Versus 1
Miserere mei, Deus, quoniam conculcavit me homo;
tota die impugnans tribulavit me.
Have mercy on me, O God, for man has trampled me down;
all the day long he fights and oppresses me.
Word Notes
- miserere – have mercy; imperat. of misereor, miserērī, miseritus sum (dep.)
- conculcavit – has trampled upon, crushed; perf. of conculcō, conculcāre, conculcāvī, conculcātum
- homo, hominis (m.) – man, human being
- impugnans – attacking; pres. part. of impugnō, impugnāre, impugnāvī, impugnātum
- tribulavit – has afflicted, troubled; perf. of tribulō, tribulāre, tribulāvī, tribulātum
Versus 2
Conculcaverunt me inimici mei tota die;
quoniam multi bellantes adversum me.
My enemies have trampled on me all day long;
for there are many who make war against me.
Word Notes
- conculcaverunt – they have trampled; perf. of conculcō
- inimicus, -ī (m.) – enemy
- bellantes – waging war; pres. part. of bellō, bellāre, bellāvī, bellātum
- adversum me – against me
Versus 3
Ab altitudine diei timebo; ego vero in te sperabo.
From the height of the day I shall fear; but I will trust in you.
Word Notes
- altitudo, altitudinis (f.) – height, loftiness
- timebo – I shall fear; fut. of timeō, timēre, timuī
- sperabo – I shall hope / trust; fut. of sperō, sperāre, sperāvī, sperātum
Versus 4
In Deo laudabo sermones meos; in Deo speravi:
non timebo quid faciat mihi caro.
In God I will praise my words; in God I have trusted:
I will not fear what flesh can do to me.
Word Notes
- laudabo – I will praise; fut. of laudō, laudāre, laudāvī, laudātum
- sermo, sermonis (m.) – word, saying
- caro, carnis (f.) – flesh, mortal man
Versus 5
Tota die verba mea execrabantur;
adversum me omnes cogitationes eorum in malum.
All the day they cursed my words;
all their thoughts are against me for evil.
Word Notes
- execrabantur – they were cursing, reviling; imperf. of exsecror, exsecrārī, exsecrātus sum (dep.)
- cogitatio, cogitationis (f.) – thought, plan, purpose
- in malum – for evil, to do harm
Versus 6
Inhabitabunt, et abscondent; ipsi calcaneum meum observabunt.
They will dwell and hide themselves; they will watch my steps.
Word Notes
- inhabitabunt – they will dwell; fut. of inhabitō, inhabitāre, inhabitāvī, inhabitātum
- abscondent – they will hide themselves; fut. of abscondō, abscondere, abscondī, absconditum
- calcaneum, calcanei (n.) – heel; metaphorically, the footstep
- observabunt – they will watch, observe; fut. of observō, observāre, observāvī, observātum
Versus 7
Sicut sustinent animam meam, propter iniquitatem retribues eis.
In ira populos Deus confringes.
As they wait for my soul, you will repay them for their iniquity.
In your anger, O God, you shall crush the peoples.
Word Notes
- sustinent – they wait for, lie in wait; pres. of sustinēō, sustinēre, sustinuī, sustentum
- anima, animae (f.) – soul, life
- retribues – you will repay; fut. of retribuō, retribuere, retribuī, retribūtum
- confringes – you shall break, crush; fut. of confringō, confringere, confregī, confractum
Versus 8
Deus, vitam meam annuntiavi tibi; posuisti lacrimas meas in conspectu tuo.
Sicut et in promissione tua.
O God, I have declared my life to you; you have set my tears before you,
as also in your promise.
Word Notes
- annuntiavi – I have declared, proclaimed; perf. of annuntiō
- posuisti – you have placed; perf. of pōnō, pōnere, posuī, positum
- lacrima, lacrimae (f.) – tear
- conspectus, -ūs (m.) – sight, presence
- promissio, promissionis (f.) – promise
Versus 9
Tunc convertentur inimici mei retrorsum:
in quacumque die invocavero te, ecce cognovi, quoniam Deus meus es tu.
Then my enemies shall be turned back;
on whatever day I call upon you, behold, I know that you are my God.
Word Notes
- convertentur – they will turn back; fut. of convertō, convertere, convertī, conversum
- retrorsum – backwards
- invocavero – I shall have called upon; fut. perf. of invocō
- cognovi – I have known, recognised; perf. of cognōscō, cognōscere, cognōvī, cognitum
Versus 10
In Deo laudabo verbum, in Domino laudabo sermonem:
In God I will praise the word; in the Lord I will praise the saying.
Word Notes
- verbum, verbi (n.) – word, utterance
- sermo, sermonis (m.) – speech, discourse
- The repetition (verbum … sermonem) intensifies the tone of trust and proclamation.
Versus 11
In Deo speravi, non timebo quid faciat mihi homo.
In God I have trusted; I will not fear what man can do to me.
Word Notes
- speravi – I have hoped; perf. of sperō
- timebo – I will fear; fut. of timeō
- faciat – may do; subj. of faciō
Versus 12
In me sunt, Deus, vota tua, quae reddam, laudationes tibi.
Your vows are upon me, O God; I will render praises to you.
Word Notes
- votum, voti (n.) – vow, promise made to God
- reddam – I will repay, render; fut. of reddō, reddere, reddidī, redditum
- laudatio, laudationis (f.) – praise, act of praising
Versus 13
Quoniam eripuisti animam meam de morte, et pedes meos de lapsu:
ut placeam coram Deo in lumine viventium.
For you have delivered my soul from death and my feet from falling:
that I may walk before God in the light of the living.
Word Notes
- eripuisti – you have snatched away, rescued; perf. of ēripiō, ēripere, ēripuī, ēreptum
- mors, mortis (f.) – death
- pes, pedis (m.) – foot
- lapsus, lapsūs (m.) – slip, fall
- placeam – I may please / walk rightly; subj. of placeō
- in lumine viventium – in the light of the living (i.e. among the living, in the presence of life)