Psalm 89, attributed to Ethan the Ezrahite, reflects on God's everlasting covenant with David amidst a backdrop of national despair, likely written during the turmoil of his lineage. The psalmist affirms God's faithfulness and celebrates His mercy while lamenting the current plight of Israel, reminding readers of God's promises to restore and bless His people. The work serves both as a prayer for divine aid and a message of hope that God's covenant with David will ultimately prevail despite present hardships.

1. PSALM 89 COMME TARY
EDITED BY GLE PEASE
A maskil[b] of Ethan the Ezrahite.
I TRODUCTIO
SPURGEO , "TITLE. —Maschil. This is most fitly called a Maschil, for it is most
instructive. o subject is more important or is so fully the key to all theology as that
of the covenant. He who is taught by the Holy Spirit to be clear upon the covenant of
grace will be a scribe well instructed in the things of the kingdom; he whose
doctrinal theory is a mingle mangle of works and grace is scarcely fit to be teacher
of babes. Of Ethan the Ezrahite: perhaps the same person as Jeduthun, who was a
musician in David's reign; was noted for his wisdom in Solomon's days, and
probably survived till the troubles of Rehoboam's period. If this be the man, he
must have written this Psalm in his old age, when troubles were coming thick and
heavy upon the dynasty of David and the land of Judah; this is not at all
improbable, and there is much in the Psalm which looks that way.
DIVISIO S. —The sacred poet commences by affirming his belief in the
faithfulness of the Lord to his covenant with the house of David, and makes his first
pause at Psalms 89:4. He then praises and magnifies the name of the Lord for his
power, justice, and mercy, Psalms 89:5-14. This leads him to sing of the happiness of
the people who have such a God to be their glory and defence, Psalms 89:15-18. He
rehearses the terms if the covenant at full length with evident delight, Psalms 89:19-
37, and then mournfully pours out his complaint and petition, Psalms 89:38-51,
closing the whole with a hearty benediction and a double Amen. May the Holy Spirit
greatly bless to us the reading of this most precious Psalm of instruction.
COKE, "Title. ‫משׂכיל‬ ‫לאיתן‬ ‫האזרחי‬ maskiil leeithan haezrachii.— The author of this
psalm lived either in the time of Jehoiachin or Zedekiah, whose misfortunes he
laments very pathetically. It appears, says Mudge, by the conclusion from Psalms
89:38, to be written in some great distress of one of the kings of the line of David; in
which the author reminds God of his gracious promises to David and his posterity.
It is conducted with great skill. The Jewish interpreters themselves apply several
passages of it to the Messiah.
ELLICOTT, "This long psalm comes evidently from a time of great national
depression and trouble. The idolatries that led to the Captivity, and the Captivity
itself, are already in the past, and the poet can think only of the splendid promises of
God to the race, and the paradox that while made by a God of truth and

2. faithfulness, they have yet been broken; for Israel lies prostrate, a prey to cruel and
rapacious foes, and the cry, “How long?” goes up in despair to heaven. The
“servant” and “anointed” (Psalms 89:38-39) need not necessarily be a prince of the
house of David—Rehoboam or Jehoiachim, or another; but the whole nation
individualised and presented in the person of one of the Davidic princes, as in that
of David himself (Psalms 132:17). The time of the persecution of Antiochus
Epiphanes suits best all the conditions presented by the psalm. The poetical form is
nearly regular, and the parallelism well marked.
Title.—For “Maschil” see title, Psalms 32.
Ethan the Ezrahite.—Probably to be identified with the man mentioned (1 Kings
4:31) as among the celebrated sages surpassed by Solomon, and called Ezrahites, as
being of the family of Zerah (1 Chronicles 2:6; see ote to title to last psalm).
Probably when the titles were prefixed this sage had become confused with Ethan
(or Jeduthun), the singer.
1 I will sing of the Lord’s great love forever;
with my mouth I will make your faithfulness
known
through all generations.
BAR ES, "I will sing of the mercies of the Lord for ever - Particularly how the
“mercy” was manifested in the promise made to David; the solemn covenant made with
him in respect to the perpetuity of his throne. The appointment of David to the throne
was an act of mere mercy or favor, since he was not in the royal line, and had no claim to
the crown. It will be seen, also, that if it be supposed that the covenant with David, and
the promise therein made to him, was intended to include the Messiah as descending
from him, there was a still higher reason for celebrating the “mercies” of God, inasmuch
as all mercy to our world comes through him.
With my mouth - Not merely in my heart, but with words. The meaning here is that
he would make a record which might be used evermore as the language of praise.
Will I make known thy faithfulness - In the fulfillment of these promises. He felt
assured that they would be fulfilled. Whatever appearances there might be to the
contrary, the psalmist had no doubt that God would prove himself to be faithful and
true. See the notes at Isa_55:3, on the expression, “the sure mercies of David.”
To all generations - Margin, as in Hebrew, generation and generation. He would

3. make a record which would carry down the remembrance of this faithfulness to all
future ages.
CLARKE, "I will sing of the mercies of the Lord - I will celebrate the mercy of
God to the house of Jacob; the mercy that has been shown to our fathers from time
immemorial.
To all generations - What I say concerning thy mercy and goodness, being inspired
by thy Spirit, is not only true, but shall be preserved by the Divine providence for ever.
GILL, "Psalms 89:1
I will sing of the mercies of the Lord for ever,.... Both temporal and spiritual,
especially the latter, in which there is a large display of the rich and abundant mercy of
God, from whence they are so called; as in the choice of men to everlasting life, who are
said to be vessels of mercy; in the covenant of grace made with them, the blessings of
which are the sure mercies of David; in the mission of Christ, whose coming, as the
dayspring from on high, is owing to the tender mercy of our God; in redemption by him,
in which mercy and truth have met together; in regeneration, which is according to
abundant mercy; in the forgiveness of sins, which is according to the multitude of his
tender mercies; and in the whole of salvation, which is not by works of righteousness,
but by the mercy of God through Christ: the word may be rendered "graces, kindnesses,
goodnesses" (l), and designs the abundance of grace; as in the heart of God, in the
covenant, in the hands of Christ, as displayed through him, and in the several parts of
salvation, and the whole of it: and these are a proper subject for a song; and a truly
gracious soul, sensible of these things, thankful for them, cheerful on account of them,
and seeing his interest in them, cannot but "sing" of them; and will determine to do it
"for ever", every day, and all the day long, as long as he lives, and while he has any being,
and which he will do to all eternity:
with my mouth will I make known thy faithfulness to all generations; God is
faithful to himself, to all the perfections of his nature, to his truth, holiness, and justice,
he cannot deny himself; he is so to his Son, and to all engagements with him, and
promises to him; to all his counsels, purposes, and decrees; all which are faithfulness
and truth, or faithfully and truly performed; and to his covenant and promises made to
his people in Christ, in whom they are all yea and amen: and that this glorious perfection
of God might be made known to the saints in all successive generations, and be taken
notice of by them, the psalmist spoke and sung this psalm with his mouth, and penned it
with his hand; in which there is more mention made of the faithfulness of God than
perhaps in any other passage of Scripture besides; see Psa_89:2.
HE RY 1-4, "The psalmist has a very sad complaint to make of the deplorable
condition of the family of David at this time, and yet he begins the psalm with songs of
praise; for we must, in every thing, in every state, give thanks; thus we must glorify the
Lord in the fire. We think, when we are in trouble, that we get ease by complaining; but
we do more - we get joy, by praising. Let our complaints therefore be turned into
thanksgivings; and in these verses we find that which will be matter of praise and
thanksgiving for us in the worst of times, whether upon a personal or a public account, 1.
However it be, the everlasting God is good and true, Psa_89:1. Though we may find it

4. hard to reconcile present dark providences with the goodness and truth of God, yet we
must abide by this principle, That God's mercies are inexhaustible and his truth is
inviolable; and these must be the matter of our joy and praise: “I will sing of the mercies
of the Lord for ever, sing a praising song to God's honour, a pleasant song for my own
solace, and Maschil, an instructive song, for the edification of others.” We may be for
ever singing God's mercies, and yet the subject will not be drawn dry. We must sing of
God's mercies as long as we live, train up others to sing of them when we are gone, and
hope to be singing them in heaven world without end; and this is singing of the mercies
of the Lord for ever. With my mouth, and with my pen (for by that also do we speak),
will I make known thy faithfulness to all generations, assuring posterity, from my own
observation and experience, that God is true to every word that he has spoken, that they
may learn to put their trust in God, Psa_78:6. 2. However it be, the everlasting covenant
is firm and sure, Psa_89:2-4. Here we have, (1.) The psalmist's faith and hope: “Things
now look black, and threaten the utter extirpation of the house of David; but I have said,
and I have warrant from the word of God to say it, that mercy shall be built up for ever.”
As the goodness of God's nature is to be the matter of our song (Psa_89:1), so much
more the mercy that is built for us in the covenant; it is still increasing, like a house in
the building up, and shall still continue our rest for ever, like a house built up. It shall be
built up for ever; for the everlasting habitations we hope for in the new Jerusalem are of
this building. If mercy shall be built for ever, then the tabernacle of David, which has
fallen down, shall be raised out of its ruins, and built up as in the days of old, Amo_9:11.
Therefore mercy shall be built up for ever, because thy faithfulness shalt thou establish
in the very heavens. Though our expectations are in some particular instances
disappointed, yet God's promises are not disannulled; they are established in the very
heavens (that is, in his eternal counsels); they are above the changes of this lower region
and out of the reach of the opposition of hell and earth. The stability of the material
heavens is an emblem of the truth of God's word; the heavens may be clouded by
vapours arising out of the earth, but they cannot be touched, they cannot be changed.
(2.) An abstract of the covenant upon which this faith and hope are built: I have said it,
says the psalmist, for God hath sworn it, that the heirs of promise might be entirely
satisfied of the immutability of his counsel. He brings in God speaking (Psa_89:3),
owning, to the comfort of his people, “I have made a covenant, and therefore will make
it good.” The covenant is made with David; the covenant of royalty is made with him, as
the father of his family, and with his seed through him and for his sake, representing the
covenant of grace made with Christ as head of the church and with all believers as his
spiritual seed. David is here called God's chosen and his servant; and, as God is not
changeable to recede from his own choice, so he is not unrighteous to cast off one that
served him. Two things encourage the psalmist to build his faith on this covenant: - [1.]
The ratification of it; it was confirmed with an oath: The Lord has sworn, and he will not
repent. [2.] The perpetuity of it; the blessings of the covenant were not only secured to
David himself, but were entailed on his family; it was promised that his family should
continue - Thy seed will I establish for ever, so that David shall not want a son to reign
(Jer_33:20, Jer_33:21); and that it should continue a royal family - I will build up thy
throne to all generations, to all the generations of time. This has its accomplishment
only in Christ, of the seed of David, who lives for ever, to whom God has given the throne
of his father David, and of the increase of whose government and peace there shall be no
end. Of this covenant the psalmist will return to speak more largely, Psa_89:19, etc.
JAMISO , "Psa_89:1-52. Of Ethan - (See on Psa_88:1, title). This Psalm was
composed during some season of great national distress, perhaps Absalom’s rebellion. It
contrasts the promised prosperity and perpetuity of David’s throne (with reference to

5. the great promise of 2Sa_7:12-17), with a time when God appeared to have forgotten His
covenant. The picture thus drawn may typify the promises and the adversities of Christ’s
kingdom, and the terms of confiding appeal to God provided appropriate prayers for the
divine aid and promised blessing.
mercies — those promised (Isa_55:3; Act_13:34), and -
faithfulness — that is, in fulfilling them.
CALVI , "1I will sing of the mercies of Jehovah for ever. It must be borne in mind,
as I have just now observed, that the Psalmist opens with the praises of God, and
with calling to mind the Divine covenant, to encourage the faithful to strengthen
their faith against the formidable assaults of temptation. If when we set about the
duty of prayer some despairing thought, at the very outset, presents itself to us, we
must forcibly and resolutely break through it, lest our hearts faint and utterly fail.
The design of the prophet, therefore, was to fortify the minds of the godly at the
very commencement, with stable and substantial supports, that, relying on the
Divine promise, which, to outward appearance, had almost fallen to the ground, and
repelling all the assaults of temptation with which their faith was severely shaken,
they might with confidence hope for the re-establishment of the kingdom, and
continue perseveringly to pray for this blessing. From the sad spectacle of begun
decay, (522) which Ethan beheld, listening to the dictates of carnal reason, he might
have thought that both himself and the rest of God’s believing people were deceived;
but he expresses his determination to celebrate the mercies of God which at that
time were hidden from his view. And as it was no easy matter for him to apprehend
and acknowledge the merciful character of God, of whose severity he had actual
experience, he uses the plural number, the Mercies of God, that by reflecting on the
abundance and variety of the blessings of Divine grace he might overcome this
temptation.
SPURGEO , "Ver. 1. I will sing of the mercies of the Lord for ever. A devout
resolve, and very commendable when a man is exercised with great trouble on
account of an apparent departure of the Lord from his covenant and promise.
Whatever we may observe abroad or experience in our own persons, we ought still
to praise God for his mercies, since they most certainly remain the same, whether we
can perceive them or not. Sense sings but now and then, but faith is an eternal
songster. Whether others sing or not, believers must never give over; in them should
be constancy of praise, since God's love to them cannot by any possibility have
changed, however providence may seem to frown. We are not only to believe the
Lord's goodness, but to rejoice in it evermore; it is the source of all our joy, and as it
cannot be dried up, so the stream ought never to fail to flow, or cease to flash in
sparkling crystal of song. We have not one, but many mercies to rejoice in, and
should therefore multiply the expressions of our thankfulness. It is Jehovah who
deigns to deal out to us our daily benefits, and he is the all sufficient and immutable
God; therefore our rejoicing in him must never suffer diminution. By no means let
his exchequer of glory be deprived of the continual revenue which we owe to it.
Even time itself must not bound our praises—they must leap into eternity; he
blesses us with eternal mercies—let us sing unto him forever.

6. With my mouth will I make known thy faithfulness to all generations. The
utterances of the present will instruct future generations. What Ethan sung is now a
text book for Christians, and will be so as long as this dispensation shall last. We
ought to have an eye to posterity in all that we write, for we are the schoolmasters of
succeeding ages. Ethan first spoke with his mouth that which he recorded with his
pen—a worthy example of using both means of communication; the mouth has a
warmer manner than the pen, but the pen's speech lives longest, and is heard
farther and wider. While reading this Psalm, such in the freshness of the style, that
one seems to hear it gushing from the poet's mouth; he makes the letters live and
talk, or, rather, sing to us. ote, that in this second sentence he speaks of
faithfulness, which is the mercy of God's mercies— the brightest jewel in the crown
of goodness. The grace of an unfaithful God would be a poor subject for music, but
unchangeable love and immutable promises demand everlasting songs. In times of
trouble it is the divine faithfulness which the soul hangs upon; this is the bower
anchor of the soul, its hold fast, and its stay. Because God is, and ever will be,
faithful, we have a theme for song which will not be out of date for future
generations; it will never be worn out, never be disproved, never be unnecessary,
never be an idle subject, valueless to mankind. It will also be always desirable to
make it known, for men are too apt to forget it, or to doubt it, when hard times press
upon them. We cannot too much multiply testimonies to the Lord's faithful mercyâ
€”if our own generation should not need them others will: sceptics are so ready to
repeat old doubts and invent new ones that believers should be equally prompt to
bring forth evidences both old and new. Whoever may neglect this duty, those who
are highly favoured, as Ethan was, should not be backward.
EXPLA ATORY OTES A D QUAI T SAYI GS.
Whole Psalm. The present Psalm makes a pair with the preceding one. It is a
spiritual Allegro to that Penseroso...That Psalm was a dirge of Passion Tide, this
Psalm is a carol of Christmas. —Christopher Wordsworth.
Whole Psalm. —There are many passages in this Psalm which do clearly evidence
that it is to be interpreted of Christ; yea, there are many things in this Psalm that
can never be clearly, pertinently, and appositely applied to any but Jesus Christ. For
a taste, see Psalms 89:19 "I have laid help upon one that is mighty", mighty to
pardon, reconcile, to justify, to save, to bring to glory; suitable to that of the Apostle,
Hebrews 7:25, "He is able to save to the uttermost" —that is, to all ends and
purposes, perfectly, completely, fully, continually, perpetually. Christ is a thorough
Saviour, a mighty Saviour: Isaiah 63:1, "Mighty to save." There needs none to come
after him to finish the work which he hath begun: Psalms 89:19, I have exalted one
chosen out of the people, which is the very title given to our Lord Jesus: Isaiah 62:1,
"Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect", or chosen one, "in whom my soul
delighteth": Psalms 89:20, I have fouled David my servant. Christ is very frequently
called by that name, as being most dearly beloved of God, and most highly esteemed
and valued by God, and as being typified by him both as king and prophet of his
church: Psalms 89:20, With my holy oil have I anointed him; suitable to that of
Christ; Lu 4:18, "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to
preach the gospel to the poor"; and therefore we need not doubt of the excellency,
authority, certainty, and sufficiency of the gospel: Psalms 89:27, I will make him my
firstborn, higher than the kings of the earth. Christ is the firstborn of every

7. creature, and in all things hath the preeminence: Psalms 89:29, His seed also will I
make to endure for ever, and his throne as the days of heaven. This is chiefly spoken
of Christ and his kingdom. The aspectable heaven is corruptible, but the kingdom of
heaven is eternal; and such shall be Christ's seed, throne and kingdom: Psalms
89:36, His seed shall endure for ever, and his throne as the sun before me. "Christ
shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall
prosper in his hand", Isaiah 53:10. And his throne as the sun before me; that is,
perpetual and glorious, as the Chaldee explains it, shall shine as the sun. Other
kingdoms and thrones have their times and their turns, their rise and their ruins,
but so hath not the kingdom and throne of Jesus Christ. Christ's dominion is "an
everlasting dominion", which shall not pass away; "and his kingdom that which
shall not be destroyed", Daniel 7:13-14. I might give further instances out of this
Psalm, but enough is as good as a feast. ew saith God, "I have made a covenant
with him; "so then there is a covenant that God the Father hath made with Christ
the Mediator; which covenant, the Father engages to the Son, shall stand fast, there
shall be no cancelling or disannulling of it. God the Father hath not only made a
covenant of grace with the saints in Christ, but he has also made a covenant of
redemption, as we call it for distinction sake, with Jesus Christ himself: "My
covenant shall stand fast with him; " that is, with Christ, as we have fully
demonstrated. —Thomas Brooks.
Ver. 1. This one short verse contains the summary, pith, and argument of the whole
long Psalm; wherein observe The Song's Ditty, the lovingkindness and truth of the
Lord, manifested unto the whole world generally, to David's house (that is, the
church) especially. The Singer's Duty, magnifying the mercies of God always, even
from one generation to another. And by all means; with his mouth, for that is
expressed in this verse; with his mind, for that is implied in the next—I have said,
etc., that is, believed in my heart, and therefore spake it with my tongue, Psalms
116:10. "For out of the heart's abundance the mouth speaketh", Matthew 12:34. —
John Boys.
Ver. 1. I will sing. It is to be observed that he does not say, I will speak of the
goodness of the Lord; but, I will sing. The celebration of the divine goodness has
joined with itself the joy and exultation of a pious mind, which cannot be poured
forth better than in song. That pleasantness and exuberance of a happy spirit, which
by singing is instilled into the ears of the listeners, has a certain wonderful power of
moving the affections; so that not in vain were pious minds taught by the Holy Spirit
to inculcate the wonderful work of God in songs composed for this purpose, to
commit them to memory and to appoint them to be sung. —Musculus.
Ver. 1. I will sing. The Psalmist has a very sad complaint to make of the deplorable
condition of the family of David at this time, and yet he begins the Psalm with songs
of praise; for we must in every thing, in every state, give thanks. We think when we
are in trouble we get ease by complaining: but we do more, we get joy, by praising.
Let our complaints therefore be turned into thanksgiving; and in these verses we
find that which will be in matter of praise and thanksgiving for us in the worst of
times, whether upon a personal or public account. —Matthew Henry.
Ver. 1. Sing of the mercies of the Lord for ever. S. Gregory the Great raises the
question here as to how a perpetual singing of the mercies of God is compatible with
unalloyed bliss in heaven, inasmuch as the thought of mercy connotes the memory of

8. sin and sorrow, which needed mercy, whereas Isaiah saith that "the former troubles
are forgotten", and "the former things shall not be remembered, nor come upon the
heart" (Isaiah 65:16-17). And he replies that it will be like the memory of past
sickness in time of health, without stain, without grief, and serving only to heighten
the felicity of the redeemed, by the contrast with the past, and to increase their love
and gratitude towards God. And so sings the Cluniac: (Bernard of Clairvaux.)
"Their breasts are filled with gladness,
Their mouths are tuned to praise,
What time, now safe for ever,
On former sins they gaze:
The fouler was the error,
The sadder was the fall,
The ampler are the praises
Of him who pardoned all."
ote, too, that he says, "with my mouth", not with that of any deputy; I will make
known, not secretly or timidly, not in a whisper, but boldly preach, Thy faithfulness,
or truth, not my own opinion, far less my own falsehood, but Thy Truth, which is,
Thine Only begotten Son. —Gregory, Bernard, Hugo, and Augustine: quoted by
eale and Littledale.
Ver. 1. Mercies. The word may be rendered graces, kindnesses, goodnesses, and
designs the abundance of grace. —John Gill.
Ver. 1. The mercies. His manifold and sundry mercies: as if he should say, we have
tasted of more than one, yea, we have felt all his mercies; I will therefore praise the
same for ever. I will sing his mercy for creating this universe, which is macrocosmos,
a great world; and for making man, which is microcosmos, a little world.
1. My song shall set forth his kindness, for that he gave me being.
2. For adding to my being, life, which he denieth unto stones.
3. To life, sense, which he denieth unto plants.
4. To sense, speech and understanding, which he denieth unto brute beasts...
I am exceeding much bound unto God for creating me when I was not; and for
preserving me under his wings ever since I was: yet I am more bound to his mercy
for redeeming me, for blessing me with all spiritual blessings in heavenly things in
Christ his Son (Eph 1:1-23 3:1-21), for his electing of me, for his calling of me, for
his justifying of me, for his sanctifying of me. These graces are the riches of his
goodness and glory, misericordioe in oeternum, everlasting mercies, as reaching
from everlasting predestination to everlasting glorification. O Lord, I will always
sing thy mercies in promising, and ever shew thy truth in performing thy promise
made to David, thy chosen servant, concerning thy Son, my Saviour, saying, "Thy
seed will I establish for ever." So the fathers expound our text: I will ever sing thy
mercies, in vouchsafing to send thy Son to visit thy servants, sick to death in sin.
First, I will ever sing of thy mercifulness, and then will ever be shewing thy
faithfulness. eque enim exhiberetur veritas in impletione promissorum nisi
proecederet misericordia in remissione peccatorum. (For truth, in the fulfilment of
the promises, would not be shown forth; unless mercy, in the forgiveness of sins,
should precede it.) And what is God's mercy set up for ever, and his truth
established in the heavens, but that which Isaiah terms, "the sure mercies of
David": that is, as Paul construes Isaiah, the holy promise made to David and the

9. promise made to David, is briefly this, "Thy seed will I establish for ever, and set up
thy throne from generation to generation." —John Boys.
Ver. 1. For ever. I know some join in oeternum to the noun misercordias, and not to
the verb cantabo, making the sense to be this: I will always sing thy mercies which
endure for ever. But always is referred as well, if not better, unto the verb, I will
sing: as who would say, Lord, thy mercies are so manifest, and so manifold, so great
in their number, and so good in their nature, that I will alway, so long as I have any
being, sing praises unto thee Haply some will object, "All flesh is grass, and the
goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field: the grass withereth, the flower
fadeth", (Isaiah 40:6-7). David being persecuted by Saul, said, "There is but a step
between me and death", (1 Samuel 20:3). ay, David, thy life is shorter than a
stride, but "a span long", as thyself witnesseth, Psalms 39:5. How can he then that
begs his bread but for a day promise to spend his breath in magnifying the Lord for
ever? Answer is made, that the prophet will not only commend the mercies of the
Lord in word, but also commit them unto writing. Ut sciat hoec oetas, posteritasque
legat (Eobanus Hessus.) (that this age may know, and that posterity may read.) As
the tongue of the prophet is termed elsewhere "the pen of a writer"; so the writing
of the Prophet is here termed his mouth, as Euthymeus upon the place (Acts 4:25),
Liber Psalmorum os David (The Book of Psalms is the mouth of David). He doth
intend to note the mercies of God, and to set forth his truth in a book, the which he
will leave behind him (as an instrument) to convey the same from generation to
generations, from the generation of Jews to the generation of Christians. Or from
the Old Testament to the ew: for the blessed Apostles in their sermons usually cite
sentences out of the Psalms. S. Peter telleth us that the gospel was preached unto the
dead (1 Peter 4:6); so may we say, that the gospel is preached by the dead. For the
most ancient fathers, and other judicious authors, who have spent their days in
writing learned expositions and godly meditations upon the Holy Scriptures,
although they be dead, yet they "sing all the mercies of the Lord, and shew the truth
of his word from one generation to another." It is reported in our chronicles of
Athelstan, parum oetati vixit, multum glorioe (he lived but little of time, but much of
glory). So many zealous and industrious doctors have lived (in respect of their age)
but a little, yet in respect of their acts, a great while, shining still in their works and
writings, as lights of the world.
Or the prophet may be said to sing ever intentionally, though not actually. For as
the wicked, if he could live alway, would sin alway, so the good man (if God should
suffer him alway to breathe on earth) would sing alway the mercies of the Lord. —
John Boys.
Ver. 1. With my mouth. The author has heard continual praises from a tongue half
eaten away with cancer. What use, beloved reader, are you making of your tongue?
—Philip Bennett Power.
BE SO , "Psalms 89:1-2. I will sing of the mercies of the Lord — He speaks this by
way of preface, lest the following complaints of present miseries should argue
ingratitude for former mercies. I will make known thy faithfulness — Assuring
posterity, from my own observation and experience, that thou art true to every word
that thou hast spoken, and that whatsoever hath befallen us, it proceeded not from
thy unfaithfulness. For I have said — That is, within myself. I have been assured in

10. my own mind; Mercy shall be built up for ever — As thou hast laid a sure
foundation of mercy to David’s family, by that everlasting covenant which thou hast
made with it; so I concluded that thou wouldest carry on the same project of mercy
toward it; that thou wouldest build it up, and not destroy it. Thy faithfulness shalt
thou establish in the very heavens — That is, in thy eternal counsels, which are
above the changes of this lower region, and out of the reach of the opposition of
earth and hell. Or, as the Hebrew may be rendered, with the very heavens; that is,
as firmly and durably as the heavens themselves, as with the sun, in the Hebrew
text, Psalms 72:5, is by most interpreters rendered, As long as the sun endureth, as it
is in our translation. And so this phrase, in this last branch of the verse, answers to
for ever in the former.
COFFMA , "Verse 1
PSALM 89
THE E D OF THE DAVIDIC DY ASTY WAS OT U DERSTOOD BY
ISRAEL
The occasion for this psalm was the conquest of Jerusalem, the capture of king
Jehoiachin, his deportation to Babylon along with Daniel and many other able
Hebrews, and the enthronement of the puppet king Zedekiah, a vassal of
ebuchadnezzar. A number of able scholars agree on this.
The statement in Psalms 89:45 that God had shortened the days of the youth of the
king and covered him with shame may refer to Jehoiachin who was only 18 years
old when carried away captive,[1] - The whole tone of the psalm suggests that it was
written when the kingdom was toppling to ruin, or perhaps even after its fall.[2] -
The days of ... Zedekiah, just before the fall of Jerusalem seem to fit the situation.[3]
- The humiliation Of a king was probably that of Jehoiachin.[4] - The occasion is the
defeat and deposition of a Judean king ... many think Jehoiachin, probably in the
early sixth century B.C.[5]
The psalm starts off like a song of praise to God (Psalms 89:1-18), after which there
follows a rehearsal of God's marvelous promises to David regarding the kingdom to
be established "forever" (Psalms 89:19-37); but quite abruptly in Psalms 89:38 the
psalm changes into a lament, in terminology that borders on the nature of a
reproach against God and a charge that he has failed to keep his promises to Israel.
That attitude of vigorous complaint prevails throughout Psalms 89:38-45. Then
there comes an urgent plea for God to intervene and restore to Israel the glories to
which they believed themselves entitled by the ancient promises of God.
Psalms 89:52 is no part of this psalm but forms the doxology concluding Book III of
the Psalter.
By far, the most important verse in the whole psalm is Psalms 89:37 which indicates
that the everlasting "throne of David" is not an earthly throne at all. The promises
to the Davidic dynasty upon which Israel had so enthusiastically rested their
expectations were never to be fulfilled in the literal earthly dynasty of David, the

11. whole institution of the Davidic kingdom being merely typical in a very feeble way
of the glorious kingdom of the Messiah, even Jesus Christ, who today is sitting upon
the "spiritual throne of David" in heaven itself. See full discussion of all this under
Psalms 89:37.
Psalms 89:1-4
I TRODUCTIO
"I will sing of the lovingkindness of Jehovah forever:
With my mouth will I make known thy faithfulness to all generations.
For I have said, Mercy shall be built up forever;
Thy faithfulness wilt thou establish in the very heavens.
I have made a covenant with my chosen,
I have sworn unto David my servant:
Thy seed will I establish forever,
And build up thy throne to all generations."
The first two verses here are the pledge of the psalmist to sing the praises of God
forever; and Psalms 89:2-4 are a summary of 2 Samuel 7, the key passage of the
Scriptures in which God through the prophet athan made the glorying promises
presented here. The entire psalm is related to God's promise of an everlasting
kingdom, through the posterity of David.
Apparently, the thought never entered either the mind of David himself, or that of
any other Israelite, that the kingdom God promised was not a kingdom of this
world, but a SPIRITUAL kingdom. The entire conception of an earthly kingdom of
Israel was sinful in its inception, absolutely contrary to God's will, and constituting,
through Israel's demand that they should have such a kingdom, Israel's rejection of
God Himself (1 Samuel 8:7).
In this light it appears to us as wholly the fault of Israel that they should have
believed that "the everlasting kingdom" which God promised them would be any
kind of a literal earthly monarchy. God told them at the very beginning of that
earthly kingdom they so much desired just exactly what such a kingdom would be
like. See 1 Samuel 8:10-18.
The tragic blindness of the chosen people to this one great epic truth is one of the
most incredible mistakes any people ever made. Their refusal to believe God's Word
about this was the root cause of their rejection of the true Messiah when he finally

12. appeared.
CO STABLE, "Verses 1-4
1. God"s character and covenant with David89:1-4
Ethan announced two major themes of this psalm in Psalm 89:1-2. These are the
loyal love (Heb. hesed) and faithfulness of Yahweh. References to God"s loyal love
occur in Psalm 89:1-2; Psalm 89:14; Psalm 89:24; Psalm 89:28; Psalm 89:33; Psalm
89:49. He referred to God"s faithfulness in Psalm 89:1-2; Psalm 89:5; Psalm 89:8;
Psalm 89:24; Psalm 89:33; Psalm 89:49. He proceeded to appeal to God to honor His
promises to David on the basis of these qualities.
The psalmist restated the Davidic Covenant promises in Psalm 89:3-4. Interestingly
the word "covenant" does not occur in either2Samuel7 or1Chronicles17 , the two
places in the Old Testament where God recorded the giving of that covenant. Three
key terms used in these two verses also recur throughout this psalm. These are
"covenant" ( Psalm 89:3; Psalm 89:28; Psalm 89:34; Psalm 89:39), "David My
servant" ( Psalm 89:3; Psalm 89:20; Psalm 89:50 where it is just "My servant"), and
"throne" ( Psalm 89:4; Psalm 89:14; Psalm 89:29; Psalm 89:36; Psalm 89:44).
Obviously the Davidic Covenant was central in the writer"s thinking in this psalm.
"The background for the Davidic Covenant and the sonship imagery associated
with it is the ancient ear Eastern covenant of grant, whereby a king would reward
a faithful servant by elevating him to the position of "sonship" and granting him
special gifts, usually related to land and dynasty. Unlike the conditional suzerain-
vassal treaty, after which the Mosaic Covenant was patterned, the covenant of grant
was an unconditional, promissory grant which could not be taken away from the
recipient. [ ote: Footnote18: "See [Moshe] Weinfeld, "The Covenant of Grant in
the Old Testament and in the Ancient ear East," [Journal of the American
Oriental Society90 (1970):] pp184-203 , for a thorough study of this type of covenant
and its biblical parallels, including the Davidic Covenant. ..."] Consequently God"s
covenantal promises to David were guaranteed by an irrevocable divine oath (
Psalm 89:3; Psalm 89:28-37; Psalm 132:11)." [ ote: Chisholm, "A Theology . . .,"
p267.]
EBC, "THE foundation of this psalm is the promise in 2 Samuel 7:1-29 which
guaranteed the perpetuity of the Davidic kingdom. Many of the characteristic
phrases of the prophecy recur here-e.g., the promises that the children of
wickedness shall not afflict, and that the transgressions of David’s descendants
should be followed by chastisement only, not by rejection. The contents of athan’s
oracle are first given in brief in Psalms 89:3-4 -" like a text," as Hupfeld says-and
again in detail and with poetic embellishments in Psalms 89:19-37. But these
glorious promises are set in sharpest contrast with a doleful present, which seems to
contradict them. They not only embitter it, but they bewilder faith, and the
psalmist’s lament is made almost a reproach of God, whose faithfulness seems
imperilled by the disasters which had fallen on the monarchy and on Israel. The

13. complaint and petitions of the latter part are the true burden of the psalm, to which
the celebration of Divine attributes in Psalms 89:1-18, and the expansion of the
fundamental promise in Psalms 89:19-37, are meant to lead up. The attributes
specified are those of Faithfulness (Psalms 89:1, Psalms 89:2, Psalms 89:5, Psalms
89:8, Psalms 89:14) and of Power, which render the fulfilment of God’s promises
certain. By such contemplations the psalmist would fortify himself against the
whispers of doubt, which were beginning to make themselves heard in his mind, and
would find in the character of God both assurance that His promise shall not fail,
and a powerful plea for his prayer that it may not fail.
The whole tone of the psalm suggests that it was written when the kingdom was
toppling to ruin, or perhaps even after its fall. Delitzsch improbably supposes that
the young king, whom loss and shame make an old man (Psalms 89:45), is
Rehoboam, and that the disasters which gave occasion to the psalm were those
inflicted by the Egyptian king Shishak. Others see in that youthful prince
Jehoiachin, who reigned for three months, and was then deposed by
ebuchadnezzar, and whom Jeremiah has bewailed. [Jeremiah 22:24-29] But all
such conjectures are precarious.
The structure of the psalm can scarcely be called strophical. There are three well-
marked turns in the flow of thought, -first, the hymn to the Divine attributes
(Psalms 89:1-18); second, the expansion of the promise, which is the basis of the
monarchy (Psalms 89:19-37); and, finally, the lament and prayer, in view of present
afflictions, that God would be true to His attributes and promises (Psalms 89:38-51).
For the most part the verses are grouped in pairs, which are occasionally lengthened
into triplets.
The psalmist begins with announcing the theme of his song-the Lovingkindness and
Faithfulness of God. Surrounded by disasters, which seem in violent contradiction
to God’s promise to David, he falls back on thoughts of the Mercy which gave it and
the Faithfulness which will surely accomplish it. The resolve to celebrate these in
such circumstances argues a faith victorious over doubts, and putting forth
energetic efforts to maintain itself. This bird can sing in midwinter. True, the song
has other notes than joyous ones, but they, too, extol God’s Lovingkindness and
Faithfulness, even while they seem to question them. Self-command, which insists on
a man’s averting his thoughts from a gloomy outward present to gaze on God’s
loving purpose and unalterable veracity, is no small part of practical religion. The
psalmist will sing, because he said that these two attributes were ever in operation,
and lasting as the heavens. "Lovingkindness shall be built up forever," its various
manifestations being conceived as each being a stone in the stately building which is
in continual course of progress through all ages, and can never be completed, since
fresh stones will continually be laid as long as God lives and pours forth His
blessings. Much less can it ever fall into ruin, as impatient sense would persuade the
psalmist that it is doing in his day. The parallel declaration as to God’s Faithfulness
takes the heavens as the type of duration and immobility, and conceives that
attribute to be eternal and fixed, as they are. These convictions could not burn in the
psalmist’s heart without forcing him to speak. Lover, poet, and devout man, in their

14. several ways, feel the same necessity of utterance. ot every Christian can "sing,"
but all can and should speak. They will, if their faith is strong.
PULPIT, "At first sight, a psalm of praise; but, in reality, one of expostulation and
complaint. The praises of God are sung in the opening section (Psalms 89:1-37); they
culminated in the Davidical covenant. But this covenant has been "made void,"
annulled. The existing state of things is directly contrary to all its promises (Psalms
89:38-45). How long is this to continue? Does not God's faithfulness require the
deliverance of Israel and of the Davidical house from their calamities, and their
speedy restoration to his favour (Psalms 89:46-51)?
Psalms 89:52 is no part of the psalm, but the doxology which concludes the Book.
Psalms 89:1-4
are introductory to the first section (Psalms 89:1-37). They strike the keynote, which
is, first, praise of God's faithfulness generally (Psalms 89:1, Psalms 89:2), and
secondly, praise of him in respect of the Davidical covenant (Psalms 89:3, Psalms
89:4).
Psalms 89:1
I will sing of the mercies of the Lord forever. "Forever" is the emphatic phrase. The
psalmist will commemorate God's mercies, not only when they are continuing, but
always. With my mouth will I make known thy faithfulness to all generations;
literally, to generation and generation.
K&D 1-4, "The poet, who, as one soon observes, is a ‫חכם‬ (for the very beginning of
the Psalm is remarkable and ingenious), begins with the confession of the inviolability of
the mercies promised to the house of David, i.e., of the ‫ים‬ִ‫נ‬ ָ‫מ‬ ֱ‫ֽא‬ֶ ַ‫ה‬ ‫ד‬ִ‫ו‬ ָ‫ד‬ ‫י‬ ֵ‫ד‬ ְ‫ס‬ ַ‫,ה‬ Isa_55:3.
(Note: The Vulgate renders: Misericordias Domini in aeternum cantabo. The
second Sunday after Easter takes its name from this rendering.)
God's faithful love towards the house of David, a love faithful to His promises, will he
sing without ceasing, and make it known with his mouth, i.e., audibly and publicly (cf.
Job_19:16), to the distant posterity. Instead of ‫י‬ ֵ‫ד‬ ְ‫ס‬ ַ‫,ח‬ we find here, and also in Lam_3:22,
‫י‬ ֵ‫ד‬ ְ‫ס‬ ַ‫ח‬ with a not merely slightly closed syllable. The Lamed of ‫ּר‬‫ד‬ָ‫ו‬ ‫ּר‬‫ד‬ ְ‫ל‬ is, according to Psa_
103:7; Psa_145:12, the datival Lamed. With ‫י‬ ִ ְ‫ר‬ ַ‫מ‬ፎ‫י־‬ ִⅴ (lxx, Jerome, contrary to Psa_89:3,
ᆋτι εᅼπας) the poet bases his resolve upon his conviction. ‫ה‬ֶ‫נ‬ ְ‫ב‬ִ‫נ‬ means not so much to be
upheld in building, as to be in the course of continuous building (e.g., Job_22:23; Mal_
3:15, of an increasingly prosperous condition). Loving-kindness is for ever (accusative of
duration) in the course of continuous building, viz., upon the unshakeable foundation of
the promise of grace, inasmuch as it is fulfilled in accordance therewith. It is a building
with a most solid foundation, which will not only not fall into ruins, but, adding one
stone of fulfilment upon another, will rise ever higher and higher. ‫ם‬ִ‫י‬ ַ‫מ‬ ָ‫שׁ‬ then stands first

15. as casus absol., and ‫ם‬ ֶ‫ה‬ ָ is, as in Psa_19:5, a pronoun having a backward reference to it.
In the heavens, which are exalted above the rise and fall of things here below, God
establishes His faithfulness, so that it stands fast as the sun above the earth, although
the condition of things here below seems sometimes to contradict it (cf. Psa_119:89).
Now follow in Psa_89:4-5 the direct words of God, the sum of the promises given to
David and to his seed in 2 Sam. 7, at which the poet arrives more naturally in Psa_89:20.
Here they are strikingly devoid of connection. It is the special substance of the promises
that is associated in thought with the “loving-kindness” and “truth” of Psa_89:3, which
is expanded as it were appositionally therein. Hence also ‫ין‬ ִ‫כ‬ፎ and ‫ין‬ ִ‫כ‬ ָ , ‫י‬ ִ‫ית‬ִ‫נ‬ ָ‫וּב‬ and ‫ה‬ֶ‫נ‬ ָ ִ‫י‬
correspond to one another. David's seed, by virtue of divine faithfulness, has an eternally
sure existence; Jahve builds up David's throne “into generation and generation,”
inasmuch as He causes it to rise ever fresh and vigorous, never as that which is growing
old and feeble.
BI 1-52, "I will sing of the mercies of the Lord for ever.
A majestic song
This psalm is one of the very choicest songs in the night. Midst a stream of troubled
thoughts there stands a fair island of rescue and redemption, which supplies standing-
room for wonder and worship; while the music of the words, like the murmuring of a
river, sounds sweetly in our ears. The writer was bearing bitter reproach, and was almost
broken-hearted by the grievous calamities of his nation. Yet his faith was strong in the
faithfulness of God, and so he sang of the stability of the Divine covenant when the
outlook of circumstances was dark and cheerless. Nor did he ever sing more sweetly than
he sang in that night of his sorrow.
I. The eternal builder, and His wonderful work (Psa_89:2). I can see a vast mass of
ruins. Heaps upon heaps they lie around me. A stately edifice has tottered to the ground.
Some terrible disaster has occurred. There it lies—cornice, pillar, pinnacle, everything of
ornament and of utility, broken, scattered, dislocated. The world is strewn with the
debris. Journey where you will the desolation is before your eyes. Who has done this?
Who has cast down this temple? What hand has ruined this magnificent structure?
Manhood, manhood it is which has been destroyed, and sin was the agent that effected
the fall. Alas for manhood that it should be thus fallen and destroyed! But what else do I
see? I behold the great original Builder coming forth from the ivory palaces to undo this
mischief; and He cometh not with implements of destruction, that He may cast down
and destroy every vestige, but I see Him advancing with plummet and line, that He may
rear, set up, and establish on a sure foundation a noble pile that shall not crumble with
time, but endure throughout all ages. He cometh forth with mercy. So “I said” as I saw
the vision, “Mercy shall be built up for ever.” The psalmist has the idea of God’s mercy
being manifest in building, because a great breach has to be repaired, and the ruins of
mankind are to be restored. As for building, it is a very substantial operation. A building
is something which is palpable and tangible to our senses. We may have plans and
schemes which are only visionary, but when it comes to building there is something real
being done, something more than surveying the ground and drawing the model. And oh,
what real work God has done for men! What real work in the gift of His dear Son! The
product of His infinite purpose now becomes evident. He is working out His great
designs after the counsel of His own will. A building is an orderly thing as well as a fixed
thing. There is a scheme and design about it. Mercy shall be built. I see that it shall. This
is no load of bricks shot out. It is polished stones builded one upon another. God’s grace

16. and goodness toward me have not come to me by chance, or as the blind distribution of a
God who cared for all alike, and for none with any special purpose. No, but there has
been as much a specialty of purpose to me as if I were the only one He loved, though,
praised be His name, He has blessed and is blessing multitudes of others beside me.
Now, think upon these words—“built up.” It is not merely a long, low wall of mercy that
is formed, to make an inclosure or to define a boundary, but it is a magnificent pile of
mercy, whose lofty heights shall draw admiring gaze, that is being built up. God puts
mercy on the top of mercy, and He gives us one favour that we may be ready to receive
another. Once again would I read this verse with very great emphasis, and ask you to
notice how it rebukes the proud and the haughty, and how it encourages the meek and
lowly in spirit. “I have said mercy shall be built up for ever.” In the edification of the
saints there is nothing else but mercy. I wish I had an imagination bold and clear,
uncramped by all ideas of the masonry of men, free to expand, and still to cry,
“Excelsior.” Palaces, methinks, are paltry, and castles and cathedrals are only grand in
comparison with the little cots that nestle on the plain. Even mountains, high as the
Himalaya range or broad as the Andes, though their peaks be so lofty to our reckoning,
are mere specks on the surface of the great globe itself, and our earth is small among the
celestial orbs, a little sister of the larger planets. Figures fail me quite: my description
must take another turn. I try, and try again, to realize the gradual rising of this temple of
mercy which shall be built up for ever. Within the bounds of my feeble vision I can
discern that it has risen above death, above sin, above fear, above all danger; it has risen
above the terrors of the judgment day; it has outsoared the “wreck of matter and the
crash of worlds”; it towers above all our thoughts. Our bliss ascends above an angel’s
enjoyments, and he has pleasures that were never checked by a pang; but he does not
know the ineffable delight of free grace and dying love. The building-up will go on
throughout eternity.
II. An everlasting singer (Psa_89:1). Here is a good and godly resolution: “I will sing.”
The singing of the heart is intended, and the singing of the voice is expressed, for he
mentions his mouth; and equally true is it that the singing of his pen is implied, since the
psalms that he wrote were for others to sing in generations that should follow. “I will
sing.” We cannot impart anything to the great temple which He is building; yet we can
sit down and sing. This singing praise to God is a spiritual passion. The saved soul
delights itself in the Lord, and sings on, and on, and on unwearily. “I will sing for ever,”
saith he. Not, “I will get others to perform, and then I will retire from the service”; but
rather, “I will myself sing: my own tongue shall take the solo, whoever may refuse to join
in the chorus. I will sing, and with my mouth will I make known Thy faithfulness.” Now,
note his subject. “I will sing of the mercies of the Lord.” What, not of anything else? Are
the mercies of the Lord his exclusive theme? “Arma virumque cano”—“Arms and the
man, I sing,” says the Latin poet. “Mercies and my God, I sing,” says the Hebrew seer. “I
will sing of mercies,” says the devout Christian. This is the fount of mercy, whereof if a
man doth drink he shall sing far better than he that drinketh of the Castalian fount, and
on Parnassus begins to tune his harp. This singing of Ethan was intended to be
instructive. How large a class did he want to teach? He intended to make known God’s
mercy to all generations. Modern thought does not adventure beyond the tithe of a
century, and it gets tame and tasteless before half that tiny span of sensationalism has
given it time to evaporate. But the echoes of truth are not so transient; they endure, and
by means of the printing press we can teach generation after generation, leaving books
behind us as this good man has bequeathed this psalm, which is teaching us to-night,
perhaps more largely than it taught any generation nearer to him. Will you transmit
blessed testimonies to your children’s children? It should be your desire to do something

17. in the present life that will live after you are gone. We instinctively long for a sort of
immortality here. Let us strive to get it, not by carving our names on some stone, or
writing our epitaphs upon a pillar, as Absalom did when he had nothing else by which to
commemorate himself; but get to work to do something which shall be a testimony to
the mercy of God, that others shall see when you are gone. (C. H. Spurgeon.)
The uncovenanted mercies of God
Ethan was the author of this psalm. It belongs to the early reign of Rehoboam, and to the
invasion of Shishak. As Ethan recalled and weighed the clauses of the covenant, and
compared them with the political facts of this distressful year, his mind was tossed into
an agitation and distress from which he could find no relief, save in the large adventure
and conclusion of faith, that the calamities which had fallen on David’s kingdom and
seed were, after all, only the loving corrections by which God was chastening them for
their transgressions; and that, therefore, so far from breaking, God was fulfilling His
covenant with them. Even God’s covenants with men are but particular instances of His
general ways, of His dealings with humanity at large; so that, in the very fullest sense
which the words can be made to bear, it is true that His mercy endures for ever, that His
faithfulness extends to all generations. There is a general impression abroad that a
radical and vast difference obtains between what are called the covenanted and the un-
covenanted mercies of God; that but for certain promises which He has made, and
certain engagements into which He has entered, we should have little to hope for from
Him. The doctrine of covenants plays, and must play, a large part in every system of
theology. But every Divine promise is but a limited expression of a general principle.
Every Divine covenant, even if it be made with a few, is nevertheless made for the benefit
of the many, and can only be an instance of His ways, an illustration of a mercy as wide
as the heavens, and of a faithfulness which extends to all generations of mankind. God
can make no promise inconsistent with His character. Any momentary glimpse we can
catch of God’s attitude towards men reveals His constant and unchanging attitude. To
every man who loves and trusts and serves Him He will be all that He was to David . . .
Who can deny the mercy of that high Will which made the law of retribution the law—or
rather, one of the laws—of human life? As for the inexorable severity with which this law
of retribution is administered, how can we but acknowledge that it needs to be
administered with an invariable and constant severity? Take all the facts of human
experience, then, and you will feel that there is mercy even in that law of retribution
which seems most opposed to the rule of an Infinite Compassion and Love. If you believe
in a work of redemption as well as in a law of retribution, there is absolutely no reason
why you should not sing, with Ethan, of a mercy which is being built up for ever, and of a
faithfulness which is establishing itself in the all-embracing heavens. (Samuel Cox, D.D.)
2 I will declare that your love stands firm forever,
that you have established your faithfulness in
heaven itself.

18. BAR ES, "For I have said - The Septuagint and the Latin Vulgate render this,
“Thou hast said,” which is more in accordance with what the connection seems to
demand; but the Hebrew will not admit of this construction. The true meaning seems to
be, that the psalmist had said; that is, he had said in his mind; he had firmly believed; he
had so received it as a truth that it might be spoken of as firmly settled, or as an
indisputable reality. It was in his mind one of the things whose truthfulness did not
admit of a doubt.
Mercy shall be built up for ever - The mercy referred to; the mercy manifested in
the promise made to David. The idea is, that the promise would be fully carried out or
verified. It would not be like the foundation of a building, which, after being laid, was
abandoned; it would be as if the building, for which the foundation was designed, were
carried up and completed. It would not be a forsaken, half-finished edifice, but an edifice
fully erected.
Thy faithfulness shalt thou establish - In the matter referred to - the promise
made to David.
In the very heavens - literally, “The heavens - thou wilt establish thy faithfulness in
them.” That is the heavens - the heavenly bodies - so regular, so fixed, so enduring, are
looked upon as the emblem of stability. The psalmist brings them thus before his mind,
and he says that God had, as it were, made his promise a part of the very heavens; he had
given to his faithfulness a place among the most secure, and fixed, and settled objects in
nature. The sun in its regular rising; the stars in their certain course; the constellations,
the same from age to age, were an emblem of the stability and security of the promises of
God. Compare Jer_33:20-21.
CLARKE, "Mercy shall be built up for ever - God’s goodness is the foundation
on which his mercy rests; and from that source, and on that foundation, acts of mercy
shall flow and be built up for ever and ever.
Thy faithfulness shalt thou establish - What thou hast promised to do to the
children of men on earth, thou dost register in heaven, and thy promise shall never fail.
GILL, "For I have said,.... That is, in his heart he had said, he had thought of it, was
assured of it, strongly concluded it, from the Spirit and word of God; he believed it, and
therefore he spoke it; having it from the Lord, it was all one as if he had spoke it:
JAMISO , "I have said — expressed, as well as felt, my convictions (2Co_4:13).
CALVI , "2For I have said, Mercy shall be built up for ever. He assigns the reason
why he perseveres in singing the Divine praises in the midst of adversities; which is,
that he does not despair of the manifestation of God’s loving-kindness towards his

19. people, although at present they were under severe chastisement. ever will a man
freely open his mouth to praise God, unless he is fully persuaded that God, even
when he is angry with his people, never lays aside his fatherly affection towards
them. The words I have said, imply that the truth which the inspired writer
propounds was deeply fixed in his heart. (523) Whatever, as if he had said, has
hitherto happened, it has never had the effect of effacing from my heart the
undoubted hope of experiencing the Divine favor as to the future, and I will always
continue steadfastly to cherish the same feeling. It is to be observed, that it was not
without a painful and arduous conflict that he succeeded in embracing by faith the
goodness of God, which at that time had entirely vanished out of sight; — this we
say is to be particularly noticed, in order that when God at any time withdraws
from us all the tokens of his love, we may nevertheless learn to erect in our hearts
that everlasting building of mercy, which is here spoken of, — a metaphor, by which
is meant that the Divine mercy shall be extended, or shall continue till it reach its
end or consummation. In the second clause of the verse something must be supplied.
The sense, in short, is, that the Divine promise is no less stable than the settled
course of the heavens, which is eternal and exempt from all change. By the word
heavens I understand not only the visible skies, but the heavens which are above the
whole frame of the world; for the truth of God, in the heavenly glory of his
kingdom, is placed above all the elements of the world.
SPURGEO , "Ver. 2. For I have said, Mercy shall be built up for ever. His heart
was persuaded of it, and he had affirmed it as an indisputable truth. He was certain
that upon a sure foundation the Lord intended to pile up a glorious palace of
goodness—a house of refuge for all people, wherein the Son of David should for
ever be glorified as the dispenser of heavenly grace.
Thy faithfulness shalt thou establish in the very heavens. This divine edifice, he felt
assured, would tower into the skies, and would be turreted with divine faithfulness
even as its foundations were laid in eternal love. God's faithfulness is no thing of
earth, for here nothing is firm, and all things savour of the changes of the moon and
the fickleness of the sea: heaven is the birthplace of truth, and there it dwells in
eternal vigour. As the blue arch above us remains unimpaired by age, so does the
Lord's truth; as in the firmament he hangs his covenant bow, so in the upper
heavens the faithfulness of God is enthroned in immutable glory. This Ethan said,
and this we may say; come what will, mercy and faithfulness are built up by "the
Eternal Builder", and his own nature is the guarantee for their perpetuity. This is to
be called to mind whenever the church is in trouble, or our own spirits bowed down
with grief.
EXPLA ATORY OTES A D QUAI T SAYI GS.
Ver. 2. I have said. The word ytrma, "I have said", is used, in the Book of Psalms, to
express two things; either a fixed purpose, or a settled opinion of the person
speaking. The Psalmist, therefore, delivers the whole of this second verse in his own
person, and introduces not God speaking till the next verse. —Samuel Horsley.
Ver. 2. I have said, etc. The perpetuity of mercy is one eminent piece of this Psalm,
for with that he begins: Mercy shall be built up for ever, etc. And they are the sure
mercies of our spiritual David (Christ), he means. ow, to set forth the perpetuity

20. hereof, he first useth words that express firmitude, as established, built up for ever,
Psalms 89:2; Psalms 89:4. Then he uses such similitudes as are taken from things
which are held most firm and inviolable amongst men, as Psalms 89:4, foedus incidi,
I have cut or engraven my covenant (so in the Hebrew), alluding to what was then in
use, when covenants were mutually to be made, such as they intended to be
inviolate, and never to be broken; to signify so much, they did engrave and cut them
into the most durable lasting matter, as marble, or brass, or the like. You may see
this to have been the way of writing in use, as what was to last for ever: as Job
19:23-24. "Oh, that my words were now written! oh that they were printed in a
book! That they were graven with an iron pen and lead in the rock for ever!" And
what is that rock or marble here? o other than the heart itself of our gracious and
most merciful Jehovah, and his most unalterable and immovable purposes, truth
and faithfulness. This is that foundation in the heavens, whereon mercy is built up
for ever, as Psalms 89:2, which (as the Apostle says) "remains for ever"; and so they
become "the sure mercies of David", Isaiah 60:3. Again, solemn oaths amongst men
serve to ratify and make things sworn to perpetual. This also is there specified as
having been taken by God: "Once have I sworn by my holiness", etc., and sworn by
him that cannot lie, and sworn to that end, "to show the immutability of his
counsel", Hebrews 6:17. And not only is the immutability of his mercy illustrated by
these things taken from what is firm on earth, but he ascends up to the heavens, and
first into the very highest heavens: Psalms 89:2, For I have said, Mercy shall be built
up for ever; thy faithfulness shalt thou establish in the very heavens: comparing
them to an house built not on earth, or upon a foundation of earth, which thieves
break through, and violence destroys, but in heaven, whither they cannot reach. —
Thomas Goodwin.
Ver. 2. Mercy shall be built up for ever. What is this "mercy" that is "built up for
ever"? but the glorious and the gracious scheme, the glorious and the gracious
fabric, of our salvation, founded in the eternal purpose of God—carried into
execution by the labours and the death of Jesus Christ— and then applied and
brought home to the heart by the illuminating and converting power of the Holy
Ghost? This is that "mercy" which is "built up for ever." It was planned from
everlasting, and will know no ruin or decay, through the illimitable line of eternity
itself. Who is the builder of this fabric? ot man's free will. ot man's own
righteousness or wisdom. ot human power nor human skill. Every true believer
will here join issue with David, that it is God, and God alone, who builds up the
temple of his Church; and who, as the builder of it, is alone entitled to all the glory.
The elect constitute and form one grand house of mercy: an house, erected to
display and to perpetuate the riches of the Father's free grace, of the Son's atoning
merit, and of the Holy Ghost's efficacious agency. This house, contrary to the fate of
all sublunary buildings, will never fall down, nor ever be taken down. As nothing
can be added to it, so nothing can be diminished from it. Fire cannot injure it;
storms cannot overthrow it; age cannot impair it. It stands on a rock, and is
immovable as the rock on which it stands—the threefold rock of God's inviolable
decree, of Christ's finished redemption, and of the Spirit's never failing faithfulness.
—Augustus Montague Toplady, 1740-1778.
Ver. 2. Built up. Mention of a building of mercy, presupposes miserable ruins, and
denotes that this building is intended for the benefit of an elect world ruined by

21. Adam's fall. Free grace and love set on foot this building for them, every stone in
which, from the lowest to the highest, is mercy to them; from top to bottom, from
the foundation stone to the top stone, all is free and rich mercy to thrum. And the
ground of this glorious building is God's covenant with his chosen: I have made a
covenant with my chosen. —Thomas Boston.
Ver. 2. Built up. Former mercies are fundamental to later ones. The mercies that we
enjoy this day are founded upon the mercies of former days, such as we ought
joyfully and thankfully to recount with delight and praise; remembering the years
of the right hand of the Most High. —John Howe.
Ver. 2. (last clause). The meaning of this passage appears to be, that the constancy of
the celestial motions, the regular vicissitudes of day and night, and alternations of
the seasons, were emblems of God's own immutability. —R. Warner, 1828.
Ver. 2.
For I have said, Thy mercies rise,
A deathless structure, to the skies:
The heavens were planted by thy hand,
And, as the heavens, Thy truth shall stand. —Richard Mant.
WHEDO , "2. For I… said—Faith said, on the authority of the word of promise.
The Septuagint changes to the second person: “For thou [Lord] hast said.”
Mercy shall be built up—The work of mercy shall go steadily forward, though much
may appear to hinder.
Establish in the… heavens—Or, As to the heavens, thou wilt establish thy
faithfulness in them. The “heavens” may be mentioned as the seat of authority, and
for settling the divine counsels, or as illustrating the faithfulness of God by the order
and harmony of the celestial bodies. Psalms 119:89-91; Psalms 36:5
3 You said, “I have made a covenant with my
chosen one,
I have sworn to David my servant,
BAR ES, "I have made a covenant with my chosen - With my chosen one; that
is, with David. The original is in the singular number, though by the Septuagint, and the
Vulgate, and by Luther, it is rendered in the plural - chosen ones - elect. This is
undoubtedly the language of God himself, though it is not expressly ascribed to him. The

22. design is to describe the solemn promise which God had made to David and to his
posterity. Compare Psa_78:70-71. See also, on the use of the phrase “made a covenant,”
see Psa_50:5, note; Psa_83:5, note.
I have sworn unto David my servant - I have taken a solemn oath in regard to
him. The substance of the oath is stated in the next verse. The promise referred to is
found in 2Sa_7:11-16.
CLARKE, "I have made a covenant with my chosen - I have made a covenant
with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; and renewed it with Moses and Joshua in reference to
the Israelites in general: but I have made one with David in especial relation to himself
and posterity, of whom, according to the flesh, the Christ is to come. And this is the
covenant with David: -
GILL, "I have made a covenant with my chosen,.... Not with Abraham, as the
Targum expresses it: but with David, as in the following clause; not David, literally
understood, though he was chosen of the Lord to be his servant, and a covenant was
made with him, and a promise made to him of the perpetuity of his throne and kingdom
in his family, Psa_78:70 but mystical David, the Messiah, David's son and antitype;
after, on this account, called David in Scripture, Eze_34:23 and who is the Lord's
"chosen" One, foreordained to be the Redeemer of lost sinners, chosen to be the
Mediator between God and them, to be the head of the church, and Saviour of the body;
and his human nature was chosen to the grace of union to the Son of God, Psa_89:19,
hence he is called God's elect, Isa_43:1 and with him the covenant of grace was made
from all eternity, and all the blessings and promises of it were put into his hands; he is
the Mediator, surety, and messenger of it, and by his blood it is ratified and confirmed:
the Septuagint render it, in the plural number, "with mine elect ones"; and it is a truth,
that the covenant of grace is made with all the elect, considered in Christ, and is made
with them as such, and not as believers, converted persons, &c. election is the
foundation of the covenant, and the source of all covenant blessings:
I have sworn unto David my servant: to the Messiah, called David, as before
observed, and who is the Lord's servant, as man and Mediator, of his choosing, calling,
sending, and supporting, Isa_42:1, to whom he swore, and he will not repent; and which
oath of his, joined to his covenant and promise, makes for the strong consolation of the
heirs of promise; see Psa_89:35, the sum and substance of which covenant and oath
follow.
JAMISO , "The object of this faith expressed in God’s words (2Sa_7:11-16).
with — or literally, “to”
my chosen — as the covenant is in the form of a promise.
CALVI , "3I have made a covenant with my chosen. (524) The more effectually to
confirm himself and all the godly in the faith of the Divine promise, he introduces
God himself as speaking and sanctioning, by his authority, what had been said in
the preceding verse. As faith ought to depend on the Divine promise, this manner of
speaking, by which God is represented as coming forward and alluring us to himself

23. by his own voice, is more forcible than if the prophet himself had simply stated the
fact. And when God in this way anticipates us, we cannot be charged with rashness
in coming familiarly to him; even as, on the contrary, without His word we have no
ground to presume that he will be gracious to us, or to hope, at the mere suggestion
of our own fancy, for what he has not promised. Moreover, the truth of the promise
is rendered still more irrefragable, when God declares that he had made a covenant
with his servant David, ratified by his own solemn oath. It having been customary in
ancient times to engrave leagues and covenants on tables of brass, a metaphor is
here used borrowed from this practice. God applies to David two titles of
distinction, calling him both his chosen and his servant. Those who would refer the
former appellation to Abraham do not sufficiently attend to the style of the Book of
Psalms, in which it is quite common for one thing to be repeated twice. David is
called the chosen of God, because God of his own good pleasure, and from no other
cause, preferred him not only to the posterity of Saul, and many distinguished
personages, but even to his own brethren. If, therefore, the cause or origin of this
covenant is sought for, we must necessarily fall back upon the Divine election.
The name of servant, which follows immediately after, is not to be understood as
implying that David by his services merited any thing at the hand of God. He is
called God’s servant in respect of the royal dignity, into which he had not rashly
thrust himself, having been invested with the government by God, and having
undertaken it in obedience to his lawful call. When, however, we consider what the
covenant summarily contains, we conclude that the prophet has not improperly
applied it to his own use, and to the use of the whole people; for God did not enter
into it with David individually, but had an eye to the whole body of the Church,
which would exist from age to age. The sentence, I will establish thy throne for ever,
is partly to be understood of Solomon, and the rest of David’s successors; but the
prophet well knew that perpetuity or everlasting duration, in the strict and proper
sense, could be verified only in Christ. In ordaining one man to be king, God
assuredly did not have a respect to one house alone, while he forgot and neglected
the people with whom he had before made his covenant in the person of Abraham;
but he conferred the sovereign power upon David and his children, that they might
rule for the common good of all the rest, until the throne might be truly established
by the advent of Christ.
SPURGEO , "Ver. 3. I have made a covenant with my chosen, I have sworn unto
David my servant. This was the ground of the Psalmist's confidence in God's mercy
and truth, for he knew that the Lord had made a covenant of grace with David and
his seed, and confirmed it by an oath. Here he quotes the very words of God, which
were revealed to him by the Holy Spirit, and are a condensation of the original
covenant in 2 Samuel 7:1-29. Well might he write in the former verse, "I have said",
when he knew that Jehovah had said, "I have sworn." David was the Lord's elect,
and with him a covenant was made, which ran along in the line of his seed until it
received a final and never ending fulfilment in "the Son of David." David's house
must be royal: as long as there was a sceptre in Judah, David's seed must be the only
rightful dynasty; the great "King of the Jews" died with that title above his head in
the three current languages of the then known world, and at this day he is owned as

24. king by men of every tongue. The oath sworn to David has not been broken, though
the temporal crown is no longer worn, for in the covenant itself his kingdom was
spoken of as enduring for ever. In Christ Jesus there is a covenant established with
all the Lord's chosen, and they are by grace led to be the Lord's servants, and then
are ordained kings and priests by Christ Jesus. How sweet it is to see the Lord, not
only making a covenant, but owning to it in after days, and bearing witness to his
own oath; this ought to be solid ground for faith, and Ethan, the Ezrahite, evidently
thought it so. Let the reader and writer both pause over such glorious lines, and sing
of the mercies of the Lord, who thus avows the bonds of the covenant, and, in so
doing, gives a renewed pledge of his faithfulness to it. "I have", says the Lord, and
yet again "I have", as though he himself was nothing loath to dwell upon the theme.
We also would lovingly linger over the ipsissima verba of the covenant made with
David, reading them carefully and with joy. There are thus recorded in 2 Samuel
7:12-16 : "And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shall sleep with thy fathers, I
will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will
establish his kingdom. He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the
throne of his kingdom for ever. I will be his father, and he shall be my son. If he
commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the
children of men: But my mercy shall not depart away from him, as I took it from
Saul, whom I put away before thee. And thine house and thy kingdom shall be
established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever." After
reading this, let us remember that the Lord has said to us by his servant Isaiah, "I
will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David."
EXPLA ATORY OTES A D QUAI T SAYI GS.
Ver. 3. I have made a covenant with my chosen. We must ponder here with pious
wonder how God has deigned to enter into a covenant with man, the immortal with
the mortal, the most powerful with the weakest, the most just with the most unjust,
the richest with the poorest, the most blessed with the most wretched. The prophet
wonders that God is mindful of man, and visits the son of man. Of how much
greater admiration, I say is it worthy, that they are also joined together, and that
not after a simple fashion, but by the ties of a covenant? If man had affirmed this of
himself, that God was united and bound to him by a covenant, who is there that
would not have condemned him of temerity? ow God himself is introduced
affirming this very thing of himself, that he had made a covenant with man. What
saint does not see in this thing, how great the filanyrwpia of God is! —Musculus.
Ver. 3. I have made a covenant with my chosen. On heaven's side is God himself, the
party proposer. Though he was the party offended, yet the motion for a covenant
comes from him...The Father of mercies saith, "The lost creatures cannot contract
for themselves; and if another undertake not for them, they must perish; they
cannot choose an undertaker for themselves. I will choose one for them, and I will
make a covenant with my chosen." On man's side is God's chosen, or chosen One,
for the word of God is singular; the Son, the last Adam. Who else as fit to be
undertaker on man's side? Who else could have been the Father's choice for this
vast undertaking? o angel nor man was capable of it, but the Mighty One (Psalms
89:19) whom the Father points out to us as his chosen, Isaiah 13:1. —Thomas
Boston.
Ver. 3-4. I made a covenant with my chosen, etc. Do you suppose that this was

25. spoken to David, in his own person only? o, indeed; but to David as the antitype,
figure, and forerunner of Jesus Christ. Hence, the Septuagint version renders it, I
have covenanted tois eklektois mou with my elect people, or with my chosen ones:
i.e. with them in Christ, and with Christ in their name. I have sworn unto David my
servant, unto the Messiah, who was typified by David; unto my coeternal Son, who
stipulated to take on himself "the form of a servant"; thy seed, i.e. all those whom I
have given to thee in the decree of election, all those whom thou shalt live and die to
redeem, these will I establish for ever, so as to render their salvation irreversible
and inadmissible: and build up thy throne, thy mediatorial throne, as King of saints
and covenant Head of the elect, to all generations: there shall always be a succession
of favoured sinners to be called and sanctified, in consequence of thy federal
obedience unto death; and every period of time shall recompense thy covenant
sufferings with an increasing revenue of converted souls, until as many as are
ordained to eternal life are gathered in.
Observe, here, that when Christ received the promise from the Father concerning
the establishment of his (i.e. of Christ's) throne to all generations, the plain meaning
is, that his people shall be thus established; for, consider Christ in his divine
capacity as the Son of God, and his throne was already established, and had been
from everlasting, and would have continued to be established without end, even if he
had never been incarnate at all. Therefore, the promise imports that Christ shall
reign, not simply as a person in the Godhead (which he ever did, ever will, and ever
must); but relatively, mediatorially, and in his office character, as the deliverer and
king of Zion. Hence it follows, that his people cannot be lost: for he would be a poor
sort of a king who had or might have no subjects to reign over. Consequently, that
"throne" of glory on which Christ sits is already encircled in part, and will at last be
completely surrounded and made still more glorious, by that innumerable company,
that general assembly and church of the firstborn who are written in heaven. —
Augustus Montague Toplady.
BE SO , "Verses 3-5
Psalms 89:3-5. I have made a covenant with my chosen — With David, whom I have
chosen to the kingdom. Thy seed will I establish for ever, &c. — I will perpetuate
the kingdom to thy posterity; which was promised upon condition, and was literally
accomplished in Christ, who was of the seed of David. And the heavens shall praise
thy wonders — That is, the inhabitants of heaven, the holy angels, who clearly
discern and constantly adore thy mercy and faithfulness; when men upon earth are
filled with doubts and perplexities about it. Thy faithfulness also — Understand,
shall be praised; (which supplements are usual in Scripture;) in the congregation of
the saints — Either, 1st, Of thy saints on earth in their public assemblies; who
always acknowledge and celebrate thy truth, though they cannot always discern the
footsteps of it: or, rather, 2d, Of the angels in heaven, of whom he speaks in the
foregoing clause; and who are often called saints, or holy ones.
COKE, "Psalms 89:3. I have made a covenant with my chosen— Mudge reads this
and the following verse in a parenthesis, and supposes the sense of the 2nd to be
continued to the 5th. Thy faithfulness shalt thou establish in the heavens, is
explained by the 36th and 37th verses. Houbigant prefixes to the 3rd verse, For thou

26. hast said. It is very evident, that these words can be understood of David but in a
limited sense: they refer principally to the Messiah.
EBC, "The Divine promise, on which the Davidic throne rests, is summed up in the
abruptly introduced pair of verses (Psalms 89:3-4). That promise is the second
theme of the psalm; and just as, in some great musical composition, the overture
sounds for the first time phrases which are to be recurrent and elaborated in the
sequel, so, in the four first verses of the psalm, its ruling thoughts are briefly put.
Psalms 89:1-2, stand first, but are second in time to Psalms 89:3-4. God’s oracle
preceded the singer’s praise. The language of these two verses echoes the original
passage in 2 Samuel 7:1-29, as in "David My servant, establish, forever, build, " the
last three of which expressions were used in Psalms 89:2, with a view to their
recurrence in Psalms 89:4. The music keeps before the mind the perpetual duration
of David’s throne.
4 ‘I will establish your line forever
and make your throne firm through all
generations.’”[c]
BAR ES, "Thy seed will I establish for ever - Thy children; thy posterity. The
reference is to his successors on the throne. The promise was that there should not fail
to be one on his throne; that is, that his dynasty should never become extinct. See 2Sa_
7:16 : “And thy house and thy kingdom shall be established forever before thee: thy
throne shall be established forever.” Compare also 1Ki_2:4. The word rendered
“establish” means properly to fit; then, to make firm; to put on a solid basis.
And build up thy throne - It shall be kept up; it shall be like a building that is
constantly progressing toward completion. The meaning is, that it would not fail. He
would not begin the work, and then abandon it. The dynasty, the kingdom, the throne,
would be complete and perpetual.
To all generations - As long as the world should stand. This can have been
accomplished only by the Messiah occupying in a spiritual sense the throne of “his father
David.” Compare Luk_1:32-33.
CLARKE, "Thy seed will I establish for ever, and build up thy throne to all
generations - And this covenant had most incontestably Jesus Christ in view. This is
the seed, or posterity, that should sit on the throne, and reign for ever and ever. David

27. and his family are long since become extinct; none of his race has sat on the Jewish
throne for more than two thousand years: but the Christ has reigned invariably since
that time, and will reign till all his enemies are put under his feet; and to this the
psalmist says Selah. It will be so, it is so; and it cannot be otherwise; for the Lord hath
sworn that he shall have an euerlasting kingdom, as he has an everlasting priesthood.
GILL, "Thy seed will I establish for ever,.... Meaning not the natural seed of
David, at least not only them; whose family was indeed preserved, though in very low
circumstances, until the Messiah came, who sprung from thence, Luk_1:27, but the
spiritual seed of Christ, to whom it was promised that he should have a seed, and should
see and enjoy it, and which should endure for ever; see Psa_89:29, and so he always has
had a seed to serve him in all generations, in the worst of times, and will; and who are
established in him, and will be kept and preserved by him, and whom he will present to
his Father, saying, "Lo, I and the children whom thou hast given me", Heb_2:13.
and build up thy throne to all generations; and this shows that the passage is not
to be understood literally of David, and of his temporal throne and kingdom, which did
not last many generations; but of the spiritual throne and kingdom of the Messiah, who
sprung from him, called the throne of his father David, whose throne is for ever and
ever, and whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, Luk_1:32, Psa_45:6, his throne is
in the heavens, where he will reign until all enemies are put under his feet; and it is also
in the midst of his church, and in the hearts of his people, where he reigns as King of
saints; and he is on the same throne with his Father; it is the same with his, as to glory,
power, and authority; on this he will sit, and judge the world at the last day; and on it he
will reign with his people a thousand years, in the New Jerusalem state, and after that to
all eternity, Rev_3:21.
SPURGEO , "Ver. 4. Thy seed will I establish for ever. David must always have a
seed, and truly in Jesus this is fulfilled beyond his hopes. What a seed David has in
the multitude which have sprung from him who was both his Son and his Lord. The
Son of David is the Great Progenitor, the second Adam, the Everlasting Father, he
sees his seed, and in them beholds of the travail of his soul.
And build up thy throne to all generations. David's dynasty never decays, but on the
contrary, is evermore consolidated by the great Architect of heaven and earth. Jesus
is a king as well as a progenitor and his throne is ever being built up—his kingdom
comes —his power extends.
Thus runs the covenant; and when the church declines, it is ours to plead it before
the ever faithful God, as the Psalmist does in the latter verses of this sacred song.
Christ must reign, but why is his name blasphemed and his gospel so despised? The
more gracious Christians are, the more will they be moved to jealousy by the sad
estate of the Redeemer's cause, and the more will they argue the case with the great
Covenant maker, crying day and night before him, "Thy kingdom come."
Selah. It would not be meet to hurry on. Rest, O reader, at the bidding of this Selah,
and let each syllable of the covenant ring in thine cars; and then lift up the heart
and proceed with the sacred poet to tell forth the praises of the Lord.

28. PULPIT, "Thy seed will I establish forever (see 2 Samuel 7:12, 2 Samuel 7:13;
Psalms 130:1-8 :12). And build up thy throne to all generations. The promises to
David were not fulfilled in the letter. After Zerubbabel, no prince of the Davidic
house sat on the throne of David, or had temporal sway over Israel. The descendants
of David sank into obscurity, and so remained for five centuries. Still, however,
God's faithfulness was sure. In Jesus Christ, of the seed of David, the true King of
the everlasting kingdom was raised up—every pledge made to David was fulfilled.
"Messiah the Prince," eternal King of an eternal kingdom, appeared as the true
"Seed' intended, and began his spiritual reign over the spiritual Israel, which still
continues, and will continue forever.
5 The heavens praise your wonders, Lord,
your faithfulness too, in the assembly of the
holy ones.
BAR ES, "And the heavens shall praise thy wonders, O Lord - That is, the
inhabitants of heaven shall find new occasion for praise in the faithfulness evinced in
carrying out the promise to David, and in the marvelous things which will occur under
that promise, and in its accomplishment. If we suppose that this promise embraced the
Messiah and his reign, then we shall see what new occasions the angels would find for
praise - in the incarnation of the Redeemer, and in all that would be accomplished by
him.
Thy faithfulness also in the congregation of the saints - In the assembly of the
holy ones; that is, the angels. In their songs of praise, this will be among the things
which will fill them with joy. The idea is, that the inhabitants of the heavens - the holy
angels - would take a deep interest in the fulfillment of this promise, as it would furnish
new manifestations of the character of God. Compare Rev_5:11-14; 1Pe_1:12.
CLARKE, "The heavens shall praise thy wonders - The works that shall be
wrought by this descendant of David shall be so plainly miraculous as shall prove their
origin to be Divine: and both saints and angels shall join to celebrate his praises.
Thy faithfulness also - All thy promises shall be fulfilled; and particularly and
supereminently those which respect the congregation of the saints - the assemblies of
Christian believers.

29. GILL, "And the heavens shall praise thy wonders, O Lord,.... Which, by a
prosopopceia, may be understood of the heavens literally, in the same sense as other
inanimate creatures praise the Lord, Psa_148:3, or mystically of the church, consisting
of heaven born souls, and whose doctrines and ordinances are from heaven; or of the
apostles, as Jerom, who had their ministry, mission, commission, and gifts, from thence;
or rather of the angels, the inhabitants of heaven, who praise the Lord for his wonderful
works of nature, providence, and grace, Psa_148:2, particularly they admire and praise
the wonderful work of redemption "that wonderful thing of thine" (m), as the word may
be rendered, being in the singular number: the person of the Redeemer is wonderful,
and that is his name; his incarnation is a most amazing thing, it is the great mystery of
godliness; and the redemption wrought out by him is the wonder of men and angels:
when he appeared in the world, the angels of God worshipped him; at his birth, they
sung glory to God in the highest; and the mysteries of his grace are what they look into
with wonder and praise, Heb_1:6,
thy faithfulness also in the congregation of the saints; i.e. is praised there;
which Aben Ezra and Kimchi interpret of the angels also, who are called saints, Deu_
33:2, of which there is a congregation, even an innumerable company, Rev_19:6, these
not only admire and praise the wonderful works of the Lord, but his perfections also;
and particularly his faithfulness in the execution of promises and threatenings, Rev_
7:11, but rather holy men are meant, such as are called to be saints, and are gathered
together in a Gospel church state, designed by a congregation of them, among and by
whom the truth and faithfulness of God, as well as his lovingkindness and mercy, are
spoken of with the highest commendation, Psa_40:9.
HE RY, "These verses are full of the praises of God. Observe,
I. Where, and by whom, God is to be praised. 1. God is praised by the angels above:
The heavens shall praise thy wonders, O Lord! Psa_89:5; that is, “the glorious
inhabitants of the upper world continually celebrate thy praises.” Bless the Lord, you his
angels, Psa_103:20. The works of God are wonders even to those that are best
acquainted and most intimately conversant with them; the more God's works are known
the more they are admired and praised. This should make us love heaven, and long to be
there, that there we shall have nothing else to do but to praise God and his wonders. 2.
God is praised by the assemblies of his saints on earth (praise waits for him in Zion);
and, though their praises fall so far short of the praises of angels, yet God is pleased to
take notice of them, and accept of them, and reckon himself honoured by them. “Thy
faithfulness and the truth of thy promise, that rock on which the church is built, shall be
praised in the congregation of the saints, who owe their all to that faithfulness, and
whose constant comfort it is that there is a promise, and that he is faithful who has
promised.” It is expected from God's saints on earth that they praise him; who should, if
they do not? Let every saint praise him, but especially the congregation of saints; when
they come together, let them join in praising God. The more the better; it is the more like
heaven. Of the honour done to God by the assembly of the saints he speaks again (Psa_
89:7): God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints. Saints should assemble
for religious worship, that they may publicly own their relation to God and may stir up
one another to give honour to him, and, in keeping up communion with God, may
likewise maintain the communion of saints. In religious assemblies God has promised
the presence of his grace, but we must also, in them, have an eye to his glorious
presence, that the familiarity we are admitted to may not breed the least contempt; for
he is terrible in his holy places, and therefore greatly to be feared. A holy awe of God

30. must fall upon us, and fill us, in all our approaches to God, even in secret, to which
something may very well be added by the solemnity of public assemblies. God must be
had in reverence of all that are about him, that attend him continually as his servants or
approach him upon any particular errand. See Lev_10:3. Those only serve God
acceptably who serve him with reverence and godly fear, Heb_12:28.
CALVI , "5.And the heavens shall praise thy wondrous work. The prophet, having
spoken of God’s covenant, even as faith ought to begin at the word, now descends to
a general commendation of his works. It is, however, to be observed, that when he
treats of the wonderful power of God, he has no other end in view than to exalt and
magnify more highly the holiness of the covenant. He exclaims, that this is the God
who has rightful claims to be served and feared, who ought to be believed, and upon
whose power the most unhesitating confidence may be reposed. The words
wondrous work, in the first clause, I would therefore limit to the power which God
displays in preserving and maintaining his Church. The heavens, it is true, are most
excellent witnesses and preachers of God’s wonderful power; but from attending to
the scope of the passage, it will be still more evident, that the encomiums here
pronounced have all a special reference to the end of which I have spoken. Some
interpreters judiciously explain the word heavens, of the angels, among whom there
is a common joy and congratulation in the salvation of the Church. This
interpretation is confirmed from the last clause of the verse, in which it is asserted,
that God’s truth will be celebrated in the congregation of the saints There is no
doubt, that the same subject is here prosecuted, and that by the word truth, it is
intended to signalise the remarkable deliverances by which God had manifested his
faithfulness to the promises made to his servants.
SPURGEO , "Ver. 5. And the heavens shall praise thy wonders, O Lord. Looking
down upon what God had done, and was about to do, in connection with his
covenant of grace, all heaven would be filled with adoring wonder. The sun and
moon, which had been made tokens of the covenant, would praise God for such an
extraordinary display of mercy, and the angels and redeemed spirits would sing, "as
it were, a new song."
Thy faithfulness also in the congregation of the saints. By which is probably
intended the holy ones on earth. So that the "whole family in heaven and earth"
would join in the praise. Earth and heaven are one in admiring and adoring the
covenant God. Saints above see most clearly into the heights and depths of divine
love, therefore they praise its wonders; and saints below, being conscious of their
many sins and multiplied provocations of the Lord, admire his faithfulness. The
heavens broke forth with music at the wonders of mercy contained in the glad
tidings concerning Bethlehem, and the saints who came together in the temple
magnified the faithfulness of God at the birth of the Son of David. Since that
auspicious day, the general assembly on high and the sacred congregation below
have not ceased to sing unto Jehovah, the Lord that keepeth covenant with his elect.
EXPLA ATORY OTES A D QUAI T SAYI GS.
Ver. 5. The Heavens, etc. ow, for this kingdom of his, the heavens are said to praise
his wonders, which is spoken of the angels, who are often called the heavens, from
their place; as in Job it is said, "The heavens are not clean in his sight." And these

31. knowing the wonders of that covenant of grace, they, even they are said to praise;
"The heavens shall praise thy wonders, O Lord" In the Hebrew it is "thy wonder",
or "thy miracle", in the singular number, which, in Ephesians 3:10, the angels are
said to adore: and in
Lu 2:14, to "sing glory to the Highest"; for his grace to man is that miracle. ow the
material heavens do not praise the mercy of God, or the grace of God, or the
covenant of grace, or the throne of grace that is established in the heavens. They
understand nothing of Christ; no, they do not so much as materially give occasion to
man to praise God for these: and therefore this is meant of the angels; and most
interpreters understand the next words of them: Thy faithfulness also in the
congregation of the saints, angels, and the holy ones made perfect, for there the
great congregation is. For even in the heavens, who can be compared to the Lord,
where all his angels thus do praise him? Who among the sons of the mighty, of all
the powers of the earth, can be likened unto the Lord? for he is the "King of kings,
and he is the Lord of lords; "a God above all gods, even angels themselves, as
elsewhere the Psalmist hath it. And he says not only, There is none like thee; but,
Who is like unto thee? his excellency so exceeds. And in Psalms 89:7, he is there
presented with all his saints and angels round about him, as one that is greatly to be
feared, or that is terrible in himself, by reason of his greatness, in this his council
and assembly of his saints, and to be had in reverence of all that are about him. For
saints and angels, they are of his council in heaven (as might be shewn), and
encompass the manifestation of his glory there round about. —Thomas Goodwin.
Ver. 5 Thy wonders, etc. As the heavens are a proof of God's power, in respect of his
first framing them out of nothing; so are they a pattern of God's faithfulness, in
their constant and orderly motion according to his word since their framing: The
heavens shall praise thy faithfulness also. However the power and faithfulness of
God may be seen and heard in the work and speech of the heavens by all men, yet
are they not observed and hearkened unto except in the Church by God's children:
therefore saith he, They shall praise thy faithfulness also in the congregation of the
saints. —David Dickson.
Ver. 5. Thy wonders. Thy wondrousness (literally, wonder), not "Thy wondrous
works", but "Thy wonderful mysterious nature and being", as separate and distinct
from all created beings. —J.J.S. Perowne.
Ver. 5. Thy wonders, etc. It is a wonderful salvation, it is such a salvation as the
angels desire to pry into it; and it is such a salvation, that all the prophets desire to
pry into it; it is almost six thousand years since all the angels in heaven fell into a sea
of wonder at this great salvation; it is almost six thousand years since Abel fell into a
sea of wonder at this great salvation; and what think ye is his exercise this day? He
is even wondering at this great salvation. —Andrew Gray, 1616.
WHEDO , "5. The heavens—Here to be understood as the abode of God and his
angels, and by metonomy put for the inhabitants of heaven, the angels and saints.
From this to Psalms 89:14 the perfections of God are confessed, and illustrated by
allusions to nature and to history.
Thy faithfulness… in the congregation of the saints—That is, the holy beings in
heaven shall celebrate the “faithfulness” of God toward his Church. The idea is

32. parallel to Ephesians 3:10
COFFMA , "Verse 5
GOD'S GRACIOUS MERCIES EXTOLLED
"And the heavens shall praise thy wonders, O Jehovah;
Thy faithfulness also in the assembly of the holy ones.
For who in the skies can be compared unto Jehovah?
Who among the sons of the mighty is like unto Jehovah,
A God very terrible in the council of the holy ones,
And to be feared above all them that are round about him?
O Jehovah God of hosts,
Who is a mighty one, like unto thee, O Jehovah?
And thy faithfulness is round about thee.
Thou rulest the pride of the sea:
When the waves thereof arise, thou stillest them.
Thou hast broken Rahab in pieces, as one that is slain;
Thou has scattered thine enemies with the arm of thy strength.
The heavens are thine, the earth also is thine:
The world and the fulness thereof, thou hast founded them.
The north and the south, thou hast created them:
Tabor and Herman rejoice in thy name.
Thou hast a mighty arm;
Strong is thy hand and high is thy right hand.
Righteousness and justice are the foundations of thy throne:
Lovingkindness and truth go before thy face.

33. Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound:
They walk, O Jehovah, in the light of thy countenance.
In thy name do they rejoice all the day;
And in thy righteousness are they exalted.
For thou art the glory of their strength;
And in thy favor our horn shall be exalted.
For our shield belongeth unto Jehovah;
And our king to the Holy One of Israel."
The poetry here is highly imaginative, having a single design, namely, that of
extolling the Majesty and Power of God.
"The assembly of the holy ones" (Psalms 89:5). "This is a frequent term in the Old
Testament as a reference to Israel as God's Old Testament church."[6]
"Among the sons of the mighty" (Psalms 89:6). This refers to the mighty men of
earth, its kings, rulers and dictators. "The mighty" in this passage cannot refer to
angels, because angels do not reproduce themselves and therefore have no `sons.'
"The council of the holy ones" (Psalms 89:7). This imagery here is that of a great
legislative body, such as a congress, but the figure of speech cannot be pressed
beyond the picture of God's being surrounded in heaven by the "living creatures"
before the throne and the countless hosts of mighty angels. In no sense whatever, is
there any kind of "council" with whom God has any need either to discuss or
consult regarding his plans, or from whom he has any need to seek approval of his
holy purposes.
"Thou rulest the pride of the sea" (Psalms 89:9). Some scholars find references here
to mythological stories of ancient times; but there is no need to import anything like
that into this text. The miracle of the Red Sea Crossing, continually in the mind of
every Israelite, would have been instantly remembered upon the reading of a verse
like this.
"Thou hast broken Rahab in pieces" (Psalms 89:10). "Rahab here is a well-known
scriptural reference to Egypt, as in Psalms 87:4."[7] Righteousness and justice are
the foundation of thy throne (Psalms 89:14). Hebrews 1:8-9, while not a direct
quotation, certainly has the same message as this.
"Our shield belongeth unto Jehovah" (Psalms 89:18). This was a popular conceit of
Israel. Their true and only shield was "God"; and their wicked monarchy, at the

34. time of writing this psalm, was in the act of demonstrating to all Israel that it was
not the "perfect system" they had imagined when they demanded that God allow it.
The Holy Spirit overruled the psalmist's words here, so that they are indeed true.
ot merely Israel's king but everything in heaven and upon earth belongs to God;
however the psalmist might have been thinking that their earthly monarchy itself
was some kind of "shield" for Israel. That myth would perish in the person of
Zedekiah.
A ELABORATIO OF GOD'S PROMISE TO DAVID
The next nineteen verses are given over to a rehearsal of God's promises to David
through athan in 2 Samuel 7. With true poetic license the psalmist also
embellished and extended them.
"The first ten verses of this section pertain particularly to David; and the last nine
are applicable to the Davidic dynasty."[8]
CO STABLE, "Verses 5-14
These verses exalt the uniqueness of Yahweh. Ethan praised Him for His attributes (
Psalm 89:5-8) and works ( Psalm 89:9-14). Outstanding among His attributes are
His faithfulness and His might. The "holy ones" ( Psalm 89:7) are the angels. The
works he cited were subduing the flood, defeating Egypt (Rahab, cf. Psalm 87:4) at
the Exodus , and creating the heavens and earth. He personified Mt. Tabor and Mt.
Hermon rejoicing in God"s great power.
"Tabor and Hermon are possibly paired as works of God which praise Him in
different ways: the lowly Tabor (1 ,900 ft.) by its history, as the scene of Deborah"s
victory, and the giant Hermon (9 ,000 ft.) by its physical majesty. The Creator"s
hand is both strong and high (13)." [ ote: Kidner, Psalm 73-150 , p321.]
PULPIT, "Psalms 89:5-37
The psalmist carries out the intention proclaimed in Psalms 89:1, and proceeds to
"sing of the mercies of the Lord" at great length. His song of praise divides into two
portions. From Psalms 89:5 to Psalms 89:18 it is a general laudation of the Almighty
for his greatness in heaven (Psalms 89:5-7), in nature (Psalms 89:9, Psalms 89:11,
Psalms 89:12), and in the course of his rule on earth (Psalms 89:10, Psalms 89:13-
18), after which it passes into a laudation of him in respect of what he had done, and
what he had promised, to David (Psalms 89:19-37).
Psalms 89:5
And the heavens shall praise thy wonders, O Lord. "The heavens" here are not the
material heavens, as in Psalms 19:1-14. l, but the company of the dwellers in heaven.
God's praise fittingly begins with them. Thy faithfulness also in the congregation of
the saints. The "congregation of the saints" is the company of angels (comp. Job 5:1;
Job 15:15). ot on earth only (Psalms 19:1, Psalms 19:2), but in heaven also God's

35. "faithfulness" is the theme of song.
K&D 5-8, "At the close of the promises in Psa_89:4-5 the music is to become forte.
And ‫יוֹדוּ‬ְ‫ו‬ attaches itself to this jubilant Sela. In Psa_89:6-19 there follows a hymnic
description of the exalted majesty of God, more especially of His omnipotence and
faithfulness, because the value of the promise is measured by the character of the person
who promises. The God of the promise is He who is praised by the heavens and the holy
ones above. His way of acting is ‫א‬ ֶ‫ל‬ ֶ‫,פ‬ of a transcendent, paradoxical, wondrous order,
and as such the heavens praise it; it is praised (‫,יודו‬ according to Ges. §137, 3) in the
assembly of the holy ones, i.e., of the spirits in the other world, the angels (as in Job_5:1;
Job_15:15, cf. Deu_33:2), for He is peerlessly exalted above the heavens and the angels.
‫ק‬ ַ‫ח‬ ַ‫,שׁ‬ poetic singular instead of ‫ים‬ ִ‫ק‬ ָ‫ח‬ ְ‫שׁ‬ (vid., supra on Psa_77:18), which is in itself already
poetical; and ְ‫ך‬ ַ‫ר‬ ָ‫,ע‬ not, as e.g., in Isa_40:18, in the signification to co-ordinate, but in the
medial sense: to rank with, be equal to. Concerning ‫ים‬ ִ‫ל‬ ֵ‫א‬ ‫י‬ֵ‫נ‬ ְ , vid., on Psa_29:1. In the
great council (concerning ‫ּוד‬‫ס‬, of both genders, perhaps like ‫ּוס‬ⅴ, vid., on Psa_25:14) of
the holy ones also, Jahve is terrible; He towers above all who are about Him (1Ki_22:19,
cf. Dan_7:10) in terrible majesty. ‫ה‬ ָ ַ‫ר‬ might, according to Psa_62:3; Psa_78:15, be an
adverb, but according to the order of the words it may more appropriately be regarded
as an adjective; cf. Job_31:34, ‫ה‬ ָ ַ‫ר‬ ‫ּון‬‫מ‬ ָ‫ה‬ ‫ּץ‬‫ר‬ ֱ‫ֽע‬ ֶ‫א‬ ‫י‬ ִⅴ, “when I feared the great multitude.” In
Psa_89:9 He is apostrophized with ‫צבאות‬ ‫אלהי‬ as being the One exalted above the
heavens and the angels. The question “Who is as Thou?” takes its origin from Exo_15:11.
‫ין‬ ִ‫ס‬ ֲ‫ח‬ is not the construct form, but the principal form, like ‫יר‬ ִ‫ב‬ , ‫יד‬ ִ‫ד‬ְ‫,י‬ ‫יל‬ִ‫ו‬ ֲ‫ע‬,ִ‫ד‬ְ‫י‬ , and is a
Syriasm; for the verbal stem Syr. hᑑan is native to the Aramaic, in which Syr. haᑑınā' = ‫י‬ ַ ַ‫.שׁ‬
In ָ‫,י‬ what God is is reduced to the briefest possible expression (vid., Psa_68:19). In the
words, “Thy faithfulness compasseth Thee round about,” the primary thought of the
poet again breaks through. Such a God it is who has the faithfulness with which He
fulfils all His promises, and the promises given to the house of David also, as His
constant surrounding. His glory would only strike one with terror; but the faithfulness
which encompasses Him softens the sunlike brilliancy of His glory, and awakens trust in
so majestic a Ruler.
6 For who in the skies above can compare with the
Lord?
Who is like the Lord among the heavenly
beings?

36. BAR ES, "For who in the heaven ... - literally, In the cloud; that is, in the sky.
The idea is that none in the regions above - the upper world - can be compared with God.
There is no other god - there is no one among the angels, great and glorious as they are,
that can be likened to him.
Who among the sons of the mighty ... - The angels - regarded as mighty. The
“sons of the mighty” on earth are spoken of as mighty men - as men of power - as men of
exalted rank. So here, the idea is, that none of the angels, though of exalted rank
(“principalities,” or “powers,” compare Rom_8:38; Eph_1:21), could be put in
comparison with God. See the notes at Isa_40:25.
CLARKE, "For who in the heaven - ‫שחק‬ shachak signifies the ethereal regions, all
visible or unbounded space; the universe. Who is like Jesus? given in his human nature
none of the sons of the mighty can be compared with him. He atones for the sin of the
world, and saves to the uttermost all who come unto God through him.
This may also be considered a reproof to idolaters. Is there any among the heavenly
hosts like to God? Even the most glorious of them were made by his hands. Can the
stars, or the more distant planets, or the moon, or the sun, be likened unto God most
high?
Who among the sons of the mighty - Instead of ‫אלים‬ elim, mighty ones, four of
Kennicott’s and De Rossi’s MSS. have ‫איל‬ eil, strength: - sons of strength, strong
persons. Several of the Versions seem to have read ‫אלהים‬ Elohim, God, instead of ‫אלים‬
elim, strong ones. So my old Psalter, following the Vulgate - For wha in the clowdes sal
be evened to Lorde; like sal be to God in sons of God! which it paraphrases thus: “Emang
al haly men nane may be evened to Ihu Crist: and nane may be like to hym in God’s sons:
for he is God’s son be kynde, and thai thrugh grace.”
GILL, "For who in the heaven can be compared unto the Lord?.... Or "ranked"
(n), or put upon a par, with him; none of the angels in heaven; for though they are holy,
wise, knowing, powerful, faithful, kind, and merciful creatures, yet not to be compared
with the Lord for holiness, wisdom, knowledge, strength, faithfulness, and mercy; see
Exo_15:11,
who among the sons of the mighty can be likened unto the Lord? the Syriac
version very wrongly renders it "the sons of angels", seeing angels do not propagate their
species, Luk_20:36 to which Kimchi agrees, who makes the "mighty" to be angels, and
their sons to be the host of heaven, which are moved and guided by them: the
Septuagint, Vulgate Latin, Ethiopic, and Arabic versions, render it "the sons of God";
and this phrase, indeed, is applicable to the angels, Job_38:7, and so the Targum

37. interprets it of the multitude of the angels; but rather the mighty men of the earth, and
their children, are meant; princes, nobles, judges, and civil magistrates of all sorts, men
of power and authority in the world; there are none of them to be likened to the Lord,
who is King of kings, and Lord of lords; see Psa_82:1.
HE RY, "What it is to praise God; it is to acknowledge him to be a being of
unparalleled perfection, such a one that there is none like him, nor any to be compared
with him, Psa_89:6. If there be any beings that can pretend to vie with God, surely they
must be found among the angels; but they are all infinitely short of him: Who in the
heaven can be compared with the Lord, so as to challenge any share of the reverence
and adoration which are due to him only, or to set up in rivalship with him for the
homage of the children of men? They are sons of the mighty, but which of them can be
likened unto the Lord? Nobles are princes' peers; some parity there is between them. But
there is none between God and the angels; they are not his peers. To whom will you
liken me, or shall I be equal? saith the Holy One, Isa_40:25. This is insisted on again
(Psa_89:8): Who is a strong Lord like unto thee? No angel, no earthly potentate,
whatsoever, is comparable to God, or has an arm like him, or can thunder with a voice
like him. Thy faithfulness is round about thee; that is, “thy angels who are round about
thee, attending thee with their praises and ready to go on thy errands, are all faithful.”
Or, rather, “In every thing thou doest, on all sides, thou approvest thyself faithful to thy
word, above whatever prince or potentate was.” Among men it is too often found that
those who are most able to break their word are least careful to keep it; but God is both
strong and faithful; he can do every thing, and yet will never do an unjust thing.
JAMISO , "This is worthy of our belief, for His faithfulness (is praised) by the
congregation of saints or holy ones; that is, angels (compare Deu_33:2; Dan_8:13).
sons of the mighty — (compare Psa_29:1). So is He to be admired on earth.
CALVI , "6For who in the clouds can be compared to Jehovah? The prophet now
proceeds to illustrate farther what he had said respecting God’s wonders, and
exclaims emphatically, Who in the clouds can be compared to God? The reason why
he speaks of the clouds, or heaven, is because, what is not surprising, nothing is to
be found upon the earth which can at all approach the glory of God. Although man
excels other living creatures, yet we see how contemptible and miserable his
condition is, or rather, how full it is of shame and reproach. Whence it follows, that
under heaven there is no excellence which can compete with that of God. But when
we ascend to heaven, immediately ravished with admiration, we conceive of a
multitude of gods, which do away with the true God. The last clause of the verse, in
which it is said, that among the sons of the gods there is none like the true and only
God, is an explanation of the first. The opinion of some, that by the clouds, or the
heavens, is to be understood the sun, moon, and stars, is disproved by the context
itself. The amount then is, that even in the heavens, God alone has the entire pre-
eminence, having there none as a companion or equal. The appellation the sons of
the gods is here given to angels, because they neither have their origin from the
earth, nor are clothed with a corruptible body, but are celestial spirits, adorned with
a Divine glory. It is not meant that they are a part of the Divine essence or
substance, as some fanatics dream; but as God displays his power in them, this title

38. is attributed to them, to distinguish between their nature and ours. In short,
although a greater majesty shines forth in the angels than in other creatures, at the
contemplation of which we are ravished with admiration, yet come they not near
God, so as to obscure and impair his glory by their excellence, or to share with him
in the sovereignty of the universe. This is a point worthy of our careful attention;
for, although God everywhere declares in his word that the angels are only his
servants, and always ready to execute his commands, yet the world, not contented
with having only one God, forges for itself a countless number of deities.
SPURGEO , "Ver. 6. For who in the heaven can be compared unto the Lord —
therefore all heaven worships him, seeing none can equal him.
Who among the sons of the mighty can be likened unto the Lord? — therefore the
assemblies of the saints on earth adore him, seeing none can rival him. Until we can
find one equally worthy to be praised, we will give unto the Lord alone all the
homage of our praise. either among the sons of the morning nor the sons of the
mighty can any peer be found for Jehovah, yea none that can be mentioned in the
same day; therefore he is rightly praised. Since the Lord Jesus, both as God and as
man, is far above all creatures, he also is to be devoutly worshipped. How full of
poetic fire is this verse! How bold is the challenge! How triumphant the holy
boasting! The sweet singer dwells upon the name of Jehovah with evident
exultation; to him the God of Israel is God indeed and God alone. He closely follows
the language long before rehearsed by Miriam, when she sang, "Who is like unto
thee, O Jehovah, among the gods? Who is like thee?" His thoughts are evidently
flying back to the days of Moses and the marvels of the Red Sea, when God was
gloriously known by his incommunicable name; there is a ring of timbrels in the
double question, and a sound as of the twinkling feet of rejoicing maidens. Have we
no poets now? Is there not a man among us who can compose hymns flaming with
this spirit? O, Spirit of the living God, be thou the inspirer of some master minds
among us!
EXPLA ATORY OTES A D QUAI T SAYI GS.
Ver. 6. Who in the heaven? Who in the sky? Ainsworth reads it. In the clouds, in
nubibus, oequabitur, is to be equalled, saith Calvin, to Jehovah, Quis enim in
superiore nube par oestimetur Jehova. Who in the higher clouds is equal to
Jehovah, so Tremellius reads it. Who in the heavens? i.e., say some, in the starry
heavens, among the celestial bodies, sun, moon, or stars; which were adored as gods,
not only by the Persians, but also by some idolatrous Jews, because of their
brightness and beauty, their lustre and glory. Which of all those famous lamps, and
heavenly luminaries, is to be compared to the Father of lights, and Sun of
righteousness? They may glisten like glowworms in the night of Paganism, among
them who are covered with the mantle of darkness, but when this Sun ariseth, and
day appeareth, they all vanish and disappear.
"Who in the heavens?" i.e., say others, in the heaven of heavens, the highest, the
third heavens, among the celestial spirits, cherubims and seraphims, angels and
archangels, principalities and powers, thrones and dominions? Who among the
innumerable company of angels? Who among those pure, those perfect spirits, who
are the most ancient, the most honourable house of the creation, is to be compared

39. to the Father of Spirits. —George Swinnock.
Ver. 6. Who can be compared? The Dutch have translated these words, Who can be
shadowed with him? that is, they are not worthy to be accounted shadows unto such
a comparison with him. —Thomas Goodwin.
Ver. 6. Who among the sons of the mighty. Literally, "Who is he among the sons of"
Alim (or of Gods, as in Psalms 29:1,) i.e., according to Suicer, the powerful, the
princes of the earth. —Daniel Cresswell.
WHEDO , "6. Who in the heaven—This recognises orders of created beings in
“heaven.” To say glorified saints are not included, is to deny that they are in
“heaven.” See notes on Psalms 16:3; Psalms 73:25.
Sons of the mighty— Hebrew, Sons of God. So in Psalms 29:1, “O ye mighty,” is O
sons of God, an advance upon “who in heaven,” which included all orders
whatsoever, while this designates angels, specially the higher order, archangels.
These are created beings—messengers of God doing his will. The supremacy of God
over nature and all orders of being is pure theism.
BE SO , "Verse 6-7
Psalms 89:6-7. Who among the sons of the mighty — That is, of the most mighty
princes upon earth: or among the highest angels; who well may and needs must
admire and adore thee, because thou art incomparably and infinitely more excellent
than they. God is greatly to be feared — With a fear of reverence; for dread and
terror have no place in those blessed mansions, and holy spirits. In the assembly of
the saints — The whole society of angels, called saints, or holy ones, again, as in
Psalms 89:5. And to be had in reverence of all about him — The angels, who are
always in his presence, and encompass his throne.
EBC, "In Psalms 89:6-18 the psalmist sets forth the Power and Faithfulness of God,
which insure the fulfilment of His promises. He is the incomparably great and
terrible God, who subdues the mightiest forces of nature and tames the proudest
nations (Psalms 89:9-10), who is Maker and Lord of the world (Psalms 89:11-12),
who rules with power, but also with righteousness, faithfulness, and grace (Psalms
89:13-14), and who, therefore, makes His people blessed and safe (Psalms 89:15-18).
Since God is such a God, His promise cannot remain unfulfilled. Power and
willingness to execute it to the last tittle are witnessed by heaven and earth, by
history and experience. Dark as the present may be, it would, therefore, be folly to
doubt for a moment.
The psalmist begins his contemplations of the glory of the Divine nature with
figuring the very heavens as vocal with His praise. ot only the object but the givers
of that praise are noteworthy. The heavens are personified, as in Psalms 19:1-14;
and from their silent depths comes music. There is One higher, mightier, older,
more unperturbed, pure, and enduring than they, whom they extol by their lustre
which they owe to Him. They praise God’s "wonder" (which here means, not so
much His marvellous acts, as the wonderfulness of His Being, His incomparable
greatness and power), and His Faithfulness, the two guarantees of the fulfilment of

40. His promises. or are the visible heavens His only praisers. The holy ones, sons of
the mighty-i.e., the angels-bow before Him who is high above their holiness and
might, and own Him for God alone.
With Psalms 89:9 the hymn descends to earth, and magnifies God’s Power and
Faithfulness as manifested there. The sea is, as always, the emblem of rebellious
tumult. Its insolence is calmed by Him. And the proudest of the nations, such as
Rahab ("Pride," a current name for Egypt), had cause to own His power, when He
brought the waves of the sea over her hosts, thus in one act exemplifying His
sovereign sway over both nature and nations. He is Maker, and therefore Lord, of
heaven and earth. In all quarters of the world His creative hand is manifest, and His
praise sounds. Tabor and Hermon may stand, as the parallelism requires, for west
and east, though some suppose that they are simply named as conspicuous summits.
They "shout for joy at Thy ame," an expression like that used in Psalms 89:16, in
reference to Israel. The poet thinks of the softly swelling Tabor with its verdure, and
of the lofty Hermon with its snows, as sharing in that gladness, and praising Him to
whom they owe their beauty and majesty. Creation vibrates with the same emotions
which thrill the poet. The sum of all the preceding is gathered up in Psalms 89:13,
which magnifies the might of God’s arm.
But more blessed still for the psalmist, in the midst of national gloom, is the other
thought of the moral character of God’s rule. His throne is broad based upon the
sure foundation of righteousness and justice. The pair of attributes always closely
connected-namely, Lovingkindness and Troth or Faithfulness-are here, as
frequently, personified. They "go to meet Thy face"-that is, in order to present
themselves before Him. "The two genii of the history of redemption [Psalms 43:3]
stand before His countenance, like attendant maidens, waiting the slightest
indication of His will" (Delitzsch).
Since God is such a God, His Israel is blessed, whatever its present plight. So the
psalmist closes the first part of his song, with rapturous celebration of the favoured
nation’s prerogatives. "The festal shout" or "the trumpet blast" is probably the
music at the festivals ( umbers 23:21; umbers 31:6), and "those who know" it
means "those who are familiar with the worship of this great God." The elements of
their blessedness are then unfolded. "They walk in the light of Thy face." Their
outward life is passed in continual happy consciousness of the Divine presence,
which becomes to them a source of gladness and guidance. "In Thy ame do they
exult all the day." God’s self-manifestation, and the knowledge of Him which arises
therefrom, become the occasion of a calm, perpetual joy, which is secure from
change, because its roots go deeper than the region where change works. "In Thy
righteousness shall they be exalted." Through God’s strict adherence to His
covenant, not by any power of their own, shall they be lifted above foes and fears.
"The glory of their strength art Thou." In themselves they are weak, but Thou, not
any arm of flesh, art their strength, and by possession of Thee they are not only
clothed with might, but resplendent with beauty. Human power is often unlovely;
God-given strength is, like armour inlaid with gold ornament as well as defence. "In
Thy favour our horn shall be exalted." The psalmist identifies himself at last with

41. the people, whose blessedness he has so glowingly celebrated. He could keep up the
appearance of distinction no longer. "They" gives place to "we" unconsciously, as
his heart swells with the joy which he paints. Depressed as he and his people are for
the moment, he is sure that there is lifting up. The emblem of the lifted horn is
common, as expressive of victory. The psalmist is confident of Israel’s triumph,
because he is certain that the nation, as represented by and, as it were, concentrated
in its king, belongs to God, who will not lose what is His. The rendering of Psalms
89:18 in the A.V. cannot be sustained. "Our shield" in the first clause is parallel
with "our king" in the second, and the meaning of both clauses is that the king of
Israel is God’s, and therefore secure. That ownership rests on the promise to David,
and on it in turn is rested the psalmist’s confidence that Israel and its king are
possessed of a charmed life, and shall be exalted, however now abject and
despondent.
7 In the council of the holy ones God is greatly
feared;
he is more awesome than all who surround him.
BAR ES, "God is greatly to be feared - There is that in him which is suited to fill
the mind with solemn feelings, and this is a proper state of mind with which to come
before him. Nature teaches us that God should be approached with awe; and all the
teachings of revelation confirm this. His power is to be feared; his justice is to be feared;
his holiness is to be feared; and there is much also in his goodness, his benevolence, his
mercy, to fill the mind with solemn emotions.
In the assembly of the saints - The assembly of the holy; the assembly that is
convened for his worship. The reference here may be either to worshippers on earth or
in heaven. Wherever, and whenever, in this world or in other worlds, creatures are
engaged in the worship of God, there should be deep solemnity and reverence. On the
word rendered “assembly” here - ‫סוד‬ sôd - a council, or assemblage for counsel, see Psa_
25:14, note; Psa_64:2, note; compare Job_15:8. The idea here is founded on what is said
in the previous verse, that none can be compared with God.
And to be had in reverence - In fear; in awe.
Of all them that are about him - That approach him; that are in his presence. The
conscious presence of God should fill the mind with awe. When we feel that his eye is
upon us, when we know that he sees us, how can we trifle and be thoughtless? How can
we then be sinful?

42. CLARKE, "God is greatly to be feared - In all religious assemblies the deepest
reverence for God should rest upon the people. Where this does not prevail, there is no
true worship. While some come with a proper Scriptural boldness to the throne of grace,
there are others who come into the presence of God with a reprehensible, if not sinful,
boldness.
GILL, "God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints,.... Which
Jarchi and Kimchi understand of angels again, and render it "God is to be feared in the
great assembly of them"; for they are a very large number, even an innumerable
company, in and by whom the Lord is feared and worshipped, Heb_12:21, but rather an
assembly or congregation of holy men are designed: it is the duty of such to assemble
together publicly for religious worship; they ought to do it on account of the Lord, who
requires it, and encourages it by his presence, he has promised; on the account of
themselves, it being for their profit and pleasure; and on the account of others, for their
conversion and comfort; and in imitation of the people of God, in all ages; nor should
they forsake the assembling of themselves: the word ‫סוד‬ rendered "assembly", signifies
"counsel" or "secret"; see Gen_49:6 and so the Targum,
"God is mighty in the secrets of the saints, sitting on a throne of glory;''
in the assembly of the saints, the secrets of God's love are disclosed unto them; the
doctrines and mysteries of his grace, called the whole counsel of God, Act_20:27 are
there made known; and the ordinances of the Gospel, which also are styled the counsel
of God, Luk_7:30, are there administered: now, where all this is done,
God is greatly feared herein; not with a slavish fear, a fear of hell and damnation,
such as may be in devils; nor with an hypocritical fear, such as is taught by the precepts
of men; but with a filial, godly fear, such as is peculiar to the children of God; with an
holy and humble fear, with a fiducial and fearless one; with a reverential affection for the
Divine Being, and such as includes all worship of him, internal and external: and to be
had in reverence of all them that are about him; which the Targum paraphrases
"and is to be feared above all the angels that stand round about him''
and so Kimchi interprets it; see Rev_5:11, but the same thing, in different words, is
meant, as in the preceding clause.
CALVI , "To the same effect is the following verse, in which it is affirmed, that
God is very terrible in the assembly of the saints. In these words is censured that
devilish superstition, to which almost all men are prone, of exalting angels beyond
measure, and without reason. But if the angels themselves tremble, and are afraid
before the Divine Majesty, why should they not be regarded as subjects, and kept in
their own rank, that God alone may have the sovereignty entirely to himself?
Farther, when they are represented asaround God, the meaning is, that they
surround his royal throne like body-guards, and are always ready to execute his

43. behests. In the subsequent verse the same thing is repeated yet again, Who is a
strong God as thou art? and this is done, that at least the fear of the Divine Majesty
may teach us to beware of robbing him of the honor which belongs to him. That we
may not, however, by too much fear, be prevented from approaching him, some
portion of sweetness is intermingled with this description, when it is declared, that
his truth is to be seen round about him on all sides; by which we are to understand,
that God is always steadfast in his promises, and that whatever changes may
happen, he nevertheless continues invariably true, both before and behind, on the
right hand and on the left. (528)
SPURGEO , "Ver. 7. God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints. The
holiest tremble in the presence of the thrice Holy One: their familiarity is seasoned
with the profoundest awe. Perfect love casts out the fear which hath torment, and
works in lieu thereof that other fear which is akin to joy unutterable. How reverent
should our worship be! Where angels veil their faces, men should surely bow in
lowliest fashion. Sin is akin to presumptuous boldness, but holiness is sister to holy
fear. "And to be had in reverence of all them that are about him." The nearer they
are the more they adore. If mere creatures are struck with awe, the courtiers and
favourites of heaven must be yet more reverent in the presence of the Great King.
God's children are those who most earnestly pray "hallowed be thy name."
Irreverence is rebellion. Thoughts of the covenant of grace tend to create a deeper
awe of God, they draw us closer to him, and the more his glories are seen by us in
that nearer access, the more humbly we prostrate ourselves before his Majesty.
EXPLA ATORY OTES A D QUAI T SAYI GS.
Ver. 7. God is greatly to be feared. Ainsworth reads, "God is daunting terrible."
The original word is Uren, from Ure arats, he was broken, bruised, terrified. "An
epithet of God", says Bythner, "as though breaking all things." —Editorial ote to
Calvin in loc.
Ver. 7. God is greatly to be feared. The worship of God is to be performed with
great fear and reverence: "God is greatly to be feared." Piscator translates it,
Vehementer formidandus, to be vehemently feared; and opposes it to that formal,
careless, trifling, vain spirit, which too often is found in those that approach the
Lord in the duties of his worship. —John Flavel.
Ver. 7. God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints. Those saints of his
who walk close with him, have a daunting power in their appearance. I appeal to
guilty consciences, to apostates, to professors who have secret haunts of wickedness:
sometime when you come but into the presence of one who is a truly gracious godly
man or woman whom your conscience tells you walks close with God, doth not even
the very sight of such an one terrify you? The very lustre of that holiness you see in
such an one strikes upon your conscience. Then you think, such an one walks close
with God indeed, but I have basely forsaken the Lord, and have had such a haunt of
wickedness, I have brought dreadful guilt upon my soul since I saw him last.
Ecclesiastical stories tell us of Basil, when the officers came to apprehend him, he
being then exercised in holy duties, that there was such a majesty and lustre came
from his countenance, that the officers fell down backward (as they did who came to
apprehend Christ), they were not able to lay hold of him. Surely, when the saints

44. shall be raised in their holiness, when every one of them shall have their hearts filled
with holiness, it will cause abundance of fear even in all hearts of those that
converse with them. —Jeremiah Burrows.
8 Who is like you, Lord God Almighty?
You, Lord, are mighty, and your faithfulness
surrounds you.
BAR ES, "O Lord God of hosts - See the notes at Isa_1:9; Psa_24:10. God,
commanding the armies of heaven; leading forth the stars; controlling all forces - all
powers.
Who is a strong Lord like unto thee? - The original word here rendered “Lord” is
‫יה‬ Yâhh, or Jah. This is one of the few places where that word occurs, except in the
compounding of words. It is an abbreviation of the name Yahweh, and has the same
signification. See the notes at Psa_68:4. The meaning is, that there was no one who in
respect to power could be compared with Yahweh.
Or to thy faithfulness round about thee? - Rather, “thy faithfulness is round
about thee.” That is, It attends thee at all times; it is always with thee; it is a part of thy
very nature. To all round about thee, thou art faithful; wherever God is - and he is
everywhere - there is faithfulness. He never changes; and people and angels may always
trust in him. The psalmist then proceeds to illustrate the greatness of his power, and of
his faithfulness, in the works of creation. The design of these illustrations, doubtless, is
to keep before the mind the idea of the divine faithfulness as shown in the works of
nature, and then to apply this to the covenant which had been made with David. The
idea is, that he who is so faithful in nature will be the same in grace; that he who had
shown such unchangeableness in the works of creation might be expected to show the
like in respect to the promises which he had made.
CLARKE, "O Lord God of hosts - Thou who hast all armies at thy command, and
canst serve thyself by every part of thy creation, whether animate or inanimate.
Who is a strong Lord - See Psa_89:6.
Thy faithfulness round about thee? - Or, more properly, thy faithfulness is round
about thee. Thou still keepest thy promises in view. God’s truth leads him to fulfill his
promises: they stand round his throne as the faithful servants of an eastern monarch
stand round their master, waiting for the moment of their dismission to perform his will.

45. GILL, "O Lord God of hosts,.... Of all the hosts of heaven, the sun, moon, and stars,
and of all the heavenly hosts of angels, of all the armies in heaven, and the inhabitants of
the earth:
who is a strong Lord like unto thee? he is Jah, or Jehovah, and he alone is so, and
is the most High in all the earth, Psa_83:18 and there is none like him for his great
power and strength, by which he has made the heavens and the earth, and upholds them
in their being; and by which he has redeemed his people, plucked them out of the hands
of sin and Satan, and preserves them safe to his kingdom and glory: see Job_40:9,
or to thy faithfulness round about thee; none so faithful as the Lord, none to be
trusted as he, either angels or men; some understand it of the faithful ones that are
about him, his trusty servants the angels, who stand round about him ready to do his
will; or the glorified saints that are with him, the called, chosen, and faithful; see Psa_
103:19 or rather the words are to be read, "and thy faithfulness is round about thee"; and
so the Targum,
"and thy truth (or faithfulness) surroundeth thee:''
look all around him, and his faithfulness is everywhere to be seen; to himself, and the
perfections of his nature; to his Son, and agreements with him; and to his counsels of
old, his purposes and decrees, and to his covenant and promises: he is as it were clothed
with faithfulness, and it appears in all the dispensations of his providence
JAMISO 8-14, "To illustrate His power and faithfulness examples are cited from
history. His control of the sea (the most mighty and unstable object in nature), and of
Egypt (Psa_87:4), the first great foe of Israel (subjected to utter helplessness from pride
and insolence), are specimens. At the same time, the whole frame of nature founded and
sustained by Him, Tabor and Hermon for “east and west,” and “north and south,”
together representing the whole world, declare the same truth as to His attributes.
SPURGEO , "Ver. 8. O Lord God of hosts, who is a strong Lord like unto thee? Or
Jehovah, God of Hosts, who is like thee, Mighty Jah. Alexander remarks, that the
infinite superiority of God to men and angels is here expressed, or rather indicated,
by an accumulation of descriptive titles. Here we have the name which displays his
self existence, the title which denotes his dominion over all his creatures, and an
adjective which sets forth the power with which he exercises his sovereignty. Yet this
great and terrible God has entered into covenant with men! Who would not
reverence him with deepest love?
Or to thy faithfulness round about thee. He dwells in faithfulness; it is said to be the
girdle of the loins of his only begotten Son, who is the express image of his person.
one in all creation is faithful as he is; even his angels might prove faithless if he left
them to themselves, but he cannot "lie unto David", or forget to keep his oath. Men
often fail in truth because their power is limited, and then they find it easier to
break their word than to keep it; but the strong Jehovah is equal to all his
engagements, and will assuredly keep them. Unrivalled might and unparalleled
truth are wedded in the character of Jehovah. Blessed be his name that it is so.

46. EXPLA ATORY OTES A D QUAI T SAYI GS.
Ver. 8. Thy faithfulness round about thee. For just as the tyrants of this world move
abroad surrounded by impiety, avarice, contempt of God, and, pride, as with a
bodyguard, so God sits on his exalted throne, surrounded with majesty, faithfulness,
mercy and equal love to all his people, as with a vesture of gold. —J. Baptista
Folengius.
Ver. 8. Thy faithfulness round about thee. Whatever he doth, he is mindful of his
faithfulness and covenant, before and behind, and on each side; he can look no way,
but that is in his eye. And though he employ angels, and send them down into the
world, and they stand round about him; yet he hath better harbingers than these—
mercy, and truth, and faithfulness, that wait round about him. —Thomas
Goodwin.
BE SO , "Verses 8-10
Psalms 89:8-10. Who is a strong Lord like unto thee? — Who is equal to thee in
power, or, as it follows, in faithfulness. Or to thy faithfulness round about thee —
Hebrew, and thy faithfulness is round about thee, encompassing and adorning thee
like a girdle. It appears in all thy paths and actions, in thy words and works. Thou
rulest the raging of the sea — Giving commands, and setting bounds to its waves
when they are most impetuous and unruly. Thou hast broken Rahab — Egypt, as
Psalms 87:4. As one that is slain — Thou didst wound them not slightly, but unto
death.
COKE, "Psalms 89:8. Or to thy faithfulness round about thee?— And thy
faithfulness encompasseth thee. This poetical phrase seems to allude to the
expression in the foregoing verse, concerning the saints or angels that are about
him; and signifies, that as they wait upon God, and execute his will; so, far above
the strength of those, God's fidelity, exactly encompass him, and he is ready to
perform whatever he has promised.
PULPIT, "O Lord God of hosts; i.e. God of the angelic hosts just spoken of. Who is
a strong Lord like unto thee? rather, Who is strong like unto thee, O Jah? (comp.
Exodus 15:11). Or to thy faithfulness round about thee! rather, as in the Revised
Version, and thy faithfulness is round about thee. It has been said that "the two
words 'mercies' and 'faithfulness' are the refrain of the psalm." The latter occurs six
times (Psalms 89:1, Psalms 89:2, Psalms 89:5, Psalms 89:8, Psalms 89:24, Psalms
89:33), and "faithful" in Psalms 89:37.
9 You rule over the surging sea;
when its waves mount up, you still them.

47. BAR ES, "Thou rulest the raging of the sea - The pride; the anger; the lifting
up of the sea. That is, when the sea is raging and boisterous; when it seems as if
everything would be swept away before it, thou hast absolute control over it. There is,
perhaps, no more impressive exhibition of divine power than the control which God has
over the raging waves of the ocean: and yet this was the power which Jesus exercised
over the raging sea of Galilee - showing that he had the power of God. Mar_4:39-41.
When the waves thereof arise - In the lifting up of the waves; when they seem to
raise themselves up in defiance.
Thou stillest them - At thy pleasure. They rise no higher than thou dost permit; at
thy command they settle down into a calm. So in the troubles of life - the storms - the
waves of affliction; they rise as high as God permits, and no higher; when he commands
they subside, and leave the mind as calm as the smooth sea when not a breath of wind
moves over its surface, or makes a ripple on its placid bosom.
CLARKE, "Thou rulest the raging of the sea - Whoever has seen the sea in a
storm, when its waves run what is called mountain high, must acknowledge that nothing
but omnipotent power could rule its raging.
When the waves thereof arise, thou stillest them - Thou governest both its flux
and reflux. Thou art the Author of storms and calms. There may be a reference here to
the passage of the Red Sea, and the strong wind that agitated its waves at that time; as
the next verse seems to indicate.
GILL, "Thou rulest the raging of the sea,.... The power, pride, and elation of it,
when it swells, and foams, and rages, and becomes boisterous, and threatens vessels
upon it with utter ruin and destruction; but the Lord, who has it under his dominion and
government, restrains it; he has made and can manage it, and he only: his power over it
is seen in assigning it its place, and ordering the waters of it to it when first made; in
placing the sand for its boundary by a perpetual decree, which it cannot pass; by
commanding the stormy wind to lift up its waves, and by making the storm a calm, and
the waves thereof still; see Psa_107:25, instances of this were at the universal deluge,
and at the Red sea:
when the waves thereof arise, thou stillest them; when the sea lifts up its waves,
and both lift up their voice, and make a noise, and roar, the Lord hushes them, and
makes them still and quiet, as a parent its child when it cries, or a master his scholars,
when they are noisy and tumultuous; so Christ rebuked the wind, and checked the
raging sea, and made it calm, when the ship in which he was with his disciples was
covered with its waves; and as this is mentioned here as an instance of the great power
and strength of the Lord of hosts, so that was a proof and evidence of the true and
proper divinity of our Lord Jesus Christ, Mat_8:24, all this may be understood, in a
mystical sense, of the sea of this world, and the wicked inhabitants of it, who are as the

48. troubled sea, and cannot rest, casting up mire and dirt, reproaching and blaspheming
God and man; and particularly of tyrannical princes and potentates, who are like the
proud waters and raging waves of the sea; but the Lord on high is mightier than they,
and can and does restrain their wrath and rage, so that his people have nothing to fear
from them; see Psa_124:3.
HE RY 9-10, " What we ought, in our praises, to give God the glory of. Several things
are here mentioned. 1. The command God has of the most ungovernable creatures (Psa_
89:9): Thou rulest the raging of the sea, than which nothing is more frightful or
threatening, nor more out of the power of man to give check to; it can swell no higher,
roll no further, beat no harder, continue no longer, nor do any more hurt, than God
suffers it. “When the waves thereof arise thou canst immediately hush them asleep, still
them, and make them quiet, and turn the storm into a calm.” This coming in here as an
act of omnipotence, what manner of man then was the Lord Jesus, whom the winds and
seas obeyed? 2. The victories God has obtained over the enemies of his church. His
ruling the raging of the sea and quelling its billows was an emblem of this (Psa_89:10):
Thou hast broken Rahab, many a proud enemy (so it signifies), Egypt in particular,
which is sometimes called Rahab, broken it in pieces, as one that is slain and utterly
unable to make head again. “The head being broken, thou hast scattered the remainder
with the arm of thy strength.” God has more ways than one to deal with his and his
church's enemies. We think he should slay them immediately, but sometimes he scatters
them, that he may send them abroad to be monuments of his justice, Psa_59:11. The
remembrance of the breaking of Egypt in pieces is a comfort to the church, in reference
to the present power of Babylon; for God is still the same.
JAMISO , "
CALVI , "9.Thou governest the pride of the sea. I have already observed that what
the prophet has hitherto spoken generally concerning the power of God, is to be
referred to the miracle of the deliverance of the Israelites from Egypt, which he now
celebrates in express terms. According to the interpretation of some, God is said to
still the impetuous waves of the sea, because he does not suffer it to break forth and
overflow the whole world by a deluge. But I would read the 9th and 10th verses
connectedly, and would understand the prophet as speaking of the Red Sea, which
God divided to make a way for the chosen tribes to pass over. The Psalmist adds
immediately after, that all the land of Egypt was overthrown as a wounded man By
these words he magnifies the grace of God, which was displayed in the deliverance
of the Church. He intended, there can be no doubt, to set before his own mind and
the minds of others, the paternal love of God, to encourage both himself and others
to have recourse to Him for succor, with the greater freedom and alacrity. And in
affirming that God had broken in pieces his enemies with his mighty arm, he
concludes from the past experience of the Church, that his mode of acting will be
always similar, whenever in his infinite wisdom he sees it to be required.
SPURGEO , "Ver. 9. Thou rulest the raging of the sea. Always, even in the hour of
ocean's maddest fury, the Lord controls it. At the Red Sea the foaming billows saw
their God and stood upright in awe.
When the waves thereof arise, thou stillest them. one else can do this; to attempt it
would be madness, but the Lord's "hush" silences the boisterous storm. So did the
Lord's Anointed calm the storms of Galilee, for he is Lord of all; so also does the

49. great Ruler of Providence evermore govern the fickle wills of men, and quiet the
tumults of the people. As a mother stills her babe to sleep, so the Lord calms the
fury of the sea, the anger of men, the tempest of adversity, the despair of the soul,
and the rage of hell. "The Lord sitteth upon the floods; yea, the Lord sitteth King
for ever", and in all his ruling and over ruling he has respect unto his covenant;
therefore, although our house be not so with God as our hearts would wish, yet we
will rejoice in his covenant ordered in all things and sure, and delight in him as all
our salvation and all our desire.
EXPLA ATORY OTES A D QUAI T SAYI GS.
Ver. 9. Thou rulest the raging of the sea. Surely the Spirit of God would have us to
take notice, that though the sea be indeed such a giant, such a monster, as will make
a heart of oak shake, or a heart of brass melt, yet what is it to God, but an infant?
He can bind it and lay it to sleep, even as a little child. And if the great sea be in the
hand of God as a little child, what is great to God! and how great is God! What is
strong to God! and how strong is God! What or who is too great, or too strong for
God to deal with? —Joseph Caryl.
Ver. 9. Thou rulest. Here under a figure taken from God's providential government,
we have an exhibition of the power of God in defeating the efforts of the enemies of
his Church. An instance of this, in the literal sense, we have in the appeasing of the
storm by our Lord. "And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea,
Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm." Here we see that
God reigns over the sea immediately, and alters or modifies the arrangements of
nature according to his sovereign pleasure. That which Jesus did on one occasion is
constantly done by the God of providence. He has not left the ocean to be disturbed
at random by the winds, nor to be kept in peace by the laws of nature. He rules the
raging of the sea. He raises the waves, and he stilleth them. This exhibits a
continually working providence. And what he does in providence he does also in his
kingdom of grace. He suffers the fury of the enemy to swell against his cause, but he
stills it at his pleasure. —Alexander Carson.
K&D 9-14, "At the time of the poet the nation of the house of David was threatened
with assault from violent foes; and this fact gives occasion for this picture of God's power
in the kingdom of nature. He who rules the raging of the sea, also rules the raging of the
sea of the peoples, Psa_65:8. ‫אוּת‬ֵ, a proud rising, here of the sea, like ‫ה‬ָ‫ו‬ ֲ‫ֽא‬ַ in Psa_46:4.
Instead of ‫ּוע‬‫שׂ‬ ְ , Hitzig pleasantly enough reads ‫ּוא‬‫שׁ‬ ְ = ‫ּו‬‫א‬ ְ‫שׁ‬ ִ from ‫ה‬ፎ ָ‫;שׁ‬ but ‫ּוא‬‫שׂ‬ is also
possible so far as language is concerned, either as an infinitive = ‫ּוא‬‫שׂ‬ְ‫,נ‬ Psa_28:2; Isa_1:14
(instead of ‫ת‬ ֵ‫א‬ ְ‫,)שׂ‬ or as an infinitival noun, like ‫יא‬ ִ‫,שׂ‬ loftiness, Job_20:6, with a likewise
rejected Nun. The formation of the clause favours our taking it as a verb: when its waves
rise, Thou stillest them. From the natural sea the poet comes to the sea of the peoples;
and in the doings of God at the Red Sea a miraculous subjugation of both seas took place
at one and the same time. It is clear from Psa_74:13-17; Isa_51:9, that Egypt is to be
understood by Rahab in this passage as in Psa_87:4. The word signifies first of all
impetuosity, violence, then a monster, like “the wild beast of the reed,” Psa_68:31, i.e.,
the leviathan or the dragon. ָ‫את‬ ִⅴ ִ is conjugated after the manner of the Lamed He verbs,
as in Psa_44:20. ‫ל‬ ָ‫ל‬ ָ‫ח‬ ֶⅴ is to be understood as describing the event or issue (vid., Psa_

50. 18:43): so that in its fall the proudly defiant kingdom is like one fatally smitten.
Thereupon in Psa_89:12-15 again follows in the same co-ordination first the praise of
God drawn from nature, then from history. Jahve's are the heavens and the earth. He is
the Creator, and for that very reason the absolute owner, of both. The north and the
right hand, i.e., the south, represent the earth in its entire compass from one region of
the heavens to the other. Tabor on this side of the Jordan represents the west (cf. Hos_
5:1), and Hermon opposite the east of the Holy Land. Both exult by reason of the name
of God; by their fresh, cheerful look they give the impression of joy at the glorious
revelation of the divine creative might manifest in themselves. In Psa_89:14 the praise
again enters upon the province of history. “An arm with (‫ם‬ ִ‫)ע‬ heroic strength,” says the
poet, inasmuch as he distinguishes between the attribute inherent in God and the
medium of its manifestation in history. His throne has as its ‫ּון‬‫כ‬ ָ‫,מ‬ i.e., its immovable
foundation (Pro_16:12; Pro_25:5), righteousness of action and right, by which all action
is regulated, and which is unceasingly realized by means of the action. And mercy and
truth wait upon Him. ‫י‬ֵ‫נ‬ ְ ‫ם‬ ֵ ִ‫ק‬ is not; to go before any one (‫י‬ֵ‫נ‬ ְ‫פ‬ ִ‫ל‬ ְ‫ך‬ ֵ ִ‫,ה‬ Ps 85:14), but
anticipatingly to present one's self to any one, Psa_88:14; Psa_95:2; Mic_6:6. Mercy
and truth, these two genii of sacred history (Psa_43:3), stand before His face like waiting
servants watching upon His nod.
10 You crushed Rahab like one of the slain;
with your strong arm you scattered your
enemies.
BAR ES, "Thou hast broken Rahab in pieces - Margin, “Egypt.” See the notes
at Psa_87:4. The reference is to the exodus of the Hebrew people, when he destroyed the
power of Egypt.
As one that is slain - Slain on the field of battle; as a man pierced through with a
sword or spear.
Thou hast scattered thine enemies - At the time referred to, in Egypt; and at
other times, when the enemies of God and of his people had been discomfited.
With thy strong arm - Margin, as in Hebrew, the arm of thy strength. That is, by
his power - the arm being the symbol of power. See the notes at Psa_77:15. Compare
Deu_5:15; Deu_7:8, Deu_7:19, et al.

51. CLARKE, "Thou hast broken Rahab - Thou hast destroyed the power of Egypt,
having overthrown the king and its people when they endeavored to prevent thy people
from regaining their liberty.
As one that is slain - The whole clause in the original is, ‫רהב‬ ‫כחלל‬ ‫דכאת‬ ‫אתה‬ attah
dikkitha kechalal Rahab, “Thou, like a hero, hast broken down Egypt.” Dr. Kennicott has
largely proved that ‫חלל‬ chalal, which we render wounded, slain, etc., means a soldier,
warrior, hero; and it is certain that this sense agrees better with it than the other in a
great number of places. Mr. Berlin translates, Tu contrivisti ut cadaver Aegyptum;
“Thou hast bruised down Egypt like a dead carcass.” The whole strength of Egypt could
avail nothing against thee. Thou didst trample them down as easily as if they had all
been dead carcasses.
GILL, "Thou hast broken Rahab in pieces, as one that is slain,.... Or Egypt, as
in Psa_87:4 or the Egyptians, and particularly Pharaoh their king; so the Targum
explains it,
"Rahab or the proud one, this is Pharaoh the wicked;''
who and his people were broken to pieces by the plagues that were brought upon them,
especially when all their firstborn were slain; and he and his host were broke in pieces at
the Red sea, and were seen by the Israelites on the shore, all dead men; and this was
done as easily by the Lord, as one slain with the sword, as a dead carcass which has no
life, power, and strength to defend itself, may be trampled upon, crushed, bruised, and
broken to pieces, by a living man. All this may be an emblem of the Lord's breaking in
pieces the proud and insolent one Satan, as Rahab signifies; of his breaking his head,
destroying his works, and spoiling his principalities and powers; and indeed of his
destruction of every proud and haughty sinner, that says, Pharaoh like, who is the Lord,
that I should obey him? and of every vain boaster, and self-righteous person, that trusts
in his own righteousness, and will not submit to the righteousness of Christ; and
particularly of mystical Egypt, the proud beast of Rome, antichrist, who sits in the
temple of God as if he was God, showing himself to be so, blaspheming God, his name,
his tabernacle, and his saints; who will be broken to shivers as a potter's vessel, when the
vials of God's wrath are poured out, and at and by the coming of Christ:
thou hast scattered thine enemies with thy strong arm; as the Egyptians were in
the Red sea, by the waves of it, and cast upon the shore by them; and as the Amorites
were by Moses, and the Canaanites by Joshua; which instances may be here referred
unto; see Num_10:35 these are further proofs of the power and strength of the Lord,
Job_40:9.
SPURGEO , "Ver. 10. Thou hast broken Rahab in pieces as one that is slain. Egypt
was crushed like a corpse beneath the chariot wheels of the destroyer: its pomp and
glory were broken like the limbs of the dead in battle. Egypt was Israel's ancient foe,
and its overthrow wits a theme to which devout minds constantly reverted, as to a
subject fit for their most exulting songs. We, too, have seen our Rahab broken, our
sins overthrown, and we cannot but unite in the ascription of praise unto the Lord.

52. Thou hast scattered thine enemies with thy strong arm. Thy strength has strewn thy
foes dead upon the plain, or compelled them to flee hither and thither in dismay.
Jehovah has overthrown his enemies with his own right arm, unaided and alone.
Proud Rahab, swelling in her fury like the sea, was utterly broken and scattered
before the Lord of Hosts.
EXPLA ATORY OTES A D QUAI T SAYI GS.
Ver. 10. Broken; scattered. God has more ways than one to deal with his and his
church's enemies. —Matthew Henry.
Ver. 10. Rahab. The reason why Egypt is expressed in Scripture under this word,
ariseth from the two significations of it; first, it signifies strength, for Egypt was a
very strong nation, and therefore the Israelites were reproved for going to them for
help, and relying upon their strength, which though great in itself, yet should be to
them but a broken reed; secondly, it signifieth pride, or the proud; men are usually
proud of strength, and Egypt being a strong nation, was also a very proud nation. â
€”Joseph Caryl.
WHEDO , "10. Rahab—Poetic name of Egypt, as a symbol of pride, or tumultuous
violence. Psalms 87:4; compare Isaiah 51:9. In Job 26:12, it is translated “the
proud,” where it should be “Egypt,” probably alluding to the passage of the Red
Sea; if the book of Job would allow so late a date.
Broken Rahab… as one that is slain—The version of Gerard is better, founded on
the Arabic derivatives of the word: “Thou, like a warrior, hast crushed Rahab.”
COKE, "Psalms 89:10. Thou hast broken Rahab in pieces— This refers to the
destruction of the Egyptians in the Red Sea. "Thou troddest under foot the pride of
the Egyptian crocodile, with as much ease as one treads upon the carcase of a man
slaughtered in the field of battle;" for it should be rendered, Thou crushedst under
foot Rahab, as one who is slain. Mudge. Kennicott would render it, Thou, like a man
of war, hast broken Rahab, or Egypt, in pieces. See Exodus 3:6.
11 The heavens are yours, and yours also the
earth;
you founded the world and all that is in it.
BAR ES, "The heavens are thine - Are thy work; and, therefore, thy property -
the highest conception of property being that which is derived from creation. It is also

53. implied here that as all things belong to God, he has a right to dispose of them as he
pleases.
The earth also is thine - The earth itself, as made by thee; all that the earth
produces, as having sprung out of that which thou hast made. The entire proprietorship
is in thee.
As for the world - In the use of this word, the earth is spoken of as inhabitable,
meaning that the earth and all that dwell upon it belong to God.
And the fulness thereof - All that it produces; what constitutes its enireness. That
is, the earth itself considered as earth, or as a mass of matter; and all that springs from
it; all that constitutes the earth, with all its mountains, seas, rivers, people, animals,
minerals, harvests, cities, towns, monuments - the productions of nature, the works of
power, and the achievements of art. Compare the notes at Psa_24:1.
Thou hast founded them - They all have their foundation in thee; that is, thou hast
caused them all to exist. They have no independent and separate basis on which to rest.
CLARKE, "The heavens are thine - Thou art the Governor of all things, and the
Disposer of all events.
The world - The terraqueous globe.
And the fullness - All the generations of men. Thou hast founded them - thou hast
made them, and dost sustain them.
After this verse, the Editio Princeps of the Hebrew Bible, printed at Soncini, 1488,
adds: -
‫לילה‬ ‫לך‬ ‫אף‬ ‫יום‬ ‫לך‬
lailah lecha aph yom lecha
‫ושמש‬ ‫מאור‬ ‫הכינות‬ ‫אתה‬
vashamesh maor hachinotha attah
To thee is the day; also to thee is the night:
Thou hast prepared the light and the sun.
But these same words are found in Psa_74:16.
GILL, "The heavens are thine,.... They are made and inhabited by him, they are the
work of his hands, and the seat of his majesty, and the throne of his glory; the angels of
heaven are his, his creatures and servants; the several heavens are his, the airy, starry,
and third heavens; the place and state of the blessed and glorified saints is of his
preparing and giving:
the earth also is thine; the whole terraqueous globe, and all that is in it, being made,
preserved, and continued by him, and by him given to the sons of men, Psa_116:15,

54. as for the world, and the fulness thereof: the habitable world, and all that dwell
therein, all the children of men, the beasts of the field, and cattle on a thousand hills, and
the provisions for them all; which is the goodness of the Lord, the earth is full of; these
are all the Lord's; see Psa_24:1,
thou hast founded them; the world, and the inhabitants of it; the earth is founded
upon the seas, and the world upon nothing; and the inhabitants are wonderfully
preserved and continued by the power and providence of God; see Psa_24:2.
HE RY 11-12, " The incontestable property he has in all the creatures of the upper and
lower world (Psa_89:11, Psa_89:12): “Men are honoured for their large possessions; but
the heavens are thine, O Lord! the earth also is thine; therefore we praise thee, therefore
we trust in thee, therefore we will not fear what man can do against us. The world and
the fulness thereof, all the riches contained in it, all the inhabitants of it, both the
tenements and the tenants, are all thine; for thou hast founded them,” and the founder
may justly claim to be the owner. He specifies, (1.) The remotest parts of the world, the
north and south, the countries that lie under the two poles, which are uninhabited and
little known: “Thou hast created them, and therefore knowest them, takest care of them,
and hast tributes of praise from them.” The north is said to be hung over the empty
place; yet what fulness there is there God is the owner of it. (2.) The highest parts of the
world. He mentions the two highest hills in Canaan - “Tabor and Hermon” (one lying to
the west, the other to the east); “these shall rejoice in thy name, for they are under the
care of thy providence, and they produce offerings for thy altar.” The little hills are said
to rejoice in their own fruitfulness, Psa_65:12. Tabor is commonly supposed to be that
high mountain in Galilee on the top of which Christ was transfigured; and then indeed it
might be said to rejoice in that voice which was there heard, This is my beloved Son.
JAMISO , "To illustrate His power and faithfulness examples are cited from history.
His control of the sea (the most mighty and unstable object in nature), and of Egypt
(Psa_87:4), the first great foe of Israel (subjected to utter helplessness from pride and
insolence), are specimens. At the same time, the whole frame of nature founded and
sustained by Him, Tabor and Hermon for “east and west,” and “north and south,”
together representing the whole world, declare the same truth as to His attributes.
CALVI , "11The heavens are thine, the earth also is thine. He again repeats, the
third time, that the same God who had been the deliverer of the chosen people
exercises supreme dominion over the whole world. From the fact that God created
all things, he concludes, that it is He who actually presides over, and controls
whatever takes place in heaven and in earth. It would be absurd to suppose, that the
heavens, having been once created by God, should now revolve by chance, and that
things should be thrown into confusion upon the earth either at the will of men, or
at random, when it is considered that it belongs to God to maintain and govern
whatever he has created; unless, like the heathen, we would imagine that he enjoys
himself in beholding all the works of his hand, in this beautiful theater of the heaven
and the earth, without giving himself any farther trouble about them. In speaking of
the south and the north, and also of the mountains, Tabor and Hermon, the prophet
accommodates his language to the unrefined apprehension of the common people: as
if he had said, there is no part of the fabric of the world which does not reverence

55. and honor its Creator. I also connect with this the next verse, which affirms, that the
arm of God is furnished with power, his hand with strength, and that his right hand
is exalted Some resolve the two last clauses of the verse into the form of a prayer,
Strengthen thy hand, lift up thy right hand; but this seems too much removed from
the mind of the prophet, who, with the simple view of encouraging all the godly,
celebrates the inconceivable power of God.
SPURGEO , "Ver. 11. The heavens are thine, the earth also is thine. All things are
alike God's—rebellious earth as well as adoring heaven. Let us not despair of the
kingdom of truth; the Lord has not abdicated the throne of earth or handed it over
to the sway of Satan.
As for the world and the fulness thereof, thou hast founded them. The habitable and
cultivated earth, with all its produce, owns the Lord to be both its Creator and
Sustainer, builder and upholder.
EXPLA ATORY OTES A D QUAI T SAYI GS.
Ver. 11. The heavens are thine, the earth also is thine. Therefore we praise thee,
therefore we trust in thee, therefore we will not fear what man can do against us. â
€”Matthew Henry.
HI TS TO THE VILLAGE PREACHER.
Ver. 11. —
1. God's possession of heaven, the model of his possession of earth.
2. God's possession of earth most certain, and its manifestation in the future most
sure.
3. The course of action suggested to his people by the two facts.
BE SO , "Verse 11-12
Psalms 89:11-12. The earth also is thine, and the fulness thereof — All the creatures
wherewith it is replenished, as Psalms 24:1; Psalms 50:12. Thou hast founded them
— They are all thy creatures, and of consequence are wholly subject to thy power
and pleasure; and therefore all the monarchs and kingdoms of the earth cannot
hinder thee from making good thy promise to the house and kingdom of David. The
north and the south thou hast created them — That is, the northern and southern
parts of the world, yea, even the remotest ends thereof, though not yet known to us,
were made and are ruled by thee. Tabor and Hermon — Two eminent mountains in
the land of Canaan; Tabor in the west, and within Jordan, Hermon on the east, and
without Jordan. By which he may intend either, 1st, The western and eastern parts
of the world, and so all the four parts of it are contained in this verse. Or, 2d, Only
the several parts of the land of Canaan, both within Jordan and without it. And the
mountains may be named rather than the valleys, because, when their fertility is
expressed, the fertility of the valleys is more strongly supposed. Shall rejoice —
Shall be fruitful and prosperous, and so give their inhabitants cause to rejoice; in
thy name — In or by thy favour, and the fruits thereof.

56. 12 You created the north and the south;
Tabor and Hermon sing for joy at your name.
BAR ES, "The north and the south, thou hast created them - All that there is
in the north and in the south - in the northern and the southern sky - the constellations
and the stars; and all that there is in the earth - in the regions of cold and of heat - far as
they extend in either direction. The word rendered “north” here - ‫צפון‬ tsâphôn - means
properly that which is hidden or dark, and was applied to the north, because the
ancients regarded it as the seat of gloom and darkness. Hom. Od., ix. 25. The south, on
the other hand, was regarded by them as illuminated and made bright by the beams of
the sun. The word rendered “south” - ‫ימין‬ yâmıyn - means literally the right hand, and
was applied to the south because the ancient geographers were supposed to face the east,
as now they are supposed to face the north. Compare the notes at Job_23:9.
Tabor and Hermon - That is, the west and the east - the former of these mountains
being on the western side of Palestine, the other on the eastern, and both of them being
objects of beauty and grandeur. The idea is, that God had control of all parts of the
universe; that the world in every direction, and in every part, declared his power, and
made known his greatness.
Shall rejoice in thy name - Or, do rejoice in thee. That is, They, as it were, exult in
thee as their God. They are clothed with beauty, as if full of joy; and they acknowledge
that all this comes from thee as the great Creator. Compare Psa_65:8, Psa_65:12; Psa_
96:11-12.
CLARKE, "The north and the south - It is generally supposed that by these four
terms all the four quarters of the globe are intended. Tabor, a mountain of Galilee, was
on the west of Mount Hermon, which was beyond Jordan, to the east of the source of
that river.
GILL, "The two extreme parts of the world, the northern and southern poles, whether
inhabited or uninhabited, are created by the Lord, to answer some purpose or another;
see Job_26:7.
Tabor and Hermon shall rejoice in thy name; Tabor was a mountain in the
western part of Galilee, in the tribe of Zebulun, Jos_19:12. This mountain, according to
Mr. Maundrell (a), stands by itself in the plain of Esdraelon, about 1200 to 1800 yards
within the plain; it has a plain area at top, most fertile and delicious, of an oval figure,
extended about six hundred yards in breadth, and twice that in length; this area is
enclosed with trees on all parts, except towards the south, in which there are in several
places cisterns of good water. It is generally thought to be the mountain Christ was
transfigured upon before his disciples; and if so, it might then be said to rejoice in his

57. name, when he appeared in so glorious a form upon it; Moses and Elias talking with
him, and a voice from the excellent Glory declaring him his beloved Son; and especially
the disciples rejoiced in his name there and then, who could say, It is good for us to be
here, Mat_17:1. Hermon was a mountain called by the Sidonians Sirion, and by the
Amorites Shenir, Deu_3:8 and was in the east; and so Mr. Maundrell (b), speaking of
Tabor, says, not many miles eastward you see Mount Hermon, at the foot of which is
seated Nain, famous for our Lord's raising the widow's son there, Luk_7:11, there was an
Hermon near Mount Tabor, thought likely to be here meant; but, be these mountains
where and what they may, they were no doubt very high and fruitful ones, clothed with
fruitful trees and grass, and covered with flocks; which made the proprietors and all the
beholders rejoice in the goodness, wisdom, and power of God: the Targum in the king's
Bible gives the four quarters very truly,
"the desert of the north, and the inhabitants of the south, thou hast created; Tabor on
the west, and Hermon on the east, praise in thy name.''
JAMISO , "rejoice in thy name — praise Thy perfections by their very existence
SPURGEO , "Ver. 12. The north and the south thou hast created them. orth and
south, opposite poles, agree in this—that Jehovah fashioned them.
Tabor and Hermon shall rejoice in thy name, that is to say, east and west are
equally formed by thee, and therefore give thee praise. Turn to all points of the
compass, and behold the Lord is there. The regions of snow and the gardens of the
sun are his dominions: both the land of the dawning and the home of the setting sun
rejoice to own his sway. Tabor was on the west of Jordan and Hermon on the east,
and it seems natural to consider these two mountains as representatives of the east
and west. Keble paraphrases the passage thus: —
"Both Heman moist, and Tabor lone,
They wait on thee with glad acclaim."
EXPLA ATORY OTES A D QUAI T SAYI GS.
Ver. 12. The north and the south thou hast created them. etc. The heights of Huttin,
commonly fixed on by tradition as the Mount of Beatitudes, appear a little to the
west of Tiberias. Over these the graceful top of Mount Tabor is seen, and beyond it
the little Hermon, famous for its dews; and still farther, and apparently higher, the
bleak mountains of Gilboa, on which David prayed that there might fall no dew nor
rain. A view of the position of Tabor and Hermon from such a situation as that
which we now occupied, shewed us how accurately they might be reckoned the
"umbilicus terroe" —the central point of the land, and led us to infer that this is
the true explanation of the manner in which they are referred to in the Psalms
89:12. It is as if the Psalmist had said orth, South, and all that is between —or in
other words, the whole land from orth to South, to its very centre and throughout
its very marrow—shall rejoice in thy name. —R.M. Macheyne.
Ver. 12. Tabor and Hermon. These hills, the one to the east and the other to the
west, in Canaan, were much frequented by the saints of God. David speaks of the
sacred hill of Hermon, and compares brotherly love to the dew of it. Ps 42:6 133:3.
And Tabor, yet more eminent for the memorable spot of Christ's transfiguration,

58. and from whence God the Father proclaimed his perfect love and approbation of
Jesus as his dear Son. Well might this hymn, therefore, in allusion to those glorious
events, call even the holy hills to rejoice in Jehovah's name, Matthew 17:1-5. —
Robert Hawker.
COKE, "Psalms 89:12. Tabor and Hermon— These two famous mountains of
Judea, the first on the west, and the second on the east of it, are here put for the
eastern and western quarters of the world. Shall rejoice in thy name, is a figurative
and poetical expression, signifying, "They shall afford matter for thy praise, who
enrichest them by thy bountiful providence." We may render it, The east and the
west.
PULPIT, "The north and the south then hast created them: Tabor and Hermon
shall rejoice in thy ame. As in Psalms 89:11 "heaven and earth" stand for all
creation, the whole of the material universe, so here the four points of the compass
designate the same. Tabor and Herman undoubtedly represent the west and the
east. They present themselves to the poet's mind as standing over against each other,
one on this side, and the other on that side, of Jordan.
13 Your arm is endowed with power;
your hand is strong, your right hand exalted.
BAR ES, "Thou hast a mighty arm - Margin, as in Hebrew,” an arm with might.”
That is, Thou hast great power - the arm being the instrument by which we accomplish
our purposes.
Strong is thy hand - The hand, too, is an instrument by which we execute our plans.
Hence, God is so often represented a having delivered his people with a strong hand.
And high is thy right hand - It is by the right hand particularly that we carry out
our purposes. We lift it high when we are about to strike with force. All this is expressive
of the divine omnipotence.
GILL, "Thou hast a mighty arm,.... Christ is the arm of the Lord, and a mighty one
he is, and so is the Gospel, which is the power of God unto salvation; here it seems to
design the almighty power of God, displayed in the works of creation and providence;
see Isa_51:9.
strong is thy hand; thy "left hand", as some, it being distinguished from his right

59. hand, mentioned in the next clause; the Targum adds,
"to redeem thy people;''
the work of redemption was put into the hand of Christ, and it prospered in his hand,
and his own arm brought salvation to him; and his hand is strong to keep and preserve
his people, where they are put, and where they are safe; and the hand of the Lord is
strong to correct and chastise them, and sometimes his hand lies heavy upon them, and
presses them sore, when it becomes them to humble themselves under his "mighty
hand": and it also strong to punish his and their enemies:
and high is thy right hand; when it is lifted up in a way of judgment against wicked
men, and for the defence of his people, then may it be said to be exalted: and it is high
enough to reach the highest and most powerful of his adversaries; see Psa_118:16. The
Targum adds,
"to build the house of thy sanctuary.''
Some render (c) these two last clauses as a wish or prayer; "let thy hand be strong, and
let thy right hand be lifted up".
HE RY 13-14, " The power and justice, the mercy and truth, with which he governs
the world and rules in the affairs of the children of men, Psa_89:13, Psa_89:14. (1.) God
is able to do every thing; for his is the Lord God Almighty. His arm, his hand, is mighty
and strong, both to save his people and to destroy his and their enemies; none can either
resist the force or bear the weight of his mighty hand. High is his right hand, to reach
the highest, even those that set their nests among the stars (Amo_9:2, Amo_9:3; Oba_
1:4); his right hand is exalted in what he has done, for in thousands of instances he has
signalized his power, Psa_118:16. (2.) He never did, nor ever will do, any thing that is
either unjust or unwise; for righteousness and judgment are the habitation of his
throne. None of all his dictates or decrees ever varied from the rules of equity and
wisdom, nor could ever any charge God with unrighteousness or folly. Justice and
judgment are the preparing of his throne (so some), the establishment of it, so others.
The preparations for his government in his counsels from eternity, and the
establishment of it in its consequences to eternity, are all justice and judgment. (3.) He
always does that which is kind to his people and consonant to the word which he has
spoken: “Mercy and truth shall go before thy face, to prepare thy way, as harbingers to
make room for thee - mercy in promising, truth in performing - truth in being as good as
thy word, mercy in being better.” How praiseworthy are these in great men, much more
in the great God, in whom they are in perfection!
SPURGEO , "Ver. 13. Thou hast a mighty arm, omnipotence is thine in smiting or
uplifting;
strong is thy hand, thy power to create and grasp is beyond conception great;
and high is thy right hand —thy skill is incomparable, thy favour ennobling, thy
working glorious. The power of God so impressed the Psalmist that in many ways he
repeated the same thought: and indeed the truth of God's omnipotence is so full of
refreshment to gracious hearts that it cannot be too much dwelt upon, especially
when viewed in connection with his mercy and truth, as in the following verse.

60. EXPLA ATORY OTES A D QUAI T SAYI GS.
Ver. 13. Strong is thy hand; even thy left hand; as much as to say, tu polles utraque
manu, thou hast both hands alike powerful. —John Trapp.
BE SO , "Verse 13-14
Psalms 89:13-14. Thou hast a mighty arm, &c. — Thy power, extending itself
throughout the whole, always effects, in every place, whatsoever thou designest, and
that with an irresistible force; whether it be to punish evil- doers, or to preserve and
exalt them that do well. Justice and judgment — That is, just judgment, or justice in
judging; are the habitation of thy throne, or the basis, or foundation, as the word
‫מכון‬ mechon, is used, Ezra 2:68; Ezra 3:3; Psalms 97:2; Psalms 104:5. They are the
ground- work of all thy proceedings, and the stability of thy throne and government.
For God could not be the Ruler and Judge of the world if he did not in all things act
according to the most perfect righteousness, which indeed is the result of his most
holy and righteous nature, Genesis 18:25. Mercy and truth shall go before thy face
— As thy harbingers and companions whithersoever thou goest. Thou art neither
unjust, nor unmerciful, nor unfaithful in any of thy dealings with thy creatures:
none shall be able to say thou doest them any wrong; for thou dost not rule the
world merely by thy absolute power; but placest thy principal glory in justice and
equity, mercy and fidelity; from which thou never swervest.
14 Righteousness and justice are the foundation of
your throne;
love and faithfulness go before you.
BAR ES, "justice and judgment are the habitation of the throne - Margin,
“establishment.” The Hebrew word - ‫מכון‬ mâkôn - means properly a place where one
stands; then, a foundation or basis. The idea here is, that the throne of God is founded
on justice and right judgment; it is this which supports it; his administration is
maintained because it is right. This supposes that there is such a thing as right or justice
in itself considered, or in the nature of things, and independently of the will of God; that
the divine administration will be conformed to that, and will be firm because it is thus
conformed to it. Even omnipotent power could not maintain permanently a throne
founded on injustice and wrong. Such an administration would sooner or later make its
own destruction sure.
Mercy, and truth shall go before thy face - literally, anticipate thy face; that is,
thy goings. Wherever thou dost go, wherever thou dost manifest thyself, there will be

61. mercy and faithfulness. Thy march through the world will be attended with kindness and
fidelity. So certain is this, that his coming will, as it were, be anticipated by truth and
goodness.
CLARKE, "Justice and judgment are the habitation of thy throne - The
throne - the government, of God, is founded in righteousness and judgment. He knows
what is right; he sees what is right; he does what is right; and his judgments are ever
according to righteousness. His decisions are all oracles, no one of them is ever reversed.
Mercy and truth shall go before thy face - These shall be the heralds that shall
announce the coming of the Judge. His truth binds him to fulfill all his declarations; and
his mercy shall be shown to all those who have fled for refuge to the hope that is set
before them in the Gospel. See the notes on Psa_85:10, Psa_85:11.
GILL, "Justice and judgment are the habitation of thy throne,.... The seat and
throne on which he sits; all the administrations of his kingly power in the government of
the world, in the salvation of his people, and in the punishment of his enemies, being
according to the strict rules of justice and judgment: or "the preparation of thy throne"
(d); all that the Lord does according to the counsel of his will; and these counsels were of
old, and were formed in strict justice and judgment, and were a preparation for his
future government in providence and grace: or "the establishment of thy throne" (e); the
throne of an earthly king is established by righteousness; and so the throne of God, and
of Christ, is ordered and established with justice and judgment in the exercise of
righteousness for evermore, Pro_16:12.
mercy and truth shall go before thy face; be and appear wherever he is; all his
ways are mercy and truth, Psa_25:10, "mercy" in pardoning and saving sinners that
come unto him by Christ; and "truth" in performing all his purposes and promises; and
these make the joyful sound next mentioned.
CALVI , "14.Righteousness and judgement are the place of thy throne. These
encomiums serve more effectually to confirm the hope of true believers than if the
Divine power alone had been presented to our view. Whenever mention is made of
God, it behoves us to apply our minds principally to those attributes of his nature
which are specially fitted for establishing our faith, that we may not lose ourselves
by vainly indulging in subtile speculations, by which foolish men, although they may
minister to their own mental recreation, make no advances to the right
understanding of what God really is. The prophet, therefore, in allusion to the
insignia and pomp of kings, declares that righteousness and judgment are the pillars
of the throne on which God sits conspicuous in sovereign state, and that mercy and
truth are, as it were, his pursuivants; as if he had said, “The ornaments with which
God is invested, instead of being a robe of purple, a diadem, or a scepter, are, that
he is the righteous and impartial judge of the world, a merciful father, and a faithful
protector of his people.” Earthly kings, from their having nothing in themselves to
procure for them authority, and to give them dignity, (533) are under the necessity
of borrowing elsewhere what will invest them therewith; but God having in himself
an all-sufficiency, and standing in no need of any other helps, exhibits to us the

62. splendor of his own image in his righteousness, mercy, and truth.
SPURGEO , "Ver. 14. Justice and judgment are the habitation of thy throne. They
are the basis of the divine government, the sphere within which his sovereignty
moves. God as a sovereign is never unjust or unwise. He is too holy to be
unrighteous, too wise to be mistaken; this is constant matter for joy to the upright in
heart.
Mercy and truth shall go before thy face. They are the harbingers and heralds of the
Lord; he calls these to the front to deal with guilty and changeful man; he makes
them, in the person of the Lord Jesus, to be his ambassadors, and so poor, guilty
man is enabled to endure the presence of his righteous Lord. If mercy had not paved
the way, the coming of God to any man must have been swift destruction.
Thus has the poet sung the glories of the covenant God. It was meet that before he
poured forth his lament he should record his praise, lest his sorrow should seem to
have withered his faith. Before we argue our case before the Lord it is most
becoming to acknowledge that we know him to be supremely great and good,
whatever may be the appearance of his providence; this is such a course as every
wise man will take who desires to have an answer of peace in the day of trouble.
EXPLA ATORY OTES A D QUAI T SAYI GS.
Ver. 14. Justice and judgment are the habitation of thy throne. As if the Psalmist
had said, "The ornaments with which God is invested, instead of being a robe of
purple, a diadem, or a sceptre, are, that he is the righteous and impartial judge of
the world, a merciful father, and a faithful protector of his people." Earthly kings,
from their having nothing in themselves to procure for them authority, and to give
them dignity, are under the necessity of borrowing elsewhere what will invest them
therewith; but God, having in himself all sufficiency, and standing in no need of any
other helps, exhibits to us the splendour of his own image in his righteousness,
mercy, and truth. —John Calvin.
Ver. 14. Justice and judgment are the habitation of thy throne. The Holy Ghost
alludes to the thrones of earthly princes, which were underpropped with pillars, as
Solomon's throne with lions, 1 Kings 19:20, that were both a support and an
ornament to it. ow, saith the Psalmist, justice and judgment are the pillars upon
which God's throne standeth, as Calvin expounds it, the robe and diadem, the
purple and sceptre, the regalia with which God's throne is adorned. —George
Swinnock.
Ver. 14. Justice and judgment are the habitation of thy throne. Jehovah is here
exhibited, by the sacred poet, under the character of a Sovereign, and of a Judge, he
being presented to our adoring regard as on his throne; the throne of universal
empire, and absolute dominion; as exercising his authority, and executing his laws,
with an omnipotent but impartial hand. For "Justice and judgment are the
habitation", the preparation, the establishment, or the basis, of this throne. Our
textual translation is, habitation; the marginal, establishment; the Septuagint,
preparation; and, if I mistake not, our best modern interpreters render the original
term, basis or foundation; which, on the whole, seems most agreeable. The basis,
then, of Jehovah's government, or that on which it rests, is "justice and judgment."
By "justice", I conceive we are to understand the attribute so called; and, by
"judgment", the impartial exercise of that attribute in the Divine administration. So

63. that were not the Most High to administer impartial justice in his moral
government, he might be considered, if it be lawful to use the expression, as
abdicating his throne. —Abraham Booth, 1734-1806.
Ver. 14. Justice, which defends his subjects, and does every one right. Judegment,
which restrains rebels, and keeps off injuries. Mercy, which shows compassion,
pardons, supports the weak. Truth, that performs whatsoever he promises. —
William icholson.
Ver. 14. Mercy and truth shall go before thy face. ote—
1. Mercy is said to go before the face of God, because God sends mercy before
judgment, that he might find less to punish: so Bellarmine.
2. That God permits not his face to be seen before He has forgiven our sins through
mercy: so Rickelius.
3. That no one comes to the knowledge of God, but he who has obtained mercy
beforehand.
4. That God comes to no one unless His grace go before Him. ...Truth goes before
the face of God, because God keeps it ever before his eyes, to mould his actions
thereby. Pindar calls truth yugatera Dios the daughter of God. Epaminoudas the
Theban general, cultivated truth so studiously, that he is reported never to have
spoken a falsehood even in jest. In the courts of kings this is a rare virtue. —Le
Blanc.
Ver. 14. Mercy and truth. Mercy in promising; truth in performing. Truth, in being
as good as thy word; mercy, in being better. —Matthew Henry.
Ver. 14. Shall go. In his active going forth, tender mercy and goodness announce
him, and faithful truth will tell his people he is there when he comes forth. His
activities are mercy and faithfulness, because his will is at work and his nature is
love. Yet his throne still maintains justice and judgment. —J. . Darby.
WHEDO , "14. Justice and judgment—The former the principle, the latter the
administration, of righteousness.
Habitation—The restingplace, the foundation of thy throne.
Mercy and truth—The same as the “mercies” and “faithfulness” in Psalms 89:1,
which the author makes the theme of his psalm. God’s mercy must always be in
harmony with his justice, judgment, and truth.
COKE, "Psalms 89:14. Are the habitation of thy throne— Or, the preparation.
God's throne is here elegantly represented as prepared by justice and equity, by
mercy and fidelity. By these all his judicatures are managed, and these are the
precones, or heralds, who, whenever he administers justice, go before, and erect his
tribunal. Mudge, and several others, render it, are the basis of thy throne. See
Psalms 85:13.
PULPIT, "Justice and judgment; or, righteousness and justice (Cheyne). The
psalmist here rises to a higher level—from that of might to that of right. God is not
merely strong to do whatever he wills; but all that he wills is consonant with right
and justice. Are the habitation of thy throne; rather, the basis, or "foundation." (So

64. Kay, Cheyne, and the Revised Version.) Mercy and truth shall go before thy face;
i.e. shall stand ever in front of thee; be thy inseparable companions. Whatever thou
doest shall be done "in truth and equity."
15 Blessed are those who have learned to acclaim
you,
who walk in the light of your presence, Lord.
BAR ES, "Blessed is the people - Happy is their condition. See the notes at Psa_
1:1.
That know the joyful sound - That hear that sound. DeWette explains this of the
call to the festivals and offerings, Lev_23:24; Num_10:10; Psa_27:6. That is, says he,
those who honor and worship God. The Hebrew word - ‫תרועה‬ te
rû‛âh - means a loud
noise; a tumult; especially, shouts of joy, or rejoicing, Job_8:21; 1Sa_4:5; the “shout of a
king,” that is, the joyful acclamations with which a king is welcomed, Num_23:21; the
shout of battle, Jer_4:19; Jer_49:2. Then it means the sound or clangor of trumpets,
Lev_25:9; Num_29:1-6. The word is, therefore, especially applicable to the sounding of
the trumpets which attended the celebration of the great; festivals among the Hebrews,
and there can be little doubt that this is the reference here. The idea is, that they are
blessed or happy who are the worshippers of Yahweh, the true God; who are summoned
to his service; who are convened to the place of his worship.
They shall walk, O Lord, in the light of thy countenance - They shall live in
thy favor, and enjoy thy smiles.
CLARKE, "Blessed is the people - “O the blessednesses of that people (‫העם‬ ‫(אשרי‬
elp ashrey haam) that know the joyful sound;” that are spared to hear the sound of the
trumpet on the morning of the jubilee, which proclaims deliverance to the captives, and
the restoration of all their forfeited estates. “They shall walk vigorously (‫יהלכון‬
yehallechun) in the light of thy countenance” (‫פניך‬ ‫באור‬ beor paneycha) - the full
persuasion of the approbation of God their Father, Redeemer, and Sanctifier.
GILL, "Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound,.... Of the love, grace,
and mercy of God displayed in Christ, of peace and pardon by his blood, of justification
by his righteousness, of atonement by his sacrifice, and of complete salvation by his

65. obedience, sufferings, and death; this is the sound of the Gospel, and a joyful one it is to
sensible sinners; and is so called in allusion either to a shout made upon a victory
gained, and such a sound is the Gospel; it declares victory by Christ over sin, Satan, the
world, and death, and every enemy; and that he has made his people more than
conquerors over them; or to the jubilee trumpet, which proclaimed liberty and a
restoration of inheritances, Lev_25:9 and so the Gospel proclaims liberty to the captives,
freedom from the dominion of sin, and condemnation by it, from the tyranny of Satan,
and the bondage of the law; and gives an account of the inheritance the saints have in
Christ, and through his death, to which they are regenerated, and for which they are
made meet by the Spirit of God, and of which he is the seal and earnest: or to the silver
trumpets, for the use of the congregation of Israel, and blown at their solemn feasts, and
other times, and were all of a piece, Num_10:1, the trumpet of the Gospel gives a certain
sound, an even one, a very musical one; there is no jar nor discord in it; is a soul
charming alluring sound, and very loud; it has reached, and will reach again, to the ends
of the earth, Rom_10:18, it is a blessing to hear it, but it is a greater to "know" it, not
merely notionally, but spiritually and experimentally; so as not only to approve of it, and
be delighted with it, but so as to distinguish it from all other sounds; and by faith to
receive it, and appropriate the things it publishes to a man's own soul; and such must be
"blessed", or happy persons, for the reasons following in this verse, and in Psa_89:16,
they shall walk, O Lord, in the light of thy countenance: enjoy the gracious
presence of God, have the manifestation of himself, the discoveries of his love,
communion with him through Christ, and the comforts of the Holy Spirit, and these
continued; so that they shall walk in the sunshine of these things, though not always; for
sometimes they walk in darkness, and see no light; but it is an unspeakable mercy and
blessing to walk herein at any time, for ever so short a season, see Psa_4:6.
HE RY, "The psalmist, having largely shown the blessedness of the God of Israel,
here shows the blessedness of the Israel of God. As there is none like unto the God of
Jeshurun, so, happy art thou, O Israel! there is none like unto thee, O people! especially
as a type of the gospel-Israel, consisting of all true believers, whose happiness is here
described.
I. Glorious discoveries are made to them, and glad tidings of good brought to them;
they hear, they know, the joyful sound, Psa_89:15. This may allude, 1. To the shout of a
victorious army, the shout of a king, Num_23:21. Israel have the tokens of God's
presence with them in their wars; the sound of the going in the top of the mulberry-trees
was indeed a joyful sound (2Sa_5:24); and they often returned making the earth ring
with their songs of triumph; these were joyful sounds. Or, 2. To the sound that was made
over the sacrifices and on the solemn feast-day, Psa_81:1-3. This was the happiness of
Israel, that they had among them the free and open profession of God's holy religion,
and abundance of joy in their sacrifices. Or, 3. To the sound of the jubilee-trumpet; a
joyful sound it was to servants and debtors, to whom it proclaimed release. The gospel is
indeed a joyful sound, a sound of victory, of liberty, of communion with God, and the
sound of abundance of rain; blessed are the people that hear it, and know it, and bid it
welcome.
II. Special tokens of God's favour are granted them: “They shall walk, O Lord! in the
light of thy countenance; they shall govern themselves by thy directions, shall be guided
by the eye; and they shall delight themselves in thy consolations. They shall have the
favour of God; they shall know that they have it, and it shall be continual matter of joy
and rejoicing to them. They shall go through all the exercises of a holy life under the

66. powerful influences of God's lovingkindness, which shall make their duty pleasant to
them and make them sincere in it, aiming at this, as their end, to be accepted of the
Lord.” We then walk in the light of the Lord when we fetch all our comforts from God's
favour and are very careful to keep ourselves in his love.
JAMISO , "His government of righteousness is served by “mercy” and “truth” as
ministers (Psa_85:10-13).
know the joyful sound — understand and appreciate the spiritual blessings
symbolized by the feasts to which the people were called by the trumpet (Lev_25:9, etc.).
walk ... countenance — live in His favor (Psa_4:6; Psa_44:3).
CALVI , "15.Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound. Here the same train
of reflection concerning the Church is pursued, not only because unbelievers are
blind to the consideration of God’s works, but also because the prophet has no other
purpose in view than to inspire the godly with good hope, that they may with
confidence rely upon God, and not be discouraged by any adversities from boldly
calling upon him. It is declared that those are happy to whom it is given to rejoice in
God; for although all men in common are sustained and nourished by his liberality,
yet the feeling of his paternal goodness is far from being experienced by all men in
such a manner as to enable them, from a certain persuasion that he is favorable to
them, to congratulate themselves upon their happy condition. It is, therefore, a
singular privilege which he confers upon his chosen ones, to make them taste of his
goodness, that thereby they may be encouraged to be glad and rejoice. And, in fact,
there is not a more miserable condition than that of unbelievers, when by their
brutish insensibility they trample under foot the Divine benefits which they greedily
devour; for the more abundantly God pampers them, the fouler is their ingratitude.
True happiness then consists in our apprehending the Divine goodness which, filling
our hearts with joy, may stir us up to praise and thanksgiving.
The prophet afterwards proves from the effect, that those who with joy and delight
acknowledge God to be their father are blessed, because they not only enjoy his
benefits, but also, confiding in his favor, pass the whole course of their life in mental
peace and tranquillity. This is the import of walking in the light of God’s
countenance: it is to repose upon his providence from the certain persuasion that he
has a special care about our well-being, and keeps watch and ward effectually to
secure it. The expressions rejoicing in his name, and glorying in his righteousness,
are to the same purpose. The idea involved in them is, that believers find in God
abundant, yea more than abundant, ground to rejoice and glory. The word daily
appears to denote steadfast and unwavering perseverance; and thus there is
indirectly censured the foolish arrogance of those who, inflated only with wind and
presuming on their own strength, lift up their horns on high. Standing as they do
upon an insecure foundation, they must at length inevitably fall. Whence it follows,
that there is no true magnanimity nor any power which can stand but that which
leans upon the grace of God alone; even as we see how Paul (Romans 8:31) nobly
boasts, “If God be for us, who can be against us?” and defies all calamities both

67. present and to come.
SPURGEO , "Ver. 15. Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound. It is a
blessed God of whom the Psalmist has been singing, and therefore they are a blessed
people who partake of his bounty, and know how to exult in his favour. Praise is a
peculiarly joyful sound, and blessed are those who are familiar with its strains. The
covenant promises have also a sound beyond measure precious, and they are highly
favoured who understand their meaning and recognise their own personal interest
in them. There may also be a reference here to the blowing of trumpets and other
glad noises which attended the worship of Jehovah, who, unlike the gods of the
heathen was not adored by the shrieks of wretched victims, or the yells and outcries
of terror stricken crowds, but by the joyful shouts of his happy people.
They shall walk, O LORD, in the light of thy countenance. For them it is joy enough
that Jehovah is favourable to them; all day long this contents them and enables
them with rigour to pursue their pilgrimage. Only a covenant God could look with
favour upon men, and those who have known him in that relationship learn to
rejoice in him, yea, to walk with him in fellowship, and to continue in communion
with him. If we give God our ear and hear the joyful sound, he will shew us his face
and make us glad. While the sun shines, men walk without stumbling as to their
feet, and when the Lord smiles on us we live without grief as to our souls.
EXPLA ATORY OTES A D QUAI T SAYI GS.
Ver. 15. Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound. ot that hear, for then the
blessing were cheap indeed. Thousands hear the Gospel sound, but sometimes not
ten of a thousand know it. —Thomas James Judkin, 1841.
Ver. 15. Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound —viz., of the trumpets
sounded in token of joy at the great festivals, and chiefly on the first day of the
seventh month, the feast of trumpets (Leviticus 23:24), and on extraordinary
occasions, especially after the yearly atonement, on the day of jubilee, the tenth day
of the seventh month of the fiftieth year, proclaiming liberty to bondmen, and
restoration of their inheritance to them that had forfeited it (Leviticus 25:8-10). As
the jubilee joy did not come till after the atonement, so no Gospel joy and liberty are
ours till first we know Christ as our atonement. "In the day of the people's
gladness" they blew the trumpets over their sacrifices, "that they might be to them
for a memorial before God" ( umbers 10:10). David and Israel brought up the ark
of the Lord to Zion "with shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet" (2 Samuel
6:15). In umbers 23:21, Balaam makes it the distinguishing glory of Israel, "The
Lord his God is with him, and the shout of a king is among them", (Compare Ps
98:6 27:6 margin) —A.R. Fausset.
Ver. 15. People that know the joyful sound. Here it is supposed that we have
intelligence in respect of "the joyful sound." For there is knowledge not merely of
the utterances and intonations, but of the sense and substance, of the thought aud
feeling, which they convey. And I suppose this to be the meaning of Christ when he
says, "My sheep hear my voice, and they follow me; and a stranger will they not
follow, for they know not the voice of strangers." And I have often been surprised,
to note the accuracy with which persons otherwise not very intelligent, not largely
informed, not of critical acumen, will yet, when they hear a discourse, judge,
discriminate, determine; will be able to say at once—"Truth, clear, unmixed,

68. without a cloud upon it; "or—"Doctrine clouded, statements confused, not the
lucid Gospel:" or be able to say, if it be so—" o Gospel at all; contradiction to the
truth of Christ." They "Know the joyful sound", as it rolls from the plenitude of
God's own voice and bosom in his august and blessed revelations; as it is confirmed,
authenticated and sealed by the precious blood of our Lord and Saviour Jesus
Christ; as it is witnessed to by the eternal Spirit: "the joyful sound", that there is
salvation for lost and ruined men by faith in the blood and in the obedience of him
who died upon the tree, and is now enthroned in the highest place in heaven. —
James Stratten, 1845.
Ver. 15. They shall walk in the light of thy countenance. Surely, next to the love of
God's heart, believers value the smiles of his face; from which, as from the agency of
the sun, arise the budding of conscious joy, the leaves of unsullied profession, the
variegated blossom of holy tempers, and the beneficent fruits of moral
righteousness. They are totally mistaken who suppose that the light of God's
countenance, and the privileges of the gospel, and the comforts of the Spirit,
conduce to make us indolent and inactive in the way of duty. The text cuts up this
surmise by the roots. For, it does not say, they shall sit down in the light of thy
countenance; or, they shall lie down in the light of thy countenance; but "they shall
WALK in the light of thy countenance." What is walking? It is a progressive motion
from one point of space to another. And what is that holy walking which God's
Spirit enables all his people to observe? It is a continued, progressive motion from
sin to holiness; from all that is evil, to every good word and work. And the self same
"light of God's countenance" in which you, O believer, are enabled to walk, and
which at first gave you spiritual feet wherewith to walk, will keep you in a walking
and in a working state, to the end of your warfare. —Augustus Montague Toplady.
Ver. 15. —There is the dreadful and there is the joyful sound. The dreadful sound
was at Mount Sinai. The joyful sound is from Mount Sion. When the people heard
the former they were far from beholding the glory of God's face. Moses only was
admitted to see His "back parts"; the people were kept at a distance, and the light of
God's glory that they saw was so terrible to them, that they could not abide it. But
they that know the "joyful sound." they shall be admitted near, nearer than Moses,
so as to see the glory of God's face or brightness of his countenance, and that not
only transiently, as Moses saw God's back parts, but continually. The light of God's
glory shall not be terrible to them, but easy and sweet, so that they may dwell in it
and walk in it; and it shall be to them instead of the light of the sun; for the sun
shall no more be their light by day, nor the moon by night, but God shall be their
everlasting light, Compare this with Isaiah 2:5, Revelation 21:23-24, Revelation
22:4-5 —Jonathan Edwards
WHEDO , "15. Joyful sound—The word means, loud shouting, or noise of
trumpets, whether for triumph, signal of battle, or alarm. The allusion here is to the
sounding of trumpets accompanied with shouting, to announce a feast and call the
people to worship. See on “the feast of trumpets,” (Leviticus 23:24; umbers 29:1,)
where the word is rendered blowing of trumpets, and the “year of jubilee;” also,
umbers 25:9, where the same word is jubilee in the common version. But the true
idea of the text is given by French and Skinner: “Happy the people who are familiar

69. with the sound of the trumpet inviting them to join in the celebration of their
religious observances.” The figure is easily transferred to Christian times.
BE SO , "Psalms 89:15. Blessed are the people, &c. — ext to the praises of
Jehovah, is declared the happiness of those who have him for their God, who are his
worshippers and servants, living under his righteous and merciful government; that
know — That hear, from time to time, acknowledge and obey; the joyful sound —
“The sound of the trumpet, by which the festivals of the Jewish Church were
proclaimed, and the people were called together to the offices of devotion;” that is,
who have God’s word and ordinances among them, and are favoured with his
presence, and with the tokens of his mercy and grace, in and by these means; they
shall walk, O Lord, in the light of thy countenance — Being blessed with the light of
truth, and being enabled to walk therein, they shall live under the comfortable
influences of thy love and favour. Remember, reader, “these blessings are now
become our own; the evangelical trumpet hath sounded through the once heathen
world; the Sun of righteousness hath risen upon all nations. Let us attend to the
joyful sound; let us walk in the glorious light.” — Horne.
COKE, "Psalms 89:15. That know the joyful sound— This probably refers to the
trumpet, which was always used by the express command of God at the Jewish
festivals. And as the ideas in the preceding verses are taken from God's deliverance
of the people from Egypt, and his august appearance on Mount Sinai, where the
awful trumpet proclaiming his presence was heard; so here the joyful sound may
refer to that trumpet, which in the public worship, as heretofore on Mount Sinai,
proclaimed the approach of God, and summoned the people to his worship. The
ideas in the following verses have the same reference. Compare umbers 23:21.
CO STABLE, "Verses 15-18
Ethan went on to speak of the blessings the Israelites who acknowledged and walked
with God experienced. They had joy, exaltation, glory, strength, and security. "The
joyful sound" ( Psalm 89:15, ASB) refers to the shout of joy God"s people uttered
when they saw Him lifted up and honored (cf. 1 Samuel 4:5-6). [ ote: Ibid, p322.] A
better translation might be, "Happy the people who have learnt to acclaim thee"
( EB). "Our horn" ( Psalm 89:17) means "our strength." Ethan rejoiced that
Israel"s king, who was her defense, belonged to God ( Psalm 89:18).
"In many Jewish synagogues today, Psalm 89:15-18 are recited on their ew Year"s
Day after the blowing of the shofar." [ ote: Wiersbe, The . . . Wisdom . . ., p252.]
EXPOSITORS DICTIO ARY OF TEXTS, "
Psalm 89:15
In these words David speaks of the blessedness of the people that know the joyful
sound. Although year by year the sound of the trumpet brightened the hearts of
God"s chosen people, yet there was one year in which that sound brought them
exceeding joy. It was the year of jubilee when on the day of atonement, when all the

70. solemn services of that day were over, there was brought to the suffering and to the
poor great joy. At the sound of that trumpet every slave was set free. Yet the words
had a deeper meaning even for David; for all through the teaching of that olden
time there was an under-current heard by those who had ears to hear, which told
them of exceeding joy. It was the hope which was the centre of their life, the great
object of their longing, the hope of one who would deliver them from worse than
earthly bondage, and restore them to a possession which they had forfeited by their
sin.
I. But to us have not these words a deeper meaning still? The joyful sounds that stir
our hearts tell us not of a coming salvation but of a Saviour who has come. It speaks
to us who through our sins had forfeited the kingdom of our God, and tells us that
Hebrews , our Saviour, has opened that kingdom of heaven again to all believers.
II. But how many there are to whom this is but an idle tale—an empty, not a joyful
sound. They shut out all these thoughts with the absorbing cares and the fleeting
pleasures of a perishing world, content to live in a fool"s paradise, to dream away
the few short years of life, and then wake up to the awful realities of eternity. A
thousandfold more blessed than that careless, godless, reckless worldliness in which
so many thousands live and die, is the fiercest agony of a sin-burdened soul, because
it opens the heart to hear the joyful sound—the joyful sound which tells that,
sinners though we be, and crushed beneath a load of guilt which is insupportable to
us, there is one who has died to take away our sins, "And the Lord hath laid on him
the iniquities of us all".
III. But again there are souls that have been roused to seek after God, who have
long since begun the awful struggle against still unconquered sin, who are striving
against the principalities and powers that surround them as they seek to fight their
way to the open gates of the heavenly city, and whose hearts almost sink and fail
within them as temptation comes back again and again, and as through their
weakness they fall under temptation"s power. Are there any who have known such
a blessed unrest as this—such a glorious state of conflict as this—the conflict of an
awakened soul against the powers of evil. Is it not a joyful sound that speaks to you
from the lips of Jesus? "My grace is sufficient for thee, my strength is made perfect
in weakness. Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life."
IV. But again there are souls that are weary with the long labour and toil and trial
of the heavenward road. They are weary of the conflict, long that it were over, yet
wondering how or when it shall be. Oh, with all the power of joy comes to such
hearts the blessed promise of our Lord and Saviour to all weary souls—"Come unto
Me, and I will give you rest".
References.—LXXXIX:16.—J. Cumming, Penny Pulpit, o1576 , p231. Spurgeon,
Old Testament Outlines, p126. LXXXIX:19.—Spurgeon, Sermons, vol. i. o11.
LXXXIX:19 , 20.—G. Trevor, Types and the Antitype, p126. LXXXIX:37 , 38.—E.
H. Gifford, Voices of the Prophets, p216.

71. PULPIT, "Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound. The sound of devotional
joy appears to be intended—the sound which went up from the sanctuary in the
great festival times (see umbers 10:1, umbers 10:9; Le umbers 25:9; Psalms
27:6; Psalms 81:1, etc.). They shall walk, O Lord, in the light of thy countenance.
Herein consists especially their blessedness (comp. Psalms 4:6).
MACLARE , "CO TI UAL SU SHI E
Psalms 89:15.
The Psalmist has just been setting forth, in sublime language, the glories of the
divine character-God’s strength, His universal sway, the justice and judgment
which are the foundation of His Throne, the mercy and truth which go as heralds
before His face. A heathen singing of any of his gods would have gone on to describe
the form and features of the god or goddess who came behind the heralds, but the
Psalmist remembers ‘Thou shalt not make unto thyself any . . . likeness of God.’ A
sacred reverence checks his song. He veils his face in his mantle while He whom no
man can see and live passes by. Then he breaks into rapturous exclamations which
are very prosaically and poorly represented by our version. For the text is not a
mere statement, as it is made to be by reading ‘Blessed is the people,’ but it is a
burst of adoring wonder, and should be read, ‘Oh! the blessedness of the people that
know the joyful sound.’
ow, the force of this exclamation is increased if we observe that the word that is
rendered ‘joyful sound’ is the technical word for the trumpet blast at Jewish feasts.
The purpose of these blasts, like those of the heralds at the coronation of a king, was
to proclaim the presence of God, the King of Israel, in the festival, as well as to
express the gladness of the worshippers. Thus the Psalmist, when he says, ‘Blessed is
the people that know the joyful sound,’ has no reference, as we ordinarily take him
to have, to the preaching of the Gospel, but to the trumpet-blasts that proclaimed
the present God and throbbed with the gladness of the waiting worshippers. So that
this exclamation is equivalent to ‘Oh! how blessed are the people who are sure that
they have God with them!’ and who, being sure, bow before Him in loving worship.
It is to be further noticed that the subsequent words of the text state the first
element which it indicates of that blessedness of a devout life, ‘They shall walk, O
Lord! in the light of Thy countenance.’
I. We deal first with the meaning of this phrase.
Of course, ‘the light of Thy countenance’ is a very obvious and natural symbol for
favour, complacency, goodwill on the part of Him that is conceived of as looking on
any one. We read, for instance, in reference to a much lower subject in the Book of
Proverbs, ‘In the light of the king’s countenance is life, and his favour is as a cloud
of the latter rain.’ Again we have, in the Levitical benediction, the phrase
accompanied in the parallel clauses by what is really an explanation of it, ‘The Lord
cause His face to shine upon thee and be gracious unto thee.’ So that the simple and
obvious meaning of the words, ‘the light of Thy countenance,’ is the favour and
lovingkindness of God manifested in that gracious Face which He turns to His
servants. As for the other chief word in the clause, ‘to walk’ is the equivalent
throughout Scripture for the conduct of the active life and daily conversation of a
man, and to walk in the light is simply to have the consciousness of the divine

72. Presence and the experience of the divine lovingkindness and friendship as a road
on which we travel our life’s journey, or an atmosphere round us in which all our
activities are done and in which we ever remain, as a diver in his bell, to keep evil
and sin from us.
There is only one more remark in the nature of explanation which I make, and that
is that the expression here for walking is cast in the original into a form which
grammarians call intensive, strengthening the simple idea expressed by the word.
We may express its force if we read, ‘They walk continually in the light of Thy
countenance.’
Is not that just a definition of the Christian life as an unbroken realisation of the
divine Presence, and an unbroken experience of the lovingkindness and favour of
God? Is not that religion in its truest, simplest essence, in its purest expression? The
people who are sure that they have their King in their midst, and who feel that He is
looking down upon them with tender pity, with loving care, with nothing but
friendship and sweetness in His heart, these people, says the Psalmist, are blessed.
So much, then, for the meaning of the word.
II. Consider the possibility of such a condition being ours.
Can such a thing be? Is it possible for a man to go through life carrying this
atmosphere constantly with him? Can the continuity which, as I remarked, is
expressed by the original accurately rendered, be kept up through an ordinary life
that has all manner of work to do, or are we only to ‘hear the joyful sound,’ now
and then, at rare intervals, on set occasions, answering to these ancient feasts?
Which of the two is it to be, dear brethren? There is no need whatever why any
amount of hard work, or outward occupations of the most secular character, or any
amount of distractions, should break for us the continuity of that consciousness and
of that experience. We may carry God with us wherever we go, if only we remember
that where we cannot carry Him with us we ought not to go. We may carry Him
with us into all the dusty roads of life; we may always walk on the sunny side of the
street if we like. We may always bear our own sunshine with us. And although we
are bound to be diligent in business, and some of us have had to take a heavy lift of a
great deal of hard work, and much of it apparently standing in no sort of relation to
our religious life, yet for all that it is possible to bend all to this one direction, and to
make everything a means of bringing us nearer to God and fuller of the conscious
enjoyment of His presence. And if we have not learned to do that with our daily
work, then our daily work is a curse to us. If we have allowed it to become so
absorbing or distracting as that it dims and darkens our sense of the divine
Presence, then it is time for us to see what is wrong in the method or in the amount
of work which is thus darkening our consciences. I know it is hard, I know that an
absolute attainment of such an ideal is perhaps beyond us, but I know that we can
approach-I was going to say infinitely, but a better word is indefinitely-nearer it
than any of us have ever yet done. As the psalm goes on to say in the next clause, it is
possible for us to ‘rejoice in His ame all the day.’ Ay, even at your tasks, and at
your counters, and in your kitchens, and in my study, it is possible for us; and if our
hearts are what and where they ought to be, the possibility will be realised. Earthly
duty has no necessary effect of veiling the consciousness of God.
or is there any reason why our troubles, sorrows, losses, solitude should darken
that sunshine. I know that that is hard, too, perhaps harder than the other. It is

73. more difficult to have a sense of the sunshine of the divine Presence shining through
the clouds of disaster and sorrow than even it is to have it shining through the dust
that is raised by traffic and secular occupation. But it is possible. There is nothing in
all the sky so grand as clouds smitten by sunshine, and the light is never so glorious
as when it is flashed back from them and dyes their piled bosoms with all celestial
colours. There is no experience of God’s Presence so blessed as that of a man who, in
the midst of sorrow, has yet with him the assurance of the Father’s friendship and
favour and love, and so can say ‘as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing.’ This sunshine
shines in the foulest corners, and the most thunder-laden clouds only flash back its
glories in new forms.
There is only one thing that breaks the continuity of that blessedness, and that is our
own sin. We carry our own weather with us, whether we will or no, and we can
bring winter into the middle of summer by flinging God away from us, and summer
into the midst of winter by grappling Him to our hearts. There is only one thing that
necessarily breaks our sense of His Presence, and that is that our hearts should turn
away from His face. A man can work hard and yet feel that God is with him. A man
can be weighed upon by many distresses and yet feel that God is with him and loves
him; but a man cannot commit the least tiny sin and love it, and feel at the same
time that God is with him. The heart is like a sensitive photographic plate, it
registers the variations in the sunshine; and the one hindrance that makes it
impossible for God’s light to fall upon my soul with the assurance of friendship and
the sense of sweetness, is that I should be hugging some evil to my heart. It is not the
dusty highway of life nor the dark vales of weeping and of the shadow of death
through which we sometimes have to pass that make it impossible for this sunlight
to pour down upon us, but it is our gathering round ourselves of the poisonous mists
of sin through which that light cannot pierce; or if it pierce, pierces transformed
and robbed of all its beauty.
III. Let me note next the blessedness which draws out the Psalmist’s rapturous
exclamation.
The same phrase is employed in one of the other psalms, which, I think, bears in its
contents the confirmation of the attribution of it to David. When he was fleeing
before his rebellious son, at the very lowest ebb of his fortunes, away on the uplands
of Moab, a discrowned king, a fugitive in danger of death at every moment, he sang
a psalm in which these words occur: ‘There be many that say, Who will show us any
good?’ ‘Lord, lift up the light of Thy countenance upon us’; and then follows, ‘Thou
hast put gladness into my heart more than when their corn and wine abound.’ The
speech of the many, ‘Who will show us any good?’ is contrasted with the prayer of
the one, ‘Lord, lift Thou up the light of Thy countenance upon us.’ That is
blessedness. It is the only thing that makes the heart to be at rest. It is the only thing
that makes life truly worth living, the only thing that brings sweetness which has no
after taint of bitterness and breeds no fear of its passing away. To have that
unsetting sunshine streaming down upon my open heart, and to carry about with
me whithersoever I go, like some melody from hidden singers sounding in my ears,
the ame and the Love of my Father God-that and that only, brother, is true rest
and abiding blessedness. There are many other joys far more turbulent, more
poignant, but they all pass. Many of them leave a nauseous taste in the mouth when
they are swallowed; all of them leave us the poorer for having had them and having

74. them no more. For one who is not a Christian I do not know that it is
‘Better to have loved and lost
Than never to have loved at all.’
But for those to whom God’s Face is as a Sun, life in all its possibilities is blessed;
and there is no blessedness besides. So let us keep near Him, ‘walking in the light,’
in our changeful days, ‘as He is in the light’ in His essential and unalterable being;
and that light will be to us all which it is taken in Scripture to symbolise-knowledge
and joy and purity; and in us, too, there will be ‘no darkness at all.’
But there is one last word that I must say, and that is that a possible terror is
intertwined with this blessedness. The next psalm to this says, with a kind of
tremulous awe in the Psalmist’s voice: ‘Thou hast set our iniquities before Thee, our
secret sins in the light of Thy countenance.’ In that sense all of us, good and bad,
lovers of God and those that are careless about Him, walk all the day long in the
light of His face, and He sees and marks all our else hidden evil. It needs something
more than any of us can do to make the thought that we do stand in the full glaring
of that great searchlight, not turned occasionally but focussed steadily on us
individually, a joy and a blessing to us. And what we need is offered us when we
read, ‘His countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength, and I fell at His feet as
dead. And He laid His hand upon me and said, Fear not! I am He that liveth and
was dead; and behold! I am alive for ever more.’ If we put our poor trust in the
Eternal Light that was manifest in Christ, then we shall walk in the sunshine of His
face on earth, and that lamp will burn for us in the darkness of the grave and lead
us at last into the ever-blazing centre of the Sun itself.
SIMEO , "THE BLESSED ESS OF GOD’S PEOPLE
Psalms 89:15-16. Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound: they shall walk,
O Lord, in the light of thy countenance. In thy name shall they rejoice all the day:
and in thy righteousness shall they be exalted.
EVERY man by nature desires happiness: but few know where it is to be found. The
generality imagine that it will be a sure attendant on earthly prosperity — — — But
the Psalmist points out to us its only true source: “There be many that say, who will
shew us any good? Lord, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us [ ote:
Psalms 4:6.].” In like manner he instructs us in the text; “Blessed are the people that
know the joyful sound.”
In these words the character and blessedness of the Lord’s people are fully declared.
Let us consider,
I. Their character—
“The joyful sound” must here import the Gospel—
[In the Gospel a Saviour is revealed, even such a Saviour as our necessities require,
a Saviour who has made a full atonement for our sins, and who promises “salvation

75. to all who come unto God by him.” When this Saviour was proclaimed to the
shepherds, it was in these memorable terms; “Behold, we bring you glad tidings of
great joy, which shall be to all people: for unto you is born this day, in the city of
David, a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord!”
But “the joyful sound” refers to the sound of the trumpets under the law, when the
people were convoked to come up to God in the solemn assembly [ ote: umbers
10:1-3; umbers 10:10.], or when the year of Jubilee was proclaimed [ ote:
Leviticus 25:8-13.]. On this latter occasion, in particular, it was indeed a joyful
sound: for then all persons who had sold their houses and lands, yea, and their
wives and children, and their own selves too for bond-slaves, were restored to
perfect liberty, and to the full possession of their former inheritance — — —
Suppose a person so circumstanced, what a joyful sound would that of the trumpet
be to him! — — — Such then is the Gospel to the weary and heavy-laden sinner,
when he hears of a free and full salvation through the Lord Jesus Christ — — —]
This “sound” the true Believer “knows”—
[A speculative knowledge of the Gospel is possessed by many who have no personal
interest in it, and no desire after its blessings: but the true Believer knows it
practically: he has felt its power; he has tasted its sweetness: and he has been
brought to a reliance on it for the salvation of his soul. This distinction must be
carefully made by us. It is not of a head-knowledge that my text speaks; but of such
a knowledge as enters into the heart, and engages all the powers of the soul — — —
It is such a knowledge as God alone can impart — — — and all who possess that are
truly “blessed,”]
In our text we have a rich description of,
II. Their blessedness—
They may not have much of this world: but they have much of God: they enjoy,
1. A sweet sense of his love—
[“They walk in the light of his countenance.” This is a privilege of which a worldly
man can form no conception: but it is understood, and experienced, by all who enter
into the spirit of the Gospel. They can go to God as a Father: they know that he is
reconciled towards them in the Son of his love: and with a spirit of adoption they
can draw nigh to him, and pour out their hearts before him, and hear him speaking
peace unto their souls. In answer to their daily prayers he draws night to them, and
“lifts up the light of his countenance upon them,” and “fills them with joy and peace
in believing.” Such is their daily “walk” with God, a foretaste of their happiness in
the realms of bliss.”]
2. An habitual confidence in his care—

76. [They are subjected to a variety of circumstances like other men: but they have a
Friend to whom they can go on every occasion, and from whom they can receive all
such communications as they stand in need of. “The name of the Lord is a strong
tower, to which they run and are safe.” His perfections are all exercised in their
behalf: and, being their God, he is “a God unto them,” doing for them whatsoever
their diversified necessities require. In Him “therefore, even in his name, they
rejoice all the day;” spreading before him their every want, and committing to him
their every desire. “They know in whom they have believed,” and cast all their care
on him who careth for them.”]
3. An assured prospect of his glory—
[In the Gospel the Lord Jesus Christ reveals himself to his people as a complete
Saviour, who not only obtains a pardon for them, but has provided also a
righteousness, wherein they may stand before God without spot or blemish. To him
therefore they look in this view: and on him they rely, as “The Lord their
righteousness.” “In this righteousness they are exalted:” they are exalted in their
own eyes, being no longer condemned sinners, but saints accepted and justified from
all their sins. They are exalted in the eyes of God also; for he now “beholds no
iniquity in them:” he views them as one with his dear Son, partakers of his nature,
and joint-heirs of his glory. They are exalted also in the eyes of all the angelic hosts,
who now delight to minister unto them, and will are long give them the precedence
in heaven, and take their station behind them before the throne of God [ ote:
Revelation 7:11.].”
Say now, are not these happy? Yes: and David not only asserts it, but appeals to
God himself for the truth of his assertion: “They shall walk, O Lord, in the light of
thy countenance.”]
Address—
1. Those who have no knowledge of this joyful sound—
[How many amongst us are altogether ignorant of the Gospel itself! and, of those
who hear it and profess to receive it, how many have no taste for that joy which it is
intended to impart! — — — Will you then call yourselves the people of God; or
imagine that salvation belongs to you? Know, that “all are not Israel, who are of
Israel;” nor are all Christians who bear that name. Whilst you are ignorant of the
joyful sound, you can have no part or lot in those blessings which the Gospel is
intended to convey.]
2. Those who know the Gospel, but find no blessedness in it—
[There are, I must acknowledge, many of this description. But whence does this
arise? Is it owing to any insufficiency in the Gospel to make them happy? o: it
proceeds in some cases from a disordered constitution: in others, from imperfect
views of the Gospel: and in others, from not walking steadfastly and consistently

77. before God. But from whatever source it arise, I would say, Remember what an
injury you do to the Gospel itself, and to the souls of men: the world around you will
impute your gloom to religion, and take occasion from it to condemn the Gospel
itself as a source of melancholy to all who embrace it. O! brethren, do not so
dishonour the Lord Jesus Christ: but view the Gospel in all its freeness and all its
fulness, and all its excellency; and rest not till you have attained those rich blessings,
which every true Believer is privileged to enjoy.]
3. Those who both know and enjoy the Gospel—
[Happy indeed are ye, even though ye be in all other respects the most destitute and
distressed. Let then your gratitude to God evince itself in a suitable life and
conversation. As for your joys, the world knows nothing about them; and will
therefore impute them to enthusiasm and delusion. But they can understand a holy
life: that will approve itself to them as a good and genuine fruit of the Gospel. Let
them then see, that this Gospel which makes you happy, makes you holy also. Let
them see that it brings into subjection every unhallowed temper, every evil desire.
Let them see that in every station and relation of life it elevates you above others,
rendering you more amiable, more consistent. In a word, “let your whole
conversation be such as becometh the Gospel of Christ;” and, whilst you are made
partakers of a felicity which the world knows not of, endeavour to make your light
shine before men, that they may be constrained to acknowledge the excellence of
your principles, and be led to seek a participation of your bliss.]
16 They rejoice in your name all day long;
they celebrate your righteousness.
BAR ES, "In thy name shall they rejoice - In thee shall they rejoice, or find
their happiness. In thy being; thy perfections; thy protection; thy government; thy favor.
All the day - That is, continually. It is their privilege, and it is their duty to rejoice
always. Thou art always the same, and the happiness which is found in thy being and
attributes at one time may be found at all times; thy promises are ever the same, and thy
people may find happiness in them always. There is no reason why the people of God
should not be constantly happy; they who have such a God, and such hopes as they are
permitted to cherish, should be so. Compare the notes at Phi_3:1; notes at Phi_4:4.
And in thy righteousness - Under thy righteous government; or, in the knowledge
of thy righteous character.
Shall they be exalted - See Pro_14:34. The effect of that knowledge shall be to exalt

78. or to elevate them in moral character, in happiness, in the esteem of others, and in true
prosperity. Compare 1Ti_4:8.
CLARKE, "In thy name shall they rejoice - Or, “greatly exult,” ‫יגילון‬ yegilun; “all
that day,” ‫היום‬ haiyom, the jubilee, referred to above.
And in thy righteousness - In the declaration of thy righteousness for the
remission of sins that are past, Rom_3:25, Rom_3:26.
Shall they be exalted - They shall be justified freely from all things, be purified
from all unrighteousness, grow in grace, and in the knowledge of Jesus Christ here
below, and at last be exalted to his right hand to reign with him for ever. The jubilee was
a type of the Gospel, and under that type the psalmist here speaks of the glorious advent
of the Lord Jesus, and the great happiness of believers in him. Let it be observed that the
letters in the above Hebrew words called paragogic, as nun in ‫יהלכון‬ yehallechun, and ‫יגילון‬
yegilun, always increase and deepen the meaning of the words to which they are attached.
GILL, "In thy name shall they rejoice all the day,.... That know the joyful sound,
and walk in the light of God's countenance, as they have reason to do; these will "rejoice"
in the Lord himself, for his "name" is himself; in the perfections of his nature, as
displayed in redemption and salvation by Christ; in him as the God of all grace, as their
covenant God and Father in Christ, and the God of their salvation; and they will rejoice
in Christ, in his name, in which is salvation, and therefore precious; in his person, blood,
righteousness, sacrifice, and fitness; and that "all the day" long, continually; there is
always reason, ground, and matter for rejoicing in Christ, though it is sometimes
interrupted by sin, temptation, and desertion; see Phi_4:4.
and in thy righteousness shall they be exalted; from a low estate of sin and
misery to an high estate of grace and glory; from a state of condemnation and death to a
state of justification of life; from being beggars on the dunghill, to sit among princes, and
to inherit the throne of glory; such as are clothed with the righteousness of the Son of
God are exalted to great honour, as to be admitted into the presence of the King of kings
in raiment of needlework, to stand at his right hand in gold of Ophir, and to live and
reign with him for evermore in his kingdom and glory.
HE RY 16-17, "They never want matter for joy: Blessed are God's people, for in his
name, in all that whereby he has made himself known, if it be not their own fault, they
shall rejoice all the day. Those that rejoice in Christ Jesus, and make God their
exceeding joy, have enough to counterbalance their grievances and silence their griefs;
and therefore their joy is full (1Jo_1:4) and constant; it is their duty to rejoice evermore.
IV. Their relation to God is their honour and dignity. They are happy, for they are
high. Surely in the Lord, in the Lord Christ, they have righteousness and strength, and
so are recommended by him to the divine acceptance; and therefore in him shall all the
seed of Israel glory, Isa_45:24, Isa_45:25. So it is here, Psa_89:16, Psa_89:17. 1. “In thy
righteousness shall they be exalted, and not in any righteousness of their own.” We are
exalted out of danger, and into honour, purely by the righteousness of Christ, which is a
clothing both for dignity and for defence. 2. “Thou art the glory of their strength,” that

79. is, “thou art their strength, and it is their glory that thou art so, and what they glory in.”
Thanks be to God who always causes us to triumph. 3. “In thy favour, which through
Christ we hope for, our horn shall be exalted.” The horn denotes beauty, plenty, and
power; these those have who are made accepted in the beloved. What greater preferment
are men capable of in this world than to be God's favourites?
JAMISO , in — or, “by”
thy righteousness — Thy faithful just rule.
glory — or, “beauty.”
of their strength — They shall be adorned as well as protected.
our horn — exalt our power (Psa_75:10; Luk_1:69).
SPURGEO , "Ver. 16. In thy name shall they rejoice all the day. And good cause
they have for so doing, for to the soul which, in Christ Jesus, has entered into
covenant with God, every attribute is a fountain of delight. There is no hour in the
day, and no day in our life, in which we may not rejoice in the name, person, and
character of the Lord. We need no other reason for rejoicing. As philosophers could
make merry without music, so can we rejoice without carnal comforts; the Lord All
sufficient is an all sufficient source of joy.
And in thy righteousness shall they be exalted. By the Lord's righteous dealings the
saints are uplifted in due time, however great may have been the oppression and the
depression from which they may have suffered. In the righteousness which the
covenant supplies, which is entirely of the Lord, believers are set on high in a secure
and blessed position, so that they are full of sacred happiness. If God were unjust, or
if he regarded us as being without righteousness, we must be filled with misery, but
as neither of these things are so, we are exalted indeed, and would extol the name of
the Lord.
EXPLA ATORY OTES A D QUAI T SAYI GS.
Ver. 16. And in thy righteousness shall they be exalted. In these words briefly we
may notice,
1. The believer's promotion; he is exalted. In the first Adam we were debased unto
the lowest hell, the crown having fallen from our heads; but in Christ, the second
Adam, we are again exalted; yea, exalted as high as heaven, for we "sit together with
him in heavenly places", says the apostle. This is an incredible paradox to a blind
world, that the believer who is sitting at this moment upon the dunghill of this earth,
should at the same time be sitting in heaven in Christ, his glorious Head and
representative, Ephesians 2:6.
2. We have the ground of the believer's preferment and exaltation; it is in thy
righteousness. It is not in any righteousness of his own; no, this he utterly disclaims,
reckoning it but "dung and loss", "filthy rags", dogs' meat: but it is in thy
righteousness; that is, the righteousness of God, as the apostle calls it: Romans 1:17,
Philippians 3:9. The righteousness of God is variously taken in Scripture.
Sometimes for the infinite rectitude and equity of his nature: Psalms 11:7, "The
righteous Lord loveth righteousness." Sometimes for his rectorial equity, or

80. distributive justice which he exerciseth in the government of the world, rewarding
the good and punishing evil doers: Psalms 97:2, "Righteousness and judgment are
the habitation of his throne." Sometimes it is put for his veracity and faithfulness in
accomplishing his word of promise, or in executing his word of threatening: Psalms
36:5-6, "Thy faithfulness reacheth unto the clouds: thy righteousness is like the
great mountains." Sometimes it is put for the perfect righteousness which Christ the
Son of God, as our Surety and Mediator, brought in, by his obedience to the law,
and death on the cross, for the justification of guilty sinners: and this as I said, is
frequently called the righteousness of God; and in this sense I understand it here in
the text: "In thy righteousness shall they be exalted." —Ebenezer Erskine.
BE SO , "Verses 16-18
Psalms 89:16-18. In thy name shall they rejoice all the day — That is, in the
knowledge and remembrance of thy name, or of thy infinite power and goodness,
revealed and imparted to them; and in thy righteousness — Whereby thou art both
inclined, and, in some sort, engaged to hear the prayers of thy people, and to save
them from all their enemies; or, in and by thy mercy, for righteousness frequently
means mercy; or in and through the obedience unto death of him who is the Lord
our righteousness, and is made of God unto us righteousness, and through the
righteousness of faith in him, Romans 4:3; Romans 4:22-24, shall they be exalted —
To the dignity of thy sons and daughters here, and to the heavenly inheritance
hereafter. For thou art the glory of their strength — All that strength in which they
do, or may glory, is from thee as the gift of thy grace: and to thee alone belongs the
glory of all their victories over their enemies, and of all their achievements. In thy
favour our horn shall be exalted — The efforts of our power shall be crowned with
victory and success. For the Lord is our defence — Here the psalmist assigns the
reason of his confidence, that their horn should be exalted. And the Holy One of
Israel is our King — Having therefore so powerful a deliverance and protector, we
have no reason to despair of our restitution to our former felicity. Hebrew, ‫ליהוה‬
‫,מגננו‬ to Jehovah belongs our shield, or, as the margin reads it, our shield is of the
Lord, our King is the Holy One of Israel. Our relation to God, as his worshippers
and subjects, is the ground of our confidence for deliverance and protection. If God
be our ruler, he will be our defender, and who is he then that can harm us?
17 For you are their glory and strength,
and by your favor you exalt our horn.[d]
BAR ES, "For thou art the glory of their strength - The ornament; the beauty;

81. the honor; that is, Their strength derives its beauty and honor, not from anything in
themselves, but from the fact that it is derived from thee. The strength thus imparted is
an honor or ornament in itself; it is an honor and glory to them that it is imparted to
them.
And in thy favor - Or, by thy favor, or good pleasure.
Our horn shall be exalted - The horn is a symbol of power. Compare Psa_22:21,
note; Psa_75:4; Dan_7:8, note; Job_16:15, note. The meaning here is, that their power
had been derived from God; or that all which contributed to their exaltation and honor
in the world, had been derived from him.
CLARKE, "For thou art the glory of their strength - They are strong in faith,
and give glory to thee, because they know that their strength cometh from the Lord of
hosts.
And in thy favor our horn shall be exalted - Instead of ‫תרום‬ tarum, “shall be
exalted,” ‫תרים‬ tarim, “thou shalt exalt,” is the reading of several MSS.: but ‫תרום‬ tarum,
“shall be exalted,” is supported by forty-four of Kennicott’s MSS., and sixty of De Rossi’s,
as well as by several ancient editions, with the Septuagint, Syriac, Vulgate, and Arabic
Versions. In the enjoyment of the Divine favor they shall grow more wise, more holy,
more powerful, and, consequently, more happy.
GILL, "For thou art the glory of their strength,.... By which they walk, and do all
they do, exercise every grace, and discharge their duty; they have their strength from
Christ, as well as their righteousness, without whom they can do nothing, but all things
through him strengthening them; and as his righteousness exalts them, his strength
adorns and glorifies them; how glorious and beautiful does a believer look, that is strong
in the Lord, and in the power of his might, in the grace that is in Christ, and in the
exercise of faith on him, giving glory to God; on whom the power of Christ rests, and it
overshadows, and in whose weakness his strength is made perfect!
and in thy favour our horn shall be exalted; either Christ, the Horn of their
salvation, who in an acceptable time, in the time of God's favour, or good will, was heard
and helped by him as man, carried through his sufferings and death, was raised from the
dead, and exalted at his right hand; see Psa_89:24 or the saints themselves, their power
and strength, kingdom and glory; by the special favour of God in Christ, their mountain
is made so strong, and they so highly exalted, as that they think they shall never be
moved; and in the latter day the mountain of the Lord's house shall be exalted above the
hills, Psa_30:6.
CALVI , "17.For thou art the glory of their strength. The same sentiment is
confirmed when it is declared, that God never leaves his faithful servants destitute
of strength. By the appellation the glory of their strength, which is ascribed to him,
is meant that they are always so sustained by his present aid as to have just ground
to glory in him; or which amounts to the same thing, that his power appears always
glorious in aiding and sustaining them. They are, however, at the same time,

82. reminded of the duty of yielding to God all the praise of their being preserved in
safety. If this is true as to the present life, it is much more truly applicable to the
spiritual life of the soul. Farther, the more highly to magnify this instance of God’s
liberality, we are taught, at the same time, that it depends entirely upon his good
pleasure, there being no other cause of it. (536) Whence it follows, that they are
wholly bound and indebted to Him who is induced by his free bounty alone to
continue to extend to them his help.
SPURGEO , "Ver. 17. For thou art the glory of their strength. Surely in the Lord
Jehovah have we both righteousness and strength. He is our beauty and glory when
we are strong in him, as well as our comfort and sustenance when we tremble
because of conscious weakness in ourselves. o man whom the Lord makes strong
may dare to glory in himself, he must ascribe all honour to the Lord alone; we have
neither strength nor beauty apart from him.
And in thy favour our horn shall be exalted. By the use of the word our the Psalmist
identifies himself with the blessed people, and this indicates how much sweeter it is
to sing in the first person than concerning others. May we have grace to claim a
place among those in covenant with God, in Christ Jesus, for then a sense of divine
favour will make us also bold and joyous. A creature full of strength and courage
lifts up its horn, and so also does a believer become potent, valiant, and daring. The
horn was an eastern ornament, worn by men and women, or at least is so at this day,
and by the uplifting of this the wearer showed himself to be in good spirits, and in a
confident frame of mind: we wear no such outward vanities, but our inward soul is
adorned and made bravely triumphant when the favour of God is felt by us.
Worldly men need outward prosperity to make them lift up their heads, but the
saints find more than enough encouragement in the secret love of God.
EXPLA ATORY OTES A D QUAI T SAYI GS.
Ver. 17. In thy favour our horn shall be exalted. A man of lofty bearing is said to
carry his horn very high. To him who is proudly interfering with the affairs of
another it will be said, "Why show your kombu", "horn", "here?" "See that fellow,
what a fine horn he has; he will make the people run." "Truly, my lord, you have a
great horn." "Chinnan has lost his money; aye, and his hornship too." "Alas, alas! I
am like the deer, whose horns have fallen off." —Joseph Roberts "Oriental
Illustrations."
18 Indeed, our shield[e] belongs to the Lord,
our king to the Holy One of Israel.

83. BAR ES, "For the Lord is our defense - Margin, “Our shield is of the Lord.” The
original word rendered “defense,” is shield. Compare Psa_5:12, note; Psa_33:20, note;
Psa_59:11, note. The meaning is, that protection was to be found in God alone. The true
construction of this verse is, “For to Yahweh (belongs) our shield, and to the Holy One of
Israel our king.” That is, All that they had, and all that they relied on as a defense,
belonged to God, or was of God; in other words, their very protectors were themselves
protected by Yahweh. They had no other defense; nothing else on which they could
depend.
GILL, "For the Lord is our defence,.... From all their enemies, being all around
them, as a wall of fire to protect them, and as the mountains were round about
Jerusalem, and being kept by his power as in a fortress, strong hold, or garrison, unto
salvation; or our shield (f); see Psa_84:9 as are his favour, righteousness, and salvation,
Psa_5:12 or "to the Lord belongs our defence or shield" (g) our protection and salvation
is from him:
and the Holy One of Israel is our King; he who was to be, and is of Israel according
to the flesh, and is holy in his nature, life, and office; he is King of saints, that rules over
them, protects and defends them, and therefore they must be happy: or "to" or "with the
Holy One of Israel is our king" (h); Christ is King of Zion by designation, appointment,
and constitution, of God the Holy One of Israel, the holy God that has chosen Israel for
his peculiar people; though it rather seems that Christ is the Holy One by what follows.
HE RY, " Their relation to God is their protection and safety (Psa_89:18): “For our
shield is of the Lord” (so the margin) “and our king is from the Holy One of Israel. If
God be our ruler, he will be our defender; and who is he than that can harm us?” It was
the happiness of Israel that God himself had the erecting of their bulwarks and the
nominating of their king (so some take it); or, rather, that he was himself a wall of fire
round about them, and, as a Holy One, the author and centre of their holy religion; he
was their King, and so their glory in the midst of them. Christ is the Holy One of Israel,
that holy thing; and in nothing was that peculiar people more blessed than in this, that
he was born King of the Jews. Now this account of the blessedness of God's Israel comes
in here as that to which it was hard to reconcile their present calamitous state.
JAMISO , "(Margin). Thus is introduced the promise to “our shield,” “our king,”
David.
CALVI , "18.For to Jehovah is our buckler. As the chief protection of the people
was in the person of their king, it is here expressly shown, that the maintenance of
the welfare of the faithful by his instrumentality is the gift of God. But it is to be
noticed, that the prophet’s mind was not so fixed upon this temporal and transitory
kingdom as to neglect, at the same time, to consider the end of it, as we shall
presently see. He knew that it was only on account of Christ that God made his
favor to flow upon the head of the Church, and from thence upon the whole body.
And, in the first place, while he calls the king metaphorically a buckler, — a
figurative expression frequently employed in Scripture, — he confesses that when
the people are defended by his hand and working, it is nevertheless done by the

84. providence of God, and is thus to be traced to a higher source than human agency.
The same thing is again repeated in the second clause, in which it is affirmed, that
the king was given by God to govern the people; and that, therefore, the defense
which comes from the king is a blessing of God. Moreover, we must remember that
what is said of this kingdom, which was a shadow of something greater, properly
applies to the person of Christ, whom the Father has given to us to be the guardian
of our welfare, that we may be maintained and defended by his power.
SPURGEO , "Ver. 18. For the Lord is our defence. Whoever else may defend us, he
is our ultimate Defender and Shield.
And the Holy one of Israel is our king. He who protects should govern, our defender
should be acknowledged as our king. Kings are called the shields of nations, and the
God of Israel is both our Ruler and our Defence. Another sense may be that Israel's
defender and king was of the Lord, belonging to him and sent by him; even the
protectors of the land being themselves protected by the Lord. The title "the Holy
One of Israel" is peculiarly delightful to the renewed heart. God is one, we worship
none beside. He is holiness itself, the only being who can be called "the Holy One",
and in his perfection of character we see the most excellent reason for our faith. He
who is holy cannot break his promises, or act unjustly concerning his oath and
covenant. Moreover, he is the Holy One of Israel, being specially the God of his own
elect, ours by peculiar ties, ours for ever and ever. Who among the saints will not
rejoice in the God of election? Are they not indeed a people greatly blessed who can
call this God their God for ever and ever?
COKE, "Psalms 89:18. For the Lord is our defence, &c.— Mudge connects this with
the following verse thus: Yes, to the Lord belongs our shield, and to the Holy One of
Israel our king: Psalms 89:19. From the time that thou spakest in vision to thy
favourite, and saidst, &c. Our shield, says he, is explained by the king; as in Psalms
84:9. "He is the Lord's, the Lord owns him; has taken him as his own, under his
special protection; from the time he spoke to the prophet athan the prophesy
which follows with regard to David." athan was favoured with God's immediate
revelation, 2 Samuel 7.
19 Once you spoke in a vision,
to your faithful people you said:
“I have bestowed strength on a warrior;
I have raised up a young man from among the
people.

85. BAR ES, "Then thou spakest in vision - Or, by a vision. See this word explained
in the notes at Isa_1:1. The meaning is, that God had spoken this by means of visions, or
by communications made to his people by the prophets. This “vision” was especially
made known to Nathan, and through him to David. See 2Sa_7:4-17. The substance of
what is here said is found in that passage in Samuel. In 2Sa_7:17, it is expressly called a
“vision.”
To thy holy one - The vision was addressed particularly to David, but was made
through him to the people of Israel. The ancient versions render this in the plural, as
referring to the people of Israel. The Hebrew is in the singular number.
I have laid help upon one that is mighty - I have so endowed him that he shall be
the protector and defender of my people. He is qualified for the office entrusted to him,
and in his hands the interests of the nation will be safe. This was not expressly said in
the vision; but this was the substance of what was said. See 2Sa_7:9.
I have exalted one chosen out of the people - One not of exalted rank; one not
descended from kings and conquerors; but one that had grown up among the people;
one called from the ranks of common life; one chosen from among those engaged in
humble occupations. In this way it was the more apparent that the power really came
from God. Compare 2Sa_7:8; see also the notes at Psa_78:70-72.
CLARKE, "Then thou spakest in vision to thy holy one - Instead of ‫חסידך‬
chasidecha, “thy holy one,” ‫חסידיך‬ chasideycha, “thy holy ones,” is the reading of sisty-
three of Kennicott’s and seventy-one of De Rossi’s MSS., and a great number of editions
besides.
If we take it in the singular, it most probably means Samuel, and refers to the
revelation God gave to him relative to his appointment of David to be king in the stead of
Saul. If we take it in the plural, it may mean not only Samuel, but also Nathan and Gad.
For what God revealed to Samuel relative to David, see 2Sa_7:5, etc.; 1Ch_11:2, 1Ch_
11:3; and for what he said to Nathan on the same subject, see 1Ch_17:3, 1Ch_17:7-15. All
the Versions have the word in the plural.
GILL, "Then thou spakest in vision to thy Holy One,.... Samuel the prophet, that
holy man of God, to whom the Lord spoke in vision, or by a spirit of prophecy,
concerning David, the choice and exaltation of him to the kingdom, and his unction for
it, 1Sa_16:1. The Vulgate Latin version reads it "to thy Holy Ones": and so the Targum,
with which agree the Septuagint and Arabic versions, which render it "thy sons"; and the
Syriac version "his righteous ones", and so takes in Nathan also, to whom the Lord spake
in a vision, by night, concerning the settlement and perpetuity of the kingdom in David's
family, 2Sa_7:4, &c. Aben Ezra interprets it of the singers, Heman, Ethan, and others;
and Jarchi of Gad and Nathan: but the whole is rather to be understood of David's son,
the Messiah; and it may be rendered "concerning thy Holy One" (i) as he is called, Psa_

86. 16:10, concerning whom in vision, that is, in prophecy, see Isa_1:1. The Lord said, by the
mouth of his holy prophets, from the beginning of the world, the following things:
and saidst, I have laid help upon one that is mighty; this "mighty" One is the
Messiah, the mighty God, the mighty Man, the mighty Mediator and Redeemer; who was
mighty to save to the uttermost, and was every way fit for and equal to the work of a
Redeemer; for which reason the Lord "laid help" upon him, not for himself; for this is
not to be understood of help promised or given him as man and Mediator: this is after
spoken of, Psa_89:21, but for others; and so the Targum adds, "for my people": laying it
on him is no other than ordering or enjoining him, to which he agreed, to help his people
out of that miserable condition they were fallen into, through Adam's transgression, and
their own sins, out of which they could not help themselves: the work assigned to Christ,
and devolved on him in council and covenant, was to help them out of this estate by
price and power; and to help them on in their way to heaven, through all difficulties,
trials, and temptations; and to help them to heaven itself, and introduce them there: and
being thus laid upon him, according to his Father's will and purpose, and with his own
consent, it was found in him, and exercised by him, Hos_13:9.
I have exalted one chosen out of the people; the same as before, the Messiah,
God's elect, his chosen One, Isa_42:1 "chosen" to be the head of the church, to be the
Mediator between God and man, and to be the Saviour and Redeemer of lost sinners; to
be the foundation and corner stone in the spiritual building, and to be the Judge of quick
and dead: and he was "chosen out of the people"; out of the vast number of the
individuals of human nature God determined to create, there was a certain number
which he selected for himself, for his own glory, and to be eternally happy with him; and
out of these he singled one "individuum" of human nature, to be united to the eternal
Word, the second Person in the Trinity; and which may be truly said to be the "chiefest
among", or, as the Septuagint version has it, "chosen out of ten thousand", Son_5:10,
this the Lord "exalted" to the grace of union to the Son of God, whereby it became higher
than angels and men, and to have a more excellent name than either of them, it bearing
the name of him to whom it is united, Heb_1:4, and he has exalted him to the offices of
Prophet, Priest, and King, for which he is
anointed above his fellows; and he has also, having done his work, highly exalted
him at his right hand; angels, principalities, and powers, being subject to him.
HE RY 19-20, "The covenant God made with David and his seed was mentioned
before (Psa_89:3, Psa_89:4); but in these verses it is enlarged upon, and pleaded with
God, for favour to the royal family, now almost sunk and ruined; yet certainly it looks at
Christ, and has its accomplishment in him much more than in David; nay, some
passages here are scarcely applicable at all to David, but must be understood of Christ
only (who is therefore called David our king, Hos_3:5), and very great and precious
promises they are which are here made to the Redeemer, which are strong foundations
for the faith and hope of the redeemed to build upon. The comforts of our redemption
flow from the covenant of redemption; all our springs are in that, Isa_55:3. I will make
an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David, Act_13:34. Now here
we have an account of those sure mercies. Observe,
I. What assurance we have of the truth of the promise, which may encourage us to
build upon it. We are here told, 1. How it was spoken (Psa_89:19): Thou didst speak in
vision to thy Holy One. God's promise to David, which is especially referred to here, was
spoken in vision to Nathan the prophet, 2Sa_7:12-17. Then, when the Holy One of Israel

87. was their king (Psa_89:18), he appointed David to be his viceroy. But to all the
prophets, those holy ones, he spoke in vision concerning Christ, and to him himself
especially, who had lain in his bosom from eternity, and was made perfectly acquainted
with the whole design of redemption, Mat_11:27. 2. How it was sworn to and ratified
(Psa_89:35): Once have I sworn by my holiness, that darling attribute. In swearing by
his holiness, he swore by himself; for he will as soon cease to be as be otherwise than
holy. His swearing once is enough; he needs not swear again, as David did (1Sa_20:17);
for his word and oath are two immutable things. As Christ was made a priest, so he was
made a king, by an oath (Heb_7:21); for his kingdom and priesthood are both
unchangeable.
II. The choice made of the person to whom the promise is given, Psa_89:19, Psa_
89:20. David was a king of God's own choosing, so is Christ, and therefore both are
called God's kings, Psa_2:6. David was mighty, a man of courage and fit for business; he
was chosen out of the people, not out of the princes, but the shepherds. God found him
out, exalted him, laid help upon him, and ordered Samuel to anoint him. But this is
especially to be applied to Christ. 1. He is one that is mighty, every way qualified for the
great work he was to undertake, able to save to the uttermost - mighty in strength, for he
is the Son of God - mighty in love, for he is able experimentally to compassionate those
that are tempted. He is the mighty God, Isa_9:6. 2. He is chosen out of the people, one of
us, bone of our bone, that takes part with us of flesh and blood. Being ordained for men,
he is taken from among men, that his terror might not make us afraid. 3. God has found
him. He is a Saviour of God's own providing; for the salvation, from first to last, is purely
the Lord's doing. He has found the ransom, Job_33:24. We could never have found a
person fit to undertake this great work, Rev_5:3, Rev_5:4. 4. God has laid help upon
him, not only helped him, but treasured up help in him for us, laid it as a charge upon
him to help fallen man up again, to help the chosen remnant to heaven. In me is thy
help, Hos_13:9. 5. He has exalted him, by constituting him the prophet, priest, and king
of his church, clothing him with power, raising him from the dead, and setting him at his
own right hand. Whom God chooses and uses he will exalt. 6. He has anointed him, has
qualified him for his office, and so confirmed him in it, by giving him the Spirit, not by
measure, but without measure, infinitely above his fellows. He is called Messiah, or
Christ, the Anointed. 7. In all this he designed him to be his own servant, for the
accomplishing of his eternal purpose and the advancement of the interests of his
kingdom among men.
JAMISO , "Then — when the covenant was established, of whose execution the
exalted views of God now given furnish assurance.
thou ... to thy holy one — or godly saint, object of favor (Psa_4:3). Nathan is meant
(2Sa_7:17; 1Ch_17:3-15).
laid help — literally, “given help.” David was chosen and then exalted.
CALVI , "19.Then thou spakest in vision to thy meek ones. The Psalmist now
declares at greater length why he said that the king, set over the chosen people for
the preservation of the public good, was given them from heaven; namely, because
he was not chosen by the suffrages of men, nor usurped at his own hand the
supreme power, nor insinuated himself into it by corrupt arts, but was elected by
God to be the instrument of maintaining the public good, and performed the duties
of his office under the auspices and conduct of God. The design of the prophet, as

88. we shall shortly see more clearly, is to distinguish this Divinely-appointed king from
all other kings. Although what Paul teaches in Romans 13:1, is true, “There is no
power but of God;” yet there was a great difference between David and all earthly
kings who have acquired sovereign power by worldly means. God had delivered the
scepter to his servant David immediately with his own hand, so to speak, and had
seated him on the royal throne by his own authority. The particle ‫,אז‬ az, which
properly signifies then, is taken also for long since, orin old time. The meaning,
therefore, is, that whereas some are born kings, succeeding their fathers by right of
inheritance, and some are elevated to the royal dignity by election, while others
acquire it for themselves by violence and force of arms, God was the founder of this
kingdom, having chosen David to the throne by his own voice. Farther, although he
revealed his purpose to Samuel, yet as the plural number is here used, implying,
that the same oracle had been delivered to others, we may certainly conclude that it
had been communicated to other prophets that they might be able, with one consent,
to bear testimony that David was created king by the Divine appointment. And,
indeed, as other distinguished and celebrated prophets lived at that time, it is not
very probable that a matter of so great importance was concealed from them. But
Samuel alone is named in this business, because he was the publisher of the Divine
oracle and the minister of the royal anointing. As God in those days spake to his
prophets either by dreams or by visions, this last mode of revelation is here
mentioned.
There next follows the substance or amount of the Divine oracle, That God had
furnished with help the strong or mighty one whom he had chosen to be the
supreme head and governor of the kingdom. David is called strong, not because
naturally and in himself he excelled in strength, (for, as is well known, he was of
small stature, and despised among his brethren, so that even Samuel passed him
over with neglects) but because God, after having chosen him, endued him with new
strength, and other distinguished qualities suitable for a king; even as in a parallel
case, when Christ chose his apostles, he not only honored them with the title, but at
the same time bestowed the gifts which were necessary for executing their office.
And at the present day he imparts to his ministers the same grace of his Spirit. The
strength of David, then, of which mention is here made, was the effect of his
election; for God, in creating him king, furnished him at the same time with
strength adequate for the preservation of the people. This appears still more
distinctly from the second clause, where this invincible strength is traced to its
source: I have exalted one chosen from among the people. All the words are
emphatic. When God declares that he exalted him, it is to intimate the low and mean
condition in which David lived, unknown and obscure, before God stretched out his
hand to him. To the same effect is the expression which follows,from among the
people. The meaning is, that he was at that time unnoted, and belonged to the lowest
class of the people, and gave no indications of superior excellence, being the least
esteemed of his father’s children, in whose country cottage he held the humble office
of a herdsman. (539) By the word chosen, God calls us back to the consideration of
his own free will, as if he forbade us to seek for any other cause of David’s exaltation
than his own good pleasure.

89. SPURGEO , "Ver. 19. Then thou spakest in vision to thy holy one. The Psalmist
returns to a consideration of the covenant made with David. The holy one here
meant may be either David or athan the prophet, but most probably the latter, for
it was to him that the word of the Lord came by night. 2 Samuel 7:4-5. God
condescends to employ his gracious ministers to be the means of communication
between himself and his favoured ones, —even to King David the covenant was
revealed by athan the prophet; thus the Lord puts honour upon his ministers.
I have laid help upon one that is mighty. The Lord had made David a mighty man of
valour, and now he covenants to make him the helper and defender of the Jewish
state. In a far fuller sense the Lord Jesus is essentially and immeasurably mighty,
and on him the salvation of his people rests by divine appointment, while his success
is secured by divine strength being engaged to be with him. Let us lay our faith
where God has laid our help.
I have exalted one chosen out of the people. David was God's elect, elect out of the
people, as one of themselves, and elect to the highest position in the state. In his
extraction, election, and exaltation, he was an eminent type of the Lord Jesus, who is
the man of the people, the chosen of God, and the king of his church. Whom God
exalts let us exalt. Woe unto those who despise him, they are guilty of contempt of
court before the Lord of Hosts, as well as of rejecting the Son of God.
EXPLA ATORY OTES A D QUAI T SAYI GS.
Ver. 19 (second clause). —( ew Translation) A mighty chief have I supplied with
help. Literally, "I have equalized help", that is, I have laid or given sufficient help,
"upon a mighty one". The verb denotes "to equalize", or "make one thing equal or
equiponderant to another", as a means to the end, or vice versa. —Richard Mant.
Ver. 19. Chosen has here its strict sense, but not without allusion to its specific use
as signifying a young warrior. —J. A. Alexander.
WHEDO , "19. Then thou spakest—Either read, Then, at that time, thou spakest,
which connects with Psalms 89:3-4; or, Once, of old, “thou spakest.”
I have laid help—I have delegated power, commissioned.
Mighty—A strong man, a warrior. See 2 Samuel 17:10.
Chosen… of the people— Literally, A young man, one full of vigour—one fit for
war. Psalms 78:31. These are designations of the kingly qualities of David, at once a
mighty man and a youth, (1 Samuel 16:11-12;) but there is also a foregleam of
Christ as the prototype. From Psalms 89:19-37 the covenant of God with David (2
Samuel 7) is particularly rehearsed as the ground of the nation’s hope, now in their
extremity.
BE SO , "Verses 19-22
Psalms 89:19-22. Then — That is, of old; thou spakest in vision — Which then was
the usual way by which God spake to the prophets; to thy Holy One — To thy holy
prophets, the singular number being put for the plural; especially to Samuel and
athan; for part of the following message was delivered to the former: and part to

90. the latter; I have laid help upon one that is mighty — I have provided help and
relief for my people through a person of singular courage and wisdom, whom I have
properly qualified for so great an undertaking. I have exalted one chosen out of the
people —
One whom I have singled out as the fittest of all others for the kingly office. I have
found David my servant — In saying I have found, God speaks after the manner of
men, to intimate the great scarcity of such persons and the difficulty of finding
them; with my holy oil I have anointed him — Both with material oil, (1 Samuel
16:13; 2 Samuel 5:3,) and with the gifts and graces of my Holy Spirit, which are
often signified by oil or unction, as Psalms 45:7, compared with Isaiah 61:1; 1 John
2:20; 1 John 2:27. With whom my hand shall be established — That is, constantly
abide to protect and assist him. The enemy shall not exact upon him — ot conquer
him to make him tributary. Hebrew, ‫ישׁיא‬ ‫,לא‬ lo jashi, shall not deceive, or
circumvent him, as this word is often rendered; nor the son of wickedness afflict
him — amely, so as to overthrow or destroy him.
COFFMA , "Verse 19
REGARDI G DAVID
"Then thou spakest in vision to thy saints,
And saidst, I have laid help upon one that is mighty;
I have exalted one chosen out of the people.
I have found David my servant;
With my holy oil have I anointed him:
With whom my hand shall be established;
Mine arm also shall strengthen him.
The enemy shall not exact from him,
or the son of wickedness afflict him.
And I will beat down his adversaries before him,
And smite them that hate him.
But my faithfulness and my lovingkindness shall be with him;
And in my name shall his horn be exalted
I will set his hand also on the sea,

91. And his right hand on the rivers.
He shall cry unto me,
Thou art my Father,
My God, and the rock of my salvation.
I also will make him my first-born,
And the highest of the kings of the earth.
My lovingkindness will I keep for him forevermore;
And my covenant shall stand fast with him."
"I have laid help upon one that is mighty" (Psalms 89:19). This rather strange
expression is rendered as follows in the RSV. "I have set the crown upon one who is
mighty."
"I will set his hand also on the sea, and his right hand on the rivers" (Psalms 89:25).
This is probably a reference to the ideal boundaries of the Davidic kingdom, from
the Mediterranean Sea to the Euphrates. "Rivers" here is either an honorific plural
for the Euphrates, or perhaps, a reference "to the land between the rivers," namely,
Mesopotamia.
"I will make him my first-born, the highest of the kings of the earth" (Psalms
89:27). The Spirit of God here passes from what was written of the literal king
David to that which is true of no other who ever lived, except the Son of God, that
Greater David, called "The Son of David" (Matthew 1:1).
Christ is the "first-born of all creation, the first-born from the dead," the King of
Kings and Lord of Lords, indeed the "highest of the kings of the earth."
"Such ideals were only partially fulfilled in David and his earthly successors; it is
the Christ who perfectly fulfills them all in his spiritual kingdom."[9] But, of course,
Israel never had the slightest understanding of the true meaning of all this.
CO CER I G THE DY ASTY
"In this section (Psalms 89:28-37), the psalmist extended the application of 2 Samuel
7 to David's line of successors. The words here are principally a poetical paraphrase
of 2 Samuel 7:14."[10]
The application of the prophecy in 2 Samuel 7 was elaborated in these verses.

92. ELLICOTT, "(19) The mention of the king allows the poet to bring still more into
prominence the special promises made to Israel. The piece, which is couched in
oracular language, is introduced by a prose statement recalling the sentences in Job
which introduce a fresh speaker.
Holy one.—See ote, Psalms 16:10. Some MSS. (comp. LXX. and Vulg.) have the
plural. The singular is correct, referring no doubt to athan, as is seen from 2
Samuel 7:17; 1 Chronicles 17:15. The oracular piece that follows (Psalms 89:19-37)
is like Psalms 132:11-12, founded on this old prophetic passage; but while the
original reference is to Solomon, here it is extended to all David’s posterity.
I have . . .—Better, I have placed help in a hero—i.e., I have chosen a hero as a
champion for Israel.
EBC, "The second part (Psalms 89:19-37) draws out in detail, and at some points
with heightened colouring, the fundamental prophecy by athan. It falls into two
parts, of which the former (Psalms 89:19-27) refers more especially to the promises
given to David, and the second (Psalms 89:28-37) to those relating to his
descendants. In Psalms 89:19 "vision" is quoted from 2 Samuel 7:17; "then" points
back to the period of giving the promise; "Thy favoured one" is possibly athan,
but more probably David. The Masoretic reading, however, which is followed by
many ancient versions, has the plural "favoured ones." which Delitzsch takes to
mean Samuel and athan. "Help" means the help which, through the king, comes to
his people, and especially, as appears from the use of the word "hero," aid in battle.
But since the selection of David for the throne is the subject in hand, the emendation
which reads for "help" crown recommends itself as probable. David’s prowess, his
humble origin, and his devotion to God’s service are brought into view in Psalms
89:19-20, as explaining and magnifying the Divine choice. His dignity is all from
God. Consequently, as the next pair of verses goes on to say, God’s protecting hand
will ever be with him, since He cannot set a man in any position and fall to supply
the gifts needed for it. Whom He chooses He will protect. Sheltered behind that
strong hand, the king will be safe from all assaults. The word rendered "steal upon"
in Psalms 89:22 is doubtful, and by some is taken to mean to exact, as a creditor
does, but that gives a flat and incongruous turn to the promise. For Psalms 89:22 b
compare 2 Samuel 7:10. Victory over all enemies is next promised in Psalms 89:23-
25, and is traced to the perpetual presence with the king of God’s Faithfulness and
Lovingkindness, the two attributes of which so much has been sung in the former
part. The manifestation of God’s character (i.e., His ame) will secure the exaltation
of David’s horn-i.e., the victorious exercise of his God-given strength. Therefore a
wide extension of his kingdom is promised in Psalms 89:25, from the Mediterranean
to the Euphrates and its canals, on which God will lay the king’s hand-i.e., will put
them in his possession.
SIMEO , "THE SUFFICIE CY OF CHRIST TO SAVE
Psalms 89:19. Thou spakest in vision to thy Holy One, and saidst, I have laid help
upon one that is mighty.

93. HOW joyful must these tidings be, to whomsoever they may have respect! Suppose
them to refer to an oppressed nation; the raising up to them a mighty deliverer must
be a rich, inestimable blessing: and such were David and Solomon, who were raised
up to govern Israel, and to put all their enemies under their feet. But a greater than
David or Solomon is here. The words spoken by God to Samuel did certainly, in
their primary sense, relate to David [ ote: 1 Samuel 16:1.]; as those spoken
afterwards to athan did to Solomon [ ote: 2 Samuel 7:12-16.]. But their ultimate
reference was to Christ [ ote: Compare 2 Samuel 7:14. with Hebrews 1:5.], who is
the true David [ ote: Ezekiel 34:23-24 and Hosea 3:5.], and the Son of David [ ote:
Matthew 22:42.]. On him was laid all the help that the Israel of God required; and
God the Father declared beforehand, to his holy prophets, the sufficiency of Christ
to discharge the office committed to him.
Two things are here obviously presented to us for our consideration:
I. The office committed unto Christ—
What this was, may be known from the necessities of fallen man; because it was to
supply them that he was sent into the world. It was then,
1. To make reconciliation for man—
[This was a work which no man could accomplish for himself; a work which all the
angels in heaven were unequal to perform. Satisfaction must be made for sin; made
too in the nature that had sinned. The curse due to sin must be borne, even the
wrath of Almighty God. Who could afford us this help? who could sustain this
weight? It would crush in an instant the highest archangel. one could endure it,
but God’s co-equal Son. He cheerfully undertaking to bear it for us, the Father
made him our substitute; that, divine justice being satisfied, and the law magnified
by his obedience unto death, mercy might be extended unto us, and reconciliation be
made between God and his offending creatures.]
2. To effect their complete salvation—
[It was not enough to die for them; they were wandering afar off, and they must be
searched out; they were in rebellion, and must be subdued: when brought home to
their Father’s house, they are weak, and must be upheld; tempted, and must be
strengthened; beset with enemies, and must be protected: they must never be left to
themselves one moment: they must have every thing done for them, and in them: the
whole care of preserving them, from first to last, must be devolved on him who
undertakes for them: they must be “carried in the arms,” “dandled on the knees,”
fed at the breast, and be watched over exactly like new-born infants. othing less
than this will suffice for them. Though there be millions of them spread over the
face of the whole globe, they must all be attended to as much as if there were only
one. What a work was this to undertake! Yet was this “the help which God laid
upon” his dear Son.]

94. But weighty as this office is, we have no reason to doubt,
II. His sufficiency to discharge it—
To be convinced of this, we need only to consider,
1. His essential perfections—
[He is said to be “mighty.” But the angels are also called mighty; yet are they not
therefore able to execute such an office as this. But Jesus is almighty: he is expressly
called “The mighty God [ ote: Isaiah 9:6.],” even “God over all blessed for ever
[ ote: Romans 9:5.].” In him therefore are all the perfections of the Deity. He is
omnipresent, to behold the states of men; omniscient, to discern the things that will
be most expedient for their relief; and omnipotent, to effect whatever shall be most
conducive to their good. Difficulties can be no difficulties with him. He who spake
the universe into existence, can be at no loss to accomplish, every where, and at the
same instant, whatsoever the necessities of his creatures may require.]
2. His Mediatorial endowments—
[As Mediator, he has received his qualifications from God the Father: and those
qualifications are abundantly sufficient for the work assigned him. The Spirit has
been given to him, not by measure, as to others, but without measure [ ote: John
3:34.]: “In him, even in his human nature, dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead
bodily [ ote: Colossians 2:9.].” Hence “on him may be hanged every vessel, even all
the glory of his Father’s house [ ote: Isaiah 22:22-24.].”
But, not to mention the infinite merit of his blood, and the all-prevailing efficacy of
his intercession (“through which he is able to save men to the uttermost”), he has, as
man, qualifications which he could not have as God. He has, from his own
experience of temptation, a tender sympathy with his tempted people, and a peculiar
fitness and readiness to afford them all needful succour [ ote: Hebrews 2:18.].]
Address—
1. Those who feel not their need of Christ—
[You cannot be persuaded that you are in a guilty, helpless, and undone state. But
wherefore did God lay help upon One that was so mighty? Did he exert himself thus
without a cause? If not, the greatness of the remedy should shew you the extent and
imminence of your danger. Be persuaded then to put away your high thoughts of
yourselves. Beg of God that you may feel in what a helpless and hopeless state you
are without Christ: and never imagine that your repentance is at all genuine, till
your sense of your misery corresponds, in some measure at least, with the provision
which God has made for your relief.]

95. 2. Those who are discouraged on account of their extreme weakness and
sinfulness—
[That you should be humbled on this account is right enough: but why should you
fear? Do you suppose, that when God laid help for you upon his dear Son, he was
not aware how much would be necessary for your salvation? or, has he been
disappointed in his Son, finding him, after all, unequal to the task assigned him? Be
ashamed of your unbelieving fears. Come not to Christ, saying, “Lord, if thou canst,
or if thou wilt;” but cast your burthen wholly upon him, and see whether he be not
able and willing to sustain you. He himself says to you, “O Israel, thou hast
destroyed thyself; but in me is thy help [ ote: Hosea 13:9.].” This is your warrant to
trust in him. “Trust in him therefore with all your heart, and he will bring to pass”
whatsoever he sees to be needful for you. “Cast all your care upon him;” and you
“shall be saved in him with an everlasting salvation.”]
PULPIT, "Then thou spakest; rather, once, or "once upon a time," as Professor
Cheyne suggests. The allusion is to the occurrence related in 2 Samuel 7:4-17. In
vision (see 2 Samuel 7:7). To thy holy one; i.e. to athan the prophet. And saidst.
The psalmist reports the words of the vision very freely, interweaving with them
thoughts drawn from various psalms; expanding them, and sometimes heightening
the colours. I have laid help upon one that is mighty; I have exalted one chosen out
of the people. David was "mighty" from his youth—own before he slew Goliath, as
appears from his slaughter of the lion and the bear (1 Samuel 17:34-36).
K&D 19-22, "Having thus again come to refer to the king of Israel, the poet now still
further unfolds the promise given to the house of David. The present circumstances are a
contradiction to it. The prayer to Jahve, for which the way is thus prepared, is for the
removal of this contradiction. A long line, extending beyond the measure of the
preceding lines, introduces the promises given to David. With ‫ז‬ፎ the respective period of
the past is distinctly defined. The intimate friend of Jahve (‫יד‬ ִ‫ס‬ ָ‫)ח‬ is Nathan (1Ch_17:15)
or David, according as we translate ‫ּון‬‫ז‬ ָ‫ח‬ ְ‫ב‬ “in a vision” or “by means of a vision.” But side
by side with the ‫ך‬ ֶ‫לחסיד‬ we also find the preferable reading ‫יך‬ ֶ‫,לחסיד‬ which is followed in
the renderings of the lxx, Syriac, Vulgate, Targum, Aquila, Symmachus, and the Quarta,
and is adopted by Rashi, Aben-Ezra, and others, and taken up by Heidenheim and Baer.
The plural refers to Samuel and Nathan, for the statement brings together what was
revealed to these two prophets concerning David. ‫ר‬ֶ‫ז‬ ֵ‫ע‬ is assistance as a gift, and that, as
the designation of the person succoured by it (‫ל‬ ַ‫ע‬ ‫ה‬ָ‫וּ‬ ִ‫שׁ‬ as in Psa_21:6) with ‫ּור‬ ִ shows, aid
in battle. ‫חוּר‬ ָ (from ‫ר‬ ַ‫ח‬ ָ = ‫ר‬ַ‫ג‬ ָ in the Mishna: to ripen, to be manly or of marriageable age,
distinct from ‫יר‬ ִ‫ח‬ ְ in Psa_89:4) is a young man, adolescens: while yet a young man David
was raised out of his humble lowly condition (Psa_78:71) high above the people. When
he received the promise (2 Sam. 7) he had been anointed and had attained to the
lordship over all Israel. Hence the preterites in Psa_89:20-21, which are followed by
promissory futures from Psa_89:22 onwards. ‫ּון‬ⅴ ִ is fut. Niph., to be established, to
prove one's self to be firm, unchangeable (Psa_78:37), a stronger expression than ‫ה‬ֶ‫י‬ ְ‫ה‬ ִ ,

96. 1Sa_18:12, 1Sa_18:14; 2Sa_3:10. The Hiph. ‫יא‬ ִ ִ‫,ה‬ derived from ‫א‬ ָ‫שׁ‬ָ‫נ‬ = ‫ה‬ ָ‫שׁ‬ָ‫,נ‬ to credit (vid.,
on Isa_24:2; Gesenius, Hengstenberg), does not give any suitable sense; it therefore
signifies here as elsewhere, “to impose upon, surprise,” with ְ , as in Psa_55:16 with ‫ל‬ ַ‫.ע‬
Psa_89:23 is the echo of 2Sa_7:10.
20 I have found David my servant;
with my sacred oil I have anointed him.
BAR ES, "I have found David my servant - That is, I found him among the
sheepfolds; in humble life. I saw there one who was qualified for the high office of being
the ruler of the nation, and I designated, or set him apart, for that office. The idea is, that
there was in him a precious qualification for this work, and that God had seen this, and,
in accordance with this, had summoned him to his service.
With my holy oil have I anointed him - By the hand of Samuel. 1Sa_16:13. Oil
was used in setting apart prophets, priests, and kings. It was poured upon the person -
emblematic of the pouring out upon him of wisdom and grace from on high to qualify
him for his office.
CLARKE, "I have found David my servant - This is the sum of what God had
said in prophetic visions to his saints or holy persons, Samuel, Nathan, and Gad; see
1Sa_16:1, 1Sa_16:12. Here the psalmist begins to reason with God relative to David, his
posterity, and the perpetuity of his kingdom; which promises appear now to have utterly
failed, as the throne had been overturned, and all the people carried into captivity. But
all these things may have reference to Christ and his kingdom; for we are assured that
David was a type of the Messiah.
GILL, "I have found David my servant,.... Not David literally; but his Son and
antitype, the Messiah, who is sometimes called by his name; See Gill on Psa_89:3, and
his "finding" him does not suppose any ignorance of him, nor anxious solicitude in
seeking him, nor any
fortuitous event; but is attributed to God by an anthropopathy, or speaking after the
manner of men; for it is an act of the highest wisdom, and richest grace, to find out, that
is, to pick and appoint, in council and covenant, his own Son to be his servant, to be the
Redeemer and Saviour of sinners, and to be a ransom for them, Job_33:24. The Apostle
Paul seems to refer to this passage in Act_13:22.

97. with my holy oil have I anointed him: not with material oil, as David, his type,
1Sa_16:13 but with the Holy Ghost, which may well be called holy oil, in allusion to the
holy anointing oil under the law; the oil of gladness with which Christ was anointed
above his fellows, and without measure, at the time of his conception and birth, at his
baptism and ascension to heaven, and even, in some sense, from all eternity; for so early
is he said to be anointed, and to be possessed with all fulness of grace, being invested
with and installed into his office as Mediator; and from this anointing he has the name of
Messiah and Christ, both which signify anointed, Act_10:38.
JAMISO , "I have found — having sought and then selected him (1Sa_16:1-6).
CALVI , "20I have found David my servant. The prophet confirms the same
proposition, That there was nothing of royalty in David, who owed all to the
sovereignty of God in preventing him by his grace. Such is the import of the
wordfound, as if God had said, When I took him to elevate him, this proceeded
entirely from my free goodness. The name servant, therefore, does not denote any
merit, but is to be referred to the divine call. It is as if God had said, that he
confirmed and ratified by his authority the sovereign power of David; and if He
approved it, its legitimacy is placed beyond all doubt. The second clause of the verse
affords an additional confirmation of God’s free election: With my holy oil have I
anointed him. This anointing, which was not the fruit of David’s own policy, but
which he obtained contrary to all expectation, was the cause of his elevation to the
estate of royalty. God then having of himself, and according to his mere good
pleasure, anticipated David, that he might anoint him king by the hand of Samuel,
he justly declares that he found him. It is afterwards added, that he will be the
guardian and protector of this kingdom of which he was the founder; for it is not his
usual way to abandon his works after having commenced them, but, on the
contrary, to carry them forward by a continued process of improvement to their
completion.
SPURGEO , "Ver. 20. I have found David my servant. David was discovered by
the Lord among the sheepfolds and recognised as a man of gracious spirit, full of
faith and courage, and therefore fit to be leader in Israel.
With my holy oil have I anointed him. By the hand of Samuel, David was anointed
to be king long before he ascended the throne. The verse must also be expounded of
the Prince Emmanuel; he became the servant of the Lord for our sakes, the Father
having found for us in his person a mighty deliverer, therefore upon him rested the
Spirit without measure, to qualify him for all the offices of love to which he was set
apart. We have not a Saviour self appointed and unqualified, but one sent of God
and divinely endowed for his work. Our Saviour Jesus is also the Lord's Christ, or
anointed. The oil with which he is anointed is God's own oil, and holy oil; he is
divinely endowed with the Spirit of holiness.
EXPLA ATORY OTES A D QUAI T SAYI GS.
Ver. 20. With my holy oil have I appointed him. As the literal David was thrice

98. anointed king, once by Samuel in Jesse's house at Bethlehem: once at Hebron after
the death of Saul, as king over Judah; and again at seven years' end, as ruler over
all Israel: so also "God anointed Jesus of azareth with the Holy Ghost and with
power" in his nativity at Bethlehem; a second time over his Church at his
resurrection, when the tyrant who sought his life was overcome, and then only over
the small "confederation" (which Hebron means) of his Jewish disciples; but a third
time in his ascension to the heavenly Jerusalem, the Vision of Peace, where he, now
crowned as King of Glory, was anointed over all heaven and earth, supreme over all
the princes of God. He was thrice anointed in another sense also, once as Prophet,
once as Priest, and once as King. — eale and Littledale.
Ver. 20-24. I have FOU D David, God exclaims. When sin brought death into the
world, and annihilated the hopes of mankind from the first covenant, I —the
Almighty—in my care for them, sought out a Redeemer. I sought for him in the
Divine ature; and I "found" him in My Only Son. I endowed him with ample
powers, and I covenanted that, in the weakness of his Incarnation, my hand and
arm should strengthen him. I declared that Satan the enemy should not exact upon
him; nor should Judas—the son of wickedness —be enabled to afflict him. The
Jews, his foes, shall fall before him; they shall be smitten down in their rejection of
hint; they shall perish from off their land, and be dispersed abroad among the
nations. My truth shall be ever with him; and acting in my name and power, he
shall be exalted and glorified amongst men. —William Hill Tucker.
21 My hand will sustain him;
surely my arm will strengthen him.
BAR ES, "With whom my hand shall be established - Septuagint: “My hand
shall aid him.” Luther; “My hand shall hold him.” DeWette; “With him my hand shall be
continually.” Professor Alexander; “Shall ever be present.” The idea is, that God would
always defend or protect him. He would not merely interpose at times, or at intervals,
but he would be his constant protector. His hand would be permanently, or constantly,
extended for his aid - as if it were a part of David’s own person, or were his own hand, to
be used as he pleased. So God is the constant helper of his people. They may rely on his
power; they may avail themselves of it, as if it were their own.
Mine arm also shall strengthen him - In using his own arm, he will in fact make
use of the strength of mine. The people of God are as really defended as if the strength of
God were theirs; or as if they were themselves almighty. The omnipotence of God is
employed in their defense, and it will be as certainly exerted in their favor, and as
constantly, as if it were their own. It will be no less surely employed in their defense in

99. the hand of God than if it were in their own hand. It will be more wisely employed by
him in their behalf than it would be by themselves.
GILL, "With whom my hand shall be established,.... A promise of God's gracious
presence with Christ, as man and Mediator, which is his work; of a communication of
grace and strength from him, to carry him through it; and of his supporting and
upholding him under it; which hand of his power and grace would be always prepared
and ready for him, as the word (a) signifies, and stable and firm with him, so that he
should have success in it; the pleasure of the Lord should prosper in his hand; so the
Targum,
"for my hands are prepared for his help;''
the Septuagint, Vulgate Latin, and all the eastern versions, "mine hand shall help him";
and which is confirmed in the next words: mine arm also shall strengthen him; in the
human nature, subject to and encompassed with infirmities: this shows the greatness of
the work of man's redemption, which no creature could effect; it required the arm and
power of the Lord to be exerted, and by which Christ was made strong by the Lord, both
for himself, and for the working out of salvation for us; which he did when he travelled
in the greatness of his strength, standing up under the mighty weight of our sins, and the
wrath of God; and yet failed not, nor was he discouraged, till his own arm brought
salvation to him; see Psa_80:17.
JAMISO , "will protect and sustain (Isa_41:10),
SPURGEO , "Ver. 21. With whom my hand shall be established, or, "with whom
my hand shall ever be present." The almightiness of God abides permanently with
Jesus in his work as Redeemer and Ruler of his people.
Mine arm also shall strengthen him. The fulness of divine power shall attend him.
This covenant promise ought to be urged in prayer before the Lord, for the great
lack of the church at this time is power. We have everything except the divine
energy, and we must never rest content until we see it in full operation among us.
Jesus must be among us, and then there will be no lack of force in any of our church
agencies.
22 The enemy will not get the better of him;
the wicked will not oppress him.

100. BAR ES, "The enemy shall not exact upon him - The literal meaning here is
derived from the force sometimes used in extorting or demanding a debt, where no
indulgence is shown, but where it is exacted to the last mite, whether the man is able to
pay it or not. Compare Mat_18:25, Mat_18:28. Then it is used to denote oppression, or
subjugation, which is the idea here. The enemy shall not be suffered to act the part of
one who rigidly exacts the payment of a debt; that is, he shall not be allowed to oppress
him.
Nor the son of wickedness afflict him - This is copied almost literally from 2Sa_
7:10. The phrase “the son of wickedness” means simply the wicked. He shall not fall into
the hands, or under the power of wicked men.
CLARKE, "The enemy shall not exact upon him - None of his enemies shall be
able to prevail against him. It is worthy of remark that David was never overthrown; he
finally conquered every foe that rose up against him. Saul’s persecution, Absalom’s
revolt, Sheba’s conspiracy, and the struggle made by the partisans of the house of Saul
after his death, only tended to call forth David’s skill, courage, and prowess, and to seat
him more firmly on his throne. The Philistines, the Ammonites, the Syrians, etc., united
all their forces to crush him, but in vain: “God beat down all his foes before his face,” and
variously plagued those who opposed him, Psa_89:23.
GILL, "The enemy shall not exact upon him,.... The enemy is the devil, as in the
interpretation of the parable of the tares, Mat_13:39, the implacable enemy of Christ
and his church; and yet, notwithstanding all his enmity and malice, he could not "exact",
or get more inflicted on him, than the law and justice of God required of him, as the
sinner's surety; or could not "exact" a tribute of him, or make him tributary to him; or, in
other words, conquer him, and subject him to him: so far from it, that he was conquered
by Christ, and all his principalities and powers spoiled; or could not "deceive" him, in
which sense the word (b) is sometimes used; and so the Targum here: though he
deceived Eve, he could not deceive the Messiah, the seed of the woman; he tried it, in
person, by his temptations in the wilderness, and by his agents and instruments, the
Scribes and Pharisees: but in vain, and to no purpose; he could not succeed:
nor the son of wickedness afflict him: at least not always: he was indeed afflicted,
as by wicked men, and by Satan the wicked one, yet not so as to be overcome by any; and
as Christ personal, so Christ mystical, or his church and people, are afflicted by the sons
of wickedness; yet, sooner or later, they are delivered out of all their afflictions.
Antichrist, that man of sin, and son of perdition, that wicked one, that is eminently so,
and may be well called "the son of wickedness", has long and greatly oppressed the
people of Christ, and his interest; but he shall not always; he shall be destroyed with the
spirit of his mouth, and with the brightness of his coming, 2Th_2:3. This passage is
applied to the Messiah by the Jews (c).
HE RY 21-23, " The promises made to this chosen one, to David in the type and the
Son of David in the antitype, in which not only gracious, but glorious things are spoken
of him.

101. 1. With reference to himself, as king and God's servant: and what makes for him makes
for all his loving subjects. It is here promised, (1.) That God would stand by him and
strengthen him in his undertaking (Psa_89:21): With him my hand not only shall be,
but shall be established, by promise, shall be so established that he shall by it be
established and confirmed in all his offices, so that none of them shall be undermined
and overthrown, though by the man of sin they shall all be usurped and fought against.
Christ had a great deal of hard work to do and hard usage to go through; but he that gave
him commission gave him forces sufficient for the execution of his commission: “My
arm also shall strengthen him to break through and bear up under all his difficulties.”
No good work can miscarry in the hand of those whom God himself undertakes to
strengthen. (2.) That he should be victorious over his enemies, that they should not
encroach upon him (Psa_89:22): The son of wickedness shall not exact upon him, nor
afflict him. He that at first broke the peace would set himself against him that undertook
to make peace, and do what he could to blast his design: but he could only reach to
bruise his heel; further he could not exact upon him nor afflict him. Christ became a
surety for our debt, and thereby Satan and death thought to gain advantage against him;
but he satisfied the demands of God's justice, and then they could not exact upon him.
The prince of this world cometh, but he has nothing in me, Joh_14:30. Nay, they not
only shall not prevail against him, but they shall fall before him (Psa_89:23): I will bend
down his foes before his face; the prince of this world shall be cast out, principalities and
powers spoiled, and he shall be the death of death itself, and the destruction of the grave,
Hos_13:14. Some apply this to the ruin which God brought upon the Jewish nation, that
persecuted Christ and put him to death. But all Christ's enemies, who hate him and will
not have him to reign over them, shall be brought forth and slain before him, Luk_19:27.
JAMISO , "by restraining and conquering his enemies, and performing My gracious
purpose of extending his dominion -
CALVI , "22The enemy shall not exact upon him. (540) Here it is declared in
express terms, that although David may not be without enemies, the power of God
will be always ready to maintain and defend him, that he may not be oppressed with
unrighteous violence. It is accordingly affirmed, that David will not be tributary to
his enemies, as he who is vanquished in battle is constrained to grant such
conditions of peace as his conqueror may dictate, however injurious to himself these
may be. When his enemies are called sons of iniquity, it is tacitly intimated, that this
government will be so exempt from tyranny and extortion, that whoever shall
attempt to overthrow it will be involved in the perpetration of wrong and
wickedness. The amount is, that David and his successors will be so secure and
strongly fortified by the divine protection, that it will be impossible for their enemies
to treat them as they would wish. In regard to the fact, that God suffered this
kingdom to be greatly afflicted, so that David’s successors were constrained to pay a
vast amount of tribute to foreign and heathen kings, it is not at variance with this
promise; for, although the power of the kingdom was reduced, it was enough that
the root still remained, until Christ came, in whose hand the kingdom was at length
firmly established. As both the king and the people wickedly rejected this singular
blessing of God, the kingdom was often shaken through their own default,
afterwards impaired, and finally ruined. Yet God, to confirm his oracle concerning

102. the perpetuity of this kingdom, ceased not all along to cherish and preserve some
hope, by contending against their ingratitude. Besides, when mention is made of
David’s haters and oppressors, it is intimated, that this throne will not be privileged
with exemption from annoyances and troubles, inasmuch as there will be always
some who will rise up in hostility against it, unless God set himself in opposition to
them.
SPURGEO , "Ver. 22. The enemy shall not exact upon him; he shall not be vexed
and persecuted as a helpless debtor by an extortionate creditor.
or the son of wickedness afflict him. Graceless men shall no longer make his life a
burden. David had in his earlier history been hunted by Saul like a partridge on the
mountains, and though he had striven in all things to act justly towards Saul,
because he was the Lord's anointed, yet Saul was never content with his displays of
loyalty, but persecuted him relentlessly. The covenant, therefore, engaged that his
life of hardship and oppression should come to an end for ever; it did so in David's
own person, and more remarkably still in the life of Solomon his son. Who does not
in all this see a type of the Lord Jesus, who though he was once seized for our debts,
and also evil entreated by the ungodly, is now so exalted that he can never be
exacted upon any more, neither can the fiercest of his enemies vex him again. o
Judas can now betray him to death, no Pilate can deliver him to be crucified. Satan
cannot tempt him, and our sins cannot burden him.
EXPLA ATORY OTES A D QUAI T SAYI GS.
Ver. 22. The enemy shall not exact upon him. The allusion appears to us to be made
to a cruel and unjust creditor, who exacts not only his just debts, but some
exaggerated demand, with usurious interest, which was not permitted. —Williams,
quoted by Ed. of Calvin.
23 I will crush his foes before him
and strike down his adversaries.
BAR ES, "And I will beat down his foes before his face - I will crush them, or
destroy them: showing that the power of doing this was not his own, but was the power
of God exerted in his behalf.
And plague them that hate him - His enemies. I will bring “plagues” upon them:
calamities, judgments, afflictions. The word is commonly used to denote those

103. judgments which come directly from the hand of God - as famine, pestilence, wasting
sickness, the plague, or the “plagues” of Egypt. Exo_12:13; Exo_30:12; Num_8:19;
Num_17:11-12. These are all in the hand of God, and can be employed at his pleasure, as
storms and tempests may be, in executing his purposes.
GILL, "And I will beat down his foes before his face,.... In Judea, and in the
Gentile world; more especially in Rome Pagan, and Rome Papal; in the most public
manner, before his Gospel, and the ministry of it by his servants; and they shall either
submit unto it, or be broken to pieces as a potter's vessel; for he must reign till all
enemies are put under his feet, 1Co_15:25,
and plague them that hate him; that would not have him to reign over them, the
unbelieving Jews, and all the followers of antichrist; who are either plagued with the
judgments of God here, or with everlasting punishment hereafter, with which they will
be tormented for ever and ever, Luk_19:14 or "strike" (d) them with a rod of iron, with
his wrath and vengeance; strike them down to the ground, and to the lowest hell.
SPURGEO , "Ver. 23. And I will beat down his foes before his face —crushing
them and their plans. God himself thus fights the battles of his Son, and effectually
overturns his foes.
And plague them that hate him, or smite his haters. May none of us learn the terror
of this threatening, which is surely being fulfilled upon all those unbelievers who
have rejected the Son of God, and died in the hardness of their hearts. The prophecy
is also having another fulfilment in the overthrow of systems of error, and the
vexation caused to their promoters. There is no such plague to bad men as the
prosperity of the cause of Jesus.
K&D 23-29, "What is promised in Psa_89:26 is a world-wide dominion, not merely
dominion within the compass promised in the primeval times (Gen_15:18; 2Ch_9:26),
in which case it ought to have been said ‫ובנהר‬ (of the Euphrates). Nor does the promise,
however, sound so definite and boundless here as in Psa_72:8, but it is indefinite and
universal, without any need for our asking what rivers are intended by ‫.נהרות‬ ְ ‫ד‬ָ‫י‬ ‫ן‬ ַ‫ת‬ָ‫,נ‬ like
‫ח‬ ַ‫ל‬ ָ‫שׁ‬ (in Isa_11:14, of a giving and taking possession. With ‫ני‬ፎ‫ף־‬ፍ (with retreated tone, as
in Psa_119:63, Psa_119:125) God tells with what He will answer David's filial love. Him
who is the latest-born among the sons of Jesse, God makes the first-born (‫ּור‬‫כ‬ ְ from ‫ר‬ ַ‫כ‬ ָ ,
to be early, opp. ‫שׁ‬ ַ‫ק‬ ָ‫,ל‬ to be late, vid., Job_2:1-13 :21), and therefore the most favoured of
the “sons of the Most High,” Psa_82:6. And as, according to Deu_28:1, Israel is to be
high (‫ּון‬‫י‬ ְ‫ל‬ ֶ‫)ע‬ above all nations of the earth, so David, Israel's king, in whom Israel's
national glory realizes itself, is made as the high one (‫)עליון‬ with respect to the kings, i.e.,
above the kings, of the earth. In the person of David his seed is included; and it is that
position of honour which, after having been only prelusively realized in David and
Solomon, must go on being fulfilled in his seed exactly as the promise runs. The
covenant with David is, according to Psa_89:29, one that shall stand for ever. David is
therefore, as Psa_89:30 affirms, eternal in his seed; God will make David's seed and

104. throne ‫ד‬ ַ‫ע‬ ָ‫,ל‬ into eternal, i.e., into such as will abide for ever, like the days of heaven,
everlasting. This description of eternal duration is, as also in Sir. 45:15, Bar. 1:11, Taken
from Deu_11:21; the whole of Psa_89:30 is a poetic reproduction of 2Sa_7:16.
24 My faithful love will be with him,
and through my name his horn[f] will be
exalted.
BAR ES, "But my faithfulness and my mercy shall be with him - I will at the
same time be faithful to him, and merciful. These attributes of my nature shall be always
attendant on him, as if they were his own.
And in my name - By me; or - He, acting in my name, and in my cause, shall be
exalted.
Shall his horn be exalted - See the notes at Psa_89:17.
GILL, "But my faithfulness and my mercy shall be with him,.... The
"faithfulness" of God was and is with Christ, in performing promises made to him
respecting his work, and strength to do it, as man, and the glory that should follow; and
also those made to his people in him, relating to grace here, and happiness hereafter:
and though there was no "mercy" shown to Christ, as the surety of his people, but he was
dealt with in strict justice; yet, as Mediator of the covenant, the special mercy of God is
with him, even every blessing of it, called "the sure mercies of David"; and is only
communicated through him; he is the mercy seat, from whence mercy is dispensed, and
the propitiation through whom God is merciful to men; the words may be rendered, "my
truth and my grace" (e), as they are by the Targum; and both are with Christ, the truth of
doctrine, and all the fulness of grace, justifying, sanctifying, pardoning, adopting, and
persevering grace, Joh_1:14,
and in my name shall his horn be exalted, or "his glory", as the Targum; his power
and dominion, of which the horn is an emblem; and his glory is displayed in having the
same name his Father has: his name is expressive of his nature, being, and perfections,
the name Jehovah; and his name of title and office "King of Kings, and Lord of lords"; or
his name the Word of God, as the Targum; who, as such, is the brightness of his Father's
glory: or the sense is, that, by the power of God, he should be raised from the dead, and
have glory given him, and be exalted at his right hand, and made Lord and Christ; or by
means of the Gospel, which is the name of the Lord, Joh_17:6, his kingdom and
dominion should be spread in the world; see 1Sa_2:10.
HE RY, "That he should be the great trustee of the covenant between God and men,

105. that God would be gracious and true to us (Psa_89:24): My faithfulness and my mercy
shall be with him. They were with David; God continued merciful to him, and so
approved himself faithful. They were with Christ; God made good all his promises to
him. But that is not all; God's mercy to us, and his faithfulness to us, are with Christ; he
is not only pleased with him, but with us in him; and it is in him that all the promises of
God are yea and amen. So that if any poor sinners hope for benefit by the faithfulness
and mercy of God, let them know it is with Christ; it is lodged in his hand, and to him
they must apply for it (Psa_89:28): My mercy will I keep for him, to be disposed of by
him, for evermore; in the channel of Christ's mediation all the streams of divine
goodness will for ever run. Therefore it is the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ which we
look for unto eternal life, Jud_1:21; Joh_17:2. And, as the mercy of God flows to us
through him, so the promise of God is, through him, firm to us: My covenant shall stand
fast with him, both the covenant of redemption made with him and the covenant of
grace made with us in him. The new covenant is therefore always new, and firmly
established, because it is lodged in the hands of a Mediator, Heb_8:6. The covenant
stands fast, because it stands upon this basis. And this redounds to the everlasting
honour of the Lord Jesus, that to him the great cause between God and man is entirely
referred and the Father has committed all judgment to him, that all men might honour
him (Joh_5:22, Joh_5:23); therefore it is here said, In my name shall his horn be
exalted; this shall be his glory, that God's name is in him (Exo_23:21), and that he acts
in God's name. As the Father gave me commandment, so I do.
CALVI , "24My truth and my mercy shall be with him. God shows that he will
continue to exercise without intermission that grace which he had manifested
towards David at first. These words are as if he had said, that to prove himself
faithful to his word, he would be always gracious and bountiful. Thus We see that
God, not only at the outset, furnished David with testimonies of his goodness, but
that he always continued to deal with him in the same merciful way. This has a
reference to the whole Church of Christ, so that the divine goodness is manifested in
the whole course of our salvation, and not only at our first entrance upon it, as these
shufflers and sophists the Sorbonists foolishly talk. (543) The horn of David denotes
here, as it often does in other places, his glory, dignity, and power. The meaning
therefore is, that by the grace of God, this kingdom shall always flourish and
prosper.
SPURGEO , "Ver. 24. But my faithfulness and my mercy shall be with him. These
were the two attributes of which the Psalmist began to sing in Psalms 89:1, doubtless
because he saw them to be most prominent in the covenant which he was about to
plead with God. To David and his seed, God was gracious and faithful, and though
through their sin the literal kingdom lost all its glory and the dynasty became
obscure, yet the line remained unbroken and more than all its former glory was
restored by the enthronisation of Him who is Prince of the kings of the earth, with
whom the Lord's mercy and faithfulness remain for ever. All who are in Jesus
should rejoice, for they shall prove in their own experience the faithful mercy of the
Lord.
And in my name shall his horn be exalted. Gloriously does the Lord Jesus lift up his
head, raised to the highest place of honour by the mandate of the Father. David and
Solomon in their dignity were but faint types of the Lord Jesus, who is far above all

106. principalities and powers. The fullest exaltation of the horn of Jesus is yet to come in
that millennial period which is hastening on.
BE SO , "Verses 24-26
Psalms 89:24-26. My faithfulness and mercy shall be with him — Faithfulness in
making good all my promises to him; and mercy in doing more for him than I
promised, and in pardoning his sins, for which I might justly make him to know my
breach of promise. And in my name — That is, by my favour and help; shall his
horn be exalted — He shall have both power and victory. I will set his hand also in
the sea — That is, I will extend his dominion, and establish his power over the
countries westward, as far as the Mediterranean sea. And his right hand in the
rivers — amely, eastward, as far as the Euphrates and Tigris, and the various
branches of these rivers. He shall cry unto me, Thou art my father — He shall find
me to be a true and a kind father to him, and shall familiarly and confidently make
his addresses to me as such, for all necessary supplies and assistances, which parents
willingly afford to their children.
25 I will set his hand over the sea,
his right hand over the rivers.
BAR ES, "I will set his hand also in the sea ... - His dominion shall extend
from the sea on the one hand to the rivers on the other. The sea here evidently refers to
the Mediterranean; and the rivers to the great rivers on the east - the Tigris and
Euphrates. These were the promised boundaries of the land. Gen_15:18. David secured a
conquest over all these territories, and united all under his scepter, thus securing the
accomplishment of the promise made to Abraham. See the notes at Psa_60:1-12.
CLARKE, "I will set his hand also in the sea - This was literally fulfilled in
David. Hand signifies power or authority; he set his hand on the sea in conquering the
Philistines, and extending his empire along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, from
Tyre to Pelusium. All the coasts of the Red Sea, the Persian Gulf, and the Arabic Ocean,
might be said to have been under his government, for they all paid tribute to him or his
son Solomon.
His right hand in the rivers - First, the Euphrates: he subjected all Syria, and even
a part of Mesopotamia; 2Sa_8:3; 1Ch_18:3. He also took Damascus, and consequently
had his hand or authority over the river Chrysorrhoes, or Baraddi; and in his conquest of
all Syria his hand must have been on the Orontes and other rivers in that region. But if
this be considered as referring to the typical David, we see that He was never conquered;

107. he never lost a battle; the hosts of hell pursued him in vain. Satan was discomfited, and
all his enemies bruised under his feet. Even over death he triumphed; and as to his
dominion, it has spread and is spreading over all the isles of the sea, and the continents
of the world.
GILL, "I will set his hand also in the sea,.... Which is expressive not of his
dominion over the sea, and of his power and authority over all things in it, which: he has
by right of creation, and as Mediator, Psa_8:5, of which there were instances in the days
of his flesh, Mat_8:26, but of his kingdom taking place in, and of his government over
the inhabitants of the isles of the sea; and so the Targum,
"I will set or place his government in the provinces of the sea;''
and which has been remarkably accomplished in our isles, where his Gospel has been
preached, his kingdom set up, and he has had a race of subjects, and a seed, to serve him
for many years:
and his right hand in the rivers: or, as the Targum,
"the power of his right hand in those that dwell by rivers;''
meaning such that dwell upon the continent, afar off from the sea, and whose countries
are watered by rivers: so that both phrases denote the extent of Christ's kingdom in the
continent, and in the islands of the sea; signifying, that it should reach everywhere, and
be from sea to sea, and from the river to the ends of the earth, Psa_72:8. Compare with
this Rev_10:1. Aben Ezra interprets it of David's prevailing over those that go in ships in
the sea, and in rivers.
HE RY 25-27, "That his kingdom should be greatly enlarged (Psa_89:25): I will set
his hand in the sea (he shall have the dominion of the seas, and the isles of the sea), and
his right hand in the rivers, the inland countries that are watered with rivers. David's
kingdom extended itself to the Great Sea, and the Red Sea, to the river of Egypt and the
river Euphrates. But it is in the kingdom of the Messiah that this has its full
accomplishment, and shall have more and more, when the kingdoms of this world shall
become the kingdoms of the Lord and of his Christ (Rev_11:15), and the isles shall wait
for his law. (5.) That he should own God as his Father, and God would own him as his
Son, his firstborn, Psa_89:26, Psa_89:27. This is a comment upon these words in
Nathan's message concerning Solomon (for he also was a type of Christ as well as
David), I will be his Father and he shall be my Son (2Sa_7:14), and the relation shall be
owned on both sides. [1.] He shall cry unto me, Thou art my Father. It is probable that
Solomon did so; but we are sure Christ did so, in the days of his flesh, when he offered
up strong cries to God, and called him holy Father, righteous Father, and taught us to
address ourselves to him as our Father in heaven. Christ, in his agony, cried unto God,
Thou art my Father (Mat_26:39, Mat_26:42, O my Father), and, upon the cross,
Father, forgive them; Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit. He looked upon him
likewise as his God, and therefore he perfectly obeyed him, and submitted to his will in
his whole undertaking (he ismy God and your God, Joh_20:17), and as the rock of his
salvation, who would bear him up and bear him out in his undertaking, and make him
more than a conqueror, even a complete Saviour; and therefore with an undaunted

108. resolution he endured the cross, despising the shame, for he knew he should be both
justified and glorified. [2.] I will make him my firstborn. I see not how this can be
applied to David; it is Christ's prerogative to be the firstborn of every creature, and, as
such, the heir of all things, Col_1:15; Heb_1:2, Heb_1:6. When all power was given to
Christ both in heaven and in earth, and all things were delivered unto him by the
Father, then god made him his firstborn, and far higher, more great and honourable,
than the kings of the earth; for he is the King of kings, angels, authorities, and powers,
being made subject to him, 1Pe_3:22.
JAMISO , "hand [and] right hand — power (Psa_17:7; Psa_60:5).
sea, and ... rivers — limits of his empire (Psa_72:8).
CALVI , "25.And I will set his hand in the sea. The vast extent of the kingdom is
here adverted to. As the people by their wickedness had, as it were, blocked up the
way, and intercepted the blessing of God, their inheritance was more limited than
the promise implied. But now God declares, that during the reign of David, it will be
again enlarged, so that the people shall possess the whole country, from the sea even
to the river Euphrates. From this we gather, that what God had promised by Moses
was fulfilled only in the person of David, that is to say, from his time. (544) By the
rivers may be understood, either the Euphrates alone, which is cut into many
channels, or the other neighboring rivers on the coast of Syria.
SPURGEO , "Ver. 25. I will set his hand also in the sea, and his right hand in the
rivers. He shall reach far beyond the little rivers which stand for boundaries in
Palestine; he shall by his power embrace all lands from sea to sea. He shall have his
hand in the ocean and his right hand in earth's mightiest streams. As monarchs hold
in their hands a globe to set forth their dominion over the earth, he shall grasp the
far more unconquerable sea, and be Lord of all. This power is to be given him of the
Lord, and is to be abiding; so we understand the words "I will set." The verse has in
it a voice of good cheer concerning sailors, and all dwellers on the waters; the hand
of Jesus is over them, and as he found his first apostles by the sea, so we trust he still
finds earnest disciples there.
EXPLA ATORY OTES A D QUAI T SAYI GS.
Ver. 25. I will set his hand also in the sea, and his right hand in the rivers. That is,
he should reign from the Mediterranean to the Euphrates; figuratively expressed by
his left hand being extended to the sea, and his right hand to the rivers. A similar
expression is used, according to Curtius, by the Scythian ambassadors to Alexander.
"If", said they, "the gods had given thee a body as great as thy mind, the whole
world would not be able to contain thee. Thou wouldst reach with one hand to the
east, and with the other to the west." —Kitto's Pictorial Bible.
Ver. 25. I will set his hand also in the sea and his right hard in the rivers. A certain
artist was in the habit of saying that he should represent Alexander in such a
manner, that in one hand he should hold a city and from the other pour a river.
Christ is represented here as of immense stature, higher than all mountains, with
one hand holding the earth, and the other the sea, while from Eastern sea to
Western he extends his arms. —Le Blanc.

109. WHEDO , "Verse 25
25. Sea—The Mediterranean.
Rivers—Historically construed, the plural form of this word must be accepted here
in the same sense as the well-known dual aharaim, which is a standing designation
of the Euphrates and Tigris, as in the proper name Aram- aharaim, or Aram, (that
is, “the high-lands,”) of the two rivers, same as Mesopotamia, Genesis 24:10;
Deuteronomy 23:4; Judges 3:8; Psalms 60, title. In this sense it describes,
geographically, the eastern limit of the dominion of David and Solomon. 1 Kings
4:21; Ezra 4:20; Psalms 80:11. But prophetically, as applied to Messiah, the sense is
general, and the description sets forth a universal empire, as in Psalms 72:8
ELLICOTT, "(25) In the sea.—A reference, as in Psalms 72:8; Psalms 80:11, to the
limits of the Solomonic kingdom, the Mediterranean and the Euphrates. For the
figure we may compare a saying attributed by Curtius to some Scythian
ambassadors, who addressed Alexander in these terms: “If the gods had given thee a
body as great as thy mind, the whole world would not be able to contain thee. Thou
wouldst reach with one hand to the east, and with the other to the west.”
26 He will call out to me, ‘You are my Father,
my God, the Rock my Savior.’
BAR ES, "He shall cry unto me, Thou art my Father - He shall appeal to me,
or come to me as a Father, and as his only hope and defense.
My God - He shall come to me as God, and shall recognize me as his God, his only
trust and hope.
And the rock of my salvation - See the notes at Psa_18:2. The meaning of all this
is, that he would at all times recognize him as his only trust and hope, and that he would
be faithful on his part to God.
GILL, "He shall cry unto me, thou art my Father,.... Not by creation, as he is the
Father of angels and men; nor by adoption, as he is the Father of saints; but by
generation, being the begotter of him, Psa_2:7 so that he is Christ's own and proper
Father, and Christ is his own and proper Son, Joh_5:18, and he frequently called him his
Father, and asserted him to be in this relation to him, Joh_5:17, Joh_10:30, and
addressed him, called upon him, and prayed unto him as such, Mat_11:25, "my God";

110. that chose him to be the Mediator, Redeemer, and Saviour; who made a covenant with
him, his chosen; who prepared and provided the human nature of Christ; anointed him
with the gifts and graces of his Spirit, and supported him in his sufferings, and crowned
him with glory and honour; whom Christ loved as his God, trusted in him as such,
obeyed him, and prayed unto him: he called him his God, owned him to be so, and called
upon him, and cried unto him, as such, Joh_20:17. God is the Father of Christ, as Christ
is a divine Person; and he is the God of Christ, as Christ is man: these two relations
frequently go together in the New Testament, Joh_20:17. It is added,
and the Rock of my salvation; that bore him up, and where he stood firm, while he
was working out the salvation of his people; and though he was not saved from
sufferings and death, yet he was quickly delivered from the grave, and raised from the
dead, and set at the right hand of God, where he must reign till all enemies are put under
his feet.
JAMISO , "first-born — one who is chief, most beloved or distinguished (Exo_
4:22; Col_1:15). In God’s sight and purposes he was the first among all monarchs, and
specially so in his typical relation to Christ.
CALVI , "26.He shall cry to me, Thou art my Father. In this verse it is declared,
that the chief excellence of this king will consist in this, that he will be accounted the
Son of God. This indeed is a title of honor, which is applied to all whom God ordains
to be kings, as we have seen in a previous psalm,
“I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are children of the Most High:”
(Psalms 82:6)
but in the passage before us, something special is expressed of the holy king whom
God had chosen, and it is intended to say, that he will be the son of God in a
different sense. We shall immediately see in the subsequent verse, how he is placed
in a higher rank than the kings of the earth, although they may sway the scepter
over a larger extent of country. It was therefore a privilege peculiar to only one king
in this world, to be called the Son of God. Had it been otherwise, the apostle
reasoned not only inconclusively but absurdly, in quoting this text as a proof of the
doctrine, that Christ is superior to the angels:
“I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son,”
(Hebrews 1:5.)
Angels, and kings, and all who are regenerated by the Spirit of adoption, are called
sons of God; but David, when God promises to take him for his son, is, by singular
prerogative, elevated above all others to whom this designation is applied. This is
still more apparent from the following verse, in which he is called God’s first-born,
because he is higher than all the kings of the earth; and this is an honor which
transcends all the dignity both of men and angels. If it is objected, that David being
a mortal man could not be equal to the angels, the obvious answer is, that if he is
considered in himself, he cannot justly be elevated to the same rank with them, but

111. with the highest propriety he may, in so far as for a time he represented the person
of Christ.
SPURGEO , "Ver. 26. He shall cry unto me, Thou art my father. David's seed
would be a praying race, and so in the main they were, and when they were not they
smarted for it. The Lord Jesus was preeminent in prayer, and his favourite mode of
address was "Father". ever was there a son more filial in his cries than "the
Firstborn among many brethren." God had one Son without sin, but he never had a
Son who lived without prayer.
My God, so our Lord called his Father when upon the cross.
And the rock of my salvation. It was to his Father that he turned for help when in
sore anguish in Gethsemane, and to him he committed his spirit in the article of
death. In this filial, crying the true sons should imitate him. This is the common
language of the elect family: adoption, reverence, trust, must all speak in their turns,
and will do if we are heirs according to promise. To say to God "Thou art my
father" is more than learning and talent can teach us; the new birth is essential to
this. Reader, hast thou the nature of a child and the spirit of one who can cry,
"Abba, Father"?
EXPLA ATORY OTES A D QUAI T SAYI GS.
Ver. 26. He shall cry unto me, thou art my father. When did David call God his
Father? It is striking that we do not find anywhere in the Old Testament that the
patriarchs or prophets called God their Father. You do not find them addressing
Him as Father: they did not know him as such. This verse is unintelligible in
reference to David; but in regard to the True David it is exactly what he did say, â
€”"My Father, and your Father; my God, and your God." ever until Christ
uttered these words, never until he appeared on earth in humanity as the Son of
God, did any man or any child of humanity address God in this endearing
character. It was after Christ said, "I ascend unto my Father, and your Father",
that believers were enabled to look up to God and to say, "Abba, Father". Here you
see distinctly that this applies to Christ. He was the first to say this: David did not
say it. If there were no other proof in the whole Psalm, that one clause would be a
demonstration to me that no other man than the Lord Jesus Christ can be here
spoken of. —Capel Molyneux, 1855.
Ver. 26. My Father. Christ commenced his labours by referring to his Father, for in
Lu 2:49 he says, "Wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business?" and his
last words were, "Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit"; and through his
whole life he most constantly addressed God as his Father. He shall cry unto me:
Thou art my Father, as far as my divinity is concerned. My God, as far as my
humanity is concerned; the support of my salvation, as regards my mortality. —
Bellarmine.
Ver. 26-28. Christ had a command to be a sufferer, and a body prepared him for
that purpose; so he had likewise a command to be an advocate, and a life given him,
and a throne prepared for him at the right hand of God to that end. This
commission is contained in the words before us; and this after his exaltation, Psalms
89:24-25. Yet for the full completing of it, Psalms 89:27 the matter of the plea is here
mentioned, Thou art the rock of my salvation, the foundation, the first cause, of all
thy salvation I have wrought in the world, being the first mover of it, and promising

112. the acceptance of me in the performance of what was necessary for it. As he hath
authority to cry to God, so he hath an assurance of the prevalence of his cry, in
regard of the stability of the covenant of mediation, which shall stand fast with him,
or be faithful to him: my mercy will I keep for him for evermore, Psalms 89:28. The
treasures of my mercy are reserved only to be opened and dispensed by him: and
the enjoying of his spiritual seed for ever, and the establishing of his own throne
thereby, is the promised fruit of this cry, Psalms 89:28. —Stephen Charnock.
ELLICOTT, "(26) He shall cry.—This verse is interesting in view of the theological
development in the psalter. We might think that the poet was referring to an actual
psalm of David, with whom the expression, “My God, the rock of my salvation,” was
familiar (see Psalms 18:1-2, &c.), were it not for the word “Father,” a title for the
Divine Being which the national religion did not frame till the exile period
(Jeremiah 3:4; Jeremiah 3:19; Isaiah 63:16).
EBC, "The next pair of verses (Psalms 89:26-27) deals with the inward side of the
relations of God and the king. On David’s part there will be child-like love, with all
the lowliness of trust and obedience which lies in the recognition of God’s
fatherhood, and on God’s part there will be the acknowledgment of the relation, and
the adoption of the king as His "firstborn," and therefore, in a special sense,
beloved and exalted. Israel is called by the same name in other places, in reference
to its special prerogative amongst the nations. The national dignity is concentrated
in the king, who stands to other monarchs as Israel to other nations, and is to them
"Most High," the august Divine title, which here may possibly mean that David is to
the rulers of the earth an image of God. The reciprocal relation of Father and Son is
not here conceived in its full inwardness and depth as Christianity knows it, for it
has reference to office rather than to the person sustaining the office, but it is
approximating thereto. There is an echo of the fundamental passage in Psalms
89:26. {Compare 2 Samuel 7:14}
27 And I will appoint him to be my firstborn,
the most exalted of the kings of the earth.
BAR ES, "Also I will make him my first-born - He shall be regarded and
treated by me as the first-born son is in a family; that is, with distinguished favor and
honor. Compare Gen_27:19; Gen_29:26; Exo_4:22; Exo_13:12; Jer_31:9. See also the
notes at Col_1:15, notes at Col_1:18.
Higher than the kings of the earth - Than other kings; the most exalted among

113. kings and rulers. This was entirely fulfilled in David, who occupied a pre-eminence
among princes and rulers which no other king did: a prominence alike in his own
personal character and his reign; in his relation to God; and in the fact that he was the
ancestor of the Messiah, the “King of kings, and Lord of lords” Rev_19:16; “the prince of
the kings of the earth,” Rev_1:5.
CLARKE, "I will make him my first-born - I will deal with him as a father by his
first-born son, to whom a double portion of possessions and honors belong. First-born.
is not always to be understood literally in Scripture. It often signifies simply a well-
beloved, or best-beloved son; one preferred to all the rest, and distinguished by some
eminent prerogative. Thus God calls Israel his son, his first-born, Exo_4:22. See also
Sirach 36:12. And even Ephraim is called God’s first-born, Jer_31:9. In the same sense it
is sometimes applied even to Jesus Christ himself, to signify his supereminent dignity;
not the eternal Sonship of his Divine nature, as inveterate prejudice and superficial
thinking have supposed.
GILL, "Also I will make him my firstborn,.... Or, "make him the firstborn"; make
him great, as Jarchi interprets it; give him the blessing, the double portion of
inheritance: so Christ is made most blessed for ever, and has all spiritual blessings in his
hands; and is heir of all things, and his people joint-heirs with him. Christ is God's
"firstborn", or "first begotten", Heb_1:6, being begotten by him, and of him; and his
firstbegotten, though none begotten after him; as the first that opened the womb, under
the law, was called the firstborn, though none were ever born after; and in such sense his
first begotten, as that he is his only begotten: and he is the firstborn, with respect to
creatures; "he is the firstborn of every creature"; Col_1:15, being begotten and brought
forth before any creature was in being, Pro_8:22, and, with respect to the saints, "he is
the firstborn among many brethren", Rom_8:29, they are of the same nature, and in the
same family, and in which Christ is a son, and the firstborn; and in all things he has the
preeminence; and he is also "the firstborn from the dead", or "the first begotten of the
dead", Col_1:18 being raised first from thence by his own power, and to an immortal life;
and is the first fruits of them that sleep, and the efficient and meritorious cause of the
resurrection of life, and the pattern and exemplar of it: even him the Father promises to
make "higher than the kings of the earth"; having a kingdom of a superior nature to
theirs, and a more extensive and durable one; and even they themselves shall be subject
to him; hence he is called "King of kings", Rev_19:16. This will be when their kingdoms
become his; when they shall fall down before him, and worship him, and bring their
riches and glory into his kingdom, or the New Jerusalem church state, Psa_72:10. This
passage is interpreted of the Messiah by the Jews (f).
SPURGEO , "Ver. 27. Also I will make him my firstborn. Among the kings the
seed of David were to be most favoured and indulged with most love and paternal
regard from God: but in Jesus we see this in the highest degree verified, for he has
preeminence in all things, inasmuch as by inheritance he has a more glorious name
than any other, and is
higher than the kings of the earth. Who can rival heaven's Firstborn? The double
portion and the government belong to him. Kings are honoured when they honour

114. him, and those who honour him are kings! In the millennial glory it shall be seen
what the covenant stores up for the once despised Son of David, but even now faith
sees him exalted as King of kings and Lord of lords. Lo, we bow before thee, thou
Heir of all things! Our sheaves do obeisance to thy sheaf. All thy mother's children
call thee blessed. Thou art he whom thy brethren shall praise. Jesus is no servant of
princes, nor would he have his bride, the church, degrade herself by bowing before
kings and eating the bread of a pensioner at their hands. He and his kingdom are
higher than the kings of the earth. Let the great ones of the earth be wise and submit
to him, for he is Lord, and he is the governor among the nations.
EXPLA ATORY OTES A D QUAI T SAYI GS.
Ver. 27. I will make him my firstborn. First, because he is first in the order of
predestination; for it is through him, as through the head, that we are predestinated,
as we read in Ephesians 1:1-23. Secondly, because he is first in the second
generation to life everlasting, whence he is called (Colossians 1:18.) the firstborn
from the dead, and in Revelation 1:5, the first begotten of the dead; and, thirdly,
because he had the rights of the firstborn; for he was appointed heir of all things;
and he was made not only firstborn, but also, high above the kings of the earth; that
is, Prince of the kings of the earth, and King of kings. —Bellarmine.
Ver. 27. Also I will make him my firstborn, higher than the kings of the, earth. This
promise plainly implies superiority of a nature similar to what was enjoyed of old by
the eldest son of a family—the birthright privileges and blessings, which consisted
principally in three important particulars: First, A double portion of the parent's
earthly possessions, De 21:17. Secondly. Rule or authority over the younger
branches of the family, 2 Chronicles 21:3; and Thirdly, The exercise of the
priesthood, because God claimed all the firstborn as his, and in their stead he
appointed the Levites to do the priest's office, umbers 8:14-17. But, whilst it is
literally true that Jesus was the firstborn son of his virgin mother, and on that
account entitled to the customary privileges, the promise in the 89th Psalm (Psalms
89:1-52) gives intimation of something specific and unusual. David was the youngest
son of Jesse, the lowest on the list of a numerous family, —the very last individual
among them who could have expected exaltation over all others. But,
notwithstanding these natural disadvantages, he was God's choice; and by referring
to the Scripture history it would be easy to show in a variety of particulars, how the
promise made to David, I will make him my firstborn, was literally and remarkably
fulfilled in the son of Jesse. In like manner Jesse, to all human appearance, entering
the world as heir apparent only to the poverty of Mary and her espoused husband,
was far removed from every prospect of realizing that combination of royal and
sacerdotal prerogative, which nevertheless was made stare to him by the promise of
his heavenly Father: "I will make him my firstborn." The pronoun "my" gives
great emphasis to the promise, but this word is interpolated; and however truly it
conveys an idea of the unspeakable superiority which belongs to Jesus Christ as the
result of his relationship with God, still we shall find that, even without this
important pronoun, the promise simply of being "firstborn" has a sublimity and
grandeur about it which needs neither ornament nor addition. The great Jehovah,
the Maker and the Owner and the Ruler of the universe, hath said respecting his
Christ, "I will make him my firstborn"; that is, I will constitute him the chief of all
creatures, and the depository of all power, and the possessor of all privileges, and

115. the heir of all creation. By way of excellence, he is the firstborn, "higher than all the
kings of the earth", — enjoying priority in point of time, and precedence in point
of place. —David Pitcairn, in "The Anointed Saviour", 1846.
Ver. 27. My firstborn. In the Hebrew idiom all kings were the sons of God: but
David is the chief of these, God's firstborn. The Greeks had a similar mode of
expressing themselves. Kings were the nurslings of Jupiter. —Alexander Geddes.
BE SO , "Psalms 89:27. I will make him my firstborn — As he calls me father, so I
will make him my son, yea, my firstborn; the firstborn had divers privileges above
other sons. This and the following passage, in some sort, agree to David, but are
much more fully and properly accomplished in Christ, and seem to be ascribed to
David here chiefly as he was a type of Christ, and that the mind of the reader might
be led through him to Christ. Higher than the kings of the earth — If this be, in
some sense, applicable to David, because he had a greater power and dominion than
any of the neighbouring kings, or because he excelled all other kings of the earth in
privileges, as he also probably did in honour and renown, obtained by his military
achievements, and by that wisdom and justice by which he governed his dominions;
and especially because he was a king chosen and advanced by the immediate
appointment of God himself; was set over God’s peculiar and beloved people, and
was intrusted with the care and patronage of the true religion and the worship of
God in the world; if, on these accounts, it might be said that David was higher than
the kings of the earth, how much more may it be affirmed of him who is King of
kings, and Lord of lords, and God blessed for ever?
COKE, "Verses 27-29
Psalms 89:27-29. Also I will make him my first-born, &c.— I will deal with him as
with an eldest son, to whom a double portion of honour and possessions is due; and
advance him to greater dignity than any other prince in the world. This, with what
follows in the two next verses, can properly and strictly be applied only to Christ;
the firstborn of every creatures the most eminent person that ever the world saw;
and to whom all power was given in heaven and earth. Matthew 28:18. Colossians
1:15.
28 I will maintain my love to him forever,
and my covenant with him will never fail.
BAR ES, "My mercy will I keep for him for evermore - I will not withdraw my

116. favor from him, nor from his posterity, Psa_89:33-36. In him, and in his Great
Descendant, the throne shall be established forever. This dominion will not be like the
changing dynasties of this world, but will be perpetual and eternal.
And my covenant shall stand fast with him - See 2Sa_7:14-16; 2Sa_23:5. It shall
be firm, or established with him and his family.
GILL, "My mercy will I keep for him for evermore,.... That is, for his mystical
body, his church and people; for whom stores of mercy are kept with him, to be laid out
in their regeneration, pardon, salvation, and eternal life; for to them the mercy of God is
from everlasting to everlasting, Psa_103:17, unless this is to be understood of the "grace"
and "kindness" (g) of God, as the word may be rendered; his free favour and love to
Christ, which always continues; for as he was always his dearly beloved Son, that lay in
his bosom from eternity, so he continued, throughout his state, of humiliation, his well
beloved, in whom he was well pleased, and still is, and ever will:
and my covenant shall stand fast with him; being made with him as the head and
representative of his people, it remains, and will remain, sure, firm, and immoveable; its
blessings are "sure mercies", and its promises are all "yea and amen in Christ": the
stability of it, and of all that is in it, is owing to its being made with him, and being in his
hands, who is the surety, Mediator, and messenger of it.
JAMISO 28-37, "This relation is perpetual with David’s descendants, as a whole
typical in official position of his last greatest descendant. Hence though in personal
relations any of them might be faithless and so punished, their typical relation shall
continue. His oath confirms His promise, and the most enduring objects of earth and
heaven illustrate its perpetual force (Psa_72:5, Psa_72:7, Psa_72:17).
CALVI , "28.And I will keep my mercy to him for ever. We see how God
frequently repeats, that he had set up the kingdom of David with the express design
of establishing it for ever. By placing his mercy first in order, and then adding his
covenant, he points out the cause of this covenant, intimating in one word, that it is
gratuitous, and that his grace is not only the foundation on which it rests, but also
the cause why it is preserved inviolate. The amount is, that God will be always
merciful to David, in order that his covenant may never fail. From this it follows,
that its inviolability depends upon the mere good pleasure of God. In the next verse,
God expresses the effect of his truth, declaring, that the posterity of David will sit
for ever on the royal throne. There being nothing under heaven of long continuance,
the days of heaven is an expression employed to denote everlasting duration.
Whence it follows, that this prophecy cannot have its full accomplishment in any till
we come to Christ, in whom alone, in the strict and proper sense, this everlasting
duration is to be found.
SPURGEO , "Ver. 28. My mercy will I keep for him for evermore. The kings of
David's line needed mercy, and mercy prevented their house from utterly perishing
until the Son of Mary came. He needs no mercy for himself, but he is a
representative man, and the mercy of God is required for those who are in him: for
such mercy is kept for ever.

117. And my covenant shall stand fast with him. With Jesus the covenant is ratified both
by blood of sacrifice and by oath of God, it cannot be cancelled or altered, but is an
eternal verity, resting upon the veracity of one who cannot lie. What exultation fills
our hearts as we see that the covenant of grace is sure to all the seed, because it
stands fast with him with whom we are indissolubly united.
EXPLA ATORY OTES A D QUAI T SAYI GS.
Ver. 28. My mercy will I keep for him for evermore. How will he keep his mercy for
Christ for evermore? Very simply, I think. Is not Christ the Fountain of all mercy to
us? Is it not the mercy of God the Father flowing to us through Christ that we
enjoy? Is he not the Depository of it all? God says, then, I will keep it for him; for
ever and ever shall it be lodged in Christ, and Isis people shall enjoy it throughout
eternity. —Capel Molyneux, 1855.
Ver. 28-30. Here is comfort to those who are true branches, and continue to bring
forth fruit in the midst of all the trials that befall them, that God will not suffer
them to be cut off by their corruption. If anything in them should provoke God to
do it, it must be sin. ow for that, you see how Christ promises that God will take
order therewith, and will purge it out of them. This is the covenant made with
David, (as he was a type of Christ, with whom the same covenant is made sure and
firm,)that if his seed forsake my law, and walk not in my judgments, —What!
presently turn them out of doors, and cut them off, as those he meant to have no
more to do with? What! nothing but utter rejection? Is there no means of reclaiming
them? ever a rod in the house? Yes—then will I visit their transgression with the
rod, and their iniquity with stripes, whip out their stubbornness and sinfulness; but
my loving kindness will I not utterly take from him as I did from Saul, as it is in 1
Chronicles 17:13.
Let the saints consider this, that they may return when they are fallen, and submit
to him and his nature, and suffer him to do what he will with them, and endure
cutting, and lancing, and burning, so long as he cuts them not off; endure
chastening, and all his dealings else, knowing that all the fruit is but to take away
the sin, to make them "partakers of his holiness"; and "if by any means", as Paul
speaks of himself, (Philippians 3:11), be the means what it will, it is no matter. And
God, if at any time he seems to cut thee off, yet it is but as the incestuous Corinthian
was cut off, `that the flesh might be destroyed, and the spirit saved.' —Thomas
Goodwin.
BE SO , "Verses 28-34
Psalms 89:28-34. My mercy — Declared and promised to him and his seed, as it here
follows; will I keep for him for evermore — othing shall alter my kind intentions,
but I will mercifully fulfil all my promises to him; and my covenant shall stand fast,
&c. — Of which see notes on 2 Samuel 7:12-13. His seed will I make to endure for
ever — That is, to sit upon the throne for ever, as the next words explain it. This was
accomplished only in Christ, the eternal king of the church and of the world, who
was of David’s seed according to the flesh. And his throne as the days of heaven —
As long as the world shall have a being, or for ever, as was now said. It shall be as
unchangeable and durable as the heavens themselves, which are of an incorruptible
nature. If his children forsake my law — Of this and the following verses, to Psalms
89:34, see the notes on 2 Samuel 7:14-16.

118. EBC, "From Psalms 89:28 onwards the psalmist turns to expand the promises to
David’s line. His words are mainly a poetical paraphrase of 2 Samuel 7:14.
Transgression shall indeed be visited with chastisement, which the fatherly relation
requires, as the original passage indicates by the juxtaposition of the promise "I will
be his Father," and the declaration "I will chasten him." But it will be chastisement
only, and not rejection. The unchangeableness of God’s loving purpose is very
strongly and beautifully put in Psalms 89:33, in which the twin attributes of
Lovingkindness and Faithfulness are again blended as the ground of sinful men’s
hope. The word rendered above "break off" occasions a difficulty, both in regard to
its form and its appropriateness in this connection. The clause is a quotation from 2
Samuel 7:15, and the emendation which substitutes for break off the more natural
word used there namely, withdraw-is to be preferred. In Psalms 89:33 b the
paradoxical expression of being false to My faithfulness suggests the contradiction
inherent in the very thought that He can break His plighted word. The same idea is
again put in striking form in Psalms 89:34 : "I will not profane My covenant," even
though degenerate sons of David "profane" God’s statute. His word, once spoken, is
inviolable. He is bound by His oath. He has given His holiness as the pledge of His
word, and, till that holiness wanes, those utterances which He has sealed with it
cannot be recalled. The certainty that sin does not alter God’s promise is not traced
here to His placableness, but to His immutable nature, and to the obligations under
which He is laid by His own word and acts. That unchangeableness is a rock
foundation, on which sinful men may build their certitude. It is much to know that
they cannot sin away God’s mercy nor exhaust His gentle long suffering. It is even
more to know that His holiness guarantees that they cannot sin away His promises,
nor by any breach of His commandments provoke Him to break His covenant.
SIMEO , "GOD’S COVE A T E GAGEME TS WITH CHRIST A D US
Psalms 89:28-35. My mercy will I keep for him for evermore, and my covenant shall
stand fast with him. His seed also will I make to endure for ever, and his throne as
the days of heaven. If his children forsake my law, and walk not in my judgments; if
they break my statutes, and keep not my commandments; then will I visit their
transgression with the rod, and their iniquity with stripes. evertheless, my loving
kindness will I not utterly take from him, nor suffer my faithfulness to fail. My
covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips. Once have I
sworn by my holiness, that I will not lie unto David.
I seasons of deep affliction, when, through unbelief, we are ready to think that
God has forsaken and forgotten us, it is well to look back to God’s covenant
engagements, whereon, as on a rock, we may stand firm amidst the tempest that
surrounds us. It was under such circumstances (probably about the time of the
Babylonish captivity) that this psalm was penned. In it the stability of God’s
covenant is fully declared. The fears and apprehensions of his people, as arising
from his apparent violation of it, are next delineated: and it concludes with fervent
adorations of God, who, notwithstanding all the dictates of unbelief, is worthy to be
blessed for evermore.

119. For the just use, as well as understanding, of the passage before us, we shall,
I. Explain it—
[There can be no doubt but that the words, in their literal meaning, refer to the
covenant which God made with David respecting the continuance of his posterity on
his throne [ ote: 2 Samuel 7:12-17.]; and which seemed to be violated, now that
both king and people were carried captive to Babylon; but which, in fact, should be
accomplished in all its parts; because whatever they might endure for a season, the
sceptre should not depart from Judah till Shiloh should come.
But there is doubtless a reference to Christ, who is often called David [ ote: Ezekiel
34:23-24. Hosea 3:5.]. Some of the words originally addressed to David, are
expressly declared to refer to Christ chiefly, yea exclusively [ ote: Compare 2
Samuel 7:14. with Hebrews 1:5.]. They must be understood therefore as containing
God’s covenant with Christ.
In them we see, first, God’s assurances respecting Christ himself, that
notwithstanding all the troubles he should experience, he should be raised from the
dead [ ote: Compare Isaiah 55:3. with Acts 13:34.], and have all the kingdoms of
the earth for his possession [ ote: Luke 1:32-33. Revelation 11:15.].
ext, Christ is assured respecting his people, who are his seed [ ote: Isaiah 53:10.
Psalms 22:30. 1 Peter 1:23.], that though through infirmity and temptation they may
fall into sin, the Father will not utterly abandon them, or finally withdraw his love
from them [ ote: Isaiah 54:7-10. Jeremiah 32:40.]. He will not indeed leave them to
continue in sin (for that would be incompatible with their salvation [ ote: Hebrews
12:14.]) but he will chastise them, till they repent and turn from all their
transgressions, and thus will he secure them to Christ as his inheritance [ ote: John
17:11. 1 Peter 1:5-7.].
The grounds of these assurances are, lastly, specified. These are God’s covenant,
and his oath. Having entered into covenant with his Son, he cannot disannul it. Yet,
if he were to give up to final destruction any who were Christ’s spiritual seed, this
covenant would be broken; seeing that some who were given to Christ would perish,
and Christ, as far as relates to them, would have died in vain. Moreover, in this, the
oath, which (for our consolation) he sware to his Son, would be violated: but, having
sworn by his holiness, which is the glory of all his perfections, he never can, nor ever
will recede. On these grounds therefore the glory of Christ, and the salvation of his
people are irrevocably secured.]
Lest however this consolatory passage should be abused, let us,
II. Improve it—
It evidently teaches us,

120. 1. To cleave unto Christ with full purpose of heart—
[The covenant, whether made with David or with Abraham, was confirmed before
of God in Christ [ ote: Galatians 3:17.]. Every blessing of the covenant was made
over to him as our head and representative, and must be received from him by faith
[ ote: Colossians 1:19. John 1:16.]. To him therefore must we look for pardon,
stability, and everlasting salvation. As to him the promises were made [ ote:
Galatians 3:16.], so in him alone are they yea, and Amen [ ote: 2 Corinthians 1:20.].
Let it then be our great care to be found in him [ ote: Philippians 3:9.]; and then we
may rest assured that nothing shall ever separate us from him [ ote: Romans 8:38-
39.].]
2. To endure with patience and thankfulness whatever afflictions God may lay
upon us—
[Part of God’s covenant is, to “correct us in measure [ ote: Jeremiah 30:11.].” And,
however afflicted any may be, have they any cause to say, that they are corrected
beyond measure? Can a living man complain, a man for the punishment of his sins
[ ote: Lamentations 3:39.]? Surely it is far better to be chastened here, than to be
condemned with the world hereafter [ ote: 1 Corinthians 11:32.]. We may all see
reason enough for chastisement, if we will but mark our daily and hourly
transgressions. Let us therefore not so much as desire God to spare us, provided he
see that we need correction for the welfare of our souls; but rather let us kiss the rod
[ ote: Micah 6:9.], and improve it [ ote: Isaiah 27:9.], and adore the hand that uses
it for our good [ ote: Hebrews 12:10.].]
3. To dread sin as the greatest of all evils—
[Though at first sight this passage may seem to weaken our dread of sin, yet, in
reality, it is calculated to impress us with a holy fear of offending God. The covenant
made with Christ does indeed secure the salvation of his people: but does it provide
them impunity in sin? o—on the contrary, it engages God to punish sin, yea, to
punish it effectually; and never to leave his people under its dominion [ ote:
Romans 6:14.]. Is there then room to say, I shall be saved, though I commit sin? o:
for either God will “drive it out with the rod of correction,” or leave it as an
indisputable mark that we never belonged to him at all [ ote: 1 John 3:9-10.]. Let
us never then make Christ a minister of sin [ ote: Galatians 2:17.]; but learn from
the very grace that saves us, to glorify him by a holy conversation [ ote: Titus 2:11-
12.].]
29 I will establish his line forever,

121. his throne as long as the heavens endure.
BAR ES, "His seed also will I make to endure for ever - That is, His posterity
shall occupy the throne:
(a) this would have been true of his descendants, if they had been faithful to God, and
had not revolted from him;
(b) it is true of him who is the successor of David in his spiritual kingdom, the Lord
Jesus, the Messiah. Compare the notes at Isa_9:6-7.
And his throne as the days of heaven - As long as the heavens endure; that is, to
the end of the world. Compare Psa_72:5, note; Psa_72:7, note; Psa_72:17, note.
CLARKE, "His seed also will I make to endure for ever - This ean apply only
to the spiritual David. The posterity of David are long since extinct, or so blended with
the remaining Jews as to be utterly indiscernible; but Jesus ever liveth, and his seed
(Christians) are spread, and are spreading over all nations; and his throne is eternal. As
to his manhood, he is of the house and lineage of David; the government is upon his
shoulders, and of its increase there shall be no end, upon the throne of David and on his
kingdom to order it and to establish it with judgment and justice, from henceforth even
for ever. Isa_9:7.
GILL, "His seed also will I make to endure for ever,.... Not a race of kings from
David, which ended at the Babylonish captivity; not the natural seed of David, not the
Messiah himself, who sprung from him, but the Messiah's spiritual seed, which were
given him by the Father, adopted through him, regenerated by his Spirit and grace,
begotten through his Gospel, and the ministry of it, and born again in his church, and to
whom he stands in the relation of the everlasting Father, Isa_9:6. The "enduring" of
these "for ever" may denote the final perseverance of particular believers; which may be
concluded from the relation of Christ, as an everlasting Father to them, who therefore
must continue as his children; from his affection to them, from which there can be no
separation; from their security in and by him, being in his hand, and in his heart; from
their adoption, which is never revoked, being sons they are no more servants; from their
regeneration of incorruptible seed; and from the nature of faith, which can never be lost:
they that trust in the Lord are as Mount Zion, which endures for ever, Psa_125:1 or it
may be expressive of the duration of the church of Christ in general, throughout all
periods of time, notwithstanding the malice and opposition of men and devils against it;
see Mat_16:18,
and his throne as the days of heaven; a phrase signifying a great length of time,
Deu_11:21 yea, invariable constancy and duration, Jer_31:25 and indeed the throne of
Christ is for ever and ever, and will be when the present earth and heavens are fled away,
Psa_45:6. Christ is upon a throne now in heaven, the same with his divine Father's; and
here he must sit and reign, till all enemies are put under him; and he will be on a throne

122. of glory when he judges the world, and in the New Jerusalem state for the space of a
thousand years; and, after that, he will reign with his saints, and they with him, for
evermore; his throne and kingdom are everlasting, Isa_9:7.
HE RY, " With reference to his seed. God's covenants always took in the seed of the
covenanters; this does so (Psa_89:29, Psa_89:36): His seed shall endure for ever, and
with it his throne. Now this will be differently understood according as we apply it to
Christ or David.
(1.) If we apply it to David, by his seed we are to understand his successors, Solomon
and the following kings of Judah, who descended from the loins of David. It is supposed
that they might degenerate, and not walk in the spirit and steps of their father David; in
such a case they must expect to come under divine rebukes, such as the house of David
was at this time under, Psa_89:38. But let this encourage them, that, though they were
corrected, they should not be abandoned or disinherited. This refers to that part of
Nathan's message (2Sa_7:14, 2Sa_7:15), If he commit iniquity, I will chasten him, but
my mercy shall not depart from him. Thus far David's seed and throne did endure for
ever, that, notwithstanding the wickedness of many of his posterity, who were the
scandals of his house, yet his family continued, and continued in the imperial dignity, a
very long time, - that, as long as Judah continued a kingdom, David's posterity were
kings of it, and the royalty of that kingdom was never in any other family, as that of the
ten tribes was, in Jeroboam's first, then in Baasha's, etc., - and that the family of David
continued a family of distinction till that Son of David came whose throne should endure
for ever; see Luk_1:27, Luk_1:32; Luk_2:4, Luk_2:11. If David's posterity, in after-times,
should forsake God and their duty and revolt to the ways of sin, God would bring
desolating judgments upon them and ruin the family; and yet he would not take away his
lovingkindness from David, nor break his covenant with him; for, in the Messiah, who
should come out of his loins, all these promises shall have their accomplishment to the
full. Thus, when the Jews were rejected, the apostle shows that God's covenant with
Abraham was not broken, because it was fulfilled in his spiritual seed, the heirs of the
righteousness of faith, Rom_11:7.
SPURGEO , "Ver. 29. His seed also will I make to endure for ever. David's seed
lives on in the person of the Lord Jesus, and the seed of Jesus in the persons of
believers. Saints are a race that neither death nor life can kill. Rome and its priests,
with their inquisition and other infernal cruelties, have laboured to exterminate the
covenant seed, but "vain is their rage, their efforts vain." As long as God lives, his
people must live.
And his throne, as the days of heaven. Jesus reigns on, and will reign till the skies
shall fall, yea, and when the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the
elements shall melt with fervent heat, his throne shall stand. What a blessed
covenant is this! Some commentators talk of conditions, but we fail to see any; the
promises are as absolute as they can possibly be, and if any conditions as to the
conduct of the favoured individuals can be conceived, they are disposed of in the
succeeding verses.
EXPLA ATORY OTES A D QUAI T SAYI GS.
Ver. 29. "His seed" and "throne" are coupled together, as if his throne could not
stand if his seed did fail. If his subjects should perish, what would he be king of? If
his members should consume, what would he be head of? —Stephen Charnock.

123. COFFMA , "Verse 29
"His seed also will I make to endure forever,
And his throne as the days of heaven.
If his children forsake my law,
And walk not in mine ordinances;
If they break my statutes,
And keep not my commandments;
Then will I visit their transgressions with the rod,
And their iniquity with stripes.
But my lovingkindness will I not utterly take from him,
or suffer my faithfulness to fail.
My covenant will I not break,
or alter the thing that has gone out of my lips.
Once have I sworn by my holiness:
I will not lie unto David:
His seed shall endure forever,
And his throne as the sun before me.
It shall be established forever as the moon,
And as the faithful witness in the sky."
Leupold summarized this paragraph. God's promises to David applied to his
descendants also (Psalms 89:29); if they disobey God, God will punish them (Psalms
89:32-33); but God will not cut them off or break his covenant (Psalms 89:33-35);
God's covenant is an eternal covenant and will last as long as the created world lasts
(Psalms 89:36-37).[11]
SPECIAL WORDS REGARDI G THE THRO E OF DAVID
"His seed shall endure forever, and his throne as the sun before me. It shall be

124. established forever as the moon, and as the faithful witness in the sky" (Psalms
89:36-37).
The teaching here is that the throne of David is eternal; it will last forever. It (the
throne) shall be established forever "as God's faithful witness" in the sky, in
heaven.
The KJV is more accurately translated, although our version does not change the
meaning.
"His seed shall endure forever, and his throne as the sun before me. It shall be
established forever as the moon, and as a faithful witness in heaven" (Psalms 89:36-
37 KJV).
Men have diligently tried to get David's throne out of these verses; but it is
impossible to do it. Dummelow did his best; "The meaning is uncertain; the faithful
witness may be the moon"![12] Such a view cannot be accepted, because the moon
never witnessed anything to mankind. Moreover, Briggs pointed out that the it in
Psalms 89:37 here refers to the word `throne.'[13]
"As the sun ... as the moon" (Psalms 89:36-37). These words forever forbid the
notion that the "ultimate" throne of David was to be on earth, because neither the
sun nor the moon is "on earth." Call their location "heaven" as in KJV, or "sky" as
in KJV, the meaning is the same either way; it means " ot on earth."
There is a complete discussion of this based upon the apostle Peter's Pentecostal
sermon in Acts 2chapter, in which Peter flatly declared that the raising up of one of
David's posterity to sit upon David's throne was a prophetic reference to "The
resurrection of Jesus Christ." See Vol. 5 of our ew Testament Commentaries
(Acts) under Acts 2:32.
The psalmist, no doubt feeling that such promises as he had cited absolutely bound
God to do something at once for Israel. However, God would make it clear enough
to all Israel in the terrible seventy years lying just ahead of them that the earthly
succession to David's throne was terminated, that God was absolutely through with
it; and that their earthly kingdom in its totality was dying, never to live again.
THE REALITY OF THE SITUATIO WITH REGARD TO DAVID'S EARTHLY
DY ASTY
There is no need to elaborate this, the psalmist himself did it in these verses.

125. 30 “If his sons forsake my law
and do not follow my statutes,
BAR ES, "If his children - His posterity; his successors on the throne.
Forsake my law - If they are not regulated by it in the administration of their
government, and in their private lives. It is here supposed that they might forsake his
law, or fail to observe it; but still there is the assurance that the power would not depart
permanently from the successors of David, but that it would be restored ultimately to
that line, and be permanent and eternal.
And walk not in my judgements - And do not obey my commandments.
CLARKE, "If his children forsake my law - See the notes on 2Sa_7:13, where
this and some of the following verses are explained.
GILL, "If his children forsake my law,.... The same with the seed before
mentioned, the children of the Messiah: it is not said "if he forsakes", which cannot be
supposed of Christ, because he knew no sin, nor did any; which yet might be supposed of
David, had he been literally meant; but not he, nor his natural children, but the spiritual
seed of mystical David, are here designed, who may sin, and do sin, of which there is too
much proof and evidence; and who sin not only through infirmity, but sometimes very
grossly, and which sins are here expressed by various phrases: they sometimes "forsake
the law of God"; do not attend to it, as they should, as the rule of their walk and
conversation; are remiss in their observance of it, and obedience to it, and transgress its
precepts; or his "doctrine" (h), even the doctrine of the Gospel; which may be said to be
forsaken when men grow indifferent to it; go off from it in any measure, drop their
profession of it, or hold it remissly, or become careless in their attendance on it:
forsaking the assembling together to hear it, in some sense, is a forsaking of it; and this
the Lord takes notice of, and resents, in his people:
and walk not in my judgments; those laws of his house by which he judges,
regulates, and governs his people; by which they are directed by him, as their Judge and
Lawgiver, how to behave themselves in the church of God; and in which they are to walk,
and continue in the observance of; and so to do is to walk as becomes the Gospel, and
worthy of their calling; but to do otherwise is to walk disorderly; and such are cognizable
by the Lord, and by his people.
HE RY 30-32, "If we apply it to Christ, by his seed we are to understand his
subjects, all believers, his spiritual seed, the children which God has given him, Heb_
2:13. This is that seed which shall be made to endure for ever, and his throne in the
midst of them, in the church in the heart, as the days of heaven. To the end Christ shall
have a people in the world to serve and honour him. He shall see his seed; he shall

126. prolong his days. This holy seed shall endure for ever in a glorified state, when time and
days shall be no more; and thus Christ's throne and kingdom shall be perpetuated: the
kingdom of his grace shall continue through all the ages of time and the kingdom of his
glory to the endless ages of eternity.
[1.] The continuance of Christ's kingdom is here made doubtful by the sins and
afflictions of his subjects; their iniquities and calamities threaten the ruin of it. This case
is here put, that we may not be offended when it comes to be a case in fact, but that we
may reconcile it with the stability of the covenant and be assured of that
notwithstanding. First, It is here supposed that there will be much amiss in the subjects
of Christ's kingdom. His children may forsake God's law (Psa_89:30) by omissions, and
break his statutes (Psa_89:31) by commissions. There are spots which are the spots of
God's children, Deu_32:5. Many corruptions there are in the bowels of the church, as
well as in the hearts of those who are the members of it, and these corruptions break out.
Secondly, They are here told that they must smart for it (Psa_89:32): I will visit their
transgression with a rod, their transgression sooner than that of others. You only have I
known, and therefore I will punish you, Amo_3:2. Their being related to Christ shall not
excuse them from being called to an account. But observe what affliction is to God's
people. 1. It is but a rod, not an axe, not a sword; it is for correction, not for destruction.
This denotes gentleness in the affliction; it is the rod of men, such a rod as men use in
correcting their children; and it denotes a design of good in and by the affliction, such a
rod as yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness. 2. It is a rod on the hand of God (I will
visit them), he who is wise, and knows what he does, gracious, and will do what is best.
3. It is a rod which they shall never feel the smart of but when there is great need: If they
break my law, then I will visit their transgression with the rod, but not else. Then it is
requisite that God's honour be vindicated, and that they be humbled and reduced.
CALVI , "30.If his children shall forsake my law. The prophet proceeds yet
farther, declaring, that although the posterity of David should fall into sin, yet God
had promised to show himself merciful towards them, and that he would not punish
their transgressions to the full extent of their desert. Moreover, to give the promise
the greater efficacy, he always introduces God speaking, as if he presented to him a
request corresponding with the precise words and express articles of his covenant.
(549) It was very necessary that this should be added; for so easily do we slide into
evil, and so prone are we to continual falls, that unless God, in the exercise of his
infinite mercy, pardoned us, there would not be a single article of his covenant
which would continue steadfast. God, therefore, seeing that it could not be
otherwise, but that the posterity of David, in so far as it depended upon themselves,
would frequently fall from the covenant, by their own fault, has provided a remedy
for such cases, in his pardoning grace.
Farther, as it is profitable for men to be subjected to divine correction, he does not
promise that he will allow them to escape unpunished, which would be to encourage
them in their sins; but he promises, that in his chastisements he will exercise a
fatherly moderation, and will not execute vengeance upon them to the full extent
which their sins deserve. It is also to be observed, that he promises pardon, not only
for light offenses, but also for great and aggravated sins. It is not without cause that
he uses these forms of expression, to forsake his law, to violate his statutes, not to
walk in his judgments, and not to keep his commandments or is it without cause

127. that he uses the word transgression, or perfidiousness, and iniquity. We see, then,
that the patience and lenity of God, by which he reconciles to himself the posterity of
David, is extended even to sins of the most heinous and aggravated description.
This passage teaches us, that when God adopts men into his family, they do not
forthwith completely lay aside the flesh with its corruptions, as is held by some
enthusiasts, who dream, that as soon as we are grafted into the body of Christ, all
the corruption that is in us must be destroyed. Would to God that we could all on a
sudden change our nature, and thus exhibit that angelic perfection which they
require! But as it is quite apparent, that we are far from such an attainment, so long
as we carry about with us this tabernacle of flesh, let us bid adieu to that devilish
figment, and let us all betake ourselves to the sanctuary of forgiveness, which is at
all times open for us. God, unquestionably, is speaking of the household of his
Church; and yet it is declared, with sufficient plainness, in the promise which he
makes of pardoning their offenses, that they will transgress and be guilty of
revolting from him.
To limit what is here said to the ancient people of Israel, is an exposition not only
absurd, but altogether impious. In the first place, I take it as a settled point, which
we have already had occasion often to consider, that this kingdom was erected to be
a figure or shadow in which God might represent the Mediator to his Church: and
this can be proved, not only from the testimony of Christ and the apostles, but it
may also be clearly and indubitably deduced from the thing considered in itself. If
we set Christ aside, where will we find that everlasting duration of the royal throne
of which mention is here made? The second from David, in the order of succession,
was despoiled of the greater part of the kingdom, so that out of twelve tribes he
retained scarcely one tribe and a half. Afterwards, how many losses did this
kingdom thus greatly reduced sustain, and by how many calamities was it defaced,
until at length the king and the whole body of the people were dragged into
captivity, with the utmost ignominy and reproach? And I pray you to consider
where was the dignity of the throne, when the king, after his sons were put to death
before his eyes, was himself treated as a criminal? (2 Kings 25:7.) The Jews were
indeed afterwards permitted to dwell in their own country; but it was without the
honor and title of a kingdom. Accordingly, Ezekiel (Ezekiel 21:27) declares thrice,
that the crown shall be laid in the dust, “until he come whose right it is.” The
obvious conclusion then is, that perpetuity, as applied to this kingdom, can be
verified in Christ alone. And, in fact, what access could the Jews of old time have
had to God, or what access could we in the present day have to him, did not the
Mediator come between us and him, to cause us find favor in his sight?
It now remains that we apply to ourselves the qualities of this kingdom of which we
have been speaking. As its everlasting duration leads us to the hope of a blessed
immortality, and its invincible strength inspires our minds with tranquillity, and
prevents our faith from failing, notwithstanding all the efforts which Satan may put
forth against us, and notwithstanding the numerous forms of death which may
surround us; so the pardon which is here promised belongs to the spiritual kingdom
of Christ: and it may be equally gathered from this passage, that the salvation of the

128. Church depends solely upon the grace of God, and the truth of his promises. If it is
objected, that those who are regenerated by the Spirit of God never totally fall
away, because the incorruptible seed of the word abides in them, I grant that this is
an important truth. It is not, however, a total apostasy which is here spoken of —
not such as implies the entire extinction of godliness in the individual chargeable
with it. But it sometimes happens that the faithful cast off the yoke of God, and
break forth into sin in such a manner, as that the fear of God seems to be
extinguished in them; and such being the case, it was necessary that He should
promise the pardon even of heinous sins, that they might not upon every fall be
overwhelmed with despair. Thus David seemed, to outward appearance, to be
wholly deprived of the Spirit of God, whom he prays to be restored to him. The
reason why God leaves hope of pardon even for detestable and deadly
transgressions is, that the enormity of our sins may not keep us back or hinder us
from seeking reconciliation with him. From this, we are led to condemn the undue
severity of the fathers, who scrupled to receive to repentance those who had fallen
for the second or third time. Due care must indeed be taken lest, by too great
forbearance, loose reins should be given to men to commit iniquity; but there is no
less danger in an extreme degree of rigour. It is to be observed, that when God
declares that he will show himself merciful towards sinners, who have violated his
law, and broken his commandments, he purposely employs these odious terms to
excite our hatred and detestation of sin, and not to entice us to the commission of it.
Still, however, we must understand the passage as amounting to this, That although
the faithful may not in every instance act in a manner worthy of the grace of God,
and may therefore deserve to be rejected by him, yet he will be merciful to them,
because remission of sins is an essential article promised in his covenant. And,
indeed, as God in his law requires us to perform what exceeds our power, all that he
promises in it is of no avail to us, to whom it can never be accomplished. Hence Paul,
in Romans 4:14, affirms, “If the inheritance come by the law, faith is made void, and
the promise made of none effect.” To this also belong these words of Jeremiah,
“Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with the
house of Israel, and with the house of Judah; not according to the covenant that I
made with their fathers, in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out
of the land of Egypt; (which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband
unto them, saith the Lord;) but this shall be the covenant that I will make with the
house of Israel: After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward
parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my
people. I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.”
(Jeremiah 31:31)
Farther, since God does not adopt us as his children, to encourage us to take liberty
to commit sin with the greater boldness, mention is here made at the same time of
chastisement, by which he shows that he hates the sins of his children, and, warning
them of what they have deserved in offending him, invites and exhorts them to
repentance. This fatherly chastisement then, which operates as medicine, holds the
medium between undue indulgence, which is an encouragement to sin, and extreme
severity, which precipitates persons into destruction. Here the inspired writer

129. adverts to the prophecy recorded in 2 Samuel 7:14, where God declares that in
chastising his own people, he will proceed after the manner of men —
“If he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes
of the children of men.” (2 Samuel 7:14)
God there speaks of his chastising his people after the manner of men, either
because the anger of a father in correcting his children proceeds from love, — for he
sees that otherwise he would fail in promoting their good; or it contains a contrast
between God and men, implying, that in the task of chastising he will proceed with
moderation and gentleness; for, were he to put forth his strength, he would
immediately bring us to nothing, yea, he could do this simply by moving one of his
fingers. The scope of both passages undoubtedly is, that whenever God punishes the
sins of true believers, he will observe a wholesome moderation; and it is therefore
our duty to take all the punishments which he inflicts upon us, as so many
medicines. On this point, the Papists have egregiously blundered. ot understanding
the true end and fruit of chastisements, they have imagined that God proceeds
herein as if avenging himself upon sinners. Whence arose their satisfactions, and
from these again proceeded pardons and indulgences, by which they endeavored to
redeem themselves from the hand and vengeance of God. (550) But God has nothing
else in view than to correct the vices of his children, in order that, after having
thoroughly purged them, he may restore them anew to his favor and friendship;
according to the words of Paul in 1 Corinthians 11:33, which affirm that the faithful
“are chastened of the Lord, that they should not be condemned with the world.” For
this reason, lest they should be overwhelmed with the weight of chastisement, he
restrains his hand, and makes considerate allowance for their infirmity. Thus the
promise is fulfilled, That he does not withdraw his loving-kindness from his people,
even when he is angry with them; for, while he is correcting them for their profit
and salvation, he does not cease to love them. It is, however, to be observed, that
there is a change of person in the words. After it is said, If his children shall forsake
my law, etc., it is at length subjoined, My loving-kindness or mercy will I not
withdraw from Him. It ought surely to have been said, them instead of him, since it
is children in the plural number who are before spoken of. But it is very probable
that this form of expression is purposely employed to teach us that we are reconciled
to God only through Christ; and that if we would expect to find mercy, we must
seek for it from that source alone. What follows in the end of the verse, I will not
suffer my faithfulness to fail, is more emphatic than if it had been said that God will
be true to what he has said. It is possible that God’s promise may fail of taking
effect, and yet he may continue faithful. For example, the law is true and holy, and
yet of what advantage is it to us that salvation is promised in the law, when no
human being can ever obtain salvation by it? God then in this passage leads us
farther; promising that his covenant shall be steadfast and effectual, not only
because he will be faithful on his part, but also because he will keep his people from
falling away through their own inconstancy.
SPURGEO , "Ver. 30. If his children forsake my law, and walk not in my

130. judgments. It was possible, terribly possible, that David's posterity might wander
from the Lord; indeed they did so, but what then? Was the mercy of God to pass
away from David's seed? —far from it. So, too, the seed of the Son of David are apt
to start aside, but are they therefore cast away? ot a single word gives liberty for
such an idea, but the very reverse. Expositors in their fear of Calvinistic doctrine
shake off the fear of adding to the word of God, or else they would not have spent
their time in talking about "the conditions" of this absolutely unconditional
covenant.
EXPLA ATORY OTES A D QUAI T SAYI GS.
Ver. 30. If his children forsake my law. An objection is supposed: `Suppose this seed
who are included in the covenant fall into transgression, how shall the covenant
stand fast then?' The covenant, with the seed, shall stand for ever, but the seed must
be a holy seed. Then the objector supposes—`Suppose the seed become unholy?'
Well, God explains—"If his children forsake my law, and walk not in my
judgments" —that is, if the seed practically fall away—"If they break my
statutes, and keep not my commandments; then will I visit their transgression with
the rod, and their iniquity with stripes. evertheless my lovingkindness will I not
take from him, nor suffer my faithfulness to fail." Mark the case. What is it that
God will do? The case supposed is that the seed of Christ forsakes the law and
breaks his statutes. I need not say to you that that is realized every day. These are
not the ungodly or the unconverted that are spoken of, but God's own children. Do
you say, `Can they be guilty of breaking God's statutes, and forsaking God's law?'
We do it every day. There is no single day of our lives that we do not do it...
How astonished many would be, if they knew what the real case was of those
perhaps whom they admire, and think highly advanced and exalted in the Divine
life, if they were to know the falls, the wretched falls, falls in heart, in word and in
practice; if they were to know the deep distress that the children of God, who are far
advanced as they suppose in the Divine life, are continually suffering from the effect
of such transgression! That is exactly what God says; he comes and contemplates
such a case, and he says, "If they break my statutes, and keep not my
commandments, then" —what? What will God do? Some people say, "Then God
will leave them." Those who object to the doctrine of final perseverance say this: "It
is true he will preserve the believer from the toils of the Devil and the temptations of
the world, but not from the breaking forth of his own natural evil." He may be
betrayed by that, and finally lost. God exactly meets that case; he contemplates the
worst case—actual transgression. He says, "If a child of mine breaks my law". He
does not say anything about the Devil, or the outward temptations of the world; but
he says, "If they forsake my law and break my statutes." Let us be instructed by
God. He does not say he will leave them and forsake them. Mark what he will do!
He say—"I will visit their transgressions with the rod, and their iniquity with
stripes." That is the provision which God has made in his covenant: and it is
delightful to see how God has contemplated our case to the uttermost. There is
nothing in our history that God has not met in the covenant with Christ. If you are
in union with Christ, and a partaker of the covenant, your case is met in every
conceivable emergency. othing can befall you which is not contemplated—
nothing which God has not provided for. Even if you fall, God has provided for it;
but take heed; the provision involves much that will be terrible and desperately

131. painful to your mind. There is nothing to encourage sin about it; there is nothing to
give us license, nothing to lead a man to boast, "I am safe at last." Be it so: but safe
how? How will God secure their safety? "I will visit their transgression with the
rod, and their iniquity with stripes." —Capel Molyneux.
Ver. 30. If his children forsake my law. If they fall into sins of commission; if they
shoot beyond the mark. And walk not in my judgements. If they fall into sins of
omission, and shoot short. Where note that every transgression and disobedience
(that is, every commission and omission) receiveth a just recompense of reward,
Hebrews 2:2. —John Trapp.
Ver. 30. His children. wynb, his sons, i.e. Christians, born through the griefs of
Christ on the cross, like the pangs of one in travail. —Geier.
Ver. 30. A man may forsake the doctrines of the Gospel. He may fall into great
errors, great aberrations from Truth; he may forsake the ordinances of the Lord's
house, though he sees God's word is clear upon the point. He esteems those things as
nothing worth, which the Lord esteems so well, that he has given them to his church
as a sacred deposit, which she is to convey down to the last posterity till time shall be
no more. And what is still more—a man may forsake for a time the principles of
the precious Gospel of the living God. But I can imagine a state still more solemnly
affecting than even this. It is a part of God's wisdom, (and it is for our good that it is
so— all God's wisdom is for his people's good) —it is a part of the wisdom of God,
that sin should lead to sin; that one neglect shall pave the way to another; that that
which is bad shall lead to that which is worse, and that which is worse shall prepare
the way for that which is worst...The longer I live, the more I am brought to this—
to know that there is not a sin that ever was committed, but I need the grace of God
to keep me from it. —James Harrington Evans.
Ver. 30-34. God here says two things: first, that he will chastise them, next, that he
will not, on that account, cast them out of his covenant. O wonderful tempering of
the kindness and severity of God! In which he finds his own glory, and believers
their safety! The heavenly Father loves the blood and marks of his Christ which he
sees upon them, and the remains of faith and godliness which are preserved hidden
in the depth of their heart, this is why he will not cast them off. On the other hand,
he considers that it accords neither with his wisdom nor his holiness to bestow his
grace and salvation upon those who do not relent for having cast off his law and
given themselves up to iniquity. In order to harmonize these opposite desires, he
takes the rod, and chastises them, to arouse their conscience, and to excite their
faith; to restore them, by the repentance which his discipline produces, to such a
state, as that he may be able to bestow upon them, without shame, the blessings he
has promised to the children of his Son; just as a wise parent, by moderate and
judicious correction gradually draws back his son from those irregularities of life
into which he has plunged; and thereby preserves his honour, and himself the
pleasure of being able to love and please him without misgiving. Or, as a skilful
surgeon, by the pain which his knife, or cautery, or bitter potions, cause his patient,
saves his life, and wards off death. —Jean Daille.
Ver. 30-34. When our heavenly Father is, as it were, forced to put forth his anger, he
then makes use of a father's rod, not an executioner's axe. He will neither break his
children's bones, nor his own covenant. He lashes in love, in measure, in pity, and
compassion. —Thomas Lye, 1621-1684.

132. CO STABLE, "Verses 30-37
Sin and disobedience would not cancel God"s promises to David in the covenant.
They would bring discipline on the offenders, but God swore to deliver the blessings
He had promised David.
Since Jesus Christ, David"s descendant, has not yet ruled over Israel as these
promises guarantee, we should look for a literal fulfillment of them in the future.
This means He will rule on the earth, since this is what God promised David ( 2
Samuel 7:5-16). For this reason we look for an earthly reign of Messiah, not just a
heavenly reign over the hearts of all believers. [ ote: See the discussion of the
messianic king in VanGemeren, pp586-91.] The hope of an earthly reign over Israel
is what distinguishes premillennialists from amillennialists and postmillennialists.
This hope rests on a literal interpretation of God"s promises in the Davidic
Covenant (cf. Psalm 89:3-4; Psalm 89:27-29; Psalm 89:35-37; Psalm 89:49). [ ote:
See Ronald B. Allen, "Evidence from Psalm 89 ," in A Case for Premillennialism: A
ew Consensus, pp55-77.]
PULPIT, "If his children forsake my Law, and walk not in my judgments. Solomon
himself began the falling away (1 Kings 11:1-8). He was followed by Rehoboam (2
Chronicles 12:1), Ahaziah (2 Kings 8:27), Joash (2 Chronicles 24:17-24), Uzziah (2
Chronicles 26:16-20), Ahaz (2 Kings 16:2-18), Manasseh (2 Kings 21:2-16), Amon (2
Kings 21:20-22), Jehoahaz (2 Kings 23:32), Jehoiakim (2 Kings 23:37), Jehoiachin (2
Kings 24:9), and Zedekiah (2 Kings 24:19), all of whom "did evil in the sight of the
Lord"—forsook his Law, and walked not in has judgments.
K&D 30-37, "Now follows the paraphrase of 2Sa_7:14, that the faithlessness of
David's line in relation to the covenant shall not interfere with (annul) the faithfulness of
God - a thought with which one might very naturally console one's self in the reign of
Rehoboam. Because God has placed the house of David in a filial relationship to Himself,
He will chastise the apostate members as a father chastises his son; cf. Pro_23:13. In
1Ch_17:13 the chronicler omits the words of 2Sa_7:14 which there provide against
perverted action (‫וֹות‬ ֲ‫ֽע‬ ַ‫)ה‬ on the part of the seed of David; our Psalm proves their
originality. But even if, as history shows, this means of chastisement should be
ineffectual in the case of individuals, the house of David as such will nevertheless remain
ever in a state of favour with Him. In Psa_89:34 ‫ּו‬ ִ‫ע‬ ֵ‫מ‬ ‫יר‬ ִ‫פ‬ፎ‫ּא־‬‫ל‬ ‫י‬ ִ ְ‫ס‬ ַ‫ח‬ corresponds to
‫וּ‬ ֶ ִ‫מ‬ ‫סוּר‬ָ‫ּא־י‬‫ל‬‫י־‬ ִ ְ‫ס‬ ַ‫ח‬ְ‫ו‬ in 2Sa_7:15 (lxx, Targum): the fut. Hiph. of ‫פרר‬ is otherwise always ‫ר‬ ֵ‫פ‬ ֵ‫;א‬
the conjecture ‫יר‬ ִ‫ס‬ፎ is therefore natural, yet even the lxx translators (ου ʆ µᆱ διασκεδάσω)
had ‫אפיר‬ before them. ְ ‫ר‬ ֵ ִ‫שׁ‬ as in Psa_44:18. The covenant with David is sacred with
God: He will not profane it (‫ל‬ ֵ ִ‫,ח‬ to loose the bonds of sanctity). He will fulfil what has
gone forth from His lips, i.e., His vow, according to Deu_23:24 [23], cf. Num_30:3 [2].
One thing hath He sworn to David; not: once = once for all (lxx), for what is introduced
by Psa_89:36 (cf. Psa_27:4) and follows in Psa_89:37, Psa_89:38, is in reality one thing
(as in Psa_62:12, two). He hath sworn it per sanctitatem suam. Thus, and not in

133. sanctuario meo, ‫י‬ ִ‫שׁ‬ ְ‫ד‬ ָ‫ק‬ ְ in this passage and Amo_4:2 (cf. on Psa_60:8) is to be rendered,
for elsewhere the expression is ‫י‬ ִ , Gen_22:16; Isa_45:23, or ‫ּו‬‫שׁ‬ ְ‫פ‬ַ‫נ‬ ְ , Amo_6:8; Jer_51:14,
or ‫י‬ ִ‫מ‬ ְ‫שׁ‬ ִ , Jer_44:26, or ‫ּו‬‫נ‬‫י‬ ִ‫ימ‬ ִ , Isa_62:8. It is true we do not read any set form of oath in 2
Sam. 7, 1 Chr. 17, but just as Isaiah, Isa_54:9, takes the divine promise in Gen_8:21 as
an oath, so the promise so earnestly and most solemnly pledged to David may be
accounted by Psalm-poesy (here and in Psa_132:11), which reproduces the historical
matter of fact, as a promise attested with an oath. With ‫ם‬ ִ‫א‬ in Psa_89:36 God asserts
that He will not disappoint David in reference to this one thing, viz., the perpetuity of his
throne. This shall stand for ever as the sun and moon; for these, though they may one
day undergo a change (Psa_102:27), shall nevertheless never be destroyed. In the
presence of 2Sa_7:16 it looks as if Psa_89:38 ought to be rendered: and as the witness
in the clouds shall it (David's throne) be faithful (perpetual). By the witness in the clouds
one would then have to understand the rainbow as the celestial memorial and sign of an
everlasting covenant. Thus Luther, Geier, Schmid, and others. But neither this
rendering, nor the more natural one, “and as the perpetual, faithful witness in the
clouds,” is admissible in connection with the absence of the ְⅴ of comparison.
Accordingly Hengstenberg, following the example of Jewish expositors, renders: “and
the witness in the clouds is perpetual,” viz., the moon, so that the continuance of the
Davidic line would be associated with the moon, just as the continuance of the
condemned earth is with the rainbow. But in what sense would the moon have the name,
without example elsewhere, of witness? Just as the Book of Job was the key to the
conclusion of Ps 88, so it is the key to this ambiguous verse of the Psalm before us. It has
to be explained according to Job_16:19, where Job says: “Behold in heaven is my
witness, and my surety in the heights.” Jahve, the ‫ן‬ ָ‫מ‬ ֱ‫ֽא‬ֶ‫נ‬ ‫ל‬ ֵ‫א‬ (Deu_7:9), seals His sworn
promise with the words, “and the witness in the sky (ethereal heights) is faithful” (cf.
concerning this Waw in connection with asseverations, Ew. §340, c). Hengstenberg's
objection, that Jahve cannot be called His own witness, is disposed of by the fact that ‫ד‬ ֵ‫ע‬
frequently signifies the person who testifies anything concerning himself; in this sense,
in fact, the whole Tôra is called ‫ה‬ ‫דוּת‬ ֵ‫ע‬ (the testimony of Jahve).
31 if they violate my decrees
and fail to keep my commands,
BAR ES, "If they break my statutes - Margin, “profane.” The Hebrew word
means to pollute or defile; and the idea is, If they practically contemn them; if they
regard them as things of nought, or treat them with disdain as a polluted or defiled

134. thing. It is in this way that the mass of mankind do regard the commands of God. They
treat them with no respect; they practically class them among objects that are polluted,
and that are to be avoided as defiled and defiling.
And keep not my commandments - If they do not regulate their conduct by my
laws.
GILL, "If they break my statutes,.... Fixed, settled, appointed ordinances; such as
are baptism and the Lord's supper, under the New Testament dispensation; which are
the things that are unshaken, and will remain until the second coming of Christ: these
are to be kept as they were first delivered; no change and alteration ought to be made in
them; so to do is to break and violate them, or "profane" them, as the word (i) here used
signifies; and which may be done by an unbecoming, irreverent, and indecent
attendance on them; as was by some in the Corinthian church, of which the apostle
complains, and who for it were taken notice of, and chastened by the Lord, 1Co_11:2,
and keep not my commandments; which should be kept impartially, with great affection
to them, from a principle of love to the Lord, with a view to his glory, and without
trusting to and depending upon an obedience to them; for they are not grievous; and,
besides, "in", though not "for", keeping them, there is great reward; and a contrary
behaviour is displeasing to God: now this particular enumeration of offences, that may
be committed by the children of God to Christ, show that all sorts of sins may be
committed by them; sins of omission and commission; sins against the law, and against
the Gospel; all but the unpardonable one; and that these, though they are observed in a
way hereafter mentioned, yet are all forgiven.
SPURGEO , "Ver. 31. If they break my statutes, and keep not my commandments.
The dreadful "if" is suggested again, and the sad case is stated in other forms. But if
it should be so, what then? Death and rejection? Ah, no; Blessed be God, o! If
their sin be negative or positive, if it be forsaking or profanation; if either
judgments or commandments or both be violated, yet there is not a word as to final
destruction, but the very reverse. Legalism will import its ifs, but the Lord slays the
ifs as fast as they rise. Eternal shalls and wills make glorious havoc among the ifs
and buts.
32 I will punish their sin with the rod,
their iniquity with flogging;
BAR ES, "Then will I visit their transgression with the rod - They shall be

135. punished, though my mercy shall not be wholly taken from them. God has two objects in
his dealings with his backsliding and offending people;
(a) one is to show his displeasure at their conduct, or to punish them;
(b) the other is to reclaim them.
All who have been truly converted, or who are truly his people, will be recovered
though they fall into sin; but it may be done, and will be likely to be done, in such a way
as to show his own displeasure at their offences.
And their iniquity with stripes - The word rendercd stripes means properly a
stroke, a blow; then, judgments or calamities such as God sends on mankind as a
punishment for their sins. Gen_12:17; Exo_11:1; Psa_38:11.
GILL, "Then will I visit their transgression with the rod,.... That is, of men; as
in 2Sa_7:14, the Lord making use of men to chastise his people by, as he did of the
neighbouring nations of the Jews, when they sinned against him; and so the Targum
interprets it here,
"I will visit their transgressions by the hands of the tribes of the ungodly;''
or with such afflictions as are common to men, 1Co_10:13, in a kind, humane, moderate
way, in measure, in judgment, and not in wrath and hot displeasure; or in such like
manner as a man chastises his children, which is in love, Deu_8:5.
and their iniquity with stripes; such as diseases of body, loss of relations, crosses
and disappointments in the world; not with the stripes of divine vengeance, of vindictive
justice, such as Christ, the surety of his people, endured for them; but with the scourges
of a father, Isa_53:8.
SPURGEO , "Ver. 32. Then will I visit their transgressions with the rod. ot with
the sword, not with death and destruction; but still with a smarting, tingling,
painful rod. Saints must smart if they sin: God will see to that. He hates sin too
much not to visit it, and he loves his saints too well not to chasten them. God never
plays with his rod, he lays it well home to his children, he visits them with it in their
houses, bodies, and hearts, and makes them know that he is grieved with their ways.
He smites home and chastens
their iniquity with stripes, which are either many or few in proportion as the heart
is properly affected by them. The rod is a covenant blessing, and is meant to be
used. As sin is so frequent, the rod never rests long together; in God's family the rod
is not spared, or the children would be spoiled.
EXPLA ATORY OTES A D QUAI T SAYI GS.
Ver. 32. Then will I visit their transgression with the rod, etc. He does not simply
say, I will smite them; but, I will visit with the rod. It is one thing merely to smite, it
is another thing to smite by visiting. For visitation implies oversight and paternal
care. The metaphor is taken from those who undertake to watch over the sick, or
train up children, or tend sheep. He does not say, I will visit them with the rod; but,
I will visit their transgression with the rod. We ought to think perpetually, what it is
the rod of God visits in us, that we may confess our transgressions, and amend our

136. lives. —Musculus.
33 but I will not take my love from him,
nor will I ever betray my faithfulness.
BAR ES, "Nevertheless my loving-kindness - My mercy; my favor. I will not
utterly cast him off. He shall not be in the condition of those who are my enemies, or
who are entirely forsaken.
Will I not utterly take from him - Margin, “I will not make void from.” The
Hebrew word - ‫פרר‬ pârar - means to break, to break in pieces; then, to violate, as a
covenant; then, to make vain, to bring to nought, to frustrate; then, to annul, to abolish.
The idea here is that of making entirely vain; wholly removing from; or taking
completely away. The meaning is, that he would not wholly take away his favor; he
would not entirely abandon him; he would not suffer him to become wholly apostate; he
would not leave him to ruin. The covenant once made would be accomplished; the
promise given would be carried out.
Nor suffer my faithfulness - My faithfulness as pledged in the covenant or
promise. “To fail.” Margin,” lie.” I will not prove false, or deal falsely in the pledge which
I have made. It shall not appear at last that I have made a promise which has not been
kept. This passage contains a very important principle in regard to the dealings of God
with his people. The principle is, that if people are converted, if they in fact become his
people - he will never suffer them wholly to fall away and perish. They may be suffered to
backslide; they may fall into sin, but they will not be allowed to go so far as to apostatize
wholly. They will be brought back again. Whatever method may be necessary for this,
will be adopted. Commands; warnings; entreaties; remonstrances; - their own
experience; the admonitions of others; the influences of the Holy Spirit: judgments and
calamities; sickness; loss of property; bereavement; disappointment; disgrace; any of
these, or all of these, may be resorted to, in order to bring them back; but they will be
brought back. God, in mercy and in love, will so visit them with sorrow and trouble that
they shall be recovered, and that their “spirit shall be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.”
GILL, "Nevertheless, my lovingkindness will I not utterly take from him,....
Or "make it void" (k), not from Christ, who always was, and ever will be, the dear Son of
his love, even while he was obeying, suffering, and dying; nor from all those that are in
him, loved and chosen in him, from everyone of his spiritual seed, who are all dear sons,
and pleasant children; and the love of God to his people is in Christ; and therefore there
can he no separation from it; nor will it ever depart from them, or be utterly or at all
taken from them, as to that itself, though sometimes the manifestations of it are
withdrawn from them; but the love of God itself is invariable and unchangeable; see

137. Rom_8:38, nor is it removed when God afflicts and chastens his people; for his
chastenings are from love, and in love; the reason why he chastens them is because he
loves them, and he loves them while he is chastening them; he visits and comforts them,
sympathizes with them, supports them, and supplies them, and makes all things work
together for their good, Rev_3:19,
nor suffer my faithfulness to fail; in making good his engagements to Christ, in
keeping the covenant made with him, and in fulfilling his promises to his people; and
even when he afflicts them, it is in faithfulness to them; nor will he suffer them to be
afflicted above what they are able to bear, and will support them under it, and deliver out
of it, Psa_119:75 or "I will not falsify in my truth" (i); or falsify his word; he is faithful
that has promised, who will do it, yea, notwithstanding the unbelief of his people, Heb_
10:23.
HE RY 33-37, "The continuance of Christ's kingdom is made certain by the inviolable
promise and oath of God, notwithstanding all this (Psa_89:33): Nevertheless, my
kindness will I not totally and finally take from him. First, “Notwithstanding their
provocations, yet my covenant shall not be broken.” Note, Afflictions are not only
consistent with covenant-love, but to the people of God they flow from it. Though
David's seed be chastened, it does not follow that they are disinherited; they may be cast
down, but they are not cast off. God's favour is continued to his people, 1. For Christ's
sake; in him the mercy is laid up for us, and God says, I will not take it from him (Psa_
89:33), I will not lie unto David, Psa_89:35. We are unworthy, but he is worthy. 2. For
the covenant's sake: My faithfulness shall not fail, my covenant will I not break. It was
supposed that they had broken God's statutes, profaned and polluted them (so the word
signifies); “But,” says God, “I will not break, I will not profane and pollute, my
covenant;” it is the same word. That which is said and sworn is that God will have a
church in the world as long as sun and moon endure, Psa_89:36, Psa_89:37. The sun
and moon are faithful witnesses in heaven of the wisdom, power, and goodness of the
Creator, and shall continue while time lasts, which they are the measurers of; but the
seed of Christ shall be established for ever, as lights of the world while the world stands,
to shine in it, and, when it is at an end, they shall be established lights shining in the
firmament of the Father.
SPURGEO , "Ver. 33. evertheless. And a glorious nevertheless too! evertheless
my lovingkindness will I not utterly take from him. O glorious fear killing sentence!
This crowns the covenant with exceeding glory. Mercy may seem to depart from the
Lord's chosen, but it shall never altogether do so. Jesus still enjoys the divine
favour, and we are in him, and therefore under the most trying circumstances the
Lord's lovingkindness to each one of his chosen will endure the strain. If the
covenant could be made void by our sins it would have been void long ere this; and
if renewed its tenure would not be worth an hour's purchase if it had remained
dependent upon us. God may leave his people, and they may thereby suffer much
and fall very low, but utterly and altogether he never can remove his love from
them; for that would be to cast a reflection upon his own truth, and this he will
never allow, for he adds,
nor suffer my faithfulness to fail. Man fails in all points, but God in none. To be

138. faithful is one of the eternal characteristics of God, in which he always places a
great part of his glory: his truth is one of his peculiar treasures and crown jewels,
and he will never endure that it should be tarnished in any degree. This passage
sweetly assures us that the heirs of glory shall not be utterly cast off. Let those deny
the safety of the saints who choose to do so, we have not so learned Christ. We
believe in the gospel rod, but not in the penal sword for the adopted sons.
EXPLA ATORY OTES A D QUAI T SAYI GS.
Ver. 33. evertheless my lovingkindness, etc. Except the covenant of grace had this
article in it for remission of sin and for fatherly correction, to drive unto repentance,
that the penitent person coming to God by faith might have sin forgiven him and
lovingkindness shown to him; this covenant should fail us no less than the covenant
of works. —David Dickson.
Ver. 33. I will not utterly take from him. Why "from him?" Because all God's
lovingkindness to his people is centred in Christ. Does God love you? it is because he
loves Christ; you are one with Christ. Your transgressions are your own; they are
separate from Christ; but God's love is not your own; it is Christ's: you receive it
because you are one with him. How beautifully that is distinguished here—"If they
transgress, I will punish them; but my lovingkindness will I not take from him" —
in whom alone they find it; and in union with whom alone they enjoy it. —Capel
Molyneux.
Ver. 33. From him. The words, " evertheless my lovingkindness will not utterly
take from him", are worthy of consideration; for the question being about those
who are chastised, it would appear that he should have written, from them, and not
from him. But the prophet has thus worded it, because, being the children and
members of his Christ, the favours which God bestows upon us belong to him in
some manner; and it seems that the Psalmist wishes to show us hereby, that it is in
Jesus Christ, and for love of him alone, that God bestows favours on us. And that
which follows, in Psalms 89:34 verse, agrees herewith, —My covenant will I not
break —for it is properly to Jesus Christ, on account of his admirable obedience,
that God the Father has promised to be merciful to our iniquities, and never to leave
one of those to perish who are in covenant with him. —Jean Daille.
Ver. 33. or suffer my faithfulness to fail. Man's faith may fail him sometimes, but
God's faithfulness never fails him: God will not suffer his faithfulness to fail. God's
operations may have an aspect that way; the devil's temptations, and our
unbelieving hearts, may not only make us think so, but persuade us it is so, whereas
it cannot be so, for the Lord will not suffer it, he will not make a lie in his truth or
faithfulness; so the Hebrew is: he is a God that cannot lie, he is Truth, speaks truth,
and not one of his promises can or shall fail; which may afford strong consolation
unto all that are under any promise of God. —William Greenhill.
PULPIT, " evertheless my loving kindness will I not utterly take from him, nor
suffer my faithfulness to fail. Compare the original promise (2 Samuel 7:15); and see
also 1 Kings 11:12, 1 Kings 11:13, 1 Kings 11:34-39; 1 Kings 15:4, 1 Kings 15:5, etc.
The seed of David was not allowed to fail, but was continued on, until, in the fulness
of time, there was born into the world, of David's seed and in David's city, One in
whom all the promises made to David could be, and were, accomplished in their
utmost fulness.

139. 34 I will not violate my covenant
or alter what my lips have uttered.
BAR ES, "My covenant will I not break - literally, I will not pollute, defile,
profane. See the notes at Psa_89:31, where the same word is used. God says that he will
not do in regard to the covenant as they had done.
Nor alter the thing ... - The promise which I have made. I will not make it a
different thing. I will not modify its conditions, or withdraw it. It shall stand precisely as
it was when I uttered it. What God promises will be exactly performed.
CLARKE, "My covenant will I not break - My determination to establish a
spiritual kingdom, the head of which shall be Jesus, the son of David, shall never fail. My
prophets have declared this, and I will not alter the thing that is gone out of my mouth.
GILL, "My covenant will I not break,.... Not the covenant at Sinai, as Aben Ezra,
but the covenant of grace made with Christ, and which stands fast with him, Psa_89:3,
which is firm, sure, and stable, and as immovable as mountains and hills, and more so,
2Sa_23:5 or "profane" (m) it, though his people profane his statutes, Psa_89:31, he will
not profane his covenant; though they violate his laws, he is a God keeping covenant
with them, and will not break his word with them:
nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips; any promise of his, respecting
either the temporal, spiritual, or eternal welfare of his people: or "not change" (n); as he
changes not in his nature and perfections, nor in his love and affections, nor in his
counsels and purposes; so neither in his covenant and promises, they are always the
same, and have a certain and unchangeable accomplishment; there is a performance of
whatsoever is spoken by the Lord, Luk_1:45.
CALVI , "34My covenant will I not break. As the true knowledge of God’s mercy
can only be obtained from his word, he enjoins us to keep our eyes intently fixed
upon his covenant. The more excellent and invaluable a blessing it is, “ ever to be
rejected after having been once adopted by him,” the more difficult it is for us to
believe its truth. And we know how many thoughts from time to time present
themselves to our minds, tempting us to call it in question. That the faithful,
therefore, may not harass themselves beyond measure in debating in their own

140. minds whether or no they are in favor with God, they are enjoined to look to the
covenant, and to embrace the salvation which is offered to them in it. God here
commends to us his own faithfulness, that we may account his promise sufficient,
and that we may not seek the certainty of our salvation any where else. He had said
above, If the children of David break my statutes; and now, alluding to that breach,
he declares that he will not requite them as they requite him,My covenant will I not
break, implying, that although his people may not altogether act in a manner
corresponding to their vocation, as they ought to do, he will not suffer his covenant
to be broken and disannulled on account of their fault, because he will promptly
and effectually prevent this in the way of blotting out their sins by a gratuitous
pardon. He is still pursuing the illustration of the preceding proposition, I will not
suffer my faithfulness to fail; promising not only to be faithful on his side, as we say,
but also that what he has promised shall take full effect, in despite of all the
impediments which men may cast in the way; for he will strive against their sins,
that by means of them the fruit of his goodness may not be prevented from reaching
them. When the Jews, by their ingratitude and treachery, revolted from him, the
covenant was not disannulled, because it was founded upon the perfect immutability
of his nature. And still, at the present day, when our sins mount even to the heavens,
the goodness of God fails not to rise above them, since it is far above the heavens.
SPURGEO , "Ver. 34. My covenant will I not break. It is his own covenant. He
devised it, drew up the draft of it, and voluntarily entered into it: he therefore
thinks much of it. It is not a man's covenant, but the Lord claims it as his own. It is
an evil thing among men for one to be a "covenant breaker", and such an
opprobrious epithet shall never be applicable to the Most High.
or alter the thing that is gone out of my lips. Alterations and afterthoughts belong
to short sighted beings who meet with unexpected events which operate upon them
to change their minds, but the Lord who sees everything from the beginning has no
such reason for shifting his ground. He is besides immutable in his nature and
designs, and cannot change in heart, and therefore not in promise. A word once
given is sacred; once let a promise pass our lips and honesty forbids that we should
recall it, —unless indeed the thing promised be impossible, or wicked, neither of
which can happen with the promises of God. How consoling it is to see the Lord thus
resolute. He, in the words before us, virtually reasserts his covenant and rehearses
his engagements. This he does at such length, and with such reiteration, that it is
evident he takes pleasure in that most ancient and solemn contract. If it were
conceivable that he had repented of it, he would not be found dwelling upon it, and
repeating it with renewed emphasis.
EXPLA ATORY OTES A D QUAI T SAYI GS.
Ver. 34. My covenant will I not break. He had said above, If the children of David
break my statutes; and now, alluding to that breach, he declares that he will not
requite them as they requite him, My covenant will I not break, implying, that
although his people may not altogether act in a manner corresponding to their
vocation, as they ought to do, he will not suffer his covenant to be broken and
disannulled on account of their fault, because he will promptly and effectually
prevent this in the way of blotting out their sins by a gratuitous pardon. —John
Calvin.

141. 35 Once for all, I have sworn by my holiness—
and I will not lie to David—
BAR ES, "Once have I sworn by my holiness - That is, once for all; - a single
oath - an oath once taken by me - makes it certain. To swear by his “holiness” is to
pledge his own holy nature; to make it as certain as that he is holy; to stake the whole
question of his holiness on that. That is, If this should not be accomplished - if he should
fail in this - it would prove that he was not a holy God.
That I will not lie unto David - Margin, as in Hebrew, “if I lie.” The meaning is, He
would be found faithful to the promise. See Psa_89:3-4; compare 2Sa_7:8-16.
CLARKE, "Once have I sworn - I have made one determination on this head, and
have bound myself by my holiness; it is impossible that I should change, and there needs
no second oath, the one already made is of endless obligation.
GILL, "Once have I sworn by my holiness,.... Swearing is ascribed to God after the
manner of men, and is done in condescension to the weakness of his people, and to
remove doubts and hesitations from them, relating to things spiritual and eternal; as to
his everlasting love to them, his covenant with them in Christ, and their perseverance in
his grace; and it is made by himself, or one or other of his perfections, as here by his
"holiness"; see Amo_4:2, and indeed his holiness being his nature, is no other than he
himself, the holy God; and because he could swear by no greater, he sware by himself,
that as sure as he was, and was holy, just, and true, he would make good what he
promises, Heb_6:13 and this is done but once, once for all, that being sufficient; it need
not be repeated, nor is it ever revoked; when he swears, he never repents of it, nor
changes his mind; and it is to show the immutability of his counsel that he swears at all,
Psa_110:4,
that I will not lie unto David; he will not lie to any, he cannot, it is impossible he
should; it would be to deny himself, it is contrary to his being as God, he is not a man
that he should lie; it is contrary to his character as the God of truth; he will not lie,
neither in his counsel nor covenant, in his purposes nor promises; these are the two
immutable things, in which it is impossible he should lie: and he has swore to it that he
will not lie to David, to David's son the Messiah, with whom the covenant is made, and
stands fast; all the prophecies concerning him he has fulfilled; and all the promises made
to him of help and assistance, as man and Mediator, in his work, and of the reward of it,
a glory with him, he has made good.

142. JAMISO , "Once — one thing (Psa_27:4).
by my holiness — as a holy God.
that I will not lie — literally, “if I lie” - part of the form of swearing (1Sa_24:6; 2Sa_
3:35).
CALVI , "35.Once have I sworn by my holiness. God now confirms by an oath
what he previously stated he had promised to David; from which it appears that it
was not a matter of small importance; it being certain that God would not interpose
his holy name in reference to what was of no consequence. It is a token of singular
loving-kindness for him, upon seeing us prone to distrust, to provide a remedy for it
so compassionately. We have, therefore, so much the less excuse if we do not
embrace, with true and unwavering faith, his promise which is so strongly ratified,
since in his deep interest about our salvation, he does not withhold his oath, that we
may yield entire credence to his word. If we do not reckon his simple promise
sufficient, he adds his oath, as it were, for a pledge. The adverb once, (551) denotes
that the oath is irrevocable, and that therefore we have not the least reason to be
apprehensive of any inconstancy. He affirms that he sware by his holiness, because a
greater than himself is not to be found, by whom he could swear. In swearing by
Him, we constitute him our judge, and place him as sovereign over us, even as he is
our sovereign by nature. It is a more emphatic manner of expression for him to say,
by my holiness, than if he had said, by myself, not only because it magnifies and
exalts his glory, but also because it is far more fitted for the confirmation of faith,
calling back, as it does, the faithful to the earthly habitation which he had chosen
for himself, that they might not think it necessary for them to seek him at a distance;
for by the term holiness, I have no doubt, he means the sanctuary. And yet he
swears by himself, and by nothing else; for, in naming the temple which he had
appointed as his seat, he does not depart from himself; but, merely accommodating
his language to our rude understandings, swears by his holiness which dwells visibly
upon earth. With respect to the elliptical form of the oath, we have seen, in a
previous psalm, that this was a manner of swearing quite common among the
Hebrews. Thus they were warned that the name of God was not to be used without
due consideration, lest, by using it rashly and irreverently, they should draw down
upon themselves the Divine vengeance. The abrupt and suspended form of
expression was, as it were, a bridle to restrain them, and give them opportunity for
reflection. It is no uncommon thing for God to borrow something from the common
custom of men.
SPURGEO , "Ver. 35. Once have I sworn by my holiness that I will not lie unto
David. Because he could swear by no greater he swore by himself, and by that
peculiar attribute which is his highest glory, being the subject of threefold adoration
by all the hosts of heaven. God here pledges the crown of his kingdom, the excellent
beauty of his person, the essence of his nature. He does as good as say that if he
ceases to be true to his covenant he will have forfeited his holy character. What
more can he say? In what stronger language can he express his unalterable

143. adherence to the truth of his promise? An oath is the end of all strife; it ought to be
the end of all doubt on our part. We cannot imagine that God could lie, yet he puts
it so—that if the covenant were not kept by him, he would regard it as a lie. Here is
ground for strong confidence; may our faith be of such a nature as these assurances
will warrant.
EXPLA ATORY OTES A D QUAI T SAYI GS.
Ver. 35. Once have I sworn by my holiness. He lays here his holiness to pledge for
the assurance of his promise, as the attribute most dear to him, most valued by him,
as though no other could give an assurance parallel to it, in this concern of an
everlasting redemption, which is there spoken of. He that swears, swears by a
greater than himself. God having no greater than himself, swears by himself; and
swearing here by his holiness seems to equal that single to all his other attributes, as
if he were more concerned in the honour of it than of all the rest. It is as if he should
have said, Since I have not a more excellent perfection to swear by than that of my
holiness, I lay this to pawn for your security, and bind myself by that which I will
never part with, were it possible for me to be stripped of all the rest. It is a tacit
imprecation of himself, If I lie unto David, let me never be counted holy, or thought
righteous enough to be trusted by angels or men. This attribute he makes most of. â
€”Stephen Charnock.
BE SO , "Psalms 89:35. Once have I sworn by my holiness, &c. — Here he assigns
some reasons why he would not break his covenant with David, though he should
have just cause so to do, and though he had, upon such just cause, broken his
covenant made with others; 1st, Because this covenant was confirmed by his oath,
which added, not only more solemnity, but more stability and certainty to it,
according to the apostle’s reasoning, Hebrews 6:13-18, whereby he shows that God
added an oath to his promise made to Abraham, to make and prove it to be
immutable; and Hebrews 7:20, &c., where he proves the priesthood of Melchisedek
to be unchangeable, because it was confirmed by an oath. And although judgments,
simply threatened, have not always been executed, but sometimes prevented; yet
those comminations, which were confirmed by oath, were thereby rendered and
declared to be irrevocable, as we see umbers 14:28-30; Jeremiah 44:26. 2d,
Because God sware by his holiness; in or by which he is but seldom said to speak or
swear, and when he is, it constantly adds more weight and confirmation to what is
declared, as Psalms 60:6; Psalms 108:7; Amos 4:2.
COKE, "Psalms 89:35. Once have I sworn, &c.— One thing I swear by my holiness;
(I will not lie unto David:) Psalms 89:36. His seed shall endure for ever, &c. Psalms
89:37. As the moon, it shall be fixed firm for ever, and it shall be a faithful witness
in heaven: i.e. "The moon shall be a faithful witness to this promise of God, so long
as it continues in the heavens." See Mudge and Houbigant.
PULPIT, "Ones have I sworn by my holiness; rather, one thing have I sworn. (On
God's oath to David, see Psalms 89:3, Psalms 89:49, and Psalms 132:11.) The
present passage shows that it was sworn "by his holiness"—i.e. by his absolute
moral perfection. That I will not lie unto David; i.e. that I will keep all my promises
to him. God, no doubt, always and in every case "keepeth his promise forever"

144. (Psalms 146:6); but in his mercy and loving kindness he condescended to give David
a special guarantee of his faithfulness in respect of the promises made to him.
36 that his line will continue forever
and his throne endure before me like the sun;
BAR ES, "His seed shall endure forever ... - His posterity. See the notes at
Psa_89:29. There, the expression is, “his throne as the days of heaven.” Here it is, “his
throne as the sun before me.” The meaning is the same. It would stand through all time.
Compare the notes at Psa_72:5.
CLARKE, "His throne as the son - Splendid and glorious! dispensing light, heat,
life, and salvation to all mankind.
GILL, "His seed shall endure for ever,.... This is a confirmation by his oath of what
he had before said, Psa_89:29 which may be understood either of the perseverance of
particular believers, of everyone of the spiritual seed of Christ; or of the duration of the
church in general, throughout all ages, as before observed; and these being matters of
moment and importance, and of which there are sometimes doubts in the minds of the
Lord's people about them, and that they may be firmly believed by them, he confirms
them with an oath; for God never swears to trivial things; and when he does swear, it is
to remove the doubts of his people, and make their minds easy:
and his throne as the sun before me; that is, shall continue as long as it does; see
Psa_89:29, or shall be bright, splendid, and glorious as the sun, so the Targum,
"and his throne light as the sun before me;''
meaning his church and kingdom, of which the throne is an emblem, and which became
so in Gospel times, clear and lucid as the sun, Son_6:10, when day was made by the
rising of the sun of righteousness, and by the bright shining of the Gospel ministry; and
at particular periods since, as in the times of Constantine, when the church was clothed
with the sun, and at the Reformation, when Christ appeared with a rainbow on his head,
and his face was as the sun, Rev_12:1 and especially this will be the case of the church in
the latter day, when the light of the moon will be as the light of the sun, and the light of
the sun seven fold, as the light of seven days; and when the city, the church, will stand in
no need of the sun, nor of the moon; and also in the ultimate glory, when the saints will

145. shine as the sun in the kingdom of God; see Isa_30:26. This passage is applied to the
Messiah by the Jews (a).
CALVI , "36.His seed shall endure for ever. There now follows the promise that
the right of sovereignty shall always remain with the posterity of David. These two
things — his offspring and his throne, are conjoined; and by these words the
everlasting duration of the kingdom is promised, so that it should never pass to
those who were of a strange and different race. The sun and the moon are produced
as witnesses; for although they are creatures subject to corruption, they yet possess
more stability than the earth or air; the elements, as we see, being subject to
continual changes. As the whole of this lower world is subject to unceasing agitation
and change, there is presented to us a more steadfast state of things in the sun and
moon, that the kingdom of David might not be estimated according to the common
order of nature. Since, however, this royal throne was shaken in the time of
Rehoboam, as we have before had occasion to remark, and afterwards broken down
and overthrown, it follows that this prophecy cannot be limited to David. For
although at length the outward majesty of this kingdom was put an end to without
hope of being re-established, the sun ceased not to shine by day, nor the moon by
night. Accordingly, until we come to Christ, God might seem to be unfaithful to his
promises. But in the branch which sprung from the root of Jesse, these words were
fulfilled in their fullest sense. (552)
SPURGEO , "Ver. 36. His seed shall endure for ever. David's line in the person of
Jesus is an endless one, and the race of Jesus, as represented in successive
generations of believers, shows no sign of failure. o power, human or Satanic, can
break the Christian succession; as saints die others shall rise up to fill their places,
so that till the last day, the day of doom, Jesus shall have a seed to serve him.
And his throne as the sun before me. In our Lord Jesus the dynasty of David
remains upon the throne. Jesus has never abdicated, nor gone into banishment. He
reigns, and must reign so long as the sun continues to shine upon the earth. A seed
and a throne are the two great promises of the covenant, and they are as important
to us as to our Lord Jesus himself; for we are the seed who must endure for ever,
and we are protected and ennobled by that King whose royalties are to last for ever.
EXPLA ATORY OTES A D QUAI T SAYI GS.
Ver. 36. His seed shall endure for ever. They shall continue for ever in three senses.
First. In the succession of their race to the end of the world. It will never be cut off. â
€”"The Church is in danger!" What Church? "Upon this rock", says he, "I will
build my Church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." Yea, his people
shall continue to increase in number and excellency. We shall leave the world better
than we entered it: and so will our children; till Jerusalem shall be established, and
be made a praise in the whole earth. Secondly. In their religious character to the end
of their own life. If left to themselves, we could not be sure of their persevering to
the end of a day or an hour. But they are kept by the power of God, through faith,
unto salvation. He upholdeth them with his hand. They shall hold on their way. In
all their dangers they shall be more than conquerors. Thirdly. In their glorified
state, through eternal ages. The world passeth away, and the lusts thereof; but he

146. that doeth the will of God abideth for ever. All other greatness is only for life: it is
frequently less durable—at death it ends. But then, the Christian's greatness—I
will not say, begins; for it began the moment he prayed—but then it continues,
increases, and is perfected. —William Jay.
BE SO , "Verse 36-37
Psalms 89:36-37. His throne as the sun before me — In respect of perpetual
duration, as appears, both from the foregoing and following words. It shall be
established as the moon — As the moon, though subject to eclipses, and frequent
and manifold changes, yet doth constantly and perpetually remain in heaven, as a
witness of my covenant of the night, as it is called Jeremiah 33:20, so shall the house
and kingdom of David continue for ever. And as a faithful witness in heaven — By
which may be meant either, 1st, The moon last mentioned, which was to be a faithful
witness to this promise of God so long as it continued in the heavens; or the
rainbow, which, though in itself it be unstable and transient, and doth but seldom
appear, yet in Scripture is mentioned as God’s faithful and perpetual witness, being
called a token of God’s everlasting covenant, between him and every living creature
for perpetual generations, Genesis 9:12-16.
EBC, "The allusions to the ancient promise are completed in Psalms 89:36-37, with
the thought of the perpetual continuance of the Davidic line and kingdom, expressed
by the familiar comparison of its duration to that of the sun and moon. Psalms 89:37
b is best understood as above. Some take the faithful witness to be the moon; others
the rainbow, and render, as in the A.V. and R.V., "and as the faithful witness." But
the designation of the moon as a witness is unexampled and almost unintelligible. It
is better to take the clause as independent, and to suppose that Jehovah is His own
witness, and that the psalmist here speaks in his own person, the quotation of the
promises being ended. Cheyne encloses the clause in a parenthesis and compares
Revelation 3:14.
The third part begins with Psalms 89:38, and consists of two portions, in the first of
which the psalmist complains with extraordinary boldness of remonstrance, and
describes the contrast between these lofty promises and the sad reality (Psalms
89:38-45), and, in the second prays for the removal of the contradiction of God’s
promise by Israel’s affliction, and bases this petition on the double ground of the
shortness of life, and the dishonour done to His own ame thereby.
The expostulation very nearly crosses the boundary of reverent remonstrance, when
it charges God with having Himself "abhorred" or, according to another rendering,
"made void" His covenant, and cast the king’s crown to the ground. The
devastation of the kingdom is described, in Psalms 89:40-41, in language borrowed
from Psalms 80:12. The pronouns grammatically refer to the king, but the ideas of
the land and the monarch are blended. The next pair of verses (Psalms 89:42-43)
ventures still further in remonstrance, by charging God with taking the side of
Israel’s enemies and actively intervening to procure its defeat. The last verse pair of
this part (Psalms 89:44-45) speaks more exclusively of the king, or perhaps of the
monarchy. The language, especially in Psalms 89:45 a, seems most naturally

147. understood of an individual. Delitzsch takes such to be its application, and supposes
it to describe the king as having been prematurely aged by calamity; while Hupfeld,
with Hengstenberg and others, prefer to regard the expression as lamenting that the
early days of the monarchy’s vigour had so soon been succeeded by decrepitude like
that of age. That family, which had been promised perpetual duration and
dominion, has lost its lustre, and is like a dying lamp. That throne has fallen to the
ground, which God had promised should stand forever. Senile weakness has
stricken the monarchy and disaster, which makes it an object of contempt, wraps it
like a garment, instead of the royal robe. A long, sad wail of the music fixes the
picture on the mind of the hearer.
Then follows prayer, which shows how consistent with true reverence and humble
dependence is the outspoken vigour of the preceding remonstrance. The boldest
thoughts about the apparent contradiction of God’s words and deeds are not too
bold, if spoken straight to Him, and not muttered against Him, and if they lead the
speaker to prayer for the removal of the anomaly. In Psalms 89:46 there is a
quotation from Psalms 79:5. The question "How long" is the more imploring
because life is so short. There is but a little while during which it is possible for God
to manifest Himself as full of Lovingkindness and Faithfulness. The psalmist lets his
feelings of longing to see for himself the manifestation of these attributes peep forth
for a moment, in that pathetic sudden emergence of "I" instead of "we" or "men,"
in Psalms 89:47 a. His language is somewhat obscure, but the sense is clear.
Literally; the words read "Remember-I, what a transitoriness." The meaning is
plain enough, when it is observed that, as Perowne rightly says, "I" is placed first
for the sake of emphasis. It is a tender thought that God may be moved to show
forth His Lovingkindness by remembrance of the brief period within which a man’s
opportunity of beholding it is restricted, and by the consideration that so soon he
will have to look on a grimmer sight, and "see death." The music again comes in
with a melancholy cadence, emphasising the sadness which enwraps man’s short
life, if no gleams of God’s lovingkindness fall on its fleeting days.
37 it will be established forever like the moon,
the faithful witness in the sky.”
BAR ES, "It shall be established forever as the moon - As long as the moon
shall endure. The heavenly bodies are the most permanent objects that we know of; and

148. they, therefore, became the emblems of stability and perpetuity. Compare the notes at
Psa_72:7.
And as a faithful witness in heaven - As the witness in heaven, or in the sky, is
sure. The reference is to the moon, regarded as a witness for God. What is said here of
the moon as an index of his faithfulness, might be said also of the sun and the stars; but
the beauty of the image is increased by the attention being fixed to a single object. As the
moon is fixed, regular, enduring - so are the promises and purposes of God. Such were
the promises made to David; such was the oath which had been taken by God; such the
covenant which he had made. The psalmist now proceeds Psa_89:38-45 to show that
this oath and these promises seemed to be disregarded; that there were things occurring
which appeared as if God had forgotten them; that there was not that manifest
prosperity and favor which was implied in the promise; but that a series of calamities
had occurred which it was difficult to reconcile with these solemn pledges. On the
ground of this he prays Psa_89:46-52 that God would return, and would remember his
covenant, and would bless David and his people.
CLARKE, "As the moon, and as a faithful witness in heaven - That is, as long
as the sun and moon shall endure, as long as time shall last, his kingdom shall last
among men. The moon appears to be termed a faithful witness here, because by her
particularly time is measured. Her decrease and increase are especially observed by
every nation, and by these time is generally estimated, especially among the eastern
nations. So many moons is a man old; so many moons since such an event happened;
and even their years are reckoned by lunations. This is the case with the Mohammedans
to the present day. Or the rainbow may be intended; that sign which God has established
in the cloud; that faithful witness of his that the earth shall no more be destroyed by
water. As long therefore as the sun, the moon, and the rainbow appear in the heavens, so
long shall the spiritual David reign, and his seed prosper and increase.
Selah - It is confirmed; it shall not fail.
GILL, "It shall be established for ever as the moon,.... Either Christ's seed, or
throne, which comes to much the same sense; for by both are meant his church and
people, his kingdom and interest in the world; the moon is as perpetual as the sun, and
is used as elsewhere to signify the continuance of the people, church, and interest of
Christ, Psa_72:5, for though the moon has its spots, and is changeable, sometimes in the
full, and sometimes in the decline, yet always is, and always continues, and ever will; and
so though the people of God have their spots and imperfections, and are sometimes on
the decline in the frames and dispositions of their minds, in the exercise of grace, in their
spirituality, liveliness, and zeal, and in their walk and conversation in the church and
world; yet they shall abide and persevere to the end; and though the church may be like
the moon in the wane, be declining as to numbers, gifts, and graces, yet it shall continue
and be established; it is sometimes indeed in a fluctuating state, and is not always in the
same place, but is removed from one country to another; yet it always is somewhere,
even though in the wilderness, and ere long will be established on the top of the
mountains, and be no more a tabernacle that shall be taken down; see Psa_48:8.
and as a faithful witness in heaven: or "in the sky or cloud" (b); some understand
this of the moon, others of both sun and moon; but it seems best to interpret it of

149. something distinct from either, even of the rainbow, which though it does not always
appear in the clouds, yet it has appeared at times, and does and will unto the end of the
world; and be a faithful and an everlasting token and witness of the covenant of God
made with all creatures, that he will no more destroy the world by a flood, Gen_9:12,
and is an emblem of the covenant of grace, and of the continuance, perpetuity, and
immutability of it; see Isa_54:9.
JAMISO , "It shall ... moon ... heaven — literally, “As the moon, and the witness
in the sky is sure, that is, the moon.”
SPURGEO , "Ver. 37. It shall be established for ever as the moon. The kingdom
may wax and wane to mortal eyes, but it shall still abide as long as the moon walks
in her silver beauty.
And as a faithful witness in heavens. The most stable part of the universe is selected
as a type of Messiah's kingdom, and both sun and moon are made to be symbols of
its long endurance. Whatever else there is in the sky which faithfully witnesses to the
unbending course of nature is also called upon to be a sign of the Lord's truth.
When heaven and earth witness, and the Lord himself swears, there remains no
excuse for doubting, and faith joyfully reposes in confident expectation.
EXPLA ATORY OTES A D QUAI T SAYI GS.
Ver. 37. It shall be established for ever as the moon. This clause Kimchi expounds
not only of the perpetuity, but of the quality and condition of David's Kingdom,
after this fashion: If his children be good, they shall be like the moon, when full and
shining; if bad, like the moon waning and obscure. evertheless the kingdom itself
shall not cease, just as the moon does not go out of existence, whilst it is obscure, but
lasts perpetually. —Musculus.
Ver. 37. And as a faithful witness in heaven. ( ew Translation) And as the
rainbow's faithful sign. The rainbow is not expressly mentioned in the original,
which speaks only of "the faithful witness in heaven." Some commentators
understand the "witness" thus mentioned to be no other than the moon itself. I
prefer, however, the interpretation that fixes it on the rainbow, which God after the
deluge appointed as a "sign" or "witness" of his mercy in Christ. Genesis 9:12-17.
Conformably to this appointment, the Jews, when they behold the rainbow, are said
to bless God, who remembers his covenant and is faithful to his promise. And the
tradition of this its designation to proclaim comfort to mankind was strong among
the heathens: for, according to the mythology of the Greeks, the "rainbow" was the
daughter of "wonder", "a sign to mortal men", and regarded, upon its appearance,
as a messenger of the celestial deities. Thus Homer with remarkable conformity to
the Scripture account speaks of the "rainbow", which "Jove hath set in the cloud, a
sign to men." —Richard Mant.
WHEDO , "37. In heaven—In the clouds, as the word often means. Job 36:28;
Psalms 78:23. In this sense the allusion is to Genesis 9:13 : “I do set my bow in the
clouds.” But if ‫,שׁהק‬ shahak, be understood of the starry heavens, (comp. Job 16:19 ;
Jeremiah 33:20-26,) language and metaphor can go no further in setting forth the
immutability of the covenant which, in its higher sense, is realized only and fully in

150. Christ.
What blessings would have come to the Hebrew nation, and to the world through
them, had they and the house of David been faithful to the covenant! The
backslidings of the Church have, in all ages, been the chief obstacle to her success.
PULPIT, "It shall be established forever as the moon (comp. Psalms 72:7). And as a
faithful witness in heaven. Some understand this expression of the moon; but, as
Professor Cheyne comments, "Who could witness that such great things were true
but Jehovah?" (So too Delitzsch, Kay, and Canon Cook.) If this be regarded as the
true meaning, it will be better to translate, "the true witness." Job's citation of God
as his witness (Job 16:19) is scarcely parallel.
38 But you have rejected, you have spurned,
you have been very angry with your anointed
one.
BAR ES, "But thou hast cast off - literally, Thou hast treated as a foul, offensive
thing; thou hast treated him to whom these promises were made, as if he were a vile and
detestable object - as that which one throws away because it is worthless or offensive.
And abhorred - Hast despised; that is, as if it were an object of aversion or
contempt. Compare Psa_60:1, Psa_60:10.
Thou hast been wroth - literally, “Thou hast suffered (thine anger) to overflow,” or
to pour itself forth. See Psa_78:21, Psa_78:59.
With thine anointed - With him who had been anointed as king - anointed as thine
own - to administer justice, and to rule for thee. 1Sa_16:1, 1Sa_16:13. This might seem to
refer to the time of Absalom, when David was driven from his throne and his kingdom;
see, however, the Introduction to the Psalm.
CLARKE, "But thou hast cast off - Hitherto the psalmist has spoken of the
covenant of God with David and his family, which led them to expect all manner of
prosperity, and a perpetuity of the Jewish throne; now he shews what appears to him a
failure of the promise, and what he calls in the next verse the making void the covenant
of his servant. God cannot lie to David; how is it then that his crown is profaned, that it
is cast down to the ground; the land being possessed by strangers, and the twelve tribes
in the most disgraceful and oppressive captivity?

151. GILL, "But thou hast cast off,.... Here begin objections to what is before said, and
swore to; even to the everlasting love of God, to Christ, and to his seed, to the
unchangeableness and unalterableness of the covenant, and to the continuance and
perpetuity of the kingdom and church of Christ, taken from the dealings of the Lord with
the Messiah and his people; which were made either by the psalmist, under a spirit of
prophecy, foreseeing what would come to pass; or by the apostles and church of Christ,
about the time of his sufferings and death, and after; when he seemed to be "cast off",
and rejected by the Lord, particularly when he forsook him, and hid his face from him,
Mat_27:46, as when he hides his face from his people, it is interpreted by them a casting
them off; see Psa_44:22,
and abhorred; not that he abhorred the person of Christ, who was his own Son, his
beloved Son; nor his afflictions and sufferings, which were a sacrifice of a sweet smelling
savour to him; see Psa_22:24, though these might be interpreted by others as if the Lord
abhorred or rejected him; because he suffered him to be used in the manner he was, and
particularly to be abhorred by the Jews, even by the nation in general, Isa_49:7, though
the sins of his people, which he had upon him, and for which he suffered, were an
abhorring to the Lord; and when he was made sin, he was made a curse:
thou hast been wroth with thine Anointed; with thy Messiah; not Rehoboam,
from whom the ten tribes were rent; nor Josiah, who was killed by Pharaohnecho; nor
Zedekiah, carried captive into Babylon; but the true Messiah, the son of David, before
said to be found by the Lord, and anointed with his holy oil, Psa_89:20, which is to be
understood of him, not as his own son, who was always the object of his love, but as the
sinner's surety, bearing the sins of his people, and all the wrath and punishment due
unto them; and so is reconcilable to the promise, that lovingkindness should not be
taken from him, Psa_89:33 and is no objection to it, though made one.
HE RY 38-39, "I. A very melancholy complaint of the present deplorable state of
David's family, which the psalmist thinks hard to be reconciled to the covenant God
made with David. “Thou saidst thou wouldst not take away thy lovingkindness, but
thou hast cast off.” Sometimes, it is no easy thing to reconcile God's providences with his
promises, and yet we are sure they are reconcilable; for God's works fulfil his word and
never contradict it. 1. David's house seemed to have lost its interest in God, which was
the greatest strength and beauty of it. God had been pleased with his anointed, but now
he was wroth with him (Psa_89:38), had entered into covenant with the family, but
now, for aught he could perceive, he had made void the covenant, not broken some of
the articles of it, but cancelled it, Psa_89:39. We misconstrue the rebukes of Providence
if we think they make void the covenant. When the great anointed one, Christ himself,
was upon the cross, God seemed to have cast him off, and was wroth with him, and yet
did not make void his covenant with him, for that was established for ever. 2. The
honour of the house of David was lost and laid in the dust: Thou hast profaned his
crown (which was always looked upon as sacred) by casting it to the ground, to be
trampled on, Psa_89:39. Thou hast made his glory to cease (so uncertain is all earthly
glory, and so soon does it wither) and thou hast cast his throne down to the ground, not
only dethroned the king, but put a period to the kingdom, Psa_89:44. If it was penned in
Rehoboam's time, it was true as to the greatest part of the kingdom, five parts of six; if in
Zedekiah's time, it was more remarkably true of the poor remainder. Note, Thrones and
crowns are tottering things, and are often laid in the dust; but there is a crown of glory
reserved for Christ's spiritual seed which fadeth not away.

152. JAMISO , "present a striking contrast to these glowing promises, in mournful
evidences of a loss of God’s favor.
cast off — and rejected (compare Psa_15:4; Psa_43:2; Psa_44:9).
CALVI , "38.But thou hast abhorred and rejected him. Here the prophet
complains that in consequence of the decayed state of the kingdom, the prophecy
appeared to have failed of its accomplishment. ot that he accuses God of falsehood;
but he speaks in this manner, that he may with all freedom cast his cares and griefs
into the bosom of God, who permits us to deal thus familiarly with him. It doubtless
becomes us to frame our desires according to the divine will; but that person cannot
be said to pass beyond due bounds who humbly laments that he is deprived of the
tokens of the divine favor, provided be does not despair, or rebelliously murmur
against God; and we shall afterwards see that the prophet, when he blesses God at
the close of the psalm, affords a proof of tranquil submission, by which he corrects
or qualifies his complaints. Whoever, therefore, that Rabbin was who maintained
that it is unlawful to recite this psalm, he was led by a foolish and impious
peevishness to condemn what God bears with in his children. In taking this liberty
of expostulating with God, the prophet had no other object in view than that he
might the more effectually resist distrust and impatience, by unburdening himself in
the divine presence. Farther, the words, Thou hast abhorred and rejected him, if
criticised according to the rules of the Greek and Latin language, will be
pronounced inelegant; for the word which is most emphatic is put first, and then
there is added another which is less emphatic. But as the Hebrews do not observe
our manner of arrangement in this respect, the order here adopted is quite
consistent with the idiom of the Hebrew language. The third verb contains the
reason of this change on the part of God, teaching us that the king was rejected
because God was incensed against him. It is thought by some that there is here a
recital of the mockery in which the enemies of the chosen people indulged, an
opinion which they adopt to avoid the difficulty arising from viewing this severe
kind of complaint, as uttered by the Church, which proved such a stumbling-block
to the Rabbin above referred to, that on account of it he condemned the whole
psalm. But it is to be observed, that the prophet speaks according to the common
feeling and apprehension of men; while at the same time he was fully convinced in
his own mind, that the king who had been once chosen by God could not be rejected
by him.
In the same sense we ought to understand what follows (verse 39) concerning the
disannulling of the covenant — Thou hast made the covenant of thy servant to
cease. The prophet does not charge God with levity and inconstancy: he only
complains that those notable promises of which he had spoken had to appearance
vanished and come to nought. Whenever the faithful put the question,
“How long wilt thou forget me, O Lord?” “Awake, why sleepest thou, O Lord?”
(Psalms 13:1,)

153. they assuredly are not to be understood as attributing forgetfulness or sleep to him:
they only lay before him the temptations which flesh and blood suggest to them in
order to induce him speedily to succor them under the infirmity with which they are
distressed. It is not then wonderful, though the prophet, amidst such horrible
desolation, was affected by the infirmities to which human nature is so liable in such
circumstances, and thus prompted to make the assertion, that what God promised
was far from being manifestly realised. When he saw all things going contrary to the
Divine promise, he was not a man so steel-hearted as to remain unmoved at so
pitiable and confused a spectacle. But coming freely into the Divine presence, he
seeks a remedy that he might not be swallowed up with sorrow, which would have
been the case had he indulged in secret repining, and neglected this means of
alleviation. What is added in the close of the verse, Thou hast cast his crown to the
earth, does not seem to apply to the time of Rehoboam, unless, perhaps, the
dismemberment of the kingdom may be denoted by the casting of the crown to the
earth. The statements which are made immediately after must necessarily be
referred to some greater calamity. If this is admitted, the author of the psalm must
have been a different person from Ethan, who was one of the four wise men, of
whom mention is made in the sacred history, (2 Kings 4:31.) In so doubtful a case, I
leave every one to adopt the conjecture which appears to him the most probable.
SPURGEO , "Ver. 38. But thou hast cast off and abhorred. The Lord had
promised not to cast off the seed of David, and yet it looked as if he had done so, and
that too in the most angry manner, as if he loathed the person of the king. God's
actions may appear to us to be the reverse of his promises, and then our best course
is to come before him in prayer and put the matter before him just as it strikes our
apprehension. We are allowed to do this, for this holy and inspired man did so
unrebuked, but we must do it humbly and in faith.
Thou hast been wroth with thine anointed. He deserved the wrath, doubtless, but
the Psalmist's point is, that this appeared to him to conflict with the gracious
covenant. He puts the matter plainly, and makes bold with the Lord, and the Lord
loves to have his servants so do; it shows that they believe his engagements to be
matters of fact.
EXPLA ATORY OTES A D QUAI T SAYI GS.
Ver. 38. But thou hast cast off, etc. The complaining of the saints meanwhile is so
exaggerated, that carnal feeling makes itself more apparent in them, than faith...Yet
such is the goodness of God, He is not offended with these complaints, provided
faith is not altogether extinguished, or succumbs. —Mollerus.
BE SO , "Verses 38-45
Psalms 89:38-45. But thou hast cast off — Having hitherto declared the certainty of
God’s promises, he now proceeds to show the unsuitableness of the present
dispensations of God’s providence thereunto, and humbly expostulates with God
about it. Thou hast been wroth with thine anointed — That person and family that
thou hast invested with the kingdom. Thou hast made void, &c. — Which seems
contrary to thy word given, Psalms 89:34. Thou hast profaned his crown — By
exposing that sacred person, and family, and kingdom to contempt, and giving his

154. sceptre and power into the hands of the uncircumcised. Thou hast broken down all
his hedges — All the means of his protection and safety. He is a reproach to his
neighbours — An object of their scorn and reproach. Is this the anointed of the
Lord? Is this the everlasting family and kingdom? Thou hast set up the right hand
of his adversaries — Thou hast given them courage, and power, and success. Thou
hast turned the edge of his sword — So that he can neither offend his enemies nor
defend himself. And hast not made him to stand — But to flee and fall before his
enemies; for more is understood than what is expressed. The days of his youth hast
thou shortened — The youthful and flourishing estate of David’s kingdom was very
short, and reached not beyond his next successors, and it had been languishing, by
degrees, till this time, when it seemed to be dead and buried.
COFFMA , "Verse 38
"Thou has cut off and rejected
Thou hast been wroth with thine anointed.
Thou hast abhorred the covenant of thy servant:
Thou hast profaned his crown by casting it to the ground.
Thou hast broken down all his hedges;
Thou hast brought his strongholds to ruin.
All that pass by the way rob him:
He has become a reproach to his neighbors.
Thou hast exalted the right hand of his adversaries;
Thou hast made all his enemies to rejoice.
Yea, thou turnest back the edge of his sword,
And thou hast not made him to stand in the battle.
Thou hast made his brightness to cease,
And cast his throne down to the ground.
The days of his youth hast thou shortened:
Thou hast covered him with shame.
(Selah)

155. How long, O Jehovah? wilt thou hide thyself forever?
How long shall thy wrath burn like fire?
Oh remember how short my time is:
For what vanity has thou created all the children of men!
What man is he that shall live and not see death,
That shall deliver his soul from the power of Sheol?
(Selah)
Lord, where are thy former lovingkindnesses,
Which thou swarest unto David in thy faithfulness?
Remember, Lord, the reproach of thy servants;
How I do bear in my bosom the reproach of all the mighty peoples,
Wherewith thine enemies have reproached,
O Jehovah,
Wherewith they have reproached the footsteps of thine anointed."
The appeal to God in these verses comes about as near as any mortal could have
dared to come toward charging God with unfaithfulness to his covenant with David
and lodging an accusation that God had failed to keep his promises. All of this was
due to one thing, "The Jews simply could not get the "earthly kingdom" out of their
minds. All of the terrible things mentioned here did not merely "seem" to have
happened; they had actually occurred. David's earthly dynasty was being
liquidated. All of the prayers for God to intervene were of no avail. "God said, I
have given them a king in mine anger, and have taken him away in my wrath"
(Hosea 13:11). Despite the misunderstanding of all Israel, God never intended
David's earthly successors to his throne to be an eternal institution. Historically,
with very few exceptions, David's descendants who inherited his throne were as evil
a group of monarchs as the world ever saw.
Yates has given us a summary of the extensive complaint in this section.
"What a contrast between the promises of God and that current situation! The
covenant had been made void; the city walls were broken down; the land was
spoiled; the battle was lost; the throne was cast down; the king's youth was
shortened when ebuchadnezzar took him to Babylon at age 18; and many had

156. been carried away captive at the same time."[14]
"Remember how short my time is" (Psalms 89:48). The thought here is that the
psalmist prays that God will rescue Israel and restore the old order of things while
he is yet alive.
"Remember the reproach of thy servants" (Psalms 89:50). This was to call God to
notice the terrible reproaches being heaped upon Israel, and upon their kings, and
upon God's name by all of the enemies.
Leupold commented, concerning one extensive section of this psalm that, "Few
comments are needed."[15] And, in a sense, this applies to the whole psalm, the
great element of which, is the pitiful disappointment of Israel; and yet, there is no
way to avoid the conclusion that Israel itself was largely responsible of their tragic
mistake.
ELLICOTT, "(38) But thou.—The poem takes a new departure here. God is
reproached for violating the covenant, and the contrast between the actual condition
of things in Israel at present, and the glorious destiny promised, is feelingly set
forth.
The boldness of this expostulation has scandalised the Jewish expositors. But see
exactly similar language, Psalms 44:9; Psalms 44:22. The point of the poem, indeed,
is gone if we soften down these expressions. The stronger the conviction of the
inviolability of God’s promises, the more vehement becomes the sense of right to
expostulate at their seeming violation, the delay of the fulfilment of the covenant.
We may illustrate by the Latin poet’s
“Hic pietatis honos, sic nos in sceptra reponis?”
VIRGIL: Æn. .
PULPIT, "Psalms 89:38-45
A sudden and complete change here sets in. Rejoicing is turned into mourning,
eulogy into complaint. otwithstanding all the promises of God, notwithstanding his
inherent and essential "faithfulness," the Davidical king and his kingdom are at the
last gasp. Seemingly, every promise made has been broken, every hope held out of
good turned into an actuality of evil. God is wroth with his anointed, has made void
the covenant with him, profaned his crown and cast it to the ground, turned the
edge of his sword, and made him not to stand in the battle; he has laid his land open
to the enemy, broken down its defenses, brought its strongholds to ruin, given it as a
spoil to all who pass by; he has set up the right hand of Israel's adversaries, caused
them to rejoice and triumph in Israel's disgrace and suffering; he has covered the
king with shame, and cut short the days of his youth. How is this? And what is to be
the end of it?
Psalms 89:38

157. But thou hast cast off and abhorred, thou hast been wroth with thine anointed. The
first "thou" is emphatic— ‫,אתּה‬ THOU, "the faithful Witness;" THOU, who hast
made all these promises, art the very One who has falsified them all—who hast
"been wroth with thine anointed," abhorred (or rejected) him, and cast him off:
K&D 38-45, "Now after the poet has turned his thoughts towards the beginnings of
the house of David which were so rich in promise, in order that he might find comfort
under the sorrowful present, the contrast of the two periods is become all the more
sensible to him. With ‫ה‬ ָ ፍְ‫ו‬ in Psa_89:39 (And Thou - the same who hast promised and
affirmed this with an oath) his Psalm takes a new turn, for which reason it might even
have been ‫ה‬ ָ ַ‫ע‬ְ‫.ו‬ ‫ח‬ַ‫נ‬ָ‫ז‬ is used just as absolutely here as in Psa_44:24; Psa_74:1; Psa_77:8, so
that it does not require any object to be supplied out of Psa_89:39. ‫ה‬ ָ ְ‫ר‬ፍֵ‫נ‬ in Psa_89:40
the lxx renders kate'strepsas; it is better rendered in Lam_2:7 ᅊπετίναξε; for ‫ר‬ ֵ‫א‬ֵ‫נ‬ is
synonymous with ‫ר‬ ֵ‫ע‬ִ‫,נ‬ to shake off, push away, cf. Arabic el-menâ‛ir, the thrusters (with
the lance). ָ‫ֽך‬ ֶ ְ‫ב‬ ַ‫ע‬ is a vocational name of the king as such. His crown is sacred as being the
insignia of a God-bestowed office. God has therefore made the sacred thing vile by
casting it to the ground (‫ץ‬ ֶ‫ר‬ፎ ָ‫ל‬ ‫ל‬ ֵ ִ‫,ח‬ as in Psa_74:17, to cast profaningly to the ground).
The primary passage to Psa_89:41-42, is Psa_80:13. “His hedges” are all the boundary
and protecting fences which the land of the king has; and ‫יו‬ ָ‫ר‬ ָ‫צ‬ ְ‫ב‬ ִ‫מ‬ “the fortresses” of his
land (in both instances without ‫,כל‬ because matters have not yet come to such a pass).
(Note: In the list of the nations and cities conquered by King Sheshonk I are found
even cities of the tribe of Issachar, e.g., Shen-ma-an, Sunem; vid., Brugsch,
Reiseberichte, S. 141-145, and Blau as referred to above.)
In ‫הוּ‬ ֻ ַ‫שׁ‬ the notions of the king and of the land blend together. ְ‫ך‬ ֶ‫ר‬ ֶ‫י־ד‬ ֵ‫ר‬ ְ‫ב‬ ֽ‫ע‬ are the hordes of
the peoples passing through the land. ‫יו‬ָ‫נ‬ ֵ‫כ‬ ְ‫שׁ‬ are the neighbouring peoples that are
otherwise liable to pay tribute to the house of David, who sought to take every possible
advantage of that weakening of the Davidic kingdom. In Psa_89:44 we are neither to
translate “rock of his sword” (Hengstenberg), nor “O rock” (Olshausen). ‫צוּר‬ does not
merely signify rupes, but also from another root (‫,צוּר‬ Arab. ᑑâr, originally of the grating
or shrill noise produced by pressing and squeezing, then more particularly to cut or cut
off with pressure, with a sharply set knife or the like) a knife or a blade (cf. English knife,
and German kneifen, to nip): God has decreed it that the edge or blade of the sword of
the king has been turned back by the enemy, that he has not been able to maintain his
ground in battle (‫מתו‬ ֵ‫הק‬ with ē instead of ı, as also when the tone is not moved forward,
Mic_5:4). In Psa_89:45 the Mem of ‫,מטהרו‬ after the analogy of Eze_16:41; Eze_34:10,
and other passages, is a preposition: cessare fecisti eum a splendore suo. A noun ‫ר‬ ָ‫ה‬ ְ ִ‫מ‬ =
‫ר‬ ָ‫ה‬ ְ‫ט‬ ִ‫מ‬ with Dag. dirimens,
(Note: The view of Pinsker (Einleitung, S. 69), that this Dag. is not a sign of the
doubling of the letter, but a diacritic point (that preceded the invention of the system
of vowel-points), which indicated that the respective letter was to be pronounced

158. with a Chateph vowel (e.g., miᑛŏhar), is incorrect. The doubling Dag. renders the
Shebâ audible, and having once become audible it readily receives this or that
colouring according to the nature of its consonant and of the neighbouring vowel.)
like ‫שׁ‬ ָ ְ‫ק‬ ִ‫מ‬ Exo_15:17, ‫ר‬ָ‫ז‬ְ ִ‫מ‬ Nah_3:17 (Abulwalîd, Aben-Ezra, Parchon, Kimchi, and
others), in itself improbable in the signification required here, is not found either in
post-biblical or in biblical Hebrew. ‫ר‬ ַ‫ּה‬‫ט‬, like ‫ר‬ ַ‫ּה‬‫צ‬, signifies first of all not purity, but
brilliancy. Still the form ‫ר‬ ַ‫ּה‬‫ט‬ does not lie at the basis of it in this instance; for the reading
found here just happens not to be ‫ּו‬‫ר‬ ֳ‫ֽה‬ ָ‫,ט‬ but ‫ּו‬‫ר‬ ָ‫ה‬ ְ ִ‫;מ‬ and the reading adopted by Norzi,
Heidenheim, and Baer, as also by Nissel and others, so far as form is concerned is not
distinct from it, viz., ‫ּו‬‫ר‬ ָ‫ה‬ ֳ ִ‫מ‬ (miᑛtŏharo), the character of the Shebâ being determined by
the analogy of the å following (cf. ‫ה‬ ָ‫ר‬ ָ‫ע‬ ֳ ַ , 2Ki_2:1), which presupposes the principal
form ‫ר‬ ָ‫ה‬ ְ‫ט‬ (Böttcher, §386, cf. supra, 2:31, note). The personal tenor of Psa_89:46
requires that it should be referred to the then reigning Davidic king, but not as dying
before his time (Olshausen), but as becoming prematurely old by reason of the sorrowful
experiences of his reign. The larger half of the kingdom has been wrested from him;
Egypt and the neighbouring nations also threaten the half that remains to him; and
instead of the kingly robe, shame completely covers him.
39 You have renounced the covenant with your
servant
and have defiled his crown in the dust.
BAR ES, "Thou hast made void the covenant of thy servant - Thou hast dealt
with him as if there were no such covenant; as if no such promise had been made to him.
The word rendered “made void,” means to abhor, or reject.
Thou hast profaned his crown, by casting it to the ground - literally, “Thou
hast profaned to the earth his crown;” that is, Thou hast treated it as a polluted thing; a
thing to be rejected and abhorred; a thing which one casts indignantly upon the ground.
GILL, "Thou hast made void the covenant of thy servant,.... His servant David
the Messiah, Psa_89:3, meaning not the covenant of circumcision, nor the covenant at
Sinai, which were really made void at the death of Christ; but the covenant of grace and
redemption made with Christ, which it was promised should stand fast, and never be
broken, Psa_89:3, but was thought to be null and void when the Redeemer was in the

159. grave, and all hopes of redemption by him were gone, Luk_24:21, but so far was it from
being so, that it was confirmed by the sufferings and death of Christ; and every blessing
and promise of it were ratified by his blood, hence called the blood of the everlasting
covenant, Heb_13:20,
thou hast profaned his crown by casting it to the ground: by suffering it to be
cast to the ground, and used contemptibly; as when Jesus was crowned with thorns, and
saluted in a mock manner; when an "if" was put upon his being the King of Israel, Mat_
27:29, and which seemed very inconsistent with the promise, Psa_89:27 that he should
be made higher than the kings of the earth; and yet so it was, and is; he is highly exalted,
made Lord and Christ, crowned with glory and honour, and is set far above all
principality and power, and every name that is named in this world or that to come,
notwithstanding all the above usage of him.
JAMISO , "An insult to the “crown,” as of divine origin, was a profanation.
SPURGEO , "Ver. 39. Thou hast made void the covenant of thy servant. The
dispensations of providence looked as if there had been a disannulling of the sacred
compact, though indeed it was not so.
Thou hast profaned his crown by casting it to the ground. The king had been
subject to such sorrow and shame that his diadem had been as it were taken from
his head, dashed on the earth, and rolled in the mire. He was a theocratic monarch,
and the Lord, who gave him his crown, took it from him and treated it with
contempt, —at least so it seemed. In these sad days also we may utter the same
complaint, for Jesus is not acknowledged in many of the churches, and usurpers
have profaned his crown. When we hear of kings and queens set up as "heads of the
church", and a priest styled "The Vicar of Christ", while parliaments and courts
take upon themselves to legislate for the church of God, we may bitterly lament that
things should come to so wretched a pass. Few are there who will acknowledge the
crown rights of King Jesus, the very subject is considered to be out of date. O Lord
how long!
EXPLA ATORY OTES A D QUAI T SAYI GS.
Ver. 39. Thou hast profaned his crown, etc. The crown of a king, (like that of the
high priest, on which was inscribed "holiness to the Lord") (Exodus 28:36) was a
sacred thing, and therefore to cast it in the dust was to profane it. —A.R. Fausset.
COKE, "Psalms 89:39. Thou hast made void the covenant, &c.— We may piously
say, that it is not in God's power to break any promise he hath made, or for his
word to fail in performing any good to mankind, which we have any warrant to
expect from him: but we may lawfully believe, that it is in our own power to render
all those promises ineffectual to us, and to drive those blessings from us, which he is
willing to confer upon us. Let his gracious purposes be never so much declared on
our behalf, it always supposes that we shall be willing to receive, as well as he to
give; and that we will demean ourselves in such a manner, that neither his justice
nor his honour shall suffer in his bounty towards us: but if we behave ourselves so
wickedly, that his honour cannot subsist without our exemplary punishment, and
we yet contemn with obstinacy and perverseness that chastisement which he inflicts,

160. and raise the account of our iniquities higher than it was before he afflicted us; it is
we who violate his promises, and not He; and we have sturdily resisted his good
inclinations, and not suffered him to be propitious to us; and then he will wipe us
out of his memory, and deface all those records which put him in mind of us, and of
his gracious resolutions towards us. And if God hath cast off his own chosen people,
and withdrawn his loving-kindness from them; if all the promises he made to
Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and which he renewed and enlarged so solemnly to
David, be cancelled, which we are not bound to believe, and may charitably and
scripturally hope the contrary; I hope we may warrantably presume that this
change in their fate, and their being left an outcast nation, scattered over the face of
the earth, hath proceeded from that cause, that they drove God from them before
they were themselves driven from their country, and because they have not yet a
mind to return to him.
40 You have broken through all his walls
and reduced his strongholds to ruins.
BAR ES, "Thou hast broken down all his hedges - His walls or defenses; all
that he relied on for safety.
Thou hast brought his strongholds to ruin - His towers, fortifications; defenses.
The enemy has been suffered to destroy them. They are now heaps of ruins.
CLARKE, "Thou hast broken down all his hedges - Thou hart permitted the
land to be stripped of all defense; there is not even one strong place in the hands of thy
people.
GILL, "Thou hast broken down all his hedges,.... Round about his vine, the
church; see Psa_80:12. A famous church was raised at Jerusalem, quickly after the
death, resurrection, and ascension of Christ, which seemed to be well filled, fenced, and
protected; but on a sudden a violent persecution arose, and the members of it were made
havoc of, and the ministers of the word were scattered abroad, and which was the
breaking down of the hedges; and what was done to the church was taken by Christ as
done to himself, as it is here spoken of him; see Act_8:1, and this might seem contrary to
the word and oath of God, that his seed should endure for ever, and his throne as the
days of heaven, Psa_89:29, when the first Christian church was used in this manner; but
that providence was overruled, for the spread of the Gospel, and the interest of Christ, in

161. other parts; see Act_8:4, and so no objection to what is before said:
thou hast brought his strong holds to ruin; the same as before, the church of
Christ, which seemed to be so well built and fortified; see Isa_26:1.
HE RY 40-42, "It was exposed and made a prey to all the neighbours, who insulted
over that ancient and honourable family (Psa_89:40): Thou hast broken down all his
hedges (all those things that were a defence to them, and particularly that hedge of
protection which they thought God's covenant and promise had made about them) and
thou hast made even his strong-holds a ruin, so that they were rather a reproach to
them than any shelter; and then, All that pass by the way spoil him (Psa_89:41) and
make an easy prey of him; see Psa_80:12, Psa_80:13. The enemies talk insolently: He is
a reproach to his neighbours, who triumph in his fall from so great a degree of honour.
Nay, every one helps forward the calamity (Psa_89:42): “Thou hast set up the right
hand of his adversaries, not only given them power, but inclined them to turn their
power this way.” If the enemies of the church lift up their hand against it, we must see
God setting up their hand; for they could have no power unless it were given them from
above. But, when God does permit them to do mischief to his church, it pleases them:
“Thou hast made all his enemies to rejoice; and this is for thy glory, that those who hate
thee should have the pleasure to see the tears and troubles of those that love thee.”
JAMISO , "The ruin is depicted under several figures - a vineyard whose broken
“hedges,” and “strongholds,” whose ruins invite spoilers and invaders; a warrior, whose
enemies are aided by God, and whose sword’s “edge” - literally, “rock” or “strength”
(Jos_5:2) is useless; and a youth prematurely old.
CALVI , "40.Thou hast broken down all his walls. The prophet, although he might
easily have found another cause to which to impute the breaking down and razing of
the fortifications, yet under the influence of devout and sanctified feeling
acknowledges God to be the author of this calamity; being fully convinced that men
could not at their pleasure have destroyed the kingdom which God had set up had
not the Divine anger been kindled. Afterwards speaking metaphorically, he
complains that the kingdom was exposed as a prey to all passers-by, resembling a
field or garden, of which the walls were broken down, and the ground laid open to
depredation. As an aggravation of a calamity which in itself was sufficiently
grievous, the additional indignity is brought forward, that the king was a reproach
to his neighbors. The worldly and the profane, there can be no doubt, finding an
opportunity so much according to their wishes, derided him, saying, Is this that king
of God’s choice, a king more excellent than the angels, and whose throne was to
continue as long as the sun and the moon should endure? As these railings recoiled
upon God himself, the prophet justly complains of the reproachful derision with
which God’s Anointed was treated, whose dignity and royal estate were ratified and
confirmed by heavenly anointing.
SPURGEO , "Ver. 40. Thou hast broken down all his hedges. He was no longer
sheltered from the slanderous assaults of contemptuous tongues; the awe which
should guard the royal name had ceased to separate him from his fellows. The
"divinity which doth hedge a king" had departed. Hitherto, the royal family had

162. been like a vine within an enclosure, but the wall was now laid low, and the vine was
unprotected. It is sorrowfully true that in many places the enclosures of the church
have been destroyed, the line of demarcation between the church and the world has
almost vanished, and godless men fill the sacred offices. Alas, O Lord God, shall it
be always so? Shall thy true vine be deserted by thee, thou great Husbandman? Set
up the boundaries again, and keep thy church as a vineyard reserved for thyself.
Thou hast brought his strong holds to ruin. The forts of the land were in the
possession of the enemy and were dismantled, the defences of the kingdom were
overthrown. Thus has it happened that precious truths, which were the bulwarks of
the church, have been assailed by heresy, and the citadels of sound doctrine have
been abandoned to the foe. O God, how canst thou suffer this? As the God of truth,
wilt thou not arise and tread down falsehood?
EXPLA ATORY OTES A D QUAI T SAYI GS.
Ver. 40. Hedges and strong holds. Both of these may refer to the appointments of a
vineyard in which the king was the vine. It was usually fenced around with a stone
wall, and in it was a small house or tower, wherein a keeper was set to keep away
intruders. When the wall, or hedge, was thrown down, every passer by plucked at
the fruit, and when the tower was gone the vineyard was left open to the neighbours
who could do as they would with the vines. When the church is no longer separated
from the world, and her divine Keeper has no more a dwelling place within her, her
plight is wretched indeed. —C.H.S.
41 All who pass by have plundered him;
he has become the scorn of his neighbors.
BAR ES, "All that pass by the way spoil him - The sentiment here is
substantially the same as in Psa_80:12. See the notes at that place. The idea is that of
fields or vineyards, where all the fences, the walls, and the hedges are thrown down so
that they become like an open common.
He is a reproach to his neighbors - An object of ridicule, as if he were forsaken by
God; as if east out and despised.
CLARKE, "All that pass bay the way spoil him - The land is in the condition of
a vineyard, the hedge of which is broken down, so that they who pass by may pull the
grapes, and dismantle or tear down the vines. The Chaldeans and the Assyrians began
the ravage; the Samaritans on the one hand, and the Idumeans on the other, have
completed it.

163. GILL, "All that pass by the way spoil him,.... His church, his members, which are
himself, when made havoc of by their persecutors, and they took joyfully the spoiling of
their goods, Heb_10:34, so the church of Christ may be spoiled, however, attempted to
be spoiled, by false teachers, who are the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vines; crafty
seducers, who spoil Christians of their peace and comfort, through philosophy and vain
deceit, Son_2:15. Christ himself may be said to be spoiled, when he was stripped of his
clothes by the Roman soldiers, who also parted his garments, casting lots on his vesture;
when they that passed by his cross, as he hung upon it, reviled him, and robbed him of
his good name, and of his kingly and priestly offices; and he is also spoiled by false
teachers, who rob him of his deity, his divine and eternal sonship, and of his satisfaction
and righteousness, by whom he is trodden under foot, and his blood counted as an
unholy thing; and so the Targum,
"all that pass by the way tread upon him;''
see Heb_10:29, these are they that walk not in the right way; but go out of it, and choose
their own way; they are such as pass over the right way, or cross it; they are they that
transgress, and abide not in the doctrine of Christ, that so use him, 2Jo_1:9,
he is a reproach to his neighbours; his name and character were reproached by the
Jews, his countrymen, who called him a glutton and a wine bibber; and represented him
as a notorious sinner; his miracles as done by the help of Satan; his doctrine as hard
sayings, novel opinions, contrary to common sense and reason, and tending to
licentiousness; and his followers and members as the offscouring of all things: but all
this has been or will be rolled off, and is no objection to the glory promised him.
SPURGEO , "Ver. 41. All that pass by the way spoil him. Idle passers by, who have
nothing else to do, must needs have a pluck at this vine, and they do it without
difficulty, since the hedges are gone. Woe is the day when every petty reasoner has
an argument against religion, and men in their cups are fluent with objections
against the gospel of Jesus. Although Jesus on the cross is nothing to them, and they
pass him by without inquiring into what he has done for them, yet they can loiter as
long as you will, if there be but the hope of driving another nail into his hands and
helping to crucify the Lord afresh. They will not touch him with the finger of faith,
but they pluck at him with the hand of malice.
He is a reproach to his neighbours. David's successors had unneighbourly
neighbours, who were a reproach to good fellowship, because they were so ready to
reproach their neighbour. The Jews were much taunted by the surrounding Gentiles
when at any time they fell into trouble. At this time the people of God, who follow
the Lord fully, are subject to a thousand reproaches, and some of them of the most
bitter kind. These reproaches are really the reproach of Christ, and, at bottom, are
meant for him. Shall it always be so? Shall he, who deserves to be universally
adored, be subject to general scorn? Where, then, O God, is thy faithfulness to thy
covenant?

164. 42 You have exalted the right hand of his foes;
you have made all his enemies rejoice.
BAR ES, "Thou hast set up the right hand of his adversaries - Hast given
them the victory. Thou hast suffered them to accomplish their purposes.
Thou hast made all his enemies to rejoice - They joy or rejoice in the success of
their plans; in their triumphs over thy servant and over his people.
CLARKE, "Thou hast set up the right hand of his adversaries - Thou hast
given them that strength which thou didst formerly give to thy own people; therefore
these are depressed, those exalted.
GILL, "Thou hast set up the right hand of his adversaries,.... Suffered them to
become powerful, and to prevail against him; as the wicked Jews, and Satan, and his
principalities and powers, at the time of Christ's apprehension, crucifixion, and death;
for then were their hour, and the power of darkness, Luk_22:53, death also had
dominion over him, and held him under the power of it for awhile: the enemies of his
interest, Rome Pagan, and Rome Papal, have, in their turns, had their right hands set up,
and have had power, and prevailed over it; and the latter will again, at the slaying of the
witnesses: all which, though it seems contrary to Psa_89:21, yet is not; for Satan, though
he bruised Christ's heel, yet Christ bruised his head, destroyed his works, and him
himself, and that by dying; and spoiled his principalities and powers; and death could
not hold him long, nor has it now any dominion over him, and is abolished by him; and
antichrist, and all the antichristian powers, will be destroyed by him ere long:
thou hast made all his enemies to rejoice; as they did when they had got him on
the cross; and especially when he was laid in the grave, Psa_22:7, and as the
antichristian party will when his witnesses are slain, Rev_11:10, but as the joy of the
former was short lived, and was soon turned into sorrow, so will be that of the latter.
CALVI , "42Thou hast exalted the right hand of his oppressors. Here he states that
God took part with the enemies of the king; for he was well aware that these
enemies could not have prevailed but by the will of God, who inspires some with
courage, and renders others faint-hearted. In short, in proportion to the number of
the calamities which had befallen the chosen people, was the number of the
evidences of their having been forsaken by God; for, so long as he continued his
favor, the whole world, by all their machinations, were unable to impair the stability
of that kingdom. Had it been said that the enemies of the king obtained the victory,
the statement would have been quite true; but it would not have been a mode of
expression so obviously fitted to exalt the Divine power; as it might have been

165. thought that men setting themselves in opposition to God had, by their own power,
forced their way, and effected their purpose, even against those who enjoyed his
protection. Accordingly, the prophet reflects with himself, that unless the Divine
anger had been incensed, that kingdom which God had erected could not have been
reduced to a condition so extremely wretched.
SPURGEO , "Ver. 42. Thou hast set up the right hand of thy adversaries. Thou
hast done it, thou, who hast sworn to give him help and victory, thou hast, instead
thereof, sided with his enemies, and lent them thy strength, so that they have gained
the supremacy.
Thou hast made all his enemies to rejoice. They are boasting over him, and are
glorying in his defeat, and this is done by thyself. O God, —how is this? Where is
the covenant? Hast thou forgotten thine own pledges and promises?
43 Indeed, you have turned back the edge of his
sword
and have not supported him in battle.
BAR ES, "Thou hast also turned the edge of his sword - That is, Thou hast
turned it away, so that when it is raised to strike, it does not descend on the object aimed
at by the blow. The meaning is, that he had not been successful in battle, or had been
defeated.
And hast not made him to stand in the battle - To stand firm; to hold his
ground. He has been driven back; his forces have fled.
CLARKE, "Thou hast also turned the edge of his sword - The arms and
military prowess of thy people are no longer of any use to them; Thou art against them,
and therefore they are fallen. In what a perilous and hopeless situation must that soldier
be who, while defending his life against his mortal foe, has his sword broken, or its edge
turned; or, in modern warfare, whose gun misses fire! The Gauls, when invaded by the
Romans, had no method of hardening iron; at every blow their swords bended, so that
they were obliged, before they could strike again, to put them under their foot or over
their knee, to straighten them; and in most cases, before this could be done, their better
armed foe had taken away their life! The edge of their sword was turned, so that they
could not stand in battle; and hence the Gauls were conquered by the Romans.

166. GILL, "Thou hast also turned the edge of his sword,.... Or the "sharpness" (a) of
it blunted it, so that it could do no execution: the disciples of Christ were not allowed the
use of the temporal sword to defend their master; and his house, his kingdom, not being
of this world, Mat_26:51, other weapons were put into their hands; the sword of the
Spirit, which is the word of God; and the edge of this was blunted, with respect to the
Jews, being of little or no efficacy among them; it was turned off by them, and put away
from them; but then it was turned towards the Gentiles, and was powerful and effectual
among them; Christ girt it on his thigh, and rode forth in his glory and majesty,
conquering, and to conquer, and by it subdued many, who fell under him, and gave up
themselves unto him; see Eph_6:17, and ere long, with the twoedged sword, which
proceeds out of his mouth, will he smite the antichristian nations; and the remnant of
those that escape at the battle of Armageddon shall be slain with it, Rev_19:15,
and hast not made him to stand in the battle; but to fall in it, being delivered up
into the hands of wicked men, of justice, and death; and yet, by dying, he put away sin,
finished it, made an end of it, and destroyed it; he conquered Satan, and led him captive;
overcame the world, the spite and malice of it, and its prince; and abolished death itself.
HE RY 43-45, "It was disabled to help itself (Psa_89:43): “Thou hast turned the
edge of his sword, and made it blunt, that it cannot do execution as it has done; and
(which is worse) thou hast turned the edge of his spirit, and taken off his courage, and
hast not made him to stand as he used to do in the battle.” The spirit of men is what the
Father and former of spirits makes them; nor can we stand with any strength or
resolution further than God is pleased to uphold us. If men's hearts fail them, it is God
that dispirits them; but it is sad with the church when those cannot stand who should
stand up for it. 5. It was upon the brink of an inglorious exit (Psa_89:45): The days of
his youth hast thou shortened; it is ready to be cut off, like a young man in the flower of
his age. This seems to intimate that the psalm was penned in Rehoboam's time, when
the house of David was but in the days of its youth, and yet waxed old and began to
decay already. Thus it was covered with shame, and it was turned very much to its
reproach that a family which, in the first and second reign, looked so great, and made
such a figure, should, in the third, dwindle and look so little as the house of David did in
Rehoboam's time. But it may be applied to the captivity in Babylon, which, in
comparison with what was expected, was but the day of the youth of that kingdom.
However, the kings then had remarkably the days of their youth shortened, for it was in
the days of their youth, when they were about thirty years old, that Jehoiachin and
Zedekiah were carried captives to Babylon.
SPURGEO , "Ver. 43. Also turned the edge of his sword. When he goes to war he is
as unsuccessful as though his sword refused to cut, and gave way like a sword of
lead. His weapons fail him.
And hast not made him to stand in the battle. His heart fails him as well as his
sword—he wavers, he falls. This has happened even to naturally brave men—a
terrible dread has unmanned them. At this present the church has few swords of
true Jerusalem metal; her sons are pliable, her ministers yield to pressure. We need
men whose edge cannot be turned, firm for truth, keen against error, sharp towards
sin, cutting their way into men's hearts. Courage and decision are more needed now
than ever, for charity towards heresy is the fashionable vice, and indifference to all

167. truth, under the name of liberal mindedness, is the crowning virtue of the age. The
Lord send us men of the school of Elias, or, at least, of Luther and Knox.
EXPLA ATORY OTES A D QUAI T SAYI GS.
Ver. 43. Thou hast also turned the edge of his sword, etc. The arms and military
prowess of thy people are no longer of any use to them; Thou art against them, and
therefore they are fallen. In what a perilous and hopeless situation must that soldier
be who, defending his life against his mortal foe, has his sword broken, or its edge
turned; or, in modern warfare, whose gun misses fire! The Gauls, when invaded by
the Romans, had no method of hardening iron; at every blow their swords bent, so
that they were obliged, before they could strike again, to put them under their foot
or over their knee, to straighten them; and in most cases, before this could be done,
their better armed foe had taken away their life! The edge of their sword was
turned, so that they could not stand in battle; and hence the Gauls were conquered
by the Romans. —Adam Clarke.
Ver. 43. Thou hast also turned the edge of his sword, that it cannot do execution as
it has done; and what is worse, thou hast "turned the edge" of his spirit, and taken
off his courage, and hast not made him to stand, as he used to do, in the day of
battle. The spirit of men is what the Father and Former of spirits makes them; nor
can we stand with any strength or resolution, farther than God is pleased to uphold
us. If men's hearts fail them, it is God that dispirits them; but it is sad with the
church when those cannot stand that should stand up for it. —Matthew Henry.
ELLICOTT, "(43) Edge of his sword.—The Hebrew is tsûr, i.e., rock, and a
comparison with Joshua 5:2 (margin) suggests that we have here a reminiscence of
the “stone age.” The word “flint” for the edge of a weapon might easily survive the
actual use of the implement itself. So we should still speak of “a foeman’s steel” even
if the use of chemical explosives entirely abolished the use of sword and bayonet.
This is one of the cases where the condition of modern science helps us in exegesis of
the Bible. The ancient versions, who knew nothing of the stone or iron ages,
paraphrase, by “strength,” or “help.”
44 You have put an end to his splendor
and cast his throne to the ground.
BAR ES, "Thou hast made his glory to cease - Margin,” brightness.” Luther,
“Thou destroyest his purity.” The original word means brightness, sp endour. The literal
translation here would be, “Thou causest to cease from being brightness;” that is, Thou
hast taken away from his brightness, so that it is gone. The allusion is to the splendor,

168. the glory, the magnificence connected with his rank as king. This had been destroyed, or
had come to nought.
And cast his throne down to the ground - See Psa_89:39.
CLARKE, "Thou hast made his glory to cease - The kingly dignity is destroyed,
and there is neither king nor throne remaining.
GILL, "Thou hast made his glory to cease,.... The glory of his deity, though it did
not properly cease, yet it seemed to do so, being covered, and out of sight, and seen but
by a very few, while he appeared in the likeness of sinful flesh; and the glory of his
humanity was made to cease, in which he was fairer than the children of men, and his
visage was more marred than any man's, and his form than the sons of men; and the
glory of his offices, prophetical, priestly, and kingly, which were reproached and vilified,
and disputed and contradicted by the Jews, Mat_26:68, it may be rendered, "his purity"
(b), which seemed to cease when he was clothed with our filthy garments; or had all our
sins laid upon him, and imputed to him, by his Father; and he was made sin for us, who
knew none: the Targum is,
"thou hast made the priests to cease who sprinkle upon the altar, and purify his people:''
and cast his throne down to the ground; this seems contrary, and is an objection to Psa_
89:29, but is not; for not withstanding the usage of Christ by the Jews, who rejected him
as the King Messiah; see Gill on Psa_89:39, yet he is now upon the same throne with his
Father, and will sit upon a throne of glory when he comes to judge the world, and so in
the New Jerusalem church state, and to all eternity.
SPURGEO , "Ver. 44. Thou hast made his glory to cease. The brightness of his
reign and the prosperity of his house are gone, his fame is tarnished, his honour
disgraced.
And cast his throne down to the ground. He has lost his power to govern at home or
to conquer abroad. This happened to kings of David's line, and, more grievous to
tell, it is happening in these days to the visible kingdom of the Lord Jesus. Where
are the glories of Pentecost? Where is the majesty of the Reformation? Where does
his kingdom come among the sons of men? Woe is unto us, for the glory has
departed, and the gospel throne of Jesus is hidden from our eyes!
45 You have cut short the days of his youth;
you have covered him with a mantle of shame.

169. BAR ES, "The days of his youth hast thou shortened - This does not mean
that he had shortened his life, but that he had abbreviated the period of his vigor, his
hope, and his prosperity; instead of lengthening out these, and prolonging them into
advancing years, he had by calamities, disappointments, reverses, and troubles, as it
were, abridged them. No such youthful vigor, no such youthful hope now remained. The
feelings of age - the cutting off from the world - had come suddenly upon him, even
before he had reached the season when this might be expected to occur. Though at a
time of life and in circumstances when he might have hoped for a longer continuance of
that youthful vigor, he had suddenly been brought into the sad condition of an old man.
Thou hast covered him with shame - Hast clothed him with shame or disgrace.
Everything in his circumstances and in his appearance indicates shame and disgrace,
and the divine displeasure.
CLARKE, "The days of his youth hast thou shortened - Our kings have not
reigned half their days, nor lived out half their lives. The four last kings of Judea reigned
but a short time, and either died by the sword or in captivity.
Jehoahaz reigned only three months, and was led captive to Egypt, where he died.
Jehoiakim reigned only eleven years, and was tributary to the Chaldeans, who pat him to
death, and cast his body into the common sewer. Jehoiachin reigned three months and
ten days, and was led captive to Babylon, where he continued in prison to the time of
Evilmerodach, who, though he loosed him from prison, never invested him with any
power. Zedekiah, the last of all, had reigned only eleven years when he was taken, his
eyes put out, was loaded with chains, and thus carried to Babylon. Most of these kings
died a violent and premature death. Thus the days of their youth - of their power,
dignity, and iife, were shortened, and they themselves covered with shame. Selah; so it
most incontestably is.
GILL, "The days of his youth hast thou shortened,.... His days of joy and
pleasure; such as days of youth are, in opposition to the days of old age, which are evil,
Ecc_11:9, these were shortened when his sorrows and sufferings came on, and God hid
his face from him; and indeed he was a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief all his
days: the Vulgate Latin version renders it, "the days of his time"; and the Arabic version
"the days of his years"; for he did not live out half the time of man's age, which is
threescore years and ten, Psa_90:10, he dying at the age of thirty three or four; but,
notwithstanding this, he lives again, and lives for evermore; he has length of days for
ever and ever, Psa_21:4, though his days were in some sense shortened, yet in another
sense they are and will be prolonged, even his own, and those of his spiritual seed,
according to the promise of God, Isa_53:10,
thou hast covered him with shame; see Psa_69:7, when his face was covered with
shame and spitting, from which he hid it not, Isa_1:6, but now he is crowned with glory
and honour; wherefore all these complaints, though true, are no objections to what is
before said and swore to.
JAMISO , "days of his youth — or, “youthful vigor,” that is, of the royal line, or
promised perpetual kingdom, under the figure of a man.

170. CALVI , "45.Thou hast shortened the days of his youth. Some would explain this
sentence as meaning, that God had weakened the king, so that he faded or withered
away at his very entrance upon the flower of youth, and was exhausted with old age
before reaching the period of manhood. (554) This exposition may be regarded as
not improbable; but still it is to be observed, in order to our having a clearer
understanding of the mind of the prophet, that he does not speak exclusively of any
one individual, but compares the state of the kingdom to the life of man. His
complaint then amounts to this, That God caused the kingdom to wax old, and
finally to decay, before it reached a state of complete maturity; its fate resembling
that of a young man, who, while yet increasing in strength and vigor, is carried
away by a violent death before his time. This similitude is highly appropriate; for
the kingdom, if we compare the state of it at that period with the Divine promise,
had scarce yet fully unfolded its blossom, when, amidst its first advances, suddenly
smitten with a grievous decay, its freshness and beauty were defaced, while at length
it vanished away. Moreover, what we have previously stated must be borne in mind,
that when the prophet complains that the issue does not correspond with the
promise, or is not such as the promise led the chosen people to expect, he does not,
on that account, charge God with falsehood, but brings forward this apparent
discrepancy for another purpose — to encourage himself, from the consideration of
the Divine promises, to come to the throne of grace with the greater confidence and
boldness; and, while he urged this difficulty before God, he was fully persuaded that
it was impossible for Him not to show himself faithful to his word. As the majority
of men drink up their sorrow and keep it to themselves, because they despair of
deriving any benefit from prayer so true believers, the more frankly and familiarly
they appeal to God in reference to his promises, the more valiantly do they wrestle
against their distrust, and encourage themselves in the hope of a favorable issue.
SPURGEO , "Ver. 45. The days of his youth hast thou shortened. The time of the
king's energy was brief, he grew feeble before his time.
Thou hast covered him with shame. Shame was heaped upon him because of his
premature decay and his failure in arms. This was very grievous to the writer of this
Psalm, who was evidently a most loyal adherent of the house of David. In this our
day we have to bemoan the lack of vigour in religion—the heroic days of
Christianity are over, her raven locks are sprinkled with untimely grey. Is this
according to the covenant? Can this be as the Lord has promised? Let us plead with
the righteous Judge of all the earth, and beseech him to fulfil his word wherein he
has promised that those who wait upon him shall renew their strength.
Selah. The interceding poet takes breath amid his lament, and then turns from
describing the sorrows of the kingdom to pleading with the Lord.
EXPLA ATORY OTES A D QUAI T SAYI GS.
Ver. 45. The days of his youth hast thou shortened. Our kings have not reigned half
their days, nor lived out half their lives. The four last kings of Judea reigned but a
short time, and either died by the sword or in captivity. Jehoahaz reigned only three
months, and was led captive to Egypt, where he died. Jehoiakim reigned only eleven
years, and was tributary to the Chaldeans, who put him to death, and cast his body

171. into the common sewer. Jehoiachim, reigned three months and ten days, and was led
captive to Babylon, where he continued in prison to the time of Evil merodach, who,
though he loosed him from prison, never invested him with any power. Zedekiah,
the last of all, had reigned only eleven years when he was taken, his eyes put out,
was loaded with chains, and thus carried to Babylon. Most of these kings died a
violent and premature death. Thus the "days of their youth" — of their power,
dignity, and life, "were shortened", and they themselves covered with shame. Selah;
so it most incontestably is. —Adam Clarke.
Ver. 45. Thou hast covered them with shame. Selah. Thou hast wrapped him up in
the winding sheet of shame. Lord, this is true. —John Trapp.
COKE, "Psalms 89:45. The days of his youth hast thou shortened— Some
understand this verse as relating to Jehoiachin, who in his youth was made a slave:
(See 2 Kings 24:8; 2 Kings 24:20.) and some to Zedekiah, who was condemned as a
rebel to lose his eyes, and to remain a prisoner all his days: and thus the days, the
prosperous days of them both, were shortened, and both of them were covered with
shame.
PULPIT, "The days of his youth hast thou shortened. This does not seem to mean
an actual cutting short by death (since the Davidical king has been spoken of as
alive in Psalms 89:38, Psalms 89:41, Psalms 89:43), but rather a cutting short of
youthful energy and vigour, a premature senescence, such as may well have fallen
upon Jehoiachin or Zedekiah. Thou hast covered him with shame; or, "heaped
shame upon him"—"covered him up with shame." The phrase would suit
Jehoiachin, who was kept in prison by ebuchadnezzar, and in "prison garments"
(2 Kings 25:29), for the space of thirty-five years.
46 How long, Lord? Will you hide yourself
forever?
How long will your wrath burn like fire?
BAR ES, "How long, Lord? - How long is this to continue? Can it be that this is to
continue always? Is there to be no change for the better? Are the promises which have
been made, never to be fulfilled? Compare Psa_13:1, note; Psa_77:7-9, notes.
Wilt thou hide thyself for ever? - Thy favor. Wilt thou never come forth and
manifest thyself as the Helper of those who trust in thee?
Shall thy wrath burn like fire? - Fire which entirely consumes; fire which never

172. ceases as long as there is anything to burn; fire which never puts itself out, but which
wholly destroys that on which it preys.
CLARKE, "How long, Lord? - The promise cannot utterly fail. When then, O Lord,
wilt thou restore the kingdom to Israel?
GILL, "How long, Lord, wilt thou hide thyself? for ever?.... When God hides his
face front his people, though it is but for a little while, it seems long, and a kind of an
eternity to them; and so it seemed to the man Christ Jesus; and indeed what he endured,
when his Father hid his face from him, was of the same kind with an eternal absence; see
Psa_13:1,
shall thy wrath burn like fire? it did so when Christ bore the sins of his people, and
all the punishment due unto them; when his strength was dried up like a potsherd; when
he, the antitype of the passover lamb roasted with fire, was sacrificed for us; all which is
entirely consistent with God's everlasting and invariable love to him, as his own Son. See
Gill on Psa_89:38.
HE RY, "From all this complaint let us learn, 1. What work sin makes with families,
noble royal families, with families in which religion has been uppermost; when posterity
degenerates, it falls into disgrace, and iniquity stains their glory. 2. How apt we are to
place the promised honour and happiness of the church in something external, and to
think the promise fails, and the covenant is made void, if we be disappointed of that, a
mistake which we now are inexcusable if we fall into, since our Master has so expressly
told us that his kingdom is not of this world.
II. A very pathetic expostulation with God upon this. Four things they plead with God
for mercy: -
1. The long continuance of the trouble (Psa_89:46): How long, O Lord! wilt thou hide
thyself? For ever? That which grieved them most was that God himself, as one
displeased, did not appear to them by his prophets to comfort them, did not appear for
them by his providences to deliver them, and that he had kept them long in the dark; it
seemed an eternal night, when God had withdrawn: Thou hidest thyself for ever. Nay,
God not only hid himself from them, but seemed to set himself against them: “Shall thy
wrath burn like fire? How long shall it burn? Shall it never be put out? What is hell, but
the wrath of God, burning for ever? And is that the lot of thy anointed?”
2. The shortness of life, and the certainty of death: “Lord, let thy anger cease, and
return thou, in mercy to us, remembering how short my time is and how sure the period
of my time. Lord, since my life is so transitory, and will, ere long, be at an end, let it not
be always so miserable that I should rather choose no being at all than such a being.” Job
pleads thus, Job_10:20, Job_10:21. And probably the psalmist here urges it in the name
of the house of David, and the present prince of that house, the days of whose youth
were shortened, Psa_89:45.
JAMISO , "How long, etc. — (Compare Psa_13:1; Psa_88:14; Jer_4:4).

173. CALVI , "46.How long, O Jehovah? wilt thou hide thyself for ever? After having
poured forth his complaints respecting the sad and calamitous condition of the
Church, the Psalmist now turns himself to prayer. Whence it follows that the
language of lamentation to which he had hitherto given utterance, although it
emanated from carnal sense, was nevertheless conjoined with faith. Unbelievers, in
the agitation of trouble, may sometimes engage in prayer, yet whatever they ask
proceeds from feigned lips. But the prophet, by connecting prayer with his
complaints, bears testimony that he had never lost his confidence in the truth of the
Divine promises. With respect to this manner of expression, How long, for ever? we
have spoken on Psalms 79:5, where we have shown that it denotes a long and
continued succession of calamities. Moreover, by asking How long God will hide
himself, he tacitly intimates that all will be well as soon as God is pleased to look
upon his chosen people with a benignant countenance. In the second clause of the
verse, he again mentions as the reason why God did not vouchsafe to look upon
them with paternal favor, that his anger was incensed against them. The obvious
conclusion from which is, that all the afflictions endured by us proceed from our
sins; these being the scourges of an offended God.
SPURGEO , "Ver. 46. How long, Lord? The appeal is to Jehovah, and the
argument is the length of the affliction endured. Chastisement with a rod is not a
lengthened matter, therefore he appeals to God to cut short the time of tribulation.
Wilt thou hide thyself for ever? Hast thou not promised to appear for thor servantâ
€”wilt thou then for ever forsake him?
Shall thy wrath burn like fire? Shall it go on and on evermore till it utterly consume
its object? Be pleased to set a bound! How far wilt thou go? Wilt thou burn up the
throne which thou hast sworn to perpetuate? Even thus we would entreat the Lord
to remember the cause of Christ in these days. Can he be so angry with his church
as to leave her much longer? How far will he suffer things to go? Shall truth die out,
and saints exist no more? How long will he leave matters to take their course?
Surely he must interpose soon, for, if he do not, true religion will be utterly
consumed, as it were, with fire.
EXPLA ATORY OTES A D QUAI T SAYI GS.
Ver. 46-47. This undoubtedly sounds like the voice of one who knows no hereafter.
The Psalmist speaks as if all his hopes were bound by the grave; as if the overthrow
of the united kingdom of Judah and Ephraim had bereft him of all his joy; and as if
he knew no future kingdom to compensate him with its hopes. But it would be doing
cruel injustice to take him thus at his word. What we hear is the language of
passion, not of sedate conviction. This is well expressed by John Howe in a famous
sermon. "The expostulation (he observes) was somewhat passionate, and did
proceed upon the sudden view of this disconsolate case, very abstractly considered,
and by itself only; and the Psalmist did not, at that instant, look beyond it to a better
and more comfortable scene of things. An eye bleared with present sorrow sees not
far, nor comprehends so much at one view, as it would at another time, or as it doth
presently when the tear is wiped out and its own beams have cleared it up."
It would be unwarrantable, therefore, to infer from Ethan's expostulation, that the
saints who lived under the early kings were strangers to the hope of everlasting life.
I am inclined to go further, and to point to this very complaint as affording a

174. presumption that there was in their hearts an irrepressible sentiment of
immortality. The bird that frets and wounds itself on the bars of its cage shows
thereby that its proper home is the free air. When inveterate sensuality has
succeeded in quenching in a man's heart the hope of a life beyond the grave, the
dreary void which succeeds utters itself, not in solemn complaints like Ethan's, but
in songs of forced mirth—dismal Anacreontic songs: "Let us eat and drink for
tomorrow we die."
"It is time to live if I grow old,
It is time short pleasures now to take,
Of little life the best to make,
And manage wisely the last stake."
(Anacreon's Age, as translated by Cowley.) —William Binnie.
Ver. 46. Shall thy wrath burn like fire? An element that hath no mercy. —William
icholson.
HI TS TO THE VILLAGE PREACHER.
Ver. 46. —The hand of God is to be acknowledged.
1. In the nature of affliction. "Wilt thou hide thyself", etc.
2. In the duration of affliction. "How long, Lord?"
3. In the severity of affliction. Wrath burning like fire.
4. In the issue of affliction. How long? for ever? In all these respects the words are
applicable both to Christ and to his people.
Ver. 46. Remember. The prayer of the dying thief, the troubled believer, the
persecuted Christian.
CO STABLE, "Ethan called on God to remember David and His promises before
the king or his line died. In conclusion, he reaffirmed his belief in God"s loyal love
and faithfulness ( Psalm 89:49). However, he asked God to remember His servants
and His anointed before long ( Psalm 89:50-51). All the psalmist could do was wait
for God to answer.
When God seems to be acting contrary to His character and promises, the godly
should remember that He is loyal and faithful. They should call on Him to act for
His own glory and for the welfare of His people. However, they must remember that
appearances can often be deceiving, as they were in this case. God was disciplining
David; He had not cut him off.
Psalm 89:52 concludes Book3of the Psalter ( Psalm 73-89).
PULPIT, "Psalms 89:46-51
The psalm ends with an appeal to God—"How long" is the present state of things to
continue? How long is God's wrath to endure? Will he not remember how weak and
futile, how short-lived and fleeting, the whole race of man is? Well he not bethink
him of his old loving kindnesses to David, and of the promises made to him, and
confirmed by oath? Will he not therefore remove their reproach from Israel, and
especially from his anointed, on whom the disgrace chiefly falls? To these questions
there can be but one answer. God will assuredly make his faithfulness known (see

175. Psalms 89:1).
Psalms 89:46
How long, Lord? wilt thou hide thyself forever; (comp. Psalms 13:1; Psalms 74:10;
Psalms 79:5). Shall thy wrath burn like fire? i.e. furiously, without cessation, till all
be consumed.
K&D 46-51, "After this statement of the present condition of things the psalmist
begins to pray for the removal of all that is thus contradictory to the promise. The
plaintive question, Psa_89:47, with the exception of one word, is verbatim the same as
Psa_79:5. The wrath to which quousque refers, makes itself to be felt, as the intensifying
(vid., Psa_13:2) ‫לנצח‬ implies, in the intensity and duration of everlasting wrath. ‫ד‬ ֶ‫ל‬ ֶ‫ח‬ is
this temporal life which glides past secretly and unnoticed (Psa_17:14); and ‫י‬ִ‫נ‬ ֲ‫ר־א‬ ָ‫כ‬ְ‫ז‬ is not
equivalent to ‫י‬ִ‫נ‬ ֵ‫ר‬ ְ‫כ‬ָ‫ז‬ (instead of which by way of emphasis only ‫י‬ִ‫נ‬ፎ ‫י‬ִ‫נ‬ ֵ‫ר‬ ְ‫כ‬ָ‫ז‬ can be said), but ‫י‬ִ‫נ‬ ֲ‫א‬
‫ד‬ ֶ‫ֽל‬ ָ‫ה־ח‬ ֶ‫מ‬ stands for ‫י‬ִ‫נ‬ፎ ‫ד‬ ֶ‫ל‬ ֶ‫ה־ח‬ ַ‫מ‬ - according to the sense equivalent to ‫י‬ִ‫נ‬ፎ ‫ל‬ ֵ‫ד‬ ָ‫ה־ח‬ ֶ‫,מ‬ Psa_39:5, cf.
Psa_39:6. The conjecture of Houbigant and modern expositors, ‫י‬ָ‫ּנ‬‫ד‬ ֲ‫א‬ ‫ּר‬‫כ‬ְ‫ז‬ (cf. Psa_89:51),
is not needed, since the inverted position of the words is just the same as in Psa_39:5. In
Psa_89:48 it is not pointed ‫א‬ְ‫ו‬ ָ‫שׁ‬ ‫ה‬ ָ‫ל־מ‬ ַ‫,ע‬ “wherefore (Job_10:2; Job_13:14) hast Thou in
vain (Psa_127:1) created?” (Hengstenberg), but ‫א‬ְ‫ו‬ ָ ‫ה־‬ ַ‫ל־מ‬ ַ‫,ע‬ on account of or for what a
nothing (‫מה־שׁוא‬ belonging together as adjective and substantive, as in Psa_30:10; Job_
26:14) hast Thou created all the children of men? (De Wette, Hupfeld, and Hitzig). ‫ל‬ ַ‫,ע‬ of
the ground of a matter and direct motive, which is better suited to the question in Psa_
89:49 than the other way of taking it: the life of all men passes on into death and Hades;
why then might not God, within this brief space of time, this handbreadth, manifest
Himself to His creatures as the merciful and kind, and not as the always angry God? The
music strikes in here, and how can it do so otherwise than in elegiac mesto? If God's
justice tarries and fails in this present world, then the Old Testament faith becomes
sorely tempted and tried, because it is not able to find consolation in the life beyond.
Thus it is with the faith of the poet in the present juncture of affairs, the outward
appearance of which is in such perplexing contradiction to the loving-kindness sworn to
David and also hitherto vouchsafed. ‫ים‬ ִ‫ד‬ ָ‫ס‬ ֲ‫ח‬ has not the sense in this passage of the
promises of favour, as in 2Ch_6:42, but proofs of favour; ‫ים‬ִ‫ּנ‬‫שׁ‬‫א‬ ִ‫ר‬ ָ‫ה‬ glances back at the
long period of the reigns of David and of Solomon.
(Note: The Pasek between ‫חראשׁנים‬ and ‫אדני‬ is not designed merely to remove the
limited predicate from the Lord, who is indeed the First and the Last, but also to
secure its pronunciation to the guttural Aleph, which might be easily passed over
after Mem; cf. Gen_1:27; Gen_21:17; Gen_30:20; Gen_42:21, and frequently.)
The Asaph Ps 77 and the Tephilla Isa. 63 contain similar complaints, just as in
connection with Psa_89:51 one is reminded of the Asaph Psa_79:2, Psa_79:10, and in
connection with Psa_89:52 of Psa_79:12. The phrase ‫ּו‬‫ק‬‫י‬ ֵ‫ח‬ ְ‫ב‬ ‫א‬ ָ‫שׂ‬ָ‫נ‬ is used in other instances
of loving nurture, Num_11:12; Isa_40:11. In this passage it must have a sense akin to
ָ‫יך‬ ִ‫ד‬ ָ‫ב‬ ֲ‫ע‬ ‫ת‬ ַ ְ‫ר‬ ֶ‫.ח‬ It is impossible on syntactic grounds to regard ‫ים‬ ִ ַ‫ע‬ ‫ים‬ ִ ַ‫ל־ר‬ ָⅴ as still dependent

176. upon ‫ת‬ ַ ְ‫ר‬ ֶ‫ח‬ (Ewald) or, as Hupfeld is fond of calling it, as a “post-liminiar” genitive. Can it
be that the ‫כל‬ is perhaps a mutilation of ‫ת‬ ַ ִ‫ל‬ ְⅴ, after Eze_36:15, as Böttcher suggests? We
do not need this conjecture. For (1) to carry any one in one's bosom, if he is an enemy,
may signify: to be obliged to cherish him with the vexation proceeding from him (Jer_
15:15), without being able to get rid of him; (2) there is no doubt that ‫ים‬ ִ ַ‫ר‬ can, after the
manner of numerals, be placed before the substantive to which it belongs, Eze_32:10,
Pro_31:29; 1Ch_28:5; Neh_9:28; cf. the other position, e.g., Jer_16:16; (3) consequently
‫ים‬ ִ ַ‫ע‬ ‫ים‬ ִ ַ‫ל־ר‬ ָⅴ may signify the “totality of many peoples” just as well as ‫ים‬ ִ ַ‫ר‬ ‫ם‬ִ‫ּוי‬ ‫ּל‬ⅴ in Eze_
31:6. The poet complains as a member of the nation, as a citizen of the empire, that he is
obliged to foster many nations in his bosom, inasmuch as the land of Israel was
overwhelmed by the Egyptians and their allies, the Libyans, Troglodytes, and
Ethiopians. The ‫ר‬ ֶ‫שׁ‬ ֲ‫א‬ which follows in Psa_89:52 cannot now be referred back over Psa_
89:51 to ‫ת‬ ַ ְ‫ר‬ ֶ‫ח‬ (quâ calumniâ), and yet the relative sense, not the confirmatory (because,
quoniam), is at issue. We therefore refer it to ‫,עמים‬ and take ָ‫יך‬ ֶ‫ב‬ְ‫ֽוי‬ּ‫א‬ as an apposition, as in
Psa_139:20 : who reproach Thee, (as) Thine enemies, Jahve, who reproach the footsteps
(‫ּות‬‫ב‬ ְ ִ‫ע‬ as in Psa_77:20 with Dag. dirimens, which gives it an emotional turn) of Thine
anointed, i.e., they follow him everywhere, wheresoever he may go, and whatsoever he
may do. With these significant words, ָ‫ך‬ ֶ‫יח‬ ִ‫שׁ‬ ְ‫מ‬ ‫ּות‬‫ב‬ ְ ִ‫,ע‬ the Third Book of the Psalms dies
away.
47 Remember how fleeting is my life.
For what futility you have created all
humanity!
BAR ES, "Remember how short my time is - The word rendered “time” - ‫חלד‬
cheled - means duration; lifetime. Psa_39:5. Then it means life; time; age; the world.
Literally, here, “Remember; I; what duration.” The meaning is plain. Bear in
remembrance that my time must soon come to an end. Life is brief. In a short period the
time will come for me to die; and if these promises are fulfilled to me, it must be done
soon. Remember that these troubles and sorrows cannot continue for a much longer
period without exhausting all my appointed time upon the earth. If God was ever to
interpose and bless him, it must be done speedily, for he would soon pass away. The
promised bestowment of favor must be conferred soon, or it could not be conferred at
all. The psalmist prays that God would remember this. So it is proper for us to pray that

177. God would bless us soon; that he would not withhold his grace now; that there may be
no delay; that he would (we may say it with reverence) bear in remembrance that our life
is very brief, and that if grace is to be bestowed in order to save us, or in order to make
us useful, it must be bestowed soon. A young man may properly employ this prayer; how
much more appropriately one who is rapidly approaching old age, and the end of life!
Wherefore hast thou made all men in vain? - As thou dost seem to have done,
since they accomplish so little in the world, and since so many appear wholly to miss the
great purpose of life! Nothing, in certain moods of mind, will strike one more forcibly or
more painfully than the thought that the mass of people seem to have been made in vain.
Nothing is accomplished by them worthy of the powers with which they are endowed;
nothing worthy of so long living for; nothing worthy of the efforts which they actually
put forth. In a large portion of mankind there is an utter failure in securing even the
objects which they seek to secure; in numerous cases, when they have secured the object,
it is not worth the effort which it has cost; in all cases, the same effort, or an effort made
less strenuous, laborious, costly, and continuous, would have secured an object of real
value - worth all their effort - the immortal crown!
CLARKE, "How short my time is - If thou deliver not speedily, none of the
present generations shall see thy salvation. Are all the remnants of our tribes created in
vain? shall they never see happiness?
GILL, "Remember how short my time is,.... In this world man's time here is fixed,
and it is but a short time; his life is but a vapour, which appeareth for a little while; his
days are as an hand's breadth; they pass away like a tale that is told; the common term of
life is but threescore years and ten, and few arrive to that: to know and observe this is
proper and useful; it may awaken a concern for a future state, excite to a vigorous
discharge of duty, and animate to patience under afflictions: the clause in connection
with the preceding verse seems to be a plea for mercy; that, since time was short, it
might not be consumed in bearing the wrath of God; but be spent in peace and comfort,
like that of Job_10:20, Compare with this Psa_103:13, the Targum is,
"remember that I am created out of the dust:''
but these words, with what follow, are the words of the psalmist, representing the
apostles of Christ, and other saints, at the time of his sufferings and death, and when
under the power of the grave, and when they were almost out of hope of his resurrection:
see Luk_24:21, expostulating with the Lord on that account; and here entreat him to
remember the shortness of their time, if there was no resurrection from the dead, as
there would be none if Christ rose not; and therefore, as their life was a short one, it
would be of all men's the most miserable:
wherefore hast thou made all men in vain? none of the sons of men are made in
vain; for they are all made for the glory of God, which end is answered, some way or
another, in everyone of them; either in the salvation of them by Christ, or in the just
destruction of them through their own sin; and though the time of life is short, and
afflictions many, yet men are not made in vain, and especially those of them who believe
in Christ; for, for them to live is Christ, they live to his glory: whether they live a longer

178. or shorter time, they live to the Lord; and when they die, they die to him; and their
afflictions are always for good, temporal, or spiritual, and eternal: indeed, if there was no
future state after this, men might seem to be made in vain, and there might be some
reason for such a question or complaint; but so it is not; there is an immortal life and
state after this, either of bliss or woe: also, if there was no such thing as the redemption,
justification, and salvation of any of the sons of men, through the sufferings and death of
Christ, and which could not be without his resurrection from the dead, with a view to
which the question is put, then there would seem some room for it; but there is a
redemption of them, and therefore are not made in vain; and Christ, who was delivered
for their offences, is risen for their
HE RY, " He pleads the shortness and vanity of life (Psa_89:47): Remember how
short my time is, how transitory I am (say some), therefore unable to bear the power of
thy wrath, and therefore a proper object of thy pity. Wherefore hast thou made all men
in vain? or, Unto what vanity hast thou created all the sons of Adam! Now, this may be
understood either, [1.] As declaring a great truth. If the ancient lovingkindnesses spoken
of (Psa_89:49) be forgotten (those relating to another life), man is indeed made in vain.
Considering man as mortal, if there were not a future state on the other side of death, we
might be ready to think that man was made in vain, and was in vain endued with the
noble powers and faculties of reason and filled with such vast designs and desires; but
God would not make man in vain; therefore, Lord, remember those lovingkindnesses.
Or, [2.] As implying a strong temptation that the psalmist was in. It is certain God has
not made all men, nor any man, in vain, Isa_45:18. For, First, If we think that God has
made men in vain because so many have short lives, and long afflictions, in this world, it
is true that God has made them so, but it is not true that therefore they are made in vain.
For those whose days are few and full of trouble may yet glorify God and do some good,
may keep their communion with God and get to heaven, and then they are not made in
vain. Secondly, If we think that God has made men in vain because the most of men
neither serve him nor enjoy him, it is true that, as to themselves, they were made in vain,
better for them had they not been born than not to be born again; but it was not owing to
God that they were made in vain; it was owing to themselves; nor are they made in vain
as to him, for he has made all things for himself, even the wicked for the day of evil, and
those whom he is not glorified by he will be glorified upon.
JAMISO , "These expostulations are excited in view of the identity of the prosperity of
this kingdom with the welfare of all mankind (Gen_22:18; Psa_72:17; Isa_9:7; Isa_11:1-
10); for if such is the fate of this chosen royal line.
SBC, "I. The temptation to believe that man is made in vain. Everything rebukes vanity
in man, since he himself, as well as the world, is vain. The idea that man is made in vain
is made common property, not at all by sameness of experience, but by the universal
feeling that, whatever the experience may be, it leaves man infinitely remote from his
desires. This thought is painfully impressed upon us when we survey that large range of
characters to which we may give the denomination of wasted lives.
II. Notice the structure of the question, "Wherefore hast Thou made all men in vain?" Is
it possible to reconcile the vanity of man with the greatness of God? (1) I believe that
Thou hast not a chief regard to Thine own power. Power is but one of Thine attributes.
Canst Thou sport with Thy power? Canst Thou create beauty merely to mar it? (2) I
believe Thou art not inattentive to Thy creatures’ desires, though they seem to be
mocked. It is an everlasting chase; we never realise. "Why hast Thou made all men in
vain?" (3) I believe Thou art Thyself a pure Being. Thus Thou canst not be pleased only

179. to contemplate evanescence and decay. "Wherefore hast Thou made all men in vain?"
These are the soliloquies and cries of our nature; and the appropriate answer to all is,
Man is not made in vain. There is something in him which God does not regard as
vanity. The whole of our education here is to raise us to the assurance that "He who
made us with such large discourse, looking before and after," could not have made us in
vain.
III. "My times are in Thy hand." God’s real way is made up of all the ways of our life. The
hand of Jesus is the hand which rules our times. He regulates our life-clock. Christ is for
and Christ in us. My life can be no more in vain than was my Saviour’s life in vain.
IV. This truth rightly grasped and held, we shall never think it possible that any life can
be unfulfilled which does not, by its own voluntary perversity, fling itself away.
E. Paxton Hood, Dark Sayings on a Harp, p. 21.
CALVI , "47Remember how short my time is. After having confessed that the
severe and deplorable afflictions which had befallen the Church were to be traced to
her own sins as the procuring cause, the prophet, the more effectually to move God
to commiseration, lays before him the brevity of human life, in which, if we receive
no taste of the Divine goodness, it will seem that we have been created in vain. That
we may understand the passage the more clearly, it will be better to begin with the
consideration of the last member of the verse, Why shouldst thou have created all
the sons of men in vain? The faithful, in putting this question, proceed upon an
established first principle, That God has created men and placed them in the world,
to show himself a father to them. And, indeed, as his goodness extends itself even to
the cattle and lower animals of every kind, (558) it cannot for a moment be
supposed, that we, who hold a higher rank in the scale of being than the brute
creation, should be wholly deprived of it. Upon the contrary supposition, it were
better for us that we had never been born, than to languish away in continual
sorrow. There is, moreover, set forth the brevity of the course of our life; which is so
brief, that unless God make timely haste in giving us some taste of his benefits, the
opportunity for doing this will be lost, since our life passes rapidly away. The drift
of this verse is now very obvious. In the first place, it is laid down as a principle,
That the end for which men were created was, that they should enjoy God’s bounty
in the present world; and from this it is concluded that they are born in vain, unless
he show himself a father towards them. In the second place, as the course of this life
is short, it is argued that if God does not make haste to bless them, the opportunity
will no longer be afforded when their life shall have run out.
But here it may be said, in the first place, that the saints take too much upon them in
prescribing to God a time in which to work; and, in the next place, that although he
afflict us with continual distresses, so long as we are in our state of earthly
pilgrimage, yet there is no ground to conclude from this that we have been created
in vain, since there is reserved for us a better life in heaven, to the hope of which we
have been adopted; and that, therefore, it is not surprising though now our life is
hidden from us on earth. I answer, That it is by the permission of God that the

180. saints take this liberty of urging him in their prayers to make haste; and that there
is no impropriety in doing so, provided they, at the same time, keep themselves
within the bounds of modesty, and, restraining the impetuosity of their affections,
yield themselves wholly to his will. With respect to the second point, I grant that it is
quite true, that although we must continue to drag out our life amidst continual
distresses, we have abundant consolation to aid us in bearing all our afflictions,
provided we lift up our minds to heaven. But still it is to be observed, in the first
place, that it is certain, considering our great weakness, that no man will ever do
this unless he has first tasted of the Divine goodness in this life; and, secondly, that
the complaints of the people of God ought not to be judged of according to a perfect
rule, because they proceed not from a settled and an undisturbed state of mind, but
have always some excess arising from the impetuosity or vehemence of the affections
at work in their minds. I at once allow that the man who measures the love of God
from the state of things as presently existing, judges by a standard which must lead
to a false conclusion;
“for whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth,” (Hebrews 12:6.)
But as God is never so severe towards his own people as not to furnish them with
actual experimental evidence of his grace, it stands always true that life is profitless
to men, if they do not feel, while they live, that He is their father.
As to the second clause of the verse, it has been stated elsewhere that our prayers do
not flow in one uniform course, but sometimes betray an excess of sorrow. It is,
therefore, not to be wondered at that the faithful, when immoderate sorrow or fear
occupies their thoughts and keeps fast hold of them, experience such inattention
stealing by degrees upon them, as to make them for a time forget to keep their
minds fixed in meditation upon the life to come. Many think it very unaccountable,
if the children of God do not, the first moment they begin to think, immediately
penetrate into heaven, as if thick mists did not often intervene to impede or hinder
us when we would look attentively into it. For faith to lose its liveliness is one thing,
and for it to be utterly extinguished is another. And, doubtless, whoever is exercised
in the judgments of God, and in conflict with temptations, will acknowledge that he
is not so mindful of the spiritual life as he ought to be. Although then the question,
Why shouldst thou have created all the sons of men in vain? is deduced from a true
principle, yet it savours somewhat of a faulty excess. Whence it appears that even in
our best framed prayers, we have always need of pardon. There always escapes
from us some language or sentiment chargeable with excess, and therefore it is
necessary for God to overlook or bear with our infirmity.
“The boast of heraldry, the pomp of power,
And all that beauty, all that wealth e’er gave,
Await alike th’ inevitable hour: —
The paths of glory lead but to the grave.
“Can storied urn, or animated bust,
Back to its mansions call the fleeting breath?

181. Can Honour’s voice provoke the silent dust,
Or Flatt’ry soothe the dull cold ear of Death?”
SPURGEO , "Ver. 47. Remember how short my time is. If so brief, do not make it
altogether bitter. If thine anger burn on it will outlast this mortal life, and then
there will be no time for thy mercy to restore me. Some expositors ascribe these
words, and all the preceding verses, to the state of the Lord Jesus in the days of his
humiliation, and this gives an instructive meaning; but we prefer to continue our
reference all through to the church, which is the seed of the Lord Jesus, even as the
succeeding kings were the seed of David. We, having transgressed, are made to feel
the rod, but we pray the Lord not to continue his stripes lest our whole life be
passed in misery.
Wherefore hast thou made all men in vain? If the Lord do not shine upon his work
we live for nothing—we count it no longer life if his cause does not prosper. We
live if the King lives, but not else. Everything is vanity if religion be vanity. If the
kingdom of heaven should fail, everything is a failure. Creation is a blot, providence
an error, and our own existence a bell, if the faithfulness of God can fail and his
covenant of grace can be dissolved. If the gospel system can be disproved, nothing
remains for us or any other of the sons of men, which can render existence worth
the having.
EXPLA ATORY OTES A D QUAI T SAYI GS.
Ver. 47. Wherefore hast thou made all men in vain? If I should demand of any, for
what cause especially man came into the world; he would answer with the Psalmist,
God did not create man in vain. Did He create man to heap up wealth together? no,
for the apostle saith. "We brought nothing into this world, and it is certain that we
can carry nothing out. And, having food and raiment, let us be therewith content." 1
Timothy 6:6-8. Did he create him to hawk after power and principality? no, for
ebuchadnezzar lusting after these, lost no less than a kingdom. Did He create him
to eat, drink and play? no, for Seneca, though an heathen saith, major sum, etc., I
am greater, and born to greater things, than that I should be a vile slave of my
senses. What then is the proper end of man? That we should live to the praise of the
glory of his grace wherewith he hath made us freely accepted in his Beloved.
Ephesians 1:6. —William Pulley.
Ver. 47. Wherefore hast thou made all men in vain? If we think that God hath made
man "in vain", because so many have short lives, and long afflictions in this world,
it is true that God "hath made" them so; but it is not true, that therefore they are
"made in vain". For those whose days are few and full of trouble, yet may glorify
God, and do some good, may keep their communion with God, and go to heaven,
and then they are not made in vain. If we think that God has made men in vain,
because the most of men neither serve him nor enjoy him, it is true, that as to
themselves, they were made in vain, better for them they had not been born, than
not be "born again"; but it was not owing to God, that they were made in vain, it
was owing to themselves; nor are they made in vain as to him; for he has "made all
things for himself, even the wicked for the day of evil", and those whom he is not
glorified by he will be glorified upon. —Matthew Henry.
Ver. 47. Wherefore hast thou made all men in vain? When I add to the

182. consideration of my short time, that of dying mankind, and behold a dark and
deadly shade universally overspreading the world, the whole species of human
creatures vanishing, quitting the stage round about me, and disappearing almost as
soon as they show themselves; have I not a fair and plausible ground for that
(seemingly rude) challenge? Why is there so unaccountable a phenomenon? Such a
creature made to no purpose; the noblest part of this inferior creation brought forth
into being without any imaginable design? I know not how to untie the knot, upon
this only view of the case, or avoid the absurdity. It is hard sure to design the
supposal, (or what it may yet seem hard to suppose), "that all men were made in
vain." —John Howe.
Ver. 47. Wherefore hast thou made all men in vain? Two thoughts crush us—Man
was made to mourn, and man was made in vain. Yes, this thought is painfully
pressed upon us, —man is "made in vain!" In how many particulars, especially
when we survey that large range of characters to which we may give the
denomination of wasted lives; there to behold peerless genius frittering itself away
upon unworthy attainments, upon worthless performances; imagination that might
adorn truth, if that were possible; wit, that might select and discriminate the true
from the false; and eloquence that might enforce the true; —where do we find
these? Unsatisfactory and miserable world, may we well exclaim, where nothing is
real, and nothing is realised: when I consider how our lives are passed in the
struggle for existence; when I consider the worry of life, where it is not a woe—the
woe, where it is not a worry; when I consider how the millions pass their time in a
mere toil for sensual objects, and that those to whom the sad contradiction of life
never comes, are the most wretched of all, did they but know it; when I consider the
millions of distorted existences; and the many millions! —the greater number of
the world by far—who wander Christless, loveless, hopeless, over the broad
highway of it; when I consider life in many of the awakened as a restless dream, as
children beating the curtain and crying in the night; when I consider how many
questions recur for ever to us; and will not be silenced, and cannot be answered;
when I consider the vanity of the philosopher's inquisitiveness, and the end of
Royalty in the tomb; when I look round on the region of my own joys, and know
how short their lease is, and that their very ineffableness is a blight upon them;
when I consider how little the best can do, and that none can do anything well; and,
finally, when I consider the immeasurable immensity of thought within, unfulfilled,
and the goading restlessness, I can almost exclaim with our unhappy poet Byron —
"Count all the joys thine hours have seen,
Count all thy days from anguish free,
And know, whatever thou last been,
It were something better not to be." —E. Paxton Hood, in "Dark Sayings on a
Harp", 1865.
Ver. 47-48. In these verses, the fundamental condition of Israel's blessedness is
found to be an acknowledgment of the total unprofitableness of the flesh.
Resurrection is the basis upon which the sure mercies of David rest availably for
faith (Acts 13:34). This is rather implied than directly stated in the present Psalm. â
€”Arthur Pridham.
WHEDO , "47. Remember how short my time is—The psalmist speaks in his own

183. person in behalf of the nation, which accords well with the supposition that this
psalm is the second part of Psalms 88.
Made all men in vain—If human life is so short, and to be filled up with utter
disappointment and sorrow, wherein is its benefit?-what is its gain? This, like
Solomon’s “vanity of vanities,” (Ecclesiastes 1:2,) contemplates eternal life in the
background, and human life a failure only as apart from the life to come.
BE SO , "Psalms 89:47. Remember how short my time is — That is, our time, the
time of our king and kingdom, in whose name the psalmist put up this petition, and
about whom he was much more solicitous than about himself, as is evident, both
from the following verses and from the whole body of the Psalm. The sense seems to
be this: Our king and all his people, and I among the rest, are short-lived and
perishing creatures, who of ourselves, and according to the course of nature, must
shortly die, and therefore there is no need that thou shouldest add further afflictions
to sweep us away before the time. Wherefore hast thou made all men in vain? —
Wherefore hast thou made us and our king, and consequently all other men, (whose
condition is in nothing better than ours,) in vain, or to so little purpose? Didst thou
raise up us and him, establish us for thy people, settle the crown upon David and his
seed by a solemn covenant, erect a magnificent and glorious temple, and vouchsafe
so many and great promises and privileges, and all this but for a few years; that our
crown and glory should be taken from us within a little time after it was put upon
our heads? It is not strange that such considerations as these should fill the
psalmist’s mind with amazement and sad perplexing thoughts. or doth he accuse
or upbraid God here with, but only useth it as an argument to move him to repair
and restore their decayed state, that they might live to praise, serve, and glorify him.
COKE, "Psalms 89:47. Remember how short my time is— Remember, as to my own
part, what my being is. See Psalms 39:4, Or, Remember what my age is. All men, in
the next clause, means "all of us who labour under this wretched captivity." In vain,
signifies as if we were made for nothing else but to be miserable, and die. The
Psalmist makes use of the next verse as an argument to incline God to suffer the
captive Jews to spend the short time which remained of their lives in a more
comfortable condition. From the hand of the grave, is rendered very properly by
Mudge, from the power of the grave.
ELLICOTT, "(47) Remember.—The text of this clause runs, Remember I how
duration, which might possibly be an incoherent sob, meaning remember how
quickly I pass. But since the transposition of a letter brings the clause into
conformity with Psalms 39:4, “how frail I am,” it is better to adopt the change.
Wherefore hast thou . . .—Literally, for what vanity hast thou created all men?
“Count all the joys thine hours have seen,
Count all the days from anguish free,

184. And know, whatever thou hast been,
’Twere something better not to be.”—BYRO .
Verse 48
EXPOSITORS DICTIO ARY OF TEXTS, "Man"s eed of Immortality
Psalm 89:47
I. I would describe this as the earliest Bible cry for immortality. It is a very peculiar
cry. It is grounded not upon instinct, but upon reason. It is not a longing founded
upon the mere love of life It is not a desire based upon the mere dread of death. It is
not a wish rising from the mere search of new surroundings. It is a cry originating
in the spirit of economy—the resistance to waste. The Psalmist is impressed with the
inadequacy of the term of human life. He does not mean that it is too short for
enjoyment; enjoyment is always taken at a quick draught. But he thinks it too short
for the work assigned to it. He sees the labourer hired into the vineyard with orders
to perform a certain task. But he finds that the task given to the labourer is one
which he could not possibly perform within the limits of the working day. He says,
"What does the Lord of the vineyard mean by this disproportion between work and
time, surely He must intend the labour to be continued into another day!"
II. You will find that the deepest cry of all ages has been the Psalmist"s cry. What
makes us crave a future is not a sense of this world"s misery, but a sense of this
world"s vanity. We say with the Psalmist, "Wherefore hast Thou made all men in
vain—why hast Thou given them working orders which are quite incommensurate
with the brief time they have to live on earth?" We feel that there is more furniture
to be put into the house than the house will hold. We are prompted to boundless
aspirations, and we live on earth for but an hour. We are inspired to endless love,
and it never reaches summer. We are bidden by conscience to work for all ages, and
we have only three score years and ten. Life"s day is too short for us. It is not too
short for the bee, which completes its destined palace. It is not too short for the lark,
which completes its destined song. But it is too short for man whose ideal is
unrealized, whose song is unfinished, whose labour in the field is scarce begun.
III. Therefore, O Lord, I know that this is not my goal. Thou hast furnished me with
powers which here can have no adequate exercise. I speak of the ephemeral insect;
yet if this life were my all, the insect would not be so ephemeral as I.... The insect
finishes the work which Thou gavest it to do; I leave my studies incomplete, my
book unwritten, my picture without its closing touch, my house without its topmost
story. But it is just my incompleteness that makes my hope. I know Thou wouldst
not give me power to be squandered; I know Thou hast appointed for me another
day. It is not my fear that cries to Thee; it is my sense of justice and my wish to
indicate Thy justice. If earth met all my needs, I would accept the day of death. But
earth has not fully responded to any one cry of my spirit as I claim response from
Thee. Surely there are answers waiting somewhere to the myriad epistles written by

185. my heart! Forbid that I should think Thou hast made my life in vain.
—G. Matheson, Messages of Hope, p97.
48 Who can live and not see death,
or who can escape the power of the grave?
BAR ES, "What man is he that liveth, and shall not see death? - Shall not
die - to see death being an expression often used to denote death itself. Death is
represented as a real object, now invisible, but which will make itself visible to us when
we die. The meaning here is, “All men are mortal; this universal law must apply to kings
as well as to other men; in a short time he to whom these promises pertain will pass
away from the earth; and the promises made to him cannot then be fulfilled.”
Shall he deliver his soul from the hand of the grave? - His life. Will he be able
to deliver that from the power of the grave; in Hebrew, ‫שׁאול‬ she
'ôl. Death - the grave -
Sheol - asserts a universal dominion over mankind, and no one can be rescued from that
stern power.
CLARKE, "What man is he that liveth - All men are mortal, and death is
uncertain and no man, by wisdom, might, or riches, can deliver his life from the hand -
the power, of death and the grave.
GILL, "What man is he that liveth, and shall not see death?.... Every living man
must die; as sure as a man lives, so sure he shall die: be he strong and mighty, as the
word signifies, or weak and sickly; be he high or low, rich or poor, prince or peasant,
righteous or wicked; persons of all ranks, states, and conditions, age or sex, must die; for
all have sinned; and it is the appointment of God that they should die, and very few are
the exceptions; as Enoch and Elijah, and those that will be found alive at Christ's
coming:
shall he deliver his soul from the hand of the grave; either from going down into
it, or coming under the power of it; so the Targum,
"what man is he that shall live, and shall not see the angel of death (Heb_2:14) shall he
deliver his soul from his hand, that he should not go down to the house of his grave?''

186. or deliver himself from the power of it, when in it; that is, raise himself from the dead:
none ever did this, or ever can: Christ indeed undertook, and has promised, to redeem
his people from the power of the grave, upon which they have believed they should be
delivered; see Hos_13:14, but if Christ rose not himself, which was the thing now in
question, how could it be? the case stands thus; every man must die; no man can raise
himself from the dead; if Christ rise not, everyone must continue under the power of the
grave; for then there could be no resurrection.
HE RY, "He pleads the universality and unavoidableness of death (Psa_89:48):
“What man” (what strong man, so the word is) “is he that liveth and shall not see
death? The king himself, of the house of David, is not exempted from the sentence, from
the stroke. Lord, since he is under a fatal necessity of dying, let not his whole life be
made thus miserable. Shall he deliver his soul from the hand of the grave? No, he shall
not when his time has come. Let him not therefore be delivered into the hand of the
grave by the miseries of a dying life, till his time shall come.” We must learn here that
death is the end of all men; our eyes must shortly be closed to see death; there is no
discharge from that war, nor will any bail be taken to save us from the prison of the
grave. It concerns us therefore to make sure a happiness on the other side of death and
the grave, that, when we fail, we may be received into everlasting habitations.
JAMISO , "What man — literally, “strong man - shall live?” and, indeed, have not
all men been made in vain, as to glorifying God?
CALVI , "48.What man shall live, and shall not see death? This verse contains a
confirmation of what has been already stated concerning the brevity of human life.
The amount is, that unless God speedily hasten to show himself a father to men, the
opportunity of causing them to experience his grace will no longer exist. The
original word ‫,גבר‬ geber, which we have translated man, is derived from the verb ‫גבר‬
, gabar, he was strong, or he prevailed; and the sacred writer employs this word, the
more forcibly to express the truth, that no man is privileged with exemption from
the dominion of death.
SPURGEO , "Ver. 48. What man is he that liveth, and shall not see death? All
must die. one of our race can answer to the question here propounded except in
the negative; there is none that can claim to elude the arrows of death.
Shall he deliver his soul from the hand of the grave? either by strength, wisdom,
nor virtue can any man escape the common doom, for to the dust return we must.
Since then we must all die, do not make this life all wretchedness, by smiting us so
long, O Lord. Thy Son our covenant Head died, and so also shall we; let us not be so
deserted of thee in this brief span that we shall be quite unable to testify to thy
faithfulness: make us not feel that we have lived in vain. Thus the brevity of life and
the certainty of death are turned into pleas with the Most High.
Selah. Here we rest again, and proceed to further pleadings.
EXPLA ATORY OTES A D QUAI T SAYI GS.

187. Ver. 48. What man. Mi gheber, says the original; it is not Is he, which is the first
name of man, in the Scriptures, and signifies nothing but a sound, a voice, a word, a
musical air which dies, and evaporates; what wonder if man, that is but Ishe, a
sound, should die too? It is not Adam, which is another name of man, and signifies
nothing but red earth; let it be earth red with blood, (with that murder which we
have done upon ourselves,)let it be earth red with blushing, (so the word is used in
the original), with a conscience of our own infirmity, what wonder if man, that is
but Adam, guilty of this self murder in himself, guilty of this inborn frailty in
himself, die too? It is not Enos, which is also a third name of man, and signifies
nothing but a wretched and miserable creature; what wonder that man, that is but
earth, that is a burden to his neighbours, to his friends, to his kindred, to himself, to
whom all others, and to whom myself desires death, what wonder if he die? But this
question is framed upon more of these names; not Ishe, not Adam, not Enos; but it
is Mi gheber, Quis vir; which is the word always signifying a man accomplished in
all excellencies, a man accompanied with all advantages; fame, and a good opinion
justly conceived, keeps him from being Ishe, a mere sound, standing only upon
popular acclamation; innocency and integrity keeps him from being Adam, red
earth, from bleeding, or blushing at anything he hath done; that holy and religious
art of arts, which St. Paul professed. That he knew how to want, and hvw to
abound, keeps him from being Enos, miserable or wretched in any fortune; he is
gheber, a great man, and a good man, a happy man, and a holy man, and yet Mi
gheber, Quis homo, this man must see death. —John Donne.
Ver. 48. This Psalm is one of those twelve that are marked in the forehead with
Maschil; that is, a Psalm giving instruction. It consisteth of as many verses as the
year doth of weeks, and hath like the year, its summer and winter. The summer part
is the former; wherein, the church having reaped a most rich crop (the best
blessings of Heaven and earth) the Psalmist breaketh forth into the praises of their
gracious Benefactor, I will sing of the mercies of the Lord for ever: so it begins, and
so he goeth on a great way. Who now would expect anything but mercies, and
singing, and summer all the way? But summer ceaseth, and winter commences, at
Psalms 89:38 : But thou hast cast off and abhorred, thou hast been wroth, with thine
anointed. Mercies and singing are now turned into troubles and mourning. But
nothing shall you hear but bitter querimonies and expostulations till you come to the
last verse. There the good man's come to himself again. Though God were angry
with his people, he cannot part with God in discontent. Though God had laden them
with crosses, he lifts up his head, and presents God with blessing; Blessed be the
Lord forevermore. Amen, and Amen. He blesseth him as well for winter as for
summer, for troubles as for mercies. And thus the last verse of Psalm having as
much affinity with the first in matter, as the last day of the year hath with the first
in season; if we circle the Psalm, and bring both ends together, we find a fit
resemblance between the year and it.
The text is one of the Psalmist's winter drops; a black line from that pen, which
erstwhile was so filled with joy, and wrote nothing but rubrics. He complains in the
next precedent verse, of the brevity of his own life (it was like a winter's day, very
short); in this, of the instability of man's life; as though he had said, I am not the
only mortal. Other men's lives, though haply clothed with more comforts than mine,
are altogether as mortal as mine; for his interrogations are equivalent to strong

188. negations. As to see sleep is to sleep; so to see or taste death, is to die. There is no
surviving such a sight Death says, as God once to Moses, "There shall no man see
me and live." Exodus 33:20. —Thomas Du-gard, in a Funeral Sermon, 1648.
Ver. 48. Death spares no rank, no condition of men. Kings as well as subjects,
princes as well as the meanest rustics are liable to this fatal stroke. The lofty cedars
and low shrubs; palaces and cottages are alike here. Indeed, we read that Julius
Caesar bid the master of the ship wherein he was sailing, take courage
notwithstanding the boisterous tempest, because he had Caesar and his fortunes
embarked in his vessel, as much as to say, the element on which they then were
could not prove fatal to an emperor, to so great a one as he was. Our William
surnamed Rufus said, he never heard of a king that was drowned. And Charles the
Fifth, at the Battle of Tunis, being advised to retire when the great ordnance began
to play, told them that it was never known that an emperor was slain with great
shot, and so rushed into the battle. But this we are sure of, it was never known or
heard that any king or crowned head escaped the blow of death at last. The sceptre
cannot keep off `the arrows that fly by day, and the sickness which wastes at
noonday; 'it is no screen, no guard against the shafts of death. We have heard of
great tyrants and usurpers who vaunted that they had the power of life and death,
and as absolutely disposed of men as Domitian did of flies; but we have heard
likewise that in a short time (and generally the shorter the more furious they have
been) their sceptres are fallen out of their hands; their crowns are toppled off their
heads, and they are themselves snatched away by the King of Terrors. Or, if we
speak of those royal personages that are mild and gentle, and like Vespasian are the
darlings and delight of the people, yet these no less than others have their fatal hour,
and their regal honour and majesty are laid in the dust. The King doth not die, may
be a Common law maxim, but it is a falsehood according to the laws of God and
ature, and the established constitution of heaven. For God himself who hath said,
Ye are gods, hath also added, Ye shall die like men. In the Escurial the palace of the
Kings of Spain, is their cemetery too; there their royal ashes lie. So in the place
where the kings and queens of England are crowned, their predecessors are
entombed: to tell them, as it were, that their crowns exempt them not from the
grave, and that there is no greatness and splendour that can guard them from the
arrest of death. He regards the rich and wealthy no more than the poor and
necessitous: he snatches persons out of their mansion houses and hereditary seats, as
well as out of almshouses and hospitals. His dominion is over masters as well as
servants, parents as well as children, superiors as well as inferiors. —John
Edwards.
Ver. 48. —
The boast of heraldry, the pomp of power,
And all that beauty, all that wealth ever gave, Await alike the inevitable hour—
The paths of glory lead but to the grave.
Can storied urn, or animated bust,
Back to its mansions call the fleeting breath? Can Honour's voice provoke the silent
dust,
Or Flattery soothe the dull cold ear of Death? —Thomas Gray, 1716-1771.
BE SO , "Verses 48-50

189. Psalms 89:48-50. What man is he that liveth, and shall not see death? — All men, at
their best estate, are mortal and miserable; kings and people must unavoidably die
by the condition of their natures. Lord, where are thy former loving-kindnesses? —
Hast thou forgotten or repented of all that mercy and kindness which thou hast
promised and sworn, and sometimes performed, unto David, and his family and
kingdom? Remember, Lord, how I do bear — That is, we, thy servants, as he now
said, our king and his people, of whom he speaks as of one person; the reproach of
all the mighty people — Of the great potentates and princes of the world, who now
reproached the house of David with their vain and confident boasting of the
everlastingness of their kingdom, which was now in a desperate and lost condition.
Or, all the reproaches of many people.
ELLICOTT, "(48) What man.—Rather, What hero, or champion, or great man.
The word is used of a king (Jeremiah 22:30; comp. Isaiah 22:17). The verse repeats
a common poetic theme:—
“Pallida mors æquo pulsat pede pauperum tabernas,
Regumque turres.”—HORACE, I. Od. iv.
The hand of the grave.—Rather, of the underworld, “hand” being used for
“power.”
49 Lord, where is your former great love,
which in your faithfulness you swore to David?
BAR ES, "Lord, where are thy former loving-kindnesses - Thy mercies; thy
pledges; thy promises. Where are those promises which thou didst make formerly to
David? Are they accomplished? Or are they forgotten and disregarded? They seem to be
treated as a thing of nought; as if they had not been made. He relied on them; but they
are not now fulfilled.
Which thou swarest unto David - Which thou didst solemnly promise, even with
the implied solemnity of an oath.
In thy truth - Pledging thy veracity.
CLARKE, "Lord, where are thy former lovingkindnesses - Wilt thou not deal

190. with us as thou didst with our fathers? Didst thou not swear unto David that thou
wouldst distinguish him as thou didst them?
GILL, "Lord, where are thy former lovingkindnesses,.... The spiritual blessings
said to be in Christ; the grace said to be given to us in him; the sure mercies of David,
such as redemption, justification, remission of sins, and eternal life; so called because
they flow from the free favour and love of God, and, being many, are expressed in the
plural number; and which were former or ancient ones, even promised and secured in
Christ before the world began; springing from the love of God, which, both to Christ and
his people, was from everlasting, and provided for in a covenant, which was as early:
which thou swarest unto David in thy truth? which were promised to Christ, the
antitype of David, and that with an oath, by the truth or faithfulness of God, for the
certainty thereof: but now where are all these? or how will they take place, if Christ rise
not from the dead? where will be the redemption of his people, the justification of their
persons, the remission of their sins, and their everlasting salvation? and what will
become then of the covenant, oath, and faithfulness of God?
HE RY, ". The next plea is taken from the kindness God had for and the covenant he
made with his servant David (Psa_89:49): “Lord, where are thy former
lovingkindnesses, which thou showedst, nay, which thou swaredst, to David in thy
truth? Wilt thou fail of doing what thou hast promised? Wilt thou undo what thou hast
done? Art not thou still the same? Why then may not we have the benefit of the former
sure mercies of David?” God's unchangeableness and faithfulness assure us that God will
not cast off those whom he has chosen and covenanted with.
JAMISO , "Psalms 89:49-51
The terms of expostulation are used in view of the actual appearance that God had
forsaken His people and forgotten His promise, and the plea for aid is urged in view of
the reproaches of His and His people’s enemies (compare Isa_37:17-35).
SBC, "It was on the morrow of the profound humiliation of Jerusalem by Shishak, and
amidst the political and religious ruins which it had brought with it, that the eighty-
ninth Psalm was written. The writer was an old servant and friend of the royal house:
Ethan the Ezrahite. He was one of those wise men whose names are recorded as having
been exceeded in wisdom by King Solomon, and had long taken part with Heman and
Asaph in the Temple’s services; and thus at this sad crisis of his history he pours out his
soul in the pathetic and majestic Psalm before us, and of this psalm the keynote is to be
found in the words, "Lord, where are Thy former lovingkindnesses, which Thou swarest
unto David in Thy truth?"
I. "Where are Thy former lovingkindnesses?" As he sings Ethan looks around him, and
his eye rests on a scene of degradation and ruin. He suffers as a patriot; he suffers as a
religious man; he suffers as the descendants of the old Roman families suffered when
they beheld Alaric and his hosts sacking the Eternal City. What had become of the
lovingkindness of God, what of His faithfulness, what of His power? Ethan, in his report
of the promise, answered his own difficulty. The covenant with David was not an
absolute covenant. It depended upon conditions. There is a difference between the gifts

191. of the Creator in the region of unconscious nature and His gifts in the region of free, self-
determining will. The former are absolute gifts; the latter depend for their value and
their virtue on the use that is made of them. The race of David was raised from among
the shepherds of Bethlehem to reign over a great people upon conditions—conditions
which were summed up in fidelity to Him who had done so much for it. Ethan himself
states this supreme condition in the words of the Divine Author of the covenant: "If
David’s children forsake My law, and walk not in My judgments, ...then will I visit their
transgression with the rod, and their sin with scourges."
II. Ethan’s cry has often been raised by pious men in the bad days of Christendom:
"Lord, where are Thy former lovingkindnesses?" And the answer is, "They are where
they were." "The gifts and calling of God are without repentance." Now, as always, the
promises of God to His people are largely conditioned. If the gates of hell shall not
prevail against His Church, much short of this may happen as a consequence of the
unfaithfulness of her members or her ministers. Of this let us be sure, that if God’s
promises seem to any to have failed, the fault lies not with Him, but with ourselves; it is
we who have changed, not He. The cloud which issues from our furnaces of passion and
self-will has overclouded for the moment the face of the sun; but beyond the cloud of
smoke the sun still shines.
H. P. Liddon, Contemporary Pulpit, vol. ii., p. 257 (see also Christian World, Pulpit, vol.
xxvi., p. 120).
CALVI , "49.O Lord! where are thy former mercies? The prophet encourages
himself, by calling to remembrance God’s former benefits, as if his reasoning were,
That God can never be unlike himself, and that therefore the goodness which he
manifested in old time to the fathers cannot come to an end. This comparison might
indeed make the godly despond, when they find that they are not dealt with by him
so gently as he dealt with the fathers, did not another consideration at the same time
present itself to their minds — the consideration that he never changes, and never
wearies in the course of his beneficence. As to the second clause of the verse, some
interpreters connect it with the first, by interposing the relative, thus: — Where are
thy former mercies which thou hast sworn? In this I readily acquiesce; for the sense
is almost the same, although the relative be omitted. God had given evident and
indubitable proofs of the truth of the oracle delivered to Samuel; (559) and,
therefore, the faithful lay before him both his promise and the many happy fruits of
it which had been experienced. They say, in truth, that they may with the greater
confidence apply to themselves, whatever tokens of his liberality God had in old
time bestowed upon the fathers; for they had the same ground to expect the exercise
of the Divine goodness towards them as the fathers had, God, who is unchangeably
the same, having sworn to be merciful to the posterity of David throughout all ages.
SPURGEO , "Ver. 49. Lord, where are thy former loving kindnesses, which thou
swarest unto David in thy truth? Here he comes to grand pleading, hand to hand
work with the covenant angel. We may remind the Lord of his first deeds of love, his
former love to his church, his former favour to ourselves. Then may we plead his
oath, and beg him to remember that he has sworn to bless his chosen: and we may
wrestle hard also, by urging upon him his own character, and laying hold upon his
inviolable truth. When things look black we may bring forth our strong reasons,

192. and debate the case with our condescending God, who has himself said, "Come now,
and let us reason together."
EBC, "The last three verses (Psalms 89:49-51) urge yet another plea-that of the
dishonour accruing to God from the continuance of Israel’s disasters. A second
"Remember" presents that plea, which is preceded by the wistful question "Where
are Thy former lovingkindnesses?" The psalmist looks back on the glories of early
days, and the retrospect is bitter and bewildering. That these were sworn to David
in God’s faithfulness staggers him, but he makes the fact a plea with God. Then in
Psalms 89:50-51, he urges the insults and reproaches which enemies hurled against
him and against "Thy servants," and therefore against God.
Psalms 89:50 b is obscure. To "bear in the bosom" usually implies tender care, but
here can only mean sympathetic participation. The psalmist again lets his own
personality appear for a moment, while he identifies himself as a member of the
nation with "Thy servants" and "Thine anointed." The last words of the clause are
so obscure that there must apparently have been textual corruption. If the existing
text is retained, the object of the verb I bear must be supplied from a, -and this
clause will run, "I bear in my bosom the reproach of all the many peoples." But the
collocation of all and many is harsh, and the position of many is anomalous. An
ingenious conjecture, adopted by Cheyne from Bottcher and Bickell, and accepted,
by Baethgen, reads for "all, many peoples, the shame of the peoples, which gives a
good meaning, and may be received as at all events probable, and expressing the
intent of the psalmist. Insolent conquerors and their armies triumph over the fallen
Israel, and "reproach the footsteps" of the dethroned king or royal line-i.e., they
pursue him with their taunts, wherever he goes. These reproaches cut deep into the
singer’s heart; but they glance off from the earthly objects and strike the majesty of
Heaven. God’s people cannot be flouted without His honour being touched.
Therefore the prayer goes up, that the Lord would remember these jeers which
mocked Him as well as His afflicted people, and would arise to action on behalf of
His own ame. His Lovingkindness and Faithfulness, which the psalmist has
magnified, and on which he rests his hopes, are darkened in the eyes of men and
even of His own nation by the calamities, which give point to the rude gibes of the
enemy. Therefore the closing petitions beseech God to think on these reproaches,
and to bring into act once more His Lovingkindness, and to vindicate His
Faithfulness, which He had sealed to David by His oath.
Psalms 89:52 is no part of the original psalm, but is the closing doxology of Book III.
ISBET, "THE FAILURE OF FAITH
‘Lord, where are Thy former lovingkindnesses, which Thou swarest unto David in
Thy truth?’
Psalms 89:49
It was on the morrow of the profound humiliation of Jerusalem by Shishak, and
amidst the political and religious ruins which it had brought with it, that the eighty-
ninth psalm was written. The writer was an old servant and friend of the royal

193. house: Ethan the Ezrahite. He was one of those wise men whose names are recorded
as having been exceeded in wisdom by King Solomon, and had long taken part with
Heman and Asaph in the Temple’s services; and thus at this sad crisis of his history
he pours out his soul in the pathetic and majestic psalm before us, and of this psalm
the keynote is to be found in the words, “Lord, where are Thy former
lovingkindnesses, which Thou swarest unto David in Thy truth?”
I. ‘Where are Thy former lovingkindnesses?’—As he sings Ethan looks around him,
and his eye rests on a scene of degradation and ruin. He suffers as a patriot; he
suffers as a religious man; he suffers as the descendants of the old Roman families
suffered when they beheld Alaric and his hosts sacking the Eternal City. What had
become of the lovingkindness of God, what of His faithfulness, what of His power?
Ethan, in his report of the promise, answered his own difficulty. The covenant with
David was not an absolute covenant. It depended upon conditions. There is a
difference between the gifts of the Creator in the region of unconscious nature and
His gifts in the region of free, self-determining will. The former are absolute gifts;
the latter depend for their value and their virtue on the use that is made of them.
The race of David was raised from among the shepherds of Bethlehem to reign over
a great people upon conditions—conditions which were summed up in fidelity to
Him who had done so much for it. Ethan himself states this supreme condition in
the words of the Divine Author of the covenant: ‘If David’s children forsake My
law, and walk not in My judgments … then will I visit their transgression with the
rod, and their sin with scourges.’
II. Ethan’s cry has often been raised by pious men in the bad days of Christendom:
‘Lord, where are Thy former lovingkindnesses?’ And the answer is, ‘They are
where they were.’ ‘The gifts and calling of God are without repentance.’ ow, as
always, the promises of God to His people are largely conditioned. If the gates of hell
shall not prevail against His Church, much short of this may happen as a
consequence of the unfaithfulness of her members or her ministers. Of this let us be
sure, that if God’s promises seem to any to have failed, the fault lies not with Him,
but with ourselves; it is we who have changed, not He. The cloud which issues from
our furnaces of passion and self-will has overclouded for the moment the face of the
sun; but beyond the cloud of smoke the sun still shines.
—Canon Liddon.
Illustration
‘There are dark seasons when this expectation is not clearly displayed, and troubled
hours when the soul finds it hard to seize the word of promise, so surely attested,
and only by a great effort can cling to the word of the oath of the true Witness. Then
there is danger, lest the praise of God, whose strength is still the ornament and glory
of His people, should be hushed, or changed into vain complaining; lest by so long
enduring of evil the hope of amelioration should sink into the fear of greater evil.’

194. 50 Remember, Lord, how your servant has[g]
been mocked,
how I bear in my heart the taunts of all the
nations,
BAR ES, "Remember, Lord, the reproach of thy servants - Remember this,
so as to cause it to pass away; he not forgetful or unmindful of this. Compare Psa_89:47.
The psalmist desired that all this might be before the mind of God as a reason why he
should help him. These promises had been made to David and his people. They had
relied on them, and they were now reproached as having trusted to promises which had
never been made. This reproach was consequent on what seemed to be the failure to
fulfill those promises; and as this reproach came upon God, and was a reflection on his
fidelity, the psalmist prays that he would allow it to come before him.
How I do bear in my bosom the reproach of all the mighty people - literally,
“I bear in my bosom all the many people.” That is, everything that pertained to them
came upon him. All their troubles; all their reverses; all their complaints; all their
murmurings, seemed to come upon him. He was held responsible for everything
pertaining to them; all this pressed upon his heart. Compare the bitter complaint of
Moses in Num_11:11-15. The phrase “to bear in the bosom” here, is equivalent to bearing
it on the heart. Trouble, anxiety, care, sorrow, seem to press on the heart, or fill the
bosom with distressing emotions, and lay on it a heavy burden. The allusion here is not
merely to reproach, but the meaning is that everything pertaining to the people came on
him, and it crushed him down. The burdens of his own people, as well as the reproaches
of all around him, came upon him; and he felt that he was not able to bear it.
CLARKE, "I do bear in my bosom - Our enemies, knowing our confidence,
having often heard our boast in thee, and now seeing our low and hopeless estate, mock
us for our confidence, and blaspheme thee. This wounds my soul; I cannot bear to hear
thy name blasphemed among the heathen. All these mighty people blaspheme the God of
Jacob.
GILL, "Remember, Lord, the reproach of thy servants,.... The apostles of Christ,
his servants, and the servants of the living God, that showed unto men the way of
salvation, and other saints with them that believed in Christ, and were made willing to
serve and follow him; these were now reproached by the Scribes and Pharisees for
believing in him, and professing him; and were scoffed and laughed at, when they had
crucified him, and laid him in the grave, triumphing over him and them, believing he
would never rise again, as he had given out he should, and for which his followers were

195. reproached; and therefore desire the Lord would remember the reproach cast upon
Christ, and them, for his sake, and roll it away:
how I do bear in my bosom the reproach of all the mighty people; the
ecclesiastical and civil rulers of the Jews, their chief priests, Scribes, and Pharisees, who
poured out their reproaches very plentifully on the followers of Christ, whom the
psalmist here represents; which fell very heavily upon them, as a very great weight and
burden, and pressed them sore, and went to their very hearts, and therefore said to be
"in their bosom"; and which is mentioned to excite the divine compassion, that he would
appear for them, and raise his Son from the dead, as was promised and expected; that
their enemies might have no more occasion to reproach him and them: it is in the
original, "I bear in my bosom all the many people" (c); which some understand of the
people of God, and of Christ's sustaining their persons, and making satisfaction for their
sins; but the other sense is preferable: Kimchi supplies the words as we do; and so the
Targum, which renders them thus,
"I bear in my bosom all the reproaches of many people.''
HE RY 50-51, " The last plea is taken from the insolence of the enemies and the
indignity done to God's anointed (Psa_89:50, Psa_89:51): “Remember, Lord, the
reproach, and let it be rolled away from us and returned upon our enemies.” (1.) They
were God's servants that were reproached, and the abuses done to them reflected upon
their master, especially since it was for serving him that they were reproached. (2.) The
reproach cast upon God's servants was a very grievous burden to all that were concerned
for the honour of God: “I bear in my bosom the reproach of all the mighty people, and
am even overwhelmed with it; it is what I lay much to heart and can scarcely keep up my
spirits under the weight of.” (3.) “They are thy enemies who do thus reproach us; and
wilt thou not appear against them as such?” (4.) They have reproached the footsteps of
thy anointed. They reflected upon all the steps which the king had taken in the course of
his administration, tracked him in all his motions, that they might make invidious
remarks upon every thing he had said and done. Or, if we may apply it to Christ, the
Lord's Messiah, they reproached the Jews with his footsteps, the slowness of his coming.
They have reproached the delays of the Messiah; so Dr. Hammond. They called him, He
that should come; but, because he had not yet come, because he did not now come to
deliver them out of the hands of their enemies, when they had none to deliver them, they
told them he would never come, they must give over looking for him. The scoffers of the
latter days do, in like manner, reproach the footsteps of the Messiah when they ask,
Where is the promise of his coming? 2Pe_3:3, 2Pe_3:4. The reproaching of the footsteps
of the anointed some refer to the serpent's bruising the heel of the seed of the woman, or
to the sufferings of Christ's followers, who tread in his footsteps, and are reproached for
his name's sake.
JAMISO , "bear in my bosom — as feeling the affliction of the people (Psa_69:9).
footsteps — ways (Psa_56:6).
CALVI , "50.O Lord! remember the reproach of thy servants. They again allege,
that they are held in derision by the ungodly, — a consideration which had no small
influence in moving God to compassion: for the more grievous and troublesome a

196. temptation it is, to have the wicked deriding our patience, that, after having made us
believe that God is not true in what he has promised, they may precipitate us into
despair; the more ready is he to aid us, that our feeble minds may not yield to the
temptation. The prophet does not simply mean that the reproaches of his enemies
are to him intolerable, but that God must repress their insolence in deriding the
faith and patience of the godly, in order that those who trust in him may not be put
to shame. He enhances still more the same sentiment in the second clause, telling us,
that he was assailed with all kind of reproaches by many peoples, or by the great
peoples, for the Hebrew word ‫,רבים‬ rabbim, signifies both great and many
Moreover, it is not without cause, that, after having spoken in general of the
servants of God, he changes the plural into the singular number. He does this, that
each of the faithful in particular may be the more earnestly stirred up to the duty of
prayer. The expression, in my bosom, is very emphatic. It is as if he had said, The
wicked do not throw from a distance their insulting words, but they vomit them, so
to speak, upon the children of God, who are thus constrained to receive them into
their bosom, and to bear patiently this base treatment. Such is the perversity of the
time in which we live, that we have need to apply the same doctrine to ourselves; for
the earth is full of profane and proud despisers of God, who cease not to make
themselves merry at our expense. And as Satan is a master well qualified to teach
them this kind of rhetoric, the calamities of the Church always furnish them with
matter for exercising it. Some take bosom for the secret affection of the heart; but
this exposition seems to be too refined.
SPURGEO , "Ver. 50. Remember, Lord, the reproach of thy servants. By reason of
their great troubles they were made a mock of by ungodly men, and hence the
Lord's pity is entreated. Will a father stand by and see his children insulted? The
Psalmist entreats the Lord to compassionate the wretchedness brought upon his
servants by the taunts of their adversaries, who jested at them on account of their
sufferings.
How I do bear in my bosom the reproach of all the mighty people. The Psalmist
himself laid the scorn of the great and the proud to heart. He felt as if all the
reproaches which vexed his nation were centred in himself, and therefore in sacred
sympathy with the people he poured out his heart. We ought to weep with those that
weep; reproach brought upon the saints and their cause ought to burden us: if we
can hear Christ blasphemed, and see his servants insulted, and remain unmoved, we
have not the true Israelite's spirit. Our grief at the griefs of the Lord's people may
be pleaded in prayer, and it will be acceptable argument.
There is one interpretation of this verse which must not be passed over; the original
is,
Remember my bearing in my bosom all the many nations; and this may be
understood as a pleading of the church that the Lord would remember her because
she was yet to be the mother of many nations, according to the prophecy of Psalms
77:1-20. She was as it were ready to give birth to nations, but how could they be
born if she herself died in the meanwhile? The church is the hope of the world;
should she expire, the nations would never come to the birth of regeneration, but

197. must abide in death.
EXPLA ATORY OTES A D QUAI T SAYI GS.
Ver. 50. How I do bear in my bosom the reproach, etc. I take the reproaches of thy
servants and thine anointed, (1) as if they reproached me in mine own particular;
or, (2) in that they lie so heavy upon my heart; or, (3) in that I am resolved quietly to
endure them, and to swallow them down in silence, as not being indeed able to shake
them off; because in the eye of reason our condition is at present so contrary to what
we waited for; or, (4) in that their reproaches came not to his ears by hear say only,
but were openly to his face cast as it were into his bosom. —Arthur Jackson.
Ver 50. I do bear in, my bosom the reproach, etc. The reproach of religion and of
the godly doth lie near, and should lie near, the heart of every lively member of the
church. —David Dickson.
WHEDO , "50. Reproach—One of the keenest points of the existing chastisement.
I do bear in my bosom—So perfectly identified is the psalmist with God’s people
that the thrust which was aimed at them is received in his own bosom. So Jeremiah
15:15. But the language is applied, in a higher sense, to Christ. See Psalms 69:9;
Romans 15:3.
All the mighty people—Either all the powerful nations who now reproached the
Hebrews, or, taking the words prophetically, all the mighty powers of the world who
persecute the true Church.
COKE, "Psalms 89:50. How I do bear in my bosom, &c.— How I bear in my bosom
all wherewith mighty nations, Psalms 89:51. Wherewith thine enemies, O Lord,
reproach; wherewith they reproach the steps of thine anointed. Mudge; who
observes, that by this translation an elegant repetition of the sentence is made, as in
the song of Deborah and other places. The steps may mean the measures,
"Whatever thine anointed does, or wherever he goes, they set him at defiance; they
speak opprobriously:" But perhaps it maybe understood more simply, "They
pursue the footsteps of thy anointed, wherever he treads, with defiance and
opprobrious language." The mention of himself here, and in the 47th verse, shews
the author to be of consequence. According to the Chaldee, this means the slowness
of the footsteps of the Messiah. The Jews were reproached by their enemies, as if the
promises upon which they so firmly depended, with relation to their Messiah, whom
they expected to rescue and redeem them out of their captivity, had now utterly
deceived them. See Houbigant.
REFLECTIO S.—1st, The Psalmist opens with praise, notwithstanding the
desolations before him, which so deeply affected and afflicted him; for no troubles
should untune our hearts: we can be in no state or condition, when we have not
matter for a spiritual song; and shall get more ease of heart by praising than
complaining.
1. The Psalmist declares his purpose to celebrate with ceaseless praise the mercies
and faithfulness of the Lord. However dark the present providences of God

198. appeared, he doubted not his boundless mercy, nor distrusted his faithfulness; and
therefore not only his lips should praise, but he would make known God's mercy
and truth, and leave them upon record to future generations.
2. He professes his own faith and hope in God. For I have said, confiding in God's
promise, in opposition to all appearances, Mercy shall be built up for ever, the
tabernacle of David be revived from its ruins, and flourish through God's mercy:
thy faithfulness shalt thou establish in the very heavens, his promises to the faithful
enduring as the heavens, and his faithfulness most eminently proved, when his
saints shall be taken up to heaven; and herein with unshaken confidence he rested.
2nd, The Psalmist reiterates the praises of God; and most worthy he appears to be
adored, and had in everlasting remembrance.
1. Heaven and earth must celebrate his glory. The heavens, with all their bright
inhabitants, shall praise thy wonders, or, that wonderful work of thine, the covenant
of grace established in Christ with lost sinners, or that stupendous incarnation of
the Son of God: thy faithfulness also in the congregation of the saints, earth as well
as heaven unites in adoration, and saints seek to emulate the service of angels; and
most especially bounden are they to join in the song of praise, when assembled in
the great congregation, where God has promised the especial presence of his grace,
and is to be approached with filial reverence and godly fear. ote; They who ever
hope for heaven, must begin the service upon earth. If we have now no joy in God's
worship and praises, how can we expect happiness there, where this is the
everlasting employment of the glorified soul.
2. Most abundant reason there is, why God should be thus adored,
[1.] Because his greatness is beyond compare. Heaven yields none like him; the
highest archangels are infinitely more beneath his perfection, than they are above
the worm, the meanest worm which crawls: much less can earth, among its
mightiest sons, produce a rival to Him who sitteth on the circle of the heavens, and
the inhabitants of the world are but as grasshoppers before him.
[2.] His strength and faithfulness are most transcendantly great. one can do what
he doth, nor did ever any trust him and were disappointed. Several instances of this
his almighty power are here given:
(1.) In his controul of the most unruly elements, Thou rulest the raging of the sea:
when the waves thereof arise, thou stillest them: he hath appointed their bounds;
and though the foaming billows lift their heads, they cannot pass them, but in an
instant at his word subside, and creep in murmurs to the shore. By this act of
omnipotence did Jesus manifest his godhead and glory. Matthew 8:24-27.
(2.) In his victories over Egypt, and his people's enemies, when Pharaoh, that
Rahab, that proud one, was destroyed, and all his hosts, as corpses, scattered on the
shore; an emblem of the victories of Jesus over Satan and the powers of darkness,

199. and of his destruction of the anti-christian foe, when Babylon mystical, as Rahab,
shall be broken in pieces.
(3.) In his universal dominion over all the creatures. The heavens and earth, and all
who dwell in them, own his authority, and regard him as their Creator: from pole to
pole he is Lord of all, and Tabor and Hermon rejoice in his name, all the fertility,
strength, and beauty they possess, are from his gift; and if Tabor, as is generally
supposed, was the mount where our Lord was transfigured, it might with peculiar
propriety be said to rejoice in him.
(4.) In his providential government. Thou hast a mighty arm, able to save and to
destroy; strong is thy hand, and high is thy right hand, to preserve, protect, and
chastise his faithful people for their good; or to punish and overwhelm his enemies
with judgments irresistible; and withal, most holy, just, and good are all his
dispensations. Justice and judgment are the habitation of thy throne, the
administration of the kingdom of his providence is altogether righteous and
equitable. Mercy and truth shall go before thy face; mercy in pardoning the
perishing sinner, truth in performing all his promises; and justly do these exalt him,
and render him worthy to receive blessing, and glory, and majesty, and might, and
dominion, for ever and ever.
3rdly, The blessedness of God's faithful people is here described; as there is no god
like him, so no people so happy as those who know him, love him, and serve him
faithfully.
1. They know the joyful sound of gospel grace, like the shout of a victorious army,
umbers 23:21 or the welcome trump of jubilee, proclaiming victory over sin,
death, and hell, and liberty from the bondage of corruption, and speaking pardon,
peace, and reconciliation between the offended God and the sinful soul.
2. They shall walk, O Lord, in the light of thy countenance, under the special tokens
of his favour, enjoying the most endeared communion with him, and walking in the
comforts of the Holy Ghost.
3. Their joy shall be permanent. In thy name shall they rejoice all the day, every day
they will have cause to do so, in further and clearer manifestations of the divine
grace and love; and in the darkest hour, still they may find matter for a spiritual
song.
4. Their exultation will be great; endued with divine strength, which will make them
more than conquerors over all the enemies of their souls; they will appear glorious
in the eyes of God, in that beauty and comeliness which he hath put upon them.
5. Their relation to God makes them both safe and honourable. For the Lord is our
defence, or shield, to protect and defend us from every evil; and the Holy One of
Israel is our king, to rule and guide us in the paths of peace under his happy sway.
Blessed, for ever blessed, are the people who are in such a case!

200. 4thly, The covenant that God had made with David is here enlarged upon, as a
ground of comfort in the present low estate of the royal family. And herein especial
relation is had to Christ, and his church, to whom alone the things here mentioned
are entirely applicable. We have,
1. The glorious personage pointed out. Then thou spakest in vision to thy holy one,
to Samuel, who was appointed to anoint David king, 1 Samuel 16:1., or athan, 2
Samuel 7:4; 2 Samuel 7:29 or concerning thy Holy One, the Messiah, to whom gave
all the prophets witness; and to him most emphatically belongs the character here
described: The Mighty One, able to save to the uttermost, chosen out of the people,
God's elect, in whom his soul delighteth; one in our nature, singled out to be united
to the eternal Word, and make one Christ: Found and provided of God, anointed
with the oil of gladness above his fellows, for the discharge of all his offices of
prophet, priest, and king: Help laid upon him, that he might be fully qualified for
the arduous work of the salvation of the faithful into the whole image of God from
the depths of wretchedness and weakness into which mankind are fallen; God's
servant willingly undertaking the business assigned him, and exalted by him to the
highest place of honour and dignity at his right hand, in our nature, all power being
committed to him in heaven and in earth, and angels, principalities, and powers
made subject unto him. 2. The great and precious promises made to this mighty and
exalted Messiah. [1.] For himself God promises, (1.) That in all his undertakings he
shall be supported with the arm of Omnipotence; enabled to encounter and
overcome all difficulties; be ready armed against every temptation, and unmoved
under every assault. (2.) He shall be made victorious over his enemies. Satan, with
all his wiles, shall not prevail, nor be able to exalt upon him more than as the
sinner's surety he undertook to bear. God will beat down all his foes before him,
whether the powers of darkness, or the Jewish people who conspired against him, or
the antichristian oppressors of his people: all who hate him must be confounded at
his feet; bow down, and feel his iron rod breaking them in pieces as a potter's vessel,
and dooming them to the everlasting burnings, the just punishment of their sins.
ote; The end of all the enemies of the Redeemer and his people is, to perish for
ever. (3.) God will never fail him in his undertaking. My faithfulness and my mercy
shall be with him: all the promises shall be made good to him, and all the blessings
engaged for in the covenant of grace be lodged in his hands for his faithful people's
use and benefit; so that out of his fulness we may all receive, and find all the
promises of God in him, yea, and Amen. (4.) He shall be advanced to great honour
and extensive dominion. In my name shall his horn be exalted, high in power and
glory: I will set his hand in the sea, and his right hand in the rivers: both continent
and islands, sea and rivers, with all that dwell in them, and occupy their business
there, shall own his sway, and submit to his government. (5.) He shall be owned of
God as his Son, as his first-born, and enjoy the blessings of that endeared relation.
He shall cry unto me, Thou art my Father, by eternal generation, as he is very God
of very God; or rather as Mediator, for whom a body was prepared, when in the
fulness of time it was fulfilled, This day have I begotten thee, Psalms 2:7. My God,
whose power and protection were engaged for him and over him, John 20:17 and
the rock of my salvation, to carry him through his arduous undertaking, and enable

201. him to accomplish it for his own and his faithful people's glory. Also I will make him
my firstborn, the most eminent and exalted in the human nature of all the sons of
God, he having in all things the pre-eminence, higher than the kings of the earth, for
he is King of kings, and Lord of lords, Revelation 19:16. His throne exalted over all,
and that for ever and ever, for his kingdom is an everlasting kingdom.
[2.] For his faithful followers, God promises, in general, that his seed shall endure
for ever, which cannot well be applied to David and his posterity, which, though the
throne long continued in his family, are now no more upon it, unless considered as
still subsisting in the Messiah, whose throne is established for ever. But it most
properly belongs to faithful believers, the spiritual seed of Christ, who shall have a
people, to the praise of the glory of his grace, while sun and moon endureth; and,
when these luminaries are extinguished, shall still reign over his faithful people
through all the ages of eternity.
PULPIT,"Remember, Lord, the reproach of thy servants; i.e. the reproach under
which all thy people lie so long as their enemies are allowed to plunder and oppress
them at their pleasure (see Psalms 89:40-44). Remember also how I do bear in my
bosom the reproach of all the mighty people. The reproach under which his
countrymen lie—a reproach laid on them by "all the mighty people among whom
they dwell—falls on the psalmist's heart with especial weight through his deep
sympathy with all of them.
51 the taunts with which your enemies, Lord, have
mocked,
with which they have mocked every step of your
anointed one.
BAR ES, "Wherewith thine enemies have reproached, O Lord - Have
reproached thee and me. Wherewith they reproach thy character and cause, and
reproach me for having trusted to promises which seem not to be fulfilled. As the
representative of thy cause, I am compelled to bear all this, and it breaks my heart.
Wherewith they have reproached the footsteps of thine anointed - Of
myself, as the anointed king. They have reproached my footsteps; that is, they have
followed me with reproaches - treading along behind me. Wherever I go, wherever I put
my foot down in my wanderings, I meet this reproach.

202. CLARKE, "They have reproached the footsteps of thine anointed - They
search into the whole history of thy people; they trace it up to the earliest times; and
they find we have been disobedient and rebellious; and on this account we suffer much,
alas, deserved reproach. The Chaldee gives this clause a singular turn: “Thy enemies
have reproached the slowness of the footsteps of the feet of thy Messiah, O Lord. We
have trusted in him as our great Deliverer, and have been daily in expectation of his
coming: but there is no deliverer, and our enemies mock our confidence.” This
expectation seems now wholly abandoned by the Jews: they have rejected the true
Messiah, and the ground of their expectation of another is now cut off. When will they
turn unto the Lord? When shall the veil be taken away from their hearts?
“Bend by thy grace, O bend or break
The iron sinew in their neck!”
GILL, "Wherewith thine enemies have reproached, O Lord,.... Which carries in
it another argument why the Lord should take notice of these reproaches; because they
come not only from their enemies, but from his also, and the enemies of his Son, who
would not have him, the King Messiah, to reign over them, and are said to reproach him
in the next clause:
wherewith they have reproached the footsteps of thine Anointed; or thy
Messiah; so Aben Ezra and Kimchi interpret it of the Messiah: Jarchi renders it "the
ends of the Messiah"; and all of them understand it of the coming of the Messiah, as in
the Talmud (d); which, because delayed, or was not so soon as expected, was scoffed at
and reproached by wicked men; see Mal_2:17, but it rather designs the ways and works,
actions, and especially the miracles of Christ, which were reproached, either as done on
the sabbath day, or by the help of Satan; and he was traduced in his kindest actions to
the bodies and souls of men, as a friend of publicans and sinners, and himself as a
sinner: and it may have a particular view to the latter end of the Messiah, the last part of
his life, his sufferings and death, and when he hung on the cross; at which time he was,
in the most insolent manner, reviled and reproached by his enemies: the words may be
rendered "the heels of the Messiah" (e), and are thought by some to have reference to the
promise in Gen_3:15, and may regard either the human nature of Christ, which was both
reproached and bruised; or his members suffering disgrace and persecution for his sake,
and which he takes as done to himself. Suidas (f) interprets it of the ancestors of Christ,
according to the flesh; and Theodoret of the kings of that time.
CALVI , "51.With which thy enemies, O Jehovah! have reproached thee. What the
Psalmist now affirms is, not that the wicked torment the saints with their
contumelious language, but that they revile even God himself. And he makes this
statement, because it is a much more powerful plea for obtaining favor in the sight
of God, to beseech him to maintain his own cause, because all the reproaches by
which the simplicity of our faith is held up to scorn recoil upon himself, than to
beseech him to do this, because he is wounded in the person of his Church;
according as he declares in Isaiah,
“Whom hast thou reproached and blasphemed; and against whom hast thou exalted

203. thy voice, and lifted up thine eyes on high? even against the Holy One of Israel.”
(Isaiah 37:23)
That wicked robber Rabshakeh thought that he scoffed only at the wretched Jews
whom he besieged, and whose surrender of themselves into his hands he believed he
would soon witness; but God took it as if he himself had been the object whom that
wicked man directly assailed. On this account also, the prophet calls these enemies
of his people the enemies of God; namely, because in persecuting the Church with
deadly hostility, they made an assault upon the majesty of God, under whose
protection the Church was placed.
In the second clause, by the footsteps of Messiah or Christ is meant the coming of
Christ, even as it is said in Isaiah 52:7,
“How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings,
that publisheth peace!” (Isaiah 52:7)
The Hebrew word ‫,עקב‬ akeb, sometimes signifies the heel; but here, as in many
other passages, it signifies the sole of the foot. Others translate it the pace or step,
but this gives exactly the same sense. There can be no doubt, that footsteps, by the
figure synecdoche, is employed to denote the feet; and again, that by the feet,
according to the figure metonomy, is meant the coming of Christ. The wicked,
observing that the Jews clung to the hope of redemption, and patiently endured all
adversities because a deliverer had been promised them, disdainfully derided their
patience, as if all that the prophets had testified concerning the coming of Christ
had been only a fable. (560) And now also, although he has been once manifested to
the world, yet as, in consequence of his having been received up into the glory of
heaven, he seems to be far distant from us, and to have forsaken his Church, these
filthy dogs scoff at our hope, as if it were a mere delusion.
SPURGEO , "Ver. 51. Wherewith thine enemies have reproached, O Lord. Here is
another forcible point; the scoffers are the Lord's enemies as well as ours, and their
reproach falls upon him as well as upon us; therefore we cry for the Lord's
interposition. When Jehovah's own name is in the quarrel, surely he will arise.
Wherewith they have reproached the footsteps of thine anointed. Tracking him and
finding occasion to blaspheme at every turn; not only watching his words and
actions, but even his harmless steps. either Christ nor his church can please the
world, whichever way we turn scoffers will rail. Does this verse refer to the oft
repeated sarcasm —"Where is the promise of his coming?" Is the reproach aimed
at the delays of the Messiah, those long expected footfalls which as yet are unheard?
O Lord, how long shall this threadbare taunt continue? How long? How long?
"Come, for creation groans
Impatient of thy stay,
Worn out with these long years of ill,
These ages of delay."
"Come, in thy glorious might,
Come with the iron rod,

204. Scattering thy foes before thy face,
Most Mighty Son of God."
EXPLA ATORY OTES A D QUAI T SAYI GS.
Ver. 51. They have reproached the footsteps of thine anointed. This phrase is
obscure in diction, and therefore variously interpreted
1. Some by the footsteps of Christ, judge that his advent in the flesh is meant: others
refer the words to David, and take the meaning to be, imitation of him. The first
exposition yields this sense: Be mindful, O Lord, of the reproach of thy enemies
wherewith they insult our expectation of thy Anointed, and scoff at his advent as if it
would never come. The second interpretation is this: Recollect, O Lord, what
contempt thy enemies heap upon us on account of thy servant David, because we
fondly cherish his memory and his example, and nourish the hope of thy covenant
with him, clinging tenaciously thereto...Thirdly, this clause may be so interpreted
that by twbqe, that is, the heel, we may understand the extremities of the Kingdom
of Christ, of David. Thus we may imagine the enemies of God threw this in the teeth
of the people of Israel, that they had already come to the end and extremity of the
Kingdom of David. —Musculus.
Ver. 51. (second clause). The Chaldee has: "They have scoffed at the tardiness of
Thy Messiah's footsteps." So Kimchi: "He delays so long, they say He will never
come." Compare 2 Peter 3:4; 2 Peter 3:9. The Arabic aqaba is used in the sense of
"delaying." —William Kay.
Ver. 51. The footsteps, or foot soles, that is, the ways, life, actions, and sufferings,
Psalms 56:6, Psalms 49:5. This referred to Christ, respecteth the oracle, Genesis
3:15, that the Serpent should bruise the foot sole of the woman's seed; referred to
Christians which follow his footsteps, in suffering and dying with him, that we may
be glorified with him (1 Peter 2:21 Romans 8:17); it notes the scandal of the Cross of
Christ, "to the Jews a stumbling block, and to the Greeks foolishness." (1
Corinthians 1:23, 1 Peter 4:13-14.) The Chaldee understands it of the slackness of
the footsteps. —Henry Ainsworth.
WHEDO , "51. Reproached the footsteps—That is, reproaches “follow him
everywhere, wheresoever he may go, and whatsoever he may do.”— Delitzsch.
There is no truce to the assaults of sin and Satan upon the Church. Thus dies away
the voice of this sad complaint, but faith gives a happier omen, and a silver lining to
the cloud, in the sweet doxology of the closing verse
BE SO , "Psalms 89:51. Wherewith thine enemies have reproached the footsteps of thine
anointed — Or, of the Messiah. By whom he seems to understand, either, 1st, The kings of
Judah, the singular number being put for the plural; and by their footsteps may be meant
either their ways or actions, and the sad consequences thereof, or the memorials of their
ancient splendour. Or, 2d, The Messiah himself, whose coming the Jews continually
expected, for a long time together before he came, and supported themselves with the
expectation of him under all their calamities. All which being well known to many of the
heathen, they reproached the Jews with the vanity of this belief and expectation. And by
the footsteps of the Messiah he may understand his coming.

205. 52 Praise be to the Lord forever!
Amen and Amen.
BAR ES, "Blessed be the Lord for evermore - Praise to God always. So
Chrysostom was accustomed to say, even when driven out as an exile and a wanderer,
“Blessed be God for everything.” The passage here denotes entire acquiescence in God;
perfect confidence in him; a belief that he was right, and faithful, and true. It is an
instance of the faith which those who are truly pious have in God, in all circumstances,
and at all times; of their belief that he is worthy of entire confidence, and ought always to
be praised. Compare Job_1:21. At the close of all kinds of trouble - and in the midst of all
kinds of trouble - true piety will enable us to say, “Blessed be God.”
CLARKE, "Blessed be the Lord for evermore - Let him treat us as he will, his
name deserves eternal praises: our affliction, though great, is less than we have
deserved.
This verse concludes the Third Book of the Psalter; and, I think, has been added by a
later hand, in order to make this distinction, as every Masoretic Bible has something of
this kind at the end of each book. The verse is wanting in one of Kennicott’s and one of
De Rossi’s MSS.; in another it is written without points, to show that it does not belong
to the text, and in three others it is written separately from the text. It is found, however,
in all the ancient Versions. The Chaldee finishes thus: “Blessed be the name of the Lord
in this world. Amen and Amen. Blessed be the name of the Lord in the world to come.
Amen and Amen.” And the reader will find no difficulty to subscribe his Amen, so be it.
GILL, "Blessed be the Lord for evermore,.... In this world, and in the world to
come, as the Targum; for reproaches and afflictions for Christ's sake, since they work
together for good; as Job blessed the Lord in the midst of his troubles, Job_1:21, or
rather the psalmist, viewing, by a spirit of prophecy, Christ rising from the dead,
ascending to heaven, sitting at the right hand of God, and interceding for the application
of all the blessings of the covenant; and now, seeing all before objected and complained
of was reconcilable to the love, covenant, and oath of God, breaks out into this
benediction, and with it closes the psalm; which agrees with Christ, not only as God over
all, blessed for ever, but as Mediator, who, as such, is made most blessed for evermore;
see Psa_21:6. These are not the words of the copier of the Psalms, blessing God for
assistance in prosecuting the work thus far, which is the sense of some Jewish writers
mentioned by Aben Ezra and Kimchi, but of the psalmist himself:
Amen, and Amen; which words are added to express the wish and faith of the
psalmist; and the word is repeated to denote the vehemence and strength of the same.

206. Here ends the third part of the book of Psalms, and so the Syriac version closes it. See
Gill on Psa_41:13. See Gill on Psa_72:20.
HE RY, "The psalm concludes with praise, even after this sad complaint (Psa_
89:52): Blessed be the Lord for evermore, Amen, and amen. Thus he confronts the
reproaches of his enemies. The more others blaspheme God the more we should bless
him. Thus he corrects his own complaints, chiding himself for quarrelling with God's
providences and questioning his promises; let both these sinful passions be silenced
with the praises of God. However it be, yet God is good, and we will never think hardly of
him; God is true, and we will never distrust him. Though the glory of David's house be
stained and sullied, this shall be our comfort, that God is blessed for ever, and his glory
cannot be eclipsed. If we would have the comfort of the stability of God's promise, we
must give him the praise of it; in blessing God, we encourage ourselves. Here is a double
Amen, according to the double signification. Amen - so it is, God is blessed for ever.
Amen - be it so, let God be blessed for ever. He began the psalm with thanksgiving,
before he made his complaint (Psa_89:1); and now he concludes it with a doxology.
Those who give God thanks for what he has done may give him thanks also for what he
will do; God will follow those with his mercies who, in a right manner, follow him with
their praises.
JAMISO , "Blessed, etc. — denotes returning confidence (Psa_34:1-3).
Amen, and Amen — closes the third book of Psalms.
CALVI , "52.Blessed be Jehovah for ever! I am surprised why some interpreters
should imagine, that this verse was added by some transcriber in copying the book,
affirming, that it does not correspond with the context: as if the language of praise
and thanksgiving to God were not as suitable at the close of a psalm as at the
opening of it. I have therefore no doubt, that the prophet, after having freely
bewailed the calamities of the Church, now, with the view of allaying the bitterness
of his grief, purposely breaks forth into the language of praise. As to the words
Amen, and Amen, I readily grant, that they are here employed to distinguish the
book. (561) But whoever composed this psalm, there is no doubt, that by these
words of rejoicing, the design of the writer was to assuage the greatness of his grief
in the midst of his heavy afflictions, that he might entertain the livelier hope of
deliverance.
SPURGEO , "Ver. 52. Blessed be the Lord for evermore. He ends where he began;
he has sailed round the world and reached port again. Let us bless God before we
pray, and while we pray, and when we have done praying, for he always deserves it
of us. If we cannot understand him, we will not distrust him. When his ways are
beyond our judgment we will not be so foolish as to judge; yet we shall do so if we
consider his dealings to be unkind or unfaithful. He is, he must be, he shall be, for
ever, our blessed God.
Amen, and Amen. All our hearts say so. So be it, Lord, we wish it over and over
again. Be thou blessed evermore.
EXPLA ATORY OTES A D QUAI T SAYI GS.

207. Ver. 52. Blessed be the Lord for evermore. Amen, and Amen. Victory begins to
shine in the phrase, Blessed be Jehovah for evermore. Amen, and Amen. Some think
that these words are not the words of the Psalmist, because they are of opinion that
they do not agree with the preceding, but were written by another, or added by the
Collector of the Psalms as a concluding doxology; or if the Psalmist wrote them, he
did so merely in finishing his prayer. But it is a matter of the greatest moment; for it
indicates the victory of faith, since he observes that after that grief, the reproach of
the heel is gloriously removed that the Messiah may remain a victor for ever, having
bruised the serpent's head, and taken away from him in perpetuity all his power of
hurting. That this should certainly take place, he adds the seal of faith again and
again: "Amen, and Amen." —James Alting, 1618-1679.
Ver. 52. This doxology belongs alike to all the Psalms of the Third Book, and ought
not to be treated as if it were merely the last verse of the Psalm to which it adjoins. It
ought to be set forth in such a shape as would enable and invite God's people to sing
it as a separate formula of praise, or in connection with any other Psalm. —
William Binnie.
Ver. 52. As to the words Amen and Amen, I readily grant that they are here
employed to mark the end of the third book of the Psalms. —John Calvin.
BE SO , "Psalms 89:52. Blessed be the Lord for evermore — Let thine enemies
reproach thee, and thy promises concerning the sending of the Messiah, and the
deliverance of thy people; I do, and will, heartily bless and praise thee for them, and
encourage myself with them, not doubting but thou wilt take away all our
reproaches, and in thine own due time send Him who is the consolation and
expectation of Israel, and the desire of all nations. Thus, “whatever at any time may
be our distress, either as a community, or as individuals, still we are to believe, still
to hope, still to bless, and praise Jehovah, whose word is true, whose works are
faithful, whose chastisements are mercies, and all whose promises are, in Christ
Jesus, yea and amen, for evermore.” — Horne.