Psalms omitted from the psalter

[JulieH]

In the General Instruction on the LoTH, norm 131 says that three psalms are omitted from the current psalter because of their imprecatory character. What does that mean and what are the phsycological difficulties?

 

[curlycool89]

In the General Instruction on the LoTH, norm 131 says that three psalms are omitted from the current psalter because of their imprecatory character. What does that mean and what are the phsycological difficulties?

The 3 psalms left out are called the Cursing Psalms I believe.

You can look them up in any Bible. The ones left out are 58, 83, and 109.

If I had to hazard a guess, I’d say it’s because they don’t fit the general character of the LOTH, which is one of praise and thanksgiving. Also, it’s explained a bit in 131 itself:

1. Three psalms (58, 83, and 109) have been omitted from the psalter cycle because of their curses; in the same way, some verses have been omitted from certain psalms, as noted at the head of each. The reason for the omission is a certain psychological difficulty, even though the psalms of imprecation are in fact used as prayer in the New Testament, for example, Rv 6:10, and in no sense to encourage the use of curses.

 

[Bran_Stark]

Oddly enough, the Book of Common Prayer appoints Psalm 58 for Morning Prayer on the eleventh day of the month. No censoring here, haha. So I just read that psalm a few hours ago in my morning devotions.

Are your minds set upon righteousness, O ye congregation : and do ye judge the thing that is right, O ye sons of men?
Yea, ye imagine mischief in your heart upon the earth : and your hands deal with wickedness.
The ungodly are froward, even from their mother’s womb : as soon as they are born, they go astray, and speak lies.
They are as venomous as the poison of a serpent : even like the deaf adder that stoppeth her ears;
Which refuseth to hear the voice of the charmer : charm he never so wisely.
Break their teeth, O God, in their mouths; smite the jaw-bones of the lions, O Lord : let them fall away like water that runneth apace; and when they shoot their arrows let them be rooted out.
Let them consume away like a snail, and be like the untimely fruit of a woman : and let them not see the sun.
Or ever your pots be made hot with thorns : so let indignation vex him, even as a thing that is raw.
The righteous shall rejoice when he seeth the vengeance : he shall wash his footsteps in the blood of the ungodly.
So that a man shall say, Verily there is a reward for the righteous : doubtless there is a God that judgeth the earth.

Rather savage, I admit.

 

[OraLabora]

In the monastic schema of the LOTH that I use, Ps. 58 is at the second nocturne of Wednesday Vigils. That schema attempts to regroup the imprecatory and historical psalms at Vigils, the office least likely to be attended by the faithful.

 

[JulieH]

Thank you for all these answers. I recently started reading the Liturgy of the Hours every day, and have been uplifted by this in ways that I never expected. As far as the omitted psalms are concerned, I can only say that I am grateful that I have not read them and will not be reading them until I have a better understanding of the Scriptures. I am so grateful that my reading is being guided.

 

[OraLabora]

Thank you for all these answers. I recently started reading the Liturgy of the Hours every day, and have been uplifted by this in ways that I never expected. As far as the omitted psalms are concerned, I can only say that I am grateful that I have not read them and will not be reading them until I have a better understanding of the Scriptures. I am so grateful that my reading is being guided.

You can thank Paul VI himself for leaving out the imprecatory psalms. I would have preferred leaving them optional as is the case for the monastic office.