88:52. Wherewith thy enemies have reproached, O Lord; wherewith they have reproached the change of thy anointed.

88:53. Blessed be the Lord for evermore. So be it. So be it.

Psalms Chapter 89

Domine, refugium.

A prayer for the mercy of G.o.d: recounting the shortness and miseries of the days of man.

89:1. A prayer of Moses the man of G.o.d. Lord, thou hast been our refuge from generation to generation.

89:2. Before the mountains were made, or the earth and the world was formed; from eternity and to eternity thou art G.o.d.

89:3. Turn not man away to be brought low: and thou hast said: Be converted, O ye sons of men.

Turn not man away, etc... Suffer him not quite to perish from thee, since thou art pleased to call upon him to be converted to thee.

89:4. For a thousand years in thy sight are as yesterday, which is past.

And as a watch in the night,

89:5. Things that are counted nothing, shall their years be.

89:6. In the morning man shall grow up like gra.s.s; in the morning he shall flourish and pa.s.s away: in the evening he shall fall, grow dry, and wither.

89:7. For in thy wrath we have fainted away: and are troubled in thy indignation.

89:8. Thou hast set our iniquities before thy eyes: our life in the light of thy countenance.

89:9. For all our days are spent; and in thy wrath we have fainted away.

Our years shall be considered as a spider:

As a spider... As frail and weak as a spider's web; and miserable withal, whilst like a spider we spend our bowels in weaving webs to catch flies.

89:10. The days of our years in them are threescore and ten years. But if in the strong they be fourscore years: and what is more of them is labour and sorrow. For mildness is come upon us: and we shall be corrected.

Mildness is come upon us, etc... G.o.d's mildness corrects us; inasmuch as he deals kindly with us, in shortening the days of this miserable life; and so weaning our affections from all its transitory enjoyments, and teaching us true wisdom.

89:11. Who knoweth the power of thy anger, and for thy fear

89:12. Can number thy wrath? So make thy right hand known: and men learned in heart, in wisdom.

89:13. Return, O Lord, how long? and be entreated in favour of thy servants.

89:14. We are filled in the morning with thy mercy: and we have rejoiced, and are delighted all our days.

89:15. We have rejoiced for the days in which thou hast humbled us: for the years in which we have seen evils.

89:16. Look upon thy servants and upon their works: and direct their children.

89:17. And let the brightness of the Lord our G.o.d be upon us: and direct thou the works of our hands over us; yea, the work of our hands do thou direct.

Psalms Chapter 90

Qui habitat.

The just is secure under the protection of G.o.d.

90:1. The praise of a canticle for David. He that dwelleth in the aid of the most High, shall abide under the protection of the G.o.d of Jacob.

90:2. He shall say to the Lord: Thou art my protector, and my refuge: my G.o.d, in him will I trust.

90:3. For he hath delivered me from the snare of the hunters: and from the sharp word.

90:4. He will overshadow thee with his shoulders: and under his wings thou shalt trust.

90:5. His truth shall compa.s.s thee with a shield: thou shalt not be afraid of the terror of the night.

90:6. Of the arrow that flieth in the day, of the business that walketh about in the dark: of invasion, or of the noonday devil.

90:7. A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand: but it shall not come nigh thee.

90:8. But thou shalt consider with thy eyes: and shalt see the reward of the wicked.

90:9. Because thou, O Lord, art my hope: thou hast made the most High thy refuge.

90:10. There shall no evil come to thee: nor shall the scourge come near thy dwelling.

90:11. For he hath given his angels charge over thee; to keep thee in all thy ways.

90:12. In their hands they shall bear thee up: lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.

90:13. Thou shalt walk upon the asp and the basilisk: and thou shalt trample under foot the lion and the dragon.

90:14. Because he hoped in me I will deliver him: I will protect him because he hath known my name.

90:15. He shall cry to me, and I will hear him: I am with him in tribulation, I will deliver him, and I will glorify him.

90:16. I will fill him with length of days; and I will shew him my salvation.

Psalms Chapter 91

Bonum est confiteri.

G.o.d is to be praised for his wondrous works.

91:1. A psalm of a canticle on the sabbath day.

91:2. It is good to give praise to the Lord: and to sing to thy name, O most High.