Psalm 89: A Sure Covenant and a Faithful God

This is one of the truly masterful Psalms and it deals with the Covenant that God made

to David. More specifically, it concerns a time of trouble in the nation during which the

Psalmist made intercession by reminding God of His promises to David. The first

section deals with the greatness of God and his promises. The second part discusses, by

contrast, the terrible situation of the kingdom. The final section prays for God’s mercies.

There are perhaps many references here to David’s greater son, King Messiah.

(1) Maschil of Ethan the Ezrahite. I will sing of the mercies of the LORD

forever; with my mouth will I make known your faithfulness to all

generations. (2) For I have said, mercy shall be built up forever; your

faithfulness you shall establish in the very heavens. (3) “I have made a

covenant with my chosen, I have sworn to David my servant, (4) ‘Your seed

will I establish forever, and build up your throne to all generations.’” Selah.

• Ethan was one of David’s singers and so perhaps this Psalm dates from one of the

rebellions against David; or else, it may be that a descendant wrote it about a

later calamity. A maschil was a teaching psalm.

• We are indeed to sing of God’s mercies forever; we also have a call to proclaim

His faithfulness to those who come after us. Here at the beginning, in vv. 2 and 3,

he wishes to remind God of His attributes, setting the stage for his prayers.

• VV. 3 and 4 are to be seen as a quotation from the Lord. God has sworn that He

will establish David forever and build up his throne. This was an unconditional
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promise – meaning it did not depend on David’s obedience, or the obedience of

any king who came after him. Rather, it is completely dependent on God’s choice

and God’s actions to preserve the line. We find the historical account in 2

Samuel. David had wanted to build God a house. God sends the prophet Nathan

to him, telling him in essence, that instead of that, God will build a house for

David. “….And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers,

I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will

establish his kingdom… my mercy shall not depart away from him, as I took it

from Saul, whom I put away before thee. And thine house and thy kingdom

shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established

forever.” According to all these words, and according to all this vision, so did

Nathan speak unto David. (See 2 Sam. 7:12-16)

• This was literally fulfilled in Solomon, but the reference to the Throne being

established forever finds its ultimate fulfillment in Jesus Christ. This was the

angel’s message to Mary in the Gospel: He shall be great, and shall be called the

Son of the Highest; and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his

father David; and he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his

kingdom there shall be no end. (Luke 1:32-33)

• In the Millennial Kingdom, it is believed that while Jesus will of course rule the

world, David will sit on the Throne of Israel. And they shall dwell in the land

that I have given unto Jacob my servant, wherein your fathers have dwelt; and

they shall dwell therein, even they, and their children, and their children's

children for ever: and my servant David shall be their prince forever. (Ezek.

37:25)

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(5) And the heavens shall praise your wonders, O LORD, your faithfulness

also in the congregation of the saints. (6) For who in the heaven can be

compared to the LORD? Who among the sons of the mighty can be likened

to the LORD? (7) God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints,

and to be had in reverence by all those who are about him. (8) O LORD God

of hosts, who is a strong LORD like you? Or your faithfulness round about

you?

• This section speaks of the glories of God and of His supremacy in the Universe.

No one can compare to Him or to His faithfulness.

(9) You rule the raging of the sea; when its waves arise, you still them. (10)

You have broken Rahab in pieces, as one that is slain; you have scattered

your enemies with your strong arm. (11) The heavens are yours, the earth

also is yours; as for the world and its fullness, you have founded them. (12)

The north and the south, you have created them; Tabor and Hermon shall

rejoice in your name. (13) You have a mighty arm; strong is your hand, and

high is your right hand.

• This section speaks of the mighty deeds of the Lord. He controls nature.

• Rahab is a reference to the land of Egypt, broken by God’s hand.

• Tabor and Hermon are mountains which represent the west and the east.

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(14) Justice and judgment are the habitation of your throne; mercy and

truth shall go before your face. (15) Blessed is the people who know the

joyful sound; they shall walk, O LORD, in the light of your countenance. (16)

In your name shall they rejoice all the day; and in your righteousness shall

they be exalted. (17) For you are the glory of their strength; and in your

favor our horn shall be exalted. (18) For the LORD is our defense; and the

Holy One of Israel is our king.

• Wonderful poetry about God’s throne and how it is built upon justice.

• The “joyful sound” has been discussed often. It is the word teruah, which means a

loud noise, a shout or a trumpet blast. The holiday known as Rosh Hashanah or

the Feast of Trumpets is sometimes known as Yom Teruah – the day of trumpet

blasts. Those who are called to God’s Presence at His feasts are indeed blessed!

(19) Then you spoke in vision to your holy one, and said, “I have laid help

upon one that is mighty; I have exalted one chosen out of the people. (20) I

have found David my servant; with my holy oil have I anointed him; (21)

with whom my hand shall be established: my arm also shall strengthen him.

(22) The enemy shall not exact upon him; nor the son of wickedness afflict

him. (23) And I will beat down his foes before his face, and plague those

who hate him. (24) But my faithfulness and my mercy shall be with him;

and in my name shall his horn be exalted.”

• Here he recites God’s promises to David. In God’s Name, David would prosper

and the wicked would not be able to afflict him with debt or oppression.

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(25) “I will set his hand also in the sea, and his right hand in the rivers. (26)

He shall cry unto me, ‘You art my father, my God, and the rock of my

salvation.’ (27) Also I will make him my firstborn, higher than the kings of

the earth. (28) My mercy will I keep for him for evermore, and my covenant

shall stand fast with him. (29) His seed also will I make to endure for ever,

and his throne as the days of heaven.”

• Verse 25 refers to the geographical extent of the Kingdom of Israel. In v. 26, he

would be a worshipper of God. He would be considered the firstborn – the

privileged and favored one of God. VV. 28-29 are a clear statement that this

dynasty will last forever.

(30) “If his children forsake my law, and walk not in my judgments; (31) if

they break my statutes, and keep not my commandments; (32) then will I

visit their transgression with the rod, and their iniquity with stripes. (33)

Nevertheless my lovingkindness I will not utterly take from him, nor allow

my faithfulness to fail. (34) My covenant I will not break, nor alter the thing

that has gone out of my lips. (35) Once have I sworn by my holiness that I

will not lie unto David. (36) His seed shall endure forever, and his throne

as the sun before me. (37) It shall be established forever as the moon, and

as a faithful witness in heaven.” Selah.

• God is holy and He would not leave the sins of David and his successors

unpunished; nevertheless He would not terminate the dynasty of David as He

had terminated the dynasty of Saul. These promises were sworn upon God’s own

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holiness. They cannot fail and will be preserved by God forever, just as He will

preserve the lights of the heavens which He has made.

(38) But you have cast off and abhorred, you have been wroth with your

anointed. (39) You have made void the covenant of your servant; you have

profaned his crown by casting it to the ground. (40) You have broken down

all his hedges; you have brought his strongholds to ruin. (41) All who pass

by the way spoil him; he is a reproach to his neighbors. (42) You have set

up the right hand of his adversaries; you have made all his enemies to

rejoice. (43) You have also turned the edge of his sword, and have not made

him to stand in the battle. (44) You have made his glory to cease, and cast

his throne down to the ground. (45) The days of his youth you have

shortened; you have covered him with shame. Selah.

• A detail of the complaint before God – the Kingdom in a degraded condition!

(46) How long, LORD? Will you hide yourself forever? Shall your wrath

burn like fire? (47) Remember how short my time is – why have you made

all men in vain? (48) What man is he who lives, and shall not see death?

Shall he deliver his soul from the hand of the grave? Selah. (49) Lord,

where are your former lovingkindnesses, which you swore to David in your

truth? (50) Remember, Lord, the reproach of your servants; how I do bear

in my bosom the reproach of all the mighty people; (51) With which your

enemies have reproached, O LORD; with which they have reproached the

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footsteps of your anointed. (52) Blessed be the LORD for evermore. Amen,

and Amen.

• The concluding prayer – he wishes to the greatness of the Kingdom return before

His decease.