Latin Psalters

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The Latin Psalters are the translations of the Book of Psalms into the Latin language. They are the premier liturgical resource used in the Liturgy of the Hours of the Latin Rites of the Roman Catholic Church. These translations are typically placed in a separate volume or section of the Breviary called the Psalter, in which the psalms are arranged to be prayed at the canonical hours of the day.

Contents 1 Versions 1.1 Versio Vetus Latina 1.2 Versio Ambrosiana 1.3 Versio Romana 1.4 Versio Gallicana 1.5 Versio juxta Hebraicum 1.6 Versio Piana 1.7 Versio Nova Vulgata 2 Enumeration 3 Schemata 3.1 Schema of St. Benedict 3.2 Schema of Pope St. Pius V 3.3 Schema of Pope St. Piux X 3.4 Schema of Pope Paul VI 3.4.1 The Canticles 3.4.2 Week 1 3.4.3 Week 2 3.4.4 Week 3 3.4.5 Week 4 3.4.6 Missing psalms and verses 3.5 Psalterium Monasticum 4 Notes

[edit] Versions

[edit] Versio Vetus Latina

Also called the Psalterium Vetus, the psalter of the Old Latin Bible was used in the earliest days of the Latin liturgy in Rome, under Pope Damasus.^[1] A translation from the Septuagint, it provided the basis for Jerome's revision known as the Versio Romana.

[edit] Versio Ambrosiana

This is the version used in the Ambrosian rite. It was made in the middle of the fourth fourth century from the Septuagint.^[1]

[edit] Versio Romana

Called the Versio Romana or Psalterium Romanum, the Roman Psalter of 384 was Jerome's first revision of the psalter. It was made from the Versio Vetus Latina, and corrected to bring it more in line with the Septuagint. This version was by and large replaced by Jerome's later versions except in Britain, where it continued to be used until the Norman Conquest in 1066. It is still used today in the Vatican basilica and in St. Mark's Cathedral in Venice. It is similar to the version used in the Ambrosian Rite.^[2]

[edit] Versio Gallicana

The Versio Gallicana or Psalterium Gallicanum was Jerome's second revision, which he made from the Greek of the Hexapla ca. 386-391. This became the psalter of the Vulgate bible, and the basis for Gregorian chant. It became the standard psalter used in the liturgy throughout the West from the time of Charlemagne until it was replaced in the 2nd edition of the breviary by the Versio Nova Vulgata in 2000. It is still used today by indult in some monasteries and churches and by traditionalist Catholics.

The style of this most influential psalter is unique. For instance, the following quote is a familiar verse frequently set to music:

Rogate quae ad pacem sunt Ierusalem — Psalm 121(122):6

which means "ask what are for the peace of Jerusalem." The same text is translated in the Jerusalem Bible as "Pray for peace in Jerusalem." Literal to the Septuagint original, the object of "rogate" (ask for, request) is an implied antecedent to the neuter plural relative pronoun "quae" (what), which in turn is the subject of "sunt" (are). Ad pacem (literally "towards peace") serves for the more idiomatic in pace, and Ierusalem is an indeclinable proper noun whose case must be inferred from context. Here the sense of the case is most likely that of a genitive, although it could also be a dative or even a locative. The version attempts to preserve the word order and usage of the Septuagint here, resulting in a peculiar style of Latin. In contrast, Jerome's newer translation from the Hebrew has "rogate pacem Ierusalem," i.e., "ask for the peace of Jerusalem."

[edit] Versio juxta Hebraicum

This version was the last made by Jerome. It is often informally called the "Hebrew Psalter" despite being written in Latin. Rather than just revise the Gallicana, he translated these psalms anew from the Hebrew ca. 398-405. This psalter is found in a few very old manuscripts of the Vulgate. It was found in Spanish manuscripts of the Vulgate long after the Gallicanum supplanted it elsewhere^[3]. It is not clear that it was ever used in the liturgy.

[edit] Versio Piana

Under Pius XII in 1945, a new translation of the psalms, the Versio Piana, Psalterium Vaticanum or simply Psalterium novum, was made from a reconstructed Hebrew text based largely on the Masoretic. Its Latin adopted a classical rather than a biblical style. This version is sometimes called the Bea psalter after its author, Augustin Cardinal Bea. Although acclaimed by some classicists, this neo-classical translation was disliked by many who prayed the psalms in Latin.^[4] Its use in the liturgy was encouraged but not required. It can be found in many breviaries printed between 1945 and 1971.

[edit] Versio Nova Vulgata

In 1969, a new psalter was published which translated the Masoretic text while keeping much of the poetry and style of the Gallican psalter. It has proved to be a popular alternative to Jerome's Gallicana. The 1969 psalter follows the Masoretic numbering of the psalms, so Psalm 23 begins "Dominus pascit me." It is the psalter used in the present day Roman breviary.^[5]

[edit] Enumeration

The enumeration of the psalms differs in the Nova Vulgata from that used in the earlier versions. The earlier versions take their enumeration from the Greek Septuagint. The Versio Nova Vulgata takes its enumeration from the Hebrew Masoretic Text.

[edit] Schemata

A scheme (Latin schema, plural schemata) is an arrangement of all or most of the psalms for distribution to the various canonical hours. In addition to the psalms proper, these schemata typically include psalm-like canticles from other books of the Bible. Historically, these schemata have distributed the entire 150 psalms with added canticles over a period of one week, although the current edition of Roman Breviary (1971,2000) omits a few psalms and some verses and distributes the remainder over a 4-week cycle. Some of the more important schemes are detailed below.^[6][7]

[edit] Schema of St. Benedict

St. Benedict of Nursia around the year 540 wrote a scheme for use in his monastery. This scheme is still used in some Benedictine monasteries today.

[edit] Schema of Pope St. Pius V

As commissioned by the Council of Trent, St. Pius V published a reform of the Roman Breviary in 1568 for use by the wider Latin Church outside of monasteries. The scheme used in this breviary differs in some details from the Scheme of St. Benedict, but follows its overall pattern.

[edit] Schema of Pope St. Piux X

In 1911, St. Pius X reformed the Roman Breviary, re-arranging the psalms so that there was less repetition and so that each day of the week had approximately the same amount of psalm-chanting.

[edit] Schema of Pope Paul VI

In 1971 with the release of a new edition of the Breviarium Romanum under Pope Paul VI, a new schema was introduced which distributed 147 of the 150 psalms across a four-week cycle. In addition to the three omitted psalms, some 59 verses of other psalms are removed along with parts of two verses. These omissions are intended to make the psalms easier to understand so that the Divine Office can better be prayed by the laity. The reduced psalmody resulting from dividing the psalter over 4 weeks instead of 1 is also intended to ease lay participation.

Although the psalter of the 2000 edition^[5] of the Liturgy of the Hours uses the translation of the Nova Vulgata,^[8] the numeration used is that of the older editions of the Vulgate, with the new numeration in parenthesis where it differs. For instance, the psalm beginning Dominus pascit me is numbered 22(23), and Venite exsultemus is numbered 94(95).

Because some of the psalms are so much longer than others, the longer psalms are divided into divisios, that is parts to be chanted separately. This follows the Benedictine practise, and was first introduced into the Roman Office by Pope Pius X. These parts are labelled with Roman numerals. In particular, psalm 118(119) was divided into 22 parts, one for each letter of the Hebrew alphabet, which are labelled 118(119)i - 118(119)xxii. Most of the longer psalms were divided into 3 parts, labelled i - iii.

In addition to the psalter, the schema uses an ordinary which includes the texts that are to be chanted every day. These include the Invitatory, normally psalm 94(95), and the canticles Benedictus Dominus, Magnificat, and Nunc dimittis.

The psalmody of each of the hours of the day except compline contains three psalms or parts of psalms. Lauds contains a canticle of the Old Testament in place of the second psalm, and Vespers contains a canticle of the New Testament in place of the third psalm.

[edit] The Canticles

In addition to the psalms, the psalter contains canticles, that is, bibical texts from outside of the book of Psalms that are chanted as if they were psalms. There are 34 canticles in the psalter and 3 in the ordinary. The three canticles in the ordinary are from the gospels. The 26 psalter canticles for Lauds are from the Old Testament. The 8 psalter canticles for Vespers are from the New Testament excluding the gospels. The texts of the canticles and the references given below are from the Nova Vulgata.^[8]

• Alleluia;^[9] Ap 19, 1-2. 5-7.
• Audite caeli quae loquor; Deut 32, 1-12
• Audite qui longe estis; Is 33,13-16
• Audite verbum Domini gentes; Jer 31:10-14
• Benedicite Dominum omnes electi; Tob 13, 8-11. 13-14ab. 15-16ab.
• Benedicite omnia opera Domini Domino; Dan 3,57-88. 56
• Benedictus Dominus; Lc 1, 68-79
• Benedictus Deus et Pater; Eph 1, 3-10
• Benedictus Deus vivens in aevum; Tob 13,2-8
• Benedictus es Domine Deus Israel; 1 Chr 29, 10-13
• Benedictus es Domine Deus patrum nostrorum I; Dan 3,26. 27. 39. 34-41
• Benedictus es Domine Deus patrum nostrorum II; Dan 3,52-57
• Cantate Domino canticum novum; Is 42, 10-16
• Cantemus Domino; Ex 15,1-4b. 8-13. 17-18
• Christus Iesus; Phil 2,6-11
• Christus passus est pro vobis;^[9] 1 Petr 2,21-24
• Confitebor tibi Domine; Is 12,1-6
• Deducant oculi mei lacrimam; Ier 14,17-21
• Deus patrum meorum; Sap 9,1-6. 9-11
• Dignus es; Ap 4,11; 5,9.10.12
• Domine audivi auditionem tuam; Hab 3,2-4. 13a. 15-19
• Ecce Dominus Deus in virtute venit; Is 40,10-17
• Ego dixi In dimidio dierum meorum; Is 38,10-14. 17-20
• Erit in novissimis diebus; Is 2,2-5
• Exsultavit cor meum in Domino; 1 Sam 2,1-10
• Gaudens gaudebo in Domino; Is 61,10 - 62,5
• Gratias agamus Deo Patri; Col 1,12-20
• Gratias agimus tibi; Ap 11,17-18; 12, 10b-12a
• Incipite Deo meo in tympanis; Iudt 16,1-2. 13-15
• Laetamini; Is 66,10-14a
• Magna et mirabilia; Ap 15,3-4
• Magnificat; Lc 1,46-55
• Miserere nostri Deus omnium et respice nos; Sir 36,1-7. 13-16
• Nunc dimittis; Lc 2,29-32
• Tollam quippe vos de gentibus; Ez 36,24-28
• Urbs fortis nobis in salutem; Is 26,1-4. 7-9. 12
• Vere tu es Deus absconditus; Is 45,15-25

[edit] Week 1

The first week of the psalter is used for the first week of Advent, the week beginning with the first Sunday falling on or after December 25th, the weeks beginning on the first and fifth Sundays of Lent, the fifth week of Easter, and the 1st, 5th, 9th, 13th, 17th, 21st, 25th, 29th, and 33rd weeks of Ordinary Time.

Day	Office of Reading	Lauds	Hora media	Vespers	Compline
Sunday Vigil				140(141); 141(142); Christus Jesus	4; 133(134)
Sunday	1; 2; 3;	62(63); Benedicite omnia; 149	117(118)i; 117(118)ii; 117(118)iii;	109(110); 113A(114); Alleluia[9]	90(91)
Monday	6; 9A(9)i; 9A(9)ii;	5; Benedictus es Domine Deus Israel; 28(29)	18B(19B); 7i; 7ii	10(11); 14(15); Benedictus Deus et Pater	85(86)
Tuesday	9B(10)i; 9B(10)ii; 10(11)	23(24); Benedictus Deus vivens; 32(33)	118(119)i; 12(13); 13(14)	19(20); 20(21); Dignus es	142(143)
Wednesday	17(18)i; 17(18)ii; 17(18)iii	35(36); Incipite; 46(47)	118(119)ii; 16(17)i; 16(17)ii	26(27)i; 26(27)ii; Gratias agamus Deo	30(31),2-6; 129(130)
Thursday	17(18)iv; 17(18)v; 17(18)vi	56(57); Audite verbum; 47(48)	118(119)iii; 24(25)i; 24(25)ii	29(30); 31(32); Gratias agimus tibi	15(16)
Friday	34(35)i; 34(35)ii; 34(35)iii	50(51); Vere tu es; 99(100)	118(119)iv; 25(26); 27(28)	40(41); 45(46); Magna et mirabilia	87(88)
Saturday	130(131); 131(132)i; 131(132)ii [10]	118(119)xix; Cantemus Domino; 116(117)	118(119)v; 33(34)i; 33(34)ii

[edit] Week 2

The second week of the psalter is used for the second week of Advent, the week beginning with the first Sunday falling on or after January 1st, the weeks beginning on the second and sixth Sundays of Lent, the second and sixth weeks of Easter, and the 2nd, 6th, 10th, 14th, 18th, 22nd, 26th, 30th, and 34th weeks of Ordinary Time.

Day	Office of Reading	Lauds	Hora media	Vespers	Compline
Sunday Vigil				118(119)xiv; 15(16); Christus Jesus;	4; 133(134)
Sunday	103(104)i; 103(104)ii; 103(104)iii	117(118); Benedictus es Domine Deus patrum nostrorum II; 150	22(23); 75(76)i; 75(76)ii	109(110); 113B(115); Alleluia;[9]	90(91)
Monday	30(31)i; 30(31)ii; 30(31)iii	41(42); Miserere nostri; 18(19)A	118(119)vi; 39(40)i; 39(40)ii	44(45)i; 44(45)ii; Benedictus Deus et Pater;	85(86)
Tuesday	36(37)i; 36(37)ii; 36(37)iii	42(43); Ego dixi; 64(65)	118(119)vii; 52(53); 53(54)	48(49)i; 48(49)ii; Dignus es;	142(143)
Wednesday	38(39)i; 38(39)ii; 38(39)iii;	76(77); Exsultavit cor meo in Dominum; 96(97)	118(119)viii; 54(55)i; 54(55)ii	61(62); 66(67); Gratias agamus Deo;	30(31),2-6; 129(130)
Thursday	43(44)i; 43(44)ii; 43(44)iii	79(80); Confitebor tibi Domine; 80(81)	118(119)ix; 55(56); 56(57)	71(72)i; 71(72)ii; Gratias agimus tibi;	15(16)
Friday	37(38)i; 37(38)ii; 37(38)iii	50(51); Domine audivi auditionem tuam; 147(147B)	118(119)x; 58(59); 59(60)	114(116A); 120(121); Magna et mirabilia;	87(88)
Saturday	135(136)i; 135(136)ii; 135(136)iii[11]	91(92); Audite caeli; 8	118(119)xi; 60(61); 63(64)

[edit] Week 3

The third week of the psalter is used for the third week of Advent, the week beginning on the third Sunday of Lent, the third and seventh weeks of Easter, and the 3rd, 7th, 11th, 15th, 19th, 23rd, 27th, and 31st weeks of Ordinary Time.

Day	Office of Reading	Lauds	Hora media	Vespers	Compline
Sunday Vigil				112(113); 115(116B); Christus Jesus;	4; 133(134)
Sunday	144(145)i; 144(145)ii; 144(145)iii	92(93); Benedicite omnia; 148	117(118)i; 117(118)ii; 117(118)iii	109(110); 110(111); Alleluia;[9]	90(91)
Monday	49(50)i; 49(50)ii; 49(50)iii	83(84); Erit in novissimis diebus; 95(96)	118(119)xii; 70(71)i; 70(71)ii	122(123); 123(124); Benedictus Deus et Pater;	85(86)
Tuesday	67(68)i; 67(68)ii; 67(68)iii	84(85); Urbs fortis; 66(67)	118(119)xiii; 73(74)i; 73(74)ii	124(125); 130(131); Dignus es;	142(143)
Wednesday	88(89)i; 88(89)ii; 88(89)iii	85(86); Audite qui longe estis; 97(98)	118(119)xiv; 69(70); 74(75)	125(126); 126(127); Gratias agamus Deo;	30(31),2-6; 129(130)
Thursday	88(89)iv; 88(89)v; 89(90)	86(87); Ecce Dominus Deus in virtute venit; 98(99)	118(119)xv; 78(79); 79(80)	131(132)i; 131(132)ii; Gratias agimus tibi;	15(16)
Friday	68(69)i; 68(69)ii; 68(69)iii	50(51); Deducant oculi mei lacrimam; 99(100)	21(22)i; 21(22)ii; 21(22)iii	134(135)i; 134(135)ii; Magna et mirabilia;	87(88)
Saturday	106(107)i; 106(107)ii; 106(107)iii	118(119)xix; Deus patrum meorum; 116(117)	118(119)xvi; 33(34)i; 33(34)ii

[edit] Week 4

The fourth week of the psalter is used for the fourth week of Advent, the days of Lent from Ash Wednesday until the following Saturday, the week beginning on the fourth Sunday of Lent, the fourth week of Easter, and the 4th, 8th, 12th, 16th, 20th, 24th, 28th, and 32nd weeks of Ordinary Time. If Christmas Day does not fall on a Saturday or Sunday, the fourth week of the psalter is used until the first Sunday of Christmas.

Day	Office of Reading	Lauds	Hora media	Vespers	Compline
Sunday Vigil				121(122); 129(130); Christus Jesus;	4; 133(134)
Sunday	23(24); 65(66)i; 65(66)ii	117(118); Benedictus es Domine Deus patrum nostrorum II; 150	22(23); 75(76)i; 75(76)ii	109(110); 111(112); Alleluia;[9]	90(91)
Monday	72(73)i; 72(73)ii; 72(73)iii	89(90); Cantate Domino; 134(135),1-12	118(119)vii; 81(82); 119(120)	135(136)i; 135(136)ii; Benedictus Deus et Pater;	85(86)
Tuesday	101(102)i; 101(102)ii; 101(102)iii	100(101); Benedictus es Domine Deus patrum nostrorum I; 143(144),1-10	118(119)xviii; 87(88)i; 87(88)ii	136(137); 137(138); Dignus es;	142(143)
Wednesday	102(103)i; 102(103)ii; 102(103)iii	107(108); Gaudens gaudebo in Domino; 145(146)	118(119)xix; 93(94)i; 93(94)ii	138(139)i; 138(139)ii; Gratias agamus Deo;	30(31),2-6; 129(130)
Thursday	43(44)i; 43(44)ii; 43(44)iii	142(143); Laetamini; 145(147A)	118(119)xx; 127(128); 128(129)	143(144)i; 143(144)ii; Gratias agimus tibi;	15(16)
Friday	54(55)i; 54(55)ii; 54(55)iii[12]	50(51); Benedicite Dominum; 147(147B)	118(119)xxi; 132(133); 139(140)	144(145)i; 144(145)ii; Magna et mirabilia;	87(88)
Saturday	49(50)i; 49(50)ii; 49(50)iii[13]	91(92); Tollam quippe vos de gentibus; 8	118(119)xxii; 44(45)i; 44(45)ii

[edit] Missing psalms and verses

The psalms missing from this schema are 57(58), 82(83), and 108(109). The missing verses are:

• 5,11
• 20(21),9-13
• 27(28),4-5
• 30(31),18-19
• 34(35),3a-3b. 4-8. 20-21. 24-26
• 39(40),15-16
• 53(54),2. 7
• 54(55),16
• 55(56),7c-8
• 58(59),6-9. 12-16
• 62(63),10-12
• 68(69),23-29
• 78(79),6-7. 12
• 109(110),6
• 136(137),7-9
• 138(139),19-22
• 139(140),10-12
• 140(141),10
• 142(143),12

Although the Invitatory, i.e. psalm 94(95), is missing from the psalter, it is present in the ordinary and is thus chanted every day. Psalms 77(78), 104(105), and 105(106) are sung only during Advent, Christmas, Lent and Easter.

[edit] Psalterium Monasticum

The Psalterium Monasticum is a book produced by the monks of Solesmes in 1981. It contains a one week cycle for the chanting of all 150 psalms. This schema was produced for use in the reformed liturgy of 1971 as an alternative to the 4-week scheme of Paul VI.

Traditional Liturgical Hours of the Catholic Church
Matins	Lauds	Prime	Terce	Sext	None	Vespers	Compline

[edit] Notes

1. ^ ^{a b} "Breviary", The Catholic Encyclopedia, 1917
2. ^ Article on Saint Jerome, Catholic Online
3. ^ Prefaces of the Stuttgart Vulgate, Biblia Sacra Vulgata, American Bible Society, ISBN 3-438-05303-9
4. ^ Translation from the Dutch of a review by Christine Mohrmann, 1953
5. ^ ^{a b} Liturgia Horarum iuxta ritum Romanum, Editio typica altera, Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 2000
6. ^ 'Psalter Schemas' by Kellerbook
7. ^ Article on the Breviary, Catholic Encyclopedia, 1913
8. ^ ^{a b} Nova Vulgata Bibliorum Sacrorum Editio
9. ^ ^{a b c d e f} The canticle Christus passus est pro nobis is chanted instead of the canticle Alleluia during Lent
10. ^ Psalm 104(105)i-iii is used in place of 130(131) and 131(132) during the seasons of Advent, Christmas, Lent and Easter.
11. ^ Psalm 105(106)i-iii is used in place of 135(136) during the seasons of Advent, Christmas, Lent and Easter.
12. ^ Psalm 77(78)i-iii is used in place of 54(55) during the seasons of Advent, Christmas, Lent and Easter.
13. ^ Psalm 77(78)iv-vi is used in place of 49(50) during the seasons of Advent, Christmas, Lent and Easter.