Praying the Psalms with Augustine and Friends

Chapter 6: Psalms 102–119:32

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Psalm103 with Gertrude the Great – Cleansing fromSin At the first verse, praise the LORD, my soul (v. 1), I was granted to lay down upon the wounds of your sacred feet the scouring 1 rust of sin and all attachments to the worthless pleasures of the world. Then, at the second verse, Praise the LORD, my soul, and forget not all his benefits (v. 2), I was to wash away all the stains of fleshly and ephemeral 2 pleasure in the fountain of your cleansing love, whence 3 blood and water flowed for me. At the third verse, who forgives all your sins (v. 3) like the dove who builds her nest in the cleft of 4 the rocks, I was to find rest for my soul (Song of Sol 2:14; Ps 83:4–5) in the wound of your left hand. Then, at the fourth verse, who redeems your life from the pit (v. 4), approaching your right hand, I was to draw confidently from the treasures which it held all that I lacked for the perfection of every virtue. 5 Thus honorably adorned, through the fifth verse, who satisfies your desires with good things (v. 5), I was purged 6 from the infamy of sin. My deficiencies were made good by your sweetest and most longed-for presence. Now indeed I, who was of myself unworthy, was made worthy enough to rejoice in your chaste embrace. In this way you granted the petition of my prayer, the grace to read in these wounds your suffering and your love. . . . May glory, honor, and power with joyful praise be given to you in all eternity! 1 Scouring – fast moving 2 Ephemeral – fleeting 3 Whence – from which 4 Cleft of – crack between 5 “The perfection of every virtue” – the full development into maturity of Christian character 6 Purged – cleansed