In this lesson, we will be studying Psalm 3 from the Latin Vulgate. This psalm is traditionally attributed to King David and is associated in its title with the time when he fled from his son Absalom. That setting gives the psalm its special force, because David speaks as a man surrounded by enemies, publicly humiliated, and yet still confident in the help of God. The psalm moves from distress and accusation to trust, prayer, deliverance, and final blessing, and it is important for our studies because it teaches us how to read the language of affliction and faith in Latin, how to notice the structure of Hebrew-style poetic prayer as represented in the Vulgate, and how to understand that divine protection is often confessed most clearly in moments of danger.
Text
- Psalmus. David, cum fugit a filio suo Absalom.
- Domine, quid multiplicati sunt, qui tribulant me?
- Multi insurgunt adversum me,
- multi dicunt animae meae: “Non est salus ipsi in Deo”.
- Tu autem, Domine, protector meus es, gloria mea et exaltans caput meum.
- Voce mea ad Dominum clamavi, et exaudivit me de monte sancto suo.
- Ego obdormivi et soporatus sum, exsurrexi, quia Dominus suscepit me.
- Non timebo milia populi circumdantis me. Exsurge, Domine, salvum me fac, Deus meus;
- quoniam tu percussisti in maxillam omnes adversantes mihi, dentes peccatorum contrivisti.
- Domini est salus, et super populum tuum benedictio tua.
Exposition
- Psalmus. David, cum fugit a filio suo Absalom.
- Psalmus: sub, nom, sing, masc = “psalm”
- David: sub, nom, sing, masc = “David”
- cum: conj = “when”
- fugit: verb, 3rd, sing, perf, ind, act = “he-fled”
- a: prep (abl) = “from”
- filio: sub, abl, sing, masc = “son”
- suo: adj, abl, sing, masc = “his”
- Absalom: sub, abl, sing, masc = “Absalom”
Translation: Psalm. David, when he-fled from son his Absalom.
- Domine, quid multiplicati sunt, qui tribulant me?
- Domine: sub, voc, sing, masc = “Lord”
- quid: adv = “why”
- multiplicati: part, nom, pl, masc = “multiplied”
- sunt: verb, 3rd, pl, pres, ind, act = “are”
- qui: pron, nom, pl, masc = “who”
- tribulant: verb, 3rd, pl, pres, ind, act = “they-trouble”
- me: pron, acc, sing = “me”
Translation: Lord, why multiplied are who they-trouble me?
- Multi insurgunt adversum me,
- Multi: adj, nom, pl, masc = “many”
- insurgunt: verb, 3rd, pl, pres, ind, act = “rise-up”
- adversum: prep (acc) = “against”
- me: pron, acc, sing = “me”
Translation: Many rise-up against me.
- multi dicunt animae meae: “Non est salus ipsi in Deo”.
- multi: adj, nom, pl, masc = “many”
- dicunt: verb, 3rd, pl, pres, ind, act = “say”
- animae: sub, dat, sing, fem = “to-soul”
- meae: adj, dat, sing, fem = “my”
- Non: adv = “not”
- est: verb, 3rd, sing, pres, ind, act = “is”
- salus: sub, nom, sing, fem = “salvation”
- ipsi: pron, dat, sing, masc = “for-him”
- in: prep (abl) = “in”
- Deo: sub, abl, sing, masc = “God”
Translation: Many say to-soul my: “Not is salvation for-him in God.”
- Tu autem, Domine, protector meus es, gloria mea et exaltans caput meum.
- Tu: pron, nom, sing, 2nd = “you”
- autem: conj = “however”
- Domine: sub, voc, sing, masc = “Lord”
- protector: sub, nom, sing, masc = “protector”
- meus: adj, nom, sing, masc = “my”
- es: verb, 2nd, sing, pres, ind, act = “are”
- gloria: sub, nom, sing, fem = “glory”
- mea: adj, nom, sing, fem = “my”
- et: conj = “and”
- exaltans: part, nom, sing, masc = “lifting-up”
- caput: sub, acc, sing, neut = “head”
- meum: adj, acc, sing, neut = “my”
Translation: You however, Lord, protector my are, glory my and lifting-up head my.
- Voce mea ad Dominum clamavi, et exaudivit me de monte sancto suo.
- Voce: sub, abl, sing, fem = “with-voice”
- mea: adj, abl, sing, fem = “my”
- ad: prep (acc) = “to”
- Dominum: sub, acc, sing, masc = “Lord”
- clamavi: verb, 1st, sing, perf, ind, act = “I-cried”
- et: conj = “and”
- exaudivit: verb, 3rd, sing, perf, ind, act = “he-heard”
- me: pron, acc, sing = “me”
- de: prep (abl) = “from”
- monte: sub, abl, sing, masc = “mountain”
- sancto: adj, abl, sing, masc = “holy”
- suo: adj, abl, sing, masc = “his”
Translation: With-voice my to Lord I-cried, and he-heard me from mountain holy his.
- Ego obdormivi et soporatus sum, exsurrexi, quia Dominus suscepit me.
- Ego: pron, nom, sing, 1st = “I”
- obdormivi: verb, 1st, sing, perf, ind, act = “I-fell-asleep”
- et: conj = “and”
- soporatus: part, nom, sing, masc = “having-slept”
- sum: verb, 1st, sing, pres, ind, act = “I-am”
- exsurrexi: verb, 1st, sing, perf, ind, act = “I-rose”
- quia: conj = “because”
- Dominus: sub, nom, sing, masc = “Lord”
- suscepit: verb, 3rd, sing, perf, ind, act = “upheld”
- me: pron, acc, sing = “me”
Translation: I fell-asleep and having-slept I-am, I-rose, because Lord upheld me.
- Non timebo milia populi circumdantis me. Exsurge, Domine, salvum me fac, Deus meus;
- Non: adv = “not”
- timebo: verb, 1st, sing, fut, ind, act = “I-will-fear”
- milia: sub, acc, pl, neut = “thousands”
- populi: sub, gen, sing, masc = “of-people”
- circumdantis: part, gen, sing, masc = “surrounding”
- me: pron, acc, sing = “me”
- Exsurge: verb, 2nd, sing, imp, act = “arise”
- Domine: sub, voc, sing, masc = “Lord”
- salvum: adj, acc, sing, masc = “safe”
- me: pron, acc, sing = “me”
- fac: verb, 2nd, sing, imp, act = “make”
- Deus: sub, voc, sing, masc = “God”
- meus: adj, voc, sing, masc = “my”
Translation: Not I-will-fear thousands of-people surrounding me. Arise, Lord, safe me make, God my.
- quoniam tu percussisti in maxillam omnes adversantes mihi, dentes peccatorum contrivisti.
- quoniam: conj = “because”
- tu: pron, nom, sing, 2nd = “you”
- percussisti: verb, 2nd, sing, perf, ind, act = “struck”
- in: prep (acc) = “upon”
- maxillam: sub, acc, sing, fem = “jaw”
- omnes: adj, acc, pl, masc = “all”
- adversantes: part, acc, pl, masc = “opposing”
- mihi: pron, dat, sing, 1st = “to-me”
- dentes: sub, acc, pl, masc = “teeth”
- peccatorum: sub, gen, pl, masc = “of-sinners”
- contrivisti: verb, 2nd, sing, perf, ind, act = “you-broke”
Translation: Because you struck upon jaw all opposing to-me, teeth of-sinners you-broke.
- Domini est salus, et super populum tuum benedictio tua.
- Domini: sub, gen, sing, masc = “of-Lord”
- est: verb, 3rd, sing, pres, ind, act = “is”
- salus: sub, nom, sing, fem = “salvation”
- et: conj = “and”
- super: prep (acc) = “upon”
- populum: sub, acc, sing, masc = “people”
- tuum: adj, acc, sing, masc = “your”
- benedictio: sub, nom, sing, fem = “blessing”
- tua: adj, nom, sing, fem = “your”
Translation: Of-Lord is salvation, and upon people your blessing your.
Idiomatic Translation
An idiomatic translation expresses the meaning of the original text in natural, fluent English, rather than translating word-for-word. Note that an idiomatic translation requires interpretation and may include the addition of auxiliary (helping) words that are not present in the original text. Idiomatic translations are always subject to disputation.
- (A) Psalm (of) David, when he fled from his son Absalom.
- Lord, why have (those) who trouble me multiplied?
- Many rise up against me,
- many say to my soul: “There is no salvation for him in God.”
- But you, Lord, are my protector, my glory, and (the one) lifting up my head.
- With my voice I cried to the Lord, and he heard me from his holy mountain.
- I fell asleep and slept; I rose, because the Lord upheld me.
- I will not fear thousands of people surrounding me. Arise, Lord, save me, my God;
- because you struck all opposing me upon the jaw, (and) you broke the teeth of sinners.
- Salvation is of the Lord, and upon your people (is) your blessing.
Conclusion
In this lesson, we have studied Psalm 3 from the Latin Vulgate, the superscription concerning David’s flight from Absalom, a literal translation of every word of the Latin text, and an idiomatic translation of the psalm. Now, it is time for you to study this lesson for mastery and demonstrate that mastery using the graded assessments provided in the course.
If you have questions or need help, please contact us through the Academy website at classicalliberalarts.com. I hope that this lesson has been helpful.
May God bless your studies,
Mr. William C. Michael, O.P.
