Psalter. Interpretation of the books of the Old Testament. Psalm Psalm 88 in Russian

Ps. 88 Despite the fact that this psalm opens with joyful praise, it should still be attributed to the group of lamentations. The central theme of the psalm is God's covenant with David. 2 Kings 7:4-17 tells of the close fatherly relationship that God established with David. He was pleased that these relations extended to all the descendants of the king who were faithful to Him. However, the promise of "eternal" life to the house of David by no means freed the king and his descendants from obligations to God. The Lord warned David's descendants: "If he sins, I will punish him with the rod of men and the blows of the sons of men" (2 Samuel 7:14). But already the son of David, Solomon, fell into apostasy, fulfilling religious rites their foreign wives (2 Kings, ch. 11). The Lord, in His great mercy, allowed the centuries-old reign of the descendants of David, despite the fact that many of them did not remain faithful to the covenant. But the wrath of the Lord nevertheless overtook them, and all the people were doomed by God to the Babylonian captivity, along with which the reign of the Davidic dynasty ended. Meanwhile, the history of the relationship of the chosen people with God does not end with the Babylonian captivity. The fall of the royal house of Judah only highlights the fulfillment of the Lord's promise to David in Jesus Christ. Christ, the son of David according to the flesh (Rom. 1:3), sits forever on the throne of heaven at the right hand of His Father.

88:2 Your mercies. The psalmist praises the marvelous faithfulness of God to his people in the graces of the covenant.

88:4 swore to David. The psalmist repeats the words of the covenant the Lord made with David (see 2 Kings, ch. 7 and 1 Chr., ch. 17).

89:5 I will establish your seed forever. These words contain the central idea of ​​the psalm (see Introduction: Characteristics and topics).

88:6 the heavens will glorify your marvelous works. In this verse heaven is personified, meaning all the inhabitants of heaven (angels, cherubs).

89:7 who in heaven is equal to the Lord? In mentioning the other inhabitants of heaven, the psalmist immediately notes the exclusivity of the Lord. All of them, along with people, are His creations. The assertion of the exclusivity of the God of Israel is important in that it refutes the religious ideas of the peoples neighboring the Israelites. In the written records of Canaan and Mesopotamia, the concept of "assembly of saints" is also found, but the pagans understood it as a host of gods, of which some are more powerful than others. By asserting the uniqueness of the divine nature of the Lord, the psalmist thereby separates himself from the aforementioned pagan notions.

88:10 You have dominion over the fury of the sea. Those. over the abyss and chaos.

88:11 You brought down Rahab. This refers to the mythological sea monster (like Leviathan), symbolizing the forces of evil and destruction (Job 9.13). In addition, the name Rahab is sometimes called Egypt (see Ps. 86:4&N).

88:12 the universe... You founded. Unlike the pagan gods, God is the Creator of the universe.

88:13 Tabor and Hermon. Mount Hermon, located in the very north of Israel, surpasses all other mountains in the country in height. Tabor, famous for the unusual shape of its peak, rises in the Meggiddo valley and serves as a milestone on which the borders of the possessions of the three tribes converge.

88:15 Justice and righteousness. Righteousness, justice and holiness are the essence of the Lord, which He reveals to His creation.

come before your face. The grace of God precedes, anticipates the infallible truth of His judgment.

88:16 Blessed. See com. to Ps. 1.1.

88:18 our horn. Those. tsar. The idea that the Lord is the One who equips the king with his power is revealed in the next verse.

89:20 You spoke in a vision. Despite the fact that Scripture does not contain words that exactly match those given below, in this verse one can see either an inaccurate retelling of the Lord’s revelation to Nathan (2 Sam., ch. 7), or the words by which the Lord first announced to Samuel about His election to the reign of David (1 Sam., ch. 16).

88:22 My arm will strengthen him. The king has sacred duties, both social and religious. The Lord promises to give David strength so that he can fulfill these duties with honor.

88:25 my truth and my mercy. These key words for this psalm are repeated throughout its entire length (see comment on v. 1).

88:27 You are my father. These words testify to the close ties that bind David to God (2 Sam. 7:14).

88:28 I will make him my firstborn. This verse speaks of David not just as one of the children of God, but as the first and most worthy of them. The close ties that bind David to God are a type of the relationship of the Most High with His Only Begotten Son, Jesus Christ.

88:30 I will continue his seed forever. This promise was fulfilled in Jesus Christ, a descendant of King David in the flesh.

88:32 My statutes. Those. the will of the Lord recorded in the books of the Law.

88:33 I will visit their iniquity with a rod. The Lord's covenant with David provided for severe punishment for the king in the event of his apostasy (2 Samuel 7:14). In accordance with this covenant, the Lord often punished the kings of Israel at the hands of their enemies, both internal (Jeroboam in 1 Kings 11:9-40) and external (Egyptians, Assyrians, Babylonians).

88:35 I will not break my covenant. The promises of God endure forever. The covenant that God made with David contained an element of convention (v. 33); provided for the fulfillment by the kings of certain obligations. At the same time, the final fulfillment of this covenant in Jesus Christ is unconditional.

88:39 You rejected. The first part of the psalm is filled with triumph and praise of the miraculous bonds that bound God and the king in the past. In this verse, the psalmist refers to the present, when these bonds were broken: the Lord broke them, being angry with the king for his sins.

on your anointed. We are talking about one of the heirs of David on the Israeli throne; which one exactly is unknown.

88:53 This doxology concludes the third book of the Psalms (see Introduction: Characteristics and Themes).

PSALM 88

Many psalms that begin with complaint and prayer end with joy and praise, but this one begins with joy and praise, and ends with sad complaints and petitions, for the psalmist first recalls the former favor of God, and then thinking about it aggravates the present suffering. The interpreters are not sure when it was composed, only that it was a time when the glory of the house of David faded. Some believe that this was the time of the Babylonian captivity, when Nebuchadnezzar insulted and brutalized King Zedekiah. And then the title to this psalm appeared, which reported only that it was written to the melody of the song of Etham, the son of Zara, and was called Maschil - teaching. Others believe that it was composed by Ethan, mentioned in the story of Solomon, who survived this glorious king and wept over the great dishonor caused to the house of David during the further reign by the rebellion of the ten tribes.

(I) The psalmist, in the joyful and pleasant part of the psalm, gives glory to God and comforts himself and his friends. He does this briefly, referring to God's mercy and truth (v. 2) and His covenant (v. 3-5), but he speaks more fully in the following verses, where

(1.) Admire the glory and perfections of God (v. 6-15).

(2.) He pleases himself by speaking of the happiness of those who are admitted into fellowship with him (v. 16-19).

(3) He builds his hope upon God's covenant with David, a type of Christ (vv. 20-38).

(II) In the sad part of the psalm he weeps over the present plight of the king and the royal family (v. 39-46), meditating on it with God (v. 47-50), and then ends with a prayer for satisfaction (v. 51- 52). In singing this psalm, we must think loftily of God, believe energetically in His covenant with the Redeemer, and sympathize with the suffering part of the Church.

Teachings of Etham Ezrahit.

Verses 2-5

In those days, the psalmist complains very bitterly about the plight of David's family, but at the same time he begins this psalm with a song of praise, for always, under any circumstances, we must give thanks and even in the fire praise the Lord. When we are in trouble, we think that by complaining we bring relief, but by glorifying, we get more - joy. So let our complaints turn into thanksgiving, and in these verses we will find a reason for our praise and thanksgiving in the worst times, both for the state and for ourselves.

1. However things may be, the eternal God is merciful and true (v. 2). Although it is sometimes difficult for us to reconcile dark providences with the mercy and truth of God, at the same time we must live by the following principle: God's mercies are inexhaustible, His truth is indestructible, and this should be the theme of our joy and praise: “Thy mercies, Lord, I will sing forever, I will sing a song of praise to the honor of God, a sweet song for my personal comfort, and teaching, a song of edification, for the instruction of others.” We can sing of the mercies of God forever, but at the same time this theme will never run dry. We must sing of God's grace while we live, educate others to sing about them when we are gone, and hope to sing about them forever in the heavenly world. This is what is called “to sing Thy mercies forever with our mouth and pen (for thanks to it we also speak), to generation and generation to proclaim Your truth”, convincing the next generation with our own experience and observations that God is faithful to his every spoken word, that they can learn to put their hope in God (Ps. 77:7).

2. Be that as it may, the everlasting covenant is firm and unchangeable (vv. 3-5). In these verses we are presented

(1) The faith and hope of the psalmist: "Now everything looks gloomy and the house of David is threatened with total destruction, but I speak and have the assurance of the word of God, which states that mercy is founded forever." The essence of our song (v. 2) will be the goodness of God's nature, and still more His mercy, which is established for us in the covenant. It continues to grow, like a house under construction, and will remain our rest forever, like a house built. It will be built forever, for the eternal dwellings we hope to have in Jerusalem belong to this building. If mercy is founded forever, then God will restore the fallen tabernacle of David, restore what was destroyed, and build it up, as in the days of old (Amos. 9:11). And we can say that mercy is founded forever, because you have established your truth in heaven. Although in certain cases our expectations are not met, at the same time God's promises are not cancelled. They are established in heaven (that is, by His eternal decrees), they are above the changes of this lower world and beyond the reach of the opposition of earth and hell. The stability of the material heaven is an emblem of the truth of the word of God. The heavens may become covered with clouds due to the vapors rising from the earth, but they cannot be touched and they cannot be changed.

(2) The essence of the covenant on which this faith and hope is built. The words of the psalmist: "I say, because God swore that the heirs of the promise would be absolutely satisfied with the immutability of this ordinance." In proof of his words, he cites the words of God (v. 4), confirming that for the comfort of his people he made a covenant, and this is good for him. The covenant was made with David; a covenant of kingship was made with him, as with the father of the family, and through him and for his sake with the seed. It symbolized the covenant of grace made with Christ as the head of the Church and with all believers as his spiritual seed. In it, David is called God's chosen one and His servant, and since God does not change and does not depart from His own choice, He cannot do wrong by casting out one who served Him. Two things encourage the psalmist to build his faith on this covenant:

His statement. He was confirmed by an oath: "The Lord has sworn and will not repent."

Its infinity. The blessings of this covenant were not limited to David alone, but were transferred by right to his family. He was promised that his family would continue - I will establish your seed forever - and therefore he will not need a son to reign on his throne (see Jer. 33:20). This royal family will continue its lineage - "in generation and generation I will arrange your throne." This promise was fulfilled only in Christ, a descendant of David, who lives forever and received from God the throne of his father David, and there is no limit to the increase of His dominion and peace. The psalmist will speak of this covenant in more detail in v. 20 et seq.

Verses 6-15

These verses are filled with praise to God. Note:

I. Who and where should glorify God. 1. He is glorified by the angels in heaven: "The heavens will glorify Thy marvelous works, O Lord (v. 6), that is, the glorious inhabitants of the upper world continually offer up praise to Thee." “Bless the Lord, all His angels” (Ps. 102:20). The works of God are miracles even to those who are best acquainted with them and have a direct connection with them; the more known the works of God, the more they deserve admiration and praise. This should move us to love heaven, to yearn for it, where all we have to do is praise God and His miracles. 2. God is glorified by the assemblies of saints on earth (glory awaits Him in Zion); and though their glory is not so perfect as that of the angels, yet God is pleased to take notice of it and receive it; He considers himself honored by her. “Your faithfulness and the truth of your promise will be glorified in the assembly of saints, who acknowledge that they owe everything to your faithfulness, and are comforted by your promise, for he who promised is faithful.” God expects his saints on earth to glorify Him, and then who will do it if not them? May every saint glorify Him, especially the congregation of saints. When they come together, let them unite in glorifying God. The more, the better, then their meetings will be more like heaven. Of the honors offered to God by the congregation of saints, the psalmist says again (v. 8): "Fearful is God in the great host of saints." Saints are to come together to worship God, to publicly declare their relationship with Him, and to encourage one another to come and honor Him, so that while maintaining fellowship with God, they likewise keep fellowship with the saints. God has promised that His grace will be present in the religious assemblies of the saints, but in attending them we must also look to His glorified presence, lest the close acquaintance to which we are admitted give rise to the least slight, for He is fearful in His holy place. and therefore he must be feared. A holy reverence for God must take possession of us and fill us every time we approach Him, even in solitary communion, to which something necessary may be added by solemn public services. God must be terrible for all those around Him who constantly come to Him as His servants for some assignment (see Lev. 10:3). Only those who serve God with reverence and fear serve God correctly (Heb. 12:28).

II. What does it mean to praise God. It means recognizing Him as a Person of unsurpassed perfection, the like of which no one can compare (v. 7). If there are any beings that could compete with God in anything, then certainly they could be found among the angels, although they are all infinitely lower than Him: “Who in heaven can compare with the Lord and require a part of reverence and admiration which should belong only to Him; or will he compete with Him for the honor of the sons of men?” They are the sons of the Most High, but who among them can compare with the Lord? The aristocracy is equal to the kings; there is some equality between them. But there is no equality between God and angels. They are not equal to Him. “To whom will you liken Me and with whom will you compare? says the Holy One” (Is. 40:25). The author again insists on this truth (v. 9): “Who is strong like You, Lord?” Neither angels nor earthly rulers can compare with God. Do you have a muscle like God's? And can you thunder with your voice like Him? And Your truth is around You, that is, “Your angels who are around You, who, coming to You with their praise, are ready to fulfill Your commissions and are faithful to You.” Or “in all that You do, You prove faithfulness to Your word from all sides, above all kings and lords.” It often happens among people that he who has the most opportunity to break his word cares least to keep it. But God is faithful and powerful, He can do anything, but He never does wrong.

III. What should we say in our praise, giving glory to God. Several things are mentioned here.

1. God commands the most uncontrollable elements (v.10): “You have dominion over the fury of the sea,” which frightens people the most. A person can neither control it nor manage it. The sea cannot raise its waves higher, nor roll them further, nor beat them harder, nor continue the storm longer and do more harm than God allows. “When its waves rise, You can immediately subdue and calm them; You can lull and make them quiet, turn a storm into a calm.” This example is given to demonstrate omnipotence. What kind of person was the Lord Jesus then, if the winds and the sea obey Him?

2. God's victories over the enemies of His Church. The symbol of these victories was the control of the raging sea and the taming of the waves (v. 11): raise your head again. "Heads are crushed, by Your power You scattered the remnants of the army." God has many ways to deal with His enemies and the enemies of the Church. It seems to us that He should kill them immediately, but sometimes God scatters them to send them to other lands and make them monuments of His justice (Ps. 59:12). The memory of Egypt being crushed to pieces was a comfort to the Church during the Babylonian invasion, for God remained the same.

3. God's indisputable ownership of all creatures above and below (v. 12, 13): “People are revered for their vast possessions, but Your heavens and Your earth, Lord! Therefore, we praise You, we trust in You, and we are not afraid of people, no matter what they do. You founded the universe and what fills it, all its riches and all that inhabits it, its abodes and its inhabitants.” And the founder can quite rightly be called the owner. He speaks in detail

(1) about the most remote parts of the world - about the north and south, - about the lands located in the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe two poles, which are not explored and sparsely populated: praise from them.” Scripture says that He stretched out the north over the void, but at the same time, everything that is there belongs to God.

(2) About the highest parts of the world. The psalmist mentions the two highest mountains in Canaan, Tabor and Hermon, one of which is in the west and the other in the east; they rejoice in your name, because they are under the protection of your providence and make offerings for your altar. Scripture says that the hills are girded with joy (Ps. 64:13). It is generally accepted that Tabor is that high mountain in Galilee, on top of which Christ was transfigured, and then, of course, we can say that she rejoiced when she heard a voice that said: “Behold, this is My beloved Son.”

4. Power and justice, mercy and truth, by which he governs this world and the affairs of the sons of men (v. 14, 15).

(1) God can do anything, for He is the Lord God Almighty. His arm, His arm is strong and mighty to save His people and destroy His own and their enemies. None can resist the power or bear the weight of His mighty hand. High is His right hand to reach out to the highest, even those who make their nest among the stars (Amos. 9:2,3; Obadiah 4). The right hand of the Lord is exalted in all that He does, for He has manifested His power a thousand times (Ps. 117:16).

(2.) He never did, nor will he do, unjustly or foolishly, for justice and uprightness are the foundation of his throne. Not a single decree or command of His deviated from the principles of justice and wisdom; and no one can accuse God of unrighteousness or stupidity. Justice and judgment are the dwelling place of His throne (as some read), the affirmation of His throne (others read). His reign is carried out according to His ordinances from eternity, and his establishment is manifested in the consequences of this government for eternity, which are justice and judgment.

(3) He always does mercy to his people, and his works always coincide with his word, which he spoke: “...mercy and truth go before your face to prepare your way, as forerunners preparing a place for you. Your mercy was shown in the promise, and the truth in their fulfillment; truth is as good as your word, and mercy is even better.” These qualities are worthy of praise both in great people and in the great God, in whom they are present in perfection!

Verses 16-19

Having shown in detail the blessedness of the God of Israel, in these verses the psalmist shows the blessedness of the Israel of God. If there is none like the God of Israel, then blessed are you, Israel! Who is like you, people, especially as a type of the gospel Israel, composed of true believers, whose blessedness is described in these verses.

I. They are given glorious discoveries and good tidings; they hear and know the trumpet call (v. 16). This verse may be a reference

(1) to the sound of a victorious army, to the sound of the king's trumpet (Num. 23:21). Throughout the wars, Israel had evidence of God's presence, and the sound of walking over the tops of the mulberry trees was certainly a joyful sound (2 Sam. 5:24). They often made the earth ring with their songs of jubilation. They were happy sounds.

(2) To the sounds made over the sacrifice during sacrifices and solemn feasts (Ps. 81:2-4). The happiness of Israel consisted in the fact that in their midst they had a free and open practice of the holy religion of God and an abundance of joy at the time of sacrifice.

(3) To the sound of festive trumpets, which brought joy to slaves and debtors, announcing their release. The gospel is certainly a joyful sound - the sound of victory, freedom, communion with God, the sound of heavy rain. Blessed is the people that hears and knows him, that welcomes him with joy.

II. They are given special tokens of God's favor: “They walk in the light of Thy countenance, O Lord; they follow Your instructions and are guided by Your eye; they enjoy Your comforts. They will have the favor of God; they will know that they have it, and it will be a constant occasion for their joy and merriment. They will go through all the difficulties of a holy life, experiencing the mighty influence of God's mercy, which will make their duty pleasant, and them sincere, striving for their main goal - to be accepted by the Lord. We walk in the light of the face of God as we draw every comfort from God's favor and try to keep ourselves in His love.

III. They never need a reason to rejoice: "Blessed are the people of God, for the Lord, in his name and through him, has revealed himself to them, and if they do not make mistakes, they will rejoice all day long." He who rejoices in Jesus Christ and makes God his joy and gladness has enough to balance his sorrows and appease his sorrows. And therefore their joy is perfect (1 John 1:4) and constant. Their duty is to rejoice forever.

IV. The relationship of the Israelites with God is their honor and dignity. They are happy because they are ascending. Undoubtedly, in the Lord, in the Lord Jesus, they have righteousness and power, and He can present them for a divine reception - and then the Lord will justify and glorify all the tribe of Israel (Is.45:24,25). The same is said in v. 17,18.

1. "They exalt themselves in thy righteousness, and not in their own." We are lifted away from danger to honor only because of the righteousness of Christ, which is the garment of dignity and protection.

2. “You are the ornament of their strength, that is, You are their strength. Their glory, that which they boast of, is that You are so.” Thanks be to God, who always makes us triumph. 3. "Thy favor, in which we hope through Christ, our horn is exalted." The horn implies beauty, abundance and power, and these are all possessed by one who is accepted in the Beloved. What greater advances are available to people in this world than the opportunity to be God's favorite?

V. Their relation to God is their protection and security (v. 19): "Our shield is from the Lord (it is written in the margin), and our king is from the Holy One of Israel." If God is our King, then He will be our protector; and then who can offend us?” Israel were happy because God himself erected their fortifications and appointed a king (as some understand this place); or, rather, that he himself was the wall of fire around him, and the Holy One of Israel, the Creator and center of their holy religion. He was their King, and therefore their glory to be with them. Christ was the Holy One of Israel—holy, and nothing blessed the chosen people more than that He was born King of the Jews. And this description of the blessedness of the Israel of God is given here as a counterbalance to their present plight.

Verses 20-38

The covenant that God made with David and his descendants has already been mentioned earlier (v. 4, 5), but in these verses it is set out in more detail and addressed to God with a request for favor to the royal family, which at that time was almost destroyed. Of course, Christ is also implied here, and these words correspond more to Him than to David. Moreover, some verses are difficult to apply to David, and they must be taken as words about Christ (who on this basis is called David our king, Hos. 3:5). Great and valuable promises of a Redeemer are here also given, which are a firm foundation upon which a redeemed people may build faith and hope. The comforts of our redemption flow from the covenant of redemption; in it are all our sources (Isaiah 55:3). “I will make an everlasting covenant with you and give you the mercies promised to David” (Acts 13:34). And then these graces are listed. Note,

I. What assurance we have of the truth of the promise, which may encourage us to keep it. Here we are told

(1.) How it was spoken (v. 20): "You spoke in a vision to your holy one." The promise given by God to David, to which the author here refers, was spoken in a vision to the prophet Nathan (2 Sam. 7:12-17). Then the holy one of Israel was their king (v. 19), he appointed David as his viceroy. But to all the other prophets - these saints - He spoke in a vision about Christ, and especially to Himself, who from eternity dwelt in His bosom and was fully acquainted with the plan of redemption (Matt. 11:27).

(2) How God swore to it and confirmed this covenant (v. 36): "I once swore by my holiness, that precious trait of my character." Having sworn by His holiness, He swore by Himself, and He is as likely to break this word as He ceases to be holy. One of His oaths is enough, He does not need to swear a second time, like David (1 Sam. 20:17), since His word and oath are unchangeable. Just as Christ was made a priest with an oath (Heb. 7:21), so David was made a king, for His kingdom and priesthood are unshakable.

II. The choice of the person to whom the promise was made (v. 20, 21). David was a king chosen by God himself; the same can be said of Christ, and therefore they are both called kings of God (Ps. 2:6). David was strong, bold, and fit for a great work; he was chosen from among the people, not among the princes, but among the shepherds. God found him, exalted him, helped him, and commanded Samuel to anoint him. But all this can be said about Christ.

1. He is strong, in every way fit for the accomplishment of his great task, and can always save those who come. He is powerful because He is the Son of God, He is powerful in love because He experienced compassion for those who are tempted. He is the mighty God (Isaiah 9:6).

2. He was chosen from the people, that is, he was one of us, bone from bone, who, like us, was flesh and blood. Since He was ordained for the people, He was taken from the people, so that His horrors would not frighten us.

3. God found Him. He - given by God Savior, since salvation from beginning to end is the work of the Lord. He found propitiation (Job 33:24). We could never find a man qualified to do this great work (Rev. 5:3,4).

4. God helped Him, not only helped, but also in Him kept help for us, placing on Him the duty to help the fallen man again, and also to help the chosen remnant to reach heaven. Only in Me is your support (Hos. 13:9).

5. God exalted Him by making Him a prophet, priest, and king of His Church, clothed Him with power, raised Him from the dead, and seated Him at the right hand. Whom God has chosen and uses, he exalts.

6. He anointed Him, giving Him all the necessary qualities for the fulfillment of His ministry, and confirmed Him in him, bestowing the Spirit, but not by measure, but without measure, infinitely more than His companions. He is called the Messiah, or Christ the Anointed One.

7. In all this, God wanted Jesus to be His personal servant to achieve an eternal purpose and advance the interests of His kingdom among people.

III. Promises given to the elect - to David as a type of Christ, and to the Son of David, in which they are promised not only mercy, but also glory.

(1.) That God will be near him, and strengthen him in his work (v. 22): “My hand shall be with him according to the promise, and my arm shall strengthen him in all his offices, so that not one of them shall suffer, and will not be defeated, even if all the wicked unite and oppose Him. Christ had a difficult work to do, He had to go through severe trials, but the One who gave the commission gave Him enough strength to fulfill it: "... My arm will strengthen him, so that He will do the service and endure all these difficulties." No good work can be corrupted by the hands of those whom God himself has chosen to strengthen.

(2.) That he will triumph over his enemies, and they will not encroach on his rights (v. 23): "The enemy will not overcome him, nor oppress him." The one who first broke the world opposes the one who establishes the world and does everything possible to destroy His plans. But he can only reach up to the heel and sting it, but he can neither conquer nor oppress Him. Christ has become the surety for our debt, and therefore Satan and death cannot gain an advantage over him, but he himself can satisfy the requirements of divine justice, and then they cannot overcome him. The prince of this world comes, but has nothing in Me (John 14:30). Moreover, not only will his enemies not be able to overcome him, but they will fall before him (v. 34): “I will crush his enemies before him; the prince of this world will be expelled, the forces of principalities and authorities will be taken away; He will be death to death and destruction to the grave” (Hosea 13:14). Some believe that these words were spoken of the destruction that God brought upon the Jewish people, who persecuted Christ and put Him to death. But all the enemies of Christ, who hated him and did not want him to reign over them, will be brought forward and defeated before him (Luke 19:27).

(3.) That he will be a great trustee of the covenant between God and men, that God will be merciful and just to us (v. 25): "And my truth, and my mercy with him." They were with David; God continued to be merciful to him and thus proved His faithfulness. They were with Christ; God has made all His promises to Him good. But that is not all; His mercy and faithfulness go with Christ to us. God is not only pleased with Him, but with us in Him; and in Him alone all God's promises are yes and amen. Therefore, if any poor sinner hopes that God will be merciful and faithful to Him, let him know that all this can only come with Christ. All this rests in his hand, and it must be turned to him to receive them (v. 29): "I will keep my mercy on him forever, it will be distributed by him." Through the channel of Christ's intercession, all streams of divine grace will flow forever. Therefore, we expect mercy from our Lord Jesus Christ for eternal life (Jude 21, John 17:2). And since the mercy of God flows to us through Him, the promise of God through Him is infallible to us: “... My covenant with him shall be faithful—the covenant of redemption made with Him, and the covenant of grace made with us in Him. The new covenant is always new and firmly established, as it rests in the hands of the Mediator (Heb. 8:6). The covenant stands firm because it is established on this basis. And the fact that the matter of the relationship between God and man was transferred into the hands of Jesus, that the Father transferred all judgment to Him, so that everyone would honor the Son (John 5:22,23), - all this contributes to the eternal honors of the Lord Jesus. That's why it says here, "In my name shall his horn be lifted up." His glory is that God's name is in Him (Ex. 23:21) and He works in God's name. As the Father commanded Me, so I do.

(4) That his kingdom will greatly increase (v. 26): “I will put his hand on the sea (i.e., he will rule the seas and islands in them), and on the rivers his right hand, that is, on the countries that feed water from these rivers. David's kingdom expanded to the Great Sea, the Red Sea, the rivers of Egypt, and the Euphrates River. But only during the kingdom of the Messiah will this promise be fully fulfilled, when it will grow larger and larger, when the kingdom of the world will become the kingdom of our Lord and His Christ (Rev. 11:15), and the islands will hope in His law.

(5.) That He acknowledges God as His Father, and God acknowledges Him as His Son, the firstborn (v. 27, 28). This is a commentary on Nathan's words about Solomon (since he, like David, was a type of Christ): "I will be his father, and he will be my son" (2 Sam. 7:14), and this relationship will be recognized by both parties .

"He will call Me: You are my father." Perhaps Solomon did this, but we are sure that Christ spoke them in those days when he was in the flesh and raised loud exclamations to God, calling Him “holy Father, righteous Father”, teaching us to address him as our Father in heaven . Christ in mortal agony cried out to God: “My Father!” (Matt.26:39,42), and on the cross - “Father, forgive them; into your hands I commend my spirit.” He looked to Him as His God; therefore, I completely obeyed Him and submitted to His will, having fulfilled the assigned work (He is my God and your God, John 20:17). He looked to Him as the rock of His salvation, who would take Him in His arms and help Him to fulfill His duty, which would make Him not only a conqueror, but also a perfect Savior. With unshakable determination He endured the cross, despising the shame, for He knew that He would be justified and glorified.

"I will make him my firstborn." I don't see how these words can be applied to David; it is Christ's right to be considered the firstborn of every creature and to be the heir of everything (Col. 1:15; Heb. 1:2,6). When all authority in heaven and on earth was given to Him, and everything was handed over to Him by the Father, then God made Him His firstborn and heir, more majestic and honored than the kings of the earth, for He is the King of kings, to whom the Angels and Powers and Powers were subject. (1 Peter 3:22).

2. These verses refer to His descendants. The commandments of God have always concerned posterity as well. So it is here (v. 30, 37): "And I will continue forever his seed, and his throne." These words can be understood in different ways, depending on who they refer to - to Christ or to David.

(1.) If we apply them to David, then by his seed may be meant his successors, Solomon and the subsequent kings of Judah, who descended from the body of David. It is assumed that they may experience spiritual decline and not walk in the ways and in the spirit of their father David. If so, they must be prepared to experience a divine rebuke, such as that fell upon the house of David at that time (v. 39). But they can be encouraged by the fact that although they will be punished, the Lord will not abandon them and will not deprive them of their inheritance. There is also a reference to the letter of Nathan (2 Samuel 7:14,15): “... if he sins ... but I will not take my mercy from him ...” Thus, the seed of David and his throne will endure forever, and despite the wickedness of many of his successors, which were a disgrace to his house, his family reigned for a very long time. While Judah existed as a kingdom, the heirs of David were its kings, and the rule in it was never transferred to other families, as was the case in ten tribes: first the firstborn of Jeroboam, and then Baasha. David's family continued to bear royal distinctions until the Son of David came, whose throne will endure forever (see Luke 1:27,32; 2:4,11). If the successors of David subsequently leave God and their duty and take to sinful ways, then God will bring down destructive judgments on them and destroy the family, but He will not withdraw His mercy from David and will not break His covenant with him, since in the Messiah who will come out from his loins, all these promises will be completely fulfilled. Therefore, when the Jews were expelled, the apostles showed that God's covenant with Abraham was not violated, since it was fulfilled in his spiritual seed - in the heirs of the righteous faith (Rom. 11:7).

(2) If we apply these words to Christ, then His seed refers to all His servants, all believers, His spiritual seed, the children whom God has given Him (Heb. 2:13). This is the seed that will endure forever, and His throne is among them, in the Church, in the hearts of the people, like the days of heaven. In the end, Christ will have a people in this world who will serve and honor Him. He will see offspring lasting. This holy seed will abide forever in a glorified state when there is no time and no days; and then the throne of Christ and his kingdom will be preserved forever: the kingdom of his grace will endure to all ages, and the kingdom of his glory to infinite eternity.

In these verses, the duration of Christ's kingdom is called into question because of the sins and sufferings of his subjects—their iniquities and calamities threaten to destroy him. This incident is brought here so that we will not be offended when it becomes a reality, but will draw a correspondence between it and the stability of the covenant and remain confident in it, no matter what.

First, it is supposed here that the subjects of the kingdom of Christ will sin much. His children may leave the law of God (v. 31) through error and break His statutes (v. 32) by sinning. There are vices inherent in the children of God (Deut. 32:5). There is much wickedness in the depths of the Church, as well as in the hearts of its members, and this wickedness is bursting forth.

Secondly, it says that they will suffer for their sins (v. 33): “I will visit their iniquities with the rod; I will visit their iniquities before the iniquities of others. Only you have I recognized… therefore I will exact from you for all your iniquities” (Amos 3:2). Their relationship with Christ will not be an excuse, and they will be called to account. But notice how the people of God will be punished. 1. Only with a rod, and not with an ax or a sword. It will be a punishment for correction, not for destruction. The punishment will not be severe. It will be a rod, like a rod, with which parents punish their children; suffering should be beneficial, like a rod that brings forth the peaceful fruit of righteousness.

2. This rod is in the hands of God (I will visit them), who is wise and merciful, who knows what he is doing and does everything in the best way.

3. This rod will never hurt unless there is a great need, and God says, "If they break My statutes ... I will visit their iniquity with the rod," but not otherwise. This is necessary in order for the honor of God to be restored, and for the people of God to humble themselves and take the right path.

Notwithstanding any circumstances, the duration of Christ's kingdom will remain unchanged by the unbreakable promise and oath of God (v. 34): “Despite all this, I will not take away all my mercy from him, and finally I will not deprive him of his favor.

First, in spite of all their provocations, I will not break my covenant.” Note that suffering is not only consistent with covenant love, but on the basis of that love flows to God's people. Although the seed of David will be punished, it does not follow that they will be disinherited. They may be grieved, but not cast out. God's favor to his people does not cease, (1.) For Christ's sake. He has mercy for us, and God says, “But I will not take away my mercy from him” (v. 34). Shall I lie to David (v. 36)?” We are not worthy of it, but He is worthy.

Secondly, for the sake of the covenant: "I will not change my truth, I will not break my covenant." God's people were supposed to break His statutes, desecrate them and make them worldly (which emphasizes the meaning of these words). "But," says God, "I will not break, defile, or dishonor My covenant." These words imply that God has spoken, swore, and will have a Church in this world as long as the sun and moon exist (vv. 37, 38). The sun and moon are faithful witnesses in heaven, confirming the wisdom, power and mercy of the Creator, and they will exist as long as the time they measure exists. And his seed will remain forever, like the luminaries in the world; while the world exists, they shine in it, and when it comes to an end, they will become luminaries shining in the firmament of the Father.

Verses 39-53

In these verses we are presented with I. A very sad complaint about the present plight of David's family, which, according to the psalmist, is difficult to reconcile with the covenant God made with David. "You said that you would not take away Your mercy, but now You have rejected it." It is sometimes difficult to bring the providences of God into harmony with His promises, but nevertheless we are sure that it is possible, for the works of God fulfill His word and never contradict it.

1. The house of David seems to have lost its interest in God, which was its strength and beauty. Formerly God was pleased with his anointed, but at that time he was angry with his anointed (v. 39). He had entered into a covenant with his family, but he was now somewhat aware that he had made the covenant void; He did not violate some of its articles, but canceled it (Article 40). We misunderstand the reproaches of providence if we think they invalidate the covenant. When the great Anointed One, Christ, was on the cross, it seemed that God rejected Him and was angry, but this did not annul the covenant with Him, since it was established forever.

2. The honor of the house of David was lost and lay in the dust: “You cast down his crown (which was always looked upon as a sacred thing) to be trampled upon (v. 40). You took away his splendor (so changeable is earthly glory and so quickly it passes) and cast his throne to the ground, not only depriving the king of the throne, but also interrupting his reign for a while (v. 45). If this psalm was written in the time of Rehoboam, then this event concerned the greater part of the kingdom - five-sixths of its area; if it was written in the time of Zedekiah, then these verses in a special way confirm the true position of the poor remnant. Note, Thrones and crowns are trampled upon, and often rolled in the dust. But there is a crown of glory reserved for the spiritual seed of Christ that does not wither.

3. He was left without protection and became a prey to all his neighbors who offended this ancient and noble family (v. 41): The promise to them), turned it into ruins of a fortress, so that they rather dishonored it than protected it. And then all who passed by plundered him (v. 42), he became an easy prey for everyone (see Ps. 79:13,14). Enemies spoke to them arrogantly: "... he became a laughing stock of his neighbors, who rejoiced at his fall from the height of such honors." Moreover, each tried to add disaster to them (v. 43): "You have exalted the right hand of his adversaries - not only gave them strength, but also persuaded them to turn this strength towards Israel." If the enemies of the Church raise their hand against her, then we must understand that God did it, for they would have no power over him if it had not been given to them from above. But if God allows them to do evil to His Church, then they rejoice in it: “You have made all his enemies glad. All this is done for Your glory, so that those who hate You may rejoice when they see the tears and troubles of those who love You.”

4. Israel was unable to help themselves (v. 44): “You turned back the edge of his sword and made it dull, so that now it could not strike as before. But (even worse) You turned back the edge of his spirit, deprived him of courage and did not strengthen him, as before, in battle. People have the spirit that the Father and the Creator of spirits gives them, and we cannot stand, no matter how strong and determined we may be, any longer than God is pleased to support us. If a person's heart is grieved, then it is God who did this, but it is sad when those who are provided for this cannot stand up for the defense of the Church.

5. The people of God stood on the brink of an inglorious decline (v. 46): “You have shortened the days of his youth; he was ready to be rejected like a young man in his prime.” It seems, after all, that the psalm was written during the time of Rehoboam, when the house of David was in its youth, but had already begun to grow old and fade away. At that time he was covered with shame and despised, since the family in the first and second generation looked great and significant, and in the third it began to degenerate and lost significance, as the house of David looked at the time of Rehoboam. But these words can also be attributed to the Babylonian captivity, which, compared with what was expected, was the time of the youth of this kingdom. However, the kings who reigned at that time, like Zedekiah and Jehoiachin, had their days of youth shortened, as they were captured and carried off to Babylon when they were about thirty years old.

Based on these complaints, let's learn the following:

(1.) What sin does to families, to noble royal families, to families where religion was the most important thing. If succeeding generations degenerate, dishonor falls upon them and iniquity tarnishes their glory.

(2.) We are apt to regard the promised honors and blessedness of the church as external, and to think that the promise is broken and the covenant annulled, if we are disappointed that we do not see it. In doing so, we make an unforgivable mistake, since our Master clearly said that His Kingdom is not of this world.

II. There is a very pathetic request to God in these verses. Begging Him for mercy, they say:

1. Of the excessive length of their distress (v. 47): "How long, O Lord, will you hide yourself?" What grieved them most of all was that God was not pleased with them and did not appear through the prophets with consolation; He did not intercede for them by His providences to deliver them, and had kept them in darkness for a long time. It looks like it was full night when God departed from them: “Will You hide yourself all the time?” Moreover, the Lord not only hid from them, but, it seems, was set against them: “Will Your wrath burn like fire? How long will it burn? Will he never fade away? What else is hell but eternal flame? And is this the fate of Your anointed one?”

2. About the brevity of life and the inevitability of death: “Lord, subdue Your anger and return to us with mercy, remembering how short life is and how close the end of my life is. Lord, since my life is so fleeting and will soon come to an end, then may it not be so miserable all the time that I would rather choose death than life. Job states his request in the same way (Job 10:20,21). Most likely, in these verses, the psalmist asks about this in the address of the house of David and the king who ruled at that time: “You shortened the days of his youth” (v.46).

(1) He speaks of the brevity and vanity of life (v. 48): “Remember what my age is, and how fleeting my life is (in some translations); therefore I am unable to bear Your wrath and am the proper object of Your pity. To what vanity have You created all the sons of men? For what vanity did You create all the sons of Adam?” These words can be understood as

A statement of great truth. If the former mercies of God (v. 50) are forgotten (which concern the other life), then man is surely made for fuss. Considering man as a mortal being and assuming that there is no life on the other side of death, one might think that he was created for vanity, vainly endowed with noble powers and abilities of the mind, filled with great plans and desires. But God did not create man for vanity, and therefore remember Thy former mercies, Lord.

Allusion to the intense temptation experienced by the psalmist. Of course, God did not create the earth in vain and did not create all the sons of men for vanity (Is. 45:18), for, firstly, if we think that God created all people for vanity, only on the ground that the majority has brief life and much suffering in this world, then it's true that God made them that way. But it cannot be said that therefore they were created for vanity, since even those who have few days and are filled with suffering can glorify God and do good, can maintain fellowship with God and go to heaven. And then it cannot be said that they were created for vanity. Secondly, if we think that God created man for vanity, on the grounds that the majority of people do not serve Him and do not enjoy Him, then this is true, and regarding such we can say that they were created for vanity, and it would be better for them not to be born at all than not to be born again. But God is not to blame for this, but they themselves, since God did not make them for vanity, but the Lord did everything for His own sake; and even the wicked he watches over in the day of distress, and those whom he does not glorify, he himself will be glorified.

(2) He speaks of the ubiquity and inevitability of death (v. 49): “Which of the people (from the strong people) lived - and did not see death? The king himself, the representative of the house of David, did not escape her judgment and blow. Lord, and since he is subject to the fatal need to die, then do not make his whole life so miserable. Can he deliver his soul from the hand of hell? No, when the time comes, he won't be able to. Therefore, do not allow him to be betrayed into the hands of hell by the plight of his mortal life, until the time comes. From this we must learn that death is the end of every man; our eyes will soon close to see death; from this war no release can be obtained, and no pledge can be made to save us from the prison of the underworld. Therefore, we must worry about being sure of bliss on the other side of death and the grave, that is, that after death we will be accepted into the eternal abodes.

3. Of the mercy of God and the covenant that He made with His servant David (v. 50): “Where are Your former mercies, O Lord, which You showed, nay, by which You swore to David by Your truth? Won't you do what you promised? Will you undo what you've done? Have you changed? Then why can't we have the same favors that You bestowed on David?" The immutability and faithfulness of God assures us that He will not cast out those whom He has chosen and with whom He has entered into a covenant.

4. Finally, the psalmist speaks of the violence of the enemies and the dishonor inflicted on God's anointed (v. 51, 52): “Remember, Lord, the reproach of your servants; let it leave us and return to our enemies.”

(1.) The reviling of God's servants and insults against them was reflected on their master, especially if such an attitude towards them began from the moment they began to serve him.

(2) The insults of the servants of God were a very painful burden for all who cared about the honor of God: “…I bear in my bowels the reproach of all the mighty nations, and it prevailed over me. It crept into my heart, and I can hardly support my spirit, suffering from this burden.

(3) “We are reviled by Your enemies, O Lord, so will You not come against them?”

(4) They dishonor the footprints of your anointed. They reflect on all the steps taken by the king during his reign, follow all his movements in order to unjustly slander everything that he said and did. Or: if we can apply these words to Christ, the Lord Messiah, then they accuse the Jews of dishonoring His footprints and accusing them of being slow. They are not pleased that the Messiah tarries (as Dr. Hammond understands this place), they call Him the Coming One, but since He has not yet come to deliver them from the hands of enemies, when there is no one else to deliver them, they say that He will never come and them expectations are in vain. Later scoffers similarly blasphemed the footsteps of the Messiah when they asked, "Where is the promise of His coming?" (2 Pet. 3:3,4). Some understand the words about the reproach of the footprints of the anointed as a prophecy that the serpent will bite the seed of the woman on the heel, or as the suffering of the followers of Christ who followed in His footsteps and endured reproach for the sake of His name.

III. Even after this lamentation, the psalm ends with praise (v. 53): “Blessed be the Lord forever! Amen, amen." Thus the psalmist resists the reproach of his enemies. The more others blaspheme God, the more we should bless Him. Thus he corrects his complaints, blaming himself for being dissatisfied with God's providences and doubting His promises. So let these sinful passions be stifled by the praise of God. Be that as it may, God is good, and we should not think ill of Him. God is true and we should not doubt Him. Although the glory of the house of David will be tarnished and besmirched, we can take comfort in the fact that God is blessed forever and His glory will not be dimmed. To have the comfort of the stability of God's promises, we must give Him glory for it, for in blessing God we encourage ourselves. “Amen” sounds twice, corresponding to double significance. "Amen" means "so it is" - God is blessed forever. "Amen" also means "so be it", may God be blessed forever. He began the psalm with thanksgiving (v. 2), and then complaints followed, and now he ends it with a doxology. Those who give thanks to God for what He has already done can also give thanks for what He will do. God with His mercies will follow those who rightly follow Him with their praise.

The church text of Psalm 88, like the previous one, is in Slavic, Latin and is attributed to the Levite Etham the Ezrachite, a contemporary of the prophet David, his faithful supporter and a man who shared all the troubles of the king. But this psalm describes the period of the reign of one of the followers of King David, the Israeli king - Rehoboam, until the time of which, as the interpretation of psalm 88 testifies, its author could well live. In his psalm, Etham illustrates the sad event that he witnessed: the attack on Jerusalem and Judah (by that time the kingdom of Israel had split into two parts) by the Egyptian pharaoh Susakim.

Church psalm 88 to help weak people

The Orthodox psalm 88 is conditionally divided into three parts: in the first, the monologue is conducted on behalf of the author, in the second, God addresses the Jewish people, and the third part is a prayer to the Lord and an appeal to remember His former mercies without turning His face away from the Jews.

The text of Psalm 88 in the Bible is called teaching, which means that it contains the author's reflections on various religious issues. Indeed, in the second part of the psalm, on behalf of God, he tries to explain to the Jews the reasons that caused the wrath of the Creator: neglect of the commandments and numerous sins. Reading, listening online and watching videos with the text of Psalm 88 should be for people who find it difficult to work due to various illnesses.

Listen on video Orthodox prayer Psalm 88 in Russian

Read the Orthodox text of the prayer Psalm 88 in Russian

Teachings of Etham Ezrahit.

Thy mercies, O Lord, I will sing forever, to generation and generation I proclaim Thy truth with my lips. For I say, Mercy is founded forever; You established Your truth in heaven when You said: “I made a covenant with my chosen one, I swore to David my servant: I will establish your seed forever, I will establish your throne in generation and generation.” And the heavens will glorify Thy wonderful works, O Lord, and Thy truth in the assembly of the saints. For who in heaven compares with the Lord? who among the sons of God will be like the Lord? God is terrible in the great host of saints, He is terrible for all those around Him. Lord God of strength! Who is strong like You, Lord? And your truth is around you. You have dominion over the fury of the sea: when its waves rise, You subdue them. You cast down Rahab as a stricken one; With Your mighty arm I scattered Your enemies. Your heavens and Your earth; the universe and what fills it, you founded. You created the north and the south; Tabor and Hermon rejoice in Your name. Strong is Your arm, strong is Your arm, high is Your right hand! Justice and uprightness are the foundation of Your throne; mercy and truth go before you. Blessed are the people who know the trumpet call! They walk in the light, in Your name they rejoice all day long, and in Your righteousness they are exalted, for You are the adornment of their strength, and our horn is exalted by Your favor. Our shield is from the Lord, and our king is from the Holy One of Israel. Once you spoke in a vision to your saint, and said: “I helped the courageous, exalted the chosen one from the people. I found David my servant, I anointed him with my holy oil. My hand will be with him, and my arm will strengthen him. The enemy will not overcome him, and the son of iniquity will not oppress him. I will crush his enemies before him and strike down those who hate him. And My truth and My mercy be with him, and in My name his horn will be exalted. And I will put his hand on the sea, and his right hand on the rivers. He will call me: You are my father, my God and the rock of my salvation. And I will make him the firstborn, above the kings of the earth; I will keep my mercy on him forever, and my covenant with him will be true. And I will continue his seed forever, and his throne as the days of heaven. If his sons leave My law and do not walk in My commandments; if they break my statutes and keep not my commandments, I will visit their iniquity with a rod, and with blows their iniquity; but I will not take away my mercy from him, and I will not change my truth. I will not break My covenant, and I will not change what has gone out of My mouth. Once I swore by my holiness: Shall I lie to David? His seed will endure forever, and his throne will be like the sun before Me, forever firm like the moon, and a faithful witness in heaven.” But now You have rejected and despised, You have become angry with Your anointed; neglected the covenant with your servant, cast down his crown to the ground; destroyed all its walls, turned its fortress into ruins. All who pass by plunder it; he became a laughing stock of his neighbors. You have exalted the right hand of his adversaries, gladdened all his enemies; You turned back the edge of his sword and did not strengthen him in battle; He took away his splendor and cast his throne to the ground; shortened the days of his youth and covered him with shame. How long, O Lord, will you hide unceasingly, will your wrath burn like fire? Remember what my age is: for what vanity did You create all the sons of men? Which of the people lived - and did not see death, delivered his soul from the hand of the underworld? Where are your former mercies, O Lord? You swore to David by Your truth. Remember, Lord, the reproach of Your servants, which I bear in my bosom from all the mighty peoples; how your enemies reproach you, O Lord, how the footprints of your anointed one dishonor. Blessed be the Lord forever! Amen, amen.

In the Vulgate, Hebrew and Greek Bibles, the psalm is attributed to Etham the Ezrachite. Etham or Idifum was a contemporary of David and the head of one of his choirs (see more about him in the introduction). The time of the life of Etham is also determined by the time of writing the psalm. The psalm depicts the disaster that befell one of the descendants of David, this is an attack on Judah by enemies and the plunder they carried out in Jerusalem (Ps. 88_39-46). Such an event should be considered the attack on Judah and Jerusalem by Sushakim, the pharaoh of Egypt, who was in the fifth year of the reign of Rehoboam. Then he entered Jerusalem, robbed the treasures of the temple and the palace, and only Rehoboam's repentance before God saved him (1 Kings 14:25-26; 2 Chronicles 12:1-12). Etham, who entered his ministry under David, could live up to the time of Rehoboam, be a witness to this event and write a psalm about it.

Lord, I will forever praise You for the mercy bestowed on David in the promise that You would establish his seed forever (2-5). This promise will be praised in heaven and the angels for its immutability, since it (the promise) will certainly be fulfilled, because You, Lord, are almighty: the seas obey You. You have brought down Rahab, and the whole earth is in Your power (6-15). Blessed is the people who are faithful to You, for only You are their only and faithful protection (16-19). You once gave a promise about David that you would make him formidable to enemies, expand his power over nations and seas, make him the firstborn among all kings. If his sons leave you, you will punish them, but you will not deprive David of the promise you gave him (20-33). But now You have deprived Your anointed one of Your mercy: he is plundered by enemies, he is humiliated and has become a laughingstock among the nations (39-46). How long, O Lord, will Your wrath last? Remember the brevity of a person's life, condescend in mercy to mocked people and Your anointed (47-52).

Ps. 88:2. Mercies [Thy], Lord, I will sing forever, to generation and generation to proclaim Your truth with my mouth.

By grace and truth, as can be seen from the subsequent content of the psalm, one must understand the great promises given by God to David about eternal goodwill and mercy towards him and his descendant, and the fidelity, the immutability of the fulfillment of these promises.

Ps. 88:3. For I say, Mercy is founded forever; You have established Your truth in heaven, when he said:

Truth is "established in heaven." The expression is figurative: the sky is inaccessible for a person, a weak and unstable creature, and therefore everything based on it cannot be subject to any changes or fluctuations, that is, this truth, the promise will be fulfilled.

Ps. 89:4. “I made a covenant with my chosen one, I swore to David my servant:

Ps. 89:5. I will establish your seed forever; I will establish your throne among generation and generation.”

The promise set forth here is the same that was communicated to David through the prophet Nathan (2 Samuel 7:12-14).

Ps. 89:6. And the heavens will glorify Thy wonderful works, O Lord, and Thy truth in the assembly of the saints.

Ps. 89:7. For who in heaven compares with the Lord? who among the sons of God will be like the Lord?

"Heaven," "assembly of saints," "sons of God," signify the angels in awe of the greatness of the promise given to David.

Ps. 89:11. You cast down Rahab as a stricken one; With Your mighty arm I scattered Your enemies.

Rahab is the designation for Egypt (Ps. 86:4). The miraculous exodus from Egypt is mentioned as a manifestation of the omnipotence and goodwill of the Lord in relation to the Jews.

Ps. 89:13. You created the north and the south; Tabor and Hermon rejoice in Your name.

Tabor and Hermon rejoice in Your name. These mountains, located in Palestine, serve as a symbol of this entire mountainous country. The mountains rejoice, that is, all the inhabitants of Palestine are full of a grateful feeling towards God for His blessings, abundantly poured out on them during their residence in this country.

Ps. 89:16. Blessed are the people who know the trumpet call! They walk in the light of Your face, Lord,

Ps. 89:17. in your name they rejoice all day long, and in your righteousness they are exalted,

If the Lord is so merciful to the Jews and omnipotent, then the people who listen to the “trumpet sound” are blessed. The trumpet was used by the Jews to gather the people for prayer. To listen to the trumpet is to accurately fulfill the Divine prescriptions for a reverent attitude towards Him and the fulfillment of His commandments. “To be lifted up by the righteousness” of God is to enjoy His patronage and protection, and through that the glory of all peoples for righteous walking before Him.

Ps. 89:18. for you are the adornment of their strength, and our horn is exalted by your favor.

Ps. 88:19. Our shield is from the Lord, and our king is from the Holy One of Israel.

“Our horn is exalted by your good pleasure”, “our shield is from the Lord” are synonymous expressions. The power (“horn”) of the Jewish people, its protection (“shield”) is not in military strength, not in the courage of the troops and the experience of commanders, but in the favor of the Lord. "The Holy One of Israel" is the Lord.

Ps. 89:20. Once you spoke in a vision to your saint, and said: “I helped the courageous, exalted the chosen one from the people.

Under the saint, that is, the man, here is meant the prophet Nathan, through whom the Lord gave the promise to David. This is the same promise, only in a more expansive form, as found in 2 Chr. 7:12-16 follows.

Ps. 89:26. And I will put his hand on the sea, and his right hand on the rivers.

"Sea" - the Mediterranean, located in the west, "rivers" - the Tigris and Euphrates, east of Palestine. Two parts of the world are taken here to designate the whole world, that is, David is predicted to spread his dominion throughout the universe. Since the eternity of God's covenant with David concerns the "seed" from him, then the last, that is, the seed, has such all-worldly power. By this seed is meant the Messiah.

Ps. 89:27. He will call me: You are my father, my God and the rock of my salvation.

Ps. 89:28. And I will make him the firstborn, above the kings of the earth,

The relationship between God and man was not that of a slave to his master, based on slavish and blind obedience, but full of love, like the relationship of a father to his children. The "firstborn", the first son, enjoyed special love from his parents and special rights associated with this birthright. Such a first-born among the kings of the pagans is David, whom the Lord especially loves and whom he prefers over all other rulers of the nations.

Ps. 89:37. His seed will endure forever, and his throne is like the sun before me,

Ps. 89:38. forever be firm as the moon, and a faithful witness in heaven."

The sun and moon seemed to the ancients to be eternal and unchangeable, just as the promise given by God to David is eternal and unchanging. - “A faithful witness in heaven” - that is, God the Lord swears by Himself, since for Him there is no other higher subject of an oath.

Ps. 89:40. neglected the covenant with your servant, cast down his crown to the ground;

"Thrown the crown to the ground" - threw off the crown from the head of the descendant of David. The image of Rehoboam, who had to humble himself before Pharaoh Susakim.

Ps. 89:45. He took away his splendor and cast his throne to the ground;

Ps. 89:46. shortened the days of his youth and covered him with shame.

"Taken away ... brilliance" - the brilliance of an independent, independent reign. - “Shortened the days of youth” - reduced, destroyed the days of a carefree and careless life. We pointed out that Rehoboam was saved by repentance before God, that is, by a sincere and severe condemnation of his former imprudent, careless, and ungodly behavior. The time of carefree youth has shortened.

Ps. 89:48. Remember what my age is: for what vanity did You create all the sons of men?

Ps. 89:49. Which of the people lived - and did not see death, delivered his soul from the hand of the underworld?

With insufficient clarity of the doctrine of the afterlife, the primary attention of the ancient Jew was focused on the improvement of earthly life. The calamities and trials experienced by a person on earth increase the severity of his short-term existence, therefore the writer prays to the Lord to save the real calamities of the invasion of Susakim, not to crush their lives with suffering and premature violent death: each of the living will not pass Sheol anyway.

Ps. 89:51. Remember, Lord, the reproach of Your servants, which I bear in my bosom from all the mighty peoples;

“To wear... reproach... from... peoples in the depths” - to root deeply for the loss of prestige, the significance of one's homeland, one's kingdom in the eyes of neighboring pagan kingdoms and peoples. This sorrow of the writer is the sorrow of a true patriot, who suffers both for each of his compatriots (see verses 48–49) and for the whole nation.

Ps. 89:53. Blessed be the Lord forever! Amen, amen.

Liturgical addition, finishing the third collection of the Psalter.

Thy mercies, O Lord, I will sing for ever, to generation and generation I will proclaim Thy truth with my mouth. Thou hast proclaimed beforehand: mercy will be built up in the age, Your truth will be prepared in Heaven. I have made a covenant with my chosen ones, I swore to my servant David: I will prepare your seed until eternity, and I will build your throne for generations and generations. The heavens will confess your wonders, O Lord, for your truth is in the church of the saints. Like who in the clouds will be equal to the Lord? Become like the Lord in the sons of God? God is glorified in the council of saints, Great and Terrible is above all those around Him. Lord God of hosts, who is like You? You are strong, O Lord, and your truth is around you. You rule over the power of the sea: you tame the disturbance of its waves. Thou hast humbled Thou as a proud ulcer, Thou hast squandered Thy enemies with the muscle of Thy strength. The heavens are yours, and the earth is yours, the universe and its fulfillment you founded. You created the north and the sea, Tabor and Hermon will rejoice in Your name. Your arm is strong: let your hand be strong, and your right hand be exalted. Truth and destiny are the preparation of Thy Throne: mercy and truth go before Thy face. Blessed are the people who lead the exclamation: Lord, in the light of Your face they will go, and in Your name they will rejoice all day long, and in Your righteousness they will be exalted. Thou art the praise of their strength, and in thy favor our horn will be exalted. Like the Lord is intercession, and our Holy King of Israel. Then you spoke in a vision to your sons, and you said: put help on the strong, exalted the chosen one from My people, I found David the servant Moero, anointed him with my holy oil. For My hand will protect him, and My arm will strengthen him, the enemy will not succeed in anything against him, and the son of iniquity will not apply to embitter him: and his enemies will flog him from his face, and those who hate his victory. And my truth and my mercy be with him, and his horn will be lifted up in my name, and I will put his hand on the sea, and his right hand on the rivers. He will call upon Me: Thou art my Father, Thou my God and Protector of my salvation. And I will lay his first-born son, taller than the kings of the earth: I will keep him my mercy forever, and my covenant is faithful to him, and I will put his seed forever, and his throne is like the days of heaven. If his sons leave my law, and they will not walk in my judgments, if they defile my justifications, and do not keep my commandments, I will visit their iniquity with the rod, and with the wounds of their iniquity, but I will not destroy my mercy from them, nor will I destroy in my truth, below I will defile my covenant, and those that proceed from my mouth I will not reject. I swear on my holy one, if I lie to David? His seed will endure forever, and his throne, as the sun is before me, and as the moon is perfected forever, and the witness in heaven is faithful. You rejected and humiliated, you were indignant with Your anointed one, you destroyed the covenant of Your servant, you defiled his sanctuary on the earth: you ruined all his strongholds, you laid down his firm fear. Raskhidahu him all passing by, be reproached by his neighbor. Thou hast exalted the right hand of those who afflict him; thou hast rejoiced all his enemies; You ruined him from his cleansing, you threw his throne to the ground, you diminished the days of his time, you doused him with cold. How long, O Lord, do you turn back to the end? Will your anger ignite like a fire? Remember, cue my composition, food in vain did you create all the sons of man? Who is a man who lives and does not see death, who delivers his soul from the hand of hell? Where is the essence of Your mercy of old, Lord, in the image you swore to David in Your truth? Remember, Lord, the reproach of Thy servants, hedgehog withhold in my bowels many tongues, even though they reproach Your enemies, Lord, even if they reproach the change of Your Christ. Blessed be the Lord forever, be, be.