Bellarmine on Psalm 31: verses 1 & 2 - Part III

Today we continue St Robert Bellarmine's commentaries on Psalm 31, the second in the series of Penitential Psalms.

The Latin is reproduced courtesy of the Digital Collection site  - UANL and is accompanied 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.

Where footnotes are included, the text follows each verse.

Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.

Beati quorum remissae sunt iniquitates, et quorum tecta sunt peccata.

Blessed is the man to whom the Lord hath not imputed sin, and in whose spirit there is no guile.

Beatus vir cui non imputavit Dominus peccatum, nec est in spiritu ejus dolus.

Origen too in book iv of in Epist. ad Rom., and Theodoretus when writing on this text, say that by these words sin is totally eradicated, so that not a trace remains. For truly our adversaries go very far astray in regard to what pertains to the word “imputation.” For in the sacred Scriptures, sins are not to be imputed when no guilt is ascribed or no reasons are referred thereunto, which in vulgar Italian is expressed as: Do not take into account. In Wisdom, xii, we read: “ Who shall accuse thee, if the nations perish?[1] that is, who will call you to account if all men should perish? Or who would make you guilty of this crime? And in Ezechiel xxxiii, God says of the repentant sinner “ None of his sins, which he hath committed, shall be imputed to him:”[2] that is, He will not call him to account for them. In II Paralip. Xxx: “ The Lord who is good will shew mercy to all them, who with their whole heart, seek the Lord the God of their fathers: and will not impute it to them that they are not sanctified,”[3] that is, he will readily pardon them and will not in fact demand an account from them about that for which they might be least prepared. See Job, xlii: “ that folly be not imputed to you;”[4] and II Timoth. iv.: “ all forsook me: may it not be laid to their charge;”[5] and in Philemon: “ If he hath wronged thee in any thing, or is in thy debt, put that to my account.I will repay it:” [6] that is, write it over to my account, I wish to be your debtor. Now sin can be not imputed in two ways.

[1] For who shall say to thee: What hast thou done? or who shall withstand thy judgment? or who shall come before thee to be a revenger of wicked men? or who shall accuse thee, if the nations perish, which thou hast made? Quis enim dicet tibi : Quid fecisti? aut quis stabit contra judicium tuum? aut quis in conspectu tuo veniet vindex iniquorum hominum? aut quis tibi imputabit, si perierint nationes quas tu fecisti? [Sap. Xii. 12]

[2] None of his sins, which he hath committed, shall be imputed to him: he hath done judgment and justice, he shall surely live. Omnia peccata ejus, quae peccavit, non imputabuntur ei : judicium et justitiam fecit : vita vivet. [Ezech. Xxxiii. 16]

[3] For a great part of the people from Ephraim, and Manasses, and Issachar, and Zabulon, that had not been sanctified, ate the phase otherwise than it is written: and Ezechias prayed for them, saying: The Lord who is good will shew mercy; Magna etiam pars populi de Ephraim et Manasse, et Issachar, et Zabulon, quae sanctificata non fuerat, comedit Phase, non juxta quod scriptum est : et oravit pro eis Ezechias, dicens : Dominus bonus propitiabitur. To all them, who with their whole heart, seek the Lord the God of their fathers: and will not impute it to them that they are not sanctified. cunctis, qui in toto corde requirunt Dominum Deum patrum suorum : et non imputabit eis quod minus sanctificati sunt.[II Paralip. Xxx. 18]

[4] Take unto you therefore seven oxen, and seven rams, and go to my servant Job, and offer for yourselves a holocaust: and my servant Job shall pray for you: his face I will accept, that folly be not imputed to you: for you have not spoken right things before me, as my servant Job hath. Sumite ergo vobis septem tauros et septem arietes, et ite ad servum meum Job, et offerte holocaustum pro vobis : Job autem servus meum orabit pro vobis. Faciem ejus suscipiam, ut non vobis imputetur stultitia : neque enim locuti estis ad me recta, sicut servus meus Job. [Iob. Xlii. 8]

[5] At my first answer no man stood with me, but all forsook me: may it not be laid to their charge. In prima mea defensione nemo mihi affuit, sed omnes me dereliquerunt : non illis imputetur. [II Timoth. iv. 16]

[6] And if he hath wronged thee in any thing, or is in thy debt, put that to my account. si autem aliquid nocuit tibi, aut debet, hoc mihi imputa. ...I will repay it: … ego reddam.  [Phillem. 18,19]

Totus tuus ego sum

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:

Ad Jesum per Mariam.