Psalms 89:39

Psa 89:39 Thou hast made void the covenant of thy servant: thou hast profaned his crown [by casting it] to the ground.

Ver. 39. Thou hast made void the covenant] This passage a certain Spanish Rabbi stumbled at (as hath been noted on the title of this psalm), but without cause; for all these things are spoken κατα δοξαν, and not κατ αληθειαν, according to opinion, and not according to the truth of things. And, therefore, Kimchi saith well here, Many wonder at this psalmist, and I do as much wonder at their wondering, &c.

Thou hast profaned his crown] By rendering his regal dignity contemptible. The Greek rendereth it, his sanctuary, αγιασμα αυτου..

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

40. (Psa 89:39) Thou hast broken the covenant of thy servant; thou hast profaned to the earth his crown. The first verb in Hebrew occurs only here and Lam 2:7. The usual explanation is conjectural, or founded on the ancient versions. A cognate verb in Arabic means to abhor, which would be appropriate in this place. The covenant of thy servant, i.e. thy covenant with thy servant. See above, on Psa 89:28; Psa 89:34. The pregnant construction, profaned to the ground, i.e. profaned by casting to the ground, occurs above, Psa 74:7. The theocratical crown was a sacred or religious dignity, any contempt of which might therefore well be called a pro-fanation. Compare what is said of the priestly diadem. Exo 28:36; Exo 29:6.

Joseph Addison Alexander, The Psalms Translated and Explained (1850) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Because of the horrible confusion of things, the Prophet complaineth to God, as though he saw not the performance of his promise. And thus discharging his cares on God, he resisteth doubt and impatience.

By this he meaneth the horrible dissipation and renting of the kingdom, which was under Jeroboam: or else by the Spirit of prophecy Ethan speaketh of those great miseries, which came soon afterward to pass at the captivity of Babylon.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

(39) Made void.—Better, cast off, as the word is rendered in Lam_2:7, the only other place where it occurs. There the LXX. have “shook off;” here, “turned upside down.”

Thou hast profaned.—Comp. Psa_74:7.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

39. Thou hast abhorred the covenant of thy servant:

Thou hast cast his desecrated crown to the ground.

Thine anointed, thy servant (cp. Psa_89:20) include both David and the successor who represents him. The titles plead the claim which the king had on God’s protection.

The word nçzer means (1) consecration, and (2) the crown or diadem of the high priest (Exo_29:6) or the king (2Sa_1:10), as the mark of consecration to their office. For the phrase profaned to the ground cp. Psa_74:7.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Thou hast broken down all his hedges,.... Round about his vine, the church; see Psa 80:12. A famous church was raised at Jerusalem, quickly after the death, resurrection, and ascension of Christ, which seemed to be well filled, fenced, and protected; but on a sudden a violent persecution arose, and the members of it were made havoc of, and the ministers of the word were scattered abroad, and which was the breaking down of the hedges; and what was done to the church was taken by Christ as done to himself, as it is here spoken of him; see Act 8:1, and this might seem contrary to the word and oath of God, that his seed should endure for ever, and his throne as the days of heaven, Psa 89:29, when the first Christian church was used in this manner; but that providence was overruled, for the spread of the Gospel, and the interest of Christ, in other parts; see Act 8:4, and so no objection to what is before said:

thou hast brought his strong holds to ruin; the same as before, the church of Christ, which seemed to be so well built and fortified; see Isa 26:1.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Thou hast made void the covenant of thy servant - Thou hast dealt with him as if there were no such covenant; as if no such promise had been made to him. The word rendered “made void,” means to abhor, or reject.

Thou hast profaned his crown, by casting it to the ground - literally, “Thou hast profaned to the earth his crown;” that is, Thou hast treated it as a polluted thing; a thing to be rejected and abhorred; a thing which one casts indignantly upon the ground.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Made void the covenant; which seems contrary to thy word given Psa 89:34.

Of thy servant, i.e. made with him.

Profained his crown, by exposing that sacred person, and family, and kingdom to contempt, and giving his sceptre and power into the hands of the uncircumcised.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Ver. 39. Thou hast made void the covenant of thy servant. The dispensations of providence looked as if there had been a disannulling of the sacred compact, though indeed it was not so.

Thou hast profaned his crown by casting it to the ground. The king had been subject to such sorrow and shame that his diadem had been as it were taken from his head, dashed on the earth, and rolled in the mire. He was a theocratic monarch, and the Lord, who gave him his crown, took it from him and treated it with contempt, at least so it seemed. In these sad days also we may utter the same complaint, for Jesus is not acknowledged in many of the churches, and usurpers have profaned his crown. When we hear of kings and queens set up as "heads of the church", and a priest styled "The Vicar of Christ", while parliaments and courts take upon themselves to legislate for the church of God, we may bitterly lament that things should come to so wretched a pass. Few are there who will acknowledge the crown rights of King Jesus, the very subject is considered to be out of date. O Lord how long!

Ver. 39. Thou hast profaned his crown, etc. The crown of a king, (like that of the high priest, on which was inscribed "holiness to the Lord") (Ex 28:36) was a sacred thing, and therefore to cast it in the dust was to profane it. A.R. Fausset.

Ver. 39.

1. Providence may often seem to be at variance with promises.

2. Promises are never at variance with providence. It is the covenant of thy servant and his crown still.

Ver. 39. How the throne of King Jesus may be profaned.

Psalms 89:40*

Charles H. Spurgeon's The Treasury of David (1869–1885) — public domain. Psalms only. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

39. Made void the covenant—Wholly rejected the covenant; treated it as worthless. Contrast Psa_89:34-35.

Profaned his crown—By allowing it to be “cast to the ground”—despoiled. See Psa_89:19-20

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Thou hast made void the covenant of thy servant; or, "abhorred" (Cheyne, Revised Version). The verb is a very unusual one, occurring only here and in Lam_2:7. Thou hast profaned his crown by casting it to the ground. (comp. Psa_74:7) The theocratic crown was so holy a thing, that any degradation of it might be regarded as a "profanation."

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

But You abandoned You dealt strictly with his children in counting their iniquity until You abandoned them and You rejected them in the days of Zedekiah.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.