The Revised Grail Psalms - Singing Version: A Liturgical Psalter

by The Benedictine Monks of Conception Abbey

Overview

First published in 1963, the Grail Psalms were adopted worldwide for the Liturgy of the Hours and approved for general liturgical use following the Second Vatican Council; this new translation was approved by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops on November 11, 2008, and was granted a recognitio by the Vatican's Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments on April 9, 2010. The Psalms are one of the most treasured books of sacred scripture and the unique character of the Grail Psalms is that they incorporate the rhythm of the original Hebrew text and are thus easily set to music. In the wake of the 2001 document Liturgiam authenticam, which called for more literal translations of the scriptures and liturgical texts, the monks of Conception Abbey, under the direction of Abbot Gregory Polan, OSB, undertook the work of a new translation of the Grail Psalms. During the process, they conferred with Vatican and international sources in order to create a version that would meet the requirements of Liturgiam authenticam and be suitable for English speakers throughout the world. The Revised Grail Psalms, designated to be the official English-language Psalter used in future Roman Catholic liturgical books published in the United States and throughout the world, will play an important part in the Church's liturgy for years to come.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781579999872
Publisher:	Gia Publications
Publication date:	06/01/2013
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	352
Sales rank:	591,796
File size:	1 MB

About the Author

The Benedictine Monks of Conception Abbey are part of a monastery of the Swiss-American Congregation of the Benedictine Confederation. The monastery was founded by the Swiss Engelberg Abbey in 1873 and was elevated to an abbey in 1881. The community currently numbers 65 monks. They are located in Conception, Missouri. Francis Cardinal George, OMI, has served as the president of the U.S. Council of Catholic Bishops; vicar general of the Oblates; bishop of Yakima, Washington; and archbishop of Chicago. He was elevated to the College of Cardinals by Pope John Paul II in 1998. He lives in Chicago. Abbot Gregory J. Polan, OSB, is the abbot of the Conception Abbey. He lives in Conception, Missouri.

Read an Excerpt

The Revised Grail Psalms

A Liturgical Psalter-Singing Version

---

By The Benedictine Monks of Conce Abbey

GIA Publications, Inc.

Copyright © 2010 Conception Abbey/The Grail, administered by GIA Publications, Inc.
All rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-57999-987-2

---

CHAPTER 1

Psalm 1
1 Bléssed indéed is the mán
who fóllows not the cóunsel of the wícked,
nor stánds in the páth with sínners,
nor abídes in the cómpany of scórners,
2 but whose delíght is the láw of the Lórd,
and who pónders his láw day and níght.

3 Hé is like a trée that is plánted
besíde the flówing wáters,
that yíelds its frúit in due séason,
and whose léaves shall néver fáde;
and áll that he dóes shall prósper.

4 Not só are the wícked, not só!
For théy, like wínnowed cháff,
shall be dríven awáy by the wínd.

5 When the wícked are júdged they shall not ríse,
nor shall sínners in the cóuncil of the júst;
6 for the Lórd knows the wáy of the júst,
but the wáy of the wícked will pérish.


Psalm 2

1 Whý do the nátions conspíre,
and the péoples plót in váin?
2 They aríse, the kíngs of the éarth;
princes plót against the Lórd and his Anóinted.
3 "Let us búrst asúnder their fétters.
Let us cást off from ús their cháins."

4 He who síts in the héavens láughs;
the Lórd derídes and mócks them.
5 Thén he will spéak in his ánger,
his ráge will stríke them with térror.
6 "It is Í who have appóinted my kíng
on Síon, my hóly móuntain."

7 I will annóunce the decrée of the LÓRD:
The Lord sáid to me, "Yóu are my Són.
It is Í who have begótten you this dáy.

8 Ásk of me and Í will gíve you
the nátions as yóur inhéritance,
and the énds of the éarth as your posséssion.
9 With a ród of íron you will rúle them;
like a pótter's jár you will shátter them."

10 So nów, O kíngs, understánd;
take wárning, rúlers of the éarth.
11 Sérve the Lórd with féar;
exult with trémbling, páy him your hómage,
12 lest he be ángry and you pérish on the wáy,
for súddenly his ánger will bláze.

Bléssed are áll who trust in Gód!


Psalm 3

1 A Psalm of David as he is fleeing from his son Absalom.

2 How mány are my fóes, O Lórd!
How mány are rísing up agáinst me!
3 How mány are sáying abóut me,
"There is no hélp for hím in Gód."

4 But yóu, Lord, are a shíeld abóut me,
my glóry, who líft up my héad.
5 I crý alóud to the Lórd.
From his hóly móuntain he ánswers me.

6 I lie dówn, I sléep and I wáke,
for the Lórd uphólds me.
7 I will not féar even thóusands of péople
who are ránged on every síde agáinst me.

Aríse, Lord; sáve me, my Gód,
8 you who stríke all my fóes on the chéek,
you who bréak the téeth of the wícked!
9 Salvátion belóngs to the Lórd;
may your bléssing bé on your péople!


Psalm 4

1 For the Choirmaster. With stringed instruments. A Psalm of David.

2 I cálled, the Gód of jústice gave me ánswer;
from ánguish you reléased me, have mércy and héar me!

3 Children of mán, how lóng will my glóry be dishónored,
will you lóve what is fútile and séek what is fálse?

4 Knów that the Lórd works wónders for his fáithful one;
the Lórd will héar me whenéver I cáll him.

5 Tremble, do not sín: pónder on your béd and be stíll.

6 Óffer right sácrifice, and trúst in the Lórd.

7 "What can bríng us háppiness?" mány sáy.
Lift up the líght of your fáce on ús, O Lórd.

8 You have pút into my héart a gréater jóy
than abúndance of gráin and new wíne can províde.

9 In péace I will lie dówn and fáll asléep,
for yóu alone, O Lórd, make me dwéll in sáfety.


Psalm 5

1 For the Choirmaster. With flutes. A Psalm of David.

2 To my wórds give éar, O Lórd;
give héed to my síghs.
3 Atténd to the sóund of my crý,
my Kíng and my Gód.

4 To yóu do I práy, O Lórd.
In the mórning you héar my vóice;
in the mórning I pléad and watch befóre you.

5 You are no Gód who delíghts in évil;
no sínner is your guést.
6 The bóastful shall not stánd their gróund
befóre your éyes.

7 Áll who do évil you despíse;
all who líe you destróy.
The decéitful and thóse who shed blóod,
the Lórd detésts.

8 Yet through the gréatness of your mérciful lóve,
I énter your hóuse.
I bow dówn before your hóly témple,
in áwe of yóu.

9 Léad me, Lórd, in your jústice,
becáuse of my fóes;
make stráight your wáy befóre me.

10 No trúth can be fóund in their móuths,
their héart is all málice,
their thróat a wíde-open gráve;
with their tóngue they flátter.

11 Decláre them guílty, O Gód.
Let them fáil in their desígns.
Drive them óut for their mány transgréssions,
for against yóu have they rebélled.

12 All who take réfuge in yóu shall be glád,
and ever crý out their jóy.
You shélter them; in yóu they rejóice,
those who lóve your náme.

13 It is yóu who bless the júst one, O Lórd;
you surróund him with your fávor like a shíeld.


Psalm 6

1 For the Choirmaster. With stringed instruments, upon the Eighth
Chord. A Psalm of David.

2 O Lórd, do not rebúke me in your ánger;
repróve me nót in your ráge.
3 Have mércy on me, Lórd, for I lánguish.
Lord, héal me; my bónes are sháking,
4 and my sóul is gréatly sháken.

But yóu, O Lórd, how lóng?
5 Retúrn, Lord, réscue my sóul.
Sáve me in your mérciful lóve.
6 For in déath there is nó remémbrance of yóu;
from the gráve, whó can gíve you práise?

7 Í am exháusted with my gróaning;
every níght I drench my béd with téars,
I bedéw my cóuch with wéeping.
8 My éyes waste awáy with gríef;
I have grown óld surróunded by áll my fóes.

9 Léave me, áll who do évil,
for the Lórd héeds the sóund of my wéeping.
10 The Lórd has héard my pléa;
the Lórd will recéive my práyer.
11 All my fóes will be shámed and greatly sháken,
súddenly pút to sháme.


Psalm 7

1 A Lament of David that he chanted to the Lord on account of Cush, the Benjaminite.

2 O Lord, my Gód, I take réfuge in yóu.
Save and réscue me from áll my pursúers,
3 lest they téar me apárt like a líon,
and drag me óff with nó one to réscue me.

4 If I have dóne this, O Lórd, my Gód,
5 if I have páid back évil for góod,
I who sáved my unjúst oppréssor:
6 then let my fóe pursúe my soul and séize me;
let him trámple my lífe to the gróund,
and láy my hónor in the dúst.

7 O Lórd, rise úp in your ánger;
be exálted against the fúry of my fóes.
Awáke, my Gód, to enáct
the jústice you órdered.
8 Let the cómpany of péoples gather róund you,
as you táke your seat abóve them on hígh.

9 The Lórd is júdge of the péoples.
Give júdgment for mé, O Lórd,
for I am júst and blámeless of héart.

10 Put an énd to the évil of the wícked!
Make the júst man stand fírm;
it is yóu who test mínd and héart,
O Gód of jústice!

11 Gód is a shíeld befóre me,
who sáves the úpright of héart.
12 God is a júdge, just and pówerful and pátient,
not éxercising ánger every dáy.

13 Against sómeone who does nót repént,
Gód will shárpen his swórd;
he bénds his bów and makes réady.
14 For such a óne he prepáres deadly wéapons;
he bárbs his árrows with fíre.

15 Here is óne who concéives iníquity;
pregnant with málice, he gives bírth to líes.
16 He digs a pít and bóres it déep;
and in the tráp he has máde he fálls.
17 His málice recóils on his héad;
on his own skúll his víolence fálls.

18 I thánk the Lórd for his jústice,
singing to the náme of the Lórd, the Most Hígh.


Psalm 8

1 For the Choirmaster. Upon the gittith. A Psalm of David.

2 O Lórd, our Lórd, how majéstic
is your náme through áll the éarth!
Your májesty is sét above the héavens.
3 From the móuths of chíldren and of bábes
you fáshioned praise to fóil your énemy,
to sílence the fóe and the rébel.

4 When I see the héavens, the wórk of your fíngers,
the móon and the stárs which you arránged,
5 what is mán that you should kéep him in mínd,
the son of mán that you cáre for hím?

6 Yet you have máde him little lówer than the ángels;
with glóry and hónor you crówned him,
7 gave him pówer over the wórks of your hánds:
you put áll things únder his féet,

8 Áll of them, shéep and óxen,
yes, éven the cáttle of the fíelds,
9 birds of the áir, and físh of the séa
that máke their wáy through the wáters.
10 O Lórd, our Lórd, how majéstic
is your náme through áll the éarth!


Psalm 9

1 For the Chorimaster. In the manner of a Chant Mut Labben. A
Psalm of David.

2 I will práise you, Lórd, with all my héart;
all your wónders Í will conféss.
3 I will rejóice in yóu and be glád,
and sing psálms to your náme, O Most Hígh.

4 Sée how my énemies turn báck,
how they stúmble and pérish befóre you.
5 You uphéld the jústice of my cáuse;
you sat enthróned, an úpright júdge.

6 You have rebúked the nátions, destróyed the wícked;
you have wíped out their náme foréver and éver.
7 The fóe is destróyed, etérnally rúined.
You upróoted their cíties; their mémory has pérished.

8 But the Lórd sits enthróned foréver;
he has sét up his thróne for júdgment.
8 He will júdge the wórld with jústice;
he will góvern the péoples with équity.

10 For the oppréssed, the Lórd will be a strónghold,
a strónghold in tímes of distréss.
11 Those who knów your náme will trúst you;
you will not forsáke those who séek you, O Lórd.

12 Sing psálms to the Lórd who dwells in Síon.
Téll his mighty wórks among the péoples,
13 for the Avénger of Blóod has remémbered them,
has not forgótten the crý of the póor.

14 Have mércy on mé, O Lórd;
sée how I súffer from my fóes,
you who ráise me from the gátes of déath,
15 that Í may recóunt all your práise
at the gátes of dáughter Síon,
and rejóice in yóur salvátion.

16 The nátions have fállen in the pít which they máde;
their féet have been cáught in the snáre they láid.
17 The Lórd has revéaled himself; hé has given júdgment.
The wícked are snáred by the wórk of their hánds.

18 Let the wícked go dówn to the gráve,
all the nátions forgétful of Gód:
19 for the néedy shall not álways be forgótten,
nor the hópes of the póor ever pérish.

20 Arise, O Lórd, let human stréngth not preváil!
Let the nátions be júdged befóre you.
21 Stríke them with térror, O Lórd;
let the nátions knów they are but mén.


Psalm 10 (9:22–39)

1 O Lórd, whý do you stánd afar óff,
and híde yoursélf in tímes of distréss?
2 The póor are devóured by the príde of the wícked;
they are cáught in the schémes that óthers have máde.

3 For the wícked bóasts of his sóul's desíres;
the cóvetous blasphémes and spúrns the Lórd.
4 The wicked sáys in his príde, "Gód will not púnish.
There ís no Gód." Súch are his thóughts.

5 His páth is éver untróubled;
your júdgments are on hígh, far remóved.
All thóse who oppóse him, he derídes.
6 In his héart he thinks, "Néver shall I fálter;
néver shall misfórtune be my lót."

7 His móuth is full of cúrsing, guíle, oppréssion;
únder his tóngue are decéit and évil.
8 He síts in ámbush in the víllages;
in hidden pláces, he múrders the ínnocent.

The éyes of the wícked keep wátch for the hélpless.
9 He lúrks in híding like a líon in his láir;
he lúrks in híding to séize the póor;
he séizes the póor one and drágs him awáy.
10 He cróuches, prepáring to spríng,
and the hélpless fall préy to his stréngth.
11 He sáys in his héart, "God forgéts,
he hides his fáce, néver will he sée."

12 Arise, O Lórd; lift up your hánd, O Gód!
Do nót forgét the póor!
13 Whý should the wícked spurn Gód,
saying in his héart, "You will not cáll to accóunt"?

14 But you have séen the tróuble and sórrow.
You nóte it; you táke it in your hánds.
The hélpless one relíes on yóu,
for yóu are the hélper of the órphan.

15 Break the árm of the wícked and the sínner!
Pursue their wíckedness till nóthing remáins!
16 The Lord is kíng foréver and éver.
The nátions shall pérish from his lánd.

17 O Lórd, you have héard the desíre of the póor.
You stréngthen their héarts; you túrn your éar
to gíve right júdgment for the órphan and oppréssed,
so that nó one on éarth may strike térror agáin.


Psalm 11 (10)

1 For the Choirmaster. Of David.

In the Lórd I have táken réfuge.
Hów can you sáy to my sóul,
"Flý like a bírd to the móuntain!

2 Look, the wícked are bénding their bów!
They are fíxing their árrow on the stríng,
to shoot the úpright of héart in the dárk.
3 Foundátions ónce destróyed,
whát can the júst man dó?"

4 The Lórd is in his hóly témple;
the thróne of the Lórd is in héaven.
His éyes behóld the wórld;
his gáze probes the chíldren of mén.

5 The Lord inspécts the júst and the wícked;
the lóver of víolence he hátes.
6 He sends fíre and brímstone on the wícked,
a scorching wínd to fíll their cúp.
7 For the Lord is júst and lóves deeds of jústice;
the úpright shall behóld his fáce.

(Continues...)

---

Excerpted from The Revised Grail Psalms by The Benedictine Monks of Conce Abbey. Copyright © 2010 Conception Abbey/The Grail, administered by GIA Publications, Inc.. Excerpted by permission of GIA Publications, Inc..
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.

---