Bellarmine on Psalm 97 : Verse 4

Verse 4

He hath remembered his mercy and his truth toward the house of Israel. 

Recordatus est misericordiae suae, et veritatis suae domui Israel. 

He gives a reason why God has made known His salvation and has revealed His justice. The reason is that He had promised this to the Fathers; and although He delayed in fulfilling it for a time, at length he remembered, that is, He did as those do who remember something: now it is not in God to be able to forget something, but He is said metaphorically to remember when He fulfills that which he has delayed in fulfilling, as though He had forgotten. The same usage is frequently found in Scripture, as in Gen. viii: “And God remembered Noe;”[1] and in Luke i. “being mindful of his mercy.”[2] Therefore God the Father  “hath remembered his mercy,” by which he promised to the Fathers a Saviour; and God the Son  “hath remembered his mercy,” by which He promised to come; and each of them remembered “His truth,” that is, His faithfulness and justice in fulfilling His promise. The prophet adds the words “toward the house of Israel;” for the promise was made to the the house of Israel and not to the gentiles: although God had determined to be merciful to the gentiles as well, and had foretold this through the Prophets; hence the Lord says in Matthew xxv: “I was not sent but to the sheep that are lost of the house of Israel;”[3] and the Apostle says in Rom. xv: “ For I say that Christ Jesus was minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers. But that the Gentiles are to glorify God for his mercy, as it is written: Therefore will I confess to thee, O Lord, among the Gentiles.” [4]

[1] And God remembered Noe, and all the living creatures, and all the cattle which were with him in the ark, and brought a wind upon the earth, and the waters were abated. Recordatus autem Deus Noe, cunctorumque animantium, et omnium jumentorum, quae erant cum eo in arca, adduxit spiritum super terram, et imminutae sunt aquae. [Gen. viii. 1]

[2] He hath received Israel his servant, being mindful of his mercy: Suscepit Israel puerum suum, recordatus misericordiae suae : [Luke i. 54]

[3] And he answering, said: I was not sent but to the sheep that are lost of the house of Israel. Ipse autem respondens ait : Non sum missus nisi ad oves, quae perierunt domus Israel. [Matt. xv. 24]

[4] For I say that Christ Jesus was minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers. But that the Gentiles are to glorify God for his mercy, as it is written: Therefore will I confess to thee, O Lord, among the Gentiles, and will sing to thy name. Dico enim Christum Jesum ministrum fuisse circumcisionis propter veritatem Dei, ad confirmandas promissiones patrum : gentes autem super misericordia honorare Deum, sicut scriptum est : Propterea confitebor tibi in gentibus, Domine, et nomini tuo cantabo. [Rom. xv. 8-9]

Totus tuus ego sum

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:

Ad Jesum per Mariam.