Psalm 89 (88):37Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Beloved, pay attention to the psalm I am about to explain, by the grace of God, regarding our hope in the Lord Jesus Christ. Take heart, for He who has made promises will fulfill them as He has done in the past. Our confidence in Him is not derived from any merit of our own, but solely from His grace. I believe the phrase "by Himself" refers to Ethan the Israelite, who is behind the psalm's title. The strength of the word points out that no individual in this life is strong outside the hope of God's promises; our weaknesses highlight His mercy, which empowers us. The psalmist begins by declaring, "I will sing of your mercies, O Lord, forever; with my mouth, I will proclaim your faithfulness to all generations" (Psalms 88:1).

He conveys that his members should serve the Lord and emphasizes that when he speaks, he speaks of God's truth. If he disobeys, he cannot claim to be God’s servant; if he speaks from himself, he is a liar. There exists a distinction between speaking from oneself and speaking from God; the former is his, the latter belongs to God. We ought to listen to the faithfulness he displays and the graces he sings of.

For You have declared, "Grace will be established forever" (Psalm 87:2). This is the truth I sing: this is Your truth I proclaim. You say, "I build not to destroy": while some are destroyed without being rebuilt, others whom You destroy are restored. Had some not been destroyed for the sake of being rebuilt, Jeremiah would not have declared, "Behold, I have appointed you today to uproot and to build" (Jeremiah 1:10). Truly, those who once worshipped idols could not be established in Christ without facing perishing due to their former errors. And if there were not those destroyed so they could be restored, it would not have been said, "He will destroy them and not rebuild them."

He connects mercy and faithfulness, stating, "Mercy shall be established forever; Your faithfulness shall be confirmed in the heavens," where mercy and truth coexist. All the ways of the Lord are mercy and truth; the reality of the promises would not be affirmed without the mercy that forgives sins first. A multitude of promises were made to Israel, the descendants of Abraham, and this people multiplied to fulfill those promises. Yet, God's goodness did not cease even to the Gentiles, who were placed under angels, while He preserved Israel as His heritage. The apostle refers explicitly to the mercy and truth of the Lord when speaking of these two groups, calling Christ the minister of circumcision, confirming the promises made to the ancestors (Romans 15:8).

Observe how God has not misled; observe how He has not cast away His people, whom He preordained. The apostle refers to the Jewish people’s fall to ensure no one believes they have entirely rejected God. He asserts, "God has not cast away His people whom He foreknew" (Romans 11:1-2); and if the entirety of this people is thorny, what can be said of the wheat? The truth of God is evident in the Israelites who believe, leading a wall of circumcision to the cornerstone foundational figure. This stone would not serve as a cornerstone had it not attracted another wall from the Gentiles; thus, the first wall pertains to truth while the latter pertains to God’s grace. The apostle asserts that Jesus Christ was the minister for the truth of God, confirming the promise made to the ancestors while also allowing the Gentiles to glorify God for His mercy (Romans 15:8-9).

The apostle rightly adds that God will affirm His truth in the heavens. All those Israelites called to bear witness became like the heavens themselves, proclaiming the glory of God, as it is written, "The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament shows His handiwork." Though they were taken from the earth before the Church filled the world, their words have reached the earth’s farthest ends. Therefore, we rightly suggest that He will establish His truth in the heavens of those who have believed.

You have declared, "I have made a covenant with my chosen" (Psalm 88:3). What covenant is this but the new covenant through which we are renewed for a new inheritance, leading us to sing a new song? The psalmist declares, "I have sworn to David, My servant." How confidently he speaks, knowing and proclaiming the truth! He speaks without fear because you have spoken; Your words embolden him even further. The oath of God guarantees the fulfillment of His promise. Humans, rightfully, are forbidden to swear (Matthew 5:34), for such habits can lead to deception and perjury. Yet God alone makes solemn oaths, as He alone is infallible.

Let us reflect on what God has sworn. He says, "I have sworn to David, my servant: I will establish your seed forever" (Psalm 87:4). The seed of David is precisely the seed of Abraham, represented in Christ (Galatians 3:16). Indeed, Christ, the Head of the Church and the Savior of the body (Ephesians 5:23), is the true seed of Abraham, and we—just as the apostle states—are also Abraham's seed and heirs to the promise (Galatians 3:29). Hence, we should understand this stipulation: "I will establish your seed forever," not merely referring to the flesh of Christ born from the Virgin Mary but encompassing all who have faith in Christ. We are members of this Head; if the Head is eternally glorious, so too are the members. Thus, Christ remains whole eternally: "I will establish your seed forever and your throne for generations to come." The word "forever" points to all generations because it signifies more than just repetition; it encompasses the progression and passage of various generations. The multiplication of generation comes through repetition. Hence, we could interpret this concept as emphasizing two generations: the current generation of flesh and blood and the future resurrection of the dead. Christ is proclaimed both here and there; He is preached here to be believed and will be embraced in the resurrection to be seen. "I will establish your throne from generation to generation."

Christ presently holds a throne within us, governing our hearts; otherwise, He would not preside over our lives or prevent us from falling. He reigns within us and also in the future generation that will emerge from the resurrection of the dead. Christ will reign among His saints eternally, as God has promised and sworn. Thus, since the promise is credible—not grounded in our merits but rooted in His mercy—no one ought to fear proclaiming that which is assured. Let us allow this conviction to illuminate our hearts, just as Ethan’s name suggests strength of heart. We ought to proclaim God’s truth, His voice, His promises, His oaths, and, thus, fortified by these assurances, glorify God as we carry Him with us, becoming reflections of Heaven.

"Lord, even the heavens will praise Your wondrous works" (Psalm 88:5). The heavens will not praise their own merits but instead celebrate Your marvelous deeds, O Lord. In every act of mercy toward the lost, in the justification of the unjust, what are we praising but the remarkable works of God? We sing praises because the dead have been resurrected; we lift our voices even louder because the lost have been redeemed. What grace, what mercy of God! Witness a man, once engulfed in drunkenness, transformed into a portrait of sobriety; a person who once epitomized excess, now a model of temperance; one who formerly blasphemed God, now extolled His virtues; a former servant of creation, now a worshipper of the Creator. It is from these desperate states that individuals are transformed. Let them not seek after their own merits but aspire to glorify the wonderful works of the one who makes them new.

"For who in the skies compares to You, O Lord!" (Psalm 88:6). Will the heavens praise their own work, or will it be their voices? Do preachers believe that no one in the skies can be compared to the Lord? Does it seem significant to you, brethren, that the heavens are exalted and can still not compare to their Creator? If this phrase is taken literally and not mystically, is it not clear? Are the stars, which exist above the clouds, comparable to the Lord? Could the sun, moon, angels, or heavens be likened to the Lord? Thus, why does he declare as if it is high praise, "For who is He among the clouds?" We understand, brethren, that these clouds, like the heavens themselves, are proclaimers of truth—the prophets, the apostles, those who deliver God’s word.

If the clouds serve as preachers of truth, let us first discover why they are referred to as clouds. For these individuals embody both the heavens and the clouds; the heavens abound in the radiance of truth, while clouds are characterized by the obscurity of flesh, darkened by mortality, subject to change. The apostle states, "Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time, until the Lord comes, who will reveal the hidden things of darkness" (1 Corinthians 4:5). You see what a person expresses externally, but you cannot discern their heart; you observe what pours forth from the cloud, yet you do not perceive what remains within. Who possesses eyes sharp enough to penetrate the clouds? Thus, clouds serve as earthly preachers of truth; the Creator of all has come in the flesh.

We too are termed clouds due to our flesh, and we bring the truth as the rain falls from the clouds. However, our flesh and Christ's flesh manifest in different ways; we are called sons of God, but He is Son of God in a different context. His cloud came from the Virgin; He is the Son from eternity, consubstantial with the Father. Who, then, among the clouds can compare to the Lord? Who among the sons of God is like Him? Let the Lord Himself reveal whether He can find any other like Himself. When asked, "Who do people say the Son of Man is?" they respond, "Some say John the Baptist; others, Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets." Many clouds and sons of God are then mentioned; righteous and holy figures, like Jeremiah, Elijah, and John, are referred to as God's sons due to their roles as preachers.

The Lord prompted, "From what clouds do they represent Me?" Moreover, ask yourselves, "Who do you say that I am?" Peter, speaking for them all, replied, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God" (Matthew 16:13-16). Not as those who are sons of God yet have fallen short; You have come in the flesh, unlike the clouds that cannot compare with You.

"God is greatly to be revered in the council of the righteous, and to be feared by all who surround Him" (Psalm 88:7). God is omnipresent; therefore, He is everywhere. Who can be close to Him, who dwells in every place? If He were confined by those surrounding Him, then we would limit His greatness. But if it rings true concerning God, His greatness is boundless. Who is around Him, except that He, who is everywhere, chose to be born of flesh in a particular place, to dwell among a specific people, to be crucified in one locale, to rise from there, and ascend to the heavens? In that moment, He had Gentiles around Him. Had He remained within those actions, He would not have been recognized as great or feared by everyone; however, because He preached effectively during His time, He commissioned messengers of His name across all nations, performing miracles through His servants, thus becoming mighty and instilling fear among all.

His offspring will last forever. The offspring of David signifies the Christ, who was born of David's lineage in human form. He will endure eternally. For it is beyond the realm of possibility for Him, who is both God and the true Son of God, to lack omnipotence or timeless existence. His throne shines as brightly as the sun in My sight. By referencing the throne of Christ, one indicates the Church, for Christ dwells within it. Consequently, the Church of Christ will shine and provide light to the realms above, perpetually enduring like the sun and the moon. As the Psalm expresses: His throne is as the sun before Me, and as the moon is perfect forever; and the testimony in heaven stands true.

"Will I deceive David?" God does not speak falsehoods. "His seed shall endure forever" (Psalms 88:37): referring to the elect people.

Christ did not ascend to the same throne of David as Jehoiakim; in fact, only Christ, the true seed of David, is destined to reign there eternally. This is revealed by God Himself, who declared, “I once swore by My holiness, shall I lie to David? His seed shall endure forever, and his throne is as the sun before Me” (Psalm 88:36-37). To whom is He referring? Certainly not to Solomon, Rehoboam, or Nathan, but to Him alone who can be described as one who “I will put His hand upon the sea, and His right hand upon the rivers. He shall call to Me, Thou art My Father” (Psalm 88:26), and I will ensure His lineage continues forever, with His throne established like the days of heaven (Psalm 88:30). None of Solomon, Rehoboam, or Jehoiakim had the privilege of sitting upon such a throne.

Rather than using the term "witness," Symmachus opted for "witnessed." In the seventy-first psalm, the holy David prophesied concerning the Lord Christ, stating: “before the sun His name abides” (Psalm 71:17); and also: “He shall abide with the sun, and before the moon the generations” (Psalm 71:5). The sun, with its rise and set, defines day and night, marking the flow of time. It was fitting for God to use the sun as a symbol of the steadfastness of the throne; He assured that the lineage would endure forever. The One who made this promise and confirmed it dwells in heaven, and His words are indeed true and trustworthy. Consequently, the Jews, having recounted the promises made to David, lamented the misfortunes that had come upon them.

The Christ who is the descendant of David in human form reigns forever over those who believe willingly and over those who do not. He declared, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me" (Matthew 28:18). The Gospel represents the seed of Christ, giving life to those who are spiritually renewed by it, as noted previously. Thus, the message of the Gospel and Christ's followers will endure forever, as promised. Furthermore, the throne, or kingdom of Christ over His believers, is described as steadfast and renowned like the sun. The reason for this sun imagery is articulated in Psalm 71, where it states, "and it shall abide with the sun" (Psalm 71:5). This signifies that the kingdom of Christ will endure as long as the sun shines, indicating its eternal nature.

God declared to David, "I will raise up your descendant from your own lineage, and I will fortify his reign. He will construct a temple for My name, and I will establish his kingdom’s throne forever" (2 Sam. 7:12, 13). This refers to Christ as the offspring of David in the flesh. Thus, Matthew initiates the Gospel with the proclamation, "the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham" (Matt. 1:1). Furthermore, Paul writes of Christ, "his Son, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh" (Rom. 1:3). His throne shines like the sun, as his kingdom resides in the light. To clarify his equal standing, God adds "before me," indicating equality with the divine throne; the term “before” is utilized by the prophet to express this equality rather than opposition.

The birth of the Lord from the lineage of David in human form is clearly articulated by Matthew, Paul, and David. One account states: The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Son of David (Matthew 1:1). Another affirms, ‘It is evident that our Lord has come forth from the tribe of Judah in the flesh’ (Hebrews 7:14). David also proclaimed, 'I am united with My Holy One; if I speak falsely concerning David: His lineage endures forever, and His throne shines like the sun before Me; and His testimony in heaven is true' (Psalm 88:36-38). This signifies the Lord's ascension into heaven with His body, which shall be eternal, having been forever united with God the Word.

This is the assurance upon which the kingdom of Israel was promised to endure forever through the lineage of David. The Prophet intertwines the concepts of the lineage and the throne, emphasizing that the permanence of the kingdom relies on this connection, ensuring it would never be inherited by outsiders. The sun and the moon stand as witnesses; while they may be subject to deterioration, they maintain a stability that surpasses the earth and the atmosphere, which are in constant flux. The sun and the moon represent an unyielding reality, countering any judgment of David's kingdom based on the general patterns of the natural world. However, since the throne during Rehoboam's reign was indeed shaken and ultimately fell into ruin, this prophecy cannot solely pertain to David.