Middle English Dictionary Entry
Psalm(e n.
Entry Info
| Forms | Psalm(e n. Also psame, spalm(e, (error) phalme & salm(e, saulm & (early, chiefly SW) sealm(e, selm & (chiefly early SW) saume; pl. psalmes, etc. & (early) sealmas, (early pl. dat.) sealmen, sealmum. |
| Etymology | L psalmus & ML spalmus & OE (cp. A salm, WS sealm) & OF saume; ult. Gr. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1a.
(a) One of the Psalms of the Book of Psalms; (b) seien ~, to sing a Psalm; also, recite a Psalm; seiere of psalmes, a singer of Psalms; singen ~, sing a Psalm; praise (God) with a Psalm; don ~ to, sing Psalms in praise of(God); tellen ~, recount the story associated with a Psalm; this ~ seiinge, the recitation of this Psalm; (c) seven psalmes, the seven Penitential Psalms (Vulg. Ps. 6, 31, 37, 50, 101, 129, 142); fiftene psalmes, the fifteen Gradual Psalms (Vulg. Ps. 119-133); (d) pl. the Book of Psalms; the Psalter; (e) fig. crowing of a rooster; (f) in proverb.
Associated quotations
a
- c1225 Body & S.(2) (Wor F.174)9/19 : Isæid hit is on psalme, ond ful soþ hit is bi hire, 'Lingua tua concinnabat'.
- c1175 Orm.(Jun 1)16131 : Tær wass filledd ta þurrh Crist..Þatt tatt te Sallmewrihhte seʒʒþ, Daviþþ, upponn a sallme.
- a1225(?OE) Lamb.Hom.(Lamb 487)129 : Hit is awriten bi him on þan ilcan psalme.
- a1225(c1200) Vices & V.(1) (Stw 34)61/7 : Ðe halie gast..spekð ʒiet alche dai ðurh ðene selm ðe ðu ʒesikst oðer iherst.
- a1225 Wint.Ben.Rule (Cld D.3)43/26 : Fylyʒe þonne se ambrosianisce ymne, þonne six sealmes mid heore antæfnen.
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)15/27 : In aniuersaries of ower leoueste freond, seggeð alle nihene; I stude of gloria ed euch psalmes ende, 'Requiem eternam'.
- c1300 SLeg.Fran.(1) (LdMisc 108)447 : Atþe laste, þo he þene dethþ i-saiʒ..'Voce mea' he bi-gan, one saume of euesongue.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Dc 369(1))Ps.3.1 : Salm [WB(2): The salm; L Psalmus] of Dauid whan he shulde flee fro the face of Absolon.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)127b/b : It is a psalme of penaunce &..þat salme is I-titlid 'miserere mei deus'.
- c1400(a1376) PPl.A(1) (Trin-C R.3.14)3.227 : Þerof seide þe sauter in a salmis [vrr. psalme, spalmus] ende, 'In quorum manibus'.
- c1400 *Bk.Mother (LdMisc 210)24/6 : He seiþ in þe Eiʒtþe and Þritty Psame to God, 'Lord, here myn orisoun.'
- ?a1425(a1415) Wycl.Lantern (Hrl 2324)133/17 : Caym..slow his broþir..as þe fyue expositours seyn in a prolog on þis spalme.
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)21a/a : Diaphasma: departynge of salm.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)441 : Salme [Win: spalme]: Psalmus.
- c1440 Bonav.Medit.(3) (Thrn)199 : It es wretyne in þe spalme of me þat I sulde full-fill thy will.
- a1450 Ben.Rule(2) (Vsp A.25)1130 : Who so hase nede May haue þer meditaciounes In sawters, saulms, & orisowns.
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)468/4 : Pambo..went vnto a man þat was letterd and prayed hym to lern hym a salme.
- c1475 Body Pol.(Cmb Kk.1.5)42/20 : The spalme seyth that in the mowthe of infantys and souckers our lorde hathe made his lawde.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)100a : A Psalme: psalmus.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)107a : A Salme: psalmus.
b
- a1225(?OE) Lamb.Hom.DD (Lamb 487)43 : Ofter he walde anuppon his underlinges..þenne he walde salmes singen.
- c1275(?a1200) Lay.Brut (Clg A.9)11854 : Hæhliche sungen clarckes hali Godes salmes [Otho: phalmes].
- a1225 Wint.Ben.Rule (Cld D.3)43/17 : Hu fele sealmas synd to secʒende on nihtlicere tide.
- a1250 Ancr.(Nero A.14)15/17 : Siggeð stondinde þesne psam, 'Iu-bilate,' mit te gloria.
- c1350 MPPsalter (Add 17376)26.11 : Y..shal synge and saie salme [WB(2) vr. seie a salm; L psalmum dicam] to our Lord.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Judg.5.3 : Y am þe whiche to þe lord shal synge & sey psalme to þe god of Irael.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)1 Par.16.9 : Syngeþ to hym & doth psalmes to hym & telleþ alle hise merueiles.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)1 Par.46.7 : Doþ psalm [WB(2): Synge ʒe; L psallite] to oure god, doþ psalm.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)6.429 : Birstan..ʒede aboute a chirche hawe and seide salmes for alle Cristene soules.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Sum.(Manly-Rickert)D.1933 : Hir preyere is of ful greet reuerence Whan they for soules seye the psalm [vrr. salmes, phalmes, salme] of Dauit.
- a1425 Ben.Rule(1) (Lnsd 378)16/25 : Halde yure mesur o waking, þat es, þat ye syng þe sexe salmes and te vers.
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)53a/b : Psalmista: a segger of salmes.
- c1425(c1400) Primer (Cmb Dd.11.82)p.62 : Y schal seie salm [StJ-C: a salme] to þe lord.
- a1450(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.1 (Lamb 131)16471 : Þat lered were þys salme þey songe & versled hit al wyþ o tonge.
- a1400 Siege Jerus.(1) (LdMisc 656)474 : Lered men of þe lawe, þat loude couþe synge, With sawters seten hym by & þe psalmys tolde Of douʒty David, þe kyng.
- c1450 Med.Bk.(2) (Add 33996)111 : Do þer to a quartron of may botre..& seþe hem by þe space of þis psalme seyenge, 'miserere mei deus'.
- ?a1475(a1396) *Hilton SP (Hrl 6579)1.7.5a : Be ʒie fulfilled of þe holi gost, seyende to ʒioself in hympnis & spalmys & gostli songes.
- a1500(c1340) Rolle Psalter (UC 64)22.9 : This psalme is songen in þe office of ded men.
c
- c1230(?a1200) Ancr.(Corp-C 402)16/9 : Seoue psalmes seggeð, sittinde oðer cneolinde, wið þe letanie.
- c1300 SLeg.Becket (LdMisc 108)1086 : Formest he seide þe seuen salmes [Corp-C: saumes] and sethþe þe letanie.
- c1390 GGuy(2) (Vrn)296 : Þei..seiden al þe seruise of þe dede..wiþ-outen laudes, ffor in þe stude of laudes, þe prior hedde a deuocion to seye þe seuen psalmes [GGuy(1): spalmes] wiþ þe letanye.
- a1400(?c1280) SLeg.Nativ.M&C (Stw 949)100 : Þe fiftene saumes..beþ in þe Sauter.
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)4.468 : Prestes and persons placebo and dirige, Here sauter and here seuene psalmis for alle synful preyen.
- (1443) Reg.Spofford in Cant.Yk.S.23254 : Graunte to every personne that..shal say a masse or a nocturne of the sauter or the vii psalmes or the letaine..xl daies of pardon.
- a1450(?1409) Vision Staunton (Roy 17.B.43)72 : Þese sowles may be holpen owt of þese paynes principalliche bi..masses singyng, saing of sawters, placebo and dirige, commendacions, vii salmes, and the xv psalmes, with þe letenye.
- c1450(a1400) Lavynham Treat.7 Dead.Sins (Hrl 211)19/11 : Beter is, he seyþ, þe seyng of seuene psalmis wt clennesse of herte & a gostly gladnesse þerwt þan þe seyng of an hool sawter wt heuynesse of herte & care.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)74/83 : Every man þat thynk his lyff to Amende þe fiftene psalmys in memorye of þis mayde say.
- c1475(1392) *MS Wel.564 (Wel 564)48b/a : An hour lastiþ..as longe as a good redere and a deuout schulde rede twies þe seuene psalmes with þe letanye.
- 1486(1431) Rec.St.Mary at Hill15 : The same Preest..shall..sey euery day placebo & Dirige, with the commendacion of Soules & the vij psalmes & the letany.
d
- a1150(OE) Vsp.D.Hom.(Vsp D.14)98/10 : Hit is on sealmen gecweðen, 'Se heage God gesihð þa eadmedan.'
- a1325(c1280) SLeg.Pass.(Pep 2344)2109 : Þat mot ffolffuld beo alle þing þat is Ywrite in Moyses lawe..And in þe psalmes of me.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Luke 24.44 : It is nede that alle thingis be fillid whiche ben writun in the lawe of Moyses and in prophetis and in salmes of me.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Mcp.(Manly-Rickert)H.345 : Rede Salomon so wys and honurable; Rede Dauid in his psalmes [vrr. psalme, phalmes].
- a1400 Cursor (Trin-C R.3.8)18889 : Þe salmes seiþ, bi good taast, His wonynge shulde be wilde & waast.
- c1450(a1425) MOTest.(SeldSup 52)9859 : He made bokes thre..cantica canticorum..Ecclesiastecen..Proverbes and psalmes þen, as þei com forto be sayd in sere degree.
e
- (1449) Metham AC (Gar 141)259 : The nyght chantour, the cok, hys fyrst salme dyd appryse; 'A!' thought he, 'this sygnyfyith mydnyght.'
f
- a1250 in Whiting Prov.p.654 : Thai thu W[o]lf hore hodi te preste, tho thu hym sette Salmes [vr. un to book psalmes] to lere, evere beth his geres to the grove-ward.
- c1250 in Whiting Prov.p.654 : They thou the vulf hore hod to preste, They thou him to skole sette salmes to lerne, Hevere bet his geres to the grove grene.
1b.
In cpds. and combs.: (a) ~ itel, a group or number of Psalms; lof ~, a Psalm of praise; psalmes lettres, ?decorated initial capitals in a Psalter; (b) ~ bok, the Book of Psalms, the Psalter; (c) ~ makere, ~ scop [OE salm-scop, sealm-], ~ writer, Psalm-wright (q.v.), a Psalmist, esp. David.
Associated quotations
a
- a1225 Wint.Ben.Rule (Cld D.3)47/30 : Æfter þam beo ʒesæd se hundsyfenteoþe & se twaandsyxtuʒeþa, þæræfter þe bletsungen & se lofsealm [L Laudes].
- a1225 Wint.Ben.Rule (Cld D.3)49/28 : Ææfter þam ælce dæʒ þæne lofsealme, þæt is 'Laudate dominum de celis', syþon an ræding on þare apostole.
- a1225 Wint.Ben.Rule (Cld D.3)57/20 : Forþan þe þæs sealmʒetales is elles to lit, þa þri meste sealmes sceolen beo todeolede on tweien glorian.
- (1467) Acc.Howard in RC 57419 : Item, for psalmes lettris xv c..Item, for parvis lettris, lxiij c.
b
- c1225 Body & S.(2) (Wor F.174)4/20 : Soþ is iseid on þen salme[be]c, 'Os tuum habundauit malitia'.
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)51 : Þe holie prophete dauid speceð on þe sealmboc.
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)73 : For þi cumeð uppen him þat unlimp þe þe prophete wisste on se salmboke.
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)121 : Ðe holi prophete dauid seið on ane stede on þe salm boc þe wordes þe ich her nu seide.
c
- a1150(OE) Vsp.D.Hom.(Vsp D.14)92/1 : Þurh þa twa þing byð þæt eadige lif begeotan, swa se sealmscop cwæð.
- a1150(OE) Vsp.D.Hom.(Vsp D.14)104/24 : He Godes andweardnysse nahwyder befleon ne mæig, swa swa se salmscop cwæð.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)2 Kings 23.1 : Þer is ordeyned of þe crist of god of Jacob a solempne salm makere [L psaltes] of israel.
- c1440 HBk.GDei (Thrn:Horstmann)314 : Hereto witnes þe psalme-wrytter þer he þus sayse, 'In labore hominum non sunt.'
- 1483 Cath.Angl.(Monson 168)293 : A Psalme maker: psalmista.
- a1500(?c1425) Spec.Sacer.(Add 36791)210/9 : Of the avowtrere and mankyllere, he made a prophete and a psalme-makere.
2.
(a) A specific sacred recitation, canticle, or song, as the Creed, the Pater Noster, the Te Deum, the Magnificat, the Benedictus, etc.; (b) a derisive song.
Associated quotations
a
- a1200 Trin.Hom.(Trin-C B.14.52)25 : Þanne þu singest þe salm þat is cleped 'pater noster'..abugest gode and cnewlest togenes him.
- a1225 Lamb.Hom.Creed (Lamb 487)75 : Þe salm þet heo alle þus writen wes ihaten 'Credo' efter þan formeste word of þe salm.
- c1300 SLeg.Kenelm (LdMisc 108)179 : He bi-gan Ane saume þat men singuth in holie churche a-day, Þat was 'te deum laudamus'.
- c1390 GGuy(2) (Vrn)317 : Þe psalme Magnificat and þe psalme Benedictus, whon þei ben seid in placebo & dirige for dede men, folfullen soules in purgatorie.
- c1400 *Bk.Mother (Bod 416:Everett)49/4 : Marie..louede none suche ydolatrie but dispised hit, as sche schewede in hure salme and alle hure liuinge.
- c1450 Capgr.St.Kath.(Arun 396)prol.167 : I wot not verely yet if it were he Þat made þe salme wiche we clepe 'þe crede', Whiche we at prime often-tyme synge and rede.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)p.167 : 'Nunc dimittis seruum tuum domine, etcetera.' The psalme songyn every vers, and þer qwyl Symeon pleyth with þe child.
b
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Lam.3.63 : Þe sitting of hem & þe aʒeen rising of hem, see; I am þe salme of hem.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- a1150(OE) Vsp.D.Hom.(Vsp D.14)100/5 : Eac hit gecweðen is on sealmen, 'God, min lif ic cyððe þe & mine teares ic sette beforen þinre gesihðe.'
Note: Additional quote(s). Sense 1a.(d). Specific reference is evidently to Psalm 55:9 (Vulg.).