THEOSISAugustine of Hippo
Beloved, let us grasp the essence of this psalm that I am about to unfold, through God's grace, centered on our hope in the Lord Jesus Christ. Take heart, for He who has made promises will bring them to pass, just as He has fulfilled many already. Our confidence does not stem from our own worth, but solely from His grace. I believe the psalm is attributed to Ethan the Israelite, whose name carries substantial meaning. No one possesses strength in this world except through the hope grounded in God's promises. In our own righteousness, we are frail; in His mercy, we find our might. From this understanding, the psalmist begins with, "I will sing of Your mercies, O Lord, forever; with my mouth, I will proclaim Your faithfulness to all generations" (Psalms 88:1).
He expresses his desire for his faculties to serve the Lord, declaring, "With my mouth, I will proclaim Your truth." If I fail to obey You, then I cannot claim to be Your servant; if my speech is self-derived, I am a deceiver. Yet speaking from You as opposed to my own perspective are two distinct actions: one is mine, the other is Yours—Your truth, my voice. Let us attend to the faithfulness he demonstrates and the graces he extols.
You have declared, "Your mercy is forever established" (Psalm 87:2). This is the essence of my song; this is the truth that my voice is designed to communicate. You express that You build not to destroy; for some whom You raise up, You also bring low. As the prophet Jeremiah communicated, "Behold, I have set you today over nations and kingdoms, to uproot and tear down, to destroy and to overthrow, to build and to plant" (Jeremiah 1:10). Those who previously worshipped idols could find their footing in Christ only by first experiencing destruction due to their past errors. It would not have been stated, "He will destroy them, and not build them up," had there not been those to be rebuilt in the first place.
Connecting these ideas of mercy and faithfulness, we note that You have stated, "Mercy shall be established forever; Your truth is firm in the heavens," where mercy and truth harmonize. All of the Lord's paths embody mercy and truth; without the foundation of mercy for the forgiveness of sins, the truth of fulfilling His promises may not be fully realized. Many prophesies were made to the Israelites, fleshly descendants of Abraham, that the divine promises would thrive through them; yet, Your goodness has not been withheld from Gentiles, whom You appointed under angelic oversight, preserving the Israelites as Your chosen people. The apostle aptly refers to both groups as recipients of the Lord's mercy and truth, acknowledging Christ as a minister to the circumcision for the truth of God, confirming the promises made to the patriarchs (Romans 15:8). Observe how God has not forsaken His people, whom He knew in advance.
In speaking of the Jewish decline, the apostle reassures that God has not abandoned His foreknown people, for "I, too, am an Israelite" (Romans 11:1-2). If that entire nation represents thorns, what about the wheat? The truth of God finds realization among those Israelites who believe, reinforcing one wall of circumcision to the cornerstone of faith. However, this cornerstone gains significance from the inclusion of a second wall—representing Gentiles—relating to the grace of God. The apostle asserts that Jesus Christ served as a minister of circumcision for God's truth, confirming the promises to the patriarchs and allowing the Gentiles to glorify God for His mercy (Romans 15:8-9).
It is rightly added that "Thy truth shall be established in the heavens." Indeed, all those Israelites called to be apostles became akin to the heavens, proclaiming the glory of God, just as it is written, "The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands." Although they departed before the Church expanded worldwide, their words reached the distant corners of the earth. Hence, we can rightly interpret this as, "You will establish Your truth among the heavens that encompass them."
You have proclaimed, "I made a covenant with My chosen" (Psalm 88:3). What covenant, if not the new covenant that renews us for an eternal inheritance, filling us with longing and love, leading us to sing a new song? The psalmist exclaims, "I have sworn to David My servant." How boldly he speaks, for he comprehends and his lips speak truth! "I speak with confidence, for You have declared," and if Your words give me courage, how much more do Your oaths bolster my spirit! God's oath is the assurance of fulfilling the promise. Humans are rightfully advised against swearing (Matthew 5:34), as they may fall into deception and falsehood due to the nature of oaths. Yet God, being infallible, swears securely.
Now let us examine God's oath: "I have sworn to David My servant; I will establish your offspring forever" (Psalm 87:4). What is David's lineage but the line of Abraham? And what does it mean when it states, "And to your descendants" except that it refers to Christ (Galatians 3:16)? Indeed, Christ—our Head, the Saviour of the body (Ephesians 5:23)—is both Abraham's and David’s seed. Are we not descendants of Abraham? Indeed we are, as the apostle states, "If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed and heirs according to the promise" (Galatians 3:29). Thus, we must understand the promise made, conveying that "I will establish your offspring forever," pertains not only to the Flesh of Christ born of the Virgin Mary but also to all of us who believe in Him. We are members of this Body; the Body cannot exist without the Head. If the Head is glorified eternally, so too are the members, ensuring that Christ remains complete forever. "I will establish your offspring forever, and I will fortify your throne for generations" signifies continuity across all lineages. This statement evokes the idea of ongoing generations, as expressed earlier: "With my mouth, I will proclaim Your truth to all generations."
What is "generation and generation"? It signifies every generation; repetition serves to highlight various epochs. Perhaps two generations should be considered; one will be of flesh and blood, the other in the resurrection of the dead. Christ is proclaimed here; He will be acknowledged there. He is extolled here, inviting faith, and will be received there for sight. "I will establish your throne for generation to generation." Christ presently occupies His throne within us; His sovereign rule must exist in us. Should He not reign within us, we would face overthrow. Thus, He reigns within us while also preparing for another generation that will arise from the resurrection. Christ will reign over His saints forever, as God has promised. If that itself is inadequate, know that God has sworn it. We must therefore proclaim what cannot be doubted, for the promise is trustworthy—not on our merits but fueled by His mercy. May this reality ignite our hearts, reflecting Ethan's namesake, that we may declare the truth of God—His utterances, promises, and promises affirmed by His oaths—strengthened on every side to magnify God, thus becoming Heaven ourselves.
"Lord, even the heavens will extol Your marvelous deeds" (Psalm 88:5). The heavens shall not boast of their own achievements but of Your wondrous acts, O Lord. In every merciful act towards the lost and in justifying the unjust, what do we celebrate but the magnificent works of God? Praise Him because the dead have been resurrected; honor Him even more because the lost have been redeemed. What grace, what mercy of God! Witness a man who was once entangled in drunkenness, now transformed into a model of sobriety; once wrapped in luxury, now adorned in temperance; a blasphemer yesterday, but now a worshipper. From such desolation, people are converted; let them not attribute this to their own merits; rather, let them honor God and celebrate the marvelous workings that made them anew.
Who among the clouds can be compared to You, O Lord? (Psalm 88:6). Is it the praise of the heavens or their rain? Are we assured that none among the clouds compares to the Lord? If understood literally, it may seem so; can the stars, which surpass the clouds, be compared to You? Can the sun, the moon, the angels, or even the heavens level against You? Why then is it declared, "For who is He among the clouds?" We recognize, my brethren, that these clouds, like the heavens, serve as heralds of truth—prophets and apostles delivering God's word.
If these clouds preach truth, we must consider their nature as clouds. They symbolize the obscurities of the flesh, since clouds are often overshadowed by mortality and are transient. The apostle affirms, "Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, who will bring to light what is hidden in darkness" (1 Corinthians 4:5). You can perceive the surface words of a person, but what lies in their hearts remains concealed; you discern what emerges from the cloud but not what is contained within it. Who can see through a cloud? Hence, clouds function as preachers of truth while bearing flesh.
The Creator Himself took on flesh. We are termed clouds due to our frail nature and proclaim the truth empowered by the rain of the Spirit. Our flesh comes through one method; His came through another. While we too are called sons of God, He is the Son of God in a distinct manner. His cloud stems from the Virgin; He is the eternal Son, consubstantial with the Father. Who among the clouds equates to the Lord? And who among the sons of God is like Him? Let the Lord declare if He can find any comparable to Himself. What do people call Me, the Son of Man? Because I present myself, walk among you, and, perhaps in this familiarity, I have become commonplace. What do men assert about Me? Some claim You are John the Baptist, others say Elijah, or Jeremiah, or one of the prophets.
Many clouds and sons of God are mentioned; as righteous and holy, Jeremiah, Elijah, and John are likewise addressed as sons of God; by their vocations as heralds of God, they are typified as clouds. Thus, You inquire what clouds men liken me to and ask, "Who do you say that I am?" Peter, speaking on behalf of the others, declares, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God" (Matthew 16:13-16). Not as those sons of God who do not equate to You; You have come in the flesh, not as clouds, who do not equate to You.
God is to be revered in the assembly of the righteous and feared by all surrounding Him (Psalm 88:7). God is omnipresent; thus, who surrounds Him? For if He is perceived to have borders, it implies a lack of omnipresence. If the statements regarding God are accurate, His greatness is boundless; who exists around Him if He is everywhere but has chosen to be born in flesh, dwell among humanity, endure crucifixion, rise again, and ascend to heaven—all within one context, having Gentiles with Him? If He remained where such acts transpired, He would have neither grandeur nor fear toward Him. Yet, He preached in a manner that sent forth His name’s heralds through all nations, performing miracles among His servants, thereby magnifying His name and instilling fear in all.
"O Lord God of hosts, who can be compared to You? Your truth, O Almighty God, is all-encompassing" (Psalm 88:8). Great is Your power; You have created heaven and earth and all within them, yet even more expansive is Your mercy that has disclosed Your truth to those around You. Had You only been proclaimed in the location of Your birth, suffering, resurrection, and ascension, the veracity of Your promises to confirm those to the fathers would have found fulfillment; however, the prophecy stating the Gentiles would glorify You for Your mercy (Romans 15:9) would not have been realized unless Your truth was disseminated among all near You where You chose to appear.