The commentaries of M. John Calvin upon the Acts of the Apostles, faithfully translated…The commentaries of M. Iohn Caluin vpon the Actes of the Apostles, faithfully translated…

25 Who by the mouth of David. They descend now unto the second member, that they ask nothing but that which God hath promised to perform. So that his will and power are joined together, to the end they may fully assure themselves that they shall obtain their requests. And because the kingdom of Christ is now in hand, they make rehearsal of the promise of God, wherein he promiseth to defend and maintain the same: so that when the whole world hath done what it can to overthrow it, yet all shall be in vain. And herein appeareth their Godliness, and sincere zeal, in that they are not so much careful for their own safety, as for the increasing and advancement of the kingdom of Christ.

25 Who by the mouth of Dauid. They discende nowe vnto the seconde member, that they aske nothing but that which God hath promised to performe. So that his will and power are ioyned togither, to the ende they may fully assure themselues that they shall obtaine their requestes. And because the kingdome of Christ is now in hand, they make rehearsall of the promise of God, wherein he promiseth to defende and maintaine the same: so that when the whole worlde hath done what it can to ouerthrow it, yet all shall bee in vaine. And heerein appeareth their Godlinesse, and syncere zeale, in that they are not so much carefull for their owne safetie, as for the encreasing and aduancement of the kingdome of Christ.

Why have the Gentiles raged? We must needs confess that David speaketh of himself: who after he was chosen King by the Lord, and anointed by Samuel the Prophet, did enjoy the kingdom very hardly, because his enemies withstood him on every side. We know how the rulers and people conspired together with Saul and his family: after that, the Philistines and other strange enemies, despising him when he came newly to the crown, made war against him, striving who should begin first. Wherefore it is not without cause that he complaineth that the Kings rage and take counsel together, and that the people do go about diverse things. Nevertheless because he knew that God was the supporter of his kingdom, he derideth their foolish enterprises, and affirmeth that they are vain. But because his kingdom was established, that it might be a figure or image of the kingdom of Christ; David doth not stay still in the shadow it self, but he apprehendeth the body: yea the holy Ghost, as the Apostles do truly repeat the same, doeth sharply reprove the foolish and ridiculous madness of the world, in that they dare invade the kingdom of Christ which God had established, as well in the person of David as of Christ himself. And this is a singular comfort, in that we hear that God is on our side, so long as we go on warfare under the kingdom of Christ. Hereby we may persuade our selves, that howsoever all men both high and low, do wickedly conspire together against this kingdom, yet shall they not prevail. For what is all the whole world compared with God? But we must first of all know and assure our selves of this, that God will continually maintain the kingdom of his son, whereof he himself is the author, so that we may set his decree (which shall not be broken) against the rashness of men: that trusting to the help of his hand, we may not doubt to despise all the preparation and furniture of men though they be terrible. And he doth diligently express how great the bands of the adversaries are: he saith that they attempt all things, he doeth also reckon up their counsels, least any of these do terrify us.