The Psalter of the Blessed Virgin Mary by St Bonaventure : Psalm 69

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 69

“Show forth thy power against our enemies.” Maria
 Immaculata, by Martino Altomonte (1728). St. Peter's
 Parish Church, Sarleinsbach (Austria). W.Sauber [8] 

1. O Lady, come to my assistance[1]: and by the light of thy mercy enlighten me[2].

2. Teach us to seek thy goodness: that we may declare thy wonders[3].

3. Show forth thy power against our enemies[4]: that thou mayest be praised among the distant nations.

4. In the flames of thy wrath let them be plunged into hell[5]: and may they who trouble thy servants find perdition[6].

5. Have mercy on thy servants, upon whom thy name is invoked ! and do not permit them to be straitened in their temptations[7].

Glory be to the Father etc.

1. Domina, in adjutorium meum intende: et luce misericordiæ tuæ illustra mentem meam.

2. Doce nos exquirere bonitatem tuam: ut enarremus mirabilia tua.

3. Ostende potentiam tuam contra inimicos nostros: ut sanctificeris in nationibus procul.

4. In ira flammæ tuæ mergantur in infernum: et qui conturbant servos tuos, inveniant perditionem.

5. Miserere servorum tuorum, super quos invocatum est nomen tuum; et ne sinas angustiari eos in tentationibus suis.

Gloria Patri, etc.

Footnotes

[1] Cf. Davidic Ps. LXIX, 2. “These words form the introductory prayer to every Hour of the Roman, monastic, and Ambrosian Breviaries, except during the last three days of Holy Week, and in the Office of the Dead. While they are said, or sung, all present sign themselves with the sign of the cross. Tradition says that St. Benedict introduced this custom into the monastic Office and that St. Gregory I extended it to all the Roman churches; Cassian (Coll., X, 10), however, says that from the earliest Christian times the monks used this introduction very often, probably outside of the liturgical prayers.” For more, see Deus in Adjutorium Meum Intende in the Catholic Encyclopedia. 

[2] Cf. “For  . . . being compared with the light, she is found before it.” Wisdom vii, 26 & 29; “For the fruit of the light is in all goodness, and justice, and truth”: Ephes. v, 9.

[3] Cf. “Whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For behold as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy”: Luke i, 43-4.

[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. “Depart from me, you cursed, into everlasting fire which was prepared for the devil and his angels.” [Matt. xxv, 41;  “And there came down fire from God out of heaven, and devoured them; and the devil, who seduced them, was cast into the pool of fire and brimstone, where both the beast and the false prophet shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.” Apoc. xx, 9-10.

[6] Cf. “But the heavens and the earth which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of the ungodly men.” 2 Peter iii, 7.

[7] Cf. “In all things we suffer tribulation, but are not distressed [non angustiamur]; we are straitened, but are not destitute”: 2 Cor. iv, 8.

[8] Wikimedia Commons: GNU Free Documentation License: See Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported License.

Davidic Psalm LXIX

1 Unto the end, a psalm for David, to bring to remembrance that the Lord saved him.

2 O God, come to my assistance; O Lord, make haste to help me.  3 Let them be confounded and ashamed that seek my soul:  4 Let them be turned backward, and blush for shame that desire evils to me: Let them be presently turned away blushing for shame that say to me: Tis well, tis well.  5 Let all that seek thee rejoice and be glad in thee; and let such as love thy salvation say always: The Lord be magnified.  6 But I am needy and poor; O God, help me. Thou art my helper and my deliverer: O Lord, make no delay.

Notes

Prayer of a man persecuted by cruel enemies.

 1. This short poem is limited to reproducing almost literally the second half of XXXIX, verses 14 et seq. There is nothing to suggest that David himself may have extracted the words and inserted them for some liturgical reason. 

“to bring to remembrance”: See Ps. XXXVII, 1.

“that the Lord saved him”: these words are missing in the Hebrew text and in the majority of Greek manuscripts. They were added by the Vulgate, following the Codex Vaticanus of the Septuagint.

The poet, finding himself in a perilous situation and surrounded by his enemies who wish to take his life, implores God to come unto his aid. He appeals to heavenly vengeance against the wicked and to divine goodness for himself and for other just men.

Structure : The psalm may be divided into two parts:

a prayer by the psalmist against the enemies who are attacking him remorselessly : versus 2-4;

a prayer in favour of the good and for himself: verses 5 to 6.  

For more, see Notes on Ps. XXXIX. 

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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 68

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 68

“Save me, O Lady, for the waters of concupiscence have entered even unto my soul.”
The Presentation and Betrothal of the Blessed Virgin, by Ludovico Seitz
(1892-1902). Loreto Basilica, Italy. Public domain. Sailko: CC 3.0 Unported Licence.

1. Save me, O Lady: for the waters of concupiscence have entered even unto my soul[1].

2. I stick fast in the mire of sin: and the waters of pleasure have encompassed me[2].

3. Weeping, I have wept in the night[3]: and the day of joy has arisen for me[4].

4. Save my soul, O Mother of the Saviour: for by thee true salvation was given to the world[5].

5. While thou wast overshadowed when the Angel spoke to thee: and becamest pregnant with the Wisdom of the Father[6].

Glory be to the Father etc.

1. Salvum me fac, Domina: quoniam intraverunt concupiscentiarum aquæ usque ad animam meam.

2. Infixus sum in limo peccati: et aquæ voluptatis circumdederunt me.

3. Plorans ploravi in nocte: et dies lætitiæ ortus est mihi.

4. Salva animam meam, Genitrix Salvatoris: quia per te vera salus data est omni mundo.

5. Dum nuntiante Angelo fuisti obumbrata: et Patris sapientia prægnans et gravidata.

Gloria Patri, etc.

Footnotes

[1] Cf. Davidic Ps. LXVIII, 2.

[2] Cf. “I stick fast in the mire of the deep: and there is no sure standing. I am come into the depth of the sea: and a tempest hath overwhelmed me”: Ibid. 3.

[3] Cf. “Weeping she hath wept in the night, and her tears are on her cheeks”: Lam. i, 2.

[4] Cf. “They that sow in tears shall reap in joy”: Ps. CXXV, 5.

[5] Cf. “Salvation is of the Lord”: Ps. III, 9; “The Lord is my light and my salvation, whom shall I fear?” Ps. XXVI, 1; “But the salvation of the just is from the Lord”: Ps. XXXVI, 39; “After these things I heard as it were the voice of much people in heaven, saying: Alleluia. Salvation, and glory, and power is to our God”: Apoc. xix, 1.

[6] Cf. “The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the most High shall overshadow thee. And therefore also the Holy which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God”: Luke i, 35.

Davidic Psalm LXVIII

1 Unto the end, for them that shall be changed; for David.

2 Save me, O God: for the waters are come in even unto my soul.  3 I stick fast in the mire of the deep: and there is no sure standing. I am come into the depth of the sea: and a tempest hath overwhelmed me.  4 I have laboured with crying; my jaws are become hoarse: my eyes have failed, whilst I hope in my God.  5 They are multiplied above the hairs of my head, who hate me without cause. My enemies are grown strong who have wrongfully persecuted me: then did I pay that which I took not away.

 6 O God, thou knowest my foolishness; and my offences are not hidden from thee:  7 Let not them be ashamed for me, who look for thee, O Lord, the Lord of hosts. Let them not be confounded on my account, who seek thee, O God of Israel.  8 Because for thy sake I have borne reproach; shame hath covered my face.  9 I am become a stranger to my brethren, and an alien to the sons of my mother.  10 For the zeal of thy house hath eaten me up: and the reproaches of them that reproached thee are fallen upon me.

 11 And I covered my soul in fasting: and it was made a reproach to me.  12 And I made haircloth my garment: and I became a byword to them.  13 They that sat in the gate spoke against me: and they that drank wine made me their song.  14 But as for me, my prayer is to thee, O Lord; for the time of thy good pleasure, O God. In the multitude of thy mercy hear me, in the truth of thy salvation.  15 Draw me out of the mire, that I may not stick fast: deliver me from them that hate me, and out of the deep waters.

 16 Let not the tempest of water drown me, nor the deep swallow me up: and let not the pit shut her mouth upon me.  17 Hear me, O Lord, for thy mercy is kind; look upon me according to the multitude of thy tender mercies.  18 And turn not away thy face from thy servant: for I am in trouble, hear me speedily.  19 Attend to my soul, and deliver it: save me because of my enemies.  20 Thou knowest my reproach, and my confusion, and my shame.

 21 In thy sight are all they that afflict me; my heart hath expected reproach and misery. And I looked for one that would grieve together with me, but there was none: and for one that would comfort me, and I found none.  22 And they gave me gall for my food, and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.  23 Let their table become as a snare before them, and a recompense, and a stumbling block.  24 Let their eyes be darkened that they see not; and their back bend thou down always.  25 Pour out thy indignation upon them: and let thy wrathful anger take hold of them.

 26 Let their habitation be made desolate: and let there be none to dwell in their tabernacles.  27 Because they have persecuted him whom thou hast smitten; and they have added to the grief of my wounds.  28 Add thou iniquity upon their iniquity: and let them not come into thy justice.  29 Let them be blotted out of the book of the living; and with the just let them not be written.  30 But I am poor and sorrowful: thy salvation, O God, hath set me up.

 31 I will praise the name of God with a canticle: and I will magnify him with praise.  32 And it shall please God better than a young calf, that bringeth forth horns and hoofs.  33 Let the poor see and rejoice: seek ye God, and your soul shall live.  34 For the Lord hath heard the poor: and hath not despised his prisoners.  35 Let the heavens and the earth praise him; the sea, and every thing that creepeth therein.

36 For God will save Sion, and the cities of Juda shall be built up. And they shall dwell there, and acquire it by inheritance.  37 And the seed of his servants shall possess it; and they that love his name shall dwell therein.

Notes

A prayer of lament in the midst of profound distress.

1. “for them that shall be changed”: Cf. Ps. XLIV: The fathers have understood these words to refer to those who have the happiness of being morally transformed here below by the Messiah and are being glorified with him forever in heaven. The Hebrew text (‘al-sosânim) suggests a different meaning and was probably the first word of a popular song which was to provide the melody for the Psalm.

The author is David : Cf. Rom. Xi, 9, quoting verse 23 of this psalm.

The hero of the canticle finds himself plunged into great distress; violent and powerful enemies are surrounding him and attacking him. Meaning that he is in an extreme state of danger. But he knows, (and this sweet thought consoles him), that it is his zeal for God and holy things which is bringing upon him so many sufferings. He feels certain of his love for God and of being loved by God. Accordingly, he has an inner confidence that his prayer will be heard and granted, that God will bring down his enemies and will bless the whole of Israel.

The Psalm is messianic to a very high degree. It predicts the sufferings of our Lord Jesus Christ in His Passion and it is the counterpart as well as the complement of Psalm XXI. Along with the latter, it is the psalm which is the most frequently cited in the New Testament:

1. The enemies of the Saviour hate Him without cause, Ps. LXVIII, 5 and John xv, 25.

2. Jesus is eaten up with zeal for the house of God, Ps. LXVIII, 10 and John ii, 17. 

3. He willingly ensures reproaches, Ps. LXVIII, 10 and Rom. xv, 3.

4. The curse of Ps. LXVIII, 26 is fulfilled in the person of Judas Iscariot , Acts i, 20.

5. The reprobation of Israel is indicated in Ps. LXVIII, 23-4; cf. Rom. xi, 9.

6. The vinegar given on the cross to Jesus Christ is prophesied, Ps. LXVIII, 22; cf. John xix, 28 and Matt. xxvii, 48.

All the Fathers, moreover, are unanimous in seeing in this psalm a literal prophecy of the resurrection of our Lord. We too adopt an interpretation which is directly Messianic. It is nevertheless allowed, following a number of serious Catholic commentators, to apply the psalm firstly to David himself, who is thought to have composed it on the occasion either of Saul’s persecution, or Absalom’s revolt, periods of his life during which he had so much to suffer. The holy king would then become the type and the figure of the “suffering Christ.” But even in this case, there is no doubt that the most important and most numerous features of this magnificent elegy could not be applied to David in any way.

Structure: The psalm may be divided into three parts:

‣ the terrible sufferings of the poem’s hero, verses 2-19;

‣ anathemas against the cruel enemies who are causing them, verses 20-29;

‣ the certainty of a speedy deliverance and the promise of acts of thanksgiving, verses 30-37.

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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 67

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 67

“Let Mary arise, and let her enemies be scattered.”
The Immaculate Conception, Juan de Miranda (1778).
Iglesia de la Concepción, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain.
Public domain.[7]

1. Let Mary arise, and let her enemies be scattered[1]: let them all be crushed beneath her feet[2].

2. Bring to nothing the attack of our enemies: destroy all their iniquity.

3. To thee, O Lady, have I cried in my tribulation[3]: and thou hast given serenity to my conscience.

4. Let not thy praise fail in our mouths[4]: nor thy love in our hearts.

5. There is much peace to them that love thee[5], O Lady: their souls shall not see death forever[6].

Glory be to the Father etc.

1. Exurgat Maria, et dissipentur inimici ejus: conterantur omnes sub pedibus ejus.

2. Impetum inimicorum nostrorum dissipa: destrue omnem iniquitatem eorum.

3. Ad te, Domina, clamavi in tribulatione: et serenasti conscientiam meam.

4. Non deficiat laus tua in ore nostro: et amor tuus de visceribus nostris.

5. Pax multa diligentibus te, Domina: anima eorum non videbit mortem in æternum.

Gloria Patri, etc.

Footnotes

[1] Cf. Davidic Ps. LXVII, 2.

[2] 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.

[3] Cf. “Out of the depths I have cried to thee, O Lord”: Ps. CXXIX, 1.

[4] Cf. “that thy praise shall not depart out of the mouth of men”: Jud. xiii, 25.

[5] Cf. “O Lord God . . . mercy to them that love thee, and keep thy commandments”: Dan. ix, 4.

[6] Cf. “Amen, amen I say to you: If any man keep my word, he shall not see death for ever”: John viii, 51.

[7] For the symbolism in this spainting: cf. Gen. iii, 15 & 23-24; Apoc. xii. In the bottom left, a seated female figure represents the Spanish Kingdom. She sits beside a crowned lion (symbolizing the Kingdom of León) and a royal shield/crown. Near the bottom centre rests a severed head, used in Counter-Reformation art to signify the defeat of heresy. An angel in the upper right holds a parchment with the words “Mater Immaculata” (Immaculate Mother) alongside a papal tiara, perhaps a reference to Spain’s historically fierce defence and promotion of the Dogma of the Immaculate Conception.

Davidic Psalm LXVII

1 Unto the end, a psalm of a canticle for David himself.

2 Let God arise, and let his enemies be scattered: and let them that hate him flee from before his face.  3 As smoke vanisheth, so let them vanish away: as wax melteth before the fire, so let the wicked perish at the presence of God.  4 And let the just feast, and rejoice before God: and be delighted with gladness.  5 Sing ye to God, sing a psalm to his name, make a way for him who ascendeth upon the west: the Lord is his name. Rejoice ye before him: but the wicked shall be troubled at his presence,  6 Who is the father of orphans, and the judge of widows. God in his holy place:  7 God who maketh men of one manner to dwell in a house: Who bringeth out them that were bound in strength; in like manner them that provoke, that dwell in sepulchres.  8 O God, when thou didst go forth in the sight of thy people, when thou didst pass through the desert:  9 The earth was moved, and the heavens dropped at the presence of the God of Sinai, at the presence of the God of Israel.  10 Thou shalt set aside for thy inheritance a free rain, O God: and it was weakened, but thou hast made it perfect. 11 In it shall thy animals dwell; in thy sweetness, O God, thou hast provided for the poor.  12 The Lord shall give the word to them that preach good tidings with great power. 13 The king of powers is of the beloved, of the beloved; and the beauty of the house shall divide spoils. 14 If you sleep among the midst of lots, you shall be as the wings of a dove covered with silver, and the hinder parts of her back with the paleness of gold.  15 When he that is in heaven appointeth kings over her, they shall be whited with snow in Selmon.  16 The mountain of God is a fat mountain. A curdled mountain, a fat mountain.  17 Why suspect, ye curdled mountains? A mountain in which God is well pleased to dwell: for there the Lord shall dwell unto the end.  18 The chariot of God is attended by ten thousands; thousands of them that rejoice: the Lord is among them in Sina, in the holy place.  19 Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive; thou hast received gifts in men. Yea for those also that do not believe, the dwelling of the Lord God.

20 Blessed be the Lord day by day: the God of our salvation will make our journey prosperous to us.  21 Our God is the God of salvation: and of the Lord, of the Lord are the issues from death.  22 But God shall break the heads of his enemies: the hairy crown of them that walk on in their sins.  23 The Lord said: I will turn them from Basan, I will turn them into the depth of the sea:  24 That thy foot may be dipped in the blood of thy enemies; the tongue of thy dogs be red with the same.  25 They have seen thy goings, O God, the goings of my God: of my king who is in his sanctuary. 26 Princes went before joined with singers, in the midst of young damsels playing on timbrels.  27 In the churches bless ye God the Lord, from the fountains of Israel.  28 There is Benjamin a youth, in ecstasy of mind. The princes of Juda are their leaders: the princes of Zabulon, the princes of Nephthali.  29 Command thy strength, O God: confirm, O God, what thou hast wrought in us.  30 From thy temple in Jerusalem, kings shall offer presents to thee.  31 Rebuke the wild beasts of the reeds, the congregation of bulls with the kine of the people; who seek to exclude them who are tried with silver. Scatter thou the nations that delight in wars:  32 Ambassadors shall come out of Egypt: Ethiopia shall soon stretch out her hands to God.  33 Sing to God, ye kingdoms of the earth: sing ye to the Lord: Sing ye to God,  34 Who mounteth above the heaven of heavens, to the east. Behold he will give to his voice the voice of power:  35 Give ye glory to God for Israel, his magnificence, and his power is in the clouds.  36 God is wonderful in his saints: the God of Israel is he who will give power and strength to his people. Blessed be God.

Notes

A triumphal ode celebrating the victories of the God of Israel.

1: A psalm-canticle, like the two previous psalms. The essence of this canticle fits in well with two situations in David’s life : the translation of the Ark to mount Sion  (II Kings vi, 1 et seq.) or, better still, David’s departure with his troops, the Ark at the head of the column, in order to do battle against the Ammonites (cf. II Kings xi, 11 et seq.). According to the opinion of certain others, and what amounts almost to the same thing, the return of the victorious king after this battle.

The theme around which all the thoughts in the psalm are arranged focuses on the miraculous victories of the God of Israel over the pagan world. At the head of His people, the Lord of armies casts down and subdues all opposition. The poet’s tones are borrowed partly from what generally occurs when a conquering king gains victory, and partly from what actually took place in the history of the Israelites, when God was leading the Hebrews from Egypt into Chanaan.

Structure: The psalm may be divided into two parts:

1. a glorious description of the Lord’s conquests in the past, verses 2-19;

2. a magnificent perspective of things to come, Verses 20-36. 

In the first part, We see more of God’s actions and intervention ; the second part is more subjective and focuses especially on the impressions produced on Israel and on the pagans by His intervention. The psalm predicts with remarkable clarity the conversion of the gentiles to the one true God, and consequently the Catholicity of the Church. This ode, with its striking tempo, is considered by many to be one of the most beautiful poems in the Psalter and has also the distinction of being messianic. The style is abrupt, fragmentary, occasionally no-nonsense, extraordinarily dramatic and filled with energy. One of its special qualities is that we discover no less than thirteen expressions which are found nowhere else. For these reasons, and also because of the elevation of the feelings expressed, its lively tempo, the obscurity of some of the historical allusions, and the boldness of certain metaphors used, it has been extraordinarily difficult to interpret this song – and this of itself has added its fame. In the liturgy of the synagogue as in that of the Church, psalm LXVII forms part of the prayers at Pentecost.

[Ed. The Fillion commentary on this psalm extends to many pages; I have selected his summary of each of the nine strophes.]

1. verses 2-4: a magnificent opening for this triumphal ode. 

2. verses 5-7: a eulogy treating of the infinite goodness of the Lord triumphant, continuing the prelude and the general ideas therein. 

3. verses 8-11: the glorious march of the Lord and his people across the desert of Pharan. 

4. verses 12-15: the conquest of the Promised Land.

5. verses 16-19: the Lord takes possession of Sion and establishes His dwelling there.

6. verses 20-24: the special protection wish the Lord accords to His people.

7. verses 25-28: the solemn entry of the Lord into the sanctuary of Sion after the defeat of His enemies. 

8. verses 29-32: the future conversion of all peoples. David, casting his eyes beyond Israel, contemplates and describes in a prophetic manner the spreading of the Lord’s reign throughout the pagan world. 

9. verses 33-36: David invites all peoples to praise the Lord. A beautiful doxology to bring this majestic ode to a close.

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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 66

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 66

“O Star of the sea: shed thy brightness upon me.”
Our Lady, Star of the Sea in Sliema, Malta. 1891,
artist unknown. Public domain.

1. May God have mercy on us and bless us[1]: by her who brought Him forth.

2. Have mercy on us, O Lady, and pray for us: turn our sadness into joy.

3. Enlighten me, O Star of the sea[2]: shed thy brightness upon me, O resplendent Virgin[3].

4. Extinguish the burning of my heart[4]: refresh me with thy grace.

5. Let thy grace ever protect me: let thy presence give light to my end[5].

Glory be to the Father etc.

1. Deus misereatur nostri, et benedicat nobis: per illam quæ eum genuit.

2. Miserere nostri, Domina, et ora pro nobis: in lætitiam bonam converte mœstitiam nostram.

3. Illumina me, Stella maris: clarifica me, Virgo clarissima.

4. Extingue ardorem cordis mei: refrigera me gratia tua.

5. Protegat me semper gratia tua: præsentia tua illustret finem meum.

Gloria Patri, etc.

Footnotes

[1] Cf. Davidic Ps. LXVI, 2.

[2] Cf. The Ave Maris Stella hymn which some authorities trace to the 8th. Century. See too: “Whoever you may be, when you find that in the turbulence of this world you are tossed about amidst storms and tempests rather than walking upon dry land, do not turn your eyes away from the radiance of this star if you do not wish to be overwhelmed by storms. If the winds of temptations rise against you, or if you are foundering among the rocks of tribulation, look up to the Star and call on Mary. If you are tossed by the waves of pride, or ambition, or slander, or envy, look to the star and call on Mary.” From Praises of the Virgin Mother (Homily II, §17.) by St Bernard of Clairvaux (1090-1153).

[3] Cf. “For she is the brightness of eternal light, and the unspotted mirror of God’s majesty, and the image of his goodness . . . For she is more beautiful than the sun, and above all the order of the stars: being compared with the light, she is found before it.” Wisdom vii, 26 & 29. 

[4] Cf. “In all things taking the shield of faith, wherewith you may be able to extinguish all the fiery darts of the most wicked one.” Eph. Vi, 16.

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

Davidic Psalm LXVI

1 Unto the end, in, hymns, a psalm of a canticle for David.

2 May God have mercy on us, and bless us: may he cause the light of his countenance to shine upon us, and may he have mercy on us.  3 That we may know thy way upon earth: thy salvation in all nations.

4 Let people confess to thee, O God: let all people give praise to thee.  5 Let the nations be glad and rejoice: for thou judgest the people with justice, and directest the nations upon earth.

6 Let the people, O God, confess to thee: let all the people give praise to thee:  7 The earth hath yielded her fruit. May God, our God bless us, 8 May God bless us: and all the ends of the earth fear him.

Notes

May God protect Israel and may he be adored by the Gentiles.

1: in hymns. Hebr.: bin‘ginôt, to the accompaniment of stringed instruments.

It is a psalm-canticle, a short poem composed by David which contains spirited lyrical effusions. The dominant thought in this canticle is a burning desire for the conversion of the world as a result of particular manifestations of God’s bounty towards Israel ; when the face of God shines fully upon His people, then all the nations will be attracted and won over; and the reign of justice will be restored. Psalm LXVI is therefore messianic since it predicts albeit indirectly the conversion of all peoples to the one true God and the catholicity of the Church of Christ.

Structure: The Psalm may be divided into three parts or strophes : verses 2-3, 4-5, and 6-8 ; of these, the second and third begin with an identical refrain (verses 4-6).

First part: A prayer to obtain increasingly abundant blessings from God for Israel. Verses 2-3.

2-3: This opening is linked in a most evident manner to the ancient formula of priestly blessing that God himself revealed to Moses: “And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: Say to Aaron and his sons: Thus shall you bless the children of Israel, and you shall say to them: The Lord bless thee, and keep thee. The Lord shew his face to thee, and have mercy on thee. The Lord turn his countenance to thee, and give thee peace. And they shall invoke my name upon the children of Israel, and I will bless them.” Num. vi, 22-27.

Second part: the psalmist prays ardently for the conversion of all peoples to the one true God. Verses 4-5.

4: “all people”: all peoples, irrespective of race, form with Israel but one and the same theocratic nation.

5: “thou judgest the people with justice”:  the peoples come especially in the Orient, frequently suffered from the injustice of their rulers; but there will be nothing similar to that in the kingdom of God and of Christ, Where the most perfect equity will be the only rule The justice of the Messianic Kingdom is frequently celebrated in the Old Testament. Cf. Ps. LXXI, 12-13; Is. xi, 3-4, etc.

Third part: a recapitulation. Verses 6-8.

7: “The earth hath yielded her fruit”: according to modern commentators, this is an allusion to a fruitful harvest. But the entire tenor of the psalm leads us to see something more elevated in this expression. By way of corresponding to the blessings which God is to shower upon the earth, meaning the great human family, abundant fruits of sanctity will be produced. An even higher interpretation in a purely spiritual sense and which has appeared relatively recently is that: The earth has yielded her fruit; Mary has given birth to Jesus. (Pierre Lombard). Cf. “In that day the bud of the Lord shall be in magnificence and glory, and the fruit of the earth shall be high”: Is. iv, 2.

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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 65

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 65

“Blessed be thy heart, O Lady: with which thou hast
ardently and sincerely loved the Son of God.”
Our Lady of the Rosary (Murillo, 1650). Goya Museum,
Castres. Public domain. Didier Descouens CC BY-SA 4.0.

1. Shout with joy to Our Lady, all the earth: sing ye a psalm to her name: give honour to her majesty[1].

2. Blessed be thy heart, O Lady: with which thou hast ardently and sincerely loved the Son of God[2].

3. Look upon my poverty[3], O glorious Virgin: delay not to remove my misery and my difficulties.

4. Take away my tribulations[4]: sweeten my weariness[5].

5. Let all flesh bless thee: let every tongue glorify thee[6]

Glory be to the Father etc.

1. Jubilate Dominæ nostræ, omnis terra: psallite hymnum nomini ejus, date honorificentiam majestati ejus.

2. Benedictum sit cor tuum, Domina: cum quo ardenter et sinceriter Filium Dei dilexisti.

3. Respice paupertatem meam, gloriosa Virgo: miseriam et angustiam meam ne tardes removere.

4. Aufer tribulationem meam: dulcifica languorem meum.

5. Benedicat te omnis caro: glorificet te omnis lingua.

Gloria Patri, etc.

Footnotes

[1] Cf. “Shout with joy to God, all the earth, Sing ye a psalm to his name; give glory to his praise.”: Davidic Ps. 1-2.

[2] Cf. “My soul doth magnify the Lord. And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.” Luke i, 46.

[3] Cf. “Eia, ergo, advocata nostra, illos tuos misericordes oculos ad nos converte. / Turn then, most gracious Advocate, thine eyes of mercy toward us.” From the Salve Regina, attributed to herman Contractus (1013-1054).

[4] Cf. “The troubles [tribulationes] of my heart are multiplied: deliver me from my necessities”: Ps. XXIV, 17.    “thou hast laid afflictions [tribulationes] on our back:” from Davidic Ps. LXV, 11.

[5] Cf. “Dulcis Parens clementiae / Sweet Mother of clemency”, from the Memento rerum Conditor, a traditional hymn for the Little Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary for the Little Hours (Terce, Sext, and None) and for Compline. 

[6] Cf. “Behold from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. Because he that is mighty, hath done great things to me”: ibid. 48-9.

Davidic Psalm LXV

1 Unto the end, a canticle of a psalm of the resurrection.

Shout with joy to God, all the earth,  2 Sing ye a psalm to his name; give glory to his praise.  3 Say unto God, How terrible are thy works, O Lord! in the multitude of thy strength thy enemies shall lie to thee.  4 Let all the earth adore thee, and sing to thee: let it sing a psalm to thy name. 

5 Come and see the works of God; who is terrible in his counsels over the sons of men.  6 Who turneth the sea into dry land, in the river they shall pass on foot: there shall we rejoice in him.  7 Who by his power ruleth for ever: his eyes behold the nations; let not them that provoke him be exalted in themselves.  8 O bless our God, ye Gentiles: and make the voice of his praise to be heard.  9 Who hath set my soul to live: and hath not suffered my feet to be moved:  10 For thou, O God, hast proved us: thou hast tried us by fire, as silver is tried.  11 Thou hast brought us into a net, thou hast laid afflictions on our back:  12 Thou hast set men over our heads. We have passed through fire and water, and thou hast brought us out into a refreshment.

13 I will go into thy house with burnt offerings: I will pay thee my vows,  14 Which my lips have uttered, And my mouth hath spoken, when I was in trouble.  15 I will offer up to thee holocausts full of marrow, with burnt offerings of rams: I will offer to thee bullocks with goats. 16 Come and hear, all ye that fear God, and I will tell you what great things he hath done for my soul.  17 I cried to him with my mouth: and I extolled him with my tongue.  18 If I have looked at iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me.  19 Therefore hath God heard me, and hath attended to the voice of my supplication.  20 Blessed be God, who hath not turned away my prayer, nor his mercy from me.

Notes

A canticle of thanksgiving to celebrate  deliverance resulting from God’s goodness.

Title: the customary dedication to the choirmaster : “unto the end.” This is a true lyric chant but the author is not indicated. The word resurrectionis (“of the resurrection”) was added by the Septuagint and the Vulgate, perhaps because of the first half of verse 9: “who hath set my soul to live,” in which there may be seen an allusion to the resurrection of the just. In the Greek Church this canticle is still called the “Psalm of the Resurrection.”

This is a hymn of thanksgiving composed on the occasion of a noteworthy deliverance granted by the Lord to the Israelites; for want of sufficient information, however, it is impossible to determine even approximately what this deliverance was. It is clear that it does not concern the end of the Babylonian captivity since none of the details have reference to this.

Structure: The psalm is divided into two parts :

‣ in the first, verses 1-12, the psalmist gives thanks to God in the name of the whole people;

‣ in the second, verses 13 -20, he speaks in his own name even though he seems to do this as a representative of his people.

First part: verses 1-12.

6: “Who turneth the sea into dry land, in the river they shall pass on foot”: the great miracle when the Red Sea opened to allow the Hebrews to cross ; and the similar miracle allowing them to cross through the waters of the River Jordan.

Second part: verses 13-20. Personal prayers of thanksgiving offered by the poet.  

15: “full of marrow” (Lat. medullata): the Hebrew substantive refers to fertile, plump lambs.

16-20: The psalmist recounts how his prayers have been heard in the midst of his distress.

20: Cf. The words of St Augustine who wrote: “Cum videris non a te amotam deprecationem tuam, securus esto, quia non est a te amota misericordia eius / When thou seest that thy prayer hath not been turned away from thee, rest assured, for His mercy hath not been turned away from thee.” (Enarrat. In Psalm., h. 1.)

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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 64

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 64

“He hath set a resplendent crown upon thy head.”
The Mother of fair love[6] (18th. c., anon).
 Museo de San Francisco, Ecuador. Public domain.

1. A hymn becometh thee, O Lady, in Sion: praise and jubilation in Jerusalem.[1]

2. The Lord hath given thee the blessing of all nations[2]: praise and glory in the sight of all peoples.

3. The Lord hath blessed thee in His mercy: and hath set thy throne above all the orders of angels.[3]

4. He hath placed grace and beauty in thy lips: and with a mantle of glory he hath clothed thy body.[4]

5. He hath set a resplendent crown upon thy head[5]: and hath adorned thee with the jewels of virtues.

Glory be to the Father etc.

1. Te decet hymnus, Domina nostra, in Sion: laus et jubilatio in Hierusalem.

2. Benedictionem omnium gentium dedit tibi Dominus: laudem et gloriam ante conspectum populorum.

3. Benedixit te Dominus in misericordia sua: et thronum tuum constituit super ordines angelorum.

4. Gratiam et decorem posuit in labiis tuis: et pallio gloriæ induit corpus tuum.

5. Coronam radiantem posuit in capite tuo: et virtutum monilibus te decenter ornavit.

Gloria Patri, etc.

Footnotes

[1] Cf. “A Hymn, O God, becometh thee in Sion: and a vow shall be paid to thee in Jerusalem.” Davidic Ps. LXIV.

[2] Cf. “Behold from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.” Luke i, 48.

[3] Cf. God’s words to the serpent: “She shall crush thy head” (Gen. iii, 15), correcting the proud and inverted presumption of the latter when he dared to say “I will exalt my throne above the stars of God” (Is, xiv, 13).

[4] Cf. “The queen stood on thy right hand, in gilded clothing; surrounded with variety”: Ps. XLIV, 10.

[5] Cf. “And a great sign appeared in heaven: A woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars”: Apocalypse (Revelation) xii, 1; “Never has that hope wavered which they placed in the Mother of the Divine King, Jesus Christ; nor has that faith ever failed by which we are taught that Mary, the Virgin Mother of God, reigns with a mother's solicitude over the entire world, just as she is crowned in heavenly blessedness with the glory of a Queen.” Pope Pius XII in his Encyclical proclaiming the queenship of Mary, Ad Caeli Reginam (1954).

[6] Cf. “I am the mother of fair love, and of fear, and of knowledge, and of holy hope. In me is all grace of the way and of the truth, in me is all hope of life and of virtue. Come over to me, all ye that desire me, and be filled with my fruits. For my spirit is sweet above honey, and my inheritance above honey and the honeycomb. My memory is unto everlasting generations.They that eat me, shall yet hunger: and they that drink me, shall yet thirst. 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, 24.

Davidic Psalm LXIV

1 To the end, a psalm of David. The canticle of Jeremias and Ezechiel to the people of the captivity, when they began to go out.

2 A Hymn, O God, becometh thee in Sion: and a vow shall be paid to thee in Jerusalem.  3 O hear my prayer: all flesh shall come to thee.  4 The words of the wicked have prevailed over us: and thou wilt pardon our transgressions.  5 Blessed is he whom thou hast chosen and taken to thee: he shall dwell in thy courts. We shall be filled with the good things of thy house; holy is thy temple,  6 Wonderful in justice. Hear us, O God our saviour, who art the hope of all the ends of the earth, and in the sea afar off.

7 Thou who preparest the mountains by thy strength, being girded with power:  8 Who troublest the depth of the sea, the noise of its waves. The Gentiles shall be troubled,  9 And they that dwell in the uttermost borders shall be afraid at thy signs: thou shalt make the outgoings of the morning and of the evening to be joyful.

10 Thou hast visited the earth, and hast plentifully watered it; thou hast many ways enriched it. The river of God is filled with water, thou hast prepared their food: for so is its preparation.  11 Fill up plentifully the streams thereof, multiply its fruits; it shall spring up and rejoice in its showers.  12 Thou shalt bless the crown of the year of thy goodness: and thy fields shall be filled with plenty.  13 The beautiful places of the wilderness shall grow fat: and the hills shall be girded about with joy, 14 The rams of the flock are clothed, and the vales shall abound with corn: they shall shout, yea they shall sing a hymn.

Notes

Thanksgiving to God for the benefits he has bestowed and especially to thank him for an extraordinary harvest.

Title, verse 1: This is a true canticle by David which is in fact remarkable for its lyrical verve, its vivid colours , its bold  changes of direction, its concision, its depth,  its elegance and its delicacy, as well as containing a variety of sentiments. The last verses partake of idyllic sweetness.

The king is speaking in the name of the entire people whom he pictures reunited in front of the Tabernacle on Mount Sion. The words “of Jeremias and Ezekiel . . .  when they began to go out” were added by the Vulgate and in certain Septuagint manuscripts. They are most probably apocryphal. According to those interpreters who believe in their authenticity, they indicate that the prophets Jeremias and Ezekiel invited their fellow citizens to sing this song at the end of the captivity, when the Israelites exiled in Egypt or deported into Chaldea were starting to leave the foreign country in order to return to Palestine.

This is a hymn of thanksgiving to celebrate in a general way the benefits received from the Lord by His chosen people and, most particularly, to thank God for an extraordinarily abundant harvest.

Structure: God is praised 

1. for his mercy and his goodness: verses 2-6; 

2. for his infinite power : verses 6-9; and 

3. his recently demonstrated generosity shown in a rich harvest: verses 10-14. 

First part: verses 2-6.

2: according according to the most common translation of the Hebrew, this means: For Thee praise is silent, Oh God, in Sion. This makes the point once more that the most worthy praise for God consists in the silent meditation of His infinite attributes, this being more expressive than words. Cf. Hab. ii, 20; Zach. Ii, 13.

4: a humble confession and an appeal to God’s mercy. The supplicants declare that they allowed themselves to be seduced by the lying words of the wicked. The Hebrew says more simply: iniquities overwhelmed me. They feel as though crushed beneath the weight of their sins.

Second part: verses 6-9. a eulogy celebrating the divine omnipotence which has preserved Israel despite the repeated attacks by pagan nations.  

9: These miracles do not produce only fear but, adds the poet, they also have a gracious side which gives rise to joy.

“of the morning and of the evening”: according to the Hebrew: the places where dawn rises and the sun sets.

Third part: a eulogy celebrating the generosity of the Lord towards his people, as evidenced by a magnificent harvest. Verses 10-14.

10-11: How God irrigated the earth through abundant rainfall.

12-14: A description of the miraculous harvest.

“the crown of the year”: as shown by the details which follow, all the agricultural products of the country.

“The rams of the flock are clothed”: they are clothed with wool or with plumpness. The Hebrew expresses a much more poetic thought: The pastures are clothed with sheep. The prairies being very rich in glass during this year of blessing, all the flocks are taken out to pasture, so that the fields are clothed in white.  

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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.