Bellarmine on Psalm 97 : Verse 6

Verse 6

Sing joyfully to God, all the earth; make melody, rejoice and sing.

Jubilate Deo, omnis terra; cantate et exsultate, et psallite.

A sign of faith is to give thanks to God, and to sing and rejoice in spiritual gladness. Thus, the man who found the treasure, “went his way, and through joy, sold all that he had.”[1]  So too in Acts viii, when Philip was preaching in Samaria, and the Samaritans received the word of God, “There was therefore great joy in that city,”[2] and the eunuch, converted and baptized, “...went on his way rejoicing.”[3] So too in I Peter i : “and believing shall rejoice with joy unspeakable and glorified.”[4] The Prophet now foretells this joy, by means of issuing invitations and encouraging (the faithful). “Sing joyfully,” he says, “all the earth,” that is, all ye faithful from over the whole earth, converted from darkness to the admirable light, to the knowledge of the true God and Saviour Jesus Christ, give praise and thanks with a loud voice, let your tongue sing, let your soul rejoice, and make music; and because musical instruments are many, like the works of virtue, so below are set forth the kinds of instruments.

[1] Who when he had found one pearl of great price, went his way, and sold all that he had, and bought it. Inventa autem una pretiosa margarita, abiit, et vendidit omnia quae habuit, et emit eam. [Matt. xiii. 46]

[2] There was therefore great joy in that city. Factum est ergo gaudium magnum in illa civitate. [Acts viii. 8]

[3] And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord took away Philip; and the eunuch saw him no more. And he went on his way rejoicing. Cum autem ascendissent de aqua, Spiritus Domini rapuit Philippum, et amplius non vidit eum eunuchus. Ibat autem per viam suam gaudens. [Acts viii. 39]

[4] Whom having not seen, you love: in whom also now, though you see him not, you believe: and believing shall rejoice with joy unspeakable and glorified; quem cum non videritis, diligitis : in quem nunc quoque non videntes creditis : credentes autem exsultabitis laetitia inenarrabili, et glorificata : [I Peter i. 8]

Totus tuus ego sum

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:

Ad Jesum per Mariam.