Psalm 50 in Latin

[iohanne]

I’ve uploaded a video of my recitation of psalm 50 in Latin. I was wondering if you could hear the influence of my native accent and if you can, whether or not you can guess it. Otherwise this is just a random post for those of you who love Latin and love this psalm. I pray it for Lauds, according to the Rule of St. Benedict so I know it quite well. If I’m mumbling or going too fast, you’ll know why.

Psalmus L

And here are the words of this beautiful psalm, just in case:

Miserere mei, Deus, secundum magnam misericordiam tuam et secundum multitudinem miserationum tuarum, dele iniquitatem meam. Amplius lava me ab iniquitate mea et a peccato meo munda me.Quoniam iniquitatem meam ego cognosco et peccatum meum contra me est semper. Tibi soli peccavi et malum coram te feci ut justificeris in sermonibus tuis et vincas cum judicaris. Ecce enim in iniquitatibus conceptus sum et in peccatis concepit me mater mea. Ecce enim veritatem dilexisti; incerta et occulta sapientiæ tuæ manifestasti mihi. Asperges me hyssopo et mundabor. Lavabis me et super nivem dealbabor. Auditui meo dabis gaudium et lætitiam et exsultabunt ossa humiliata. Averte faciem tuam a peccatis meis et omnes iniquitates meas dele. Cor mundum crea in me, Deus, et spiritum rectum innova in visceribus meis. Ne proiicias me a facie tua et spiritum sanctum tuum ne auferas a me. Redde mihi lætitiam salutaris tui et spiritu principali confirma me. Docebo iniquos vias tuas et impii ad te convertentur. Libera me de sanguinibus, Deus, Deus salutis meæ, et exsultabit lingua mea justitiam tuam. Domine, labia mea aperies, et os meum annuntiabit laudem tuam. Quoniam si voluisses sacrificium, dedissem utique; holocaustis non delectaberis. Sacrificium Deo spiritus contribulatus; cor contritum et humiliatum, Deus, non despicies. Benigne fac, Domine, in bona voluntate tua Sion ut ædificentur muri Jerusalem. Tunc acceptabis sacrificium justitiæ, oblationes et holocausta, tunc imponent super altare tuum vitulos.

 

[bemily]

You write: " If I’m mumbling or going too fast, you’ll know why." No, I don’t know why. You are reading the psalm so fast that you cannot contemplate on the words. The psalm means nothing for you or the listener. For you it’s just a row of words.

 

[Coemgenus_O]

You write: " If I’m mumbling or going too fast, you’ll know why." No, I don’t know why. You are reading the psalm so fast that you cannot contemplate on the words. The psalm means nothing for you or the listener. For you it’s just a row of words.

While it’s certainly being read quickly, I think it’s pretty clear that the OP knows what he’s saying- the phrasing, intonation, etc. is good. As for the speed, I don’t think it’s inordinate- have you heard how fast they do the Angelus at the Vatican?

 

[iohanne]

You write: " If I’m mumbling or going too fast, you’ll know why." No, I don’t know why. You are reading the psalm so fast that you cannot contemplate on the words. The psalm means nothing for you or the listener. For you it’s just a row of words.

Thank you for your concern about my spiritual state when I recite psalms in Latin. In my defense, I have several things to say. First of all, this is neither prayer nor liturgy and my recitation wasn’t really to help facilitate either one - it’s clearly meant as a didactic tool for myself to get some criticism and for others if they want to see how someone else pronounces it. Secondly, I mentioned right before saying, “If I’m mumbling too fast…” that I say this psalm for Lauds every morning according to the Rule of St. Benedict. The implication I was making was that I wasn’t reading it but reciting it by heart and that since this was neither prayer nor liturgy, I mistakenly recited it too fast. Thirdly, if you know a psalm off by heart by reciting it rather than chanting it, and you know what it means, reciting it slower just so you can feel and contemplate each and every word feels more fake than just saying it as if it were a conversation with God. Fourthly, you clearly have never been to a Jewish synagogue nor even an Eastern Catholic/Orthodox liturgy; if you catch a snippet of the private prayers, you’ll hear that they’re often said at a speed such that my own recitation with its pauses and intonation would seem quite normal or even slow. It’s really only a Western Christian piety to have a very sober, slow way of recitation and meditation. Many other cultures recite and pray at a speed that for them (and for myself, actually) increases a sense of urgency, a sense of complaint, a sense of lamentation and expresses a certain overwhelming of the emotions. Most of the psalms aren’t, other than in Hebrew, structured pieces of metrical poetry nor is there always a logical sequence of petitions or images - they’re often just a waterfall of the heart’s outbursts towards the Creator and this, I feel is the most authentic way for me to recite them and express to my Lord the sentiments contained therein.

While it’s certainly being read quickly, I think it’s pretty clear that the OP knows what he’s saying- the phrasing, intonation, etc. is good. As for the speed, I don’t think it’s inordinate- have you heard how fast they do the Angelus at the Vatican?

Thanks for your reply and your defense. Just for fun, can you guess my native language?

 

[Rich_C]

Its one of my favorite psalms, too. I read it every morning during Advent and Lent. Maybe next time I’ll pray it in Latin.

 

[Coemgenus_O]

Thanks for your reply and your defense. Just for fun, can you guess my native language?

Hm. That’s a tricky one. I’m guessing not English since you say that, and it’s not Italian; maybe Spanish?

 

[ProVobis]

My guess would be Spanish too.

Beautiful psalm.

 

[xixxvmcm85]

I guess I’m in the minority here. You sound just like a native Italian speaker to me. The hesitation on certain syllables and their subsequent “stretching out” is what makes me think that. I speak Spanish fluently, and you don’t sound like a Spanish-speaker speaking Latin to me.