Bellarmine on Psalm 50: Verses 9 and 10

1542-1641. Rijksmuseum, CC0, Wikimedia Commons

We continue with the commentary on Psalm 50 written by the great polymath, Scripture scholar and apologist, St Robert Bellarmine (1542-1641).

“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 but the verse numbering follows that of Bellarmine’s Latin text.

Verse 9

To my hearing thou shalt give joy and gladness: and the bones that have been humbled shall rejoice.

Auditui meo dabis gaudium et laetitiam, et exsultabunt ossa humiliata.

The effect and sign of perfect justification is when “the Spirit himself giveth testimony to our spirit, that we are the sons of God.”[1] The Prophet, having experienced this testimony in himself, asks for it again, saying: “To my hearing thou shalt give joy and gladness,” that is, when you have washed me completely you will add this gift, so that you may wonderfully fill me with an inner joy  in a sign that my sin has been forgiven. For joy will be a messenger of good news, whom I will perceive with a delighted ear in my heart. In the Hebrew text there is one word to represent what we have: “To my hearing thou shalt give,” and it means “thou shalt make me to hear.” And so the meaning is, Thou wilt make me to hear the internal voice of the Holy Spirit, who will pour over me joy and gladness. “And the bones that have been crushed shall rejoice.” From which we understand that spirit of fear to be from God, by which the heart is broken and humbled; and that it can dispose unto the spirit of love, by which the soul is justified. By “bones” should be understood the powers of the soul, not the the bones of the body; for a little later he says: “A contrite and humbled heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.”

[1] For the Spirit himself giveth testimony to our spirit, that we are the sons of God. Ipse enim Spiritus testimonium reddit spiritui nostro quod sumus filii Dei.[Rom. Viii. 16]

Verse 10

Turn away thy face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities.

Averte faciem tuam a peccatis meis, et omnes iniquitates meas dele.

What he predicted for the future he now requests for himself in the present: “Thou shalt sprinkle me with hyssop, and I shall be cleansed: thou shalt wash me, and I shall be made whiter than snow; to my hearing thou shalt give joy,” etc. He now asks for them at once. He seeks first for his sins to be forgiven, as he had said before: “Turn away,” he says, “thy face from my sins,” that is, do not consider my sins that you may punish them: just as another of the Saints said in Tob, iii: “ do not remember my offences.”[1] These expressions, however, are all figurative; for it is not possible that God, from Whom nothing is hidden, could turn away His face from sins or forget them; but someone is said to turn away his face, or to forget, when he does that which people do who do not think about and remember something; and those who do not think about or remember do not punish. But he adds: “And blot out all my iniquities,” so that God will not only not punish him in the present but never at all in the future; for he who turns away his face from something written can turn his gaze back again and consider what was written; but someone who blots out what was written can no longer read what was there. He does this against heretics who teach that sin may not be imputed in justification but remains, as if God might turn away His face from sins but might never blot them out totally.

[1] And now, O Lord, think of me, and take not revenge of my sins, neither remember my offences, nor those of my parents. Et nunc Domine, memor esto mei, et ne vindictam sumas de peccatis meis, neque reminiscaris delicta mea, vel parentum meorum. [Tob. iii.3]

Totus tuus ego sum

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:

Ad Jesum per Mariam.