Misericordias Domini. The perpetuity of the church of Christ, in consequence of the promise of God: which, notwithstanding, God permits her to suffer sometimes most grievous afflictions.

 1 Of understanding, for Ethan the Ezrahite.
Intellectus Ethan Ezrahitae.

 2 The mercies of the Lord I will sing for ever. I will shew forth thy truth with my mouth to generation and generation.
Misericordias Domini in aeternum cantabo; in generationem et generationem annuntiabo veritatem tuam in ore meo.

 3 For thou hast said: Mercy shall be built up for ever in the heavens: thy truth shall be prepared in them.
Quoniam dixisti : In aeternum misericordia aedificabitur in caelis; praeparabitur veritas tua in eis.

 4 I have made a covenant with my elect: I have sworn to David my servant:
Disposui testamentum electis meis; juravi David, servo meo :

 5 Thy seed will I settle for ever. And I will build up thy throne unto generation and generation.
usque in aeternum praeparabo semen tuum, et aedificabo in generationem et generationem sedem tuam.

 6 The heavens shall confess thy wonders, O Lord: and thy truth in the church of the saints.
Confitebuntur caeli mirabilia tua, Domine; etenim veritatem tuam in ecclesia sanctorum.

 7 For who in the clouds can be compared to the Lord: or who among the sons of God shall be like to God?
Quoniam quis in nubibus aequabitur Domino, similis erit Deo in filiis Dei?

 8 God, who is glorified in the assembly of the saints: great and terrible above all them that are about him.
Deus, qui glorificatur in consilio sanctorum, magnus et terribilis super omnes qui in circuitu ejus sunt.

 9 O Lord God of hosts, who is like to thee? thou art mighty, O Lord, and thy truth is round about thee.
Domine Deus virtutum, quis similis tibi? potens es, Domine, et veritas tua in circuitu tuo.

 10 Thou rulest the power of the sea: and appeasest the motion of the waves thereof.
Tu dominaris potestati maris, motum autem fluctuum ejus tu mitigas.

 11 Thou hast humbled the proud one, as one that is slain: with the arm of thy strength thou hast scattered thy enemies.
Tu humiliasti, sicut vulneratum, superbum; in brachio virtutis tuae dispersisti inimicos tuos.

 12 Thine are the heavens, and thine is the earth: the world and the fulness thereof thou hast founded:
Tui sunt caeli, et tua est terra; orbem terrae, et plenitudinem ejus tu fundasti;

 13 The north and the sea thou hast created. Thabor and Hermon shall rejoice in thy name:
aquilonem et mare tu creasti. Thabor et Hermon in nomine tuo exsultabunt.

 14 Thy arm is with might. Let thy hand be strengthened, and thy right hand exalted:
Tuum brachium cum potentia; firmetur manus tua, et exaltetur dextera tua.

 15 Justice and judgment are the preparation of thy throne. Mercy and truth shall go before thy face:
Justitia et judicium praeparatio sedis tuae; misericordia et veritas praecedent faciem tuam.

 16 Blessed is the people that knoweth jubilation. They shall walk, O Lord, in the light of thy countenance:
Beatus populus qui scit jubilationem : Domine, in lumine vultus tui ambulabunt;

 17 And in thy name they shall rejoice all the day, and in thy justice they shall be exalted.
et in nomine tuo exsultabunt tota die; et in justitia tua exaltabuntur.

 18 For thou art the glory of their strength: and in thy good pleasure shall our horn be exalted.
Quoniam gloria virtutis eorum tu es, et in beneplacito tuo exaltabitur cornu nostrum.

 19 For our protection is of the Lord, and of our king the holy one of Israel.
Quia Domini est assumptio nostra, et sancti Israel regis nostri.

 20 Then thou spokest in a vision to thy saints, and saidst: I have laid help upon one that is mighty, and have exalted one chosen out of my people.
Tunc locutus es in visione sanctis tuis, et dixisti : Posui adjutorium in potente; et exaltavi electum de plebe mea.

 21 I have found David my servant: with my holy oil I have anointed him.
Inveni David, servum meum, oleo sancto meo unxi eum.

 22 For my hand shall help him: and my arm shall strengthen him.
Manus enim mea auxiliabitur ei, et brachium meum confortabit eum.

 23 The enemy shall have no advantage over him: nor the son of iniquity have power to hurt him.
Nihil proficiet inimicus in eo, et filius iniquitatis non apponet nocere ei.

 24 And I will cut down his enemies before his face; and them that hate him I will put to flight.
Et concidam a facie ipsius inimicos ejus, et odientes eum in fugam convertam.

 25 And my truth and my mercy shall be with him: and in my name shall his horn be exalted.
Et veritas mea et misericordia mea cum ipso; et in nomine meo exaltabitur cornu ejus.

 26 And I will set his hand in the sea; and his right hand in the rivers.
Et ponam in mari manum ejus, et in fluminibus dexteram ejus.

 27 He shall cry out to me: Thou art my father: my God, and the support of my salvation.
Ipse invocabit me : Pater meus es tu, Deus meus, et susceptor salutis meae.

 28 And I will make him my firstborn, high above the kings of the earth.
Et ego primogenitum ponam illum, excelsum prae regibus terrae.

 29 I will keep my mercy for him for ever: and my covenant faithful to him.
In aeternum servabo illi misericordiam meam, et testamentum meum fidele ipsi.

 30 And I will make his seed to endure for evermore: and his throne as the days of heaven.
Et ponam in saeculum saeculi semen ejus, et thronum ejus sicut dies caeli.

 31 And if his children forsake my law, and walk not in my judgments:
Si autem dereliquerint filii ejus legem meam, et in judiciis meis non ambulaverint;

 32 If they profane my justices: and keep not my commandments:
si justitias meas profanaverint, et mandata mea non custodierint :

 33 I will visit their iniquities with a rod: and their sins with stripes.
visitabo in virga iniquitates eorum, et in verberibus peccata eorum;

 34 But my mercy I will not take away from him: nor will I suffer my truth to fail.
misericordiam autem meam non dispergam ab eo, neque nocebo in veritate mea.

 35 Neither will I profane my covenant: and the words that proceed from my mouth I will not make void.
Neque profanabo testamentum meum, et quae procedunt de labiis meis non faciam irrita.

 36 Once have I sworn by my holiness: I will not lie unto David:
Semel juravi in sancto meo, si David mentiar :

 37 His seed shall endure for ever.
Semen ejus in aeternum manebit. Et thronus ejus sicut sol in conspectu meo,

 38 And his throne as the sun before me: and as the moon perfect for ever, and a faithful witness in heaven.
et sicut luna perfecta in aeternum, et testis in caelo fidelis.

 39 But thou hast rejected and despised: thou hast been angry with thy anointed.
Tu vero repulisti et despexisti; distulisti christum tuum.

 40 Thou hast overthrown the covenant of thy servant: thou hast profaned his sanctuary on the earth.
Evertisti testamentum servi tui; profanasti in terra sanctuarium ejus.

 41 Thou hast broken down all his hedges: thou hast made his strength fear.
Destruxisti omnes sepes ejus; posuisti firmamentum ejus formidinem.

 42 All that pass by the way have robbed him: he is become a reproach to his neighbours.
Diripuerunt eum omnes transeuntes viam; factus est opprobrium vicinis suis.

 43 Thou hast set up the right hand of them that oppress him: thou hast made all his enemies to rejoice.
Exaltasti dexteram deprimentium eum; laetificasti omnes inimicos ejus.

 44 Thou hast turned away the help of his sword; and hast not assisted him in battle.
Avertisti adjutorium gladii ejus, et non es auxiliatus ei in bello.

 45 Thou hast made his purification to cease: and thou hast cast his throne down to the ground.
Destruxisti eum ab emundatione, et sedem ejus in terram collisisti.

 46 Thou hast shortened the days of his time: thou hast covered him with confusion.
Minorasti dies temporis ejus; perfudisti eum confusione.

 47 How long, O Lord, turnest thou away unto the end? shall thy anger burn like fire?
Usquequo, Domine, avertis in finem : exardescet sicut ignis ira tua?

 48 Remember what my substance is for hast thou made all the children of men in vain?
Memorare quae mea substantia; numquid enim vane constituisti omnes filios hominum?

 49 Who is the man that shall live, and not see death: that shall deliver his soul from the hand of hell?
Quis est homo qui vivet et non videbit mortem? eruet animam suam de manu inferi?

 50 Lord, where are thy ancient mercies, according to what thou didst swear to David in thy truth?
Ubi sunt misericordiae tuae antiquae, Domine, sicut jurasti David in veritate tua?

 51 Be mindful, O Lord, of the reproach of thy servants (which I have held in my bosom) of many nations:
Memor esto, Domine, opprobrii servorum tuorum, quod continui in sinu meo, multarum gentium;

 52 Wherewith thy enemies have reproached, O Lord; wherewith they have reproached the change of thy anointed.
quod exprobraverunt inimici tui, Domine, quod exprobraverunt commutationem christi tui.

 53 Blessed be the Lord for evermore. So be it. So be it.
Benedictus Dominus in aeternum. Fiat! fiat!