Sunday Compline

I will lay me down in peace, and take my rest

Sunday Compline is an ideal evening prayer for the religious soul.  Psalm 4 seeks to calm the soul after the storms of the day.  It is time to call a halt to the day's work, to shut out everything but thoughts of God to renew the theocentric orientation of our life, to come back to the repose of God.  We recognize once more that the world is deceiving us with sinful joys that are nothing but lies and vanities, fragile as bubbles.  We recognize that only true piety is of any real value.  The light of God's grace shines on the religious soul, deep joy floods it, peace dwells in the heart, and the hope of an eternal home in heaven is a strong anchor in the sea of life.

If the first psalm is protective and soothing in tone, Psalm 90 is positive and active.  The soul feels secure under God's wings.  With the battle swirling round, the soul is still deeply rooted in her trust in God.  In the midst of night and horror, she is conscious of her Lord's protection.  This psalm too is unsurpassed as an evening prayer.  It gives us a deep sense of security in God's hand and renews our confidence that as God's children we shall be victorious over all our enemies.

The last psalm makes us watchmen at the temple, forbidden to sleep: "Ye must watch; the world needs your night prayers, lest the enemy conquer."  The Divine Office is our weapon!

Psalm 4. Cum invocarem

Trustful evening prayer

To oppose the allurements of the world, this psalm makes us aware of the good fortune of union with God.  It was a favorite with St. Augustine.  We ought to pray it, he observes, "trembling with fear, and yet all aglow with hope and exultation at God's mercy."

A call for God's help

Cum invocárem exaudívit me Deus justítiæ meæ: *  in tribulatióne dilatásti mihi.
2  Miserére mei, * et exáudi oratiónem meam.

He hath heard me when I call, the God of my righteousness: * thou hast set me at liberty when I was in trouble.
2  Have mercy upon me, * and hearken unto my prayer.

 Admonition to enemies : Repent

3  Fílii hóminum, úsquequo gravi corde? *  ut quid dilígitis vanitátem et quæritis mendácium?
4  Et scitóte quóniam mirificávit Dóminus sanctum suum: * Dóminus exáudiet me cum clamávero ad eum.
5  Irascímini, et nolíte peccáre: * quæ dícitis in córdibus vestris, in cubílibus vestris compungímini.

3  O ye sons of men, how long will ye be dull of heart? * and have such pleasure in vanity, and seek after leasing?
4  Know this also, that the Lord hath chosen to himself the man that is godly; * when I call upon the Lord he will hear me.
5  Be ye angry, and sin not; * the things that ye say in your hearts, repent ye them upon your beds.

6  Sacrificáte sacrifícium justítiæ, et speráte in Dómino, * multi dicunt quis osténdit nobis bona?
7  Signátum est super nos lumen vultus tui, Dómine: *  dedísti lætítiam in corde meo.
8  A fructu fruménti, vini et ólei sui * multiplicáti sunt.

6  Offer the sacrifice of righteousness, and put your trust in the Lord, * there be many that say, who will shew us any good?
7  The light of thy countenance, O Lord, is sealed upon us, * thou hast put gladness in my heart.
8  By the fruit of their corn and wine and oil * have they been multiplied.

Finale

9  In pace in idípsum * dórmiam et requiéscam;
10  Quóniam tu, Dómine, singuláriter in spe * constituísti me.

9  I will lay me down in peace, * and sleep and take my rest;
10  For it is thou, Lord, only, * that makest me dwell in safety.

Psalm 90. Qui habitat

Safely sheltered

Confident

Qui hábitat in adjutório Altíssimi, * in protectióne Dei cæli commorábitur.
2  Dicet Dómino : Suscéptor meus es tu, et refúgium meum: * Deus meus sperábo in eum.

Whoso dwelleth under the defence of the Most High, * shall abide under the shadow of the God of heaven.
2  He shall say unto the Lord, Thou art my hope, and my stronghold; * my God, in him will I trust.

Protected

3  Quóniam ipse liberávit me de láqueo venántium, * et a verbo áspero.
4  Scápulis suis obumbrábit tibi: * et sub pennis ejus sperábis.
5  Scuto circúmdabit te véritas ejus: * non timébis a timóre noctúrno.
6  A sagítta volánte in die, a negótio perambulánte in ténebris: * ab incúrsu et dæmónio meridiáno.

3  For he hath delivered me from the snare of the hunter, * and from the noisome pestilence.
4  He shall defend thee under his wings, * and thou shalt be safe under his feathers
5  His truth shall be thy shield to compass thee round about; * thou shalt not be afraid for any terror by night.
6  Nor for the arrow that flieth by day, for the pestilence that walketh in darkness, * nor for the demon that destroyeth in the noon-day.

Invulnerable

7  Cadent a látere tuo mille, et decem míllia a dextris tuis: * ad te autem non appropinquábit.
8  Verúmtamen óculis tuis considerábis: * et retributiónem peccatórum vidébis.

7  A thousand shall fall beside thee, and ten thousand at thy right hand; * but it shall not come nigh thee.
8  Yea, with thine eyes shalt thou behold, * and see the reward of the ungodly.

God is my Guardian

9  Quóniam tu es, Dómine, spes mea: * Altíssimum posuísti refúgium tuum.
10  Non accédet ad te malum: * et flagéllum non appropinquábit tabernáculo tuo.

9  For thou, Lord, art my hope; * thou hast set thine house of defence on the Most High.
10  There shall no evil happen unto thee, * neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.

Angels

11  Quóniam Angelis suis mandávit de te: * ut custódiant te in ómnibus viis tuis.
12  In mánibus portábunt te: * ne forte offéndas ad lápidem pedem tuum.
13  Super aspidem et basilíscum ambulábis: * et conculcábis leónem et dracónem.

11  For he hath given his angels charge over thee, * to keep thee in all thy ways.
12  They shall bear thee in their hands, * that thou hurt not thy foot against a stone.
13  Thou shalt go upon the adder and basilisk: * the lion and the dragon shalt thou tread under thy feet.

God speaks

14  Quóniam in me sperávit, liberábo eum: * prótegam eum quóniam cognóvit nomen meum.
15  Clamábit ad me, et ego exáudiam eum : * cum ipso sum in tribulatióne : erípiam eum et glorificábo eum.
16  Longitúdine diérum replébo eum: * et osténdam illi salutáre meum.

14  Because he hath set his hope upon me, therefore will I deliver him; * I will defend him, because he hath known my Name.
15  He shall call upon me, and I will hear him; * yea, I am with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and bring him to honour.
16  With long life will I satisfy him, * and shew him my salvation.

Psalm 133.  Ecce nunc

Night watch

This psalm is a sort of liturgical formula for changing the night watch of the temple guard.  As children of God, we are really temple watchmen; Holy Mother Church is sending us to keep the vigil.

Ecce nunc benedícite Dóminum, * omnes servi Dómini:
2  Qui statis in domo Dómini, * in átriis domus Dei nostri.
3  In nóctibus extóllite manus vestras in sancta, * et benedícite Dóminum.
4  Benedicat te Dóminus ex Sion, * qui fecit cælum et terram.

Behold now, bless the Lord, * all ye servants of the Lord;
2  Ye that stand in the house of the Lord, * even in the courts of the house of our God.
3  Lift up your hands by night in the sanctuary, * and bless ye the Lord.
4  The Lord that made heaven and earth * give thee blessing out of Sion.