Bellarmine on Psalm XXIII: Verse 3

Verse 3

Who shall ascend into the mountain of the Lord: or who shall stand in his holy place?

Quis ascendet in montem Domini? aut quis stabit in loco sancto ejus?

Since all men are settlers and servants of God and all alike inhabit the earth, which is God’s possession: “Who shall ascend into the mountain of the Lord?” that is, will there be anyone from so great a number, and who will it be, who may be worthy to ascend to the place where God Himself dwells? The mountain of the Lord (as we have said elsewhere) is the heavenly home which is truly sublime and holy, which is mentioned in another Psalm: “The heaven of heaven is the Lord's: but the earth he has given to the children of men.”[1] They who explain this is Mount Sion which was in Jerusalem in Judea, seem to have no solid foundation for their argument because that mount was full of men of every nation so that it would clearly be ridiculous to say of it: “Who shall ascend into the mountain of the Lord?”

[1] The heaven of heaven is the Lord's: but the earth he has given to the children of men. Caelum caeli Domino; terram autem dedit filiis hominum. [Ps. Cxiii. 24]

Totus tuus ego sum

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:

Ad Jesum per Mariam.

Bellarmine on Psalm XXIII: Title, theme and verses 1-2

Title and subject matter

Titulum et argumentum

On the first day of the week, a psalm for David.

Prima sabbati. Psalmus David.

In this title, the words prima Sabbati / on the first day of the week are not found in the Hebrew but have been added in the Greek; this is perhaps because at the beginning of the Psalm it mentions the creation of the earth which was accomplished on the first day of the week, that is, on the Lord’s day; or perhaps it was the custom to recite this Psalm on the Lord’s day. There are some who believe the words on the first day of the week were added because it was on that day the Lord rose from the dead, but this does not seem probable to me because this Psalm clearly foretells the ascension rather than the resurrection; and the ascension is known to have taken place not on the first but on the fifth day of the week. That this Psalm properly pertains to the ascension is witnessed by Cyprianus in his serm. De Ascens.; Jerome in his epist. 142 ad Damasum; Ruffinus in Exposit. Symboli; Gregorius Nyssenus, Joannes Chrysostomus, Augustinus, Leo, and others in serm De Ascensione.

Verse 1

The earth is the Lord's and the fulness thereof: the world, and all they that dwell therein.

Domini est terra, et plenitudo ejus; orbis terrarum, et universi qui habitant in eo.

David’s intention is to show that, out of the multitude of men without number, only Christ and a few others, a few, I say, compared to the multitude of others, will enter into the blessed, heavenly home of the Lord; lest perhaps certain men are believed not to belong to God but to have been created by some other causative principle, which is what the Marcionists and Manicheans later thought, the prophet places first these two sentences by which he shows that God is the Creator and Lord of the whole earth and of all the things that are in it. “The earth is the Lord's and the fulness thereof,” that is, all the things that are in it and that fill it. This is explained by the second part of the verse: “the world, and all they that dwell therein.” When he says, “The earth is the Lord's,” he makes clear that he chiefly means the habitable parts of the earth, which in Hebrew and Greek are properly represented by words which mean orbis terrae habitabilis / the habitable orb of the earth; and when he says omnis plenitudo eius / all the fulness thereof, he is saying that he chiefly means the men who inhabit the earth, not the other things which are in it.

Verse 2

For he hath founded it upon the seas; and hath prepared it upon the rivers.

Quia ipse super maria fundavit eum, et super flumina praeparavit eum.

He proves that God is the Lord of the earth and of all who dwell there, since He made it Himself, and He made it rise above the waters so that it might be habitable. For if the the earth were lacking in waters or were covered everywhere by waters, it would not be habitable. “For he hath founded it upon the seas,” he says, that is, from their foundations he built up the earth and made it from nothing; he made it “upon the seas,” so that the surface of the earth might be higher than the level of the sea; similarly, He “hath prepared it upon the rivers,” that is, He prepared the earth for the habitation of men, and so He made it higher and 

above the rivers: for otherwise the waters of  the sea and rivers would flood over it and be higher. From this, then, because God made the earth habitable for men, it follows that He is the Lord of all men, since not only were men made from the earth and return to the earth; but they inhabit the earth not as masters but as settlers established there by God to cultivate it.

Totus tuus ego sum

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:

Ad Jesum per Mariam.

Bellarmine on Psalm XVIII: Verses 13-16 (end)

 Verse 13

Who can understand sins? from my secret ones cleanse me, O Lord: And from those of others spare thy servant.

Delicta quis intelligit? ab occultis meis munda me; et ab alienis parce servo tuo.

He had said he kept God’s commandments and he corrects himself by excepting his sins of ignorance, which can scarcely be guarded against. As if he were to say: Thy servant guards against sins by keeping Thy law, not perfectly, but as much as human weakness allows. In Hebrew, the words read very well with, who can understand sins committed through ignorance? Here he opposes ignorance in the intellect, wishing to demonstrate that it is supremely difficult to guard against sins which are committed through ignorance; and yet, because they really are sins, and could be guarded against, he adds the words: “From my secret ones cleanse me.” What follows, “And from those of others spare thy servant,” 

does not mean that God pardons us for the sins of others, as this text is popularly cited as meaning, but that God guards us against close association with sinful men. For men of good will, such as St. David was, ought chiefly to guard against ignorance of their own sins and from seduction by wicked acquaintances. For the word alienis / others, the Hebrew has zedim, which means superbos / the proud. St. Jerome translates this phrase as From the proud, deliver Thy servant. But the Septuagint version reads zedim as zarim: and this means alienos / others. The sense is almost the same, because according to the Hebrew as it now has it, the meaning is deliverance from one kind of wickedness, that is from the proud; but according to the Greek and the true Hebrew meaning, it means a general deliverance from all wicked friends. Our reading may be explained thus: from others, that is, from those who are other (foreign) in their ways, spare Thy servant, that is, sparing us, remove them from the friendship of Thy servant.

Verse 14-16

[14]If they shall have no dominion over me, then shall I be without spot: and I shall be cleansed from the greatest sin. [15] And the words of my mouth shall be such as may please: and the meditation of my heart always in thy sight. [16] O Lord, my helper, and my redeemer.

Si mei non fuerint dominati, tunc immaculatus ero, et emundabor a delicto maximo. [15] Et erunt ut complaceant eloquia oris mei, et meditatio cordis mei in conspectu tuo semper. [16] Domine, adjutor meus, et redemptor meus.

He gives the reason why he fears so greatly familiarity with the wicked : for if the aforementioned men of different morals “shall have no dominion over me,” that is, if through having no great familiarity with them, they would not subject me to themselves, and would not make me subject to their will, “then shall I be without spot: and I shall be cleansed,” that is I shall be clean, “from the greatest sin,” that is, from grave and mortal sin; for every mortal sin may be called the “greatest sin” because it turns man away from God, the greatest good, and plainly leads to the greatest punishment in Hell. St. Augustine;s reading is a delicto magno / from the great sin, as the Greek has it, but this is of little import.

Not only shall I be without spot, but “the words of my mouth shall be such as may please,” that is, so that the speech of  my mouth may please, “and the meditation of my heart (shall be) always in thy sight,” that is, the hymns which I sing in my mouth and in my heart to praise Thee, will always be pleasing unto Thee because they come from a clean heart and a mouth without guile.

My canticles, I say, shall be pleasing unto Thee, because of Thy grace and not my own merits: because I have it from Thy gift that I may be without spot, cleansed of the greatest sin, and that my words may be pleasing unto Thee, who art “my helper, and my redeemer,” one who helps me obtain good things and who redeems me from wicked things. 

Totus tuus ego sum

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:

Ad Jesum per Mariam.

Bellarmine on Psalm XVIII: Verses 11-12

Verse 11

More to be desired than gold and many precious stones: and sweeter than honey and the honeycomb.

Desiderabilia super aurum et lapidem pretiosum multum; et dulciora super mel et favum.

This is the conclusion of what is written  above (in the previous verses), as though the Prophet were to say: Because the commandments of the Lord are so good, they are to be put before all the riches and pleasures of this world: for (they are) “more to be desired than gold and many precious stones,” that is, they are to be had in the greatest quantity; and they are “sweeter than honey and the honeycomb,” that is, not only sweeter than honey but sweeter than the full comb, overflowing with the purest honey. The words and the honeycomb are used to signify abundance, so that they 

correspond to what was said before, many precious stones. In Hebrew, it has than gold and many topaz, and (sweeter) than honey and the overflowing of honeycombs; but the translators changed the sense. Topaz is an example of precious stone, but the Prophet has taken the example for the kind (precious stones). How far remote is this truth from the ideas and feelings of carnal men! How many are those carnal men who, for a tiny advantage or a trifling pleasure, do not defy all the divine precepts! And yet it is true beyond doubt that observation of God’s law brings more benefits and joy that any treasure and any carnal pleasure.

Verse 12

For thy servant keepeth them, and in keeping them there is a great reward.

Etenim servus tuus custodit ea; in custodiendis illis retributio multa.

He proves by his own experience that what he has said is true. For, he says, “thy servant keepeth them,” the commandments, “and in keeping them there is a great reward,” for it happened to him, that is, thy servant has proved by his own experience to have obtained many good things whilst he keeps the commandments. St.Jerome translated the Hebrew as Thy servant will teach them. Pagninus however translates this as Thy servant is made an example in them. For the Hebrew word nizhar can in other conjugations mean to teach, or it may signify to shine; but in the passive voice, as in this context, it means to guard oneself or, to be careful, or to keep oneself careful. And so the words may be translated as Thy servant guards himself in them, that is, he abstains from sinning, observing Thy commandments, which is the same as saying Thy servant keepeth them, that is, the commandments.

Totus tuus ego sum

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:

Ad Jesum per Mariam.

Bellarmine on Psalm XVIII: Verses 8-10

 Verse 8

The law of the Lord is unspotted, converting souls: the testimony of the Lord is faithful, giving wisdom to little ones.

Lex Domini immaculata, convertens animas; testimonium Domini fidele, sapientiam praestans parvulis. 

The Prophet now introduces a comparison, as though he might say: The heavens are beautiful, the sun is extremely beautiful, but the law of the Lord is more beautiful still; the heavens are bright, the sun is extremely bright, but the law of the Lord is much more bright; the heavens are useful to men, the sun us extremely useful, but the law of the Lord is more useful still. He now presents a series of six encomiums of the divine law. The first is: “The law of the Lord is unspotted, converting souls,” that is, the law of the Lord is perfectly beautiful;  as one would expect, it is without 

any stain or filth whatsoever, would expect, it is without any stain or filth whatsoever, because unlike human laws it permits no sin; and so when the law of the Lord is studied and well understood, it “converts souls,” that is, it converts them away from self-love and in consequence leads them to God, the author of law so beautiful. To the words converting souls there is understood the word is, and so we have explained it as meaning converted. A second encomium is found in the following words: “The testimony of the Lord is faithful, giving wisdom to little ones,” where by testimony is understood that same law (of the Lord). Indeed, in the Scriptures, and especially in the Psalms, the law of the Lord is not only referred to as precept, commandment, statute and so on, which in other writers mean law; but it is also referred to as testimony, justice, or justification, and judgement. This is evident, especially in Psalm cxviii. The law of the Lord is called testimony, because it bears witness to men as to what is God’s will, what the Lord requires of us, what punishments He has prepared for those breaking the law, and what rewards for those who keep the law. And so he says, “ The testimony of the Lord is faithful,” that is, the law of the Lord, which will assuredly render rewards to the good and punishments to the wicked.  “Giving wisdom to little ones,” that is, it is that which gives, or it gives, wisdom to the little ones, that is, to men with a poor understanding it gives the light of prudence, so that they may know how to do good works and to avoid sins; the Prophet in this text applies the words little ones to those men who are not strong in spiritual judgement, such as are all those who are friends of this world. By wisdom he understands spiritual prudence. which reforms habits and forms them in accordance with what is ordered by the divine law.

Verse 9

The justices of the Lord are right, rejoicing hearts: the commandment of the Lord is lightsome, enlightening the eyes.

Justitiae Domini rectae, laetificantes corda; praeceptum Domini lucidum, illuminans oculos.

The third encomium of the divine Law is that, after coming to be loved (as in the first encomium) and to be observed (as in the second), it floods man with wonderful joy: for there is nothing more joyful than a good conscience. “The justice of the Lord,” he says, that is, the law of the Lord, or the commandments of the Law, which are called justices, because they are most just, and because they render just the observer (of the law); these commandments, I say, because they are just, are a cause of joy, that is, “they rejoice hearts;”  for upright hearts fit very well with right commandments, and therefore they rejoice and are glad when an opportunity arrives of observing the commandments. The fourth encomium is: “The commandment of the Lord is lightsome, enlightening the eyes,” that is, the law of the Lord, bright with the light of divine Wisdom, enlightens the eyes of the mind, because it makes for an understanding of the will of God, and seeing which things are really good and which are really bad. It also informs the rites of God, full of divine mysteries. Now the law of the Lord enlightens in the measure of a man’s disposition, for wisdom will not enter into a malevolent soul, because nothing is a greater impediment to the knowledge of God, in which true wisdom is found, than impurity of heart. “Blessed are the clean of heart: for they shall see God.”[1]

[1] Blessed are the clean of heart: for they shall see God. Beati mundo corde : quoniam ipsi Deum videbunt. [Matt. v. 8]

Verse 10

The fear of the Lord is holy, enduring for ever and ever: the judgments of the Lord are true, justified in themselves.

Timor Domini sanctus, permanens in saeculum saeculi; judicia Domini vera, justificata in semetipsa.

The fifth encomium is that the law of the Lord makes the good things referred to above eternal and not just temporal. For “The fear of the Lord is holy.” that is, by which a person fears to offend God, which by another name is called piety, remaineth “for ever and ever,” with regard to its reward; the good things, which observation of the law produces, or a sincere fear making someone observe the law, do not end with death, but remain in eternity. This same idea is repeated elsewhere in Psalm ix: “ The patience of the poor shall not perish for ever.”[1] In Hebrew it has fear of the Lord (is) tehorah, that is, pure, and in the Greek it is similar. And this means a filial fear, which is not mixed with servile fear, about which another Psalm says: “ Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord: he shall delight exceedingly in his commandments.”[2] For he who fears with a servile fear keeps the commandments not willingly but unwillingly; but he who fears with a filial fear, “he shall delight exceedingly in his commandments,” that is, he strongly desires and wants to keep them. The last encomium is that the law of the Lord is true and is just in itself, not needing to be justified from another source. “the judgments of the Lord are true, justified in themselves,” that is, the commandments of the Lord, here called judgements because through them God judges men,  and which are norms or rules for discerning virtues from vices, and good from evil works: these, I say, most tru commandments are justified in themselves, that is, they do not need to be justified by anything else as just: for by this are they proved to be just, that they are God’s commandments. And, moreover, the ten commandments, about which David speaks chiefly, because they are the first principles of natural law, contain in themselves such justice, that in every time and place, and in a particular case, they are just, and do not allow of exceptions; but other laws, in order to be just, frequently depend on circumstances of place, of time or of the persons involved.[The last two sentences in the Commentary consider Hebrew text before affirming the translation in the Vulgate]  

[1] For the poor man shall not be forgotten to the end: the patience of the poor shall not perish for ever. Quoniam non in finem oblivio erit pauperis; patientia pauperum non peribit in finem. [Psalm ix. 19]

[2] Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord: he shall delight exceedingly in his commandments. Alleluja, reversionis Aggaei et Zachariae. Beatus vir qui timet Dominum, in mandatis ejus volet nimis. [Ps. Cxi. 1]

Totus tuus ego sum

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:

Ad Jesum per Mariam.

Bellarmine on Psalm XVIII: Verses 6-7

 Verses 6 & 7

(He) hath rejoiced as a giant to run the way: His going out is from the end of heaven, And his circuit even to the end thereof: and there is no one that can hide himself from his heat.

Exsultavit ut gigas ad currendam viam; a summo caelo egressio ejus. Et occursus ejus usque ad summum ejus; nec est qui se abscondat a calore ejus. 

He draws another reason from the strength and power with which the sun tirelessly performs an almost immeasurable journey at huge speed. “He hath rejoiced as a giant,” or as a mighty and sturdy one, (as the Hebrew is read), “to run the way.” Rejoicing suggests alacrity, which they have who do something effortlessly and with great desire. It means here that the mighty sun accomplishes its high-speed trajectory across the space of the heavens without the slightest fatigue. “His going out is from the end of heaven, And his circuit even to the end thereof.” By summum cœlum / the end of heaven is meant the East. In this text summum does not mean the height but the extremity, as the Hebrew kets and the Greek show.  called The word extremum / extremity means where a thing begins, and where it ends. But the heavens begin in the East because it is from thence that their movement begins, and it is there where the movement finishes. The sense is therefore that the sun rises in the East and, having coursed its way across to the West, it returns to the East.  It matters little that in Hebrew and Greek the verb is in the future, exultabit / He will rejoice, where we have exultavit / He hath rejoiced. For the future tense is often put for the praeterite. And so St. Jerome translates it as exultavit / He hath rejoiced; and it is also read this way in St. Augustine’s Commentary. “And there is no one that can hide himself from his heat.” This is the last reason put forward, based upon the benefits which all those receive who are beneath the sun; for the sun indeed warms all by his life-giving heat, so that he may be said to be the common father of all things born or hatched on earth or in the sea. And here is the reason why the sun so assiduously and carefully orbits the earth, visiting all — so that not a single thing may be hidden, that is, excluded from partaking of such signal favour. 

Totus tuus ego sum

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:

Ad Jesum per Mariam.

Bellarmine on Psalm XVIII: Verses 4-5

 Verse 4

Their sound hath gone forth into all the earth: and their words unto the ends of the world.

In omnem terram exivit sonus eorum, et in fines orbis terrae verba eorum.

He explains the third aspect of the heavenly eloquence, which is not only continuous and in every language but across the whole earth the heavens are heard shewing forth the glory of God. By sound is not meant a sort of physical harmony which certain philosophers have proposed concerning the heavens; it is rather the announcement of that glory which arises from the beauty of the heavens considered by men. It’s the same with the phrases into all the earth and unto the ends of the world; it is extremely common for prophets to repeat an idea. In Hebrew they have for their sound the word kavam, which means line, or their rod. 

But it seems the Septuagint translators  have read not kavam but kolam, adding  one letter, which means their sound.  For if they had read kavam, they never would have translated it as their sound, unless they were totally lacking in expertise. Furthermore, St. Jerome translates it from the Hebrew as their sound. And thus does he cite the Apostle in Romans x; and their sound fits in with what follows, their words, where he repeats the same thing in other words. Whence we conclude that the Hebrew text has been corrupted y a scribe’s error, after the time of S. Jerome. Indeed, St. Paul cites this text to prove that Christ’s teaching reached all nations. From this we understand that by heavens we ought to understand the Apostles, at least in the allegorical sense. And truly the holy Apostles, as well as other holy preachers, are most properly compared to the heavens. For by contemplation they are raised above the earth, generous in their charity, splendid through their wisdom, always serene through tranquility of the soul, most swiftly moved by intelligence through obedience, watering like the rain in their teaching,  thundering in their reproofs, performing miracles in flashes, showing through their largesse many gifts, and through true liberality seeking nothing from them, kept most pure of all that is sordid by holiness of life, and finally the dwelling place of the all high king through their perfect righteousness. For the soul of the just is the seat of wisdom.

Verse 5

He hath set his tabernacle in the sun: and he, as a bridegroom coming out of his bride chamber

In sole posuit tabernaculum suum; et ipse tamquam sponsus procedens de thalamo suo.

Although the whole of the heavens shew forth the glory of God, yet this is chiefly done by the noblest part of the heavens, which is the sun. For that reason, it is in the sun, being the most excellent part of the whole world, that God “hath set his tabernacle.” Now he rightly uses the word tabernacle and not home, because God stays in the sun for the time of our (earthly) pilgrimage, whence we see him through the glass of creatures.[1] Among physical creations, as we have said, the sun occupies pride of place. But when we shall come to the Father’s heavenly home, we shall not see God in a tabernacle but in His own house, which is to say in His eternity. 

[Bellarmine now digresses on the possible readings in Hebrew, Greek and Latin arising from the inflections and interplay of the words for sun, heavens and tabernacle.]

The Prophet proves that God set His tabernacle in the sun as in the most excellent of created things, using three reasons: the first is drawn from its beauty, the second from its strength and the third from its beneficence. “And he, as a bridegroom coming out of his bride chamber,” he says. This is the reason drawn from

beauty: He rises handsome, bright, splendidly  robed, as though he were a bridegroom emerging from his nuptial chamber; and truly nothing among all physical objects is more beautiful and brighter than the sun.

 [1]  Cf. We see now through a glass in a dark manner; but then face to face. Now I know in part; but then I shall know even as I am known.Videmus nunc per speculum in aenigmate : tunc autem facie ad faciem. Nunc cognosco ex parte : tunc autem cognoscam sicut et cognitus sum. [I Cor. Xiii. 12]

Totus tuus ego sum

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:

Ad Jesum per Mariam.

Bellarmine on Psalm XVIII: Title, theme and Verses 1-3

Title and subject matter

Titulum et argumentum

Unto the end. A psalm for David.

In finem. Psalmus David.

There is nothing to be learned from the title. The theme of the Psalm is praise of the divine law. The Prophet compares the divine law to a heavenly body, compared to which, nothing in the physical world seems to be more beautiful, more useful and more powerful. The Psalm may be also be explained in terms of Christ and the Apostles, as St. Augustine does.

Verse 1

The heavens shew forth the glory of God, and the firmament declareth the work of his hands.

Caeli enarrant gloriam Dei, et opera manuum ejus annuntiat firmamentum.

Being about to compare the law (of God) with the heavens, he says that the majesty of the heavens is so great that there shines forth therefrom the glory of God, who made the heavens. “The heavens shew forth the glory of God,” that is, coming before the other works of God, all of which offer praise to the artificer, the heavens by their magnitude and beauty do make manifest the glory of God. “And the firmament declareth the work of his hands:”  this repeats the same idea in other words. For in this text the heavens and the firmament signify the same thing, namely, the whole of the heavens in which are located the stars and the very sun and moon. For in chapter I. Of Genesis, it says: “ God called the firmament, Heaven,”[1] and in it He placed the sun, the moon and the stars. It carries of no import whether we say heaven or heavens; for with the Hebrews the noun was a noun of multitude and takes a verb in the plural. But translators write heaven in the singular or heavens as a noun of multitude. The firmament, in which according to the manner of speaking in the holy Scriptures, are all the celestial lights, “declareth,” and declareth to men “the works of God’s hands,” that is, the primary and noblest of God’s works, from which may be seen the immense glory of the Creator.

[1] And God called the firmament, Heaven; and the evening and morning were the second day. Vocavitque Deus firmamentum, Caelum : et factum est vespere et mane, dies secundus. [Gen. I.8]

Verse 2

Day to day uttereth speech, and night to night sheweth knowledge.

Dies diei eructat verbum, et nox nocti indicat scientiam.

The message is wholly admirable, that the heavens shew forth the glory of God. This is shown in a threefold manner. Firstly, the heavens announce it without ceasing; secondly, because they announce it in the words of all languages; thirdly, because they announce it to the whole earth. In this verse, it is declared that the announcement is unceasing; and because the heavens announce by day and by night, and from day to day may be seen the sun’s beauty and by night the beauty of the stars; and because the days and nights do not endure but work to replace each other, the Prophet introduces a poetic device: when a day, has accomplished its course and its announcement,

it hands over the work of announcement to the next day; and when a night has accomplished its course, singing its hymn (to the glory of God),it hands over the office of singing to the next night. “Day to day,” he says, “uttereth speech,” that is, when a day ends it hands over to another day the words of divine praise. “And night to night sheweth knowledge,” that is, when a night similarly draws to its end, it “sheweth” or announces to the succeeding night its knowledge unto the praising of God; and so continually, and without any intermission, the days and nights lead the dancing chorus in celebrating God with praises.  

Verse 3

There are no speeches nor languages, where their voices are not heard.

Non sunt loquelae, neque sermones, quorum non audiantur voces eorum.

The Prophet now shows here that the announcement of the heavens is made in all languages, that is, it is understood by all nations, as if the heavens spoke in the languages of all the nations, because everyone sees the beauty and excellence of the heavens, and fromthis they are able to arrive at the knowledge of the beauty and excellence of the Creator. “There are no speeches nor languages,” that is, there are no languages in which “their voices,” (ie, the voices of the heavens), are not heard; that is, there are no languages in which the voices of the heavens do not find expression.

Totus tuus ego sum

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:

Ad Jesum per Mariam.

Bellarmine on Psalm VIII: Verses 7-9

 Verses 7-8

Thou hast subjected all things under his feet, all sheep and oxen: moreover the beasts also of the fields. The birds of the air, and the fishes of the sea, that pass through the paths of the sea.

Omnia subjecisti sub pedibus ejus, oves et boves universas, insuper et pecora campi, volucres caeli, et pisces maris qui perambulant semitas maris.

By sheep and oxen are to be understood all domesticated animals; the beasts of the field are the wild animals who roam freely through the fields; the birds of the air and the fishes of the sea need no explanation. It may be noted that in Hebrew after pisces maris / fishes of the sea is added in the singular perambulans semitas maris / passing through the paths of the sea, and in Greek there is a change in gender, for after pisces maris / fishes of the sea it has the neuter form, perambulantia semitas maris / passing through the paths of the sea.

The sense refers therefore not only to fishes properly speaking but to every creature passing through the sea, whether all things passing through the paths of the sea, that is whatever moves in the sea, whether fishes or monsters, or anything else. Now truly, according to an allegorical  but certain sense, and witnessed by the Apostle as intended by God: (see Hebr. ii and I Cor. xv.) it signifies man in Christ after that signal visitation of God, that is, the incarnation of the Word, somewhat diminished compared with the Angels on account of His Passion: for Christ was seen to be a little lower than the Angels because an Angel from heaven appeared, comforting Him and because Angels are impassible and immortal; Christ however in that time suffered and died. In an absolute sense Christ was superior to the Angels and superior in every way. This was made apparent when He was crowned with glory and honour, that is, by His resurrection, clothed all around with a glorious and immortal body, and constituted by His admirable ascension  above all the works of God, and exalted tot the right hand of the Father Himself. All things are also subject to Him,

without exception, “He is excepted, who put all things under him.”[1] The things chiefly subject to Him are firstly men, such as the faithful, signified by sheep and oxen, subjects and Prelates, major and minor, or the infidels, signified by the wild animals; then, higher than men, the Angels, signified by the birds of the air which are borne aloft and constantly sing the prises of God; finally, lower than men are the demons, signified by the fishes of the sea, who dwell in the lowest and deepest places and are silent  about the praises of God and take pleasure in mud and base liquids. St. Augustine teaches  on this text may that all these may be explained in various allegorical ways., and he includes another explanation which may be read in his work. One final thing is to be added on this text, recalled above in verse 6:  when the Psalmist says: “Thou hast made him a little less than the angels,” in Hebrew it does not say Angels which the Hebrews call malachim, but Elohim, which is normally translated as God or Gods; but because the name of God in the Scriptures is often attributed to Angels and even to men who are in charge of others, the Septuagint translators, correctly respecting the sense of the Prophet, wrote ab Angelis / than the Angels and the Apostle approved this interpretation in Hebrews ii.[2

[1] All things are put under him; undoubtedly, he is excepted, who put all things under him. Omnia subjecta sunt ei, sine dubio praeter eum qui subjecit ei omnia. [I Cor. xv. 27]

[2] Thou hast subjected all things under his feet. For in that he hath subjected all things to him, he left nothing not subject to him. But now we see not as yet all things subject to him. But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour: that, through the grace of God, he might taste death for all.  Omnia subjecisti sub pedibus ejus. In eo enim quod omnia ei subjecit, nihil dimisit non subjectum ei. Nunc autem necdum videmus omnia subjecta ei. Eum autem, qui modico quam angeli minoratus est, videmus Jesum propter passionem mortis, gloria et honore coronatum : ut, gratia Dei, pro omnibus gustaret mortem.[Hebr. ii. 8-9]

Verse 9

O Lord our Lord, how admirable is thy name in all the earth!

Domine, Dominus noster, quam admirabile est nomen tuum in universa terra!

He repeats the first line of the Psalm, so that he may show it as the conclusion of what he intended to declare and approve in the whole of the Psalm, as though he might say: “O Lord our Lord, how admirable is thy name in all the earth!”

Totus tuus ego sum

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:

Ad Jesum per Mariam.

Bellarmine on Psalm VIII: Verses 4-6

Verse 4

For I will behold thy heavens, the works of thy fingers: the moon and the stars which thou hast founded.

Quoniam videbo caelos tuos, opera digitorum tuorum, lunam et stellas quae tu fundasti.

Holy David places himself in the number of infants and sucklings, as though he might say: Truly out of the mouth of infants and of sucklings have I perfected praise. Being one of these for I was a shepherd, I shall sing now Thy praises. “For I will behold thy heavens,” that is, I shall consider attentively that admirable work of Thy hands and then I shall praise Thee as the Creator of such a great work. Now that word tuos / thy is not in the Greek but it is in the Hebrew, schameca, and so it is translated correctly in our version. Why would he say tuos / thy, as he declares in saying the works of thy fingers; he does not say the works of thy arms but of thy fingers, so that he may show the heavens were constructed by God with the greatest of ease; for it is with the fingers that subtle and precious works are fashioned, which need intelligence rather than labour. He is not thinking here of the sun but only of the moon and the stars, for David was wont to contemplate during the night time because that time is more suited to quiet contemplation. “ I rose,” he says, “at midnight to give praise to thee;”[1] And elsewhere in Ps. Lxii: “ I will meditate on thee in the morning.”[2] See also Isaias lxii: “My soul hath desired thee in the night.”[3] For by night the heavens seem to be ornamented with the moon and the 

stars. Finally, the word fundasti /  thou hast founded refers to the heavens, the moon and the stars created ex nihilo / from nothing, as though the Prophet might say: Which Thou didst make from the foundation, when nothing of them existed previously.

[1]  rose at midnight to give praise to thee; for the judgments of thy justification. Media nocte surgebam, ad confitendum tibi super judicia justificationis tuae. [Ps. Cxviii. 62]

[2] If I have remembered thee upon my bed, I will meditate on thee in the morning: Si memor fui tui super stratum meum, in matutinis meditabor in te. [Ps. Lxii. 7]

[3] My soul hath desired thee in the night: yea, and with my spirit within me in the morning early I will watch to thee. When thou shalt do thy judgments on the earth, the inhabitants of the world shall learn justice. Anima mea desideravit te in nocte, sed et spiritu meo in praecordiis meis de mane vigilabo ad te. Cum feceris judicia tua in terra, justitiam discent habitatores orbis. [Isai. Xxvi. 9]

Verse 5

What is man that thou art mindful of him? or the son of man that thou visitest him?

Quid est homo, quod memor es ejus? aut filius hominis, quoniam visitas eum?

From the greatness of God as already set forth, he now proceeds to extolling God’s greatness towards men. ! “What is man,” he says, that you the Creator of heaven and earth deign to be mindful of him? As though he might say: This is the very greatest act of goodness, that the most high God should deign to be mindful of man, who is dust and ash. For what is recalled by God is not just a memory but an act of recalling so as to confer good things he adds in explanation: “or the son of man that thou visitest him?” Man and son of man mean here the same thing, unless perhaps this distinction is made to signify that God’s benefits were not bestowed only on the first man, who was a man, but not the son of a man; but also on all his posterity who are thus men and the sons of men. Visitation however refers to the special providence which God has towards men, but it refers especially to that providence which God showed when He cam into this world, assumed a human nature, was seen on earth and conversed with men. This is properly that visitation of which Zachary speaks in his Canticle: “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; because he hath visited and wrought the redemption of his people.”[1] And see further on: “ the Orient from on high hath visited us.”[2] Reasonably, this visitation greatly merits that admiration: “What is man..,” etc.

[1] Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; because he hath visited and wrought the redemption of his people: Benedictus Dominus Deus Israel, quia visitavit, et fecit redemptionem plebis suae : [Luc. 1. 68]

[2] Through the bowels of the mercy of our God, in which the Orient from on high hath visited us: per viscera misericordiae Dei nostri, in quibus visitavit nos, oriens ex alto : [Luc. 1. 78]

Verse 6

Thou hast made him a little less than the angels, thou hast crowned him with glory and honour:

And hast set him over the works of thy hands.

Minuisti eum paulo minus ab angelis; gloria et honore coronasti eum;

et constituisti eum super opera manuum tuarum.

This verse has a twofold sense, literal and allegorical. According to the literal sense, three of God’s gifts to human nature are recalled: firstly, man was created by God with a noble nature only a little lower than the Angels; secondly, he was adorned with glory and honour, setting him over all the other lower creatures, because he was made in the image and likeness of God, being gifted with reason and free will; and finally, because he would receive power and dominion in all the works of God, especially over the animals: and so he goes on to add (in the next verse).

Totus tuus ego sum

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:

Ad Jesum per Mariam.

ff

Bellarmine on Psalm VIII: Verses 1-3

Verse 1

O Lord our Lord, how admirable is thy name in the whole earth! 

Domine, Dominus noster, quam admirabile est nomen tuum in universa terra!

From considering the greatness of God, the prophet is carried away in admiration that so great a God could do so much for man, who is of dust and ashes, that he deigned to visit him and shower him with so many great gifts. Domine / O Lord in Hebrew means proper to God, being written with four letters and deriving from esse / to be, as in “ I am who am,” and this is expressed by the moderns as Iehova; but the Septuagint translators and St. Jerome, and even Christ and the Apostles, were not wont to utter this word, but said in its stead, Domine / O Lord.  Dominus noster / our Lord is given by a different expression in Hebrew, Adonai, which properly means Dominum / Lord. And so the sense is: God, who art the fountainhead of being, whence all things are derived that have being, and our Lord, that is, Thou art the Lord of all things, how admirable is thy name in the whole earth! That is, Thy glory, or the good fame of Thy name, is diffused across the whole of the earth, to the immense admiration of all people who take the time to consider it, as Isaias says in different words: “All the earth is full of his glory.”[1] He says the name of God is admirable even though few are they who wonder at it because few are they who consider the works of God. But His name is most worthy of admiration because all created things constantly give praise to the Creator, as all beautiful works are said to give praise to the skill (of their creator). In this manner, the whole earth is full of the glory of God because whatever is on earth, even if if it seems to be the very least thing, shows forth the infinite power and wisdom of the Creator.

[1] And they cried one to another, and said: Holy, holy, holy, the Lord God of hosts, all the earth is full of his glory. Et clamabant alter ad alterum, et dicebant : Sanctus, sanctus, sanctus Dominus, Deus exercituum; plena est omnis terra gloria ejus. [Isai. vi.3]

Verse 2

For thy magnificence is elevated above the heavens.

quoniam elevata est magnificentia tua super caelos.

He gives a reason why God’s name is so admirable in the whole earth, because God’s magnificence is higher than the heavens, it is not contained by the heavens; it is so great that the whole world cannot contain it. “ His glory covered the heavens, and the earth is full of his praise.”, says Habacuc in his Canticle.1  The extent of the magnificence of great princes is measured by their great expenditure, or the enormous palaces or cities that they build, or by the great size of their retinues, or by the complete armies they raise, or by the superabundant gifts they make to others. God, however, has built for His palace the whole earth and its roof is the sky. He has raised for His followers all the inhabitants thereof, who are without numberl; and finally, He has given to the holy Angels, who are countless, and He will give to the righteous among men His boundless kingdom, not a temporal but an eternal one. Truly therefore is His magnificence of the greatest.

[1]  God will come from the south, and the holy one from mount Pharan: His glory covered the heavens, and the earth is full of his praise. Deus ab austro veniet, et Sanctus de monte Pharan : operuit caelos gloria ejus, et laudis ejus plena est terra. [Habacuc iii. 3]

Verse 3

Out of the mouth of infants and of sucklings thou hast perfected praise, because of thy enemies, that thou mayst destroy the enemy and the avenger.

Ex ore infantium et lactentium perfecisti laudem propter inimicos tuos, ut destruas inimicum et ultorem.

He replies to a possible objection: if God’s glory fills the whole earth and His magnificence is above the heavens, why does everyone not know Him and praise Him? He replies that this may be because God does not deign to be known and praised by the proud, who presume upon their own strength; but by the humble and little ones, as it says in Matthew: “ I confess to thee, O Father, ... because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them to the little ones.”[1] From this, God’s glory and magnificence are greatly increased since He is not known save by those whom he chooses to know Him. But this verse may be understood in two ways. Firstly, by infants and sucklings are to be understood men, who in comparison with Angels really are like infants and sucklings, especially in their understanding of things divine

: therefore, he says, out of the mouths of mortal men Thou hast perfected praise, revealing to them Thy glory, “because of thy enemies,” that is, unto the confounding of the prideful Angels; “that thou mayst destroy the enemy and the avenger,” that is, that Thou mayst confound the wisdom of Thy primary enemy, the devil, and of his defending or avenging army, the host of reprobate Angels who followed him. Secondly, by infants and sucklings may be understood men who are humble and little in their own eyes, unlearned in the worldly sciences, such as were many of the Prophets and the Apostles, and a great number of monks and holy virgins, and not a small number of children who in their tender years knew perfectly the glory of God and His admirable name, to the extent that they did not hesitate to go to their deaths for Him. The Lord cites this Psalm Himself in the Gospel: “Have you never read: Out of the mouth of infants and of sucklings thou hast perfected praise?”[2] The word enemies refer to those wise men of this world, and their defenders, who though they know God do not glorify Him as God, so foolish have they become, so that the Apostle says in Rom. I.[3] What is written as ut destruas /  that thou mayst destroy, is written in Hebrew as ut quiescere facias / that thou mayst render quiet: but the sense is the same. For the Psalm does not spek of the destruction of a person but of wisdom, as in the words of Isaias, chapter xxix, cited by D. Paulus: “ I will confound the wisdom of the wise;”[4] see too the Apostle’s words: “Hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?”[5]

[1] At that time Jesus answered and said: I confess to thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them to the little ones. In illo tempore respondens Jesus dixit : Confiteor tibi, Pater, Domine caeli et terrae, quia abscondisti haec a sapientibus, et prudentibus, et revelasti ea parvulis. [Matt. xi. 25]

[2] And said to him: Hearest thou what these say? And Jesus said to them: Yea, have you never read: Out of the mouth of infants and of sucklings thou hast perfected praise? et dixerunt ei : Audis quid isti dicunt? Jesus autem dixit eis : Utique. Numquam legistis : Quia ex ore infantium et lactentium perfecisti laudem?[Matt. xxi. 16]

[3] Vide, e.g., Because that, when they knew God, they have not glorified him as God, or given thanks; but became vain in their thoughts, and their foolish heart was darkened. Quia cum cognovissent Deum, non sicut Deum glorificaverunt, aut gratias egerunt : sed evanuerunt in cogitationibus suis, et obscuratum est insipiens cor eorum : For professing themselves to be wise, they became fools. dicentes enim se esse sapientes, stulti facti sunt. [Rom. I. 21,22]

[4] Vide, e.g., Therefore behold I will proceed to cause an admiration in this people, by a great and wonderful miracle: for wisdom shall perish from their wise men, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid. ideo ecce ego addam ut admirationem faciam populo huic miraculo grandi et stupendo; peribit enim sapientia a sapientibus ejus, et intellectus prudentium ejus abscondetur. [Isai. Xxix. 14]glory. Et clamabant alter ad alterum, et dicebant : Sanctus, sanctus, sanctus Dominus, Deus exercituum; plena est omnis terra gloria ejus. [Isai. vi.3]

[5] Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this world? Hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? Ubi sapiens? ubi scriba? ubi conquisitor hujus saeculi? Nonne stultam fecit Deus sapientiam hujus mundi? [I Cor. i. 20]

Totus tuus ego sum

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:

Ad Jesum per Mariam.

Bellarmine on Psalm VIII: Title and theme

 

Psalm VIII

Title and subject matter

Titulum et argumentum

Unto the end, for the presses: a psalm of David.

In finem, pro torcularibus. Psalmus David.

The word torcularibus[1] is in Hebrew haggihttith, which seems to signify nothing and so modern translators who read it thus say that it is a type of musical instrument unknown to us. But the Septuagint translators and St. Jerome read torcularibus as hagattoth which means wine (or olive) presses and we cannot doubt that this is the true reading. But what the words for the presses may mean is difficult to guess. Those who understand it to be a reference to the Church or to martyrdom or to the Cross of Christ, explain it in a figurative way. It is to be noted that these words for the presses are found in three psalms which chiefly pertain to the love of God, namely:

    • this Psalm viii, which opens with such a great impulse of love: “O Lord our Lord, how admirable is thy name in the whole earth! For thy magnificence is elevated above the heavens;”

    • and in Psalm lxxx: which likewise urges spiritual exultation: “ Rejoice to God our helper: sing aloud to the God of Jacob; take a psalm, and bring hither the timbrel:[2] the pleasant psaltery[3] with the harp.”

    • and finally in Psalm lxxxiii, which is filled with feeling of the most ardent divine love: “ How lovely are thy tabernacles, O Lord of hosts! My heart and my flesh have rejoiced in the living God.”

And so, based on the material of these Psalms, I believe it may be said they are for the presses because they are most suited to expressing[4] the wine of divine love from the hearts of men; or because they sing with gladness and joy in the heart, just like those who are wont to sing and rejoice at the time of the grape harvest when they express a huge quantity of wine from the presses. I confess however that I do not follow the understanding of this title like so many others; the theme of this Psalm is therefore praise of the power, the wisdom and the goodness of God, and chiefly in His dealings with the human race.

[1] torcŭlar, āris, n. torqueo. IA press used in making wine or oil, Vitr. 6, 9; Plin. 18, 26, 62, § 230.—  IIA cellar for storing up oil, an oil-cellar.

[2] A musical instrument of percussion; a tambourine or the like that could be held up in the hand. Chiefly used (to render Hebrew tōph).

[3] After post-classical Latin psaltērium in the Vulgate, usually rendering Hebrew nēḇel , neḇel. An ancient or medieval stringed instrument with a sounding board or box, similar to the dulcimer but played by plucking the strings with the fingers or a plectrum.

[4] express:  includes the sense of transitive verb: To press, squeeze, or wring out; to press (juice, air, etc.) from, out of (anything). spec. to press or squeeze out (milk or other secretion) from the breast. 

Totus tuus ego sum

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:

Ad Jesum per Mariam.