John Calvin Commentary Psalms 8:2

"Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou established strength, Because of thine adversaries, That thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger." — Psalms 8:2 (ASV)

He now begins to prove the subject he had undertaken to discuss, declaring that the providence of God, in order to make itself known to mankind, does not wait until men arrive at the age of maturity, but even from the very dawn of infancy shines forth so brightly as to be sufficient to refute all the ungodly, who, through their profane contempt of God, would wish to extinguish His very name.

The opinion of some, who think that מפי, mephi, out of the mouth, signifies כפי, kephi, in the mouth, cannot be admitted, because it improperly weakens the emphasis David meant to give to his language and discourse. Therefore, the meaning is that God, in order to commend His providence, does not need the powerful eloquence of rhetoricians, nor even distinct and formed language, because the tongues of infants, although they do not yet speak, are ready and eloquent enough to celebrate it.

But it may be asked, in what sense does he speak of children as the proclaimers of the glory of God? In my judgment, those reason very foolishly who think that this is done when children begin to articulate, because then the intellectual faculty of the soul also shows itself.

Granting that they are called babes, or infants, even until they arrive at their seventh year, how can such persons imagine that those who now speak distinctly are still hanging on the breast? Nor is there any more soundness in the opinion of those who say that the words for babes and sucklings are here used allegorically for the faithful, who, being born again by the Spirit of God, no longer retain the old age of the flesh.

What need, then, is there to wrest the words of David, when their true meaning is so clear and suitable? He says that babes and sucklings are advocates sufficiently powerful to vindicate the providence of God. Why does he not entrust this business to men, if not to show that the tongues of infants, even before they are able to pronounce a single word, speak loudly and distinctly in commendation of God’s liberality towards the human race?

From where is it that nourishment is ready for them as soon as they are born, if not because God wonderfully changes blood into milk? From where, also, do they have the skill to suck, if not because the same God has, by a mysterious instinct, fitted their tongues for this? David, therefore, has the best reason for declaring that even if the tongues of all who have arrived at the age of manhood should become silent, the speechless mouth of infants is sufficiently able to celebrate the praise of God.

And when he not only introduces babes as witnesses and preachers of God’s glory, but also attributes mature strength to their mouth, the expression is very emphatic. It means the same as if he had said: These are invincible champions of God who, when it comes to the conflict, can easily scatter and defeat the whole host of the wicked despisers of God and those who have abandoned themselves to impiety. We should observe against whom he assigns to infants the office of defending the glory of God: namely, against the hardened despisers of God, who dare to rise up against heaven to make war upon God, as the poets said of the giants in ancient times.

Since, therefore, these monsters, with furious violence, pluck up by the roots and overthrow whatever godliness and fear of God there is in the world, and through their audacity endeavor to do violence to heaven itself, David, in mockery of them, brings into the field of battle against them the mouths of infants, which he says are furnished with armor of sufficient strength and endowed with sufficient fortitude to lay their intolerable pride in the dust.

He, therefore, immediately adds, On account of the adversaries. God is not under the necessity of making war with great power to overcome the faithful, who willingly listen to His voice and show ready obedience as soon as He gives the smallest intimation of His will. The providence of God, I confess, shines forth principally for the sake of the faithful, because only they have eyes to behold it. But as they show themselves willing to receive instruction, God teaches them with gentleness, while, on the other hand, He arms Himself against His enemies, who never submit to Him except by constraint.

Some take the word founded as meaning that, in the very birth or generation of man, God lays foundations for manifesting His own glory. But this sense is too restricted. I have no doubt that the word is used for to establish, as if the prophet had said: God does not need strong military forces to destroy the ungodly; instead of these, the mouths of children are sufficient for His purpose.

To put to flight. Interpreters differ with respect to the word השבית, hashebith. It properly signifies to cause to cease, for it is in the conjugation Hiphil of the neuter verb שבת, shabath, which signifies to cease. But it is often taken metaphorically for to destroy or to reduce to nothing, because destruction or death brings to an end.

Others translate it that you may restrain, as if David meant that they were put to silence, so that they desisted from cursing or reviling God. However, as there is here a beautiful allusion to a hostile combat, as I explained a little before, I have preferred the military phrase to put to flight. But it is asked: How does God put to flight His enemies who, by their impious slanders and detractions, do not cease to strike at and violently rush forward to oppose all the proofs of a Divine Providence which daily manifest themselves?

I answer: They are not routed or overthrown in the sense of being compelled to become more humble and unassuming, but rather because, with all their blasphemies and canine barkings, they continue in the state of abasement and confusion to which they have been brought. To express the whole in a few words: as early as the generation or birth of man, the splendor of Divine Providence is so apparent that even infants who hang upon their mothers’ breasts can bring down to the ground the fury of the enemies of God.

Although His enemies may do their utmost, and may even burst with rage a hundred times, it is in vain for them to endeavor to overthrow the strength that manifests itself in the weakness of infancy. A desire of revenge reigns in all unbelievers, while, on the other hand, God governs His own children by the spirit of meekness and benignity. But, according to the scope of the present passage, the prophet applies this epithet, the avenger, to the despisers of God, who are not only cruel towards man but also burn with frantic rage to make war even against God Himself.

I have now discharged the duty of a faithful interpreter in explaining the mind of the prophet. There is only one difficulty remaining: Christ (Matthew 21:16) seems to give this passage a different meaning when He applies it to children ten years old. But this difficulty is easily removed. Christ reasons from the greater to the less in this manner: If God has appointed children even in infancy as the vindicators of His glory, there is no absurdity in His making them the instruments of showing forth His praise by their tongues after they have arrived at the age of seven years and older.