תהלים 102:28

Hebrew Modern Translation

בני עבדיך ישכונו וזרעם לפניך יכון׃

Parallel Translations

Hebrew Aleppo Codex
[102:29] כטבני-עבדיך ישכונו וזרעם לפניך יכון

Biblia Hebrica Stuttgartensia (1967/77)
[102:29] בְּנֵֽי־עֲבָדֶ֥יךָ יִשְׁכֹּ֑ונוּ וְ֝זַרְעָ֗ם לְפָנֶ֥יךָ יִכֹּֽון ׃

Westminster Leningrad Codex
[102:29] בְּנֵֽי־עֲבָדֶיךָ יִשְׁכּוֹנוּ וְזַרְעָם לְפָנֶיךָ יִכֹּֽון ׃

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

The children: Psalms 22:30, Psalms 22:31, Psalms 45:16, Psalms 45:17, Psalms 69:35, Psalms 69:36, Isaiah 53:10, Isaiah 59:20, Isaiah 59:21, Isaiah 65:22, Isaiah 66:22

their seed: Psalms 90:16, Psalms 90:17

Reciprocal: Psalms 81:15 - time Psalms 112:2 - General Psalms 132:12 - their children Proverbs 13:22 - leaveth Isaiah 14:32 - the Lord Jeremiah 30:20 - children Jeremiah 31:36 - those Zechariah 10:7 - yea Hebrews 13:8 - General

Gill's Notes on the Bible

The children of thy servants shall continue,.... The "servants" of the Lord are the apostles of Christ, and ministers of the word, in all successive generations, with whom Christ will be to the end of the world: their "children" are such whom they have begotten again, through the Gospel, to whom they are spiritual fathers; regenerated souls are meant; of these there will be a succession in all ages, until latter day glory takes place; these are the church's seed, and her seed's seed, from whom the word of the Lord, the Gospel, will never depart, Isaiah 59:21, or these "shall inhabit" i, as the word may be rendered, the earth, as the Targum adds; that is, the new heavens, and the new earth, when the old ones are passed away; here they shall dwell with the Lord, who is the same today, yesterday, and for ever:

and their seed shall be established before thee; the same with the children, the spiritual seed of the church and of faithful minister; these, with the church, in which they are born and brought up, shall be established in Christ; the church will be no more in an unstable and fluctuating state, but will he as a tabernacle, that shall not be taken down; yea, shall be established upon the top of the mountains, and exalted above the hills; see Isaiah 2:2.

i ישכונו "habitabunt", V. L. Pagninus, Montanus, Junius Tremellius, Piscator, Cocceius, Gejerus so Sept.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The children of thy servants shall continue - The descendants of those that serve and obey thee. This represents the confident expectation of the psalmist that, as God was unchangeable, all his promises toward his people would be fulfilled, even though the heavens and the earth should pass away. God was the same. His word would not fail. His promises were sure. Compare Matthew 5:18; Matthew 24:35. The word rendered “continue,” means to dwell, as in a habitation; then, to abide. It stands opposed to a wandering, nomadic life, and indicates permanency.

And their seed shall be established before thee - The word used here means properly to stand erect; then to set up, to erect, to place, to found, to make firm, as a city, Psalms 107:36; the earth, Psalms 24:2; the heavens, Proverbs 3:19. It means here that they would be firmly and permanently established: that is, the church of God would be permanent in the earth. It would not be like the generations of people that pass away. It would not be like the nomadic tribes of the desert that have no fixed habitation, and that wander from place to place. It would not be even like the heavens that might put on new forms, or wholly pass away: it would be as enduring and changeless as God himself; it would, in its proper form, endure forever. As God is eternal and unchangeable, so would the safety and welfare of his people be.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Psalms 102:28. The children of thy servants shall continue — Thy Church shall be permanent, because founded on thee; it shall live throughout all the revolutions of time. And as thy followers are made partakers of the Divine nature, they shall live in union with God in the other world, deriving eternal duration from the inexhaustible Fountain of being. Nothing can be permanent but by God's supporting and renewing influence.

ANALYSIS OF THE ONE HUNDRED AND SECOND PSALM

There are two general parts in this Psalm: -

I. A description of the calamities of the Church, under the person of an afflicted man, Psalms 102:1-11.

II. The consolation afforded in these calamities, and the ground of it, Psalms 102:12-28.

I. The description, c., is formed into a prayer proposed in the two first verses: -

1. "Hear my prayer."

2. "Hide not thy face."

In this prayer he complains, and shows his wretched state by various metaphors or figures.

1. A consumption of strength: "My days are consumed."

2. From continual weeping: "My bones cleave to my skin."

3. From his solitude: "Like a pelican in the wilderness."

4. From his continual watching: "I watch, and am like a sparrow," c.

5. From the reproach of his enemies. "Mine enemies reproach me."

6. From his sadness: "I have eaten ashes like bread."

All these increased, from a sense of God's displeasure.

1. "Because of thine indignation."

2. Because of his sufferings: "Thou hast lifted me up, and hast cast me down."

3. And the effect produced: "My days are as a shadow."

II. He comforts himself in the promises of God: -

1. "I am withered like grass: but thou shalt endure for ever."

2. I shall soon be forgotten "but thy remembrance is unto all generations."

3. Thou seemest to take no heed: but "thou wilt arise."

He was the more confident, -

1. Because the set time to favour Zion was come.

2. This he saw more clearly from the concern with which God had filled the hearts of the people: "Thy servants take pleasure in her stones."

3. He consoled himself in the prospect of the conversion of the heathen themselves: "So the heathen shall fear thy name."

4. For this he gives a particular reason: Because "the Lord shall build up Zion."

5. And he will do this, because of the prayers of the people: "He will regard the prayer," c.

This should be done in such a manner, that, -

1. Record should be made of it: "This shall be written."

2. And it should be a blessing to those that were unborn: "The people which shall be created shall praise the Lord."

And for this he assigns the proper reasons.

1. "The Lord looked down from heaven."

2. "He heard the groans of the prisoners."

These mercies call for gratitude and obedience: -

1. They should "declare the name of the Lord."

2. And this will take place "when the people are gathered together," &c.

The psalmist fears that he shall not live to see this deliverance: -

1. "For he weakened my strength in the way, - he shortened my days."

2. Yet he earnestly desires to see it: "Take me not away."

To strengthen this petition, he pleads God's unchangeableness and he proves God to be eternal, because he is immutable.

1. Not so the earth, for it had a beginning: "Of old thou hast laid," c.

2. Not so the heavens for they are "the work of thy hands."

3. Neither shall they continue: "They shall perish," c.

But God is always the same. Every thing that is mutable acquires by its change some property, quality, form or accident, which it had not before: but God, being an infinite Spirit, and infinitely perfect, can suffer no loss, can have no addition. For as he wants nothing, nothing can be added to him as he inhabits eternity, nothing can be taken from him. In him, therefore, there is no possibility of change and, consequently, none of decay or perishing.

From these considerations the psalmist draws this comfortable conclusion: -

1. His Church and servants shall continue also: "The children of thy servants," - the apostles, with the patriarchs, shall dwell in thy kingdom - in the new Jerusalem.

2. "And their seed;" as many as are begotten by the Gospel, if they remain in the faith that works by love, "shall be established," - persevere, remain, continue before thee - live in thy presence for ever. As thou art eternal, so thou wilt unite them to thyself and make them eternally happy.