The Psalter of the Blessed Virgin Mary by St Bonaventure : Psalm 51

St Bonaventure Receiving the Banner of St Sepulchre
from the Madonna, by Francesco Solimena (1710). The 
Cathedral of San Paolo in Aversa, Italy. Public domain.

The following posts present the text of The Psalter of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Its authorship is generally attributed to St Bonaventure (1221-15 July 1274) who studied at the University of Paris where in 1243 he joined the Franciscan Order. In 1254, he was made a Master of Theology and took over the leadership of the Franciscan School in Paris. Bonaventure was officially confirmed as seventh Minister General of the Franciscans in 1257. He later wrote a life of St Francis and has been called the second founder of the Order. Appointed Cardinal the year before his death in 1274, he was canonised in 1482 and declared a Doctor of the Church in 1588 with the title of Seraphic Doctor.

I offer this annotated presentation of St Bonaventure’s Psalter as a small gift to our gentle Queen and Mother in gratitude for her many graces and favours, praying for her continued help and protection for the author and his family.

This presentation of St Bonaventure’s Marian Psalms will include: an English translation based upon that of Sr Mary Emmanuel O.S.B. in the 1932 edition published by Herder; the Latin text as published in the Psalterium B. Virginis Mariæ of 1679; the text of the Douay-Rheims Psalms; with footnotes and occasional notes translated from Fillion’s Bible (1900 edition).

Psalm 51

“Crush him, O Lady, with the foot of thy power.”
She shall crush thy head. (1630-50). Engraving by S.A. Bolswert
after P.P. Rubens.Wellcome Collection. Public domain.[5]

1. Why dost thou glory in malice : O malignant serpent and infernal dragon?[1]

2. Submit thy head to the Woman : by whose power thou art plunged into hell.

3. Crush him, O Lady, with the foot of thy power[2]: arise and scatter his malice.

4. Extinguish his might : and reduce his strength to ashes,[3]

5. That living, we may exult in thy name : and with joyful soul we may give praise to thee.[4]

Glory be to the Father etc.

1. Quid gloriaris in malitia : o maligne serpens, et draco infernalis?

2. Submitte caput tuum mulieri : cujus fortitudine demergeris in profundum.

3. Contere eum, Domina, pede virtutis tuæ : exurge, et 

dissipa malitiam ejus.

4. Extingue potentiam ejus : et virtutem illius redige in favillam.

5. Ut viventes exultemus in nomine tuo: et læto animo dicamus tibi laudem.

Gloria Patri, etc.

Footnotes

[1] Cf. “Why dost thou glory in malice, thou that art mighty in iniquity?” Davidic Ps. LI, 3. 

[2] Cf. “I will put enmities between thee and the woman, and thy seed and her seed: she shall crush thy head, and thou shalt lie in wait for her heel.” Gen. iii, 16.

[3] Cf. “Thou hast defiled thy sanctuaries by the multitude of thy iniquities, and by the iniquity of thy traffic: therefore I will bring forth a fire from the midst of thee, to devour thee, and I will make thee as ashes upon the earth in the sight of all that see thee.” Ezech. xxviii, 18.

[4] Cf. “For thy mercy is better than lives: thee my lips shall praise. Thus will I bless thee all my life long: and in thy name I will lift up my hands.” Ps. LXII, 4-5; “My lips shall greatly rejoice, when I shall sing to thee;” Ps. LXX, 23.

[5] The wording below the engraving is: “P.P. Rubens pinxit. Ipsa conteret caput tuum. S.A. Bolswert sculp. Cum privilegio Regis.” / “P.P. Rubens painted [the original image]. She shall crush thy head. S.A. Bolswert engrav. With the King’s privilege [a form of copyright].”

Davidic Psalm LI

1 Unto the end, understanding for David,  2 When Doeg the Edomite came and told Saul David went to the house of Achimelech.

3 Why dost thou glory in malice, thou that art mighty in iniquity?  4 All the day long thy tongue hath devised injustice: as a sharp razor, thou hast wrought deceit.  5 Thou hast loved malice more than goodness: and iniquity rather than to speak righteousness.  6 Thou hast loved all the words of ruin, O deceitful tongue.

7 Therefore will God destroy thee for ever: he will pluck thee out, and remove thee from thy dwelling place: and thy root out of the land of the living.  8 The just shall see and fear, and shall laugh at him, and say:  9 Behold the man that made not God his helper: But trusted in the abundance of his riches: and prevailed in his vanity.

10 But I, as a fruitful olive tree in the house of God, have hoped in the mercy of God for ever, yea for ever and ever.  11 I will praise thee for ever, because thou hast done it: and I will wait on thy name, for it is good in the sight of thy saints.

Notes

The punishment of wicked tongues.

“Quid gloriaris in malitia, qui potens es in iniquitate? / Why dost thou glory in
 malice, thou that art mighty in iniquity?” Ps. LI, 3. Doeg kills Achimelech
 and the priests of Nobe - Psalter of Eleanor of Aquitaine (ca. 1185).
Royal Library of the Netherlands. Public domain.

The occasion which led to the composition of this Psalm is shown at some length: “When Doeg the Edomite came…” Comp. I Kings xxii, 6 et seq. David, fleeing the wrath of Saul, had been cordially received in Nobe by the priest Achimelech who was quite unaware of the particular circumstances in which his guest found himself. Doeg, Saul’s chief herdsman, witnessed Achimelech’s hospitality to David and then went to accuse the priest before King Saul. Moved by blind fury, Saul ordered Achimelech and the whole of his family to be put to death. It was Doeg himself who personally carried out this horrible massacre. Abiathar, son of the priest Achimelech, managed to escape and came to bring the terrible news to David who, deeply affected by what he heard, thereupon composed Psalm LI – whence the emotion and indignation discernible in every line. In impassioned language, the poet rebukes Doeg for his unworthy treachery and he predicts his forthcoming ruin, to which he contrasts the salvation which he himself will obtain from God.

Structure: three strophes or parts.

‣ verses 3-6: a vehement address;

‣ verses 7-9: his fatal prediction; and

‣ verses 10-11: David’s trust in God.

First part: the psalmist  vigorously calls out Doeg and rebukes him for his infamous behaviour. Verses 3-6.

3-6: an abrupt exordium, in perfect conformity with the particular circumstances. 

3: “Why dost thou glory in malice…”: david was proud of his ignoble behaviour ; David  reveals it to him in all its horror. 

“mighty in iniquity”:  the Hebrew makes use of the word gibbor, “hero,” in the vocative case: “O hero.” Consider the crushing irony: the heroic bravery of Doeg had consisted in massacring harmless and defenceless priests.

Second part: prediction of imminent ruin. Verses 7-9.

7-9: Although David has calmed down somewhat, his emotions are still discernible in these verses.

“Therefore”: The traitor’s turn will come and his crime will not rest unpunished.

9: “Behold the man”: Doeg’s behaviour is briefly described by three propositions in ascending order:

“the man that made not God his helper”: According to the Hebrew, he did not make God his defensive rampart.

“trusted in the abundance of his riches”: This detail shows that Doeg was a person of wealth and influence.

“prevailed in his vanity”: Hebr.: in his malignity.

Third part: the unshakable trust David has in the Lord, to whom he looks for salvation.

10-11: “in the house of God”: in the sanctuary, precisely where David was looking for a place of refuge when Noeg saw him. Cf. I Kings xxi, 1 et seq.

“because thou hast done it”: thou hast acted, thou hast granted all my wishes: using the prophetic preterite tense.

 +       +        +

The Virgin of Tenderness. >12th century.

SUB tuum præsidium confugimus, Sancta Dei Genitrix. Nostras deprecationes ne despicias in necessitatibus, sed a periculis cunctis libera nos semper, Virgo gloriosa et benedicta. Amen. 

 

Totus tuus ego sum

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:

Ad Jesum per Mariam.

He that hearkeneth to me, shall not be confounded: and they that work by me shall not sin. They that explain me shall have life everlasting. Ecclesiasticus (Sirach) xxiv. 30-31.30-31.

The Psalter of the Blessed Virgin Mary by St Bonaventure : Psalm 50

St Bonaventure Receiving the Banner of St Sepulchre
from the Madonna, by Francesco Solimena (1710). The 
Cathedral of San Paolo in Aversa, Italy. Public domain.

The following posts present the text of The Psalter of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Its authorship is generally attributed to St Bonaventure (1221-15 July 1274) who studied at the University of Paris where in 1243 he joined the Franciscan Order. In 1254, he was made a Master of Theology and took over the leadership of the Franciscan School in Paris. Bonaventure was officially confirmed as seventh Minister General of the Franciscans in 1257. He later wrote a life of St Francis and has been called the second founder of the Order. Appointed Cardinal the year before his death in 1274, he was canonised in 1482 and declared a Doctor of the Church in 1588 with the title of Seraphic Doctor.

I offer this annotated presentation of St Bonaventure’s Psalter as a small gift to our gentle Queen and Mother in gratitude for her many graces and favours, praying for her continued help and protection for the author and his family.

This presentation of St Bonaventure’s Marian Psalms will include: an English translation based upon that of Sr Mary Emmanuel O.S.B. in the 1932 edition published by Herder; the Latin text as published in the Psalterium B. Virginis Mariæ of 1679; the text of the Douay-Rheims Psalms; with footnotes and occasional notes translated from Fillion’s Bible (1900 edition).

Psalm 50

“Have mercy on me...cleanse me from all my iniquities.” The Penance

of David (1485-6), by Jean Colombe (Les Très Riches Heures du duc 

de Berry). Condé Museum, Chantilly. Public domain.

1. Have mercy on me, O Lady: for thou art called the Mother of Mercy.[1]

2. And according to thy mercy: cleanse me from all my iniquities.[2]

3. Pour forth thy grace upon me[3]: and withdraw not from me thine accustomed clemency.[4]

4. For I will confess my sins to thee: and I will accuse myself of all my crimes before thee.[5]

5. Reconcile me to the Fruit of thy womb: and make peace for me with Him who has created me.[6]

Glory be to the Father etc.

1. Miserere mei, Domina : quæ mater misericordiæ nuncuparis.

2. Et secundum viscera misericordiarum tuarum : munda me ab omnibus iniquitatibus meis.

3. Effunde gratiam tuam super me : et solitam clementiam tuam ne subtrahas a me.

4. Quoniam peccata mea confitebor tibi : et coram te me accuso de sceleribus meis.

5. Fructui ventris tui me reconcilia : et pacifica me ei, qui me creavit.

Gloria Patri, etc.

Footnotes

[1] Cf. “Have mercy on me, O God, according to thy great mercy”: Davidic Ps. L, 3.

[2] Cf. “And according to the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my iniquity. Wash me yet more from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.”: Davidic Ps. L, 3-4.

[3] Cf. “Pour forth, we beseech Thee, O Lord, Thy grace into our hearts,”: from the Angelus prayer. In 1269 St. Bonaventure urged the faithful to adopt the custom of the Franciscans of saying three Hail Mary’s as the evening bell was rung. See the Preces Latinæ website (©copyrighted by Michael Martin).

[4] Cf. “She hath opened her mouth to wisdom, and the law of clemency is on her tongue.” Prov. xxxi, 26.

[5] Cf. “I have acknowledged my sin to thee, and my injustice I have not concealed. I said I will confess against myself my injustice to the Lord:” Ps. XXXI, 5.

[6] Cf. “Turn then, most gracious Advocate, thine eyes of mercy toward us. And after this our exile show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus.” From the Salve Regina, attributed by some to St Bernard of Clairvaux (1090-1153) and by others to Hermannus Contractus (1013-1054).

Davidic Psalm L

[For those wishing to listen to a legendary 1980 recording of Allegri’s setting of the Miserere (1630’s), click here:

Allegri : Miserere -Tallis Scholars

The Latin text is included in an Appendix at the end of the post.]

1 Unto the end, a psalm of David,  2 When Nathan the prophet came to him after he had sinned with Bethsabee.

3 Have mercy on me, O God, according to thy great mercy. And according to the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my iniquity.  4 Wash me yet more from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. 5 For I know my iniquity, and my sin is always before me.   6 To thee only have I sinned, and have done evil before thee: that thou mayst be justified in thy words and mayst overcome when thou art judged.  7 For behold I was conceived in iniquities; and in sins did my mother conceive me. 8 For behold thou hast loved truth: the uncertain and hidden things of thy wisdom thou hast made manifest to me.  9 Thou shalt sprinkle me with hyssop, and I shall be cleansed: thou shalt wash me, and I shall be made whiter than snow.  10 To my hearing thou shalt give joy and gladness: and the bones that have been humbled shall rejoice.  11 Turn away thy face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities.  12 Create a clean heart in me, O God: and renew a right spirit within my bowels.  13 Cast me not away from thy face; and take not thy holy spirit from me.  14 Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation, and strengthen me with a perfect spirit.

15 I will teach the unjust thy ways: and the wicked shall be converted to thee.  16 Deliver me from blood, O God, thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall extol thy justice.  17 O Lord, thou wilt open my lips: and my mouth shall declare thy praise.  18 For if thou hadst desired sacrifice, I would indeed have given it: with burnt offerings thou wilt not be delighted.  19 A sacrifice to God is an afflicted spirit: a contrite and humbled heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.  20 Deal favourably, O Lord, in thy good will with Sion; that the walls of Jerusalem may be built up.  21 Then shalt thou accept the sacrifice of justice, oblations and whole burnt offerings: then shall they lay calves upon thy altar.

Notes

This is the fourth of the Penitential Psalms. It marks the beginning of a series of fifteen psalms, (L-LXIV) composed by David. It is easy to discern, in its details as in its totality, the signature of this Prince. Compare, for example, verse 6 and the text of II Kings xii, 9 and 13.

“Have mercy on me, O God, according to thy great mercy.” 
Nathan Confronts David, 1860. Woodcut by Julius Schnorr von Karolsfeld.
“Die Bibel in Bildern.” Public domain.

The occasion of its writing may be determined with the greatest precision through the words “when Nathan the Prophet came to him.” This prophet had come to find David in the name of the Lord, he had reproached him discreetly but firmly for his double crime and he had caused the blindfold to fall from his eyes which passion had kept in place for nearly a year. Cf. II Kings xii, 1 et seq. The king, touched to the very depths of his soul and understanding how greatly he had offended God, gave free rein to the feelings of repentance agitating his heart, proceeding to write Psalms VI, XXXI and L. There is every reason to believe that Psalm L was the second one he wrote.

The subject matter is therefore evident from what we have said. The “Miserere” is a magnificent commentary on the word “Peccavi” which David uttered as soon as he had recognised the enormity of his sin (II Kings xii, 13). Although he had received from Nathan a precious assurance of pardon, the guilty king wanted to obtain an even more perfect remission of his sins and this is the reason for the pressing appeal he addresses to Divine mercy. The sentiments he describes are admirable ones: the most sincere repentance, a humble confession, trust in God, an ardent supplication along with promises to lead a holy life in the future. All of this has a style and incorporates imagery which students of literature cannot but celebrate and its overall is to produce a remarkable unity of conception. There is here truly the most beautiful of acts of contrition; never has a sinner felt so tenderly and expressed so powerfully the need to obtain pardon for his sins. It does not take much to discover in this Psalm an evangelical spirit and character. The canticle has always been particularly treasured by the Church and by the Saints. It may also be said, moreover, that there are few pages in the Bible which contain so many dogmatic truths in so few lines: Sin stains the soul; it is a direct offence against God; only God Himself, the unique dispenser of graces, can erase it; pardon is obtained only through contrition ; original sin exists, etcetera.

Structure: the psalm may be divided into two parts : the first, verses 3-14, contains the prayer for pardon; the second, verses 15-21, is a promise of thanksgiving.

First part:  an insistent prayer pardon. Verses 3-14. 

3-4:In contemplating his soul, the supplicant sees sin after sin, crimes of every kind committed over entire months ; and so he repeats unceasingly, in his humble confession, the words “iniquity” and “sin.” In Hebrew, the song makes use of three distinct expressions: pesa, transgression which separates man from his God; hâtah, staining or straying; âvah, the perversion of moral qualities. For such evils, there is only one remedy – the infinite mercy of God. This is why David uses the words “according to thy great mercy and according to the multitude of thy tender mercies.” The Lord will need to make use of multiple operations to make sins so serious disappear and this is indicated by the choice of verbs.  “blot out” (dele), in Hebrew mâhah, which means to wash an object thoroughly or even to erase written characters;  “wash” (lava), in Hebrew kâbas, which applies to the pounding actions of fullers when there are stains deep in material; “cleanse” (munda), in Hebrew tâhar, used to indicate the purification of lepers. These opening words of the Psalm already reveal the perfect contrition in the penitence heart.

5-6: Here he recognises and confesses the whole extent of his guilt and he is not satisfied with having a dead and inert awareness of this but his feelings are animated and penetrate the innermost parts of his being, producing constantly in his soul horror and detestation in reaction to his sins.

6: “To thee only have I sinned”: these words contain a profound truth. Although guilty of grievous sin against so many people who had to suffer from the results  (Bethsabee, Urias, the Israelites massacred under the walls of Rabbath-Ammon; cf. II Kings xi, 14 et seq.), David feels especially and above all that he has sinned against God. Accordingly, what do the rest amount to in comparison with this infinite outrage, this crime of divine lèse-majesté?

“that thou mayst be justified in thy words”: so that the mayest appear just, or that thy justice may be demonstrated before men.

“and mayst overcome when thou art judged”: In the Hebrew, so that thou mayest be pure, meaning innocent, or perfect.

“when thou art judged”: on the hypothesis where men permit themselves to criticise the conduct of the Lord towards the king, finding the punishment too severe. David therefore wishes to say that by confessing the whole extent of his sin, he is the first to recognise the justice of the divine punishment and accordingly he is helping this infinite justice to shine with all its brightness before those foolhardy enough to make accusations.   

7-8: The prime cause of David’s crime and the opposition they caused between his and that holiness which is so dear to God. These lines provide classic support for the dogma of original sin and tradition is unanimous on this point.

8: “the uncertain and hidden things of thy wisdom”: the extraordinary graces and Illuminations that the great king had received from the Lord throughout his life and which naturally aggravated the enormity of his crime .

14: “a perfect spirit”: spiritu principali: meaning worthy of a Prince, noble and magnanimous. In the Hebrew: a spirit of goodwill, or full of generosity, which spontaneously and courageously moves towards that which is good. According to the Septuagint, a spirit of hegemony, which directs man and helps him to overcome his unruly passions. The three expressions amount to the same thing.

Part two: promises of thanksgiving. Verses 15-21. 

16: “Deliver me from blood, O God,”: blood is in the plural in the Vulgate, in obvious reference to the fact that David had not only spilt the blood of Urias. 

18-19: The blood and flesh of victims are not at all pleasing to God in themselves but only by virtue of the dispositions by which they are offered up to him. David can offer better a better sacrifice than sheep and bulls : a contrite spirit, a spirit broken by sincere repentance, the trembling of a deeply contrite heart.

20-21: Fearing that by virtue of being king, his crimes might have drawn down divine wrath on the whole people, he implores the Lord to bless Sion in a loving manner and then he expresses his ardent desire to be able to complete the building of the walls of the city. We know from II Kings v, 9 that David did everything he could to protect Jerusalem with defensive walls but on the other hand we learn from III Kings iii, 1 that it was actually Solomon who completed this important work.

Appendix: The Latin Vulgate text of Psalm L

[1 In finem. Psalmus David,  2 cum venit ad eum Nathan propheta, quando intravit ad Bethsabee.]  

3 Miserere mei, Deus, secundum magnam misericordiam tuam; et secundum multitudinem miserationum tuarum, dele iniquitatem meam.  

4 Amplius lava me ab iniquitate mea, et a peccato meo munda me.  

5 Quoniam iniquitatem meam ego cognosco, et peccatum meum contra me est semper.

6 Tibi soli peccavi, et malum coram te feci; ut justificeris in sermonibus tuis, et vincas cum judicaris.  

7 Ecce enim in iniquitatibus conceptus sum, et in peccatis concepit me mater mea.  

8 Ecce enim veritatem dilexisti; incerta et occulta sapientiae tuae manifestasti mihi.  

9 Asperges me hyssopo, et mundabor; lavabis me, et super nivem dealbabor.  

10 Auditui meo dabis gaudium et laetitiam, et exsultabunt ossa humiliata.

11 Averte faciem tuam a peccatis meis, et omnes iniquitates meas dele.  

12 Cor mundum crea in me, Deus, et spiritum rectum innova in visceribus meis.  

13 Ne projicias me a facie tua, et spiritum sanctum tuum ne auferas a me.  

14 Redde mihi laetitiam salutaris tui, et spiritu principali confirma me.  

15 Docebo iniquos vias tuas, et impii ad te convertentur.

16 Libera me de sanguinibus, Deus, Deus salutis meae, et exsultabit lingua mea justitiam tuam.  

17 Domine, labia mea aperies, et os meum annuntiabit laudem tuam.  

18 Quoniam si voluisses sacrificium, dedissem utique; holocaustis non delectaberis.  

19 Sacrificium Deo spiritus contribulatus; cor contritum et humiliatum, Deus, non despicies.  

20 Benigne fac, Domine, in bona voluntate tua Sion, ut aedificentur muri Jerusalem.

21 Tunc acceptabis sacrificium justitiae, oblationes et holocausta; tunc imponent super altare tuum vitulos.

 +       +        +

The Virgin of Tenderness. >12th century.

SUB tuum præsidium confugimus, Sancta Dei Genitrix. Nostras deprecationes ne despicias in necessitatibus, sed a periculis cunctis libera nos semper, Virgo gloriosa et benedicta. Amen. 

 

Totus tuus ego sum

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:

Ad Jesum per Mariam.

He that hearkeneth to me, shall not be confounded: and they that work by me shall not sin. They that explain me shall have life everlasting. Ecclesiasticus (Sirach) xxiv. 30-31.30-31.

The Psalter of the Blessed Virgin Mary by St Bonaventure : Psalm 49

St Bonaventure Receiving the Banner of St Sepulchre
from the Madonna, by Francesco Solimena (1710). The 
Cathedral of San Paolo in Aversa, Italy. Public domain.

The following posts present the text of The Psalter of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Its authorship is generally attributed to St Bonaventure (1221-15 July 1274) who studied at the University of Paris where in 1243 he joined the Franciscan Order. In 1254, he was made a Master of Theology and took over the leadership of the Franciscan School in Paris. Bonaventure was officially confirmed as seventh Minister General of the Franciscans in 1257. He later wrote a life of St Francis and has been called the second founder of the Order. Appointed Cardinal the year before his death in 1274, he was canonised in 1482 and declared a Doctor of the Church in 1588 with the title of Seraphic Doctor.

I offer this annotated presentation of St Bonaventure’s Psalter as a small gift to our gentle Queen and Mother in gratitude for her many graces and favours, praying for her continued help and protection for the author and his family.

This presentation of St Bonaventure’s Marian Psalms will include: an English translation based upon that of Sr Mary Emmanuel O.S.B. in the 1932 edition published by Herder; the Latin text as published in the Psalterium B. Virginis Mariæ of 1679; the text of the Douay-Rheims Psalms; with footnotes and occasional notes translated from Fillion’s Bible (1900 edition).

Psalm 49

“Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with thee; by thee the
salvation of the world is restored.” 
The Annunciation (c1583-4), by Veronese. 
National Gallery of Art, Washington. Open Access policy.

1. The God of gods hath spoken to Mary[1]: by Gabriel, his messenger, saying:

2. Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with thee[2]: by thee the salvation of the world is restored.[3]

3. The Son of the Most High : hath greatly desired thy beauty and thy comeliness.[4]

4. Adorn thy bridal chamber[5], O Daughter of Sion : prepare to meet thy God.

5. Thou shalt conceive by the Holy Ghost[6]: who will make thy delivery virginal and joyful.

Glory be to the Father etc.

1. Deus deorum Mariæ locutus est : per Gabrielem nuntium suum, dicens:

2. Ave gratia plena, Dominus tecum : per te salus mundi reparatur.

3. Speciem et decorem tuum : Altissimi Filius concupiscit.

4. Adorna thalamum tuum, filia Sion : præparare in occursum Dei tui.

5. Per Spiritum enim Sanctum concipies : qui tuum partum faciet virgineum et jucundum.

Gloria Patri, etc.

Footnotes

[1] Cf. “The God of gods, the Lord hath spoken:” Davidic Ps. XLIX, 1.

[2] The words of Gabriel to Mary at Luke i, 28.

[3] Cf. The words of Gabriel to St Joseph: “and thou shalt call his name Jesus. For he shall save his people from their sins.” Matt. i, 21.

[4] Cf. “Shew me thy face, let thy voice sound in my ears: for thy voice is sweet, and thy face comely.” Cant. ii, 14. “Thou art beautiful, O my love, sweet and comely as Jerusalem”: Cant. vi, 6.; “How beautiful art thou, and how comely, my dearest, in delights!” Cant. vii, 6.

[5] Cf. The antiphon composed by St John Damascene (c. 676-754) sung during the procession at Candlemas: “Adorna thalamum tuum, Sion, et suscipe Regem Christum: amplectere Mariam, quae est cælestis porta… / Adorn thy bridal chamber, O Sion, and receive Christ the King: embrace Mary, who is the gate of heaven.” 

[6] Luke i, 31 & 35.

Davidic Psalm XLIX

1 A psalm for Asaph. The God of gods, the Lord hath spoken: and he hath called the earth. From the rising of the sun, to the going down thereof:  2 Out of Sion the loveliness of his beauty.  3 God shall come manifestly: our God shall come, and shall not keep silence. A fire shall burn before him: and a mighty tempest shall be round about him.  4 He shall call heaven from above, and the earth, to judge his people.  5 Gather ye together his saints to him: who set his covenant before sacrifices. 

6 And the heavens shall declare his justice: for God is judge.

7 Hear, O my people, and I will speak: O Israel, and I will testify to thee: I am God, thy God.  8 I will not reprove thee for thy sacrifices: and thy burnt offerings are always in my sight.  9 I will not take calves out of thy house: nor he goats out of thy flocks.  10 For all the beasts of the woods are mine: the cattle on the hills, and the oxen.  11 I know all the fowls of the air: and with me is the beauty of the field.  12 If I should be hungry, I would not tell thee: for the world is mine, and the fulness thereof.  13 Shall I eat the flesh of bullocks? or shall I drink the blood of goats?  14 Offer to God the sacrifice of praise: and pay thy vows to the most High  15 And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.

16 But to the sinner God hath said: Why dost thou declare my justices, and take my covenant in thy mouth?  17 Seeing thou hast hated discipline: and hast cast my words behind thee.  18 If thou didst see a thief thou didst run with him: and with adulterers thou hast been a partaker.  19 Thy mouth hath abounded with evil, and thy tongue framed deceits.  20 Sitting thou didst speak against thy brother, and didst lay a scandal against thy mother’s son:  21 These things hast thou done, and I was silent. Thou thoughtest unjustly that I should be like to thee: but I will reprove thee, and set before thy face.  22 Understand these things, you that forget God; lest he snatch you away, and there be none to deliver you.  23 The sacrifice of praise shall glorify me: and there is the way by which I will shew him the salvation of God.

Notes

The only worship which can please God.

The title: verse 1: this psalm is a didactic poem by virtue of its subject matter but is very lyrical in its form. It is the first of those which are attributed to Asaph, a celebrated Levite who was contemporary with David and was one of the three principal directors of music in the Temple. Cf. I Par. xvi, 4-5. According to their titles, Psalms 72 to 82 are also attributed to him but it is possible that several of them, of a later date, may have been composed by his descendants whom Jewish history numbers amongst the most important ministers in sacred worship, a long time after the reigns of David and Solomon. Cf. II Par. xx, 14; xxix, 13. Two biblical passages, II Par. xxix, 30 and Neh. xii, 46, clearly state that the first Asaph composed psalms and there can be no doubt that Psalm XLIX was composed by him. The canticles which bear his name are distinguishable by their serious and solemn tone, and by their  prophetic style. In them, God often speaks in a direct manner.

The central theme of Psalm XLIX is the ineffectiveness and uselessness of a worship which is purely external. Numerous other passages in the Bible mention this (Ps. XXIII, 1-6; XXXIX, 6, 8; LXVIII, 30, etc.) but nowhere is the idea developed in a manner at once so brilliant and so complete as in this part of the Psalter. From the point of view of literary beauty, Fénelon has stated that this poem surpasses all human imagination. It is, in fact, extraordinarily dramatic. It is a magnificent ode which bears all the marks of the Golden Age of Hebrew poetry; the thoughts are as majestic and as deep has those found amongst the greatest of the prophets.

Structure:

Firstly, a relatively long prelude: verses 1-6; a wonderful mise en scène where we see God appear in person in order to judge the conduct of Israel when it comes to divine worship. The Lord then pronounces a solemn discourse composed of two parts: in the first, verses 7-15, addressing Himself to the more spiritually healthy members of this theocratic people, He asks for sacrifices of praise and love, sacrifices from the heart, in preference to external victims for which He has no need; in the second part, verses 16-23, He speaks against hypocritical sinners, proclaiming that they will not be able to obtain pardon for their sins simply through the immolation of bloody victims, if they do not convert inwardly and do not obey the law.

Prelude : verses 1b-6; the Fathers have frequently applied this passage to the universal judgement at the end of the World.

First part: God reminds His people that external worship is useless if it is not accompanied by interior holiness. Verses 7-15.

Verses 14-15: “the sacrifice of praise”:  this refers to a sacrifice which is completely internal, an immolation from the bottom of the heart; the inner dispositions of adoration, gratitude, love and penance are represented by the external victims.

“and call upon me”: every favour requested in these perfect conditions will most assuredly be granted. Here indeed we have the prelude of that adoration in spirit and in truth which will only take place in a complete manner under the new Covenant, when the unique and divine Victim is substituted for all the sacrifices under the law. The Fathers, moreover, have rightly seen in this passage (verses 8-15), a prophecy of the future abrogation of the Mosaic Covenant.

Second part: containing threats addressed to hypocritical sinners who, despite always speaking about the law and the holy Covenant, actually violate them continually through their acts. Verses 16-23.

16: “ declare my justices”: Hebr.: enumerate my laws.

“take my covenant in thy mouth”: the Theocratic covenant and its various precepts were constantly on their lips as though they greatly savoured them; but their actual behaviour showed that they were the most dangerous enemies. Accordingly, the Lord refuses this appearance of homage which is in reality a profanation.

21: From God’s patience, which He calls His silence, the wicked conclude that He must be indifferent to sin – but He will put them right on this, reprove them and make their wickedness quite clear to them, showing thus that he has forgotten nothing.

23: “The sacrifice of praise”: these are the most important words in the poem: true worship is no less internal than external; a constant and pure Holocaust in the heart.

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The Virgin of Tenderness. >12th century.

SUB tuum præsidium confugimus, Sancta Dei Genitrix. Nostras deprecationes ne despicias in necessitatibus, sed a periculis cunctis libera nos semper, Virgo gloriosa et benedicta. Amen. 

 

Totus tuus ego sum

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:

Ad Jesum per Mariam.

He that hearkeneth to me, shall not be confounded: and they that work by me shall not sin. They that explain me shall have life everlasting. Ecclesiasticus (Sirach) xxiv. 30-31.30-31.

The Psalter of the Blessed Virgin Mary by St Bonaventure : Psalm 48

St Bonaventure Receiving the Banner of St Sepulchre
from the Madonna, by Francesco Solimena (1710). The 
Cathedral of San Paolo in Aversa, Italy. Public domain.

The following posts present the text of The Psalter of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Its authorship is generally attributed to St Bonaventure (1221-15 July 1274) who studied at the University of Paris where in 1243 he joined the Franciscan Order. In 1254, he was made a Master of Theology and took over the leadership of the Franciscan School in Paris. Bonaventure was officially confirmed as seventh Minister General of the Franciscans in 1257. He later wrote a life of St Francis and has been called the second founder of the Order. Appointed Cardinal the year before his death in 1274, he was canonised in 1482 and declared a Doctor of the Church in 1588 with the title of Seraphic Doctor.

I offer this annotated presentation of St Bonaventure’s Psalter as a small gift to our gentle Queen and Mother in gratitude for her many graces and favours, praying for her continued help and protection for the author and his family.

This presentation of St Bonaventure’s Marian Psalms will include: an English translation based upon that of Sr Mary Emmanuel O.S.B. in the 1932 edition published by Herder; the Latin text as published in the Psalterium B. Virginis Mariæ of 1679; the text of the Douay-Rheims Psalms; with footnotes and occasional notes translated from Fillion’s Bible (1900 edition).

Psalm 48

“By the fruit of thy womb, refresh and sustain the hunger

of thy little ones.” Madonna della Misericordia (1494), 

artist n/k. Rocca di Gradara castle, Italy. Sailko. CC BY 3.0. 

1. Hear ye these things, all ye nations: give ear, all ye who desire to enter the kingdom of God.[1]

2. Honour the Virgin Mary: and ye will find life and perpetual salvation.[2]

3. Keep thy poor servants,[3] O Lady: join them with a happy union to Christ.

4. By the fruit of thy womb, refresh and sustain the hunger of thy little ones.[4]

5. For after thy bringing forth thou hast remained incorrupt: and after thy Son, inviolate.[5]

Glory be to the Father etc.

1. Audite hæc, omnes gentes: auribus percipite, qui ingredi cupitis regnum Dei.

2. Virginem Mariam honorate: et invenietis vitam et salutem perpetuam.

3. Pauperes servos tuos, Domina: felici confœderatione conjunge Christo.

4. Esuriem parvulorum tuorum: fructu ventris tui refice, et sustenta.

5. Remansisti enim incorrupta post partum: et inviolata post Filium.

Gloria Patri, etc.

Footnotes

[1] Cf. “Hear these things, all ye nations: give ear, all ye inhabitants of the world.” Davidic Ps. XLVIII, 2.

[2] Cf. the reaction of Elizabeth and the infant John in her womb: “And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For behold as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy.” Luke i, 43-4.

[3] Cf. “Save thy servant, O my God, that trusteth in thee;” Ps. LXXXV, 2.

[4] Cf. “Suffer the little children, and forbid them not to come to me: for the kingdom of heaven is for such.” Matt. xix, 14.

[5] Cf. “It was fitting that she, who had kept her virginity intact in childbirth, should keep her own body free from all corruption even after death”: St. John Damascene, Encomium in Dormitionem Dei Genetricis Semperque Virginis Mariae, Hom. II, n. 14; quoted by Pius XII in his Encyclical Munificentissimus Deus, Nov. 1, 1950.

Davidic Psalm XLVIII

1 Unto the end, a psalm for the sons of Core.

2 Hear these things, all ye nations: give ear, all ye inhabitants of the world.  3 All you that are earth-born, and you sons of men: both rich and poor together.  4 My mouth shall speak wisdom: and the meditation of my heart understanding.  5 I will incline my ear to a parable; I will open my proposition on the psaltery.

6 Why shall I fear in the evil day? the iniquity of my heel shall encompass me.  7 They that trust in their own strength, and glory in the multitude of their riches,  8 No brother can redeem, nor shall man redeem: he shall not give to God his ransom,  9 Nor the price of the redemption of his soul: and shall labour for ever,  10 And shall still live unto the end.  11 He shall not see destruction, when he shall see the wise dying: the senseless and the fool shall perish together: And they shall leave their riches to strangers:  12 And their sepulchres shall be their houses for ever. Their dwelling places to all generations: they have called their lands by their names.  13 And man when he was in honour did not understand; he is compared to senseless beasts, and is become like to them.

14 This way of theirs is a stumbling block to them: and afterwards they shall delight in their mouth.  15 They are laid in hell like sheep: death shall feed upon them. And the just shall have dominion over them in the morning; and their help shall decay in hell from their glory.  16 But God will redeem my soul from the hand of hell, when he shall receive me.  17 Be not thou afraid, when a man shall be made rich, and when the glory of his house shall be increased.  18 For when he shall die he shall take nothing away; nor shall his glory descend with him.  19 For in his lifetime his soul will be blessed: and he will praise thee when thou shalt do well to him.  20 He shall go in to the generations of his fathers: and he shall never see light. 21 Man when he was in honour did not understand: he hath been compared to senseless beasts, and made like to them.

Notes

The vanity of worldly goods ; the wicked will receive eternal punishment and the good will be eternally rewarded.

This psalm is moral and didactic, composed of short, pithy sentences after the manner of the book of Proverbs. The subject matter closely resembles that in Psalm XXXVI : there is once again a discussion concerning the important and difficult problem of inequality between humans and the frequent prosperity of the wicked. The psalmist pays particular attention to the present and future state of wicked men who “trust in their own strength, and glory in the multitude of their riches” (verse 7). He sees that the goods and advantages which they possess are essentially transitory and incapable of delivering them either from death or from any punishments which follow. The just, on the other hand, although often plunged during this life into every sort of suffering,  have as an inner consolation the hope of a better life in eternity. This Psalm is perhaps the one out of all those in the psalter which contains the most explicit statements regarding the existence and conditions of future life. Several of the verses are obscure both in the Septuagint and the Vulgate, (notably verses 7 et seq., 12-14, and 18) and this is also the case in the Hebrew.

Structure: the psalm is divided fairly simply:

‣ a solemn prelude in verses 2-5 ;

‣ and two equal parts, divided by a refrain (verses 13 and 21):

1. verses 6-13 – The riches enjoyed by the wicket will not deliver them from death ;

2. verses 14-21 – The glory of sinners will perish in the land of the dead, whereas the just will live in eternal happiness. 

Solemn prelude. Verses 2-5. 

The poet addresses his call universally since the subject he is about to cover is of general interest to all men, irrespective of race, country or status.

5: “I will open my proposition”: “my proposition” in Hebr. is more akin to “my problem” or “my enigma”: the delicate and difficult question of the temporal prosperity enjoyed by the wicked.

“on the psaltery”: in Hebr. with the kinnôr, a sort of harp or lyre: i.e.,  accompanied by music and in poetic language.

First part: Despite their riches, the wicked will not escape death. Verses 6-13.

Those have to suffer because of rich and powerful sinners have no need to worry unduly because their oppressors will be precipitated into their own ruin through their power and their wealth.

6: “ the iniquity of my heel”: a Hebraism which is equivalent to “the iniquity of my enemies,” the cowardly malice of those who attacked someone from behind.

8: “No brother can redeem”: even the money of a brother cannot redeem or save his brother from death, so how much less can an ordinary man do this for another? Even were a wicked man to use up all his riches, he would not be able to furnish God with a ransom capable of prolonging his life.

The holy Fathers apply this verse in a beautiful manner to our Lord Jesus Christ, the man par excellence who redeemed the whole human race – something no other man could have done.

Second part : The glory of sinners will perish in the land of the dead, whereas the just will live in eternal happiness.

14: “afterwards they shall delight in their mouth”: Despite an end so miserable, there are still found men so senseless as to admire the way they spoke when they were previously on earth. The Hebrew reflects this: such is the way or destiny of those who place their trust in themselves and of those who follow them in admiring their words.

15: “death shall feed upon them”: it is probably better to give to this verb the sense of feed them, in conformity with the Septuagint and the Hebrew: meaning Death is their pastor[the one who feeds]. A striking image. Cf. Ps. XXII, 1-2.

20: “he shall never see light”: a reference to the darkness of sheol, which here we can rightly call hell, will be their eternal destiny, whereas the just will see light in God’s light (ps. XXXV, 10).

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The Virgin of Tenderness. >12th century.

SUB tuum præsidium confugimus, Sancta Dei Genitrix. Nostras deprecationes ne despicias in necessitatibus, sed a periculis cunctis libera nos semper, Virgo gloriosa et benedicta. Amen. 

 

Totus tuus ego sum

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:

Ad Jesum per Mariam.

He that hearkeneth to me, shall not be confounded: and they that work by me shall not sin. They that explain me shall have life everlasting. Ecclesiasticus (Sirach) xxiv. 30-31.30-31. 

The Psalter of the Blessed Virgin Mary by St Bonaventure : Psalm 47

St Bonaventure Receiving the Banner of St Sepulchre
from the Madonna, by Francesco Solimena (1710). The 
Cathedral of San Paolo in Aversa, Italy. Public domain.

The following posts present the text of The Psalter of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Its authorship is generally attributed to St Bonaventure (1221-15 July 1274) who studied at the University of Paris where in 1243 he joined the Franciscan Order. In 1254, he was made a Master of Theology and took over the leadership of the Franciscan School in Paris. Bonaventure was officially confirmed as seventh Minister General of the Franciscans in 1257. He later wrote a life of St Francis and has been called the second founder of the Order. Appointed Cardinal the year before his death in 1274, he was canonised in 1482 and declared a Doctor of the Church in 1588 with the title of Seraphic Doctor.

I offer this annotated presentation of St Bonaventure’s Psalter as a small gift to our gentle Queen and Mother in gratitude for her many graces and favours, praying for her continued help and protection for the author and his family.

This presentation of St Bonaventure’s Marian Psalms will include: an English translation based upon that of Sr Mary Emmanuel O.S.B. in the 1932 edition published by Herder; the Latin text as published in the Psalterium B. Virginis Mariæ of 1679; the text of the Douay-Rheims Psalms; with footnotes and occasional notes translated from Fillion’s Bible (1900 edition).

Psalm 47

“Thou hast ascended, hymned by the Angelic choirs.”
The Assumption of the Virgin (1475-6), by Francesco Botticini.
The National Gallery, London. Public domain.

1. Great art thou, O Lady, and exceedingly to be praised: in the city of the God of Heaven[1]: in the entire Church of His elect.

2. Thou hast ascended[2], hymned by the Angelic choirs: buoyed by the Archangels, crowned with lilies and roses.

3. Meet her, ye Powers and Principalities: go to welcome her, ye Virtues and Dominations.

4. Cherubim, and Thrones, and Seraphim, exalt her[3]: and place her at the right hand of the Spouse, her most loving Son[4].

5. Oh, with how joyful a soul, with how serene an aspect hast thou received her, O God of Angels and men: and given her the principality over every place of thy domination.

Glory be to the Father etc.

1. Magna es, Domina, et laudabilis valde in civitate Dei cœli: in universa Ecclesia electorum ejus.

2. Ascendisti, alternantibus hymnidicis angelicis choris: archangelis constipata, rosis et liliis coronata.

3. Occurrite illi, Potestates et Principatus: obviate ei, Virtutes et Dominationes.

4. Cherubim, et Throni, et Seraphim, exaltate eam: et constituite eam a dextris Sponsi amantissimi Filii ejus.

5. O quam læto animo, quam sereno aspectu suscepisti eam, angelorum et hominum Deus: et dedisti ei principatum super omnem locum dominationis tuæ!

Gloria Patri, etc.

Footnotes

[1] Cf. “Great is the Lord, and exceedingly to be praised in the city of our God, in his holy mountain.” Davidic Ps. XLVII, 2.

[2] “We pronounce, declare, and define it to be a divinely revealed dogma: that the Immaculate Mother of God, the ever Virgin Mary, having completed the course of her earthly life, was assumed body and soul into heavenly glory.”Apostolic Constitution of Pope Pius XII “Munificentissimus Deus” (Feast of All Saints 1950). 

[3] Botticini’s painting shows the disciples gathered around Mary’s lily-filled tomb whilst in Heaven above, surrounded by the nine choirs of angels, Jesus raises His hand in blessing to His kneeling Mother.

[4] “Mary sitteth at the right hand of her Son - a refuge so secure and a help so trusty against all dangers that we have nothing to fear or to despair of under her guidance, her patronage, her protection. (Pius IX. in Bull Ineffabilis) – from the Encyclical of Pope St Pius X: Ad Diem Illum Lætissimum (2nd Feb. 1804). See too the reference to Mar being: “taken up body and soul to the glory of heaven where, as Queen, she sits in splendour at the right hand of her Son, the immortal King of the Ages.” (Apostolic Constitution of Pope Pius XII “Munificentissimus Deus.”)

Davidic Psalm XLVII

1 A psalm of a canticle, for the sons of Core, on the second day of the week.

2 Great is the Lord, and exceedingly to be praised in the city of our God, in his holy mountain.  3 With the joy of the whole earth is mount Sion founded, on the sides of the north, the city of the great king.

4 In her houses shall God be known, when he shall protect her.  5 For behold the kings of the earth assembled themselves: they gathered together.6 So they saw, and they wondered, they were troubled, they were moved:  7 Trembling took hold of them. There were pains as of a woman in labour.  8 With a vehement wind thou shalt break in pieces the ships of Tharsis.  9 As we have heard, so have we seen, in the city of the Lord of hosts, in the city of our God: God hath founded it for ever.

10 We have received thy mercy, O God, in the midst of thy temple.  11 According to thy name, O God, so also is thy praise unto the ends of the earth: thy right hand is full of justice.  12 Let mount Sion rejoice, and the daughters of Juda be glad; because of thy judgments, O Lord.  13 Surround Sion, and encompass her: tell ye in her towers.  14 Set your hearts on her strength; and distribute her houses, that ye may relate it in another generation.  15 For this is God, our God unto eternity, and for ever and ever: He shall rule us for evermore.

Notes

God protects Sion in a marvellous manner.

1: A psalm in the form of a canticle written by a Coraite: a beautifully lyrical hymn.

“on the second day of the week”: words found in the Septuagint and in the Vulgate which refer to the liturgical role of this Psalm. It was to be sung on Monday, the second day after the Sabbath, probably for the morning sacrifice. It is a song of victory, like the two previous psalms. Several kings (verse 5) formed an alliance in order to attack Jerusalem; but God struck them with terror and panic so that their plans failed miserably. The poet praises and thanks God for this blessed intervention. The reference may be to the defeat of the Moabites and their allies (see II Par. xx), also associated with Ps. XLV and XLVI; or to the failed campaign by Rasin, king of Syria, and Phacee, king of Israel, who joined forces against Jerusalem in the time of Achaz. Cf. IV Kings xvi, 5; Is. Vii, 1 et seq.

Structure: 

‣ a prologue: verses 2-3,  which introduces the poem’s principal idea;

‣ verses 4-9, the account of Jerusalem's miraculous deliverance ;

‣ verses 10-15, prayers of thanksgiving offered to God  for this.

Prelude: verses 2-3:

“His holy mountain” / “Mount Sion”: the Hebrew text speaks of a beautiful summit, meaning a gracious hill, the joy of all the earth, Mount Sion. This holy hill represents here the entire city of Jerusalem, of which it was one of the principal parts. Mount Sion was therefore not only the joy of the Jewish people but it was to become a centre of peace and joy for the whole universe. Cf. Ps. XLVI; Is. Ii, 2 et seq.; Lam. ii, 15.

First part: account of Jerusalem's miraculous deliverance (verses 4-9). 

6-7: The way Jerusalem’s enemies were put to flight is described in three stages: they wondered, they were troubled , and they were put to flight. But what was the explanation for this inexplicable reaction on their part? They were seized by a supernatural terror and panic as trembling took hold of them and this was accompanied by terrible sufferings compared to the pains of a woman in labour. 

8: “the ships of Tharsis”: the ships of Tartessus in Spain were the largest and most powerful to be built at that time because they had to journey across the whole of the Mediterranean and be able to survive its violent storms. Cf. III Kings x, 22.

9: The poet compares this recent deliverance of Jerusalem to the ancient miracles worked by God in favour of the Hebrews. “God hath founded it for ever”: this prophecy was fulfilled to the letter in a mystical manner in the Church, of which Jerusalem was the type.

Second part: thanksgiving. Verses 10-15.

10-12: prayers of praise to God for this immense blessing He has conferred on them. The Israelites assembled within the temple precincts after the victory in order to offer the thanksgiving to God.

12-15:  the poet, addressing himself to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, invites them to look with pride upon the splendour and the strength of their glorious city, making a tour of its walls in order to see and admire everything.

“tell ye in her towers”:  this is clearer in the Hebrew: “Count the towers, which were numerous and formed a powerful means of defence for the city.

14: “Set your hearts . . .and distribute”: Examine with great care and consider its fine buildings one after another. The object of this inspection was in order to understand better, so to be able to recount more effectively to their children, the flourishing condition of the city they had seen for themselves after emerging from such a great danger. 

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The Virgin of Tenderness. >12th century.

SUB tuum præsidium confugimus, Sancta Dei Genitrix. Nostras deprecationes ne despicias in necessitatibus, sed a periculis cunctis libera nos semper, Virgo gloriosa et benedicta. Amen. 

 

Totus tuus ego sum

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:

Ad Jesum per Mariam.

He that hearkeneth to me, shall not be confounded: and they that work by me shall not sin. They that explain me shall have life everlasting. Ecclesiasticus (Sirach) xxiv. 30-31.30-31.