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.

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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.