Psalm 41
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General Information
Settings by composers
- John Wall Callcott (v. 1 only, English BCP)
- Thomas Clark (in English metrical version by James Merrick)
- Franz Joseph Haydn (in English metrical version by James Merrick)
- Charles Steggall (v. 1 in English)
- Francesco Usper (a 8, vv. 2-5)
- Michael Wise (SAT verse & SATB full, vv. 1, 3-5, 10, 13)
Texts & translations
Clementine Vulgate (Psalm 40)
Latin text
1 In finem. Psalmus ipsi David.
2 Beatus qui intelligit super egenum et pauperem : in die mala liberabit eum Dominus.
3 Dominus conservet eum, et vivificet eum, et beatum faciat eum in terra, et non tradat eum in animam inimicorum ejus.
4 Dominus opem ferat illi super lectum doloris ejus ; universum stratum ejus versasti in infirmitate ejus.
5 Ego dixi : Domine, miserere mei ; sana animam meam, quia peccavi tibi.
6 Inimici mei dixerunt mala mihi : Quando morietur, et peribit nomen ejus ?
7 Et si ingrediebatur ut videret, vana loquebatur ; cor ejus congregavit iniquitatem sibi. Egrediebatur foras et loquebatur.
8 In idipsum adversum me susurrabant omnes inimici mei ; adversum me cogitabant mala mihi.
9 Verbum iniquum constituerunt adversum me : Numquid qui dormit non adjiciet ut resurgat ?
10 Etenim homo pacis meæ in quo speravi, qui edebat panes meos, magnificavit super me supplantationem.
11 Tu autem, Domine, miserere mei, et resuscita me ; et retribuam eis.
12 In hoc cognovi quoniam voluisti me, quoniam non gaudebit inimicus meus super me.
13 Me autem propter innocentiam suscepisti ; et confirmasti me in conspectu tuo in æternum.
14 Benedictus Dominus Deus Isra¨el a sæculo et usque in sæculum. Fiat, fiat.
Church of England 1662 Book of Common Prayer
English text
1 Blessed is he that considereth the poor and needy : the Lord shall deliver him in the time of trouble.
2 The Lord preserve him, and keep him alive, that he may be blessed upon earth : and deliver not thou him into the will of his enemies.
3 The Lord comfort him, when he lieth sick upon his bed : make thou all his bed in his sickness.
4 I said, Lord, be merciful unto me : heal my soul, for I have sinned against thee.
5 Mine enemies speak evil of me : When shall he die, and his name perish?
6 And if he come to see me, he speaketh vanity : and his heart conceiveth falsehood within himself, and when he cometh forth he telleth it.
7 All mine enemies whisper together against me : even against me do they imagine this evil.
8 Let the sentence of guiltiness proceed against him : and now that he lieth, let him rise up no more.
9 Yea, even mine own familiar friend, whom I trusted : who did also eat of my bread, hath laid great wait for me.
10 But be thou merciful unto me, O Lord : raise thou me up again, and I shall reward them.
11 By this I know thou favourest me : that mine enemy doth not triumph against me.
12 And when I am in my health, thou upholdest me : and shalt set me before thy face for ever.
13 Blessed be the Lord God of Israel : world without end. Amen.
Metrical version by James Merrick
English text
Blest who with gen'rous pity glows,
Who learns to feel another's woes,
Bows to the poor man's want his ear,
And wipes the helpless orphan's tear:
Who to th'afflicted gives relief,
And kindly soothes each anxious grief;
In ev'ry want, in ev'ry woe,
Himself thy pity, Lord, shall know;
Thy love his life shall guard, thy hand
Give to his lot the chosen land,
Nor leave him in the dreadful day
To unrelenting foes a prey.
When languid with disease and pain,
Thou, Lord, his spirit wilt sustain,
Prop with thine arm his sinking head,
And turn with tend'rest care his bed.
O let me, Lord, thy mercy share,
(Thus to my God I form'd the pray'r,)
Health to my fainting soul dispense,
That humbled owns its dire offence.
"When shall he perish?" Thus my foes
With ruthless tongue their wish disclose;
"Why lingers Death's appointed hour
Oblivion on his name to pour?"
The hostile visitants appear
Beside my couch, and drop the tear,
Though, feigning, o'er my griefs they mourn,
Their hearts with secret malice burn.
See them, scarce parted from my gate,
Aloud proclaim their settled hate;
Now pleas'd they form some dark design,
Now whisp'ring thus in curses join:
"Still may the guilt unpurg'd remain,
That binds him on the bed of pain;
Nor let him from that bed arise,
But close in endless sleep his eyes."
Yea thou, the friend to whom my heart
Its inmost counsels wont t'impart,
Ev'n thou, in subtlety disguis'd,
The man whom chief of friends I priz'd;
For whom the social board I spread,
And broke with lib'ral hand my bread,
With lifted heel, (severe return!)
The partner of thy breast couldst spurn.
Maker of all! be thou my guard:
Give me, (my strength by thee repair'd,)
Give me to teach the faithless band
To own the justice of thy hand.
So, while my pray'rs indulg'd approve
My soul the object of thy love,
My foes, with inward anguish torn,
Shall each his blasted triumphs mourn;
And I (for thou thy aid shalt yield,)
In innocence of heart upheld
Thy courts shall ever tread, and there
The fulness of thy presence share.
O thankful bless th'Almighty Lord,
The God by Jacob's sons ador'd;
With joyful hearts his love proclaim,
And praise, O praise, his holy name.
His fame, e'er time its course began,
O'er Heav'n's wide region echoing ran;
To him through endless ages raise
One song of oft-repeated praise.