(Vulgata: “Exaudi, Deus, orationem meam”) — “Hear my prayer, O God”
Versus 1
Exaudi, Deus, orationem meam,
et ne despexeris deprecationem meam.
Hear my prayer, O God,
and do not despise my pleading.
Word Notes
- exaudi – hear (favorably); imperat. of ex audiō, audīre, audīvī, audītum
- oratio, orationis (f.) – speech, prayer
- despexeris – you may despise / scorn; perf. subj. (here prohibitive) of dēspiciō, dēspicere, dēspexī, dēspectum
- deprecatio, deprecationis (f.) – supplication, entreaty, plea
Versus 2
Intende mihi, et exaudi me;
contristatus sum in exercitatione mea, et conturbatus sum.
Attend to me and hear me;
I am troubled in my complaint and greatly disturbed.
Word Notes
- intende – attend, turn your attention; imperat. of intendō, intendere, intendī, intentum
- contristatus sum – I have been grieved / saddened; perf. of contristō, contristāre, contristāvī, contristātum (passive form)
- exercitatio, exercitationis (f.) – exercise, activity; here, inward struggle / complaint
- conturbatus sum – I have been troubled, confounded; perf. of conturbō, conturbāre, conturbāvī, conturbātum
Versus 3
A voce inimici, et a tribulatione peccatoris.
Quoniam declinaverunt in me iniquitates, et in ira molesti erant mihi.
Because of the voice of the enemy and the oppression of the sinner:
for they have cast iniquities upon me, and in their anger they were troublesome to me.
Word Notes
- vox, vocis (f.) – voice
- inimicus, -ī (m.) – enemy
- tribulatio, tribulationis (f.) – trouble, distress
- peccator, peccatoris (m.) – sinner
- declinaverunt – they have bent / turned / cast down; perf. of dēclinō, dēclināre, dēclināvī, dēclinātum
- iniquitas, iniquitatis (f.) – iniquity, wrong
- molesti erant – they were troublesome; imperf. of molestus esse
Versus 4
Cor meum conturbatum est in me,
et formido mortis cecidit super me.
My heart is troubled within me,
and the fear of death has fallen upon me.
Word Notes
- cor, cordis (n.) – heart
- conturbatum est – is troubled, confounded; perf. pass. of conturbō
- formido, formidinis (f.) – fear, dread
- mors, mortis (f.) – death
- cecidi – fell; perf. of cadō, cadere, cecidī, cāsum
Versus 5
Timor et tremor venerunt super me,
et contexerunt me tenebrae.
Fear and trembling have come upon me,
and darkness has covered me.
Word Notes
- timor, timoris (m.) – fear
- tremor, tremoris (m.) – trembling, quaking
- venerunt – have come; perf. of veniō, venīre, vēnī, ventum
- contexerunt – they have covered / woven around; perf. of contexō, contexere, contexuī, contextum
- tenebrae, -arum (f. pl.) – darkness
Versus 6
Et dixi: Quis dabit mihi pennas sicut columbae,
et volabo, et requiescam?
And I said: Who will give me wings like a dove’s,
and I will fly away and be at rest?
Word Notes
- pennas, pennae (f.) – feather, wing
- columba, columbae (f.) – dove
- volabo – I will fly; fut. of volō, volāre, volāvī, volātum
- requiescam – I will rest; fut. of requiescō, requiescere, requiēvī, requiētum
Versus 7
Ecce, elongavi fugiens,
et mansi in solitudine.
Behold, I have fled afar,
and remained in the wilderness.
Word Notes
- elongavi – I have removed myself far away; perf. of ēlongō, ēlongāre, ēlongāvī, ēlongātum
- fugiens – fleeing; pres. part. of fugiō, fugere, fūgī, fugitum
- mansi – I remained; perf. of maneō, manēre, mānsī, mānsum
- solitudo, solitudinis (f.) – solitude, wilderness
Versus 8
Expectabam eum, qui salvum me fecit a pusillanimitate spiritus, et tempestate.
I awaited him who saved me from faintheartedness of spirit and from the storm.
Word Notes
- expectabam – I was waiting for / expecting; imperf. of exspectō, exspectāre, exspectāvī, exspectātum
- salvum me fecit – has made me safe, saved me; perf. of faciō
- pusillanimitas, pusillanimitatis (f.) – faintheartedness, smallness of soul
- spiritus, -ūs (m.) – spirit, breath
- tempestas, tempestatis (f.) – storm, tempest
Versus 9
Praecipita, Domine, divide linguas eorum;
quoniam vidi iniquitatem et contradictionem in civitate.
Destroy, O Lord, and divide their tongues;
for I have seen iniquity and strife in the city.
Word Notes
- praecipita – cast down, overthrow; imperat. of praecipitō, praecipitāre, praecipitāvī, praecipitātum
- divide – divide, separate; imperat. of dividō, dīvidere, dīvīsī, dīvīsum
- lingua, linguae (f.) – tongue, speech
- contradictio, contradictionis (f.) – contradiction, strife, discord
- civitas, civitatis (f.) – city
Versus 10
Die ac nocte circumdabit eam super muros eius iniquitas,
et labor in medio eius, et iniustitia.
Day and night wickedness shall surround her upon her walls;
and labour and injustice are in her midst.
Word Notes
- die ac nocte – by day and by night
- circumdabit – will surround; fut. of circumdō, circumdare, circumdedī, circumdatum
- murus, muri (m.) – wall
- labor, laboris (m.) – toil, trouble, affliction
- iniustitia, iniustitiae (f.) – injustice, unrighteousness
Versus 11
Et non defecit de plateis eius usura et dolus.
And deceit and oppression have not departed from her streets.
Word Notes
- defecit – has failed, ceased; perf. of dēficiō, dēficere, dēfēcī, dēfectum
- platea, plateae (f.) – broad street, open way
- usura, usurae (f.) – usury, oppression, exploitation
- dolus, doli (m.) – deceit, guile
(The Psalm continues with verses of betrayal, often interpreted as David’s lament over a trusted friend — “Si inimicus meus maledixisset mihi…” — one of the most psychologically rich in the Psalter.)
Versus 12
Quoniam si inimicus meus maledixisset mihi, sustinuissem utique.
Et si is, qui oderat me, super me magna locutus fuisset, abscondissem me forsitan ab eo.
For if my enemy had reviled me, I could have borne it;
and if he that hated me had spoken great things against me, I would perhaps have hidden myself from him.
Word Notes
- inimicus, -ī (m.) – enemy
- maledixisset – had spoken evil / cursed; pluperf. subj. of maledicō, maledicere, malēdixī, maledictum
- sustinuissem – I would have endured; pluperf. subj. of sustinēō, sustinēre, sustinuī, sustentum
- oderat – he hated; pluperf. of odi, odisse (defective verb)
- locutus fuisset – had spoken; pluperf. subj. of loquor, loquī, locūtus sum
- abscondissem – I would have hidden myself; pluperf. subj. of abscondō, abscondere, abscondī, absconditum
Versus 13
Tu vero homo unanimis, dux meus, et notus meus:
But it was you, a man of one mind with me, my guide and my familiar friend.
Word Notes
- vero – but indeed
- unanimis, unanime – like-minded, of one soul
- dux, ducis (m.) – leader, guide
- notus, -i (m.) – acquaintance, friend
Versus 14
Qui simul mecum dulces capiebas cibos;
in domo Dei ambulavimus cum consensu.
We who together took sweet counsel;
we walked in the house of God with concord.
Word Notes
- simul – together
- dulcis, dulce – sweet, pleasant
- capiebas – you used to take / share; imperf. of capiō, capere, cēpī, captum
- cibus, cibi (m.) – food, meal
- domus, domūs (f.) – house
- consensus, -ūs (m.) – agreement, harmony, accord
Versus 15
Veniat mors super illos,
et descendant in infernum viventes:
quoniam nequitia in habitaculis eorum, in medio eorum.
Let death come upon them;
let them go down alive into hell,
for wickedness is in their dwellings, in the midst of them.
Word Notes
- veniat – may come; subj. of veniō, venīre, vēnī, ventum
- mors, mortis (f.) – death
- descendant – let them go down; subj. of dēscendō, dēscendere, dēscendī, dēscēnsum
- infernum, inferni (n.) – the underworld, hell
- vivens, viventis – living
- nequitia, nequitiae (f.) – wickedness, vice
- habitaculum, habitaculi (n.) – dwelling place, abode
Versus 16
Ego autem ad Deum clamavi,
et Dominus salvabit me.
But as for me, I have cried to God,
and the Lord will save me.
Word Notes
- clamavi – I have cried / called out; perf. of clāmō, clāmāre, clāmāvī, clāmātum
- salvabit – will save; fut. of salvō, salvāre, salvāvī, salvātum
Versus 17
Vespere, et mane, et meridie narrabo, et annuntiabo, et exaudiet vocem meam.
In the evening, and morning, and at noon I will speak and declare, and he shall hear my voice.
Word Notes
- vesper, vesperis (m.) – evening
- mane – in the morning
- meridies, meridiei (m.) – midday, noon
- narrabo – I will tell; fut. of narrō, narrāre, narrāvī, narrātum
- annuntiabo – I will proclaim; fut. of annuntiō, annuntiāre, annuntiāvī, annuntiātum
- exaudiet – will hear favourably; fut. of ex audiō
Versus 18
Redimet in pace animam meam ab his, qui appropinquant mihi:
quoniam inter multos erant mecum.
He shall redeem my soul in peace from those that draw near against me;
for among many they were with me.
Word Notes
- redimet – he will redeem / buy back / deliver; fut. of redimō, redimere, redēmī, redēmptum
- in pace – in peace
- appropinquant – they draw near; pres. of appropinquō, appropinquāre, appropinquāvī, appropinquātum
- inter multos – among many
Versus 19
Exaudiet Deus, et humiliabit illos, qui est ante saecula.
Non enim est illis commutatio, et non timuerunt Deum.
God shall hear and humble them, he that is from all eternity.
For they have no change of heart, and they have not feared God.
Word Notes
- humiliabit – will humble; fut. of humiliō, humiliāre, humiliāvī, humiliātum
- saeculum, saeculi (n.) – age, world, eternity
- commutatio, commutationis (f.) – change, conversion
- timuerunt – they have feared; perf. of timeō, timēre, timuī
Versus 20
Extendit manum suam in retribuendo;
contaminaverunt testamentum eius.
He stretched out his hand in vengeance;
they have profaned his covenant.
Word Notes
- extendit – he has stretched out; perf. of extendō, extendere, extendī, extentum
- retribuendo – in repaying, avenging; gerund of retribuō, retribuere, retribuī, retribūtum
- contaminaverunt – they have defiled, violated; perf. of contaminō, contamināre, contamināvī, contaminātum
- testamentum, testamenti (n.) – covenant, agreement
Versus 21
Divisi sunt ab ira vultus eius, et appropinquavit cor illius.
Molliti sunt sermones eius super oleum, et ipsi sunt iacula.
They were separated from the wrath of his countenance, and his heart drew near.
His words were smoother than oil, yet they were darts.
Word Notes
- divisi sunt – they were divided / turned aside; perf. of dīvidō (pass.)
- ira, irae (f.) – anger, wrath
- vultus, vultūs (m.) – face, countenance
- molliti sunt – were softened; perf. pass. of molliō, mollīre, mollīvī, mollītum
- sermo, sermonis (m.) – speech, discourse
- oleum, olei (n.) – oil
- iaculum, iaculi (n.) – dart, javelin, missile
Versus 22
Iacta super Dominum curam tuam, et ipse te enutriet:
non dabit in aeternum fluctuationem iusto.
Cast your care upon the Lord, and he will nourish you;
he will never allow the righteous to be shaken.
Word Notes
- iacta – cast, throw; imperat. of iaciō, iacere, iēcī, iactum
- cura, curae (f.) – care, concern
- enutriet – will nourish, sustain; fut. of ēnūtriō, ēnūtrīre, ēnūtrīvī, ēnūtrītum
- in aeternum – for ever
- fluctuatio, fluctuationis (f.) – wavering, instability
- iustus, -a, -um – righteous, just
Versus 23
Tu vero, Deus, deduces eos in puteum interitus.
Viri sanguinum et dolosi non dimidiabunt dies suos; ego autem sperabo in te, Domine.
But you, O God, shall bring them down into the pit of destruction.
Men of blood and deceit shall not live out half their days; but I will trust in you, O Lord.
Word Notes
- deduces – you shall lead down; fut. of dēdūcō, dēdūcere, dēdūxī, dēductum
- puteus, putei (m.) – pit, well
- interitus, -ūs (m.) – ruin, destruction
- vir, viri (m.) – man
- sanguis, sanguinis (m.) – blood
- dolosi – deceitful, treacherous
- non dimidiabunt – they shall not halve / complete; fut. of dimidiō, dimidiāre, dimidiāvī, dimidiātum
- dies, diei (m.) – day, lifetime
- sperabo – I will hope; fut. of sperō, sperāre, sperāvī, sperātum