Bellarmine on Psalm 97 : Verse 3

Verse 3

The Lord hath made known his salvation: he hath revealed his justice in the sight of the Gentiles.

Notum fecit Dominus salutare suum; in conspectu gentium revelavit justitiam suam.

This verse can be referred to the Father who “hath made known his salvation,” that is, the Saviour whom He sent; first through the prophets, and then through the Apostles; and through the same “he hath revealed his justice.” It can also be referred to the Son Himself, who made known, through Himself and His Apostles, the salvation which He worked : for He Himself preached openly for three whole years and more; then He sent forth His Apostles who announced the Gospel to all nations. And so the Lord Himself by preaching “ made known his salvation,” that is, the salvation He brought and gave to those believing in Him; then, “ in the sight of the Gentiles,” through the Apostles, “ he hath revealed his justice,” that is, He hath revealed a mystery hidden and veiled from the world, and He made it known to the Gentiles; now this is the mystery of His justice, that is, the fulfilment of the promise made long ago to the fathers concerning the redemption of mankind. For this is what I think should be understood by justice in this context, since in the next verse this justice is announced in the name of truth, as we shall soon see. If anyone, however, wants to interpret justice here as Christ’s satisfaction for the sins of the whole world, (arising) from the rigour of justice, I have no objection, whether these words are referred to the Father, or to the Son. For, truly, the Father, through His Son’s passion, and the Son, through His passion, made known the great zeal with which iniquity is to be punished, and the great rigour of justice that prompts Him to offer expiation for (this iniquity). The Apostle wrote of this mystery in Ephesians : “To me, the least of all the saints, is given this grace, to preach among the Gentiles, the unsearchable riches of Christ, And to enlighten all men, that they may see what is the dispensation of the mystery which hath been hidden from eternity in God.”[1]

[1] Mihi omnium sanctorum minimo data est gratia haec, in gentibus evangelizare investigabiles divitias Christi, et illuminare omnes, quae sit dispensatio sacramenti absconditi a saeculis in Deo, qui omnia creavit : To me, the least of all the saints, is given this grace, to preach among the Gentiles, the unsearchable riches of Christ, And to enlighten all men, that they may see what is the dispensation of the mystery which hath been hidden from eternity in God, who created all things: [Ephesians iii. 8-9]

Totus tuus ego sum

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:

Ad Jesum per Mariam.