Psalm 89 Meditation - God’s Unfailing Covenant

Описание: Synopsis: Sometimes we hold competing truths in tension. We believe that God is faithful and loving and feel that his providence against us is hard. You couldn’t guess from how Psalm 89 starts but that is exactly the situation of Ethan the Ezrahite. The first eighteen verses are a beautiful song of praise for God’s faithfulness and steadfast love. Fully one tenth of the Bible’s use of the word faithfulness is in this single chapter! The Lord is faithful “to all generations” (1). No one can be com-pared to the Lord (6). He is awesome (7), mighty (8), righteous and just (14). Those who walk in the light of God’s face are blessed (15)
The psalm’s second part (19–37) links God’s faithfulness with his promise to David. God had a special Father-son relationship (26) with King David. In fact, as with Adam, Noah, Abraham, and Moses before him, David was one of the unique characters in the history of God’s salvation singled out to represent God’s chosen people in covenant with their redeemer. David received for God’s people God’s promise to establish in him his eternal throne (29). God swore to David that he would never be false to his faithfulness (33).
That’s why the end of the psalm (38–52) surprises us. Ethan claims that the faithful God who would not lie to David (35) has done what he promised not to do: “But now you have cast off and rejected; you are full of wrath against your anointed” (38). But did God truly renounce his covenant (39)? Perhaps the word “renounce” is too strong. Probably the author is not accusing God of violating the covenant, but in Ethan’s estimation, God has “held cheap” his promises. He couldn’t understand how God’s present providence squared with his faithfulness and steadfast love. But his question was right, “How long, O Lord? Will you hide yourself forever?” (46). No. Long after Ethan died David’s son and Lord, Jesus, claimed his eternal throne as the “highest of the kings of the earth” (27). In Christ all the promises of the faithful God come fully true (2 Cor. 1:20).