Psalms 88:20
Then thou spokest in a vision to thy saints, and saidst: I have laid help upon one that is mighty, and have exalted one chosen out of my people.
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- Vulgate (Clementine)
- Tunc locutus es in visione sanctis tuis, et dixisti : Posui adjutorium in potente, et exaltavi electum de plebe mea.
- Septuagint (Swete)
- τότε ἐλάλησας ἐν ὁράσει τοῖς υἱοῖς σου, καὶ εἶπας Ἐθέμην βοήθειαν ἐπὶ δυνατόν, ὕψωσα ἐκλεκτὸν ἐκ τοῦ λαοῦ μου·
- Hebrew (WLC) shown from Psalms 89:20
- אָ֤ז דִּבַּ֥רְתָּֽ בְחָ֡זוֹן לַֽחֲסִידֶ֗יךָ וַתֹּ֗אמֶר שִׁוִּ֣יתִי עֵ֭זֶר עַל גִּבּ֑וֹר הֲרִימ֖וֹתִי בָח֣וּר מֵעָֽם
Haydock's commentary
Then, may relate to a distant time, when God chose Israel. (Menochius)
Saints. Hebrew, "merciful ones." Samuel, or Nathan, Septuagint, Arabic, &c., have "sons." The rest read "saints." (St. Jerome)
People. As Moses had written, Deuteronomy xvii. 15. (Calmet)
This regards David, as a figure of the Messias, (Luke i. 32., and Ezechiel xxxiv. 23.; Berthier) in whom it was more fully verified, 2 Kings v., and Acts xiii. 22. (Worthington)
From Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary, 1859, in the transcription made by Todd Easton and kept online by John Paul Wohlschied at johnblood.gitlab.io/haydock.
The Fathers on this verse
St Augustine City of God, How Like the Prophecy About Christ in the 89th Psalm is to the Things Promised in Nathan’s Prophecy in the Books of Samuel
Wherefore also in the 89th Psalm, of which the title is, “An instruction for himself by Ethan the Israelite,” mention is made of the promises God made to king David, and some things are there added similar to those found in the Book of Samuel, such as this, “I have sworn to David my servant that I will prepare his seed for ever.” And again, “Then thou spakest in vision to thy sons, and saidst, I have laid help upon the mighty One, and have exalted the chosen One out of my people. I have found David my servant, and with my holy oil I have anointed him. For mine hand shall help him, and mine arm shall strengthen him. The enemy shall not prevail against him, and the son of iniquity shall harm him no more. And I will beat down his foes from before his face, and those that hate him will I put to flight. And my truth and my mercy shall be with him, and in my name shall his horn be exalted. …
St Augustine Expositions on the Book of Psalms, Psalm LXXXIX
19. “Thou spakest sometime in vision unto Thy sons, and saidst” ( ver. 19 ). Thou spakest in thy vision. Thou didst reveal this to Thy Prophets. For this reason Thou spakest in vision, that is, in revelation: whence Prophets were called seers. They saw something within, which they were to speak without: and secretly they heard what they preached openly. Then “Thou spakest in vision unto Thy sons, and saidst, I have laid help upon One that is mighty.” Ye understand Who is meant by mighty? “I have exalted One chosen out of the people.” And Who is meant by chosen? One who, ye rejoice, is already exalted.
St Ambrose Exposition of the Christian Faith, Chapter III. That the Father and the Son must not be divided is proved by the words of the Apostle, seeing that it is befitting to the Son that He should be blessed, only Potentate, and immortal, by nature, that is, and not by grace, as even the angels themselves are immortal, and that He should dwell in the unapproachable light. How it is that the Father and the Son are alike and equally said to be “alone.”
18. Why, then, should there be no thought of the Son in this place, seeing that all these things hold good of the Son also? If they do not so, then deny His Godhead, and so mayest thou deny what is proper to be said of God. His Blessedness cannot be denied, Who bestows blessings, for “Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven.” He cannot but be called “Blessed,” Who hath given us wholesome teaching, even as it is written: “Which is according to the Gospel of the beauty of the Blessed God.” His Power cannot be denied, of Whom the Father saith: “I have laid help upon One that is mighty.” And who dare refuse to acknowledge Him to be immortal, when He Himself hath made others also immortal, as it is written of the Wisdom of God: “By her shall I possess immortality.”