Deus Meus, eripe me de manu peccatóris (Deliver me, O my God, out of the hand of the sinner) is the third Gregorian chant antiphon and psalm sung during the Office of
Tenebrae (Matins and Lauds), in the first nocturn on
Maundy Thursday.
The antiphon and text for this comes from Psalm 70, and refers to the period in King David's life when he was persecuted by Saul. I
Amidst the dangers he faced, he had an unshakeable confidence in God. So also during His Passion Our Lord, even in the
deepest depths of His anguish, confides in His Father's help.
Deus Meus, eripe me de manu peccatóris is here interpreted by the priests of the
St. Joan of Arc Church
(Fraternity of St. Peter).
Listen to Deus meus, eripe me de manu peccatoris
Lyrics:
Latin text:
Ant. Deus meus, eripe me
de manu peccatoris
In te, Domine, speravi;
Non confundar in aeternum;
In justitia tua libera me, et eripe me :
Inclina ad me aurem tuam, et salva me.
Esto mihi in Deum protectorem,
et in locum munitum,
Ut salvum me facias
Quoniam firmamentum meum
Et refugium meum es tu.
Deus meus, eripe me
de manu peccatoris,
Et de manu contra legem agentis,
et iniqui
Quoniam tu es patientia mea, Domine
Domine, spes mea a juventute mea.
In te confirmatus sum ex utero
De ventre matris meae
tu es protector meus;
In te cantatio mea semper.
Tamquam prodigium factus sum multis;
et tu adjutor fortis.
Repleatur os meum laude,
ut cantem gloriam tuam,
Tota die magnitudinem tuam.
Ne projicias me in tempore senectutis;
Cum defecerit virtus mea,
ne derelinquas me.
Quia dixerunt inimici mei mihi :
Et qui custodiebant animam meam
consilium fecerunt in unum;
Dicentes : Deus dereliquit eum :
persequimini et comprehendite eum,
Quia non est qui eripiat.
Deus, ne elongeris a me;
Deus meus, in auxilium meum respice.
Confundantur et deficiant
detrahentes animae meae;
operiantur confusione et pudore
qui quaerunt mala mihi.
Ego autem semper sperabo,
Et adjiciam super omnem laudem tuam.
Os meum annuntiabit justitiam tuam,
Tota die salutare tuum.
Quoniam non cognovi litteraturam,
introibo in potentias Domini;
Domine, memorabor justitiae tuae solius.
Deus, docuisti me a juventute mea;
et usque nunc pronuntiabo mirabilia tua.
Et usque in senectam et senium,
Deus, ne derelinquas me,
Donec annuntiem brachium tuum
Generationi omni quae ventura est,
Potentiam tuam, et justitiam tuam, Deus,
usque in altissima; quae fecisti magnalia,
Deus : quis similis tibi?
Quantas ostendisti mihi tribulationes
multas et malas!
et conversus vivificasti me,
et de abyssis terrae
iterum reduxisti me.
Multiplicasti magnificentiam tuam;
Et conversus consolatus es me.
Nam et ego confitebor tibi
in vasis psalmi veritatem tuam,
Deus; psallam tibi in cithara,
sanctus Israel.
Exsultabunt labia mea
cum cantavero tibi;
et anima mea quam redemisti.
Sed et lingua mea tota die
meditabitur justitiam tuam
cum confusi et reveriti fuerint
qui quaerunt mala mihi.
Ant. Deus meus, eripe me
de manu peccatoris
V. Avertantur retrorsum
et erubescant.
Qui cogitant mihi mala.
English translation (2):
Ant. Deliver me, O my God,
out of the hand of the sinner,
In thee, O Lord, I have hoped;
let me never be put to confusion;
Deliver me in thy justice, and rescue me:
Incline thy ear unto me, and save me.
Be thou unto me a God, a protector,
and a place of strength,
that thou mayst make me safe.
For my firmament
And my refuge thou art.
Deliver me, O my God,
out of the hand of the sinner,
and out of the hand of the transgressor of the law and of the unjust
For thou art my patience, O Lord:
my hope, O Lord, from my youth.
By thee have I been confirmed from the womb:
from my mother's womb
thou art my protector;
Of thee shall I continually sing.
I am become unto many as a wonder;
but thou art a strong helper.
Let my mouth be filled with praise,
that I may sing thy glory,
Thy greatness all the day long.
Cast me not off in the time of old age;
When my strength shall fail,
do not thou forsake me.
For my enemies have spoken against me:
and they that watched my soul
have consulted together;
Saying: God hath forsaken him:
pursue and take him,
for there is none to deliver him.
O God, be not thou far from me;
O my God, make haste to my help.
Let them be confounded and come to nothing
[they] that detract my soul;
let them be covered with confusion and shame
[they] that seek my hurt.
But I will always hope,
and will add to all thy praise.
My mouth shall shew forth thy justice,
thy salvation all the day long.
Because I have not known learning,
I will enter into the powers of the Lord;
O Lord, I will be mindful of thy justice alone.
Thou hast taught me, O God, from my youth;
and till now I will declare thy wonderful works.
And unto old age and grey hairs,
O God, forsake me not,
Until I shew forth thy arm
to all the generation that is to come,
Thy power and thy justice, O God,
even to the highest great things thou hast done,
O God, who is like to thee?
How great troubles hast thou shewn me,
many and grievous!
and turning thou hast brought me to life,
and from the depths of the earth.
thou hast brought me back again
Thou hast multiplied thy magnificence;
and turning to me thou hast comforted me.
For I will also confess to thee
thy truth with the instruments of psaltery,
O God, I will sing to thee with the harp,
thou holy one of Israel.
My lips shall greatly rejoice,
when I shall sing to thee;
and my soul which thou hast redeemed.
Yea and my tongue all the day;
shall meditate on thy justice
when shall be confounded and put to shame
those that seek evils for me.
Ant. Deliver me, O my God,
out of the hand of the sinner
V. Let them be turned back,
and let them blush for shame.
Those who devise evils against Me.
David by Lorenzo Monaco (Piero di Giovanni) (1370-1425)
English translation adapted from the Douay Rheims,
here.
From the Officium Majoris Hebdomadae (Office of Holy Week), pp. 183/177-184/178,
here. Courtesy of the CMAA's (Church Music Association of America) Chant Resources page,
here, under "Supplemental Chant Books".
