— Psalm 135 (Vulgate / Hebrew)
Laudate nomen Domini
By GRAHAM JOHN
A psalm of praise grounded in memory: God’s sovereignty is proclaimed through creation, election, and historical deliverance, set deliberately against the impotence of idols.
21 verses total
VERSUS 1–21 (LATIN + LITERAL ENGLISH + WORD NOTES)
1
Laudate nomen Domini: laudate, servi Domini.
Praise the name of the Lord; praise, you servants of the Lord.
Word Notes
- laudō, laudāre, laudāvī, laudātum — to praise
- nōmen, nōminis (n.) — name
- servus, servī (m.) — servant
2
Qui statis in domo Domini, in atriis domus Dei nostri.
You who stand in the house of the Lord, in the courts of the house of our God.
Word Notes
- stō, stāre, stetī, statum — to stand
- domus, domūs (f.) — house
- atrium, atriī (n.) — court
3
Laudate Dominum, quia bonus Dominus: psallite nomini ejus, quoniam suave est.
Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good; sing to his name, for it is sweet.
Word Notes
- bonus, bona, bonum — good
- psallō, psallere, psallīvī — to sing, make music
- suāvis, suāve — sweet, pleasing
4
Quoniam Jacob elegit sibi Dominus, Israël in possessionem sibi.
For the Lord has chosen Jacob for himself, Israel as his own possession.
Word Notes
- ēligō, ēligere, ēlēgī, ēlectum — to choose
- possessiō, possessiōnis (f.) — possession
5
Quia ego cognovi quod magnus est Dominus, et Deus noster præ omnibus diis.
For I know that the Lord is great, and our God above all gods.
Word Notes
- cognōscō, cognōscere, cognōvī, cognitum — to know
- præ — before, above
6
Omnia quæcumque voluit Dominus, fecit in cælo, et in terra, in mari, et in omnibus abyssis.
Whatever the Lord willed, he has done in heaven and on earth, in the sea and in all the depths.
Word Notes
- volō, velle, voluī — to will
- faciō, facere, fēcī, factum — to do, make
- abyssus, abyssi (f.) — deep, abyss
7
Educens nubes ab extremo terræ: fulgura in pluviam fecit.
Bringing clouds from the ends of the earth; he makes lightning for the rain.
Word Notes
- ēdūcō, ēdūcere, ēdūxī, ēductum — to bring forth
- nūbēs, nūbis (f.) — cloud
- fulgur, fulguris (n.) — lightning
- pluvia, pluviae (f.) — rain
8
Qui producit ventos de thesauris suis.
Who brings forth winds from his treasuries.
Word Notes
- prōdūcō, prōdūcere, prōdūxī, prōductum — to bring forth
- ventus, ventī (m.) — wind
- thēsaurus, thēsaurī (m.) — treasury
9
Qui percussit primogenita Ægypti ab homine usque ad pecus.
Who struck the firstborn of Egypt, from man to beast.
Word Notes
- percutiō, percutere, percussī, percussum — to strike
- prīmogenitus, prīmogenitī (m.) — firstborn
10
Et misit signa et prodigia in medio tui, Ægypte: in Pharaonem, et in omnes servos ejus.
And he sent signs and wonders in your midst, O Egypt, against Pharaoh and all his servants.
Word Notes
- mittō, mittere, mīsī, missum — to send
- signum, signī (n.) — sign
- prōdigium, prōdigii (n.) — wonder
11
Qui percussit gentes multas: et occidit reges fortes.
Who struck many nations and killed mighty kings.
Word Notes
- occīdō, occīdere, occīdī, occīsum — to kill
- fortis, forte — strong, mighty
12
Sehon regem Amorrhæorum, et Og regem Basan, et omnia regna Chanaan.
Sihon king of the Amorites, and Og king of Bashan, and all the kingdoms of Canaan.
Word Notes
- rēx, rēgis (m.) — king
13
Et dedit terram eorum hæreditatem, hæreditatem Israël populo suo.
And he gave their land as an inheritance, an inheritance to Israel his people.
Word Notes
- dō, dare, dedī, datum — to give
- hærēditās, hærēditātis (f.) — inheritance
14
Domine, nomen tuum in æternum: Domine, memoriale tuum in generationem et generationem.
O Lord, your name is forever; O Lord, your memorial from generation to generation.
Word Notes
- memoriāle, memoriālis (n.) — memorial
- generātiō, generātiōnis (f.) — generation
15
Quia judicabit Dominus populum suum: et in servis suis deprecabitur.
For the Lord will judge his people, and will show compassion toward his servants.
Word Notes
- iūdicō, iūdicāre, iūdicāvī, iūdicātum — to judge
- dēprecō, dēprecāre, dēprecāvī — to show mercy, relent
16
Simulacra gentium argentum et aurum, opera manuum hominum.
The idols of the nations are silver and gold, the work of human hands.
Word Notes
- simulācrum, simulācrī (n.) — idol
- argentum, argentī (n.) — silver
- aurum, aurī (n.) — gold
17
Os habent, et non loquentur: oculos habent, et non videbunt.
They have mouths, but do not speak; they have eyes, but do not see.
Word Notes
- os, oris (n.) — mouth
- loquor, loquī, locūtus sum — to speak
- videō, vidēre, vīdī, vīsum — to see
18
Aures habent, et non audient: neque enim est spiritus in ore ipsorum.
They have ears, but do not hear; for there is no breath in their mouths.
Word Notes
- auris, auris (f.) — ear
- audiō, audīre, audīvī, audītum — to hear
- spīritus, spīritūs (m.) — breath, spirit
19
Similes illis fiant qui faciunt ea: et omnes qui confidunt in eis.
Let those who make them become like them, and all who trust in them.
Word Notes
- fīō, fierī, factus sum — to become
- cōnfīdō, cōnfīdere, cōnfīsus sum — to trust
20
Domus Israël, benedicite Domino: domus Aaron, benedicite Domino.
House of Israel, bless the Lord; house of Aaron, bless the Lord.
Word Notes
- domus, domūs (f.) — house
- benedīcō, benedīcere, benedīxī, benedictum — to bless
21
Domus Levi, benedicite Domino: qui timetis Dominum, benedicite Domino.
House of Levi, bless the Lord; you who fear the Lord, bless the Lord.
Word Notes
- Levi — Levi (indeclinable)
- timeō, timēre, timuī — to fear, revere
MORPHOLOGY EXERCISES (5)
Identify tense, voice, mood, and principal parts:
- laudate
- elegit
- fecit
- percussit
- fiant
MORPHOLOGY EXERCISES — KEY
laudate
- Verb: laudō, laudāre, laudāvī, laudātum
- Tense: present
- Voice: active
- Mood: imperative (plural)
- Meaning: praise!
elegit
- Verb: ēligō, ēligere, ēlēgī, ēlectum
- Tense: perfect
- Voice: active
- Mood: indicative
- Meaning: he chose
fecit
- Verb: faciō, facere, fēcī, factum
- Tense: perfect
- Voice: active
- Mood: indicative
- Meaning: he made / did
percussit
- Verb: percutiō, percutere, percussī, percussum
- Tense: perfect
- Voice: active
- Mood: indicative
- Meaning: he struck
fiant
- Verb: fīō, fierī, factus sum
- Tense: present
- Voice: active
- Mood: subjunctive (jussive)
- Meaning: let them become
TRANSLATION EXERCISES (5)
Translate into Latin:
- Praise the name of the Lord.
- The Lord has done whatever he willed.
- He struck the firstborn of Egypt.
- The idols are the work of human hands.
- Let those who trust in them become like them.
TRANSLATION EXERCISES — KEY
- Laudate nomen Domini.
- Omnia quæcumque voluit Dominus fecit.
- Percussit primogenita Ægypti.
- Simulacra opera manuum hominum sunt.
- Fiant similes illis qui confidunt in eis.
SUMMARY (≈120 words)
Psalm 135 is praise with a memory. God is not celebrated in abstraction, but through concrete acts: creation, election, liberation, and judgment. Against this living agency, idols are exposed as inert artefacts — impressive in material, empty in power. The psalm’s polemic is psychological as much as theological: those who trust lifeless things risk becoming lifeless themselves. True worship, by contrast, animates community — Israel, Aaron, Levi, and all who fear the Lord are summoned into a shared voice. Praise here is resistance: against forgetfulness, against false power, and against the reduction of the divine to human manufacture.
REFLECTION QUESTION
What forms of “idolatry” today promise security or meaning, yet risk hollowing out the inner life of those who trust in them?