May 2, 2015

Psalm 31 (32) - Beati Quorum Remissae

Painting by Caravaggio (1571-1610) - Wikipedia

Beati Quorum Remissae Sunt Iniquitates (Blessed is He Whose Iniquities are Forgiven) is one of the seven Penitential Psalms. It is the Latin translation of Psalm 31 (32),  a song of David celebrating divine forgiveness. St. Paul quotes the psalm's opening verses in Romans 4:7-8 in his argument on justification. The Ignatius Study Bible (in reference to Romans 4:7-8) notes that: "Forgiveness is an essential part of justification in Pauline theology (see Acts 13:38-39)." Psalm 31 (32) is also recited on Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) in some Jewish traditions.


Motet (in English and Latin) for double-choir by Zachary Wadsworth

BEATI, QUORUM REMISSAE

Beati, quorum remissae sunt iniquitates, et quorum tecta sunt peccata.

Beatus vir, cui non imputavit Dominus peccatum, nec est in spiritu eius dolus.

Quoniam tacui, inveteraverunt ossa mea, dum clamarem tota die.

Quoniam die ac nocte gravata est super me manus tua, conversus sum in aerumna mea, dum configitur spina.

Delictum meum cognitum tibi feci et iniustitiam meum non abscondi.

Dixi: "Confitebor adversum me iniustitiam meam Domino:" Et tu remisisti impietatem peccati mei. 

Pro hac orabit ad te omnis sanctus in tempore opportuno.

Verumtamen in diluvio aquarum multarum ad eum non approximabunt.

Tu es refugium meum, a tribulatione quae circumdedit me; exsultatio mea, erue me a circumdantibus me. 

Intellectum tibi dabo et instruam te in via hac, qua gradieris; firmabo super te oculos meos.

Nolite fieri sicut equus et mulus, quibus non est intellectus;

In camo et freno maxillas eorum constringe, qui non approximant ad te.

Multa flagella peccatoris, sperantem autem in Domino misericordia circumdabit.

Laetamini in Domino et exsultate, iusti, et gloriamini, omnes recti corde.

1 comment:

  1. A very informative article. I am very big fan of psalms based hymns.They are powerful and reviving for the soul.

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