The whole Church, and every just person, gratefully confesseth, that by God's protection they are secure, without which none could escape ruin.The whole Church, and euerie iust person, gratfully confesseth, that by Gods protection they are secure, without which none could escape ruine.✦

A gradual Canticle.A gradual Canticle.A gradual Canticle.Canticum graduum. Nisi quia Dominus erat in nobis, dicat nunc Israël,

2But that our Lord was in us, let Israel now say: but that our Lord was in us,But that our Lord was in us, let Israel now say: but that our Lord was in us,BVt that our Lord ^awas in vs, let Israel now say: but that our Lord was in vs,nisi quia Dominus erat in nobis : cum exsurgerent homines in nos,

3When men rose up against us, perhaps they had swallowed us alive:When men rose up against us, perhaps they had swallowed us alive:^bWhen men rose vp against vs, ^cperhaps they had swalowed vs ^daliue:forte vivos deglutissent nos ; cum irasceretur furor eorum in nos,

1609 marginmen. we could not have escaped the force of our enemies.b we could not haue escaped the force of our enimies.perhaps. The word [perhaps] doth not here import a doubt, or uncertainty, but in modest manner of asseveration, leaveth the judgement of the event that should happen (if God did not protect his servants) to their own consideration: which is an usual phrase in most languages.c The word [perhaps] doth not here import a doubt, or vncertaintie, but in modest maner of asseueration, leaueth the iudgement of the euent that should hapen (if God did not protect his seruantes) to their owne consideration : which is an vsual phrase in most langnages.alive. So suddenly should the weak, without God's protection, be destroyed, as men are devoured and swallowed up by ravening wild beasts, even before they be throughly dead. So was Jonas swallowed into the whale's belly.d So sudainly should the weake, without Gods protection, be destroyed, as men are deuoured & swalowed vp by rauening wild beastes, euen before they be throughly dead. So was Ionas swalowed into the whales bellie.

4When their fury was angry against us, perhaps water had swallowed us.When their fury was angry against us, perhaps water had swallowed us.When their furie was angrie against vs, perhaps ^ewater had swalowed vs.forsitan aqua absorbuisset nos ;

5Our soul passed through a torrent: perhaps our soul had passed through an intolerable water.Our soul hath passed through a torrent: perhaps our soul had passed through an intolerable water.Our soule hath passed through ^fa torrent: perhaps our soule had passed through an intolerable water.torrentem pertransivit anima nostra ; forsitan pertransisset anima nostra aquam intolerabilem.

6Blessed be our Lord which not given us, for a prey to their teeth.Blessed be our Lord which hath not given us, for a prey to their teeth.Blessed be our Lord which hath not geuen vs, for a pray to their teeth.Benedictus Dominus, qui non dedit nos in captionem dentibus eorum.

7Our soul as a sparrow is delivered from the snare of the fowlers: The snare is broken, and we are delivered.Our soul as a sparrow is delivered from the snare of the fowlers: The snare is broken, and we are delivered.Our soule as a sparow is deliuered from the snare of the fowlers: The snare is ^gbroken, and we are deliuered.Anima nostra sicut passer erepta est de laqueo venantium ; laqueus contritus est, et nos liberati sumus.

8Our help is in the name of our Lord, who made heaven and earth.Our help is in the name of our Lord, who made heaven and earth.Our helpe is in the name of our Lord, who made heauen and earth.Adjutorium nostrum in nomine Domini, qui fecit cælum et terram.

The reading text follows the 1582 first edition. Also available: Plantin Louvain (Latin).

St. Robert Bellarmine’s commentary on Psalms 123 — verse-by-verse exposition→

Chapter 123 of 150