The Book of Gold (Le Livre d’Or) - 17th Century Book of Spells, Charms & Magic using the Biblical Psalms of David
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PSALM 114
Dilexi quoniam exaudiet Dominus vocem orationis meæ.
Write this Psalm until Custodiens parvulos Dominus and perfume it with mastic, musk and wood of aloe and attach it to the right arm of a child and he will be delivered form all manner of sicknesses and perils. The Moon in hour of
COMMENTARY:
The Latin in the title is verse one, “I have loved, because the Lord will hear the voice of my prayer”.
This Psalm has a contentious use in Sepher Shimmush Tehillim, which recommends praying this Psalm if one is determined to dispute and debate with infidels, heretics and scoffers at religion.cccxcvi
In the Goetia, two of the Shemhamphorash angels are associated with verses of this Psalm. These are the thirty-fifth angel Kevaqiah, with verse one “I have loved, because the Lord will hear the voice of my prayer”;cccxcvii and the seventy-second angel Mumiah, to verse seven “Turn, O my soul, into thy rest: for the Lord hath been bountiful to thee”.cccxcviii
PSALM 115
Credidi propter quod locutus sum:
Read this Psalm seven times over wine, which you are going to drink and you [216] will not become drunk at all and with it you will heal all those who also drink it.
Also read this Psalm is you wish to approach a Prince or enter into a Council chamber and write it along with these characters and carry them with you and you will achieve what you wish.
COMMENTARY:
The Latin in the title is the first half of verse one, “I have believed, therefore I have spoken”.
This Psalm is recited three times as part of a charm for healing a horse with a sprain in the Anglo-Saxon Lacnunga manuscript (C10th-11th CE).cccxcix
This Psalm prayed daily is good against sudden or violent death, according to Sepher Shimmush Tehillim.cd
Verses 7-8, “Thou hast broken my bonds: I will sacrifice to thee the sacrifice of praise, and I will call upon the name of the Lord” are written around the edge of a Solar Pentacle for release from imprisonment or iron fetters (see Sun 7, Appendix 4). A derivative Solar Pentacle is seen in other manuscripts (see Sun 12, Appendix 5), with a similar derivative Mercurial Pentacle for protection against slavery and prison (see Mercury 1, Appendix 5).
PSALM 116
Laudate Dominum omnes gentes
St Augustine says that it is good for destroying idleness of lazy people, so that they may take pleasure in work.
It is also good for an innocent person, who is being persecuted and for prisoners.
It is necessary to write its character on virgin parchment and at sunset, hold it in your hand and staring at it, recite the Psalm along with the name of the Intelligence, then say the following Prayer.
Intelligence: Custel
Character:
PRAYER
Lord of Truth, who knowest mine innocence, illuminate the spirit of the one, who is to judge me in such a manner that I may be freed and absolved.
COMMENTARY:
The Latin in the title is the first half of verse one, “O praise the Lord, all ye nations”. The intelligence Custel is not mentioned in other grimoires.
Sepher Shimmush Tehillim states that this Psalm is good for repentance over broken vows and promises to do good works.cdi
This is the second of the three Psalms (71, 116, 133) used in the conjuration of the parchment in the Key of Solomon. cdii
PSALM 117
Confitemini Domino quoniam bonus:
If you have lost the key of your room or house and you wish to return to them, read this Psalm seven times and the room or house will all be opened immediately.
[217]
COMMENTARY:
The Latin in the title is the first half of verse one, “Give praise to the Lord, for he is good”.
This is another Psalm which Sepher Shimmush Tehillim declares is good for silencing all free-thinkers, heretics and scoffers of religion, who wish to lead you astray.cdiii
This Psalm is the last in the sequence of five Psalms (17, 13, 54, 80, 117) to be recited whilst bathing before conjuration in the Key of Solomon.cdiv
Verse 6, “The Lord is my helper, I will not fear what man can do unto me” is written around the edge of a Martial Pentacle to be invulnerable (see Mars 3, Appendix 5).
Verses thirteen, sixteen and seventeen, “Lord I have hated the unjust: and have loved thy law. Uphold me according to thy word, and I shall live: and let me not be confounded in my expectation. Help me, and I shall be saved: and I will meditate always on thy justifications”, are recited over the perfumes thrown on the fire in the Universal Treatise of the Keys of Solomon.cdv
Part of Verse 16, “The right hand of the Lord hath wrought strength: the right hand of the Lord hath exulted me:” is written around the edge of a Mercurial Pentacle for games of chance (see Mercury 5, Appendix 5). It is also used as part of the conjuration of the Princes of the Thumb in the sixteenth century text Codex Gaster 315.cdvi
A further use of this verse is seen on a twelfth century church bell from Gjerpen in Norway, where it was inscribed in Runes.cdvii
The Abramelin gives the use of several verses of this Psalm for all sorts of sickness and disease. First the words of verse seventeen, “I shall not die, but live: and shall declare the works of Adonai”, are written in honey on seven clean glass bowls before sunrise. Then take seven small biscuits or breads and write the same verse on them. Fumigate one with the words of verses one and eighteen, “Give praise to Lord, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever. The Lord chastising hath chastised me: but he hath not delivered me over to death”. The fumigated bread and one of the clean bowls with water in should be given to the sick person as their first food of the day, not ignoring their other medicines. The biscuit should be eaten in seven bites.cdviii
PSALM 118
Beati immaculate in via:
Write this Psalm and read it seven times; perfume it with mastic and carry it on you and you will be protected from all infirmities. The Moon in hour of .
COMMENTARY:
The Latin in the title is the first half of verse one, “Blessed are the undefiled in the way”.
Sepher Shimmush Tehillim gives numerous different uses for this, the longest Psalm. It is broken down into twenty-two divisions, each of eight verses corresponding to a Hebrew letter listed alphabetically, each of which has a different use, listed in Appendix 3.cdix
In the Goetia, there are four Shemhamphorash angels associated with verses of this Psalm. They are the twenty-sixth angel Haaiah, with verse one hundred and forty-five, “I cried with my whole heart, hear me, O Lord: I will seek thy justifications”;cdx the forty-fourth angel Yelahiah, with verse one hundred and eight, “The free offerings of my mouth make acceptable, O Lord: and teach me thy judgments”;cdxi the fifty-third angel Nanael, with verse seventy-five, “I know, O Lord, that thy judgments are equity: and in thy truth thou hast humbled me”;cdxii and the sixty-second angel Yahahel, with verse one hundred and fifty-nine, “Behold I have loved thy commandments, O Lord; quicken me thou in thy mercy”.cdxiii
PSALM 119
Ad Dominum cum tribularer clamavi
Read this Psalm seven times over water, in which a woman has washed herself on a Saturday and sprinkle it over the door of your enemy and he will flee and perish.
COMMENTARY:
The Latin in the title is the first half of verse one, “In my trouble I cried to the Lord”.
Shimmush Tehillim gives two uses for this Psalm. The first is to receive grace and favour, when it should be repeated before appearing before a Judge. The second is to pray the Psalm seven times when coming in sight of a forest, to be able to enter safely even if it is infested with poisonous snakes, scorpions and other poisonous creatures.cdxiv
In the Goetia two Shemhamphorash angels are associated with verses of this Psalm. They are the twentieth angel Pahaliah, with the first half of verse two “O Lord deliver my soul”cdxv added to the phrase “I shall call upon the name of the Lord,”; and the whole of verse two, “O Lord, deliver
my soul from wicked lips, and a deceitful tongue”,cdxvi being associated with the forty-first angel, Hahahel.
PSALM 120
Levavi oculos meos in montes: Ja.
If you don't want to be seen by anybody, take some dust from under your feet and read this Psalm over it until Dominus custodiat and throw a part of this dust onto your head and the other part into the face of the person and you will not be seen at all.
COMMENTARY:
The Latin in the title is the first half of verse one, “I have lifted up my eyes to the mountains”. As mentioned for Psalm 59, Ja may be a contraction of Yah.
Being unseen here seems more likely to be the result of the other person having dust in their eyes!
A Syriac charm (fifth-eighth century CE) for the protection of young children uses this Psalm in its entirety, with the interesting insertion of the following line between verses one and two of the Psalm:
“That is, I expect a guardian angel from every hill at every hour against weakness”.cdxvii
This Psalm recited seven times enables one to be able to travel safely alone by night, according to Sepher Shimmush Tehillim.cdxviii
In the Goetia, three Shemhamphorash angels are associated with verses of this Psalm. They are the twenty-second angel Yeiael, with verse five, “The Lord is thy keeper, the Lord is thy protection upon thy right hand”;cdxix the twenty-third angel Melahel, with verse eight “May the Lord keep thy going in and thy going out; from henceforth now and forever”;cdxx and the forty-second angel Mikael, with verse seven, “The Lord keepeth thee from all evil: may the Lord keep thy soul”.cdxxi
PSALM 121
Lætatus sum in his quæ dicta sunt mihi:
Read this Psalm until Quia illic sederunt sedes in judicio and you will overcome your enemy.
COMMENTARY:
The Latin in the title is the first half of verse one, “I rejoiced at the things that were said to me”.
Sepher Shimmush Tehillim advises reciting this Psalm thirteen times to be received graciously and with favour when about to address a man of high ranking. It also suggests praying this Psalm when in church to receive a blessing.cdxxii
PSALM 122
Ad te levavi oculos meos: Raphael.
Read this Psalm seven times and God will let you overcome those, [218] who wish to cause some violence against you.
COMMENTARY:
The Latin in the title is the first half of verse one, “To thee have I lifted up my eyes”. Raphael is the Mercurial archangel, sometimes associated with the Sun.
Sepher Shimmush Tehillim suggests writing this Psalm with the name of a servant on a lead or tin plate to compel the servant to return.cdxxiii
PSALM 123
Nisi quia Dominus erat in nobis.
Read this Psalm seven times and you will find your path and if you read it over a cup of spring or well water, which has never seen the sun and if you sprinkle this Psalm with it, you will be lucky if you bury it in your house.
COMMENTARY:
The Latin in the title is most of verse one, “If it had not been that the Lord was with us”.
The second half of verse three and first half of verse four, “When their fury was enkindled against us, perhaps the waters had swallowed us up”, is used in the experiment to bring enmity between two friends in Munich CLM 849.cdxxiv
This is a water protection Psalm in Sepher Shimmush Tehillim. It may be recited to cross a swollen stream safely and also for journeys on water, when it should be recited before entering the ship.cdxxv
PSALM 124
Qui confidunt in Domino sicut mons Sion: Adonay:
Write this Psalm and attach it to a sick man and he will have relief immediately and if you bury it in front of your door, you will be fortunate.
COMMENTARY:
The Latin in the title is the first half of verse one, “They that trust in the Lord shall be as Mount Sion”. Adonay (ADNI), meaning ‘Lord’ is the divine name substituted for Tetragrammaton (IHVH) in Judaism, which has become one of the main divine names in the grimoires and the Qabalah.
The use in Sepher Shimmush Tehillim is for safe passage in a country, where one has avowed enemies. Take salt in both hands and pronounce the Psalm over it seven times and scatter it into the air towards the Four Quarters of the Globe.cdxxvi
Verse 1, “They that trust in the Lord shall be as mount Sion: he shall not be moved for ever that dwelleth”, is used around the edge of a Jupiterian Pentacle used for causing spirits to come and obey (see Jupiter 3, Appendix 4). This verse is also used on a derivative Solar Pentacle against fear and terror of the night (see Sun 4, Appendix 5).
PSALM 125
In convertendo Dominus captivitatem Sion, Eloym
Read this Psalm seven times over seeds and sow them straight away and the God's blessing will be upon the seeds and upon the field.
COMMENTARY:
The Latin in the title is the first half of verse one, “When the Lord brought back the captivity of Sion”. Eloym is a form of the divine name Elohim (‘Gods’) which is used throughout the grimoires, and particularly in the Book of Genesis.
Sepher Shimmush Tehillim recommends this Psalm, with the names of the anti-Lilith angels, Samoy, Sansenoy and Semangelof, be written on charms and placed in the four corners of a house to protect children through infancy. cdxxvii
This Psalm is one of those in the sequence of nineteen (130, 14, 101, 8, 83, 67, 71, 132, 112, 125, 45, 46, 21, 50, 129, 138, 48, 109, 52) recited for conjuration of the wax used in making the Pentacles in the Key of Solomon.cdxxviii
PSALM 126
Nisi Dominus adificaverit domum. Ja
Write this Psalm with some saffron and rosewater and perfume it with wood of aloe and also write these characters and bind them to the thigh of the enchanted husband. Then read this Psalm seven times over a glass of wine and give it to the husband to drink [219] and the charm will be destroyed immediately.
.
The Moon in hour of
PRAYER
Oh God, Sovereign Architect of Houses, we pray to Thee to protect us and to fulfil our desires so that Thou mayest promise that we may be united with your Chosen through Our Lord Jesus Christ. So mote it be.
COMMENTARY:
The Latin in the title is the opening words of verse one, “Unless the Lord build the house”. As mentioned for Psalm 59, Ja may be a contraction of Yah.
Again the implication is that an ink is made with the saffron and rosewater.
Sepher Shimmush Tehillim suggests this Psalm written on a charm and worn around a boy’s neck from the moment of birth to guard him through life. cdxxix
PSALM 127
Beati omnes qui timent Dominum.
Write this Psalm until Uxor tua sicut vitis abundeus in lateribus Domus tuæ and bury it at the root of a vine and the vineyard will bear fruit; it is also good for sight.
The Moon as above this one.
COMMENTARY:
The Latin in the title is the first half of verse one, “Blessed are all they that fear the Lord”.
The theme of fruitfulness is also seen in a medieval Judeo-Arabic text on the magical use of the Psalms, which recommended the use of the Psalm written on kosher parchment to be carried at all times for preventing miscarriage and being successfully fruitful.cdxxx
This Psalm is advocated by Sepher Shimmush Tehillim to protect a pregnant mother and child from harm during childbirth when written on pure parchment and hung upon her.cdxxxi
PSALM 128
Sæpe expugnaverunt me a juvente mea:
Write this Psalm on a blade of glass then wash it with water and sprinkle it in the house where will be are lamiæcdxxxii and lemuræcdxxxiii they will no longer appear. The Moon as above.
COMMENTARY:
The Latin in the title is most of verse one, “Often have they fought against me from my youth”.
Sepher Shimmush Tehillim states this Psalm enables the individual to be able to live piously and virtuously, when prayed daily after morning
prayers.cdxxxiv
PSALM 129
De profundis clamavi ad te Domine
Write this Psalm along with Psalm CIX on four cards and bury them at the four corners of a field or a house. Blessings will be upon them. The Moon as above.
[220]
COMMENTARY:
The Latin in the title is verse one, “Out of the depths I have cried to thee, O Lord”. Psalm 109 (CIX) by itself does not have such a use, so this is a combination use.
This is the sixth of the seven Penitential Psalms.
According to Sepher Shimmush Tehillim praying this Psalm to the four quarters of the Earth will enable a person to leave a besieged city in safety without being noticed by the sentries, as a heavy sleep will overcome them.cdxxxv
This Psalm is one of those in the sequence of nineteen (130, 14, 101, 8, 83, 67, 71, 132, 112, 125, 45, 46, 21, 50, 129, 138, 48, 109, 52) recited for conjuration of the wax used in making the Pentacles in the Key of Solomon.cdxxxvi