Psalm 89 [MT 90]

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 belief, by "the understanding of Æthan the Israelite:" which has given this Psalm its title. You see then, who is meant by Æthan: but the meaning of the word is "strong." No man in this world is strong, except in the hope of God's promises: for as to our own deservings, we are weak, in His mercy we are strong. Weak then in himself, strong in God's mercy, the Psalmist thus begins: "I will sing of Your mercies, O Lord, for ever: with my mouth will I make known Your truth unto all generations" [Psalm 89:1].

Exposition on Psalm 89

1–4

Orthodoxos: Listen now how the prophet praises God at the very beginning of the psalm. He saw with his prophetic eyes the future iniquity of his people and the captivity that was in consequence foredoomed; yet he praised his own Lord for unfailing promises. “I will sing,” he says, “of the mercies of the Lord forever; with my mouth will I make known your faithfulness to all generations, for you have said, Mercy shall be built up forever, your faithfulness you shall establish in the very heavens.”Through all this the prophet teaches that the promise was made by God on account of loving-kindness and that the promise is faithful. Then he goes on to say what he promised, and to whom, introducing God as the speaker. (“I have made a covenant with my chosen.”) It is the patriarchs that he called chosen; then he goes on, “I have sworn to David my servant,” and he states concerning what he swore, “Your descendants will I establish forever, and build up your throne to all generations.”

Dialogue 1

"For You have said, Mercy shall be built up for ever" [Psalm 89:2]. 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 were destroyed to be rebuilt, Jeremiah would not have written, "See, I have this day set you to throw down and to build." [Jeremiah 1:10] And indeed all who formerly worshipped images and stones could not be built up in Christ, without being destroyed as to their old error. While, unless some were destroyed not to be built up, it would not be written, "He shall destroy them, and not build them up.". .. In what follows, he joins these two words, mercy and faithfulness; "For You have said, Mercy shall be built up for ever: Your truth shall be established in the Heavens:" in which mercy and truth are repeated, "for all the ways of the Lord are mercy and truth," for truth in the fulfilment of promises could not be shown, unless mercy in the remission of sins preceded. Next, as many things were promised in prophecy even to the people of Israel that came according to the flesh from the seed of Abraham, and that people was increased that the promises of God might be fulfilled in it; while yet God did not close the fountain of His goodness even to the Gentiles, whom He had placed under the rule of the Angels, while He reserved the people of Israel as His own portion: the Apostle expressly mentions the Lord's mercy and truth as referring to these two parties. For he calls Christ "a minister of the Circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers." [Romans 15:8] See how God deceived not; see how He cast not off His people, whom He foreknew. For while the Apostle is treating of the fall of the Jews, to prevent any from believing them so far disowned of God, that no wheat from that floor's fanning could reach the granary, he says, "God has not cast away His people, whom He foreknew; for I also am an Israelite." [Romans 11:1-2] If all that nation are thorns, how am I who speak unto you wheat? So that the truth of God was fulfilled in those Israelites who believed, and one wall from the circumcision is thus brought to meet the corner stone. But this stone would not form a corner, unless it received another wall from the Gentiles: so that the former wall relates in a special manner to the truth, the latter to the mercy of God. "Now I say," says the Apostle, "that Jesus Christ was a minister of the Circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promise made unto the fathers: and that the Gentiles might glorify God for His mercy." [Romans 15:8-9] Justly then is it added, "Your truth shall Thou establish in the Heavens:" for all those Israelites who were called to be Apostles became as Heavens which declare the glory of God: as it is written by them, "The Heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament shows His handywork.". ..Since, although they were taken up from hence before the Church filled the whole world, yet as "their words reached to the ends of the world," we are right in supposing this which we have just read, "Your truth shall Thou establish in the Heavens," fulfilled in them.

Exposition on Psalm 89

"You have said, I have made a covenant with My chosen" [Psalm 89:3]. 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 speak, who understands, whose mouth serves truth! I speak without fear; since "You have said." If You make me fearless, because You have said, how much more so dost Thou make me, when You have sworn! For the oath of God is the assurance of a promise. Man is justly forbidden to swear: [Matthew 5:34] lest by the habit of swearing, since a man may be deceived, he fall into perjury. God alone swears securely, because He alone is infallible.

Exposition on Psalm 89

And around us are the wise men of the Greeks mocking and jeering us, as those who believe without inquiry, and foolishly.

Fragments from Commentaries on Various Books of Scripture - On Psalm IXXXIX, 4

Let us see then what God has sworn. "I have sworn," He says, "to David My servant; your seed will I establish for ever" [Psalm 89:4]. 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 Saviour of the body, [Ephesians 5:23] is the seed of Abraham, and therefore of David; but we are not Abraham's seed? We are assuredly; as the Apostle says, "And if you be Christ's, then are you Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise." [Galatians 3:29] In this sense, then, let us take the words, brethren, "Your seed will I establish for ever," not only of that Flesh of Christ, born of the Virgin Mary, but also of all of us who believe in Christ, for we are limbs of that Head. This body cannot be deprived of its Head: if the Head is in glory for ever, so are the limbs, so that Christ remains entire for ever. "Your seed will I establish for ever: and set up your throne to generation and generation." We suppose he says, "for ever," because it is "to generation and generation:" since he has said above, with "my mouth will I ever be showing Your truth to generation and generation." What is "to generation and generation"? To every generation: for the word needed not as many repetitions, as the coming and passing away of the several generations. The multiplication of generations is signified and set forth to notice by the repetition. Are possibly two generations to be understood, as you are aware, my beloved brethren, and as I have before explained? For there is now a generation of flesh and blood: there will be a future generation in the resurrection of the dead. Christ is proclaimed here: He will be proclaimed there: here He is proclaimed, that He may be believed in: there, He will be welcomed, that He may be seen. "I will set up Your throne from one generation to another." Christ has now a throne in us, His throne is set up in us: for unless he sat enthroned within us, He would not rule us: but if we were not ruled by Him, we should be thrown down by ourselves. He therefore sits within us, reigning over us: He sits also in another generation, which will come from the resurrection of the dead. Christ will reign for ever over His Saints. God has promised this; He has said it: if this is not enough, God has sworn it. As then the promise is certain, not on account of our deservings, but of His pity, no one ought to be afraid in proclaiming that which he cannot doubt of. Let that strength then inspire our hearts, whence Æthan received his name, "strong in heart:" let us preach the truth of God, the utterance of God, His promises, His oath; and let us, strengthened on every side by these means, glorify God, and by bearing Him along with us, become Heavens.

Exposition on Psalm 89

"O Lord, the very Heavens shall praise Your wondrous works" [Psalm 89:5]. The Heavens will not praise their own merits, but Your 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 Him yet more, because the lost are redeemed. What grace, what mercy of God! You see a man yesterday a whirlpool of drunkenness, today an ornament of sobriety: a man yesterday the sink of luxury, today the beauty of temperance: yesterday a blasphemer of God, today His praiser: yesterday the slave of the creature, today the worshipper of the Creator. From all these desperate states men are thus converted: let them not look at their own merits: let them become Heavens, and praise the wondrous works of Him by whom they were made Heavens....

Exposition on Psalm 89

"For who is he among the clouds, who shall be compared unto You, Lord!" [Psalm 89:6]. 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 cannot be compared with their Creator? If it is taken in its literal, not in its mystical meaning, it is not so: what? Are the stars that are above the clouds to be compared with the Lord? What? Can the Sun, Moon, Angels, Heavens, be even compared with the Lord? Why is it then that he says, as if he meant some high praise, "For who is he among the clouds?" etc. We understand, my brethren, those clouds, as the Heavens, to be the preachers of truth; Prophets, Apostles, the announcers of the word of God....If therefore the clouds are the preachers of the truth, let us first enquire why they are clouds. For the same men are Heavens and clouds: Heavens from the brightness of the truth, clouds from the hidden things of the flesh: for all clouds are obscure, owing to their mortality: and they come and go. It is on account of these very obscurities of the flesh, that is, of the clouds, that the Apostle says, "Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who will bring to light the hidden things of darkness." [1 Corinthians 4:5] You see at this moment what a man is saying: but what he has in his heart, you cannot see: what is forced from the cloud, you see, what is kept within the cloud, you see not. For whose eyes pierce the cloud? The clouds therefore are the preachers of the truth in the flesh. The Creator of all things Himself came in the flesh....We are called clouds on account of the flesh, and we are preachers of the truth on account of the showers of the clouds: but our flesh comes in one way, His by another. We too are called sons of God, but He is the Son of God in another sense. His cloud comes from a Virgin, He is the Son from eternity, co-eternal with the Father. "Who is he then among the clouds, that shall be compared unto the Lord? And what is he among the sons of God, that shall be like the Lord?" Let the Lord Himself say whether He can find one like Himself. "Whom do men say that I the Son of Man am?" Because I appear, because I am seen, because I walk among you, and perhaps at present I have become common; say, whom do men say that I the Son of Man am? Surely when they see a son of man, they see a cloud; but say, "Whom do men say that I am?" In answer they gave Him the reports of men; "Some say that You are John the Baptist: some Elias, and others Jeremias, or one of the prophets." Many clouds and sons of God are here mentioned: for because they were righteous and holy, as the sons of God, Jeremias, Elias, and John are called also sons of God: in their character of preachers of God, they are styled clouds. You have said what clouds men imagine Me to be: do ye too say, "Whom say ye that I am?" Peter replying in behalf of all, one for those who were one, answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God;" [Matthew 16:13-16] not like those sons of God who are not made equal to You: You have come in the flesh: but not as the clouds, who are not to be compared unto You.

Exposition on Psalm 89

O such strictness toward the righteous! O such abundant forgiveness toward the sinner! He finds so many different means, without himself changing, to keep the righteous in check and forgive the sinner, by usefully dividing his rich goodness. And listen how. If he frightens the sinner who persists in sins, he brings him to desperation and to the exhaustion of hope. If he blesses the righteous, he weakens the intensity of his virtue and makes him neglect his zeal, since he considers himself already blessed. For this reason he is merciful to the sinner and frightens the righteous. “For he is terrible to all who surround him.” And, “The Lord is good to the whole world.” “He is terrible,” David says, “to all who surround him.” And who are they but the saints? “For God,” David says, “who is glorified in the council of the saints, [is] great and terrible to all who surround him.” If he sees someone who has fallen, he extends a loving hand. If he sees someone standing, he brings fear on him. And this reveals righteousness and righteous judgment. He establishes the righteous one with fear, and he raises up the sinner with benevolence.

Homilies on Repentence and Almsgiving 7:5

..."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" [Psalm 89:7]. 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 God and of God, "of His greatness there is no end;" who remain, who are round about Him, except because He who is everywhere, chose to be born of the flesh on one spot, to dwell among one nation, in one place to be crucified, from one spot to rise again and ascend into Heaven. Where He did this, the Gentiles are round about Him. If He remained where He did these things, He would not be "great, and be had in dread of all them that are round about Him;" but since He preached when there in such a manner as to send preachers of His own name through all nations over the whole world; by working miracles among His servants, He has become "great, and to be had in dread of all them that are round about Him."

Exposition on Psalm 89

"O Lord God of Hosts, who is like You? Your truth, most mighty Lord, is on every side" [Psalm 89:8]. Great is Your power: You have made Heaven and earth, and all things that in them are: but greater still is your loving-kindness, which has shown forth Your truth to all around You. For if You had been preached only on the spot where You deigned to be born, to suffer, to rise again, to ascend; the truth of that promise of God would have been fulfilled, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers: but the promise, "that the Gentiles may glorify God for His mercy," [Romans 15:9] would not have been fulfilled, had not that truth been explained, and diffused to those around You from the spot where You deigned to appear. On that spot You thundered out of Your own cloud: but to scatter rain upon the Gentiles round about, You have sent other clouds. Truly in Your power have You fulfilled what You have said, "Hereafter shall you see the Son of Man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of Heaven." [Matthew 26:64]

Exposition on Psalm 89

...For you have heard, like men accustomed to the watering of the clouds of God, "Your truth" then "is in the circuit of You." But when without persecutions, when without opposition, since it is said, that "He was born for a sign which shall be spoken against"? [Luke 2:34] Since then that nation, where You deigned to be born, and to dwell, was as a land separated from the waves of the heathen, so that it appeared dry and ready for watering with rain, while the rest of the nations were as a sea in the bitterness of their sterility; what do Your preachers who scatter Your truth in circuit of You, when the waves of that sea rage furiously? "Thou rulest the power of the sea" [Psalm 89:9]. For what was the result of the sea raging thus, but the day which we are now keeping holy? It slew Martyrs, scattered seeds of blood, the harvest of the Church sprang up. Safely then let the clouds go forth: let them diffuse Your truth in circuit of You, let them not fear the savage waves. "Thou rulest the power of the sea." The sea swells, buffets, and roars: but "God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted beyond what you are able:" [1 Corinthians 10:13] and so, "Thou stillest the waves thereof when they rise."

Exposition on Psalm 89

Lastly, what have You done in the sea itself, to pacify its rage, and to weaken it? "You have humbled the proud as one that is wounded" [Psalm 89:10]. 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;" [Amos 9:3] and again, "There is that Leviathan, whom You have made to mock him," whose head He bruises above the water. "You," he says, "hast humbled the proud, as one that is wounded." You have humbled Yourself, and the proud was humbled: for the proud held the proud ones through pride: but the great One is humbled, and by believing in Him become small. While the little one is nourished by the example of One who from greatness descended to humility, the devil has lost what he held: because the proud held only the proud. When such an example of humility was displayed before them, men learned to condemn their own pride, and to imitate the humility of God. Thus also the devil, by losing those whom he had in his power, has even himself been humbled; not chastened, but thrown prostrate. "You have humbled the proud like one that is wounded." You have been humbled, and hast humbled others: You have been wounded, and hast wounded others: for Your blood, as it was shed to blot the handwriting of sins, [Colossians 2:14] could not but wound him. For what was the ground of his pride, except the bond which he held against us. This bond, this handwriting, You have blotted out with Your blood: him therefore have You wounded, from whom You have rescued so many victims. You must understand the devil wounded, not by the piercing of the flesh, which he has not, but by the bruising of his proud heart. "You have scattered Your enemies abroad with Your mighty arm."

Exposition on Psalm 89

"The heavens are yours, the earth also is Yours" [Psalm 89:11]. From You, over Your earth they rain. Yours are the heavens, by whom is preached Your truth in circuit of You; "Yours is the earth," which has received Your truth in circuit of You; and what has resulted from that rain? "You have laid the foundation of the round world, and all that therein is."

Exposition on Psalm 89

"You have created the north and the seas" [Psalm 89:12]. For nothing has any power against You, 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 fear the seas? In the north indeed is the devil, who said, "I will sit in the sides of the north; I will be like the Most High;" [Isaiah 14:13-14] but You have humbled, as one wounded, the proud one. Thus what You have done in them has more force for Your dominion, than their own will has for their wickedness. "You have created the north and the seas."

Exposition on Psalm 89

"You have a mighty arm" [Psalm 89:13]. Let no man arrogate anything to himself. "You have a mighty arm:" by You we were created, by You we have been defended. "You have a mighty arm: strong be Your hand, and high be Your right hand."

Exposition on Psalm 89

"Righteousness and judgment are the preparation of Your seat" [Psalm 89:14]. Your righteousness and judgment will appear in the end: they are now hidden. Of Your righteousness it is treated in another Psalm, "on the hidden things of the Son." There will then be a manifestation of Your righteousness and judgment: some will be set on the right, others on the left hand: [Matthew 25:33] and the unbelieving will tremble, when they see what now they mock at, and believe not: the righteous will rejoice, when they shall see what they now see not, yet believe. "Righteousness and judgment are the preparation of Your seat:" especially in the Day of Judgment. What then now? "mercy and truth go before Your face." I should fear the preparation of Your seat, Your justice, and Your coming judgment, did not mercy and truth go before You: why should I at the end fear Your righteousness, when with Your mercy going before You Thou blottest out my sins, and by showing forth Your truth fulfillest Your promises? "Mercy and truth go before Your face." For "all the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth."

Exposition on Psalm 89

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" [Psalm 89:15]. O blessed people! Do you conceive aright, do you understand, glad shouting? For except thou understand glad shouting, you can not be blessed. What do I mean by understanding glad shouting? Whether you know the source of that rejoicing which is beyond words to express. For this joy is not of yourself, since "he that glories, let him glory in the Lord." [1 Corinthians 1:31] Rejoice not then in your own pride, but in God's grace. See that that grace is such, that the tongue fails to express its greatness, and then you understand glad shouting.

Exposition on Psalm 89

O Lord, "they shall walk in the light of Your countenance." "They shall rejoice in Your name all the day" [Psalm 89:16]. That Thabor and Hermon shall rejoice in Your name: all day shall they rejoice, if they will, in Your name; but if they will rejoice in their own name, they shall not rejoice all day: for they shall not continue in their joy, when they shall delight in themselves, and fall through pride. That they may rejoice all day, therefore, "they shall rejoice in Your name, and in Your righteousness shall they be exalted." Not in their own, but in Yours: lest they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. For some are noted by the Apostle, that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge, "being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own," and not rejoicing in Your light, and thus "not submitting themselves unto the righteousness of God." [Romans 10:2-3] And why? Because "they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge." But the people who knows glad shouting (for the former err from want of knowledge, but blessed is the people not that knows not, but that knows glad shouting), whence ought it to shout, whence to rejoice, but in Your name, walking in the light of Your countenance? And it shall deserve to be exalted, but in Your righteousness: let every man take away altogether his own righteousness, and be trembled: the righteousness of God shall come, and he shall be exalted, "and in Your righteousness shall they be exalted."

Exposition on Psalm 89

"For You are the glory of their strength: and in Your good pleasure You shall lift up our horns" [Psalm 89:17]: because it has seemed good to You, not because we are worthy.

Exposition on Psalm 89