Thursday, July 3, 2014

Psalm 150: verse 5b

Today's verse of Psalm 150 is the final line of the psalter, and reiterates the universal call to praise God.

5b
V
omnis spíritus laudet Dóminum
NV
omne quod spirat, laudet Dominum.
JH
 Omne quod spirat laudet Dominum.

πσα πνο ανεσάτω τν κύριον αλληλουια

spiritus, us, m.  the breath; the wind; the breath of life, vital spirit; the soul; disposition; Divine assistance, grace; anything that breathes, a living creature; as a symbol of swiftness.

DR
Let every spirit praise the Lord. 
Brenton
Let every thing that has breath praise the Lord.
MD
let every living creature praise the Lord!
RSV
Let everything that breathes praise the LORD!
Cover
Let everything that hath breath praise the Lord.

St John Chrysostom interprets the final verse of the psalter as a call to the worship of God with both mind and body:

"Let every living thing praise the Lord (another, "breathing thing"). He activates all the instruments, and urges music to be offered on them all, inflaming and stirring up their mind. So just as he urges the Jews to praise God with all the instru­ments, so he urges us to do so with all our bodily parts - eye, tongue, hearing, hand. As Paul likewise indicated as well in the words, "Present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy, pleasing to God, your reasonable worship." 

An eye praises, you see, when its gaze is under control; a tongue when it sings; hearing when it does not admit wicked tunes or slander of the neighbor; thinking when it does not hatch plots but abounds with love; feet when they run not after wickedness but to administration of good works; hands when they reach out not to robbery and greed and violence but to almsgiving and defence of the wronged. Then it is that a person becomes a tuneful lyre, offering to God a kind of harmonious and spiritual melody. 

Those instruments were entrusted to them at that time for that reason, on account of their frailty and to temper their spirits in line with love and harmony, and to stir up their minds to perform with satisfaction what contributed to their welfare, and were intended to lead them to great zeal through such persuasion. To cope with their sluggishness, indifference and despondency, God planned to awaken them by this device, injecting the sweetness of music into the stiffness of their resistance....

Let us, therefore, praise God unceasingly, not failing to give thanks for everything, in both word and deed. This, you see, is our sacrifice and offering, this the finest worship, resembling the life of angels. 

If we persevere in praising God in this way, we shall acquit ourselves of a life free of reproach and enjoy the future goods. May it be the good fortune of us all to attain this, thanks to the grace and lovingkindness of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom with the Father and the Holy Spirit be glory, power and honor, now and forever, and for ages of ages. Amen."

Psalm 150: Laudate Dominum
Vulgate
Douay-Rheims
Alleluja.
Alleluia
Laudáte Dóminum in sanctis ejus: * laudáte eum in firmaménto virtútis ejus.
Praise the Lord in his holy places: praise him in the firmament of his power.
2  Laudáte eum in virtútibus ejus: * laudáte eum secúndum multitúdinem magnitúdinis ejus.
2 Praise him for his mighty acts: praise him according to the multitude of his greatness.
3  Laudáte eum in sono tubæ: * laudáte eum in psaltério, et cíthara.
3 Praise him with the sound of trumpet: praise him with psaltery and harp.
4  Laudáte eum in tympano, et choro: * laudáte eum in chordis, et órgano
4 Praise him with timbrel and choir: praise him with strings and organs.
5  Laudáte eum in cymbalis benesonántibus: laudáte eum in cymbalis jubilatiónis: * omnis spíritus laudet Dóminum.
5 Praise him on high sounding cymbals: praise him on cymbals of joy: 6 Let every spirit praise the Lord. Alleluia

Tuesday, July 1, 2014

Psalm 150 verses 3-5a

Verses 3-5a of Psalm 150 present us with a list of instruments with which we should praise God.  How should these be interpreted?  The list can obviously be taken literally, enriching our liturgy with the instruments of the orchestra.  But the Fathers generally also add an allegorical level of interpretation to this.

3
V
Laudáte eum in sono tubæ: * laudáte eum in psaltério, et cíthara.
JH
Laudate eum in clangore bucinae : laudate eum in psalterio et cithara.

ανετε ατν ν χ σάλπιγγος ανετε ατν ν ψαλτηρί κα κιθάρ

sonus, i, and us, m., a noise, sound.
tuba, ae, a trumpet.
psalterium, ii, n. a stringed instrument, a psaltery, harp, zither.
cithara, ae,.stringed instrument, a harp, lyre

DR
Praise him with the sound of trumpet: praise him with psaltery and harp.
Brenton
Praise him with the sound of a trumpet: praise him with psaltery and harp
Cover
Praise him in the sound of the trumpet; praise him upon the lute and harp.

In general the Fathers took the instruments to reflect the various characteristics of those doing the praising.  Prosper of Aquitaine, for example, suggests that:

"The instruments are the saints themselves, giving polyphonic praise through their deeds, and singing in tune with Holy Spirit who inspires praise within them."

The key to interpretation then, is to look at the characteristics of the instruments concerned, and what they point to.  Origen, for example considers that:

"The trumpet is the contemplative mind, or mind whereby the teaching of the spirit is embraced.  The harp is the busy mind quickened by the commands of Christ."
  
4
V
Laudáte eum in tympano, et choro: * laudáte eum in chordis, et órgano
NV
laudate eum in tympano et choro, laudate eum in chordis et organo,
JH
Laudate eum in tympano et choro : laudate eum in chordis et organo.

ανετε ατν ν τυμπάν κα χορ ανετε ατν ν χορδας κα ργάν

tympanum, i, n. timbrel, tabret, small hand drum or tambourine.
chorus, i, m.   a choral dance; a dancing and singing troop or band, a chorus, a choir.
chorda, ae, a string of a musical instrument.
organum, i, n. organ pipe

DR
Praise him with timbrel and choir: praise him with strings and organs.
Brenton
Praise him with timbrel and dance: praise him with stringed instruments and the organ.
MD
Praise Him with the timbrel and dance, praise Him with strings and flute!
RSV
Praise him with timbrel and dance; praise him with strings and pipe!
Cover
Praise him in the cymbals and dances; praise him upon the strings and pipe.

St Augustine interprets the various components suggested here as follows:

The timbrel praises God when the flesh is now changed, so that there is in it no weakness of earthly corruption. For the timbrel is made of leather dried and strengthened. The choir praises God when society made peaceful praises Him. Praise Him on the strings and organ. Both psaltery and harp, which have been mentioned above, have strings. But organ is a general name for all instruments of music, although usage has now obtained that those are specially called organ which are inflated with bellows: but I do not think that this kind is meant here. For since organ is a Greek word, applied generally, as I have said, to all musical instruments, this instrument, to which bellows are applied, is called by the Greeks by another name: but it being called organ is rather a Latin and conversational usage. When then he says, on the strings and organ, he seems to me to have intended to signify some instrument which has strings. For it is not psalteries and harps only that have strings: but, because in the psaltery, and harp, on account of the sound from things below and things above, somewhat has been found which can be understood after this distinction, he has suggested to us to seek some other meaning in the strings themselves: for they too are flesh, but flesh now set free from corruption. And to those, it may be, he added the organ, to signify that they sound not each separately, but sound together in most harmonious diversity, just as they are arranged in a musical instrument. For even then the saints of God will have their differences, accordant, not discordant, that is, agreeing, not disagreeing, just as sweetest harmony arises from sounds differing indeed, but not opposed to one another.

5a
V
Laudáte eum in cymbalis benesonántibus: laudáte eum in cymbalis jubilatiónis: 
NV
laudate eum in cymbalis benesonantibus, laudate eum in cymbalis iubilationis
JH
Laudate eum in cymbalis sonantibus : laudate eum in cymbalis tinnientibus. 

ανετε ατν ν κυμβάλοις εήχοις ανετε ατν ν κυμβάλοις λαλαγμο 

cymbalum, i, n. a cymbal, one of a pair of concave brass plates, which emit a ringing sound when struck together
benesonans, antis, sweet-sounding, high-sounding, melodious.
jubilatio, onisgladness, jubilation.

DR
Praise him on high sounding cymbals: praise him on cymbals of joy
Brenton
Praise him with melodious cymbals: praise him with loud cymbals. 
MD
Praise Him with ringing cymbals, praise Him with crashing cymbals
Cover
Praise him upon the well-tuned cymbals; praise him upon the loud cymbals. 

St Augustine continues:

Cymbals touch one another in order to sound, and therefore are by some compared to our lips. But I think it better to understand that God is in a manner praised on the cymbal, when each is honoured by his neighbour, not by himself, and then honouring one another, they give praise to God. But lest any should understand such cymbals as sound without life, therefore I think he added, on cymbals of jubilation. For jubilation that is, unspeakable praise, proceeds not, save from life. Nor do I think that I should pass over what musicians say, that there are three kinds of sounds, by voice, by breath, by striking: by voice, uttered by throat and windpipe, when man sings without any instrument; by breath, as by pipe, or anything of that sort: by striking, as by harp, or anything of that kind. None then of these kinds is omitted here: for there is voice in the choir, breath in the trumpet, striking in the harp, representing mind, spirit, body, but by similitudes, not in the proper sense of the words. When then he proposed, Praise God in His saints, to whom said he this, save to themselves? And in whom are they to praise God, save in themselves? For you, says he, are His saints; you are His strength, but that which He wrought in you; you are His mighty works, and the multitude of His greatness, which He has wrought and set forth in you. You are trumpet, psaltery, harp, timbrel, choir, strings, and organ, cymbals of jubilation sounding well, because sounding in harmony. 

Psalm 150: Laudate Dominum
Vulgate
Douay-Rheims
Alleluja.
Alleluia
Laudáte Dóminum in sanctis ejus: * laudáte eum in firmaménto virtútis ejus.
Praise the Lord in his holy places: praise him in the firmament of his power.
2  Laudáte eum in virtútibus ejus: * laudáte eum secúndum multitúdinem magnitúdinis ejus.
2 Praise him for his mighty acts: praise him according to the multitude of his greatness.
3  Laudáte eum in sono tubæ: * laudáte eum in psaltério, et cíthara.
3 Praise him with the sound of trumpet: praise him with psaltery and harp.
4  Laudáte eum in tympano, et choro: * laudáte eum in chordis, et órgano
4 Praise him with timbrel and choir: praise him with strings and organs.
5  Laudáte eum in cymbalis benesonántibus: laudáte eum in cymbalis jubilatiónis: * omnis spíritus laudet Dóminum.
5 Praise him on high sounding cymbals: praise him on cymbals of joy: 6 Let every spirit praise the Lord. Alleluia

And you can find the next part of notes on this psalm here.

Saturday, June 28, 2014

Psalm 150 verses 1-2

The opening verses of Psalm 150 link together God and his people: he has worked on their behalf, and in them.

1
V
Laudáte Dóminum in sanctis ejus: * laudáte eum in firmaménto virtútis ejus
NV
Laudate Dominum in sanctuario eius, laudate eum in firmamento virtutis eius.
JH
Laudate Dominum in sancto eius : laudate eum in fortitudine potentiae eius.

ανετε τν θεν ν τος γίοις ατο ανετε ατν ν στερεώματι δυνάμεως ατο

In Latin sanctis ejus could mean either holy place or holy persons, but the Septuagint really suggests 'the saints'.  The Hebrew Masoretic Text and the psalms tendency to use parallelism (repetition of the same sentiment in two words across the two phrases of a verse), on the other hand, favours the places interpretation, and that is reflected in most of the modern translations.  Most of the Fathers, however, including both St John Chrysostom and St Augustine, take the first phrase as a reference to either the people of the Church, or to Christ (his sanctified one). 

laudo, avi, atum, are  to praise, glorify
sanctus, a, um, adj., holy; a holy place or pious person.
firmamentum, i, n. a support, prop, stay; the firmament, the heavens, the vault or arch of the sky
virtus, iitis, strength, power, might, an army, host; the angel;  the heavenly bodies, the sun, moon, and stars.

DR
Praise ye the Lord in his holy places: praise ye him in the firmament of his power.
Brenton
Praise God in his holy places: praise him in the firmament of his power.
MD
Praise the Lord in his holy place, praise him in the fortress of his power
Coverdale
O praise God in his holiness; praise him in the firmament of his power.

Chrysostom's interpretation points to the Septuagint version of the verse:

"Praise the Lord in his saints: Another version, "in his saint;" another, "in his sanctified one." Here there is a reference either to the people, or to a holy life and holy men. Now, observe how in turn he brought the book to a close with thanks­giving, teaching us how this ought be both beginning and end of our actions and words. Hence Paul also says, "Whatever you do in word and deed, always give thanks to the God and Father through him." This is the way the opening phrase of our prayer also be­gins: the phrase "Our Father" is said on the part of those giving thanks for favors done and showing them all to be due to this name. In saying "Father," after all, you confessed sonship; but in confess­ing sonship you proclaimed righteousness, sanctification, redemp­tion, forgiveness of sins, involvement of the Spirit. All these had to be present beforehand, you see, for us to enjoy sonship in this way and be deemed worthy to call him Father. Now, he seems to me to be hinting at something else in speak­ing this way: the phrase in his saints means through his saints." 

Cassiodorus provides a possible means of reconciling the two interpretations of the first phrase, as well as the link between this psalm and Psalm 1:

"We must carefully observe the pleasurable sweetness with which this book of psalms ends, and how it looks back to its begin­ning. The prophet says that now that the saints have been received in the heavenly Jerusalem, it is right to praise the Lord, that is, it is right for those to whom He has revealed the shape of right behaviour. Earlier it was said of Him: Blessed is the man who has not walked in the counsel of the ungodly, and the rest; for the saints are those who by His generosity have deserved to imitate Him. There is a fitting explanation of the kind of reverence owed to the saints; it is the Lord who is to be praised because they are justified, and not they themselves, for His glory should be hymned first since He permits the deeds which are to be acclaimed. Veneration is however to be accorded to the just, because they have received divine gifts. Next follows: Praise him in the firmament of his power. The strength of his power lies in the fact that He endured destruction for the salvation of all, and by virtue of His power overcame death itself, together with its most wicked founder; He sundered the bars of hell, and led strong believers to the kingdom of heaven."

Pope St John Paul II  also points to the two levels of interpretation possible here:

The "sanctuary" is the first place where the musical and the prayerful theme unfolds (cf. v. 1). The original Hebrew speaks of the pure, transcendent "sacred" area in which God dwells. It is then a reference to the horizon of heaven and paradise where, as the Book of the Apocalypse will explain, the eternal, perfect liturgy of the Lamb is celebrated (cf. for example, Apoc 5,6-14). The mystery of God, in which the saints are welcomed for full communion, is a place of light and joy, of revelation and love. We can understand why the Septuagint translation and the Latin Vulgate use the word "saints" instead of "sanctuary":  "Praise the Lord in his saints!" General Audience, Wednesday 9 January 2002

2
V
Laudáte eum in virtútibus ejus: *laudáte eum secúndum multitúdinem magnitúdinis ejus.
NV
Laudate eum in magnalibus eius, laudate eum secundum multitudinem magnitudinis eius.
JH
Laudate eum in fortitudinibus eius : laudate eum iuxta multitudinem magnificentiae suae.

ανετε ατν π τας δυναστείαις ατο ανετε ατν κατ τ πλθος τς μεγαλωσύνης ατο

In virtútibus ejus=his acts of power, because of his mighty deeds; secúndum multitúdinem magnitúdinis ejus=by reason of the multitude of his power, for the greatness of his power

magnitudo, mis, greatness, power, majesty.
multitudo inis f  a large number, multitude; abundance, greatness; great, mighty.

DR
Praise him for his mighty acts: praise him according to the multitude of his greatness.
Brenton
Praise him on account of his mighty acts: praise him according to his abundant greatness.
MD
Praise Him for His deeds of valor, praise him for the greatness of His might
Cover
Praise him in his noble acts; praise him according to his excellent greatness.

The point here is that God is not far away from us, even when in his highest heaven, as St Augustine explains:

Why should not they also be called the works of God's strength, which He has done in them: yea rather, they themselves are the works of His strength; just as it is said, We are the righteousness of God in Him. For what more powerful than that He should reign for ever, with all His enemies put under His feet? Why should not they also be the multitude of His greatness? Not that whereby He is great, but whereby He has made them great, many as they are, that is, thousands of thousands. Just as righteousness too is understood in two ways, that whereby He is righteous, and that which He works in us, so as to make us His righteousness. 

Pope St John Paul II sees the verse as making the link between God's acts in history to the liturgy which helps us ascend to heaven:

Yet he is close to us:  he is present in the "holy place" of Zion and acts in history through his "mighty deeds" that reveal and enable one to experience "his surpassing greatness" (cf. vv. 1-2). Thus between heaven and earth a channel of communication is established in which the action of the Lord meets the hymn of praise of the faithful. The liturgy unites the two holy places, the earthly temple and the infinite heavens, God and man, time and eternity. During the prayer, we accomplish an ascent towards the divine light and together experience a descent of God who adapts himself to our limitations in order to hear and speak to us, meet us and save us. 

Psalm 150: Laudate Dominum
Vulgate
Douay-Rheims
Alleluja.
Alleluia
Laudáte Dóminum in sanctis ejus: * laudáte eum in firmaménto virtútis ejus.
Praise the Lord in his holy places: praise him in the firmament of his power.
2  Laudáte eum in virtútibus ejus: * laudáte eum secúndum multitúdinem magnitúdinis ejus.
2 Praise him for his mighty acts: praise him according to the multitude of his greatness.
3  Laudáte eum in sono tubæ: * laudáte eum in psaltério, et cíthara.
3 Praise him with the sound of trumpet: praise him with psaltery and harp.
4  Laudáte eum in tympano, et choro: * laudáte eum in chordis, et órgano
4 Praise him with timbrel and choir: praise him with strings and organs.
5  Laudáte eum in cymbalis benesonántibus: laudáte eum in cymbalis jubilatiónis: * omnis spíritus laudet Dóminum.
5 Praise him on high sounding cymbals: praise him on cymbals of joy: 6 Let every spirit praise the Lord. Alleluia

And you can find the next set of notes on this psalm here.

Thursday, June 26, 2014

Introduction to Psalm 150

The last psalm of the psalter, and the final psalm of Lauds each day, Psalm 150, serves as a doxology to the whole book, conjuring up an image of the celestial liturgy played out with voices and orchestra, as the universe reverberates with praise for the greatness of God.

Psalm 150: Laudate Dominum
Vulgate
Douay-Rheims
Alleluja.
Alleluia
Laudáte Dóminum in sanctis ejus: * laudáte eum in firmaménto virtútis ejus.
Praise the Lord in his holy places: praise him in the firmament of his power.
2  Laudáte eum in virtútibus ejus: * laudáte eum secúndum multitúdinem magnitúdinis ejus.
2 Praise him for his mighty acts: praise him according to the multitude of his greatness.
3  Laudáte eum in sono tubæ: * laudáte eum in psaltério, et cíthara.
3 Praise him with the sound of trumpet: praise him with psaltery and harp.
4  Laudáte eum in tympano, et choro: * laudáte eum in chordis, et órgano
4 Praise him with timbrel and choir: praise him with strings and organs.
5  Laudáte eum in cymbalis benesonántibus: laudáte eum in cymbalis jubilatiónis: * omnis spíritus laudet Dóminum.
5 Praise him on high sounding cymbals: praise him on cymbals of joy: 6 Let every spirit praise the Lord. Alleluia

The culmination of the Book of Psalms

The psalm consists of ten separate calls to praise God -  a number that the Fathers associated both with the 'ten words' of creation, and the ten commandments.  

The number is moreover, increased to twelve in Scripture (though not in the liturgical version of the text), a number symbolising universality, by the addition of an alleluia at the beginning and end of the psalm.

Many commentators see this psalm as encapsulating the outcome of praying the psalter: in Psalm 1, we are invited to meditate on the law day and night; if we do so, we will reach the state of ecstatic praise described in Psalm 150 that unites together heaven and earth (v1).

God's saving action

The psalm does not linger on the reasons for praising God: verse 2 points simply to his greatness, and 'mighty acts', the most important of which for our salvation is the Resurrection.

Instead, the psalm describes the various instruments that should be devoted to the praise of God, which the Fathers typically interpreted as reflecting different aspects of Christian life, such as obedience to God's commands, suppression of sinful physical desires, of belief, moral excellence and desire for it and his salvation.

Cassiodorus sees the psalm as portraying a gradual ascent towards heaven:
See how once again that herald of salvation is brought back before us, to speak not of bodily sustenance but of heavenly abundance. The city of God is urged to gather from the circumference of the world, and to sing with tongue and heart. So let us sing with total concentration this Alleluia, which through the Lord's ordering has brought the entire corpus of psalmody to its high point. Just as transient earthly fire hastens to the upper regions and raises its ruddy crest to a peak, so this psalm gradually grows and flits upward to the heights of heaven by the steps of the virtues. If with the support of the Lord's right hand we too mount with it in devotion of spirit, we shall be granted access to the End which brings salvation, and which is bounded by no limits.
And it ends, in his view, on a note that signals the Church Triumphant:
It is short, so that it may not induce weariness; it abounds in musical instruments, so that it could be made most suit­able for spiritual marriage, and could be sung with marital joy in the assembly of the heavenly Jerusalem. Its purpose is praise by the saints' gathering to the Lord, who has restored them to His image and caused them to lay aside the frailty of flesh and blood. He has now set them in that blessedness to conform with His glory, so that they may be filled with abundance of all blessings. As Paul says of them: He has blessed us with all spiritual blessings, so that we should be holy and unspotted in his sight…

Liturgical uses of the psalm

NT references
1 Cor 13:1; Rev 5:13(5)
RB cursus
daily Lauds+AN 3282 (1), 3303(4), 3218 (5)
Feasts etc
AN 3283 (1), 4154 (6)
Responsories
-
Roman pre 1911
Daily Lauds
Roman post 1911
1911-62:Sat Lauds  . 1970:
Mass propers (EF)
-


You can find verse by verse notes on this psalm starting here.