The Book of Psalms
Psalm 89
Psalm LXXXIX · Vol. II, pp. 1044–1046
1 The psalmist praiseth God for his covenant, 5 for his wonderful power, 15 for the care of his people, 19 for his favour to the kingdom of David. 38 Then complaining of contrary events, 46 he expostulateth, prayeth, and blesseth God.
Maschil of aEthan the Ezrahite.1
1 I willb sing of the mercies of the LORD for ever: with my mouth will I make known thy faithfulness 2to all generations.3
B.C. cir. 1021.
a 1 Ki.4.31. 1 Ch.6.44; 25.3, or 2.6.
1 Or, A psalm for Ethan the Ezrahite, to give instruction.
b Ps.101.1; 86.12,13; 22.22,25; 40.9,10; 145.2,21; 71.8-24. Ep.2.4-7.
2 Heb. to generation and generation. So ver.4.
3 The main object of this psalm is to declare the promises made to David regarding the perpetuity of his throne and kingdom. The promise had a double reference—typical and real. David's line and throne and kingdom were to continue until, in the person, and work, and reign of our Lord, David's great Son, the typical merged into the real—the temporal into the spiritual.—P.
2 For I have said, cMercy shall be built up for ever: thy faithfulness shalt thou establish in the very heavens.
3 I dhave made a covenant with my chosen, I have sworn unto eDavid my servant,
d 2 Sa.7.11-16. Ps.40.6,8. Is.53.10-12; 42.6,7; 49.6,8. Mat.3.15. Lu.24.26.
e 1 Sa.16.13. Eze.34.23,24. Ho.3.5. Is.49.3. Phi.2.7,8.
4 Thyg seed will I establish for ever, and build up thy throne to all generations. Selah.4
g ver.29,36. 2 Sa.7.16. Ps.22.30,31. Is.53.10-12. He.2.13. Lu.1.32,33. Phi.2.7-11.
4 See note on Ps.3.2.—C.
5 And hthe heavens shall praise thy wonders, O LORD: thy faithfulness also in the congregation of the saints.
6 For iwho in the heaven can be compared unto the LORD? who among the sons of the mighty can be likened unto the LORD?
7 Godj is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, and to be had in reverence of all them that are about him.
8 O LORD God of 5hosts, kwho is a strong LORD like unto thee? or to thy faithfulness round about thee?
5 This title evidently belongs to Christ, as will be seen on comparing Is.6.3 with Jn.12.41; a portion of evidence for his Godhead, which the perverse ingenuity of men has not been able to gainsay, while yet they resist the testimony of the Holy Ghost.—C.
k ver.6. Ps.147.5. Je.32.17. La.3.23. Nu.23.19. 1 Sa.2.2; 15.29. Tit.1.2.
10 Thoun hast broken 6Rahab7 in pieces, as one that is slain; thou hast scattered thine enemies with thy strong arm.8
n Ex.vii.-xv. Is.51.9. Ps.78.43-53; 105.27-36.
6 Or, Egypt.
7 See note on Ps.87.4.—C.
8 Heb. with the arm of thy strength.
11 Theo heavens are thine, the earth also is thine: as for the world, and the fulness thereof, thou hast founded them.
o Ge.1.1; 2.1. Ps.24.1,2; 50.12. 1 Ch.29.11.
12 Thep north and the south thou hast created them: qTabor9 and Hermon1 shall rejoice in thy name.
p Job 26.7.
A.M. cir. 2983. B.C. cir. 1021.
q Ju.4.6,12. De.3.8,9. Jos.12.1.
9 Tabor, an isolated mountain situated in the east of Esdraelon, is described as a mile in elevation, with a plain at the top 3000 paces in circumference. It is still a scene of great beauty and magnificence, with many ruins.—C.
1 Hermon. This mountain is commonly distinguished from the Hermon mentioned, De.3.8,9; but for this distinction there appears no sufficient authority. See Robinson's Palestine, vol. iii. p. 171.—C.
r Ps.65.12,13. Is.35.2.
13 Thou hast a mighty arm:2 strong is thy hand, and high is thy right hand.
2 Heb. an arm with might, Ge.17.1; 18.14. Da.4.34,35.
14 Justices and judgment are the 3habitation of thy throne; mercy and truth shall tgo before thy face.
15 Blessed is the people that know the ujoyful sound: vthey shall walk, O LORD, in the light of thy countenance.4
u Nu.10.6,10. Le.25.9. 1 Th.1.5; 2.13. Tit.2.11-14. Ro.1.16; 10.18. Ps.98.6.
v Is.2.5. Ps.80.3,7,19. Nu.6.26.
4 That is, 'in the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ,' 2 Co.4.6.—C.
16 Inx thy name shall they rejoice all the day; and yin thy righteousness shall they be exalted.
18 Forb the LORD is our defence; and the Holy One of Israel is our 5King.6
b De.33.27-29. Ps.74.11,12. Is.33.22.
5 Or, our shield is of the LORD, and our king is of the Holy One of Israel, Ps.47.9. Is.9.6,7.
6 In the latter clause of ver. 17 and the whole of ver. 18 the grammar demonstrates that the church speaks her confidence and obedience.—C.
19 Then thou spakest in vision to thy Holy One, and saidst, cI have laid help upon one that is mighty; I have exalted one chosen out of the people.
21 Withe whom my hand shall be established; mine arm also shall strengthen him.
e Ps.18.32,39; 28.8; 80.17. Is.42.1; 49.8.
22 Theg enemy shall not exact upon him; hnor the son of wickedness afflict him.
g 2 Sa.7.8-16. Mat.4.1-10. He.2.14. Jn.14.30.
h 2 Sa.xv.-xx. 2 Th.2.3,8. Re.xi.-xx.
28 Myp mercy will I keep for him for evermore, and my covenant shall stand fast with him.
p 2 Sa.7.15; 23.5. Is.55.3; 54.10. Je.33.20,21.
30 Ifr his children forsake my law, and walk not in my judgments;
r Je.9.13-16. 2 Sa.7.14. Am.3.2.
33 Neverthelesst my loving-kindness will I not utterly take from him,2 nor suffer my faithfulness to fail.3
t La.3.31,32. 2 Sa.7.15. Is.54.8-10. He.6.18. Ro.8.35-39.
2 Heb. I will not make void from him.
3 Heb. to lie.
37 Itz shall be established for ever as the moon, and as a faithful witness in heaven. Selah.
z Je.31.35,36; 33.20-22. Ge.9.13.
38 Buta thou hast cast off and abhorred; thou hast been wroth with thine anointed.7
a 1 Ch.28.9. Ps.61.10. Ho.9.17. Job 30.1. Is.53.2-10. 2 Sa.xv.-xx. 1 Ki.xii. xiv. 2 Ch.xxi. xxviii. Ze.13.7. Ac.14.22. Re.6.4,11; 12.4,17.
7 By comparing ver. 38 with 47 and 50, it will be seen that Messiah is described speaking first in the days of his humiliation, and then in the days of his waiting—while he is opposed by 'principalities and powers' both of the visible and invisible worlds—when his glory is obscured, 'his headship over all things to the church' rejected—when he is 'crucified afresh' by the sins of his nominal followers, and by their ungodly conversation 'put to an open shame,' He.6.6.—C.
39 Thoub hast made void the covenant of thy servant; thou hast profaned his crown, by casting it to the ground.
b 1 Ki.xii. 2 Sa.xv. with 7.16. ver.4,29,36. La.5.16.
41 Alld that pass by the way spoil him: he is a reproach to his neighbours.
d Ps.80.12; 44.9-14. 2 Ch.x. xii. xxi. xxviii. xxxii. xxxiii. xxxvi. De.28.25-51. Le.26.15-39. Re.vi. viii.-xiii. 2 Th.2.3-12.
42 Thou hast set up the right hand of his adversaries; thou hast made all his enemies to rejoice.
43 Thou hast also turned the edge of his sword, and hast not made him to stand in the battle.
44 Thoue hast made his glory8 to cease, and cast his throne down to the ground.
e 2 Sa.xv. 2 Ch.x. Is.53.1-10. Mat.xxvi. xxvii. He.10.32-34.
8 Heb. brightness.
48 Whatj man is he that liveth, and shall not see death? shall he deliver his soul from the hand of the grave? Selah.
49 LORD, kwhere are thy former lovingkindnesses, which thou lswarest unto David in thy truth?
k Is.63.11,15. Ps.77.7-9.
50 Remember, LORD, nthe reproach of thy servants; how I do bear in my bosom the reproach of all the mighty people;
n Ps.44.14-16; 69.9,12,20; 22.6,7. Mat.12.24; 27.63.
51 Wherewitho thine enemies have reproached,9 O LORD; wherewith they have reproached the footsteps of thine anointed.
A.M. cir. 2983. B.C. cir. 1021.
o Ps.74.22. Ac.4.41. 1 Co.4.12,13. He.10.33; 11.36. 1 Pe.4.14.
9 Calling him the friend of publicans and sinners, a wine-bibber, a glutton, a madman, a raiser of sedition, devil-aided, and a blasphemer.—C.
Notes
Ver. 1. None but Messiah could confidently adopt the opening resolution and prophecy of this verse: of him, accordingly, it has been interpreted by Rabbi Solomon, amongst the Jews; and by Aben Ezra, amongst Jewish converts to Christianity. C.
Ver. 3. In this verse, the Father addresses the Son, whom he designates as 'David my servant:' David signifies beloved, the name given to the Son by the Father from heaven, Mat. 3. 17; and the apostolic name by which his justifying grace is commended to the church, Ep. 1. 6. And that it applies here, not to David the son of Jesse, but to David's Lord, will appear certain from considering ver. 4, which applies not to the desolated throne of David in Jerusalem, but to the abiding throne of Messiah in glory. C.
Ver. 5. The heavens shall praise thy wonders, O Lord. The comparison of this passage from verse 5-17, with He. 1. 10 and Ps. 102. 1, 25, will clearly demonstrate that it contains a continued address of the Father to the Son, delivered in prophecy for establishment of the faith of the ancient church. See Lu. 1. 39. C.
Ver. 30. His children. The church is called Christ's 'children,' He. 2. 13, and they are here warned against the terrible judgments upon the various forms of apostasy and infidelity, He. 3. 10; infidelity combined with self-righteousness, Ro. 10. 3, 11, 15; worldliness, 1 Co. 5. 11; final heresy, Tit. 3. 10; and impenitence, Re. 2. 21-23. C.
Ver. 37. As the moon. A lovely satellite to earth, borrowing and reflecting the light of the sun, and supplying in his absence the lack of his brighter beams; equalizing the temperature of sea and earth by the rolling tides; measuring out the months of the life of man, and the returns of God's solemn festivals; and 'ruling the night,' as a 'faithful witness in heaven,' that though the sun be withdrawn for a time, his beams are not extinguished. In all which respects, the moon is a beautiful emblem of the covenant grace of God. Some interpret it of the rainbow, but there is no necessity for such straining. C.
Reflections.—Glorious is that promise of grace which Jehovah has made in Jesus Christ as the Head and Representative of all believers. The mercy and faithfulness of God are therein for ever clearly and comfortably manifested; and for ever adored, both in heaven and earth. How infinite are the greatness and majesty of our loving God! How unbounded his strength! No unruly elements in nature, nor outrageous nations of men, can control it. His dominion extends to all parts and ends of the earth; and in a powerful, steady, judicious, righteous, and merciful manner, he conducts his whole providential work, but chiefly that of redemption through the blood of his Son. Happy are they who experimentally know the joyful sound of the gospel, proclaiming Jesus' victories over sin, Satan, the world, death, and hell; and pardon, peace, liberty, and eternal happiness through his blood to sinful men. They walk in the light of Jehovah's favour, direction, and joys! And gloriously are they justified, saved, strengthened, and honoured in Christ!—In these declarations of God to Samuel concerning David, let me contemplate how Jehovah found out and laid our help, our salvation, upon Jesus Christ. He it was that supported, strengthened, attended, honoured, and owned him. He it is that aids, favours, corrects, but blesses all believers.—Behold too the sufferings of Jesus and his church, from Satan, from Jews, from heathens, from the wicked: and how terrible the Almighty's displeasure! To be under it for ever constitutes hell. How short, how uncertain, are our days on earth! If through Jesus, as our risen life and quickening Head, we do not live to God's glory here, and with God in glory hereafter, our life is worse than in vain. But painful is it for exercised souls to want the sense of God's love, even though it be secured in the gracious promise. And grievous are the virulent reproaches of Christ, his Father, and his people, and hard to be borne by a tender saint.