Thursday Prime

Eucharistic Hour

Our blessed Lord in the Eucharist is my Good Shepherd, my Host, my King.  This Prime is a model of unified construction.  It is a Eucharistic Hour with the specially chosen Psalm 22.  Psalm 71 can also be understood in a Eucharistic sense.  This is the sequence of thought: Christ in the Eucharist:

1. The Lord is my Shepherd―we are his sheep (Ps. 22 a);

2. The Lord is my Host―we are his guests (Ps. 22 b);

3. The Lord is my King―we are his subjects (Ps. 71).

Psalm 22.  Dominus regit me

Host and Good Shepherd

This Psalm, one of the loveliest in the Psalter, expresses our undying trust in God under the image of the Good Shepherd and the hospitable Host.  David sang this lyric in remembrance of his life as a shepherd.

The Lord is my Shepherd

Dóminus regit me, et nihil mihi déerit: *  in loco páscuæ ibi me collocávit.
2  Super aquam refectiónis educávit me: * ánimam meam convértit.
3  Dedúxit me super sémitas justítiæ: * propter nomen suum.
4  Nam, et si ambulávero in médio umbræ mortis, non timébo mala: * quóniam tu mecum es.
5  Virga tua, et báculus tuus: * ipsa me consoláta sunt.

The Lord is my shepherd, and I shall want nothing : * he hath set me in a green pasture.
2  He hath led me forth beside the waters of comfort : * he hath converted my soul.
3  He hath brought me forth in the paths of righteousness * for his Name's sake.
4  Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; * for thou art with me.
5  Thy rod and thy staff, * they have comforted me.

The Lord is my Host

6  Parásti in conspéctu meo mensam, * advérsus eos, qui tríbulant me.
7  Impinguásti in óleo caput meum: * et calix meus inébrians quam præclárus est!
8  Et misericórdia tua subsequétur me * ómnibus diébus vitæ meæ. 
9  Et ut inhábitem in domo Dómini, * in longitúdinem diérum.

6  Thou hast prepared a table before me * in the presence of them that trouble me.
7  Thou hast anointed my head with oil : * and my cup which inebriateth me, how goodly it is.
8  And thy mercy shall follow me * all the days of my life.
9  And I will dwell in the house of the Lord * unto length of days.

Psalm 71

Christ's kingdom of peace

Psalm 71. i.  Deus, judicium tuum

Cry of longing for the Messiah

Deus, judícium tuum regi da: * et justítiam tuam fílio regis.
2  Judicáre pópulum tuum in justítia, * et páuperes tuos in judício.
3  Suscípiant montes pacem pópulo: * et colles justítiam.

Give to the King thy judgment, O God, * and thy justice unto the King's son.
2  To judge thy people with justice, * and thy poor with judgment.
3  The mountains also shall receive peace for the people, * and the little hills righteousness.

Justice and peace

4  Judicábit páuperes pópuli, et salvos fáciet fílios páuperum: * et humiliábit calumniatórem.
5  Et permanébit cum sole, et ante lunam, * in generatióne et generatiónem.
6  Descendet sicut plúvia in vellus: * et sicut stillicídia stillántia super terram.
7  Oriétur in diébus ejus justítia, et abundántia pacis: * donec auferátur luna.
8  Et dominábitur a mari usque ad mare: * et a flúmine usque ad términos orbis terrárum.

4  He shall judge the poor of the people, and he shall save the children of the poor, * and he shall humble the oppressor.
5  And he shall endure with the sun and before the moon, * throughout all generations.
6  He shall come down like the rain into a fleece of wool, * even as the drops that fall gently upon the earth.
7  In his time shall justice flourish, yea, and abundance of peace, * so long as the moon endureth.
8  And his dominion shall be from sea to sea, * and from the river unto the ends of the earth.

Psalm 71. ii.  Coram illo

No end to his kingdom

9  Coram illo prócident Æthíopes: * et inimíci ejus terram lingent.
10  Reges Tharsis, et ínsulæ múnera ófferent: * reges Arabum et Saba dona addúcent.
11  Et adorábunt eum omnes reges terræ: * omnes Gentes sérvient ei:

9  The Ethiopians shall kneel before him; * and his enemies shall lick the dust.
10  The kings of Tharsis and of the isles shall give presents; * the kings of Arabia and Saba shall bring gifts.
11  And all the kings of the earth shall worship him; * all nations shall do him service.

Father of the poor

12  Quia liberábit páuperem a poténte: * et páuperem, cui non erat adjútor.
13  Parcet páuperi et ínopi: * et ánimas páuperum salvas fáciet.
14  Ex usúris et iniquitáte rédimet ánimas eórum: * et honorábile nomen eórum coram illo.

12  For he shall deliver the poor from the mighty; * even the poor that hath no helper.
13  He shall spare the poor and needy, * and he shall save the souls of the poor.
14  He shall redeem their souls from usuries and wickedness; * and dear shall their names be in his sight.

Earth's greatest blessing: the Messiah

15  Et vivet, et dábitur ei de auro Arábiæ, et adorábunt de ipso semper: * tota die benedícent ei.
16  Et erit firmaméntum in terra in summis móntium, superextollétur super Líbanum fructus ejus: * et florébunt de civitáte sicut fœnum terræ.
17  Sit nomen ejus benedíctum in sæcula: * ante solem pérmanet nomen ejus.
18  Et benedicéntur in ipso omnes tribus terræ: * omnes Gentes magnificábunt eum.

15  He shall live, and unto him shall be given of the gold of Arabia, and they shall ever worship him : * all the day long shall they bless him.
16  There shall be a firmament in the earth, high upon the hills, and above Lebanon shall the fruit thereof be exalted : * they shall be green in the city like grass upon the earth.
17  Blessed be his Name for evermore; * his Name endureth before the sun.
18  And in him shall all the tribes of the earth be blessed : * all nations shall magnify him.

Finale (end of Book 2 of Psalms)

19  Benedíctus Dóminus, Deus Israël, * qui facit mirabília solus.
20  (Fit reverentia) Et benedíctum nomen majestátis ejus in ætérnum: * et replébitur majestate ejus omnis terra: fiat, fiat.

19  Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, * which only doeth wondrous things;
20  (All bow during the first half of this verse) And blessed be the Name of his Majesty for ever: * and all the earth shall be filled with his Majesty. Amen, Amen.