(The translation of the Psalms and the brief introductory comments on the Psalms of this Little Office of the Blessed Virgin are taken largly from: The Psalms and Canticles by George O'Neill, S.J. [Bruce Publishing Co. 1937.] The late Father O'Neill's work has long been out of print.)
[Continued]
INTRODUCTION
"In Welsh monastic institutions it was arranged that the Psalms should be sung day and night without intermission. You may say that not one of the Saints who taught the Faith in England failed (as records show) to love and use the Psalms in all circumstances: St. Dunstan died with Psalm 90, 4-5 upon his lips, 'He will give thee the shelter of His arms; under His wings thou shalt find refuge.'
So did St. Thomas Becket; so did men so similar, yet so different, as Charlemagne and Hildebrand. Charlemagne, savage as he was, liked even to be nicknamed 'David' by his friends, so did he love the Psalms. St. Francis of Assisi
trod with loving awe on the very stones, remembering those words: 'He set my feet upon a rock and made firm my steps.' Psalm 39, 3. St. Louis of France never took his seat as judge without repeating from Psalm 105, 3: 'Blessed are they that keep the statutes and that do at all times what is just.' And he, too, died repeating a Psalm.
"In Welsh monastic institutions it was arranged that the Psalms should be sung day and night without intermission. You may say that not one of the Saints who taught the Faith in England failed (as records show) to love and use the Psalms in all circumstances: St. Dunstan died with Psalm 90, 4-5 upon his lips, 'He will give thee the shelter of His arms; under His wings thou shalt find refuge.'
So did St. Thomas Becket; so did men so similar, yet so different, as Charlemagne and Hildebrand. Charlemagne, savage as he was, liked even to be nicknamed 'David' by his friends, so did he love the Psalms. St. Francis of Assisi
trod with loving awe on the very stones, remembering those words: 'He set my feet upon a rock and made firm my steps.' Psalm 39, 3. St. Louis of France never took his seat as judge without repeating from Psalm 105, 3: 'Blessed are they that keep the statutes and that do at all times what is just.' And he, too, died repeating a Psalm.
[To be continued]
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