Wednesday, March 8, 2023

"Our Lord Ruleth Me," A Doway Psalm with Glosses


Here is the literal text of the original 1609 Douay Old Testament Psalm 22, typically known today as "The Lord is My Shepherd." The text in brackets is the marginal notes (the glosses).

Psalme XXII

[Thanksgeuing for Gods protection]
A forme of thankesgiuing for al spiritual benefites (described vnder the metaphor of temporal prosperitie) euen from a sinners first conuersion, to final perseuerance, and eternal beatutude.

1 + The Psalme of Dauid
[Isa. 40. Jere.23. Ezech.34. Ioan.10. I.Pet.2.&5.]

2 Our a Lord ruleth me, and nothing shal be wanting to me: + in place b of pasture there he hath placed me.
[a Christ the good pastor, gouerneth, protecteth, b and feedeth his faithful flocke.]

3 Vpon c the water of refection he hath brought me vp: + he hath d conuerted my soule.
[c Baptisme of regeneration, d which is the first iustification.]

4 He hath conducted me vpon e the pathes of iustice, f for his name.
[e Gods precepts which the baptised must obserue. Mat.28. v.20. f Saluation is in the name and powre of Christ, not in mans owne merites.]

Thy i rod and thy k staffe: they haue comforted me.
[i Gods direction and law is streight, k and strong.]

5 + Thou hast prepared in my sight l a table, m against them; that truble me.
[l Christ hath prepared for our spiritual foode the B. Sacrament of the Eucharist. S. Cyprian. Epist. 63. Eutim. in hunc Psal. m against al spiritual enemies, the world, the flesh, and the diuel.]

Thou n hast fatted my head with oyle: and my o chalice inebriating how goodlie is it!
[n Christian soules are also streingthned by the Sacraments of Confirmation, Penance, holie Orders, Matrimonie, and Extreme Vnction. o The B. Sacrament and Sacrifice of Christs bodie and bloud.]

6 + And thy mercie shal folow me p al the dayes of my life:
[p continual and final perseuerance is by Gods special grace.]

And that I may dwel in the house of our Lord, q in longitude of dayes.
[q in eternal life.]

Photostatic reprint by Forgotten Books, English College of Doway, The Second Tome of the Holie Bible Faithfully Translated into English, Out of the Authentical Latin, Diligently Conferred With the Hebrew, Greeke, and Other Editions in Divers Languages, London, 2018. ISBN: 9780365484530