Bellarmine on Psalm 97 : Verse 8

Verse 8

Make a joyful noise before the Lord our king: Let the sea be moved and the fulness thereof: the world and they that dwell therein.  

Jubilate in conspectu regis Domini; moveatur mare, et plenitudo ejus; orbis terrarum, et qui habitant in eo.

Since the Lord’s coming will be of benefit to each and everyone, the prophet invites not only the earth as a whole but each of its parts to rejoice. “Make a joyful noise,” he says,”before the Lord our king,” that is, when the great King comes, who is Lord of all, as he is true God. “Make a joyful noise before Him,” that is, on seeing and hearing Him. “ Let the sea therefore be moved” with a movement of exultation, and as if it were endowed with sense, let “the fulness thereof” rejoice at the same time, that is, the waters, the islands and the fishes therein. And with a similar movement of rejoicing, let the “world and (all) they that dwell therein” rejoice, that is, all men, because the Lord is Saviour of all men, most especially of the faithful, as the Apostle says in 1 Timoth. Iv; and St. Leo in his sermon 1 On the Nativity of the Lord, he comes for the deliverance of everyone.

Totus tuus ego sum

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:

Ad Jesum per Mariam.

Bellarmine on Psalm 97 : Verse 7

Verse 7

Sing praise to the Lord on the harp, on the harp, and with the voice of a psalm: With long trumpets, and sound of cornet.

Psallite Domino in cithara; in cithara et voce psalmi; in tubis ductilibus, et voce tubae corneae. 

Four instruments are enumerated with which those, who have seen the salvation of God by faith and desire to see Him with their eyes, should make music: the harp,[1] the psaltery[2] (this signifies the same, in the language of the Psalm, and in the sound of the Psalter[3]), the long trumpet, and the cornet.[4] These were the instruments in use among the Hebrews; and their spiritual meaning has been variously explained by our commentators. To me, they seem to be capable of being applied fairly straightforwardly to the cardinal virtues: the harp to prudence, the psaltery to justice, the long trumpet to fortitude and the cornet to temperance. The harp, blending together the sounds of various strings, produces a sweet harmony: thus prudence joins various circumstances to good works and produces a perfect work. The psaltery with its ten strings represents to us the Decalogue, that is, all the commandments of justice. The long trumpet is stretched and shaped by the blows of hammers, so that it can produce a most sweet note: thus fortitude, by bearing patiently with tribulations and worries, extends and perfects in this way the man of God, so that he may, with holy Job, utter that sweet sound: “If we have received good things at the hand of God, why should we not receive evil?”[5] Finally, temperance, like hard horn, rising above and defeating the soft flesh, that is, chastising the body with fasts and vigils, and reducing it to service of the spirit, produces the effect of a spiritual cornet: such was the Lord’s precursor who, content with woodland honey and locusts, and clad in camel skins, and girded with a leathern belt, would say: “ I am the voice of one crying in the desert;”[6] such too was the most blessed Paul who, long practised in the exercise of temperance, uttered those sweet words: “But having food, and wherewith to be covered, with these we are content;”[7] and in I Cor. vi he says: “Meat for the belly, and the belly for the meats; but God shall destroy both it and them;”[8] and in truth he says:  “Godliness with contentment is great gain.”[9]

[1] cĭthăra, ae, f., = κιθάρα, the cithara, cithern, guitar, or lute.

[2] psaltērĭum, ĭi, n., = ψαλτήριον. A stringed instrument of the lute kind, a psaltery

[3] Psalterii: an instrument, see 2.; but with a capital, it may refer to the Songs of David, the Psalms, or Psaltery.

[4] cornet, hornpipe: in early times a wind-instrument made of a horn or resembling a horn; a horn (obsolete).

[5] And he said to her: Thou hast spoken like one of the foolish women: if we have received good things at the hand of God, why should we not receive evil? In all these things Job did not sin with his lips. Qui ait ad illam : Quasi una de stultis mulieribus locuta es; si bona suscepimus de manu Dei, mala quare non suscipiamus? In omnibus his non peccavit Job labiis suis. [Job ii. 10]

[6] For this is he that was spoken of by Isaias the prophet, saying: A voice of one crying in the desert, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight his paths. Hic est enim, qui dictus est per Isaiam prophetam dicentem : Vox clamantis in deserto : Parate viam Domini : rectas facite semitas ejus. [Matt. iii. 3]

[7] But having food, and wherewith to be covered, with these we are content. Habentes autem alimenta, et quibus tegamur, his contenti simus. [I Tim. vi. 8]

[8] Meat for the belly, and the belly for the meats; but God shall destroy both it and them: but the body is not for fornication, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. Esca ventri, et venter escis : Deus autem et hunc et has destruet : corpus autem non fornicationi, sed Domino : et Dominus corpori. [I Cor. vi. 13]

[9] But godliness with contentment is great gain. Est autem quaestus magnus pietas cum sufficientia. [I Tim. vi. 6]

Totus tuus ego sum

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:

Ad Jesum per Mariam.

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.

Bellarmine on Psalm 97 : Verse 5

Verse 5

All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.

Viderunt omnes termini terrae salutare Dei nostri.

Here is set out the fruit of the Apostles’ preaching; for it was not in vain that the Lord made known His salvation through preaching the Gospel. For the gentiles heard God’s preachers, and they believed Him; and with the eye of the heart purified in this way by faith and the experience of grace, “All the ends of the earth have seen,” that is, the whole earth to its uttermost limits, (have seen) (their) salvation or Saviour. The expression viderunt / have seen, is powerful: it signifies actual faith, conjoined with knowledge, which moves the will unto love and desire: for they cannot be said to have seen the salvation of God who,  content with faith based on habit, give no thought for the Saviour and are not concerned about realising their salvation, which comes from Him. The phrase  omnes termini terrae / all the ends of the earth, does not mean literally each and every person, but rather many from every nation and people.

Totus tuus ego sum

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:

Ad Jesum per Mariam.

Bellarmine on Psalm 97 : Verse 4

Verse 4

He hath remembered his mercy and his truth toward the house of Israel. 

Recordatus est misericordiae suae, et veritatis suae domui Israel. 

He gives a reason why God has made known His salvation and has revealed His justice. The reason is that He had promised this to the Fathers; and although He delayed in fulfilling it for a time, at length he remembered, that is, He did as those do who remember something: now it is not in God to be able to forget something, but He is said metaphorically to remember when He fulfills that which he has delayed in fulfilling, as though He had forgotten. The same usage is frequently found in Scripture, as in Gen. viii: “And God remembered Noe;”[1] and in Luke i. “being mindful of his mercy.”[2] Therefore God the Father  “hath remembered his mercy,” by which he promised to the Fathers a Saviour; and God the Son  “hath remembered his mercy,” by which He promised to come; and each of them remembered “His truth,” that is, His faithfulness and justice in fulfilling His promise. The prophet adds the words “toward the house of Israel;” for the promise was made to the the house of Israel and not to the gentiles: although God had determined to be merciful to the gentiles as well, and had foretold this through the Prophets; hence the Lord says in Matthew xxv: “I was not sent but to the sheep that are lost of the house of Israel;”[3] and the Apostle says in Rom. xv: “ For I say that Christ Jesus was minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers. But that the Gentiles are to glorify God for his mercy, as it is written: Therefore will I confess to thee, O Lord, among the Gentiles.” [4]

[1] And God remembered Noe, and all the living creatures, and all the cattle which were with him in the ark, and brought a wind upon the earth, and the waters were abated. Recordatus autem Deus Noe, cunctorumque animantium, et omnium jumentorum, quae erant cum eo in arca, adduxit spiritum super terram, et imminutae sunt aquae. [Gen. viii. 1]

[2] He hath received Israel his servant, being mindful of his mercy: Suscepit Israel puerum suum, recordatus misericordiae suae : [Luke i. 54]

[3] And he answering, said: I was not sent but to the sheep that are lost of the house of Israel. Ipse autem respondens ait : Non sum missus nisi ad oves, quae perierunt domus Israel. [Matt. xv. 24]

[4] For I say that Christ Jesus was minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers. But that the Gentiles are to glorify God for his mercy, as it is written: Therefore will I confess to thee, O Lord, among the Gentiles, and will sing to thy name. Dico enim Christum Jesum ministrum fuisse circumcisionis propter veritatem Dei, ad confirmandas promissiones patrum : gentes autem super misericordia honorare Deum, sicut scriptum est : Propterea confitebor tibi in gentibus, Domine, et nomini tuo cantabo. [Rom. xv. 8-9]

Totus tuus ego sum

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:

Ad Jesum per Mariam.

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.

  

Bellarmine on Psalm 97 : Verse 2

Verse 2

His right hand hath wrought for him salvation, and his arm is holy.

Salvavit sibi dextera ejus, et brachium sanctum ejus.

He explains what these wonderful things are, and he puts forward one in which all the other things are comprehended. The Lord has done this in a marvellous way for He alone, by His own power, has saved the world; He had no need of allies, nor of an army, nor of weapons; He alone cast out the prince of this world, and delivered the whole human race from his power. This was the end of all the miracles we enumerated a while ago, and by reason of this, all are to be understood in this one (miracle). The words salvavit / hath wrought may refer to the Son, who saved the world by his own power; and also to the Father, who saved the world by His right hand, that is, through Christ : and all things come back to this. The words sibi / for him, signify the same thing in Hebrew as ipsa / itself, as though the prophet might have said : His right hand itself hath wrought salvation, it has worked the salvation of the world. The word sibi, according to the Hebrew in Canticles i: “Follow after the steps of (thy) flocks,”[1] where the Hebrew has abi tibi; and in Chapter ii : “the rain is over and gone,”[2] in Hebrew includes sibi, imber abiit sibi. But these words tibi and sibi are omitted by the translator, because they are redundant, as being understood and included. But in Isai, lix, the translator cludes the word sibi, when he tranlsates it thus: “His own arm brought salvation to him,”[3]  and in lxiii: “My own arm hath saved for me.” But some read the word sibi as eum, so that the meaning is His arm hath saved him, because He rose from the dead by His own power. St. Augustine refers the word sibi to Christ, as to the end, so that the sense is: Christ has saved men, but for Himself, that is, unto His own glory. All these readings are true but the first is most in accord with the letter. Because the Prophet adds: “and his arm is holy,” which repeats what he has announced; for the right hand and his arm refer to the same thing, that is, His power and might; but he also adds the word holy, so that we may understand this strength in the arm to be spiritual rather than physical; for Christ has vanquished the enemy not by force of arms or physical strength but through love and suffering, through humility and obedience, by the merits of a most holy life, by the shedding in charity of His own precious blood; it is not by the spear and the sword that He has won victory over an extremely powerful enemy. This is what the Apostle alludes to in Philip. ii. : “He humbled himself, becoming obedient unto death, even to the death of the cross.”[1]

[1] f thou know not thyself, O fairest among women, go forth, and follow after the steps of the flocks, and feed thy kids beside the tents of the shepherds. SPONSUS. Si ignoras te, o pulcherrima inter mulieres, egredere, et abi post vestigia gregum, et pasce haedos tuos juxta tabernacula pastorum. [Cant. I. 7]

[2] For winter is now past, the rain is over and gone. jam enim hiems transiit; imber abiit, et recessit. [Cant. I. 7]

[3] And he saw that there is not a man: and he stood astonished, because there is none to oppose himself: and his own arm brought salvation to him, and his own justice supported him. Et vidit quia non est vir, et aporiatus est, quia non est qui occurrat; et salvavit sibi brachium suum, et justitia ejus ipsa confirmavit eum. [Isai. lix. 16]

[4] He humbled himself, becoming obedient unto death, even to the death of the cross. Humiliavit semetipsum factus obediens usque ad mortem, mortem autem crucis. [Philip. ii. 8] 

Totus tuus ego sum

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:

Ad Jesum per Mariam.