— Psalm 146 (Vulgate / Hebrew)
Lauda, anima mea, Dominum
By GRAHAM JOHN
A psalm of lucid praise, redirecting trust away from human power toward the faithful, justice-working God who sustains the vulnerable.
10 verses total
VERSUS 1–10 (LATIN + LITERAL ENGLISH + WORD NOTES)
1
Lauda, anima mea, Dominum.
Praise the Lord, O my soul.
Word Notes
- laudō, laudāre, laudāvī, laudātum — to praise
- anima, animae (f.) — soul, inner life
2
Laudabo Dominum in vita mea: psallam Deo meo quamdiu ero.
I will praise the Lord in my life; I will sing to my God as long as I live.
Word Notes
- vīta, vītae (f.) — life
- psallō, psallere, psallīvī — to sing
- quamdiu — as long as
3
Nolite confidere in principibus: in filiis hominum, in quibus non est salus.
Do not trust in princes, in the sons of men, in whom there is no salvation.
Word Notes
- nōlō, nōlle — to refuse (with infinitive = negative command)
- cōnfīdō, cōnfīdere, cōnfīsus sum — to trust
- prīnceps, prīncipis (m.) — ruler, prince
- salūs, salūtis (f.) — salvation
4
Exibit spiritus ejus, et revertetur in terram suam: in illa die peribunt omnes cogitationes eorum.
His spirit departs and he returns to his earth; on that day all his plans perish.
Word Notes
- exeō, exīre, exiī — to go out
- spīritus, spīritūs (m.) — breath, spirit
- revertor, revertī, reversus sum — to return
- perēō, perīre, periī — to perish
- cogitātiō, cogitātiōnis (f.) — thought, plan
5
Beatus, cujus Deus Jacob adjutor ejus: spes ejus in Domino Deo ipsius.
Blessed is he whose helper is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord his God.
Word Notes
- beātus, beāta, beātum — blessed
- adjūtor, adjūtōris (m.) — helper
- spēs, speī (f.) — hope
6
Qui fecit cælum et terram, mare et omnia quæ in eis sunt: qui custodit veritatem in sæculum.
Who made heaven and earth, the sea and all that is in them; who keeps faith forever.
Word Notes
- faciō, facere, fēcī, factum — to make
- custōdiō, custōdīre, custōdīvī — to keep, guard
- vēritās, vēritātis (f.) — truth, faithfulness
- sæculum — age, forever
7
Facit judicium injuriam patientibus: dat escam esurientibus.
He executes justice for those suffering wrong; he gives food to the hungry.
Word Notes
- judicium, judiciī (n.) — justice
- injūria, injūriae (f.) — injustice, wrong
- patiō, patī, passus sum — to suffer
- ēsca, ēscae (f.) — food
- ēsuriō, ēsuriīre — to hunger
8
Dominus solvit compeditos: Dominus illuminat cæcos.
The Lord frees the bound; the Lord gives sight to the blind.
Word Notes
- solvō, solvere, solvī, solūtum — to loosen, free
- compeditus, compedita, compeditum — bound, chained
- illūminō, illūmināre, illūmināvī — to enlighten
- cæcus, cæca, cæcum — blind
9
Dominus erigit elisos: Dominus diligit justos.
The Lord lifts up those cast down; the Lord loves the righteous.
Word Notes
- ērigō, ērigere, ērexī, ērectum — to raise up
- ēlīsus, ēlīsa, ēlīsum — crushed, cast down
- dīligō, dīligere, dīlēxī, dīlēctum — to love
10
Dominus custodit advenas, pupillum et viduam suscipiet: et vias peccatorum disperdet.
The Lord protects the stranger, upholds the orphan and the widow, but overturns the way of the wicked.
Word Notes
- advena, advenae (m./f.) — stranger, foreigner
- pupillus, pupillī (m.) — orphan
- vidua, viduae (f.) — widow
- suscipiō, suscipere, suscēpī, susceptum — to support
- via, viae (f.) — way
- disperdō, disperdere, disperdidī — to destroy
MORPHOLOGY EXERCISES (5)
Identify tense, voice, mood, and principal parts:
- lauda
- laudabo
- nolite confidere
- fecit
- custodit
MORPHOLOGY EXERCISES — KEY
lauda
- Verb: laudō, laudāre, laudāvī, laudātum
- Tense: present
- Voice: active
- Mood: imperative
- Meaning: praise!
laudabo
- Verb: laudō, laudāre
- Tense: future
- Voice: active
- Mood: indicative
- Meaning: I will praise
nolite confidere
- Verb: nōlō, nōlle + infinitive cōnfīdere
- Construction: negative imperative
- Meaning: do not trust
fecit
- Verb: faciō, facere, fēcī, factum
- Tense: perfect
- Voice: active
- Mood: indicative
- Meaning: he made
custodit
- Verb: custōdiō, custōdīre, custōdīvī
- Tense: present
- Voice: active
- Mood: indicative
- Meaning: he keeps / guards
TRANSLATION EXERCISES (5)
Translate into Latin:
- Praise the Lord, O my soul.
- Do not trust in princes.
- Blessed is he whose hope is in the Lord.
- The Lord gives food to the hungry.
- The Lord protects the stranger.
TRANSLATION EXERCISES — KEY
- Lauda, anima mea, Dominum.
- Nolite confidere in principibus.
- Beatus cujus spes in Domino est.
- Dominus dat escam esurientibus.
- Dominus custodit advenas.
SUMMARY (≈120 words)
Psalm 146 opens the final Hallelujah sequence with a bracing moral reorientation. Praise begins inwardly — the soul addressing itself — and then clears away false objects of trust. Human power is exposed as temporary: breath departs, plans collapse. Against this fragility stands a God defined not by abstraction but by action — creator, sustainer, liberator, and advocate for the vulnerable. Justice here is practical: food, freedom, sight, dignity. The psalm offers a quiet political theology: true authority is measured by care for the least, not by dominance. Praise becomes an act of realism — seeing the world clearly and choosing where to place hope.
REFLECTION QUESTION
Where are you tempted to place trust in what is impressive but transient — and what changes when hope is redirected toward what endures?