Psalm 18 (Saturday Prime no 2)

Mausoleum of the Julii,  necropolis under St. Peter's
Mid-3rd century Grotte Vaticane, Rome.

Saturday – Psalm 18 (19): Caeli enarrent gloriam Dei 

Vulgate	Douay-Rheims
In finem. Psalmus David.	Unto the end. A psalm for David.
Cæli enárrant glóriam Dei: * et ópera mánuum ejus annúntiat firmaméntum.	The heavens show forth the glory of God, and the firmament declares the work of his hands.
2  Dies diéi erúctat verbum, * et nox nocti índicat sciéntiam.	Day to day utters speech, and night to night shows knowledge.
3  Non sunt loquélæ, neque sermónes, * quorum non audiántur voces eórum.	There are no speeches nor languages, where their voices are not heard.
4  In omnem terram exívit sonus eórum: * et in fines orbis terræ verba eórum.	Their sound has gone forth into all the earth: and their words unto the ends of the world.
5  In sole pósuit tabernáculum suum: * et ipse tamquam sponsus procédens de thálamo suo.	He has set his tabernacle in the sun: and he as a bridegroom coming out of his bridechamber,
6  Exsultávit ut gigas ad curréndam viam, * a summo cælo egréssio ejus.	Has rejoiced as a giant to run the way: His going out is from the end of heaven,
7  Et occúrsus ejus usque ad summum ejus: * nec est qui se abscóndat a calóre ejus.	And his circuit even to the end thereof: and there is no one that can hide himself from his heat.
8  Lex Dómini immaculáta, convértens ánimas: * testimónium Dómini fidéle, sapiéntiam præstans párvulis.	The law of the Lord is unspotted, converting souls: the testimony of the Lord is faithful, giving wisdom to little ones.
9  Justítiæ Dómini rectæ, lætificántes corda: * præcéptum Dómini lúcidum illúminans óculos.	The justices of the Lord are right, rejoicing hearts: the commandment of the Lord is lightsome, enlightening the eyes.
10  Timor Dómini sanctus, pérmanens in sæculum sæculi: * judícia Dómini vera, justificáta in semetípsa.	The fear of the Lord is holy, enduring for ever and ever: the judgments of the Lord are true, justified in themselves.
11  Desiderabília super aurum et lápidem pretiósum multum: * et dulcióra super mel et favum.	More to be desired than gold and many precious stones: and sweeter than honey and the honeycomb.
12  Etenim servus tuus custódit ea, * in custodiéndis illis retribútio multa.	For your servant keeps them, and in keeping them there is a great reward.
13  Delícta quis intélligit? ab occúltis meis munda me: * et ab aliénis parce servo tuo.	Who can understand sins? From my secret ones cleanse me, O Lord: And from those of others spare your servant.
14  Si mei non fúerint domináti, tunc immaculátus ero: * et emundábor a delícto máximo	If they shall have no dominion over me, then shall I be without spot: and I shall be cleansed from the greatest sin.
15  Et erunt ut compláceant elóquia oris mei: * et meditátio cordis mei in conspéctu tuo semper.	And the words of my mouth shall be such as may please: and the meditation of my heart always in your sight.
16  Dómine, adjútor meus, * et redémptor meus.	O Lord, my helper and my Redeemer.

(Note: Uses classical pronunciation on 'ti' - ecclesiastical practice is to make it 'si'.)


Theodoret of Cyr

We learn three kinds of divine laws from blessed Paul. One unwritten kind he said was given to human beings in creation and nature: "From the creation of the world," he says, "his invisible attributes have been understood and seen in created things"; and again, "For when the Gentiles, who do not have the law, practice the obligations of the law instinctively, despite having no law they are a law to themselves." ... Another law was provided in writing through the mighty Moses: "The Law was added because of transgressions," he says, "ordained through angels in the hand of a mediator." He knew also a third one imposed after these, the law of grace: "For the law of the Spirit of life," he says, "has set me free from the law of sin and death.” Blessed David in this psalm teaches in beings the harmony between these, following the same order: first, the one the Creator in creation; then the one given through Moses, instilling a greater knowledge of the Creator to those willing to attend; after that, in law of grace, perfectly purifying souls and saving them from the present destruction. This is in fact the reason the psalm also refers us "to the end," naming the New Testament in the end. Commentary on the Psalms

St John Chrysostom:

The mystical interpretation of this Psalm here indicated, is acknowledged by the Church in using it on Christmas day. An ancient Latin hymn has this paraphrase on a part of it:

From Chastity, His Palace bright, Forth came the Bridegroom decked with light, Giant! God and Man in one! Glad His glorious race to run. From the Eternal Father sent Back to Him His circuit bent, Down to hell His path descends, At the throne of God it ends

St Alphonse Liguori

In this psalm we hear exalted the perfections of God, the sanctity of his law, and the magnificence of his works. In the spiritual sense it is to Jesus Christ and his Apostles that all these praises apply, according to St. Augustine, Bellarmine, Rotigni, Malvenda, Tirinus, and Gordona.

Fr Pasch:

This is the famous sun Psalm.  More beautifully than all the rest of creation, the sun proclaims the glory of God; in fact the sun is the symbol of God, the symbol of Christ.  In the second part, the Psalm is a song of praise for the spiritual sun, the Law of God.  In this Psalm, the Church has also seen a figure of the Incarnation of Christ in the womb of the Virgin Mother; Mary is the tabernacle of the divine Sun, who comes out from this tabernacle on Christmas night like a bridegroom, like a mighty hero

NT References: Rom 1:20 (v3), Rom 10:18(v4), Jas 1:25 (v9); Rev 16:7(vs 10), Rom 6:12, 14(v13)

RB cursus	Saturday Prime
Monastic/(Roman) feasts etc	Comon of Apostles, Virgins/Holy Women, Nativity, Ascension, Pentecost, Trinity, Assumption
Roman pre 1911	Sunday Matins
Ambrosian	Matins Tues wk 1
Brigittine	Saturday matins
Maurist	Saturday Prime
Thesauris	Schema B: Wednesday matins;
Roman post 1911	1911-62:Monday Prime  1970: Lauds Monday wk 2 (18a)/Midday wk I (18b)
Mass propers (EF)	Lent 2 Sat IN (1, 8); Lent 3 Sunday OF (9, 11, 12); Lent 3 Tues Gr (13-14); Lent 4 Monday CO (13), Lent 4 Friday In (1, 15); Vigil JB IN (1).

Psalm 16 (Friday Prime no 2)

Walters Ms. W.721, Book of Hours, fol. 86v, c1450
Offices for Each Day of the Week, Friday: Cross
Digitilised Walter Manuscripts

Psalm 16 (17): Exaudi Domine justitiam meam 

Vulgate	Douay-Rheims
Oratio David	The prayer of David.
Exáudi, Dómine, justítiam meam: * inténde deprecatiónem meam.	Hear, O Lord, my justice: attend to my supplication.
2  Auribus pércipe oratiónem meam, * non in lábiis dolósis.	Give ear unto my prayer, which proceeds not from deceitful lips.
3   De vultu tuo judícium meum pródeat: * óculi tui vídeant æquitátes	Let my judgment come forth from your countenance: let your eyes behold the things that are equitable.
4  Probásti cor meum, et visitásti nocte: * igne me examinásti, et non est invénta in me iníquitas.	You have proved my heart, and visited it by night, you have tried me by fire: and iniquity has not been found in me.
5  Ut non loquátur os meum ópera hóminum: * propter verba labiórum tuórum ego custodívi vias duras.	That my mouth may not speak the works of men: for the sake of the words of your lips, I have kept hard ways
6  Pérfice gressus meos in sémitis tuis: * ut non moveántur vestígia mea.	Perfect my goings in your paths: that my footsteps be not moved.
7  Ego clamávi, quóniam exaudísti me, Deus: * inclína aurem tuam mihi, et exáudi verba mea.	I have cried to you, for you, O God, have heard me: O incline your ear unto me, and hear my words.
8  Mirífica misericórdias tuas, * qui salvos facis sperántes in te.	Show forth your wonderful mercies; you who save them that trust in you.
9  A resisténtibus déxteræ tuæ custódi me, * ut pupíllam óculi.	From them that resist your right hand keep me, as the apple of your eye.
10  Sub umbra alárum tuárum prótege me: * a fácie impiórum qui me afflixérunt.	Protect me under the shadow of your wings. From the face of the wicked who have afflicted me.
11  Inimíci mei ánimam meam circumdedérunt, ádipem suum conclusérunt : * os eórum locútum est supérbiam.	My enemies have surrounded my soul: They have shut up their fat: their mouth has spoken proudly.
12  Projiciéntes me nunc circumdedérunt me: * óculos suos statuérunt declináre in terram.	They have cast me forth, and now they have surrounded me: they have set their eyes bowing down to the earth.
13  Suscepérunt me sicut leo parátus ad prædam: * et sicut cátulus leónis hábitans in ábditis.	They have taken me, as a lion prepared for the prey; and as a young lion dwelling in secret places.
14  Exsúrge, Dómine, prǽveni eum, et supplánta eum: * éripe ánimam meam ab ímpio, frámeam tuam ab inimícis manus tuæ.	Arise, O Lord, disappoint him and supplant him; deliver my soul from the wicked one; your sword from the enemies of your hand.
15  Dómine, a paucis de terra dívide eos in vita eórum: * de abscónditis tuis adimplétus est venter eórum.	O Lord, divide them from the few of the earth in their life: their belly is filled from your hidden stores.
16  Saturáti sunt fíliis: * et dimisérunt relíquias suas párvulis suis.	They are full of children: and they have left to their little ones the rest of their substance.
17  Ego autem in justítia apparébo conspéctui tuo: * satiabor cum apparúerit glória tua.	But as for me, I will appear before your sight in justice: I shall be satisfied when your glory shall appear.

Psalm 16 can be read as a meditation on the Passion, hence its particular appropriateness for Friday in the Benedictine Office. 

In the first part (verses 1-5) the speaker asks for justice in the face of persecution and suffering, since his cause is just and he is without sin.  Our Lord is of course the only person who can truly say these verses without reservation, yet through the grace given to us in the sacraments he instituted we too can claim to be justified in the sight of God.

In the second part (verses 7-13) he asks for help in standing firm in the face of the enemy – and St Thomas Aquinas interprets the reference to wings as a symbolic allusion to the two arms of Our Lord stretched out on the Cross.  Verses 10-13 are explicitly interpreted for us in Matthew 23, when Our Lord castigated the Pharisees for their unfortunate habit of killing the prophets God sends to them.

In the third part (verses 14-17) the speaker asks for justice and the punishment of the enemy.  Note though, that, according to the last verse, the justice asked for here is above all the revelation of the glory of God, revealed in the Resurrection.  

You can hear the psalm read aloud here.

St Augustine:

This prayer must be assigned to the Person of the Lord, with the addition of the Church, which is His body

St Robert Bellarmine:

This psalm arises from prayer because in the midst of tribulations, prayer is an unparalleled refuge; Psalm 108: "Instead of making me a return of love, they detracted me: but I gave myself to prayer." This psalm, then, is divided into two parts. In the first, he prays for his own endurance. In the second, he asks for deliverance from evil, at I have cried....

St Alphonsus Liguori:

The just man prays to God to be delivered from the persecutions to which he sees himself exposed. Motives of his confidence: his innocence and rectitude, the mercy and justice of God, the malice and iniquity of the wicked.

Fr Pasch:

Battle in the Kingdom - After seeing the lines drawn up, friend and foe, we see the battle itself.  Innocency and justice fight with sin.  It is a fierce struggle, but God is the mighty champion.  The temptations of the devil are vividly portrayed.  This is the Psalm that St. Lawrence prayed while he was being martyred.

Scriptural and liturgical uses of the psalm

NT references	1 Pet 1:7 (v4), Mt 23:37 (v11- the Lord upbraids the scribes and Pharisees and castigates the persecution of God’s prophets and saints), 1 Jn 3:2, Rev 22:4 (v17 – shall behold his face)
RB cursus	Friday Prime
Monastic/(Roman) feasts etc	-
Roman pre 1911	: Sunday matins
Roman post 1911	1911-62: Monday Matins . 1970:
Mass propers (EF)	Lent I Thurs, GR (3, 9); Lent wk II  Friday, IN (1, 17), Lent III, Tues, IN (1, 7, 9); PP 6 OF (6-8), PP 10 GR (3, 9)