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.