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But the rest of this psalm runs thus: "Where are Thine ancient
compassions, Lord, which Thou swarest unto David in Thy truth?
Remember, Lord, the reproach of Thy servants, which I have borne
in my bosom of many nations; wherewith Thine enemies have reproached,
O Lord, wherewith they have reproached the change of Thy Christ."
Now it may with very good reason be asked whether this is spoken in the
person of those Israelites who desired that the promise made to David
might be fulfilled to them; or rather of the Christians, who are
Israelites not after the flesh but after the Spirit.
This certainly was spoken or written in the time of Ethan, from whose
name this psalm gets its title, and that was the same as the time of
David's reign; and therefore it would not have been said, "Where
are Thine ancient compassions, Lord, which Thou hast sworn unto
David in Thy truth?" unless the prophet had assumed the person of
those who should come long afterwards, to whom that time when these
things were promised to David was ancient. But it may be understood
thus, that many nations, when they persecuted the Christians,
reproached them with the passion of Christ, which Scripture calls
His change, because by dying He is made immortal. The change of
Christ, according to this passage, may also be understood to be
reproached by the Israelites, because, when they hoped He would be
theirs, He was made the Saviour of the nations; and many nations who
have believed in Him by the New Testament now reproach them who
remain in the old with this: so that it is said, "Remember, Lord,
the reproach of Thy servants;" because through the Lord's not
forgetting, but rather pitying them, even they after this reproach are
to believe. But what I have put first seems to me the most suitable
meaning. For to the enemies of Christ who are reproached with this,
that Christ hath left them, turning to the Gentiles, this speech is
incongruously assigned, "Remember, Lord, the reproach of Thy
servants," for such Jews are not to be styled the servants of God;
but these words fit those who, if they suffered great humiliations
through persecution for the name of Christ, could call to mind that an
exalted kingdom had been promised to the seed of David, and in desire
of it, could say not despairingly, but as asking, seeking,
knocking, "Where are Thine ancient compassions, Lord, which Thou
swarest unto David in Thy truth? Remember, Lord, the reproach of
Thy servants, that I have borne in my bosom of many nations;" that
is, have patiently endured in my inward parts. "That Thine enemies
have reproached, O Lord, wherewith they have reproached the change
of Thy Christ," not thinking it a change, but a consumption. But
what does "Remember, Lord," mean, but that Thou wouldst have
compassion, and wouldst for my patiently borne humiliation reward me
with the excellency which Thou swarest unto David in Thy truth? But
if we assign these words to the Jews, those servants of God who, on
the conquest of the earthly Jerusalem, before Jesus Christ was born
after the manner of men, were led into captivity, could say such
things, understanding the change of Christ, because indeed through
Him was to be surely expected, not an earthly and carnal felicity,
such as appeared during the few years of king Solomon, but a heavenly
and spiritual felicity; and when the nations, then ignorant of this
through unbelief, exulted over and insulted the people of God for
being captives, what else was this than ignorantly to reproach with the
change of Christ those who understand the change of Christ? And
therefore what follows when this psalm is concluded, "Let the
blessing of the Lord be for evermore, amen, amen," is suitable
enough for the whole people of God belonging to the heavenly
Jerusalem, whether for those things that lay hid in the Old
Testament before the New was revealed, or for those that, being now
revealed in the New Testament, are manifestly discerned to belong to
Christ. For the blessing of the Lord in the seed of David does not
belong to any particular time, such as appeared in the days of
Solomon, but is for evermore to be hoped for, in which most certain
hope it is said, "Amen, amen;" for this repetition of the word is
the confirmation of that hope. Therefore David understanding this,
says in the second Book of Kings, in the passage from which we
digressed to this psalm, "Thou hast spoken also for Thy servant's
house for a great while to come." Therefore also a little after he
says, "Now begin, and bless the house of Thy servant for
evermore," etc., because the son was then about to be born from whom
his posterity should be continued to Christ, through whom his house
should be eternal, and should also be the house of God. For it is
called the house of David on account of David's race; but the
selfsame is called the house of God on account of the temple of God,
made of men, not of stones, where shall dwell for evermore the people
with and in their God, and God with and in His people, so that God
may fill His people, and the people be filled with their God, while
God shall be all in all, Himself their reward in peace who is their
strength in war. Therefore, when it is said in the words of Nathan,
"And the Lord will tell thee what an house thou shalt build for
Him," it is afterwards said in the words of David, "For Thou,
Lord Almighty, God of Israel, hast opened the ear of Thy
servant, saying, I will build thee an house." For this house is
built both by us through living well, and by God through helping us to
live well; for "except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain
that build it." And when the final dedication of this house shall
take place, then what God here says by Nathan shall be fulfilled,
"And I will appoint a place for my people Israel, and will plant
him, and he shall dwell apart, and shall be troubled no more; and the
son of iniquity shall not humble him any more, as from the beginning,
from the days when I appointed judges over my people Israel."
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