Latin Responsorial Psalm and Alleluia Verse for Novus Ordo Funeral Mass
  • WJA
    Posts: 237
    My schola is singing a funeral mass this Saturday. It's novus ordo, but the family wants Latin chant for the music, including the responsorial psalm and alleluia verse. I don't have a Latin lectionary lying around and no one has seen fit to publish it on the web, so I'm hoping someone on this forum will have access to it and be able to answer the following questions:

    1. What is the Latin version of Responsorial Psalm Option 7 in the funeral Mass, whose antiphon is "I will walk in the presence of the Lord in the land of the living."

    2. The verses specified for Responsorial Psalm Option 7 are Ps. 115: 5, 6; 116: 10–11, 15–16; but isn't there a rubric that says I can sing instead sing more verses from the specified psalms? For example, could I sing all of the verses of Ps. 115 and none of the verses of Ps. 116?

    3. What is the Latin version of this Alleluia verse option for the funeral Mass, "Blessed are those who have died in the Lord; let them rest from their labors for their good deeds go with them."

    If the answer to any of these questions is, "It's in the Graduale Simplex," please let me know, because I have that at home and can look it up. But if it's in the Lectionary only, and you have the Latin version, I'd be much obliged for your reply.
  • noel jones, aagonoel jones, aago
    Posts: 6,605
    Can'r find my Simplex, but the antiphon nor the Alleluia not in By Flowing Waters in any form.
  • WJA
    Posts: 237
    If they're not in BFW, then I don't think I'll find them in GS.

    It occurs to me, though, that since the antiphon for the responsorial psalm is Ps. 116:9, and the alleluia verse is from Rev. 14:13, then the official Latin texts are probably the Latin texts from the New Vulgate:

    Ps. 116:9: "Ambulabo coram Domino, in regione vivorum."

    Rev: 14:13: "Beati mortui, qui in Domino moriuntur amodo. Etiam ut requiescant a laboribus suis; opera enim illorum sequuntur illos."

    Any confirmation of this would be welcome.
  • WJA
    Posts: 237
    The verses specified for Responsorial Psalm Option 7 are Ps. 115: 5, 6; 116: 10–11, 15–16; but isn't there a rubric that says I can sing instead sing more verses from the specified psalms? For example, could I sing all of the verses of Ps. 115 and none of the verses of Ps. 116?


    After much digging around, I can't find any basis for my belief that there is such a rubric, so I will assume I'm wrong unless someone knows better.
  • WJA
    Posts: 237
    The verses specified for Responsorial Psalm Option 7 are Ps. 115: 5, 6; 116: 10–11, 15–16; but isn't there a rubric that says I can sing instead sing more verses from the specified psalms? For example, could I sing all of the verses of Ps. 115 and none of the verses of Ps. 116?


    After much digging around, I can't find any basis for my belief that there is such a rubric, so I will assume I'm wrong unless someone knows better.


    I spoke too soon; I got my notion from Paul Ford on this thread, where he quoted from the rubrics to the Graduale Simplex:


    According to the prænotanda of the Graduale Simplex, "At least five verses of a psalm, chosen at will, are always sung, whenever more than five are given":

    20. The following is the arrangement of the chants between the readings:

    When there are two readings before the gospel:

    1. Outside Lent and the Easter season, the responsorial psalm is sung after the first reading; after the second reading, the psalm with Alleluia as the verse or the antiphon Alleluia with its own verses.

    2. During Lent, after the first reading, the first responsorial psalm is sung; after the second, either the second responsorial psalm or an antiphon of acclamation or a tract.

    3. During the Easter season, after the first reading the first or second psalm with Alleluia as the verse is sung; after the second reading, either the second psalm with Alleluia as the verse or the antiphon Alleluia with its verses.

    Whenever there is only a single reading before the gospel, a single chant may be chosen at will from those appropriate to the reading.

    At least five verses of a psalm, chosen at will, are always sung, whenever more than five are given.


    Still, I have no idea whether this applies to psalms in the Lectionary, or just to psalms in the Graduale Simplex. But at least I know I didn't completely make something up.
  • chonakchonak
    Posts: 9,160
    De musica sacra, paragraph 27 (1958), states that additional verses of the same psalm may be used in the Introit, Offertory, and Communion.
  • ClemensRomanusClemensRomanus
    Posts: 1,023
    This is probably a dumb question, but why don't you sing the Gradual instead of the Responsorial Psalm?
  • WJA
    Posts: 237
    This is probably a dumb question, but why don't you sing the Gradual instead of the Responsorial Psalm?


    Psalm 115 was very dear to the deceased, and part of 115 is specified for the responsorial psalm for funeral Masses (but not the bits he was apparently especially fond of, like the first verse. So I'm trying to figure out if I can accommodate the request.
  • incantuincantu
    Posts: 989
    I do not believe the responsorial psalms in the Lectionary are translations from the Latin. There are often significant differences between the French and English antiphons (even sometimes the American English and Canadian English), sometimes entirely different appointed psalms.

    Why not just sing the Latin psalm to a psalm tone? There is no rubric that requires the responsorial psalm to be sung with an antiphon to be repeated by the congregation. It may be sung straight through by the choir alone.
  • WJA
    Posts: 237
    Why not just sing the Latin psalm to a psalm tone? There is no rubric that requires the responsorial psalm to be sung with an antiphon to be repeated by the congregation. It may be sung straight through by the choir alone.


    That's a good suggestion, since it saves me worrying about the proper Latin text of the antiphon, but it doesn't tell me whether I can sing, instead of Ps. 115: 5, 6; 116: 10–11, 15–1, (the verses specified in the Lectionary), Ps. 115:1-8 (or whatever).
  • smvanroodesmvanroode
    Posts: 967
    For what it's worth: here are the Latin texts of the responsorial psalm and alleluia:

    R. Ambulabo coram Domino in regione vivorum.

    Os habent et non loquentur,
    oculos habent et non videbunt.

    Aures habent et non audient,
    nares habent et non odorabunt.

    Credidi, etiam cum locutus sum: “ Ego humiliatus sum nimis ”.
    Ego dixi in trepidatione mea: “ Omnis homo mendax ”.

    Pretiosa in conspectu Domini
    mors sanctorum eius.

    O Domine, ego servus tuus,
    dirupisti vincula mea.


    Alleluia. Beati mortui qui in Domino moriuntur; requiescant a laboribus suis; opera enim illorum sequuntur illos. Alleluia.


    The responsorial psalms in the Graduale Simplex are all based on well defined formulas. These were once posted by Paul Ford. Why not compose one according to those formulas?
  • dvalerio
    Posts: 341
    Concerning the changes in the verses sung, frankly, though I am not aware of any rubric providing for the legitimacy of such thing, I would proceed with singing the whole psalm 115 without further ado. (And I'd still add the appointed verses from psalm 116 at the end. Better more than less, that's my logic.)

    The best match to antiphon «I will walk in the presence of the Lord in the land of the living» in Gregorian chant is antiphon «Placebo Domino in regione vivorum». You may find it in any book with the Office of the dead for the Extraordinary Form (e.g. the 1912 Antiphonale or the LU). Don't worry about the translation being that of the Vulgate.

    Responsorial psalms in the lectionary, by the way, ought to be translations from the Latin. I do not know how carefully this was done in English and French versions, however. (Here in Portugal we usually have no surprises other than some not very literal translations.)
  • chonakchonak
    Posts: 9,160
    Just to be clear, is the desired Psalm 115 the "Non nobis, Domine"? That's 115 in the NAB, but older books call it 113B.

    If all else fails, can you call the diocesan office for worship and get permission to use the verses that seem appropriate?
  • Paul F. Ford
    Posts: 857
    (Duarte Valério is right, as always.) Here is the Psalm you are looking for: Psalm 114 Vulgate.
    Psalm 114 GS.pdf
    844K
  • WJA
    Posts: 237
    Thank you all. I am a big fan of this forum.

    @ smvanroode: thanks for the antiphon.

    @ chonak: yes, the family of the deceased asked for the psalm Non nobis, Domine, which is 115 in the Nova Vulgata. (See here.)

    @ dvalerio: I ended up doing what you suggested: the Lectionary specifies 115:5-6 and 116:10-11, 15-16, so I'm just tacking on 115:1-4 at the beginning and singing the specified verses. I'm hopeful singing a few extra verses does not constitute a liturgical abuse!

    @ Paul Ford: thank you, but the text of "Psalm 114" in your attachment is not the text of Psalm 115 in the Nova Vuglate; rather, your "Psalm 114" appears to be from Psalm 116 in the Nova Vulgata. (See here.)

    @ Everyone: I was pleased to discover that the entire text of the Nova Vulgata is available at the Vatican's web site, here. Now, if someone would see fit to publish on the web, preferably in both HTML and PDF, the entire Latin (and vernacular) texts of all of the Church's ritual books, wouldn't that be wonderful. It will happen someday, of course, but the sooner the better.

    Thanks again for everyone's help.
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