Psalm 51: Overview

St Alphonsus Liguori commented:

This psalm, taken in a literal sense, shows us David reproaching Doeg, the Edomite, for having excited against him and against the priest Achimelech the anger of Saul, and for having thus caused the ruin of many others (i Kings, i. 22). In the mystical sense, Doeg represents all the wicked that persecute the good.

The text of the psalm

Vulgate	Douay-Rheims
In finem. Intellectus David, cum venit Doëg Idumæus, et nuntiavit Sauli : Venit David in domum Achimelech.	Unto the end, understanding for David, 2 when Doeg the Edomite came and told Saul: David went to the house of Achimelech.
1 Quid gloriáris in malítia, * qui potens es in iniquitáte?	Why do you glory in malice, you that are mighty in iniquity?
2  Tota die injustítiam cogitávit lingua tua: * sicut novácula acúta fecísti dolum.	4 All the day long your tongue has devised injustice: as a sharp razor, you have wrought deceit.
3  Dilexísti malítiam super benignitátem: * iniquitátem magis quam loqui æquitátem.	5 You have loved malice more than goodness: and iniquity rather than to speak righteousness.
4  Dilexísti ómnia verba præcipitatiónis: * lingua dolósa.	6 You have loved all the words of ruin, O deceitful tongue.
5 Proptérea Deus déstruet te in finem, * evéllet te, et emigrábit te de tabernáculo tuo: et radícem tuam de terra vivéntium.	7 Therefore will God destroy you for ever: he will pluck you out, and remove you from your dwelling place: and your root out of the land of the living.
6  Vidébunt justi, et timébunt, et super eum ridébunt et dicent: *  Ecce homo, qui non pósuit Deum adjutórem suum:	8 The just shall see and fear, and shall laugh at him, and say: 9 Behold the man that made not God his helper:
7  Sed sperávit in multitúdine divitiárum suárum: * et præváluit in vanitáte sua.	But trusted in the abundance of his riches: and prevailed in his vanity.
8  Ego autem, sicut olíva fructífera in domo Dei: * sperávi in misericórdia Dei in ætérnum : et in sæculum sæculi.	10 But I, as a fruitful olive tree in the house of God, have hoped in the mercy of God for ever, yea for ever and ever.
9  Confitébor tibi in sæculum, quia fecísti: * et exspectábo nomen tuum, quóniam bonum est in conspéctu sanctórum tuórum.	11 I will praise you for ever, because you have done it: and I will wait on your name, for it is good in the sight of your saints.

Scriptural and liturgical uses of the psalm

NT references	Jn 3:19-20 (3)
RB cursus	Matins Tuesday I, 6
Monastic feasts etc	-
Responsories	-
Roman pre 1911	Tuesday Matins
Roman post 1911	1911-62: Wednesday Prime . 1970:
Mass propers (EF)	IN 3, 10, 11 [Triplex 424]

 

Psalm 48: Overview

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

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

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

The text of the psalm

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

Scriptural and liturgical uses of the psalm

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

Psalm 80: overview

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

For the fifith day

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

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

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

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

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

And on verse 5 he says:

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

An invitation to fervour

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

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

Corpus Christi

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

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

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

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

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

The text of the psalm

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

Liturgical and Scriptural uses of the psalm

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

Psalm 43: Overview

Psalm 43 is said at Monday Matins in the Benedictine Office.

For the sons of core...

St Augustine provided an extended commentary on the psalm's title, which he saw as linking it to the Passion:

This Psalm is addressed to the sons of Korah, as its title shows. Now Korah is equivalent to the word baldness; and we find in the Gospel that our Lord Jesus Christ was crucified in the place of a skull. It is clear then that this Psalm is sung to the sons of His 'Passion.' Now we have on this point a most certain and most evident testimony from the Apostle Paul; because that at the time when the Church was suffering under the persecutions of the Gentiles, he quoted from hence a verse, to insert by way of consolation, and encouragement to patience. For that which he inserted in his Epistle, is said here: For Your sake are we killed all the day long; we are counted as sheep for the slaughter. Let us then hear in this Psalm the voice of the Martyrs; and see how good is the cause which the voice of the Martyrs pleads, saying, For Your sake, etc....

The title then is not simply To the sons of Korah, but, For understanding, to the sons of Korah. This is the case also with that Psalm, the first verse of which the Lord Himself uttered on the Cross: My God, My God, look upon Me; why have You forsaken Me? For transferring us in a figure to what He was saying, and to His own Body (for we are also His Body, and He is our Head), He uttered from the Cross not His own cry, but ours. For God never forsook Him: nor did He Himself ever depart from the Father; but it was in behalf of us that He spoke this: My God, My God, why have you forsaken Me? For there follows, Far from My health are the words of My offenses: and it shows in whose person He said this; for sin could not be found in Him....

A psalm for times of tribulation

St Alphonsus Liguori provides the following summary for this psalm:

What dominates in this psalm is the expression of the sentiments which should animate the just amid the afflictions of the present life. The psalmist, therefore, proposes to us a prayer that we should address to God in the time of tribulation. The holy Fathers regard this psalm as prophetic. It is the people of God that speak: groaning under oppression, they represent to the Lord the benefits that they once received from his bounty; then they describe their present miseries, and ask the help that they need.

The text of the psalm

Psalm 43

Vulgate	Douay-Rheims
In finem. Filiis Core ad intellectum.	Unto the end, for the sons of Core, to give understanding.
1 Deus, áuribus nostris audívimus: * patres nostri annuntiavérunt nobis.	We have heard, O God, with our ears: our fathers have declared to us,
2  Opus, quod operátus es in diébus eórum, * et in diébus antíquis.	The work you have wrought in their days, and in the days of old.
3  Manus tua gentes dispérdidit, et plantásti eos: * afflixísti pópulos, et expulísti eos.	3 Your hand destroyed the Gentiles, and you planted them: you afflicted the people and casted them out.
4  Nec enim in gládio suo possedérunt terram, * et bráchium eórum non salvávit eos:	4 For they got not the possession of the land by their own sword: neither did their own arm save them.
5  Sed déxtera tua, et bráchium tuum, et illuminátio vultus tui, * quóniam complacuísti in eis.	But your right hand and your arm, and the light of your countenance: because you were pleased with them.
6  Tu es ipse Rex meus et Deus meus: * qui mandas salútes Jacob.	5 You are yourself my king and my God, who commands the saving of Jacob.
7  In te inimícos nostros ventilábimus cornu: * et in nómine tuo spernémus insurgéntes in nobis.	6 Through you we will push down our enemies with the horn: and through your name we will despise them that rise up against us.
8  Non enim in arcu meo sperábo: * et gládius meus non salvábit me.	7 For I will not trust in my bow: neither shall my sword save me.
9  Salvásti enim nos de affligéntibus nos: * et odiéntes nos confudísti.	8 But you have saved us from them that afflict us: and have put them to shame that hate us.
10  In Deo laudábimur tota die: * et in nómine tuo confitébimur in sæculum.	9 In God shall we glory all the day long: and in your name we will give praise for ever.
11  Nunc autem repulísti et confudísti nos: * et non egrediéris, Deus, in virtútibus nostris.	10 But now you have cast us off, and put us to shame: and you, O God, will not go out with our armies.
12  Avertísti nos retrórsum post inimícos nostros: * et qui odérunt nos, diripiébant sibi.	11 You have made us turn our back to our enemies: and they that hated us plundered for themselves.
13  Dedísti nos tamquam oves escárum: * et in Géntibus dispersísti nos.	12 You have given us up like sheep to be eaten: you have scattered us among the nations.
14  Vendidísti pópulum tuum sine prétio: * et non fuit multitúdo in commutatiónibus eórum.	13 You have sold your people for no price: and there was no reckoning in the exchange of them.
15  Posuísti nos oppróbrium vicínis nostris, * subsannatiónem et derísum his, qui sunt in circúitu nostro.	14 You have made us a reproach to our neighbours, a scoff and derision to them that are round about us.
16  Posuísti nos in similitúdinem Géntibus: * commotiónem cápitis in pópulis.	15 You have made us a byword among the Gentiles: a shaking of the head among the people.
17  Tota die verecúndia mea contra me est, * et confúsio faciéi meæ coopéruit me.	16 All the day long my shame is before me: and the confusion of my face has covered me,
18  A voce exprobrántis, et obloquéntis: * a fácie inimíci, et persequéntis.	17 at the voice of him that reproaches and detracts me: at the face of the enemy and persecutor.
19  Hæc ómnia venérunt super nos, nec oblíti sumus te: * et iníque non égimus in testaménto tuo.	18 All these things have come upon us, yet we have not forgotten you: and we have not done wickedly in your covenant.
20  Et non recéssit retro cor nostrum: * et declinásti sémitas nostras a via tua:	19 And our heart has not turned back: neither have you turned aside our steps from your way.
21  Quóniam humiliásti nos in loco afflictiónis, * et coopéruit nos umbra mortis.	20 For you have humbled us in the place of affliction: and the shadow of death has covered us.
22  Si oblíti sumus nomen Dei nostri, * et si expándimus manus nostras ad deum aliénum:	21 If we have forgotten the name of our God, and if we have spread forth our hands to a strange god:
23  Nonne Deus requíret ista? * ipse enim novit abscóndita cordis.	22 Shall not God search out these things: for he knows the secrets of the heart.
24  Quóniam propter te mortificámur tota die: * æstimáti sumus sicut oves occisiónis.	23 Because for your sake we are killed all the day long: we are counted as sheep for the slaughter.
25  Exsúrge, quare obdórmis, Dómine? * exsúrge, et ne repéllas in finem.	24 Arise, why are you sleeping, O Lord? Arise, and cast us not off to the end.
26  Quare fáciem tuam avértis,* oblivísceris inópiæ nostræ, et tribulatiónis nostræ?	25 Why do you turn your face away? And forget our want and our trouble?
27  Quóniam humiliáta est in púlvere ánima nostra: * conglutinátus est in terra venter noster.	26 For our soul is humbled down to the dust: our belly cleaves to the earth.
28  Exsúrge, Dómine, ádjuva nos: * et rédime nos propter nomen tuum.	27 Arise, O Lord, help us and redeem us for your name's sake

Scriptural and liturgical uses of the psalm

NT references	Romans 8: 36 (13, 23)
RB cursus	Matins Monday II, 5
Monastic/(Roman) feasts etc	-
Roman pre 1911	Tuesday Matins
Roman post 1911	1911-62: Tuesday None . 1970:
Mass propers (EF)	Sexagesima IN (2, 24, 26) Lent 4 Tuesday GR (1-2, 25) PP23 GR (8-9)