PSALTERIVM

PSALMVS CXLIII (II) — DEVS CANTICVM NOVVM

O God, a New Canticle

The second portion of Psalm 143 (Benedictus Dominus) contains David's petition for rescue and the vision of blessed prosperity: strong sons, abundant daughters, overflowing storehouses. The closing beatitude - 'Blessed is that people whose God is the Lord' - summarizes the psalm's theology of divine blessing contingent upon covenant fidelity.

LATINE
Deus, canticum novum cantabo tibi: in psalterio, decachordo psallam tibi.
Qui das salutem regibus: qui redemisti David, servum tuum, de gladio maligno:
Eripe me, et erue me de manu filiorum alienorum, quorum os locutum est vanitatem: et dextera eorum, dextera iniquitatis:
Quorum filii, sicut novellae plantationes in iuventute sua.
Filiae eorum compositae: circumornatae ut similitudo templi.
Promtuaria eorum plena, eructantia ex hoc in illud.
Oves eorum foetosae, abundantes in egressibus suis: boves eorum crassae.
Non est ruina maceriae, neque transitus: neque clamor in plateis eorum.
Beatum dixerunt populum, cui haec sunt: beatus populus, cuius Dominus Deus eius.
ENGLISH
O God, I will sing a new canticle to thee: on the psaltery and an instrument of ten strings I will sing praises to thee.
Who givest salvation to kings: who hast redeemed thy servant David from the malicious sword:
Deliver me, and rescue me out of the hand of strange children; whose mouth hath spoken vanity: and their right hand is the right hand of iniquity:
Whose sons are as new plants in their youth:
Their daughters decked out, adorned round about after the similitude of a temple:
Their storehouses full, flowing out of this into that.
Their sheep fruitful in young, abounding in their goings forth: their oxen fat.
There is no breach of wall, nor passage, nor crying out in their streets.
They have called the people happy, that hath these things: but happy is that people whose God is the Lord.
NOTA
FONS
Douay-Rheims (1609) / Vulgata
USUS
Saturday Vespers (ferial)
CONTEXT
The second half of Psalm 143, traditionally separated in the ferial Vespers psalter. The contrast between worldly prosperity and true blessedness in God echoes Ecclesiastes.