Bellarmine on Psalm 1 : Subject matter

 Subject matter

The first Psalm lacks a title in the Hebrew texts; there are not a few who think it was composed by Esdras, who arranged the Psalms in order; but it is commonly attributed to David by writers such as Ambrose, Hilary, Basil, Augustine and others. Even St. Jerome, who posits multiple authors of the Psalms, says in his Letter to Paulinus on the Study of the Scriptures that this first Psalm was by David. Finally, a title was added in the Greek text, whether by the Septuagint translators or by others, A Song of David, Prophet and King. This Psalm is most fittingly placed first because it treats of beatitude : for beatitude is the foundation and beginning of moral doctrine. The Psalm’s central point is to show that beatitude, whether in hope or in realisation, may be attained only by the just; hence work must be performed for justice, so that we may attain beatitude.

Totus tuus ego sum

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:

Ad Jesum per Mariam.