The prophet (as well in his own, as other just men's person) describeth great calamities suffered, 10. prayeth against the wicked, 13. Lamenting especially that those which profess friendship, are adversaries. 17. and declareth God's providence in protecting the good, and destroying the bad.The prophet (as wel in his owne, as other iuſt mens perſon) deſcribeth great calamities ſuffered, 10. praieth againſt the wicked, 13. Lamenting eſpecially that thoſe which profeſſe frendſhipe, are aduerſaries. 17. and declareth Gods prouidence in protecting the good, and deſtroying the bad.✦

Unto the end, in songs, understanding to David.Vnto the end, in ſonges, vnderſtanding to Dauid.In finem, in carminibus. Intellectus David.

2Hear my prayer O God, despise not my petition,HEARE my prayer ô God, deſpiſe not my petition,Exaudi, Deus, orationem meam, et ne despexeris deprecationem meam :

3Attend to me; and hear me.Attend to me; and heare me.intende mihi, et exaudi me. Contristatus sum in exercitatione mea, et conturbatus sum

4I am made sorrowful in my : and am troubled at the voice of the enemy: and at the tribulation of the sinner. Because they have wrested iniquities upon me: & in anger they were troublesome to me.I am made ſorowful in my exerciſe: and am trubled at the voice of the enimie: and at the tribulation of the ſinner. Becauſe they haue wreſted iniquities vpon me: & in anger they were trubleſome to me.a voce inimici, et a tribulatione peccatoris. Quoniam declinaverunt in me iniquitates, et in ira molesti erant mihi.

5My heart is troubled in me: and the fear of death is fallen upon me.My hart is trubled in me: and the feare of death is falne vpon me.Cor meum conturbatum est in me, et formido mortis cecidit super me.

6Fear and trembling are come upon me: and darkness hath covered me.Feare and trembling are come vpon me: and darkenes hath couered me.Timor et tremor venerunt super me, et contexerunt me tenebræ.

7And I said: Who will give me wings as of a dove, and I will fly: and rest?And I ſaid: Who wil geue me wings as of a doue, and I wil fly: and reſt?Et dixi : Quis dabit mihi pennas sicut columbæ, et volabo, et requiescam ?

8Lo I have gone far flying away: and I abode in the wilderness.Loe I haue gone far flying away: and I abode in the wildernes.Ecce elongavi fugiens, et mansi in solitudine.

9I expected him, that saved me from of spirit, and tempest.I expected him, that ſaued me from puſillanimitie of ſpirit, and tempeſt.Exspectabam eum qui salvum me fecit a pusillanimitate spiritus, et tempestate.

10 O Lord, and divide their tongues: because I have seen iniquity, and in the city.Precipitate ô Lord, and diuide their tongues: becauſe I haue ſene iniquitie, and contradiction in the citie.Præcipita, Domine ; divide linguas eorum : quoniam vidi iniquitatem et contradictionem in civitate.

11Day and night shall iniquity compass it upon the walls thereof; and labour in the midst thereof, and injustice.Day and night ſhal iniquitie compaſſe it vpon the walles therof; and labour in the middeſt therof, and iniuſtice.Die ac nocte circumdabit eam super muros ejus iniquitas ; et labor in medio ejus,

12And there hath not ceased out of the streets thereof usury, and guile.And there hath not ceaſed out of the ſtreetes therof vſurie, and guile.et injustitia : et non defecit de plateis ejus usura et dolus.

13For if mine enemy had spoken evil to me, I would verily have borne it. And if he that hated me had spoken great things upon me: I would perhaps have hid myself from him.For if myne enimie had ſpoken euil to me, I would verely haue borne it. And if he that hated me had ſpoken great thinges vpon me: I would perhaps haue hid myſelfe from him.Quoniam si inimicus meus maledixisset mihi, sustinuissem utique. Et si is qui oderat me super me magna locutus fuisset, abscondissem me forsitan ab eo.

14But thou a man of the same mind: my guide, and my .But thou a man of the ſame minde: my guide, and my familiar.Tu vero homo unanimis, dux meus, et notus meus :

15Which didst take sweet meats together with me, in the house of God we walked with consent.Which diddeſt take ſwete meats together with me, in the houſe of God we walked with conſent.qui simul mecum dulces capiebas cibos ; in domo Dei ambulavimus cum consensu.

16Let death come upon them: and let them go down into . Because there is wickedness in their habitations, in the midst of them.Let death come vpon them: and let them goe downe quicke into hel. Becauſe there is wickednes in their habitations, in the middes of them.Veniat mors super illos, et descendant in infernum viventes : quoniam nequitiæ in habitaculis eorum, in medio eorum.

17But I have cried to God, and our Lord will save me.But I haue cried to God, and our Lord wil ſaue me.Ego autem ad Deum clamavi, et Dominus salvabit me.

18In the evening, and morning, & at midday, I will speak, and declare, and he will hear my voice.In the euening, and morning, & at midday, I wil * ſpeake, and declare, and he wil heare my voice.Vespere, et mane, et meridie, narrabo, et annuntiabo ; et exaudiet vocem meam.

1609 marginThe prophet alludeth to three more specially appointed hours of Divine service, the daily sacrifice at morning, and evening, and other sacrifices commonly about midday. Which also are the three principal times of Divine Service in the Church of Christ. Mattins, Evensong, and the Sacrifice of Mass. Which Eutymius and other Grecians call Lyturgiam. S. Clement also (li 7. c. 25. Apost. Instit) testifieth that the Apostles ordained three set hours of common prayer every day.or pr[…] · The prophet alludeth to three more ſpecially appointed houres of Diuine ſeruice, the daylie ſacrifice at morning, and euening, and other ſacrifices commonly about midday. VVhich alſo are the three principal times of Diuine Seruice in the Church of Chriſt. Mattins, Euenſong, and the Sacrifice of Maſſe. VVhich Eutymius and other Grecians cal Lyturgiam. S. Clement alſo (li 7. c. 25. Apoſt. Inſtit) teſtifieth that the Apoſtles ordained three ſet houres of common prayer euerie day.

19He will redeem my soul in peace from them, that approach to me: because among many they were with me.He wil redeme my ſoule in peace from them, that approch to me: becauſe among manie they were with me.Redimet in pace animam meam ab his qui appropinquant mihi : quoniam inter multos erant mecum.

20God will hear, and he which is before the worlds will humble them.God wil heare, and he which is before the worldes wil humble them.Exaudiet Deus, et humiliabit illos, qui est ante sæcula. Non enim est illis commutatio, et non timuerunt Deum.

21For there is no change with them, & they feared not God: he hath stretched forth his hand in repaying.For there is no change with them, & they feared not God: he hath ſtreached forth his hand in repaying.Extendit manum suam in retribuendo ; contaminaverunt testamentum ejus :

22They have contaminated his testament, they are divided by the wrath of his countenance; and his heart hath approached. His words are made softer than oil: and the same are darts.They haue contaminated his teſtament, they are diuided by the wrath of his countenance; and his hart hath approched. His wordes are made ſofter then oile: and the ſame are dartes.divisi sunt ab ira vultus ejus, et appropinquavit cor illius. Molliti sunt sermones ejus super oleum ; et ipsi sunt jacula.

1609 marginThey harden their hearts against his threatened wrath: but God's providence illuminateth others to know and teach the truth, when it is impugned, or contemned. · God's words, which in themselves are meek and sweet, are hard to the incredulous, & as darts that wound them. Christ said (Ioan. 6.) Unless one eat my flesh, & drink my blood, he shall not have life in him, which the Capharnaites not understanding said one to an other: This is a hard speech, who can abide it? which S. Augustin here saith was the first heresy against our Saviour's preaching. It was not hard to S. Peter, who in the name of the rest, answered, that Christ had the words of eternal life. He yet understood not the secret of our Lord's speech, but he piously believed that the words were good, which he understood not.They harden their hartes againſt his threatned wrath: k but Gods prouidence illuminateth others to know and teach the truth, whȇ it is impugned, or contemned. · Gods wordes, which in them ſelues are meke and ſwete, m are hard to the incredulous, & as dartes that wound them. Chriſt ſaid (Ioan. 6.) Vnles one eate my fleſh, & drinke my bloud, he ſhal not haue life in him, which the Capharnaites not vnderſtanding ſaid one to an other: This is a hard ſpeach, who can abide it? which S. Auguſtin here ſaith was the firſt hereſie againſt our Sauiours preaching. It was not hard to S. Peter, who in the name of the reſt, anſwered, that Chriſt had the wordes of eternal life. He yet vnderſtood not the ſecrete of our Lords ſpeach, but he piouſly beleued that the wordes vvere good, vvhich he vnderſtood not.

23Cast thy care upon our Lord: and he will nourish thee: he will not give to the just for ever.Caſt thy care vpon our Lord: and he wil nouriſh thee: he wil not geue fluctuation to the iuſt for euer.Jacta super Dominum curam tuam, et ipse te enutriet ; non dabit in æternum fluctuationem justo.

1609 marginTherefore in all doubts of doctrine, in all distresses of persecution, and other difficulties which surpass thy weakness, cast thy care upon our Lord, and he will nourish thee. · He will not suffer the just to remain always in fluctuation, that is, in doubtful, dangerous, and wavering thoughts or perplexities, as when a ship is tossed in the waves of the sea, but will give quiet repose of mind, as in a sure haven without danger of drowning.Therfore in al doubtes of doctrin, in al diſtreſſes of perſecution, and other difficulties vvhich ſurpaſſe thy vveakenes, caſt thy care vpon our Lord, and he vvil nouriſh thee. · He vvil not ſuffer the iuſt to remaine alvvayes in fluctuation, that is, in doubtful, dangerous, and vvanering thoughtes or perplexities, as vvhen a ſhippe is toſſed in the vvaues of the ſea, but vvil geue quiet repoſe of mind, as in a ſure hauen vvithout danger of drovvning.

24But thou O God wilt bring them down into the pit of destruction. Bloody and deceitful men shall not live half their days. but I will hope in thee O Lord.But thou ô God wilt bring them downe into the pitte of deſtruction. Bloudy and deceitful men ſhal not liue halfe their daies. but I wil hope in thee ô Lord.Tu vero, Deus, deduces eos in puteum interitus. Viri sanguinum et dolosi non dimidiabunt dies suos ; ego autem sperabo in te, Domine.

The reading text follows the 1582 first edition.

St. Robert Bellarmine’s commentary on Psalms 54 — verse-by-verse exposition→

Chapter 54 of 150