Psalm 128.  Sæpe expugnaverunt me

Hard pressed, but not overcome

We see in spirit all the martyrs in the Church who have ever made the bloody or unbloody sacrifice of self for Christ.  These are heroes of whom the Church can be proud.  We give thanks for the martyrs of other times and gain strength from their spirit.  The Church has always seen her persecutors to the grave: "The gates of hell shall not prevail against her."

The manifold attacks

Sæpe expugnavérunt me a juventúte mea, * dicat nunc Israël:
2  Sæpe expugnavérunt me a juventúte mea: * étenim non potuérunt mihi.
3  Supra dorsum meum fabricavérunt peccatóres: * prolongavérunt iniquitátem suam.

Many a time have they fought against me from my youth up, * let Israel now say;
2  Yea, many a time have they fought against me from my youth up; * but they have not prevailed against me.
3  The ungodly have wrought upon my back, * they have lengthened their iniquity.

Divine protection

4  Dóminus justus concídit cervíces peccatórum: * confundántur et convertántur retrórsum omnes, qui odérunt Sion.
5  Fiant sicut fœnum tectórum: * quod priúsquam evellátur exáruit:
6  De quo non implévit manum suam qui metit: * et sinum suum qui manípulos cólligit.
7  Et non dixérunt qui præteríbant: Benedíctio Dómini super vos: * benedíximus vobis in nómine Dómini.

4  The righteous Lord hath hewn the necks of the ungodly * let them be confounded and turned backward, as many as hate Sion.
6  Let them be even as the grass upon the housetops, * which withereth afore it be grown up;
7  Whereof the mower filleth not his hand, * neither he that bindeth up the sheaves his bosom.
8  And  they who go by say not: The blessing of the Lord be upon you; * we have blessed you in the Name of the Lord.