| Geneva Study Bible And as concerning that he raised him up from the dead, now no more to return to corruption, he said on this wise, I will give you the {p} sure mercies of David. (p) The Greeks call those things holy things which the Hebrews call gracious bounties: and they are called David's bounties in the passive voice, because God bestowed them upon David. Moreover, they are termed sure, after the manner of speech which the Hebrews use, who terms those things sure which are steady and certain, and such things which never alter or change. People's New Testament 13:34 No more to return to corruption. Never more to endure death. I will give you the sure mercies of David. The mercies promised to David, one of which was a descendant whose throne should be everlasting. See Isa 55:3, and compare 2Sa 7:10. Wesley's Notes 13:34 No more to return to corruption - That is, to die no more. I will give you the sure mercies of David - The blessings promised to David in Christ. These are sure, certain, firm, solid, to every true believer in him. And hence the resurrection of Christ necessarily follows; for without this, those blessings could not be given. Isaiah 55:3. King James Translators' Notes mercies: Gr. holy, or just things: which word the Septuagint in many places, uses for that which is in the Hebrew, mercies Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary 34-37. now no more to return to corruption-that is, to the grave where death reigns; and compare Ro 6:9, "Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more, death hath no more dominion over him." I will give you the sure mercies of David-(Isa 55:3). The word rendered "mercies" is peculiar, denoting the sanctity of them, as comprehending the whole riches of the new covenant; while the other word, "sure," points to the certainty with which they would, through David's Seed, be at length all substantiated. See on [2006]Joh 1:14. But how do these words prove the resurrection of Christ? "They presuppose it; for since an eternal kingdom was promised to David, the Ruler of this kingdom could not remain under the power of death. But to strengthen the indefinite prediction by one more definite, the apostle adduces Ps 16:10, of which Peter had given the same explanation (see on [2007]Ac 2:27; Ac 2:30, 31), both apostles denying the possibility of its proper reference to David" [Olshausen]. Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary 13:32-37 The resurrection of Christ was the great proof of his being the Son of God. It was not possible he should be held by death, because he was the Son of God, and therefore had life in himself, which he could not lay down but with a design to take it again. The sure mercies of David are that everlasting life, of which the resurrection was a sure pledge; and the blessings of redemption in Christ are a certain earnest, even in this world. David was a great blessing to the age wherein he lived. We were not born for ourselves, but there are those living around us, to whom we must study to be serviceable. Yet here is the difference; Christ was to serve all generations. May we look to Him who is declared to be the Son of God by his resurrection from the dead, that by faith in him we may walk with God, and serve our generation according to his will; and when death comes, may we fall asleep in him, with a joyful hope of a blessed resurrection. | 
