THEOSISAugustine of Hippo
Beloved, comprehend this psalm that I am about to unfold by God’s grace, which embodies our faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. Take heart, for He who has made promises will bring them to fruition, having already accomplished much. Our confidence in Him is not rooted in our own merits, but rather in His grace. The psalmist Ethan, an Israelite, is the one referred to in this psalm; the weight of this designation is significant. In this world, no one is truly strong except through the hope instilled by God's promises. In our own righteousness, we are feeble, but through His mercy, we find strength. Thus, the psalmist begins with, “I will sing of Your mercies, O Lord, forever; I will make known Your faithfulness to all generations” (Psalms 88:1).
He declares, “Let my members serve the Lord,” emphasizing the mouth that proclaims His truth. If I do not follow You, then I can hardly claim to be Your servant; speaking from my own accord makes me a liar. However, to speak from You and to speak from oneself are two distinct acts: one is mine, the other Yours; Your truth, my tongue. Let us listen to the faithfulness expressed and the graces sung in this psalm. For You have declared, “Grace will be established forever” (Psalm 87:2). This is the truth that I proclaim; it is Your truth ringing in my mouth. Thus, You affirm, "I build to not destroy.” Some may be destroyed without restoration, while others are rebuilt from destruction. If there were not those who were ruined to be restored, Jeremiah would not have said, “Behold, I have appointed you to uproot and to build” (Jeremiah 1:10). Indeed, all who once worshipped idols could not find their foundation in Christ without perishing from their prior misconceptions. And if none had been destroyed for restoration, the scripture would not state, “He will destroy them and will not build them up.”
Here, mercy and faithfulness are bound together; You have said, “Your mercy will be established forever; Your truth will be firm in the heavens.” Mercy and truth are intertwined, for all the ways of the Lord embody mercy and truth. The truth of Your promise could not be realized without the prior mercy of forgiving our sins. Moreover, many prophecies were given to Israel, descended from Abraham, and they multiplied for the fulfillment of Your promises. Yet, Your fountain of goodness is not confined to Israel alone, as even the Gentiles came under the authority of angels, serving as Your portion. The apostle references the mercy and truth of the Lord, addressing both groups: Christ served the circumcision to confirm the promises made to the Patriarchs (Romans 15:8). Witness how God has not deceived or forsaken His chosen people, whom He foreknew. The apostle notes the fall of the Jews not to suggest they have rejected God entirely, stating, “God has not rejected His people whom He foreknew; for I also am an Israelite” (Romans 11:1-2). If all these people faced judgment, what shall we say of the faithful remnant? The truth of God is manifested in those Israelites who believed, thereby linking the wall of circumcision to the cornerstone of salvation. Yet, that cornerstone needs to incorporate another wall from the Gentiles, marrying the truth with the grace of God.
The apostle asserts that Jesus Christ was the minister of the circumcision for God's truth, confirming the promises to the fathers and allowing the Gentiles to glorify God for His mercy (Romans 15:8-9). It is rightly stated that You will affirm Your truth in the heavens. The apostles, called from among the Israelites, reflect the heavens by proclaiming Your glory, as it is written, “The heavens declare the glory of God; the firmament shows His handiwork.” Though they left the earth before the Church expanded globally, their proclamations reached the ends of the earth, justifying the belief that You will indeed establish Your truth in the heavens through them.
You have said, “I have made a covenant with My chosen” (Psalm 88:3). This covenant is new, renewing us for a fresh inheritance, filling us with longing and love and calling us to sing a new song. The psalmist continues, “I have sworn to David My servant.” How assuredly does he speak, knowing whose lips declare truth! Fearlessly, I speak, for You have spoken; even more so, my courage is fortified by Your oath! For Your promise is secured by Your divine declaration. Humans are rightly cautioned against swearing (Matthew 5:34), lest they fall into perjury deceitful by habit. Only God swears confidently, for He remains infallible.
Let us contemplate what God has sworn. “I have sworn to David My servant; I will establish your seed forever” (Psalm 87:4). The seed of David is the seed of Abraham, which, as stated, is Christ (Galatians 3:16). Christ, the Head of the Church, the Savior of the Body (Ephesians 5:23), is indeed the promised seed, and we, too, partake in this lineage; as the apostle affirms, “If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise” (Galatians 3:29). Therefore, as we interpret these words, beloved brethren, “I will establish your seed forever” refers not only to the physical lineage of Christ but also to all who believe in Him. For we are members of His body; if the Head is eternally glorified, so too shall the members be. Thus, Your covenant to establish David’s throne extends “from generation to generation,” as You stated previously, “With my mouth I will always show Your truth to every generation.”
What does “generation to generation” signify? It encompasses all generations—while it may not necessitate repetition, it calls attention to the ever-multiplying generations. It perhaps signals the present generation of flesh and blood as well as the forthcoming resurrection. Here, Christ is proclaimed; He will be proclaimed there as well. He is believed in here and will be welcomed there, acknowledged in glory. “I will establish Your throne from generation to generation.” Christ reigns within us, seated on His throne. Were He not enthroned in us, He would not rule over us; without His governance, we would be lost. He reigns in us and shall rule in the generation that comes in the resurrection. Christ will reign over His saints eternally. God has promised this; He has spoken it, and He has sworn it. Thus, because the promise stands firm—not on our merit but on His mercy—no one should hesitate to proclaim that which cannot be doubted. Let this power inspire our hearts to proclaim the truth of God boldly, intimate His promises, lean on His oath, and by these affirmations, glorify Him, becoming in ourselves a reflection of Heaven.
“O Lord, even the heavens will praise Your wondrous works” (Psalm 88:5). The heavens do not glorify themselves, but instead declare Your marvelous deeds, O Lord. In every act of mercy toward the lost, in justifying the guilty, what else do we celebrate but the incredible works of God? We praise You, for the dead have been raised; we praise You all the more for the lost have been redeemed. What grace! What mercy! Witness how one once lost in drunkenness today stands as an example of sobriety; one who used to flaunt luxury now exudes moderation. The blasphemer of yesterday praises You today, and one held captive by the creation now worships the Creator. From despair, You bring transformation; let them not look to their own merits, but let them become vessels of praise for the One who has made them new.
“Who is like You, O Lord, among the clouds?” (Psalm 88:6). Is it heaven, or could it be their rain? Are preachers assured that none, even among the clouds, could compare to the Almighty? It may sound like an elevation of praise to suggest that the clouds are inferior to their Creator. But can the stars that outshine the clouds be considered equal to the Lord? Can the sun, the moon, or the very angels compare to Him? He declares, "Who is like the Lord among the clouds?", as if bidding us to recognize His supremacy. We acknowledge, dear brethren, that the clouds, akin to the heavens, act as proclaimers of truth—prophets and apostles sharing God’s word.
Now, if the clouds are those heralds of truth, we must first discern why they are called clouds. Those who preach vividly illuminate truth, while the clouds represent the obscured aspects of the flesh—clouds are darkened by mortality, ceaselessly appearing and vanishing. The apostle denotes that “we should not judge anything before the time until the Lord returns, who will bring to light what’s hidden” (1 Corinthians 4:5). You observe the words spoken, but their hearts remain unseen. What is released from the cloud can be witnessed; yet what remains hidden within is beyond your sight. Who can pierce the cloud? Thus, clouds symbolize living messengers in the flesh. The Creator took on flesh to dwell among us.
We, too, are clouds because of our flesh and heralds of the truth, enlivened by the rain these clouds bear. Yet, our flesh comes through one avenue, while His comes by another. We are called sons of God, yet He is the Son of God in a distinctive way. His cloud descends from the Virgin while He is the eternal Son, consubstantial with the Father. Who among the clouds resembles the Lord? Who among the sons of God is like He? Let Christ Himself disclose whether He can find one like Him. He asked, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” Because of His visible presence, perhaps He has become commonplace; but tell me, who do people consider Him to be? Many clouds identified Him, reporting various opinions: “Some say John the Baptist; some say Elijah; others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” They refer to significant figures; righteous and holy, they are also termed sons of God—by virtue of their character as God’s messengers, they are considered clouds.
“You have asked, what clouds do men think I am; now You ask, ‘Who do you say that I am?’” In reply, Peter spoke for everyone, responding, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:13-16). Not like those sons who are not equal to You—You assumed flesh, but not like the clouds who bind humanity.
“God is greatly to be revered in the assembly of the righteous and feared by all who surround Him” (Psalm 88:7). God is omnipresent; therefore, where is He not encompassed? If anything surrounds Him, it suggests He is finite. If it is indeed accurate to speak of God in this way, then He is boundless. Who is present but Him who chose to be born of flesh in a particular place, living among a chosen people, being crucified, rising, and ascending to heaven at that place? There, He was flanked by Gentiles. Had He confined His presence to that location, He would not be great or incite awe among those surrounding Him. But His preaching veiled in such splendor sent forth witnesses throughout all nations globally. He worked miracles through His servants, magnifying His name, thereby inspiring fear and reverence.
“O Lord God of armies, who is like You? Your truth encompasses all” (Psalm 88:8). Great is Your power! You crafted heaven and earth and everything therein; yet, Your mercy that unveils truth holds even greater significance. Had the gospel been preached solely in the place where You chose to be born, suffer, resurrect, and ascend, then the truth of Your promises would have been realized, affirming the commitments made to the patriarchs. But the promise that the Gentiles would glorify God for His mercy (Romans 15:9) hinges on the understanding and spread of this truth from the location where You manifested. From that very spot, You thundered from Your cloud. To shower the Gentiles nearby, You sent forth other heralds. In Your omnipotence, You have fulfilled what You proclaimed through Christ: “Hereafter, you shall see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of power, coming on the clouds of heaven” (Matthew 26:64).