Psalm 75 - The earth trembled

c9th Stuttgart Psalter

 Psalm 75 - Lauds Friday

Vulgate	Douay-Rheims
In finem, in laudibus. Psalmus Asaph, canticum ad Assyrios.	Unto the end, in praises, a psalm for Asaph: a canticle to the Assyrians.
Notus in Judæa Deus: * in Israël magnum nomen ejus.	2 In Judea God is known: his name is great in Israel.
2  Et factus est in pace locus ejus: * et habitátio ejus in Sion.	3 And his place is in peace: and his abode in Sion:
3  Ibi confrégit poténtias árcuum: * scutum, gládium, et bellum.	4 There has he broken the powers of bows, the shield, the sword, and the battle.
4  Illúminans tu mirabíliter a móntibus ætérnis: * turbáti sunt omnes insipiéntes corde.	5 You enlighten wonderfully from the everlasting hills. 6 All the foolish of heart were troubled.
5  Dormiérunt somnum suum: * et nihil invenérunt omnes viri divitiárum in mánibus suis.	They have slept their sleep; and all the men of riches have found nothing in their hands.
6  Ab increpatióne tua, Deus Jacob, * dormitavérunt qui ascendérunt equos.	7 At your rebuke, O God of Jacob, they have all slumbered that mounted on horseback
7  Tu terríbilis es, et quis resístet tibi? * ex tunc ira tua.	8 You are terrible, and who shall resist you? From that time your wrath.
8  De cælo audítum fecísti judícium: * terra trémuit et quiévit.	9 You have caused judgment to be heard from heaven: the earth trembled and was still,
9  Cum exsúrgeret in judícium Deus, * ut salvos fáceret omnes mansuétos terræ.	10 when God arose in judgment, to save all the meek of the earth.
10  Quóniam cogitátio hóminis confitébitur tibi: * et relíquiæ cogitatiónis diem festum agent tibi.	11 For the thought of man shall give praise to you: and the remainders of the thought shall keep holiday to you.
11  Vovéte, et réddite Dómino Deo vestro: * omnes, qui in circúitu ejus affértis múnera.	12
12  Terríbili et ei qui aufert spíritum príncipum, * terríbili apud reges terræ.	To him that is terrible, 13 even to him who takes away the spirit of princes: to the terrible with the kings of the earth.

Friday has of course always had an association with the Crucifixion in Christian piety, and for this reason it was the second fast day of the week (and still is, at least in theory, a day of abstinence or other penance).

Psalm of the Passion

St Benedict’s Office can certainly be seen as reflecting this association: the day opens at Matins with Psalm 85, which the Fathers interpreted as the prayer of Christ poured out in his Passion.

At Lauds Psalm 75 depicts an earthquake, surely that which occurred at the moment of Our Lord’s death, rending the temple veil in two, with the verse 'De caelo auditum fecisti judicium: terra tremuit et quievit (From heaven you have pronounced your judgment: the earth trembled and was still).  Though we mostly associate this verse with the Resurrection by virtue of the Easter Sunday Offertory, the verse surely works equally well in the context of Good Friday.

Indeed,, the Fathers often associated the Crucifixion, and the ‘sixth day’ (of the week) with the description of the opening of the sixth seal in Revelation 6: 12-14:

When he opened the sixth seal, I looked, and behold, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth, the full moon became like blood, and the stars of the sky fell to the earth as the fig tree sheds its winter fruit when shaken by a gale; the sky vanished like a scroll that is rolled up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place.

The Old Testament historical context for the psalm (suggested by the title) is the victory over the king of the Assyrians, Sennacherib described in 2 Kings 19: 35; Isaiah 37:36 (and Psalm 74). The language of fear and awe is an appropriate reaction to the scene described there:

And it came to pass that night, that an angel of the Lord came, and slew in the camp of the Assyrians a hundred and eighty-five thousand. And when he arose early in the morning, he saw all the bodies of the dead.

Festal Lauds and Psalms 75&91

That Benedictines have long understood that the two variable psalms of Friday are particularly appropriate to the day is indirectly attested to in the rubrics of Matins.

On most days of the week, if the variable psalms are displaced by the festal in the modern Office they are not said at all in that particular week.  On Fridays alone, however, they are slotted into the Matins sequence, replacing Psalms 92 and 99 there.

One possible explanation for this might be to avoid repetition of psalms on the same day.

But that explanation doesn't seem to hold up, as the table below illustrates.  In reality many of the sets of special psalms used on particular feasts, as well as the 'Commons' as they now stand can potentially or invariably involve repetition of a psalm on the same day: pretty much all of Matins Commons include psalms said at Prime, and several also include Psalm 4, said every day at Compline.  Most of them also Lauds psalms, though the repetition will generally be avoided by use of the festal psalms.

Psalm repetitions on the same day in the Office

Psalms said at Matins in the Common of…	Potentially repeated at Lauds	Potentially repeated at Prime	Repeated as Compline
Apostles	63,	18
Martyrs (during Eastertide)	5, 63, 64, [91*]	1, 2, 8, 10, 14	4
Martyrs (outside Eastertide)	63	1,2, 10, 14, 15,
Confessor bishops	5	1,2,8,10, 14	4
Virgins and holy women**		8,18
Dedication of a church	5, 87	10,
BVM**		8, 18

*Not repeated due to special provision in the rubrics

**These two Offices also include potential repetitions between Vespers and Terce and None, through the use of Psalms 121 and 126

 Judgment and our entry to heaven

Yesterday I pointed out that the first group of Lauds variable psalms talk about our entry to heaven, following Christ, with a pause on Thursday for a reflection on the necessity of the suffering of Christ and the harrowing of hell.

This psalm arguably returns to the other side of the theme of the sequences, since both Isaiah and this psalm imply that the attack of Sennacherib foreshadows the dawning of the Messianic era, reminding us of God’s stupendous power: Tu terríbilis es, et quis resístet tibi? ex tunc ira tua’, or You are terrible, and who shall resist you? From that time your wrath (verse 8).

Heaven, we are reminded here, in this ‘Song of Sion’, is the place where God dwells in peace, and evil has no domain.

The path to peace, though, lies through the spiritual warfare.

The Lord as a warrior

The image of God as a mighty warrior, an all-conquering figure whose anger is to be feared exceedingly, features in the canticles set both for Thursday and Friday at Lauds.  On Thursday, he have the story of the Pharaoh's army being thrown into the seas; in the canticle set for today, as in this psalm, it is the earth itself that trembles in fear.

But this image also takes in again the destruction of earthly forces, symbolised by the bow (arcus, us, m), arrows (sagitta, ae, f., an arrow; sagitto, avi, atum, are, to shoot with arrows), shield (scutum, i, n. a shield, buckler; defense, protection), sword (gladius, ii, m., a sword) and other warlike appurtenances (bellum, i, n. war, battle; war-equipment of every sort):

3  Ibi confrégit poténtias árcuum: * scutum, gládium, et bellum.

4 There has he broken the powers of bows, the shield, the sword, and the battle.

Consider also some of the other such references in the Lauds psalms and canticles:

Psalm 56 (Tuesday)

6  Fílii hóminum dentes eórum arma et sagíttæ: * et lingua eórum gládius acútus.

The sons of men, whose teeth are weapons and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword.

Psalm 63 (Wednesday)

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.

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

Canticle of Anna (Wednesday)

6  Arcus fórtium superátus est, * et infírmi accíncti sunt róbore.

4 The bow of the mighty is overcome, and the weak are girt with strength.

The most important treatment of this theme though comes in today's Canticle:

4  Deus ab Austro véniet: * et sanctus de monte Pharan.	3 God will come from the south, and the holy one from mount Pharan:
9   Aspéxit, et dissólvit Gentes : * et contríti sunt montes sæculi.	He beheld, and melted the nations: and the ancient mountains were crushed to pieces.
10   Incurváti sunt colles mundi, * ab itinéribus æternitátis ejus.	The hills of the world were bowed down by the journeys of his eternity.
12  Numquid in flumínibus irátus es, Dómine? * aut in flumínibus furor tuus? vel in mari indignátio tua?	8 Were you angry, O Lord, with the rivers? Or was your wrath upon the rivers? Or your indignation in the sea?
14  Súscitans suscitábis arcum tuum: * juraménta tríbubus quæ locútus es.	9 You will surely take up your bow: according to the oaths which you have spoken to the tribes.
15  Flúvios scindes terræ : vidérunt te, et doluérunt montes: * gurges aquárum tránsiit.	You will divide the rivers of the earth. 10 The mountains saw you, and were grieved: the great body of waters passed away.
16  Dedit abyssus vocem suam: * altitúdo manus suas levávit.	The deep put forth its voice: the deep lifted up its hands.
17  Sol, et luna stetérunt in habitáculo suo, * in luce sagittárum tuárum, íbunt in splendóre fulgurántis hastæ tuæ.	11 The sun and the moon stood still in their habitation, in the light of your arrows, they shall go in the brightness of your glittering spear.
32  Et super excélsa mea dedúcet me victor * in psalmis canéntem.	and he the conqueror will lead me upon my high places singing psalms.

Scriptural and liturgical uses of the psalm

 

NT references	Rev 6:13; Lk 17: 20-24 (8)
RB cursus	Lauds Friday+AN 3246 (2)
Monastic/(Roman) feasts etc	Maundy Thurs Tenebrae, III, 2; Holy Sat Tenebrae, III, 2; Easter, Transfiguration AN 3264 (3);
Responsories	6605, 7661 (Holy Sat, 3)
Roman pre 1911	Thurs Matins
Roman post 1911	1911-62: Thurs None . 1970:
Mass propers (EF)	Easter Day OF 8-9, 2-4 (Terra tremuit) PP17 CO (11-12),

You can find my previous notes on the psalm here and here (in the context of Tenebrae).

And the next part of this series is on Psalm 142.

Psalm 87 - Entering into Christ

Ely Cathedral rood screen

Thursday - Psalm 87: Domine Deus salutis meae 

Vulgate	Douay-Rheims
Canticum Psalmi, filiis Core, in finem, pro Maheleth ad respondendum. Intellectus Eman Ezrahitæ.	A canticle of a psalm for the sons of Core: unto the end, for Maheleth, to answer understanding of Eman the Ezrahite.
1 Dómine, Deus salútis meæ : * in die clamávi, et nocte coram te.	O Lord, the God of my salvation: I have cried in the day, and in the night before you.
2  Intret in conspéctu tuo orátio mea : * inclína aurem tuam ad precem meam :	Let my prayer come in before you: incline your ear to my petition.
3  Quia repléta est malis ánima mea : * et vita mea inférno appropinquávit.	For my soul is filled with evils: and my life has drawn near to hell.
4  Æstimátus sum cum descendéntibus in lacum : * factus sum sicut homo sine adjutório, inter mórtuos liber.	I am counted among them that go down to the pit: I have become as a man without help, free among the dead.
5  Sicut vulneráti dormiéntes in sepúlcris, quorum non es memor ámplius : * et ipsi de manu tua repúlsi sunt.	Like the slain sleeping in the sepulchres, whom you remember no more: and they are cut off from your hand.
6  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.
7  Super me confirmátus est furor tuus : * et omnes fluctus tuos induxísti super me.	Your wrath is strong over me: and all your waves you have brought in upon me.
8  Longe fecísti notos meos a me : * posuérunt me abominatiónem sibi.	You have put away my acquaintance far from me: they have set me an abomination to themselves
9  Tráditus sum, et non egrediébar : * óculi mei languérunt præ inópia.	I was delivered up, and came not forth: My eyes languished through poverty.
10  Clamávi ad te, Dómine, tota die : * expándi ad te manus meas.	All the day I cried to you, O Lord: I stretched out my hands to you.
11  Numquid mórtuis fácies mirabília : * aut médici suscitábunt, et confitebúntur tibi?	Will you show wonders to the dead? Or shall physicians raise to life, and give praise to you?
12  Numquid narrábit áliquis in sepúlcro misericórdiam tuam, * et veritátem tuam in perditióne?	Shall any one in the sepulchre declare your mercy: and your truth in destruction?
13  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?
14 Et ego ad te, Dómine, clamávi : * et mane orátio mea prævéniet te.	But I, O Lord, have cried to you: and in the morning my prayer shall prevent you.
15  Ut quid, Dómine, repéllis oratiónem meam : * avértis fáciem tuam a me?	Lord, why do you cast off my prayer: why do you turn your face from me?
16  Pauper sum ego, et in labóribus a juventúte mea : * exaltátus autem, humiliátus sum et conturbátus.	I am poor, and in labours from my youth: and being exalted have been humbled and troubled.
17  In me transiérunt iræ tuæ : * et terróres tui conturbavérunt me.	Your wrath has come upon me: and your terrors have troubled me.
18  Circumdedérunt me sicut aqua tota die : * circumdedérunt me simul.	They have come round about me like water all the day: they have compassed me about together.
19  Elongásti a me amícum et próximum : * et notos meos a miséria.	Friend and neighbour you have put far from me: and my acquaintance, because of misery.

The first of the variable psalms of Lauds on Thursday is Psalm 87, which if read literally is perhaps the darkest in the psalter.  Its references to morning prayer and light mostly come in a negative context, with the speaker despairing of being heard, and asking 'shall your wonders be known in the dark'?

The agony in the garden

There is, though, a reason for this since the subject of today's psalm, the Fathers agree, is the agony in the garden.  St Liguori says:

The coming Passion of Jesus Christ is the subject of this psalm, according to St. Augustine, who says: Domini hic Passio prophetatur. 

Here, then, under the figure of a soul overwhelmed with sufferings, insults, tribulations, which prays to God to come to its aid, we see Jesus Christ in the midst of his most bitter sufferings and in his total dereliction addressing himself as man to his heavenly Father to ask his help. 

This is the explanation given by Bellarmine and many others, with St. Jerome and St. Augustine, who makes this remark: Oravit enim et Dominus non secundttin formam Dei, sed secundiini formani servi : secunduni hanc enim passus est For the Lord, too, prayed : not according to the form of God, but according to the form of a servant ; for according to this, too, he suffered. Every soul in desolation can profitably use this psalm to obtain relief from God.

Introibo...

In the previous psalms of this group we have seen a series of references not just to heaven but to entering into heaven, including:

intro avi are atum to enter, go into; go in, pierce; 

Psalm 117 (Sunday)

19  Aperíte mihi portas justítiæ, ingréssus in eas confitébor Dómino: * hæc porta Dómini, justi intrábunt in eam.

19 Open to me the gates of justice: I will go in to them, and give praise to the Lord 20 This is the gate of the Lord, the just shall enter into it.

introeo, ivi or li, Itum, ire, to go into, to enter. 

Psalm 5 (Monday)

8  Introíbo in domum tuam: * adorábo ad templum sanctum tuum in timóre tuo.

I will come into your house; I will worship towards your holy temple, in your fear.

Psalm 42 (Tuesday)

4  Et introíbo ad altáre Dei: * ad Deum, qui lætíficat juventútem meam.

And I will go in to the altar of God: to God who gives joy to my youth.

The theme is continued in Psalm 63 on Wednesday, using the verb accedo (cessi, cessum, 3), which according to the Lewis and Short dictionary can mean to go to, come to, come near, draw near, approach, enter:

7  Accédet homo ad cor altum: * et exaltábitur Deus.

Man shall come to a deep heart: And God shall be exalted.

And in today's psalm, the opening verse of Psalm 87 uses the verb intro with respect to prayer:

2  Intret in conspéctu tuo orátio mea : * inclína aurem tuam ad precem meam :

Let my prayer come in before you [into your presence]: incline your ear to my petition.

The theme also continues on Saturday.  Psalm 142 opens with another use of the verb into:

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.

It then goes on to plead for God to show the psalmist the right and way to walk, teach him to do God's will so that:

Psalm 142

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.

But first the harrowing of hell...

This psalm, though, seems to dwell on the prior step, namely the prospect of being condemned to hell, picking up a meme from Psalm 62 on Sunday:

9  Ipsi vero in vanum quæsiérunt ánimam meam, introíbunt in inferióra terræ: * tradéntur in manus gládii, partes vúlpium erunt.

10 But they have fought my soul in vain, they shall go into the lower parts of the earth: 11 They shall be delivered into the hands of the sword, they shall be the portions of foxes.

The references to hell in this psalm, though, can be read as applying to Christ and the harrowing of hell though.

Accordingly, the answer to the questions it poses - Will you show wonders to the dead? Or shall physicians raise to life, and give praise to you? Shall any one in the sepulchre declare your mercy: and your truth in destruction? Shall your wonders be known in the dark; and your justice in the land of forgetfulness?"  - is a resounding yes!

Cassiodorus, for example, suggests that:

Throughout the whole psalm the Lord Saviour speaks from His experience of the dispensation by which lie suffered. In the first narration He begs the Father's help, recounting by means of various similes the contempt which the Jewish people was to manifest to Him. The second part recounts His future sufferings, maintaining that the dead cannot be roused by physicians so as to be able to confess to the Lord. In the third narration He states that those who are buried do not proclaim God's mercy, and that the abandoned do not sound forth the Lord's praises. So He prays that the resurrection will come with all speed. As He continues on this course of His prayer, He is the Spokesman of His members, recounting the various sufferings which He endured commensurately with the devoted people.

It is worth noting that St Benedict quotes verse 16 in chapter 7 of the Rule, on humility:

The seventh degree of humility is that he consider himself lower and of less account than anyone else…."After being exalted, I have been humbled and covered with confusion". 

More on the psalm

The table below summarises some of the liturgical uses of the psalm:

NT references	-
RB cursus	Thurs Lauds+AN 3387 (3)
Monastic/(Roman) feasts etc	Easter, Good Friday Tenebrae III, 2; Holy Sat Tenebrae, III, 3 AN  2849 (5-6), 3632 (9)
Roman pre 1911	Friday Matins
Responsories	Tenebrae Sat, 6057 (5-6)
Roman post 1911	1911-62: Sat Compline 1970:
Mass propers (EF)	Lent Ember Sat IN (1-2); OF(1-2) PP12: AL (1) Sept Ember Sat OF (1-2)

My previous notes on this psalm can be found here, and more in the context of Tenebrae.

And the next part in this series on the variable psalms of Lauds can be found here.