Chapter XXIX · Location 29 of 150
Chapter 29 · Open to readFrom Psalms · Douay–Rheims / Challoner (1749–1752)
What does Psalms Chapter 29 say, and which statements belong to its speaker?
Atlas of Saints · Chapter summary
The speaker recalls upholding, healing and rescue and calls saints to praise. Abundance and trouble lead to questions about blood, dust and truth. Mourning becomes joy and the speaker vows continued praise.
Chapter breakdown
The Latin incipit is Exaltabo te, Domine. The separate heading describes David praising delivery and mercy. The inscription identifies a psalm of a canticle at his house's dedication. He will extol the Lord for upholding him and not letting enemies rejoice, saying he cried and was healed, his soul brought from hell and saved from those going to the pit.
He calls saints to sing and praise the memory of God's holiness. Wrath is in God's indignation and life in His good will; weeping shall have place in evening and gladness in morning. In abundance the speaker said he would never be moved. God gave strength to his beauty in favor, then turned His face away and he became troubled. The verses do not identify a mortal illness, palace or the duration of anger.
He will cry and supplicate, asking what profit there is in his blood while descending to corruption and whether dust will confess or declare truth. He says God heard, had mercy and became helper, turned mourning into joy, cut sackcloth and compassed him with gladness. So his glory may sing and he may not regret, he will praise forever. The source says joy, not dancing, and the speaker's testimony is not a universal guarantee of swift bodily healing.
The story inside
Opening: The speaker recalls upholding, healing and rescue and calls saints to praise. Development: Abundance and trouble lead to questions about blood, dust and truth. Conclusion: Mourning becomes joy and the speaker vows continued praise.
Lessons worth keeping
- 1The speaker recalls upholding, healing and rescue and calls saints to praise.
- 2Abundance and trouble lead to questions about blood, dust and truth.
- 3Mourning becomes joy and the speaker vows continued praise.
Test your recall
Which images and requests does the speaker use, and what does the chapter leave unresolved?
Source edition and notes
Douay–Rheims, revised by Richard Challoner (1749–1752). Project Gutenberg no. 1581. Locators refer to lines in the admitted pg1581.txt edition. Source notes may include Challoner commentary.
Lines 59313–59314
I will extol thee, O Lord, for thou hast upheld me: and hast not made my enemies to rejoice over me.
Lines 59318–59319
Thou hast brought forth, O Lord, my soul from hell: thou hast saved me from them that go down into the pit.
Lines 59321–59322
Sing to the Lord, O ye his saints: and give praise to the memory of his holiness.
Lines 59324–59325
For wrath is in his indignation; and life in his good will. In the evening weeping shall have place, and in the morning gladness.
Lines 59329–59330
O Lord, in thy favour, thou gavest strength to my beauty. Thou turnedst away thy face from me, and I became troubled.
Lines 59335–59336
What profit is there in my blood, whilst I go down to corruption? Shall dust confess to thee, or declare thy truth?
Lines 59341–59342
Thou hast turned for me my mourning into joy: thou hast cut my sackcloth, and hast compassed me with gladness:
