Tuesday Psalms Flashcards
11:2 Salvum me fac, Dómine, quóniam defécit sanctus: * quóniam diminútæ sunt veritátes a fíliis hóminum.
Save me, Lord, because there is a defecit of saints; *for diminished are the truths among children of men
Bellarmine: Save me, there is noone to confide; “For there is now no saint;”
“truths are decayed” that is, scarce one that speaks the simple truth.
fac = do/make (bene-fac-tor…manu-fac-ture)
Assuredly, we should be the blindest and most unhappy of men if—surrounded as we are by enemies who unceasingly seek to destroy us, and are so superior to us both in power and knowledge—we were seldom or never to think of the existence of these wicked spirits. And yet, such is really the case with innumerable Christians nowadays; fortruths are diminished from among the children of men.
11:3 Vana locúti sunt unusquísque ad próximum suum: * lábia dolósa, in corde et corde locúti sunt.
11:3 They have spoken vain things every one (unique-who) to his neighbour: * with deceitful lips, and with a double heart have they spoken.
He proves that “there is now no saint;” since men in general, instead of speaking in a good and useful manner “Speak vain things” only; things that cannot rescue them from dangers, He also proves that truth has failed since “deceitful lips…speak with a double heart,” saying one thing, and doing another; and thus seeking to deceive.
11:4 Dispérdat Dóminus univérsa lábia dolósa, * et linguam magníloquam.
The Lord disperses (destroys) all deceitful lip, and the proud tongue (magnanimous locuting)
he predicts that it will come to pass, that while they imagine they are profiting much by their dishonesty, will lose everything, and themselves along with it, for all eternity.
11:5 Qui dixérunt: Linguam nostram magnificábimus, lábia nostra a nobis sunt, * quis noster Dóminus est?
Who say: “Our tongue we magnify; our lips are our own, who over us is Lord?
He explains the proud, deceitful tongue - deceitful people confide mostly in their tongue to rationalize they are not subject in any way to the Lord. “We will magnify our tongue;” when we make it boast of all its frauds in procuring for us false happiness. “Our lips are our own,” that is, we can use our own word to justify all sin. Explains the confidence the wicked place in their lips, as if they were the most powerful weapon they could use against others; and, even overcome the Lord.
11:6 Propter misériam ínopum, et gémitum páuperum, * nunc exsúrgam, dicit Dóminus.
Because of the misery of the needy (in-operable…cannot fight for themselves) and the groans of the pauper, now I arise, says the Lord
Having now confidence in man, he now turns to God. The poor groan under the deceits of the wicked everywhere. The Lord will arise now, no longer deferring help, as if from sleep to help.
11:6 Ponam in salutári: * fiduciáliter agam in eo.
I will put him in safety. I will set him in safety; * fiduciary actor for him
He explains what he will do upon rising: “I will set him in safety;” with confidence and boldness
11:7 Elóquia Dómini, elóquia casta: * argéntum igne examinátum, probátum terræ purgátum séptuplum.
The Lord’s eloquence (speech), his eloquence is chaste (pure are His words). As silver by fire examined…probed of any earth…purged seven times.
God’s promises are not like the promises of deceitful man, but certain and true. not counterfeit, but trustworthy, as the purest silver tried in the fire removed any stains of earth…not once, “But seven times refined.”
11:8 Tu, Dómine, servábis nos: et custódies nos * a generatióne hac in ætérnum.
You, Lord save (serve) us. And keep us (custodian) from this generation forever.
Lord, will guard us, for the Greek, as well as the Hebrew word, implies, not only salvation, but, furthermore, an extension of it in guarding and preserving.
11:9 In circúitu ímpii ámbulant: * secúndum altitúdinem tuam multiplicásti fílios hóminum.
In circles, the impious walk (ambulate)…according to your highness (altitude), you have multiplied the children of men.
Bellarmine: As if one asked, what will become of the wicked, while you protect us? He replies, “The wicked will walk round about,” (while we are quietly reposing under your wings,) constantly running after the things of this world, yet never coming at the enjoyment of their desires; and they will be forever thus “Walking round about,” while the world lasts, because, “According to thy highness, thou hast multiplied the children of men,” and “the number of fools is infinite,” and in such a multitude there must be forever an immense number of those “Walking round about,” straying from God.
Alphonsus: The wicked surround the just that they may oppress them; and Thou, according to the depth of Thy judgments, permittest the wicked to increase in numbers, and to delight in the good things of this world.
12:1 Úsquequo, Dómine, obliviscéris me in finem? * Úsquequo avértis fáciem tuam a me?
How long, Lord, wilt thou forget me (in oblivion) unto the end? * how long do you avert your face from me?
Bellarmine - When the sinful desires are very powerful, God seems to forget and to desert the soul; when the understanding is obscured by darkness, he seems to turn from the soul. He, being the light, illuminates, when he shows his face, and leaves all in darkness when he turns it away. The man under temptation then exclaims, in reference to the first, “how long, O Lord, wilt thou forget me unto the end?” And in reference to the second, “How long dost thou turn away thy face from me?”
12:2 Quámdiu ponam consília in ánima mea, * dolórem in corde meo per diem?
How many days will I put counsels in my soul…sorrow in my heart all day?
Quamdiu = QUAM-dee-oo
I’m constantly planning and failing to overcome vice
Bellarmine -“How long shall I take counsels in my soul?” That is to say, devise various plans to deliver myself from the evil; and, again, looking at these wicked desires that infest my heart, “How long shall I have sorrow in my heart all the day?” How long shall I have sorrow and grieve, for fear I may have offended God; and do so daily, that is, the whole day, without intermission.
12:3 Úsquequo exaltábitur inimícus meus super me? * réspice, et exáudi me, Dómine, Deus meus.
How long will my enemy exalt over me? * Consider, and hear me, O Lord my God.
demons are happy with oppresing us to dissipate us
the “Enemy is then exalted” over man, when he oppresses him, both by the suggestion of sinful thoughts, which he cannot banish; and by involving him in darkness he cannot dissipate; and thus, as if he were suffering grievously, he cries to God, “How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?”
12:4 Illúmina óculos meos ne umquam obdórmiam in morte: * nequándo dicat inimícus meus: Præválui advérsus eum.
Illumine my eyes to not ever sleep in death…at no time will my enemies say: “I have prevailed against him”
don’t let me give into temptation bringing spiritual death….there are only 2 ways out…giving in or God
4 He next invokes the divine assistance against both evils. “That I may never sleep in death:” that by consenting to my evil desires, my soul may not be lost. The death of the soul or body is not uncommonly called sleep in the Scriptures, because God can as easily wake one from either, as we can wake the sleeping. The words that “I may never sleep,” signify that man, when he yields to temptation, sleeps as it were, and feels no further torment from the temptation: but as rest of that sort, so far from being wholesome, is fatal, the words “In death” are appended. Man, then, may be freed from temptation in two ways, either by banishing the tempter, through the grace of God; or by indulging his passions, by consenting to the sin: he prays here to be freed in the first manner, for fear, he may be freed in the second manner;
12:5 Qui tríbulant me, exsultábunt si motus fúero: * ego autem in misericórdia tua sperávi.
They who trouble me exsult when moved I am. But I, in your mercy, hope.
demons exsult not only with a complete fall, but even slightly shaking us. Taxing one striving for holiness makes them giddy.
Fuero = FOO-air-oh
but I rely on your mercy…not my strength
12:6 Exsultábit cor meum in salutári tuo: cantábo Dómino qui bona tríbuit mihi: * et psallam nómini Dómini altíssimi.
Exsult my heart in your salvation. Sing to the Lord who contributes good to me. And sing a psalm to the name of the Lord most High.
i won’t be ungrateful…I will exsult and sing! I will attribute all good to you. I will use my entire body to praise you (heart, sing, music)
