PSALTERIVM

PSALMVS LXXXII — DEVS QVIS SIMILIS

O God, Who Shall Be Like to Thee?

Deus quis similis erit tibi is an imprecatory psalm calling on God to act against the enemies who conspire to destroy Israel. The detailed enumeration of hostile nations reflects Israel's historical situation. In the 1962 Breviary it appears at Friday Matins. The final petition 'that they may know that thy name is the Lord' reveals the ultimate purpose of divine judgment.

LATINE
Deus, quis similis erit tibi? ne taceas, neque compescaris, Deus.
Quoniam ecce inimici tui sonuerunt: et qui oderunt te, extulerunt caput.
Super populum tuum malignaverunt consilium: et cogitaverunt adversus sanctos tuos.
Dixerunt: Venite, et disperdamus eos de gente: et non memoretur nomen Israel ultra.
Quoniam cogitaverunt unanimiter: simul adversum te testamentum disposuerunt.
Fac illis sicut Madian et Sisarae: sicut Iabin in torrente Cisson.
Imple facies eorum ignominia: et quaerent nomen tuum, Domine.
Erubescant, et conturbentur in saeculum saeculi: et confundantur, et pereant.
Et cognoscant quia nomen tibi Dominus: tu solus Altissimus in omni terra.
ENGLISH
O God, who shall be like to thee? hold not thy peace, neither be thou still, O God.
For lo, thy enemies have made a noise: and they that hate thee have lifted up the head.
They have taken a malicious counsel against thy people, and have consulted against thy saints.
They have said: Come and let us destroy them, so that they be not a nation: and let the name of Israel be remembered no more.
For they have contrived with one consent: they have made a covenant together against thee.
Do to them as thou didst to Madian and to Sisara: as to Jabin at the brook of Cisson.
Fill their faces with shame; and they shall seek thy name, O Lord.
Let them be ashamed and troubled for ever and ever: and let them be confounded and perish.
And let them know that the Lord is thy name: thou alone art the most High over all the earth.
NOTA
FONS
Douay-Rheims (1609) / Vulgata
USUS
Against enemies of the Church, National defense
CONTEXT
Psalm 83 in Hebrew numbering. Lists ten nations confederated against Israel—a comprehensive anti-covenant that God will defeat.