THE PSALTER OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY
 by St. Bonaventure

Contents

1. Author's Preface
2. The Psalter   
   Note: Psalms are bookmarked every ten psalms because they are short
   Psalm 1  11  21  31  41  51  61  71  81  91  101  111  118  119  121  131  141
3. Canticles in Honor of Mary
4. A Marian Creed after the manner of that of St. Athanasius

THE PSALTER OF OUR LADY

"Take hold on her, and she shall exalt thee: thou shalt be glorified by her, when thou shalt embrace her. She shall give to thy head increase of  graces, and protect thee with a noble crown." (Prov. IV, 8-9.) Glory be to God on high, and thanksgiving, and the voice of praise, who at one time by the mysteries of prophecy, at another by oracles from Heaven, again by the reading of the Gospel, and now by the mouth of preachers, in many ways and by divers channels, most sincerely urges and invites us to honor the Virgin Mary, the Queen of Heaven and of the Angels; that by her holy merits, most worthy of all acceptance, we, being delivered from the depths of hell, may be inscribed by her in the ranks of the angels. Wherefore, although Solomon spoke the aforesaid words of Wisdom, nevertheless the Holy Spirit, by a mystical application, intends them to be understood of the most excellent Virgin Mary. By means of these words, dearly beloved, He is drawing you to His love, and by various promises is attracting and softening your hearts, that you may enjoy His divine embraces. His meaning is that you will obtain four wonderful gifts, if this glorious Virgin is joined to you by a spiritual bond, and is embraced by you in the arms of fervent desire, with great reverence and devotion. First, she will bring you exaltation; and she shall exalt thee; secondly, glorification; and thou shalt be glorified by her; thirdly, the abundance of graces; she shall give to thy head increase of graces; fourthly, the unfading crown of perpetual glory, and protect thee with a noble crown.

Therefore I beseech thee, dearly beloved and most desired, do not repel so noble and so beautiful a virgin; do not make little of so admirable and revered a queen as the Virgin Mary: lest, if she should see herself despised by you, you will be, I will not say, deprived of such great favors, but, which God forbid, you will incur perpetual evils. Expand the bosom of your mind to serve her, prepare your heart to praise and glorify her, loose your tongue, and with swift service hasten to please her. For there is no doubt that from her nearness to you, you will become more devout, from contact with her you will grow more pure, from her embrace you will abound more in grace and be more resplendent in purity. That I may give you an occasion of obtaining such great gifts, I send you the Psalter of this most Holy Virgin, put together and composed indeed by my feeble intelligence, but with her grace and help; by means of it you will praise with divers hymns, now her virginity and chastity, now her fecundity and sanctity, now her clemency and bounty. You will be able to salute her as full of all grace, or as filled with all knowledge, or as illumined by all understanding and wisdom. There you will bless the Fruit of her glorious womb, the members of His holy body, and the prerogatives of His soul, bestowing all sanctity. There you will invoke the aid of all the choirs of angels to praise her, and of all the multitudes of holy men, the isles of the nations, the heavens, the beauty of all luminaries and of the whole world. There you will beseech her to destroy the power of your spiritual enemies, to obtain for you pardon of all your sins, that she may render the great Judge propitious to you, that she may illumine your deathbed by her gracious presence, and obtain for you joy without end. Therefore, O dearly beloved souls, graciously receive this little gift which I offer you, and strive to draw fruit therefrom; by means of it frequently praise the Mother of God; and thus perchance she will turn to you her gracious countenance, receiving you to her love, refreshing your soul in the present, and placing upon your head a crown of precious stones in the world to come.

THE PSALTER OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

PSALM 1
Blessed is the man, O Virgin Mary, who loves thy name; thy grace will comfort his soul. He will be refreshed as by fountains of water; thou wilt produce in him the fruit of justice. Blessed art thou among women; by the faith of thy holy heart. By the beauty of thy body thou surpassest all women; by the excellence of thy sanctity thou surpassest all angels and archangels Thy mercy and thy grace are preached everywhere; God has blessed the works of thy hands. Glory be to the Father, etc.



PSALM 2
Why have our enemies raged and our adversaries devised vain things? May thy right hand protect us, O Mother of God: as a line of battle terrible in aspect, confounding and destroying them. Come ye to her, all who labor and are in trouble: and she will give refreshment to your souls. Draw nigh to her in your temptations: and the serenity of her countenance will bring you peace and confidence. Bless her with your whole heart: for the earth is full of her mercy. Glory be to the Father, etc.



PSALM 3
O Lady, why are they multiplied who afflict me? By thy might thou shalt follow them and scatter them. Loose the bands of our impiety: take away the burden of our sins. Have mercy on me, O Lady, and heal my sickness: take away the grief and anguish of my heart. Deliver me not into the hands of my enemies: and in the day of my death strengthen thou my soul. Lead me into the harbor of salvation: and give up for me my spirit to my Maker and Creator. Glory be to the Father, etc.



PSALM 4
When I called upon thee, thou didst hear me, O Lady: and from thy throne on high thou hast deigned to be mindful of me. From the roaring of the wild beasts prepared to devour me: and from the hands of them that sought me, thy grace will deliver me. For thy mercy is kind and thy heart loving: towards all who invoke thy holy name. Blessed art thou, O Lady, forever: and thy majesty for evermore. Glorify her, all ye nations in your strength: and all ye peoples of the earth, extol her magnificence. Glory be to the Father, etc.



PSALM 5
Incline thine ear, O Lady, to hear my prayers: and turn not away from me the beauty of thy face. Turn our mourning into rejoicing: and our tribulation into joy. May our enemies fall down at our feet: by thy power may their heads be crushed. Let every tongue praise thee: and let all flesh bless thy holy name. For thy spirit is sweet above honey: and thy inheritance above the honey and the honeycomb. Glory be to the Father, etc.


PSALM 6
Lady, let me not be corrected in the wrath of God: nor be judged by Him in His anger. For the honor of thy name, O Lady: may the Fruit of thy glorious womb be propitious to us. From the gate of hell and from the depths of the abyss: by thy holy prayers deliver us. May the eternal gates be opened unto us: that we may declare forever thy wondrous works. For it is not the dead, nor those in hell, who will praise thee, O Lady: but those who by thy grace will obtain eternal life. Glory be to the Father etc.


PSALM 7
O my Lady, in thee have I hoped: from my enemies deliver me. Shut thou the mouth of the lion and his teeth: restrain the lips of those that persecute me. For thy name's sake delay not to accomplish thy mercy in us. May the brightness of thy countenance shine upon us: that the Most High may keep remembrance of us. If the enemy should persecute my soul, O Lady, may I be strengthened by thy help: lest his sword should strike me. Glory be to the Father, etc.


PSALM 8
O Lady, Our Lord has become our brother and our Savior. Like the flame in the burning bush, and the dew in the fleece: the Word of God descends into thee forever. The Holy Spirit hath made thee fruitful: the power of the Most High hath overshadowed thee. Blessed be thy most pure conception: blessed be thy virginal bringing forth. Blessed be the purity of thy body: blessed be the sweetness of the mercy of thy heart. Glory be to the Father, etc.


PSALM 9
I will praise thee, O Lady, with my whole heart: and I will declare among the nations thy praise and glory. For to thee is due glory, and thanksgiving, and the voice of praise. May sinners find grace with God by thee, the finder of grace and salvation. May the humble penitents hope for pardon: heal thou the bruises of their hearts. In the beauty of peace and wealth rest: thou shalt feed us after the toil of our pilgrimage. Glory be to the Father, etc.
 

PSALM 10
I trust in our Lady; because of the sweetness of the mercy of her name. Her eyes look upon the poor: and her hands are stretched out to the orphan and the widow. Seek after her from your youth: she will glorify you before the face of the peoples. Her mercy will deliver us from the multitude of our sins: and will bestow on us fruitfulness of merits. Stretch out to us thy arm, O glorious Virgin: and do not turn away from us thy glorious face. Glory be to the Father, etc.


PSALM 11
Save me, O Mother of fair love: fount of clemency and sweetness of piety. Thou alone makest the circuit of the earth: that thou mayst help those that call upon thee. Beautiful are thy ways: and thy paths are peaceful. In thee shine forth the beauty of chastity, the light of justice, and the splendor of truth. Thou art clothed with the sunrays as with a vesture: resplendent with a shining twelve-starred crown. Glory be to the Father, etc.


PSALM 12
How long, O Lady, wilt thou forget me and not deliver me in the day of tribulation ? How long will my enemy be exalted above me? By the might of thy strength do thou crush him. Open the eyes of thy mercy: lest our enemy prevail against us. We magnify thee, the finder of grace, by whom the ages of the world are restored. Thou art exalted above the choirs of angels: pray for us before the throne of God. Glory be to the Father, etc.


PSALM 13
Our foolish enemy hath said in his heart: I will follow after and take him, and my hand shall slay him. Arise, O Lady, and prevent him, and supplant him: destroy all his machinations. Thy beauty astonishes the sun and the moon; the angelic powers serve and obey thee. By thy gentle touch the sick are healed: by thy rose-sweet fragrance the dead revive. Virgin Mother of God, He whom the whole world cannot contain was enclosed within thee, being made Man. Glory be to the Father, etc.


PSALM 14
O Lady, who shall dwell in the tabernacle of God ? or who shall rest with the leaders of the people? The poor in spirit, and the pure of heart, the meek, the peaceful, and the mourners. Be mindful, O Lady, that thou speak for us good things: and that thou mayest turn away the indignation of thy Son from us. O sinners, let us embrace the footprints of Mary, and cast ourselves at her blessed feet. Let us hold her fast, nor let her go: until we deserve to be blessed by her. Glory be to the Father, etc.


PSALM 15
Preserve me, O Lady, for I have hoped in thee: do thou bestow on me the dew of thy grace. Thy virginal womb has begotten the Son of the Most High. Blessed be thy breasts, by which thou hast nourished the Savior with deific milk. Let us give praise to the glorious Virgin: whosoever ye be that have found grace and mercy through her. Give glory to her name: and praise forever her conception and her birth. Glory be to the Father, etc.


PSALM 16
Hear, O Lady, my justice and my love: remove from me my tribulations. I will give praise to thee in the voice of rejoicing: when thou shalt magnify thy mercy in me. Imitate her, ye holy virgins of God: as Agnes, Barbara, Dorothy, and Catherine have done. Give honor to her by the voice of your lips: thus have Agatha, Lucy, Margaret, and Cecilia received her grace. She will give you as your Spouse the Son of the Father: and a crown incomparably radiant with the lilies of Paradise. Glory be to the Father, etc.


PSALM 17
I will love thee, O Lady of heaven and earth: and I will call upon thy name in the nations. Give praise to her, ye who are troubled in heart: and she will strengthen you against your enemies. Give to us, O Lady, the grace of thy breasts: from the dropping milk of thy sweetness refresh the inmost souls of thy children. Honor her, O all ye religious: for she is your helper and your special advocate. Be thou our refreshment, glorious Mother of Christ: for thou art the admirable foundation of the religious life. Glory be to the Father, etc.


PSALM 18
The heavens declare thy glory: and the fragrance of thine unguents is spread abroad among the nations. Sigh ye unto her, ye lost sinners: and she will lead you to the harbor of pardon. In hymns and canticles knock at her heart: and she will rain down upon you the grace of her sweetness. Glorify her, ye just, before the throne of God: for by the fruit of her womb you have worked justice. Praise ye her, ye heaven of heavens: and the whole earth will glorify her name. Glory be to the Father, etc.


PSALM 19
Thou shalt hear us, O Lady, in the day of tribulation: and by our prayers turn to us thy merciful countenance. Cast us not off in the time of our death: but help the soul, when it shall have left the body. Send an angel to meet it: by whom it may be defended from the enemy. Show unto it the most serene Judge of ages: who for thy grace will bestow pardon. Let it feel thy refreshment in its torments: and grant to it a place among the elect of God. Glory be to the Father, etc.


PSALM 20
O Lady, in thy strength our heart shall rejoice: and in the sweetness of thy name our soul shall be consoled. From thy throne send us wisdom: by which we shall be sweetly enlightened in all truth. Give us grace to abstain from carnal desires: that the light of thy grace may arise in our hearts. How sweet are thy words, O Lady, to them that love thee: how sweet is the shower of thy graces. I will sing unto thy glory and honor: and in thy name I will glory forever. Glory be to the Father, etc.


PSALM 21
O God, my God: let Him look at thy merits in me, ever Virgin Mary. O my Lady, I have cried to thee by day and by night: and thou hast done mercy with thy servant. Because I have hoped in thy mercy: thou hast taken away from me everlasting reproach. Mine enemies have mocked me on every side: but thou under the shadow of thy hand hast bestowed good refreshment on me. Let all the families of the peoples adore thee: and let all the orders of the angels glorify thee. Glory be to the Father, etc.


PSALM 22
The Lord rules me, O Virgin Mother of God: because thou hast turned on me thy gracious countenance. Blessed are thy most resplendent eyes: which thou deignest to turn on sinners. Blessed is the light and the splendor of thy countenance: blessed is the grace of thy face. Blessed be the mercy of thy hands: blessed be the stream of thy virginal milk. Let the prophets and apostles of God bless thee: let martyrs, confessors, and virgins sing praise to thee. Glory be to the Father, etc.

PSALM 23
The earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof: but thou, O most holy Mother, reignest with Him forever. Thou art clothed with glory and beauty: every precious stone is thy covering and thy clothing. The brightness of the sun is upon thy head: the beauty of the moon is beneath thy feet. Shining orbs adorn thy throne: the morning stars glorify thee forever. Be mindful of us, O Lady, in thy good pleasure: and make us worthy to glorify thy name. Glory be to the Father, etc.

PSALM 24
To thee, O Lady, have I lifted up my soul: in the judgment of God, by the help of thy prayers, I shall not be ashamed. Let not my adversaries make game of me: for those who trust in thee are strengthened. Let not the snares of death prevail against me: and the camps of the malignant not hinder my steps. Crush their violence in thy might: and with mildness meet my soul. Be my guide unto my fatherland: and deign to join me to thy angelic hosts. Glory be to the Father, etc.

PSALM 25
Judge me, O Lady, for I have departed from my innocence: but because I have hoped in thee I shall not become weak. Enkindle my heart with the fire of thy love: and with the girdle of chastity bind my reins. For thy mercy and thy clemency are before my eyes: and I was delighted in the voice of thy praise. O Lady, I have loved the beauty of thy face: and I have revered thy sacred majesty. Praise ye her name, for she is holy: let her wonders be declared forever. Glory be to the Father, etc.

PSALM 26
O Lady, may thy light be the splendor of my countenance: and let the serenity of thy grace shine upon my mind. Raise up my head: and I will sing a psalm to thy name. Turn not away thy face from me: for from my youth up I have greatly desired thy beauty and thy grace. I have loved thee and sought after thee, O Queen of Heaven: withdraw not thy mercy and thy grace from thy servant. I will give praise to thee in the nations: and I will honor the throne of thy glory. Glory be to the Father, etc.

PSALM 27
To thee, O Lady, will I cry, and thou shalt hear me: in the voice of thy praise thou wilt make me glad. Have mercy on me in the day of my trouble: and in the light of thy truth deliver me. Blessed be thou, O Lady: to the uttermost ends of the earth. The sanctuary which thy hands have established: is the holy temple of thy body. Thy conscience is pure and undefiled: a place of propitiation and the holy dwelling of God. Glory be to the Father, etc.

PSALM 28
Bring to Our Lady, O ye sons of God: bring to Our Lady praise and reverence. Give strength to thy saints, O holy Mother: and thy blessing to those who praise and glorify thee. Hear the groans of those who sigh to thee: and despise not the prayers of those who invoke thy name. Let thy hand be ready to help me: and thy ear inclined to my prayer. Let the heavens and the earth bless thee: the sea and the world. Glory be to the Father, etc.

PSALM 29
I will exalt thee, O Lady, for thou hast taken me up: thou wilt deliver me from the wicked enemy. Turn to me and quicken me, from the gates of death lead me back: and from the rivers of tribulation which have surrounded me. For the sake of thy empire and the magnificence of thy right hand: break and scatter all my enemies. And I will offer thee a sacrifice of praise: and I will most devoutly exalt thy glory. Rejoice, ye Heavens, and be glad, O Earth: because Mary will console her servants and will have mercy on her poor. Glory be to the Father, etc. PsALm 30 In thee, O Lady, have I hoped, let me never be confounded: receive me in thy grace. Thou art my strength and my refuge: my consolation and my protection. To thee, O Lady, have I cried, when my heart was in anguish: and thou hast heard me from the heights of the eternal hills. Thou shalt draw me out of the snares which they hid for me: for thou art my helper. Into thy hands, O Lady, I commend my spirit: my whole life and my last day. Glory be to the Father, etc.

PSALM 31
Blessed are they whose hearts love thee, O Virgin Mary: their sins will be mercifully washed away by thee. Holy, chaste, and flowering are thy breasts: which blossomed into the flower of eternal greenness. The beauty of thy grace will never see corruption: and the grace of thy countenance will never fade. Blessed art thou, O sublime Rod of Jesse: for thou hast raised thyself unto Him who sits in the highest. O Virgin Queen, thou thyself art the way by which salvation from on high hath visited us. Glory be to the Father, etc.

PSALM 32
Rejoice, ye just, in the Virgin Mary: and in uprightness of heart praise ye her together. Draw near unto her with reverence and devotion: and let your heart be delighted in her salutation. Give unto her the sacrifice of praise: and be ye inebriated from the breasts of her sweetness. For she sheds upon you the rays of her loving kindness: and she will enlighten you with the splendors of her mercy. Her fruit is most sweet: it grows ever sweeter in the mouth and the heart of the wise. Glory be to the Father, etc.

PSALM 33
I will bless Our Lady at all times: and her praise shall never fail in my mouth. Magnify her with me: all ye who are nourished with the milk and honey of her refreshment. In dangers and doubts invoke her: and in necessities you will find sweet help and refreshment. Take example from her conversation: and be zealous to imitate her charity and humility. Because thou wast most humble, O Lady: thou hast induced the Uncreated Word to take flesh from thee. Glory be to the Father, etc.

PSALM 34
Judge, O Lady, them that harm me: arise against them and avenge my cause. My soul will rejoice in thee: and I will devoutly exult in thy benefits. The heavens and the earth are full of thy grace and sweetness: from every side thy kindness surrounds us. For wherever we may walk: the fruit of thy virginal womb meets us. Let us run, therefore, dearly beloved, and salute the noble Virgin overflowing with sweetness: that we may rest in the bosom of her sweetness. Glory be to the Father, etc.

PSALM 35
The unjust man said that he would sin in secret: by thee let him depart from his impious purpose, O Mother of God. Incline towards us the countenance of God: impel Him to have mercy. O Lady, in heaven is thy mercy: and thy grace is spread abroad in the earth. Power and strength are in thy arm: vigor and fortitude in thy right hand. Blessed be thy empire over the heavens: blessed be thy magnificence upon the earth Glory be to the Father, etc.

PSALM 36 Be not angry with the wicked, O Lady: sweeten their fury by thy grace. O ye religious and cloistered souls, hope in her: confide in her, ye priests and seculars. Take delight in her praises: and she will grant the petitions of your heart. Better is a little with her grace: than treasures of silver and precious stones. Glory be to thee forever, O Queen of Heaven: and never forget us at any time. Glory be to the Father, etc.

PSALM 37
O Lady, let not the Lord rebuke me in His anger: obtain for us pardon for our sins. Let all our desire be in thy sight: our hope and our confidence. My heart is troubled within me: light departs from my interior, Enlighten with thy brightness my blindness: sweeten with thy sweetness my contrite heart. Forsake us not, O Lady, Mother of God: let thy grace and thy power be at my right hand. Glory be to the Father, etc.

PSALM 38
I said: I will keep my ways, O Lady: when by thee the grace of Christ was given to me. By thy sweetness my soul was melted: my bowels are inflamed by thy love. Hear my prayer, O Lady, and my supplication: and let mine enemies pine away. Have mercy on me from Heaven and from the height of thy throne: and permit me not to be troubled in the valley of misery. Keep my foot, lest it should be injured: and may thy grace be with my end. Glory be to the Father, etc. PsALm 39 Expecting, I have expected thy grace: and thou hast done with me according to the multitude of the mercies of thy name. Thou hast heard my prayers: and thou hast led me out of the den of misery, and from the pit of the enemy. Manifold and wonderful are thy gifts, O Lady: incomparable are the gifts of thy graces. Let all those exult and rejoice in thee who love thee: let them who have hated thy name, fall into hell. Blessed be thou forever, O Lady: forever, world without end. Glory be to the Father, etc.

PSALM 40
Blessed Mary understandeth concerning the needy and the poor: who remains faithful in her praises. Lady of the angels, Queen of the world: purify my heart with the fire of love and of thy charity. Thou art the mother of the illumination of my heart: thou art the nurse who refreshes my mind. My mouth longs to praise thee: my mind devoutly aspires to venerate thee with ardent affection. My soul longs to pray to thee: because the whole of my being commends itself to thy guidance and teaching. Glory be to the Father, etc.

PSALM 41
As the hart longs for the water-brooks, so doth my soul pine for thy love. For thou art the mother of my life: and the sublime repairer of my flesh. For thou art the feeder of the Savior of my soul: the beginning and the end of all my salvation. Hear me, O Lady, let my stains be cleansed: enlighten me, O Lady, that my darkness may be illuminated. Let my tepidity be enkindled by thy love: let my torpor be expelled by thy grace. Glory be to the Father, etc.

PSALM 42
Judge me, O Lady, and discern my cause from the perverse nation: from the malignant serpent and the pestiferous dragon deliver me. Let thy holy fecundity scatter him: let thy blessed virginity bruise his head. Let thy holy prayers strengthen us against him: let thy merits put to nought his strength. Send the persecutor of my soul into the abyss: let the infernal pit swallow him alive. But I and my soul will bless thy name in the land of my captivity: and I will glorify thee forever and ever. Glory be to the Father, etc.

PSALM 43
O Lady, we have heard with our ears: and our fathers have told it unto us. For thy merits are ineffable: and thy wonders exceedingly stupendous. O Lady, innumerable are thy virtues: and inestimable are thy mercies. Exult, O my soul, and rejoice in her: for many good things are prepared for those who praise her. Blessed be thou, O Queen of the Heavens and the angels: and let those who praise thy magnificence be blessed by God. Glory be to the Father, etc.

PSALM 44
My heart hath uttered a good word, Lady: it is sweetened with honey-flowing dew. By thy sanctity let my sins be purged: by thy integrity may incorruption be bestowed upon me. By thy virginity may my soul be loved by Christ: and joined to him by the bond of love. By thy fecundity I, a captive, am redeemed: by thy virginal bringing forth I am delivered from eternal death. By thy most worthy Son I, a lost one, am restored: and from the exile of misery I am led back to the homeland of beatitude. Glory be to the Father, etc.

PSALM 45
O Lady, thou art our refuge in all our needs: and a most powerful force bruising and crushing our enemy. The world is full of thy benefits: they surpass the heavens and penetrate the depths. By the fullness of thy grace those who were in the abyss rejoice to find themselves liberated. By the power of thy virginal fecundity, those who were above this world: rejoice to find themselves freed. By the glorious Son of thy most holy virginity: men are made companions and fellow-citizens of the angels. Glory be to the Father, etc.

PSALM 46
All ye nations, clap your hands: sing in jubilee to the glorious Virgin. For she is the gate of life, the door of salvation, and the way of our reconciliation. The hope of the penitent: the comfort of those that weep: the blessed peace of hearts, and their salvation. Have mercy on me, O Lady, have mercy on me: for thou art the light and the hope of all who trust in thee. By thy salutary fecundity let it please thee: that pardon of my sins may be granted unto me. Glory be to the Father, etc.

PSALM 47
Great art thou, O Lady, and exceedingly to be praised: in the city of the God of Heaven: in the entire Church of His elect. Thou hast ascended, hymned by the angelic choirs: buoyed by the archangels, crowned with lilies and roses. Meet her, ye Powers and Principalities: go to welcome her, ye Virtues and Dominations. Cherubim, and Thrones, and Seraphim, exalt her: and place her at the right hand of the Spouse, her most loving Son. Oh, with how joyful a soul, with how serene an aspect hast thou received her, O God of angels and men: and given her the principality over every place of thy domination. Glory be to the Father, etc.

PSALM 48
Hear ye these things, all ye nations: give ear, all ye who desire to enter the kingdom of God. Honor the Virgin Mary: and ye will find life and perpetual salvation. Keep thy poor servants, O Lady: join them with a happy union to Christ. By the fruit of thy womb, refresh and sustain the hunger of thy little ones. For after thy bringing forth thou hast remained incorrupt: and after thy Son, inviolate. Glory be to the Father, etc.

PSALM 49
The God of gods hath spoken to Mary: by Gabriel, his messenger, saying: Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with thee: by thee the salvation of the world is repaired. The Son of the Most High hath greatly desired thy beauty and thy comeliness. Adorn thy bridal chamber, O Daughter of Sion: prepare to meet thy God. Thou shalt conceive by the Holy Ghost: who will make thy delivery virginal and joyful. Glory be to the Father, etc.

PSALM 50
Have mercy on me, O Lady: for thou art called the Mother of Mercy. And according to thy mercy: cleanse me from all my iniquities. Pour forth thy grace upon me: and withdraw not from me thine accustomed clemency. For I will confess my sins to thee: and I will accuse myself of all my crimes before thee. Reconcile me to the Fruit of thy womb: and make peace for me with Him who has created me. Glory be to the Father, etc.

PSALM 51
Why dost thou glory in malice: O malignant serpent and infernal dragon? Submit thy head to the Woman: by whose power thou art plunged into hell. Crush him, O Lady, with the foot of thy power: arise and scatter his malice. Extinguish his might: and reduce his strength to ashes, That living, we may exult in thy name: and with joyful soul we may give praise to thee. Glory be to the Father, etc.

PSALM 52
The foolish enemy hath said in his soul: I will cast men out from the tabernacle of the sons of God. I will go forth, and I will be a Iying spirit in the mouth of the serpent: and by the woman I will cast out the man, her husband. O wretched one, as the heavens are exalted above the earth: so are the thoughts of God above thy thoughts. Be not lifted up because of the woman's fall: for it is a woman who shall crush thy head. Thou hast prepared a pit for her: and in her snare thou shalt be caught. Glory be to the Father, etc.

PSALM 53
O Lady, save me in thy name: and deliver me from my injustices. That the craft of the enemy may not hurt me: hide me under the shadow of thy wings. O my Lady, help me ! bestow thy grace upon my soul ! Willingly I will offer thee a sacrifice of praise: and I will give praise to thy name, for it is good. For thou shalt deliver me from all tribulation: and my eye shall despise mine enemies. Glory be to the Father, etc.

PSALM 54
Hear my prayer, O Lady: and do not despise my supplications. I am become sad in my thoughts: because the judgments of God have terrified me. The darkness of death has overtaken me: and the fear of hell has invaded me. But in solitude I will expect thy consolation: and in my chamber I will wait for thy mercy. Glorify thy arm and thy right hand: that our enemies may be prostrated by us. Glory be to the Father, etc.

PSALM 55
Have mercy on me, O Lady, for my enemies have trodden upon me every day: all their thoughts are turned to evil against me. Stir up fury, and be mindful of war: and pour out thy anger upon them. Renew wonders and change marvelous things: let us feel the help of thine arm. Glorify thy name upon us: that we may know that thy mercy is forever. Distill upon us the drops of thy sweetness: for thou art the cupbearer of the sweetness of grace. Glory be to the Father, etc.

PSALM 56
Have mercy on me, O Lady, have mercy on me: for my heart is prepared to seek out thy will. And I will rest in the shelter of thine arms: for sweet to me is thy refreshment. Thy hands have distilled the first myrrh: and thy fingers the unguents of graces. And a fragment of pomegranate is thy throat: and thy breath is sweet as an amalgam of choice smelling herbs. For thou art the mother of fair love and the anchor of hope: the harbor of safety, indulgence or pardon, and the gate of salvation. Glory be to the Father, etc.

PSALM 57
If indeed you will truly speak justice: honor the Queen of justice and mercy. For this belongs to the praise and the glory of the Savior: whatever of honor is bestowed upon the Mother. The roses of martyrs surround thee, O Queen: and the lilies of virgins encompass thy throne. Praise ye her, all together, ye morning stars: the seas and the rivers and the foundations of the world. Glory be to the Father, etc.

PSALM 58
Deliver me from mine enemies, O Lady of the world: arise to meet me, O Queen of piety. The purest gold is thy ornament: the sardine stone and the topaz are thy diadem. The jasper and the amethyst are in thy right hand: the beryl and the chrysolite in thy left. The hyacinths are on thy breast: shining carbuncles are the jewels of thy bracelets. Myrrh, frankincense, and balsam are on thy hands: the sapphire and the emerald on thy fingers. Glory be to the Father, etc.

PSALM 59
 O God, thou hast cast us off because of our sins: thou hast had mercy on us by the Virgin Mary. Intercede for us, O saving Mother of God: who hast brought forth salvation for men and angels. For thou infusest joy into the sad: and joy and sweetness into the mourners. Rejoice us by the sweet sounds of thy speech: and pour thy balm of roses forth into our hearts. Thunder, ye heavens, from above, and give praise to her: glorify her, ye earth, with all the dwellers therein. Glory be to the Father, etc.

PSALM 60
Hear my prayer, O Lady: upon a firm rock establish my mind. Be thou to me a tower of strength: protect me from the face of the cruel destroyer. Be thou to him terrible as an army in battle array: and may he fall living into the depths of hell. For thou art shining and terrible: a cloud full of dew, and the rising dawn. Thou art beautiful and bright as the full moon: thy sacred aspect is as when the sun shines in its strength. Glory be to the Father, etc.
 

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This translation is in the public domain