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Pacific Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Oakland, California · Feb 27, 1879

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 5, No. 9.

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Answer to Question.

By Editor

"Does Psalm 105:8 apply to the law of ten commandments, or does it apply to the covenant concerning the land of Canaan, verse 11?"
"The word which he commanded to a thousand generations" applies to the ten commandments, and to nothing else. If you will carefully read the article by Eld. Andrews (J. N. A.) in the SIGNS of February 6, you will find there the proof given showing that the primary idea of a covenant is that of a contract. But contracts are composed of promises which, of course, are based upon conditions. A contract of promises and conditions is properly a covenant. But in this case, as in a multitude of others in the Scriptures, the term which is applied to the whole is sometimes applied to its several parts. Thus we sometimes find the word covenant used when reference is made only to a promise, and sometimes, only to a condition, or law.
The covenant of Ps. 105:8-11 embraces both. It is not difficult to perceive that the "word commanded" is not, and cannot be, the promise made. But as God's gracious purposes to man are connected with conditions, it is easy to understand that the promise made is based upon the word commanded. These are taken together, and together they constitute the covenant.
Some have darkened counsel by words without knowledge, Job 38:2, and really endeavored to destroy this distinction of the different parts of a covenant, and specially on this very text. But the Lord did not command that he would give them the land of Canaan, nor did he promise them to keep his law! We sincerely pity the individual who is truly confused over this distinction.
1 Chron. 16, is parallel with Ps. 105. In these and in Deut. 7:9, the keeping of his commandments is connected with "a thousand generations." Probably the commandments themselves contain the same idea. "Visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; and showing mercy unto thousands of them that love me and keep my commandments." Though the word generation is not in the original in this text, it seems so clearly understood that the translators are justified in inserting it. And so in Ex. 34:7.