Scutum et loríca véritas eius. | His truth is a shield and a breastplate. |
Veritas,veritatis,F: Truth. Jesus said:
Ego sum via, et veritas, et vita. | I am the way, and the truth, and the life. |
Scutum,i,N: A shield. Lorica,ae: A breastplate. In Ephesians 6:16, St. Paul tells us to put on the “lorica jusititae,” the breastplate of righteousness, and to take up the “scutum fidei”, the shield of faith. These two words support the theme of this psalm which is God as our protector. If the Lord does not defend the city, the watchman keeps vigil in vain.
The trick to this sentence is making it a complete sentence when there is no verb. In Latin, the verb to be is often implied. In English we do not speak this way except perhaps as toddlers: “I hungry.” The word est is implied between lorica and veritas.