Ps 139 v13: Blessed are the poor in spirit

The second last verse of Psalm 139 reaffirms the faith of the psalmist that God will set things right in the end.

Looking at the Latin

Cognóvi quia fáciet Dóminus judícium ínopis:  et vindíctam páuperum

I know that the Lord will do justice to the needy, and will revenge the poor.

The key vocabulary for the verse is:

cognosco, gnovi, gnitum, ere 3, to know, see, learn, perceive, be come acquainted with

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

inops, opis, without means or resources; poor, needy, indigent, destitute

reddo, didi, ditum, ere. to restore, return, give back; to requite, repay, reward, render; 

egenus i n (substantive) needy, necessitous, in want, destitute

ius, iuris that which is binding, right, justice, duty

vindicta, ae, f. vengeance, punishment

pauper, eris, ., poor, needy, indigent, helpless, destitute, wretched.

Word by word:

Cognóvi (I have known) quia (that) fáciet (he will make/do) Dóminus (the Lord) judícium (justice) ínopis (the poor/needy/destitute) et (and) vindíctam (revenge/vengeance) páuperum (to the poor/helpless).

This is a verse where the Pian looks quite different to the Vulgate, without the changes adding much obvious value in meaning:

13	V	Cognóvi quia fáciet Dóminus judícium ínopis: * et vindíctam páuperum.
	OR	cognovi quoniam faciet Dominus iudicium inopum et vindictam pauperum
	NV	Cognovi quia faciet Dominus iudicium inopis et vindictam pauperum.
	Pian	Novi Dominum ius reddere egeno, iustitiam pauperibus.
	JH	Scio quod faciet Dominus causam inopis, iudicia pauperum.
	Sept	ἔγνων ὅτι ποιήσει κύριος τὴν κρίσιν τοῦ πτωχοῦ καὶ τὴν δίκην τῶν πενήτων

[Abbreviations: V=Vulgate; OR=Old Roman; NV=Neo-Vulgate; JH=St Jerome's translation from the Hebrew; Sept=Septuagint]

The English translations offer a variety of synonmyms for those God will help:

DR	I know that the Lord will do justice to the needy, and will revenge the poor.
Brenton	I know that the Lord will maintain the cause of the poor, and the right of the needy ones.
MD	I know the Lord secureth justice for the poor and defendeth the cause of the needy
RSV	I know that the LORD maintains the cause of the afflicted, and executes justice for the needy.
Cover	Sure I am that the Lord will avenge the poor, and maintain the cause of the helpless.
Knox	Can I doubt that the Lord will avenge the helpless, will grant the poor redress?
Grail	I know that the Lord will avenge the poor, That he will do justice for the needy.

[Abbreviations: DR=Douay-Rheims Challoner; MD=Monastic Diurnal; RSV=Revised Standard Version; Cover=Coverdale]

The knowledge gained by faith

The word cognovi, indicating the perfect tense, can be interpreted as a strong conviction that God will help the needy.  It is both a statement of faith in God's goodness, and a description of the appropriate thoughts of the just man.

And the use of the word cognovi here, is meant, I would suggest, to stand in contrast to the evil thoughts and actions of  plotters described earlier in the psalm:

2 Qui cogitavérunt iniquitátes in corde: tota die constituébant prælia.	3 Who have devised iniquities in their hearts: all the day long they designed battles.
5 Qui cogitavérunt supplantáre gressus meos: abscondérunt supérbi láqueum mihi:	Who have proposed to supplant my steps: 6 The proud have hidden a net for me.
9 Ne tradas me, Dómine, a desidério meo peccatóri: cogitavérunt contra me, ne derelínquas me, ne forte exalténtur.	9 Give me not up, O Lord, from my desire to the wicked: they have plotted against me; do not forsake me, lest they should triumph.

Who are the poor?

Although the verse can obviously also be interpreted literally, the tradition emphasises that the most important type of poverty is not material.  St Augustine, for example, pointed to the beatitudes in his analysis of the verse:

He is needy of whom it is said, Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled. 

Building on this, St Robert Bellarmine argued that even a nominally rich man can be poor in this sense:

I am convinced, both from my own experience, from the records of my ancestors, as well as from a knowledge of God’s promises and of his justice, that he regards the humble and the poor; which include those abounding in the wealth of the world, yet, by reason of their not looking upon such wealth as their own, but as so much entrusted to them by God to dispense, as being but so many stewards, are still really poor in spirit. 

Vulgate	Douay-Rheims
In finem. Psalmus David.	Unto the end, a psalm of David.
1 Eripe me, Dómine, ab hómine malo: * a viro iníquo éripe me.	Deliver me, O Lord, from the evil man: rescue me from the unjust man.
2 Qui cogitavérunt iniquitátes in corde: * tota die constituébant prælia.	3 Who have devised iniquities in their hearts: all the day long they designed battles.
3 Acuérunt linguas suas sicut serpéntis: * venénum áspidum sub lábiis eórum.	4 They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent: the venom of asps is under their lips.
4 Custódi me, Dómine, de manu peccatóris: * et ab homínibus iníquis éripe me.	5 Keep me, O Lord, from the hand of the wicked: and from unjust men deliver me.
5 Qui cogitavérunt supplantáre gressus meos: * abscondérunt supérbi láqueum mihi:	Who have proposed to supplant my steps: 6 The proud have hidden a net for me.
6 Et funes extendérunt in láqueum: * juxta iter scándalum posuérunt mihi.	And they have stretched out cords for a snare: they have laid for me a stumbling block by the wayside.
7. Dixi Dómino : Deus meus es tu: * exáudi, Dómine, vocem deprecatiónis meæ.	7 I said to the Lord: You are my God: hear, O Lord, the voice of my supplication.
8 Dómine, Dómine, virtus salútis meæ: * obumbrásti super caput meum in die belli.	8 O Lord, Lord, the strength of my salvation: you have overshadowed my head in the day of battle.
9 Ne tradas me, Dómine, a desidério meo peccatóri: * cogitavérunt contra me, ne derelínquas me, ne forte exalténtur.	9 Give me not up, O Lord, from my desire to the wicked: they have plotted against me; do not forsake me, lest they should triumph.
10 Caput circúitus eórum: * labor labiórum ipsórum opériet eos.	10 The head of them compassing me about: the labour of their lips shall overwhelm them.
11 Cadent super eos carbónes, in ignem dejícies eos: * in misériis non subsístent.	11 Burning coals shall fall upon them; you will cast them down into the fire: in miseries they shall not be able to stand.
12 Vir linguósus non dirigétur in terra: * virum injústum mala cápient in intéritu.	12 A man full of tongue shall not be established in the earth: evil shall catch the unjust man unto destruction.
13 Cognóvi quia fáciet Dóminus judícium ínopis: * et vindíctam páuperum.	13 I know that the Lord will do justice to the needy, and will revenge the poor.
14 Verúmtamen justi confitebúntur nómini tuo: * et habitábunt recti cum vultu tuo.	14 But as for the just, they shall give glory to your name: and the upright shall dwell with your countenance.

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

Ps 139 v12: On the virtue of silence

 Verse 12 of Psalm 139 is part of a recapitulation of the characteristics of the unjust person that will lead to their destruction if they do not repent:

• their heart and mind is concerned with plotting evil, not pondering the good (v 3, 9);
• they speak far too much, and what they say is poisonous (v 4, 12) and 
• their actions are not good works, but rather aimed at bringing down others (v 5-7, 13).

12	V	Vir linguósus non dirigétur in terra: * virum injústum mala cápient in intéritu.
	OR	vir linguosus non dirigetur super terram virum iniustum mala capient in interitum
	NV	Vir linguosus non firmabitur in terra, virum violentiae mala capient in interitu.
	Pian	Vir linguae malae non durabit in terra; Virum violentum repente capient mala.
	JH	uir linguosus non dirigetur in terra : uirum iniquum mala capient in interitum.
	Sept	ἀνὴρ γλωσσώδης οὐ κατευθυνθήσεται ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς ἄνδρα ἄδικον κακὰ θηρεύσει εἰς διαφθοράν

[key: V=Vulgate; OR=Old Roman; NV=Neo-Vulgate; JH=St Jerome's translation from the Hebrew; Sept=Septuagint]

Looking at the Latin

 The Vulgate and Douay-Rheims translations are arranged phrase by phrase below:

Vir linguósus non dirigétur in terra: virum injústum mala cápient in intéritu.

A man full of tongue  shall not be established in the earth: the unjust man evil shall catch unto destruction.

 The key vocabulary for the verse is as follows:

 vir, viri, m., a man

linguosus a um talkative, loquacious, garrulous, evil tongued, slanderer, blasphemer

dirigo, rexi, rectum, ere 3 to direct, guide, set aright;  to prosper, to be established.

injustus a um – unjust, godless, wicked

malus, a, um, adj., bad, evil, wicked; grievous, sore, severe; subst., malum, i, n., evil, sin; woe, harm, misfortune

capio ere cepi capturm 3 to take possession of, obtain; hunt after; seize, take captive

in+abl = with, in, on among, by means of

interitus, us, m. destruction

Word by word:

 Vir (the man) linguósus (talkative, foul mouthed) non (not) dirigétur (he will be established/prosper) in terra (on the earth): virum (the man) injústum (unjust) mala (evil) cápient (they shall catch/hunt/take hold of) in (into) intéritu (destruction).

 A selection of English translations follows below: 

DR	A man full of tongue shall not be established in the earth: evil shall catch the unjust man unto destruction.
Brenton	A talkative man shall not prosper on the earth: evils shall hunt the unrighteous man to destruction.
MD	Let not the evil-mouthed be established in the land, misfortune shall bring down the unjust to destruction.
RSV	Let not the slanderer be established in the land; let evil hunt down the violent man speedily!
Cover	A man full of words shall not prosper upon the earth; evil shall hunt the wicked person to overthrow him.
Knox	Not long the blasphemer’s time on earth: misfortune will overtake the oppressor unawares.
Grail	Let the slanderer not endure upon the earth. Let evil hunt the violent man to death!

[Abbreviations: DR=Douay-Rheims Challoner; MD=Monastic Diurnal; RSV=Revised Standard Version; Cover=Coverdale]

Against trolls

The word linguosus (literally full of words, talkative) can sometimes have a positive connotation, meaning eloquent, here the sense is clearly negative, meaning garrulous or worse, a sense reflected in the various English translations of it as slanderer or blasphemer.  It describes those so full of themselves that saying something - anything - is more important than its content, or worse, those who speak to spread lies, slander; to detract, flatter, fight for the sake of fighting, scold or blaspheme. In the modern day context, one could readily apply it to internet trolls, but it is clearly an ancient phenomenon -  St Augustine, for example, commented:

A man full of words loves lies. For what pleasure has he, save in speaking? He cares not what he speaks, so long as he speaks. It cannot be that he will be guided. 

The proper approach, St Augustine suggested, is to be more keen to listen than to speak:

What then ought the servant of God to do, who is kindled with these coals, and himself made a coal of salvation, what should he do? He should wish rather to hear than to speak; as it is written, Let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak (James 1:19). And if it may be so, let him desire this, not to be obliged to speak and talk and teach....

Consistent with this interpretation, St Benedict cited this verse in his discussion of the ninth degree of humility (in chapter 7 of his Rule), saying:

The ninth degree of humility is that a monk restrain his tongue and keep silence, not speaking until he is questioned.  For the Scripture shows that "in much speaking there is no escape from sin" (Prov. 10:19) and that "the talkative man is not stable on the earth" (Ps. 139:12).

Karma awaits?

The verse goes on to highlight the fate of those who persistent in this path, namely destruction, if not in this life, in the next.

Vulgate	Douay-Rheims
In finem. Psalmus David.	Unto the end, a psalm of David.
1 Eripe me, Dómine, ab hómine malo: * a viro iníquo éripe me.	Deliver me, O Lord, from the evil man: rescue me from the unjust man.
2 Qui cogitavérunt iniquitátes in corde: * tota die constituébant prælia.	3 Who have devised iniquities in their hearts: all the day long they designed battles.
3 Acuérunt linguas suas sicut serpéntis: * venénum áspidum sub lábiis eórum.	4 They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent: the venom of asps is under their lips.
4 Custódi me, Dómine, de manu peccatóris: * et ab homínibus iníquis éripe me.	5 Keep me, O Lord, from the hand of the wicked: and from unjust men deliver me.
5 Qui cogitavérunt supplantáre gressus meos: * abscondérunt supérbi láqueum mihi:	Who have proposed to supplant my steps: 6 The proud have hidden a net for me.
6 Et funes extendérunt in láqueum: * juxta iter scándalum posuérunt mihi.	And they have stretched out cords for a snare: they have laid for me a stumbling block by the wayside.
7. Dixi Dómino : Deus meus es tu: * exáudi, Dómine, vocem deprecatiónis meæ.	7 I said to the Lord: You are my God: hear, O Lord, the voice of my supplication.
8 Dómine, Dómine, virtus salútis meæ: * obumbrásti super caput meum in die belli.	8 O Lord, Lord, the strength of my salvation: you have overshadowed my head in the day of battle.
9 Ne tradas me, Dómine, a desidério meo peccatóri: * cogitavérunt contra me, ne derelínquas me, ne forte exalténtur.	9 Give me not up, O Lord, from my desire to the wicked: they have plotted against me; do not forsake me, lest they should triumph.
10 Caput circúitus eórum: * labor labiórum ipsórum opériet eos.	10 The head of them compassing me about: the labour of their lips shall overwhelm them.
11 Cadent super eos carbónes, in ignem dejícies eos: * in misériis non subsístent.	11 Burning coals shall fall upon them; you will cast them down into the fire: in miseries they shall not be able to stand.
12 Vir linguósus non dirigétur in terra: * virum injústum mala cápient in intéritu.	12 A man full of tongue shall not be established in the earth: evil shall catch the unjust man unto destruction.
13 Cognóvi quia fáciet Dóminus judícium ínopis: * et vindíctam páuperum.	13 I know that the Lord will do justice to the needy, and will revenge the poor.
14 Verúmtamen justi confitebúntur nómini tuo: * et habitábunt recti cum vultu tuo.	14 But as for the just, they shall give glory to your name: and the upright shall dwell with your countenance.

You can find notes on the next verse of the psalm here.

St Benedict's psalm cursus and the design of Thursday Vespers, Part 2 - The humility theme at Vespers

Before we look at the last three verses of Psalm 139 I want to pause briefly, and come back to the question of the shaping of St Benedict's Office.

The crafting of Benedictine Vespers

In the last post in this sub-series, I looked at the organisation of the psalms in St Benedict's Vespers across the days of the week.

I noted that he uses selected psalms only,  namely Psalms 109 - 116, 128 - 132, 134 - 141 and 143 - 147, which raises the question, why those psalms in particular and not others?

I also demonstrated, I hope, that their allocation to particular days of the week was not determined on a purely mechanistic basis, but seems to have involved some particular choices, raising the question of what exactly drove those design choices?

Today I want to start looking at some of the factors that may help explain the particular design of Benedictine Vespers, focusing on connections between the Benedictine Rule's emphasis on an all-encompassing virtue of humility as the primary, indeed virtually only virtue needed by the monk, and the Benedictine Office.

The parable of the worker

The first question I want to briefly touch on is the reasons for the selection of particular sets of psalms for particular hours.

One of the most well-known aspects of the Rule of St Benedict is the saint's emphasis on the idea of monks as 'workers'.  

The first reference to this theme comes in the Prologue, where the Rule says: Et quaerens Dominum in multitudine populi cui haec clamat operarium suum...(And the Lord, seeking his workman among the multitudes to whom he calls...).

The use of the word operarium has long been seen as a reference to the Gospel story (Matthew 20:1-16) of the Master calling for workers at the first, third, sixth, ninth and eleventh hours, since the Gospel story uses exactly this word when referring to the workers he employs at the various hours.

Variants on the word work are used throughout the Benedictine Rule in many different contexts, but there are only two other uses of the particular term operarius outside of the Prologue, in Chapter 7 of the Rule, in the chapter on humility.  

There is, I think, a reasons for this, in linking the 'work' of becoming humble, and thus ascending the spiritual ladder towards heaven, and the particular liturgical hours of the worker, namely Prime, Terce, Sext, None and Vespers.

The hours of the worker and humility 

Although St Benedict refers to the Office in general as the Work of God, the parable of the labourer early on had a particular association with the hours of Prime to Vespers, since St John Cassian, in a text that must have been well known to St Benedict and his monks given that he instructed that Cassian be read regularly in the evenings, specifically quotes the parable as a justification for these hours of prayer. 

And if one looks at the particular psalms set for Prime to Vespers, all of them have strong resonances with St Benedict's teaching on humility in chapter 7 of the Rule.

In particular:

• Psalm 118, set for Sunday Prime and then Terce to None on Sundays and Mondays, is effectively an extended meditation on humility, with a particular theme of not forgetting/remembering God's presence and laws, ideas paraphrased by St Benedict in chapter 7 of the rule in his discussion of the first degree of humility, where he says 'Let us altogether shun forgetfulness...and ever remember the commands of God;
• Psalms 1-2 and 6-19 used at Prime also have a strong focus on the first of the steps of humility, fear of God, and its opposite, practical atheism;
• the Gradual Psalms (used at Terce through None on weekdays, and at Monday and Tuesday Vespers) have long been associated with the ascent to God through humility, and indeed St Benedict quotes the twelfth psalm of the set in the introduction to chapter 7 of the Rule and
• Vespers each day includes psalms that echo the opening statement of chapter 7 of the Rule, namely that 'Everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he that humbles himself will be exalted' (Proverbs 18:21). 

I hope come back to St Benedict's usage of psalms related to humility at the other hours in due course, but for now, let's consider the case of Vespers.

 

Vespers and humility: Omnis qui se exaltat humiliabitur et qui se humiliat exaltabitur.

The most obvious manifestation of the humility theme at Vespers is surely the use of the Magnificat as the canticle each day, and at least one liturgist has suggested that its placement at that hour was probably a Benedictine innovation later adopted by the Roman Office.

The key verses are:

...Because he hath regarded the humility of his handmaid; for behold from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. Because he that is mighty, hath done great things to me; and holy is his name. And his mercy is from generation unto generations, to them that fear him. He hath shewed might in his arm: he hath scattered the proud in the conceit of their heart. He hath put down the mighty from their seat, and hath exalted the humble. He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away. He hath received Israel his servant, being mindful of his mercy...

the key point though is that the themes set out in the Magnificat are also reflected in the psalms of Vespers as they are arranged each day also echo the words of the Magnificat.    

In particular, on each day of the week, as the table below illustrates, there is at least one verse that directly echoes the Proverbs prophesy quoted by St Benedict, that the proud will be humbled and the humble lifted up. 

Day of the week	Key psalm references
Sunday	110:9 111:7-9
Monday	113: 9 114: 6
Tuesday	130: 1
Wednesday	137:6-8
Thursday	139: 13-14
Friday	141:7 143:5, 8
Saturday	144:14 145:8-9 146:6

On Sunday, for example, Psalm 112 includes the verse:

 Raising up the needy from the earth, and lifting up the poor out of the dunghill: That he may place him with princes, with the princes of his people. 

 Similarly, Psalm 146 on Saturday including the verse:

The Lord lifteth up the meek, and bringeth the wicked down even to the ground.

And for Thursday, the verses come in the conclusion to Psalm 139, which promises that the proud, who stand tall now, will be brought down, and that the Lord will give justice to the poor, and will allow the just to live upright in his presence.

Dimensions of humility at Vespers

The humility theme at Vespers goes much deeper, I think, than a set of verses that reinforce the idea that the humble will ultimately be vindicated.

Several of the psalms set for the hour contain important teaching on the subject, or are profound meditations on it, such as Psalm 138, which makes up the first half of Thursday Vespers, and can be interpreted as a meditation on Christ's humility in becoming man, and accepting his limited human nature.

For now though, particularly as we endure the penances we have taken on for Lent, it is useful, I think, to make use of those daily verses that serve as a reminder of the endgame, helping us to focus our eyes not on this world, but on heaven, so that we can put the struggles we face into their proper context.

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

Ps 139 v11: Punishment and repentance

Verse 11 of Psalm 139 is a warning to evilders.

 

11	V	Cadent super eos carbónes, in ignem dejícies eos: * in misériis non subsístent.
	OR	cadent super eos carbones ignis in ignem deicies eos in miseriis non subsistent
	NV	Cadant super eos carbones ignis, in foveas deicias eos, et non exsurgant.
	Pian	Pluat super eos carbones ignitos; In foveam deiciat eos, ne resurgant.
	JH	Cadent super eos carbones ignis; deicies eos in foueas, ut non consurgant.
	Sept	πεσοῦνται ἐ{P'} αὐτοὺς ἄνθρακες ἐν πυρὶ καταβαλεῖςαὐτούς ἐν ταλαιπωρίαις οὐ μὴ ὑποστῶσιν

 [Abbreviations: V=Vulgate; OR=Old Roman; NV=Neo-Vulgate; JH=St Jerome's translation from the Hebrew; Sept=Septuagint]

Looking at the Latin

Phrase by phrase

 The Vulgate and Douay-Rheims translations are arranged phrase by phrase below:

Cadent super  eos carbónes, in ignem  dejícies eos:   in misériis  non subsístent.

shall fall upon them; Burning coals  into the fire thou wilt cast them down :  in miseries  they shall not be able to stand.

 Word by word:

Cadent (they will fall) super (on) eos (them) carbónes (coals), in ignem (in the fire) dejícies (you will cast/throw) eos (them): in misériis (in miseries/wretchedness) non (not) subsístent (they will endure).

Key vocabulary:

cado, cecidi, casum, ere 3  to fall, esp. in battle; to bow down, fall down, prostrate one's self; to happen, fall, befall.

carbo, onis, m., coal, charcoal; burning or glowing coals.

ignis, is, m. fire; lightning

dejicio jeci jectum ere 3 to cast, throw or hurl down

miseria, ae, f. misery, wretchedness

subsisto ere stiti 3 to exist, last, remain, endure

Calling on God to smite them?

 Although the older Latin versions make the verb future tense (cadent), the Masoretic Text can readily be trnaslated as subjunctive, hence cadant (in the Neo-Vulgate) or pluat (Pian).  The rest of the phrase too, is slightly softer in the Vulgate, enabling the Fathers to interpret the verse as a call to repentance, rather than inviting everlasting final condemnation:

DR	Burning coals shall fall upon them; thou wilt cast them down into the fire: in miseries they shall not be able to stand.
Brenton	Coals of fire shall fall upon them on the earth; and thou shalt cast them down in afflictions: they shall not bear up [under them].
MD	Burning coals shall fall upon them, cast them into the fire, let them perish miserably.
RSV	Let burning coals fall upon them! Let them be cast into pits, no more to rise!
Cover	Let hot burning coals fall upon them; let them be cast into the fire, and into the pit, that they never rise up again.
Knox	let burning coals rain down on them, be they cast into a pit whence they shall rise no more
Grail	Let coals of fire rain upon them. Let them be flung in the abyss, no more to rise.

[Abbreviations: DR=Douay-Rheims Challoner; MD=Monastic Diurnal; RSV=Revised Standard Version; Cover=Coverdale]

The fires of hell

The obvious, literal, meaning of the verse is that those who do evil will eventually be punished, cast down into hell, and suffering coals raining down on them.

It is a salutary reminder: although unpopular in our time, cultivating a fear of hell is an important part of our spiritual armory, as St Benedict's Rule reminds us, instructing us to 'dread hell' (RB 4).

Salutary remorse

The Latin Fathers, though, refelcting the slightly softer version of the verse in the Vulgate, also interpreted this verse as a reference to repentance in this life: in this take on it, the burning coals are the pricks of conscience that tell us that we have done wrong, and cause us to weep bitter tears for our sins.  St Cassiodorus, for example, commented that:

Coals of fire are the tortures of repentance. Such fire springs from a shower of tears; as was said in Psalm 119: The sharp arrows of the mighty, with coals that lay waste.' Initially grievous remorse falls upon them, and subsequently they are cast into the fire when through the Lord's pity they are ignited by the flame of charity; and though they have long lived in quite idle tepidity, they begin to glow with holy works. The outcome for them is that they do not remain in their miseries, since through God's kindness they are trans­ported to the side of the good.

Vulgate	Douay-Rheims
In finem. Psalmus David.	Unto the end, a psalm of David.
1 Eripe me, Dómine, ab hómine malo: * a viro iníquo éripe me.	Deliver me, O Lord, from the evil man: rescue me from the unjust man.
2 Qui cogitavérunt iniquitátes in corde: * tota die constituébant prælia.	3 Who have devised iniquities in their hearts: all the day long they designed battles.
3 Acuérunt linguas suas sicut serpéntis: * venénum áspidum sub lábiis eórum.	4 They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent: the venom of asps is under their lips.
4 Custódi me, Dómine, de manu peccatóris: * et ab homínibus iníquis éripe me.	5 Keep me, O Lord, from the hand of the wicked: and from unjust men deliver me.
5 Qui cogitavérunt supplantáre gressus meos: * abscondérunt supérbi láqueum mihi:	Who have proposed to supplant my steps: 6 The proud have hidden a net for me.
6 Et funes extendérunt in láqueum: * juxta iter scándalum posuérunt mihi.	And they have stretched out cords for a snare: they have laid for me a stumbling block by the wayside.
7. Dixi Dómino : Deus meus es tu: * exáudi, Dómine, vocem deprecatiónis meæ.	7 I said to the Lord: You are my God: hear, O Lord, the voice of my supplication.
8 Dómine, Dómine, virtus salútis meæ: * obumbrásti super caput meum in die belli.	8 O Lord, Lord, the strength of my salvation: you have overshadowed my head in the day of battle.
9 Ne tradas me, Dómine, a desidério meo peccatóri: * cogitavérunt contra me, ne derelínquas me, ne forte exalténtur.	9 Give me not up, O Lord, from my desire to the wicked: they have plotted against me; do not forsake me, lest they should triumph.
10 Caput circúitus eórum: * labor labiórum ipsórum opériet eos.	10 The head of them compassing me about: the labour of their lips shall overwhelm them.
11 Cadent super eos carbónes, in ignem dejícies eos: * in misériis non subsístent.	11 Burning coals shall fall upon them; you will cast them down into the fire: in miseries they shall not be able to stand.
12 Vir linguósus non dirigétur in terra: * virum injústum mala cápient in intéritu.	12 A man full of tongue shall not be established in the earth: evil shall catch the unjust man unto destruction.
13 Cognóvi quia fáciet Dóminus judícium ínopis: * et vindíctam páuperum.	13 I know that the Lord will do justice to the needy, and will revenge the poor.
14 Verúmtamen justi confitebúntur nómini tuo: * et habitábunt recti cum vultu tuo.	14 But as for the just, they shall give glory to your name: and the upright shall dwell with your countenance.

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