His seed shall be mighty upon earth: the generation of the righteous shall be blessed.

“Let no one think that this was said only recently and that it was spoken of by the philosophers before it was mentioned in the gospel. For the philosophers, that is to say, Aristotle and Theophrastus, as also Zeno and Hieronymus, certainly lived before the time of the gospel, but they came after the prophets. Let them rather think how long before even the names of the philosophers were heard of, both of these [Aristotle and Theophrastus] seem to have found open expression through the mouth of the holy David; for it is written, "Blessed is the man whom you instruct, O Lord, and teach him out of your law." We find elsewhere also, "Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, he will rejoice greatly in his commandments." We have proved our point as regards knowledge, the reward for which the prophet states to be the fruit of eternity, adding that in the house of the one who fears the Lord or is instructed in his law and rejoices greatly in the divine commandments "is glory and riches; and his justice abides for ever and ever." He has further also in the same psalm made statements about good works, that they gain for an upright man the gift of eternal life. He speaks thus: "Blessed is the man who shows pity and lends; he will guide his affairs with discretion, surely he shall not be moved for ever, the righteous shall be in everlasting remembrance." And further, "He has dispersed, he has given to the poor, his justice endures forever."”

“Your fourth question is, "Why David said, 'His seed shall be mighty on the earth, the generation of the righteous shall be blessed,' when we know that the children of the just were and are cursed and those of the unjust were and are blessed." I answer this question from an exposition of the same psalm that I gave to the people. For, "Blessed is the one who fears the Lord; he shall delight exceedingly in his commandments." God, who alone judges rightly and mercifully, shall see how much he excels in his commandments, since, as holy Job says, "The life of [a person] on earth is a warfare." And again it is written, "For the corruptible body is a load on the soul, and the earthly habitation presses down the mind that muses on many things." But he who judges us is the Lord, and we should not judge before the time until the Lord shall come and bring to light the hidden things of darkness and make manifest the counsels of the heart. Then shall each person have praise from God. Therefore, [God] shall see how much each person excels in his commandments, yet each person shall delight exceedingly who truly loves the peace of the cobuilding, nor should each person despair now, since "in his commandments he shall delight exceedingly," and there will be "peace in the land to men of good will."”

“His seed shall be mighty upon earth,.... The Targum is, "mighty in the law;'' as Apollos is said to be "mighty in the Scriptures", Act 18:24. This must be understood of such of them as fear the Lord also, and love him, and delight in his commandments, according to Exo 20:6 and not in a literal sense, for not many mighty are called; but in a spiritual sense, of their being strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might, and in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. Some understand this of the spiritual seed of Christ; and make him to be the man that feared the Lord, and greatly delighted in his commandments, as it is certain he did; he was heard in that he feared; and it was his meat and drink to do the will of him that sent him. He has a spiritual seed; and these are mighty in the sense before given; and as they will be in the latter day, when the feeble among them shall be as David, and the house of David as God, as the Angel of the Lord; when the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven shall be given to the saints, and, being kings and priests, they shall reign with Christ on earth. Aben Ezra thinks the note of similitude "as" is wanting, and supplies it thus, "his seed shall be as a mighty man on earth"; be known, as he is in his generation. The generation of the upright shall be blessed; the seed of them, as before, who are the upright in heart and conversation: or the age in which upright men live is happy on their account; or a succession of upright persons: or rather a company of them dwelling together, at the same time, and in the same place; the same with the generation of them that seek the Lord, Psa 24:6, these are blessed with spiritual and eternal blessings.”