Tuesday Vespers

Pastoral prayer of the Church

"They that sow in tears shall reap in joy."  Underlying the five Psalms, varied in imagery and diverse in style, we may find this unifying theme: holy Church, persecuted by the world, poor and banned on earth, by trust in God advances victoriously toward her happy home.  Sowing in tears, she reaps in joy.

Look to our heavenly helper

This Psalm, so overflowing with the spirit of confidence, originated during the Jewish exile and has become a pastoral song of Mother Church for the welfare of souls.  Unceasingly she is lifting her hands heavenwards for the spiritual needs of her children.

Meditation

Ad te levávi óculos meos, * qui hábitas in cælis.
2  Ecce sicut óculi servórum, * in mánibus dominórum suórum.
3  Sicut óculi ancíllæ in mánibus dóminæ suæ: * ita óculi nostri ad Dóminum, Deum nostrum, donec misereátur nostri.

Unto thee have I lift up mine eyes, * O thou that dwellest in the heavens.
2  Behold, even as the eyes of servants * look unto the hand of their masters,
3  And as the eyes of a maiden are on the hands of her mistress, * even so our eyes wait upon the Lord our God, until he have mercy upon us.

Prayer

4  Miserére nostri, Dómine, miserére nostri: * quia multum repléti sumus despectione:
5  Quia multum repléta est ánima nostra: * oppróbrium abundántibus, et despéctio supérbis.

4  Have mercy upon us, O Lord, have mercy upon us; * for we are utterly despised.
5  Our soul is greatly filled; * we are a reproof to the wealthy, and contempt to the proud.

Psalm 123.  Nisi quia Dominus

Protector in every crisis

Without God's help, the Church would long ago have fallen prey to the powers of hell.  But with his help, she has proved herself victorious over all her enemies.  This is true both for the Church as a whole and for the individual soul in particular.

The crisis

Nisi quia Dóminus erat in nobis, dicat nunc Israël: * nisi quia Dóminus erat in nobis,
2  Cum exsúrgerent hómines in nos, * forte vivos deglutíssent nos:
3  Cum irascerétur furor eórum in nos, * fórsitan aqua absorbuísset nos.
4  Torréntem pertransívit ánima nostra: * fórsitan pertransísset ánima nostra aquam intolerábilem.

If the Lord himself had not been on our side, let Israel now say; * if the Lord himself had not been on our side,
2  When men rose up against us; * perchance they had swallowed us up alive.
3  When they were so wrathfully displeased at us, * perchance their waters had drowned us.
4  Our soul hath passed through the torrent : * perchance our soul had passed through a water insupportable.

Divine aid

5  Benedíctus Dóminus * qui non dedit nos, in captiónem déntibus eórum.
6  Anima nostra sicut passer erépta est * de láqueo venántium.
7  Láqueus contrítus est, * et nos liberáti sumus.
8  Adjutórium nostrum in nómine Dómini, * qui fecit cælum et terram.

5  Blessed be the Lord, * who hath not given us over for a prey unto their teeth.
6  Our soul is escaped even as a bird * out of the snare of the fowler.
7  The snare is broken, * and we are delivered.
8  Our help is in the Name of the Lord, * who hath made heaven and earth.

Psalm 124.  Qui confidunt

God among his people

This Psalm expresses the strong confidence with which the kingdom of God (the Church and the individual Christian) is armed even in the thick of the conflict..

God with us

Qui confídunt in Dómino, sicut mons Sion: * non commovébitur in ætérnum, qui hábitat in Jerúsalem.
2  Montes in circúitu ejus: * et Dóminus in circúitu pópuli sui, ex hoc nunc et usque in sæculum.
3  Quia non relínquet Dóminus virgam peccatórum super sortem justórum: * ut non exténdant justi ad iniquitátem manus suas.

They that put their trust in the Lord shall be even as the mount Sion, * he shall stand fast for ever, that dwelleth in Jerusalem.
2  Mountains stand round about; * even so standeth the Lord round about his people, from this time forth for evermore.
3  For the Lord shall not leave the sceptre of the ungodly to abide upon the lot of the righteous; * that the righteous may not stretch forth their hand unto wickedness.

Petition

4  Bénefac, Dómine, bonis, * et rectis corde.
5  Declinántes autem in obligatiónes addúcet Dóminus cum operántibus iniquitátem: * pax super Israël.

4  Do well, O Lord, unto those that are good * and true of heart.
5  But such as turn aside unto their crooked ways, the Lord shall lead them forth with the evil doers; * peace upon Israel.

Psalm 125.  In convertendo

Sow in tears, reap in joy

This Psalm presents two splendid pictures: 1) Christ, the Sower on earth, in tears and sweat, sowing the seed by work, prayer, and suffering; 2) the joyful harvest in heaven; with sheaves heavy in merit, Christ comes to the heavenly harvest.

Accordingly, the Psalm has two strophes: 1) thanksgiving for salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ (grace); 2) petition for final salvation in heaven (glory).  The hymn pictures both the life of a Christian as an individual and the Church as pastor of souls.

It is one of the most moving Psalms in the psalter.

Our bonds are broken

In converténdo Dóminus captivitátem Sion: * facti sumus sicut consoláti:
2  Tunc replétum est gáudio os nostrum: * et lingua nostra exsultatióne.
3  Tunc dicent inter Gentes: * Magnificávit Dóminus fácere cum eis.
4  Magnificávit Dóminus fácere nobíscum: * facti sumus lætántes.

When the Lord turned again the captivity of Sion, * then we became like men comforted.
2  Then was our mouth filled with gladness, * and our tongue with joy.
3  Then shall they say among the heathen, * The Lord hath done great things for them.
4  Yea, the Lord hath done great things for us; * whereof we rejoice.

Help us to rebuild

5  Convérte, Dómine, captivitátem nostram, * sicut torrens in austro.
6  Qui séminant in lácrimis, * in exsultatióne metent.
7  Eúntes ibant et flebant, * mitténtes sémina sua.
8  Veniéntes autem vénient cum exsultatióne, * portántes manípulos suos.

5  Turn again our captivity, O Lord, * as the rivers in the south.
6  They that sow in tears * shall reap in joy.
7  Going they went and wept, * casting their seed.
8  But coming they shall come again with joyfulness, * carrying their sheaves.

Psalm 126.  Nisi Dominus

God's blessing crowns the work

This Psalm consists of two independent songs.  The first one is a warning against too much activity and too little trust in God.  The second pictures good children as a mighty blessing.

The Christian and the priest, as he prays, is warned never to ascribe success to his own doing; without God all his labour in God's harvest is in vain.  The blessing of children also has a spiritual sense: they are the souls won over to God, and personal merits; both will be powerful champions for us on the day of judgment.

All human struggle is in vain

Nisi Dóminus ædificáverit domum, * in vanum laboravérunt qui ædíficant eam.
2  Nisi Dóminus custodíerit civitátem, * frustra vígilat qui custódit eam.
3  Vanum est vobis ante lucem súrgere: * súrgite postquam sedéritis, qui manducátis panem dolóris.

Except the Lord build the house, * they labour in vain that build it.
2  Except the Lord keep the city, * the watchman waketh but in vain.
3  It is vain for you to rise up before the light : * rise ye after ye have sitten, ye that eat the bread of sorrow.

Unless God's blessing comes to our aid

4  Cum déderit diléctis suis somnum: * ecce heréditas Dómini fílii : merces, fructus ventris.
5  Sicut sagíttæ in manu poténtis: * ita fílii excussórum.
6  Beátus vir qui implévit desidérium suum ex ipsis: * non confundétur cum loquétur inimícis suis in porta.

4  When he giveth his beloved sleep : * behold, children are the heritage of the Lord: the reward, and the fruit of the womb.
5  Like as the arrows in the hand of the mighty, * even so are the children of them that have been shaken.
6  Blessed is the man that hath filled the desire with them; * he shall not be confounded when he shall speak with his enemies in the gate.