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| Pietro Perugino |
The second section of Psalm 135 praises God as the creator of all things.
In Psalm 113, his status as creator is simply asserted, in verse 24, which includes the phrase 'qui fecit cælum, et terram' (who made heaven and earth). Psalm 135 expands on this, providing us with a summary of the Genesis creation story.
On these verses, Pope Benedict XVI commented:
"...As sung in Psalm 19[18]: "The heavens proclaim the glory of God and the firmament shows forth the work of his hands. Day unto day takes up the story and night unto night makes known the message" (vv. 2-3). Thus, a divine message exists, secretly engraved in creation and a sign of the hesed, the loving fidelity of God who gives his creatures being and life, water and food, light and time.
A clear vision is essential in order to contemplate this divine revelation, recalling the recommendation of the Book of Wisdom that invites us to recognize "the greatness and the beauty of created things, [whose] original author, by analogy, is seen" (Wis 13: 5; cf. Rom 1: 20). Prayerful praise, therefore, flows from contemplation of the "marvellous works" (cf. Ps 136[135]: 4) that God has wrought in creation that are transformed into a joyful hymn of praise and thanksgiving to the Lord. Consequently, we rise from the works of creation to the greatness of God and to his loving mercy. This is what we are taught by the Fathers of the Church, in whose voices resound the constant Christian Tradition.
Thus, St Basil the Great, in one of the initial pages of his first homily on the Hexaemeron, where he comments on the creation narrative in the first chapter of Genesis, pauses to consider God's wise action and is brought to recognize God's goodness as the dynamic centre of creation. The following are several sayings from the long reflection of the Holy Bishop of Caesarea of Cappadocia:
"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth'. My words give way, overwhelmed by wonder at this thought" (1, 2, 1: Sulla Genesi [Omelie sull'Esamerone], Milan, 1990, pp. 9, 11)."
In fact, even if some, "deceived by the atheism they bore within them, imagined that the universe lacked guidance and order, at the mercy as it were of chance", the sacred author instead "immediately enlightened our minds with the Name of God at the beginning of the account, saying: "In the beginning... God created...'. And what beauty there is in this order!" (1, 2, 3: ibid., p. 11). "So if the world has a beginning and has been created, it seeks the One who gave it being and is its Creator....
Blessed nature, goodness exempt from envy, the one who is the object of love to all reasonable beings, beauty in addition to everything else that is desirable, the principle of beings, the source of life, the light of the mind, inaccessible wisdom, in brief, it is he who "in the beginning created the heavens and the earth'" (1, 2, 6-7: ibid., p. 13)."
5
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V
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Qui fecit cælos in intelléctu: * quóniam in ætérnum
misericórdia ejus.
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JH
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Qui fecit caelos in sapientia quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus. |
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τῷ ποιήσαντι τοὺς οὐρανοὺς ἐν συνέσει ὅτι εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα τὸ ἔλεος αὐτοῦ |
5 Qui (who) fecit (he made) cælos (the heavens) in intelléctu (with wisdom/understanding).
caelum, i, n., or caeli, orum, m.
heaven, the abode of God; the heavens as opposed to the earth; the air;
intellectus, us, m. understanding, insight.
DR
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Who made the heavens in
understanding: for his mercy endures for ever.
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Brenton
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To him who made
the heavens by understanding; for his mercy endures for ever.
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MD
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Who made the
heavens in wisdom, for his mercy endures forever
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RSV
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to him who by
understanding made the heavens, for his steadfast love endures for ever
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Cover
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who
by his excellent wisdom made the heavens (for his mercy endureth for ever);
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Knox
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eternal his mercy, whose wisdom made the heavens;
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6
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V/JH
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Qui firmávit terram super aquas: * quóniam in
ætérnum misericórdia ejus.
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NV
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Qui expandit terram super aquas, quoniam in aeternum misericordia eius.
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τῷ στερεώσαντι τὴν γῆν ἐπὶ τῶν ὑδάτων ὅτι εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα τὸ ἔλεος αὐτοῦ |
6 Qui (who) firmávit (he established/laid out) terram (the earth) super (above) aquas (the waters)....
Bird notes that the Hebrews verb means beat
out or spread out like as a layer, suggesting an image of the earth as spread
out n the waters of the great Deep.
firmo, avi, atum, are to
strengthen, make firm or strong; establish, make stable or firm
DR
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Who established
the earth above the waters: for his mercy endures for ever.
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Brenton
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To him who
established the earth on the waters; for his mercy endures for
ever.
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MD
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Who established
the earth on the waters, for his mercy endureth forever
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RSV
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to him who
spread out the earth upon the waters, for his steadfast love endures for
ever;
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Cover
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who
laid out the earth above the waters (for his mercy endureth for ever);
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Knox
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eternal his mercy, who poised earth upon the floods.
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7
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V/NV/JH
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Qui fecit luminária magna: * quóniam in ætérnum
misericórdia ejus.
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τῷ ποιήσαντι φῶτα μεγάλα μόνῳ ὅτι εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα τὸ ἔλεος αὐτοῦ |
Qui (who) fecit (made) luminária (the lights) magna (great)...
luminare is n a light
DR
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Who made the
great lights: for his mercy endures for ever.
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Brenton
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To him who alone
made great lights; for his mercy endures for ever.
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MD
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Who made the
great luminaries, for his mercy endureth forever
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Cover
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who
hath made great lights (for his mercy endureth for ever),
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8
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V/JH
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Solem in potestátem diéi : * quóniam in ætérnum
misericórdia ejus.
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NV
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solem, ut praeesset diei, quoniam in aeternum misericordia eius;
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τὸν ἥλιον εἰς ἐξουσίαν τῆς ἡμέρας ὅτι εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα τὸ ἔλεος αὐτοῦ |
Solem (the sun) in potestátem (in dominion/power [to rule over]) diéi (of the day)..
sol, solis, m., the sun.
potestas, atis, f power, strength, might,
dominion, the Powers
dies, ei, m. and f fem. a day, the
natural day
DR
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The sun to rule
the day: for his mercy endures for ever.
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Brenton
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The sun to rule
by day; for his mercy endures for ever.
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MD
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The sun as ruler
of the day, for his mercy endureth forever
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Cover
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the
sun to rule the day (for his mercy endureth for ever),
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Knox
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made the sun to rule by day, his mercy is eternal;
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9
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V/JH
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Lunam et stellas in potestátem noctis: * quóniam in
ætérnum misericórdia ejus.
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NV
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lunam et stellas, ut praeessent nocti, quoniam in aeternum misericordia eius.
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τὴν σελήνην καὶ τὰ ἄστρα εἰς ἐξουσίαν τῆς νυκτός ὅτι εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα τὸ ἔλεος αὐτοῦ |
Lunam (the moon) et (and) stellas (the stars) in potestátem (in power) noctis (of the night)
luna, ae, f. the moon.
stella, ae,f. a star.
potestas, atis, f power, strength, might,
dominion, the Powers
nox, noctis, f.
night.
DR
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The moon and the
stars to rule the night: for his mercy endures for ever.
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Brenton
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The moon and the
stars to rule the night; for his mercy endures for ever.
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MD
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The moon and the
stars as rulers of the night, for his mercy endureth forever
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Cover
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the
moon and the stars to govern the night (for his mercy endureth for ever);
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Psalm 135
Vulgate
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Douay-Rheims
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Alleluja.
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1 Confitémini Dómino, quóniam bonus: * quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus.
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Praise the Lord, for he is good: for his mercy endures for ever.
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2 Confitémini Deo deórum: * quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus.
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2 Praise the God of gods: for his mercy endures for ever.
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3 Confitémini Dómino dominórum: * quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus.
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3 Praise the Lord of lords: for his mercy endures for ever.
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4 Qui facit mirabília magna solus: * quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus.
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4 Who alone does great wonders: for his mercy endures for ever.
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5 Qui fecit cælos in intelléctu: * quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus.
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5 Who made the heavens in understanding: for his mercy endures for ever.
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6 Qui firmávit terram super aquas: * quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus.
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6 Who established the earth above the waters: for his mercy endures for ever.
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7 Qui fecit luminária magna: * quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus.
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7 Who made the great lights: for his mercy endures for ever.
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8 Solem in potestátem diéi : * quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus
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8 The sun to rule the day: for his mercy endures for ever.
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9 Lunam et stellas in potestátem noctis: * quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus.
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9 The moon and the stars to rule the night: for his mercy endures for ever.
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10 Qui percússit Ægyptum cum primogénitis eórum: * quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus.
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10 Who smote Egypt with their firstborn: for his mercy endures for ever.
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11 Qui edúxit Israël de médio eórum: * quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus.
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11 Who brought out Israel from among them: for his mercy endures for ever.
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12 In manu poténti, et bráchio excélso : * quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus.
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12 With a mighty hand and with a stretched out arm: for his mercy endures for ever.
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13 Qui divísit Mare Rubrum in divisiónes: * quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus.
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13 Who divided the Red Sea into parts: for his mercy endures for ever.
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14 Et edúxit Israël per médium ejus: * quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus.
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14 And brought out Israel through the midst thereof: for his mercy endures for ever.
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15 Et excussit Pharaónem, et virtútem ejus in Mari Rubro: * quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus.
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15 And overthrew Pharao and his host in the Red Sea: for his mercy endures for ever.
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16 Qui tradúxit pópulum suum per desértum: * quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus.
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16 Who led his people through the desert: for his mercy endures for ever.
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17 Qui percússit reges magnos: * quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus.
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17 Who smote great kings: for his mercy endures for ever.
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18 Et occídit reges fortes : * quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus.
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18 And slew strong kings: for his mercy endures for ever.
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19 Sehon, regem Amorrhæórum: * quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus.
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19 Sehon king of the Amorrhites: for his mercy endures for ever.
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20 Et Og, regem Basan: * quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus.
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20 And Og king of Basan: for his mercy endures for ever.
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21 Et dedit terram eórum hereditátem : * quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus.
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21 And he gave their land for an inheritance: for his mercy endures for ever.
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22 Hereditátem Israël, servo suo : * quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus.
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22 For an inheritance to his servant Israel: for his mercy endures for ever.
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23 Quia in humilitáte nostra memor fuit nostri: * quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus.
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23 For he was mindful of us in our affliction: for his mercy endures for ever
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24 Et redémit nos ab inimícis nostris: * quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus.
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24 And he redeemed us from our enemies: for his mercy endures for ever.
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25 Qui dat escam omni carni: * quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus
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25 Who gives food to all flesh: for his mercy endures for ever.
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26 Confitémini Deo cæli: * quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus.
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26 Give glory to the God of heaven: for his mercy endures for ever.
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27 Confitémini Dómino dominórum: * quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus.
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Give glory to the Lord of lords: for his mercy endures for ever
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The next part in this series of notes can be found here.
