The Psalter of the Blessed Virgin Mary by St Bonaventure : Psalm 90

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 90

“The gate of paradise will be opened to him.” Madonna
 and Child Enthroned with Saints,[7] by Cima da 

Conegliano (1496-99). Gallerie dell’Accademia, Venice.

. Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.

1. He that dwelleth in the help of the Mother of God: will abide under her protection[1].

2. The concourse of enemies will not harm him: the flying arrow will not touch him[2].

3. For she will deliver him from the snare of the hunter[3]: and under her wings she will protect him[4].

4. Cry out to her in your dangers: and the scourge will not come nigh your dwelling[5].

5. He who has placed his hope in her, will find the fruit of grace: the gate of paradise[6] will be opened to him.

Glory be to the Father etc.

1. Qui habitat in adjutorio Matris Dei: in protectione ipsius commorabitur.

2. Concursus hostis non nocebit ei: sagitta volans non tanget cum.

3. Quoniam liberabit eum de laqueo insidiantis: et sub pennis suis proteget eum.

4. Clamate ad illam in periculis vestris: et flagellum non appropinquabit tabernaculo vestro.

5. Fructus gratiæ inveniet, qui speraverit in illa: porta paradisi reserabitur ei.

Gloria Patri, etc.

Footnotes

[1] Cf. “He that dwelleth in the aid of the most High, shall abide under the protection of the God of Jacob.”: Davidic Ps. XC, 1.

[2] Cf. “Thou shalt not be afraid of the terror of the night. Of the arrow that flieth in the day”: ibid. 5-6.

[3] Cf. “For he hath delivered me from the snare of the hunters”: ibid. 3.

[4] Cf. “under his wings thou shalt trust”: ibid. 4.

[5] Cf. “There shall no evil come to thee: nor shall the scourge come near thy dwelling”: ibid. 10.

[6] On the Blessed Virgin as gate of Heaven, see: “And he brought me back to the way of the gate of the outward sanctuary, which looked towards the east: and it was shut. And the Lord said to me: This gate shall be shut, it shall not be opened, and no man shall pass through it: because the Lord the God of Israel hath entered in by it, and it shall be shut”: (Ezech. xliv, 1-2); and the comments of St Ambrose of Milan: “Who is this gate, if not Mary? ... Mary is therefore the gate through which Christ entered into this world... Which was shut, and was not opened. Christ passed through it, but did not open it.” (De Institutione Virginis). For more, see The Gate of Mary in Catholic Analects.

[7] Left Side: A female saint (often identified as St Catherine of Alexandria) stands beside St George clad in knight's armor, and St Nicholas dressed in full bishop’s vestments. Right Side: St Anthony Abbot holds his traditional staff, alongside a bound, arrow-pierced St Sebastian, and another female martyr (likely Saint Lucy).

Davidic Psalm XC

1 The praise of a canticle for David.

He that dwelleth in the aid of the most High, shall abide under the protection of the God of Jacob.  2 He shall say to the Lord: Thou art my protector, and my refuge: my God, in him will I trust.

3 For he hath delivered me from the snare of the hunters: and from the sharp word.  4 He will overshadow thee with his shoulders: and under his wings thou shalt trust.  5 His truth shall compass thee with a shield: thou shalt not be afraid of the terror of the night. 6 Of the arrow that flieth in the day, of the business that walketh about in the dark: of invasion, or of the noonday devil.  7 A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand: but it shall not come nigh thee.  8 But thou shalt consider with thy eyes: and shalt see the reward of the wicked.  9 Because thou, O Lord, art my hope: thou hast made the most High thy refuge.  10 There shall no evil come to thee: nor shall the scourge come near thy dwelling.  11 For he hath given his angels charge over thee; to keep thee in all thy ways.  12 In their hands they shall bear thee up: lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.  13 Thou shalt walk upon the asp and the basilisk: and thou shalt trample under foot the lion and the dragon.

14 Because he hoped in me I will deliver him: I will protect him because he hath known my name. 15 He shall cry to me, and I will hear him: I am with him in tribulation, I will deliver him, and I will glorify him. 16 I will fill him with length of days; and I will shew him my salvation.

Notes

How the man who places all his trust in God is kept safe.

1: The title: This title is completely absent in the Hebrew text. The Septuagint, which the Vulgate follows, doubtless took it from Jewish tradition. It consists of praise in the form of a canticle and the author is David. It is possible, as many interpreters believe, that it was composed following the terrible pestilence which decimated Israel towards the end of the reign of David. Compare verses 3, & 6-7 with II Kings xxiv, 15-17.

It is a very beautiful song which is distinguished by its elevated thoughts, its lively sentiments, its fervent faith, its simple trust, its vivid colours and the simplicity of its language. It is a vibrant and poetic commentary on the words: “If God be for us, who is against us?” (Rom. viii, 31). It sings of the graces of protection and deliverance which those faithful souls who entrust themselves entirely to God find amidst dangers and necessities. The Chaldee Paraphrase suggested it was possible to discern traces of dialogue in the psalm. Modern commentators have on the whole ratified this ancient opinion and have divided the psalm between two human voices (verses1b-13) and a divine voice which answers them. it is the brusque and repeated changing of persons which given rise to this view : it truly suggests dramatic conversation. Cf. verses, 1, 2, 3-8, 9a, 9b-13, 14-16. 

Structure: the psalm is divided on the basis of the coming-and-going style of dialogue :

1. verses 1b-2:  the theme of the canticle proposed in alternation by the two human voices;

2. verses 3-13: the theme is developed by these two same voices;

3. verses 14-16: the divine voice provides solemn confirmation of the wonderful hopes expressed by the human voices.

It is the principal psalm of Compline and St Bernard has given a very full commentary in several consecutive homilies.

6: “the noonday devil”: It is an ancient tradition amongst the Hebrews that qéteb, the word in the text here, refers to one of the most violent demons who dares to attack us in full daylight and openly. St Jerome and Theodoret believe that the psalmist was speaking here in accordance with the popular view that there are certain dangerous demons, especially at midday. qéteb may well in fact designate the plague, which can spread its devastation as well by day as by night.

 +       +        +

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.

The Psalter of the Blessed Virgin Mary by St Bonaventure : Psalm 89

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 89

“I will be mindful, O Lady, of thy tender mercies.” Madonna of Mercy, by
  LucaSignorelli (c. 1490)[8]. Museo diocesano d'Arte Sacra, Pienza (Italy).
 Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.

1. O Lady, thou art made unto us refreshment[1]: to meet all our needs.

2. The diffusion of thy grace produces thy holy operations within us[2]: and the gentle dropping of thy sweetness maketh holy affections[3].

3. I will be mindful, O Lady, of thy tender mercies: I will sing unto thee a sacrifice of praise and a song of joy[4].

4. They who honour thee will obtain a perennial crown in place of ashes: and the mantle of praise for the spirit of mourning[5].

5. They who hope in thee will be clothed with light[6]: joy and perpetual rejoicing will be their lot[7].

Glory be to the Father etc.

1. Domina, refrigerium facta es nobis: in cunctis necessitatibus nostris.

2. Diffusio gratiæ tuæ producit operationes tuas : et stillicidium dulcoris tui affectiones facit sanctissimas.

3. Miserationum tuarum, Domina, recordabor: sacrificium laudis et carmen lætitiæ psallam tibi.

4. Qui honorant te, coronam perennem pro cinere obtinebunt: et pallium laudis pro spiritu mœroris.

5. Qui sperant in te, amicti lumine induentur: gaudium et perpetuam lætitiam sortientur.

Gloria Patri, etc.

Footnotes

[1] Cf. “We have passed through fire and water, and thou hast brought us out into a refreshment.” Ps. LXV, 12.

[2] Cf. “By the grace of God, I am what I am; and his grace in me hath not been void, but I have laboured more abundantly than all they: yet not I, but the grace of God with me.” 1 Cor. xv, 10.

[3] Cf. “Thy lips, my spouse, are as a dropping honeycomb, honey and milk are under thy tongue;” Cant. iv, 11.

[4] Cf. “I have gone round, and have offered up in his tabernacle a sacrifice of jubilation: I will sing, and recite a psalm to the Lord.”  Ps. XXVI, 6.

[5] Cf. “To appoint to the mourners of Sion, and to give them a crown for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, a garment of praise for the spirit of grief”: Is. lxi, 3.

[6] Cf. “The night is passed, and the day is at hand. Let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and put on the armour of light.” Rom. xiii, 12.

[7] Cf. “everlasting joy shall be unto them”: Is. lxi, 3.

[8] The painting shows St Sebastian (c. 255-288) on the viewer’s left and St Bernardino of Siena (1380-1444) on the right, holding the IHS symbol.

Davidic Psalm LXXXIX

1 A prayer of Moses the man of God.

Lord, thou hast been our refuge from generation to generation.  2 Before the mountains were made, or the earth and the world was formed; from eternity and to eternity thou art God.  3 Turn not man away to be brought low: and thou hast said: Be converted, O ye sons of men.  4 For a thousand years in thy sight are as yesterday, which is past. And as a watch in the night,  5 Things that are counted nothing, shall their years be.  6 In the morning man shall grow up like grass; in the morning he shall flourish and pass away: in the evening he shall fall, grow dry, and wither.  7 For in thy wrath we have fainted away: and are troubled in thy indignation.  8 Thou hast set our iniquities before thy eyes: our life in the light of thy countenance.  9 For all our days are spent; and in thy wrath we have fainted away. Our years shall be considered as a spider:  10 The days of our years in them are threescore and ten years. But if in the strong they be fourscore years: and what is more of them is labour and sorrow. For mildness is come upon us: and we shall be corrected. 11 Who knoweth the power of thy anger, and for thy fear  12 Can number thy wrath? So make thy right hand known: and men learned in heart, in wisdom.

13 Return, O Lord, how long? and be entreated in favour of thy servants.  14 We are filled in the morning with thy mercy: and we have rejoiced, and are delighted all our days.  15 We have rejoiced for the days in which thou hast humbled us: for the years in which we have seen evils.  16 Look upon thy servants and upon their works: and direct their children.  17 And let the brightness of the Lord our God be upon us: and direct thou the works of our hands over us; yea, the work of our hands do thou direct.

Notes

Man passes on but God remains.

1: “A prayer of Moses the man of God.” The author is Moses and an honorary title is added to the name of this holy and celebrated personage: “the man of God,” referring to the close relationship Moses had with God. Cf. Deut. xxxiii, 1; Jos. xiv, 6. There is scarcely any writing from antiquity that can justify as brilliantly as this psalm does the testimony of tradition regarding its origin. It matches perfectly with the style of Moses not only from the point of view of the ideas it expresses but also in the matter of its form and style. It bears unmistakable marks of an origin shared with the canticle “Audite Caeli / Hear, O ye heavens” (Deut. xxxii), the blessing of Moses before his death (Deut. xxxiii), the speeches recorded in Deuteronomy, et cetera. The best among the Hebrew scholars have pointed out the antique colour of the style of this psalm. This poem is therefore the most ancient of all the Psalms.

It must have been composed towards the end of the long and painful journey by the Hebrews across the desert of Petraean Arabia. This was the time when, having provoked Divine anger, all those from twenty years old and upward at the moment when the terrible sentence of Cadesbarne was pronounced had been condemned to die without entering the Promised Land. Cf. Num. xiv, 20-35. The subject matter corresponds perfectly to this tragic situation. The interest in this canticle arising from the name of Moses alone is further increased in a singular manner by the beauty of the thoughts and the style of writing. This little text, said Herder, would of itself be enough to bless the memory and the religion of Moses. It has been described as a sublime model of prayer uttered in the name of the Hebrew people brought low by misfortunes.

Structure

The psalm may be divided into two parts:

1. a contemplation and description: verses 1-12;

2. a prayer of supplication: verses 13-17. 

1b-6: Contrasting the eternity of God and the fragility of man. 

7-12: Why the Hebrews brought death upon themselves. 

9: “Our years shall be considered as a spider”: The ephemeral nature of human life. According to popular belief, the spider exhausts itself in drawing from its own substance the threads which make up its web. Other interpreters focus on the fragility of the web, meaning that best laid plans to lengthen our days are no more solid than a flimsy spider’s web.

13-17: After forty years of trial spent in the wilderness, a new life beckons Israel and Moses pleads for the graces of God for this blessed time.

The reader will probably have noticed the difference between the two parts of this beautiful psalm. Whilst the first is sombre and melancholic, the second is filled with trust in God’s mercy, which Moses had experienced so frequently. This poem has been compared to the pillar of a cloud and of fire which went before the Hebrews in the wilderness. It is sombre and luminous at one and the same time: sombre when looking back on men and their sad condition, luminous when turning with faith towards the Lord.

 +       +        +

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.

The Psalter of the Blessed Virgin Mary by St Bonaventure : Psalm 88

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 88

“May the beauty of thy face rejoice my spirit in its
 going forth.” Madonna and Child, by Murillo (1670).
Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister, Dresden.
Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.

1. Of thy mercies, O Lady, I will sing forever[1].

2. With the ointment of thy tender mercy heal the broken in heart[2]: and with the oil of thy mercy console our griefs.

3. May thy gracious countenance appear to me when my end draws nigh: may the beauty of thy face[3] rejoice my spirit in its going forth.

4. Stir up my spirit to love thy goodness[4]: excite my mind to extol thy nobility and worth.

5. Deliver me from evil and tribulation: and from all sin keep thou my soul[5].

Glory be to the Father etc.

1. Misericordias tuas, Domina: in sempiternum decantabo.

2. Unguento pietatis tuæ medere contritis corde: et oleo misericordiæ tuæ refove dolores nostros.

3. Gratiosus tuus vultus mihi appareat in extremis: formositas faciei tuæ lætificet spiritum meum 4. egredientem.

4. Excita spiritum meum ad amandam bonitatem tuam: excita mentem ad extollendam nobilitatem et pretiositatem tuam.

5. Libera me ab omni tribulatione mala: et ab omni peccato custodi animam meam.

Gloria Patri, etc.

Footnotes

[1] Cf. Davidic Ps. LXXXVIIII, 1.

[2] Cf. “The Lord “healeth the broken of heart, and bindeth up their bruises.” Ps. CXLVI, 3.

[3] Cf. “My dove in the clefts of the rock, in the hollow places of the wall, shew me thy face, let thy voice sound in my ears: for thy voice is sweet, and thy face comely.” Cant. ii, 14.

[4] Cf. “Stir up the grace of God which is in thee”: 2 Tim. i, 6.

[5] Cf. “These things I have spoken to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you shall have distress: but have confidence, I have overcome the world.” John xvi, 33.

Davidic Psalm LXXXVIII

1 Of understanding, for Ethan the Ezrahite.

2 The mercies of the Lord I will sing for ever. I will shew forth thy truth with my mouth to generation and generation.  3 For thou hast said: Mercy shall be built up for ever in the heavens: thy truth shall be prepared in them.  4 I have made a covenant with my elect: I have sworn to David my servant:  5 Thy seed will I settle for ever. And I will build up thy throne unto generation and generation.  6 The heavens shall confess thy wonders, O Lord: and thy truth in the church of the saints.  7 For who in the clouds can be compared to the Lord: or who among the sons of God shall be like to God?  8 God, who is glorified in the assembly of the saints: great and terrible above all them that are about him.  9 O Lord God of hosts, who is like to thee? thou art mighty, O Lord, and thy truth is round about thee.  10 Thou rulest the power of the sea: and appeasest the motion of the waves thereof. 

11 Thou hast humbled the proud one, as one that is slain: with the arm of thy strength thou hast scattered thy enemies.  12 Thine are the heavens, and thine is the earth: the world and the fulness thereof thou hast founded:  13 The north and the sea thou hast created. Thabor and Hermon shall rejoice in thy name:  14 Thy arm is with might. Let thy hand be strengthened, and thy right hand exalted:  15 Justice and judgment are the preparation of thy throne. Mercy and truth shall go before thy face:  16 Blessed is the people that knoweth jubilation. They shall walk, O Lord, in the light of thy countenance:  17 And in thy name they shall rejoice all the day, and in thy justice they shall be exalted.  18 For thou art the glory of their strength: and in thy good pleasure shall our horn be exalted.  19 For our protection is of the Lord, and of our king the holy one of Israel.

20 Then thou spokest in a vision to thy saints, and saidst: I have laid help upon one that is mighty, and have exalted one chosen out of my people.  21 I have found David my servant: with my holy oil I have anointed him.  22 For my hand shall help him: and my arm shall strengthen him.  23 The enemy shall have no advantage over him: nor the son of iniquity have power to hurt him.  24 And I will cut down his enemies before his face; and them that hate him I will put to flight.  25 And my truth and my mercy shall be with him: and in my name shall his horn be exalted.  26 And I will set his hand in the sea; and his right hand in the rivers.  27 He shall cry out to me: Thou art my father: my God, and the support of my salvation.  28 And I will make him my firstborn, high above the kings of the earth.  29 I will keep my mercy for him for ever: and my covenant faithful to him.  30 And I will make his seed to endure for evermore: and his throne as the days of heaven. 31 And if his children forsake my law, and walk not in my judgments:  32 If they profane my justices: and keep not my commandments:  33 I will visit their iniquities with a rod: and their sins with stripes.  34 But my mercy I will not take away from him: nor will I suffer my truth to fail.  35 Neither will I profane my covenant: and the words that proceed from my mouth I will not make void.  36 Once have I sworn by my holiness: I will not lie unto David:  37 His seed shall endure for ever.  38 And his throne as the sun before me: and as the moon perfect for ever, and a faithful witness in heaven.

39 But thou hast rejected and despised: thou hast been angry with thy anointed.  40 Thou hast overthrown the covenant of thy servant: thou hast profaned his sanctuary on the earth.  41 Thou hast broken down all his hedges: thou hast made his strength fear.  42 All that pass by the way have robbed him: he is become a reproach to his neighbours.  43 Thou hast set up the right hand of them that oppress him: thou hast made all his enemies to rejoice.  44 Thou hast turned away the help of his sword; and hast not assisted him in battle.  45 Thou hast made his purification to cease: and thou hast cast his throne down to the ground.  46 Thou hast shortened the days of his time: thou hast covered him with confusion.  47 How long, O Lord, turnest thou away unto the end? shall thy anger burn like fire?  48 Remember what my substance is for hast thou made all the children of men in vain?  49 Who is the man that shall live, and not see death: that shall deliver his soul from the hand of hell?  50 Lord, where are thy ancient mercies, according to what thou didst swear to David in thy truth?  51 Be mindful, O Lord, of the reproach of thy servants (which I have held in my bosom) of many nations:  52 Wherewith thy enemies have reproached, O Lord; wherewith they have reproached the change of thy anointed.  53 Blessed be the Lord for evermore. So be it. So be it.

Notes

A prayer to remind God of the magnificent promises he made to David which he seems to have forgotten.

1: The title. The author, Ethan, is most probably the illustrious Levite who shared with Asaph and Eman (or Heman) the duties of choirmaster in the temple under David’s reign. Cf. I Par. xv, 17. The epithet Ezrahite causes the same difficulties as explained in the case of Ps. LXXXVII. The Septuagint replaced it with the word Israelite.

This psalm contains an admirable poetic development of the great prophecy by which God had promised that the throne of David would be everlasting. Cf. II Kings vii, 8 et seq. The psalmist, however, does not limit himself to reminding God of His magnificent promise: After describing it and providing a fine commentary upon it, he adds a plaintive lament concerning the dangers threatening this throne once so glorious, along with a fervent prayer to obtain its speedy restoration. This poem is clearly messianic as was prophecy on which it is based: it is through Jesus Christ alone that the kingdom of David will be eternal. Cf. Luke i, 30-33:

“And the angel said to her: Fear not, Mary, for thou hast found grace with God. Behold thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and shalt bring forth a son; and thou shalt call his name Jesus. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the most High; and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of David his father; and he shall reign in the house of Jacob for ever. And of his kingdom there shall be no end.”

The composition of the Psalm reveals considerable art and delicacy, both in its essence and in its form. The movement of its thoughts is solemn and majestic The prayer at the end comes after careful preparation through its descriptions, whether of the ancient promises given by the Lord proclaiming to David’s posterity a glorious destiny, or  of the present misfortunes, in direct contradiction of the divine prophecy.

All sorts of suggestions have been made concerning the time at which this poem was composed. According to the most probable amongst these, it would date from the reign of Roboam and the terrible invasion by the Egyptian king Sesac onto the territory of Judah. Cf. III Kings xiv, and II Par. xiii. the throne of David was at this point badly shaken.

Structure:  the sum may be divided into three parts:

1. praise of the Lord for his goodness, power and fidelity , for the wondrous way he keeps his promises: verses 2-19;

2. the great prophecy by which God I'd previously guaranteed for the throne of David perpetual stability: verses 20-38;

3. a moving picture of the perils faced by the Theocratic Throne and a fervent appeal for divine assistance: verses 39-52.

13: “Thabor and Hermon”: The two most beautiful mountains in what is properly called Palestine ; One in the north-west, the other in the north-east. It is possible their names serve here to denote the west and the east, the two other Cardinal points having been indicated in the preceding line.

 +       +        +

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.

The Psalter of the Blessed Virgin Mary by St Bonaventure : Psalm 87

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 87

“Console my sadness with the sight of thee.” Our Lady
of Consolation with cincture,[7] by Vergara (1760).
Gavara Collection (Valencia).  Public domain via
Wikimedia Commons. Noulas (CC BY 3.0.)

 

1. Lady, thou art the helper of my salvation: by day and by night I have cried to thee[1].

2. Let my prayer enter into thy sight[2]: console my sadness with the sight of thee[3].

3, Evils are multiplied in my soul[4]: cleanse it from filth and sin.

4. May thy power overcome our enemies[5]: lest they hinder our salvation.

5. Bestow on us thy grace to resist them: strengthen our hearts against the concupiscence of the flesh[6].

Glory be to the Father etc.

1. Domina, auxiliatrix salutis meæ: in die clamavi et nocte coram te.

2. Ingrediatur oratio mea in conspectu tuo: consolare cum facie tua mœstitiam meam.

3. Multiplicata sunt mala in anima mea: expurga eam de sordibus et peccatis.

4. Virtus tua persequatur inimicos nostros: ne nos impediant ad salutem.

5. Confer gratiam animæ ad resistendum eis: conforta cor nostrum contra concupiscentias carnis.

Gloria Patri, etc.

Footnotes

[1] Cf. “O Lord, the God of my salvation: I have cried in the day, and in the night before thee”: Davidic Ps. LXXXVII, 2.

[2] Cf. “Let my prayer come in before thee”: Davidic Ps. LXXXVII, 32.

[3] Cf. “Consolatriux afflictorum / Comforter of the afflicted,” titles of the Blessed Virgin in the Litany of Loreto (Paris 1150-1200).

[4] Cf. “The troubles of my heart are multiplied: deliver me from my necessities.” Ps. XXIV, 17.

[5] Cf. “Deliver me from my enemies, O my God; and defend me from them that rise up against me.” Ps. LVIII, 2.

[6] Cf. “For all that is in the world, is the concupiscence of the flesh, and the concupiscence of the eyes, and the pride of life, which is not of the Father, but is of the world.  And the world passeth away, and the concupiscence thereof: but he that doth the will of God, abideth for ever.” 1 John ii, 16-17. 

[7]  “According to tradition, Monica, immersed in sorrow because of the death of her husband and the waywardness of her son, was granted a vision of Mary and the Child Jesus, who sought to offer her comfort or consolation. Mary handed her a leather cincture which she asked Monica to wear as a continual reminder of her presence and thus, a visible sign of encouragement. From that moment Monica wore the cincture and, after his conversion, recommended it also to her son as an indication of Mary’s abiding protection. Thus, by this same tradition, it became historically, the principal and common symbol for all who follow Augustine’s Rule.” From Short History of the Devotion to Our Lady of Consolation and Cincture (Basílica Minore del Santo Niño de Cebú, Philippines).

Davidic Psalm LXXXVII

1 A canticle of a psalm for the sons of Core: unto the end, for Maheleth, to answer understanding of Eman the Ezrahite.

2 O Lord, the God of my salvation: I have cried in the day, and in the night before thee.  3 Let my prayer come in before thee: incline thy ear to my petition.

4 For my soul is filled with evils: and my life hath drawn nigh to hell.  5 I am counted among them that go down to the pit: I am become as a man without help, 6 Free among the dead. Like the slain sleeping in the sepulchres, whom thou rememberest no more: and they are cast off from thy hand.  7 They have laid me in the lower pit: in the dark places, and in the shadow of death.  8 Thy wrath is strong over me: and all thy waves thou hast brought in upon me.  9 Thou hast put away my acquaintance far from me: they have set me an abomination to themselves. I was delivered up, and came not forth:  10 My eyes languished through poverty. All the day I cried to thee, O Lord: I stretched out my hands to thee.

11 Wilt thou shew wonders to the dead? or shall physicians raise to life, and give praise to thee?  12 Shall any one in the sepulchre declare thy mercy: and thy truth in destruction?  13 Shall thy wonders be known in the dark; and thy justice in the land of forgetfulness?

14 But I, O Lord, have cried to thee: and in the morning my prayer shall prevent thee.  15 Lord, why castest thou off my prayer: why turnest thou away thy face from me?  16 I am poor, and in labours from my youth: and being exalted have been humbled and troubled.  17 Thy wrath hath come upon me: and thy terrors have troubled me.  18 They have come round about me like water all the day: they have compassed me about together.  19 Friend and neighbour thou hast put far from me: and my acquaintance, because of misery.

Notes

Prayer of a just man grievously afflicted.

1: “for  Maheleth…”: this is a reference to the melody, a plaintive tone which matches perfectly the painful thoughts which the poem contains. 

“to answer understanding”: according to the Hebrew, the sense here may be to obtain from God a response to the pressing appeal which is being addressed to Him. Other interpreters see an allusion to the two choirs which were to sing this song, responding in turn.  

“Eman the Ezrahite”: The author is first mentioned in a general manner, with the reference to the sons of Core; then individually. There was in fact during the reign of David a celebrated cantor in the temple named Eman, who belonged to the Levitical family of Core. Cf. I Par. vi, 33; xv, 17, etc. The addition of the epithet Ezrahite causes a problem which Prof Fillion describes as for the time being “insoluble” since Ezrahite refers to a member of the tribe of Judah rather than of Levi.

The psalm is an elegy characterised by poignant sadness where we see a just man, horribly afflicted in body and soul, abandoned by men and by God himself, seeking nevertheless consolation through prayer and invoking with faith the help of the Lord. The suppliant has experienced every pain; he describes this in language which is almost consistently lugubrious, without however showing feelings of hope, as is normally the case in other elegies. His complaints are very similar to those of Job. For this reason, it is been said that this poem is the most somber in all the Psalter. On the other hand, several Fathers have applied it to the Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ, to which it bears a striking resemblance in a symbolic sense. The occasion which prompted the writing of the Psalm remains unknown.

Structure: The psalm is divided irregularly , being from start to finish a lament in monotone, groanings without interruption:

verses 2-3: a brief introduction;

verses 4-10: a description of his extreme distress;

verses 11-13: the psalmist presents a special reason he has for his prayer to be granted;

verses 14-19: a continuation of the lament.

 +       +        +

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.

The Psalter of the Blessed Virgin Mary by St Bonaventure : Psalm 86

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 86

“He who hopes in thee, will find treasures of peace.”
The Virgin of Humility, by Fra Angelico (1433-35).
National Art Museum of Catalonia. 
Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.

1. The foundations of life in the soul of the just[1]: are to persevere in charity unto the end[2].

2. Thy grace raises up the poor man in adversity[3]: and the invocation of thy name inspires him with confidence.

3. Paradise is filled with thy tender mercies: and by the fear of thee the infernal enemy is confounded[4].

4. He who hopes in thee, will find treasures of peace[5]: and he who invokes thee not in this life, will not attain to the kingdom of God.

5. Grant, O Lady, that we may live in the grace of the Holy Ghost: and lead our souls to a holy end[6].

Glory be to the Father etc.

1. Fundamenta vitæ in anima justi: perseverare in charitate usque in finem.

2. Gratia tua relevat pauperem in adversitate: et invocatio tui nominis immittit ei confidentiam bonam.

3. Miserationibus tuis repletur paradisus: et a terrore tuo hostis confunditur infernalis.

4. Qui sperat in te, inveniet thesauros pacis: et qui te non invocat in hac vita, non perveniet ad regnum Dei.

5. Fac, Domina, ut vivamus in gratia Spiritus sancti: et perduc animas nostras ad sanctum finem.

Gloria Patri, etc.

Footnotes

[1] Cf. “The foundations thereof are in the holy mountains”: Davidic Ps. LXXXVI, 1.

[2] Cf.“[Charity] Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never falleth away”: 1 Cor. xiii, 7-8.

[3] Cf. “He raiseth up the needy from the dust, and lifteth up the poor from the dunghill: that he may sit with princes, and hold the throne of glory.” 1 Kings (1 Samuel) ii, 8.

[4] Cf. “Who is she that cometh forth as the morning rising, fair as the moon, bright as the sun, terrible as an army set in array?” Cant. vi, 9.

[5] Cf. “Be nothing solicitous; but in every thing, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your petitions be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasseth all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” Phil. iv, 6-7.

[6] Cf. “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the charity of God, and the communication of the Holy Ghost be with you all.” 2 Cor. xiii, 13.

Davidic Psalm LXXXVI

1 For the sons of Core, a psalm of a canticle.

The foundations thereof are in the holy mountains:  2 The Lord loveth the gates of Sion above all the tabernacles of Jacob.  3 Glorious things are said of thee, O city of God.

4 I will be mindful of Rahab and of Babylon knowing me. Behold the foreigners, and Tyre, and the people of the Ethiopians, these were there.  5 Shall not Sion say: This man and that man is born in her? and the Highest himself hath founded her. 6 The Lord shall tell in his writings of peoples and of princes, of them that have been in her.

7 The dwelling in thee is as it were of all rejoicing.

[N.B. For a rich and detailed account of how this psalm has been interpreted with reference to the Blessed Virgin Mary, please see La Triple Couronne de la Tres Sainte Mère de Dieu by Fr François Poiré, first published in 1630. My translation (2024) of the relevant passages may be found here: 

The Crown of Excellence : Part I: Chapter 7 : § 1.1; § 1.2-3; § 1.4-5; and § 1.6-8]

Notes

Jerusalem, a City cherished of God and centre of the entire world.

As long ago as Eusebius (d. 319), this Psalm was described as enigmatic and obscure, epithets which it has not ceased to merit, especially the Vulgate text. Its essential idea, however, is quite clear. It sings of the past and future glories of Jerusalem, prophesying of the holy city, so beloved and favoured by the Lord, that all the peoples of the world will one day have right of citizenship therein, meaning that they will be converted to the one true God. The psalm is therefore messianic since this conversion was to take place only through Christ and His Church. It proclaims in a dramatic manner the fulfilment of the prophecy contained in Psalm LXXXV, verse 9. It is generally supposed that it was composed under the reign of Ezechias, on the occasion of the victory gained by God Himself over Senacherib’s army. Cf. Is. xxxvii and xxxviii.

Structure: The psalm is divided into two strophes ending with a sélah (verses 1b-3 & 4-6) and a brief conclusion (verse 7).

1b-3: The poet plunges into ecstatic contemplation of something full of splendour which he immediately begins to praise with a holy enthusiasm without immediately giving it a name. That which God has deigned to establish rests upon holy mountains:  mounts Sion and Moriah, on which Jerusalem was built ; mounts altogether holy since each had the glory of supporting the Sanctuary of the Lord.

“the gates of Sion” : synecdoche, by which the whole city is meant. Mt Sion is dearer to God than all the other dwellings of Israel: for this reason He dwells there after founding it, here He manifests His glory and He declares He will operate even greater miracles in the future. But all the cities and villages of Israel were most dear to the Lord: cf. Num. xxiv, 5; Jer. xxx, 18.

4-6: “Rahab”: a reference to Egypt, denoted at various places of the Bible by this name of a sea monster, because of the hippopotamus and the crocodile which were symbols of the country. Cf. Ps. LXVII, 31; Is. xxx, 7 etc.

“knowing me”: Egypt and Babylon, two great powers for so long steeped in idolatry, now know the Lord and adore Him, submitting humbly to His law.

“Behold the foreigners, and Tyre, and the people of the Ethiopians, these were there”: the foreigners in the Hebrew text are the Philistines; Tyre was a rich and proud city; these along with the Ethiopians came Mt Sion to offer their homage and their sacrifices to the God of Israel.

“This man and that man”: a Hebraism to denote a great multitude, a multitude growing through the constant addition of new individuals. Sion, a city at first so small, will become the mother of countless children, inasmuch as the pagans will become sons of Abraham through their conversion.

7: “The dwelling in thee is as it were of all rejoicing”: this is an obscure line in the ancient texts. Perhaps the best sense is as shown in the Old Italic: “To dwell in thee (O Sion) is a great joy; all thy inhabitants are happy.”

The prophecy contained in this Psalm was fulfilled to the letter: All the people of the world came in turn to become part of spiritual Jerusalem, the Catholic Church of the Messiah. 

 +       +        +

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.