13:34 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.
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.
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.
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.
