Bellarmine on Psalm 112 : Verses 4 & 5

Verse 4

The Lord is high above all nations; and his glory above the heavens.

Excelsus super omnes gentes Dominus, et super caelos gloria ejus.

Not only throughout the length and breadth of the world, but also at every level, is found material for the praise of God; for even if on earth there are many great princes and powerful kings, God rises far above them all; for not only is God elevated “above all nations (of the earth),” but also over all the angels of heaven, and His glory transcends all the heavens and those who dwell there. St. John Chrysostom would have these two verses hold a prophecy of the Christian Church, through it came to pass that “the name of the Lord”, known in Judea alone, should be praised “from the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same,” and all nations should be subject to Him, and in this manner “the Lord might be high above all nations.”

Verse 5

Who is as the Lord our God, who dwelleth on high: And looketh down on the low things in heaven and in earth?

Quis sicut Dominus Deus noster, qui in altis habitat, et humilia respicit in caelo et in terra?

He now praises God by reason of His wonderful kindness which, conjoined with such great sublimity, appears yet more wondrous. “Who,” he asks,  “is as the Lord our God, who dwelleth on high?” namely, in the highest heaven, and yet “He looketh down on the low things,” on men on earth below. For in this way it seems the verse has to be explained, according to the distinction drawn in Hebrew and the way the Scripture speaks; so that the words in heaven refer to the phrase dwelleth on high, and in earth refers to looketh down on the low things; especially since in Hebrew there are two contrary participles: Who is as the Lord our God exalted to those seated below, and humble to those looking from heaven and earth? The words in I Cantic. are similar: “I am black but beautiful, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, as the tents of Cedar, as the curtains of Solomon,”[1] where  as the tents of Cedar goes with I am black, and as the curtains of Solomon goes with but beautiful. By this expression is meant that God, through the excellence of His nature, has all things subject to Himself; and yet he is present in all things through his mercy, even to the most humble, and He chiefly attends to the meek and humble of heart. If this distinction is not acceptable, the verse can also be correctly explained as meaning that God, though in nature most excellent and sublime, is wont to avert His gaze from the proud and the arrogant, but willingly attends to the humble and meek; this applies in  heaven and on earth: for in heaven, abhorring the proud angels, He attends to the humble angels and leads them up to share in His glory; and on earth, despising the proud Pharaohs and Sauls and others like them, He attends to Moses, David, and other men meek and humble of heart. But in a higher and prophetic sense, these words can be understood as meaning that God, seated in heaven, has not been neglectful towards (the humble in) the human race cast down on earth.

[1] I am black but beautiful, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, as the tents of Cedar, as the curtains of Solomon…. Nigra sum, sed formosa, filiae Jerusalem, sicut tabernacula Cedar, sicut pelles Salomonis. [I Cantic. 4]

Totus tuus ego sum

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:

Ad Jesum per Mariam.