Psalm 89

From: Short Meditations on the Psalms: Chiefly in Their Prophectic Character

Narrator: Chris Genthree

Psalm 89 • 3 min. read • grade level: 8

This Psalm is the language of some faithful Jew, whether in Babylon of old, or among the Remnant in the latter day, who believes the promise made to David, but is grieved at its delay. Our Lord Jesus is the David, or David’s seed, here spoken of. (Comp. 2 Sam. 7:14,¹⁴I will be his father, and he shall be my son. If he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men: (2 Samuel 7:14) and Heb. 1:5⁵For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son? (Hebrews 1:5); Psa. 132:11,¹¹The Lord hath sworn in truth unto David; he will not turn from it; Of the fruit of thy body will I set upon thy throne. (Psalm 132:11) and Acts 2:30³⁰Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne; (Acts 2:30); Isa. 4:3,³And it shall come to pass, that he that is left in Zion, and he that remaineth in Jerusalem, shall be called holy, even every one that is written among the living in Jerusalem: (Isaiah 4:3) and Acts 13:34³⁴And as concerning that he raised him up from the dead, now no more to return to corruption, he said on this wise, I will give you the sure mercies of David. (Acts 13:34).) The certainty that all shall be well in the end and forever is strongly expressed. The mercies of the Lord are “forever”—mercy is built up “forever”—the seed of David is established “forever”—and the like. This is the soul’s confidence and joy in all the covenanted, promised mercies to David, His throne, and His people. In spite of all appearances, it is the believer’s assurance that “the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.” And we know that the resurrection of Christ has made David’s mercies “sure” (Acts 13).

The following may serve as a brief opening of this Psalm.

Psa. 89:1-18¹<<Maschil of Ethan the Ezrahite.>> I will sing of the mercies of the Lord for ever: with my mouth will I make known thy faithfulness to all generations. ²For I have said, Mercy shall be built up for ever: thy faithfulness shalt thou establish in the very heavens. ³I have made a covenant with my chosen, I have sworn unto David my servant, ⁴Thy seed will I establish for ever, and build up thy throne to all generations. Selah. ⁵And the heavens shall praise thy wonders, O Lord: thy faithfulness also in the congregation of the saints. ⁶For who in the heaven can be compared unto the Lord? who among the sons of the mighty can be likened unto the Lord? ⁷God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, and to be had in reverence of all them that are about him. ⁸O Lord God of hosts, who is a strong Lord like unto thee? or to thy faithfulness round about thee? ⁹Thou rulest the raging of the sea: when the waves thereof arise, thou stillest them. ¹⁰Thou hast broken Rahab in pieces, as one that is slain; thou hast scattered thine enemies with thy strong arm. ¹¹The heavens are thine, the earth also is thine: as for the world and the fulness thereof, thou hast founded them. ¹²The north and the south thou hast created them: Tabor and Hermon shall rejoice in thy name. ¹³Thou hast a mighty arm: strong is thy hand, and high is thy right hand. ¹⁴Justice and judgment are the habitation of thy throne: mercy and truth shall go before thy face. ¹⁵Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound: they shall walk, O Lord, in the light of thy countenance. ¹⁶In thy name shall they rejoice all the day: and in thy righteousness shall they be exalted. ¹⁷For thou art the glory of their strength: and in thy favor our horn shall be exalted. ¹⁸For the Lord is our defence; and the Holy One of Israel is our king. (Psalm 89:1‑18). The Jewish saint rejoices in Jehovah’s covenant with David, reciting it shortly in Psalm 89:3-4³I have made a covenant with my chosen, I have sworn unto David my servant, ⁴Thy seed will I establish for ever, and build up thy throne to all generations. Selah. (Psalm 89:3‑4).

Psa. 89:19-37¹⁹Then thou spakest in vision to thy holy one, and saidst, I have laid help upon one that is mighty; I have exalted one chosen out of the people. ²⁰I have found David my servant; with my holy oil have I anointed him: ²¹With whom my hand shall be established: mine arm also shall strengthen him. ²²The enemy shall not exact upon him; nor the son of wickedness afflict him. ²³And I will beat down his foes before his face, and plague them that hate him. ²⁴But my faithfulness and my mercy shall be with him: and in my name shall his horn be exalted. ²⁵I will set his hand also in the sea, and his right hand in the rivers. ²⁶He shall cry unto me, Thou art my father, my God, and the rock of my salvation. ²⁷Also I will make him my firstborn, higher than the kings of the earth. ²⁸My mercy will I keep for him for evermore, and my covenant shall stand fast with him. ²⁹His seed also will I make to endure for ever, and his throne as the days of heaven. ³⁰If his children forsake my law, and walk not in my judgments; ³¹If they break my statutes, and keep not my commandments; ³²Then will I visit their transgression with the rod, and their iniquity with stripes. ³³Nevertheless my lovingkindness will I not utterly take from him, nor suffer my faithfulness to fail. ³⁴My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips. ³⁵Once have I sworn by my holiness that I will not lie unto David. ³⁶His seed shall endure for ever, and his throne as the sun before me. ³⁷It shall be established for ever as the moon, and as a faithful witness in heaven. Selah. (Psalm 89:19‑37). He then recites it very fully. And very rich and blessed it is; and forms what is called in other words, “the sure mercies of David,” the ground of all Israel’s blessing.

Psa. 89:38-45³⁸But thou hast cast off and abhorred, thou hast been wroth with thine anointed. ³⁹Thou hast made void the covenant of thy servant: thou hast profaned his crown by casting it to the ground. ⁴⁰Thou hast broken down all his hedges; thou hast brought his strong holds to ruin. ⁴¹All that pass by the way spoil him: he is a reproach to his neighbors. ⁴²Thou hast set up the right hand of his adversaries; thou hast made all his enemies to rejoice. ⁴³Thou hast also turned the edge of his sword, and hast not made him to stand in the battle. ⁴⁴Thou hast made his glory to cease, and cast his throne down to the ground. ⁴⁵The days of his youth hast thou shortened: thou hast covered him with shame. Selah. (Psalm 89:38‑45). But with all this promised or covenanted blessing, he contrasts the present sorrows of David’s house and kingdom. And we may observe that the condition in the covenant (see Psa. 89:30-32³⁰If his children forsake my law, and walk not in my judgments; ³¹If they break my statutes, and keep not my commandments; ³²Then will I visit their transgression with the rod, and their iniquity with stripes. (Psalm 89:30‑32)) was the ground of this sorrow; though quite in character with his present thoughts, the Jew does not allude to this.

Psa. 89:46-51⁴⁶How long, Lord? wilt thou hide thyself for ever? shall thy wrath burn like fire? ⁴⁷Remember how short my time is: wherefore hast thou made all men in vain? ⁴⁸What man is he that liveth, and shall not see death? shall he deliver his soul from the hand of the grave? Selah. ⁴⁹Lord, where are thy former lovingkindnesses, which thou swarest unto David in thy truth? ⁵⁰Remember, Lord, the reproach of thy servants; how I do bear in my bosom the reproach of all the mighty people; ⁵¹Wherewith thine enemies have reproached, O Lord; wherewith they have reproached the footsteps of thine anointed. (Psalm 89:46‑51). He then expostulates and prays. “Reproached the footsteps,” in Psalm 89:51,⁵¹Wherewith thine enemies have reproached, O Lord; wherewith they have reproached the footsteps of thine anointed. (Psalm 89:51) seems to be in reference to the scorners, because the Lord tarries. (See Mal. 2:17¹⁷Ye have wearied the Lord with your words. Yet ye say, Wherein have we wearied him? When ye say, Every one that doeth evil is good in the sight of the Lord, and he delighteth in them; or, Where is the God of judgment? (Malachi 2:17); Peter 3:4.)

Psa. 89:52⁵²Blessed be the Lord for evermore. Amen, and Amen. (Psalm 89:52). He closes (we may suppose after a little pause), anticipating God’s grace, with praise; thus linking the end of his holy musing with the beginning.

In this Psalm we may observe the combining of mercy and faithfulness. Precious security for the poor sinner! as we read, “He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins.” For our mercies are covenanted mercies—pledged, promised, undertaken, sealed, and, in a great sense, purchased mercies. Precious security! And from it we may observe that discipline is not forgetfulness, but rather the token of remembrance. David’s throne is for a season in the dust because of transgression, but it has not been forgotten. The enemy reproaches because of this. They proudly talk of the footsteps (Psa. 89:51⁵¹Wherewith thine enemies have reproached, O Lord; wherewith they have reproached the footsteps of thine anointed. (Psalm 89:51)), the delays, or lingerings of the anointed. They say, “Where is the promise of His coming?” But the gifts and calling of God are without repentance. The covenant is as full and fresh in God’s remembrance as it was in the days of David himself. And the Lord will appear to Israel’s joy, and their enemies shall be ashamed.

Let every tried believer know that discipline is not forgetfulness but remembrance. Nay, delay is not forgetfulness. “He that shall come will come”... “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness.”

Note—The third part in the Jewish division of the Psalms ends here.

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