PSALTERIVM

PSALMVS CVIII — DEVS LAVDEM

O God, Be Not Silent

Deus laudem meam ne tacueris is the longest and most severe of the imprecatory psalms, containing detailed curses against a treacherous enemy. Verse 8 ('His days be few; and his bishopric let another take') is applied in Acts 1:20 to Judas. In the 1962 Breviary it appears at Matins. The Fathers interpret the curses as prophecies of divine judgment rather than personal vengeance.

LATINE
Deus, laudem meam ne tacueris: quia os peccatoris, et os dolosi super me apertum est.
Locuti sunt adversum me lingua dolosa; et sermonibus odii circumdederunt me, et expugnaverunt me gratis.
Pro eo ut me diligerent, detrahebant mihi: ego autem orabam.
Et posuerunt adversum me mala pro bonis: et odium pro dilectione mea.
Et tu, Domine, Domine, fac mecum propter nomen tuum: quia suavis est misericordia tua.
Libera me, quia egenus et pauper ego sum: et cor meum conturbatum est intra me.
Sicut umbra cum declinat, ablatus sum: et excussus sum sicut locustae.
Adiuva me, Domine, Deus meus: salvum me fac secundum misericordiam tuam.
Et sciant quia manus tua haec: et tu, Domine, fecisti eam.
Confitebor Domino nimis in ore meo: et in medio multorum laudabo eum.
ENGLISH
O God, be not thou silent in my praise: for the mouth of the wicked and the mouth of the deceitful man is opened against me.
They have spoken against me with deceitful tongues; and they have compassed me about with words of hatred; and have fought against me without cause.
Instead of making me a return of love, they detracted me: but I gave myself to prayer.
And they repaid me evil for good: and hatred for my love.
But thou, O Lord, do with me for thy name's sake: because thy mercy is sweet.
Do thou deliver me, for I am poor and needy, and my heart is troubled within me.
I am taken away like the shadow when it declineth: and I am shaken off as locusts.
Help me, O Lord my God; save me according to thy mercy.
And let them know that this is thy hand: and that thou, O Lord, hast done it.
I will give great thanks to the Lord with my mouth: and in the midst of many I will praise him.
NOTA
FONS
Douay-Rheims (1609) / Vulgata
USUS
Holy Week, Against betrayal
CONTEXT
Psalm 109 in Hebrew numbering. Peter quotes v. 8 regarding Judas (Acts 1:20). The imprecations are understood as prophecy of the consequences of betraying Christ.