v. 23 - "I was set up/appointed/established before the Earth was." The word alternatively translated "appointed", "established", "set up", can be translated "anointed"(Ps. 2:6, 2 Chr. 28:15), which makes sense if the antecedent verse does indeed have reference to God the Father's ordination of Christ's kingship and sovereignty of the earth by right of primogeniture.
The word likely has reference not simply to the ordination of Christ's kingship but all the offices he would occupy as mediator. Indeed, Gersom paraphrases the text "and there were given to me power, dominion, and greatness;'', calling to mind the Messianic and kingly appointment of Christ to his throne at he right hand of God the Father in Daniel 7:13, 14, and so Ps. 2:6 was clearly in his mind here.
The Hebrew word is נסכתי, which literally means to "pour out." It is possibly related to a word meaning to "smear" or "cover" as with oil, and refers to the anointing of a king. Some have therefore rendered the text "principatum habui", I possessed the kingship (literally, "principality") before the foundations of the world. The Vulgate thus renders it "I was ordained" and other Latin translators: Michaelis, Schultens and Cocceius render it "uncta sum",and Geierus renders it "inuncta fui".
Comments