For thou shalt give him to be a blessing for ever and ever: thou shalt make him joyful in gladness with thy countenance.
כִּֽי־תְשִׁיתֵ֣הוּ בְרָכ֣וֹת לָעַ֑ד תְּחַדֵּ֥הוּ בְ֝שִׂמְחָ֗ה אֶת־פָּנֶֽיךָ׃
6 Church Fathers comment on this verse · 7 commentaries
The Ascension of Humanity You shall find joy in the presence of the one whom Christ has raised up to You.
You will bestow upon Him a blessing for all eternity. This is the everlasting blessing You will grant Him: fill Him with joy in Your presence. According to His human nature, You will bring Him joy alongside Your visage, which He has raised towards You.
Psalm 20:2 declares that You will bring him joy in Your presence. The Son embodies the face of the Father; as it is written, “He who sees me sees the Father” (John 14:9). Together with Him, we will celebrate in the heavens, just as the friends of the bridegroom rejoice in the presence of the bridegroom.
May He be exalted throughout all ages, having displayed such courage in Thy presence. Simmachus interprets the phrase ‘with Thy face’ as ‘before Thy face.’ Thus, the Prophet declares that he shall celebrate and experience unending joy, having been granted the pleasure of witnessing Thy presence, signifying Thy favor. This joy stems from the trust he placed in Thee. The Prophet continues with the following words:
At times, the term blessing can denote praise, as expressed in the phrase, “Bless, O my soul, the Lord” (Ps. 103:1). In other instances, it refers to favor and kindness, as seen in the preceding verse, “Thou hast warned him with blessings of goodness.” Moreover, blessing can signify the impartation of holiness, a theme reiterated here; it also encompasses grace and goodwill, as mentioned earlier with “Thou hast warned him with blessings of goodness.” However, it may also imply a misrepresentation, as seen in the devil's words regarding Job, referring to blessings that would, in fact, amount to blasphemy (Job. 2:5).
Furthermore, blessing can convey a greeting, exemplified by Elisha’s instruction to Gehazi, “And if thou meet any man, bless him not” (4 Kings 4:29), indicating a dismissal of greeting. Therefore, the Lord declares that Hezekiah shall receive a blessing, meaning glory and fellowship with the sacred place. The term “give,” noted here in the desirable sense, should be interpreted as a future promise. Thus, you shall bring him joy before Your presence. Simmachus interprets this as from Your face, meaning through Your gaze: at the moment You, O Lord, look upon Hezekiah, he shall be filled with rejoicing.
Some understand these words in a straightforward manner, believing that the Lord will generously bestow His blessings upon the king He has selected. However, we contend that a deeper meaning is conveyed here: the king will exhibit such favor in God's eyes that he will serve as a testament to God's benevolence towards him.
His name will be cherished in everyday discourse among people, possibly becoming a common saying, as if one might express, for instance, "May God show you the same mercy and generosity that He bestowed upon His servant David." This interpretation also aptly applies to the Son of God; following His ascension and His seating at the right hand of the Father, He was granted a name that is above all names, and all realms—heavenly, earthly, and beneath the earth—bestowed their blessings upon Him (Phil. 2:9-10; Rev. 5:13). It is crucial to pay special attention to the phrase, "You will make him glad with joy," as those interceding for the king not only wish for God to show favor to him and regard him with a compassionate and paternal gaze but also highlight that the essence of joy lies in the king's own recognition of his gratitude towards God. From this acknowledgment, he will experience true delight and joy.
The everlasting favor of Christ, through which the just will receive their reward at the Final Judgment, as it is written: ‘Come, ye blessed of my Father’ (Matthew 25:34). The righteous generation rejoiced in the presence of the Divine, beholding His joyous countenance.
Passages read together with this verse.
THEOSIS