The Eastern Cross/Bible/Psalms/Psalm 88
The Book of Psalms · the Psalter
Psalm 89 in the KJV and most English Bibles
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I will sing of thy mercies, O Lord, forever: I will declare thy truth with my mouth to all generations.
Τὰ ἐλέη σου Κύριε εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα ᾄσομαι, εἰς γενεὰν καὶ γενεὰν ἀπαγγελῶ τὴν ἀλήθειάν σου ἐν τῷ στόματί μου.
Understand, beloved, this Psalm, which I am about to explain, by the grace of God, of our hope in the Lord Jesus Christ, and be of good cheer, because He who promised, will fulfil all, as He has fulfilled much: for it is not our own merit, but His mercy, that gives us confidence in Him. He Himself is meant, in my…
For thou hast said, Mercy shall be built up forever: Thy truth shall be established in the heavens.
Ὅτι εἶπας, εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα ἔλεος οἰκοδομηθήσεται, ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς ἑτοιμασθήσεται ἡ ἀλήθειά σου·
"For You have said, Mercy shall be built up for ever". It is this that I sing: this is Your truth, for the making known of which my mouth serves. In such wise You say, I build, as not to destroy: for some Thou destroyest and buildest not; and some whom Thou destroyest Thou dost rebuild. For unless there were some who…
I made a covenant with my chosen ones, I swore unto David my servant.
Διεθέμην διαθήκην τοῖς ἐκλεκτοῖς μου, ὤμοσα Δαυὶδ τῷ δούλῳ μου.
"You have said, I have made a covenant with My chosen". What covenant, but the new, by which we are renewed to a fresh inheritance, in our longing desire and love of which we sing a new song. "I have made a covenant with My chosen," says the Psalmist: "I have sworn unto David My servant." How confidently does he…
I will establish thy seed forever, And build up thy throne to all generations. Pause.
Ἕως τοῦ αἰῶνος ἑτοιμάσω τὸ σπέρμα σου, καὶ οἰκοδομήσω εἰς γενεὰν καὶ γενεὰν τὸν θρόνον σου· διάψαλμα.
Let us see then what God has sworn. "I have sworn," He says, "to David My servant; your seed will I establish for ever". But what is the seed of David, but that of Abraham. And what is the seed of Abraham? "And to your seed," He says, "which is Christ." [Galatians 3:16] But perhaps that Christ, the Head of the Church,…
The heavens shall declare thy wonders, O Lord; And thy truth in the assembly of the saints.
Ἐξομολογήσονται οἱ οὐρανοὶ τὰ θαυμάσιά σου Κύριε, καὶ τὴν ἀλήθειάν σου ἐν ἐκκλησίᾳ ἁγίων.
"O Lord, the very Heavens shall praise Thy wondrous works". The Heavens will not praise their own merits, but Thy wondrous works, O Lord. For in every act of mercy on the lost, of justification of the unrighteous, what do we praise but the wondrous works of God? Thou praisest Him, because the dead have risen: praise…
For who in the heavens shall be compared to the Lord? And who shall be likened to the Lord among the sons of God?
Ὅτι τίς ἐν νεφέλαις ἰσωθήσεται τῷ Κυρίῳ; καὶ τίς ὁμοιωθήσεται τῷ Κυρίῳ ἐν υἱοῖς Θεοῦ;
"For who is he among the clouds, who shall be compared unto You, Lord!". Is this to be the praise of the Heavens, is this to be their rain? What? Are the preachers confident, because "none among the clouds shall be compared unto the Lord"? Does it appear to you, brethren, a high ground of praise, that the clouds…
God is glorified in the council of the saints; Great and terrible toward all that are round about him.
Ὁ Θεὸς ἐνδοξαζόμενος ἐν βουλῇ ἁγίων, μέγας καὶ φοβερὸς ἐπὶ πάντας τοὺς περικύκλῳ αὐτοῦ.
..."God is very greatly to be feared in the counsel of the righteous, and to be had in dread of all them that are round about Him". God is everywhere; who therefore are round about Him, who is everywhere? For if He has some round about Him, He is represented as finite on every side. Moreover, if it is truly said to…
O Lord God of hosts, who is like to thee? Thou art mighty, O Lord, and thy truth is round about thee.
Κύριε ὁ Θεὸς τῶν δυνάμεων, τίς ὅμοιός σοι; δυνατὸς εἶ Κύριε, καὶ ἡ ἀλήθειά σου κύκλῳ σου.
Thou rulest the power of the sea; And thou calmest the tumult of its waves.
Σὺ δεσπόζεις τοῦ κράτους τῆς θαλάσσης, τὸν δὲ σάλον τῶν κυμάτων αὐτῆς σὺ καταπραΰνεις.
Thou hast brought down the proud as one that is slain; And with the arm of thy power thou hast scattered thine enemies.
Σὺ ἐταπείνωσας ὡς τραυματίαν ὑπερήφανον, καὶ ἐν τῷ βραχίονι τῆς δυνάμεώς σου διεσκόρπισας τοὺς ἐχθρούς σου.
Lastly, what hast Thou done in the sea itself, to pacify its rage, and to weaken it? "Thou hast humbled the proud as one that is wounded." There is a certain proud serpent in the sea, of which another passage of Scripture speaks, "I will command the serpent, and he shall bite him;" and again, "There is that Leviathan,…
The heavens are thine, and the earth is thine: Thou hast founded the world, and the fullness of it.
Σοί εἰσιν οἱ οὐρανοὶ, καὶ σή ἐστιν ἡ γῆ, τὴν οἰκουμένην καὶ τὸ πλήρωμα αὐτῆς σὺ ἐθεμελίωσας.
"The heavens are thine, the earth also is Thine." From Thee, over Thy earth they rain. Thine are the heavens, by whom is preached Thy truth in circuit of Thee; "Thine is the earth," which has received Thy truth in circuit of Thee; and what has resulted from that rain? "Thou hast laid the foundation of the round world,…
Thou hast created the north and the west: Tabor and Hermon shall rejoice in thy name.
Τὸν Βοῤῥᾶν καὶ θάλασσας σὺ ἔκτισας, Θαβὼρ καὶ Ἑρμὼν ἐν τῷ ὀνόματί σου ἀγαλλιάσονται.
"Thou hast created the north and the seas." For nothing has any power against Thee, against its Creator. The world indeed may rage through its own malice, and the perversity of its will; does it nevertheless pass over the bound laid down by the Creator, who made all things? Why then do I fear the north wind? Why do I…
Thine is the mighty arm: Let thy hand be strengthened, let thy right hand be exalted.
Σὸς ὁ βραχίων μετὰ δυναστείας· κραταιωθήτω ἡ χείρ σου, ὑψωθήτω ἡ δεξιά σου.
"Thou hast a mighty arm" (ver. 13). Let no man arrogate anything to himself. "Thou hast a mighty arm:" by Thee we were created, by Thee we have been defended. "Thou hast a mighty arm: strong be Thy hand, and high be Thy right hand."
Justice and judgment are the establishment of thy throne: Mercy and truth shall go before thy face.
Δικαιοσύνη καὶ κρίμα ἑτοιμασία τοῦ θρόνου σου· ἔλεος καὶ ἀλήθεια προπορεύσονται πρὸ προσώπου σου.
"Righteousness and judgment are the preparation of Thy seat" (ver. 14). Thy righteousness and judgment will appear in the end: they are now hidden. Of Thy righteousness it is treated in another Psalm, "on the hidden things of the Son." There will then be a manifestation of Thy righteousness and judgment: some will be…
Blessed is the people that knows the joyful sound: They shall walk, O Lord, in the light of thy countenance.
Μακάριος ὁ λαὸς ὁ γινώσκων ἀλαλαγμόν· Κύριε ἐν τῷ φωτὶ τοῦ προσώπου σου πορεύσονται,
In all these things shall we not rejoice? Or shall we contain our joy? Or shall words suffice for our gladness? Or shall the tongue be able to express our rejoicing? If therefore no words suffice, "Blessed is the people, O Lord, that knows glad shouting". O blessed people! Do you conceive aright, do you understand,…
And in thy name shall they rejoice all the day: And in thy righteousness shall they be exalted.
καὶ ἐν τῷ ὀνόματί σου ἀγαλλιάσονται ὅλην τὴν ἡμέραν, καὶ ἐν τῇ δικαιοσύνῃ σου ὑψωθήσονται.
O Lord, "they shall walk in the light of Thy countenance." "They shall rejoice in Thy name all the day" (ver. 16). That Thabor and Hermon shall rejoice in Thy name: all day shall they rejoice, if they will, in Thy name; but if they will rejoice in their own name, they shall not rejoice all day: for they shall not…
For thou art the boast of their strength; And in thy good pleasure shall our horn be exalted,
Ὅτι τὸ καύχημα τῆς δυνάμεως αὐτῶν σὺ εἶ, καὶ ἐν τῇ εὐδοκίᾳ σου ὑψωθήσεται τὸ κέρας ἡμῶν·
"For You are the glory of their strength: and in Your good pleasure You shall lift up our horns": because it has seemed good to You, not because we are worthy.
For our help is of the Lord; And of the Holy One of Israel, our king.
ὅτι τοῦ Κυρίου ἡ ἀντίληψις, καὶ τοῦ ἁγίου Ἰσραὴλ βασιλέως ἡμῶν.
"For of the Lord is our taking up". For I was moved like a heap of sand, that I might fall; and I should have fallen, had not the Lord taken me up. "For of the Lord is (our ) taking up: and of the Holy One of Israel our King." Himself is your taking up, Himself your illumination: in His light you are safe, in His…
"You spoke sometime in vision unto Your sons, and said". You spoke in your vision. You revealed this to Your Prophets. For this reason You spoke in vision, that is, in revelation: whence Prophets were called seers. They saw something within, which they were to speak without: and secretly they heard what they preached…
"I have found David My servant:" that David from David's seed: "with My holy oil have I anointed Him" (ver. 20): for it is said of Him, "God, even Thy God, hath anointed Thee with the oil of gladness above Thy fellows."
"My hand shall hold Him fast, and My arm shall strengthen Him": because there was a taking up of man; because flesh was assumed in the Virgin's womb, [Luke 1:31] because by Him who in the form of God is coequal with the Father, the form of a servant was taken, and He became obedient unto death, even the death of the…
"The enemy shall not be able to do him violence" (ver. 22). The enemy rages indeed but he shall not be able to do Him violence: he is wont to hurt, but he shall not hurt. How then shall he afflict Him? he will exercise Him, but he shall not hurt Him. There shall be profit in his raging; for those against whom he rages…
"I will cut in pieces His enemies before His face". They are cut in pieces from their conspiracy, and in that they believe they are cut in pieces; for they believe by degrees; as when the calf's head was ground small, they will come to be the drink of God's people. For Moses ground down the calf's head, and sprinkled…
"My truth also and My mercy is with Him". All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth. Remember, as much as you can, how often these two attributes are urged upon us, that we render them back to God. For as He showed us mercy that He might blot out our sins, and truth in fulfilling His promises; so also we, walking…
"I will set His hand also in the sea": that is, He shall rule over the Gentiles; "and His right hand in the floods." Rivers run into the sea: avaricious men roll onwards into the bitterness of this world: yet all these kinds of men will be subject to Christ.
"He shall call me, You are My Father, and the lifter up of My salvation".
"And I will make Him my first-born; higher than the kings of the earth". Our Martyrs, whose birthdays we are celebrating, shed their blood on account of these things, which were believed though not yet seen; how much more brave ought we to be, as we see what they believed? For they had not yet seen Christ raised on…
"My mercy will I keep for Him for ever: and my Testament faithful with Him". On His account, the Testament is faithful: in Him the Testament is mediated: He is the Sealer, the Mediator of the Testament, the Surety of the Testament, the Witness of the Testament, the Heritage of the Testament, the Coheir of the…
"His seed will I make to endure world without end". Not only for this world, but unto the world without end: whither His seed, which is His heritage, the seed of Abraham, which is Christ, will pass. But if you are Christ's, you are also Abraham's seed: and if you are destined His heirs for ever, "He will establish His…
This is a strong pledge of the promise of God. The sons of this David are the children of the Bridegroom; all Christians therefore are called His sons. But it is much indeed that God promises, that if Christians, that is, "If his children forsake My law, and walk not in My judgments"; "if they profane My statutes, and…
"Nevertheless, My mercy will I not utterly take from Him". From whom? From that David to whom I gave these promises, whom "I anointed with my holy oil of gladness above His fellows." Do you recognise Him from whom God will not utterly take away His mercy? That no one may anxiously say, since He speaks of Christ as Him…
"My covenant will I not profane, nor reject the thing that is gone out of my lips". Because his sons sin, I will not on this account be found false: I have promised; I will do. Suppose they choose to sin even as past hope, and so fall into sins as to offend their Father's countenance, and deserve to be disinherited;…
Listen for thy confirmation in hope, for thy security, if thou knowest thyself to be among the members of Christ. "I have sworn once by My holiness that I will not lie unto David" (ver. 35). Dost thou wait till God swear a second time? How often is He to swear, if in one oath He is false? One oath He made for our…
"His seed shall endure for ever". His seed endures for ever; because the Lord knows them that are His.
"And His seat is like as the sun before me:" "and as the moon perfect for evermore: and the faithful witness in heaven". They are His seat, in whom He sits and reigns. But if His seat, His members also; because even our members are the seat of our head. See how all our other members sustain our head: but the head…
These promises, so sure, so firm, so open, so unquestioned, were made concerning Christ. For although some are mysteriously veiled, yet some are so clear, that all that is obscure is easily revealed by them. Such being the case, see what follows: "But You have approved and brought to nothing and forsaken Your…
Even David himself knew this. Consider his words; "You have rejected and brought him down to nothing." Where then is Your promise? "You have put off Your Anointed." This expression cheers us, among much that is sorrowful: for the promise of God is still valid; for You have put off Your Anointed, not taken Him away.…
Let us therefore see whether God fulfils His promises. After these stern penalties which have been recorded as having been inflicted upon this people and kingdom, that God might not be supposed to have fulfilled His promises in it, and so not to grant another kingdom in Christ, of which kingdom there shall be no end;…
"O remember what my substance is". That David, who was placed among the Jews in the flesh, in Christ in hope, speaks "Remember what is my substance." For not because the Jews fell away, did my substance fail: for from that people came the Virgin Mary, and from her the flesh of Christ; that Flesh sins not, but purifies…
"What man is he that shall live, and shall not see death?". For being raised from the dead He dies no more, and death has no more dominion over Him. [Romans 6:9] And as in another Psalm it is said, "You shall not leave my soul in Hell, neither shall Thou suffer Your Holy One to see corruption," the Apostolic teaching…
But in the very faith in Christ great difficulties occurred, and the heathen in their rage long said, "When shall he die, and his name perish?" On account of these then who have now long believed in Christ, but were destined to doubt for some time, these words follow, "Lord, where are Thy old loving-kindnesses?" (ver.…
"Remember, Lord, the rebuke that Thy servants have". Even while Christ was living, and while He was sitting on His Father's right hand, reproaches were cast against the Christians: they long were reproached with the name of Christ. That widowed one who brought forth, and whose children were more than those of the…
"Wherewith Thine enemies have blasphemed Thee, O Lord", both Jews and Pagans. "Wherewith they have blasphemed." Wherewith have they blasphemed Thee? "With the change of Thine Anointed." They objected that Christ died, and was crucified. Madmen, what is your reproach? Although there is now no one to use it: yet…
They have blasphemed the change of Christ; but what dost thou answer? "The blessing of the Lord for evermore. Amen and Amen". Thanks to His mercy, thanks to His grace. We express our thanks: we do not give them, nor return them, nor repay them: we express our thanks in words, while in fact we retain our sense of them.…
Every note is a real passage, quoted word for word from a published English translation, with its source. Nothing here is summarised or written by us. Some verses have many notes and some have none, because the Fathers wrote more on some passages than others.
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