Psalm 48: Overview

St Alphonsus Liguori summarised the message of this psalm as follows:

The psalmist here addresses the faithful, to teach them to despise the goods of this world and to fear only a bad death which must be followed by the sentence of condemnation. Then he raises their thoughts to the consideration of this truth, that only in God can true happiness be found. Of course, all this is said in an obscure manner; but thanks to the light of the Gospel, we are able to see the thought of the prophet.

Pope John Paul II provided two commentaries on the psalm which you can find here and here.

The text of the psalm

Vulgate	Douay-Rheims
In finem, filiis Core. Psalmus.	Unto the end, a psalm for the sons of Core.
1  Audíte hæc, omnes Gentes: * áuribus percípite omnes, qui habitátis orbem:	Hear these things, all you nations: give ear, all you inhabitants of the world.
2  Quique terrígenæ, et fílii hóminum: * simul in unum dives et pauper.	3 All you that are earthborn, and you sons of men: both rich and poor together
3  Os meum loquétur sapiéntiam: * et meditátio cordis mei prudéntiam.	3 All you that are earthborn, and you sons of men: both rich and poor together
4  Inclinábo in parábolam aurem meam: * apériam in psaltério propositiónem meam.	5 I will incline my ear to a parable; I will open my proposition on the psaltery.
5  Cur timébo in die mala? * iníquitas calcánei mei circúmdabit me:	6 Why shall I fear in the evil day? The iniquity of my heel shall encompass me.
6  Qui confídunt in virtúte sua: * et in multitúdine divitiárum suárum gloriántur.	7 They that trust in their own strength, and glory in the multitude of their riches,
7  Frater non rédimit, rédimet homo: * non dabit Deo placatiónem suam.	8 no brother can redeem, nor shall man redeem: he shall not give to God his ransom,
8  Et prétium redemptiónis ánimæ suæ: * et laborábit in ætérnum, et vivet adhuc in finem.	9 nor the price of the redemption of his soul: and shall labour for ever, 10 and shall still live unto the end.
9  Non vidébit intéritum, cum víderit sapiéntes moriéntes: * simul insípiens, et stultus períbunt.	11 He shall not see destruction, when he shall see the wise dying: the senseless and the fool shall perish together:
10  Et relínquent aliénis divítias suas: * et sepúlcra eórum domus illórum in ætérnum.	And they shall leave their riches to strangers: 12 And their sepulchres shall be their houses for ever.
11  Tabernácula eórum in progénie et progénie: * vocavérunt nómina sua in terris suis.	Their dwelling places to all generations: they have called their lands by their names.
12  Et homo, cum in honóre esset, non intelléxit: * comparátus est juméntis insipiéntibus, et símilis factus est illis.	13 And man when he was in honour did not understand; he is compared to senseless beasts, and has become like to them
13  Hæc via illórum scándalum ipsis: * et póstea in ore suo complacébunt.	14 This way of theirs is a stumbling block to them: and afterwards they shall delight in their mouth.
14  Sicut oves in inférno pósiti sunt: * mors depáscet eos.	15 They are laid in hell like sheep: death shall feed upon them.
15  Et dominabúntur eórum justi in matutíno: * et auxílium eórum veteráscet in inférno a glória eórum.	And the just shall have dominion over them in the morning; and their help shall decay in hell from their glory.
16  Verúmtamen Deus rédimet ánimam meam de manu ínferi: * cum accéperit me.	16 But God will redeem my soul from the hand of hell, when he shall receive me.
17  Ne timúeris, cum dives factus fúerit homo: * et cum multiplicáta fúerit glória domus ejus.	17 Be not afraid, when a man shall be made rich, and when the glory of his house shall be increased
18  Quóniam cum interíerit, non sumet ómnia: * neque descéndet cum eo glória ejus.	18 For when he shall die he shall take nothing away; nor shall his glory descend with him.
19  Quia ánima ejus in vita ipsíus benedicétur: * confitébitur tibi cum beneféceris ei.	19 For in his lifetime his soul will be blessed: and he will praise you when you shall do well to him.
20  Introíbit usque in progénies patrum suórum: * et usque in ætérnum non vidébit lumen.	20 He shall go in to the generations of his fathers: and he shall never see light.
21  Homo, cum in honóre esset, non intelléxit: * comparátus est juméntis insipiéntibus, et símilis factus est illis.	21 Man when he was in honour did not understand: he has been compared to senseless beasts, and made like to them.

Scriptural and liturgical uses of the psalm

NT references	Mt 16:24- 28 ; Mk 8:36-7; Rom 3: 20-26 ;1 Tim 2:5-6,  (7-8); Lk 12:16-23 (17-18); 1 Tim 6:5-10 (18)
RB cursus	Tuesday Matins I, 4
Monastic/(Roman) feasts etc	-
Roman pre 1911	Tuesday Matins
Thesauris schemas	A: ; B: ; C: ; D:
Roman post 1911	1911-62: Wednesday Matins . 1970: Vespers
Mass propers (EF)	-

Psalm 80: overview

Psalm 80 is said on Thursday at Matins in the Benedictine Office, and whether by coincidence or design, it was also said on that day in the ancient Jewish temple liturgy because, according to Maimonides it speaks of  'the variety of creatures made that day to praise His name.'

For the fifith day

The link to the fifth day is somewhat obscure, at least to modern eyes, but St Augustine provides some commentary on the reference to the fifth day in the title of psalm (which does not occur in modern versions of it, but evidently did in earlier ones!):

Wherefore also on the fifth of the sabbath? What is this? Let us go back to the first works of God, if perchance we may not there find somewhat in which we may also understand a mystery.

For the sabbath is the seventh day, on which God rested from all His works, intimating the great mystery of our future resting from all our works. First of the sabbath then is called that first day, which we also call the Lord's day; second of the sabbath, the second day;...and the sabbath itself the seventh day. 

See ye therefore to whom this Psalm speaks. For it seems to me that it speaks to the baptized. For on the fifth day God from the waters created animals: on the fifth day, that is, on the fifth of the sabbath, God said, Let the waters bring forth creeping things of living souls. See ye, therefore, you in whom the waters have already brought forth creeping things of living souls. For you belong to the presses, and in you, whom the waters have brought forth, one thing is strained out, another is thrown away. For there are many that live not worthily of the baptism which they have received. For how many that are baptized have chosen rather to be filling the Circus than this Basilica! How many that are baptized are either making booths in the streets, or complaining that they are not made!

But this Psalm, For the presses, and on the fifth of the sabbath, is sung unto Asaph. Asaph was a certain man called by this name, as Idithun, as Core, as other names that we find in the titles of the Psalms: yet the interpretation of this name intimates the mystery of a hidden truth. Asaph, in fact, in Latin is interpreted congregation. Therefore, For the presses, on the fifth of the sabbath, it is sung unto Asaph, that is, for a distinguishing pressure, to the baptized, born again of water, the Psalm is sung to the Lord's congregation. We have read the title on the lintel, and have understood what it means by these presses. Now if you please let us see the very house of the composition, that is, the interior of the press. Let us enter, look in, rejoice, fear, desire, avoid. For all these things you are to find in this inward house, that is, in the text of the Psalm itself, when we shall have begun to read, and, with the Lord's help, to speak what He grants us. 

And on verse 5 he says:

Observe that also here the fifth of the sabbath is signified: when Joseph went out from the land of Egypt, that is, the people multiplied through Joseph, he was caused to pass through the Red Sea. Therefore then also the waters brought forth creeping things of living souls. No other thing was it that there in figure the passage of that people through the sea foreshowed, than the passing of the Faithful through Baptism; the apostle is witness: for I would not have you ignorant, brethren, he said, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, and were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea. 1 Corinthians 10:1-2 Nothing else then the passing through the sea did signify, but the Sacrament of the baptized; nothing else the pursuing Egyptians, but the multitude of past sins.

An invitation to fervour

St Alphonsus Liguori provided a summary based on a more literal interpretation of the psalm:

The psalmist reproves the people for the negligence with which they celebrate the praises of the Lord, and urges them to celebrate them with devotion and in thanksgiving for the benefits received from the Lord; for this end the feasts are instituted. Every Christian can apply this psalm to himself.

Corpus Christi

The psalm is also used at Matins for the feast of Corpus Christi, presumably largely for verses 9&15:

9  Ego enim sum Dóminus Deus tuus, qui edúxi te de terra Ægypti: * diláta os tuum, et implébo illud.

11 For I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt: open your mouth wide, and I will fill it.

5  Et cibávit eos ex ádipe fruménti: * et de petra, melle saturávit eos.

17 And he fed them with the fat of wheat, and filled them with honey out of the rock

The text of the psalm

Vulgate	Douay-Rheims
In finem, pro torcularibus. Psalmus ipsi Asaph.	Unto the end, for the winepresses, a psalm for Asaph himself.
1 Exsultáte Deo, adjutóri nostro: * jubiláte Deo Jacob.	2 Rejoice to God our helper: sing aloud to the God of Jacob.
2  Súmite psalmum, et date tympanum: * psaltérium jucúndum cum cíthara.	3 Take a psalm, and bring hither the timbrel: the pleasant psaltery with the harp.
3  Buccináte in Neoménia tuba, * in insígni die solemnitátis vestræ.	4 Blow up the trumpet on the new moon, on the noted day of your solemnity.
4  Quia præcéptum in Israël est: * et judícium Deo Jacob.	5 For it is a commandment in Israel, and a judgment to the God of Jacob.
5  Testimónium in Joseph pósuit illud, cum exíret de terra Ægypti: * linguam, quam non nóverat, audívit.	6 He ordained it for a testimony in Joseph, when he came out of the land of Egypt: he heard a tongue which he knew not.
6  Divértit ab onéribus dorsum ejus: * manus ejus in cóphino serviérunt.	7 He removed his back from the burdens: his hands had served in baskets.
7  In tribulatióne invocásti me, et liberávi te: * exaudívi te in abscóndito tempestátis: probávi te apud aquam contradictiónis.	8 You called upon me in affliction, and I delivered you: I heard you in the secret place of tempest: I proved you at the waters of contradiction.
8  Audi, pópulus meus, et contestábor te: * Israël, si audíeris me, non erit in te deus recens, neque adorábis deum aliénum.	9 Hear, O my people, and I will testify to you: O Israel, if you will hearken to me, 10 there shall be no new god in you: neither shall you adore a strange god.
9  Ego enim sum Dóminus Deus tuus, qui edúxi te de terra Ægypti: * diláta os tuum, et implébo illud.	11 For I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt: open your mouth wide, and I will fill it.
10  Et non audívit pópulus meus vocem meam: * et Israël non inténdit mihi.	12 But my people heard not my voice: and Israel hearkened not to me.
11  Et dimísi eos secúndum desidéria cordis eórum: * ibunt in adinventiónibus suis.	13 So I let them go according to the desires of their heart: they shall walk in their own inventions.
12  Si pópulus meus audísset me: * Israël si in viis meis ambulásset:	14 If my people had heard me: if Israel had walked in my ways:
13  Pro níhilo fórsitan inimícos eórum humiliássem: * et super tribulántes eos misíssem manum meam.	15 I should soon have humbled their enemies, and laid my hand on them that troubled them.
14  Inimíci Dómini mentíti sunt ei: * et erit tempus eórum in sæcula.	16 The enemies of the Lord have lied to him: and their time shall be for ever.
15  Et cibávit eos ex ádipe fruménti: * et de petra, melle saturávit eos.	17 And he fed them with the fat of wheat, and filled them with honey out of the rock

Liturgical and Scriptural uses of the psalm

NT references	Acts 7:42, Romans 1: 24-26 (11); Lk 21:24 (14)
RB cursus	Thursday Matins II, 2
Monastic feasts etc	Corpus Christi
Responsories	Lent 3 (wk3, T/F) v6-7
Roman pre 1911	Friday Matins
Roman post 1911	1911-62: Friday Matins . 1970:
Mass propers (EF)	Pentecost Monday IN (1, 17); Corpus Christi, IN (1, 17); PP 11, AL (1-2); September Ember Wednesday, IN (1-5)