The Church prayeth that her children may avoid sinful words, 4. not make excuses of sins committed, not communicate with others in sin, nor to hearken to flatterers: 6. but to pray that they may amend (the Psalmist by the way prophesieth that many shall be converted) 8. though sometimes persecution be great, the Church faileth not.The Church prayeth that her children may auoide ſinful wordes, 4. not make excuſes of ſinnes committed, not communicate with others in ſinne, nor to harken to flatterers : 6. but to pray that they may amend ( the Pſalmiſt by the way prophecieth that manie ſhal be conuerted) 8. though ſometimes perſecution be great, the Church faileth not.✦

A Psalm of David. Lord I have cried to thee, hear me: attend to my voice, when I shall cry to thee.A Pſalme of Dauid. LORD I haue cried to thee, heare me : attend to my voice, when I ſhal crie to thee.Psalmus David. Domine, clamavi ad te : exaudi me ; intende voci meæ, cum clamavero ad te.

2Let my prayer be directed as incense in thy sight: the elevation of my hands as evening sacrifice.Let my prayer be directed as a incenſe in thy ſight : the eleuation of my handes as b euening ſacrifice.Dirigatur oratio mea sicut incensum in conspectu tuo ; elevatio manuum mearum sacrificium vespertinum.

1609 marginIn these words the Church prayeth, offering incense in her solemn Offices. · As the sum of incense is sweet and ascendeth upwards: so the Church prayeth that her petitions may be grateful, and ascend to God. In the old testament morning sacrifice was rather more solemn, and more frequent, but the Prophet seemeth to allude unto Christ's Sacrifice, which he was to offer towards evening on the Cross; and the same also in unbloody manner, the evening before his Passion, in the Eucharist.In theſe wordes the Church prayeth, offering incenſe in her ſolemne Offices. · a As the ſume of incenſe is ſwete and aſcendeth vpwards: ſo the Church prayeth that her petitions may be gratful, and aſcend to God. b In the old teſtament morning ſacrifice was rather more ſolemne, and more frequent, but the Prophet ſemeth to allude vnto Chriſts Sacrifice, which he was to offer towards euening on the Croſſe; and the ſame alſo in vnbloudie maner, the euening before his Paſſion, in the Euchariſt.

3Set O Lord a watch to my mouth: and a door round about to my lips.Set ô Lord c a watch to my mouth : and d a doore round about to my lippes.Pone, Domine, custodiam ori meo, et ostium circumstantiæ labiis meis.

4Decline not my heart into words of malice, to make excuses in sins. With men that work iniquity: and I will not with the chief of them.Decline not my hart e into wordes of malice, to make excuſes in ſinnes. With men that worke iniquitie : and I wil not communicate with the chiefe of them.Non declines cor meum in verba malitiæ, ad excusandas excusationes in peccatis ; cum hominibus operantibus iniquitatem, et non communicabo cum electis eorum.

5The just shall rebuke me in mercy, and shall me: but let not the oil of a sinner my head.The iuſt ſhal rebuke me in mercie, and f ſhal reprehend me : but let not the oyle of a ſinner g fatte my head.Corripiet me justus in misericordia, et increpabit me : oleum autem peccatoris non impinguet caput meum. Quoniam adhuc et oratio mea in beneplacitis eorum :

6Because, yet also my prayer is in their good pleasures: their judges are swallowed up joined to the rock. They shall hear my words because they have prevailed:Becauſe, h yet alſo my prayer is in their i good pleaſures : k their Iudges are ſwalowed vp ioyned to the rocke. l They ſhal heare my wordes m becauſe they haue preuailed :absorpti sunt juncti petræ judices eorum. Audient verba mea, quoniam potuerunt.

1609 marginThe Church ceaseth not to pray for sinners, though as yet they take pleasure in their sins, but the very chiefest of them, which seem most potent, if they remain obstinate to their death, shall then perish, as men thrown against rocks. · They shall then hear and understand, that the prayers of the Church are effectual, obtaining grace of constancy to her children, not to fear any persecution, nor any kind of death; obtaining also justification of their cause, when the persecuters shall see that the words, and doctrine of the Church are true, and prevail in true judgement, as true, modest, peaceable, not seditious, turbulent, nor against the commonwealth.h The Church ceaſeth not to pray for ſinners, i though as yet they take pleaſure in their ſinnes, k but the very chiefeſt of them, which ſeme moſt potent, if they remaine obſtinate to their death, ſhal then periſh, as men throwne againſt rockes. · l They ſhal then heare and vnderſtand, that the prayers of the Church m are effectual, obtaining grace of conſtancie to her children, not to feare anie perſecution, nor anie kind of death; obtayning alſo iuſtificatiô of their cauſe, when the perſecuters ſhal ſee that the wordes, and doctrin of the Church are true, and preuaile in true iudgement, as true, modeſt, peaceable, not ſeditious, turbulent, nor againſt the commonwealth.

7as the of the earth is broken out upon the earth.n as the groſſenes of the earth is broken out vpon the earth.Sicut crassitudo terræ erupta est super terram, dissipata sunt ossa nostra secus infernum.

8Our bones are near to hell: for to thee O Lord, Lord are mine eyes; in thee have I hoped, take not away my soul.Our o bones are diſſipated p nere to hel : q for to thee ô Lord, Lord are mine eies ; in thee haue I hoped, take not away my * ſoule.Quia ad te, Domine, Domine, oculi mei ; in te speravi, non auferas animam meam.

9Keep me from the snare, which they have set for me: and from the scandals of them that work iniquity.Keepe me from r the ſnare, which they haue ſet for me : and from s the ſcandals of them that worke iniquitie.Custodi me a laqueo quem statuerunt mihi, et a scandalis operantium iniquitatem.

10Sinners shall fall in his net: I am alone until I pass.t Sinners ſhal fal in his net : v I am alone vntil I paſſe.Cadent in retiaculo ejus peccatores : singulariter sum ego, donec transeam.

The reading text follows the 1582 first edition.

St. Robert Bellarmine’s commentary on Psalms 140 — verse-by-verse exposition→

Chapter 140 of 150