Commentary on Psalms Volume 2 John Calvin (continued)
JOHN CALVIN
in himself, he cannot justly be elevated to the same rank with them, but with the highest propriety he may, in so far as for a time he represented the person of Christ.
28. And I will keep my mercy to him for ever. We see how God frequently repeats, that he had set up the kingdom of David with the express design of establishing it for ever. By placing his mercy first in order, and then adding his covenant, he points out the cause of this covenant, intimating in one word, that it is gratuitous, and that his grace is not only the foundation on which it rests, but also the cause why it is preserved inviolate. The amount is, that God will be always merciful to David, in order that his covenant may never fail. From this it follows, that its inviolability depends upon the mere good pleasure of God. In the next verse, God expresses the effect of his truth, declaring, that the posterity of David will sit for ever on the royal throne. There being nothing under heaven of long continuance, the days of heaven is an expression employed to denote everlasting duration. Whence it follows, that this prophecy cannot have its full accomplishment in any till we come to Christ, in whom alone, in the strict and proper sense, this everlasting duration is to be found.
Psalm 89:30-37
30. If his children shall forsake my law, and walk not in my judgments; 31. If they violate 1026 my ordinances, and keep not my statutes; 32. Then will I visit their transgression with my rod, 1027 and their iniquity with stripes. 33. But my loving-kindness will I not withdraw from him; nor suffer my faithfulness to fail, [literally, nor will I lie in my truth.] 34. My covenant will I not break, nor alter that which hath proceeded from my lips. 35. Once have I sworn by my holiness, That I will not lie 1028 to David. 36. His seed shall endure for ever; and his throne as the sun before me. 37. It shall be established for ever as the moon, and a faithful witness in the heaven. 1029 Selah.
30. If his children shall forsake my law. The prophet proceeds yet farther, declaring, that although the posterity of David should fall into sin, yet God
"C'est a dire, de son temps."
The original word for "they violate" is,יחללוyechallelu, from,חללchalal, he perforated or pierced through "When said of sacred things, he profaned, violated, polluted, prostituted, as though, pierced through divine things." — Bythner
"In virga." — Lat. "Avec ma verge." — Fr.
Heb. 'if I lie,' the most solemn form of negative in that language." — Williams.