The Psalter of the Blessed Virgin Mary by St Bonaventure : Psalm 75

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).

Reminder: I began posting an annotated and illustrated version of St Bonaventure's Life of St Francis on the 4th October (his feast day) this year, the 800th anniversary of his death in 1226. To read these posts, please click on our sister blog:

St Bonaventure’s Life of St Francis

Psalm 75

“Honour her, ye heavens and earth...the supreme Artifex has

wonderfully honoured her.” Coronación de la Virgen, by

Cotán (1603-27). Museo de Bellas Artes de Granada.

Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.

1. In Judea God is known: in Israel the honour of His Mother[1].

2. Sweet is the memory of her above honey and the honeycomb[2]: and her love is above all aromatic perfumes[3].

3. Health and life are in her house: and in her dwelling are peace and eternal glory[4].

4. Honour her, ye heavens and earth: because the supreme Artifex[5] has wonderfully honoured her.

5. Give to her praise, all ye creatures: and joyfully celebrate her astonishing mercy.

Glory be to the Father etc.

1. Notus in Judæa Deus: in Isræl honorificentia Matris ejus.

2. Dulcis est memoria ejus super mel et favum: et amor ejus super omnia aromata.

3. Salus et vita in domo illius: et in tabernaculo ejus pax et gloria sempiterna.

4. Honorificate illam, cœli et terra: quia summus Artifex hanc mirabiliter honoravit.

5. Date, illi, omnes creaturæ, laudem: et stupendam misericordiam ejus extollite gratulanter.

Gloria Patri, etc.

Footnotes

[1] Cf. “In Judea God is known: his name is great in Israel”: Davidic Ps. LXXV, 2.

[2] Cf. “For my spirit is sweet above honey, and my inheritance above honey and the honeycomb”: Sirach xxiv, 27.

[3] Cf. “Thy breasts are more beautiful than wine, and the sweet smell of thy ointments above all aromatical spices”: Cant.iv. 10.

[4] Cf. “Length of days is in her right hand, and in her left hand riches and glory. Her ways are beautiful ways, and all her paths are peaceable”: Prov. iii, 16-17.

[5] Artifex: The Latin word occurs in twelve verses of the Vulgate, being variously translated in Douay-Rheims as worker, artificer, artful worker, workman, artist, builder and craftsman.

Davidic Psalm LXXV

1 Unto the end, in praises, a psalm for Asaph: a canticle to the Assyrians.

2 In Judea God is known: his name is great in Israel.  3 And his place is in peace: and his abode in Sion:  4 There hath he broken the powers of bows, the shield, the sword, and the battle.

5 Thou enlightenest wonderfully from the everlasting hills.  6 All the foolish of heart were troubled. They have slept their sleep; and all the men of riches have found nothing in their hands.  7 At thy rebuke, O God of Jacob, they have all slumbered that mounted on horseback.

8 Thou art terrible, and who shall resist thee? from that time thy wrath.  9 Thou hast caused judgment to be heard from heaven: the earth trembled and was still,  10 When God arose in judgment, to save all the meek of the earth.

11 For the thought of man shall give praise to thee: and the remainders of the thought shall keep holiday to thee.  12 Vow ye, and pay to the Lord your God: all you that are round about him bring presents. To him that is terrible,  13 Even to him who taketh away the spirit of princes: to the terrible with the kings of the earth.

Notes

Thanksgiving after a great victory.

Title. Verse 1. “in praises”: Hebr. : bîn’ginôt, to the accompaniment of stringed instruments. See Psalm IV, 1. The author is Asaph and in terms of genre the psalm is a lyrical canticle of effusive thanksgiving following  a miracle of deliverance that God worked for His people.  The historical background is indicated in the Vulgate by the words “to the Assyrians” (the Septuagint employs the singular here: πρὸς τὸν Ασσύριον) and this certainly reflects a very ancient tradition even though they are omitted in the Hebrew. There can be no doubt, in fact, that they refer to the destruction of Senacarib’s army. This is the opinion of the ancient commentators and of the majority of the modern ones. It is closely related to the preceding Psalm which had been composed it would seem before the divine Judgement the consummation of which we here see. In other words, Psalm LXXIV announces the deliverance of Juda, threatened by Sennacherib; and Psalm LXXV shows the fulfilment of the promise and offers thanks to the Lord. Cf. IV Kings xix; II Par. xxxii; Is. xxxvii.

Structure: the Psalm may be divided into four strophes or parts, each containing three verses (the first and the third  are marked by a sélah):

verses 2-4: theme and introduction;

verses 5-7: how the Lord overthrew Israel’s enemies; 

verses 8-10: a variation on the same thought;

verses 11-13: an invitation to thank God.

5: “from the everlasting hills”: Frequently used hyperbole referring to the mountains which go back to the distant beginnings of creation. On these God is visualised as placing His feet, as on a ladder, when He comes down from heaven for His theophanies. Cf. Hab. iii, 6.

6-7 “They have slept their sleep” “ they have all slumbered” : the unending sleep which is death.

8: “from that time thy wrath”: “Who can resist thee from the time of thy wrath?

11: “shall keep holiday to thee”: synonymous with  “shall give praise to thee.”

12: “Vow ye, and pay to the Lord your God”: Promise sacrifices of thanksgiving and faithfully offer them. 

13: “Even to him who taketh away the spirit”: the spirit of pride.

 +       +        +

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 74

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).

Reminder: I began posting an annotated and illustrated version of St Bonaventure's Life of St Francis on the 4th October (his feast day) this year, the 800th anniversary of his death in 1226. To read these posts, please click on our sister blog:

St Bonaventure’s Life of St Francis

Psalm 74

“Fortitude and exultation are in her throne.”
Our Lady of Grace [5]. Image courtesy of
Jospehipswich (CC BY-SA 4.0).

1. We will praise thee, O Lady: and we will praise thy name[1]: make us to delight in thy praises.

2. Sing ye to her, ye dwellers upon earth: and announce her praise to the peoples.

3. Praise and magnificence are before her: fortitude and exultation are in her throne[2].

4. Adore ye her in her beauty: glorify the Maker of her beauty[3].

5. Be mindful in eternity of her mercy[4]: keep in mind her virtues and her wonders.

Glory be to the Father etc.

1. Confitebimur tibi, Domina, et laudabimus nomen tuum: fac nos in tuis laudibus delectari.

2. Cantate ei, habitatores terræ: et laudem ejus populis nuntiate.

3. Confessio et magnificentia coram illa: fortitudo et exultatio in throno illius.

4. Adorate illam in decore illius: glorificate opificem pulchritudinis illius.

5. Recordamini in sempiternum misericordiæ illius: retinete in mente virtutes et mirabilia illius.

Gloria Patri, etc.

Footnotes

[1] Cf. “We will praise thee, O God: we will praise, and we will call upon thy name”: Davidic Ps. LXXIV, 2. 

[2] Cf. “Praise and magnificence are before him: strength and joy in his place”: 1 Para. xvi, 27.

[3] Cf. “How beautiful art thou, my love, how beautiful art thou!” Cant. iv, 1.

[4] Cf. “Remember for ever [Recordamini in sempiternum] his covenant: the word, which he commanded to a thousand generations”: 1 Para. xvi, 15.

[5] The image shows a replica carved in 2022 of a medieval statue in Ipswich of which the earliest record we have is 1152. During the "Reformation" the original statue was seized in order to be burned but there is evidence that it was rescued and eventually found its way to Nettuno in Italy where to this day there is a statue known as “The English Lady.” For more details on this fascinating history, see the following site: Our Lady of Grace of Ipswich.

Davidic Psalm LXXIV

1 Unto the end, corrupt not, a psalm of a canticle for Asaph.

2 We will praise thee, O God: we will praise, and we will call upon thy name. We will relate thy wondrous works:

3 When I shall take a time, I will judge justices.  4 The earth is melted, and all that dwell therein: I have established the pillars thereof.

5 I said to the wicked: Do not act wickedly: and to the sinners: Lift not up the horn.  6 Lift not up your horn on high: speak not iniquity against God.  7 For neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the desert hills:  8 For God is the judge. One he putteth down, and another he lifteth up:  9 For in the hand of the Lord there is a cup of strong wine full of mixture. And he hath poured it out from this to that: but the dregs thereof are not emptied: all the sinners of the earth shall drink.  10 But I will declare for ever: I will sing to the God of Jacob.

11 And I will break all the horns of sinners: but the horns of the just shall be exalted.

Notes

The threat of divine judgement against the wicked.

1: “corrupt not”: See Ps. LVI and note. A psalm of Asaph, a canticle. This sacred chant was composed at a time when the people of God had just been threatened by wicked and powerful enemies  (cf. verses 5-6). Theodoret (Bishop, theologian and biblical commentator; c. 393-457), notes that he found in several manuscripts of the Septuagint the words “against the Assyrian” added to the title ; and it is commonly accepted that these give us the historic context for this psalm: namely the happy moment when the holy king Ezechias, after days of terrible anxiety and extreme danger was suddenly reassured by the Prophet Isaias in the face of the proud threats of Senacherib. Cf. Is. xxxvii, 33 et seq.

Structure:

The psalm begins with a short prelude (verse2) in which the whole nation offers to God praises worthy of the benefits they have received.  

The Lord himself then speaks (verses 3-4) and proclaims majestically that He is going to come to the help of His people.  

The poet then takes over and in a spirited manner threatens the enemies of Israel and predicts the coming of divine judgement, verses 5-10. 

Finally, God has the last word in verse 11 and confirms the prophecy of the psalmist. 

Verse 2: the whole of Israel addresses these praises to God who is coming to save them. All the verbs in this verse should be read in the present tense.

3: the time referred to is the one which the Lord has fixed in his supreme wisdom.

“I will judge justices”: a Hebraism which means: I will judge with equity.

4: “The earth is melted ...”: a reference to the effect produced by these fearful judgments : The earth and its inhabitants will melt and dissolve away. despite the convulsions produced by fear, the earth will hold good for God has provided it with solid bases. A poetic metaphor. Next in the Hebrew at this point is a sélah (a pause or increase in volume).

5: “Lift not up the horn”: the horn symbolises that insolent and lofty spirit which thinks it is sufficient unto itself and which proudly parades itself.

7: “For neither from the east...”: the sentence is incomplete and the following words are taken as understood: that the wicked can expect help to accomplish their schemes.

8: God puts down the enemies of Israel but lifts up His beloved nation.

9: “a cup of strong mixture”: the cup which symbolises divine punishment. Cf. Ps. LIX, 5; Is. li, 17 etc.

11: This verse contains a perfect summary of the whole psalm. 

 +       +        +

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 73

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).

Reminder: I began posting an annotated and illustrated version of St Bonaventure's Life of St Francis on the 4th October (his feast day) this year, the 800th anniversary of his death in 1226. To read these posts, please click on our sister blog:

St Bonaventure’s Life of St Francis

Psalm 73

“Break for us the bonds of his malicious doings.”
Virgen del Apocalipsis, by José de Ibarra (18th century).
Pinacoteca de La Profesa, México. Public domain via Wiki-C.

1. O Lady, why hast thou cast us off[1]? and why wilt thou not help us in the day of tribulation[2]?

2. Let my prayer come into thy sight: and despise not the voices of those who groan[3].

3. The enemy hath stretched his bow against us: he has strengthened his right hand, and there is no consoler[4].

4. Break for us the bonds of his malicious doings[5]: and deliver us by thy right hand.

5. Drive him back into the place of perdition: let eternal damnation possess him[6].

Glory be to the Father etc.

1. Ut quid, Domina, reppulisti nos: nec subvenis in die tribulationis?

2. Ingrediatur oratio mea in conspectu tuo: et voces gementium ne despexeris.

3. Tetendit arcum suum contra nos inimicus: firmavit dexteram suam, et non est consolator.

4. Disrumpe in nobis ligaturam malitiarum suarum: et libera nos dextera tua.

5. Repelle eum in locum perditionis: sempiterna damnatio suscipiat eum.

Gloria Patri, etc.

Footnotes

[1] Cf. “O God, why hast thou cast us off unto the end?”: Davidic Ps. LXIII,1.

[2] “tribulation”, from Lat. tribulatio, itself said to derive from tribulum -i. n., a threshing sledge or board studded with stones or pieces of metal. See Pliny N.H. Ch. 72 (30). Cf. “For God is compassionate and merciful, and will forgive sins in the day of tribulation: and he is a protector to all that seek him in truth”; Ecclesiasticus ii, 3. Cf. Ps. XIX, 2; XLIX, 15; LVIII, 17; LXXVI, 3; LXXXV, 7.

[3] Cf. “Ad te suspiramus, gementes et flentes in hac lacrimarum valle. / To thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears.” From the Salve Regina (Herman Contractus, 1013-1054).

[4] Cf. “He hath bent his bow as an enemy, he hath fixed his right hand as an adversary”: Lam. ii, 4.

[5] Cf. “And now I will break in pieces his rod with which he struck thy back, and I will burst thy bonds asunder”: Nahum i, 13.

[6] Cf. “And to you who are troubled, rest with us when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven, with the angels of his power: In a flame of fire, giving vengeance to them who know not God, and who obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.  Who shall suffer eternal punishment in destruction, from the face of the Lord, and from the glory of his power”: 2 Thess. I, 7-9; “And there came down fire from God out of heaven, and devoured them; and the devil, who seduced them, was cast into the pool of fire and brimstone, where both the beast and the false prophet shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever”: Apoc. xx, 9-10.

Davidic Psalm LXXIII

1 Understanding for Asaph.

O God, why hast thou cast us off unto the end: why is thy wrath enkindled against the sheep of thy pasture?  2 Remember thy congregation, which thou hast possessed from the beginning. The sceptre of thy inheritance which thou hast redeemed: mount Sion in which thou hast dwelt.

3 Lift up thy hands against their pride unto the end; see what things the enemy hath done wickedly in the sanctuary.  4 And they that hate thee have made their boasts, in the midst of thy solemnity. They have set up their ensigns for signs,  5 And they knew not both in the going out and on the highest top. As with axes in a wood of trees,  6 They have cut down at once the gates thereof, with axe and hatchet they have brought it down.  7 They have set fire to thy sanctuary: they have defiled the dwelling place of thy name on the earth.  8 They said in their heart, the whole kindred of them together: Let us abolish all the festival days of God from the land.  9 Our signs we have not seen, there is now no prophet: and he will know us no more.

10 How long, O God, shall the enemy reproach: is the adversary to provoke thy name for ever?  11 Why dost thou turn away thy hand: and thy right hand out of the midst of thy bosom for ever?  12 But God is our king before ages: he hath wrought salvation in the midst of the earth.  13 Thou by thy strength didst make the sea firm: thou didst crush the heads of the dragons in the waters.  14 Thou hast broken the heads of the dragon: thou hast given him to be meat for the people of the Ethiopians.  15 Thou hast broken up the fountains and the torrents: thou hast dried up the Ethan rivers.  16 Thine is the day, and thine is the night: thou hast made the morning light and the sun.  17 Thou hast made all the borders of the earth: the summer and the spring were formed by thee.

18 Remember this, the enemy hath reproached the Lord: and a foolish people hath provoked thy name.  19 Deliver not up to beasts the souls that confess to thee: and forget not to the end the souls of thy poor.  20 Have regard to thy covenant: for they that are the obscure of the earth have been filled with dwellings of iniquity.  21 Let not the humble be turned away with confusion: the poor and needy shall praise thy name.  22 Arise, O God, judge thy own cause: remember thy reproaches with which the foolish man hath reproached thee all the day.  23 Forget not the voices of thy enemies: the pride of them that hate thee ascendeth continually.

Notes

A prayer to God at a time of a great national calamity.

A didactic psalm teaching how we should turn to God in our sufferings. The author is Asaph, not the celebrated Levite of this name but one of his descendants, which we know from the relatively late date of its composition. According to the most probable opinion, it seems to have been written almost immediately after the seizure of Jerusalem by the Chaldeans, at a time when everything in the Jewish theocracy had been ruined and overturned, starting with the Temple and the worship of God ; verses 3-11. Cf. IV Kings xxiv; II Par. xxxvi; Jer. lii.

After a brief introduction in verses 1-2, in which he appeals for God’s pity, the psalmist describes the misfortunes recently unleashed on Israel and in particular the ruin of the Temple and divine worship, in verses 3 -9. He then reminds God of the spectacular miracles by means of which He had previously established and protected the holy people, in verses 10-17, and he finishes by imploring Him to save and avenge His poor people, who had been subjected to such trials and humiliations, verses 18-23. The psalm is a moving elegy where the laments are proportionate to the great misfortunes. It is beautiful to see how the poet’s heart was broken by the evils with which the people’s religion had been afflicted, more than by anything else. This is what causes him to weep the most.   

 +       +        +

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 72

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).

Reminder: I began posting an annotated and illustrated version of St Bonaventure's Life of St Francis on the 4th October (his feast day) this year, the 800th anniversary of his death in 1226. To read these posts, please click on our sister blog:

St Bonaventure’s Life of St Francis

Psalm 72

“Stand for me in the day of judgment.”
Assumption of the Virgin, by Titian (1516-18).
Basilica di Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari,
Venice. Public domain (Wiki).

1. How good is God to Israel[1]: to those who pay homage to His Mother and venerate her[2].

2. For she is our comfort[3]: she is the most excellent of help to those in difficulties.

3. The enemy hath overspread my soul with darkness[4]: O Lady, make light arise within me[5].

4. Let the wrath of God be turned away from me by thee[6]: placate him by thy merits and thy prayers.

5. Stand for me in the day of judgment: in His presence take up my cause, and be my advocate[7].

Glory be to the Father etc.

1.Quam bonus Isræl Deus: his qui colunt matrem suam, et venerantur!

2. Ipsa est enim solatium nostrum: in laboribus subventio optima.

3. Obtexit caligine animam meam hostis: in visceribus meis, Domina, lumen fac oriri.

4. Avertatur a me ira Dei per te: placa eum meritis et precibus tuis.

5. In judicio pro me assiste: coram eo suscipe causam meam, et mea sis advocata.

Gloria Patri, etc.

Footnotes

[1] Cf. “How good is God to Israel, to them that are of a right heart!”: Davidic Ps. LXXII, 1.

[2] On venerating the Mother of God: see: “. . . latria is due to God alone, it is not due to a creature so far as we venerate a creature for its own sake. . . Since, therefore, the Blessed Virgin is a mere rational creature, the worship of latria is not due to her, but only that of dulia: but in a higher degree than to other creatures, inasmuch as she is the Mother of God. For this reason we say that not any kind of dulia is due to her, but hyperdulia.” Aquinas: ST III, Q. 25, A.5.

[3] Cf. “per adversa iuge solatium largiaris / through adversities grant unfailing consolation”: From the hymn Flos Carmeli, said to have been composed by St Simon Stock (c. 1165-1265).

[4] Cf. “For the enemy hath persecuted my soul: he hath brought down my life to the earth. He hath made me to dwell in darkness as those that have been dead of old”: Ps. CXLII, 3.

[5] Cf. “For  . . . being compared with the light, she is found before it.” Wisdom vii, 26 & 29. 

[6] Cf. “I will give thanks to thee, O Lord, for thou wast angry with me: thy wrath is turned away, and thou hast comforted me”: Is. xii, 1.

[7] 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 to Herman Contractus (1013-1054).

Davidic Psalm LXXII

1 A psalm for Asaph. How good is God to Israel, to them that are of a right heart!  2 But my feet were almost moved; my steps had well nigh slipped.  3 Because I had a zeal on occasion of the wicked, seeing the prosperity of sinners.  4 For there is no regard to their death, nor is there strength in their stripes.  5 They are not in the labour of men: neither shall they be scourged like other men. 6 Therefore pride hath held them fast: they are covered with their iniquity and their wickedness.  7 Their iniquity hath come forth, as it were from fatness: they have passed into the affection of the heart.  8 They have thought and spoken wickedness: they have spoken iniquity on high.  9 They have set their mouth against heaven: and their tongue hath passed through the earth.  10 Therefore will my people return here and full days shall be found in them.  11 And they said: How doth God know? and is there knowledge in the most High?  12 Behold these are sinners; and yet abounding in the world they have obtained riches.  13 And I said: Then have I in vain justified my heart, and washed my hands among the innocent.  14 And I have been scourged all the day; and my chastisement hath been in the mornings.

15 If I said: I will speak thus; behold I should condemn the generation of thy children.  16 I studied that I might know this thing, it is a labour in my sight:  17 Until I go into the sanctuary of God, and understand concerning their last ends.  18 But indeed for deceits thou hast put it to them: when they were lifted up thou hast cast them down.  19 How are they brought to desolation? they have suddenly ceased to be: they have perished by reason of their iniquity.  20 As the dream of them that awake, O Lord; so in thy city thou shalt bring their image to nothing.  21 For my heart hath been inflamed, and my reins have been changed:  22 And I am brought to nothing, and I knew not.  23 I am become as a beast before thee: and I am always with thee.  24 Thou hast held me by my right hand; and by thy will thou hast conducted me, and with thy glory thou hast received me.  25 For what have I in heaven? and besides thee what do I desire upon earth?  26 For thee my flesh and my heart hath fainted away: thou art the God of my heart, and the God that is my portion for ever.  27 For behold they that go far from thee shall perish: thou hast destroyed all them that are disloyal to thee.  28 But it is good for me to adhere to my God, to put my hope in the Lord God: That I may declare all thy praises, in the gates of the daughter of Sion.

Notes

1: A psalm for Asaph. A celebrated Levite who was contemporary with David and was one of the three principal directors of music in the Temple. See Ps. XLIX, 1.

We find in this psalm a treatment of the great problem already covered in Psalms XXXVI and XLVIII: how to reconcile the happiness of the wicked with the justice and goodness of God? Asaph, aiming for his part to justify Providence, considers the problem in a more subjective manner ; he describes his own feelings and previous failings on the point in question. His answer is no less complete thann that given in Psalm XLVIII, in terms of the great consolation derived by the just amidst the trials of this life in contemplating the perspective of a blessed eternity. His conclusion is even more holy and more sweet, as he plunges more deeply into the divine love which helps him to bear with everything joyfully.

Structure: the psalm may be divided into two equal parts:

1. The doubts and temptations aroused in the poet’s soul at the sight of the temporal prosperity enjoyed by the wicked : verses 1-14; 

2. The solution to this difficulty, or the explanation of the prosperity enjoyed by the wicked and the consolation of the just: verses 15-28. 

1: “them that are of a right heart!” Cf. “Blessed are the clean of heart: for they shall see God.” Matt. v, 8.

2:  The metaphor here describes very well the power of the temptation arising from the sight of wicked men’s happiness.

7: “as it were from fatness”:  their iniquity arises from their sensual and corrupt hearts.

27-8: To distance oneself from God leads to ruin; to dwell united with him leads to true happiness. 

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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 71

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 71

“Inebriate my soul with the joy of Paradise.” Virgin and Child,
by Elisabetta Sirani (1663). NMWA, Washington DC.
Public domain.

1. Give to the King thy judgment, O God: and thy mercy to the Queen, His Mother[1].

2. In thy hand are life and salvation: perpetual joy and glorious eternity[2].

3. Sprinkle my heart with thy sweetness: make me forget the miseries of this life[3].

4. Draw me after thee[4] by the bands of thy mercy[5]: and with the bandages of thy grace and loving kindness heal my pain[6].

5. Stir up in me a desire for Heaven: and inebriate my soul with the joy of Paradise[7].

Glory be to the Father etc.

1. Deus, judicium tuum Regi da: et misericordiam tuam Reginæ matri ejus.

2. In manu tua salus et vita consistunt: lætitia perpetua et æternitas gloriosa.

3. Resperge cor meum dulcedine tua: fac me oblivisci miserias hujus vitæ.

4. Trahe me post te vinculis misericordiæ tuæ: et fomentis gratiæ et pietatis tuæ sana dolorem meum.

5. Concupiscentias sempiternas excita in animam meam: et de gaudio Paradisi inebria mentem meam.

Gloria Patri, etc.

Footnotes

[1] Cf. “Give to the king thy judgment, O God: and to the king’s son thy justice”: Davidic Ps. LXXI, 2.

[2] Cf. “Thou hast dominion over all, in thy hand is power and might: in thy hand greatness, and the empire of all things.” I Para. xxix, 12.

[3] Cf. “He shall come down like rain upon the fleece; and as showers falling gently upon the earth.”: Davidic Ps. LXXI, 6.

[4] Cf. “Draw me: we will run after thee to the odour of thy ointments”: Cant. i, 3.

[5] Cf. “I will draw them with the cords of Adam, with the bands of love”: Osee xi, 4.

[6] Cf. “For I will close up thy scar, and will heal thee of thy wounds, saith the Lord”: Jer. xxx, 17. 

[7] Cf. God promises abundance of spiritual graces to the faithful, that shall believe in Christ: “All you that thirst, come to the waters . . . buy wine and milk without money, and without any price. Why do you spend money for that which is not bread, and your labour for that which doth not satisfy you? Hearken diligently to me, and eat that which is good, and your soul shall be delighted in fatness.” Is. lv, 1-2.

Davidic Psalm LXXI

1 A psalm on Solomon.

2 Give to the king thy judgment, O God: and to the king’s son thy justice: To judge thy people with justice, and thy poor with judgment.  3 Let the mountains receive peace for the people: and the hills justice.  4 He shall judge the poor of the people, and he shall save the children of the poor: and he shall humble the oppressor.

5 And he shall continue with the sun, and before the moon, throughout all generations.  6 He shall come down like rain upon the fleece; and as showers falling gently upon the earth.  7 In his days shall justice spring up, and abundance of peace, till the moon be taken away.

8 And he shall rule from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth.  9 Before him the Ethiopians shall fall down: and his enemies shall lick the ground.  10 The kings of Tharsis and the islands shall offer presents: the kings of the Arabians and of Saba shall bring gifts:  11 And all kings of the earth shall adore him: all nations shall serve him.

12 For he shall deliver the poor from the mighty: and the needy that had no helper.  13 He shall spare the poor and needy: and he shall save the souls of the poor.  14 He shall redeem their souls from usuries and iniquity: and their names shall be honourable in his sight.  15 And he shall live, and to him shall be given of the gold of Arabia, for him they shall always adore: they shall bless him all the day.

16 And there shall be a firmament on the earth on the tops of mountains, above Libanus shall the fruit thereof be exalted: and they of the city shall flourish like the grass of the earth.  17 Let his name be blessed for evermore: his name continueth before the sun. And in him shall all the tribes of the earth be blessed: all nations shall magnify him.

18 Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, who alone doth wonderful things.  19 And blessed be the name of his majesty for ever: and the whole earth shall be filled with his majesty. So be it. So be it.

20 The praises of David, the son of Jesse, are ended.

Notes

Prayer for the King.

Title:

1: “A psalm on Solomon”: The word psalm is missing in Hebrew where we read only li’S’lomoh, which refers to the author of the poem and not its object. There is indeed something in this psalm which recalls Solomon’s style as a writer: for example, his way of proceeding in sentences, the richness of his imagery taken from nature etc. If you prefer to adopt the translation of the Septuagint, the Vulgate, and of numerous Jewish and Christian commentators, the author is understood to be David who would have composed this magnificent poetry as a prayer for his son Solomon, at the moment when he was going to leave him the throne.

This has rightly been described as a divine psalm which evidently was written in view of the arrival of a king, son of a preceding king. The author expresses the hopes and prayers natural to such an occasion, desiring and foreseeing a brilliant and happy reign. These hopes and prayers relate to two principal points : internally, justice, peace and prosperity; externally, great power, but a power which is pacific. The result is perfect happiness, especially for the little ones and the poor who normally have so much to suffer.

If the king in question is in fact Solomon, as many serious authors have thought, we should hasten to add that the psalmist goes beyond this Prince and his glories to prophecy in a most evident fashion the kingdom of the Messiah. This is the unanimous opinion of the ancient Synagogue and of the Christian Church. We believe, however, following Theodoret and a hundred other interpreters of the first rank, that Psalm LXXI does not concern Solomon in any way but rather Christ in an immediate and exclusive sense. How is it possible to apply to a king other than the Messiah verses 5, 7-8, 10, and 16 -17, which contain several of the principal ideas in the poem? The psalmist therefore is outlining the story of Christ, His arrival on earth, the exercise of His sovereignty in the world, the spread of the gospel, the spreading of the Church and the diffusion of grace among men until the end of this visible world. (Meignan).  

Structure: the psalm may be divided into five unequal strophes:

1. vers. 2-4: the justice of the King-Messiah; 

2. vers 5-7: the eternal duration and prosperity of His reign;

3. vers. 8-11: His domination over the entire earth;

4. vers. 12-15: His conduct with regard to little ones and the poor;

5. vers 16-17: the richness and glory of the Messianic reign. 

Verses 18 to 19 do not form part of the canticle but are the doxology which finishes the second book in the Psaltery. Verse 20 is an even more general conclusion.

Lack of space precludes a fuller treatment of Fillion’s commentary on this psalm, but readers may find the following of interest in connection with the Blessed Virgin Mary when he cites St Bernard on verse 6. I have included the full excerpt from St Bernard’s Homily below.

6: “He shall come down like rain upon the fleece; and as showers falling gently upon the earth.”

§7. Gideon’s fleece was indeed shorn from the flesh but without any wound to the flesh. It was placed upon the dry ground and firstly there was dew on the fleece and later on the ground. What can this represent if not the flesh assumed from the flesh of the Virgin, and without any loss of virginity? Heaven dropped down dew upon it, filling it with the plenitude of the Divinity, and of that fullness we have all received – we who, but for it, would be like the dry ground. There is a prophetic reference in the Psalms which seems to touch very beautifully on this fact in Gideon’s history: “He shall come down like rain upon the fleece.” The words which follow this – “and as showers falling gently upon the earth,”– have the same meaning as when the dry ground is found wet with dew. That voluntary rain, indeed, which God set apart for His inheritance, first descended gently and without any noise or clamour of human agency in a most tranquil infusion of the virginal womb. But afterwards, it spread throughout the world through the mouths of preachers – no longer like rain coming down upon the fleece, but like showers falling upon the earth, accompanied by a certain clamour of words and the resounding noise of miracles. For indeed, the preachers were like clouds bearing rain and they remembered the command given to them when they were sent forth: “That which I tell you in the dark, speak ye in the light: and that which you hear in the ear, preach ye upon the housetops.” This injunction they carried out, for “their sound hath gone forth into all the earth: and their words unto the ends of the world.” From Homily II §7. of St Bernard’s Praises of the Virgin Mother. (1120).

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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 70

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 70

 “O Lady...stretch forth thy hands, and succour him who perishes.”
Our Lady of Perpetual Succour, the Church of St Alphonsus
Liguori, Rome. Public domain (Wikimedia Commons).[5]

1. In thee, O Lady, have I hoped: let me never be confounded: in thy mercy deliver me and free me[1].

2. Because of the multitude of my iniquities: I am vehemently oppressed[2].

3. Mine enemies have acted above my head: they have mocked me and derided me day by day[3].

4. See, O Lady, how I am troubled: stretch forth thy hands, and succour him who perishes[4].

5. Delay not, for the sake of the grace of thy name: so thou mayest become unto me joy and salvation.

Glory be to the Father etc.

1. In te, Domina, speravi; non confundar in æternum: in tua misericordia libera me, et eripe me.

2. Propter multitudinem iniquitatum mearum: oppressus sum vehementer.

3. Facti sunt hostes mei in capite meo: subsannaverunt et deriserunt me quotidie.

4. Vide, Domina, quoniam tribulor: expande manus tuas, succurre pereunti.

5. Ne moreris, propter gratiam nominis tui: ut efficiaris mihi in gaudium et salutem.

Gloria Patri, etc.

Footnotes

[1] Cf. “In thee, O Lord, I have hoped, let me never be put to confusion: Deliver me in thy justice, and rescue me”: Davidic Ps. LXX, 1-2.

[2] Cf. “For our iniquities are multiplied before thee, and our sins have testified against us: for our wicked doings are with us, and we have known our iniquities”: Isaias lix,12.

[3] Cf. “For my iniquities are gone over my head: and as a heavy burden are become heavy upon me”: Ps. XXXVII, 5.  

[4] “succour him”: cf. The first lines of the Alma Redemptoris Mater, composed by Herman Contractus (1013-1054) “ Alma Redemptoris Mater, quae pervia caeli / Porta manes, et stella maris, succurre cadenti, / Surgere qui curat, populo:” ; “Nourishing Mother of the Redeemer, who remainest the open gate of heaven and star of the sea, assist the falling people who strive to rise again.” 

[5] Commonly dated to the 13th century. For more information on its intriguing history, see the article "Our Lady of Perpetual Succour" at the Redemptorist Publications site.

Davidic Psalm LXX

1 A psalm for David. Of the sons of Jonadab, and the former captives.

In thee, O Lord, I have hoped, let me never be put to confusion:  2 Deliver me in thy justice, and rescue me. Incline thy ear unto me, and save me.  3 Be thou unto me a God, a protector, and a place of strength: that thou mayst make me safe. For thou art my firmament and my refuge.  4 Deliver me, O my God, out of the hand of the sinner, and out of the hand of the transgressor of the law and of the unjust.  5 For thou art my patience, O Lord: my hope, O Lord, from my youth;  6 By thee have I been confirmed from the womb: from my mother’s womb thou art my protector. Of thee shall I continually sing:  7 I am become unto many as a wonder, but thou art a strong helper.  8 Let my mouth be filled with praise, that I may sing thy glory; thy greatness all the day long.  9 Cast me not off in the time of old age: when my strength shall fail, do not thou forsake me.  10 For my enemies have spoken against me; and they that watched my soul have consulted together,  11 Saying: God hath forsaken him: pursue and take him, for there is none to deliver him.  12 O God, be not thou far from me: O my God, make haste to my help.  13 Let them be confounded and come to nothing that detract my soul; let them be covered with confusion and shame that seek my hurt.

14 But I will always hope; and will add to all thy praise.  15 My mouth shall shew forth thy justice; thy salvation all the day long. Because I have not known learning,  16 I will enter into the powers of the Lord: O Lord, I will be mindful of thy justice alone.  17 Thou hast taught me, O God, from my youth: and till now I will declare thy wonderful works.  18 And unto old age and grey hairs: O God, forsake me not, until I shew forth thy arm to all the generation that is to come: thy power,  19 And thy justice, O God, even to the highest great things thou hast done: O God, who is like to thee?  20 How great troubles hast thou shewn me, many and grievous: and turning thou hast brought me to life, and hast brought me back again from the depths of the earth:  21 Thou hast multiplied thy magnificence; and turning to me thou hast comforted me.  22 For I will also confess to thee thy truth with the instruments of psaltery: O God, I will sing to thee with the harp, thou holy one of Israel.  23 My lips shall greatly rejoice, when I shall sing to thee; and my soul which thou hast redeemed.  24 Yea and my tongue shall meditate on thy justice all the day; when they shall be confounded and put to shame that seek evils to me.

Notes

Prayer to obtain help against iniquitous persecutors.

1. Title: This title is completely absent in the Hebrew text. The Septuagint translators, who are the first to include these words, must have taken them from an ancient Jewish tradition. The song was composed by David during his later years, according to verses 9 and 18; perhaps during the time of Absalom’s revolt when he had so much to suffer.   

“the sons of Jonadab”: this is a reference to the Rechabites, the famous Israelite ascetics mentioned by the Prophet Jeremias (ch. xxxv; cf., IV Kings x, 15, 23; I Par. li, 55).

“and the former captives”:  these words refer to the Jews who the first to be deported into chaldea after the destruction of Jerusalem. This second half of the title probably indicates that the was regularly chanted by the Rechabites and the first captives.

It is a beautiful elegy which reproduces the sentiments found in other psalms which treat of similar circumstances: pain, prayer, trust and holy promises. The poet, fiercely persecuted, entreats the Lord for his help. To console himself in his present distress, he looks back on his life rich in experiences and filled with miracles worked by God in his favour. He is confident that he will once again be heard and rescued. This canticle features abundant reminiscences or even direct quotations taken from older psalms, notably Ps. XXI, XXX, XXXIV and XXXIX.

Structure: the sum may be divided into two parts:

1. verses 1-13: prayer, and the supporting reasons;

2. verses 14-24: Feelings of Lively Trust and Promises of praise is to offered. 

First part:

1-3: a prelude, in which the psalmist invokes the help of God  earnestly and with confidence.  Cf. Ps. XXX, 2-4.

4-8: The first reason on which the poet bases his request : the countless benefits showered upon him by God since his birth.

9-13: the second: divine honour is directly implicated in David’s salvation.

9: “Cast me not off in the time of old age”: now that I have grown old. After lovingly protecting his servant to an advanced age (cf. verse 6), it is not possible that God would suddenly abandoned him , now that he has a great need of help.

Second part: A promise in advance of thanksgiving.

15: “Because I have not known learning”: The Vulgate has followed the majority of the Septuagint manuscripts, giving the following sense: If he knew the art of writing, the supplicant would compose a special volume to celebrate God’s goodness to Him; not having this gift, he will at least try to make as much progress as possible, through meditation and understanding the wondrous benefits of the Lord, and he will celebrate them through his hymns. The Hebrew expresses an altogether different idea: My mouth shall declare thy justice and thy salvation all day long, for I do not know the limits (numbers). David will therefore praise unceasingly the countless benefits of God.

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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.