Saturday Lauds

Resurrection or condemnation

The first three Psalms speak expressly of this great day of separation between good and evil.  They treat the theme in different ways, progressing from top to bottom: the first, from the point of view of eternity; the second, from the point of view of God's dealings with souls; the third, from the point of view of the evil world.

Sing praises, sword in hand

This Psalm portrays the final triumph of God's kingdom.  God's people will praise him (first strophe) and hurl terrible punishments upon the wicked (second strophe).  Together with the liturgy, we praise the divine King and Judge, our Lord Jesus Christ; in spirit we are standing at the judgment.

Blessedness of the predestined

Cantáte Dómino cánticum novum: * laus ejus in ecclésia sanctórum.
2  Lætétur Israël in eo, qui fecit eum: * et fílii Sion exsúltent in rege suo.
3  Laudent nomen ejus in choro: * in tympano, et psaltério psallant ei.
4  Quia beneplácitum est Dómino in pópulo suo: * et exaltábit mansuétos in salútem.
5  Exsultábunt sancti in glória: * lætabúntur in cubílibus suis.

O sing unto the Lord a new song; * let his praise be in the congregation of saints.
2  Let Israël rejoice in him that made him, * and let the children of Sion be joyful in their King.
3  Let them praise his Name in the choir : * let them sing praises unto him with tabret and harp.
4  For the Lord hath pleasure in his people, * and shall exalt the meek unto salvation.
5  The saints shall rejoice in glory; * they shall be joyful in their beds.

They will judge the wicked

6  Exaltatiónes Dei in gútture eórum: * et gládii ancípites in mánibus eórum.
7  Ad faciéndam vindíctam in natiónibus: * increpatiónes in pópulis.
8  Ad alligándos reges eórum in compédibus: * et nóbiles eórum in mánicis férreis.
9  Ut fáciant in eis judícium conscríptum: * glória hæc est ómnibus sanctis ejus.

6  The high praises of God shall be in their mouth; * and a two-edged sword in their hands;
7  To bring vengeance upon the nations, * chastisements amongst the peoples.
8  To bind their kings in chains, * and their nobles with links of iron.
9  To execute upon them the judgment that is written, * such glory is unto all his saints.

Psalm 91.  Bonus est confiteri

Praise God, the all-just Judge

This beautifully constructed Psalm is similar in thought to the preceding one: praise God who rewards the good and punishes the wicked.  It is an apt combination of the predominant thought of the day with the theme of Lauds.

Praise God's goodness and faithfulness

Bonum est confitéri Dómino: * et psállere nómini tuo, Altíssime.
2  Ad annuntiándum mane misericórdiam tuam: * et veritátem tuam per noctem.
3  In decachórdo, psaltério: * cum cántico, in cíthara.

It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord, * and to sing praises unto thy Name, O Most Highest;
2  To tell of thy loving-kindness early in the morning, * and of thy truth in the night season;
3  Upon an instrument of ten strings, and upon the lute; * with a canticle, and upon the harp.

God's wisdom

4  Quia delectásti me, Dómine, in factúra tua: * et in opéribus mánuum tuárum exsultábo.
5  Quam magnificáta sunt ópera tua, Dómine! * nimis profúndæ factæ sunt cogitatiónes tuæ.
6  Vir insípiens non cognóscet: * et stultus non intélliget hæc.

4  For thou, Lord, hast made me glad through thy works; * and I will rejoice in the operations of thy hands.
5  O Lord, how glorious are thy works! * thy thoughts are exceeding deep.
6  The unwise man doth not know, * nor will the fool understand these things.

In the life of the godless

7  Cum exorti fúerint peccatóres sicut fœnum: * et apparúerint omnes, qui operántur iniquitátem.
8  Ut intéreant in sæculum sæculi: * tu autem Altíssimus in ætérnum, Dómine.
9  Quóniam ecce inimíci tui, Dómine, quóniam ecce inimíci tui períbunt: * et dispergéntur omnes, qui operántur iniquitátem.

7  When the ungodly shall spring up as the grass, * and all the workers of wickedness shall appear.
8  That they may perish for ever and ever : * but thou, Lord, art the Most Highest for evermore.
9  For lo, thine enemies, O Lord, lo, thine enemies shall perish; * and all the workers of wickedness shall be destroyed.

In the life of the godly

10  Et exaltábitur sicut unicórnis cornu meum: * et senéctus mea in misericórdia úberi.
11  Et despéxit óculus meus inimícos meos: * et in insurgéntibus in me malignántibus áudiet auris mea.
12  Justus, ut palma florébit: * sicut cedrus Líbani multiplicábitur.

10  But my horn shall be exalted like the horn of an unicorn; * and my old age in plentiful mercy.
11  Mine eye also hath looked down upon mine enemies, * and mine ear shall hear of the downfall of the wicked that arise up against me.
12  The righteous shall flourish like a palm-tree, * and shall spread abroad like a cedar in Lebanon.

Finale

13  Plantáti in domo Dómini, *  in átriis domus Dei nostri florébunt.
14  Adhuc multiplicabúntur in senécta úberi: * et bene patiéntes erunt,  ut annúntient:
15  Quóniam rectus Dóminus, Deus noster: * et non est iníquitas in eo.

13  They that are planted in the house of the Lord, * shall flourish in the courts of the house of our God.
14  They shall still increase in a fruitful old age, * and shall be well treated, that they may declare :
15  That the Lord my God is righteous, * and there is no iniquity in him.

Harmless blows of the sinner

This Psalm portrays God's final judgment over his enemies and the utter uselessness of all their efforts to harm the just.  The song should give us courage and confidence in fighting the battles of the kingdom.  The most powerful illustration of the Psalm's theme is the contrast between Good Friday and Easter Sunday, between the designs of the high priests and the Resurrection of our Lord.

Plea for protection

Exáudi, Deus, oratiónem meam cum deprecor: * a timóre inimíci éripe ánimam meam.
2  Protexísti me a convéntu malignántium: * a multitúdine operántium iniquitátem 3  Quia exacuérunt ut gládium linguas suas: * intendérunt arcum rem amáram, ut sagíttent in occúltis immaculátum.
4  Súbito sagittábunt eum, et non timébunt: * firmavérunt sibi sermónem nequam.

Hear my prayer, O God, when I make supplication to thee : * preserve my soul from the fear of the enemy.
2  Thou hast protected me from the gathering together of the froward, * and from the multitude of wicked doers.
3  Who have whet their tongue like a sword, * and have bent their bow a bitter thing, to shoot out their arrows in secret at the undefiled.
4  They shall shoot at him on a sudden, and shall not fear : * they are resolute in wickedness.

Human plans and God's wisdom

5  Narravérunt ut abscónderent láqueos: * dixérunt: Quis vidébit eos?
6  Scrutáti sunt iniquitátes: * defecérunt scrutántes scrutínio.
7  Accédet homo ad cor altum: * et exaltábitur Deus.
8  Sagíttæ parvulórum factæ sunt plagæ eórum: * et infirmátæ sunt contra eos linguæ eórum.

5  They have communed among themselves, how they may lay snares; * and they have said, Who shall see them?
6  They have searched after wickedness : * they have failed in their search.
7  Man shall come to the deep of his heart : * and God shall be exalted.
8  The arrows of children are their wounds : * yea, their tongues shall make them fall.

Salutary lesson

9  Conturbáti sunt omnes qui vidébant eos: * et tímuit omnis homo.
10  Et annuntiavérunt ópera Dei, * et facta ejus intellexérunt.
11  Lætábitur justus in Dómino, et sperábit in eo: * et laudabúntur omnes recti corde.

9  All they that saw them were troubled : * and every man feared.
10  And they have declared the works of God : * and understood that which he hath done.
11  The righteous shall rejoice in the Lord, and put his trust in him; * and all they that are true of heart shall be glad.

Canticle of the Son of Sirach
Miserere nostri
Eccli. 36. 1-16

This Canticle is a prayer of petition for the welfare of souls and the success of the missions.  In the first part we pray not so much for the punishment as for the conversion of the unbelievers.

Deliver us from our enemies

Miserére nostri, Deus ómnium, et réspice nos, * et osténde nobis lucem miseratiónum tuárum:
2  Et immitte timórem tuum super Gentes, * quæ non exquisiérunt te,
3  Ut cognoscant quia non est Deus nisi tu, * et enarrent magnália tua.
4  Alleva manum tuam super Gentes aliénas, * ut vídeant poténtiam tuam.
5  Sicut enim in conspéctu eórum sanctificátus es in nobis: * sic in conspéctu nostro magnificáberis in eis.
6  Ut cognoscant te, sicut et nos cognóvimus: * quóniam non est Deus præter te, Dómine.
7  Innova signa, et immuta mirabília. * Glorifica manum, et bráchium dextrum.
8  Excita furórem, et effúnde iram. * Tolle adversárium, et afflige inimícum.
9  Festina tempus, et meménto finis: * ut enarrent mirabília tua.
10  In ira flammæ devorétur qui salvátur: * et qui péssimant plebem tuam, invéniant perditiónem.
11  Cóntere caput príncipum inimicórum, * dicéntium: Non est álius præter nos.

Have mercy upon us, O God of all, and behold us, * and shew the light of thy mercies upon us.
2  And send thy fear upon the nations, * that have not sought after thee.
3  That they may know that there is no God beside thee, * and they may shew forth thy wonders.
4  Lift up thine hand over the strange nations, * that they may see thy power.
5  For as thou hast been sanctified amongst us in their sight : * so even in our sight shalt thou be magnified amongst them.
6  That they may know thee, as we also have known thee : * that there is no God but only thou, O Lord.
7  Renew thy signs, and repeat thy wonders: * glorify thy hand and thy right arm.
8  Raise up indignation, and pour out wrath: * take away the adversary and crush the enemy.
9  Hasten the time, and remember the end : * that they may declare thy mighty works.
10  Let him that escapeth be consumed by the rage of the fire; * and let them perish that oppress the people.
11  Smite in sunder the heads of the princes of the enemy, * that say, There is none other but we.

Lead us home

12  Congrega omnes tribus Jacob: ut cognoscant quia non est Deus nisi tu, * et enarrent magnália tua.
13  Et hereditábis eos, * sicut ab inítio.
14  Miserére plébi tuæ, super quam invocátum est nomen tuum: * et Israël, quem coæquásti primogenito tuo.
15  Miserére civitáti sanctificatiónis tuæ Jerusalem, * civitáti requiei tuæ.
16  Reple Sion inenarrabílibus verbis tuis, * et glória tua pópulum tuum.

12  Gather all the tribes of Jacob together, that they may know that there is no God beside thee, * and may declare thy mighty works.
13  And thou shalt inherit them, * as from the beginning.
14  Have mercy upon thy people that is called by thy Name, * and upon Israel whom thou hast raised up to be thy first-born.
15  Have mercy upon the city of thy sanctuary, even upon Jerusalem, * the city of thy rest.
16  Fill Sion with thine unspeakable words, * and thy people with thy glory.

Praise the Lord

This is the final Psalm of the Psalter, a note of unrestrained exultation: "Let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord."

God's praise in song

Laudáte Dóminum in sanctis ejus: * laudáte eum in firmaménto virtútis ejus.
2  Laudáte eum in virtútibus ejus: * laudáte eum secúndum multitúdinem magnitúdinis ejus.

O praise the Lord in his sanctuary : * praise him in the firmament of his power.
2  Praise him in his mighty acts: * praise him according to the multitude of his greatness.

God's praise in instruments

3  Laudáte eum in sono tubæ: * laudáte eum in psaltério, et cíthara.
4  Laudáte eum in tympano, et choro: * laudáte eum in cordis, et órgano.
5  Laudáte eum in cymbalis benesonántibus: laudáte eum in cymbalis jubilatiónis: * omnis spíritus laudet Dóminum.

3  Praise him in the sound of the trumpet : * praise him upon the lute and harp.
4  Praise him in the timbrels and choir : * praise him upon the strings and organs.
5  Praise him upon the high-sounding cymbals: praise him upon the cymbals of joy : * let every spirit praise the Lord.