Use of Psalm 42/43 in procession of Catechumens for Baptism?

  • Thread starter Thread starter roma247
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
R

roma247

Guest
I am researching the Traditional Latin Mass/Extraordinary Form and found a book called “The Meaning of the Mass” by Rev. Paul Bussard (copyright 1942). It is an excellent book, but I found something in it which is confusing because I cannot seem to find a source or confirmation for it anywhere else.

Father Bussard says that Psalm 42, Judica Me, which is recited at the beginning of the Mass, has a special significance because it was once used in the processions of the Catechumens as they were going to be baptized. This is a beautiful significance indeed, but I cannot find any other source that makes this claim. In fact, the only reference I’ve found to the use of Psalm 42 in Baptismal Processions appears to in fact refer to Psalm 41, and I’m wondering whether confusion arising from the numbering of Psalms in the Vulgate vs. Modern Bibles is at the base of this claim? Psalm 41 is renumbered in Bibles proceeding from the KJV as Psalm 42.

Does anyone know anything about this and can point me in the right direction? I’ve tried looking at Augustine’s Exposition of the Psalms (which, though available online at New Advent, is confusingly listed under the modern numbering, not the Vulgate numbering…) and I’ve heard that this matter is mentioned in the Gelasian Sacramentary, but I can’t find it there…

I would love to hear more if anyone knows???

Thanks in advance,
Roma247
 
roma247 said:
I am researching the Traditional Latin Mass/Extraordinary Form and found a book called “The Meaning of the Mass” by Rev. Paul Bussard (copyright 1942). It is an excellent book, but I found something in it which is confusing because I cannot seem to find a source or confirmation for it anywhere else.

Father Bussard says that Psalm 42, Judica Me, which is recited at the beginning of the Mass, has a special significance because it was once used in the processions of the Catechumens as they were going to be baptized. This is a beautiful significance indeed, but I cannot find any other source that makes this claim. In fact, the only reference I’ve found to the use of Psalm 42 in Baptismal Processions appears to in fact refer to Psalm 41, and I’m wondering whether confusion arising from the numbering of Psalms in the Vulgate vs. Modern Bibles is at the base of this claim? Psalm 41 is renumbered in Bibles proceeding from the KJV as Psalm 42.

Does anyone know anything about this and can point me in the right direction? I’ve tried looking at Augustine’s Exposition of the Psalms (which, though available online at New Advent, is confusingly listed under the modern numbering, not the Vulgate numbering…) and I’ve heard that this matter is mentioned in the Gelasian Sacramentary, but I can’t find it there…

I would love to hear more if anyone knows???

Thanks in advance,
Roma247
Click to expand...
Perhaps he’s referring to Passion Sunday, which has the Judica Me in the Introit?
 
Elizium23 said:
I am sorry I am unable to offer an answer about this particular case, but I will mention a point regarding the numbering. The two forms of numbering do not come from the KJV vs. Vulgate, but from Hebrew and Greek numbering. The Hebrew numbering is found in the Masoretic manuscripts and the Greek is found in the Septuagint sources.
Click to expand...
Thanks, Elizium. Yes, I oversimplified a bit, but we’re both correct. St. Jerome used the numbering from the 2nd century BC Septuagint when constructing the Vulgate, while the authors of the KJV used the numbering from the 16th century Hebrew Masoretic text, in order to distance themselves from the Catholic Vulgate.

And the Douay-Rheims translation (used in the Latin Mass) uses the numbering from the Vulgate, while pretty much all modern bibles, even Catholic Bibles beginning with the New American Bible and on, follow the numbering used in the KJV bible.

The issue here is not Greek vs. Hebrew, but the age of the Manuscripts used. The Septuagint was created by Hebrew Scholars in Alexandria in the Second Century B.C. using the best texts of the Scriptures then available. By the time of the oldest surviving Masoretic texts (10th century AD I believe?), that numbering had changed.

Arguably, both systems of numbering have benefits and disadvantages. But it makes it very confusing when trying to study a particular psalm nowadays, as Catholic sources older than +/-50 years will use the numbering from the Douay-Rheims/Vulgate/Septuagint, while any newer sources will use the numbering from the NAB/KJV/Masoretic text. Because the source I am confused about was written in 1942, one might assume it should use the Douay-Rheims numbering…but as I can’t find any corroborating sources, I’m not sure…

Thanks very much and God Bless!
roma247
 
ProVobis said:
Perhaps he’s referring to Passion Sunday, which has the Judica Me in the Introit?
Click to expand...
Here is the passage in question (judiciously snipped):
The recitation of Psalm 42 in preparation for Mass has a remarkable history, the knowledge of which should make it mean more to us than it does…It was formerly a song of Baptism. We recall that Catechumens were baptized on Easter Saturday. Immediately after Baptism, they marched in procession to take part in the Mass and to receive Holy Communion for the first time…As they walked thus along,…they sang, “I will go to the altar of God, to God who is the joy of my youth.”
Click to expand...
Certainly sounds like he’s referring to Psalm 42…but I can’t find this mentioned in any other source. I have found references to the use of Psalm 41 for this purpose (As the deer longs for running streams…), but not Psalm 42…
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top