Psalm 56 - Christ prays to teach us; rises again to raise us

 Maciejowski Bible, c.1250

Psalm 56 (57): Miserere mei Deus, Miserere mei (Tuesday  Lauds)

Vulgate	Douay-Rheims
In finem, ne disperdas. David in tituli inscriptionem, cum fugeret a facie Saul in speluncam.	Unto the end, destroy not, for David, for an inscription of a title, when he fled from Saul into the cave.
1 Miserére mei, Deus, miserére mei: * quóniam in te confídit ánima mea.	Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me: for my soul trusts in you.
2  Et in umbra alárum tuárum sperábo: * donec tránseat iníquitas.	And in the shadow of your wings will I hope, until iniquity pass away.
3  Clamábo ad Deum altíssimum: * Deum, qui benefécit mihi.	I will cry to God the most high; to God who has done good to me.
4  Misit de cælo, et liberávit me: * dedit in oppróbrium conculcántes me.	He has sent from heaven and delivered me: he has made them a reproach that trod upon me.
5  Misit Deus misericórdiam suam, et veritátem suam, * et erípuit ánimam meam de médio catulórum leónum: dormívi conturbátus.	God has sent his mercy and his truth, and he has delivered my soul from the midst of the young lions. I slept troubled
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.
7  Exaltáre super cælos, Deus: * et in omnem terram glória tua.	Be exalted, O God, above the heavens, and your glory above all the earth.
8  Láqueum paravérunt pédibus meis: * et incurvavérunt ánimam meam.	They prepared a snare for my feet; and they bowed down my soul.
9  Fodérunt ante fáciem meam fóveam: * et incidérunt in eam.	They dug a pit before my face, and they are fallen into it.
10  Parátum cor meum, Deus, parátum cor meum: * cantábo, et psalmum dicam.	My heart is ready, O God, my heart is ready: I will sing, and rehearse a psalm.
11  Exsúrge, glória mea, exsúrge psaltérium et cíthara: * exsúrgam dilúculo.	Arise, O my glory, arise psaltery and harp: I will arise early.
12  Confitébor tibi in pópulis, Dómine: * et psalmum dicam tibi in Géntibus :	I will give praise to you, O Lord, among the people: I will sing a psalm to you among the nations
13  Quóniam magnificáta est usque ad cælos misericórdia tua, * et usque ad nubes véritas tua.	For your mercy is magnified even to the heavens: and your truth unto the clouds.
14  Exaltáre super cælos, Deus: * et super omnem terram glória tua.	Be exalted, O God, above the heavens: and your glory above all the earth.

The obvious reason for this psalm's inclusion at Lauds is the reference to prayer early in the morning in verse 11.  As I noted yesterday, though, it shares a number of common motifs with the second Lauds psalms, with a little triptych of references to the protection of God's wings.

Today's psalm (like yesterday's) has a particular historical context, in the story of David and Saul in the cave, with a moral about truth and mercy, and the importance of God's protection of us.  There are, however, additional layers to it that need to be drawn out.

Christ in the psalms

St Augustine provides an extended explanation for the title of the psalm that goes to how the psalm relates to the life of Christ:

This Psalm is singing of the Passion of the Lord, see what is the title that it has: at the end. The end is Christ. (Romans 10:4) Why has He been called end? Not as one that consumes, but one that consummates. 

For David himself, for the inscription of the title; when he fled from the face of Saul into a cavern. If all things which then were being done, were figures of things future, we find there Christ, and by far in the greatest degree. For in them Saul was, in Christ David was.

 For that cavern wherein David hid himself did figure somewhat. But wherefore hid he himself? It was in order that he might be concealed and not be found. What is to be hidden in a cavern? To be hidden in earth. For he that flees into a cavern, with earth is covered so that he may not be seen. But Jesus did carry earth, flesh which He had received from earth: and in it He concealed Himself, in order that by Jews He might not be discovered as God. For if they had known, never the Lord of glory would they have crucified. 

Why therefore the Lord of glory found they not? Because in a cavern He had hidden Himself, that is, the flesh's weakness to their eyes He presented, but the Majesty of the Godhead in the body's clothing, as though in a hiding-place of the earth, He hid....

...For a cavern may be understood as a lower part of the earth. And certainly, as is manifest and certain to all, His Body in a Tomb was laid, which was cut in a Rock. This Tomb therefore was the Cavern; there He fled from the face of Saul. For so long the Jews did persecute Him, even until He was laid in a cavern. 

Whence prove we that so long they persecuted Him, until therein He was laid? Even when dead, and, on the Cross hanging, with lance they wounded Him.  But when shrouded, the funeral celebrated, He was laid in a cavern, no longer had they anything which to the Flesh they might do. 

Rose therefore the Lord again out of that cavern unhurt, uncorrupt, from that place whither He had fled from the face of Saul: concealing Himself from ungodly men, whom Saul prefigured, but showing Himself to His members. For the members of Him rising again by His members were handled: for the members of Him, the Apostles, touched Him rising again and believed and behold nothing profited the persecution of Saul. 

Cassiodorus notes that this as the fifth of the psalms which 'briefly recount the passion and resurrection of the Lord.'  He summarises the content of the verses as follows:

In the first section of the psalm the Lord Christ prays in His anxiety about His passion. He prays as the Man which with love beyond reckoning He deigned to become for our sake. God was so to say made human, but even when He took on flesh He did not cease to be God. Though He assumed the form of changeable man, He remained unchangeable; He did not diminish His own nature, but exalted the condition of mortality. He is one and the same Lord Christ who both performed great miracles of power in the form of God and endured the savagery of the passion in the form of a slave. 

In the second section He describes the glory of His resurrection with astonishing variety. 

In the third He promises to sing praises to the Lord Father after His most blessed resurrection.

The temple of Christ's body

The Fathers link today's psalm with the idea of Christ's divinity 'hidden in the temple of his body' as Cassiodorus puts it, so nicely linked to the theme of spiritual ascent to the heavenly of the day.  Indeed he sees the message of the psalm as being that:

Christ prays to teach us, rises again to raise us, praises the Father to instruct us. We rightly read of Him that He is our Way, our Redemption, our Advocate before the Father. 

At the Mass, some of these verses feature in the liturgy of Ash Wednesday.

Liturgical and Scriptural uses of the psalm

Psalms	second half more or less duplicates Psalm 107
NT references	-
RB cursus	Lauds Tuesday+AN 4568
Monastic/(Roman) feasts etc	AN 2761, 2775, 4316
Responsories	7160, 7208 (alt verse, Epiphanytide Wed (2) 6524 (PP2), 7164 (Nov Sundays) (4-5) 6683, 6005 (6, 12) 7350 (Wed PE) (9)
Roman pre 1911	Wed Matins
Roman post 1911	1911-62: Wednesday Sext . 1970: omitted
Mass propers (EF)	Ash Wed IN (1); GR (1, 4)

You can find some previous notes I've written on this psalm here.

And the next part of this series, on Psalm 64, can be found here.

Psalm 35 - Mercy and truth

Gospel of Saint-Médard de Soissons

Monday - Lauds, Psalm 35 (36) - Dixit injústus ut delínquat in semetípso

Vulgate	Douay-Rheims
In finem. Servo Domini ipsi David.	Unto the end, for the servant of God, David himself.
1. Dixit injústus ut delínquat in semetípso: * non est timor Dei ante óculos ejus.	The unjust has said within himself, that he would sin: there is no fear of God before his eyes.
2  Quóniam dolóse egit in conspéctu ejus: * ut inveniátur iníquitas ejus ad ódium.	For in his sight he has done deceitfully, that his iniquity may be found unto hatred.
3  Verba oris ejus iníquitas, et dolus: * nóluit intellígere ut bene ágeret.	The words of his mouth are iniquity and guile: he would not understand that he might do well
4  Iniquitátem meditátus est in cubíli suo: * ástitit omni viæ non bonæ, malítiam autem non odívit.	He has devised iniquity on his bed, he has set himself on every way that is not good: but evil he has not hated.
5  Dómine, in cælo misericórdia tua: * et véritas tua usque ad nubes.	O Lord, your mercy is in heaven, and your truth reaches even to the clouds.
6  Justítia tua sicut montes Dei: * judícia tua abyssus multa.	Your justice is as the mountains of God, your judgments are a great deep.
7  Hómines, et juménta salvábis, Dómine: * quemádmodum multiplicásti misericórdiam tuam, Deus,	Men and beasts you will preserve, O Lord: O how have you multiplied your mercy, O God!
8  Fílii autem hóminum, * in tégmine alárum tuárum sperábunt.	But the children of men shall put their trust under the covert of your wings.
9  Inebriabúntur ab ubertáte domus tuæ: * et torrénte voluptátis tuæ potábis eos.	They shall be inebriated with the plenty of your house; and you shall make them drink of the torrent of your pleasure.
10  Quóniam apud te est fons vitæ: * et in lúmine tuo vidébimus lumen.	For with you is the fountain of life; and in your light we shall see light
11  Præténde misericórdiam tuam sciéntibus te, * et justítiam tuam his, qui recto sunt corde.	Extend your mercy to them that know you, and your justice to them that are right in heart.

In your light we shall see

At first glance, the claims of Psalm 35 to be placed at Lauds seem, on the face of it, to be somewhat strained: there are no real references in it to morning prayer, and only a general reference to God as light in verse 10.

St Bede, however, suggests that the fountain of life referred to here refers to the pool of Siloa, where Our Lord healed the blind man:

The pool of Siloa (which means 'sent'), where the man born blind was given light (John 9:7) stands for the Lord Saviour who was sent by God the Father for our illumination.  The spring of this pool can be very aptly understood as the same Father from whom he was born, about which the psalmist well says: For with you is the spring of life; in your light we shall see light...The walls of the Pool of Siloa are built too when the very firm and invincible testimonies of the Scriptures, in which the mystery of the Lord's incarnation is described, are rooted in the midst of the faithful. (trans DeGregorio,  pg 170-1)

The fountain can also be interpreted as a reference to baptism,  providing a thematic relationship to the canticle of the day through its reference to the fountain of life, fons vitae, (Isaiah 12 refers to the 'waters with joy out of the saviour's fountains',  a key theme in the Office on Mondays.

God's protection

Psalm 35 also shares some common themes with the other variable psalms of Lauds, given that the second variable psalms of the hour for Sunday, Monday and Tuesday all contain a reference to the shelter offered by God's wings, an image Jesus used when contemplating the coming destruction of Jerusalem, in Matthew 23:37:

Jerusalem, Jerusalem, quæ occidis prophetas, et lapidas eos, qui ad te missi sunt, quoties volui congregare filios tuos, quemadmodum gallina congregat pullos suos sub alas, et noluisti? 

Jerusalem, Jerusalem, still murdering the prophets, and stoning the messengers that are sent to thee, how often have I been ready to gather thy children together, as a hen gathers her chickens under her wings; and thou didst refuse it!

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  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 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.

All three also have references to evil/lying tongues of the wicked, providing a lead into what seems to be the unifying thread for this set of psalms, God's mercy and truth:

Psalm 62

10  Rex vero lætábitur in Deo, laudabúntur omnes qui jurant in eo: * quia obstrúctum est os loquéntium iníqua.

12 But the king shall rejoice in God, all they shall be praised that swear by him: because the mouth is stopped of them that speak wicked things.

Psalm 35

1. Dixit injústus ut delínquat in semetípso: * non est timor Dei ante óculos ejus.	The unjust has said within himself, that he would sin: there is no fear of God before his eyes.
2  Quóniam dolóse egit in conspéctu ejus: * ut inveniátur iníquitas ejus ad ódium.	For in his sight he has done deceitfully, that his iniquity may be found unto hatred.
3  Verba oris ejus iníquitas, et dolus: * nóluit intellígere ut bene ágeret.	The words of his mouth are iniquity and guile: he would not understand that he might do well

Psalm 56

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.

Mercy and truth

The second of the variable psalms for both Monday and Tuesday were both seen by the Fathers as referring to the events of David and Saul in the cave (I Samuel 24), when David spared Saul's life, though the reference is rather more explicit in the title of Psalm 56.

Both psalms also both contain references to God as a source of both mercy (misercordia) and truth (veritas), something of a theme for the second of the variable psalms at Lauds each day:

• For your mercy is better than lives: you my lips will praise... because the mouth is stopped of them that speak wicked things (Ps 62, Sunday)
• O Lord, your mercy is in heaven, and your truth reaches even to the clouds....Extend your mercy to them that know you, and your justice to them that are right in heart (Ps 35, Monday);
• God has sent his mercy and his truth, and he has delivered my soul...For your mercy is magnified even to the heavens: and your truth unto the clouds (Ps 56, Tuesday);
• We are filled in the morning with your mercy...(Ps 89, Thursday); and 
• To show forth your mercy in the morning, and your truth in the night (Ps 91, Friday).

Turn away from evil

The main focus of Psalm 35, though, is a discussion on the nature of evil.  St Athanasius comments: 

And when you see how zealous are the lawless in their evil-doing, think not the evil is innate in them, as some false teachers say, but read Psalm 35 and you will see they are themselves the authors of their sin.

The psalmist points out that the root of sin is a lack of fear of the Lord.  It is not just that the wicked man does evil; it is that he does it with malice aforethought.  He actively rejects the truth, and refuses to turn away from the horror of what he is doing. Others, the psalmist suggests, deceive themselves.

Cultivate humility

St Benedict, it is worth noting, uses these verses to contrast what the monk who seeks humility must do, namely keep the fear of God in front of his eyes, in RB 7.  

As St Ligouri notes, though, the psalm does not end there:

The psalmist here shows how great, on the one hand, is the malice of sinners, and, on the other hand, how great is the mercy of God set forth to convert them. It also at the same time makes known with what goodness our Lord treats the just

The psalm goes on to point out that even in the face of man’s tendency to evil, God offers truth, justice and mercy to all, reaching down from the heavens.  He offers help, refuge and the blessing of prosperity.

Humility

The psalm ends with a plea to keep us humble, and to protect us from being led astray, knowing that evil doers come to nothing in the end.

I've previously provided notes on this psalm in the context of the Office of Monday and Tenebrae of Maundy Thursday.

Other Scriptural and liturgical uses of the psalm

NT references	Rom 3:18 (v1); Mt 7:3-5 (v2); Jn 4:14, Rev 22:1 (v10)
RB cursus	Monday Lauds+AN 2348
Monastic/(Roman) feasts etc	Maundy Thurs Tenebrae Lauds, Sacred Heart
Responsories	-
Roman pre 1911	Monday Matins
Roman post 1911	1911-62: Thursday Lauds . 1970: Lauds on Wednesday of Week One
Mass propers (EF)	-

 

 The text arranged for liturgical use

Psalm 35

Dixit iniústus ut delínquat in semetípso: * non est timor Dei ante óculos eius.	The unjust has said within himself, that he would sin: there is no fear of God before his eyes.
Quóniam dolóse egit in conspéctu eius: * ut inveniátur iníquitas eius ad ódium.	For in his sight he has done deceitfully, that his iniquity may be found unto hatred.
Verba oris eius iníquitas, et dolus: * nóluit intellígere ut bene ágeret.	The words of his mouth are iniquity and guile: he would not understand that he might do well
Iniquitátem meditátus est in cubíli suo: † ástitit omni viæ non bonæ, * malítiam autem non odívit.	He has devised iniquity on his bed, he has set himself on every way that is not good: but evil he has not hated.
Dómine, in cælo misericórdia tua: * et véritas tua usque ad nubes.	O Lord, your mercy is in heaven, and your truth reaches even to the clouds.
Iustítia tua sicut montes Dei: * iudícia tua abyssus multa.	Your justice is as the mountains of God, your judgments are a great deep.
Hómines, et iuménta salvábis, Dómine: * quemádmodum multiplicásti misericórdiam tuam, Deus,	Men and beasts you will preserve, O Lord: O how have you multiplied your mercy, O God!
Fílii autem hóminum, * in tégmine alárum tuárum sperábunt.	But the children of men shall put their trust under the covert of your wings.
Inebriabúntur ab ubertáte domus tuæ: * et torrénte voluptátis tuæ potábis eos.	They shall be inebriated with the plenty of your house; and you shall make them drink of the torrent of your pleasure.
Quóniam apud te est fons vitæ: * et in lúmine tuo vidébimus lumen.	For with you is the fountain of life; and in your light we shall see light
Præténde misericórdiam tuam sciéntibus te, * et iustítiam tuam his, qui recto sunt corde.	Extend your mercy to them that know you, and your justice to them that are right in heart.
Non véniat mihi pes supérbiæ: * et manus peccatóris non móveat me.	Let not the foot of pride come to me, and let not the hand of the sinner move me.
Ibi cecidérunt qui operántur iniquitátem: * expúlsi sunt, nec potuérunt stare.	There the workers of iniquity are fallen, they are cast out, and could not stand

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.

And you can find the next set of notes in this series, on Psalm 56, here.