St. Bonaventure: The Psalter of Our Lady

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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.