Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Psalms 89:3
I have made a covenant with my chosen, I have sworn unto David my servant,
3, 4. These verses contain the sum of the promise to David and his seed (2Sa 7:5 ff.) which is expanded in Psa 89:19 ff. It is in relation to this promise in particular that the poet intends to sing of God’s lovingkindness and faithfulness. Almost every word is taken from the narrative of 2 Samuel 7. For ‘David my servant’ see Psa 89:5 ; Psa 89:8 ; Psa 89:26, and cp. Psa 89:19-21 ; Psa 89:25 ; Psa 89:27-29: for ‘establish’ see Psa 89:12-13 ; Psa 89:16 ; Psa 89:26: for ‘for ever’ see Psa 89:13 ; Psa 89:16 ; Psa 89:24 ; Psa 89:26 ; Psa 89:29: for ‘seed’ and ‘throne’ see Psa 89:12-13 ; Psa 89:16: for ‘build’ see Psa 89:27. ‘Chosen’ represents Psa 89:8 (cp. Psa 78:70 f.). ‘Covenant’ however does not belong to the phraseology of 2 Samuel 7 (but see 2Sa 23:5); nor is the promise spoken of there as confirmed by an oath.
The introduction of God as the speaker without any prefatory ‘Thou hast said’ is surprisingly abrupt. It is possible that the word has dropped out. But Hebrew leaves much to be understood, and misunderstanding is here impossible.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
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 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.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 3. 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: –
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
With my chosen; with David, whom I have chosen to the kingdom.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
3, 4. The object of this faithexpressed in God’s words (2Sa7:11-16).
withor literally, “to”
my chosenas thecovenant is in the form of a promise.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
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,
Ps 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, Ps 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 Ps 89:35, the sum and substance of which covenant and oath follow.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
3 I 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 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.
(524) “The word אמרתי, ‘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.” — Horsley
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(3) I have sworn.The prophetic passage (2Sa. 7:12, seq.) is in the poets mind.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
3. I have made a covenant God speaks, reaffirming his promise. 2 Samuel 7
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Psa 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 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.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Psa 89:3 I have made a covenant with my chosen, I have sworn unto David my servant,
Ver. 3. I have made a covenant with my chosen ] i.e. With Christ (who is God’s elect one, Isa 42:1 ), and in him with all his people, Eph 1:4 .
I have sworn unto David
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
made = solemnized.
covenant. See 2Sa 7, where Jehovah, being the only party, the covenant is unconditional, and = a “promise” among “the sure mercies of David”, &c. But it looks beyond David.
sworn. See 2Sa 7:11, &c.; the word is not used there, but the terms of the oath are given.
Selah. Connecting the recital of Jehovah’s covenant with the praise offered for it. See App-66.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
made: Psa 89:28, Psa 89:34, Psa 89:39, 2Sa 7:10-16, 2Sa 23:5, 1Ki 8:16, Isa 55:3, Jer 30:9, Jer 33:20, Jer 33:21, Eze 34:23, Eze 34:24, Hos 3:5, Luk 1:32, Luk 1:33
my chosen: Psa 89:19, Psa 78:70, Isa 42:1, Mat 3:17, Mat 12:18-21
sworn: Psa 89:35, Psa 132:11, 2Sa 3:9, Act 2:30, Heb 7:21
Reciprocal: Gen 9:16 – everlasting Lev 26:9 – for I 2Sa 3:18 – By the hand 2Sa 7:11 – he will make 1Ki 8:23 – who keepest Psa 18:50 – Great Psa 60:1 – O turn Psa 89:49 – thou Isa 38:5 – God Jer 33:22 – so Eze 37:26 – I will make Dan 2:44 – set up Luk 1:69 – in Rom 9:4 – covenants Eph 2:12 – the covenants
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Psa 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.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
89:3 {d} I have made a covenant with my chosen, I have sworn unto David my servant,
(d) The prophet shows what the promise of God was, on which he grounded his faith.