Chapter XLIV · Location 44 of 150
Chapter 44 · Open to readFrom Psalms · Douay–Rheims / Challoner (1749–1752)
What does Psalms Chapter 44 say, and which statements belong to its speaker?
Atlas of Saints · Chapter summary
The king is praised with beauty, justice, everlasting throne and anointing. The daughter is instructed amid queen, garments and future procession imagery. The edition separately identifies changed souls and the Beloved; future princes and praise remain promises.
Chapter breakdown
The Latin incipit is Eructavit cor meum. The separate heading describes Christ's kingdom's excellence and His church's endowments. The inscription is unto the end, for those to be changed, Core's sons and understanding, a canticle for the Beloved. The separate note interprets changed souls as converted to God and the Beloved as Jesus Christ. The speaker's heart uttered a good word, his works are addressed to the king and his tongue compared to a swift scrivener's pen.
He praises beauty above mankind and grace in the king's lips with God's eternal blessing, summons sword girding, prosperous proceeding and reign for truth, meekness and justice, and promises wonderful guidance of the right hand. Sharp arrows accompany people's future fall into enemies' hearts. The throne addressed as God's is eternal, the kingdom's scepter upright. Love of justice and hatred of iniquity accompany God's anointing above fellows with gladness's oil. Myrrh, stacte and cassia perfume garments from ivory houses; royal daughters delighted in glory and the queen stood at the right hand in gilded varied clothing.
The daughter is called to hear, see and incline an ear, forgetting people and father's house. The king shall desire her beauty as her Lord and God, to be adored. Tyre's daughters and rich people shall seek her countenance with gifts. The king's daughter's glory is within in golden borders, clothed in varieties; virgins and neighbors shall be brought after her to the king with gladness into his temple. Sons are born instead of fathers and shall be made princes throughout earth; remembrance and praise shall last generations and forever. This imagery does not supply a witnessed wedding or a causal doctrine that all spiritual union requires renunciation of family.
The story inside
Opening: The king is praised with beauty, justice, everlasting throne and anointing. Development: The daughter is instructed amid queen, garments and future procession imagery. Conclusion: The edition separately identifies changed souls and the Beloved; future princes and praise remain promises.
Lessons worth keeping
- 1The king is praised with beauty, justice, everlasting throne and anointing.
- 2The daughter is instructed amid queen, garments and future procession imagery.
- 3The edition separately identifies changed souls and the Beloved; future princes and praise remain promises.
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 60314–60316
For them that shall be changed.... i.e., for souls happily changed, by being converted to God.—Ibid. The Beloved.... Viz., Our Lord Jesus Christ.
Lines 60321–60322
Thou art beautiful above the sons of men: grace is poured abroad in thy lips; therefore hath God blessed thee for ever.
Lines 60333–60334
Thy throne, O God, is forever and ever: the sceptre of thy kingdom is a sceptre of uprightness.
Lines 60336–60337
Thou hast loved justice, and hated iniquity: therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.
Lines 60346–60350
Hearken, O daughter, and see, and incline thy ear: and forget thy people and thy father’s house. 44:12. And the king shall greatly desire thy beauty; for he is the Lord thy God, and him they shall adore.
