St. Bonaventure: The Psalter of Our Lady

[Stone]

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.