Psalm 45

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General information

Settings by composers

• Corsican chant (v. 2 only, in Latin)
• William Byrd (v. 17-18, in Latin)
• Joachim Kelecom (v. 3 only, in Latin)
• Karl Kempter
• Giovanni Maria Nanino (vv. 3, 9, in Latin)
• Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina (vv. 14-15)
• Benedetto Pesenti (vv. 2-8, in Latin)
• Francisco Valls (v. 2)
• José Francisco Velásquez (v. 10)

Text & translations

Clementine Vulgate (Psalm 44)

Latin text

1 In finem, pro iis qui commutabuntur. Filiis Core, ad intellectum. Canticum pro dilecto.

2 Eructavit cor meum verbum bonum: dico ego opera mea regi. Lingua mea calamus scribæ velociter scribentis.

3 Speciosus forma præ filiis hominum, diffusa est gratia in labiis tuis: propterea benedixit te Deus in æternum.

4 Accingere gladio tuo super femur tuum, potentissime.

5 Specie tua et pulchritudine tua intende, prospere procede, et regna, propter veritatem, et mansuetudinem, et justitiam; et deducet te mirabiliter dextera tua.

6 Sagittæ tuæ acutæ: populi sub te cadent, in corda inimicorum regis.

7 Sedes tua, Deus, in sæculum sæculi; virga directionis virga regni tui.

8 Dilexisti justitiam, et odisti iniquitatem; propterea unxit te Deus, Deus tuus, oleo lætitiæ, præ consortibus tuis.

9 Myrrha, et gutta, et casia a vestimentis tuis, a domibus eburneis; ex quibus delectaverunt te

10 filiæ regum in honore tuo. Astitit regina a dextris tuis in vestitu deaurato, circumdata varietate.

11 Audi, filia, et vide, et inclina aurem tuam; et obliviscere populum tuum, et domum patris tui.

12 Et concupiscet rex decorem tuum, quoniam ipse est Dominus Deus tuus, et adorabunt eum.

13 Et filiæ Tyri in muneribus vultum tuum deprecabuntur; omnes divites plebis.

14 Omnis gloria ejus filiæ regis ab intus, in fimbriis aureis,

15 circumamicta varietatibus. Adducentur regi virgines post eam; proximæ ejus afferentur tibi.

16 Afferentur in lætitia et exsultatione; adducentur in templum regis.

17 Pro patribus tuis nati sunt tibi filii; constitues eos principes super omnem terram.

18 Memores erunt nominis tui in omni generatione et generationem: propterea populi confitebuntur tibi in æternum, et in sæculum sæculi.

Stuttgart Vulgate (Psalm 44)

Latin text

1 in finem pro his qui commutabuntur filiis Core ad intellectum canticum pro dilecto

2 eructavit cor meum verbum bonum dico ego opera mea regi lingua mea calamus scribæ velociter scribentis

3 speciosus forma præ filiis hominum diffusa est gratia in labiis tuis propterea benedixit te Deus in æternum

4 accingere gladio tuo super femur tuum potentissime

5 specie tua et pulchritudine tua et intende prospere procede et regna propter veritatem et mansuetudinem et justitiam et deducet te mirabiliter dextera tua

6 sagittæ tuæ acutæ populi sub te cadent in corde inimicorum regis

7 sedis tua Deus in sæculum sæculi virga directionis virga regni tui

8 dilexisti justitiam et odisti iniquitatem propterea unxit te Deus Deus tuus oleo lætitiæ præ consortibus tuis

9 murra et gutta et cassia a vestimentis tuis a domibus eburneis ex quibus delectaverunt te

10 filiæ regum in honore tuo adstetit regina a dextris tuis in vestitu deaurato circumdata varietate

11 audi filia et vide et inclina aurem tuam et obliviscere populum tuum et domum patris tui

12 et concupiscet rex decorem tuum quoniam ipse est dominus tuus et adorabunt eum

13 et filiæ Tyri in muneribus vultum tuum deprecabuntur divites plebis

14 omnis gloria ejus filiæ regis ab intus in fimbriis aureis

15 circumamicta varietatibus adducentur regi virgines post eam proximæ ejus adferentur tibi

16 adferentur in lætitia et exultatione adducentur in templum regis

17 pro patribus tuis nati sunt tibi filii constitues eos principes super omnem terram

18 memor ero nominis tui in omni generatione et generatione propterea populi confitebuntur tibi in æternum et in sæculum sæculi

Church of England 1662 Book of Common Prayer

English text

1 My heart is inditing of a good matter : I speak of the things which I have made unto the King.

2 My tongue is the pen : of a ready writer.

3 Thou art fairer than the children of men: full of grace are thy lips, because God hath blessed thee for ever.

4 Gird thee with thy sword upon thy thigh, O thou most Mighty : according to thy worship and renown.

5 Good luck have thou with thine honour : ride on, because of the word of truth , of meekness, and righteousness; and thy right hand shall teach thee terrible things.

6 Thy arrows are very sharp, and the people shall be subdued unto thee : even in the midst among the King's enemies.

7 Thy seat, O God, endureth for ever : the sceptre of thy kingdom is a right sceptre.

8 Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity : wherefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.

8 All thy garments smell of myrrh, aloes, and cassia : out of the ivory palaces, whereby they have made thee glad.

10 Kings' daughters were among thy honourable women : upon thy right hand did stand the queen in a vesture of gold, wrought about with divers colours.

11 Hearken, O daughter, and consider, incline thine ear ; forget also thine own people, and thy father's house.

12 So shall the King have pleasure in thy beauty : for he is thy Lord God, and worship thou him.

13 And the daughter of Tyre shall be there with a gift : like as the rich also among the people shall make their supplication before thee.

14 The King's daughter is all glorious within : her clothing is of wrought gold.

15 She shall be brought unto the King in raiment of needle-work : the virgins that be her fellows shall bear her company, and shall be brought unto thee.

16 With joy and gladness shall they be brought : and shall enter into the King's palace.

17 Instead of thy fathers thou shalt have children : whom thou mayest make princes in all lands.

18 I will remember thy Name from one generation to another : therefore shall the people give thanks unto thee, world without end.

Further English translation

English translation
vv. 2-8 only

My heart overflows with a noble message;
I speak my verses to the king,
My tongue the pen of a skillful scribe.
You are fairer than the sons of men;
Grace pours from your lips;
Therefore God has blessed you forever.
Gird you sword upon your thigh, mighty one.
With your glory and renown.
Set forth prosperously and reign,
For truth, meekness and justice,
And your right hand will lead lead you to wonders.
Your sharp arrows shall fall into the midst of the king's enemies.
You prize justice and abhor wickedness,
Therefore God, your God, has anointed you
With the oil of gladness, above your peers.