The chosen people prefigured the Church of Christ.  As God cared for them, so also and much more does he care and provide for us today.  In seven appealing pictures the psalmist portrays the providence of God toward his people.  In each of the pictures we can see a foreshadowing of the same loving-kindness toward us.

Theme:  praise of God's works

Confitémini Dómino, et invocáte nomen ejus: * annuntiáte inter Gentes ópera ejus.
2  Cantáte ei, et psállite ei: * narráte ómnia mirabília ejus.
3  Laudámini in nómine sancto ejus: * lætétur cor quæréntium Dóminum.
4  Quærite Dóminum, et confírmámini: * quærite fáciem ejus semper.
5  Mementóte mirabílium ejus, quæ fecit: * prodígia ejus, et judícia oris ejus.
6  Semen Abraham, servi ejus: * fílii Jacob, elécti ejus.

O give thanks unto the Lord, and call upon his Name; * declare his deeds among the heathen.
2  Sing unto him, yea, sing him praises, * declare ye all his wondrous works.
3  Rejoice in his holy Name; * let the heart of them rejoice that seek the Lord.
4  Seek the Lord and be strengthened; * seek his face evermore.
5  Remember the marvellous works that he hath done; * his wonders, and the judgments of his mouth.
6  O ye seed of Abraham his servant; * ye children of Jacob his chosen.

Promise to the Patriarchs (Baptism)

7  Ipse Dóminus Deus noster: * in univérsa terra judícia ejus.
8  Memor fuit in sæculum testaménti sui: * verbi, quod mandávit in mille generatiónes:
9  Quod dispósuit ad Abraham: * et juraménti sui ad Isaac:
10  Et státuit illud Jacob in præcéptum: * et Israël in testaméntum ætérnum:
11  Dicens: Tibi dabo terram Chánaan, * funículum hereditátis vestræ.

7  He is the Lord our God; * his judgments are in all the world.
8  He hath been alway mindful of his covenant : * the word which he commanded to a thousand generations;
9  Even the covenant that he made with Abraham; * and the oath that he sware unto Isaac;
10  And he appointed the same unto Jacob for a law, * and to Israel for an everlasting testament;
11  Saying, Unto thee will I give the land of Canaan, * the lot of your inheritance:

Sojourn of the Patriarchs (Way of life)

12  Cum essent número brevi, * paucíssimi et íncolæ ejus:
13  Et pertransiérunt de gente in gentem, * et de regno ad pópulum álterum.
14  Non relíquit hóminem nocére eis: * et corrípuit pro eis reges.
15  Nolíte tángere christos meos: * et in prophétis meis nolíte malignári.

12  When there were yet but a few of them, * yea, very few, and they strangers in the land;
13  And they went from one nation to another, * from one kingdom to another people;
14  He suffered no man to do them wrong, * and reproved even kings for their sakes:
15  Touch ye not mine anointed, * and do my prophets no harm.

Joseph in Egypt  (The suffering Christ)

16  Et vocávit famem super terram: * et omne firmaméntum panis contrívit.
17  Misit ante eos virum: * in servum venúmdatus est Joseph.
18  Humiliavérunt in compédibus pedes ejus,  ferrum pertránsiit ánimam ejus * donec veníret verbum ejus.
19  Elóquium Dómini inflammávit eum: * misit rex, et solvit eum; princeps populórum, et dimísit eum.
20  Constítuit eum dóminum domus suæ: * et príncipem omnis possessiónis suæ:
21  Ut erudíret príncipes ejus sicut semetípsum: * et senes ejus prudéntiam docéret.

16  And he called for a dearth upon the land, * and destroyed all the provision of bread.
17  He sent a man before them, * even Joseph, who was sold to be a slave.
18  They humbled his feet in fetters, the iron entered into his soul; * until the coming of his word.
19  The word of the Lord inflamed him : * the king sent, and delivered him; the prince of the people, and he set him at liberty.
20  He made him master of his house, * and ruler of all his possession.
21  That he might instruct his princes as himself, * and teach his ancients wisdom.

Israel in Egypt  (The persecuted Church)

22  Et intrávit Israël in Ægyptum: * et Jacob áccola fuit in terra Cham.
23  Et auxit pópulum suum veheménter: * et firmávit eum super inimícos ejus.
24  Convértit cor eórum ut odírent pópulum ejus: * et dolum fácerent in servos ejus.
25  Misit Móysen, servum suum: * Aaron, quem elégit ipsum.
26  Pósuit in eis verba signórum suórum: * et prodigiórum in terra Cham.

22  And Israel came into Egypt, * and Jacob was a stranger in the land of Ham.
23  And he increased his people exceedingly, * and strengthened them over their enemies.
24  He turned their heart to hate his people, * and to deal untruly with his servants.
25  Then sent he Moses his servant, * and Aaron whom he had chosen.
26  He gave them power to shew his signs among them, * and his wonders in the land of Ham.

27  Misit ténebras, et obscurávit: * et non exacerbávit sermónes suos.
28  Convértit aquas eórum in sánguinem: * et occídit pisces eórum.
29  Edidit terra eórum ranas: * in penetrálibus regum ipsórum.
30  Dixit, et venit cœnomyía: * et cínifes in ómnibus fínibus eórum.
31  Pósuit plúvias eórum grándinem: * ignem comburéntem in terra ipsórum.
32  Et percússit víneas eórum, et ficúlneas eórum: * et contrívit lignum fínium eórum.
33  Dixit, et venit locústa, et bruchus, * cujus non erat númerus:
34  Et comédit omne fœnum in terra eórum: * et comédit omnem fructum terræ eórum.
35  Et percússit omne primogénitum in terra eórum: * primítias omnis labóris eórum.

27  He sent darkness, and it was dark; * and grieved not his word.
28  He turned their waters into blood, * and slew their fish.
29  Their land brought forth frogs; * yea, even in the inner chambers of their kings.
30  He spake the word, and there came all manner of flies, * and sciniphs in all their coasts.
31  He gave them hailstones for rain; * and flames of fire in their land.
32  And he smote their vineyards and their fig-trees; * and he destroyed the trees that were in their coasts.
33  He spake the word, and the locust came, * and caterpillars innumerable.
34  And they did eat up all the grass in their land : * and devoured all the fruit of their ground.
35  And he smote all the first-born in their land; * even the firstfruits of all their labour.

In the wilderness  (God's providence)

36  Et edúxit eos cum argénto et auro: * et non erat in tríbubus eórum infírmus.
37  Lætáta est Ægyptus in profectióne eórum: * quia incúbuit timor eórum super eos.
38  Expándit nubem in protectiónem eórum: * et ignem ut lucéret eis per noctem.
39  Petiérunt, et venit cotúrnix: * et panem cæli saturávit eos.
40  Dirúpit petram et fluxérunt aquæ: * abiérunt in sicco flúmina;
41  Quóniam memor fuit verbi sancti sui: * quod hábuit ad Abraham, púerum suum.

36  And he brought them out with silver and gold; * and there was not one feeble person among their tribes.
37  Egypt was glad at their departing; * for the fear of them lay upon them.
38  He spread out a cloud for their protection, * and fire to give them light in the night season.
39  They asked, and the quail came forth; * and he filled them with the bread of heaven.
40  He opened the rock of stone, and the waters flowed out, * rivers ran in the dry places.
41  For he remembered his holy word; * which he had spoken to his servant Abraham.

In the promised land  (God's grace and glory)

42  Et edúxit pópulum suum in exsultatióne, * et eléctos suos in lætítia.
43  Et dedit illis regiónes Géntium: * et labóres populórum possedérunt:
44  Ut custódiant justificatiónes ejus, * et legem ejus requírant.

42  And he brought forth his people with joy, * and his chosen with gladness;
43  And gave them the lands of the heathen; * and they took the labours of the people in possession;
44  That they might keep his statutes, * and seek after his law.