Gradual Psalms - Introduction to Psalm 122

In the previous Gradual Psalm, the last psalm of Terce, the speaker focuses his attention on the holy city.

Now, with the first psalm of Sext, Psalm 122, we are invited to look even higher, lifting our eyes towards God himself.  There may be something programmatic about this, for Sext of course, was traditionally said at (solar) midday when the Sun is at its highest point, and also the hour when Christ ascended the cross.

Psalm 122 - Ad te levavi

Vulgate	Douay-Rheims
Canticum graduum
1  Ad te levávi óculos meos, * qui hábitas in cælis.	To you have I lifted up my eyes, who dwell in heaven.
2  Ecce sicut óculi servórum, * in mánibus dominórum suórum.	2 Behold as the eyes of servants are on the hands of their masters,
3  Sicut óculi ancíllæ in mánibus dóminæ suæ: * ita óculi nostri ad Dóminum, Deum nostrum, donec misereátur nostri.	As the eyes of the handmaid are on the hands of her mistress: so are our eyes unto the Lord our God, until he have mercy on us.
4  Miserére nostri, Dómine, miserére nostri: * quia multum repléti sumus despectióne:	3 Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us: for we are greatly filled with contempt.
5  Quia multum repléta est ánima nostra: * oppróbrium abundántibus, et despéctio supérbis.	4 For our soul is greatly filled: we are a reproach to the rich, and contempt to the proud

Attempts to assign this psalm to a particular time period in Israel’s history are entirely speculative, and probably unhelpful in my view.  

A more important question is why it fits in with the psalms of Ascent.  But perhaps the answer is that it speaks of the normal state of the earthly pilgrim: beset by the effects of our own sins and the attacks of enemies, we wait anxiously and pray for God to show us the signs of his forgiveness.  Some commentators also suggest that the psalm alludes to the hope of the second coming.

The opening verses set before us the idea of our total dependence of God for his gifts - and punishments - just as a slave is on his or her master/mistress.  The analogy of the slave or servant’s relationship to their master or mistress is not one that has many resonances to a modern Western reader, perhaps.  Accordingly, we might better think of the psalm as being firstly about self-abandonment: the slave is totally dependent on his master for food, clothing, instructions on what to do, punishments and rewards; so too should we think of our relationship to God, acknowledging that nothing truly comes from our own efforts, but all requires his grace.  St Ambrose writes, Christ is everything for us.

The second dimension of the slave/servant analogy that is worth considering is the implication of the reverent awe with which we should raise our eyes to God.  It is true of course, that we are invited to progress from fear of God based on the threat of punishment and dread of hell, to a filial fear based on love.  But as the Rule of St Benedict makes clear in Chapter 7, on humility, we do need to ground ourselves in the fear of punishment first, and remind ourselves of it from time to time even when we have progressed.  And no matter how far we progress, we should never forget that our salvation is God’s free gift, not a right, or something we can ever merit through our own efforts.

The sense of verses 4 and 5 is that we are fed up with being looked down on by the rich and proud - noting that rich and proud doesn't just mean material wealth, but rather evildoers in general who pursue their own pleasure at everyone else's expense (though the two conditions often coincide). The psalm serves as reminder that adherence to the good is somehow affronting to many, and brings forth attempts to humiliate those who pursue truth.  The moral truth pointed to here is that we must bear our sufferings with patience, knowing that God will fill us up with good things.

Psalm 121, verses 7-9

7	V	Fiat pax in virtúte tua: * et abundántia in túrribus tuis.
	NV	Fiat pax in muris tuis, et securitas in turribus tuis! ”.
	JH	Sit pax in muris tuis : abundantia in domibus tuis.
	Sept	γενέσθω δὴ εἰρήνη ἐν τῇ δυνάμει σου καὶ εὐθηνία ἐν ταῖς πυργοβάρεσίν σου

Text notes:  The Hebrew is closer to palaces here rather than towers in meaning.

virtus, utis, strength, power, might; an army, host; the angels.; the heavenly bodies, the sun, moon, and stars

turris, is,,  a tower; a palace.

DR	Let peace be in your strength: and abundance in your towers.
MD	Peace be within thy ramparts, and repose within they towers
Brenton	Let peace, I pray, be within thine host, and prosperity in thy palaces.
Cover	Peace be within thy walls, and plenteousness within thy palaces.
Grail	May peace reign in your walls, in your palaces, peace!"

St Robert Bellarmine interprets this verse as instructions on what we should pray for in relation to the Church:

He dictates the very words in which those who pray for peace and abundance to Jerusalem are to salute her. When you salute her say ye, "Let peace be in thy strength, and abundance in thy towers;" that is to say, may your walk be always secure and fortified, thereby ensuring perfect peace and quiet to all who dwell within them; "and abundance in thy towers;" no lack of meat or drink in your public buildings and private houses. 

8	V	Propter fratres meos, et próximos meos, * loquébar pacem de te:
	NV	Propter fratres meos et proximos meos loquar: “ Pax in te! ”.
	JH	Propter fratres meos et amicos meos loquar pacem tibi.
	Sept.	ἕνεκα τῶν ἀδελφῶν μου καὶ τῶν πλησίον μου ἐλάλουν δὴ εἰρήνην περὶ σοῦ

Text notes:  The Vulgate puts the second phrase in the imperfect (I was speaking peace of you); the Neo-Vulgate changes it to ‘Peace [be] within you’ to match the Hebrew.

propter, prep, with ace. In stating a cause: on account of, by reason of, because of, from, for, for the sake of.

frater, tris, m.  a brothe;  a fellow-man, kinsman, one of the same tribe; in the pi., usually rendered brethren. proximus, i, m., neighbor, friend, fellowman

loquor, locutus sum, loqui, to speak, utter, tell

DR	For the sake of my brethren, and of my neighbours, I spoke peace of you
MD	In behalf of my brother and my friends, I bespeak thee peace
Brenton	For the sake of my brethren and my neighbours, I have indeed spoken peace concerning thee.
Cover	For my brethren and companions’ sakes, I will wish thee prosperity.
Knox	For love of my brethren and my familiar friends, peace is still my prayer for thee;
Grail	For love of my brethren and friends I say: "Peace upon you."

This is a call to unity, Cassiodorus points out:

"He proclaims peace and denotes the signs of his peace as perfect men do. He says that he has proclaimed the peace of the Church for the sake of his brethren and neighbours, so that once instructed by this virtue of concord, they may love and seek unity. So he carried out his own teaching; through love of his brethren he proclaimed what he knew would be of benefit to all. So his message is that a person should not teach for his own praises or benefits, but should toil with merciful heart for the sake of brethren and neighbours."

St John Chrysostom's take on theme has a particularly contemporary relevance:

"After saying For the sake of my brethren and my neighbors, he wanted to show that he was praying for this not on account of their worthiness but rather that he might do them a favor, so he added For the sake of the house of the Lord our God, that is, I pray for peace for the sake of his glory so that his worship may once more return and instruction become more widespread."

9	V	Propter domum Dómini, Dei nostri, * quæsívi bona tibi.
	NV	Propter domum Domini Dei nostri exquiram bona tibi.
	JH	Propter domum Domini Dei nostri quaeram bona tibi.
	Sept	ἕνεκα τοῦ οἴκου κυρίου τοῦ θεοῦ ἡμῶν ἐξεζήτησα ἀγαθά σοι

domus, us,  a house, structure

quaeso, ivi or ii, ere 3 to beg, pray, beseech, entreat

bonus, a, um, good;  pleasant; upright  good things, possessions, prosperity.

DR	Because of the house of the Lord our God, I have sought good things for you.
MD	In behalf of the house of the Lord our God, I seek thee good.
Brenton	Because of the house of the Lord our God, I have diligently sought thy good.
Cover	Yea, because of the house of the Lord our God, I will seek to do thee good.
Grail	For love of the house of the Lord I will ask for your good.

St Augustine comments: 

"This solid city is the Church. Christ is the cement that binds it together. On earth, when the cement is poured, the walls are built up and the weight of the wall presses down to where the foundation has been laid. But if our foundation—Christ—is in heaven, then let us build up to heaven. In the basilica you see before you, in which we are gathered together today, the architects spread the cement to build from the ground up; but when we are re­made as a spiritual temple, the cement is poured upon us from on high. Let us make haste, then, to that place; let us run on until our feet are walking in your shadows, Jerusalem"

Psalm 121: Laetatus sum

Vulgate	Douay-Rheims
Canticum graduum.
1  Lætátus sum in his, quæ dicta sunt mihi: *  In domum Dómini íbimus.	I rejoiced at the things that were said to me: We shall go into the house of the Lord.
2  Stantes erant pedes nostri, * in átriis tuis, Jerúsalem.	2 Our feet were standing in your courts, O Jerusalem.
3  Jerúsalem, quæ ædificátur ut cívitas: * cujus participátio ejus in idípsum.	3 Jerusalem, which is built as a city, which is compact together.
4  Illuc enim ascendérunt tribus, tribus Dómini: * testimónium Israël ad confiténdum nómini Dómini.	4 For thither did the tribes go up, the tribes of the Lord: the testimony of Israel, to praise the name of the Lord.
5  Quia illic sedérunt sedes in judício, * sedes super domum David.	5 Because their seats have sat in judgment, seats upon the house of David.
6  Rogáte quæ ad pacem sunt Jerúsalem: * et abundántia diligéntibus te:	6 Pray for the things that are for the peace of Jerusalem: and abundance for them that love you.
7  Fiat pax in virtúte tua: * et abundántia in túrribus tuis.	7 Let peace be in your strength: and abundance in your towers
8  Propter fratres meos, et próximos meos, * loquébar pacem de te:	8 For the sake of my brethren, and of my neighbours, I spoke peace of you.
9  Propter domum Dómini, Dei nostri, * quæsívi bona tibi.	9 Because of the house of the Lord our God, I have sought good things for you.

And for notes on Psalm 122, go here.

Psalm 121 verses 4-6

Verses 4-6 of Psalm 121:

4	V	Illuc enim ascendérunt tribus, tribus Dómini: * testimónium Israël ad confiténdum nómini Dómini.
	NV	Illuc enim ascenderunt tribus, tribus Domini, testimonium Israel, ad confitendum nomini Domini.
	JH	quia ibi ascenderunt tribus, tribus Domini, testimonium Israhel, ad confitendum nomini Domini.
	Sept.	ἐκεῖ γὰρ ἀνέβησαν αἱ φυλαί φυλαὶ κυρίου μαρτύριον τῷ Ισραηλ τοῦ ἐξομολογήσασθαι τῷ ὀνόματι κυρίου

Text notes:  Literally this verse is ‘For to that place (Illuc enim i.e., to Jerusalem) went up (ascenderunt) the tribes (tribus), the tribes of the Lord (tribus Domini): [it is] a law (testimonium) for Israel for praising/in order to praise (confitendum) the name of the Lord (nomini Domini)’.  The reference to it being a law for the tribes (the repetition implies ‘every tribe’) to go to Jerusalem refers to the requirement for all males to go to Jerusalem on the three great Jewish feasts of the year (Ex 23:17).

illuc, adv.  thither, to that place; there, in that place.

ascendo, scendi, scensum, ere 3  to go up, ascend.

tribus, us, a division of the people, a tribe; the twelve tribes of Israel;all the tribes of the earth, all peoples.

testimonium, ii n. witness, testimony; the Law; mostly pi., precepts, commandments, ordinances, statutes,

judgments, testimonies.

confiteor, fessus sum, eri 2  to praise, give thanks; to confess, acknowledge one's guilt.

nomen, inis, n. name.

DR	For thither did the tribes go up, the tribes of the Lord: the testimony of Israel, to praise the name of the Lord.
MD	Whither the tribes go up, the tribes of the Lord; it is a law for Israel; there to praise the name of the Lord.
Brenton	For thither the tribes went up, the tribes of the Lord, as a testimony for Israel, to give thanks unto the name of the Lord.
Cover	For thither the tribes go up, even the tribes of the Lord, to testify unto Israel, to give thanks unto the Name of the Lord.
Grail	It is there that the tribes go up, the tribes of the Lord. For Israel's law it is, there to praise the Lord's name.

5	V	Quia illic sedérunt sedes in judício, * sedes super domum david.
	NV	Quia illic sederunt sedes ad iudicium, sedes domus David.
	JH	Quia ibi sederunt sedes in iudicio, sedes domui Dauid.
	Septuagint	ὅτι ἐκεῖ ἐκάθισαν θρόνοι εἰς κρίσιν θρόνοι ἐπὶ οἶκον Δαυιδ

Text notes: Sedes here means seats or thrones, the inheritance of David’s descendants and the place where difficult cases could be appealed.  The twentieth century commentaries often suggest that ‘super’ reflects a translation error in the Septuagint, and the neo-Vulgate corrects it to ‘the seats of the house of David’.  I’m not entirely convinced that it is an error however  – if one sees it as a reference to Christ, he does indeed sit over the top of the Davidic Kings, linking up nicely with the New Testament discussion of Psalm 110 on the lack of subordination of the Messiah to David, and foreshadowing the last Judgment.

quia, conj. for, because, that.

illic, adv.  Of place: there, in that place; Of time: then

sedeo, sedi, sessum, ere 2, to sit; rest; dwell, live; to sit with,  hold converse with,  consult; to sit on a throne, to rule, reign

sedes, is,  a seat, throne. a judge or king

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

super, prep, with ace. And abl  on, upon, over

domus, us,  a house, structure Domus David, the house of David, the Davidic dynasty.

DR	Because their seats have sat in judgment, seats upon the house of David
MD	For there stand the seats of judgment, the seats of the house of David.
Brenton	For there are set thrones for judgment, even thrones for the house of David.
Cover	For there is the seat of judgment, even the seat of the house of David.
Grail	There were set the thrones of judgment of the house of David.

St Augustine interprets this verse allegorically, as a reference to wisdom:

"...If therefore heaven be the seat of God, and the Apostles are heaven; they themselves have become the seat of God, the throne of God. It is said in another passage: The soul of the righteous is the throne of wisdom. A great truth, a great truth, is declared; the throne of wisdom is the soul of the righteous; that is, wisdom sits in the soul of the righteous as it were in her chair, in her throne, and thence judges whatsoever she judges... And who are the seats? They of whom it is said, The soul of the righteous is the seat of wisdom. Who are the seats? The heavens. Who are the heavens? Heaven. What is heaven? That of which the Lord says, Heaven is My seat. Isaiah 66:1 The righteous then themselves are the seats; and have seats; and seats shall be seated in that Jerusalem. For what purpose? For judgment."

6	V	Rogáte quæ ad pacem sunt Jerúsalem: * et abundántia diligéntibus te:
	NV	Rogate, quae ad pacem sunt Ierusalem: “ Securi sint diligentes te!
	JH	Rogate pacem Hierusalem: sit bene his qui diligunt te.
	Sept.	ἐρωτήσατε δὴ τὰ εἰς εἰρήνην τὴν Ιερουσαλημ καὶ εὐθηνία τοῖς ἀγαπῶσίν σε

Text notes: The Neo-Vulgate removes the possible ambiguity in the second phrase, aligning it with the Hebrew to say ‘may there be abundance for those who love you’.

rogo, avi, atum, are, to entreat, ask, pray.

pax, pacis,  peace, blessings, prosperity, etc

abundantia, ae, /.  greatness, abundance; prosperity, abundance.

diligo, lexi, lectum, ere 3  to love; to flatter, make pretence of loving.

DR	Pray for the things that are for the peace of Jerusalem: and abundance for them that love you.
MD	Pray now for peace upon Jerusalem: May they that love thee prosper
Brenton	Pray now for the peace of Jerusalem: and let there be prosperity to them that love thee.
Cover	O pray for the peace of Jerusalem; they shall prosper that love thee.
Grail	For the peace of Jerusalem pray: "Peace be to your homes!

What does it mean to be the city of peace?  Pope Benedict XVI commented:

We now come to the final invocation (cf. v. 6-9). It is marked throughout by the Jewish word shalom, "peace", traditionally considered to be the etymological root of Jerushalajim, the Holy City itself, interpreted as "city of peace". It is well known that shalom alludes to the messianic peace that in itself brings joy, prosperity, goodness and abundance.

Psalm 121: Laetatus sum

Vulgate	Douay-Rheims
Canticum graduum.
1  Lætátus sum in his, quæ dicta sunt mihi: *  In domum Dómini íbimus.	I rejoiced at the things that were said to me: We shall go into the house of the Lord.
2  Stantes erant pedes nostri, * in átriis tuis, Jerúsalem.	2 Our feet were standing in your courts, O Jerusalem.
3  Jerúsalem, quæ ædificátur ut cívitas: * cujus participátio ejus in idípsum.	3 Jerusalem, which is built as a city, which is compact together.
4  Illuc enim ascendérunt tribus, tribus Dómini: * testimónium Israël ad confiténdum nómini Dómini.	4 For thither did the tribes go up, the tribes of the Lord: the testimony of Israel, to praise the name of the Lord.
5  Quia illic sedérunt sedes in judício, * sedes super domum David.	5 Because their seats have sat in judgment, seats upon the house of David.
6  Rogáte quæ ad pacem sunt Jerúsalem: * et abundántia diligéntibus te:	6 Pray for the things that are for the peace of Jerusalem: and abundance for them that love you.
7  Fiat pax in virtúte tua: * et abundántia in túrribus tuis.	7 Let peace be in your strength: and abundance in your towers
8  Propter fratres meos, et próximos meos, * loquébar pacem de te:	8 For the sake of my brethren, and of my neighbours, I spoke peace of you.
9  Propter domum Dómini, Dei nostri, * quæsívi bona tibi.	9 Because of the house of the Lord our God, I have sought good things for you.