Wednesday None

Prayer for life's most difficult hours

None on Wednesday is one of the most sombre Hours of the whole Breviary.  Its principal theme is the kingdom of God, in the Church and in the individual soul, hard pressed by the devil (Ps. 58).  But even after setbacks, do not lose courage!  (Ps. 59).  Our trust in God has not disappeared.

Psalm 58

Bloodthirsty enemies

The two divísions of this Psalm correspond very well to the two sentiments between which the soul wavers in this Hour: the press of enemies and trust in God.  The temptations of the devil are forcefully presented.

Psalm 58. i.  Eripe me de inimicis

Petition and protestation of innocence

Eripe me de inimícis meis, Deus meus: * et ab insurgéntibus in me líbera me.
2  Eripe me de operántibus iniquitátem: * et de viris sánguinum salva me.
3  Quia ecce cepérunt ánimam meam: * irruérunt in me fortes.
4  Neque iníquitas mea, neque peccátum meum, Dómine: * sine iniquitáte cucúrri, et diréxi.
5  Exsúrge in occúrsum meum, et vide: * et tu, Dómine, Deus virtútum, Deus Israël.
6  Inténde ad visitándas omnes Gentes: * non misereáris ómnibus, qui operántur iniquitátem.

Deliver me from mine enemies, O God; * defend me from them that rise up against me.
2  O deliver me from the wicked doers, * and save me from the blood-thirsty men.
3  For lo, they have captured my soul; * the mighty men are gathered against me.
Neither is it any offence or fault of me, O Lord : * I have run without sin, and have directed my steps.
5  Rise up thou to meet me, and behold : even thou, O Lord, the God of hosts, thou God of Israel.
6  Reach out to visit all the heathen, * and be not merciful unto them that work iniquity.

Enemy activity and the psalmist's recourse

7  Converténtur ad vésperam : et famem patiéntur ut canes: * et circuíbunt civitátem.
8  Ecce loquéntur in ore suo, et gládius in lábiis eórum: * quóniam quis audívit?
9  Et tu, Dómine, deridébis eos: * ad níhilum dedúces omnes Gentes.
10  Fortitúdinem meam ad te custódiam, quia, Deus, suscéptor meus es: * Deus meus, misericórdia ejus prævéniet me.

7  They shall return in the evening, * and suffer hunger like a dog, and go round about the city.
8  Behold, they shall speak with their mouth, and a sword is in their lips; * for who hath heard them?
9  But thou, O Lord, shalt laugh them to scorn, * and thou shalt bring all the heathen to naught.
10  My strength will I ascribe unto thee, for thou art the God of my refuge : * my God, his mercy shall go before me.

Psalm 58. ii.  Deus ostendit mihi

Punishment of enemies

11  Deus osténdet mihi super inimícos meos, ne occidas eos: * nequándo obliviscántur pópuli mei.
12  Dispérge illos in virtúte tua: * et depóne eos, protéctor meus, Dómine :
13  Delíctum oris eórum, sermónem labiórum ipsórum: * et comprehendántur in supérbia sua.
14  Et de exsecratióne et mendácio annuntiabúntur in consummatióne: * in ira consummatiónis, et non erunt.
15  Et scient quia Deus dominábitur Jacob: * et fínium terræ.
16  Converténtur ad vésperam : et famem patiéntur ut canes, * et circuíbunt civitátem.
17  Ipsi dispergéntur ad manducándum: * si vero non fúerint saturáti, et murmurábunt.

11  God shall let me see my desire upon mine enemies: slay them not : * lest ever my people forget it.
12  But scatter them abroad in thy power, * and put them down, O Lord our defence.
13  For the sin of their mouth, and for the words of their lips, * they shall be taken in their pride.
14  And for their cursing and lies they shall be talked of when they are consumed : * yea when they are consumed in thy wrath, and shall be no more.
15  And they shall know that it is God that ruleth in Jacob, and unto the ends of the world.
16  And in the evening they shall return, * and suffer hunger like a dog, and go round about the city.
17  They shall be scattered abroad to eat, * and shall grudge if they be not satisfied.

Finale

18  Ego autem cantábo fortitúdinem tuam: * et exsultábo mane misericórdiam tuam.
19  Quia factus es suscéptor meus, * et refúgium meum, in die tribulatiónis meæ.
20  Adjútor meus, tibi psallam, quia, Deus, suscéptor meus es: * Deus meus, misericórdia mea.

18  As for me, I will sing of thy power, * and will praise thy mercy betimes in the morning.
19  For thou hast been mine house of defence, * even my refuge in the day of my trouble.
20  Unto thee, O my strength, will I sing, for thou, O God, art my refuge : * my God and my mercy.

Psalm 59.  Deus, repulisti nos

Even in defeat

Even after a setback on the battlefields of the soul, this Psalm helps us find our trust in God again.

Defeat

Deus, repulísti nos, et destruxísti nos: * irátus es, et misértus es nobis.
2  Commovísti terram, et conturbásti eam: * sana contritiónes ejus, quia commóta est.
3  Ostendísti pópulo tuo dura: * potásti nos vino compunctiónis.
4  Dedísti metuéntibus te significatiónem: * ut fúgiant a fácie arcus :
5  Ut liberéntur dilécti tui: * salvum fac déxtera tua, et exáudi me.

O God, thou hast cast us out, and destroyed us; * thou hast been angry, and hast had mercy upon us.
2  Thou hast moved the land, and hast troubled it: * heal thou the breaches thereof, for it hath been moved.
3  Thou hast shewed thy people heavy things; * thou hast given us to drink the wine of sorrow.
4  Thou hast given a warning for such as fear thee, * that they may flee from before the bow.
5  That thy beloved may be delivered; * help me with thy right hand, and hear me.

In spite of earlier promises

6  Deus locútus est in sancto suo: * lætábor, et partíbor Síchimam : et convállem tabernaculórum metíbor.
7  Meus est Gálaad, et meus est Manásses: * et Ephraim fortitúdo cápitis mei.
8  Juda rex meus: * Moab olla spei meæ.
9  In Idumæam exténdam calceaméntum meum: * mihi alienígenæ subditi sunt.

6  God hath spoken in his holy place : * I will rejoice, and divide Shechem, and mete out the vale of tabernacles.
7  Gilead is mine, and Manasseh is mine; * Ephraim also is the strength of my head.
8  Judah is my king: * Moab is the vessel of my hope.
9  Over Edom will I cast out my shoe; * strangers are made subject unto me.

Plea for their fulfillment

10  Quis dedúcet me in civitátem munítam? * quis dedúcet me usque in Idumæam?
11  Nonne tu, Deus, qui repulísti nos? * et non egrediéris, Deus in virtútibus nostris?
12  Da nobis auxílium de tribulatióne: * quia vana salus hóminis.
13  In Deo faciémus virtútem: * et ipse ad níhilum dedúcet tribulántes nos.

10  Who will lead me into the strong city? * who will bring me into Edom?
11  If not thou, O God, who hast cast us out? * and wilt not thou, O God, go out with our hosts?
12  O be thou our help from trouble; * for vain is the salvation of man.
13  Through God shall we do mightily; * and he shall bring to nothing them that afflict us.