[ELS]

The Pope's English summary of his catechesis:

Psalm 115 (one hundred and fifteen) is a prayer of thanksgiving to the Lord who has faithfully sustained the psalmist in times of tribulation. It begins as a personal prayer but then develops into a public act of worship. The psalmist sees himself in the temple, before the people, offering a sacrifice of thanksgiving and raising the “cup of salvation”. Our Christian tradition discerns in this psalm an invitation to trust in the Lord who never abandons his faithful servants. The “cup of salvation”, evokes both the Eucharist and the Lord’s Passion, and calls each of us to engage courageously in our daily spiritual combat.

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Psalm 115 (Douay-Rheims version):

Credidi. This in the Hebrew is joined with the foregoing psalm, and continues to express the faith and gratitude of the psalmist.

Alleluia.10 I have believed, therefore have I spoken; but I have been humbled exceedingly.

11 I said in my excess: Every man is a liar. 12 What shall I render to the Lord, for all the things he hath rendered unto me? 13 I will take the chalice of salvation; and I will call upon the name of the Lord. 14 I will pay my vows to the Lord before all his people: 15 Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints.

16 O Lord, for I am thy servant: I am thy servant, and the son of thy handmaid. Thou hast broken my bonds: 17 I will sacrifice to thee the sacrifice of praise, and I will call upon the name of the Lord. 18 I will pay my vows to the Lord in the sight of all his people: 19 In the courts of the house of the Lord, in the midst of thee, O Jerusalem.

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Psalm 115 (Latin Vulgate version):

10 alleluia credidi propter quod locutus sum ego autem humiliatus sum nimis

11 ego dixi in excessu meo omnis homo mendax 12 quid retribuam Domino pro omnibus quae retribuit mihi 13 calicem salutaris accipiam et nomen Domini invocabo 14 vota mea Domino reddam coram omni populo eius 15 pretiosa in conspectu Domini mors sanctorum eius

16 o Domine quia ego servus tuus ego servus tuus et filius ancillae tuae disrupisti vincula mea 17 tibi sacrificabo hostiam laudis et in nomine Domini invocabo 18 vota mea Domino reddam in conspectu omnis populi eius 19 in atriis domus Domini in medio tui Hierusalem

[LisaFab]

Just beautiful. Thanks.

[Salvation]

Finally found that Psalm here -- numbering is different. Maybe someone smarter than me knows why.

Psalms
Chapter 116

1

¹ I love the LORD, who listened to my voice in supplication,

2

Who turned an ear to me on the day I called.

3

² I was caught by the cords of death; the snares of Sheol had seized me; I felt agony and dread.

4

Then I called on the name of the LORD, "O LORD, save my life!"

5

Gracious is the LORD and just; yes, our God is merciful.

6

The LORD protects the simple; I was helpless, but God saved me.

7

Return, my soul, to your rest; the LORD has been good to you.

8

For my soul has been freed from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling.

9

³ I shall walk before the LORD in the land of the living.

10

⁴ I kept faith, even when I said, "I am greatly afflicted!"

11

I said in my alarm, "No one can be trusted!"

12

How can I repay the LORD for all the good done for me?

13

⁵ I will raise the cup of salvation and call on the name of the LORD.

14

I will pay my vows to the LORD in the presence of all his people.

15

⁶ Too costly in the eyes of the LORD is the death of his faithful.

16

LORD, I am your servant, your servant, the child of your maidservant; you have loosed my bonds.

17

I will offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving and call on the name of the LORD.

18

I will pay my vows to the LORD in the presence of all his people,

19

In the courts of the house of the LORD, in your midst, O Jerusalem. Hallelujah!

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Footnotes

¹ [Psalm 116] A thanksgiving in which the psalmist responds to divine rescue from mortal danger (Psalm 116:3-4) and from near despair (10-11) with vows and temple sacrifices (Psalm 116:13-14, 17-19). The Greek and Latin versions divide the psalm into two parts: Psalm 116:1-9 and 10-19, corresponding to its two major divisions.

² [3] The cords of death: death is personified here; it attempts to capture the psalmist with snares and nets. Cf Psalm 18:6.

³ [9] The land of the living: the phrase elsewhere is an epithet of the Jerusalem Temple (cf Psalm 27:13; 52:5; Isaiah 38:11). Hence the psalmist probably refers to being present to God in the temple.

⁴ [10] I kept faith, even when I said: even in the days of despair, the psalmist did not lose all hope.

⁵ [13] The cup of salvation: probably the libation of wine poured out in gratitude for rescue. Cf Exodus 25:29; Numbers 15:5, 7, 10.

⁶ [15] Too costly in the eyes of the LORD: the meaning is that the death of God's faithful is grievous to God, not that God is pleased with the death. Cf Psalm 72:14. In Wisdom 3:5-6 God accepts the death of the righteous as a sacrificial burnt offering.

[ELS]

Pope Benedict XVI meets with Chinese pilgrims from Hong Kong following his weekly audience in Saint Peter's Square at the Vatican May 25, 2005. The pope will travel to the southern Italian city of Bari on May 28 for his first pilgrimage out of Rome. REUTERS/Osservatore Romano

Pope Benedict XVI arrives to lead his weekly audience in Saint Peter's Square at the Vatican May 25, 2005. The pope will travel to the southern Italian city of Bari on May 28 for his first pilgrimage out of Rome. REUTERS/Max Rossi

[Pyro7480]

From Pope Benedict XVI's greeting at his General Audience, Wednesday 25 May 2005:

Tomorrow, the Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ, I will preside at Holy Mass at seven o’clock in the evening, in the square of the Basilica of Saint John Lateran. Afterwards our traditional procession to Saint Mary Major will take place. I cordially invite all of you to join this celebration where we give witness together to our faith in Christ, present in the Eucharist.

On the calendar according to the 1970 Missal (Novus Ordo), the Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ is on the Sunday following Trinity Sunday. It was formally celebrated on the Thursday after Trinity Sunday on the traditional calendar, as this this link states. I wonder if the Holy See has kept the traditional date, or if this is something Pope Benedict has decided to do. If it is something that he decided to do, it is a good sign for traditionalist Catholics.

Speaking of the traditionalist Catholics, most would be familiar with a verse from the Psalm that Pope Benedict reflected upon at this audience (Psalm 115).

Quid retribuam Domino pro omnibus quae retribuit mihi?calicem salutaris accipiam et nomen Domini invocabo.
What return shall I make to the Lord for all He has given me? I will take the chalice of salvation, and I will call upon the Name of the Lord.

The priest says these words after he receives the Body of Christ, and right before he receives the Precious Blood of the Lord.

[NYer]

The Holy Father never disappoints :-) Just awesome.

[Siobhan]

This is my favourite Psalm above all other psalms. It speaks to my heart, mind, soul, past, present, and future.

Thank you for posting it in the Douay and in the exquisite Vulgate version.