Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Psalms 89:28
My mercy will I keep for him forevermore, and my covenant shall stand fast with him.
28, 29. The emphasis is on for evermore. The permanence of the promise is expressed in the strongest terms. Cp. 2Sa 7:13; 2Sa 7:16.
Once more too the notes of lovingkindness and faithfulness are sounded, for the word rendered shall stand fast is from the same root as the word for faithfulness; hence R.V. marg. shall be faithful.
as the days of heaven ] I.e. for ever; the heaven is the emblem of permanence as well as stability. Again a phrase originally referring to the nation (Deu 11:21) is applied to the king.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
My mercy will I keep for him for evermore – I will not withdraw my 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.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
My mercy, declared and promised to him and his seed, as it here follows. My covenant; of which see 2Sa 7:12,13, &c.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
28-37. This relation isperpetual with David’s descendants, as a whole typical in officialposition of his last greatest descendant. Hence though in personalrelations any of them might be faithless and so punished, theirtypical relation shall continue. His oath confirms His promise, andthe most enduring objects of earth and heaven illustrate itsperpetual force (Psa 72:5;Psa 72:7; Psa 72:17).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
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, Ps 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.
g “bonitatem meam”, Musculus, Tigurine version; “benignitatem meam”, Junius Tremellius, Piscator “gratiam meam”, Cocceius, Gejerus, Michaelis.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
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.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
DISCOURSE: 650
GODS COVENANT ENGAGEMENTS WITH CHRIST AND US
Psa 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. Nevertheless, 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.
IN 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 Gods 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 Gods 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.
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 [Note: 2Sa 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 [Note: Eze 34:23-24. Hos 3:5.]. Some of the words originally addressed to David, are expressly declared to refer to Christ chiefly, yea exclusively [Note: Compare 2Sa 7:14. with Heb 1:5.]. They must be understood therefore as containing Gods covenant with Christ.
In them we see, first, Gods assurances respecting Christ himself, that notwithstanding all the troubles he should experience, he should be raised from the dead [Note: Compare Isa 55:3. with Act 13:34.], and have all the kingdoms of the earth for his possession [Note: Luk 1:32-33. Rev 11:15.].
Next, Christ is assured respecting his people, who are his seed [Note: Isa 53:10. Psa 22:30. 1Pe 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 [Note: Isa 54:7-10. Jer 32:40.]. He will not indeed leave them to continue in sin (for that would be incompatible with their salvation [Note: Heb 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 [Note: Joh 17:11. 1Pe 1:5-7.].
The grounds of these assurances are, lastly, specified. These are Gods 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 Christs 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,
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 [Note: Gal 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 [Note: Col 1:19. Joh 1:16.]. To him therefore must we look for pardon, stability, and everlasting salvation. As to him the promises were made [Note: Gal 3:16.], so in him alone are they yea, and Amen [Note: 2Co 1:20.]. Let it then be our great care to be found in him [Note: Php 3:9.]; and then we may rest assured that nothing shall ever separate us from him [Note: Rom 8:38-39.].]
2.
To endure with patience and thankfulness whatever afflictions God may lay upon us
[Part of Gods covenant is, to correct us in measure [Note: Jer 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 [Note: Lam 3:39.]? Surely it is far better to be chastened here, than to be condemned with the world hereafter [Note: 1Co 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 [Note: Mic 6:9.], and improve it [Note: Isa 27:9.], and adore the hand that uses it for our good [Note: Heb 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? Noon the contrary, it engages God to punish sin, yea, to punish it effectually; and never to leave his people under its dominion [Note: Rom 6:14.]. Is there then room to say, I shall be saved, though I commit sin? No: 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 [Note: 1Jn 3:9-10.]. Let us never then make Christ a minister of sin [Note: Gal 2:17.]; but learn from the very grace that saves us, to glorify him by a holy conversation [Note: Tit 2:11-12.].]
Fuente: Charles Simeon’s Horae Homileticae (Old and New Testaments)
Psa 89:28 My mercy will I keep for him for evermore, and my covenant shall stand fast with him.
Ver. 28. My mercy will I keep for hint ] It shall be ready at all times for his relief, even the sure mercies of David, neither will I utterly take it from him, as I did from Saul.
And my covenant shall stand fast with him
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
mercy: 2Sa 7:15, 2Sa 7:16, Isa 54:10, Isa 55:3, Act 13:32-34
covenant: Psa 89:34, Psa 111:5, Psa 111:9, 2Sa 23:5, Jer 33:20, Jer 33:21
Reciprocal: Exo 39:8 – General Deu 11:21 – as the days 1Ki 9:5 – I will establish 1Ch 28:7 – Moreover 2Ch 6:14 – keepest covenant 2Ch 7:18 – as I have 2Ch 21:7 – because Psa 55:20 – broken Psa 74:20 – Have Psa 89:24 – But my Psa 89:45 – The
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Psa 89:28-34. My mercy Declared and promised to him and his seed, as it here follows; will I keep for him for evermore Nothing 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 2Sa 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 Davids 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 Psa 89:34, see the notes on 2Sa 7:14-16.