Psalm 89:30-37

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Psalms 89:19-37

The covenant God made with David and his seed was mentioned before (Ps. 89:3, 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... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 89:30

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... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 89:31

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 F9 יחללו "prophanaverint", V. L. Pagninus, Montanus, Tigurine version,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 89:32

Then will I visit their transgression with the rod ,.... That is, of men; as in 2 Samuel 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, 1 Corinthians 10:13 , in a kind, humane, moderate way, in measure, in judgment, and not in... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 89:33

Nevertheless, my lovingkindness will I not utterly take from him ,.... Or "make it void" F11 אפיר "not irritam faciam", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Gejerus. , 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... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 89:34

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, Psalm 89:3 , which is firm, sure, and stable, and as immovable as mountains and hills, and more so, 2 Samuel 23:5 or "profane" F13 לא אחלל "non prophanabo", V. L. Pagninus, Montanus, Tigurine version, &c.; it, though his people profane his statutes, Psalm 89:31 , he will not profane his covenant; though they violate his... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 89:35

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 Amos 4:2 , and indeed his holiness being his... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 89:36

His seed shall endure for ever ,.... This is a confirmation by his oath of what he had before said, Psalm 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... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 89:37

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, Psalm 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... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 89:30

If his children forsake my law - See the notes on 2 Samuel 7:13 , where this and some of the following verses are explained. read more

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