Psalm 118 Heth/2: Dark times for the Church and the need for faithful monasticism

Continuing my series on Psalm 118, I want to build today, on yesterday's post on the stanza labeled Heth. I had originally planned to devote two posts to this stanza, but I find I have some important things to say on it, so I’ll spread it over today and tomorrow.

Today I particularly want to focus on verses 61&62:

61 The cords of the wicked have encompassed me: but I have not forgotten your law.
62 I rose at midnight to give praise to you; for the judgments of your justification.

And I want to dedicate this post to all those who say their Office (and/or other prayers) where and when as best they can, as well as to the monks and nuns who rise in the night and pray on our behalf in their chapels with the full ritual!

The spiritual meaning

In a reverse of the normal practice, let's start with the spiritual, rather than literal meaning of these verses.

Verse 61, funes peccatorum circumplexi sunt me et legem tuam non sum oblitus, echoes the imagery of Psalm 17, talking about the snares of our enemies, the temptations that cause us to trip and fall into sin.

St Augustine sees the reference to midnight in verse 62, Media nocte surgebam ad confitendum tibi super judicia justificationis tuæ, as a reference to the tribulations facing the Church:

“This very fact, that the bands of the ungodly surround the righteous, is one of the righteous judgments of God. On which account the Apostle Peter says, The time has come when judgment must begin at the house of the Lord. 1 Peter 4:17 For he says this of the persecutions which the Church suffered, when the bands of the ungodly surrounded them. I suppose, therefore, that by midnight we should understand the heavier seasons of tribulation.”

‘Midnight’ has a lot of symbolism around it, as Cassiodorus points out:

“They knew that at that hour the first-born of the Egyptians were smitten, that at that time the bonds of Peter, Paul and Silas who lay in prison were loosed, that the Bridegroom would also come at midnight. So at that same time they rise to give praise, so that they may not stand among the foolish virgins, and the door remain closed on them.”

So this verse is arguably particularly apt for our times, which are arguably one of the darker periods in the history of the Church.

But at such times, St Augustine argues, the Church arises strengthened, he says, “that through this very tribulation he might advance unto a bolder confession.” Bad times, as Father Barron has pointed out, call forth great saints.

But what about the literal meaning of the text?

This spiritual meaning of the verse is all well and good, but it has to be said that some of the saints interpret this verse very literally indeed. St Benedict in his Rule, for example, cites it as the reason for the inclusion of the long monastic Vigil of now known as Matins in his Office, and the instructions he gives to his monks to rise in the darkness so the hour is completed before first light.

But here I think we have to understand the prophetic sign that religious life is meant to represent. Scripture records that God often tells the prophets to do very odds things in order to make a point, to make the invisible truth visible to us. The most famous example of this is probably God’s instruction to Hosea to ‘marry a whore’, an instruction that we have every reason to think was meant and taken literally, but which served to show Israel for what she was, with her addiction to false idols.

For us today, monastic life is meant to serve a similarly prophetic function of making invisible truths visible at times by doing things others either cannot or should not! Medieval monastic theology, for example, as Dom Lecelercq’s magisterial book The Love of Learning and the Desire for God draws out, often portrayed monastic life as the vita angelica, the angelic life, where the monastery was ‘a Jerusalem in anticipation’.

Pope John Paul II’s Vita Consecrata built on this idea that we need spiritual athletes, an elite if you will, in order to encourage the rest of us on. Just as I go swimming even though I know I will never achieve the Olympic time the swimmers I enjoy watching compete on tv do, so we should pray as best we can, not letting the perfect get in the way of the good!

St Benedict’s night vigil then, when carried out faithfully by monks or nuns, serves to remind all of us of that need to push back the metaphorical night wherever and whenever we can. In an ideal world, we might all attempt to join with them spiritually now and then. But in the end, it is a particularly monastic function to offer this vigil on behalf of all of us. Monks and nuns can (in theory at least) rise at midnight, can sing all of the hours of the Office because they do not have children to raise, work to go to or an outside world that they must engage in. For a layperson with such duties, however, attempting to fulfill a full monastic regime may be positively harmful, just as marrying a woman who lacks virtue might be!

‘Rising’ and praising God

So should we get out of our beds at midnight to pray? Must we adopt all of the choir rubrics when we pray the Office?

To do so is certainly virtuous and to be encouraged, and we should certainly be mindful of who God really is when we pray.

And we desperately need more faithful monasteries to make this symbolism real for us and spur us on to greater heights in our own efforts.

But I want to end by going back to the spiritual meaning of the verse here. In Psalm 126, we are presented with this verse: Vanum est vobis ante lucem surgere, or It is vain for you to rise before light. In that context, the point is that unless God gives us grace, nothing we do will bear fruit.

On Sunday’s during Lent, the Invitatory antiphon at Matins actually turns this verse around, making it ‘Non sit nobis vanum mane surgere ante lucem: quia promissit Dominus coronam vigilantibus’, or Let it not be in vain to rise before the light, for the Lord has promised the crown to who keep vigil.

All of us are called to keep vigil in ways proper to our state of life, and those who do so semi-recumbent in bed, whether saying some part or form of the Office, the rosary or some other prayer, however brief, can take heart, I think, from Cassiodorus’ comment on Psalm 118 that “we always rise when we hasten to the Lord's praises.”

Notes on the Latin

61 Funes peccatorum circumplexi sunt me, et legem tuam non sum oblitus.
The cords of the wicked have encompassed me: but I have not forgotten your law.

funis, is, m., lit., a line, cord, rope,
peccator, oris, m., a sinner, transgressor; the wicked, the godless.
circumplector, plexus sum, plecti 3, to clasp around, enfold, encompass, surround
obliviscor, oblitus sum, oblivisci to forget

Funes peccatorum =The cords/snares of the wicked

Psalm 17 uses similar imagery to refer to the hindrances of our enemies – they set snares or tripwires, in the form of temptations, which entangle us. St Augustine comments: “The bands of the ungodly are the hindrances of our enemies, whether spiritual, as the devil and his angels, or carnal, the children of disobedience, in whom the devil works. The bands of the ungodly are the hindrances of our enemies, whether spiritual, as the devil and his angels, or carnal, the children of disobedience, in whom the devil works.”

circumplexi sunt me = have tied me up/encompassed/ensnared me

62 Media nocte surgebam ad confitendum tibi, super judicia justificationis tuæ.
I rose at midnight to give praise to you; for the judgments of your justification.

medius, a, um in the middle, midst
nox, noctis, f. night
surgo, surrexi, surrectum, ere 3, rise, stand up; to awake; to rise, to get up from bed or from sleep
confiteor, fessus sum, eri 2 to praise, give thanks; to confess, acknowledge one's guilt
super+abl= about, concerning; with, on, upon, for, because of.
judicium, i, n. judgment, decrees; law, commandment; the power, or faculty of judging wisely; justice.
justificatio, onis, f precepts, decrees, statutes, ordinances;

Media nocte surgebam (impf, repeated action) = I rose in the middle of the night

ad confitendum (gerund) tibi = for giving praise = in order to praise you/to give praise/thanks to you


super judicia justificationis tuæ = because of/on account of the justice/ of your precepts/laws.

The Greek suggests more ‘the judgments of your righteousness’.



And you can find the next part in this series here.

Psalm 118 Heth (v57-64)/1: Our portion is God; God’s portion is the Church

Continuing on with my Lenten series on Psalm 118, today I want to move to the next stanza of Psalm 118, which in the Hebrew starts with the letter Heth, and I'm going to do this in two parts; today verses 57-60.

But first a quick overview of the stanza and its liturgical uses.

The text of the stanza

Here is the Knox translation

57 Heritage, Lord, I claim no other, but to obey thy word.
58 Heart-deep my supplication before thee for the mercies thou hast promised.
59 Have I not planned out my path, turned aside to follow thy decrees?
60 Haste such as mine can brook no delay in carrying out all thy bidding.
61 Hemmed in by the snares which sinners laid for me, never was I forgetful of thy law.
62 Hearken when I rise at dead of night to praise thee for thy just dealings.
63 How well I love the souls that fear thee, and are true to thy trust!
64 How thy mercy fills the earth, Lord! Teach me to do thy will.

And here is the Latin with the Douay-Rheims translation:

Vulgate	Douay-Rheims
57  Pórtio mea, Dómine, * dixi custodíre legem tuam.	O Lord, my portion, I have said, I would keep your law.
58  Deprecátus sum fáciem tuam in toto corde meo: * miserére mei secúndum elóquium tuum.	58 I entreated your face with all my heart: have mercy on me according to your word.
59  Cogitávi vias meas: * et convérti pedes meos in testimónia tua.	59 I have thought on my ways: and turned my feet unto your testimonies.
60  Parátus sum, et non sum turbátus: * ut custódiam mandáta tua.	60 I am ready, and am not troubled: that I may keep your commandments.
61  Funes peccatórum circumpléxi sunt me: * et legem tuam non sum oblítus.	61 The cords of the wicked have encompassed me: but I have not forgotten your law.
62  Média nocte surgébam ad confiténdum tibi: * super judícia justificatiónis tuæ.	62 I rose at midnight to give praise to you; for the judgments of your justification.
63  Párticeps ego sum ómnium timéntium te: * et custodiéntium mandáta tua.	63 I am a partaker with all them that fear you, and that keep your commandments.
64  Misericórdia tua, Dómine, plena est terra: * justificatiónes tuas doce me	64 The earth, O Lord, is full of your mercy: teach me your justifications.

Scriptural and liturgical uses of the stanza

In the Benedictine Office it marks the start of Sunday Sext; in the Roman 1962, it is said at Sunday Terce.

NT references	Acts 16:25 (62)
RB cursus	Sunday Sext/1
Monastic feasts etc	-
Roman pre 1911	daily Terce
Responsories	[no 7353; v63 - Lent 1, not used in current liturgy]
Roman post 1911	1911-62: Sunday Terce (iv);
Mass propers (EF)	Lent 2 OF, v, 57-59 Passion Sunday OF, v, 58

My portion it is...

And on this one, Pope Benedict XVI has provided extensive catechesis on the first verse, Verse 57 of the Psalm. So today I want to present and reflect on his comments; over the next two posts I’ll look at the rest of the verses in this important stanza.

Here is verse 57 once again:

57 Portio mea, Domine, dixi custodire legem tuam. O Lord, my portion, I have said, I would keep your law.

This verse focuses on the idea that God is our portion or inheritance. This is a mutual relationship though, for we are utterly dependent in realizing it, on God’s grace, which will come if we but pray for it, as the lesson for yesterday’s Mass (Wednesday in the Second Week of Lent) reminds us. In that reading, from Esther 13, Mordecai prayed to God imploring him to save the Israelites, depicting them – and for us the Church – from the destruction they faced:

“And now, O Lord, O king, O God of Abraham, have mercy on your people, because our enemies resolve to destroy us, and extinguish your inheritance. Despise not your portion, which you have redeemed for yourself out of Egypt. Hear my supplication, and be merciful to your lot and inheritance, and turn our mourning into joy, that we may live and praise your name, O Lord, and shut not the mouths of them that sing to you.”

God, in other words, has chosen his Church and called us into it, and we in turn must actively respond, and choose him over all other things.

The idea that God is the portion or inheritance of the psalmist features in several other of the psalms, two of which (Psalms 15 and 141) are explicitly attributed in Scripture to King David. Pope Benedict XVI comments:

“In other Psalms too the person praying affirms that the Lord is his “portion”, his inheritance: “The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup”, Psalm 16[15] says. “God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever” is the protestation of faith of the faithful person in Psalm 73 [72]: v. 26b, and again, in Psalm 142[141], the Psalmist cries to the Lord: “You are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living” (v. 5b).”

The priestly portion

In the Old Testament, the Pope notes, the notion of God as the ‘portion’ elsewhere generally has a particular application to priests:

“This term “portion” calls to mind the event of the division of the promised land between the tribes of Israel, when no piece of land was assigned to the Levites because their “portion” was the Lord himself. Two texts of the Pentateuch, using the term in question, are explicit in this regard, the Lord said to Aaron: “You shall have no inheritance in their land, neither shall you have any portion among them; I am your portion and your inheritance among the people of Israel”, as the Book of Numbers (18:20) declares and as Deuteronomy reaffirms “Therefore Levi has no portion or inheritance with his brothers; the Lord is his inheritance, as the Lord your God said to him” (Deut 10:9; cf. Deut 18:2; Josh 13:33; Ezek 44:28).

The Priests, who belong to the tribe of Levi cannot be landowners in the land that God was to bequeath as a legacy to his people, thus bringing to completion the promise he had made to Abraham (cf. Gen 12:1-7). The ownership of land, a fundamental element for permanence and for survival, was a sign of blessing because it presupposed the possibility of building a house, of raising children, of cultivating the fields and of living on the produce of the earth.

Well, the Levites, mediators of the sacred and of the divine blessing, unlike the other Israelites could not own possessions, this external sign of blessing and source of subsistence. Totally dedicated to the Lord, they had to live on him alone, reliant on his provident love and on the generosity of their brethren without any other inheritance since God was their portion, God was the land that enabled them to live to the full.”

Pope Benedict draws out the implications of this verse first for priests today, who have embraced the choice of celibacy:

“Dear brothers and sisters, these verses are also of great importance for all of us. First of all for priests, who are called to live on the Lord and his word alone with no other means of security, with him as their one possession and as their only source of true life. In this light one understands the free choice of celibacy for the Kingdom of Heaven in order to rediscover it in its beauty and power.”

A priestly people

It is worth noting, however, that the person speaking in this psalm is almost certainly not a priest: while the psalm is not explicitly attributed to David, the general consensus is that he did in fact compose it. In any case, as noted above, David certainly did appropriate the sentiment to himself in other psalms. Pope Benedict continues:

“The person praying in Psalm 119 then applies this reality to himself: “the Lord is my portion”. His love for God and for his word leads him to make the radical decision to have the Lord as his one possession and also to treasure his words as a precious gift more valuable than any legacy or earthly possession. There are two different ways in which our verse may be translated and it could also be translated as “my portion Lord, as I have said, is to preserve your words”. The two translations are not contradictory but on the contrary complete each other: the Psalmist meant that his portion was the Lord but that preserving the divine words was also part of his inheritance, as he was to say later in v. 111: “your testimonies are my heritage for ever; yea, they are the joy of my heart”. This is the happiness of the Psalmist, like the Levites, he has been given the word of God as his portion, his inheritance.”

This idea is important for us all:

“Yet these verses are also important for all the faithful, the People of God that belong to him alone, “a kingdom and priests” for the Lord (cf. 1 Pet 2:9; Rev 1:6, 5:10), called to the radicalism of the Gospel, witnesses of the life brought by Christ, the new and definitive “High Priest” who gave himself as a sacrifice for the salvation of the world (cf. Heb 2:17; 4:14-16; 5:5-10; 9, 11ff.). The Lord and his word: these are our “land”, in which to live in communion and in joy.

Let us therefore permit the Lord to instil this love for his word in our hearts and to grant that we may always place him and his holy will at the centre of our life. Let us ask that our prayers and the whole of our life be illuminated by the word of God, the lamp to light our footsteps and a light on our path, as Psalm 119 (cf. 105) says, so that we may walk safely in the land of men. And may Mary, who generously welcomed the Word, be our guide and comfort, the polestar that indicates the way to happiness.

Then we too shall be able to rejoice in our prayers, like the praying person of Psalm 16, in the unexpected gifts of the Lord and in the undeserved legacy that fell to us: “The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup... the lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; yea, I have a goodly heritage” (Ps 16:5, 6).”

A verse by verse look

Today notes on the first four verses of the stanza; I'll provide the rest in the next post.

57 Portio mea, Domine, dixi custodire legem tuam.
O Lord, my portion, I have said, I would keep your law.

portio, onis, f., portion, lot, inheritance
dico, dixi, dictum, ere 3, to say, speak; to sing; in the sense of to think, plan, desire; to praise.
custodio, ivi, itum, ire , to guard, watch, keep; to maintain, to hold steadfastly

Portio mea, Domine = My portion O Lord.

In the absence of a verb, this phrase is ambiguous. It could be ‘My portion [is] (to keep your law)’, or ‘[You are] my portion, O Lord’.

dixi = I have said.

custodire legem tuam = [is] to keep your law.

Latin makes custodire an active infinitive; the Greek has it as a middle aorist, hence Brenton’s from the Septuagint translation is “I would keep’ to try and convey that flavour, while the New English Translation of the Greek makes it ‘I should keep’. The word law used for law (lex) in the Masoretic Text here is davar – elsewhere else in this psalm the Vulgate translates this term as ‘sermo’, that is commands or edicts.

58 Deprecatus sum faciem tuam in toto corde meo secundum eloquium tuum
I entreated your face with all my heart: have mercy on me according to your word.

deprecor, atus sum, ari, to entreat, beg
facies, ei, f. face, countenance, appearance; presence.
misereor, sertus sum, eri 2, to pity, have mercy on.
secundum +acc according to, by reason of, as, after the manner of, like
eloquium, ii, n. a word, oracle, speech, utterance, promise.

Deprecatus sum (deponent) faciem tuam in toto corde meo = I entreated/begged your presence/face with my whole heart

God’s face or presence can be understood here as in the sense of awareness of his presence, but also literally, as looking forward to the promise of the Incarnation.

miserere mei = have mercy on me

secundum (governs accusative) eloquium tuum = according to your word/promise

59 Cogitavi vias meas, et converti pedes meos in testimonia tua.
I have thought on my ways: and turned my feet unto your testimonies.

cogito, avi, atum, are to think, plan, devise, take counsel.
via, ae, a way, road, path, street. God's way, God's policy, way of life
converto, verti, versum, ere 3, to turn, change, alter, bring back; quicken, refresh; bring back; convert, turn from sin;
pes, pedis, m. the foot
testimonium, ii, n. witness, testimony; the Law; precepts, commandments, ordinances, statutes, judgments, testimonies.

Cogitavi vias meas = I have thought on my ways

First we must examine our consciences.

et converti pedes meos = and [have] turned my feet

Only then can we decide what is the right path.

in testimonia tua= to your testimonies

60 Paratus sum, et non sum turbatus, ut custodiam mandata tua.
I am ready, and am not troubled: that I may keep your commandments.

paro, avi, atum, are, to prepare, make ready, furnish, equip, fit out, provide, make firm, establish
turbo, avi, atum, are, to trouble, disturb, dismay, throw into disorder or confusion

Paratus sum = I am prepared

et non sum turbatus =and I am not afraid/troubled/dismayed

ut custodiam (subjunctive = purpose clause) mandata tua = that I may keep = to keep your commandments

And now enjoy an aria from one of my favourite Bach Cantatas, which so beautifully expresses the sense of longing in these verses. The opening words are, When will you come, my saviour? I come, your portion...

And for the next part in this series, click here.

Psalm 118 (119) Zayin/2 - Sing to the Lord!

Yesterday I started talking about the stanza of Psalm 118 (119) starting with the Hebrew letter zayin; today I want to focus in on a particular verse of that stanza, namely verse 54:

54 Cantabiles mihi erant justificationes tuæ in loco peregrinationis meæ.
Your justifications were the subject of my song, in the place of my pilgrimage.

Both phrases of this verse are important: the first because it reminds us of the importance of song as prayer; the second because it reminds us once again that this life is but fleeting.

Life is a pilgrimage

Let’s focus on the second phrase of verse 53 first. Too often today, the mark of our Christianity is seen as our effect on this world. I’m not suggesting that we shouldn’t be concerned about righting wrongs, helping the poor and so forth: of course we should.

But we should always remember that this world is peripheral, what really counts is the next. And if we remember that, our good works will be motivated first and foremost by spiritual zeal, the zeal for souls.

As Pope Benedict XVI wrote in his encyclical Deus Caritas Est, a pure and generous love can be a wonderful witness to Christ. Yet we must always keep in mind as we carry out works of practical charity or engage on issues of justice that “Often the deepest cause of suffering is the very absence of God.”

Singing God’s praises

And music is one of the ways people down the centuries have made God's presence heard by many.

As well as reminding us that we stand before eternity, the image of the pilgrimage put before us here reinforces the idea of the first phrase that the best way of internalizing God’s law, his will for us, is to sing!

Many of the psalms contain references to them being sung; indeed many of the psalm titles contain what seem to be (now incomprehensible) instructions as to just how they should be sung.

The Church has long since developed its own solution to this, in the form of the Gregorian Chant proper to the Mass and Office. As Vatican II’s Sacrosanctum Concilium stated:

“The Church acknowledges Gregorian chant as specially suited to the Roman liturgy: therefore, other things being equal, it should be given pride of place in liturgical services.” (116)

It is one of those instructions of Vatican II that is pretty much totally ignored these days!

There are many reasons we should consider singing the psalms rather than just saying them.

First they were composed as songs, and I think convey more if they are sung. So if you are using this psalm as a Lenten penance, can I urge you to consider chanting the day’s verses rather than just reading them. You can sing it on just one note if necessary, or use a simple psalm tone if you are familiar with them. Try it and see the impact!

Secondly, singing helps make us more joyful in our prayer. Cassiodorus comments that “The phrase, fit for my song, suggests psalm-singing to be con¬ducted with great delight. As Paul has it: Singing and making melody in your hearts to the Lord. Singing always lightens labours, and does not allow weariness to creep into the mind consoled by the great sweetness of contemplation.”

Thirdly, the chant settings of the psalms found in the antiphons of the Office, the Mass propers and so forth provide us with an authentic interpretation of those verses, helping us to read them in the light of the tradition. Even if you aren’t familiar with the Latin, listening to the settings, will, I think, convey some of that context, helping us penetrate the meaning of the verses. So I would encourage you to listen to the recordings I’m providing along with each days notes!

Verse by verse commentary (continued)

54 Cantabiles mihi erant justificationes tuæ in loco peregrinationis meæ.
Your justifications were the subject of my song, in the place of my pilgrimage.

Cantabiles mihi erant = Worthy of being sung to me they [your statutes] were

Cassiodorus comments that “The phrase, fit for my song, suggests psalm-singing to be conducted with great delight. As Paul has it: Singing and making melody in your hearts to the Lord. Singing always lightens labours, and does not allow weariness to creep into the mind consoled by the great sweetness of contemplation.”

cantabilis, e worthy of praise, worthy of being sung.

justificationes tuæ = your statutes

in loco peregrinationis meæ = in the place of my pilgrimage

Cassiodorus notes that this phrase “denotes this world in which all devoted to the Lord Christ are foreigners. We have been expelled in the person of Adam from our abode in paradise, and we have our lodging in this land because we do not possess the blessedness of that native land; so we are seen to be foreigners in this world.”

locus, i, m. a place.
peregrinatio, onis, f a pilgrimage, sojourning.

The neo-Vulgate changes the verse to something like ‘Your statutes have been made my songs in the place of my pilgrimage’.

55 Memor fui nocte nominis tui, Domine, et custodivi legem tuam.
In the night I have remembered your name, O Lord: and have kept your law.

Memor fui nocte nominis tui, Domine= I have been mindful of your name in the night, O Lord

Night here, St Augustine points out, can have several connotations: it can refer to our mortality; to sin and those who carry out evil under cover of darkness; and to this period in the history of creation when we remain still in darkness, waiting until the Lord comes again to bring full light to the world.

nox, noctis, f night.
nomen, mis, n. name; God himself; the perfections of God, His glory, majesty, wisdom, power, goodness

et custodivi legem tuam= and I have kept your law.

custodio, ivi or li, itum, ire to guard, watch, keep;to maintain, to hold steadfastly.

56 Hæc facta est mihi, quia justificationes tuas exquisivi.
This happened to me: because I sought after your justifications.

Hæc facta est mihi =This has happened/has fallen to me

What does 'this' refer to? The Fathers offer various suggestions. St Augusitne sees it as referring back to the night, and the gift the Christian has of seeing the truth despite the darkness that surrounds us in this world. Cassiodorus suggests adding ‘consolation’. Bellarmine’s view is: "This," that is to say, my having reflected on God's promises, and drawn so much hope from them, and the other advantages that followed, "happened to me, because I sought after thy justifications;" for the Prophet wishes, in this Psalm, which is entirely devoted to praising the law, to attribute everything to a diligent study and love of the law, that he may thus stimulate man to reflect on it, and to observe it.”

facio, feci, factum, ere 3, to make, do, cause, bring to pass

quia justificationes tuas exquisivi = because I have sought after your precepts.

exquiro quaesivi itum ere 3, to seek, seek after

PS I'm still fiddling with the format and content of these posts, so do let me know if  you have any preferences!

And you can find the next part in this series here.

Psalm 118 (119) Zain: Pray for the conversion of souls

Continuing this series on Psalm 118 (119), today’s stanza of  encourages us to keep God’s promises to us firm in our mind so that we can withstand the assaults of those who attack us in this world, and it has a few verses in it of particular note, so I’ll linger over this stanza for a couple of days in order to draw them out.

Here is the whole stanza in the Knox translation:

49 Go not back on the word thou hast pledged to thy servant; there lies all my hope.
50 Good news in my affliction, thy promises have brought me life.
51 Ground down by the scorn of my oppressors, never from thy law I swerve aside.
52 Gracious comfort, Lord, is the memory of thy just dealings in times long past.
53 Great ruth have I to see wrong-doers, and how they abandon thy law.
54 Gone out into a land of exile, of thy covenant I make my song.
55 Gloom of the night finds me still thinking of thy name, Lord, still observant of thy bidding.
56 Guerdon I ask no other, but the following of thy will.

He has put down the mighty from their seat, and hath exalted the humble…

Verses 50 and 51 set a contrast that echoes throughout Scripture, between the proud and the humble:“This has comforted me in my humiliation: because your word has enlivened me. The proud did iniquitously altogether: but I declined not from your law.”

As we go about our earthly life, the pilgrimage referred to in verse 54, we will face difficulties and humiliations. We can accept them peaceably, as things to learn and grow from, and stay fast in God’s way knowing that God has promised he will always be with us; this is the path of humility, modeled for us by Our Lady.

Or we can scream and shout, insist that we are in control, and attempt to impose our will on ourselves and others, and in the process, commit to the way of sin. This is the path of the proud.

How should we respond to the attacks of the proud?

The psalm recognizes that those trying to pursue the good will come under attack, and it instructs us on what to do.

First, cling fast to God’s law, stay on the path ourselves no matter the provocation.

Secondly, remember that justice will be served eventually, one way or another. Verse 53 invites us to remember the constant theme of the Old Testament, that evil will be punished, and good rewarded: “I remembered, O Lord, your judgments of old: and I was comforted.”

Thirdly though, and perhaps most importantly, it reminds us that we should be horrified at the prospect of others going to hell. There is still hope of redemption for even the worst sinner while he remains alive, and thus we must pray for the conversion of such souls: “A fainting has taken hold of me, because of the wicked that forsake your law.”

Text of the psalm

Vulgate	Douay-Rheims
49  Memor esto verbi tui servo tuo, * in quo mihi spem dedísti.	Be mindful of your word to your servant, in which you have given me hope.
50  Hæc me consoláta est in humilitáte mea: * quia elóquium tuum vivificávit me.	50 This has comforted me in my humiliation: because your word has enlivened me.
51  Supérbi iníque agébant usquequáque: * a lege autem tua non declinávi.	51 The proud did iniquitously altogether: but I declined not from your law.
52  Memor fui judiciórum tuórum a sæculo, Dómine: * et consolátus sum.	52 I remembered, O Lord, your judgments of old: and I was comforted.
53  Deféctio ténuit me, * pro peccatóribus derelinquéntibus legem tuam.	53 A fainting has taken hold of me, because of the wicked that forsake your law.
54  Cantábiles mihi erant justificatiónes tuæ, * in loco peregrinatiónis meæ.	54 Your justifications were the subject of my song, in the place of my pilgrimage.
55  Memor fui nocte nóminis tui, Dómine: * et custodívi legem tuam.	55 In the night I have remembered your name, O Lord: and have kept your law.
56  Hæc facta est mihi: * quia justificatiónes tuas exquisívi.	56 This happened to me: because I sought after your justifications.

A verse by verse analysis

Today I'll provide the notes on Verses 49-53, the rest of the stanza tomorrow.

49 Memor esto verbi tui servo tuo, in quo mihi spem dedisti.

Be mindful of your word to your servant, in which you have given me hope.

Memor esto (imperative future of sum, esse, to be) = Be mindful

God is, of course, always ‘mindful’ of us or we would cease to exist! But he is said to be mindful of one when He is favorably disposed towards him or bestows favors on him.

memor, oris mindful of, thoughtful of. According to Britt, often translated by the verbs, to remember, call to mind, think of, take thought for, recall, recount, etc. God

verbi tui servo tuo= of your word to your servant

verbum, i, n.,word, command, edict, also a promise; saying, speech; Law, the Eternal Son.
servus, i, m., a slave, servant; servants of the Lord, devout men who keep the law; the people, i.e., the Israelites

in quo mihi spem dedisti= in which you have given me hope

spes, spei, f., hope; the object of hope; the thing hoped for; one who or that which furnishes ground for trust, confidence
do, dedi, datum, are, to give,

Bellarmine comments that: “God is not subject to forgetfulness, nor to fickleness, nor to retracting what he says; but he is, by a figure of speech, said to forget when he defers the execution of a promise, as if he had altogether forgotten it. Now, that he does designedly; and, though determined on carrying out his decrees, he still wishes his faithful servants to ask him to carry them out; and thus, prayer becomes one of the means through which God decreed to fulfill his promis¬es.”

50 Hæc me consolata est in humilitate mea, quia eloquium tuum vivificavit me.
This has comforted me in my humiliation: because your word has enlivened me.

Hæc me consolata est= This has comforted me

The ‘this’ here does not, according to St Robert Bellarmine refer back to the previous verse, but rather to the second phrase, God’s reviving word.

hic, haec, hoc, demon, pron., this
consolor, atus sum, ari, Active, to comfort, console, encourage; Passive, to be comforted, etc.

in humilitate mea= in my misery/humiliation/distress/affliction

humilitas, atis, f affliction, humiliation, wretchedness, misery.

quia eloquium tuum vivificavit me = because your word/promise has revived me.

quia, conj. for, because, that. truly, surely, indeed
eloquium, ii, n. , a word, oracle, speech, utterance, promise.
vivifico, avi, atum, are to quicken, give life to, vivify.

In the first verse he had hope, why? Because of God’s promises, a promise to exalt the lowly and humbled.

51 Superbi inique agebant usquequaque; a lege autem tua non declinavi.
The proud did iniquitously altogether: but I declined not from your law.

Superbi inique =The proud wickedly/unjustly

superbus, Subst., the proud, etc., at times connoting the idea of unfriendliness, ambition to subject others.
inique, adv. unjustly, wrongfully, wickedly

agebant usquequaque = they [the proud] were acting utterly [wickedly]

ago, egi, actum, ere 3 , to set in motion;to act, do, deal with inique agere, to act wickedly, to be false or disloyal to.
usquequaque, adv., utterly, altogether, exceedingly

ie Superbi inique agebant usquequaque =The proud acted totally unjustly/with the utmost wickedness

The proud here are portrayed as persecutors of the pious.

a lege autem tua =but from your law.

lex, legis, a law; the Law of God. the will of God
autem, adversative conj., but, on the contrary, however

non declinavi = I have not departed/swerved/turned away

declino, avi, atum, are, to bend from the straight path, to turn aside or away, depart from in a lit. or fig. sense; intransitive, to turn aside, go astray

But despite their evil efforts, the psalmist has stayed the course.

52 Memor fui judiciorum tuorum a sæculo, Domine, et consolatus sum.
I remembered, O Lord, your judgments of old: and I was comforted.

Memor fui (pf of sum) =I have been mindful

memor, oris mindful of, thoughtful of

judiciorum tuorum =of your judgments

judicium, i, n. judgment, decrees; law, commandment; the power, or faculty of judging wisely; justice.

a sæculo, Domine= from of old, O Lord

saeculum, i, n., a lifetime, generation, age; an indefinite period of time; forever, eternity; from of old, i.e., in ages past.

et consolatus sum= and I was comforted

consolor, atus sum, ari, Active, to comfort, console, encourage; Passive, to be comforted, etc.

Here we are told to remember the rewards and punishments meted out through the history chronicled in the Old Testament: so that fear of punishment might draw us back from sin, while hope of heaven draws us on to the good.

53 Defectio tenuit me, pro peccatoribus derelinquentibus legem tuam.
A fainting has taken hold of me, because of the wicked that forsake your law.

Defectio tenuit me= A fainting has seized me

The MT Hebrew suggests hot indignation or horror. The Septuagint Greek (ἀθυμία) however suggests despair or despondency.

defectio, onis, f. a fainting.
teneo, ui, tentum, ere 2, to hold, hold fast, seize.

pro peccatoribus = for the sinners

peccator, oris, m. a sinner, transgressor; the wicked, the godless

derelinquentibus legem tuam =transgressing against your law

delinquo, liqui, lictum, ere 3, to fail, offend, sin, transgress. =on account of sinners

Cassiodorus comments that: “Here the devotion of their holy association is expounded: they say that they are faint with grief because sinners were seen to abandon the Lord's law. Inevitably a holy person feels sorrow at a neighbour's guilt, for the devoted spirit longs for the salvation of all, and is heartbroken on seeing punishment looming over the person who he prays will not sin; he knows that evil gratuitously inflicted is more offensive to his Creator.”

Scriptural and liturgical uses of the psalm

NT references	-
RB cursus	Sunday Terce
Monastic feasts etc	-
Roman pre 1911	Terce daily
Responsories	Sept 4&5 (v49)
Roman post 1911	1911-62: Sunday Terce
Mass propers (EF)	PP20 CO (49-50), Passion Thurs CO (49-50)

And you can find notes on the rest of this stanza here.

Psalm 118 Vau: The duty to speak up for Christ

Today’s section of Psalm 118 (119), verses 41 to 48, enjoin us to move beyond merely contemplating the law to action: in particular, to testifying publicly to our faith.

Here they are first of all in the Knox translation:

41 For me too, Lord, thy mercy, for me too the deliverance thou hast promised!
42 Fit answer for those who taunt me, that I rely on thy truth.
43 Faithful thy promise, let me not boast in vain; in thy covenant lies my hope.
44 For ever and for evermore true to thy charge thou shalt find me.
45 Freely shall my feet tread, if thy will is all my quest.
46 Fearlessly will I talk of thy decrees in the presence of kings, and be never abashed.
47 Fain would I have all my comfort in the law I love.
48 Flung wide my arms to greet thy law, ever in my thoughts thy bidding.

The promise of redemption

The stanza opens by reminding us of the promise of salvation: it prophesies firstly the coming of Christ, to fulfill God’s promises in the Old Testament, and secondly invites us individually to make it our own.

It should remind us of Christ’s promise to be with us always, able to draw on grace when we are confronted by those speaking heresy or otherwise attacking us.

Be brave!

We all, be we laymen or laywomen, priests, bishops or religious, have a duty to speak up, these verses instruct.

As Cassiodorus commented:

“We must not be silent before those able to listen to reason, but we must respond bravely so that the audacity of men of ill-will does not appear victorious in their eyes…. They spoke of the Lord's testimonies because they had sought and accepted them so as to reply to those who reproached them with the word. With the strength of this support, they say that they were not confused in the presence of earthly kings who could inspire terror with their proud power, but with fearless speech uttered the truth which they had conceived in mind. It is the person whose words are refuted by reasoning who is confounded, whereas no-one can be embarrassed who is strengthened by the testimony of truth. Whatever the pressure of circumstances, we must not deny Him who says: He that shall deny me before men, I will deny him also before my Father who is in heaven.”

The text of the psalm

Vulgate	Douay-Rheims
41  Et véniat super me misericórdia tua, Dómine: * salutáre tuum secúndum elóquium tuum.	Let your mercy also come upon me, O Lord: your salvation according to your word.
42  Et respondébo exprobrántibus mihi verbum: * quia sperávi in sermónibus tuis.	42 So shall I answer them that reproach me in anything; that I have trusted in your words
43  Et ne áuferas de ore meo verbum veritátis usquequáque: * quia in judíciis tuis supersperávi.	43 And take not the word of truth utterly out of my mouth: for in your words, I have hoped exceedingly.
44  Et custódiam legem tuam semper: * in sæculum et in sæculum sæculi.	44 So shall I always keep your law, for ever and ever.
45  Et ambulábam in latitúdine: * quia mandáta tua exquisívi.	45 And I walked at large: because I have sought after your commandments.
46  Et loquébar in testimóniis tuis in conspéctu regum: * et non confundébar.	46 And I spoke of your testimonies before kings: and I was not ashamed.
47  Et meditábar in mandátis tuis, * quæ diléxi.	47 I meditated also on your commandments, which I loved.
48  Et levávi manus meas ad mandáta tua, quæ diléxi: * et exercébar in justificatiónibus tuis.	48 And I lifted up my hands to your commandments, which I loved: and I was exercised in your justifications.

Verse by verse - Vau/Vav/waw

41 Et veniat super me misericordia tua, Domine; salutare tuum secundum eloquium tuum.
Let your mercy also come upon me, O Lord: your salvation according to your word

Et veniat (subj) super me = And let it [your mercy] come over me

venio, veni, ventum, ire, to come.
super +acc=above, upon, over, in, on;+abl= about, concerning; with, on, upon, for, because of.

misericordia tua, Domine = your mercy O Lord

misericordia, ae,, mercy, kindness, favor, compassion, loving-kindness.

salutare tuum =your salvation

salutaris, e Savior, Helper, used of God; help, saving help, rescue, salvation,

secundum eloquium tuum = according to your word/promise

secundus, a, um following in time or order; the next, the second.
eloquium, ii, n. , a word, oracle, speech, utterance, promise.

We are, the Fathers point out, the children of God’s promise: his promise first to send salvation to his people in the form of a Messiah, and secondly, of the promise of his saving help offered to anyone who prays in the name of Christ. Here we are once more invited to make the salvation God offers our own.

42 Et respondebo exprobrantibus mihi verbum, quia speravi in sermonibus tuis.
So shall I answer them that reproach me in anything; that I have trusted in your words.

Et respondebo= And/So I will respond/answer

respondeo, spondi, sponsum, ere 2, to answer, respond

exprobrantibus mihi verbum = reviling/upbraiding/reproach to me to me the word = to those who reproach me a word/answer

These two phrases are difficult to translate. The use of the ‘verbum’ (and λόγον in the Greek, making it accusative) suggests that the correct translation is “And I will give an answer to those who revile me”.

St Augustine, however, comments: “It is doubtful whether it be ‘reproach me with a word’; or, ‘I will answer with a word’; but either signifies Christ. The Douay-Rheims favours the first interpretation; Brenton, the New English Translation of the Septuagint, and translations based on the Hebrew the second. The RSV, for example, translates the phrase as “then shall I have an answer for those who taunt me”.

exprobo are avi atum – to upbraid, reproach, revile

quia speravi in sermonibus tuis = that I have hoped/trusted in your words

verbum, i, n.,word, command, edict, also a promise; saying, speech
spero, avi, atum, are, to hope or trust in
sermo, onis, m. words; a command, edict word, speech, saying, discourse; scheme, plan, proposal

Those ignorant of Christ are not content just to tolerate; rather they attack. But we are told not to keep silent, but to respond, for we have Christ with us to help us do so. Cassiodorus insists that when confronted by heresy and error, when we are confronted by the guile of adversaries:“We must not be silent before those able to listen to reason, but we must respond bravely so that the audacity of men of ill-will does not appear victorious in their eyes.”

43 Et ne auferas de ore meo verbum veritatis usquequaque, quia in judiciis tuis supersperavi.
And take not the word of truth utterly out of my mouth: for in your words, I have hoped exceedingly

Et ne auferas = And do not destroy/take away

aufero, abstuli, ablatum, auferre to take or bear away; to destroy.

de ore meo = from my mouth

os, oris, n., the mouth.

verbum veritatis = the word of truth

verbum, i, n.,word, command, edict, also a promise; saying, speech; Law
veritas, atis, truth. grace, kindness ,goodness, fidelity to promises, Faithfulness

usquequaque = utterly

usquequaque, adv., utterly, altogether, exceedingly

quia in judiciis tuis supersperavi = because in your justice I have hoped greatly

quia, conj. for, because, that. truly, surely, indeed;
judicium, i, n. judgment, decrees; law, commandment; the power, or faculty of judging wisely; justice.
superspero, avi, atum, are, with prep, in with the ace. or abl., to hope or trust in greatly.

This verse is a prayer for constancy: that we may not fail for a want of courage or pride that causes God to withdraw his grace.

44 Et custodiam legem tuam semper, in sæculum et in sæculum sæculi.
So shall I always keep your law, for ever and ever.

Et custodiam legem tuam semper= And I will keep your law always

custodio, ivi or li, itum, ire to guard, watch, keep;to maintain, to hold steadfastly.
lex, legis, a law; the Law of God. the will of God
semper, adv., ever, always, at all times.

in sæculum et in sæculum sæculi = forever and ever into eternity

saeculum, i, n., a lifetime, generation, age; an indefinite period of time; forever, eternity; from of old, i.e., in ages past.

Bellarmine comments: “He now tells us the effect of the mercy that so heals the soul, and that is the perpetual observance of God's law.”

45 Et ambulabam in latitudine, quia mandata tua exquisivi.
And I walked at large: because I have sought after your commandments

Et ambulabam (impf) = And I was walking

Note that the neo-Vulgate changes the verb to future tense (ambulabo)

ambulo, avi, atum, are to walk; the manner in which one orders one's life;

in latitudine = in freedom/at liberty/at large

latitudo, inis, f breadth, wideness, spaciousness, freedom, gladness With verbs of motion it implies freedom from restraint, and conveys the additional idea of gladness.

quia mandata tua exquisivi = because I have sought your commandments

mandatum, i, n. law, precept, command, commandment (of God); commandments, precepts, decrees
exquiro quaesivi itum ere 3, to seek, seek after

Here we come to the true sense of the term ‘freedom’: true freedom means not the option of rejecting of God’s way, but through the power of love, the ability to do God’s will easily.

46 Et loquebar in testimoniis tuis in conspectu regum, et non confundebar.
And I spoke of your testimonies before kings: and I was not ashamed.

Et loquebar = And I spoke

loquor, locutus sum, loqui, to speak, utter, tell

in testimoniis tuis = in your testimonies

testimonium, ii, n. witness, testimony; the Law; precepts, commandments, ordinances, statutes, judgments, testimonies.

in conspectu regum = in the presence of kings

conspectus, us, m. sight, presence;
rex, regis, m. a king, ruler, lawgiver

et non confundebar (impf passive) = and I was not discomforted

confundo, fudi, fiisum, ere 3, to put or bring to shame, to discomfit.

Haydock’s Catholic Commentary notes that: “Thus many even of the female sex have professed their faith boldly, with St. Agnes, St. Catharine, St. Winefrid, &c., answering the reproachful objections that were put to them, as if it were dishonourable to be a Christian, Catholic or Papist.”

47 Et meditabar in mandatis tuis, quæ dilexi.
I meditated also on your commandments, which I loved.

Et meditabar = and I was meditating/thinking

meditor, atus sum, ari, to think, plan, devise, meditate

in mandatis tuis = on your commandments

mandatum, i, n. law, precept, command, commandment (of God); commandments, precepts, decrees

quæ dilexi= which I have loved

Note that the Septuagint adds ‘exceedingly’ to the phrase, to reinforce the sense of fervour suggested here.

diligo, lexi, lectum, ere 3 to love;

Cassiodorus comments:

“A person can never neglect what he loves. Then, in case you perhaps regarded even this love as lukewarm, they added: Exceedingly; no love can be found greater than this. Love of the Lord's commandments cannot be modest like any other love; it must be enthusiastic, as is the aim here. So they rightly loved the Lord's commandments exceedingly, for they walked trustingly in breadth of heart.”

48 Et levavi manus meas ad mandata tua, quæ dilexi, et exercebar in justificationibus tuis.
And I lifted up my hands to your commandments, which I loved: and I was exercised in your justifications.

Et levavi manus meas = And I lifted up my hands

The commentaries suggest that lifting up hands means taking on an active role. Cassidorus for example says:

“In the previous verse they said I meditated on thy commandments, which relates to contemplative virtue, but now they say: I will lift up my hands, which relates to the active role, for raising the hands denotes being occupied in good works, whereas the person detained in evil actions lowers rather than raises his hands.”

levo, avi, atum, are to rise, lift up, elevate.
manus, us, f, the hand

ad mandata tua quæ dilexi =to your commandments which I loved

mandatum, i, n. law, precept, command, commandment (of God); commandments, precepts, decrees
diligo, lexi, lectum, ere 3 to love;

et exercebar in justificationibus tuis =and was pondering your precepts

exerceo, cui, citum, ere 2 to exercise, work at, employ one's self about a thing; ponder, to meditate on, be occupied or employed
justificatio, onis, f precepts, decrees, statutes, ordinances;

We are called upon here to put our meditation into action, through good works: we must join together heart, mind, word, and deed.

Scriptural and liturgical uses of the stanza

NT references	Jas 1:18(43); Mt 10:18 (46)
RB cursus	Sunday Terce
Monastic feasts etc	-
Roman pre 1911	Terce daily
Responsories	-
Roman post 1911	1911-62: Sunday Terce
Mass propers (EF)	Lent II, Lent/Sept Ember Wed OF (47-48); Friday Passion wk OF PP20 CO (49-50) Common of a virgin martyr: IN (v46) St Agatha: AL, (46) St Justin, IN (46)

And you can find notes on the next stanza of the psalm here.