A psalm for Tuesday: Psalm 56

David foresees the coming of Christ,
Tres Riches Heures du Duc de Berry
folio 26v

Tuesday in the Benedictine Office centres around the temple, the heavenly city of God, and our ascent to it.

The day opens with the first of the ‘Songs of Zion’, Ps 45, and continues with a sequence focusing on love of the temple. At Lauds, Psalm 42, used in the prayers at the foot of the altar in the Mass, is said. Terce to Vespers features the Gradual psalms, or songs of Ascent, the pilgrim songs that were sung on the approach to the Temple on the major Jewish feasts.

The key to understanding this focus, I would propose, is the earthly mission of Our Lord, where he came to teach us what we must to do to make the ascent to heaven ourselves: for we must above all imitate Christ.  Psalm 56, the second variable psalm of Lauds, is certainly consistent with this.

Historical context of Psalm 56 (57)

The historical context of Psalm 56 is 1 Samuel 22:1, 24: 4-8, when David was hiding from Saul in a cave. Cassiodorus (a contemporary of St Benedict) follows St Augustine in seeing the cave as a figure of Christ’s hidden divinity during his time on earth:

“Just as David in fleeing from Saul hid in a cave, so the Lord Saviour's divinity is known to have been hidden within the temple of His body from the unfaithful Jews.”

Accordingly, the psalm can be read as Our Lord contemplating and praying on his coming Passion, and thus providing a model of how we must approach our own cross; how we should approach sharing in his sufferings.

God sends forth his mercy and truth

The modern commentary by Antiochian Orthodox theologian Patrick Henry Reardon in his interesting book Christ in the Psalms (I’ll provide a review of this shortly), however, gives this an extra layer of meaning by suggesting that the repetition of the phrase ‘he sent forth’ in the psalm refers to the two ‘missions’ of the Son and Holy Ghost respectively:

“Twice in this half of the psalm we speak of God’s redemption as a “sending forth” (exsapesteilen the verb in each instance): He sent forth from heaven and saved me…God sent forth His mercy and His truth.” Does this double “sending forth” of God refer to the sending forth of the Son and the Holy Spirit into the world? Well, maybe so. Compare the wording here with that in Galatians 4:4-6, where the identical verb, exapesteilen, is used twice – “When the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son…And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son…” (p111).

The psalm, then, becomes one of great hope and trust in God’s mercy and help as we focus on preparing our hearts (verse 10) as his was prepared, through prayer and mortification as we proclaim his message through our words and deeds ‘among the nations’ (verse 12).

You can find some further notes on this psalm in the context of Benedictine Lauds here.

Psalm 56

Vulgate	Douay-Rheims
In finem, ne disperdas. David in tituli inscriptionem, cum fugeret a facie Saul in speluncam.	Unto the end, destroy not, for David, for an inscription of a title, when he fled from Saul into the cave.
1 Miserére mei, Deus, miserére mei: * quóniam in te confídit ánima mea.	Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me: for my soul trusts in you.
2 Et in umbra alárum tuárum sperábo: * donec tránseat iníquitas.	And in the shadow of your wings will I hope, until iniquity pass away.
3 Clamábo ad Deum altíssimum: * Deum, qui benefécit mihi.	I will cry to God the most high; to God who has done good to me.
4 Misit de cælo, et liberávit me: * dedit in oppróbrium conculcántes me.	He has sent from heaven and delivered me: he has made them a reproach that trod upon me.
5 Misit Deus misericórdiam suam, et veritátem suam, * et erípuit ánimam meam de médio catulórum leónum: dormívi conturbátus.	God has sent his mercy and his truth, and he has delivered my soul from the midst of the young lions. I slept troubled
6 Fílii hóminum dentes eórum arma et sagíttæ: * et lingua eórum gládius acútus.	The sons of men, whose teeth are weapons and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword.
7 Exaltáre super cælos, Deus: * et in omnem terram glória tua.	Be exalted, O God, above the heavens, and your glory above all the earth.
8 Láqueum paravérunt pédibus meis: * et incurvavérunt ánimam meam.	They prepared a snare for my feet; and they bowed down my soul.
9 Fodérunt ante fáciem meam fóveam: * et incidérunt in eam.	They dug a pit before my face, and they are fallen into it.
10 Parátum cor meum, Deus, parátum cor meum: * cantábo, et psalmum dicam.	My heart is ready, O God, my heart is ready: I will sing, and rehearse a psalm.
11 Exsúrge, glória mea, exsúrge psaltérium et cíthara: * exsúrgam dilúculo.	Arise, O my glory, arise psaltery and harp: I will arise early.
12 Confitébor tibi in pópulis, Dómine: * et psalmum dicam tibi in Géntibus :	I will give praise to you, O Lord, among the people: I will sing a psalm to you among the nations
13 Quóniam magnificáta est usque ad cælos misericórdia tua, * et usque ad nubes véritas tua.	For your mercy is magnified even to the heavens: and your truth unto the clouds.
14 Exaltáre super cælos, Deus: * et super omnem terram glória tua.	Be exalted, O God, above the heavens: and your glory above all the earth.

Psalm 118 (119) Tau : All we like sheep have gone astray!

Today the final part in this Lenten series on Psalm 118, as we come to the twenty-second stanza labeled Tau.

And it is a particularly suitable ending point as we come up to Holy Week, for its theme is the longing for salvation.

Text of the stanza

The Knox translation:

169 Wilt thou not admit my cry, Lord, to thy presence, and grant me thy promised gift of wisdom?
170 Wilt thou not countenance my plea, redeem thy pledge to deliver me?
171 What praise shall burst from my lips, when thou makest known thy will!
172 What hymns of thankfulness this tongue shall raise to the author of all just decrees!
173 Wouldst thou but lift thy hand to aid me, that take my stand on thy covenant!
174 Weary it is, Lord, waiting for deliverance, but thy law is my comfort.
175 When will thy just award grant redress, that I may live to praise thee?
176 Wayward thou seest me, like a lost sheep; come to look for thy servant, that is mindful still of thy bidding.

Vulgate	Douay-Rheims
169  Appropínquet deprecátio mea in conspéctu tuo, Dómine: * juxta elóquium tuum da mihi intelléctum.	Let my supplication, O Lord, come near in your sight: give me understanding according to your word.
170  Intret postulátio mea in conspéctu tuo: * secúndum elóquium tuum éripe me.	Let my request come in before you; deliver me according to your word.
171  Eructábunt lábia mea hymnum, * cum docúeris me justificatiónes tuas.	My lips shall utter a hymn, when you shall teach me your justifications.
172  Pronuntiábit lingua mea elóquium tuum: * quia ómnia mandáta tua æquitas.	My tongue shall pronounce your word: because all your commandments are justice.
173  Fiat manus tua ut salvet me: * quóniam mandáta tua elégi.	Let your hand be with me to save me; for I have chosen your precepts
174  Concupívi salutáre tuum, Dómine: * et lex tua meditátio mea est.	I have longed for your salvation, O Lord; and your law is my meditation.
175  Vivet ánima mea, et laudábit te: * et judícia tua adjuvábunt me.	My soul shall live and shall praise you: and your judgments shall help me.
176  Errávi, sicut ovis, quæ périit: * quære servum tuum, quia mandáta tua non sum oblítus.	I have gone astray like a sheep that is lost: seek your servant, because I have not forgotten your commandments.

Longing for salvation

Cassiodorus (c485-585) summarises the stanza as follows:

“With the Lord's help the twenty-second letter has been reached, in which the longing of the band of saints to draw near to Christ is commensurate with their proximity to the close of the psalm. The whole composition is relevant to the Lord Saviour's coming. The devotion of the faithful awaited it with an indescribable longing, so that He might deign to summon back the lost sheep through the kindness of His love; for when they begged that their prayer should draw near to the Lord's sight, they revealed that the presence of sinners is exceedingly far from Him, for only things cleansed by the purest holiness draw near to Him.”

The shepherd seeks the lost sheep

The most memorable verse of this stanza is the last, echoed several times in the New Testament:

Errávi, sicut ovis, quæ périit: quære servum tuum, quia mandáta tua non sum oblítus.
I have gone astray like a sheep that is lost: seek your servant, because I have not forgotten your commandments.

The New Testament of course, puts this verse in the context of Christ’s mission to convert and redeem sinners. St Luke 15: 4-7 for example says:

"What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost, until he finds it? And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, `Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost.' Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.”

Everyone’s autobiography

The psalmist’s story of falling into sin is surely the story of us all.

In the opening verses of the stanza the psalmist pleads for God to hear him and grant him the necessary grace for salvation:

169 Appropínquet deprecátio mea in conspéctu tuo, Dómine: * juxta elóquium tuum da mihi intelléctum.
Let my supplication, O Lord, come near in your sight: give me understanding according to your word.

170 Intret postulátio mea in conspéctu tuo: * secúndum elóquium tuum éripe me.
Let my request come in before you; deliver me according to your word.

He states too that once he has that necessary grace he will surely be moved to rejoice, as we do at the Easter Vigil:

171 Eructábunt lábia mea hymnum, * cum docúeris me justificatiónes tuas.
My lips shall utter a hymn, when you shall teach me your justifications.

He has committed himself to God, he states, and now waits, a waiting symbolized by this Lenten period, with desperate longing for salvation to be realized for him personally:

173 Fiat manus tua ut salvet me: * quóniam mandáta tua elégi.
Let your hand be with me to save me; for I have chosen your precepts.

174 Concupívi salutáre tuum, Dómine: * et lex tua meditátio mea est.
I have longed for your salvation, O Lord; and your law is my meditation.

Almost but not yet redemption

In fact Easter is that season that should most clearly bring home to us the almost but not yet nature of our redemption – despite the assertions of fundamentalists, we cannot, in this life claim to be saved!

As St Bellarmine points out, the idea that we have all strayed from God and suffered the consequences of it applies whether or not we have personally sinned, for through Adam’s sin we have all been banished from Paradise:

“Banished from my country, and still an exile, through the sin of my first parents, that extended to the whole human race, "I have gone astray like a sheep that is lost," by seduction, and not like the devil, the roaring lion, who fell through malice.”

St Bellarmine points out that through our baptism the door to heaven has been reopened:

"Seek thy servant," for though you have already partly sought and found him, inasmuch as you justified him from sin, and reconciled him to God”

Yet still we can fall again into sin, and must seek reconciliation anew, confident in the success of our petition made possible by Christ’s sacrifice on the cross:

“…yet the lost sheep is still to be sought for, inasmuch as he expects the redemption of his body, so that he may body and soul be brought to the heavenly mountains, and those most fertile pastures, where the ninety-nine that did not stray had been left; and I confidently ask for this salvation of soul and body, "because I have not forgotten thy commandments."

I pray as we move into this Holy Week, that we can all make our own the statement that we have not forgotten God’s commandments, and therefore wait in joyful hope.

And I do hope you have found this series of interest and use….please do pass any comments or reactions you have to it to me on or offline.

Verse by verse

169 Appropínquet deprecátio mea in conspéctu tuo, Dómine: juxta elóquium tuum da mihi intelléctum.
Let my supplication, O Lord, come near in your sight: give me understanding according to your word.

Appropínquet deprecátio mea in conspéctu tuo, Dómine = may/let my supplication approach into your presence O Lord

St Bellarmine comments: “that is to say, may my prayer, that does not rely on its own merits, be raised up and ascend, through the aspirations of your grace, and come so near you, that you may deign to take a nearer view of it, and regard it with favor”

appropinquo, avi, atum, are , to draw near, approach
deprecatio, onis, f prayer, supplication, entreaty

juxta elóquium tuum da mihi intelléctum = according to your word give to me understanding

And here we have the content of the prayer, as St Bellarmine suggests: Grant me the grace, therefore, of understanding your commandments, as they are understood by those who observe them, and who, by their observance, have come to life everlasting.

170 Intret postulátio mea in conspéctu tuo: * secúndum elóquium tuum éripe me.
Let my request come in before you; deliver me according to your word.

Intret postulátio mea in conspéctu tuo = let my request/prayer/petition come into your presence

introeo, ivi or li, Itum, ire, to go into, to enter.
postulatio, onis, f., prayer, request, supplication, petition

secúndum elóquium tuum éripe me = according to your word deliver/free me

St Augustine comments: For by receiving understanding he is delivered, who of himself through want of understanding is deceived.

We can perhaps see this as relating back to the previous stanza’s comment on the law as a stumbling block to some. The lover of the law assumes that anything seems odd is simply a want of understanding on his own part, and asks God’s help to resolve it.

171 Eructábunt lábia mea hymnum, * cum docúeris me justificatiónes tuas.
My lips shall utter a hymn, when you shall teach me your justifications.

Eructábunt lábia mea hymnum = my lips will declare/utter a hymn

The sense is that God’s word naturally elicits a joyful response in song, just like belching after eating much food...

eructo, avi, atum, are, to belch, belch forth; to utter, declare, publish; overflow.

cum docúeris me justificatiónes tuas = when you [will] teach me your justifications

Grammatically this is a temporal clause, so the future tense of the Latin isn’t normally really reflected in the English meaning. If one wanted to be very literal, you could translate it (as Brenton’s from the Septuagint does) as ‘when you shall have’, but a more colloquial rendering would be something like ‘when you have taught me your justifications or commands’.

172 Pronuntiábit lingua mea elóquium tuum: * quia ómnia mandáta tua æquitas.
My tongue shall pronounce your word: because all your commandments are justice.

Pronuntiábit lingua mea elóquium tuum = My tongue will announce/proclaim your word

St Augustine sees this as speaking of the duty of all of us to preach in our own way, God’s word: When he says that he will declare these things, he becomes a minister of the word. For though God teach within, nevertheless faith comes from hearing: and how do they hear without a preacher? For, because God gives the increase, 1 Corinthians 3:7 is no reason why we need not plant and water.

pronuntio, avi, atum, are, to announce, declare, proclaim.

quia ómnia mandáta tua æquitas =because all your commandments [are] justice/righteous

173 Fiat manus tua ut salvet me: * quóniam mandáta tua elégi.
Let your hand be with me to save me; for I have chosen your precepts.

Fiat manus tua ut salvet me = let your hand be done/made in order to save me = let your hand save me

The neo-Vulgate changes ‘save’ to ‘help’ (adiuvet). Bellarmine comments: He follows up his prayer, asking for the only thing worth asking for, life everlasting, which is the object of the commandments… Let your wisdom and power be exercised to save me; and as the apostle teaches, that Christ is the power and wisdom of God, the Fathers have very properly explained this prayer to be, "Let Christ be with me to save me:"

quóniam mandáta tua elégi – for I have chosen your commandments/precepts

The Greek here is ἐντολάς which is usually translated as commandments; it is not clear why the Douay-Rheims uses precepts instead, though it may be following St Jerome’s from the Hebrew translation. In any case, the neo-Vulgate retains mandata. St Augustine comments here that the psalmist is saying that he has ‘stifled fear with love’.

eligo, legi, lectum, ere 3 to choose, pick out, select.

174 Concupívi salutáre tuum, Dómine: * et lex tua meditátio mea est.
I have longed for your salvation, O Lord; and your law is my meditation.

Concupívi salutáre tuum, Dómine = I have your longed for your salvation O Lord

Cassiodorus comments: They had longed for the Lord Christ as revealed by the prophets, for they knew that His coming birth had been foretold by them; and inevitably He was sought with great love, for they had learnt that His coming for the salvation of the human race was signified all those centuries before.

concupisco, ciiplvi or ciipii, ciipltum, ere 3 to desire eagerly, to long for or after.

et lex tua meditátio mea est = and your law is my meditation

The neo-Vulgate changes it to the law is my delight (delectatio).

175 Vivet ánima mea, et laudábit te: * et judícia tua adjuvábunt me.
My soul shall live and shall praise you: and your judgments shall help me.

Vivet ánima mea, et laudábit te =My soul will live and I will praise you

St Augustine points to the service of the martyrs here; St Bellarmine however to the joys of everlasting life:

"My soul shall live," when it shall have obtained the salvation it so longs for and "thy hand shall have been with it to save it;" and then its duty, and its only business, will be to praise you for "blessed are they who dwell in thy house, O Lord, they shall praise thee forever and ever," "and thy judgments shall help me." Your commandments, so observed by me, will help me, ultimately, when I shall rise in the resurrection to live forever.”

et judícia tua adjuvábunt me = and your justice/judgments will help me

adjuvo, juvi, jutum, are, to help, assist, support.

176 Errávi, sicut ovis, quæ périit: * quære servum tuum, quia mandáta tua non sum oblítus.
I have gone astray like a sheep that is lost: seek your servant, because I have not forgotten your commandments.

Errávi, sicut ovis, quæ périit = I have strayed like a sheep which has perished/is lost

erro, avi, atum, are, to wander, stray, rove,
pereo, li, ltum, ire, to perish, come to naught, be lost; stray, be lost.

quære servum tuum = seek your servant

cf Mt 18:12, Lk 15:4-7, 1 Peter 2:25 going after the lost sheep.

quaero, sivi, situm, ere 3, to seek, seek after; to will, desire, think upon.

quia mandáta tua non sum oblítus = for I have not forgotten your commandments

Scriptural and liturgical uses of the stanza

NT references	Mt 18:12, Lk 15:4-7; 1 Peter 2: 25 (176)
RB cursus	Monday None (3)
Monastic feasts etc	-
Roman pre 1911	Daily None
Responsories	7645 (Lent 3), 6731 (Sat per annum), 7639 (Lent 1)
Roman post 1911	1911-62: Sunday None
Mass propers (EF)	-

Psalm 118 (119) Shin: Rebuilding the walls of the city of God

Today we come to the penultimate stanza of Psalm 118.  There is a lot that could be said on this stanza, but I just want to briefly touch on three not entirely unrelated points, namely the peace offered through Christ; the law as a stumbling block (v165); and the importance of symbolism in worship.

The text of the stanza

But first the text of the stanza in the Knox, Vulgate and Douay-Rheims translations:

161 Vexed by the causeless malice of princes, my heart still dreads thy warnings.
162 Victors rejoice not more over rich spoils, than I in thy promises.
163 Villainy I abhor and renounce; thy law is all my love.
164 Votive thanks seven times a day I give thee for the just awards thou makest.
165 Very great peace is theirs who love thy law; their feet never stumble.
166 Valiantly, Lord, I wait on thee for succour, keeping ever true to thy charge.
167 Vanquished by great love, my heart is ever obedient to thy will.
168 Vigilantly I observe precept and bidding of thine, living always as in thy sight.

Vulgate	Douay-Rheims
161  Príncipes persecúti sunt me gratis: * et a verbis tuis formidávit cor meum.	Princes have persecuted me without cause: and my heart has been in awe of your words.
162  Lætábor ego super elóquia tua: * sicut qui invénit spólia multa.	162 I will rejoice at your words, as one that has found great spoil.
163  Iniquitátem ódio hábui, et abominátus sum: * legem autem tuam diléxi.	163 I have hated and abhorred iniquity; but I have loved your law.
164  Sépties in die laudem dixi tibi, * super judícia justítiæ tuæ.	164 Seven times a day I have given praise to you, for the judgments of your justice
165  Pax multa diligéntibus legem tuam: * et non est illis scándalum.	165 Much peace have they that love your law, and to them there is no stumbling block
166  Exspectábam salutáre tuum, Dómine: * et mandáta tua diléxi.	166 I looked for your salvation, O Lord: and I loved your commandments.
167  Custodívit ánima mea testimónia tua: * et diléxit ea veheménter.	167 My soul has kept your testimonies and has loved them exceedingly.
168  Servávi mandáta tua, et testimónia tua: * quia omnes viæ meæ in conspéctu tuo.	168 I have kept your commandments and your testimonies: because all my ways are in your sight.

The peace of Christ

The psalm opens with a reminder that princes – or these days perhaps we should speak of Prime Ministers and Presidents – will persecute the Church without reason. But it goes on to assert that the person who loves the law will nevertheless enjoy peace:

161 Príncipes persecúti sunt me gratis: Princes have persecuted me without cause…
165 Pax multa diligéntibus legem tuam: Much peace have they that love your law

What does he mean here by peace? It is not the false peace of toleration of sin that the psalmist is pointing to here, but rather the peace of mind that comes from the hope of salvation. As Cassiodorus comments:

“Much peace is to be understood as purity of mind and abundance of faith, which we aptly set against vices. But the person who proclaims himself the servant of the Lord is subject in this world to hardships and dangers. The Lord says to the apostles who were to be ravaged by various forms of persecution: My peace I give to you, my peace I leave to you, so that it may become clear that the Lord's servants always enjoy peace of mind in spite of appearing to be molested by various physical tribulations.”

When the law seems a stumbling block…

The second half of verse 165 deals with a subject of particular contemporary relevance, namely the idea that God’s law can be a stumbling block to some. Today many Catholics stumble indeed at the law as passed down to us, often deeming it as scandalous for example in its requirements around sexual morality.  Yet the psalmist asserts that the law can never be a stumbling block to one who looks to God for salvation:

et non est illis scándalum = and to them there is no stumbling block/scandal

St Augustine provides an important explanation of just why this should be the case, arguing that one who truly loves the law of God, when confronted with a law that seems absurd to him, must assume not that the law is a bad one, but rather that his own reaction is due to a lack of understanding on his part:

“Does this mean that the law itself is not an offense to them that love it, or that there is no offense from any source unto them that love the law? But both senses are rightly understood. For he who loves the law of God, honours in it even what he does not understand; and what seems to him to sound absurd, he judges rather that he does not understand, and that there is some great meaning hidden: thus the law of God is not an offense to him...”

This approach has of course been echoed down the centuries by the Magisterium of the Church, and applied to areas such as Scriptural interpretation and more. It is a counsel of humility, of appreciating that we are limited beings who can never hope, at any particular point in time to know everything, whereas God is infinite and all-knowing…

Seven times a day I have praised you….

Thirdly, I wanted to draw attention to a key verse in this psalm from the point of view of the Divine Office:

164 Sépties in die laudem dixi tibi, * super judícia justítiæ tuæ.
Seven times a day I have given praise to you, for the judgments of your justice.

Seven is a number symbolizing completeness (viz the creation of the world), perfection (viz metal refined seven times), or an infinite number of times (viz the number of times we should forgive sins). St Benedict cites this verse as the reason for the seven day hours of his Office, and the Roman Office followed him on this.

It is true of course that the verse can also be interpreted spiritually, as a call to continuous praise.

But one does not have to be a traditionalist to appreciate that the seven day hours of the Office, particularly in monastic usage where it was said in choir at set times each and every day, served symbolically to convey the spiritual message, and in a way far more effective than just saying that we are called to pray constantly. Fr Michael Casey of Tarrawarra Abbey, for example, certainly no traditionalist, suggests in his book Strangers to the City that it is regrettable that ‘secularization theology’ was unthinkingly incorporated in the ‘process of reformation and renewal’ following Vatican II (p174). Certainly the new ‘Liturgy of the Hours’ achieved what the fourteenth century heretic Wycliff and the reformation’s Luther could not, namely the abandonment of this long ecclesial tradition. Haydock comments:

“The Church has enjoined matins to be said at night, lauds in the morning, prime, tierce, sext, none, vespers and complin, in the course of the day. (St. Benedict, reg. 8., and 16.) (Calmet) --- This ecclesiastical office consists of hymns, psalms, &c. (St. Isidore) --- Against it some have risen up, particularly against that part which was said in the night, pretending that God had made the night for rest; and hence they were called nuctazontes, or "drowsy" heretics. (St. Isidore, Of. i. 22.) --- St. Jerome styles Vigilantius Dormitantius, for the same reason; as if it were better to sleep than to watch. Wycliff (Wald. iii. Tit. iii. 21.) and Luther have oppugned the same holy practice, though it be so conformable to Scripture and to the fathers. (St. Basil, reg. fus. 37.; St. Gregory, dial. iii. 14.; Ven. Bede, Hist. iv. 7., &c.)”

The Office, the law and genuine peace

Is there a connection between these three threads? Well yes, I would argue that there is.

I would argue that the drastic reduction in the number of times of prayer each day, and the length of those times of prayer - and above all consequent reduction of what was once a weekly cycle of saying all the psalms to a monthly one omitting all the 'hard bits' - has undermined the spiritual lives of priests and religious. It has weakened the walls of what Catherine Pickstock has called the 'liturgical city' to the point where they are but ruins.

And the consequences we see all around us.

We see it in the bishops and priests who no longer accept the natural law as a starting point for Christian morality, who see God's law as a stumbling block, not a means to salvation, but think in their arrogance that they know best.

We see it in the bishops and priests who faced with the persecution of princes have continued to compromise and crumble rather than standing up for the faith, able to draw on a true inner peace.

We see it in the many who left the priesthood and religious life despite their promises and vows, no longer sufficiently nourished in their lives by Sacred Scripture.

Recovery will take a long time. But it has to start from somewhere.

Verse by verse

161 Príncipes persecúti sunt me gratis: et a verbis tuis formidávit cor meum.
Princes have persecuted me without cause: and my heart has been in awe of your words.

Príncipes persecúti sunt me gratis = Princes/the mighty have persecuted me without cause

Old Testament history contains numerous examples of persecution without good reason that foreshadow Our Lord’s own persecution. And in our own age, Western Christians are once more starting to feel the heat…

gratis – without cause, unjustly

et a verbis tuis formidávit cor meum = and/but from/at your words my heart has trembled/been afraid

Note that formido takes a with the ablative; most translations make it of.

But all facing persecution should remember the words of the Gospel, as Cassiodorus points out: Fear not them that kill the body and are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him that can destroy both body and soul in hell.

formido, avi, atum, are. to fear, be afraid, tremble at. (formido +a)

162 Lætábor ego super elóquia tua: sicut qui invénit spólia multa.
I will rejoice at your words, as one that has found great spoil.

Lætábor ego super elóquia tua = I will rejoice/exult over your words/promises

sicut qui invénit spólia multa = like [one] who has found great spoils/riches

The comparison here is to the victors of an earthly battle. The spoils found include our reward in heaven, but also the conversion of persecutors moved to pity as occurred so often in the early years of Christianity (Augustine).

spolium, ii, booty, spoil.

163 Iniquitátem ódio hábui, et abominátus sum:  legem autem tuam diléxi.
I have hated and abhorred iniquity; but I have loved your law.

Iniquitátem ódio hábui, et abominátus sum (deponent) = Sin/iniquity/evil-doing I have hated and detested/abhorred

The neo-Vulgate changes sin (iniquitatem) to lies (mendacium) which reflects the Masoretic Hebrew Text’s flavour of falsehood/lies in particular rather than evil-doing in general.

iniquitas, atis, f iniquity, injustice, sin.
odio habere, to have hatred towards, to entertain hatred against, to hate
abominor, atus sum, ari to abhor, loathe, detest.

legem autem tuam diléxi = but your law I have loved

St Augustine’s commentary on this verse draws attention to the tension between fear and love of something or someone, arguing that we can and should do both: the wife loves her husband for example, but fears losing him. He quotes Hebrews 12:6: Let the Father's judgments therefore be praised even in the scourge, if His promises be loved in the reward.

164 Sépties in die laudem dixi tibi, super judícia justítiæ tuæ.
Seven times a day I have given praise to you, for the judgments of your justice.

Sépties in die laudem dixi tibi = Seven times in the day I have given [literally said] praise to you

Seven is a number symbolizing completeness (viz the creation of the world), perfection (viz metal refined seven times), or an infinite number of times (viz the number of times we should forgive sins). St Benedict cites this verse as the reason for the seven day hours of his Office. Interestingly, his contemporary Cassiodorus has to stretch things a little to achieve a similar literal interpretation, for his monastery evidently didn’t include Prime in its regime:

“Should we wish to interpret this number literally, it denotes the seven offices with which monks in their devoted piety console themselves, namely, matins, terce, sext, none, vespers, compline, nocturn; the hymn of saint Ambrose, sung at the sixth hour, also attests this.”

St Benedict, like some of the prophets of old such as Hosea, modelled this literally.  Cassiodorus, however, points to the spiritual interpretation of the verse:

“But if you seek a spiritual significance, you more wisely interpret this as the expression of continuing activity, like: I shall bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall be ever in my mouth.”

septies, num. adv. seven times.

super judícia justítiæ tuæ = for/because of the judgments of your justice/righteous judgments

165 Pax multa diligéntibus legem tuam: et non est illis scándalum.
Much peace have they that love your law, and to them there is no stumbling block.

Pax multa diligéntibus legem tuam = Much peace loving the law = those who love the law have much peace

What do we mean by peace? Cassiodorus suggests this is about our state of mind, not the external state of affairs: Much peace is to be understood as purity of mind and abundance of faith, which we aptly set against vices. But the person who proclaims himself the servant of the Lord is subject in this world to hardships and dangers. The Lord says to the apostles who were to be ravaged by various forms of persecution: My peace I give to you, my peace I leave to you, so that it may become clear that the Lord's servants always enjoy peace of mind in spite of appearing to be molested by various physical tribulations.

et non est illis scándalum = and to them there is no stumbling block/scandal

Today many Catholics stumble indeed at the law as passed down to us, often deeming it as scandalous for example in its requirements around sexual morality. St Augustine comments: Does this mean that the law itself is not an offense to them that love it, or that there is no offense from any source unto them that love the law? But both senses are rightly understood. For he who loves the law of God, honours in it even what he does not understand; and what seems to him to sound absurd, he judges rather that he does not understand, and that there is some great meaning hidden: thus the law of God is not an offense to him...

scandalum, i, n. lit., a trap, snare, that which causes one to stumble, a stumbling-block.

166 Exspectábam salutáre tuum, Dómine: et mandáta tua diléxi.
I looked for your salvation, O Lord: and I loved your commandments.

Exspectábam salutáre tuum, Dómine = I was waiting/looked for/waited/hoped for your salvation O Lord

The Fathers see this as a reference to the two comings of Christ, first in the Incarnatin, and next in the Second Coming.

exspecto, avi, atum, are, to wait for a person or thing, to await, trust; to look for, expect

et mandáta tua diléxi = and I have loved your commandments

The neo-Vulgate changes mandata to praecepta and dilexi to feci (ie I have kept your precepts) to reflect the MT.

167 Custodívit ánima mea testimónia tua: et diléxit ea veheménter.
My soul has kept your testimonies and has loved them exceedingly

Custodívit ánima mea testimónia tua = My soul has kept your testimonies

et diléxit ea veheménter = and it has loved them greatly/exceedingly

vehementer, adv. greatly, exceedingly, very much.

168 Servávi mandáta tua, et testimónia tua: * quia omnes viæ meæ in conspéctu tuo.
I have kept your commandments and your testimonies: because all my ways are in your sight.

Servávi mandáta tua, et testimónia tua = I have observed your commandments and your testimonies

servo – preserve, protect, guard; keep, obey, observe

quia omnes viæ meæ in conspéctu tuo = for all of my ways in your sight

Bellarmine comments:

Whatever I did was done as if your eyes were fixed on me, being fully satisfied of your seeing and knowing everything. Such thoughts have a wonderful effect in controlling men's actions; for, if the presence of a prince of this world has the effect of preventing the subject from transgressing, nay, even more, of making them blush to be found lazy or careless, timid or fearful, what must not the effect be of having constantly before one's eyes the presence of a heavenly and all-powerful ruler? Hence the Lord said to Abraham, "Walk before me, and be perfect." And Elias and Eliseus said, "The Lord liveth, in whose sight I stand."

Scriptural and liturgical uses of the psalm

NT references	-
RB cursus	Monday None/2
Monastic feasts etc	-
Roman pre 1911	Sunday None
Responsories	7639 (Lent 1)
Roman post 1911	1911-62: Daily None  1970:
Mass propers (EF)	Common of female martyr CO v161-2

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

Psalm 118 (119) Resh (v153-160): Fight for truth and everlasting life

We are on the home stretch now in our study of Psalm 118: this is the first psalm section said at None on Monday in the Benedictine Office.

Today’s verses can be seen as about why we must wage the spiritual warfare, both against our own weaknesses and against the forces of evil.

The text of the stanza

The Knox translation:

153 Unblessed is my lot; look down and rescue me, that still am mindful of thy law.
154 Uphold my cause, and deliver me; true to thy promise, grant me life.
155 Unknown thy mercy to the sinner that defies thy bidding.
156 Unnumbered, Lord, are thy blessings; as thy will is, grant me life.
157 Under all the assaults of my oppressors, I keep true to thy charge.
158 Unhappy I, that watch thy warnings to the sinner go unheeded!
159 Up, Lord, and witness the love I bear thy covenant; in thy mercy bid me live!
160 Unchanging truth is thy word’s fountain-head, eternal the force of thy just decrees.

Vulgate	Douay-Rheims
153  Vide humilitátem meam, et éripe me: * quia legem tuam non sum oblítus.	See my humiliation and deliver me for I have not forgotten your law.
154  Júdica judícium meum, et rédime me: * propter elóquium tuum vivífica me.	Judge my judgment and redeem me: quicken me for your word's sake.
155  Longe a peccatóribus salus: * quia justificatiónes tuas non exquisiérunt.	Salvation is far from sinners; because they have not sought your justifications.
156  Misericórdiæ tuæ multæ, Dómine: * secúndum judícium tuum vivífica me.	Many, O Lord, are your mercies: quicken me according to your judgment.
157  Multi qui persequúntur me, et tríbulant me: * a testimóniis tuis non declinávi.	Many are they that persecute me and afflict me; but I have not declined from your testimonies.
158  Vidi prævaricántes, et tabescébam: * quia elóquia tua non custodiérunt.	I beheld the transgressors, and pined away; because they kept not your word.
159  Vide quóniam mandáta tua diléxi, Dómine: * in misericórdia tua vivífica me.	Behold I have loved your commandments, O Lord; quicken me in your mercy.
160  Princípium verbórum tuórum, véritas: * in ætérnum ómnia judícia justítiæ tuæ.	The beginning of your words is truth: all the judgments of your justice are for ever.

Truth and everlasting life

The last verse of this stanza presents us with the reason we must fight:

160 Princípium verbórum tuórum, véritas: * in ætérnum ómnia judícia justítiæ tuæ. The beginning of your words is truth: all the judgments of your justice are for ever.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church (215) quotes this verse and comments:

God is Truth itself, whose words cannot deceive. This is why one can abandon oneself in full trust to the truth and faithfulness of his word in all things. The beginning of sin and of man's fall was due to a lie of the tempter who induced doubt of God's word, kindness and faithfulness.

And each of us make a decision for or against that truth, as St Augustine points out:

From truth, he says, Your words do proceed, and they are therefore truthful, and deceive no man, for in them life is announced to the righteous, punishment to the ungodly. These are the everlasting judgments of God's righteousness.

Many arise against us

The path we must follow is not an easy one, though, but rather a narrow one. Verse 157, echoes Psalm 3, used daily as a Matin Invitatory in the Benedictine Office: Multi qui persequúntur me, et tríbulant me: Many are they that persecute me and afflict me.

In Psalm 3 the speaker expresses confidence that no matter how many rise up against him, God will protect him in the daily battle. Here, the psalmist is similarly confident that he will not depart from God’s testimonies: a testimóniis tuis non declinávi. but I have not declined from your testimonies.

The verse can be read as of the individual speaker, as St Robert Bellarmine applies it:

It is not without reason that I ask you to quicken me; for the visible enemies, and the invisible ones who outnumber them, and seek to destroy me, are very numerous, yet nevertheless, through the help I have had from you, "I have not declined" to one side or the other, "from thy testimonies;" from thy commandments, the only straight and direct road.

But it can also be interpreted collectively, as speaking of the Church grounded on the rock that is Christ, and growing through the blood of the martyrs, as St Augustine points out:

“The whole earth has been crimsoned by the blood of Martyrs; heaven is flowery with the crowns of Martyrs, the Churches are adorned with the memorials of Martyrs, seasons distinguished by the birthdays of Martyrs, cures more frequent by the merits of Martyrs.”

Yet why is he so confident of God’s help?

The psalmist contrasts himself with sinners here who cannot expect salvation unless they amend on several grounds. First, he has grounded himself in humility (v153) and strived to do the good:

Vide humilitátem meam, et éripe me: * quia legem tuam non sum oblítus. See my humiliation and deliver me for I have not forgotten your law.

Secondly, he may not be perfect, but he can legitimately distinguish himself from those who have failed to find out and tried to do what God wants, and cut themselves off from salvation through their contempt for the law:

155 Longe a peccatóribus salus: * quia justificatiónes tuas non exquisiérunt. Salvation is far from sinners; because they have not sought your justifications.

Thirdly, he has already the gift of charity:

159 Vide quóniam mandáta tua diléxi, Dómine: * in misericórdia tua vivífica me.Behold I have loved your commandments, O Lord; quicken me in your mercy.

But above all, he is confident that God will grant him the grace he needs, will revive or quicken him because of God’s mercy, manifested in the Word that is Christ:

156 Misericórdiæ tuæ multæ, Dómine: * secúndum judícium tuum vivífica me. Many, O Lord, are your mercies: quicken me according to your judgment.

154 Júdica judícium meum, et rédime me: * propter elóquium tuum vivífica me. Judge my judgment and redeem me: quicken me for your word's sake.

Verse by verse notes

153 Vide humilitátem meam, et éripe me: * quia legem tuam non sum oblítus.
See my humiliation and deliver me for I have not forgotten your law.

Vide (imperative) humilitátem meam = See my humiliation/affliction/misery

Humility is always the foundational virtue: everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and vice versa. St Bellarmine suggests that he is also saying that though he has fallen into sin, he continues to try to learn and observe the law.

et éripe me= and free/deliver/rescue me

quia legem tuam non sum oblítus = for your law I have not forgotten

154 Júdica judícium meum, et rédime me: * propter elóquium tuum vivífica me.
Judge my judgment and redeem me: quicken me for your word's sake.

Júdica judícium meum= Judge my judgment = Plead my cause

The Neo-Vulgate changes it to ‘Judica causam mean’ or judge my cause

et rédime me =and redeem/ransom/deliver me

propter elóquium tuum vivífica me = for the sake of your word revive me

155 Longe a peccatóribus salus: * quia justificatiónes tuas non exquisiérunt.
Salvation is far from sinners; because they have not sought your justifications.

Longe a peccatóribus salus = Far from sinners [is] salvation

quia justificatiónes tuas non exquisiérunt = because they have not sought your justifications

The important thing is to seek to know what is right and do it; those who refuse to do this, often showing outright contempt for the law cut themselves off from salvation

156 Misericórdiæ tuæ multæ, Dómine: * secúndum judícium tuum vivífica me.
Many, O Lord, are your mercies: quicken me according to your judgment.

Misericórdiæ tuæ multæ, Dómine = your mercies [are] many, O Lord

Cassiodorus comments: The Lord's mercies are those by which He deigns to aid the afflicted and the wounded in various ways. For example, Joseph who was kept enclosed in the bonds of imprisonment, or Jonah swallowed by the whale, or Susanna whom He freed through Daniel's judgment when she was labouring under a false charge, the thief whom He also saved through his spontaneous confession. Then too there were the other kinds of mercies which no man's knowledge can explain.

secúndum judícium tuum vivífica me = according to your judgment revive me

Cassiodorus continues: Judgment is quite simply what we must seek when we prostrate ourselves in humble satisfaction, when we lay aside excuses and confess our sins; for at that moment the Lord's judgment embodies pity for such suppliants, since an entreaty is meritorious if one in humble and suppliant posture asks to be quickened according to the Lord's judgment. When the Lord judges He pities, and when He pities He judges; for He neither pities without judgment nor judges without pity.

157 Multi qui persequúntur me, et tríbulant me: * a testimóniis tuis non declinávi.
Many are they that persecute me and afflict me; but I have not declined from your testimonies

Multi qui persequúntur me= [There are] many who persecute me

et tríbulant me= and trouble me

St Bellarmine comments: It is not without reason that I ask you to quicken me; for the visible enemies, and the invisible ones who outnumber them, and seek to destroy me, are very numerous, yet nevertheless, through the help I have had from you, "I have not declined" to one side or the other, "from thy testimonies;" from thy commandments, the only straight and direct road.

a testimóniis tuis non declinávi = from your testimonies I have not swerved

Reading this at the collective level, St Augustine comments that “The whole earth has been crimsoned by the blood of Martyrs; heaven is flowery with the crowns of Martyrs, the Churches are adorned with the memorials of Martyrs, seasons distinguished by the birthdays of Martyrs, cures more frequent by the merits of Martyrs.”

158 Vidi prævaricántes, et tabescébam: * quia elóquia tua non custodiérunt.
I beheld the transgressors, and pined away; because they kept not your word.

Vidi prævaricántes, et tabescébam= I have seen [those] transgressing and I was fainting/pined away/am grieved

The neo-Vulgate changes tabescebam to taeduit me, to reflect the Hebrew Masoretic Text’s implication of disgust or loathing.

praevaricor, atus sum, ari to walk crookedly in a lit. or fig. sense, not to act uprightly; to transgress, to break the law
tabesco, tabui, ere 3 to pine away, waste away, melt away, faint.

quia elóquia tua non custodiérunt = for your words they have not kept

We should grieve at the sins of others, first for the offence given to God and secondly because unless they repent, they will not enjoy everlasting life.

159 Vide quóniam mandáta tua diléxi, Dómine: * in misericórdia tua vivífica me.
Behold I have loved your commandments, O Lord; quicken me in your mercy.

Vide quóniam mandáta tua diléxi, Dómine = See that your commandments I have loved O Lord,

Differentiating himself from the sinners of the previous verse. The point is that charity makes all the difference, as Cassiodorus notes:

“But once they had recounted the savagery of the persecutors, and the punishments imposed, they pass to the charity which commends all things; for if they had endured such treatment without living the Lord's commandments, they would not have had a blessed crown, but merely have exhibited sinful boasting. As Paul says: If I should deliver my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing? If a person grumbles as he endures the tortures of martyrdom, there is a sense in which he seems ungrateful to the Lord's law; he should love the means by which he believes he attains eternal joys. The Lord pays more favourable attention to attitudes of mind than to the pain of physical suffering, just as He witnesses almsgiving offered with a joyful heart. So they rightly begged the Lord to be enlivened, for they had spurned worldly life in a spirit of true religion.”

in misericórdia tua vivífica me = in your mercy revive me

160 Princípium verbórum tuórum, véritas: * in ætérnum ómnia judícia justítiæ tuæ.
The beginning of your words is truth: all the judgments of your justice are for ever.

Princípium verbórum tuórum, véritas = The beginning/sum of your words [is] truth

The Catechism of the Catholic Church (215) quotes this verse and comments: God is Truth itself, whose words cannot deceive. This is why one can abandon oneself in full trust to the truth and faithfulness of his word in all things. The beginning of sin and of man's fall was due to a lie of the tempter who induced doubt of God's word, kindness and faithfulness

principium, ii, n. the beginning; the sum, substance, content; sovereignty, princely, power, dominion

in ætérnum ómnia judícia justítiæ tuæ = forever/eternal [are] all the judgments of your justice

St Augustine takes this as a reference to our everlasting fate: From truth, he says, Your words do proceed, and they are therefore truthful, and deceive no man, for in them life is announced to the righteous, punishment to the ungodly. These are the everlasting judgments of God's righteousness.

Scriptural and liturgical uses of the stanza

NT references	-
RB cursus	Monday None/1
Monastic feasts etc	-
Roman pre 1911	Daily None
Responsories	6074
Roman post 1911	1911-62: Sunday None .
Mass propers (EF)	Friday after Ash Wednesday, OF (154)

And for the next part in this series continue on here.