We come to Psalm 89, a long end to Psalms, Book III. Tomorrow in the reading plan, we start Ecclesiastes.

Psalm 89: the first 2/3 is about God’s promises to David. The last 1/3: why isn’t it working??

The promise:

I have made a covenant with My chosen, I have sworn to My servant David: “Your seed I will establish forever, And build up your throne to all generations. ” Selah (Psalm 89.3, 4, NKJV)

Nevertheless My lovingkindness 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. 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 (Psalm 89.33 – 37, NKJV)

BUT…

But You have cast off and abhorred, You have been furious with Your anointed. 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 hedges; You have brought his strongholds to ruin. All who pass by the way plunder him; He is a reproach to his neighbors. (Psalm 89.38 – 41, NKJV)

An honest prayer. God, look what you’ve done.

A plea:

How long, LORD? 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? (Psalm 89.46, 47, NKJV)

A final prayer:

Lord, where are Your former lovingkindnesses, 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. (Psalm 89.49 – 51, NKJV)

But after all that…and before:

I will sing of the mercies of the LORD forever; With my mouth will I make known Your faithfulness to all generations. (Psalm 89.1, NKJV)

Blessed be the LORD forevermore! Amen and Amen. (Psalm 89.52, NKJV)

End of Psalms, Book III

There’s a song from verse 1. A song of God’s mercy and faithfulness, preface to a psalm in which that mercy and faithfulness seem to have gone away. The psalm starts upbeat, and even ends upbeat…but that last third!

But the psalmist couldn’t know that the promise to King David would be fulfilled in Jesus.

Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name JESUS. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.” (Luke 1.30 – 33, NKJV)