St. Bonaventure: The Psalter of Our Lady

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Adapted from here.

The Psalter of the Blessed Virgin Mary

by St. Bonaventure

AUTHOR'S PREFACE

"Take hold on her, and she shall exalt thee: thou shalt be glorified by her, when thou shalt embrace her. She shall give to thy head increase of graces, and protect thee with a noble crown." (Prov. IV, 8-9.)

Glory be to God on high, and thanksgiving, and the voice of praise, who at one time by the mysteries of prophecy, at another by oracles from Heaven, again by the reading of the Gospel, and now by the mouth of preachers, in many ways and by divers channels, most sincerely urges and invites us to honor the Virgin Mary, the Queen of Heaven and of the Angels; that by her holy merits, most worthy of all acceptance, we, being delivered from
the depths of hell, may be inscribed by her in the ranks of the angels. Wherefore, although Solomon spoke the aforesaid words of Wisdom, nevertheless the Holy Spirit, by a mystical application, intends them to be understood of the most excellent Virgin Mary.

By means of these words, dearly beloved, He is drawing you to His love, and by various promises is attracting and softening your hearts, that you may enjoy His divine embraces. His meaning is that you will obtain four wonderful gifts, if this glorious Virgin is joined to you by a spiritual bond, and is embraced by you in the arms of fervent desire, with great reverence and devotion. First, she will bring you exaltation; and she shall exalt thee;
secondly, glorification; and thou shalt be glorified by her; thirdly, the abundance of graces; she shall give to thy head increase of graces; fourthly, the unfading crown of perpetual glory, and protect thee with a noble crown. Therefore I beseech thee, dearly beloved and most desired, do not repel so noble and so beautiful a virgin; do not make little of so admirable and revered a queen as the Virgin Mary: lest, if she should see herself despised by you, you will be, I will not say, deprived of such great favors, but, which God forbid, you will incur perpetual evils. Expand the bosom of your mind to serve her, prepare your heart to praise and glorify her, loose your tongue, and with swift service hasten to please her.

For there is no doubt that from her nearness to you, you will become more devout, from contact with her you will grow more pure, from her embrace you will abound more in grace and be more resplendent in purity. That I may give you an occasion of obtaining such great gifts, I send you the Psalter of this most Holy Virgin, put together and composed indeed by my feeble intelligence, but with her grace and help; by means of it you will praise with divers hymns, now her virginity and chastity, now her fecundity and sanctity, now her clemency and bounty. You will be able to salute her as full of all grace, or as filled with all knowledge, or as illumined by all understanding and wisdom. There you will bless the Fruit of her glorious womb, the members of His holy body, and the prerogatives of His soul, bestowing all sanctity. There you will invoke the aid of all the choirs of angels to
praise her, and of all the multitudes of holy men, the isles of the nations, the heavens, the beauty of all luminaries and of the whole world. There you will beseech her to destroy the power of your spiritual enemies, to obtain for you pardon of all your sins that she may render the great Judge propitious to you, that she may illumine your deathbed by her gracious presence, and obtain for you joy without end. Therefore, O dearly beloved souls, graciously receive this little gift which I offer you, and strive to draw fruit there from; by means of it frequently praise the Mother of God; and thus perchance she will turn to you her gracious countenance, receiving you to her love, refreshing your soul in the present, and placing upon your head a crown of precious stones in the world to come.

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PSALTER OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY.

PSALM I.

Blessed is the man that cherishes thy name, Virgin Mary, thy grace will strengthen his soul.

As a garden watered by springs of living water, thou wilt multiply in that soul the sweetest fruits of justice.

Thou art blessed among all women, because of the humble faith of thy holy heart.

For thou art exalted above all women by the beauty of thy person; thou surpassest the angels and the archangels by the excellence of thy sanctity.

Thy mercy and thy grace are celebrated every where ; God has blessed the works of thy hands.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost, now and always, and from generation to generation. Amen.



PSALM II.

Why do our enemies rage, and why have they imagined vain things against us?

May thy right hand protect us, Mother of God, terrible as an army in the battle confound them and destroy them.

Come to her, ye who are in distress and in tribulation, and she will give rest unto your souls.

Have recourse to her in thy temptations, and the serenity of her countenance will strengthen thee.

Bless her with all thy heart, for the entire earth is full of her mercy.

Glory be to the Father, &c.



PSALM III.

0, Lady, how are they increased that trouble me; thou wilt reach them, and in thine own time disperse them.

Break the chains of our ungodliness, deliver us from the burden of our sins.

Have pity upon me, Lady, and heal my infirmities; take away the sorrow and agony of my heart.

Deliver me not into the hands of mine enemies, and to the day of my death strengthen my soul.

Conduct me to the door of salvation, and restrain my spirit to my Author and to my Creator.

Glory to the Father, &c.



PSALM IV.

When I called upon thee, thou hast heard me favourably, O Lady, and from the height of thy throne thou hast deigned to remember me.

From the rage of roaring lions ready to devour me, from the hands of those who persecute me, thy grace will deliver me.

Because that thy mercy and thy charity are compassionate towards all those who call upon thy holy name.

Be blessed, O Lady, through eternity, and let thy majesty remain glorified in all ages.

Nations glorify thee in all thy power, and you, people of the earth, exalt her magnificence.

Glory, &c.



PSALM V.

Give ear to my words, O Lady, and remove not from me the beauty of thy countenance.

Convert our sorrow into joy, and our tribulation into happiness.

That our enemies may fall beneath our feet, and that by thy virtue their heads may be broken.

That our tongue may bless thee, and that all flesh may confess thy holy name.

For thy spirit is sweeter than honey, and thy heritage surpasseth the honey and its comb.

Glory, &c.



PSALM VI.

O Lady, permit me not to be delivered over to the fury of God, that I be not judged in his anger.

For the honour of thy name, O Lady, let the fruit of thy glorious womb be propitious.

From the gates of hell and from the abyss, deliver us by thy holy prayers.

That the eternal gates may be opened to us, to the end that we may recount thy marvellous works to all eternity.

For it is not the dead, neither those who are in hell that shall praise thee, O Lady, but those who by thy grace obtain eternal glory.

Glory, &c.



PSALM VII.

0 Lady, I have hoped in thee : deliver my soul from mine enemies.

Shut the mouth of the lion and break his teeth, and close the lips of my persecutors.

Delay not for the honour of thy name, to have mercy upon us.

Let the glory of thy countenance shine upon us, that our conscience may become pure before the Most High.

If the enemy persecute my soul, O Lady, that I may be strengthened by thy power, let not thy sword shine against us.

Glory, &c.



PSALM VIII.

0 Lady ! it is by thee that our Lord became our brother and our Saviour.

As the fire in the bush was ardent, and as the dew upon the fleece, by thee is descended the Word of God.

The Holy Spirit has rendered thee fruitful, and the virtue of the Almighty has overshadowed thee.

Blessed be thy pure conception, blessed be thy virginal delivery !

Blessed be the purity of thy flesh ; blessed be the sweet mercy of thy heart.

Glory, &c.



PSALM IX.

1 will confess thee, 0 Lady, with all the power of my heart ; I will recount thy praise and thy glory in the midst of the people.

For to thee are due glory and thanksgiving, and words of praise.

May sinners find pardon before God, by thee, mediatrix of salvation.

That humbly penitent, they may hope in thine indulgence ; heal thou their broken hearts.

In the charm of peace, in the richness of repose, thou wilt reassure us after the labours of our pilgrimage.

Glory, &c.



PSALM X.

In our Lady I trust, because of the sweet mercy of her name.

Her eyes rest upon the poor, and her hands stretch towards the orphan and the widow.

Enquire after her from thy youth, and she will glorify thee before the face of all people.

That her mercy may put away the multitude of our sins, and that her power, agreeable to God, may confer upon us abundance of merit.

Extend towards us thine arm, Glorious Virgin; and turn not away from us thy glorious countenance.

Glory, &c.

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PSALM XI.

Save me, Mother of divine love, source of clemency and sweetness of piety.

Alone, thou makest the circuit of the entire globe to come to the aid of those who invoke thee.

Thy ways are beautiful, and thy paths are peace.

In thee shineth the glory of chastity, the light of justice and the splendour of truth.

Surrounded by the light of the Sun as a garment, thou emitest rays of glory from thy diadem, to the twelve stars.

Glory, &c.



PSALM XII.

How long wilt thou forget me, 0 Lady? Thou wilt not deliver me to the day of tribulation.

How long shall mine enemy be exalted above me? By the power of thy virtue exterminate him.

Open the eyes of thy pity, for fear that our enemy triumph over us.

We glorify thee as the Mother of grace, by whom the aged have been recovered.

Raised above the choir of angels, intercede for us before the throne of God.

Glory, &c.



PSALM XIII.

For the fool who is our enemy, hath said in his heart, I will pursue and will seize the faithful of Christ, and my hand shall kill them.

Rise, Lady ; prevent and supplant him : destroy all his efforts.

The sun and the moon admire thy beauty ; the angelic powers serve and obey thee.

By thy sweet touch the sick are healed ; by thy perfume the dead are raised.

0, Virgin Mother of God ! that which the entire universe cannot contain, was enclosed in thy bosom in becoming man.

Glory, &c.



PSALM XIV.

0, Lady, who shall inhabit the tabernacle of God? or who shall repose with the senators of thy people.

The poor in spirit, the pure in heart, the meek, the peaceful and those who weep.

Remember, 0 Lady, and speak favourably for us, and avert from us the anger of thy Son.

Let us embrace the paths of Mary, sinners, and let us prostrate ourselves at her sacred feet.

Let us attach ourselves strongly to her, and leave her not ; until we shall have merited her blessing.

Glory, &c.



PSALM XV.

Preserve me, O Lady, I have hope in thee, let the dew of thy grace distil upon us.

Thy chaste bosom and thy virginal womb have brought forth the Son of the Highest.

Blessed be thy paps, the divine, milk of which nourished the Saviour, Jesus !

Celebrate the praises of the glorious Virgin, all ye who mar her have found grace and mercy.

Bender honour to her holy name, and sing in choir throughout all ages of her conception and her delivery.

Glory, &c.



PSALM XVI.

0 Lady, favorably hear the justice of my prayer, and remove from me tribulations.

1 will confess thee with words of joy, when thou shalt have made thy mercy to shine upon me.

Imitate her, holy virgins of God, as Agnes, Barbara, Dorothy, and Catherine should be imitated.

Honour her by the words of thy mouth ; thus it is that Agatha, Lucy, Margarita and Cecilia, have obtained her favour.

She will give thee for thy husband, the Son of thy Father, and a crown of incomparable glory formed of the lilies of paradise.

Glory, &c.



PSALM XVII.

I will love thee, Queen of heaven and of the earth, and I will invoke thy name in the midst of the nations.

Celebrate her praises afflicted hearts, and she will strengthen thee against thine enemies.

Distil upon us, O Lady, the favour that flows from thy breast : and may the milk of thy mercy appease
the thirst of our children.

Religious orders, honour her ; for she is thy protectress and thy patroness.

Be thou our refuge, glorious Mother of Christ ; for thou art the admirable support of all religion.

Glory, &c.



PSALM XVIII.

The heavens declare thy glory, O Virgin Mary, and the balm of thy perfume is spread over all nations.

Aspire towards her, wandering sinners; she will conduct you to the gate of indulgence.

Touch her tenderness by thy Hymns and thy Psalms, and thy Canticles, and she will shower upon you the favour of her sweetness.

Just ones, glorify her before the throne of God, because you have accomplished your justification by virtue of the fruit of her womb.

Praise her heaven of heavens, and all the earth glorify her name.

Glory, &c.



PSALM XIX.

Favorably hear us, 0 Lady, in the day of our tribulation, and when we pray to thee, turn towards us thy countenance full of clemency.

Repulse us not at the time of our death, but succour our soul when it shall have abandoned our body.

Send an angel to meet it, and defend it against the enemy.

Shew to it, in his serenity the Judge of Ages, and by thy favour may he accord pardon.

That it may feel in its troubles thy refreshment, and accord to it a place among the elect of God.

Glory, &c.



PSALM XX.

Lady, our heart revives in thy power ; and our soul is consoled in the sweetness of thy name.

Prom the height of thy throne, send us wisdom by which we may be sweetly illumined by the light of all truth.

Give us grace to abstain from carnal desires, to the end that the light of thy grace may rise in our hearts.

How mild are thy words to those who love thee, O Lady ; how sweet are the effusions of thy fervour?

I will sing to thee of glory and honour, and eternally glorify thy name.

Glory, &c.

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PSALM XXI.

That God, my God, turns his face towards me, thanks to thy merits, 0 Mary, always virgin.

O Lady, I have cried to thee day and night: thou hast had mercy upon thy servant.

Because I have hoped in thy mercy, thou hast saved me from eternal disgrace.

My enemies have everywhere derided me, but thou, beneath the shadow of thy hand, thou hast reserved for me a sure retreat.

Let the families of the nations adore thee, and let all the orders of angels glorify thee.

Glory, &c.



PSALM XXII.

The Lord guide me, Virgin Mother of God, because thou hast turned towards me thy favourable countenance.

Blessed be thy luminous eyes, that thou deignest mercifully to incline towards us, sinners.

Blessed be the light and splendour of thy countenance. Blessed be the grace of thy person.

Blessed be the mercy of thy hands; blessed be the source of thy virginal milk.

Let the Apostles and Prophets of God praise thee; let the martyrs, the confessors, and the virgins sing unto thee hymns.

Glory, &c.



PSALM XXIII.

The earth is the Lord’s and all that is therein; and thou, Holy Mother, thou reignest with him in eternity.

Thou art clothed in glory and beaut ; all precious stones form thy garment and thy vestments.

The splendour of the sun is upon thy head; the beauty of the moon is beneath thy feet.

The twinkling of the constellations ornament thy seat; the stars glorify thee, 0 Star of Morn !

Remember thou us, O Lady, in thy goodness, and render thou us worthy to glorify thy name.

Glory, &c.



PSALM XXIV.

Unto thee, O Lady, do I lift my soul; thanks to thy prayers, I shall not blush at the judgment of God.

Let not mine adversaries rejoice over me; for they who trust in thee will be strengthened.

Let not the nets of death prevail against me; and let not the encampments of the wicked stay my steps.

Break their efforts by thy virtue, and succour my soul by thy gentleness.

Be my guide towards my country, and deign to admit me into the assembly of the angels.

Glory, &c.



PSALM XXV.

Judge me, O Lady, for I have wandered from the ways of my innocence; but I have trusted in thee, therefore I shall not fall.

Kindle my heart with the fire of thy love, and encircle my reins with the girdle of thy chastity.

Because thy mercy and thy clemency are before mine eyes, and I rejoice to sing thy praises.

O Lady, I have loved the beauty of thy countenance, and I have venerated thy holy majesty.

Confess her name because it is holy, and because her marvellous works are recounted throughout all ages.

Glory, &c.



PSALM XXVI.

0 Lady, may the glory of thy countenance be my light, and let the serenity of thy face be reflected upon my spirit.

Raise my heart above my enemies, and I shall sing, I shall sing a psalm in thy name.

Turn not away thy countenance from me, because since my youth I have desired thy beauty and thy virtue.

I have loved thee and sought thee, queen of the heavens, take not away thy mercy and thy grace from thy servant.

Glory, &c.



PSALM XXVII.

I have cried unto thee, O Lady, and thou hast favourably heard me; thou rejoicest me by the song of thy praises.

Have pity upon me in the day of my agony, and deliver me by the light of thy truth.

Blessed be thou, 0 our Lady, from all the ends of the earth.

The sanctuary which strengthens the hands of God, is the holy temple of thy body.

Thy conscience is pure and immaculate; it is the sacred tie of atonement and habitation of God.

Glory, &c.



PSALM XXVIII.

Offeb to our Lady, children of God, offer to our Lady respect and praise.

Give virtue to thy saints, Holy Mother; a blessing to those who praise and glorify thee.

Favourably hear the groans of those who cry after thee, and despise not thou the vows of those who invoke thy name.

May thy hand be ready to succour me, and may thine ear be attentive to my prayer.

May the heaven and the earth bless thee; as well as the sea and the globe of the earth.

Glory, &c.



PSALM XXIX.

I will celebrate thee, 0 Lady, because thou hast protected me: thou hast delivered me from my unjust enemy.

Look with favour upon me, and enliven me; draw me back from the gates of death, and draw me out of the tribulations which environ me.

By the empire and magnificence of thy right, break and disperse all my enemies.

And I will offer thee a sacrifice of praise, and I will
devoutly exalt thy glory.

Heavens leap for joy ; earth skip with gladness, because Mary rewards her servants, and she has pity on the poor.

Glory, &c.



PSALM XXX.

I have hoped in thee, O Lady, I shall not be confounded everlastingly; receive thou me into thy favour.

Thou art my strength and my refuge, my consolation and my protection.

Deliver thou me from the snare hidden to catch me, because thou art my auxiliary.

Into thy hands, O Lady, I commit my soul, all my life and my latter day.

O Lady, to the£ have I cried when my heart was in trouble ; and thou heardest me favourably from the eternal hills.

Glory, &c.

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PSALM XXXI.

Blessed are they who cherish thee in their hearts, O Virgin Mary; their sins will be mercifully effaced by thee.

Holy, chaste, and fruitful is thy womb which produces a perpetual verdant flower.

The glory of thy beauty knoweth no corruption, and the grace of thy countenance never fades.

Blessed be thou, illustrious stock of Jesse, because thou art raised to Him to sit upon the sovereign throne.

O Virgin queen, thou art the voice by whom the supreme salvation has descended from the celestial dwellings to visit us.

Glory, &c.



PSALM XXXII.

Rejoice thou just ones, in the Virgin Mary, and celebrate her in the uprightness of thy heart.

Approach her with uprightness and devotion, and let thy heart rejoice in saluting her.

Consecrate to her a sacrifice of praise, and intoxicate thyself with the milk of her sweetness.

She reflects upon you the rays of her piety, and she will illuminate you with the lightning of her mercy.

The fruit she produces is very sweet ; it is of exquisite sweetness to the mouth, and to the heart good.

Glory, &c.



PSALM XXXIII.

I will bless our Lady at all times, and never shall her praise depart from my mouth.

Glorify her with me, all ye who have been nourished with the milk of her consolation.

In peril and in anxiety invoke her ; and in thy necessities thou wilt find succour and a sweet refreshment.

Take her conversation for your example, and force yourself to imitate her love oi charity and humility.

Because thou hast been the most pure and the most humble Holy Virgin, thou hast obliged the uncreated Word to take flesh in thee.

Glory, &c.



PSALM XXXIV.

Judge, O Lady, judge mine enemies; rise up against them and avenge my cause.

My soul rejoices itself in thee, and I start with devotion because of thy goodness.

The heavens and the earth are full of thy grace and thy sweetness, everywhere and always thou surroundest with thy benefits.

Indeed, wherever we turn, the fruit of thy virginal bosom presents itself to us.

Let us run then, my beloved brothers, and salute this noble and delicious Virgin, to the end we may deserve to repose upon the bosom of her love.

Glory, &c.



PSALM XXXV.

The impious has resolved, that he will sin in secret; make him renounce his wicked design, Mother of God.

Incline the face of thy Son towards us; oblige Him to have pity on the sinners.

O Lady, thy mercy shines in heaven, and thy favour is spread upon the earth.

Power and virtue are in thine arm, force and valour in thy right hand.

Blessed be thy empire in the heavens, blessed be thy magnificence in the earth.

Glory, &c.



PSALM XXXVI.

Enter not into judgment with the wicked, O Lady, soften their fury by thy grace.

Hope in her, nuns and monks ; have confidence in her, clergy and laity.

Delight yourself in her praises, and she will favourably hear the desires of your heart.

Little riches with her favour, is better than treasures of silver and precious stones.

Glory be to thee, evermore, Queen of heaven, and grant thou mayest never forget us.

Glory, &c.



PSALM XXXVII.

0 Lady, let not the Lord pursue me in His anger; obtain for us the pardon of our sins.

May all our desires be in conformity with thy wishes, as well as our hope and our confidence.

My heart is troubled within me, the light is departed from my inward parts.

Illumine by thy light my darkness; comfort my afflictions by thy mildness.

Abandon me not, O Lady, Mother of God; may thy grace and thy virtue be on my right hand.

Glory, &c.



PSALM XXXVIII.

I have said, I will perform my vows, O Lady, since the grace of Jesus Christ has been given me by thee.

Thy mildness has endued my heart; thy love has embraced my inward parts.

Favourably hear my prayer, 0 Lady, and my supplications; and let mine enemies wither with vexation.

Have pity upon me from the height of the heavens, and the height of thy throne, and permit me not to be troubled in this valley of misery.

Keep my ways for fear lest I fall; that at my death thy grace may be present with me.

Glory, &c.



PSALM XXXIX.

I have waited with confidence for thy grace, O Lady ; thou hast acted with me according to the multitude of the mercies of thy name.

Thou hast favourably heard my prayers, and thou hast drawn me from the lake of misery and the ditch of the enemy.

Thy gifts are numerous and admirable, O Lady; the presents of thy favour are incomparable.

Let all those who love thee, rejoice, and joy in thee. Let those who hate thy name be cast into hell.

Blessed be thou in eternity, O Lady; throughout all ages from generation to generation.

Glory, &c.



PSALM XL.

Blessed art thou, Mary! thou considerest the poor and the indigent who persevere in praising thee.

Sovereign of Angels, Queen of the Earth, purify my heart by the fire of thy love and thy charity.

Thou art the Mother of the splendour that illuminates my heart, thou art the nurse who renews my soul.

My mouth desires to praise thee; my spirit aspires to venerate thee tenderly.

My soul desires to supplicate thee, because all my substance is beneath thy protection.

Glory, &c.

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PSALM XLI.

As the hart panteth after the water-brook, so panteth my soul after thy love, blessed Virgin.

For thou art the source of the life of my soul, and the Mother of the Restorer of my flesh.

For thou art the nurse of the Saviour of my soul, the principal and the end of all my salvation.

Favourably hear me, O Lady, and may my difficulties be purified ; enlighten me, O Lady, and may my darkness be removed.

That my lukewarmness maybe inflamed by thy love; that my torpor may be dissipated by thy grace.

Glory, &c.



PSALM XLII.

Judge me, O Lady, and discern between my cause and that of the perverse generation; deliver me from the malice of the serpent, and the venom of the dragon.

May thy holy fruitfulness exterminate him, and may thy blessed virginity bruise his head.

May thy holy prayers strengthen us against him, and may thy holy merits annihilate his power.

Precipitate the persecutor of my soul into the abyss, let the waters of hell swallow him up alive.

And I will bless thy name in the world of my captivity; and I will glorify thee from generation to generation.

Glory, &c.



PSALM XLIII.

O Lady, we have heard with our ears, and our fathers have declared unto us, that thy merits are ineffable and thy marvels are astonishing.

O Lady, thy virtues are innumerable, and thy mercies are inestimable.

Tremble, my soul, and rejoice in her, because great blessings are prepared for those who praise her.

Mayest thou be blessed, thou Queen of heaven and of angels ; and may those who praise thy magnificence be blessed of God.

Glory, &c.



PSALM XLIV.

My heart hast burst forth in solemn praises, O Lady ; it has all been sweetened by the dew of honey.

By thy holiness may my sins be forgiven, and by thy purity may immortality be secured to me.

By thy virginity may my soul be loved by Christ, and may it be associated to him by the tie of love.

By thy fruitfulness may I, a captive, be redeemed by thy virgin delivery; may I be snatched from eternal death.

By thy august progeny, may I the lost be recovered, and from my miserable exile may I be led back to the land of blessedness.

Glory, &e.



PSALM XLV.

O Lady, thou art my refuge in all our necessities; thou art the powerful force that crushes the enemy.

The earth is full of thy goodness, it rises to heaven and penetrates hell.

By the plenteousness of thy grace, that which was in the lower places rejoices in its deliverance.

By the fruit of thy virgin fecundity, that which was beneath the earth rejoices in being restored.

By the glorious delivery of thy holy virginity, men become the companions and fellow citizens of the angels.

Glory, &c.



PSALM XLVI.

Clad your hands ye nations, sing praises joyfully to the glorious Virgin:

For she is the gate of life, the threshold of salvation, and the way of our reconciliation;

The hope of the penitents, the consolation of the afflicted, the blessed peace and the salvation of hearts.

Have pity upon me, 0 Lady, have pity upon me; for thou art the light and the hope of all those who have confidence in thee.

By thy salutary fruitfulness may it please thee to cause the pardon of my sins to be granted to me.

Glory, &c.



PSALM XLVII.

Great art thou, 0 Lady, and wholly to be admitted into the city of the God of heaven, in the universal assembly oi the elect.

Thou hast been borne on high, surrounded by angels who sang and repeated hymns; thou hast been guarded by choirs of archangels, and crowned with roses and lilies.

Go to meet her, powers and principalities, "go to meet her, virtues and dominions.

Cherubims, Thrones, and Seraphim, exalt her and place her at the right hand of the spouse, her well beloved Son.

Oh, with what a joyful soul, with what a sweet look hast thou received her, God of men and angels; and thou hast given to her the principality over all places in thy dominion.

Glory, &c.



PSALM XL VIII.

Hear these things, all ye people, give ear, ye who would enter the kingdom of God.

Honour the Virgin Mary, and you will find life and eternal salvation.

Join to Christ thy poor servants, O Lady, by an indissoluble alliance.

Relieve and satisfy the hunger of thy little children by the fruit of thy womb.

Truly thou hast remained immaculate after thy delivery, and a virgin after having had a son.

Glory, &c.



PSALM XLIX.

The God of Gods has spoken to Mary by Gabriel his messenger, saying,

Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with thee: through thee is accomplished the regeneration of the world.

Thy beauty and thy sweetness, are the objects of the desires of the Son of the Highest.

Decorate thy bed, daughter of Zion ; prepare thyself for the coming of thy God.

For thou shalt conceive by the Holy Ghost, who will render thy conception pure and virginal.

Glory, &c.



PSALM L.

Ha ye pity upon me, O Lady, thou who art called the mother of mercy;

And by the depths of thy mercy, purify me from all mine iniquities.

Shed thy grace upon me, and refuse me not thy accustomed clemency.

Because I confess my sins unto thee, and accuse myself of my crimes before thee; 

Reconcile me with the fruit of thy womb, and make my peace with him who made me.

Glory, &c.

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PSALM LI.

Whoever glorifiest thou thyself in thy mischief, cursed serpent, cunning dragon of hell?

Bow down thy head before the woman, whose power will plunge thee into the abyss.

Bruise him, O Lady, by the foot of thy virtue; rise and dissipate his malice.

Crush his power, and reduce to cinders his power.

To the end that we may live and rejoice in thy name, and with a joyful heart sing thy praises.

Glory, &c.



PSALM LII.

The fool, the enemy, hath said in his heart; I will chase man from the tabernacle of the children of God; I will go and will be a lying spirit, in the mouth of the serpent and by the woman I will overthrow man.

As far as the heavens are raised above the earth, O sinners! so far are the thoughts of God raised above thine.

Glorify not thyself over the fall of the woman, because a woman shall bruise thy head !

Thou hast prepared for her a snare, but thou shalt be taken in the net of her humility.

Glory, &c.



PSALM LIII.

Save me, O Lady, by thy name, and deliver me from my iniquities.

That the cunning of my enemy may not injure me, protect me by the shadow of thy wings.

0 Lady, assist me, shed largely thy grace upon my soul.

I will offer unto thee willingly a sacrifice of praise, and I will confess thy name because it is excellent.

For thou hast delivered me from all trouble, and mine eye shall despise mine enemies.

Glory, &c.



PSALM LIV.

Hear thou favourably my prayer, O Lady, and despise not thou my supplication

I have been dismayed in my thoughts, because the judgments of God have terrified me.

The shadows of death have surrounded me, and the fear of hell has entirely taken hold of me.

And I in solitude, I wait for consolation; and in the quietude of my bed, I am attentive to thy mercy.

Glorify thy hand, thy right hand and thine arm, to the end that our enemies may be throwm down by us.

Glory, &c.



PSALM LV.

Be merciful unto me, O Lady, for mine enemies daily tread me beneath their foot; all their thoughts are turned to wickedness against me.

Excite thine anger, and remember war, and shed upon them thy fury.

Renew signs and augment prodigies; that we may feel the assistance of thine arm.

Glorify thy name upon us, to the end we may know that thy mercy remains throughout all ages.

Pour upon us a drop of thy sweetness, thou who art the pledge of grace and of consolation.

Glory, &c.



PSALM LVI.

Be merciful unto me, 0 Lady, be merciful unto me, because my soul is ready to seek thy will.

And that I have reposed beneath the shadow of thy wings, because thy refreshment is a delight to me.

Thy hands distil the most precious myrrh, and thy fingers the perfume of grace.

Thy gullet is like an open pomegranate; and the breath of thy mouth is an extract of all delicious perfumes.

For thou art the mother of love and the anchor of hope, the door of indulgence and the threshold of salvation.

Glory, &c.



PSALM LVII.

If you indeed love justice, honour the Queen of justice and mercy.

The glory and praises of the Saviour are concerned in all the honour which is imparted to his Mother.

The roses of Martyrs surround thee; O Queen, and the lilies of Virgins encircle thy throne.

Praise her altogether, stars of the morning; do it in concert, all ye sons of God.

Glorify her, heaven and earth, seas and rivers, and the foundations of the earth.

Glory, &c.



PSALM LVIII

Deliver me from mine enemies, Sovereign of the earth; arise and come to my succour. Queen of mercy!

Pure gold shines in thy ornaments; sardonyx and the topaz glitter on thy diadem.

The jasper and the amethyst deck thy right hand, the beryl and the chrysolite thy left.

The hyacinth and the agate are upon thy bosom; the carbuncle glitters on thy neck.

The myrrh, the incense and the balm are in thy hands, the sapphire and the emerald are on thy fingers.

Glory, &c.



PSALM LIX.

O God, thou hast rejected us because of our sins; and thou hast had pity on us because of the Virgin Mary.

Intercede for us, Mary, mother of salvation, thou who hast given birth to the Saviour of man and angels.

For thou sheddest joy on sad souls, happiness and sweet impressions on the afflicted.

Let us rejoice in the delights of thy words, thou inundatest our hearts with rose water.

Thunder thou heavens on high and give homage to her ; glorify her, earth, with all thine inhabitants.

Glory, &c.



PSALM LX.

Favorably hear my prayer, O Lady, establish my understanding upon the immoveable stone.

Be unto me a tower of courage; defend me from the face of my cruel devastator.

Be terrible for Him as an army in battle, and that he may walk alive in the depths of hell.

For thou art beautiful and brilliant; as a cloud dropping dew, as the rising dawn.

Thou art beautiful and brilliant as the full moon; thy sacred countenance shines like the sun.

Glory, &c.

[Stone]

PSALM LXI.

Is not my soul submissive unto thee, O Lady? thou who hast brought forth the Saviour of all men.

Remember thou the lost souls of Eve; favourably hear the sighings of our hearts.

Shed upon us the grace of thy treasures, and by the balm of thy remedies appease our grief.

Give us joy and gladness to confound the enemies of the good.

Wash us from all our sins, heal all our infirmities.

Glory, &c.



PSALM LXII.

God, my Saviour, will glorify thee because of thy mother.

She conceived thee, while a Virgin, she brought thee forth without grief.

Be blessed, O Lady, and present thyself for us before the throne of God.

Beauty and light are on thy countenance.

Keep my soul, Virgin of goodness, so it may never fall into sin.

Glory, &c.



PSALM LXIII.

Favourably hear my prayer, 0 Lady, when I call upon thee, deliver my sold from the fear of the devil.

Obtain for us, thy servants, peace and salvation at the day of the terrible judgment.

Blessed be thou above all women, and blessed be fruit of thy womb.

Enlighten, 0 Lady, enlighten mine eyes, and clear my blindness.

Give me great confidence in thee during my life and at the end.

Glory, &c.



PSALM LXIV.

Thou art worthy, 0 Lady, to be celebrated by the hymns of Zion, and to be praised by the canticles of Jerusalem.

The Lord has committed unto thee the blessing of all nations ; praise and glory belong unto thee before all people.

The Lord has blessed thee in his mercy, and he has established thy throne above the orders of angels.

He has placed grace and beauty upon thy lips, he has covered thy body with a mantle of glory.

He has placed upon thy head a radiant crown; he has nobly decorated thee with a necklace of all the virtues.

Glory, &c.



PSALM LXV.

Earth celebrate our Lady; sing hymns in her name, render honour to her majesty.

Blessed be thy heart, 0 Lady, that heart with which thou hast ardently and sincerely cherished thy Son the Son of God.

Look upon my poverty, glorious Virgin; delay not to put away from me misery and agony.

Take away my tribulation; soften my languor.

Let all flesh bless thee; let all tongues glorify thee.

Glory, &c.



PSALM LXVI.

Lord have mercy upon us, and bless us, and bless us by her who begot him.

Have pity on us, 0 Lady, and pray for us, convert our sorrow into a sweet joy.

Enlighten me, Star of the sea : illuminate me transcendant Virgin !

Extinguish the fire of my heart, and refresh me by thy grace.

May thy grace always protect me ; may thy presence illuminate my last moments.

Glory, &c.



PSALM LXVII.

Let Mary arise and let her enemies be scattered; let them all be crushed beneath her feet.

Defeat the efforts of my enemies, O sweet Virgin! and destroy all mine iniquities.

I have cried unto thee, 0 Lady, in my tribulation, and thou restoredst serenity to my conscience.

Let not thy praises cease out of my mouth, and let not thy love ever abandon my heart.

A profound peace is the lot of those who love thee, O Lady, their souls shall never see external death.

Glory, &c.



PSALM LXVIII.

Save me, 0 Lady, because the waters of lust have risen to my soul.

I am plunged into the mire of sin, and the waves of voluptuousness have surrounded me.

I have wept bitter tears during the night; and the day of joy has risen for me.

Save my soul, Mother of the Saviour, for true salvation has been given to the world by thee;

When, at the word of the angel, thou hast been covered with the shadow of the Highest; and thou hast become with child of the wisdom of the Father.

Glory, &c.



PSALM LXIX.

0 Lady, come to my succour, and illuminate my spirit by the light of thy mercy.

Teach us to search out thy goodness, to the end we may recount thy marvels.

Display thy power against our enemies, to the end that thou mayest be sanctified from afar among all nations.

Let them be plunged into hell, by the flame of thine anger; and let those who trouble thy servants go into perdition.

Have pity upon* thy servants, over whom thy name has been called, and let them not be reduced to extremity in their temptations.

Glory, &c.



PSALM LXX.

1 have hoped in thee, 0 Lady ; I shall not be confounded for eternity; deliver me and save me, in thy mercy.

Because of the multitude of mine iniquities, I am profoundly oppressed.

Mine enemies have dominion over me; they have insulted me, and every day they have turned me to derision.

See, 0 Lady, how I am afflicted; stretch forth thy hands, succour me, I perish.

Delay not, for the glory of thy name, to the end that thou mayest be my joy and my salvation.

Glory, &c.

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PSALM LXXXI.

God has stayed in the synagogue of the Jews; and from there, as a rose in the midst of thorns, is come forth the Mother of God.

Purify my foulness, 0 Lady; thou who emittest rays of perpetual purity.

Make thou this spring of life to flow in my mouth, from whence escape and gush living waters.

All ye who thirst, come to her; and, from her fountain, she will with joy satisfy thy thirst.

He, who from thence draws water, will spring up to eternal life ; and he who there drinks will never suffer thirst.

Glory, &c.



PSALM LXXXII.

Oh Lady, who is like unto thee, thou who, by grace and glory surpassest all creatures.

As far as the heavens are raised above the earth, so far art thou raised and exalted above all things.

Bind my heart with thy love, and render me worthy of thy favour and thy presents.

Let my soul be grounded in thy love, and let my heart be inflamed with desire towards thee.

Make me desire thy glorification and thy honour to the end that by thee I may be received into the peace of Jesus Christ.

Glory, &c.



PSALM LXXXIII.

How amiable are thy tabernacles, Lady of virtues; how admirable are the tents of thy repose.

Honour her, sinners, and she will obtain for you pardon and salvation.

The perfume of her prayers is above incense and balm ; her requests never return refused — never ungranted.

Intercede for me, 0 Lady, with Christ thy Son; and leave me not either in death or in life.

For thy spirit is mercy, and thy grace fills the whole earth.

Glory, &c.



PSALM LXXXIV.

Thou hast blessed thy dwelling, Lord; thou hast consecrated thy habitation.

She is beautiful among all the daughters of Jerusalem ; her effulgence is blessed.

Proclaim her blessed, holy angels ; glorify her virtues and dominions.

People of all nations, solicit her wisdom, and search out the treasures of her mercy.

Think of her in goodness, and search for her in simplicity of heart.

Glory, &c.



PSALM LXXXV.

O Lady, incline thine ear and hear me; turn thy face toward me, and have pity upon me.

The dew of thy sweetness charms the souls of the saints, and the infusion of thy charity surpasses the sweetest honey.

The rays of thy glory illuminates the spirit, and the light of thy mercies conducts to salvation.

The source of thy goodness intoxicates those who thirst, and the light of thy countenance turns from sin.

To know and to appreciate thee is the root of immortality ; and to recount thy virtues is the way of salvation.

Glory, &c.


PSALM LXXXVI.

The foundations of life in the soul of the just are to persevere in thy love to the end.

Thy favour raises the poor in adversity, and the invocation of thy name, sweeter than honey, fills him with solid confidence.

Paradise is full of thy mercies, and the infernal enemy is confounded by the terror which thou inspirest.

He who hopeth in thee will find treasures of peace; and he who calleth not upon thee in this life, will never enter the kingdom of God.

Make us, O Lady, live in the grace of thy Holy Spirit, and conduct our souls to the blissful end.

Glory, &c.



PSALM LXXXVII.

O Lady, help of my salvation, I have cried unto thee during the day, and during the night.

Let my prayer come unto thy presence; console my sorrow by the appearance of thy face.

Evils are multiplied in my soul, purify it from the stains of its sins.

Let thy virtues pursue our enemies; and let them not hinder our salvation.

Confer upon my soul grace to resist them; strengthen our hearts against the lusts of the flesh.

Glory, &c.



PSALM LXXXVIII.

O holy Lady! I will sing for ever of thy mercies.

By the balm of thy piety heal the broken heart; and by the oil of thy mercy appease our sorrows.

Let thy gracious countenance appease me in my last moment; let the beauty of thy face rejoice my soul in the hour of its departure.

Excite my spirit to love thy goodness; excite my intelligence to extol thy nobleness and thine excellence.

Deliver me from all evil tribulation, and guard my soul from every sin.

Glory, &c.



PSALM LXXXIX.

O Lady, thou hast become our refuge in all our necessities.

The diffusion of thy savour produces holy works, and the dew of thy sweetness brings forth chaste affections.

O Lady, I will recollect thy mercies; I will sing to thee a sacrifice of praise, and a hymn of joy.

They who honour thee will exchange their ashes for an immortal crown, and their spirit of affliction for a robe of glory.

They who hope in thee shall be clothed with light; joy and gladness shall be their perpetual lot.

Glory, &c.



PSALM XC.

He who dwells in the confidence of the mother of God, shall abide under her protection.

The assault of his enemies shall not hurt him; the flying arrow shall not reach him.

For she will deliver him from the ambuscade of his persecutors, and she will cover him with the defence of her wings.

Cry unto her in thy perils, and the plague will not approach thy tent.

He who has hope in her will find the fruits of grace; and the gates of Paradise will be open to him.

Glory, &c.

[Stone]

PSALM XCI.

It is a good thing to confess the Virgin Mary; and to sing of her glory is the happiness of the soul.

To announce her merits pleases the understanding, and the angels of God rejoice to imitate her works.

He who acquires her grace will be recognised by the citizens of Paradise, and He who shall have the seal of her name, shall be written in the book of life.

Else, O Lady, and judge our cause, and deliver us from those who rise up against us.

Withdraw from the sinner the protection of thy right hand, and receive upon thy buckler the blows of the destroyer.

Glory, &c.



PSALM XCII.

The Lord reigns, and he is clothed with beauty; he has decorated his mother with the attire of virtue.

May the mother of peace accomplish his propitiation upon us; and may she instruct her servants in the voice of equity.

Ye who desire the wisdom of Christ, serve his mother with reverence.

Who will suffice to recount thy works, O Lady? and who will discover the treasures of thy mercy?

Sustain and succour the defaulters in their temptations; direct them towards the regions of truth.

Glory, &c.



PSALM XCIII.

The Lord is the God of vengeance ; but thou, the benign mother of mercy, thou wilt turn him to pity.

Thy magnificence, 0 Lady, is celebrated throughout all ages ; and they who honour thee will find the road to peace.

Serve her with respectful joy, and the fruit of her holy womb will heal you.

Look upon the humility of thy servants, 0 Lady, and they will praise thee in the generations of ages.

Glorify thy name by the enumeration of thy graces, and suffer not thy servants to sink in danger.

Glory, &c.



PSALM XCIY.

Come, let us celebrate our Lady; let us sing the Virgin Queen, our salvation.

Let us come with gladness before her face; and praise her in our canticles.

Come, let us adore and prostrate ourselves before her; let us confess to her our sins with penitence.

Let us obtain a full indulgence; assist us to the tribunal of God.

Receive our souls at the last day, and introduce us into eternal repose.

Glory, &c.



PSALM XCV.

Sing to her who is full of grace a new canticle; sing to Mary, all ye children of the earth.

Because she surpasses all the angels in sanctity, and all the sons of woman in marvellous virtues and prodigies.

Beauty and glory are in her countenance, and peace in her eyes.

Bring to her glory, nations of the earth; rejoice in her, creatures of God.

For you have by her an admirable alliance; it is through her that ye are called the children of the most Highest.

Glory, &c.



PSALM XCVI.

The Lord reigns; let Mary triumph in all the empire of her dominions.

Adore her, inhabitants of the court of Paradise; extol her, virgins, beautiful wives of her sons.

Because she has been elevated above the principalities and the dominions; she has been exalted above the legions of angels and archangels.

Patriarchs and prophets burst into praises of her; make for her a concert, apostles and martyrs of Christ.

Confessors and virgins, say to her a canticle of the canticles of Zion, and render to her grace, holy friars, the triumphs which she has made you obtain.

Glory, &c.



PSALM XCVII.

Sing to our Lady a new canticle, because she has done marvels.

She has revealed her mercy in the sight of all nations; to the extremities of the earth her name has been heard.

Remember, O Lady, the poor and the miserable, and sustain them by the succours of thy holy consolation.

And thou, O Lady, who art so sweet and true, patient, indulgent, and full of mercy.

Tread down at our feet the enemy of our soul, and break their pride by thine arm.

Glory, &c.



PSALM XCVIII.

The Lord reigneth, let the people be never so impatient! Mary sits at his right hand above the cherubims.

Great is thy glory in Zion, O Lady ! great is thy magnificence in Jerusalem.

Sing before her, choirs of virgins, and adore her throne for it is holy.

In her right hand is the flaming law, and round about her are millions of saints.

The commands of God are before her eyes, and the rule of justice is in heart.

Glory, &c.



PSALM XCIX.

Celebrate our Lady, men of the earth, love her with joy and gladness.

Go to her with all your heart, and keep her way with all your power.

Search for her, and she will manifest herself to you, be pure in heart and she will meet you.

Those to whom thou hast given succour, O Lady, will have the refreshment of peace, and to those from whom thou hast turned away, there will be no hope of salvation.

Remember us, O Lady, and evils will not assail us; succour us at the last day, and we shall obtain life eternal.

Glory, &c.



PSALM C.

I will sing of thy mercy and thy justice, O Lady; I will celebrate thee in the gladness of my heart, when thou shalt have rejoiced my soul.

I will praise thy name and thy glory, and thou wilt give refreshment to my soul.

I have been jealous for thy love and thy honour; therefore defend my cause before the judge of ages.

I have been attracted by thy grace, and by thy bounty; I pray thee, let me not be disgraced by my hope and my firm confidence.

Strengthen my soul at the last moments, and make me to see my Saviour in that flesh in which I shall be clothed.

Glory, &c.