Bellarmine on Psalm XLIV: Verse 11 (Part 2 of 2)

 Verse 11

The queen stood on thy right hand, in gilded clothing; surrounded with variety.

Astitit regina a dextris tuis in vestitu deaurato, circumdata varietate.

the Blessed Virgin precedes all the angels; and the head of men and angels is Christ, who is not an angel but a man. From this St. John Chrysostom rightly warns men to think when they sin how ungrateful they are for such great benevolence from God; for God has raised the human race, and especially the Church, having been lifted up from a heathen and idolatrous state, from the depths of sin, and truly from the mire and dregs, to the highest dignity so that they stand with the angels in the kingdom of heaven, and receive the name of bride of Christ. All this, thanks to the love of the heavenly bridegroom, who “loved her (the church), and delivered Himself up for her, that He might sanctify her and cleanse her and that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle,” as the Apostle writes in Ephes. vi.[1]  “In gilded clothing; surrounded with variety;” all these words are represented by only two in the Hebrew, which translate as in auro de ophir / in gold of 

Ophir, and St. Jerome translates these words as, in diademate aureo / with a golden diadem, and others have other translations. But the Septuagint translators wanted to explain what should be included in the general sense of the Hebrew expression, and they rightlysaid it referred to precious robes, and all the other bridal ornaments for each of the various parts of her body, such as a diadem, a necklace, a girdle, footwear, and the like; this explanation seems to be drawn from the words spoken further on: “in golden borders, clothed round about with varieties.”[2] What these words mean spiritually is explained by the fathers in different ways; St. Augustine understands gold as meaning wisdom, clothing as doctrine, variety as the various languages in which this same ecclesiastical doctrine is taught. St. Basil understands gilded clothing as meaning ecclesiastical doctrine, but he understands variety as meaning dogmas, such as moral, natural, speculative, practical and so on. St. Jerome and St. Chrysostom understand gilded clothing as meaning the grace of justification, through a variety of different virtues, faith, hope, love, humility and so on. This interpretation can be confirmed from chapter xix of the Apocalypse, where it is said: “ The bride adorned with fine linen, glittering and white;”[3] and St John says in commentary: “For the fine linen are the justifications of saints.” It might also be added that not only does the variety of adornments of the bride consist of various virtues, which are necessary for everyone, but also of various gifts, which the Church possesses for her different members: for some are gifts for the Apostles, some for the Martyrs, others for the Virgins, others for the Doctors, others for the Confessors, and others for others.

[1] Husbands, love your wives, as Christ also loved the church, and delivered himself up for it: Viri, diligite uxores vestras, sicut et Christus dilexit Ecclesiam, et seipsum tradidit pro ea, That he might sanctify it, cleansing it by the laver of water in the word of life: ut illam sanctificaret, mundans lavacro aquae in verbo vitae, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy, and without blemish. ut exhiberet ipse sibi gloriosam Ecclesiam, non habentem maculam, aut rugam, aut aliquid hujusmodi, sed ut sit sancta et immaculata. [Eph. v. 25-27]

[2] Psalm xliv. 14-15.

[3] And it is granted to her that she should clothe herself with fine linen, glittering and white. For the fine linen are the justifications of saints. Et datum est illi ut cooperiat se byssino splendenti et candido. Byssinum enim justificationes sunt sanctorum. [Apoc. Xix. 8]

Totus tuus ego sum

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:

Ad Jesum per Mariam.