PSALTERIVM

PSALMVS XXXV — DIXIT INIVSTVS

The Unjust Hath Said Within Himself

Dixit iniustus is a wisdom psalm meditating on the malice of the wicked contrasted with God's infinite loving-kindness. The famous verse 'In thy light we shall see light' became foundational for patristic theology of illumination. In the 1962 Breviary it appears at Monday Matins. St. Augustine developed his entire doctrine of divine illumination from this psalm.

LATINE
Dixit iniustus ut delinquat in semetipso: non est timor Dei ante oculos eius.
Quoniam dolose egit in conspectu eius: ut inveniatur iniquitas eius ad odium.
Verba oris eius iniquitas, et dolus: noluit intelligere ut bene ageret.
Iniquitatem meditatus est in cubili suo, astitit omni viae non bonae: malitiam autem non odivit.
Domine, in caelo misericordia tua: et veritas tua usque ad nubes.
Iustitia tua sicut montes Dei: iudicia tua abyssus multa.
Homines, et iumenta salvabis, Domine: quemadmodum multiplicasti misericordiam tuam, Deus!
Filii autem hominum, in tegmine alarum tuarum sperabunt.
Inebriabuntur ab ubertate domus tuae: et torrente voluptatis tuae potabis eos.
Quoniam apud te est fons vitae: et in lumine tuo videbimus lumen.
Praetende misericordiam tuam scientibus te, et iustitiam tuam his, qui recto sunt corde.
ENGLISH
The unjust hath said within himself, that he would sin: there is no fear of God before his eyes.
For in his sight he hath done deceitfully, that his iniquity may be found unto hatred.
The words of his mouth are iniquity and guile: he would not understand that he might do well.
He hath devised iniquity on his bed, he hath set himself on every way that is not good: but evil he hath not hated.
O Lord, thy mercy is in heaven, and thy truth reacheth even to the clouds.
Thy justice is as the mountains of God, thy judgments are a great deep.
Men and beasts thou wilt preserve, O Lord: O how hast thou multiplied thy mercy, O God!
But the children of men shall put their trust under the covert of thy wings.
They shall be inebriated with the plenty of thy house; and thou shalt make them drink of the torrent of thy pleasure.
For with thee is the fountain of life; and in thy light we shall see light.
Extend thy mercy to them that know thee, and thy justice to them that are right in heart.
NOTA
FONS
Douay-Rheims (1609) / Vulgata
USUS
Meditation, Divine Office
CONTEXT
Psalm 36 in Hebrew numbering. V. 10 'In thy light we shall see light' is foundational for Christian mysticism and the beatific vision.