Bellarmine on Psalm 116 : Verses 1 & 2 (conclusion)

Verse 1

O praise the Lord, all ye nations: praise him, all ye people.

Laudate Dominum, omnes gentes, laudate eum, omnes populi.

As I have said, the prophet is addressing the entire Church and urging her to praise the Lord: by the word nations, as the Apostle teaches, he understands heathens (gentilism [1]) converted to the faith; he places them first because he saw the greater part of the Church gathered from the gentiles rather than the Jews. By people seem to be understood the peoples or tribes of the Jews, likewise converted to the faith, as St. Jerome notes in his Commentary on this text; in Acts iv, the Apostles explain the similar words of Psalm ii: “Why have the Gentiles raged, and the people devised vain things?”[2] - understanding nations to refer to the gentiles and peoples to refer to the Jews.

Verse 2

For his mercy is confirmed upon us: and the truth of the Lord remaineth for ever.

Quoniam confirmata est super nos misericordia ejus, et veritas Domini manet in aeternum.

The reason for praising God is: “for the mercy of the Lord is established” through the coming of the Messiah to the gentiles and the Jews. For the Church has been founded “against which the gates of Hell shall not prevail,” and the kingdom has been instituted, and shall have no end. Not only is His mercy confirmed, but also “the truth of His promises is fulfilled,” Matth. xvi, and it will not be changed in eternity.

[1] OED: The pagan or heathen world or domain. Obsolete.

[2] Why have the Gentiles raged, and the people devised vain things? Quare fremuerunt gentes, et populi meditati sunt inania? [Ps. ii 1]

Totus tuus ego sum

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:

Ad Jesum per Mariam.