Tuesday in the Benedictine Office

St Mary's Church, Lewisham, UK

I'm currently running a series on the psalms of Vespers, and we have now reached Tuesday at that hour. Before looking at the individual psalms of Tuesday Vespers, though, I thought it might be helpful first to consider the context of the Office of Tuesday as a whole.

The public ministry of Christ, the true Temple

Monday in the Benedictine Office, I've previously suggested, can be seen as a meditation on the life of Christ from his birth to baptism and temptation in the desert.

Tuesday, I want to suggest, is an appropriate time to meditate on the public ministry of Christ, and particularly the growth in the spiritual life and holiness that comes from the imitation of Christ, as we stand in the footsteps of the disciples, hearing his preaching.  In fact, the first very first psalm of Matins, Psalm 45, supports that idea quite nicely, asserting that 'God is in the midst of us',  'doing wonders on the earth' (Deus in médio ejus… Veníte, et vidéte ópera Dómini, quæ pósuit prodígia super terram).

Above all though, the day's key theme is, I think, Christ as the true Temple.

The psalms of Matins and Lauds are full of references to the city of God, the heavenly temple, psalms which Christians have long interpreted as being about the desire for Christ himself.  Indeed, Psalm 42, which is said at Lauds, forms the basis of the prayers at the foot of the altar in the traditional Mass.

Gradual Day

One of the most distinctive features of the Benedictine Office, though, is the use of nine of the Gradual Psalms at Terce to None from Tuesday to Saturday (the older form of the Roman Office used Psalm 118 at these hours).

And on Tuesday, St Benedict goes further, arranging it so that all of the 'psalms of ascent' (Psalms 119-133), save for Psalm 128 (said on Monday) are said in order.

These psalms are thought to have been sung liturgically as the pilgrims ascended the fifteen steps of the Temple in Jerusalem on major feasts.  

These psalms can also be viewed as pilgrim songs, appropriate perhaps for Christ's wanderings around the region as he preached.  

But above all, the Fathers saw them as tracing the mystical ascent of the Christian in the spiritual life in imitation of Christ, who shows us how to climb Jacob’s ladder to heaven and grow in virtue.

The first of the group, Psalm 119, presents us with the image of an exile, a stranger living amongst antagonistic peoples, who has ‘lived too long in exile’.  Hebrews 11 nicely summarises the story line that then develops:

“These all died in faith…having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return. But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city.”

Hebrews contrasts the story of the Old Testament figures who set out on this journey, but were not able to arrive at the destination because heaven was closed to them by Original Sin, with our situation, whereby the gates to heaven have been reopened by our Lord. But it also points to the key orientation of the Christian: living in the world, but not being of it; and focusing on laying up treasure in heaven, not in the here and now:

"Why then, since we are watched from above by such a cloud of witnesses, let us rid ourselves of all that weighs us down, of the sinful habit that clings so closely, and run, with all endurance, the race for which we are entered. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the origin and the crown of all faith, who, to win his prize of blessedness, endured the cross and made light of its shame, Jesus, who now sits on the right of God’s throne." (Hebrews 12)


Indeed, Christ is the 'third temple', as St John's Gospel asserts in a text that many of the Fathers regarded as the key to the interpretation to the Gradual psalms:

"Jesus answered them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up again. At which the Jews said, This temple took forty-six years to build; wilt thou raise it up in three days? But the temple he was speaking of was his own body; and when he had risen from the dead his disciples remembered his saying this, and learned to believe in the scriptures, and in the words Jesus had spoken." (John 2: 19-22).

Vespers on Tuesday

Vespers on Tuesday features four of the gradual psalms, Psalms 129-132.  Two of these (Psalms 130 and 132) are very short indeed - only three verses as they appear in Scripture, though lengthened somewhat in their liturgical presentation.   

There is, arguably, a particular logic to the split between the gradual psalms used at the little hours and those at Vespers: Cassiodorus, St Benedict’s contemporary, suggests that the first nine of the group refer to our life on earth, while the next group look to heaven.

But there is perhaps a deeper logic to them in terms of their specific content and Christ's message to us:

• Psalm 129, De Profundis, is a hymn to God's saving mercy, for God looks not at our sins and merits but instead redeems us through his mercy;
• Psalm 130, Domine non est exaltatum cor meum, urges us to meditate on the necessity of humility, which Christ taught us by his willingness to take human form and die a dreadful death;
• Psalm 131, Memento Domine David, can be interpreted as an ode to the Real Presence and the importance of worship; and 
• Psalm 132, Ecce quam bonum praises the unity of community life, urging us to love and serve one another.

The psalms of Tuesday, masterlist with links to posts

Matins

(Psalm 3 &Psalm 94 said daily)

Psalm 45
Psalm 46
Psalm 47 (In Mass propers: Pt 1& Pt 2)
Psalm 48
Psalm 49 (In Mass propers)
Psalm 51

Psalm 52
Psalm 53 (in context of Tenebrae, as Mass propers)
Psalm 54
Psalm 55
Psalm 57
Psalm 58 (in context of Tenebrae)

Lauds

(Psalms 66, 50 and 148-150 are said daily)
Psalm 42 (Judica me)
Psalm 56 (Miserere mei)

Canticle of Ezekiel (Is 38)
or
Canticle of Tobit (Tobit 13:1-10)

Prime

Introduction to Psalm 7
Introduction to Psalm 8
Introduction to Psalm 9 (Pt 1)

Terce 

Ps 119 (Psalm 119 in the context of Vespers of the Dead)
Ps 120 (in Vespers for the Dead)
Ps 121 (Introit for 18th Sunday PP)

Sext

Psalm 122
Psalm 123
Psalm 124

None

Psalm 125
Psalm 126
Psalm 127

Vespers

Psalm 129 (De Profundis) (as a penitential psalm/1, Penitential/2, Alleluia and Offertory for last Sunday after Pentecost)
Psalm 130
Psalm 131 (Chrysostom on verse 1)
Psalm 132

Compline (same psalms said daily)

Psalm 4 (in the context of Tenebrae)
Psalm 90
Psalm 133

Psalm 128: Verse 7

Pissaro: The Harvest

Psalm 128

The final verse of Psalm 128 details the final punishment of the unrepentant sinner, in his exclusion from the blessings commonly exchanged within the community.

Psalm 128 (129) – Saepe expugnaverunt me

Vulgate	Douay-Rheims
Canticum graduum.	A gradual canticle.
1 Sæpe expugnavérunt me a juventúte mea, * dicat nunc Israël:	Often have they fought against me from my youth, let Israel now say.
2  Sæpe expugnavérunt me a juventúte mea: * étenim non potuérunt mihi.	2 Often have they fought against me from my youth: but they could not prevail over me.
3  Supra dorsum meum fabricavérunt peccatóres: * prolongavérunt iniquitátem suam.	3 The wicked have wrought upon my back: they have lengthened their iniquity.
4  Dóminus justus concídit cervíces peccatórum: * confundántur et convertántur retrórsum omnes, qui odérunt Sion.	4 The Lord who is just will cut the necks of sinners: 5 Let them all be confounded and turned back that hate Sion.
5  Fiant sicut fœnum tectórum: * quod priúsquam evellátur exáruit:	6 Let them be as grass upon the tops of houses: which withers before it be plucked up:
6  De quo non implévit manum suam qui metit: * et sinum suum qui manípulos cólligit.	7 Who with the mower fills not his hand: nor he that gathers sheaves his bosom.
7  Et non dixérunt qui præteríbant: Benedíctio Dómini super vos: * benedíximus vobis in nómine Dómini.	8 And they that passed by have not said: The blessing of the Lord be upon you: we have blessed you in the name of the Lord.

Notes on the verse

7. Et non dixerunt qui præteribant: Benedictio Domini super vos. Benediximus vobis in nomine Domini.

And they that have passed by have not said: The blessing of the Lord be upon you: we have blessed you in the name of the Lord.

Et (and) non (not) dixérunt (they have said) qui (who) præteríbant (they pass by) benedíctio (the blessing) Dómini (of the Lord) super (on/over) vos (you) benedíximus (we have blessed) vobis (you) in nómine (in the name) Dómini (of the Lord)

praetereo, li, ltum, ire,  Of place: to go by, pass by.

benedictio, onis, /.a blessing.

benedico, dixi, dictum, ere 3  to bless, to praise, bless, give thanks to (God);  to be well pleased with, to take pleasure in

nomen, mis, n. name

Cassiodorus explains the context of the blessing being denied:

It was a custom among the Jews that if passers-by came upon individuals working at some agricultural task, they bestowed grace and a blessing on them. So we read in the book of Ruth: And Booz said to the young man that was set over the reapers, The Lord be with you: and they answered him, The Lord bless thee. Here an implication contrary to this custom is assumed, for no blessing is bestowed on wicked men who work to no effect. 

St Augustine points out that those who reject Christ are owed no blessings, but rather condemnation. Because we are friends of the bridegroom, he argues, we must 'refuse to be adulterers of the bride'.

And that brings to an end our consideration of the psalms of Monday Vespers.  You can find an overview of Tuesday in the Benedictine Office here.

Psalm 128 verses 5-6

Today's verses of Psalm 128 take the form of a curse on the face of it, and so need to be considered in their proper context: these words a warning to repent, for repentance and salvation are always possible while we still have life!

Psalm 128 (129) – Saepe expugnaverunt me

Vulgate	Douay-Rheims
Canticum graduum.	A gradual canticle.
1 Sæpe expugnavérunt me a juventúte mea, * dicat nunc Israël:	Often have they fought against me from my youth, let Israel now say.
2  Sæpe expugnavérunt me a juventúte mea: * étenim non potuérunt mihi.	2 Often have they fought against me from my youth: but they could not prevail over me.
3  Supra dorsum meum fabricavérunt peccatóres: * prolongavérunt iniquitátem suam.	3 The wicked have wrought upon my back: they have lengthened their iniquity.
4  Dóminus justus concídit cervíces peccatórum: * confundántur et convertántur retrórsum omnes, qui odérunt Sion.	4 The Lord who is just will cut the necks of sinners: 5 Let them all be confounded and turned back that hate Sion.
5  Fiant sicut fœnum tectórum: * quod priúsquam evellátur exáruit:	6 Let them be as grass upon the tops of houses: which withers before it be plucked up:
6  De quo non implévit manum suam qui metit: * et sinum suum qui manípulos cólligit.	7 Who with the mower fills not his hand: nor he that gathers sheaves his bosom.
7  Et non dixérunt qui præteríbant: Benedíctio Dómini super vos: * benedíximus vobis in nómine Dómini.	8 And they that passed by have not said: The blessing of the Lord be upon you: we have blessed you in the name of the Lord.

Notes on the verses

5. Fiant sicut fœnum tectorum, quod priusquam evellatur exaruit:Let them be as grass on the tops of houses: which withered before it be plucked up

6. de quo non implevit manum suam qui metit, et sinum suum qui manipulos colligit. 

Wherewith the mower filleth not his hand: nor he that gathereth sheaves his bosom.  

Fiant (let them be) sicut (like) fœnum (grass) tectórum (on the rooftop) quod (that) priúsquam (before)

evellátur (it is pulled out) exáruit (it) withers

The image is of blades of wheat or corn growing on flat roofs that can never develop sufficient roots to harvest because the soil is too shallow and it lacks protection from the sun.

fio, factus sum, fieri (pass, of facio), to be made or done, to become, happen

foenum, i, n., grass.

tectum, i, n.  a roof, house top.

priusquam or prius quam, adv., before, before that.

evello, velli, vulsum, ere 3, to tear, pull, or pluck out.

exaresco, arm, escere 3, to become dry, to wither, dry up. 

De (from) quo (which) non (not) implévit (he does not fill) manum (hand) suam (his) qui (who/which) metit (he reaps et (and) sinum (breast) suum (his) qui (who/which) manípulos (sheaves) cólligit (he gathers)

The second phrase is difficult to translate. ‘Sinus’ normally means bosom or breast – some have suggested that the thought is probably that no bunch of grass is able to be gathered up against his breast in order to be tied into a sheaf.  Others though have suggested that sinus here refers to the fold of a garment where things can be tucked in, and the NETS Septuagint adopts this translation, making the verse 'With which no reaper filled his hand, and a gatherer of sheaves, the fold of his garment'.

impleo, plevi, pletum, ere 2  to fill, fill up, fill full;  to fill, to cover; to fill, satisfy.

manus, us, f.,  hand

meto, messiii, messum, ere 3, to reap, mow, gather harvest.

sinus, us, m.,  bosom, breast; the arm.

colligo, legi, lectum, ere 3 to gather, gather together, collect.

manipulus, i, m.  a small bundle, a handful; a sheaf. 

Isaiah's prophecy about the destruction of Sennacherib (2 Kings 19:26) uses the identical image of grass on a rooftop.  Bellarmine explains the extension of the metaphor:

Another imprecation, which, too, is to be read as a prediction, for it conveys to us the briefness of the happiness of the wicked, and, by a very happy idea, compares it to grass, a vile and fragile substance, and, as is said of it, "which is to day, and tomorrow will be cast into the fire;" and, not content with comparing it to grass, he adds, that it is like the grass that grows on the top of a house, a thing of no value, so much so that nobody ever thinks of cutting it, saving it, or making it into bundles, but leaves it where it grows to wither and to rot. 

He goes on to encourage us to ponder final judgment:

At present, we don't see the full extent of this comparison, though we know of nothing, perhaps, more worthless, or of less value than such grass; but when we shall all come to be judged we shall see that such a comparison, instead of being over the mark, is considerably under it. What will be, then, to see those who abounded in the riches and power of this world, and who imagined they had, through such riches, established themselves and their families in their kingdoms and empires, shoved out ignominiously, and hurled into the lowest pit? and, furthermore, to see those who had reveled in pleasures and enjoyments, who knew not how to put up with the slightest inconvenience, consigned to everlasting torments, without the slightest hope of the smallest relief for all eternity?

And you can find notes on the last verse of the psalm here.

Psalm 128 verse 4

Lochner, c15th

Verse 4 of Psalm 128 speaks of God's coming judgment of those who fail to repent.

Psalm 128

Vulgate	Douay-Rheims
Canticum graduum.	A gradual canticle.
1 Sæpe expugnavérunt me a juventúte mea, * dicat nunc Israël:	Often have they fought against me from my youth, let Israel now say.
2  Sæpe expugnavérunt me a juventúte mea: * étenim non potuérunt mihi.	2 Often have they fought against me from my youth: but they could not prevail over me.
3  Supra dorsum meum fabricavérunt peccatóres: * prolongavérunt iniquitátem suam.	3 The wicked have wrought upon my back: they have lengthened their iniquity.
4  Dóminus justus concídit cervíces peccatórum: * confundántur et convertántur retrórsum omnes, qui odérunt Sion.	4 The Lord who is just will cut the necks of sinners: 5 Let them all be confounded and turned back that hate Sion.
5  Fiant sicut fœnum tectórum: * quod priúsquam evellátur exáruit:	6 Let them be as grass upon the tops of houses: which withers before it be plucked up:
6  De quo non implévit manum suam qui metit: * et sinum suum qui manípulos cólligit.	7 Who with the mower fills not his hand: nor he that gathers sheaves his bosom.
7  Et non dixérunt qui præteríbant: Benedíctio Dómini super vos: * benedíximus vobis in nómine Dómini.	8 And they that passed by have not said: The blessing of the Lord be upon you: we have blessed you in the name of the Lord.

Notes on the verse

4. Dominus justus concidit cervices peccatorum: confundantur, et convertantur retrorsum omnes qui oderunt Sion.

The Lord who is just will cut the necks of sinners:  let them all be confounded and turned back that hate Sion (DR).

Dóminus (the Lord) justus (just) concídit (he cuts) cervíces (the necks) peccatórum (of sinners)

confundántur (let them be put to shame) et (and) convertántur (let them be converted/turned) retrórsum (back) omnes (all) qui (who) odérunt (hate) Sion

The Septuagint/Vulgate version of this verse suggests that sinners have been punished (their necks cut off); the surviving medieval Hebrew version (reflected in the RSV) gives a rather obscure allusion to ‘cutting the cords’, perhaps to the ploughs (of the foreign invaders?) mentioned in the previous verse.  

The Coverdale translation attempts to make sense of the received Hebrew version as follows: "But the righteous Lord hath hewn the snares of the ungodly in pieces. Let them be confounded and turned backward, as many as have evil will at Sion."

Knox, however, offers perhaps a more PC translation of the sense of the verse: "but the Lord proved faithful, and cut the bonds of tyranny asunder.Let them be dismayed and routed, all these enemies of Sion."

justus -a, um just.
concido, cidi, cisum, ere  to cut, cut in pieces; to cleave, hew asunder
cervix, icis, f., the neck.
peccator, oris, m. (pecco), a sinner, transgressor; the wicked, the godless.
confundo, fudi, fusum, ere 3, to put or bring to shame, to discomfit.
converto, verti, versum, ere 3,  to turn, change, alter, bring back, quicken, refresh, restore,  convert, turn from sin
retrorsum, back, backward,. behind
odi and odivi, odisse; other forms, odirem, odiens; to hate. 

Many of the Fathers and Theologians see this verse as an encouragement to those who are faithful to the Church.  St Robert Bellarmine, for example, summarises the sentiment as: 'cheer up', for eventually God's justice will catch up with the impenitent sinner!  St Augustine, however, approaches the verse as a warning to us all, and that seems to me to fit better with St Benedict's reasons for placing this psalm here:

Which of us does not fix his eyes upon the earth, like the Publican, and say, Lord, be merciful unto me a sinner? Luke 18:13 If therefore all are sinners, and none is found without sin; all must fear the sword that hangs above their neck, because the righteous Lord shall hew the necks of the sinners. 

And you can find notes on the next two verses here.

Psalm 128 verse 3

Rubens

Verse 3 of Psalm 128 speaks of the persecution the just often suffer.

Psalm 128: Saepe expugnaverunt 

Vulgate	Douay-Rheims
Canticum graduum.	A gradual canticle.
1 Sæpe expugnavérunt me a juventúte mea, * dicat nunc Israël:	Often have they fought against me from my youth, let Israel now say.
2  Sæpe expugnavérunt me a juventúte mea: * étenim non potuérunt mihi.	2 Often have they fought against me from my youth: but they could not prevail over me.
3  Supra dorsum meum fabricavérunt peccatóres: * prolongavérunt iniquitátem suam.	3 The wicked have wrought upon my back: they have lengthened their iniquity.
4  Dóminus justus concídit cervíces peccatórum: * confundántur et convertántur retrórsum omnes, qui odérunt Sion.	4 The Lord who is just will cut the necks of sinners: 5 Let them all be confounded and turned back that hate Sion.
5  Fiant sicut fœnum tectórum: * quod priúsquam evellátur exáruit:	6 Let them be as grass upon the tops of houses: which withers before it be plucked up:
6  De quo non implévit manum suam qui metit: * et sinum suum qui manípulos cólligit.	7 Who with the mower fills not his hand: nor he that gathers sheaves his bosom.
7  Et non dixérunt qui præteríbant: Benedíctio Dómini super vos: * benedíximus vobis in nómine Dómini.	8 And they that passed by have not said: The blessing of the Lord be upon you: we have blessed you in the name of the Lord.

Notes on the verse

3. Supra dorsum meum fabricaverunt peccatores; prolongaverunt iniquitatem suam.

The wicked have wrought upon my back: they have lengthened their iniquity (DR).

Supra (upon) dorsum (the back) meum (my) fabricavérunt (they have fashioned/made/devised/wrought) peccatóres (the sinners/the wicked) 

Ladouceur (The Latin Psalter Introduction, Selected Text and Commentary) notes that this phrase can be literally translated as ‘upon my back, sinner were framing (ie devising) schemes; the Hebrew Masoretic Text here uses the metaphor of  ‘ploughers ploughing upon my back’ (ie whipping), and the Monastic Diurnal and Knox translations follows this: 'I bent my back to the oppressor, and long was the furrow ere the plough turned' (Knox).  The Hebrew word is, however, ambiguous, and can also mean devising (in a bad sense), so the (more ancient) Greek (and Vulgate reflecting this) should probably be preferred.

supra, prep, with abl., and adv.  on, upon
dorsum, i, n.t the back.
fabrico(r), avi, atum, are to make, fashion, build; to forge anything out of hard material.

prolongavérunt (they have prolonged) iniquitátem (the sin/wickedness/iniquity) suam (his/her/its)

Note that suam here refers to iniquitatem, so in English is plural, so translated as their.

peccator, oris, m.  a sinner, transgressor; the wicked, the godless.
prolongo, avi, atum, are  to prolong, lengthen, draw out.
iniquitas, atis, f (iniquus), iniquity, injustice, sin. 

How do we resist the assaults of those who would attack us? St Benedict's tools of good works (RB 4) offer several defenses against such assaults:

To fear the Day of Judgement.

To dread hell.

To desire eternal life with all spiritual longing.

To keep death daily before one's eyes.

To keep constant guard over the actions of one's life.

To know for certain that God sees one everywhere.

When evil thoughts come into one's heart, to dash them at once on the rock of Christ and to manifest them to one's spiritual father.

And you can find on the next verses here.

Psalm 128: Verses 1-2

In the previous post I provided an introduction to Psalm 128.

The first two verses set the scene by pointing us to the enemy.  Here is the complete text of the psalm again for reference purposes, with the relevant verses bolded.

Vulgate	Douay-Rheims
Canticum graduum.	A gradual canticle.
1 Sæpe expugnavérunt me a juventúte mea, * dicat nunc Israël:	Often have they fought against me from my youth, let Israel now say.
2  Sæpe expugnavérunt me a juventúte mea: * étenim non potuérunt mihi.	2 Often have they fought against me from my youth: but they could not prevail over me.
3  Supra dorsum meum fabricavérunt peccatóres: * prolongavérunt iniquitátem suam.	3 The wicked have wrought upon my back: they have lengthened their iniquity.
4  Dóminus justus concídit cervíces peccatórum: * confundántur et convertántur retrórsum omnes, qui odérunt Sion.	4 The Lord who is just will cut the necks of sinners: 5 Let them all be confounded and turned back that hate Sion.
5  Fiant sicut fœnum tectórum: * quod priúsquam evellátur exáruit:	6 Let them be as grass upon the tops of houses: which withers before it be plucked up:
6  De quo non implévit manum suam qui metit: * et sinum suum qui manípulos cólligit.	7 Who with the mower fills not his hand: nor he that gathers sheaves his bosom.
7  Et non dixérunt qui præteríbant: Benedíctio Dómini super vos: * benedíximus vobis in nómine Dómini.	8 And they that passed by have not said: The blessing of the Lord be upon you: we have blessed you in the name of the Lord.

Notes on the verses

Sæpe expugnavérunt me a juventúte mea, * dicat nunc Israël Often have they fought against me from my youth, let Israel now say (DR)

sæpe expugnaverunt me a juventute mea: etenim non potuerunt mihi. 

Often have they fought against me from my youth: but they could not prevail over me. 

1a&2a:Sæpe (often) expugnavérunt (they have oppressed/fought against/afflicted) me (me) a (from) juventúte (youth) mea (my)

saepe, adv., often, oftentimes, frequently.

expugno are avi atum to fight against, to oppress, afflict
juventus, utis,. youth.

The Douay-Rheims translation (provided above) is fairly literal, and the Coverdale translation is similar; the (Farnborough edition) Monastic Diurnal makes it instead "They have hard pressed me from my youth...'  The Knox translation is more poetic: 'Sore have they beset me even from my youth'. 

1b:  dicat (let he/she/it say) nunc (now) Israël

This phrase can be interpreted two ways: firstly we can lament at the Church's constant persecution; but secondly, as the Knox ('let this be Israel’s boast') as a badge of honour.

dico, dixi, dictum, ere 3, to say, speak;  to sing; in the sense of to think, plan, desire; to command; to praise.

nunc, adv. at present, at this moment

2b: étenim (and/yet/truly) non (not) potuérunt (they have prevailed) mihi (to me/against me)

etenim, conj., a strong et; and, yea, indeed, truly;  as an adversative.

possum, potui, posse   to be able, can, to have power; +dat= prevail over, prevail against

The inclusion of 'let Israel say' suggests that these two verses can be viewed as a lament for the persecution that the people of Israel - and the Church - has always suffered, from its very beginnings.

Some claim we currently live in a time of emergency for the Church.

That is true in a sense.

Yet the Fathers remind us that this has more often been the case than a state of peace!  St Augustine for example, in his commentary on this verse provides a long list of struggles within the Church, starting with Abel and Cain.  Yet despite its torrid history of internal division and external persecution, the Church, founded on the rock, has always prevailed.

The verses can also be taken as a reference to the individual spiritual combat we must all engage in, modelled for us in the temptations Christ faced in the desert.

Notes on the next set of verses can be found here.