(To the choir-master. Melody: Idithun. Of Asaph. A psalm.)

In finem, pro Idithun. Psalmus Asaph.

Unto the end, for Idithun, a psalm of Asaph.

A cry to my God in loud appeal, a cry to my God, to win his hearing!

Voce mea ad Dominum clamavi; voce mea ad Deum, et intendit mihi.

I cried to the Lord with my voice; to God with my voice, and he gave ear to me.

To the Lord I look when distress comes upon me; in his presence I lift up my hands amid the darkness, never wearied; grief like mine there is no comforting.

In die tribulationis meæ Deum exquisivi; manibus meis nocte contra eum, et non sum deceptus. Renuit consolari anima mea;

In the days of my trouble I sought God, with my hands lifted up to him in the night, and I was not deceived. My soul refused to be comforted:

Of God I bethink me, yet sighing still; of God I muse, yet ever faint-hearted.

memor fui Dei, et delectatus sum, et exercitatus sum, et defecit spiritus meus.

I remembered God, and was delighted, and was exercised, and my spirit swooned away.

Sleepless that thought holds me, yet bewildered and dumb.

Anticipaverunt vigilias oculi mei; turbatus sum, et non sum locutus.

My eyes prevented the watches: I was troubled, and I spoke not.

I reflect upon days long past, the immemorial years possess my mind;

Cogitavi dies antiquos, et annos æternos in mente habui.

I thought upon the days of old: and I had in my mind the eternal years.

deep musings occupy my thoughts at midnight, never will my mind be at rest.

Et meditatus sum nocte cum corde meo, et exercitabar, et scopebam spiritum meum.

And I meditated in the night with my own heart: and I was exercised and I swept my spirit.

Can it be that God will always leave us forsaken, will never shew us again his old kindness?

Numquid in æternum projiciet Deus? aut non apponet ut complacitior sit adhuc?

Will God then cast off for ever? or will he never be more favourable again?

Can his favour desert us altogether, his promise be set aside eternally?

aut in finem misericordiam suam abscindet, a generatione in generationem?

Or will he cut off his mercy for ever, from generation to generation?

Can God forget to be gracious, can anger move him to withhold his mercy?

aut obliviscetur misereri Deus? aut continebit in ira sua misericordias suas?

Or will God forget to shew mercy? or will he in his anger shut up his mercies?

For me, I tell myself, this sorrow was reserved; the most High has altered the fashion of his dealings with men.

Et dixi: Nunc cœpi; hæc mutatio dexteræ Excelsi.

And I said, Now have I begun: this is the change of the right hand of the most High.

To remember all the Lord has done, to recall those wonderful acts of thine, long ago!

Memor fui operum Domini, quia memor ero ab initio mirabilium tuorum:

I remembered the works of the Lord: for I will be mindful of thy wonders from the beginning.

To ponder over all thy doings, pass thy wonders in review!

et meditabor in omnibus operibus tuis, et in adinventionibus tuis exercebor.

And I will meditate on all thy works: and will be employed in thy inventions.

Thy path, O God, is hedged about with holiness; what god is great as our God is great?

Deus, in sancto via tua: quis deus magnus sicut Deus noster?

Thy way, O God, is in the holy place: who is the great God like our God?

Thy own wonderful acts acclaim thy Deity; even to the Gentiles thou wouldst make thy power known,

Tu es Deus qui facis mirabilia: notam fecisti in populis virtutem tuam.

Thou art the God that dost wonders. Thou hast made thy power known among the nations:

by forcing them to set free thy people, the sons of Jacob and of Joseph.

Redemisti in brachio tuo populum tuum, filios Jacob et Joseph.

with thy arm thou hast redeemed thy people the children of Jacob and of Joseph.

The waters saw thee, O God, the waters trembled at the sight of thee, moved to their inmost depths;

Viderunt te aquæ, Deus; viderunt te aquæ, et timuerunt: et turbatæ sunt abyssi.

The waters saw thee, O God, the waters saw thee: and they were afraid, and the depths were troubled.

how the waves roared, how the clouds volleyed rain, what echoes from their midst! To and fro thy arrows passed,

Multitudo sonitus aquarum; vocem dederunt nubes. Etenim sagittæ tuæ transeunt;

Great was the noise of the waters: the clouds sent out a sound. For thy arrows pass:

thy crackling thunders rolled, till all the world shone with thy lightning, and the troubled earth shook.

vox tonitrui tui in rota. Illuxerunt coruscationes tuæ orbi terræ; commota est, et contremuit terra.

the voice of thy thunder in a wheel. Thy lightnings enlightened the world: the earth shook and trembled.

Thy way led through the sea, the deep tide made a road for thee, and none may read the traces of thy passage,

In mari via tua, et semitæ tuæ in aquis multis, et vestigia tua non cognoscentur.

Thy way is in the sea, and thy paths in many waters: and thy footsteps shall not be known.

where thou, with Moses and Aaron for thy shepherds, didst bring thy people out on their journey.

Deduxisti sicut oves populum tuum, in manu Moysi et Aaron.

Thou hast conducted thy people like sheep, by the hand of Moses and Aaron.