The Penitential Psalms or Psalms of Confession, so named in Cassiodorus's commentary of the 6th century AD, are the Psalms 6, 32, 38, 51, 102, 130, and 143 (6, 31, 37, 50, 101, 129, and 142 in the Septuagint numbering).
- Psalm 6 - Domine ne in furore tuo (Pro octava)
- Psalm 32 - Beati quorum remissae sunt iniquitates
- Psalm 38 - Domine ne in furore tuo (In rememorationem de sabbato)
- Psalm 51 - Miserere mei Deus
- Psalm 102 - Domine exaudi orationem meam et clamor meus ad te veniat
- Psalm 130 - De profundis clamavi
- Psalm 143 - Domine exaudi orationem meam auribus percipe obsecrationem meam
These psalms are expressive of sorrow for sin. Four were known as 'penitential psalms' by St. Augustine of Hippo in the early 5th century. The fifty-first Psalm (Miserere) was recited at the close of daily morning service in the primitive Church. Translations of the penitential psalms were undertaken by some of the greatest poets in Renaissance England, including Sir Thomas Wyatt, Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey, and Sir Philip Sidney. Before the suppression of the minor orders and tonsure in 1972 by Paul VI, the seven penitential psalms were assigned to new clerics after having been tonsured.
Read more about Penitential Psalms: Musical Settings
Famous quotes containing the words penitential and/or psalms:
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