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.