
770 AD to 790 AD, Psalm 86: The Umayyads of Cordoba.
This generation is that of the 770s and the 780s.
(extract of the psalm 86 associated to this generation, verses 1 to 8 )
- A prayer of David. O Lord, incline Your ear; answer me for I am poor and needy.
- Watch my soul for I am a pious man; save Your servant-You, my God-who trusts in You.
- Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I call to You all the days.
- Cause the soul of Your servant to rejoice, for to You, O Lord, I lift my soul.
- For You, O Lord, are good and forgiving, with much kindness to all who call You.
- Lend Your ear, O Lord, to my prayer, and hearken to the voice of my supplications.
- On the day of my distress I shall call You, for You will answer me.
- There is none like You among the godly, O Lord, neither is there any like Your works.
- To all [1]. First of all, that the doctrine of the Catholic faith be read and preached to all the people with fervor, by bishops and priests. For this is the Lord’s first command, Almighty God, in the Law: « Hear, O Israel, it is Yahweh who is your God, Yahweh alone. You shall love Yahweh your God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your strength. «
(extract of the psalm 86 associated to this generation, verses 9 to 11 )
- All nations that You made will come and prostrate themselves before You, O Lord, and glorify Your name.
- For You are great and perform wonders, You, O God, alone.
- Teach me Your way, O Lord; I shall walk in Your truth. Unify my heart to fear Your name.
(extract of the psalm 86 associated to this generation, verses 12 to 15 )
- I shall thank You, O Lord my God, with all my heart, and I shall glorify Your name forever.
- For Your kindness is great toward me, and You have saved my soul from the lowest depths of the grave.
- O God, willful transgressors have risen against me, and a company of mighty ones have sought my life, and they did not place You before themselves.
- But You, O Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger and with much kindness and truth.
- Abd Al Rahman [2] went from the East to the West during his flight, pursued by the Abbasids. Many years earlier, her mother had traveled in the opposite direction when she was reduced to slavery by the Arabs who were waging war against the Berber tribes and taken to a harem in Syria. If a slave, engrossed by her master, gave birth to a male child, she would automatically acquire her freedom and receive the title of « umm wallad », « the mother of the son », which gave her a privileged position in the house. Without any other place to hide, Abd Al Rahman, the exiled prince, found hospitality in the tribe from which his mother had been snatched, carried off as spoils of war. The chance (!) That had saved her so many times brought her to the very places she never saw again. This tribe was called Nafza, and its territory was in the neighborhood of Ceuta.
(extract of the psalm 86 associated to this generation, verses 16 )
- Turn to me and be gracious to me; grant Your might to Your servant and save the son of Your maidservant.
(extract of the psalm 86 associated to this generation, verses 17 )
- Grant me a sign for good, and let my enemies see [it] and be ashamed, for You, O Lord, have helped me and comforted me.
[1] Christian Bonnet et Christine Descatoire : « Les Carolingiens (741-987) ». (p.47)
[2] Antonio Munoz Molina : « Cordoue des Omeyyades ». Chapitre : « Le prince fugitif » (p. 56)