There shall be declared to the Lord a generation to come: and the heavens shall shew forth his justice to a people that shall be born, which the Lord hath made.
יָ֭בֹאוּ וְיַגִּ֣ידוּ צִדְקָת֑וֹ לְעַ֥ם נ֝וֹלָ֗ד כִּ֣י עָשָֽׂה׃
8 Church Fathers comment on this verse
The generation of the New Covenant will declare the glory of the Lord, and the heavens will declare His truth. The messengers of the Gospel will share His message with those who are yet to be born, whom the Lord has fashioned uniquely. They will come into being through faith in the Lord.
For humanity to be brought into existence, created by the Lord. This can be expressed as ‘Not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh... but of God are we born’ (John 1:13).
“(Psalm 21:32) ‘And His righteousness shall be declared to those who are to be born, which the Lord has accomplished. I do not refer to this present generation, says the Prophet, in which I, David, voice these truths. Rather, I am speaking of the future generation, of the people yet to be born, whom the Lord Himself has shaped. Thus, the Prophet foretold all these things; and I lament the Jews’ inability to comprehend, for despite their constant reading of God's words, they fail to perceive the truth that shines through them. They insist that the psalm pertains to David, even though he himself proclaims: ‘The generation to come shall declare to the Lord, and His righteousness shall be revealed to those born, which the Lord has accomplished.
All the ends of the earth shall be remembered and shall turn to the Lord, and all the nations of the tongue shall worship before Him. And all the prosperous peoples of the earth shall feast and worship Him’ (Psalm 21:31-32, 28, 30). It is clear that such events were not realized during David's time or under any of his heirs. The sole exception is the Lord Christ, who became flesh from David, the Word of God, receiving the insight of the rabbi from David; for He filled both the earth and the sea with His divinity, leading those misled in the past—who worshipped idols—to embrace the worship of the one true God instead of nonexistent deities. Now, setting aside the Jews, let us turn our attention to the achievements ahead and to the interpretation of the other Psalms.”
They will declare His righteousness to those who are born anew. Those who have been transformed by the Spirit through faith will consistently share this message with others who have also experienced regeneration. What is it that they will declare? His righteousness; specifically, that the Lord has justly defeated the adversary, who wronged humanity. What the Lord has accomplished. Or to the people created for His purpose: previously a nation, they were cast out and despised. Or to the people He formed. The phrase, 'it shall be known unto the Lord,' is interpreted by some as a prophecy regarding the Greeks who sought to see Jesus in Jerusalem, as mentioned by John the Evangelist. They approached Philip, from Bethsaida in Galilee, and requested, Sir, we wish to see Jesus.
Philip then told Andrew, and together they informed Jesus; to which Jesus responded, 'The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified' (John 12:23). Through the Apostles, Christ learned of the generation that was coming, referring to the Greeks who approached Him, marking the beginning of all the Gentiles coming to Him. See the Commentary on v. 31.
He embodies the truth of the Father. Thus, righteousness is granted to those who have faith in God, who, emerging from the death of transgressors, will be renewed in life. By God's grace, they will be born in belief, making them deserving of everlasting life.
In describing those devoted to worldly pursuits, he refers to them as "the world," contrasting them with the saints who fervently desire heavenly treasures, as rightly noted by the Psalmist: "the heavens shall declare His truth." This truth can be more explicitly articulated as follows: "And those who teach, elevated in spirit, expression, and actions, shall proclaim His truth to those who long to be reborn in Him and have embraced faith."
In these closing lines of the psalm, he pledges to exalt God for the entirety of his life, extending this commitment to his descendants, ensuring that the remembrance of the grace bestowed will be passed down through generations until the end of time.
Throughout the ages, Christian parents will continue to celebrate the salvation offered by Christ the Lord, who, through His suffering, sacrifice, and redemptive death, revealed Himself to all humanity. Those who are born of Christ and place their faith in His name are granted the authority to be called children of God (John 1:12).
THEOSIS