20 I have found H4672 David H1732 my servant; H5650 with my holy H6944 oil H8081 have I anointed H4886 him:
21 With whom my hand H3027 shall be established: H3559 mine arm H2220 also shall strengthen H553 him.
22 The enemy H341 shall not exact H5378 upon him; nor the son H1121 of wickedness H5766 afflict H6031 him.
23 And I will beat down H3807 his foes H6862 before his face, H6440 and plague H5062 them that hate H8130 him.
24 But my faithfulness H530 and my mercy H2617 shall be with him: and in my name H8034 shall his horn H7161 be exalted. H7311
25 I will set H7760 his hand H3027 also in the sea, H3220 and his right hand H3225 in the rivers. H5104
26 He shall cry H7121 unto me, Thou art my father, H1 my God, H410 and the rock H6697 of my salvation. H3444
27 Also I will make H5414 him my firstborn, H1060 higher H5945 than the kings H4428 of the earth. H776
28 My mercy H2617 will I keep H8104 for him for evermore, H5769 and my covenant H1285 shall stand fast H539 with him.
29 His seed H2233 also will I make H7760 to endure for ever, H5703 and his throne H3678 as the days H3117 of heaven. H8064
30 If his children H1121 forsake H5800 my law, H8451 and walk H3212 not in my judgments; H4941
31 If they break H2490 my statutes, H2708 and keep H8104 not my commandments; H4687
32 Then will I visit H6485 their transgression H6588 with the rod, H7626 and their iniquity H5771 with stripes. H5061
33 Nevertheless my lovingkindness H2617 will I not utterly take H6331 from him, nor suffer my faithfulness H530 to fail. H8266
34 My covenant H1285 will I not break, H2490 nor alter H8138 the thing that is gone out H4161 of my lips. H8193
35 Once H259 have I sworn H7650 by my holiness H6944 that I will not lie H3576 unto David. H1732
36 His seed H2233 shall endure for ever, H5769 and his throne H3678 as the sun H8121 before me.
37 It shall be established H3559 for ever H5769 as the moon, H3394 and as a faithful H539 witness H5707 in heaven. H7834 Selah. H5542
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Psalms 89
Commentary on Psalms 89 Matthew Henry Commentary
Psalm 89
Many psalms that begin with complaint and prayer end with joy and praise, but this begins with joy and praise and ends with sad complaints and petitions; for the psalmist first recounts God's former favours, and then with the consideration of them aggravates the present grievances. It is uncertain when it was penned; only, in general, that it was at a time when the house of David was woefully eclipsed; some think it was at the time of the captivity of Babylon, when king Zedekiah was insulted over, and abused, by Nebuchadnezzar, and then they make the title to signify no more than that the psalm was set to the tune of a song of Ethan the son of Zerah, called Maschil; others suppose it to be penned by Ethan, who is mentioned in the story of Solomon, who, outliving that glorious prince, thus lamented the great disgrace done to the house of David in the next reign by the revolt of the ten tribes.
In singing this psalm we must have high thoughts of God, a lively faith in his covenant with the Redeemer, and a sympathy with the afflicted parts of the church.
Maschil of Ethan the Ezrahite.
Psa 89:1-4
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,
Psa 89:5-14
These verses are full of the praises of God. Observe,
Psa 89:15-18
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.
Psa 89:19-37
The covenant God made with David and his seed was mentioned before (v. 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 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, Acts 13:34. Now here we have an account of those sure mercies. Observe,
Psa 89:38-52
In these verses we have,