Psalms 89

Psalms 89THEME: Psalm of the Davidic covenantThis is the final psalm in the Leviticus section. The New Scofield Reference Bible calls it the psalm of the Davidic Covenant. I like that because it is what the psalm is all about. This great psalm was written by Ethan the Ezrahite. It is a maschil, which means it is one of instruction. Ethan was probably a singer who belonged to the tribe of Levi.

The writer is not identified for uspurposely, I thinkbecause it is the faithfulness of God that is exalted in this psalm. The faithfulness of God is mentioned ten times, which makes it obvious that the psalmist is emphasizing His faithfulness. The word covenant is mentioned four times, and with it God says, “I have sworn” three times. Also “I will not lie” occurs four times. It is quite a contrast to the previous psalm which was all gloom and no glory. This one is all glory and no gloom.

It is a psalm of great excitement, and it rests upon the covenant that God made with David. When we were studying 2 Samuel, we spent quite a bit of time in chapter 7 which records God’s covenant with David. If you want to know how important it is, you will find it referred to again and again in the writings of the prophets, and here is a psalm devoted to it.

Psalms 89:1

Is God good to you? I am sure He is. He certainly is good to me, and because of that “I will sing of the mercies of the LORD for ever.” Although I can’t really sing, I am going to tell it out the best way I know how. The mercies of the Lord are wonderful! “With my mouth will I make known thy faithfulness"I’m glad he didn’t say “sing” this time, because singing excludes me; but I can use my mouth to make known His faithfulness. My, how faithful He has been to me! Notice the pronoun is “thy"it is God’s faithfulness. It is praise to God for His faithfulness to David. Then down in verse Psa_89:24 we read, “But my faithfulness and my mercy shall be with him.” The pronoun has changed because it is God speaking. All the references in this psalm, regardless of the pronoun used, refer to the faithfulness of God.

Psalms 89:2

God is faithful. Our salvation rests upon the death of Christ and the faithfulness of God in saving those who put their trust in Him. It is what God says that is important. It reminds me of the little Scottish lady I have told you about. She had sent her boy away to school, and he had come home a skeptic. She was fixing breakfast for him one morning and telling him how God had saved her, how sure she was of it, and how wonderful His salvation was. Finally the son could stand it no longer. He blurted out, “Your little soul doesn’t amount to anything! It is very small compared to this great universe.

God could forget you and wouldn’t even miss you.” On and on he talked. Then there was silence. This little Scottish mother kept quiet for a while. She finished serving him breakfast and sat down to eat. Then she said, “Son, I have been thinking about it. Maybe you are right.

It may be that my soul doesn’t amount to anything, but if I lose my soul, God is going to lose more than I will lose.” Her son asked, “What do you mean by that?” Her reply was this, “If I lose my soulyou’ve just said it doesn’t amount to muchso I wouldn’t lose much, but God would lose a great deal. He would lose His Word, His reputation, because He said He would save me!” She was right. And God would lose His reputation if He did not make good His covenant to David. But God is faithful.

Psalms 89:3

God says He made a covenant with David.

Psalms 89:5

“The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handiwork” (Psa_19:1), but the faithfulness of God has more glory connected with it than that. “O LORD: thy faithfulness also in the congregation of the saints.” His faithfulness toward us deserves our praise!

Psalms 89:8

We certainly get the impression that he is talking about the faithfulness of God.

Psalms 89:20

God says, “I will make good what I promised David at the time I anointed him.” God rests upon what He has promised David:

Psalms 89:24

The “horn” speaks of his strength.

Psalms 89:27

God’s covenant to David was that He would be sending One in his line. The covenant centers on the Lord Jesus Christ. Of Him God says, “Also I will make him my firstborn, higher than the kings of the earth.” Look at thisit is wonderful. When God sent the Lord Jesus into this world, He came as the only begotten Son, and by His incarnation yonder at Bethlehem He became the Son of God. Thus He was revealed in His life of humiliationGod manifested in the flesh. And after He died a sacrificial deathfor that is the reason He came from heavenHe became in resurrection the firstborn, the first begotten from the dead.

He is speaking of the resurrected Christ: “Also I will make him my firstborn"the resurrected Christ, the One who came back from the dead after He had died on the cross. It simply means that the scepter of this universe is in nail pierced hands. But we are told here that He is “higher than the kings of the earth.” This means that He is Lord of Lords and King of Kings! The psalmist now is talking about the Lord Jesus. Therefore again He says:

Psalms 89:28

Now we must correctly divide the Word of Truth. Verses Psa_89:29-32 cannot speak of Christ, but of David’s posterity. Suppose that David’s children forsake God. What will God do?

Psalms 89:30

Does it sound as though God is through with His children if they are not faithful to Him? No!

Psalms 89:33

Oh, my friend, I may be faithless; but my God is faithful. What wonderful assurance! Next God takes an oath concerning the covenant He made with David:

Psalms 89:34

At this very moment there is One sitting at the right hand of God who is coming to earth to sit on that throne of David. He is the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of David.

Psalms 89:37

David will have a Son who will sit on the throne of this universe. That fact is as established as the moon is established in the heavens, and it looks like the moon is going to be there for a long time. God will make good His covenant with David.

Psalms 89:49

To these people who had gotten away from God at this time, it looked as if God had forgotten His covenant. But He hadn’t forgotten His covenant. God is faithful. God has the Man to sit on David’s throne.