Chapter 4

36:14. The wicked have drawn out the sword: they have bent their bow. To cast down the poor and needy, to kill the upright of heart.

36:15. Let their sword enter into their own hearts, and let their bow be broken.

36:16. Better is a little to the just, than the great riches of the wicked.

36:17. For the arms of the wicked shall be broken in pieces; but the Lord strengtheneth the just.

36:18. The Lord knoweth the days of the undefiled; and their inheritance shall be for ever.

36:19. They shall not be confounded in the evil time; and in the days of famine they shall be filled:

36:20. Because the wicked shall perish. And the enemies of the Lord, presently after they shall be honoured and exalted, shall come to nothing and vanish like smoke.

36:21. The sinner shall borrow, and not pay again; but the just sheweth mercy and shall give.

36:22. For such as bless him shall inherit the land: but such as curse him shall perish.

36:23. With the Lord shall the steps of a man be directed, and he shall like well his way.

36:24. When he shall fall he shall not be bruised, for the Lord putteth his hand under him.

36:25. I have been young and now am old; and I have not seen the just forsaken, nor his seed seeking bread.

36:26. He sheweth mercy, and lendeth all the day long; and his seed shall be in blessing.

36:27. Decline from evil and do good, and dwell for ever and ever.

36:28. For the Lord loveth judgment, and will not forsake his saints: they shall be preserved for ever. The unjust shall be punished, and the seed of the wicked shall perish.

36:29. But the just shall inherit the land, and shall dwell therein for evermore.

36:30. The mouth of the just shall meditate wisdom: and his tongue shall speak judgment.

36:31. The law of his God is in his heart, and his steps shall not be supplanted.

36:32. The wicked watcheth the just man, and seeketh to put him to death,

36:33. But the Lord will not leave him in his hands; nor condemn him when he shall be judged.

36:34. Expect the Lord and keep his way: and he will exalt thee to inherit the land: when the sinners shall perish thou shalt see.

36:35. I have seen the wicked highly exalted, and lifted up like the cedars of Libanus.

36:36. And I passed by, and lo, he was not: and I sought him and his place was not found.

36:37. Keep innocence, and behold justice: for there are remnants for the peaceable man.

36:38. But the unjust shall be destroyed together: the remnants of the wicked shall perish.

36:39. But the salvation of the just is from the Lord, and he is their protector in the time of trouble.

36:40. And the Lord will help them and deliver them: and he will rescue them from the wicked, and save them because they have hoped in him.

Psalms Chapter 37

Domine, ne in furore.

A prayer of a penitent for the remission of his sins. The third penitential psalm.

37:1. A psalm for David, for a remembrance of the sabbath.

For a remembrance. . .Viz., of our miseries and sins: and to be sung on the sabbath day.

37:2. Rebuke me not, O Lord, in thy indignation; nor chastise me in thy wrath.

37:3. For thy arrows are fastened in me: and thy hand hath been strong upon me.

37:4. There is no health in my flesh, because of thy wrath: there is no peace for my bones, because of my sins.

37:5. For my iniquities are gone over my head: and as a heavy burden are become heavy upon me.

37:6. My sores are putrified and corrupted, because of my foolishness.

37:7. I am become miserable, and am bowed down even to the end: I walked sorrowful all the day long.

37:8. For my loins are filled with illusions; and there is no health in my flesh.

37:9. I am afflicted and humbled exceedingly: I roared with the groaning of my heart.

37:10. Lord, all my desire is before thee, and my groaning is not hidden from thee.

37:11. My heart is troubled, my strength hath left me, and the light of my eyes itself is not with me.

37:12. My friends and my neighbours have drawn near, and stood against me. And they that were near me stood afar off:

37:13. And they that sought my soul used violence. And they that sought evils to me spoke vain things, and studied deceits all the day long.

37:14. But I, as a deaf man, heard not: and as a dumb man not opening his mouth.

37:15. And I became as a man that heareth not: and that hath no reproofs in his mouth.

37:16. For in thee, O Lord, have I hoped: thou wilt hear me, O Lord my God.

37:17. For I said: Lest at any time my enemies rejoice over me: and whilst my feet are moved, they speak great things against me.

37:18. For I am ready for scourges: and my sorrow is continually before me.

37:19. For I will declare my iniquity: and I will think for my sin.

37:20. But my enemies live, and are stronger than I: and they that hate me wrongfully are multiplied.

37:21. They that render evil for good, have detracted me, because I followed goodness.

37:22. For sake me not, O Lord my God: do not thou depart from me.

37:23. Attend unto my help, O Lord, the God of my salvation.

Psalms Chapter 38

Dixi custodiam.

A just man's peace and patience in his sufferings; considering the vanity of the world, and the providence of God.

38:1. Unto the end, for Idithun himself, a canticle of David.

38:2. I said: I will take heed to my ways: that I sin not with my tongue. I have set a guard to my mouth, when the sinner stood against me.

38:3. I was dumb, and was humbled, and kept silence from good things: and my sorrow was renewed.

38:4. My heart grew hot within me: and in my meditation a fire shall flame out.

38:5. I spoke with my tongue: O Lord, make me know my end. And what is the number of my days: that I may know what is wanting to me.

38:6. Behold thou hast made my days measurable. and my substance is as nothing before thee. And indeed all things are vanity: every man living.

38:7. Surely man passeth as an image: yea, and he is disquieted in vain. He storeth up: and he knoweth not for whom he shall gather these things.

38:8. And now what is my hope? is it not the Lord? and my substance is with thee.

38:9. Deliver thou me from all my iniquities: thou hast made me a reproach to the fool.

38:10. I was dumb, and I opened not my mouth, because thou hast done it.

38:11. Remove thy scourges from me. The strength of thy hand hath made me faint in rebukes:

38:12. Thou hast corrected man for iniquity. And thou hast made his soul to waste away like a spider: surely in vain is any man disquieted.

38:13. Hear my prayer, O Lord, and my supplication: give ear to my tears. Be no silent: for I am a stranger with thee, and a sojourner as all my fathers were.

38:14. O forgive me, that I may be refreshed, before I go hence, and be no more.

Psalms Chapter 39

Expectans expectavi.

Christ's coming, and redeeming mankind.

39:1. Unto the end, a psalm for David himself.

39:2. With expectation I have waited for the Lord, and he was attentive to me.

39:3. And he heard my prayers, and brought me out of the pit of misery and the mire of dregs. And he set my feet upon a rock, and directed my steps.

39:4. And he put a new canticle into my mouth, a song to our God. Many shall see, and shall fear: and they shall hope in the Lord.

39:5. Blessed is the man whose trust is in the name of the Lord; and who hath not had regard to vanities, and lying follies.

39:6. Thou hast multiplied thy wonderful works, O Lord my God: and in thy thoughts there is no one like to thee. I have declared and I have spoken they are multiplied above number.

39:7. Sacrifice and oblation thou didst not desire; but thou hast pierced ears for me. Burnt offering and sin offering thou didst not require:

39:8. Then said I, Behold I come. In the head of the book it is written of me

39:9. That I should do thy will: O my God, I have desired it, and thy law in the midst of my heart.

39:10. I have declared thy justice in a great church, lo, I will not restrain my lips: O Lord, thou knowest it.

39:11. I have not hid thy justice within my heart: I have declared thy truth and thy salvation. I have not concealed thy mercy and thy truth from a great council.

39:12. Withhold not thou, O Lord, thy tender mercies from me: thy mercy and thy truth have always upheld me.

39:13. For evils without number have surrounded me; my iniquities have overtaken me, and I was not able to see. They are multiplied above the hairs of my head: and my heart hath forsaken me.

My iniquities. . .That is, the sins of all mankind, which I have taken upon me.

39:14. Be pleased, O Lord, to deliver me. look down, O Lord, to help me.

39:15. Let them be confounded and ashamed together, that seek after my soul to take it away. Let them be turned backward and be ashamed that desire evils to me.

39:16. Let them immediately bear their confusion, that say to me: 'T is well, t' is well.

'T is well. . .The Hebrew here is an interjection of insult and derision, like the Vah. Matt. 27.49.

39:17. Let all that seek thee rejoice and be glad in thee: and let such as love thy salvation say always: The Lord be magnified.

39:18. But I am a beggar and poor: the Lord is careful for me. Thou art my helper and my protector: O my God, be not slack.

Psalms Chapter 40

Beatus qui intelligit.

The happiness of him that shall believe in Christ; notwithstanding the humility and poverty in which he shall come: the malice of his enemies, especially of the traitor Judas.

40:1. Unto the end, a psalm for David himself.

40:2. Blessed is he that understandeth concerning the needy and the poor: the Lord will deliver him in the evil day.

40:3. The Lord preserve him and give him life, and make him blessed upon the earth: and deliver him not up to the will of his enemies.

40:4. The Lord help him on his bed of sorrow: thou hast turned all his couch in his sickness.

40:5. I said: O Lord, be thou merciful to me: heal my soul, for I have sinned against thee.

40:6. My enemies have spoken evils against me: when shall he die and his name perish?

40:7. And if he came in to see me, he spoke vain things: his heart gathered together iniquity to itself. He went out and spoke to the same purpose.

40:8. All my enemies whispered together against me: they devised evils to me.

40:9. They determined against me an unjust word: shall he that sleepeth rise again no more?

40:10. For even the man of my peace, in whom I trusted, who ate my bread, hath greatly supplanted me.

40:11. But thou, O Lord, have mercy on me, and raise my up again: and I will requite them.

40:12. By this I know, that thou hast had a good will for me: because my enemy shall not rejoice over me.

40:13. But thou hast upheld me by reason of my innocence: and hast established me in thy sight for ever.

40:14. Blessed be the Lord the God of Israel from eternity to eternity. So be it. So be it.

Psalms Chapter 41

Quemadmodum desiderat.

The fervent desire of the just after God: hope in afflictions.

41:1. Unto the end, understanding for the sons of Core.

41:2. As the hart panteth after the fountains of water; so my soul panteth after thee, O God.

41:3. My soul hath thirsted after the strong living God; when shall I come and appear before the face of God?

41:4. My tears have been my bread day and night, whilst it is said to me daily: Where is thy God?

41:5. These things I remembered, and poured out my soul in me: for I shall go over into the place of the wonderful tabernacle, even to the house of God: With the voice of joy and praise; the noise of one feasting.

41:6. Why art thou sad, O my soul? and why dost thou trouble me? Hope in God, for I will still give praise to him: the salvation of my countenance,

41:7. And my God. My soul is troubled within my self: therefore will I remember thee from the land of Jordan and Hermoniim, from the little hill.

41:8. Deep calleth on deep, at the noise of thy flood-gates. All thy heights and thy billows have passed over me.

41:9. In the daytime the Lord hath commanded his mercy; and a canticle to him in the night. With me is prayer to the God of my life.

41:10. I will say to God: Thou art my support. Why hast thou forgotten me? and why go I mourning, whilst my enemy afflicteth me?

41:11. Whilst my bones are broken, my enemies who trouble me have reproached me; Whilst they say to me day by day: Where is thy God?

41:12. Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why dost thou disquiet me? Hope thou in God, for I will still give praise to him: the salvation of my countenance, and my God.

Psalms Chapter 42

Judica me, Deus.

The prophet aspireth after the temple and altar of God.

42:1. A psalm for David. Judge me, O God, and distinguish my cause from the nation that is not holy: deliver me from the unjust and deceitful man.

42:2. For thou art God my strength: why hast thou cast me off? and why do I go sorrowful whilst the enemy afflicteth me?

42:3. Sent forth thy light and thy truth: they have conducted me, and brought me unto thy holy hill, and into thy tabernacles.

42:4. And I will go in to the altar of God: to God who giveth joy to my youth.

42:5. To thee, O God my God, I will give praise upon the harp: why art thou sad, O my soul? and why dost thou disquiet me?

42:6. Hope in God, for I will still give praise to him: the salvation of my countenance, and my God.

Psalms Chapter 43

Deus auribus nostris.

The church commemorates former favours, and present afflictions; under which she prays for succour.

43:1. Unto the end, for the sons of Core, to give understanding.

43:2. We have heard, O God, with our ears: our fathers have declared to us, The work thou hast wrought in their days, and in the days of old.

43:3. Thy hand destroyed the Gentiles, and thou plantedst them: thou didst afflict the people and cast them out.

43:4. For they got not the possession of the land by their own sword: neither did their own arm save them. But thy right hand and thy arm, and the light of thy countenance: because thou wast pleased with them.

43:5. Thou art thyself my king and my God, who commandest the saving of Jacob.

43:6. Through thee we will push down our enemies with the horn: and through thy name we will despise them that rise up against us.

43:7. For I will not trust in my bow: neither shall my sword save me.

43:8. But thou hast saved us from them that afflict us: and hast put them to shame that hate us.

43:9. In God shall we glory all the day long: and in thy name we will give praise for ever.

43:10. But now thou hast cast us off, and put us to shame: and thou , O God, wilt not go out with our armies.

43:11. Thou hast made us turn our back to our enemies: and they that hated us plundered for themselves.

43:12. Thou hast given us up like sheep to be eaten: thou hast scattered us among the nations.

43:13. Thou hast sold thy people for no price: and there was no reckoning in the exchange of them.

43:14. Thou hast made us a reproach to our neighbours, a scoff and derision to them that are round about us.

43:15. Thou hast made us a byword among the Gentiles: a shaking of the head among the people.

43:16. All the day long my shame is before me: and the confusion of my face hath covered me,

43:17. At the voice of him that reproacheth and detracteth me: at the face of the enemy and persecutor.

43:18. All these things have come upon us, yet we have not forgotten thee: and we have not done wickedly in thy covenant.

43:19. And our heart hath not turned back: neither hast thou turned aside our steps from thy way.

43:20. For thou hast humbled us in the place of affliction: and the shadow of death hath covered us.

43:21. If we have forgotten the name of our God, and if we have spread forth our hands to a strange god:

43:22. Shall not God search out these things: for he knoweth the secrets of the heart. Because for thy sake we are killed all the day long: we are counted as sheep for the slaughter.

43:23. Arise, why sleepest thou, O Lord? arise, and cast us not off to the end.

43:24. Why turnest thou thy face away? and forgettest our want and our trouble?

43:25. For our soul is humbled down to the dust: our belly cleaveth to the earth.

43:26. Arise, O Lord, help us and redeem us for thy name's sake.

Psalms Chapter 44

Eructavit cor meum.

The excellence of Christ's kingdom, and the endowments of his church.

44:1. Unto the end, for them that shall be changed, for the sons of Core, for understanding. A canticle for the Beloved.

For them that shall be changed. . .i.e., for souls happily changed, by being converted to God.--Ibid. The Beloved. . .Viz., Our Lord Jesus Christ.

44:2. My heart hath uttered a good word: I speak my works to the king: My tongue is the pen of a scrivener that writeth swiftly.

44:3. Thou art beautiful above the sons of men: grace is poured abroad in thy lips; therefore hath God blessed thee for ever.

44:4. Gird thy sword upon thy thigh, O thou most mighty.

44:5. With thy comeliness and thy beauty set out, proceed prosperously, and reign. Because of truth and meekness and justice: and thy right hand shall conduct thee wonderfully.

44:6. Thy arrows are sharp: under thee shall people fall, into the hearts of the king's enemies.

44:7. Thy throne, O God, is forever and ever: the sceptre of thy kingdom is a sceptre of uprightness.

44:8. Thou hast loved justice, and hated iniquity: therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.

44:9. Myrrh and stacte and cassia perfume thy garments, from the ivory houses: out of which

44:10. The daughters of kings have delighted thee in thy glory. The queen stood on thy right hand, in gilded clothing; surrounded with variety.

44:11. Hearken, O daughter, and see, and incline thy ear: and forget thy people and thy father's house.

44:12. And the king shall greatly desire thy beauty; for he is the Lord thy God, and him they shall adore.

44:13. And the daughters of Tyre with gifts, yea, all the rich among the people, shall entreat thy countenance.

44:14. All the glory of the king's daughter is within in golden borders,

44:15. Clothed round about with varieties. After her shall virgins be brought to the king: her neighbours shall be brought to thee.

44:16. They shall be brought with gladness and rejoicing: they shall be brought into the temple of the king.

44:17. Instead of thy fathers, sons are born to thee: thou shalt make them princes over all the earth.

44:18. They shall remember thy name throughout all generations. Therefore shall people praise thee for ever; yea, for ever and ever.

Psalms Chapter 45

Deus noster refugium.

The church in persecution trusteth in the protection of God.

45:1. Unto the end, for the sons of Core, for the hidden.

45:2. Our God is our refuge and strength: a helper in troubles, which have found us exceedingly.

45:3. Therefore we will not fear, when the earth shall be troubled; and the mountains shall be removed into the heart of the sea.

45:4. Their waters roared and were troubled: the mountains were troubled with his strength.

45:5. The stream of the river maketh the city of God joyful: the most High hath sanctified his own tabernacle.

45:6. God is in the midst thereof, it shall not be moved: God will help it in the morning early.

45:7. Nations were troubled, and kingdoms were bowed down: he uttered his voice, the earth trembled.

45:8. The Lord of armies is with us: the God of Jacob is our protector.

45:9. Come and behold ye the works of the Lord: what wonders he hath done upon earth,

45:10. Making wars to cease even to the end of the earth. He shall destroy the bow, and break the weapons: and the shield he shall burn in the fire.

45:11. Be still and see that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, and I will be exalted in the earth.

45:12. The Lord of armies is with us: the God of Jacob is our protector.

Psalms Chapter 46

Omnes gentes, plaudite.

The Gentiles are invited to praise God for the establishment of the kingdom of Christ.

46:1. Unto the end, for the sons of Core.

46:2. O clap your hands, all ye nations: shout unto God with the voice of joy,

46:3. For the Lord is high, terrible: a great king over all the earth.

46:4. He hath subdued the people under us; and the nations under our feet.

46:5. He hath chosen for us his inheritance, the beauty of Jacob which he hath love.

46:6. God is ascended with jubilee, and the Lord with the sound of trumpet.

46:7. Sing praises to our God, sing ye: sing praises to our king, sing ye.

46:8. For God is the king of all the earth: sing ye wisely.

46:9. God shall reign over the nations: God sitteth on his holy throne.

46:10. The princes of the people are gathered together, with the God of Abraham: for the strong gods of the earth are exceedingly exalted.

Psalms Chapter 47

Magnus Dominus.

God is greatly to be praised for the establishment of his church.

47:1. A psalm of a canticle, for the sons of Core, on the second day of the week.

47:2. Great is the Lord, and exceedingly to be praised in the city of our God, in his holy mountain.

47:3. With the joy of the whole earth is mount Sion founded, on the sides of the north, the city of the great king.

47:4. In her houses shall God be known, when he shall protect her.

47:5. For behold the kings of the earth assembled themselves: they gathered together.

47:6. So they saw, and they wondered, they were troubled, they were moved:

47:7. Trembling took hold of them. There were pains as of a woman in labour.

47:8. With a vehement wind thou shalt break in pieces the ships of Tharsis.

47:9. As we have heard, so have we seen, in the city of the Lord of hosts, in the city of our God: God hath founded it for ever.

47:10. We have received thy mercy, O God, in the midst of thy temple.

47:11. According to thy name, O God, so also is thy praise unto the ends of the earth: thy right hand is full of justice.

47:12. Let mount Sion rejoice, and the daughters of Juda be glad; because of thy judgments, O Lord.

47:13. Surround Sion, and encompass her: tell lye in her towers.

47:14. Set your hearts on her strength; and distribute her houses, that ye may relate it in another generation.

47:15. For this is God, our God unto eternity, and for ever and ever: he shall rule us for evermore.

Psalms Chapter 48

Audite haec, omnes gentes.

The folly of worldlings, who live on in sin, without thinking of death or hell.

48:1. Unto the end, a psalm for the sons of Core.

48:2. Hear these things, all ye nations: give ear, all ye inhabitants of the world.

48:3. All you that are earthborn, and you sons of men: both rich and poor together.

48:4. My mouth shall speak wisdom: and the meditation of my heart understanding.

48:5. I will incline my ear to a parable; I will open my proposition on the psaltery.

48:6. Why shall I fear in the evil day? the iniquity of my heel shall encompass me.

The iniquity of my heel. . .That is, the iniquity of my steps or ways: or the iniquity of my pride, with which as with the heel, I have spurned and kicked at my neighbours: or the iniquity of my heel, that is, the iniquity in which I shall be found in death. The meaning of this verse is, Why should I now indulge those passions and sinful affections, or commit now those sins, which will cause me so much fear and anguish in the evil day; when the sorrows of death shall compass me, and the perils of hell shall find me?

48:7. They that trust in their own strength, and glory in the multitude of their riches,

They that trust, etc. . .As much as to say, let them fear that trust in their strength or riches: for they have great reason to fear: seeing no brother or other man, how much a friend soever, can by any price or labour rescue them from death.

48:8. No brother can redeem, nor shall man redeem: he shall not give to God his ransom,