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| 1542-1641. Rijksmuseum, CC0, Wikimedia Commons |
“One of Bellarmine’s confreres in the College of Cardinals called him ‘the most learned churchman since St. Augustine’and I’d agree with that,” Fr. Baker[1] said. “His knowledge of Scripture and Theology — he seemed to know the entire Bible by heart, plus the teachings not only of nearly every pope, but of many bishops, too! — it’s just astonishing. Bellarmine was truly a polymath.” [From an interview published in the National Catholic Register in September 2017]
[1] Author of a translation of Bellarmine’s Controversies of the Christian Faith, published by Keep the Faith Books (2016)
The Latin is reproduced courtesy of the Digital Collection site - UANL and is followed by my fairly literal translation. The Scripture excerpts (Douay Rheims/Vulgate) are taken from the DRBO site.
Unto the end, a psalm of David,
In finem. Psalmus David,
When Nathan the prophet came to him after he had sinned with Bethsabee.
cum venit ad eum Nathan propheta, quando intravit ad Bethsabee.
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| Reproduced courtesy of The Digital Collection UANL. |
The title tells us on what occasion this Psalm was composed by David; the story is told at greater length in II Kings, Chapter 12. Here is a summary of the story. David caught sight from his palace of a most beautiful woman, named Bethsabee, bathing herself. Captivated by love, he proceeded to commit adultery with her. In order that this might be more easily concealed, he sent her husband Urias to a violent death; thus he joined the widow in marriage unto himself and had a son by her. Afterwards, having been warned, Nathan the prophet came to David and reproved him for the shameful act and the murder he had committed. David, returning to his senses, felt repentance and it was on this occasion that, with a grave heart, he composed this Psalm, in which he lamented his sin. The meaning of the title is therefore: a Psalm to be sung unto the end of the world, which David composed when the prophet Nathan came to rebuke him, when this same David went into Bethsabee, the wife of Urias and consummated adultery with her. To this title, a few things are to be noted about the persons who are named therein: that is, David, Nathan and Bethsabee.
Firstly, David’s sin can inspire a great fear in men who are righteous; for if so great a friend of God could fall so easily, who will not fear a fall?
Secondly, David’s repentance gives hope of salvation to all sinners; for his sin was in every way so grave and yet through true penitence he readily found forgiveness.
Thirdly, Nathan was indeed a prophet but inferior to David not only in the gift of prophecy but also in power, in wisdom and the other gifts of God; and yet it pleased God that he should reprove David and lead him unto repentance. By this example, great men are warned that they should not condemn the ministers of the word of God but should give ear to them, even if perchance they are wiser and greater than them.
Fourthly, from this should be understood how a woman’s beauty may be the cause of so many evils when conjoined with imprudence and indulgence. For if Bathsabee, a most beautiful woman, had not exposed her naked body in a place where it could be seen, or if David had not consented (to his temptation) so readily, certainly so great a man would not have fallen into so great crimes.
Fifthly, Nathan did not come to warn David immediately after his going into Bethsabee, as the title indicates, but much later; for David’s son by Bethsabee was (already) born when Nathan came. Therefore from what is written in the title is to be understood the occasion rather than the time, and the meaning is that the Psalm was written when Nathan came to David on the occasion of David’s going into another’s wife.
Totus tuus ego sum
Et omnia mea tua sunt;
Tecum semper tutus sum:
Ad Jesum per Mariam.
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