Psallam Domino

Saturday, May 2, 2020

Psalm 55: Overview

St Alphonsus Liguori summarised this psalm as follows:

David flying from the presence of Saul, who was seeking his death, retires among the Philistines; but when recognized by them who he was, he finds himself in great danger (r Kings, xxi. 10). Under these circumstances he composes this prayer, which every Christian can use when he sees himself in danger of falling into sin and becoming the prey of the devil.

The text of the psalm

Vulgate	Douay-Rheims
In finem, pro populo qui a sanctis longe factus est. David in tituli inscriptionem, cum tenuerunt eum Allophyli in Geth.	Unto the end, for a people that is removed at a distance form the sanctuary: for David, for an inscription of a title (or pillar) when the Philistines held him in Geth.
1 Miserére mei, Deus, quóniam conculcávit me homo: * tota die impúgnans tribulávit me.	Have mercy on me, O God, for man has trodden me under foot; all the day long he has afflicted me fighting against me.
2 Conculcavérunt me inimíci mei tota die: * quóniam multi bellántes advérsum me.	My enemies have trodden on me all the day long; for they are many that make war against me.
3 Ab altitúdine diéi timébo: * ego vero in te sperábo.	From the height of the day I shall fear: but I will trust in you.
4 In Deo laudábo sermónes meos, in Deo sperávi: * non timébo quid fáciat mihi caro.	In God I will praise my words, in God I have put my trust: I will not fear what flesh can do against me.
5 Tota die verba mea exsecrabántur: * advérsum me omnes cogitatiónes eórum in malum.	All the day long they detested my words: all their thoughts were against me unto evil.
6 Inhabitábunt, et abscóndent: * ipsi calcáneum meum observábunt.	They will dwell and hide themselves: they will watch my heel.
7 Sicut sustinuérunt ánimam meam, pro níhilo salvos fácies illos: * in ira pópulos confrínges.	As they have waited for my soul, for nothing shall you save them: in your anger you shall break the people in pieces.
8 Deus, vitam meam annuntiávi tibi: * posuísti lácrimas meas in conspéctu tuo.	O God, I have declared to you my life: you have set me tears in your sight,
9 Sicut et in promissióne tua: * tunc converténtur inimíci mei retrórsum :	As also in your promise.Then shall my enemies be turned back.
10 In quacúmque die invocávero te: * ecce cognóvi quóniam Deus meus es.	In what day soever I shall call upon you, behold I know you are my God.
11 In Deo laudábo verbum, in Dómino laudábo sermónem: * in Deo sperávi, non timébo quid fáciat mihi homo.	In God will I praise the word, in the Lord will I praise his speech. In God have I hoped, I will not fear what man can do to me.
12 In me sunt, Deus, vota tua, * quæ reddam, laudatiónes tibi.	In me, O God, are vows to you, which I will pay, praises to you:
13 Quóniam eripuísti ánimam meam de morte, et pedes meos de lapsu: * ut pláceam coram Deo in lúmine vivéntium.	Because you have delivered my soul from death, my feet from falling: that I may please in the sight of God, in the light of the living

Scriptural and liturgical uses of the psalm

NT references	Romans 8:35-39; Hebrews 13: 6 (4, 11); Rev 7:17 (8)
RB cursus	Tuesday Matins II, 4
Monastic feasts etc	-
Responsories	-
Roman pre 1911	Wednesday Matins
Roman post 1911	1911-62: Wednesday Sext . 1970: Week 2: Thursday DP, omitting verse 7
Mass propers (EF)	Lent 3 Monday, IN (1, 4, 11-12); ?GR (2, 9) Passion Monday, IN (1-2); ?GR(2, 9)

Friday, May 1, 2020

Psalm 54: Overview

St Alphonsus Liguori says on this psalm:

David, persecuted by his son Absalom, and imploring the help of God: such, in the literal sense, is the subject of this psalm. But St. Hilary and St. Jerome apply this psalm to Jesus Christ, betrayed by Judas and persecuted by the Jews. Generally speaking, it may be applied to all the just, persecuted in this life by men or devils.

St Augustine, however, in his discussion of the title of the psalm, focuses on the importance of seeking to become perfect:

Of this Psalm the title is: At the end, in hymns, understanding to David himself. What the end is, we will briefly call to your recollection, because you have known it. For the end of the Law is Christ, for righteousness unto every man believing. Be the attention therefore directed unto the End, directed unto Christ.

Wherefore is He called the end? Because whatever we do, to Him we refer it, and when to Him we shall have come home, more to ask we shall not have...Our end therefore ought to be our perfection, our perfection Christ. For in Him we are made perfect, because of Himself the Head, the Members are we. And he has been spoken of as the End of the Law, because without Him no one does make perfect the Law. When therefore you hear in the Psalms, At the end,— for many Psalms are thus superscribed — be not your thought upon consuming, but upon consummation.

He also insists on the need to praise God even when times are hard:

For whether we are troubled and are straitened, or whether we rejoice and exult, He is to be praised, who both in tribulations does instruct, and in gladness does comfort. For the praise of God from the heart and mouth of a Christian man ought not to depart; not that he may be praising in prosperity, and speaking evil in adversity; but after the manner that this Psalm does prescribe, I will speak good of the Lord in every time, always the praise of Him is in my mouth. Thou dost rejoice; acknowledge a Father indulging: you are troubled; acknowledge a Father chastening. Whether He indulge, or whether He chasten, He is instructing one for whom He is preparing an inheritance...Be we admonished when we hear, and let the Church understand: for there belongs to us great diligence to understand in what evil we now are, and from what evil we desire to be delivered, remembering the Prayer of the Lord, where at the end we say, Deliver us from evil.