Bellarmine on Psalm 101: Verses 5-6

We continue our series of posts featuring St Robert Bellarmine's commentary on Psalm 101, the fifth of the Seven 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 section.

Verses 5 & 6

I am smitten as grass, and my heart is withered: because I forgot to eat my bread.

Percussus sum ut foenum, et aruit cor meum, quia oblitus sum comedere panem meum.

Through the voice of my groaning, my bone hath cleaved to my flesh.

A voce gemitus mei adhaesit os meum carni meae.

He continues by lamenting his past state and says: “I am smitten as grass,” I am smitten by the sun of worldly prosperity, “as grass,” which dries up very easily, “and my heart is withered,” because of being preoccupied with the cares of this world. I have forgotten to eat my bread, the bread, namely, of heavenly truth, which our bread properly is, not shared with the beasts; for food of the body is not properly our food. This opinion is 

most true and should be carefully considered by those who enjoy prosperity; for unless those in prosperity abide under the shelter of God’s wings, or are bathed by a continual shower of divine grace, they cannot but be smitten as grass, and their heart, sickening at the bread from heaven, will wither away inside. “Take heed to yourselves, lest perhaps your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting and drunkenness, and the cares of this life,”[1] for such people forget to eat of the true bread and are dried up of all the grace of devotion.

He next explains the sorrow he has for his past life, and fruits worthy of penitence; for just as his flesh delighted in pleasures, his heart, neglecting to eat of the heavenly bread, withered away; now, on the contrary, “Through the voice of his groaning,” his flesh forgets to eat bread, and so his “bones have cleaved to flesh.” that is, to his skin; in this text, flesh is admitted for skin, as St Jerome notes. And thus are commended in this text weeping and fasting, which are fruits and signs of true penitence.

[1] And take heed to yourselves, lest perhaps your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting and drunkenness, and the cares of this life, and that day come upon you suddenly. Attendite autem vobis, ne forte graventur corda vestra in crapula, et ebrietate, et curis hujus vitae, et superveniat in vos repentina dies illa : [Luc. xxi. 34]

Totus tuus ego sum

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:

Ad Jesum per Mariam. 

Bellarmine on Psalm 101: Verse 4

We continue our series of posts featuring St Robert Bellarmine's commentary on Psalm 101, the fifth of the Seven 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 section.

Verse 4

For my days are vanished like smoke: and my bones are grown dry like fuel for the fire.

Quia defecerunt sicut fumus dies mei, et ossa mea sicut cremium aruerunt.

He gives a reason why he said, “Hear me speedily;” the reason is that human life moves very speedily towards its end; and so, if sin’s injury be not healed, the danger is that the wound may become incurable. “For my days are vanished like smoke,” that is, the time of my life that has elapsed up to now will fade away very speedily like smoke which, although it (firstly) grows larger, swelling in a great mass, yet suddenly disperses and vanishes into the air; and without any doubt, what is left will pass away: “ and my bones,” which are like supporting columns for the whole body, in a very short time “are grown dry” and through this they have been weakened and threaten imminent ruin. By cremium / fuel is meant wood or dry twigs that can easily be burned, as St. Jerome teaches in his Commentary on Chapter x of Osee; or, as others have it, wood half-burnt and almost burnt through; either way, it is weak and feeble, so that it may not for long bear any weight laid upon it. St. Augustine has: my bones are fried as in a pan, and this reading we find in the ancient Roman edition. St. Jerome translates the Hebrew as, my bones as though roasted, do waste away.

 The Hebrew word appears only in this text; and so anyone can interpret this according to his judgement. The Septuagint translates the Greek as are grown dry as if fuel for the fire, and as if fried in a pan. These words can also refer to lamenting the time wretchedly wasted in sin, so that the meaning might be, “My days,” in which I was wont to do my own will, and following whose judgement I wasted my time in carnal pleasures, without fear of God, they, I say, are “ days ... vanished like smoke,” which were fleeting and covered in darkness, and which left no trace behind. “And my bones,” that is, the foundations and supporting columns of my prosperity, “are grown dry like fuel for the fire.” So passes most quickly all human happiness and it leaves nothing behind, except for a vile stench like something burnt or roasted, which is to say ill fame and an accursed name.

Totus tuus ego sum

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:

Ad Jesum per Mariam. 

Bellarmine on Psalm 101: Title, theme and verses 1-3

Today, we begin a new series of posts featuring St Robert Bellarmine's commentary  on Psalm 101, the fifth of the Seven 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 section.

All the codices, the Hebrew, Greek and the Latin, have this title, from which may be understood the subject matter of the Psalm. For this Psalm is a certain formula of prayer which can be used by anyone poor or afflicted when he is feeling very anxious and wants to pour forth prayer from his heart to God. By the word pauperem / poor man, St Augustine and St Gregory understand in this context Christ, who speaks partly in His own person and partly in the person of His body, in such a way as when the head speaks for the whole body (and members). By pauperem / poor man, Theodoretus and Euthymus understand the people captive in Babylon, seeking deliverance from captivity. Others would have pauperem / poor man, which is in this title, refer to some holy man who was anxious for the deliverance of the people, such as was Daniel. And indeed, the words of the Psalm can be accommodated to those men; but it seems that the Prophet wanted to instruct all those who pray in a situation of affliction; for it does not say: “The prayer of any poor man when he might be anxious” but “The prayer of the poor man, when he was anxious.” And this seems to have been what St Jerome thought who wrote in his commentary that the Prophet spoke in the person of a sinner. For truly no one is poorer and more miserable than he who is lacking God’s grace. Whence the Church numbers this Psalm among the seven penitential Psalms. Here then will be the sense of the title:  A prayer of the poor man, when he was anxious; that is, this Psalm teaches the form of prayer which can be used by any poor man, but chiefly by him, who because of sins he has confessed, is a debtor owing ten thousand talents but, not having the wherewithal to repay them, he is made anxious by the pricking of his conscience, fearing God’s judgement, panting for reconciliation. “And poured out his supplication before the Lord,” that is, an anxious poor man should use this form of prayer not just at any time or before any judge; but when in the presence of the Lord God, the supreme judge and Father of all, from the bottom of a humble and contrite heart with much weeping,  he wishes to pour out his prayers (or, as the Hebrew has, his speech).

Verse 1

Hear, O Lord, my prayer: and let my cry come to thee.

Domine, exaudi orationem meam, et clamor meus ad te veniat.

It is a custom of the Church frequently to pronounce this verse as a preparation for other prayers. She has learned from the Prophet to ask for an audience from God before making particular requests, not because God is intent upon other things and needs to be roused to our request for an audience, but because we need God to give us the spirit of prayer, for “ The Spirit himself asketh for us with unspeakable groanings,” as Romans viii has it;[1] that is, He makes us call out and asks with unspeakable groanings. “Hear, O Lord,” he says, “my prayer;” that is, make me so to pray that I may be worthy of being heard. He repeats the same idea, indicating his desire: “and let my cry come to thee,” that is, make me so to pray that my prayer may be an intense cry from the heart, and so intense and on fire it may not falter on the way but, even though coming from the depths, it may rise unto Thee who art seated upon the most high throne. For many are those things which prevent prayer from penetrating through the clouds, such as lack of faith, trust, humility, desire and the like. And so he asks for the grace of praying well, in a way suitable to obtain what we ask for.

[1] Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmity. For we know not what we should pray for as we ought; but the Spirit himself asketh for us with unspeakable groanings. Similiter autem et Spiritus adjuvat infirmitatem nostram : nam quid oremus, sicut oportet, nescimus : sed ipse Spiritus postulat pro nobis gemitibus inenarrabilibus. [Rom. viii. 26]

Verses 2 & 3

Turn not away thy face from me: in the day when I am in trouble, incline thy ear to me. In what day soever I shall call upon thee, hear me speedily.

Non avertas faciem tuam a me; in quacumque die tribulor, inclina ad me aurem tuam; in quacumque die invocavero te, velociter exaudi me.

This is the first and principal prayer of the poor man who is oppressed or of the penitent sinner: “ No man can correct whom he [God] hath despised,” as it says in Eccli. Chapter vii.[1] And the first grace and very fount of graces is God’s consideration; and so he asks for this first of all

 things, for God to turn and look upon him, as though he might say: “Turn not away thy face from me,” however disfigured and repulsive I may be; and if Thy image[2] does not make Thee look upon me, since I have disfigured it, may Thy mercy do so, because the more repulsive I am, the more wretched and miserable I become; and unless Thou lookest upon me, I shall never be brought to look upon Thee, but each day I shall waste away in sins, and become more disfigured and repulsive. Now the one who says this has already made a start to being looked upon by God, but by a God who is still somewhat angry and hence turns His face away; but having experienced to a certain degree the grace of the (Divine) light and the gaze of God, he cries: “Turn not away thy face from me: cast me not away from thy face;” Complete what Thou hast begun, turning Thyself towards me, so that I may turn completely towards Thee. “In the day when I am in trouble, incline thy ear to me:” this is the other petition, which is a consequence of the first; for when God’s countenance is turned towards him, man begins to understand his shamefulness and destitution, and through this his true state of poverty. Then he begins to feel afflicted and troubled, and to call upon the supreme Physician, who is rich in mercy. For He knows that a contrite heart and an afflicted spirit will never be despised by God.[3]  And so he says, with confidence: “ in the day when I am in trouble, 

incline thy ear to me,” that is, whenever, through the influence of Thy grace, I feel my spirit afflicted and so cry out to Thee, I pray that thou may hear me kindly. And he adds, in explanation: “in the day when I am in trouble, incline thy ear to me,” that is, whenever I am afflicted and from my affliction I call upon Thee, Almighty Physician, hear me, and speedily too, lest if Thou dost delay Thou findest not Him whom Thou wouldst heal.  

[1] Consider the works of God, that no man can correct whom he hath despised. Considera opera Dei, quod nemo possit corrigere quem ille despexerit. [Eccli. vii. 14]
[2] And God created man to his own image: to the image of God he created him: male and female he created them. Et creavit Deus hominem ad imaginem suam : ad imaginem Dei creavit illum, masculum et feminam creavit eos. [Gen. I. 27]
[3] Vide Ps l. 19.

Totus tuus ego sum

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:

Ad Jesum per Mariam. 

Mirabile mysterium declaratur hodie

The adoration of the shepherds. J-J Tissot. 

Puer natus est nobis

A child is born to us [Isaias ix. 6]

Laudate Dominum, omnes Gentes: laudate eum omnes populi: Quoniam confirmata est super nos misericordia eius: et veritas Domini manet in aeternum.

O praise the Lord, all ye nations: praise him, all ye people. Quoniam confirmata est super nos misericordia ejus, et veritas Domini manet in aeternum. [Ps. cxvi]

Mirabile mysterium declaratur hodie,

innovantur naturae; 

Deus homo factus est;

id quod fuit, permansit,

et quod non erat, assumpsit,

non commixtionem passus neque divisionem.

 

A wondrous mystery is this day declared,

New natures are delivered;

God is made man;

That which He was, He remains,

and that which He was not, He takes on,

yet suffering neither confusion nor division.

[From the Antiphon sung before the Canticle of Zachary during Christmas Lauds in the Little Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary]

Totus tuus ego sum

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:

Ad Jesum per Mariam. 

Bellarmine on Psalm 37: How the Psalm may be applied to Christ

Today, we append St Robert Bellarmine's alternative reading of Psalm 37, where he notes briefly how the Psalm may be applied to Christ, most particularly in His Passion.

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 at the end of the post.

1. Rebuke me not, O Lord, in thy indignation; nor chastise me in thy wrath.

Christ speaks of His body, which is the Church, and demands freedom for her.

2. For thy arrows are fastened in me: and thy hand hath been strong upon me.

He says with justice that he seeks freedom for the Church since He received in Himself the arrows of God’s wrath which pertain to her. 

3. There is no health in my flesh, because of thy wrath: there is no peace for my bones, because of my sins.

He describes His Passion generally, because of which there was no health in Him from the sole of His foot to the top of His head. Although He says “because of my sins”, not any which He committed but those which He took on Himself to be punished Himself. 

4. For my iniquities are gone over my head: and as a heavy burden are become heavy upon me.

He says that there is no health in Him, from the sole of His foot to the top of His head, because the sins, which He took on Himself for expiation, are so numerous and so serious that His head is overwhelmed because of their number, and they were as lead because of their weight.

5. My sores are putrified and corrupted, because of my foolishness.

6. I am become miserable, and am bowed down even to the end: I walked sorrowful all the day long.

7. For my loins are filled with illusions; and there is no health in my flesh.

He says this of His own body, lamenting the corruption of the human race, just as when someone says: I hurt in my feet, my hands and my stomach; the head is what speaks but it does not speak of the pain which it suffers in itself, but of that which it has in its members and in its body.

8. I am afflicted and humbled exceedingly: I roared with the groaning of my heart.

Here He begins to recount in order His Passion. These words relate to the prayer in the Garden.

9. Lord, all my desire is before thee, and my groaning is not hidden from thee.

10. My heart is troubled, my strength hath left me, and the light of my eyes itself is not with me.

These words relate to this very prayer, in which He prays that the chalice should pass from Him,[1] and He began to be troubled, to tremble, to feel sick and sorrowful. And so that He might experience the bitterness of His imminent passion, He did not want the virtue and light of divine consolation to flow into His lower part, and so an angel from Heaven appeared, comforting Him.

11. My friends and my neighbours have drawn near, and stood against me. 

This was fulfilled in His friend, Judas, and the Jews, His neighbours, when they arrested Him.

12. And they that were near me stood afar off

This was fulfilled in the Apostles, who fled, and in Peter, who followed at a distance.

And they that sought my soul used violence. 

This is fulfilled in the Council of the priests, carefully seeking out false witnesses, so that they might be rid of Him.

13. And they that sought my soul used violence. And they that sought evils to me spoke vain things, and studied deceits all the day long.

This relates to the same Council.

14. But I, as a deaf man, heard not: and as a dumb man not opening his mouth.

15. And I became as a man that heareth not: and that hath no reproofs in his mouth.

 These words are fulfilled to the letter in Christ, who firstly before Caiphas, then before Pilate and Herod, put up no defence but as a lamb before his shearer He was dumb, as prophesied by Isaias.[2]

16. For in thee, O Lord, have I hoped: thou wilt hear me, O Lord my God.

This relates to the same silence; so He was silent before men but He did not stay silent before God, from whom He looked for the reward, the salvation of His people.

17. For I said: Lest at any time my enemies rejoice over me: and whilst my feet are moved, they speak great things against me.

Christ maintained His perfect patience, lest impatience might cause His enemies to rejoice who, while His feet were moved, that is, while His infirmity was shown forth to the world, spoke great things about Him, saying: “ If he were not a malefactor, we would not have delivered him up to thee;”[3] and “ We have found this man perverting our nation.”[4]

18. For I am ready for scourges: and my sorrow is continually before me.

We know this was fulfilled to the letter in the scourging, buffeting and crowing with thorns.

19. For I will declare my iniquity: and I will think for my sin.

He says He will declare His sin which, as has been said, He did not commit but took upon Himself for expiation; and He will think, that is, anxiously, on blotting out the punishment for it; which He did when “ his own self bore our sins in his body upon the tree.”[5]

20. But my enemies live, and are stronger than I: and they that hate me wrongfully are multiplied.

This s fulfilled when the princes and the priests, thinking they have already obtained victory, rejoice and insult the Crucified.

21. They that render evil for good, have detracted me, because I followed goodness.

When, for example, they said to the One hanginfg on the Cross, “ Vah, thou that destroyest the temple of God;”  and “come down from the cross.”[6]

22. Forsake me not, O Lord my God: do not thou depart from me.

These words, that we have discussed, were spoken by Christ on the Cross when He said: “ My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?”[7] As though he might say: If Thou hast forsaken me for now, as regards consolation, may Thou not forsake me as regards my Resurrection.

23. Attend unto my help, O Lord, the God of my salvation.

“ Thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; nor wilt thou give thy holy one to see corruption;”[8] but “ Attend unto my help, O Lord, showing me Thy ways, and filling me with joy with Thy countenance.[9]

[1] And going a little further, he fell upon his face, praying, and saying: My Father, if it be possible, let this chalice pass from me. Nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt. Et progressus pusillum, procidit in faciem suam, orans, et dicens : Pater mi, si possibile est, transeat a me calix iste : verumtamen non sicut ego volo, sed sicut tu. [Matt. xxvi. 39]

[2] He was offered because it was his own will, and he opened not his mouth: he shall be led as a sheep to the slaughter, and shall be dumb as a lamb before his shearer, and he shall not open his mouth.  Oblatus est quia ipse voluit, et non aperuit os suum; sicut ovis ad occisionem ducetur, et quasi agnus coram tondente se obmutescet, et non aperiet os suum. [Isai. Liii. 7]

[3] They answered, and said to him: If he were not a malefactor, we would not have delivered him up to thee. Responderunt, et dixerunt ei : Si non esset hic malefactor, non tibi tradidissemus eum. [Ioan. xviii. 30]

[4] And they began to accuse him, saying: We have found this man perverting our nation, and forbidding to give tribute to Caesar, and saying that he is Christ the king. Coeperunt autem illum accusare, dicentes : Hunc invenimus subvertentem gentem nostram, et prohibentem tributa dare Caesari, et dicentem se Christum regem esse. [Luc. xxiii. 2]

[5] Who his own self bore our sins in his body upon the tree: that we, being dead to sins, should live to justice: by whose stripes you were healed. qui peccata nostra ipse pertulit in corpore suo super lignum; ut peccatis mortui, justitiae vivamus : cujus livore sanatis estis. [I Pet. ii. 24]

[6] And saying: Vah, thou that destroyest the temple of God, and in three days dost rebuild it: save thy own self: if thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross. et dicentes : Vah qui destruis templum Dei, et in triduo illud reaedificas : salva temetipsum : si Filius Dei es, descende de cruce. [Matt. xxvii. 40]

[7] And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying: Eli, Eli, lamma sabacthani? that is, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Et circa horam nonam clamavit Jesus voce magna, dicens : Eli, Eli, lamma sabacthani? hoc est : Deus meus, Deus meus, ut quid dereliquisti me? [Matt. xxvii. 46]

[8] Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; nor wilt thou give thy holy one to see corruption. Quoniam non derelinques animam meam in inferno, nec dabis sanctum tuum videre corruptionem. [Ps. xv. 10]

[9] For thou shalt give him to be a blessing for ever and ever: thou shalt make him joyful in gladness with thy countenance. Quoniam dabis eum in benedictionem in saeculum saeculi; laetificabis eum in gaudio cum vultu tuo. [Ps. xx. 7]

Totus tuus ego sum

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:

Ad Jesum per Mariam. 

Bellarmine on Psalm 37: Verses 20-23

Today, we conclude St Robert Bellarmine's commentary on Psalm 37, the third in the series of seven 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.

Verse 20

But my enemies live, and are stronger than I: and they that hate me wrongfully are multiplied.

Inimici autem mei vivunt, et confirmati sunt super me : et multiplicati sunt qui oderunt me inique.

The prophet has explained the reasons why he remained deaf and mute before his enemies, so that he might through his patience he might be pleasing to God; he now contrasts his patience to the malice of his adversaries. When he did not return evil for evil, they on the contrary returned evil for good. And yet they lived their lives and exulted and

grew strong. These things are called to mind by David so that God may the more readily incline towards  mercy. “But my enemies live, and are stronger than I,” that is, I am indeed humiliated and afflicted but keep my patience as though I were deaf and mute; meanwhile, however, “ my enemies live,” that is, they are cheerful and exultant, “ and are stronger than I,” that is, they turn out to be more powerful and stronger, “ and they ... are multiplied,” that is, they have even increased in number, “ they that hate me wrongfully,” that is, they live and are strengthened, “and they that hate me  ... are multiplied,” with no just cause. In Hebrew, it says, who hate me falsely, that is, for a false and fabricated reason. These words seem to refer to the conspiracy of Absalom who, by his falsehood, persuaded the people that David had not appointed judges who would judge him justly. He, Absalom, would judge most justly if he were to be made king. From this it came to pass that the people rebelled and followed Absalom with all their hearts, as it says in II Kings. Chapter xv.

Verse 21

They that render evil for good, have detracted me, because I followed goodness.

Qui retribuunt mala pro bonis detrahebant mihi, quoniam sequebar bonitatem.

He proves what he said about his enemies hating him without just cause, saying: “They that render evil for good, have detracted me,” as though he might say: truly my enemies hate me unjustly; for they defame me, who return evil for good; which is what Absalom, his son, and Achitophel, his minister, did; for Absalom had received many good things from David, including, a little while previously, pardon for fratricide; and yet he denounced David his father as being neglectful and unjust, telling them who came for the king’s judgement: “ Thy words seem to me good and just. But there is no man appointed by the king to hear thee.”[1] Achitophel had accepted from David the great honour of being Prime Minister in the kingdom’ and yet, forgetful of this, he defected from David to Absalom and gave Absalom most iniquitous counsel against David. II Kings, xvi and xvii. Not only did they defame me, they who return evil for good, but also, and what is more serious, they “have detracted me, because I followed goodness,” that is, because I acted with a sincere heart and good will towards all, and in this way I am against their iniquitous desires and works.

[1] And Absalom answered him: Thy words seem to me good and just. But there is no man appointed by the king to hear thee. And Absalom said: Respondebatque ei Absalom : Videntur mihi sermones tui boni et justi. Sed non est qui te audiat constitutus a rege. Dicebatque Absalom : [II Reg. xv. 3]

Verse 22 & 23

Forsake me not, O Lord my God: do not thou depart from me.

Ne derelinquas me, Domine Deus meus; ne discesseris a me.

Attend unto my help, O Lord, the God of my salvation.

Intende in adjutorium meum, Domine, Deus salutis meae.

He concludes with those things which he has spoken and prays that God will be present with His protection. He almost repeats the same things which he said at the beginning of the Psalm: for God in His wrath and extreme fury punishes someone when He takes away His grace from him, and withdraws from him as from an enemy, and

leaves him in the midst of his foes, stripped of His assistance. 

Thus did he speak at the beginning of the Psalm: “Rebuke me not, O Lord, in thy indignation,” and now he says at the end: “Forsake me not, O Lord my God,” that is, let not Thy grace be taken from me, seeing that Thou art my Lord and didst create me, and my God, who didst make me for Thee for highest happiness. “ Do not thou depart from me,” as from an enemy, but rather, O Father, “Attend unto my help,” that is, lovingly incline unto my aid, Thou, “ O Lord, the God of my salvation,” that is, who art the author of my salvation, from whom alone do I look for salvation, and in whom alone do I place my trust. This, indeed, seems to me to be the literal sense of this Psalm. 

Since, however, the Holy Fathers Chrysostom, Augustine, Jerome and Gregory explain the Psalm, either in whole or in part, as being about Christ; it should be known that the entire Psalm can be explained in terms of David: firstly, as it treats properly of the person of David, but then David prefigures the person of Christ. For the Holy Spirit can mean several things at once in these words; evidently speaking of David’s tribulations and at the same time predicting the sufferings of Christ, who was to be David’s son, according to the flesh. Although we have explained the Psalm in terms of the person of David, let us set forth, albeit briefly, how the same Psalm may be applied to Christ. [To be concluded tomorrow, D.V.]

Totus tuus ego sum

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:

Ad Jesum per Mariam. 

Bellarmine on Psalm 37: Verses 12-19

We continue with St Robert Bellarmine's commentary on Psalm 37, the third in the series of seven 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.

Verse 12

And they that were near me stood afar off: And they that sought my soul used violence.

et qui juxta me erant, de longe steterunt, et vim faciebant qui quaerebant animam meam.

He said that friends and neighbours, such as Absalom and his allies, were turned enemies and they approached and stood against him so that they might do him harm. Now he says that others who were wont to be by his side, such as soldiers or servants, withdrew afar off and did not want to be present with him in his time of persecutions. Meanwhile, his enemies tried with great force to take his life, see I Kings ii: not only did David face them “that sought his soul,” that is, them that sought to kill him, such as Absalom’s soldiers, but he also faced them that would strip him of his honour and reputation, such as Semei, “who cursed him with a grievous curse,”[1] and others, who gave cunning counsel against him, such as Achitophel and others; and so he continues below.

[1] II Reg. ii. 8.

Verses 13-15

And they that sought my soul used violence. And they that sought evils to me spoke vain things, and studied deceits all the day long.

Et qui inquirebant mala mihi, locuti sunt vanitates, et dolos tota die meditabantur.

But I, as a deaf man, heard not: and as a dumb man not opening his mouth.

Ego autem, tamquam surdus, non audiebam; et sicut mutus non aperiens os suum.

And I became as a man that heareth not: and that hath no reproofs in his mouth.

Et factus sum sicut homo non audiens, et non habens in ore suo redargutiones.

All these things are so true and clear, and may be understood chiefly from (the account in) II Kings, chapter xvi, where Semei cursed David and called him a man of Belial and a usurper of the kingdom; David bore this with incredible patience and did not allow anyone to harm or even to reprove him; thus he was “as a deaf man that heareth not and as a dumb man that hath no reproofs in his mouth.” 

Verse 16

For in thee, O Lord, have I hoped: thou wilt hear me, O Lord my God.

Quoniam in te, Domine, speravi; tu exaudies me, Domine Deus meus.

He puts forward three reasons to explain why he remained deaf and mute: the first is that he judged it more useful to himself to hope in the Lord rather than in  his own defence. And so he says: I remained mute, “For in thee, O Lord, have I hoped;” I paid no attention to all the false and empty things they hurled against me, since I knew that all things were heard and understood by Thee, in Whom I have always trusted and Who art a just judge, rendering unto every man according to his works; and because “in thee … have I hoped: thou wilt hear me, O Lord my God,”  and Thou wilt deliver me from wicked lips, and a deceitful tongue.[1]

[1] O Lord, deliver my soul from wicked lips, and a deceitful tongue. Domine, libera animam meam a labiis iniquis et a lingua dolosa. [Ps cxix]

Verse 17

For I said: Lest at any time my enemies rejoice over me: and whilst my feet are moved, they speak great things against me.

Quia dixi : Nequando supergaudeant mihi inimici mei; et dum commoventur pedes mei, super me magna locuti sunt.

Here is another reason why he decided to remain deaf and mute: “For I said,” (regarding me):  “Lest at any time my enemies rejoice over me:” that is, it is good for me to have patience and to hope in the Lord’s assistance, lest I grow so impatient that I return curse for curse and lest God abandon me and my enemies rejoice over me; that is, lest they rejoice over my ruin. “And whilst my feet are moved, they speak great things against me,” that is, I fear not without cause lest my enemies rejoice in my downfall; for “whilst my feet are moved,” that is, while my feet begin to move, and I totter towards a fall (which happened when he was in danger of losing his kingdom), “My enemies speak great things against me,” threatening me and predicting my final downfall. It is to be noted on this text that the conjunction et / and is often put in place of quia / because, as in Isaias lxiii: “ For thou art our father, and Abraham hath not known us, and Israel hath been ignorant of us:”[1] that is, Thou alone, O Lord, art our father; for Abraham and Jacob, who seem to be our fathers, do not acknowledge us as their sons. Thus too in chapter lxiv, 5: “Thou art angry, and we have sinned.”[2] And so it may be said of this text: “and whilst my feet are moved,” where 

et/and is put in place of quia/because, so that the meaning 

is: lest at some time my enemies rejoice over me. “And whilst my feet are moved,” that is, because whilst my feet are moved, etc. dum comoventur/ whilst...are moved  is put instead of dum comoverentur/ whilst...were moved. In fact, in Hebrew and Greek they have an infinitive, in my feet being moved, which cam be trandlated as while...are moved and while...were moved, and hence while...were moved (subj.). Therefore it ought to be explained in accordance with the requirement of the following word to ensure coherence.

[1] For thou art our father, and Abraham hath not known us, and Israel hath been ignorant of us: thou, O Lord, art our father, our redeemer, from everlasting is thy name. Tu enim pater noster; et Abraham nescivit nos, et Israel ignoravit nos; tu, Domine, pater noster, redemptor noster, a saeculo nomen tuum. [Isai. Lxiii. 16]

[2] Thou hast met him that rejoiceth, and doth justice: in thy ways they shall remember thee: behold thou art angry, and we have sinned: in them we have been always, and we shall be saved. Occurristi laetanti, et facienti justitiam; in viis tuis recordabuntur tui. Ecce tu iratus es, et peccavimus; in ipsis fuimus semper, et salvabimur.[Isai. Lxiv. 5] 

Verse 18

For I am ready for scourges: and my sorrow is continually before me.

Quoniam ego in flagella paratus sum, et dolor meus in conspectu meo semper.

He adds a third reason why he wanted to remain deaf and mute before his enemies: “ For,” he says, I, On account of my sins, “am ready to be scourged,” not only with the scourges of words and reproaches but also with the scourges of whips and wounds. For the pain which I have deserved is continually before my mind’s eye; for my pain, that is, my sin, which is the cause of my continual pain, never recedes from the eyes of my heart. The Hebrew word here is translated by some as lameness; others think it ought to be read as leprosy; we have scourge, from the Greek; but there is no difficulty here; for the Hebrew word can commonly mean side or rib; but it can easily be translated as lameness because the lame, when they walk, lean to one side and do not walk upright. It may even be translated as wound or bruise, and in this way a (stroke of the) whip, because wounds are had from scourges. And so St Jerome translates  it as I am ready for wounds and the Septuagint translators have I am ready for scourges.

Verse 19

For I will declare my iniquity: and I will think for my sin.

Quoniam iniquitatem meam annuntiabo, et cogitabo pro peccato meo.

He provides a reason why he has said he is ready for the scourge: “For,” he says, “I will declare my iniquity,” that is, I acknowledge and confess that I have sinned, and have [incurred] the scourge; “and I will think for my sin,” by expiation, it seems. More significantly, St Jerome translates from the Hebrew as : And I will be solicitous for my sin, that is, I will think diligently and anxiously in what way I may be able to offer satisfaction to God and to obtain full pardon. This is a beneficial example for penitents, that they should be solicitous to offer expiation for sin and willing to accept opportunities granted by God for exercising patience.

Totus tuus ego sum

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:

Ad Jesum per Mariam.