Psalm 89 tells us that God has made a covenant where the seed of David are secure. “I have made a covenant with my chosen one, I have sworn to David my servant, ‘I will establish your line forever and make your throne firm through all generations’” (3–4). It is a covenant that lasts forever and establishes both his throne and his line or seed. There are two key questions that arise in this text. Who is David? And who is his seed? The reason for this question is that what is applied to David in this text is applied to David’s son in 2 Samuel 7 where the promises were first given. So, how can we apply this to David when 2 Samuel 7 says the promises are for his son? And what does this mean for his seed? These are the questions we’ll explore in this post.
First Question – Who is David?
The name David is mentioned three times in Psalm 89 (vv. 3, 20, 35). Most modern commentators take it for granted that this solves the question of the identity of David in this psalm. For example, J.A. Alexander writes, “This verse removes all doubt as to the person primarily intended in the foregoing verse, but without excluding his successors, and especially the last and greatest of them, to whom the royal dignity was given in the unction of David.” Thus, the modern commentators tend to see this Psalm as referring primarily to David and only secondarily or typically (if at all) to Christ. This view would then make the sons of David in vv. 29-30 the physical descendants of King David. This is a plausible reading and conclusion from an initial examination of the text.
On the other side, the older commentators tend to identify the David mentioned in this passage as the Christ. And there is good reason to give serious consideration to this second view. While it is not so obvious in a casual reading, a careful comparison with 2 Sam. 7 indicates a surprising change in the recipients of the promises listed in that first announcement of the Davidic covenant. The specific promises that God applied to David’s son in 2 Sam. 7 are applied to David in Ps. 89, except for the promise to chasten him with the rod, which is changed from “son” to “sons.” This indicates that we should at least consider whether or not the “David” meant here is the literal David or the Messiah Himself.
There are good reasons to believe that this refers to the Messiah. The promises listed concerning “David” can, in their full sense, only refer to Christ. There are three prophecies in Psalm 89 that do help us understand the identity of David. First, in Ps. 89:21-23 we learn that all his enemies will be defeated. Of course, victory over enemies may be applied to David, but the verbs are future. It also may be understood of the enemies of David figuratively speaking, that is, the opponents of his throne on which his physical descendants and then Christ sits. However, in Psalm 89, “David” is referred to as the one who sits on the throne and before whose face the enemies are defeated. When the reign of the Messiah is described elsewhere, there is constant reference to the defeat of all his enemies (Ps. 2:7-12, 21:8-12, 110:5-7, Dan. 2:44-45, etc.). This promise in Psalm 89 speaks in the same language of David as the other psalms do of Christ. Therefore, this promise is best applied to the Messiah, and it cannot be said that the historical David will sit on the throne and actually have the victory over his enemies.
Second, there is a promise of a universal dominion. “In My name his horn shall be exalted” (v. 24b). “Also I will set his hand over the sea, and his right hand over the rivers” (v. 25). “I will make him…the highest of the kings of the earth” (v. 27). While a universal dominion is not explicitly stated in 2 Sam. 7, it is a key theme in the Messianic psalms and prophecies (Ps. 2:8, 72:8, 110:1, Dan. 2:44-45, Zech. 9:10, etc.). Thus, the “David” who is made the highest of the kings of the earth is none other than the Messiah.
Third, “David” has a unique relationship with God. “He shall cry to Me, ‘You are my Father” (Ps. 89:26a). God will make Him His firstborn (89:27). He will be the Son of God properly so-called. This certainly refers to the Messiah to whom God said, “You are My Son, today I have begotten You” (Ps. 2:7). Hence, He is called “God” (Ps. 45:6). This phrase is also applied to Christ by the apostle in Heb. 1:5. If we merely had the words “God is his Father” without any context, then we might say that this could apply to any believer. On the other hand, these words are specifically taken from 2 Samuel 7:14, “I will be His Father, and He shall be My Son.” What is interesting is that this promise is applied in 2 Samuel 7 to David’s son, but in Psalm 89, it is applied to David. For this reason, we should be alerted to the fact that the “David” in Psalm 89 is not the literal, historical David but the Christ, the greater Son of David.
On the other side, while most of the promises that are applied to David’s son in 2 Samuel 7 are applied to David himself in Psalm 89, there is one that is not. “If he commits iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men and with the blows of the sons of men” (2 Sam. 7:14b). This is applied in Ps. 89:30-32 to the sons of David. Thus, there is a bifurcation. That which is applied to one person in 2 Sam. 7:14 is applied to two different persons (or groups of persons) in Ps. 89. This should give us a clear indication that David is not the literal David but rather the Christ and that the seed of David, as we shall see, is not the Christ or one of David’s physical descendants but rather the spiritual seed of Christ. Moreover, the prophecy in 2 Sam. 7:14 referring to correction for sins is the one that is least applicable to the Messiah (see Is. 53:9).
One obvious objection is the fact that the name “David” is used here. But it is very common for the name “David” to be used when referring to Christ. For example, Jeremiah 30:9 says, “They shall serve the LORD their God, and David their king, whom I will raise up for them.” Similarly, we read in the book of Ezekiel, “I will place over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he will tend them; he will tend them and be their shepherd” (34:23, see also 37:24-25 and Hos. 3:5). In the usage of Scripture, there is no difficulty in referring the name “David” to Christ. In light of this, we conclude that there is very good reason to refer the prophecies and promises in this psalm directly and exclusively to Christ Himself. Christ is the major subject of this psalm, and it is the covenant with Christ that is in view here (89:3).
Second Question – Who are the sons of David?
Verse 30 begins, “If his sons forsake my law . . .” The word translated sons may be translated as son or children (see Is. 54:13). It might also be translated “descendants.” This word is parallel and synonymous to “seed,” which occurs in the previous verse (29). Verses 29 and 36 are also very similar. The word seed can have in the singular either a singular or collective and thus plural sense. Consequently, as we have noted, it could be understood as referring either to David’s descendant, namely Christ, or descendants and thus be parallel to sons or children. From what we have already said, we believe that it is best to understand seed in its plural sense. The seed is his seed and thus refers to the seed of David. Since we have demonstrated that David here means Christ; the seed is the seed of Christ or the descendants of Christ. Moreover, the context of vv. 30-37 is the state or condition of the sons. Therefore, both “sons” and “seed” refer to the descendants of Christ.
But we need to explore this concept of the sons or descendants of Christ a bit further. First, does the Davidic covenant refer simply to the promise of a Messiah, or does it also refer to the grace given to all believers, the elect, as the spiritual seed of Christ? Clearly, the covenant of David, that is, the covenant with Christ, has reference not only to Himself but also to His subjects. “Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him” (Ps. 2:12, see also 22:22-24, 45:16-17, 72:12-14, 110:3, etc.). The one who is raised up for David will be called, “The LORD our righteousness” (Jer. 23:5-6, see also Is. 9:1-7, Ez. 34:20-25, Ez. 37:23-28, etc.). Probably the clearest passage that refers the Davidic covenant to the salvation of believers is Isaiah 55:3. It says, “Incline your ear, and come to Me. Hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you—the sure mercies of David.” This call is given to “everyone who thirsts” (v. 1). Everyone who comes to God for grace and pardon (vv. 6-7) enters into a covenant with God, and that covenant is identified as consisting in the promised mercy to David, which the Apostle refers to Christ and His resurrection from the dead (Acts 13:34). The Davidic covenant is not simply a promise to the Messiah, it refers to the salvation of His people.
Second, do we have warrant to speak of those who are saved and brought into God’s covenant mercy as the seed, the descendants, or even the children of Christ? In fact, other places of Scripture do testify to this manner of speaking. Christ is called an everlasting Father (Is. 9:6). Consequently, he says, “Here am I and the children whom the LORD has given Me” (Is. 8:18, cf. Heb. 2:13). In Isaiah 53:10, Isaiah prophecies, “When (or if) you make His soul an offering for sin, he shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days.” He has a seed, and Christ will see His seed after He has offered His soul for sin. He is also pictured as a King in Ps. 45 who will have sons and daughters (Ps. 45:16-17). We conclude that there is ample warrant to consider the sons here as the sons or the spiritual offspring of Christ. What, then, does this passage say about the seed or sons of Christ?
As we have noted, there is a transition in verse 30 from a discussion of David/Christ to a discussion of the seed of David/Christ. The problem is the sin of David’s descendants. Even though God will be faithful, David’s descendants often will not be. What will God do about this situation? That God Himself answers the question in 19-37 is indicated by the use of the 1st person singular. He will visit them with the rod and with the blows of the sons of men. It will not lead him to break his covenant with David (33-35). On the contrary, His seed and throne will endure forever (36-37).
God’s response to these sins will not be to cut off the seed of David or break the covenant with him but rather chastisement. The term that is used here “to visit” does not necessarily imply chastening. It may refer to a gracious visiting as in Gen. 50:24-25 and Ex. 4:31. It may also refer to punishment as in Ex. 20:5. Thus, the term “to visit” does not imply chastisement. The concept of chastisement is present, however, in the means by which the seed of David’s transgressions and iniquities are punished, namely, “with the rod” and with “blows.” The difference between punishment and chastisement is captured well by Spurgeon who wrote, “We believe in the gospel rod, but not in the penal sword for the adopted sons.” The rod may, of course, be described as an instrument of punishing someone (Ps. 2:9, Is. 11:4), but, it more often refers to the instrument of correction rather than judicial punishment (Prov. 10:13, 13:24, 14:23, etc.; 1 Cor. 4:21). This is confirmed from the fact that this phrase is taken from 2 Sam. 7:14, where it says that if he commits sins, He will chasten him with the rod. This term refers to correction, rebuke, and chastening. Furthermore, God has promised that David’s seed would endure forever (89:29, 35). This indicates that they will not be destroyed because of their sins. On the other hand, this does not mean that God will ignore their sins, He will visit them with the rod. This whole concept is beautifully summarized by Jean Daillé: “God here says two things: first, that he will chastise them, next, that he will not, on that account, cast them out of his covenant. O wonderful tempering of the kindness and severity of God! In which he finds his own glory, and believers their safety!” God’s holiness and justice and His grace and mercy shine forth in this passage.
Conclusion
In Psalm 89:30-37, we have seen that the crucial exegetical issue is the identity of David and then his seed. We have demonstrated that the David mentioned here cannot be the historical David but rather must be the Christ since the things applied to “David” here can only be applied to Christ. Since this is the case, the seed of David must be the seed of Christ. This is not a physical seed but a spiritual one. It is the elect, the true Israel who will receive final salvation. Once this is resolved, then the issue of how to apply the rod and chastisement (v. 32) is also resolved. It refers to God’s chastisement of the sinning seed of Christ.
Consequently, the covenant with David is a covenant of grace in which salvation is given to the seed in spite of the fact that they do not meet the conditions. Instead, God’s covenant will stand firm with Christ (v. 28b). It is dependent on the promises made to Christ not on the obedience of the seed. This idea of salvation as a total gift of grace is everywhere present in the prophets (Dt. 30:6, 11; Jer. 31:33-34; Ez. 36:26-27; Hos. 14:4; etc.), and it is the same thought that is presented in this passage.
On the other hand, while the seed is secure in Christ (v. 33), this does not remove the idea of chastisement. This is a constant theme of the Old Testament. The Lord will chastise His people, but this will not annul the covenant. And so it will be that all those with whom the everlasting covenant is made will be able to say, “For a mere moment I have forsaken you, but with great mercies I will gather you” (Is. 54:7). The Lord chastens those whom He loves (Heb. 12:5-6), and so the security of the Davidic covenant ought not to lead to carelessness.
And so we have in this passage God’s opposition to sin and amazing grace reconciled. He gives the seed of David a complete and total security in Christ. On the other hand, He does not allow them to continue in their sin but chastens them that they may repent. God’s wisdom shines forth in the covenant He has made with His chosen (Ps. 89:3).
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