The faithfulness of God is
the theme of Psalm 89. The psalmist begins in praise of God and His
faithfulness.
Psalm
89:1-4
I will sing of the steadfast
love of the LORD, forever; with my mouth I will make known your faithfulness to
all generations. For I said, “Steadfast love will be built up forever; in
the heavens you will establish your faithfulness.” You have said, “I have
made a covenant with my chosen one; I have sworn to David my servant: ‘I
will establish your offspring forever, and build your throne for all
generations.’” Selah
The promises God made to
David were fulfilled in Jesus.
Psalm
89:5-8
Let the heavens praise your wonders, O LORD, your faithfulness in the assembly of the holy ones! For who in the skies can be compared to the LORD? Who among the heavenly beings is like the LORD, a God greatly to be feared in the council of the holy ones, and awesome above all who are around him? O LORD God of hosts, who is mighty as you are, O LORD, with your faithfulness all around you?
Let the heavens praise your wonders, O LORD, your faithfulness in the assembly of the holy ones! For who in the skies can be compared to the LORD? Who among the heavenly beings is like the LORD, a God greatly to be feared in the council of the holy ones, and awesome above all who are around him? O LORD God of hosts, who is mighty as you are, O LORD, with your faithfulness all around you?
The answer to these questions
are that God and God alone is to be feared and to be trusted.
Psalm
89:9-13
You rule the raging of the sea; when its waves rise, you still them. You crushed Rahab like a carcass; you scattered your enemies with your mighty arm. The heavens are yours; the earth also is yours; the world and all that is in it, you have founded them. The north and the south, you have created them; Tabor and Hermon joyously praise your name. You have a mighty arm; strong is your hand, high your right hand.
You rule the raging of the sea; when its waves rise, you still them. You crushed Rahab like a carcass; you scattered your enemies with your mighty arm. The heavens are yours; the earth also is yours; the world and all that is in it, you have founded them. The north and the south, you have created them; Tabor and Hermon joyously praise your name. You have a mighty arm; strong is your hand, high your right hand.
God is sovereign. That is a
simple truth, that even Christians seem to have trouble believing. God rules
the seas, He can still the waves. When a nation has victory over its enemies,
it is because God has crushed or scattered them. Everything is God’s and He is sovereign
over them, and His mighty arm has the power to rule the creation.
Psalm
89:14
Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne; steadfast love and faithfulness go before you.
Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne; steadfast love and faithfulness go before you.
Preachers and Christians
alike, will preach of God’s love, but they fail to explain how His love
operates. Righteousness and justice are the foundation of His throne. This
means that God’s love is expressed through His just nature. God’s holiness
demands He not tolerate sin. God is always faithful to His throne. It is us,
who fail. We are the unfaithful ones.
The psalmist goes on to speak
of the relationship and the promises God made to His anointed king, David.
Psalm
89:35-37
Once for all I have sworn by my holiness; I will not lie to David. His offspring shall endure forever, his throne as long as the sun before me. Like the moon it shall be established forever, a faithful witness in the skies.” Selah
Once for all I have sworn by my holiness; I will not lie to David. His offspring shall endure forever, his throne as long as the sun before me. Like the moon it shall be established forever, a faithful witness in the skies.” Selah
But then the psalmist asks
God why it seems that God has rejected David’s offspring.
Psalm
89:38-45
But now you have cast off and rejected; you are full of wrath against your anointed. You have renounced the covenant with your servant; you have defiled his crown in the dust. You have breached all his walls; you have laid his strongholds in ruins. All who pass by plunder him; he has become the scorn of his neighbors. You have exalted the right hand of his foes; you have made all his enemies rejoice. You have also turned back the edge of his sword, and you have not made him stand in battle. You have made his splendor to cease and cast his throne to the ground. You have cut short the days of his youth; you have covered him with shame. Selah
But now you have cast off and rejected; you are full of wrath against your anointed. You have renounced the covenant with your servant; you have defiled his crown in the dust. You have breached all his walls; you have laid his strongholds in ruins. All who pass by plunder him; he has become the scorn of his neighbors. You have exalted the right hand of his foes; you have made all his enemies rejoice. You have also turned back the edge of his sword, and you have not made him stand in battle. You have made his splendor to cease and cast his throne to the ground. You have cut short the days of his youth; you have covered him with shame. Selah
He asks God some very poignant
questions. Maybe you are asking God the same questions today.
Psalm
89:46-49
How long, O LORD? Will you hide yourself forever? How long will your wrath burn like fire? Remember how short my time is! For what vanity you have created all the children of man! What man can live and never see death? Who can deliver his soul from the power of Sheol? Selah Lord, where is your steadfast love of old, which by your faithfulness you swore to David?
How long, O LORD? Will you hide yourself forever? How long will your wrath burn like fire? Remember how short my time is! For what vanity you have created all the children of man! What man can live and never see death? Who can deliver his soul from the power of Sheol? Selah Lord, where is your steadfast love of old, which by your faithfulness you swore to David?
Psalm 89 does not answer the
questions raised. But the answers are found in the scriptures. The answers are
found in Jesus.
I encourage you to read the
entire counsel of God’s Word, for in it you will see that God is faithful, it
is us who are not. Our sinful, and evil hearts lead us to violate the
commandments of God. Jesus died on the cross so that sinners, who place their
faith in Him, can be covered by His blood. This act justifies the Christian in
the eyes of God and through Jesus, we are saved.
Yet our disobedience does not
go unchecked.
Hebrews
12:3-11
Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? “My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.” It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.
Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? “My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.” It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.
My friends, God is faithful.
If you are in the place of the writer of Psalm 89, then do as the writer did;
Praise God for His faithfulness.
Psalm
89:1
I will sing of the steadfast
love of the LORD, forever; with my mouth I will make known your faithfulness to
all generations.
Do as we are told to in Hebrews 12:12-14:
Therefore lift your drooping
hands and strengthen your weak knees, and make straight paths for your
feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but rather be healed. Strive
for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the
Lord.
Psalm
89:52
Blessed be the LORD forever! Amen and Amen.
Blessed be the LORD forever! Amen and Amen.
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