Psalms 89:20

20 I have found my servant David; with my holy oil I have anointed him;

Psalms 89:20 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 89:20

I have found David my servant
Not David literally; but his Son and antitype, the Messiah, who is sometimes called by his name; (See Gill on Psalms 89:3), and his "finding" him does not suppose any ignorance of him, nor anxious solicitude in seeking him, nor any

fortuitous event; but is attributed to God by an anthropopathy, or speaking after the manner of men; for it is an act of the highest wisdom, and richest grace, to find out, that is, to pick and appoint, in council and covenant, his own Son to be his servant, to be the Redeemer and Saviour of sinners, and to be a ransom for them, ( Job 33:24 ) . The Apostle Paul seems to refer to this passage in ( Acts 13:22 )

with my holy oil have I anointed him:
not with material oil, as David, his type, ( 1 Samuel 16:13 ) ( 2 Samuel 2:4 ) ( 5:3 ) but with the Holy Ghost, which may well be called holy oil, in allusion to the holy anointing oil under the law; the oil of gladness with which Christ was anointed above his fellows, and without measure, at the time of his conception and birth, at his baptism and ascension to heaven, and even, in some sense, from all eternity; for so early is he said to be anointed, and to be possessed with all fulness of grace, being invested with and installed into his office as Mediator; and from this anointing he has the name of Messiah and Christ, both which signify anointed, ( Acts 10:38 ) ( Psalms 45:7 ) ( Proverbs 8:22 Proverbs 8:23 ) .

Psalms 89:20 In-Context

18 For our shield belongs to the Lord, our king to the Holy One of Israel.
19 Then you spoke in a vision to your faithful one, and said: "I have set the crown on one who is mighty, I have exalted one chosen from the people.
20 I have found my servant David; with my holy oil I have anointed him;
21 my hand shall always remain with him; my arm also shall strengthen him.
22 The enemy shall not outwit him, the wicked shall not humble him.
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.