvium, † et valles abundábunt fruménto: * clamábunt, étenim hymnum dicent.	The rams of the flock are clothed, and the vales shall abound with corn: they shall shout, yea they shall sing a hymn.

Glória Patri, et Fílio, * et Spirítui Sancto.	Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.
Sicut erat in princípio, et nunc, et semper, * et in sǽcula sæculórum. Amen.	As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

NT references	Mt 8:26, Mk 4:39 (v7); Lk 21:25 (v8)
RB cursus	Wednesday Lauds+AN 5115
Monastic/(Roman) feasts etc	All Souls, Lauds of the Dead, Common of a martyr AN 2767 (3)
Responsories	6686 (6)
Roman pre 1911	Wednesday Lauds
Roman post 1911	1911-62: Wednesday Lauds . 1970:
Mass propers (EF)	Requiem, IN (v1); PP 10 AL (1)

You can read more on the psalm in the context of the Office on Wednesday and the Office of the Dead.

Or you can can go on to the next part in this series, on Psalm 89.

Psalm 63 - Shield us from the Counsel of the malignant

Eadwine Psalter

The first variable psalm of Wednesday Lauds, Psalm 63, also features in the Office of Tenebrae on Holy Saturday.

St Liguori points to both the literal and Christological senses of the psalm:

Pursued by calumny, David implores the help of God, and proclaims his hope of seeing this persecution turn to the ruin of his enemies and to the advantage of the just. In the mystical sense this psalm applies to the Passion of Jesus Christ.

Psalm 63: Exaudi Deus

Vulgate	Douay-Rheims
In finem. Psalmus David.	Unto the end, a psalm for David.
1 Exáudi, Deus, oratiónem meam cum déprecor: * a timóre inimíci éripe ánimam meam.	Hear O God, my prayer, when I make supplication to you: deliver my soul from the fear of the enemy.
2 Protexísti me a convéntu malignántium: * a multitúdine operántium iniquitátem.	You have protected me from the assembly of the malignant; from the multitude of the workers of iniquity.
3  Quia exacuérunt ut gládium linguas suas: * intendérunt arcum rem amáram, ut sagíttent in occúltis immaculátum.	For they have whetted their tongues like a sword; they have bent their bow a bitter thing, to shoot in secret the undefiled.
4  Súbito sagittábunt eum, et non timébunt: * firmavérunt sibi sermónem nequam.	They will shoot at him on a sudden, and will not fear: they are resolute in wickedness.
5 Narravérunt ut abscónderent láqueos: * dixérunt: Quis vidébit eos?	They have talked of hiding snares; they have said: Who shall see them?
6  Scrutáti sunt iniquitátes: * defecérunt scrutántes scrutínio.	They have searched after iniquities: they have failed in their search.
7  Accédet homo ad cor altum: * et exaltábitur Deus.	Man shall come to a deep heart: And God shall be exalted.
8  Sagíttæ parvulórum factæ sunt plagæ eórum: * et infirmátæ sunt contra eos linguæ eórum.	The arrows of children are their wounds: And their tongues against them are made weak
9  Conturbáti sunt omnes qui vidébant eos: * et tímuit omnis homo.	All that saw them were troubled; and every man was afraid.
10  Et annuntiavérunt ópera Dei, * et facta ejus intellexérunt.	And they declared the works of God, and understood his doings.
11  Lætábitur justus in Dómino, et sperábit in eo: * et laudabúntur omnes recti corde.	The just shall rejoice in the Lord, and shall hope in him: and all the upright in heart shall be praised.

Morning prayer or the betrayal of Judas?

This psalm has, on the face of it, no obvious references to morning prayer or light at all, though some commentators have found some.  Fr Mark over at Vultus Christi has suggested a reference in verse 2:

Hear, O God, my prayer, when I make supplication to thee: deliver my soul from the fear of the enemy.

And the early commentator on the Benedictine Rule Hildemar saw one in verse 7:

In the sixty-third psalm mention is made of light where it says: They have failed in their search, man shall come to a deep heart;  that is, when the night ends, man shall come to a deep heart, that is, to light. 

I have to say that neither seem all that convincing to me - the most obvious reason for highlighting this psalm by placing it at Lauds on Wednesday is its link to the day of the week when Judas' betrayal is remembered, as St Augustine points out:

Thou hast hidden me from the secret counsel of the wicked, from the insurrection of the workers of iniquity...He was hidden from the secret counsel of the wicked; hidden by God, being Himself God; hidden, as touching the Manhood, by God the Son, and the very Manhood, Which is taken into God the Son; because He is the Son of man, and He is the Son of; God Son of God, as being in the form of God; Son of man, as having taken upon Him the form of a servant, Whose life no man taketh from Him, but Who layeth it down of Himself. He hath power to lay it down, and He hath power to take it again. 

What then was all that they which hated Him could do? They could kill the Body, but they were not able to kill the Soul. Consider this very earnestly. It had been a small thing for the Lord to preach to the Martyrs by His word, if He had not also nerved them by His example.

We know what secret counsel was that of the wicked Jews, and what insurrection was that of the workers of iniquity. Of what iniquity were they the workers? The murder of our Lord Jesus Christ. Many good works, saith He, have I showed you for which of those works go ye about to kill Me? He had borne with all their weaknesses : He had healed all their diseases : He had preached unto them the kingdom of heaven : He had discovered to them their iniquities, that they might rather hate them, than the Physician That came to cure them. And now at last, without gratitude for all the tenderness of His healing love, like men raging in an high delirium, throwing themselves madly on the Physician, Who had come to cure them, they took counsel together how they might kill Him, as if to see if He were a Man and could die, or Something more than a man, and That would not let Himself die....

God's protection

Nonetheless, the psalm does contain one key theme that resonates through the variable psalms of Lauds, and that is God's protection of his elect against the assaults of the wicked: our refuge, even in this world.  All of these references urge us to persevere, even up until death, so that we might ultimately triumph with Christ.

A key verse in this psalm is verse 2:

2 Protexísti me a convéntu malignántium: * a multitúdine operántium iniquitátem.

You have protected me from the assembly of the malignant; from the multitude of the workers of iniquity.

The other is verse 8 (where the blows and words of the wicked are made weak and useless), an idea also echoed in Psalm 75 on Friday.

Psalm 117 also has several verses on this key theme:

5  De tribulatióne invocávi Dóminum: * et exaudívit me in latitúdine Dóminus.	5 In my trouble I called upon the Lord: and the Lord heard me, and enlarged me.
6  Dóminus mihi adjútor: * non timébo quid fáciat mihi homo.	6 The Lord is my helper: I will not fear what man can do unto me.

7  Dóminus mihi adjútor: * et ego despíciam inimícos meos.	7 The Lord is my helper: and I will look over my enemies.
8  Bonum est confídere in Dómino: * quam confídere in hómine.	8 It is good to confide in the Lord, rather than to   have confidence in man.
9  Bonum est speráre in Dómino: * quam speráre in princípibus.	9 It is good to trust in the Lord, rather than to trust in princes.
14  Fortitúdo mea, et laus mea Dóminus: * et factus est mihi in salútem.	14 The Lord is my strength and my praise: and he has become my salvation.

The theme particularly gets a work out in the second psalm of each day, including the beautiful image of God sheltering us under his wings (ala, ae,  a wing; care, protection or patronage):

Psalm 62

8  Et in velaménto alárum tuárum exsultábo, adhæsit ánima mea post te: * me suscépit déxtera tua.

And I will rejoice under the covert of your wings: 9 My soul has stuck close to you: your right hand has received me.

Psalm 35

8  Fílii autem hóminum, * in tégmine alárum tuárum sperábunt.

But the children of men shall put their trust under the covert of your wings.

Psalm 56

2  Et in umbra alárum tuárum sperábo: * donec tránseat iníquitas.

And in the shadow of your wings will I hope, until iniquity pass away.

Liturgical and scriptural uses of the psalm

The text of the psalm arranged for liturgical use is set out below.

Psalm 63

Exáudi, Deus, oratiónem meam cum déprecor: * a timóre inimíci éripe ánimam meam.	Hear O God, my prayer, when I make supplication to you: deliver my soul from the fear of the enemy.
Protexísti me a convéntu malignántium: * a multitúdine operántium iniquitátem.	You have protected me from the assembly of the malignant; from the multitude of the workers of iniquity.
Quia exacuérunt ut gládium linguas suas: † intendérunt arcum rem amáram, * ut sagíttent in occúltis immaculátum.	For they have whetted their tongues like a sword; they have bent their bow a bitter thing, to shoot in secret the undefiled.
Súbito sagittábunt eum, et non timébunt: * firmavérunt sibi sermónem nequam.	They will shoot at him on a sudden, and will not fear: they are resolute in wickedness.
Narravérunt ut abscónderent láqueos: * dixérunt: Quis vidébit eos?	They have talked of hiding snares; they have said: Who shall see them?
Scrutáti sunt iniquitátes: * defecérunt scrutántes scrutínio.	They have searched after iniquities: they have failed in their search.
Accédet homo ad cor altum: * et exaltábitur Deus.	Man shall come to a deep heart: And God shall be exalted.
Sagíttæ parvulórum factæ sunt plagæ eórum: * et infirmátæ sunt contra eos linguæ eórum.	The arrows of children are their wounds: And their tongues against them are made weak
Conturbáti sunt omnes qui vidébant eos: * et tímuit omnis homo.	All that saw them were troubled; and every man was afraid.
Et annuntiavérunt ópera Dei, * et facta eius intellexérunt.	And they declared the works of God, and understood his doings.
Lætábitur iustus in Dómino, et sperábit in eo: * et laudabúntur omnes recti corde.	The just shall rejoice in the Lord, and shall hope in him: and all the upright in heart shall be praised.

Glória Patri, et Fílio, * et Spirítui Sancto.	Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.
Sicut erat in princípio, et nunc, et semper, * et in sǽcula sæculórum. Amen.	As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

NT references	-
RB cursus	Lauds Wednesday+AN 1196
Monastic/(Roman) feasts etc	Common of Apostles, Martyr(s); Easter; Good Friday Tenebrae, exposition on by St Augustine, Holy Sat Tenebrae, Lauds AN 1429 (10), 3561 (11)
Roman pre 1911	Wed Matins
Responsories	-
Roman post 1911	1911-62: Saturday Lauds . 1970:
Mass propers (EF)	Martyr IN 2, 11 -Laetabitur Martyr IN (2, 3) – Protexisti me

And for more....

The next part in this series is on Psalm 87.

You may also care to read my previous notes on the psalm in the context of the Office on Wednesday.. 

Psalm 59: For them that shall be changed through Christ

Psalm 59: Wednesday Matins I, 1 

Vulgate	Douay-Rheims
In finem, pro his qui immutabuntur, in tituli inscriptionem ipsi David, in doctrinam, cum succendit Mesopotamiam Syriæ et Sobal, et convertit Joab, et percussit Idumæam in valle Salinarum duodecim millia	1 Unto the end, for them that shall be changed, for the inscription of a title, to David himself, for doctrine, 2 when he set fire to Mesopotamia of Syria and Sobal: and Joab returned and slew of Edom, in the vale of the saltpits, twelve thousand men.
Deus, repulísti nos, et destruxísti nos: * irátus es, et misértus es nobis.	3 O God, you have cast us off, and have destroyed us; you have been angry, and have had mercy on us.
2  Commovísti terram, et conturbásti eam: * sana contritiónes ejus, quia commóta est.	4 You have moved the earth, and have troubled it: heal the breaches thereof, for it has been moved.
3  Ostendísti pópulo tuo dura: * potásti nos vino compunctiónis.	5 You have shown your people hard things; you have made us drink the wine of sorrow.
4  Dedísti metuéntibus te significatiónem: * ut fúgiant a fácie arcus :	6 You have given a warning to them that fear you: that they may flee from before the bow:
5  Ut liberéntur dilécti tui: * salvum fac déxtera tua, et exáudi me.	That your beloved may be delivered. 7 Save me with your right hand, and hear me.
6  Deus locútus est in sancto suo: * lætábor, et partíbor Síchimam : et convállem tabernaculórum metíbor.	8 God has spoken in his holy place: I will rejoice, and I will divide Sichem; and will mete out the vale of tabernacles.
7  Meus est Gálaad, et meus est Manásses: * et Ephraim fortitúdo cápitis mei.	9 Galaad is mine, and Manasses is mine: and Ephraim is the strength of my head.
8  Juda rex meus: * Moab olla spei meæ.	Juda is my king: 10 Moab is the pot of my hope.
9  In Idumæam exténdam calceaméntum meum: * mihi alienígenæ súbditi sunt.	Into Edom will I stretch out my shoe: to me the foreigners are made subject
10  Quis dedúcet me in civitátem munítam? * quis dedúcet me usque in Idumæam?	11 Who will bring me into the strong city? Who will lead me into Edom?
11  Nonne tu, Deus, qui repulísti nos? * et non egrediéris, Deus in virtútibus nostris?	12 Will not you, O God, who have cast us off? And will not you, O God, go out with our armies?
12  Da nobis auxílium de tribulatióne: * quia vana salus hóminis.	13 Give us help from trouble: for vain is the salvation of man.
13  In Deo faciémus virtútem: * et ipse ad níhilum dedúcet tribulántes nos.	14 Through God we shall do mightily: and he shall bring to nothing them that afflict us.

The first psalm of Wednesday Matins is not an easy one.

The betrayal of Judas

Traditionally the day is associated with the betrayal of Judas (the reason for the Wednesday fast in the Rule), and St Basil's explanation of the opening lines of the psalm points to the psalm as taking us from Adam's expulsion from Paradise and the tribulations of the people thereafter, but now moving towards salvation.  On the opening lines he comments:

You have cast off those who in proportion to their sins removed themselves to a distance from You. 

You have destroyed the accumulations of our wickedness, doing good to us because of our weakness. 

You were angry, since we were by nature children of wrath having no hope, and being without God in the world. 

You had mercy on us when You set forth Your only-begotten Son as a propitiation for our sins in order that in His blood we might find redemption. We would not know that we were having these kindnesses done to us, unless 'Thou hast made us drink the wine of sorrow'... 

Cassiodorus' explanation of the title to the psalm points to the people poised at the edge of the decision to accept or reject Christ:

Those changed unto the end are persons who lay aside the sin of the old man and serve the Lord Saviour with spotless devotion of heart.  Of them Scripture says: For you were at one time darkness, but now light in the Lord.  He next explains how they were changed: On the inscription of the title to David himself, for teaching.  The inscription of the title denotes Christ the King; so they must be changed by abandoning the devil and acknowledging Christ as their king.  We have often stated that David denotes the Lord.  To teaching add "Christian." for it is not sufficient for anyone to call him King without being eager to obey His precepts.  

When he set fire to Mesopotamia in Syria, and the rest.  The history of the Kings recounts that David won these victories after he succeeded Saul in the kingship, and it seems inappropriate to introduce them into our ordered arrangement here since they are known to be recounted in extenso there.  But we must realise that these wars are a description in figure of the Lord Saviour's victories which He wins throughout the whole world over pagans and the faithless.  It is their words which this psalm will utter, so that when truly dislodged from their old superstition they may deserve to be changed through the grace of the new man.

The people who were in thrall to ancient errors are passing into the new grace of the holy religion.  In the first section they entreat that after the affliction which they have suffered in making satisfaction, they may be refreshed by their new blessing.  In the second part after the break of a diaspalm they also ask that after the hardships they have endured they may be led by the Lord into the heavily fortified city.  They ask that they may be granted aid from their affliction, the aid which God alone is known to be able to give.

Scriptural and liturgical uses of the psalm

NT references	-
RB cursus	Wed I, 1
Monastic feasts etc	-
Roman pre 1911	Wed Matins
Roman post 1911	1911-62: Wed None . 1970:
Mass propers (EF)