The Psalter of the Blessed Virgin Mary by St Bonaventure : Psalm 32

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 32

“Rejoice, ye just, in the Virgin Mary.” Mary, Help
of Christians (1867), by Tommaso Lorenzone.
Basilica Santa Maria Ausiliatrice, Turin. Public domain.

1. Rejoice, ye just, in the Virgin Mary: and in uprightness of heart praise ye her together[1].

2. Draw near unto her with reverence and devotion: and let your heart be delighted in her salutation.

3. Give unto her the sacrifice of praise[2]: and be ye inebriated from the breasts of her sweetness[3].

4. For she sheds upon you the rays of her loving kindness: and she will enlighten you with the splendours of her mercy.

5. Her fruit is most sweet: it grows ever sweeter in the mouth and the heart of the wise[4].

Glory be to the Father etc.

1. Exultate iusti in Virgine Maria : et in rectitudine cordis collaudate eam.

2. Accedite ad eam cum reverentia, et devotione : et delectetur cor vestrum in salutatione eius.

3. Impendite illi sacrificium laudis : et inebriamini ab uberibus dulcoris illius.

4. Influit enim vobis radios suæ pietatis : et clarificabit vos fulgoribus misericordiæ suæ.

5. Suavissimus est fructus illius : in ore et in corde sapientis dulcescit.

Gloria Patri, etc.

Footnotes

[1] Cf. “Rejoice in the Lord, O ye just: praise becometh the upright.” Davidic Ps. XXXII, 1.

[2] Cf. “Give praise to the Lord:” Davidic Ps. XXXII, 2.

[3] Cf. “Thy breasts are more beautiful than wine”: Cant. iv, 10.

[4] Cf. “I will go up into the palm tree, and will take hold of the fruit thereof”: Cant. vii, 8.

Davidic Psalm XXXII

1 A psalm for David. Rejoice in the Lord, O ye just: praise becometh the upright.  2 Give praise to the Lord on the harp; sing to him with the psaltery, the instrument of ten strings.  3 Sing to him a new canticle, sing well unto him with a loud noise.

4 For the word of the Lord is right, and all his works are done with faithfulness.  5 He loveth mercy and judgment; the earth is full of the mercy of the Lord. 6 By the word of the Lord the heavens were established; and all the power of them by the spirit of his mouth:  7 Gathering together the waters of the sea, as in a vessel; laying up the depths in storehouses.  8 Let all the earth fear the Lord, and let all the inhabitants of the world be in awe of him.  9 For he spoke and they were made: he commanded and they were created.  10 The Lord bringeth to naught the counsels of nations; and he rejecteth the devices of people, and casteth away the counsels of princes. 11 But the counsel of the Lord standeth for ever: the thoughts of his heart to all generations.  

12 Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord: the people whom he hath chosen for his inheritance.  13 The Lord hath looked from heaven: he hath beheld all the sons of men.  14 From his habitation which he hath prepared, he hath looked upon all that dwell on the earth.  15 He who hath made the hearts of every one of them: who understandeth all their works.  16 The king is not saved by a great army: nor shall the giant be saved by his own great strength.  17 Vain is the horse for safety: neither shall he be saved by the abundance of his strength.  18 Behold the eyes of the Lord are on them that fear him: and on them that hope in his mercy.  19 To deliver their souls from death; and feed them in famine.

20 Our soul waiteth for the Lord: for he is our helper and protector. 21 For in him our heart shall rejoice: and in his holy name we have trusted.  22 Let thy mercy, O Lord, be upon us, as we have hoped in thee.

Notes

Praise to the Lord, who created the world and who protects his people.

This Psalm contains enthusiastic praises for the Lord God who, having manifested His power in a general way by creating the universe, gives special and perpetual proof of His goodness towards Israel, His people of predilection.

Structure:

    • a short prelude, verses 1-3, calling upon all the Hebrews to offer up praise ;

    • the main body of the canticle, verses 4-19, which develop the two reasons why the Lord is worthy of praise : the first part, verses 4 -11: praising God who created and preserves the world; the second part, verses 12-19, praising God who protects Israel ; and

    • the conclusion, verses 20- 22 which consists in a beautiful act of faith in the Lord.

First part: the first reason for praising the Lord: He is the omnipotent creator and the loving Providence of the Universe. Verses 4-11.

Verse 6 : “By the word of the Lord ... by the spirit of his mouth”: The Fathers interpreted this passage in a mystical manner, giving it very profound meaning. They see in these words a reference to the mystery of the Trinity, denoting the three divine persons : the Father, the Lord (Domini); His Word, verbo; The Holy Ghost, the spirit of his mouth (spiritu oris eius).

Second part: a second reason for praising the Lord God: His goodness towards Israel. Verses 12-19.

Verse 16: The power of men alone is not capable of procuring salvation.

“The king is not saved…”: even were this king to be a pharaoh surrounded by countless soldiers. “giant”: a hero, a mighty warrior. “vain is the horse”: the literal meaning of the Hebrew is: The horse is a lie. This is despite the fact that cavalry formed the main force of the Egyptians, the Syrians and the Assyrians, those terrible enemies of Israel.

Verses 18-19: salvation comes from God alone  who watches unceasingly and in a fatherly manner over his people, ever ready to come to their aid.

The conclusion, verses 20- 22:

22: “Let thy mercy, O Lord …”: this is the penultimate line of the “Te Deum.” 

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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.