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.