Thursday Vespers

Eucharist and Church

On Thursday evening our thoughts at prayer naturally turn to the mystery of the most holy Eucharist.  In memory of its institution on this blessed night we love to linger on the holy Sacrament.  Looking at the Vesper Psalms, we find the prayers that our devotion longs for.  Holy Church and Holy Eucharist―these are the two thoughts which, like two golden threads, are woven into the hour to give it its design.

It is noteworthy that the better part of the Hour is taken up with two beautiful songs which may be called genuine Vesper Psalms because they are Psalms of thanksgiving (135 and 137).  And the Antiphons are exactly what they should be: keys to the understanding of the Psalms.

Holy unity

The psalmist sings the blessings of brotherly concord, especially during the sacred liturgy in Jerusalem, which was the highest manifestation of the Jews' religious life and the fountain of their blessings.  This is implied in the figures of strengthening oil and freshening dew.  But in a much higher sense, the same is true of us in the Catholic Church: the holy Eucharist creates a saintly brotherhood in the Body of Christ.  For us the Eucharist creates a saintly brotherhood in the Body of Christ.  For us the Blessed Sacrament is the oil that brings joy and the dew that refreshes.

Ecce quam bonum, et quam jucúndum * habitáre fratres in unum.
2  Sicut unguéntum in cápite, * quod descéndit in barbam, barbam Aaron.
3  Quod descéndit in oram vestiménti ejus: * sicut ros Hermon, qui descéndit in montem Sion.
4  Quóniam illic mandávit Dóminus benedictiónem, * et vitam usque in sæculum.

Behold, how good and joyful a thing it is, * for brethren to dwell together in unity.
2  It is like the precious oil upon the head, * that ran down upon the beard, even upon the beard of Aaron.
3  That went down to the skirts of his clothing : * like as the dew of Hermon, which fell upon mount Sion.
4  For there the Lord hath commanded blessing, * and life for evermore.

Psalm 135

Thanksgiving for the benefits of creation and redemption

This Psalm, a litany in form, is a joyous hymn of thanks for the blessings of God in creation and in the deliverance of the chosen people out of Egypt.  The Christian will not fail to note that his redemption through Christ is prefigured by the exodus.  This Psalm was prayed during the first Holy Mass at the Last Supper, just before the consecration.  It is the prototype and forerunner of the preface in the Mass.  How fitting, then, for us to sing it during the Hour that especially commemorates that Last Supper!  (The Preface is, of course, a very ancient song of thanks in the Church.  In memory of the greatest of God's blessings, the Eucharist, the Church sings the preface to thank God for all his favours in nature and in grace.)

Psalm 135. i.  Confitemini

Invitation to praise God

Confitémini Dómino, quóniam bonus: * quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus.
2  Confitémini Deo deórum: * quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus.
3  Confitémini Dómino dominórum: * quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus.

O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is gracious: * for his mercy endureth for ever.
2  O give thanks unto the God of all gods: * for his mercy endureth for ever.
3  O give thanks unto the Lord of lords: * for his mercy endureth for ever.

In thanksgiving for creation

4  Qui facit mirabília magna solus: * quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus.
5  Qui fecit cælos in intellectu: * quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus.
6  Qui firmávit terram super aquas: * quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus.
7  Qui fecit luminária magna: * quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus.
8  Solem in potestátem diéi : * quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus.
9  Lunam et stellas in potestátem noctis: * quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus.

4  Who only doeth great wonders: * for his mercy endureth for ever.
5  Who by his excellent wisdom made the heavens: * for his mercy endureth for ever.
6  Who laid out the earth above the waters: * for his mercy endureth for ever.
7  Who hath made the great lights: * for his mercy endureth for ever:
8  The sun to rule the day: * for his mercy endureth for ever;
9  The moon and the stars to govern the night: * for his mercy endureth for ever.

Psalm 135. ii.  Qui percussit Ægyptum

For the deliverance from Egypt

10  Qui percússit Ægyptum cum primogenitis eórum: * quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus.
11  Qui edúxit Israël de médio eórum: * quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus.
12  In manu poténti, et bráchio excélso : * quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus.
13  Qui divísit Mare Rubrum in divisiónes: * quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus.
14  Et edúxit Israël per médium ejus: * quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus.
15  Et excussit Pharaónem, et virtútem ejus in Mari Rubro: * quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus.
16  Qui tradúxit pópulum suum per desértum: * quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus.

10  Who smote Egypt, with their firstborn: * for his mercy endureth for ever;
11  And brought out Israel from among them: * for his mercy endureth for ever;
12  With a mighty hand and stretched-out arm: * for his mercy endureth for ever.
13  Who divided the Red Sea in two parts: * for his mercy endureth for ever;
14  And brought out Israel through the midst thereof : * for his mercy endureth for ever.
15  And overthrew Pharaoh and his host in the Red Sea: * for his mercy endureth for ever.
16  Who led his people through the wilderness: * for his mercy endureth for ever.

In thanksgiving for the Promised Land

17  Qui percússit reges magnos: * quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus.
18  Et occídit reges fortes : * quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus.
19  Sehon, regem Amorrhæórum: * quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus.
20  Et Og, regem Basan: * quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus.
21  Et dedit terram eórum hereditátem : * quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus.
22  Hereditátem Israël, servo suo : * quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus.

17  Who smote great kings: * for his mercy endureth for ever;
18  Yea, and slew mighty kings: * for his mercy endureth for ever:
19  Sihon, king of the Amorites: * for his mercy endureth for ever;
20  And Og, the king of Bashan: * for his mercy endureth for ever;
21  And gave away their land for an heritage: * for his mercy endureth for ever;
22  Even for an heritage unto Israel his servant: * for his mercy endureth for ever.

For the deliverance from éxile

23  Quia in humilitáte nostra memor fuit nostri: * quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus.
24  Et redémit nos ab inimícis nostris: * quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus.
25  Qui dat escam omni carni: * quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus.

23  For he was mindful of us in our affliction : * for his mercy endureth for ever;
24  And hath delivered us from our enemies: * for his mercy endureth for ever.
25  Who giveth food to all flesh: * for his mercy endureth for ever.

Finale

26  Confitémini Deo cæli: * quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus.
27  Confitémini Dómino dominórum: * quóniam in ætérnum misericórdia ejus.

26  O give thanks unto the God of heaven: * for his mercy endureth for ever.
27  O give thanks unto the Lord of lords: * for his mercy endureth for ever.

Psalm 136.  Super flumina

True love for Jerusalem

This beautifully tender elegy depicts the longing and love of the exiled Jews for their Jerusalem.  The Christian can always feel like an exile and stranger: his Jerusalem is the heavenly city of God and the outer court of his temple is the Catholic Church.  This is the Messianic Sion of heaven that he addresses in the Psalm, protesting a warm love and a mighty longing.  He can also think of the holy Eucharist.  The curses of the two concluding verses are only a matter of completing the picture.

Exiles!

Super flúmina Babylónis, illic sédimus et flévimus: * cum recordarémur Sion:
2  In salícibus in médio ejus, * suspéndimus órgana nostra.

By the waters of Babylon we sat down and wept, * when we remembered thee, O Sion.
2  Upon the willow trees that are therein, * we hanged up our harps.

Scoffed and scorned

3  Quia illic interrogavérunt nos, qui captivos duxérunt nos, * verba cantiónum.
4  Et qui abduxérunt nos: * Hymnum cantáte nobis de cánticis Sion.

3  For they that led us away captive, * required of us then a song.
4  And they that carried us away, said : * Sing us one of the songs of Sion.

Love for Jerusalem

5  Quómodo cantábimus cánticum Dómini * in terra aliéna?
6  Si oblítus fúero tui, Jerúsalem, * oblivióni detur déxtera mea.
7  Adhæreat lingua mea fáucibus meis, * si non memínero tui.
8  Si non proposúero Jerúsalem, * in princípio lætítiæ meæ.

5  How shall we sing the song of the Lord * in a strange land?
6  If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, * let my right hand be forgotten.
7  Let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth, * if I do not remember thee.
8  Yea, if I make not Jerusalem, * the beginning of my joy.

Punishment for Edom

9  Memor esto, Dómine, filiórum Edom, * in die Jerúsalem.
10  Qui dicunt: Exinaníte, exinaníte * usque ad fundaméntum in ea.

9  Remember the children of Edom, O Lord, * in the day of Jerusalem.
10  Who say, Rase it, rase it, * even to the ground.

Punishment for Babylon

11  Fília Babylónis mísera: * beátus, qui retríbuet tibi retributiónem tuam, quam retribuísti nobis.
12  Beátus qui tenébit, * et allidet párvulos tuos ad petram.

11  O daughter of Babylon, wasted with misery; * yea, happy shall he be that rewardeth thee as thou hast served us.
12  Blessed shall he be that shall take * and dash thy little ones against the stones.

Psalm 137.  Confitebor tibi

Thanksgiving to our Protector for his mercy and his faithfulness

A true Vesper Psalm in which thanks are offered for the graces of Holy Communion and the salvation that God will give the Church and individual souls.

I thank God

Confitébor tibi, Dómine, in toto corde meo: * quóniam audísti verba oris mei.
2  In conspéctu Angelórum psallam tibi: * adorábo ad templum sanctum tuum, et confitébor nómini tuo.
3  Super misericórdia tua, et veritáte tua: * quóniam magnificásti super omne, nomen sanctum tuum.
4  In quacúmque die invocávero te, exáudi me: * multiplicábis in ánima mea virtútem.

I will give thanks unto thee, O Lord, with my whole heart; * for thou hast heard the words of my mouth.
2  Even before the Angels will I sing praise unto thee, * I will worship toward thy holy temple, and I will give glory unto thy Name.
3  Because of thy loving-kindness and truth; * for thou hast magnified thy holy Name above all things.
4  In what day soever I shall call upon thee, hear thou me; * thou shalt endue my soul with much strength.

The world thanks God

5  Confiteántur tibi, Dómine, omnes reges terræ: * quia audiérunt ómnia verba oris tui.
6  Et cantent in viis Dómini: * quóniam magna est glória Dómini.
7  Quóniam excélsus Dóminus, et humília réspicit: * et alta a longe cognóscit.

5  May all the kings of the earth give glory unto thee, O Lord; * for they have heard all the words of thy mouth.
6  Yea, they shall sing in the ways of the Lord, * for great is the glory of the Lord.
7  For the Lord is high, yet looketh he upon the lowly; * and the high he knoweth them afar off.

God protects us

8  Si ambulávero in médio tribulatiónis, vivificábis me: * et super iram inimicórum meórum extendísti manum tuam, et salvum me fecit déxtera tua.
9  Dóminus retríbuet pro me: * Dómine, misericórdia tua in sæculum: ópera mánuum tuárum ne despícias.

8  Though I walk in the midst of tribulation, yet shalt thou quicken me; * and thou hast stretched forth thy hand upon the furiousness of mine enemies, and thy right hand hath saved me.
9  The Lord shall render for me; * yea, thy mercy, O Lord, endureth for ever; despise not then the works of thine own hands.