aka the Psalms Blog. A blog on Scripture in line with the "new exegetical movement" proposed by Pope Benedict XVI, with a particular focus on the psalms.
Pick the summary of your choice and learn it, or copy it to create a cheat sheet to have handy for when you say the Office. Psalm 133 is the last of the 'Songs of the Ascent, or fifteen Gradual Psalms', which were sung on major feasts as the priests walked up the fifteen steps in the Temple.
St Alphonsus summarises it as follows:
The prophet here exhorts the priests and levites to praise the Lord and to pray for the people.
An alternative version summary by Fr Pius Pasch:
Night watch - This psalm is a sort of liturgical formula for changing the night watch of the temple guard. As children of God, we are really temple watchmen; Holy Mother Church is sending us to keep the vigil.
St Benedict's contemporary Cassiodorus provides a slightly longer summary:
A canticle of steps. Let us observe closely with the heart's eye how the prophet has topped the steps, and mounted to the highest traces of the virtues; for he addresses he addresses the rest of his wholesome persuasion to the blessed brotherhood which he had bidden to gather in unity, urging that their blessed harmony be roused to praises of the Lord with the most burning eagerness of love, so that they may attain the crown of their activity, and may in this life imitate the sweetness which we believe will abide in holy minds in that native land of the future. It is right that a blessing be bestowed on Him to whom they have undoubtedly ascended with the greatest zeal.
My own summary:
At the literal level, this psalm is a summons to worship at night, to give God thanks for the blessings of the day. It concludes by requesting a blessing from God on us. Spiritually, it reminds us each night of our proper objective in life, set out most fully in Chapter 7 of the Benedictine Rule: we must climb the ladder of humility to heaven, in order to rest forever in perfect union with God.
Once you are confident of the pronunciation, try singing it with the monks - the videos below are one option, alternatively, listen to one of the archived audio files of Compline sung by the monks of Le Barroux, since Psalm 90 is used in the Benedictine Office at Compline each night.
But it also features in the (traditional) mass as the longest of the Tracts, sung on the first Sunday of Lent, so I've included a wonderful old Roman Chant version of the Tract below so you can get a taster.
Short summaries of Psalm 90
Pick the summary of your choice and learn it, or copy it to create a cheat sheet to have handy for when you say the Office.
St Augustine:
This Psalm is that from which the Devil dared to tempt our Lord Jesus Christ: let us therefore attend to it, that thus armed, we may be enabled to resist the tempter, not presuming in ourselves, but in Him who before us was tempted, that we might not be overcome when tempted...
Cassiodorus:
Verses 11 and 12 are directed at the Lord Saviour Himself by the devil after he has tempted Him. We always confront demons with this psalm in devoted trust, so that they may be overcome by us by the same means by which they sought craftily to make observations against their Creator. In the first part David claims that every person of high fidelity is enclosed by divine protection. The second part hymns praise to the Lord Saviour. The third consists of words spoken by the Father to all faithful individuals, who as He knows hope in Him with the greatest devotion. He promises them protection in this world and rewards in the next…
This psalm has marvellous power, and routs impure spirits. The devil retires vanquished from us through the very means by which he sought to tempt us, for that wicked spirit is mindful of his own presumption and of God's victory. Christ by His own power overcame the devil in His own regard, and likewise conquers him in ours. So this psalm should be recited by us when night sets in after all the actions of the day; the devil must realise that we belong to Him to whom he remembers that he himself yielded.
St Alphonsus Liguori:
The
psalmist here exhorts those that have put all their hope in God to fear no danger.
This psalm is somewhat in the form of a dialogue; for the psalmist, the just
man, and God himself speak successively. The prophet, v. i, announces his
proposition, and says, v. 2, part first, how one enters this asylum of divine
protection. The just man, v. 2, 3, declares that he is in this disposition.
Then, v. 4 to 13, the prophet
describes to him the favors that he will enjoy. Finally, God confirms and
completes this picture by magnificent promises.
Fr Pius Pasch:
Safely sheltered
- This psalm breathes a spirit of perfect confidence in God through the perils
of life. The image is of a battlefield where the soul of the just man is
facing his enemies.
My summary in the context of the Benedictine office:
A psalm speaking of God’s protection of the just against all the dangers that can arise. The first section of the psalm sets out the promise of divine protection that God grants to the faithful. It closes with words put in the mouth of God. In the Benedictine Office it can be seen as a prayer for and assurance of God’s protection of us against the power of the dark forces symbolized by the darkness of the night. Verse 7 has a particular poignancy in the context of the Office as it echoes and responds to the other psalm of the spiritual warfare said each day in the Office, the first psalm of the day at Matins, Psalm 3, which says, also in (the sacred number of) verse 7: I will not fear thousands of the people, surrounding me: arise, O Lord; save me, O my God.
