St. Bonaventure: The Psalter of Our Lady

[Stone]

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.