Wherewith thine enemies have reproached, O LORD; wherewith they have reproached the footsteps of thine anointed.
The verse belongs to the setting of the Hebrew captivity, among psalms describing the sorrow and affliction of the captives under persecution together with encouragement and assurance of divine help and final deliverance. Enemies reproach the Lord by reproaching the footsteps of His anointed, showing contempt for the suffering and humiliating circumstances of His anointed people. The psalm is prophetic of David and of David's greater Son, Jesus Christ.
The reproach came through the long wait for the promised Messiah, when enemies taunted that the promise to David had failed and the Anointed would never come. Reproach against His footsteps was reproach against His coming and the apparent delay of His arrival. Before Messiah came in the flesh the fulfillment of the loving-kindnesses sworn to David appeared so deferred that God's servants bore in their bosom the reproach of all the mighty peoples. That delay was only apparent, caused by the Lord's long-suffering toward sinners and not by slackness concerning His promise, because He is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. This past pattern of seeming delay stands in contrast to the present assurance, after all the long periods of the time prophecies are completed, that there shall be delay no longer in the days of the voice of the seventh angel.
The verse identifies the promised one as a second David, Christ, the son of David who is to reign on David's throne, called God's son and firstborn, whose kingdom will endure forever. It is part of the Lord's word to David concerning Christ's future reign as King on the throne in God's coming kingdom on earth, the fifth universal kingdom. The psalm states a conditional promise of a kingdom to Jacob's descendants, which was forfeited under the old covenant through failure to meet its conditions and can be regained only through an interest in Jesus, now Prince and soon to be crowned King.
The verse shows the steadfastness and faithfulness of God in keeping covenant with His children. It belongs to David's prophetic song of deliverance, which is connected with the triumph of Christ's resurrection.
The verse belongs to the setting of the Hebrew captivity, among psalms describing the sorrow and affliction of the captives under persecution together with encouragement and assurance of divine help and final deliverance. Enemies reproach the Lord by reproaching the footsteps of His anointed, showing contempt for the suffering and humiliating circumstances of His anointed people. The psalm is prophetic of David and of David's greater Son, Jesus Christ.
The reproach came through the long wait for the promised Messiah, when enemies taunted that the promise to David had failed and the Anointed would never come. Reproach against His footsteps was reproach against His coming and the apparent delay of His arrival. Before Messiah came in the flesh the fulfillment of the loving-kindnesses sworn to David appeared so deferred that God's servants bore in their bosom the reproach of all the mighty peoples. That delay was only apparent, caused by the Lord's long-suffering toward sinners and not by slackness concerning His promise, because He is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. This past pattern of seeming delay stands in contrast to the present assurance, after all the long periods of the time prophecies are completed, that there shall be delay no longer in the days of the voice of the seventh angel.
The verse identifies the promised one as a second David, Christ, the son of David who is to reign on David's throne, called God's son and firstborn, whose kingdom will endure forever. It is part of the Lord's word to David concerning Christ's future reign as King on the throne in God's coming kingdom on earth, the fifth universal kingdom. The psalm states a conditional promise of a kingdom to Jacob's descendants, which was forfeited under the old covenant through failure to meet its conditions and can be regained only through an interest in Jesus, now Prince and soon to be crowned King.
The verse shows the steadfastness and faithfulness of God in keeping covenant with His children. It belongs to David's prophetic song of deliverance, which is connected with the triumph of Christ's resurrection.