Psalms 88:4
I have made a covenant with my elect: I have sworn to David my servant:
Open Psalms 88:4 in the Motif Searcher, word by word across all five texts →Show on the spiral →The verse in its languages
- Vulgate (Clementine)
- Disposui testamentum electis meis ; juravi David servo meo :
- Septuagint (Swete)
- διεθέμην διαθήκην τοῖς ἐκλεκτοῖς μου, ὤμοσα Δαυεὶδ τῷ δούλῳ μου
- Hebrew (WLC) shown from Psalms 89:4
- כָּרַ֣תִּֽי בְ֭רִית לִבְחִירִ֑י נִ֝שְׁבַּ֗עְתִּי לְדָוִ֥ד עַבְדִּֽי
Haydock's commentary
Elect. Abraham, and the whole body of the people to whom the Messias had been promised. David was assured that he should spring from his family, ver. 52. (Calmet)
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
4. “Thou hast said, I have made a covenant with My chosen” ( ver. 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,” saith 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 “Thou hast said.” If Thou makest me fearless, because Thou hast said, how much more so dost Thou make me, when Thou hast sworn! For the oath of God is the assurance of a promise. Man is justly forbidden to swear: 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.
Theodoret Dialogues. The “Eranistes” or “Polymorphus” of the Blessed Theodoretus, Bishop of Cyrus, The Immutable
Through all this the prophet teaches that the promise was made by God on account of lovingkindness, and that the promise is faithful. Then he goes on to say what He promised, and to whom, introducing God Himself 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 unto David my servant,” and He states concerning what He swore, “Thy seed will I establish for ever, and build up thy throne to all generations.”