St. Bonaventure: The Psalter of Our Lady

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PSALM CXLI.

I have elevated my voice to our Lady, and I have humbly supplicated her.

I have shed my tears in her presence, and I have exposed my grief to her.

The enemy has laid snares on my track, and he has spread his net against me.

Aid me, Lady, that I fall not before him ; make him to be bruised under my feet.

Draw my soul from prison, that it may confess thee; that it may celebrate in eternity the Lord, the strong God.

Glory, &c.



PSALM CXLII.

Lady, favourably hear, my prayer; lend an ear to my supplication.

The evil spirit hath persecuted my life; he has arrested my thoughts upon the earth.

He has blackened me with his darkness; and my soul has been thrown into extreme agony.

Turn not away thy face from me, to the end that I fall not with those who will descend to the infernal lake.

Send thy light and thy grace, and repair anew my life and my conscience.

Glory, &c.



PSALM CXLIII.

Be blessed. Lady, who instructeth thy servants to fight, and who strengthened them against the enemy.

Put him to flight by thy thunders and thy lightnings; throw thine arrows to pierce him.

Make illustrious from on high thy hand, to the end that thy servants may sing thy praises and thy glory.

Raise our affections above earthly possessions; nourish our inward parts with eternal delights.

Kindle in our hearts the desire of things above, and deign to refresh us with the joys of paradise.

Glory, &c.



PSALM CXLIV.

I will extol thee, Mother of the Son of God; and every day will I sing thy praises.

Generations and people will praise thy works, and the isles will be in expectation of thy mercy.

The angels will make known the abundance of thy goodness, and the saints will publish thy sweetness.

Our eyes hope in thee, our Lady; send us the nourishment and the good of delight.

Let my tongue sing thy praise; I will bless thee from generation to generation.

Glory, &c.



PSALM CXLV.

My soul, praise our Lady; I will glorify her as long as I live.

Cease not to celebrate her praises, and think of her every moment.

When my soul leaves this body, may it be commended to thee, Lady, and guide it to unknown lands.

Let not its past faults trouble it, and let not the approaches of the evil spirit disquiet it.

Conduct it to the gate of salvation, and let it await there with security the coming of the Redeemer.

Glory, &c.



PSALM CXLVI.

Praise our Lady, for it is useful to address hymns to her; let our praise be beautiful and agreeable to her.

For it is her who carries relief to the afflicted hearts, and who reanimates them by the balm of pity.

Her virtue is great, and her clemency has no limits.

Celebrate her with joy, sing a psalm in her praise.

Her kindness is upon them that fear God, and upon those who hope in her mercy.

Glory, &c.



PSALM CXLVII.

Jerusalem, praise our Lady; glorify her from the depths of the heart, O Zion.

For it is she who constructed thy walls and who blessed thy sons.

She renews thee and nourishes thee by her favour, and she gives peace to thy frontiers.

The Most High has sent his word, and her virtue he has covered with his shadow.

Let us raise our hearts and our hands towards her that we may feel her influence.

Let us glorify all her mercies, and let us bless all her goodness.

Glory, &c.



PSALM CXLVIII.

Praise our Lady in the highest heavens, glorify her in the supreme dwellings.

Praise her, men and beasts, birds of the sky and fish of the sea.

Praise her, sun and moon, stars and the orbits of the planets.

Praise her, cherubims and seraphims, thrones, dominions and powers.

Praise her, legions of angels ; praise her, orders of celestial spirits.

Glory, &c.



PSALM CXLIX.

Sing to our Lady a new song; her praise is celebrated in the assembly of the just.

Let the heavens rejoice in her glory; let the isles of the sea and the entire universe.

Let the water and the fire praise her, also the cold, and the heat, the splendour and the light.

Let her triumphs be in the mouth of the just, and her praises in the circle of the conquerors.

City of God, rejoice thyself in her, and make thy inhabitants repeat hymns without ceasing.

Glory, &c.



PSALM CL.

Praise our Lady in her holiness: praise her in her virtue and her miracles.

Praise her senate of the Apostles; praise her choirs of Patriarchs and Prophets.

Praise her army of Martyrs ; praise her troops of Doctors and Confessors.

Praise „ her, college of Virgins and chaste men; praise her, orders of anchorites and of monks.

Praise her, all who belong to convents ; praise her, all the souls of the citizens above — let every spirit praise our Lady.

Glory, &c.