Lessons From the Psalms - Psalm 89

[00:00:07] Welcome to Lessons From the Psalms. This is Bill Kelley and I'll be your host. On this podcast we will be going over the book of... Let's open in prayer. Father God, I thank you for anyone listening to this psalm today. Lord, I pray that you would reveal to everyone listening how much you truly love each and every one of them. I ask this in Jesus' name. Amen.

[00:00:35] This is Psalm 89 beginning in verse 1.

[00:01:05] Indeed, I will establish forever and build up your throne to all generations. Selah. And the heavens will praise your wonders, O Lord, your faithfulness also in the assembly of the saints. For who in the heavens can be compared to the Lord? Who among the sons of the mighty can be likened to the Lord?

[00:01:30] God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints and to be held in reverence for all those around him. O Lord God of hosts, who is mighty like you, O Lord? Your faithfulness also surrounds you. You rule the raging of the sea. When its waves rise, you still them.

[00:01:55] You have broken Rahab in pieces as one who is slain. You have scattered your enemies with your mighty arm. The heavens are yours. The earth also is yours. The world and all its fullness, you have founded them. The north and the south, you have created them. Tabor and Hermon rejoice in your name.

[00:02:21] You have a mighty arm. Strong is your hand and high is your right hand. Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne. Mercy and truth go before your face. Blessed are the people who know the joyful sound. They walk, O Lord, in the light of your countenance. In your name they rejoice all day long.

[00:02:48] And in your righteousness they are exalted. For you are the glory of their strength. And in your favor our horn is exalted. For our shield belongs to the Lord. And our King to the Holy One of Israel. Then you spoke in a vision to your Holy One. And said, I have given help to one who is mighty.

[00:03:16] I have exalted one chosen from the people. I have found my servant David with my holy oil. I have anointed him. With whom my hand shall be established. Also my arm shall strengthen him. The enemy shall not outwit him. Nor the son of wickedness afflict him. I will beat down his foes before his face.

[00:03:44] And plague those who hate him. But my faithfulness and my mercy shall be with him. And in my name his horn shall be exalted. Also I will set his hand over the sea. And his right hand over the rivers. He shall cry to me. You are my father. My God and the rock of my salvation. Also I will make him my firstborn.

[00:04:15] The highest of the kings of the earth. My mercy I will keep for him forever. And my covenant shall stand firm with him. His seed also I will make to endure forever. And his throne as the days of heaven. If his sons forsake my law and do not walk in my judgments. If they break my statutes and do not keep my commandments.

[00:04:43] Then I will punish their transgression with the rod. And their iniquity with stripes. Nevertheless, my loving kindness I will not utterly take from him. Nor allow my faithfulness to fail. My covenant I will not break. Nor alter the word that has gone out of my lips.

[00:05:08] Once I have sworn by my holiness I will not lie to David. His seed shall endure forever. And his throne as the sun before me. It shall be established forever like the moon. Even like the faithful witness in the sky. Selah. But you have cast off and abhorred. You have been furious with your anointed.

[00:05:37] You have renounced the covenant of your servant. You have profaned his crown by casting it to the ground. You have broken down all his ledges. You have brought his strongholds to ruin. All who pass by the way plunder him. He is a reproach to his neighbors. You have exalted the right hand of his adversaries.

[00:06:04] You have made all his enemies rejoice. You have also turned back the edge of his sword. And have not sustained him in the battle. You have made his glory cease. And cast his throne down to the ground. The days of his youth you have shortened. You have covered him with shame. Selah. How long, Lord?

[00:06:32] Will you hide yourself forever? Will your wrath burn like fire? Remember how short my time is. For what futility have you created all the children of men? What man can live and not see death? Can he deliver his life from the power of the grave? Selah. Lord, where are your former loving kindnesses?

[00:07:01] Which you swore to David in your truth. Remember, Lord, the reproach of your servants. How I bear in my bosom the reproach of all the many peoples. With which your enemies have reproached, O Lord. With which they have reproached the footsteps of your anointed. Blessed be the Lord forevermore. Amen. And amen.

[00:07:30] Now friends, Psalm 89 is titled, Remembering the Covenant with David and Sorrow for Lost Blessings. Now Psalm 89 is a contemplation of Ethan the Ezraite. This is a beautiful psalm, but since it is rather lengthy, I'm simply going to go over three points. And the first one is from verses 1 and 2.

[00:07:58] I will sing of the mercies of the Lord forever. With my mouth, I will make known your faithfulness to all generations. For I have said, mercy shall be built up forever. Your faithfulness you shall establish in the very heavens. So friends, my first point of this lesson is,

[00:08:25] I will sing of the mercies of the Lord forever. Now friends, verses 1 and 2 speak of the mercies of the Lord and also his faithfulness. And it's a reminder that even if we are unfaithful to God, God will always be faithful to us. Next, I'm going to read verses 14 through 18.

[00:08:54] Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne. Mercy and truth go before your face. Blessed are the people who know the joyful sound. They walk, O Lord, in the light of your countenance. In your name they rejoice all day long. And in your righteousness they are exalted. For you are the glory of their strength.

[00:09:22] And in your favor our horn is exalted. For our shield belongs to the Lord and our King to the Holy One of Israel. So friends, my second point of this lesson is, Our shield belongs to the Lord and our King to the Holy One of Israel.

[00:09:48] Now friends, I am reading out of the Nelson Study Bible. And part of the commentary for this verse says, The Holy One of Israel is the title Isaiah uses to describe God, following his experience of God's holiness in his memorable vision of God's throne. And finally, I'm going to close with verse 34. It says,

[00:10:17] My covenant I will not break, nor alter the word that has gone out of my lips. Listen to the commentary for verse 34. The words,

[00:10:43] My covenant I will not break, and the wording of verse 35 are strong. So as to assure the reader that the will of the Lord is quite settled in this matter. The people might become faithless, but God cannot deny himself.

[00:11:04] In spite of errors, rebellions, sins, and apostates in the lives of many of the kings of Judah, God is determined to complete, fulfill, and accomplish his grand plan for David's destiny. And friends, I believe God is still doing the same thing in our lives today.

[00:11:31] He will take care of us if you seek his face. Friends, please join me again soon as we take a closer look at Psalm 90.