The Psalter of the Blessed Virgin Mary by St Bonaventure : Psalm 55

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 55

“Let us feel the help of thine arm.” The Battle at El Sotillo
by Francisco de Zurbarán (1637-9). The Metropolitan
Museum of Art, NYC. Open Access policy.[5]

1. Have mercy on me, O Lady, for my enemies have trodden upon me every day : all their thoughts are turned to evil against me.[1]

2. Stir up fury, and be mindful of war: and pour out thy anger upon them.[2]

3. Renew wonders and change marvellous things: let us feel the help of thine arm.[3]

4. Glorify thy name upon us: that we may know that thy mercy is forever.

5. Distill upon us droplets of thy sweetness[4]: for thou art the cupbearer of the sweetness of grace.

Glory be to the Father etc.

1. Miserere mei, Domina, quoniam conculcaverunt me hostes mei quotidie: omnes cogitationes eorum in malum contra me.

2. Excita furorem, et memento belli: et super eos effunde iram tuam.

3. Innova signa, et immuta mirabilia: sentiamus adjutorium brachii tui.

4. Glorifica nomen tuum super nos: ut cognoscamus quoniam in sæculum misericordia tua.

5. Stilla nobis guttam suavitatis tuæ: quia tu es pincerna gratiæ dulcoris.

Gloria Patri, etc.

Footnotes

[1] Cf. “Have mercy on me, O God, for man hath trodden me under foot; all the day long he hath afflicted me fighting against me. My enemies have trodden on me all the day long; for they are many that make war against me.”: Davidic Ps. LV, 2-3.

[2] Cf. “Raise up indignation [excita furorem], and pour out wrath”: Ecclesiasticus (Sirach) xxxvi, 8; “This is not a word that may draw down mercy, but rather that may stir up wrath, and enkindle indignation [furorem]”: Judith viii, 12; “The Lord shall go forth as a mighty man, as a man of war shall he stir up zeal: he shall shout and cry: he shall prevail against his enemies.” Is. xlii, 13;

[3] Cf. “Renew thy signs, and work new miracles; Glorify thy hand, and thy right arm”: Ibid. 36-7.

[4] Cf. “Drop down dew, ye heavens, from above”: Is. xlv, 8.

[5] This dramatic painting portrays the miraculous intervention of the Virgin Mary in a battle that took place in 1370 during the Reconquista near Cadiz, Spain. The Carthusian monastery of Nuestra Senora de la Defensión was founded. on the site of the Christians’ victory over the Moors.

Davidic Psalm LV

1 Unto the end, for a people that is removed at a distance from the sanctuary for David, for an inscription of a title (or pillar) when the Philistines held him in Geth.

2 Have mercy on me, O God, for man hath trodden me under foot; all the day long he hath afflicted me fighting against me.  3 My enemies have trodden on me all the day long; for they are many that make war against me.  4 From the height of the day I shall fear: but I will trust in thee.  5 In God I will praise my words, in God I have put my trust: I will not fear what flesh can do against me.

6 All the day long they detested my words: all their thoughts were against me unto evil.  7 They will dwell and hide themselves: they will watch my heel. As they have waited for my soul,  8 For nothing shalt thou save them: in thy anger thou shalt break the people in pieces, O God,  9 I have declared to thee my life: thou hast set my tears in thy sight, as also in thy promise.  10 Then shall my enemies be turned back. In what day soever I shall call upon thee, behold I know thou art my God.  11 In God will I praise the word, in the Lord will I praise his speech. In God have I hoped, I will not fear what man can do to me.

12 In me, O God, are vows to thee, which I will pay, praises to thee:  13 Because thou hast delivered my soul from death, my feet from falling: that I may please in the sight of God, in the light of the living.

Notes

A prayer uttered trustingly, in the midst of very great distress.

The title:

1: “for a people that is removed at a distance from the sanctuary”:  these words, as set down in the Septuagint and the Vulgate, can only refer to David and his supporters who had been obliged to flee Jerusalem and the Sanctuary in order to escape Saul’s anger. 

“for an inscription of a title (or pillar)”: See the Notes to Ps. XV.

“when the Philistines held him in Geth”: The Septuagint often gives name of Allophyles to the Philistines and these are the people who are mentioned very clearly in the Hebrew text. The circumstances which are referred to briefly here are set out in I Kings xxi, 10 et seq. Hotly pursued by Saul and forced to seek refuge in the territory of the Philistines, David had immediately been recognised in Geth as the man who had overcome Goliath. He had been made prisoner and led before the king of this city. This placed him in very great danger.

The psalmist complains to God about the violent persecution which his numerous enemies had been forcing him to endure for a long time ; amongst them, we must note especially Saul, fiercest of them all, who was unique cause of his actual danger. In his distress, David has recourse to the Lord, uttering groans, prayers and showing a lively trust in the Lord.  The poem is notable for its movement, reflecting the troubled state of the psalmist’s soul at this time.

Structure: the Psalm may be divided into two unequal parts, marked in verses 5 et seq. by a refrain analogous to that found in psalms XLI-XLII, followed by a conclusion.

1. an appeal to God motivated by the sad situation in which the poet finds himself: verses 2-5;

2. prayers in which he laments but expresses his trust in God : verses 6-11;

3. the conclusion with an act of thanksgiving: verses 12-13.

First part:

2-5:  The essential element of his prayer becomes clear immediately and is summed up in the words: “Have mercy on me.” the description of the supplicants sufferings is of itself a most eloquent prayer.

4: “From the height of the day”: according to the Vulgate, dawn, when the sun has risen above the horizon; or better still: noon, when the day is at its peak. the sense is accordingly: even when a day is at its height, and the danger becomes greatest, I shall fear nothing The Hebrew text has a different meaning. It links the words “From the height” to the previous verse and then begins a new sentence : Many are attacking me through their pride ; the day when fear, (meaning when anxiety becomes greatest), I place my trust in thee. An altogether admirable sentiment.

Second part: 6-11.

6-8: the hateful behaviour of David’s enemies; imprecations against them.

9-11: The Psalmist’s lively sentiments of trust in God.

9: “I have declared to thee my life:”  the Hebrew text differs here: oh God, Dial hast numbered my wanderings. David is referring here to his errant lifestyle, the comings and goings of his flights and the multiple sufferings which accompanied them. This is a most beautiful idea: God is keeping an exact count of all these details in order to reward his faithful servant in a generous manner.

Conclusion: Thanksgiving to God for His goodness. Verses 12-13.

13: “in the light of the living”:  Hebr. : in the light of life, by way of contrast with abiding in the dreadful shadows of the dead.  Cf. “That he may withdraw their souls from corruption, and enlighten them with the light of the living.” Job xxxiii, 30. The sense is therefore: (Thou hast delivered my soul) so that I might live a long time yet.

 +       +        +

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.