— Psalm 150 (Vulgate / Hebrew)
Laudate Dominum in sanctis ejus
By GRAHAM JOHN
The final psalm abandons petition, argument, and narrative. What remains is praise alone — sound answering being, breath answering gift.
6 verses total
VERSUS 1–6 (LATIN + LITERAL ENGLISH + WORD NOTES)
1
Laudate Dominum in sanctis ejus: laudate eum in firmamento virtutis ejus.
Praise the Lord in his holy place; praise him in the firmament of his power.
Word Notes
- laudō, laudāre, laudāvī, laudātum — to praise
- sanctum, sanctī (n.) — holy place
- firmāmentum, firmāmentī (n.) — firmament
- virtūs, virtūtis (f.) — power
2
Laudate eum in virtutibus ejus: laudate eum secundum multitudinem magnitudinis ejus.
Praise him for his mighty deeds; praise him according to the abundance of his greatness.
Word Notes
- secundum — according to
- multitūdō, multitūdinis (f.) — abundance
- magnitūdō, magnitūdinis (f.) — greatness
3
Laudate eum in sono tubæ: laudate eum in psalterio et cithara.
Praise him with the sound of the trumpet; praise him with harp and lyre.
Word Notes
- sonus, sonī (m.) — sound
- tuba, tubæ (f.) — trumpet
- psalterium, psalteriī (n.) — harp
- cithara, citharae (f.) — lyre
4
Laudate eum in tympano et choro: laudate eum in chordis et organo.
Praise him with timbrel and dance; praise him with strings and pipe.
Word Notes
- tympanum, tympanī (n.) — drum
- chorus, chorī (m.) — dance
- chorda, chordae (f.) — string
- organum, organī (n.) — pipe, instrument
5
Laudate eum in cymbalis benesonantibus: laudate eum in cymbalis jubilations.
Praise him with resounding cymbals; praise him with cymbals of jubilation.
Word Notes
- cymbalum, cymbalī (n.) — cymbal
- benesonans — well-resounding
- jubilātiō, jubilātiōnis (f.) — joyful shout
6
Omnis spiritus laudet Dominum. Alleluia.
Let everything that breathes praise the Lord. Alleluia.
Word Notes
- omnis — every
- spīritus, spīritūs (m.) — breath, spirit
- alleluia — praise the Lord
MORPHOLOGY EXERCISES (5)
Identify tense, voice, mood, and principal parts:
- laudate
- secundum
- benesonantibus
- jubilations
- laudet
MORPHOLOGY EXERCISES — KEY
laudate
- Verb: laudō, laudāre, laudāvī, laudātum
- Tense: present
- Voice: active
- Mood: imperative (plural)
- Meaning: praise!
secundum
- Preposition with accusative
- Meaning: according to
benesonantibus
- Adjective (ablative plural, agreeing with cymbalis)
- Meaning: well-resounding
jubilations
- Noun: jubilātiō, jubilātiōnis (f.)
- Case: genitive singular
- Meaning: of jubilation
laudet
- Verb: laudō, laudāre
- Tense: present
- Voice: active
- Mood: subjunctive (jussive)
- Meaning: let … praise
TRANSLATION EXERCISES (5)
Translate into Latin:
- Praise the Lord in his holy place.
- Praise him for his mighty deeds.
- Praise him with trumpet and harp.
- Praise him with dance and music.
- Let everything that breathes praise the Lord.
TRANSLATION EXERCISES — KEY
- Laudate Dominum in sanctis ejus.
- Laudate eum in virtutibus ejus.
- Laudate eum in sono tubæ et psalterio.
- Laudate eum in tympano et choro.
- Omnis spiritus laudet Dominum.
SUMMARY (≈120 words)
Psalm 150 is the Psalter reduced to its essence. There is no instruction, confession, or memory — only sound. Praise is no longer reasoned but enacted, embodied in breath and rhythm. Instruments multiply until language itself gives way to resonance. The final imperative is universal: not Israel alone, not humanity alone, but everything that breathes. After lament, protest, wisdom, history, fear, and hope, the Psalter ends where it began beneath all words — existence responding to its source. Praise here is not persuasion or reward; it is alignment. Breath returns to the one who gave it.
FINAL REFLECTION
If prayer begins in need and matures through understanding, Psalm 150 suggests that it ends in participation — life itself becoming response.
Alleluia.
Beātus vir quī nōn dēserit, sed colit, quod eī commissum est.