(Vulgata: “Deus, repulisti nos et destruxisti nos”) — “O God, you have cast us off and broken us.”
(Composed after a national defeat; a prayer for restoration and renewed victory.)
Versus 1
Deus, repulisti nos et destruxisti nos;
iratus es, et misertus es nobis.
O God, you have rejected us and broken us;
you have been angry, and yet you have had mercy on us.
Word Notes
- repulisti – you have driven back, rejected; perf. of repellō, repellere, reppulī, repulsum
- destruxisti – you have destroyed, laid low; perf. of dēstruō, dēstruere, dēstrūxī, dēstructum
- iratus es – you were angry; perf. of īrāscor, īrāscī, īrātus sum (dep.)
- misertus es – you have had mercy; perf. of misereor, miserērī, miseritus sum (dep.)
Commentary
The psalm opens with paradox: divine anger and mercy co-exist. Israel recognises its defeat as discipline, not abandonment.
Versus 2
Commovisti terram et conturbasti eam:
sana contritiones eius, quia commota est.
You have shaken the earth and troubled it:
heal its breaches, for it has been moved.
Word Notes
- commovisti – you have shaken, disturbed; perf. of commoveō, commovēre, commōvī, commōtum
- conturbasti – you have confounded, disordered; perf. of conturbō, conturbāre, conturbāvī, conturbātum
- sana – heal!; imperat. of sānō, sānāre, sānāvī, sānātum
- contritio, contritionis (f.) – breaking, fracture
- commota est – it has been moved; perf. pass. of commoveō
Commentary
The nation itself is the wounded “earth.” Political collapse is felt as a cosmic quake needing divine healing.
Versus 3
Ostendisti populo tuo dura;
potasti nos vino compunctionis.
You have shown your people hard things;
you have made us drink the wine of trembling.
Word Notes
- ostendisti – you have shown; perf. of ostendō, ostendere, ostendī, ostentum
- durus, -a, -um – hard, harsh, severe
- potasti – you have given to drink; perf. of pōtō, pōtāre, pōtāvī, pōtātum
- vinum, vini (n.) – wine
- compunctio, compunctionis (f.) – pricking, remorse, trembling
Commentary
“Wine of compunction” is a vivid metaphor: the intoxicating bitterness of divine correction that sobers the soul.
Versus 4
Dedisti metuentibus te significationem,
ut fugiant a facie arcus:
You have given a sign to those who fear you,
that they may flee from before the bow.
Word Notes
- dedisti – you have given; perf. of dō, dare, dedī, datum
- metuentibus – to those fearing; dat. pl. pres. part. of timeō
- significatio, -onis (f.) – sign, banner, token
- fugiant – they may flee; subj. of fugiō, fugere, fūgī, fugitum
- arcus, -ūs (m.) – bow (weapon)
Commentary
The “sign” may refer to a military standard — faith itself becomes a rallying point even in retreat.
Versus 5
Ut liberentur dilecti tui:
salvum fac dextera tua, et exaudi me.
That your beloved may be delivered:
save with your right hand, and hear me.
Word Notes
- liberentur – may be delivered; subj. pass. of līberō
- dilectus, -i (m.) – beloved one
- dextera, -ae (f.) – right hand (symbol of power)
- exaudi – hear favourably!; imperat. of ex audiō
Commentary
This verse turns lament into intercession: the plural dilecti tui (“your beloved ones”) includes all faithful Israel.
Versus 6
Deus locutus est in sancto suo:
Laetabor, et partibor Sichimam, et convallem tabernaculorum metibor.
God has spoken in his holiness:
I will rejoice, and divide Shechem, and measure out the valley of tents.
Word Notes
- locutus est – has spoken; perf. of loquor
- sanctum suum – his holiness / sanctuary
- partibor – I shall divide; fut. dep. of partior, partīrī, partītus sum
- metibor – I shall measure; fut. dep. of metior, metīrī, mēnsus sum
- Sichima – Shechem, central city in Ephraim
- convallis, -is (f.) – valley
Commentary
The divine voice interrupts the lament: God reasserts ownership of the land. Partibor Sichimam signifies renewed distribution after victory.
Versus 7
Meus est Galaad, et meus est Manasses:
et Ephraim fortitudo capitis mei; Juda rex meus.
Gilead is mine, and Manasseh is mine:
Ephraim is the strength of my head; Judah is my king.
Word Notes
- meus est – is mine
- Galaad (Gilead) – region east of Jordan
- Manasses (Manasseh) – tribe north of Gilead
- fortitudo capitis mei – strength of my head, i.e. helmet or protection
- rex meus – my ruler, leader
Commentary
Each tribe personifies a virtue: Gilead—heritage, Ephraim—strength, Judah—leadership. The unity of the tribes is re-affirmed.
Versus 8
Moab olla spei meae; super Idumaeam extendam calceamentum meum; mihi alienigenae subditi sunt.
Moab is the pot of my hope; over Edom I will cast my shoe; the foreigners are made subject to me.
Word Notes
- olla, ollae (f.) – pot, vessel
- spes, spei (f.) – hope
- calceamentum, -i (n.) – shoe, sandal
- extendam – I shall stretch / cast out; fut. of extendō, extendere, extendī, extentum
- subditi sunt – have been made subject; perf. pass. of subiciō, subicere, subiēcī, subiectum
Commentary
Ancient idiom: “casting the shoe” over territory signified possession. Israel’s foes become instruments of its renewal.
Versus 9
Quis dedúcet me in civitatem munitam? quis dedúcet me usque in Idumaeam?
Who will lead me into the fortified city? who will guide me even unto Edom?
Word Notes
- dedúcet – will lead / bring down; fut. of dēdūcō, dēdūcere, dēdūxī, dēductum
- civitas munita – fortified city
- usque in – even to, all the way into
Commentary
Having heard God’s promise, the psalmist still seeks practical fulfilment — faith now asks for direction and means.
✶ Summary of Part I
Verses 1–9 form a movement from national desolation to renewed divine assurance. Israel’s collapse (“you have shaken the earth”) gives way to God’s declaration of ownership (“Gilead is mine”). Lament turns into strategy; defeat becomes the seed of hope.
✶ Exercises for Part I
1️⃣ Vocabulary & Grammar
a. Give full principal parts and meanings of: repulisti, sana, partibor, extendam, deducet.
b. Identify the moods of fugiant and liberentur and explain why they are subjunctive.
c. Explain the figurative sense of dextera tua and olla spei meae.
2️⃣ Translation Practice
Translate into Latin:
- “O Lord, heal the broken land.”
- “Gilead and Judah belong to God.”
- “Who will lead me into the strong city?”
3️⃣ Reflection
- What emotional contrast appears between verses 1–3 and 6–8?
- How does the psalmist interpret military events as spiritual signs?
- In modern terms, what might “heal the land” mean beyond geography?
Psalmus 59 – Pars II
(Continuation of “Deus, repulisti nos et destruxisti nos”) — “O God, you have cast us off and broken us.”
Theme: From divine promise to renewed confidence in battle.
Versus 10
Nonne tu, Deus, qui repulisti nos? et non egredieris, Deus, in virtutibus nostris?
Have you not, O God, cast us off? and will you not go forth, O God, with our armies?
Word Notes
- nonne – surely… not? (expects yes as answer)
- egredieris – will you go forth / come out?; fut. or subj. of ēgredior, ēgredī, ēgressus sum (dep.)
- virtutes, -um (f. pl.) – forces, armies, powers
Commentary
Faith wrestles with doubt: the nation remembers its past rejection but dares to ask if God will once again march with it.
Versus 11
Da nobis auxilium de tribulatione:
quia vana salus hominis.
Give us help from trouble:
for vain is the salvation of man.
Word Notes
- da – give!; imperat. of dō, dare, dedī, datum
- auxilium, auxilii (n.) – help, aid
- tribulatio, tribulationis (f.) – trouble, distress
- vanus, -a, -um – empty, useless, vain
- salus, salutis (f.) – salvation, deliverance
Commentary
A concise theology of dependence: human aid is vain unless underwritten by divine strength.
Versus 12
In Deo faciemus virtutem; et ipse ad nihilum deducet tribulantes nos.
Through God we shall do valiantly; and he himself shall bring to nothing those who afflict us.
Word Notes
- faciemus – we shall do / perform; fut. of faciō, facere, fēcī, factum
- virtus, virtutis (f.) – strength, valour, power
- ad nihilum deducet – will bring to nothing; fut. of dēdūcō
- tribulantes – those afflicting; pres. part. of tribulō, tribulāre
Commentary
The psalm ends in confidence, not triumphalism: human courage becomes divine partnership — “in Deo faciemus virtutem.”
Versus 13 (Vulgate sometimes continues the theme)
Deus autem loquetur in sancto suo: exsultabo, et dividam Sicimam, et convallem tabernaculorum metibor.
(Refrain echoing verse 6 — reassertion of divine ownership.)
Translation
God has spoken in his holiness: I will exult, and divide Shechem, and measure out the valley of tents.
Commentary
Repetition seals the covenantal vision — what God has promised, he now confirms.
✶ Summary Commentary
Part II completes the spiritual arc:
- Verses 10–11 express doubt and dependence.
- Verse 12 affirms the moral of the psalm — that all strength and success are in Deo.
- The psalm closes not with conquest but with faith: the certainty that divine order, once lost, will be restored.
The theological centre is verse 11:
“Vana salus hominis.”
No phrase better captures biblical realism about human power.
✶ Exercises for Part II
1️⃣ Vocabulary & Grammar
a. Give principal parts and meanings of: egredieris, faciemus, deducet, tribulantes.
b. Parse vana salus hominis: identify case, number, and meaning of each word.
c. Why is faciemus virtutem better translated “we shall act bravely” than “we shall make power”?
2️⃣ Translation
Translate into Latin:
- “Give us help, O God, for human strength is nothing.”
- “Through God we shall do bravely.”
- “He will bring our enemies to nothing.”
3️⃣ Reflection
- How does this closing section balance despair and hope?
- In what sense can “divine partnership” apply to modern life or moral struggle?
- Compare this psalm’s tone with that of Psalm 56 (Miserere mei, Deus): how does the focus shift from personal peril to national renewal?