The Psalter of the Blessed Virgin Mary by St Bonaventure : Psalm 28

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 28

“O holy Mother, hear the groans of those who sigh to thee; and despise not the prayers of those who invoke thy name”

 Madonna as Mother of Mercy, mid 15th century), by Filippo Lippi.

( Kaiser Friedrich Museum (Berlin). Destroyed in WWII. Public domain.

 

1. Bring to Our Lady, O ye sons of God: bring to Our Lady praise and reverence[1].

2. Give strength to thy saints[2], O holy Mother: and thy blessing to those who praise and glorify thee.

3. Hear the groans of those who sigh to thee[3]: and despise not the prayers of those who invoke thy name[4].

4. Let thy hand be ready to help me: and thy ear inclined to my prayer.

5. Let the heavens and the earth bless thee: the sea and the world[5].

Glory be to the Father etc.

1. Afferte Dominae nostræ filli Dei : afferte Dominæ nostræ laudem et reverentiam.

2. Da virtutem sanctis tuis, Mater sancta : et benedictionem laudantibus, atque glorificantibus te.

3. Exaudi gemitus suspirantium ad te : et spernas vota invocantium noment tuum.

4. Sit manus tua ad succurrendum mihi parata : et auris tua intendens ad deprecationem meam.

5. Benedicant tibi cœli et terra : mare et orbis terrarum.

Gloria Patri, etc.

Footnotes

[1] The twofold invocation “afferte / bring to” echoes the threefold invocation in the Davidic Ps. XXVIII, 1-2.

[2] Cf. “Queen of all Saints, R. Pray for us.” From the Litany of Loreto (1150-1200).

[3] Cf. “Lord, all my desire is before thee, and my groaning is not hidden from thee:” Ps. XXXVII, 10.

[4] Cf. “O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in thy mercy hear and answer me.” From the Memorare, attributed to St. Bernard of Clairvaux (1090-1153).

[5] Cf. “May the heavens and the earth, and the sea, and the fountains, and the rivers, and all thy creatures that are in them, bless thee.” Tobias (Tobit) viii. 7.

Davidic Psalm XXVIII

1 A psalm for David, at the finishing of the tabernacle. Bring to the Lord, O ye children of God: bring to the Lord the offspring of rams.  2 Bring to the Lord glory and honour: bring to the Lord glory to his name: adore ye the Lord in his holy court.

3 The voice of the Lord is upon the waters; the God of majesty hath thundered, The Lord is upon many waters.  4 The voice of the Lord is in power; the voice of the Lord in magnificence.  5 The voice of the Lord breaketh the cedars: yea, the Lord shall break the cedars of Libanus.  6 And shall reduce them to pieces, as a calf of Libanus, and as the beloved son of unicorns.  7 The voice of the Lord divideth the flame of fire:  8 The voice of the Lord shaketh the desert: and the Lord shall shake the desert of Cades.  9 The voice of the Lord prepareth the stags: and he will discover the thick woods: and in his temple all shall speak his glory.

10 The Lord maketh the flood to dwell: and the Lord shall sit king for ever. The Lord will give strength to his people: the Lord will bless his people with peace.

Notes

God in the storm

In the Hebrew, this Psalm is simply entitled: a Psalm by David. Following the Septuagint, the Vulgate added the words “at the finishing of the tabernacle.” These indicated its liturgical function : it was sung, from at least the time of the second Temple, on the second day of the feast of Tabernacles, upon finally leaving the shelters made of branches which had been used throughout the Octave. Cf. Lev. xxiii, 36. The Talmud places it amongst the prayers of Pentecost, by reason of its thundering which recalled for the Jews the thunder and lightning in Sinai, when the Lord solemnly promulgated his theocratic law. Cf. Exod. xix, 16 et seq.

The power and Majesty of God as Creator, as shown forth in the violent storms of Palestine: there you have the subject of this canticle, which most commentators agree is one of the most beautiful in the whole Psalter. The serenity of the heavens in the midst of that which is causing turbulence in nature is wondrously depicted. All that is grave and terrible in a storm is no less well described than its extraordinary swiftness. We see vivid poetic colouring and a most profound religious sentiment. The poet’s art is apparent throughout : whether in the name of God which is employed four times in the prelude and four times in the conclusion; or in the words “the voice of the Lord” repeated seven times in succession in the course of the Psalm; or in the progress of the storm.

Structure: a short prelude, verses 1b-2; the body of the poem, the description of the storm in its various phases, verses 3-9; the conclusion, verse 10-11.

The short prelude: The poet invites the Angels to render glory unto Almighty God.  From the outset there is a grand solemnity in the words  “Bring to the Lord” (in Hebrew: “give”) which are repeated in succession. There is a sense that an altogether unusual phenomenon is approaching. According to the Septuagint and the Vulgate, the “children of God” to whom this invitation is addressed can only be men (and in particular, according to the comments of ancient interpreters, powerful and influential men; cf., Ps. LXXXI, 1, 6), since they are being invited to offer bloody sacrifices to God. But the words “bring to the Lord the offspring of rams” are totally absent in the Hebrew and seem to have been inserted through a copyist’s error.  The expression benè ‘Élim (children of God) is surely the equivalent of benè ‘Elohim (sons of God) in Job i, 6. The reference here is thus to the Angels, as in Ps. LXXXVIII, 7. The poet is contemplating them as they surround God’s throne in heaven, where they form the court, and he is exhorting them to render a special homage to their Master.

“glory and honour:” Two of the attributes of God which are maid manifest above all others in a storm.

The body of the Psalm: a description of the storm in its various phases. Verses 3-9. A dramatic scene which takes place entirely over the earth. Fifteen lines grouped in three equal strophes. “The storm bursts with fury to the north of Palestine, over Mt Lebanon. The cedars for which this land is famous are struck and their debris tumble down the mountain like a young bull. The mountain itself is made to quake, shaken to its foundations. The storm makes its way over the land of Israel, with flashes of lightning and reaches the desert of Cades, where it provokes frightened deer into calving. Man has fled the storm and he is not mentioned in the tableau, being struck dumb with terror.” (Man. bibl., vol. II, n. 701.)

3-4: “the voice of the Lord”:  a poetic name by which the Hebrews frequently referred to thunder. In their imagination so rich with thoughts of faith, they considered its majestic and terrible tones represented the voice of the Lord God Himself.

6 : “And shall reduce them to pieces”: the Hebrew says literally that the storm makes them leap like a calf.

“the beloved son of unicorns”: this forms a striking contrast. Whilst the storm shakes or breaks everything, the Lord’s beloved people, Israel, remain calm like a young rhinoceros (“unicorn”), fearing nothing. Such is what we learn from the Septuagint and the Vulgate, but the Hebrew text diverges significantly: the storm makes Mts Lebanon and Siriôn leap like the offspring of the aurochs (Hebr. re’em), which the Vulgate/D-Rheims translate as unicorn.

8: “shaketh the desert”: literally, it makes the desert dance. This is an allusion to the sand which the storm whips into the air and forms into clouds.

9: “prepareth the stags”:  the Hebrew explains this obscure expression : the voice of the Lord brings on the calving of the does. Frightened by the thunder, they deliver their fawns prematurely, a frequently observed phenomenon.

Conclusion of the Psalm: verses 10-11.

10: “The Lord maketh the flood to dwell”: this is to be read with “Himself” understood or as “He dwelleth in the flood.” The Hebrew is clearer: the Lord hath seated Himself (on His sovereign throne) for the flood. This may be understood of the flood strictly speaking, or also of the torrential rain that normally accompanies storms in the Orient.

11. “the Lord will bless his people with peace”: a beautiful conclusion, like a rainbow. The beginning of the poem shows us a clear sky and God’s throne amidst the harmonious choirs of Angels; the end shows us on earth, in the midst of the thundering of the Lord’s anger which causes everything to shake, His triumphant people showered with blessings of peace. Glory in the highest forms the beginning, and peace on earth is the ending.

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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 27

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 27

 “Blessed be thou, O Lady : to the uttermost ends of the earth.”
The Golden Lady (Our Lady Queen of Heaven). 1840.
St James’s Church, Spanish Place, London. Photo by author.

1. To thee, O Lady, will I cry[1], and thou shalt hear me : in the voice of thy praise thou wilt make me glad.

2. Have mercy on me in the day of my trouble : and in the light of thy truth deliver me.

3. Blessed be thou, O Lady : to the uttermost ends of the earth.

4. The sanctuary[2] which thy hands have established[3] : is the holy temple of thy body[4].

5. Thy conscience is pure and undefiled : a place of propitiation and the holy dwelling of God.

Glory be to the Father etc.

1. Ad te Domina clamabo, et exaudires me : in voce laudis tuæ lætificabis me.

2. Miserere mei in die angustiæ meæ : et in luce veritatis tuæ libera me.

3. Benedicta sis O Domina : in finibus omnis orbis terræ.

4. Sanctuarium quod firmaverunt manus tuæ : est sanctum templum corporis tui.

5. Conscientia tua munda et immaculata est : locus propitiationis et habitaculum sanctum Dei.

Gloria Patri, etc.

Footnotes

[1] Cf. “Unto thee will I cry, O Lord”: Davidic Ps. XXVII, 1.

[2] Cf. Mary as “Spiritus Sancti sacrarium / Sanctuary of the Holy Spirit” in the 12th century prayer O Intemerata. 

[3] Cf. “thy sanctuary, O Lord, which thy hands have established.” Exod. xv. 17.

[4] Cf. Mary as “templum Domini, sacrarium Spiritus Sancti /  temple of the Lord, shrine of the Holy Ghost,” in the Beata dei Genetrix antiphon. 

Davidic Psalm XXVII

1 A psalm for David himself. Unto thee will I cry, O Lord: O my God, be not thou silent to me: lest thou be silent to me, I become like them that go down into the pit.  2 Hear, O Lord, the voice of my supplication, when I pray to thee; when I lift up my hands to thy holy temple.  3 Draw me not away together with the wicked; and with the workers of iniquity destroy me not: Who speak peace with their neighbour, but evils are in their hearts.  4 Give them according to their works, and according to the wickedness of their inventions. According to the works of their hands give thou to them: render to them their reward.  5 Because they have not understood the works of the Lord, and the operations of his hands: thou shalt destroy them, and shalt not build them up.

6 Blessed be the Lord, for he hath heard the voice of my supplication.  7 The Lord is my helper and my protector: in him hath my heart confided, and I have been helped. And my flesh hath flourished again, and with my will I shall give praise to him.  8 The Lord is the strength of his people, and the protector of the salvation of his anointed.  9 Save, O Lord, thy people, and bless thy inheritance: and rule them and exalt them for ever.

Notes

A prayer of supplication in great danger accompanied by thanksgiving in anticipation of divine assistance.

The holy king is in a state of distress and he cries out to the Lord, (verses1-2), imploring him not to make him share the fate of the wicked whom He is on the verge of chastising in His wrath (verses 3-5). Then, as often happens in other Psalms, his prayer is suddenly transformed into joyous feelings of gratitude because he is sure that his request will be granted  (verses 6-7). The Psalm is divided into two parts: the prayer, in verses 1-5; the thanksgiving, in verses 6-9. it is generally believed that this Psalm was composed during Absalom’s revolt. 

First part: insistent prayer in a situation replete with dangers. Verses 1-5.

Verse 1: “O Lord: O my God”: instead of “my God,” the Hebrew has: “my rock.” Cf. Ps. XVII, 2.

“be not thou silent”: rather, “be thou not deaf.”

verse 2: “to thy holy temple”:  the Hebrew refers to the debir which was the holy of holies, or the most intimate and sacred part of the Tabernacle and later the Temple. Cf. III Kings vi, 18 et seq.; viii, 6 etc. In their prayers, the Jews frequently turned in the direction of the sanctuary in Jerusalem. Cf. III Kings, 22, 30 et seq. ; Dan. vi, 10.

Verse 3: “ Draw me not away”: a powerful expression recalling the image of a criminal dragged to his place of execution. 

Verse 5: “ Because they have not understood”: the supplicant explains the reasons for  what he is seeking, in appearance so severe. The men of whom he is speaking are wilfully blind And refuse to understand the Lord’s intervention which is always so just and so perfect in the history of mankind. God will punish according to their deserts these men who are in practice atheists.

Second part: Thanksgiving offered in anticipation. Verses 6-9.

Verse 6: “he hath heard” : an example of what is known as the prophetic preterite tense.

“my helper and my protector”: in Hebr. “my strength and my shield.”

Verse 7: “my flesh hath flourished again”: a beautiful image of how, after being made ill by his distress, he is now restored to a flourishing state of health. There is a variant in the Hebrew : “My heart trembles with happiness.”  

Verse 9: “the protector of the salvation of his anointed”: Hebr. “He is the fortress of the deliverance of His anointed. The fortress which cannot fail to obtain salvation : note the use of the plural in the original (salvationum), which is significant – referring to multiple and wonderful deliverances. The anointed of God refers here to David whom God chose as king.

“rule them”: Hebr.: “pasture them.” Be a good shepherd for them.  Cf. Ps. XXII, 1.

“and exalt them for ever”: or, according to the literal translation of the Hebrew: “Carry them.” Like a shepherd does when a sheep is ill or weary. Cf. Deut. i. 31; Luke xv, 4 et seq. 

Verse 9 was added to the last part of the Te Deum.

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The Virgin of Tenderness. >12th century.

SUB tuum præsidium confugimus, Sancta Dei Genitrix. Nostras deprecationes ne despicias in necessitatibus, sed a periculis cunctis libera nos semper, Virgo gloriosa et benedicta. Amen. 

 

Totus tuus ego sum

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:

Ad Jesum per Mariam.

He that hearkeneth to me, shall not be confounded: and they that work by me shall not sin. They that explain me shall have life everlasting. Ecclesiasticus (Sirach) xxiv. 30-31.30-31.

The Psalter of the Blessed Virgin Mary by St Bonaventure : Psalm 26

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 26

“I have loved thee and sought after thee, O Queen of Heaven.”
Assumption and Coronation of the Virgin (1617-48), by Rubens.
Hermitage Museum, St Petersburg. Public domain.

1. O Lady, may thy light be the splendour of my countenance[1] : and let the serenity of thy grace shine upon my mind.

2. Raise up my head[2] and I shall chant psalms: I shall sing a psalm to thy name.

3. Turn not away thy face from me[3] : for from my youth onwards I have greatly desired thy beauty and thy grace.

4. I have loved thee and sought after thee[4], O Queen of Heaven[5] : withdraw not thy mercy and thy grace from thy servant.

5. I will give praise to thee in the nations : and I will honour the throne of thy glory[6].

Glory be to the Father etc.

1. Domina, illuminatio mea sit splendor faciei tuæ : et serenitas tuæ gratiæ refulgeat menti meæ.

2. Exalta caput meum, et ego psallam : psalmum nomini tuo decantabo.

3. Ne avertas faciem tuam a me : quia speciem et decorem tuum a iuventute mea concupivi.

4. Te amavi et exquisivi Regina cœlorum : misericordiam tuam et gratiam tuam ne subtrahas a servo tuo.

5. Confitebor tibi in nationibus : et thronum gloriæ tuæ honorificabo.

Gloria Patri, etc.

Footnotes

[1] Cf. “The Lord is my light and my salvation”: Davidic Ps. XXVI, 1.

[2] Cf. “But thou, O Lord art my protector, my glory, and the lifter up [exaltans] of my head;”  Ps. III, 4.

[3] Cf. “Turn not away thy face from me”: Davidic Ps. XXVI, 9.

[4] Cf. “Her have I loved, and have sought her out from my youth;” Wisdom viii, 2.

[5] “Queen of Heaven”: It is worth recalling here the ancient hymns to Our Lady as Regina / Queen: the Regina Cæli (Pope Gregory V, +998); and the Salve Regina & Ave Regina cælorum (Hermann Contractus, +1054). For further references, see Ad Caeli Reginam, by Pope Pius XII (1954).

[6] Cf. the typology of the “mercy seat” or “propitiatory” referred to in the description of the Ark of the Covenant (Exod. xxv. 17).

[7] Cf. “But thou, O Lord art my protector, my glory, and the lifter up [exaltans] of my head;”  Ps. III, 4.

Davidic Psalm XXVI

“The Lord is my light and my salvation, whom shall I fear?”
The Light of the world (1750), by François Boucher.
Museum of Fine Arts, Lyon. Public domain.

1 The psalm of David before he was anointed. The Lord is my light and my salvation, whom shall I fear? The Lord is the protector of my life: of whom shall I be afraid?  2 Whilst the wicked draw near against me, to eat my flesh. My enemies that trouble me, have themselves been weakened, and have fallen.  3 If armies in camp should stand together against me, my heart shall not fear. If a battle should rise up against me, in this will I be confident.  

4 One thing I have asked of the Lord, this will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life. That I may see the delight of the Lord, and may visit his temple.  5 For he hath hidden me in his tabernacle; in the day of evils, he hath protected me in the secret place of his tabernacle.  6 He hath exalted me upon a rock: and now he hath lifted up my head above my enemies. 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.7 Hear, O Lord, my voice, with which I have cried to thee: have mercy on me and hear me.  8 My heart hath said to thee: My face hath sought thee: thy face, O Lord, will I still seek.  

9 Turn not away thy face from me; decline not in thy wrath from thy servant. Be thou my helper, forsake me not; do not thou despise me, O God my Saviour.  10 For my father and my mother have left me: but the Lord hath taken me up. 11 Set me, O Lord, a law in thy way, and guide me in the right path, because of my enemies.  12 Deliver me not over to the will of them that trouble me; for unjust witnesses have risen up against me; and iniquity hath lied to itself.  13 I believe to see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living.  14 Expect the Lord, do manfully, and let thy heart take courage, and wait thou for the Lord.

Notes

Expressing feelings of perfect trust in God And praying ardently in the face of great danger.

The time of this psalm’s composition is indicated in a general way by the words “before he was anointed.” These were added by the Septuagint and the Vulgate, in reference to the second royal anointing conferred upon David at the moment when the whole of Israel recognised his authority. Cf. II Reg. ii, 4. We are taken back to the time of Saul’s persecution and the civil wars which David had to face on the part of Saul’s partisans. Cf. II Kings ii, 8 et seq.; iii, 1 et seq.

The first six verses express feelings of great trust in God: the poet, knowing he has God’s protection, fears nothing even amidst the greatest of dangers (verses 1b-3). He has only one desire, to live forever hidden in the sanctuary; he feels sure he will triumph quickly and completely over his enemies (verses 4-6). Then suddenly a plaintive and urgent prayer replaces the joyful tone thus far , (verses 7 et seq.): the psalmist calls upon the Lord not to abandon him in the midst of danger, (verses 7-12); then, returning to his first feelings, he urges himself to be patient and to have trust in the Lord (verses 13 to 14).

First part: verse 1b-6. “protector of my life”: Hebr.: the  “fortress or citadel of my life.” “to eat my flesh”: his enemies are compared to wild beasts who seek only to tear him apart and devour him. Cf. Ps. III, 7 etc.

Verses 4-6: the Psalmist expresses his ardent desire to be a guest forever of the Lord in His Tabernacle on Mount Sion, sheltered from every evil under the divine protection; he promises profound gratitude to his heavenly deliverer.

Second part: a hymn of confident supplication. Verses 7-14.

“For my father and my mother…”: this is a simple image which David advances and in fact a proverbial form of words to indicate the most total isolation in the midst of distress: he is like an orphan or a child abandoned by his parents.

“but the Lord hath taken me up”: this provides a wonderful contrast. God has adopted him; the love of the Lord has shown itself stronger than that of those who are normally the most devoted. Cf. “Can a woman forget her infant, so as not to have pity on the son of her womb? and if she should forget, yet will not I forget thee:” Is. Xlix, 15.

“Expect the Lord:” Cf. Deut. xxxi. 7; Jos. I, 6,7,9. The poet encourages and urges himself to be patient in view of the sweet horizon which his trust in the Lord has just revealed to him. The Psalm ends thus on this altogether gentle note. 

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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 25

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 25

“O Lady, I have loved the beauty of thy face.”
The Immaculate Conception (1599-60), by Velázquez.
National Gallery, London. Public domain.

1. Judge me, O Lady, for I have departed from my innocence : but because I have hoped in thee, I shall not become weak[1].

2. Enkindle my heart with the fire of thy love : and with the girdle of chastity bind my reins[2].

3. For thy mercy and thy clemency are before my eyes[3]: and I was delighted in the voice of thy praise.

4. O Lady, I have loved the beauty of thy face[4]: and I have revered thy sacred majesty.

5. Praise ye her name, for she is holy: let her wonders be declared forever.

Glory be to the Father etc.

1. Iudica me, Domina, quoniam ab innocentia mea digressus sum : sed quia speravi in te non infirmabor.

2. Ure cor meum igne amoris tui : et cingulo castitatis restringe renes meos.

3. Quoniam misericordia tua et clementia tua ante oculos meos : et delectatus sum in voce laudis tuæ.

4. Domina dilexi decorem faciei tuæ : et veneratus sum sanctam maiestatem tuam.

5. Confitemini nomini eius, quoniam sanctum est : enarrentur in sæculum mirabilia eius.

Gloria Patri, etc.

Footnotes

[1] Cf. “Judge me, O Lord, for I have walked in my innocence: and I have put my trust in the Lord, and shall not be weakened;” Davidic Ps. XXV, 1.

[2] Cf. “Prove me, O Lord, and try me; burn my reins and my heart;” Davidic Ps. XXV, 2. The heart and the reins (an old English word for the kidneys) are considered to be the most hidden parts of a human being, the seat of the affections and of the will. 

[3] Cf. “For thy mercy is before my eyes;” Davidic Ps. XXV, 3.   

[4] Cf. “I have loved, O Lord, the beauty of thy house;” Davidic Ps. XXV, 8. Cf. the way Mary is compared by the early Church fathers to the Ark of the Covenant as housing the Word made flesh, the Bread of life and the eternal High Priest. 

Davidic Psalm XXV

“I will wash my hands among the innocent; and will compass thy altar, O Lord.”
From the Baronius Missal (1962).

1 Unto the end, a psalm for David. Judge me, O Lord, for I have walked in my innocence: and I have put my trust in the Lord, and shall not be weakened.  2 Prove me, O Lord, and try me; burn my reins and my heart.  3 For thy mercy is before my eyes; and I am well pleased with thy truth.  

4 I have not sat with the council of vanity: neither will I go in with the doers of unjust things.  5 I have hated the assembly of the malignant; and with the wicked I will not sit.  6 I will wash my hands among the innocent; and will compass thy altar, O Lord:  7 That I may hear the voice of thy praise: and tell of all thy wondrous works.  8 I have loved, O Lord, the beauty of thy house; and the place where thy glory dwelleth.  

9 Take not away my soul, O God, with the wicked: nor my life with bloody men:  10 In whose hands are iniquities: their right hand is filled with gifts.  11 But as for me, I have walked in my innocence: redeem me, and have mercy on me.  12 My foot hath stood in the direct way: in the churches I will bless thee, O Lord.

Notes

This Psalm by David contains the humble prayer which a holy and persecuted man addresses to God to obtain justice. Trusting in the innocence of his life he is leading, the supplicant surrenders himself to divine judgement; he knows that he will be treated according to his integrity and he promises the Lord in advance that he will render public thanksgiving to Him. It is therefore a sort of “apologia pro vita sua” (a defence of one’s life) which David is making here, as he does elsewhere in the Psalter, in order to protest against the accusations made against him by his enemies. As for the precise date of the Psalm’s composition, commentators have proposed the time of Saul’s persecution and that of Absalom’s rebellion. The second seems to us more likely.

The Psalm is divided into three parts : Firstly, the prelude, an appeal to God’s justice (verses 1b-3); secondly, the apologia (verses 4-8); thirdly, the prayer (verses 9-12).

Whenever the priest washes his hands in the offertory of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, he recites verses 6-12 which express so well the perfection required to immolate the divine Victim.

First part : verses 1b-3.

Verse 2: “Prove me, O Lord, and try me; burn my reins and my heart;” “prove”, “try” and “burn”: 3 vivid expressions describing rigour of the examination to which the psalmist has no fear of subjecting himself. In Hebrew: “sound me, test me, make me pass through the crucible.” “reins” and “heart”: considered as the most hidden parts of the human being, being the seat of the affections and of the will. Cf. Ps. VIII, 9 etc.

Second part: verses 4-8. 4. “the council of vanity”: the “men of vanity” (Hebr.) do not differ from the wicked, their behaviour offering only what is hollow and empty. 

“the doers of unjust things”:  in Hebrew : those who hide themselves, namely liars and hypocrites.

6.  “I will wash my hands”: as the priests did before performing their holy duties. Cf. Exod. xxx. 17-21. The washing of hands is a natural symbol of innocence (cf. Deut. xxi, 9; Matt. xxvii, 24).

Third part: verses 9-12. Verses 9-10: By these words David may have in mind the utter criminality of several highly placed personages of his time who did not shrink before murder or perverting the course of justice for money. Verse 12: “in the churches I will bless thee, O Lord;”   confident that his prayers will be heard, David promises the Lord that he offer him heartfelt and public acts of thanksgiving. 

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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 24

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 24

“Crush their violence in thy might : and with mildness meet my soul.”
The Virgin as the Woman of the Apocalypse (c1623-24), by Rubens.
Getty Centre, L.A. (Open Content Program).

1. To thee, O Lady, have I lifted up my soul[1]: in the judgment of God, by the help of thy prayers, I shall not be ashamed[2].

2. Let not my adversaries make game of me[3]: for those who trust in thee are strengthened.

3. Let not the snares of death prevail against me[4]: nor the camps of the malignant[5] hinder my steps.

4. Crush their violence in thy might[6]: and with mildness hasten to meet my soul[7].

5. Be my guide unto our Father’s home[8]: and deign to add me to the company of His Angels.

Glory be to the Father etc.

1. Ad te Domina levavi animam meam : in iudicio Dei, tuis precibus non erubescam.

2. Neque illudant mihi adversarii mei : etenim præsumentes de te roborantur.

3. Non prævaleant adversum me laquei mortis : et castra malignantium non impediant gressus meos.

4. Collide impetum eorum in virtute tua : et cum mansuetudine occurre animæ meæ.

5. Ductrix mea esto ad patriam : et me cœtui Angelorum digneris aggregare.

Gloria Patri, etc.

Footnotes

[1] Cf. “To thee, O Lord, have I lifted up my soul.” Davidic Ps. XXIV, 1.

[2] Cf. “In thee, O my God, I put my trust; let me not be ashamed.” Ps. XXIV, 2.

[3] Cf. “Neither let my enemies laugh at me”: Ps. XXIV, 3.

[4] Cf. “The snares of death have seized hold of me;” Ps. XVII. 6.

[5] “the malignant”; see Ps. XXI, 17; Ps. XXV, 5; & Ps. LXIII. 3.

[6] Cf. “I will put enmities between thee and the woman, and thy seed and her seed: she shall crush thy head, and thou shalt lie in wait for her heel.”  Gen. iii. 15.

[7] Cf. “He will guide the mild in judgment: he will teach the meek his ways.” Davidic Ps. XXIV, 9.

[8] Cf. “Shew, O Lord, thy ways to me, and teach me thy paths.” Davidic Ps. XXIV, 4.

Davidic Psalm XXIV

“The Lord is sweet and righteous.” See Mark ch. vi.
James Tissot, Brooklyn Museum N.Y. Public domain.

1 Unto the end, a psalm for David. To thee, O Lord, have I lifted up my soul.  2 In thee, O my God, I put my trust; let me not be ashamed.  3 Neither let my enemies laugh at me: for none of them that wait on thee shall be confounded.  4 Let all them be confounded that act unjust things without cause. Shew, O Lord, thy ways to me, and teach me thy paths.  5 Direct me in thy truth, and teach me; for thou art God my Saviour; and on thee have I waited all the day long.  6 Remember, O Lord, thy bowels of compassion; and thy mercies that are from the beginning of the world.  7 The sins of my youth and my ignorances do not remember. According to thy mercy remember thou me: for thy goodness' sake, O Lord.

8 The Lord is sweet and righteous: therefore he will give a law to sinners in the way.  9 He will guide the mild in judgment: he will teach the meek his ways.  10 All the ways of the Lord are mercy and truth, to them that seek after his covenant and his testimonies.  11 For thy name’s sake, O Lord, thou wilt pardon my sin: for it is great.  12 Who is the man that feareth the Lord? He hath appointed him a law in the way he hath chosen.  13 His soul shall dwell in good things: and his seed shall inherit the land.  14 The Lord is a firmament to them that fear him: and his covenant shall be made manifest to them.

“Keep thou my soul, and deliver me.” See Luke iv. 33-36.
James Tissot (1886-94). Brooklyn Museum, N.Y. Public domain.

15 My eyes are ever towards the Lord: for he shall pluck my feet out of the snare. 16 Look thou upon me, and have mercy on me; for I am alone and poor.  17 The troubles of my heart are multiplied: deliver me from my necessities.  18 See my abjection and my labour; and forgive me all my sins.  19 Consider my enemies for they are multiplied, and have hated me with an unjust hatred.  20 Keep thou my soul, and deliver me: I shall not be ashamed, for I have hoped in thee.  21 The innocent and the upright have adhered to me: because I have waited on thee.  22 Deliver Israel, O God, from all his tribulations.

Notes

A prayer to obtain the remission of sins and help in the midst of affliction

This poem, composed by David, is the second of the alphabetical Psalms (i.e., in Hebrew). Prayer alternates with meditation ; feelings of confidence in God with those of profound humility, aroused by the memory of past sins. It is prayer which predominates: we find it at the beginning (verses 1-7), in the middle, (verse 11) and at the end of the Psalm (verses 16-22). This prayer calls for light and guidance on the journey to God, remission of sins and protection against powerful enemies. The rest of the poem is consecrated to pious reflections by means of which the Psalmist arouses his faith.

The Psalm is divided into three parts: verses 1-7 are a prayer to obtain forgiveness and protection from God; verses 8-14 are reflections on the character of God and on His treatment of those who fear him; verses 15-22 are a prayer imploring help in the midst of grave anxieties.

First part: A prayer to obtain protection from the Lord against powerful enemies and His forgiveness of their sins. Verses 1-7.

Verse 7: “The sins of my youth”: faults resulting from the weakness or impetuosity of youth. “and my ignorances”: in Hebr., “my rebellions.” Faults in maturity committed with greater deliberation.

“remember thou me”: “Remember thou me,” writes St Augustine in his commentary on this text, “not according to thine anger of which I am worthy, but according to thy mercy which is worthy of thee.”

Second part: reflections on the character of God and on His treatment of those who fear him; verses 8-14. The supplicant makes this little meditation in order to encourage himself to pray more effectively; he seeks to increase his confidence by seeking in the character and behaviour of the Lord reasons to hope that his prayers have been heard.

Verse 8. “he will give a law.” Hebr. “he will instruct.” “to sinners in the way:” The Lord will instruct in their way sinners who strayed from the true path.

Verse 11: “thou wilt pardon my sin: for it is great”: an enormous burden of sin weighs upon David and is crushing him.

Third part:  the prayer is repeated with greater urgency in order to obtain pardon and deliverance. Verses 15-22.

Verse 16: “for I am alone and poor.” Note the twofold reason: David is alone without any other friend than God ; andy plunged in deep affliction (pauper / poor; Hebr. “afflicted.”).

“an unjust hatred”: Hebr. “a violent hatred,” inspired by pure malice and hence unjust.

Verse 21: “The innocent and the upright have adhered to me”: The Hebrew has simply: “May integrity and uprightness protect me.” The poet is therefore praying that these two qualities should be for him like two Guardian Angels who keep him safe from his foes and from sin. 

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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.